AHL- Apolyton Hockey League 09/10 (II): We're very perverse

[Asher]

Chris Chelios arrested for DUI + speeding. Douche.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2010/01/report_chris_chelios_arrested.html

[Ben Kenobi]

The Canucks are on a roll so some sort of luck is to be expected, but that stretches it a bit.

Canucks are a top ranked team based on goal differential, hopefully this week they'll pass colorado and calgary and take over the division lead again.

[notyoueither]

Not much. I didn't expect him to come out flat a second year in row, that's true. (He's actually significantly better so far this year, save percentage-wise.) But he's still money in the playoffs.

The problem hasn't been defense/goaltending. They're fifth in the conference in goals allowed. They just haven't been putting the puck in the net nearly enough.

Tel me about it. I have Datsyuk and Holmstrom in a rotisserie league.

[Guynemer]

Relatively speaking, they've avoided major, team-crushing injuries for most of the past 15 years or so.

This year has been ugly. Z, the Mule, Dats was hurt for a while, Flip was out for a while, Kroner... they've been a bit snakebit this season.

[notyoueither]

Oh yes, in another head to head I have Franzen and Zetterburg. Doing better in that one though due to overall strength of the team.

[Flubber]

Canucks are a top ranked team based on goal differential, hopefully this week they'll pass colorado and calgary and take over the division lead again.

The Canucks are a good team-- they may well win the diivision.

But Ben "goal differential"-- Thats your killer stat now??

Seriously? If two teams have identical records and one has a much larger positive goal differential do you know what it says to me? It says they are unable to win enough of the close games. It also MIGHT mean that they run up the score a bit in their lopsided wins or that they are very good at preventing those meaningless late goals against (you know the goal with 30 seconds left when you are up by three).

So while a good goal differential will obviously lead to good things like wins, having a better goal differential than another team with the same record may not be that positive a thing depending on how it is coming about.

[notyoueither]

Sedins with a goal of the year candidate. Kipper and the Flames defence can collect their jocks from the fourth row.

[Asher]

I'm not even watching. I cannot STAND watching games at GM Place.

The incessant "LOOOOOOOOOOOU" for even the most routine of saves makes me hit the roof. The fans at GM Place are right up there with the colour commentator for the FSN broadcasts of the Predators games in the pantheon of obnoxious noise.

[Asher]

Speaking of classy Canucks fans at GM place, I'm told someone there is shining a laser pointer in the eyes of Kipper as he's trying to make saves. Jesus ****ing Christ, what douches. That's actually very dangerous in addition to completely classless.

[Ben Kenobi]

How does it feel to watch your division lead slip, slip away.

Luongo vastly outplayed Kipper. Pity the game had to end in a SO.

[Ben Kenobi]

Seriously? If two teams have identical records and one has a much larger positive goal differential do you know what it says to me? It says they are unable to win enough of the close games.

It tells me that the team with the greater differential is the superior team, especially over the course of the season. I agree that the stat is meaningless early on, but halfway through the season, I think we can see which teams are doing well.

It also MIGHT mean that they run up the score a bit in their lopsided wins or that they are very good at preventing those meaningless late goals against (you know the goal with 30 seconds left when you are up by three).

The top team is the Blackhawks. Points for and points against, the differential has the largest correlation to wins of any other stat. Are you arguing that the Hawks are not cup contenders?

So while a good goal differential will obviously lead to good things like wins, having a better goal differential than another team with the same record may not be that positive a thing depending on how it is coming about.

WTF? It's always better to have a higher goal differential. A team like Colorado who has an even goal differential, and a slew of OT and SOL keeping them afloat tells me that the team is weak, and will slide over the course of the season. Same with the Flames as we are starting to see now.

[notyoueither]

Speaking of classy Canucks fans at GM place, I'm told someone there is shining a laser pointer in the eyes of Kipper as he's trying to make saves. Jesus ****ing Christ, what douches. That's actually very dangerous in addition to completely classless.

I heard on the CBC that they got the ****er.

A criminal record would be in order.

[notyoueither]

It was a very good game.

[Asher]

How does it feel to watch your division lead slip, slip away.

Luongo vastly outplayed Kipper. Pity the game had to end in a SO.

It's funny how you're nowhere to be found in this thread until the Canucks put on an impressive winning streak that brings them back in contention.

I'm afraid if you do look at the standings, the Flames are still in the lead in the division. And it's not the Flames that will have to deal with the NHL-record setting road trip next month.

Also not sure how you could say Luongo vastly outplayed Kipper. Luongo's shootout save percentage was 0%, and from what I'm hearing from friends and the results on Twitter, Kipper made some outstanding saves.

Ultimately, Luongo let in 1 more goal than Kipper did. Which tells me he didn't "vastly outplay" Kipper, as Luongo gets the L in the game.

[Ben Kenobi]

It's funny how you're nowhere to be found in this thread until the Canucks put on an impressive winning streak that brings them back in contention.

I've been rooting for 'em since Petri Skriko and I remember when he got the hattricks back to back which is the first season I recall. November of '86. That would be 23 years now I've been a fan of them.

I'm afraid if you do look at the standings, the Flames are still in the lead in the division. And it's not the Flames that will have to deal with the NHL-record setting road trip next month.

The same Flames who just lost to Columbus?

Also not sure how you could say Luongo vastly outplayed Kipper. Luongo's shootout save percentage was 0%, and from what I'm hearing from friends and the results on Twitter, Kipper made some outstanding saves.

Kipper played well, but Luongo was better, and very nearly theived a game away from the Flames. Hey, some of us actually watched the game tonight. Pity Raymond was sent off.