National Hockey League

[ceedj]

Last NHL outdoor game was the Heritage Classic, where MON defeated EDM in Alberta back in 2001. Read it was -20 out there! BRRR.

 

This year it's PIT vs BUF at Rich Stadium (home of the NFL Buffalo Bills); 40,000 tickets were sold in 30 minutes! The rest were made available to Bills and Sabres season ticket holders.

 

Someone brought up a great point; the goalies might have a hard time adjusting because of finding a spot to focus on in an arena, to get his angles right. I can imagine this will be tricky at the Ralph.

 

EDIT: Small "game within a game" story; looks like PIT will be playing Ty Conklin, as Fluery is out with an injury. Conklin was Buffalo's backup after the Biron trade last season, and we picked up Thibault in the off season. Drew Stafford is also out with a concussion, so I'm hoping that Mair, Pallie and Gaustad (GOOSE!) picks up some of that slack.

Edited December 29, 2007 by ceedj

[bagga rabbit]

Wasn't the game in Edmonton in 2003?

[SIP YEK NOD]

 

Last NHL outdoor game was the Heritage Classic, where MON defeated EDM in Alberta back in 2001. Read it was -20 out there! BRRR.

 

This year it's PIT vs BUF at Rich Stadium (home of the NFL Buffalo Bills); 40,000 tickets were sold in 30 minutes! The rest were made available to Bills and Sabres season ticket holders.

-28*C with wind chill

 

 

there was so much demand for tickets, they had to have a lottery type thing to see who could buy tickets

 

 

 

EDIT: Small "game within a game" story; looks like PIT will be playing Ty Conklin,

 

Conklin played in the first outdoor game for edmonton

 

 

[darthYENIK]

I'm excited. Mostly because I like watching sports in sh*tty weather. But also to see how the players hold up in sh*tty weather.

[SIP YEK NOD]

I'm excited. Mostly because I like watching sports in sh*tty weather. But also to see how the players hold up in sh*tty weather.

yeah, this was hilarious:

 

 

 

 

[bagga rabbit]

Won't be THAT cold this year..hope the ice doesn't get too slushy.

[ceedj]

 

-28*C with wind chill

 

 

EDIT: Small "game within a game" story; looks like PIT will be playing Ty Conklin,

 

Conklin played in the first outdoor game for edmonton

 

 

That I DIDN'T know. All the more interesting in that we got SHUT OUT by Ty FREAKING Conklin. Ugh. Don't know what the heck's in the water, but the Sabres' offense since the two Philly wins has been...offensive.

 

As soon as Roy starts flapping his gums at the officials, I really REALLY want someone to hit him with a good sized slush ball.

 

EDIT: Oh yeah, Buffalo weather looks about 29-ish with a chance of some light snow.

Edited December 31, 2007 by ceedj

[Ryan]

My team is Ottawa. I'm confident they are gonna go all teh way this year and bring the cup back home to Canada were is belongs.

[bagga rabbit]

My team is Ottawa. I'm confident they are gonna go all teh way this year and bring the cup back home to Canada were is belongs.

It's nice to dream.

[ceedj]

Well, we lost (but got a point! Huzzah!) but it was a great deal of fun. As I mentioned above, I went to the "House Party" at HSBC Arena for $5. Final number was 11,000+, but it seemed far lower than that. The Buffalo Police & Firefighters beat the Alumni team, 8-4, and one of those police/fire guys skated REAL well; I'm surprised this guy isn't/wasn't at least in the minors. Richard Smehlik looked bored, but Darryl Shannon looked like he was having a blast, and even Yuri Khmylev showed a bit of spark. Fred Stanfield skated hard too; impressive, considering he's 64 years old! Funny moment: one of the police/fire guys had a penalty shot, so Shannon and a few other Sabres threw their sticks in his path. He missed it, of course. Should have done that a few more times, considering the final score.

 

The arena got the AM Radio feed of Rick Jenarette and Harry Neale, which got a HUGE cheer. Rick also said hi to the arena a couple of times, which, next to Kotalik's shootout goal, got the biggest cheer of the night.

 

I hadn't been to the arena in about 7 years, so I was really amazed at how good the picture on the new HD scoreboard looked from just about anywhere. It was general admission for the party, so I was around the 100 level until the 3rd, then headed up to the 300's. It's funny; I've been in other arena's that hold about the same amount of people (18,000+), but it seems really tight at HSBC. They really pack 'em in; I wonder if that's a small carry over from the old Aud.

 

The game: both teams looked really good, but Buffalo looked their best defensively since the Philly series. A TON of good back-checking, which pretty much the entire region wishes they would do more. I'm all the more impressed how well everyone played, considering the elements. The crowd looked insane for a hockey game, and I hope they do something like this annually, just move it around a bit. This was a huge win-win for the league, and I'm hoping ESPN devotes more than their usual 30 seconds of NHL coverage to this. Melrose can just shut the hell up.

 

Though I'm a bit annoyed about Must Syd TV (heh), I can understand it, especially given the final outcome. I just would have liked a bit more balance. Regardless, it was great for the region (financially as well), and a lot of fun to be a small part of.

