AHL- Apolyton Hockey League 07/08: VII Da da da, da da daa, da da da, da daa da daa

[Asher]

LA's new strategy: 4G, 4D. They're gunning for a shutout.

[snoopy369]

That's perfect... skip one of the D's and put out Cloutier and Labarbera together. No way a shot gets by them!

And, if the opposing team's goalie is a problem, not a big deal - just send the extra G down ice to 'take care' of him.

[Cavalcadeus]

The Bruins picked up 4 points from the leafs to end out the season series and keep in playoff contention while also finally putting Toronto out. Hopefully sportscentre will quit giving them so much damn coverage, though with the way they are covered the media will probably start looking towards next year before this ones done.

[Flubber]

Big night in the west with pretty much everyone crucial playing except Calgary.

Edmonton needs a win regardless and has to hope that Minny can beat Vancouver. Oh and the preds play Columbus and could potentially catch Vancouver. So there will be at least two teams that are fervently cheering for the Wild this evening

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Cavalcadeus
The Bruins picked up 4 points from the leafs to end out the season series and keep in playoff contention while also finally putting Toronto out. Hopefully sportscentre will quit giving them so much damn coverage, though with the way they are covered the media will probably start looking towards next year before this ones done.

Nice that they are finally mathematically done!! IT was amazing to me how long we had to hear talk about the Leafs playoff hopes when they were so clearly out of the mix

But the leafs will ALWAYS get big media coverage-- its like death and taxes as something you just need to accept

[Asher]

http://divealanche.com/1a_play_fors.html

Peter Forsberg is the greatest player in the history of hockey. If you don't believe it, just ask a Divesfan, many of whom have been following hockey since the NHL began in 1995.

Indeed, if your idea of great hockey is compulsive circle skating and overly fussy stickwork, then you'll certainly find much to amuse yourself watching Peter The Great.

Can there be any doubt that Forsberg is the greatest player to ever lace up skates?
Yes... and a hell of a lot, actually. But while skeptics point out that Forsberg has yet to do anything that requires even a modest rewrite of the record books, his domination over certain statistical areas leaves little doubt as to the impact he's already had on the game.

In the '98, '99 and '00 seasons, Forsberg led the league in both the Dipsy Doodling and Excessive Puckhandling statistical categories.

In the '99 season, Peter broke the NHL record for Selfish Minutes, clocking in at 1,042 (1,015 more than his nearest competitor).

During a game in the 2000 season, Forsberg set the one-man record for Longest Puck Possession, skating figure 8s in the Dive's zone for the final 97 seconds of regulation as the Pepsi Center crowd cheered thunderously. The Divealanche lost that game 1-0, but who will ever forget it?

In 2001-02, Forsberg became the all time NHL Career Jake leader after spending the entire regular season watching television in Sweden under the guise of being injured. In spring, when asked whether Peter would be healthy for the playoffs, Dives coach Bob Hartley took great pleasure in nudge-nudging and wink-winking to Denver's media homer corps with all the subtlety of a rusty jackhammer. Unfortunately, Peter The Jake's European Vacation wasn't enough to keep his team from being spanked and stripped of the Cup by the Red Wings.

Judging by these stats, it's clear that Forsberg must truly be considered a player who thinks he is great, but they do not even tell the whole story. Forsberg's most notable impact on the NHL has been in the area of Diving, a skill at which Peter The Jake is unsurpassed. If hockey greatness is measured by the distance that one man will launch himself through the air in order to draw a two minute power play, the number "21" should be retired immediately by the entire National Hockey League.

To witness Forsberg in action is to behold the very art and essence of the dive. The glancing touch of an opposing player's arm can catapult him headfirst across the ice as if he'd been hit by a Mack truck. The gentle brush of an opponent's glove can launch Forsberg eight feet through the air as if a landmine that only Peter can feel has exploded somewhere beneath his skates. The slightest tap of an enemy stick can spark a catastrophic, somersaulting yard sale, igniting a chorus of boos and sobs of indignation from the Avsmonkey audience.

Fortunately, due to his solid conditioning and imposing physical stature, Forsberg is seldom injured during his performances, and is always ready to lead his team in the ensuing power play.

[snoopy369]

Forsberg

[Flubber]

Healthy Flames should have won division in a walk


Bruce Dowbiggin, Calgary Herald
Published: Thursday, March 27, 2008


As the NHL season heads into its final 10 days, the Northwest Division is tighter than the waistband on Elvis Presley's jumpsuit.

From the Flames in first (as of Tuesday) to the Oilers in fifth, there's just a seven-point spread. All five teams have a legitimate shot at the playoffs -- and three could still carry off the title and home-ice advantage that comes with it in the first round. Talk about All Shook Up.

The grim struggle for supremacy is the talk of the NHL -- at least that part that can stay awake to watch the games in later time zones. But the biggest surprise in the Northwest cat fight that is that it's even close at all. Based on the rosters and the health of the five teams, the Calgary Flames should have distanced themselves from the field a long time ago.

