NHL Fantasy League - Game On - Episode VI

[Sava]

Originally posted by Asher

That's odd, because I think a Sutter won his second consecutive championship just the other day.

And his team has also won the WHL championship...

And Daryl Sutter will win the cup this year.

WHL

yeah, and if THE FLAMES win the Cup this year, it will be in spite of Sutter... not because of him...

and still, that will be just a little bit under 2,000 combined games for the Sutters coaching before one of them wins a Stanley Cup

but I doubt Calgary win will the Cup...

clutch and grab (Sutter hockey), combined with Kiprusoff was (almost) good enough in 2003-2004, but not with the new rules... they don't have enough offense to compete in a 7 game series with the top teams

[Asher]

Originally posted by Ninot
and despite his record at the Wolrd Juniours, Brent Sutter is a dumbass and anyone coulda won these two past years. He would never, ever succeed at the NHL level.

[Ninot]

If Brent ever wins the Stanley Cup as coach, I'll be flabergasted.

I'll wager my avatar on it.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Sava
clutch and grab (Sutter hockey), combined with Kiprusoff was (almost) good enough in 2003-2004, but not with the new rules... they don't have enough offense to compete in a 7 game series with the top teams

Calgary has a commanding record against the top teams, actually. Undefeated against the East, also. (except for an OTL vs Philly )

The worse a team is, the more trouble it is for Calgary. Like Chicago, Minnesota...

[Sava]

Originally posted by Asher

Calgary has a commanding record against the top teams, actually.

oh yeah, they get lucky and can squeeze out victories with the help of their goaltending... these are all 1 goal victories... look at the schedule

2-1 Van (dec.26)
6-5 Van (the chris simon game, dec.23)
2-1 Ott (against Nate Emery, dec.10)
3-2 Det (against Howard, dec.1)


every game the Flames win against the top teams is against a backup goalie or when Kiprusoff has a great game (less than 2 goals)... and most of the wins are by 1 goal)...

when the playoffs come and teams are ready to go and it's a 7 game series... Calgary is going to get kicked in the nuts and bounced out... and I wouldn't be surprised if it happens in the first round

[Asher]

Originally posted by Sava
every game the Flames win against the top teams is against a backup goalie or when Kiprusoff has a great game (less than 2 goals)... and most of the wins are by 1 goal)...

Yes, most are 1-goal games.

You again can't figure out the difference between a strong defensive game and a strong goaltender.

In terms of sv% -- the real measure of how many saves a goaltender is making -- Kipper is ranked 12 in the league last I checked.

The reason the GA is so low for the team is the combination of defensive style of player, superb defensemen, and great goaltending.

when the playoffs come and teams are ready to go and it's a 7 game series... Calgary is going to get kicked in the nuts and bounced out... and I wouldn't be surprised if it happens in the first round

Calgary is a better team (in term of talent, and in terms of record) this year than last, and that certainly didn't happen.

Wishful thinking on your behalf.

The Flames play a physical, fast, and hard game that most teams just aren't used to. In a 7 game series, the opposition will likely wane and have their injuries pile up.

And I like your 6-5 Vancouver example. Kipper was atrocious in that game, he had like an 80% svp. You just used that as an example of great goaltending stealing the game.

That game shows that if the defense breaks down, the offense can kick in and do the job.

[Sava]

Originally posted by Asher


And I like your 6-5 Vancouver example. Kipper was atrocious in that game, he had like an 80% svp. You just used that as an example of great goaltending stealing the game.

That game shows that if the defense breaks down, the offense can kick in and do the job.

That was ONE game...

oh BTW, that was the game where Calgary was the beneficiary of horrible reffing, including the Simon goal, where he hooked (Morrison I think) and then scored the goal...

btw... Calgary's offense seems to "kick in" against backup goaltenders (like Auld for instance, starting for Cloutier, who is injured)...

that's okay... we'll just see what happens in the playoffs

[Asher]

Auld has started the last 18 of 20 games, I don't think you can call him the backup anymore. He's also 25.

[Sava]

it's a question of skill, not age, or if the injury to their starter has forced him to start games he would have otherwise not have started

[Asher]

Cloutier sucked, Auld outperformed him even when Cloutier wasn't injured.