 

Sorry for the rambling. I had fun.

Edited January 2, 2008 by ceedj

[bagga rabbit]

The players and NHL officials did a great job with the outdoor game..but I'm afraid hockey will never be fully appreciated by the majority of Americans.

[darthYENIK]

My team is Ottawa. I'm confident they are gonna go all teh way this year and bring the cup back home to Canada were is belongs.

I'll tell you why Ottawa wont win. The Western Conference is too strong. Thus if there is any Canadian team with a chance to "bring the cup home", it'd probably be Vancouver.

 

As for the outdoor game. I think it was scripted. I mean, come on, a shootout, and then golden boy gets the game winner. I don't know how, but I think Gary Bettman made it happen.

[bagga rabbit]

 

As for the outdoor game. I think it was scripted. I mean, come on, a shootout, and then golden boy gets the game winner. I don't know how, but I think Gary Bettman made it happen.

Gary Bettman isn't THAT stupid.

[darthYENIK]

Do I think he's stupid enough to do it? Yes.

 

Do I think he's smart enough to make it happen? No.

 

But in all seriousness, I really don't think it was scripted. But it couldn't have gone any better for him. Personally I don't think it's a bad thing. The more people that realize hockey is the great sport that it is, the better.

 

Every popular sport has a figure head player. Someone that is the best at what he does. I'm just happy at long last someone (Crosby) was able to step up for hockey, and be that person.

[darthYENIK]

Double post, I know.

 

But did anyone watch the All-Star game?

 

What can I say about it? It's an All-Star game. Non of the excitement of a regulation game, and non of the circumstances. BORING.

 

But I'm excited, Teemu Selanne is back.

[Runey]

Well, at least Eric Staal of my Hurricanes won MVP of the All Star Game.

 

[darthYENIK]

Personally, I think Staal was really the runner up. Rick Nash had three really sweet goals, and was the MVP in my mind.

[bagga rabbit]

I never watch the All-Star game..it's worse than the "shootout".

[Runey]

I never watch the All-Star game..it's worse than the "shootout".

Are you actually saying shootouts are bad? You must have never seen one in person, then. You know what was truly bad? Ties.

 

Hockey in person is 10000000 times better than on TV.

[Rashon.]

I think the All-Star game was great. The East looked like they were going to put it away 5-1 in the 2nd and then the West come out and tie it 7-7 then the East scored with like 20 seconds to go. I call that a great finish. The Skills Challenge was great and I got a few laughs out of that, too.

 

Plus, I think shootouts are great. It's what can make Hockey a very dramatic sport.

[darthYENIK]

I like shootouts. It's the five minute 4-on-4 that I think needs extending to at least ten minutes.

[bagga rabbit]

Are you actually saying shootouts are bad? You must have never seen one in person, then. You know what was truly bad? Ties.

 

Hockey in person is 10000000 times better than on TV.

I don't like shootouts..never have..never will. Call me "old-school" or whatever.

I agree that hockey is much more exciting in person..I've seen the game played live.

One thing that I DO wish for is that the NHL would increase the ice-surface to Olympic size in all arenas..not likely to happen though.

[Ryan]

Whats so bad about a shootout? They are 100000 times faster then a OT period, asuming it doesn't go on forever. I like the shootouts but for me Iw ould much sooner see OT go to continues OT untill someone scores like hapens in the playoffs.

[darthYENIK]

The only problem I see with continuous OTs, is that it's too much for a sport as physical as hockey. That would suck for any team if the OTs go on for as long as the actual game, and they are playing a game the next day. In the playoffs, you always get at least a day off, and you usually play the same team the next game anyway, so it usually evens out. But in regular season, a game needs closure as close to the end of the third period as possible.

 

Edit: George Parros' best fight of the year...

 

Edited February 4, 2008 by darthYENIK

[MattC13]

Personally, I think Staal was really the runner up. Rick Nash had three really sweet goals, and was the MVP in my mind.

I agree.

 

My team is Toronto. But since they suck, and since Tampa's even worse, I've been cheering for Montreal.

[bigmamatuna]

Shootout is awful. A skills competition decides a game. If they implement it in the playoffs I'll stop watching.

[bagga rabbit]

Shootout is awful. A skills competition decides a game. If they implement it in the playoffs I'll stop watching.

You betcha'! I never minded a TIE game..and a team shouldn't get a point in the standings for losing.

[Rashon.]

Shootout is awful. A skills competition decides a game. If they implement it in the playoffs I'll stop watching.

A Continuous OT format is used like it's always been in the playoffs, right?

 

Well, I see Simon Gagne has gotten a concussion for the third time this season. It's great he's determined to come back this season but more of them and he could end up mentally messed up after his career. I could see it now after he comes back.

 

"What's his injury?"

 

"Another concussion."

 

"What a surprise."

[darthYENIK]

Teemu Selanne gets his first goal after his comeback, in the Ducks' 5th win in a row, which marks the end of a season/franchise high nine game, 22 day road trip.

 

I'm hoping to be at the pond for Selanne's return to Anaheim. That place is going to go nuts.

[Attorney General]

Anybody catch the beating Craig Weller dished out the other day? What a badass!!