But the Flames have been locked in a battle for first with Minnesota for much of the past month, unable to shake free of the Wild or their other rivals in the division. A bad final road trip could even see them out of the playoffs.

It's kept Flames coach Mike Keenan pulling his hair out, and kept fans watching with one eye open most nights. They can see that on several levels, Calgary has a distinct advantage: a veteran team built for this year (the Flames are the third oldest team in the league). And those stars they have are, in several cases, the best players at their positions in the conference. Jarome Iginla, Miikka Kiprusoff and Dion Phaneuf all rank highly in their respective categories.

While their opponents have as much depth, no other Northwest team can compare quality at the top end with Calgary. At coach, the Flames have the very experienced Keenan, who has booted home winners at every level of elite hockey competition.

Health? The nucleus of the Flames has been disgustingly healthy by Northwest standards. Their top 10 scorers have missed just 16 games total so far in 2007- '08, and goalie Kiprusoff has started all but five contests. Contrast that with Colorado, which has missed Ryan Smyth, Joe Sakic, Paul Stasny, Jordan Leopold, Bret Clark, Marek Svatos and Ian Laperriere for extended periods. Or Vancouver, which has had its defence decimated all season in addition to missing Brendan Morrison, Jeff Cowan and Trevor Linden for significant time.

The Wild, likewise, has seen Pavol Demitra, Mikko Koivu, Mark Parrish, Sean Hill and Keith Carney on the DL. For Edmonton, Shawn Horcoff, Raffi Torres, Fernando Pisani, Sheldon Souray, Ethan Moreau and others have made their way to the infirmary. Whether it's private health care or the Canadian model that's a whole lot of bandages and gauze.

Like I said, this should have been no contest. So what happened? In part, the other teams in the Northwest played better hockey than might have been expected. With a closing kick from Edmonton, all five NW passengers could finish with 90 points or more -- no other division can boast even close to that. As well, the leavening effect of the salary cap has forced the teams into parity.

But the Flames' failings also figure in the equation -- a hard thing to say about a club that may finish first with 90-plus points.

Considering their health, experience and pedigree, they could easily have reached the 100-point plateau and be fighting for the conference title. You can't blame Iginla for that -- he'll be over 50 goals this season. Nor can you point the finger at Dion Phaneuf, the immensely talented defencemen whose highlight reel goals are a staple of the offence.

But from Kiprusoff on down, the rest of the Flames have lacked the consistency and fire to get to where many people think they belong. Not even the signing of his massive new contract restored Kipper to vintage form, and he's gone from a sure thing to a sometime thing, capable of giving up soft goals. Kristian Huselius, arguably the second best offensive player on the team, has disappeared for long stretches this season.

The longest win streak for the team is a modest six games, reached once in December. As well, no young Calgary player has come close to stepping forward to make the top six forwards or top four D-men.


Because of the injuries in the other cities, many promising players have emerged on the rivals -- a situation that will prove more damaging in future years than this one.

It says here that Calgary's the biggest riddle in the Northwest. One that could go a few playoff rounds if it solves its problems. Or could disappear without a whimper if matched against a top foe in the first round.

I don't always agree with Dowbiggen but in this article he has captured my own feelings respecting this year's Flames very well

[Flubber]

wow

Vancouver lost their . . . what is it--- FOURTH in a row !!! Edmonton cannot claim that the Canucks have not given them every chance

So

3 teams with 90
2 teams with 86
1 team with 84

Four out of 6 make the playoffs--

Calgary,Colorado, Dallas -- clinch spots with two wins plus an Ot/SO point

Vancouver/Nashville need a better record than the other down the stretch plus stay ahead of Edmonton

Edmonton-- needs to get 2 more points (in 3 games) than BOTH Nashville and Vancouver get (in four games)-- the bluntest example is that if Edmonton goes 3-0 neither of Nashville or Van can be better than 2-2

[Asher]

Ryan Kesler was asked if there was enough resolve on the roster to win out.

"Yeah, of course," the centre said. "There's a lot of character in this room. Right now we're going through a little adversity, but that's when we're at our best."

If this is Vancouver's best -- 4 in a row in the playoff battle home stretch and a 4-0 shutout at that -- then this is just awesome.

[Asher]

Whoa, Duncan Keith got a match penalty and insta-suspension.

What'd he do?

[snoopy369]

Looks like he and Andy McDonald got into it... I didn't see the end but that doesn't shock me, there were some rough feelings after the last Blues/Hawks game.

[Asher]

Brutal non-call leads to a Flames penalty. Clearest penalty anyone could ever ask for, on the puck carrier, and it's not called. I do not understand.

I forgot Mr Magoo was reffing this game for a while there.

Edit: Then Edmonton scores. Jesus Christ.

[Asher]

And another brutal no-call.

This is McGeough's last season though, yes?

[Asher]

Holy jesus, that was close...