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

[Ben Kenobi]

If it's not a factor given how many games go to shootouts in today's NHL, that coach should be fired.

Canucks have had what, 3 games go to SO? SOs are very flaky.

The media is starting to turn more sensible re: the Burrows thing. People have suddenly realized the guy is an immense douche with a history of lacking integrity. His word is not to be believed.

Right, the Red Star is such an unbiased source.

[Asher]

Canucks have had what, 3 games go to SO? SOs are very flaky.

4 so far, which is an abnormally low number (they normally lose games before they get to a shootout ).

But they're 2-2. If they went 4-0 they'd be in 1st place instead of 3rd in the division. Food for thought.

Right, the Red Star is such an unbiased source.

What possible ****ing bias would a Toronto paper have against the Canucks, who they see a couple times a year max (and recently, sometimes not even in a single year)?

You can't even get your knee-jerk reactions straight.

[Asher]

Since there's no all-star game this year, TSN did its own selection...

Kipper is the West goaltender, beating out Nabokov and...Luongo. Poor Ben.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Position Player Team
G Miikka Kiprusoff Calgary Flames
LD Duncan Keith Chicago Blackhawks
RD Dan Boyle San Jose Sharks
LW Patrick Marleau San Jose Sharks
C Henrik Sedin Vancouver Canucks
RW Patrick Kane Chicago Blackhawks
7th Stephane Robidas Dallas Stars

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Position Player Team
G Ryan Miller Buffalo Sabres
LD Chris Pronger Philadelphia Flyers
RD Tyler Myers Buffalo Sabres
LW Alex Ovechkin Washington Capitals
C Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins
RW Marian Gaborik New York Rangers
7th Tomas Plekanec Montreal Canadiens

[Asher]

Holy ****ing ****. Is the victim complex Vancouver has not pissing anyone else off?

Add 'Ron MacLean' and the CBC to the list of the people out to get Vancouver. The list, incase you were wondering:

- The referees
- The league (specifically Colin Campbell)
- The CBC (specifically Ron MacLean)

Anyone who pays attention to hockey knows Burrows is a diver, he has virtually no integrity, and he's a ****-disturber -- a poor man's Sean Avery. He's not respected around the league as a person, even if he does have a nice 'rags to riches' backstory and he's turning out to be a decent hockey player when he plays hockey. But his drama queen antics and lack of respect for other players, and for the officials, is coming back to haunt him. As it should.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/vigneault-slams-cbcs-maclean/article1434026/

Vigneault slams CBC's MacLean

Add the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Ron MacLean to the Vancouver Canucks' growing list of enemies.

The Hockey Night in Canada host was criticized by Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault after his team beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in the late game of the CBC's Saturday night doubleheader. Vigneault was objecting to a pre-game segment with MacLean and NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell.

“I'm not done with our boy Ron,” Vigneault said on his way out of GM Place on Saturday.

MacLean, seated beside Campbell, went through a detailed video analysis of a Dec. 8 cross-check by Nashville Predators forward Jerred Smithson on Vancouver forward Alex Burrows. According to Burrows, NHL referee Stephane Auger cited that play and vowed to settle a score in a pre-game warning before Nashville's 3-2 victory over the Canucks on Monday.

“I'm happy he didn't see the Ron MacLean bashing prior to the game,” Vigneault said from his post-game podium, where he has twice turned Burrows' lawyer this week. “I didn't think that was very fair.”

“I saw parts of it. Well set up. Great job. Well set up to bash Burr. It was a great job by MacLean. Nicely set up.”

Vigneault was then informed that MacLean has worked as a hockey official.

“Is that what he is?” the coach asked. “Okay, thanks for telling me.”

In the segment, MacLean notes that the Smithson check happened in a week when headshots were topical, and prior to an NHL governors' meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. He says that after the hit, Burrows brushes away teammate Roberto Luongo and Canucks trainer Mike Burnstein so that his embellished reaction gets more “bang for the buck.”

Burrows, 28, said his teammates made him aware of MacLean's comments prior to the 6-2 victory over Pittsburgh, the defending Stanley Cup champions.

“I heard about it,” Burrows said. “The guys talked to me about it a little bit before the game. It doesn't really bother me.”

Vigneault, conversely, was extremely bothered.

“I think it's really quite unfair from your boy Ron MacLean to go after Alex the way he did tonight, and take the footage that he did tonight,” he said on the CBC's After Hours program. “Ron MacLean should have had the footage of Auger and Burrows skating 31 seconds together prior to the game. That footage has never come out.