[Hot Mustard]

Just looking over next week against EmpFab. With Weekes unlikely to get a start after his performance Thursday, and Toronto only playing 2 games, I stand a decent chance of winning the goalie stats by default.

[Asher]

By the way, for the naysayers:

So far since the Iginla-Gionta trade, Gionta has 0 goals, 0 assists, and Iginla has 1G.

[Asher]

Jeez.

Detroit dropped a 3-0 lead to lose 6-3 to Dallas...

[joncha]

 Rank  	Team  			W-L-T  		WPct  	PTS  	Last Week
 1	Road Kill		65-22-11	.719	141	1-5-1	
 2	The Flamers		60-26-12	.673	132	5-1-1
 3	Displaced Wingnuts	49-34-15	.577	113	5-1-1
 4	Scurvy Dogs		50-36-12	.571	112	3-3-1
 5	Monkey Butlers		49-36-13	.566	111	3-3-1
 6	teh LISTERINE BONGS!	46-37-15	.546	107	4-2-1
 7	Krazy Enforcers		46-39-13	.536	105	6-0-1
 8	Hot Mustard Maniacs	46-40-12	.531	104	5-1-1
 9	Siddiqui Slashers	29-53-16	.378	74	1-5-1
 10	JediKnights		27-55-16	.357	70	0-6-1
 11	Boston Liberals		25-61-12	.316	62	1-5-1
 12	Haunted House Boos	17-70-11	.230	45	2-4-1

[Asher]

Stranger crashes in on Habs' practice

MONTREAL (CP) - Canadiens goalie Jose Theodore got a shock Monday when a stranger in full hockey equipment jumped on the ice during a Montreal practice and shot a puck at him.

The 28-year-old man from Montreal, who would only say his name was Raphael, went onto the Verdun Auditorium ice when most of the players were at the far end of the rink.

Wearing skates, full gear and a plain white hockey jersey, the man skated in on the star goalie with a stick and a puck. He was poke-checked on his first attempt and Theodore then stopped a weak wrist shot to the high glove side.

The practice crasher was chased to the side boards by coach Claude Julien but wouldn't get off the ice until he was pulled away by an arena worker.

Police later released the man.



"I didn't really know what was going on until the guy came on," a grinning Theodore said later. "He came at me with his head down so I just wanted to say `Welcome to the big boys.'

"I poke-checked him to say `You have to keep your head up.' When he came back, I though about going out of the net and not playing into his game, but then I thought he had the (courage) to go on the ice, so I let him have a free shot at me.

"He couldn't beat me. That's the main thing."

While waiting for the police to arrive, Raphael told reporters that while Theodore is a "great goalie," he didn't score because "I didn't have time."

Although most of what the recreational hockey player said was incoherent, he said he had planned crashing the practice to show the Canadiens what he could do on the ice.

"For many years I wanted to play high-calibre hockey," he said. "I had nothing to lose."

Police spokesman Olivier Lapointe said that although two officers spoke to the man, it was "not really a police matter" and he was not arrested.

With Julien ordering him off the ice, defenceman Craig Rivet stood close by in case there was trouble, but the man went off peacefully.

"It's funny now that everything is OK, but it's a little scary," said Rivet. "You don't know what intentions people have.

"You don't know if he was stable. It was a bit amusing, I guess, but hopefully it won't happen again."

The Habs practise at the suburban arena, where fans are allowed to watch the session, when the Bell Centre is unavailable - because of a Rolling Stones concert this time.

About 15 to 20 fans, mostly schoolkids, were on hand Monday at the practice arena.

The man had spent most of the practice sitting up in the seats in his hockey gear. Winger Alex Kovalev wondered if he was a player waiting to go on after the Canadiens practice until he moved down next to the boards, tightened his skate laces and jumped on the ice.

"He's one of those people, like whoever her name was (Morgana) who used to go out on the baseball field to kiss the players," Kovalev said. "He's probably one of those.

"And maybe he was wondering if we need a right-handed shot and tried to prove he can play on our team. You need one of those things to give us a laugh."