“You only see Auger and Burr talking to one another for about four seconds, but they did two full loops together and Stephane Auger and Alex Burrows agreed on everything that was said except for one thing.”

Auger penalized Burrows twice in the third period of Monday's loss to Nashville and both calls were debatable. Burrows was in the box for game-winning goal.

According to Campbell, Auger denied telling Burrows that he would settle a score, but admitted that the Vancouver player had “embarrassed” him on the Smithson check. Auger assessed Smithson a five-minute penalty and a game misconduct, which were later rescinded by Campbell, on the request of Nashville general manager David Poile.

MacLean, a certified referee of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, said that Burrows's claims of personal bias were unbelievable. He showed four examples of Burrows's previous bad behaviour, as well as narrating the hit from Smithson.

“Obviously when Burrows went down, we all thought he was dead,” the nine-time Gemini Award winner said. “And I think the things that really concern us were, one, the glance he has here. He'll look to see if, in fact, Steve Walkom, who was the other referee that night, or Stephane Auger, have a call.

“This is one thing that referees really key on: does a guy have a look, and obviously [Burrows] does. At that point, you are a bit suspicious if it's serious.”

Vigneault has fired shots across the bow of MacLean, Auger and Campbell this week. On Thursday, he plainly said that he believes Burrows' version of the pre-game conversation with the official. He repeated the point Saturday.

“I've got to support my player, especially when I believe what they are saying is true,” he said. “In life, got to support the truth.”

[Asher]

This is the segment that pissed him off. The video replay clearly calls Burrow on his diving past:

[Ben Kenobi]

4 so far, which is an abnormally low number (they normally lose games before they get to a shootout ).

They haven't lost yet in OT.

Take away loser points, and they are in first. They are 3rd right now in point differential, behind only Washington and Chicago.

[Ben Kenobi]

Kipper's playing better this year than last. Luongo is not doing too terrible though.

24-14. I have zero problem with Kipper getting ranked as number one in the west. This year he's earned it so far.

[Sparrowhawk]

They are 3rd right now in point differential, behind only Washington and Chicago.

I am not trying to be ignorant or obtuse here, but I have been watching hockey for a lot of years and have never heard of "point differential"....what are you comparing here?

[action=Sparrowhawk][/action]

[notyoueither]

Goal differential, I think.

[Asher]

They haven't lost yet in OT.

Take away loser points, and they are in first. They are 3rd right now in point differential, behind only Washington and Chicago.

Take-away stat from this: When Vancouver loses, they lose badly so as to not make it to the shootout or overtime. "Loser points" just means the team's in a lot of close games.

Vancouver's overtime record is 1-0.
Vancouver's shootout record is 2-2.

Stop pretending like this means anything other than Vancouver's mediocre at the shootout.

Calgary's got more wins in overtime, if you want to play the random-stat-shows-my-team-is-better pathetic game you love.

But the most telling stat for how Calgary compares to Vancouver is this: Calgary's record vs Vancouver is 3-1-0. Incidentally, Vancouver has a loser point vs Calgary (1-2-1).

[Asher]

Goal differential, I think.

Don't know you that's how they seed teams for the playoffs now? At least, that's how Ben sees it.

[Ben Kenobi]

I am not trying to be ignorant or obtuse here, but I have been watching hockey for a lot of years and have never heard of "point differential"....what are you comparing here?

Meant Goal differential. My bad.

[Ben Kenobi]

Take-away stat from this: When Vancouver loses, they lose badly so as to not make it to the shootout or overtime. "Loser points" just means the team's in a lot of close games.

And that they tend to lose in close games. In the POs you don't get loser points.

Calgary's got more wins in overtime, if you want to play the random-stat-shows-my-team-is-better pathetic game you love.

And the Canucks win more often in regular time.

But the most telling stat for how Calgary compares to Vancouver is this: Calgary's record vs Vancouver is 3-1-0. Incidentally, Vancouver has a loser point vs Calgary (1-2-1).

Loser points only apply to OT losses. SO losses are just ties.

[Ben Kenobi]

Don't know you that's how they seed teams for the playoffs now? At least, that's how Ben sees it.

Are you suggesting that Chicago and Washington are not two of the top teams this year?

Just because the Canucks are good at it doesn't make it a meaningless stat.

[Asher]

Loser points only apply to OT losses. SO losses are just ties.

Holy **** are you ever stupid.

This is how the NHL works now. You win the shootout, you WIN THE GAME. That's why you get the "W".

There's NO difference if you lose in the shootout or if you lose in overtime. Either way you get what you call the 'LOSER POINT'. They got a point even though THEY DID NOT WIN THE GAME.