Since this board has been open to a lot of subjects, I didn’t bother putting “OT”. Though, at the Chicago Blackhawks games, they did play Thieves a few times…
Has anyone been watching these games? I am so impressed - better than I expected. Most of these games have the playoff atmosphere with the arenas filled to capacity. Maybe the year off did very good things?
NHL attendance for October was at an all time high ever averaging 16,820 fans per game. Wow. Guess the lockout didn’t hurt the nhl as many predicted.
The best game, hands down, that I saw was Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens. Tonight’s Minnesota Wild vs. Vancouver Canucks game was also awesome.
I love the new rules and am glad they’re calling the hooking (hey, let the other players play). Shootouts are also a great idea (soccer’s been doing this for ages). After all these years, hockey is back…
I’ve been impressed, too. The pace has definitely picked up, and the scoring has increased (can’t tell you how many scores I’ve seen where a team has scored between 5 - 8 goals. I’m definitely a proponent of the shootout. I always hated ties. No sporting event should end in a tie - it defeats the purpose of comptetition. Now the NFL is the only major sport left with ties (though it rarely happens).
Attendance at Coyotes’ games has been outstanding. Now, if they can just learn how to hold onto 2-goal leads in the 3rd period… [:/]
I haven’t been following NHL lately. You mentioned there are new rules? What in particular?
where to start:
firstly they are calling penalties like crazy. especially hooking and obstruction type stuff. trying to keep the flow of the game moving…
as for rule changes:
i believe that the goalie pad sizes were decreased again.
pretend that the red line doesn’t exist. hence no more 2 line passes.
delayed offsides. so if you are offsides you can go back and touch the blue line and you are good.
they moved the blue lines back a couple of feet and moved the net back as well so the offensive zone is bigger.
no ties. so after 1 OT they go to a shootout. winner gets 2 points loser gets 1. shootout goals do not count in player goal stats.
if your team gets into a fight in the last few minutes of the game the coaches get suspended and/or fined i believe. they are trying to stop last minute brawls.
Goalies may play the puck behind the goal-line only in a trapezoid-shaped area defined by lines that begin six feet from either goal post and extend diagonally to points 28 feet apart at the end boards.
Icing touch remains in effect but linesmen will be given more discretion to wave off icing infractions if they are deemed the result of an attempted pass. (This is great too - already seen them waive off many).
I’m really glad they are calling the hooking penalties. The players will get used to it - you just can’t use your stick in that way. Never could. It was obnoxious the past few years and how they got away with it. It’s stopped many goals…
Edit: Talking of brawls, there’s been a lot lately. Some happening after the game but they weren’t too bad so I don’t think anyone was penalised. I saw a great one with Domi last week…
Icing touch remains in effect but linesmen will be given more discretion to wave off icing infractions if they are deemed the result of an attempted pass. (This is great too - already seen them waive off many).
I’ve noticed this too, and it’s great because it keeps the game going. The less whistles, the better.
I’m also impressed with the attendance by teams that never had much before. Phoenix, Dallas, Nashville, Florida, etc, are all close to selling out, or selling out. For October this is brilliant.
Even the Chicago Blackhawks. Keep in mind that even when the White Sox were on their way to win the World Series, the Blackhawks still sold a very decent amount. They used to lead the league in attendance but over the past few years, this stopped. Now, it’s picking back up.
This is just what the nhl needed. Thanks Players Union
I’m quite surprised myself at the turnout at the games. I didn’t think people would be so supportive.
I don’t know if its the same down there but we are being bombarded up here with TV ads with ‘hockey’s back’ as the theme…
I’m still on edge about the new rules. I sort of like the no red line, but I’m not too fond of the goalie not being able to play the puck properly and I hate the shootouts. I guess I’m just traditional that way.
I miss the days of
Adams Division
Patrick Division
Smythe Division
Norris Division
Cambell Conference
Prince Of Wales Conference
rather than:
Atlantic Division
Northeast Division
Southest Division
Central Division
Northwest Division
Pacific Division
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
I mean the old divisions and conferences were named that way to honour people.
The Canadiens have had their best October record in ages, and it’s nice to see a whole bunch of teams playing well enough to win the cup.
As for the best game this year…
Ottawa 8
Toronto 0
(sorry Afra)
As for the best game this year…
Ottawa 8
Toronto 0
(sorry Afra)
That’s okay - haha. Was a good game though - very good for Ottawa. They also thrashed Buffalo 10-3 or something a few nights ago too. I’m glad when Toronto gets their ass kicked like that because they usually regroup and come out even hungrier. Plus, Sundin’s out.
Talking of Toronto - weird that McCabe, their defensemen, is up there as the top scorer right now. Odd…
Seems like their psychological block against Toronto has finally dissapeared though during regular season they always do well, against Toronto. It’s the playoffs where they choke. It’s not even because of Hasek - the shots on goal against him aren’t even that high and when they played Buffalo, Hasek didn’t play.
Also, Canadiens are playing very well, fun games as well. I love this now: no more trap.
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They also thrashed Buffalo 10-3 or something a few nights ago too.
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while i won’t try and make excuses for a team getting beat 10-4, but buffalo’s starting goalie ryan miller missed that game due to injury and will be out at least 6-8 more weeks. miller is a rookie and was their starter, which makes you realize how shitty their backup goalies are. oh well.
They also thrashed Buffalo 10-3 or something a few nights ago too.
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while i won’t try and make excuses for a team getting beat 10-4, but buffalo’s starting goalie ryan miller missed that game due to injury and will be out at least 6-8 more weeks. miller is a rookie and was their starter, which makes you realize how shitty their backup goalies are. oh well.[/reply]
Yeah but in a huge loss like 10-4 or 8-0, it isn’t all the goalie. Some other problems. Goalies need defensemen to work with. So it could be bad defense, careless penalties, and poor offense. That game in particular: poor defense. The 8-0 loss that Toronto took was dismal offense and pathetic defense.
Goalies shouldn’t get the blame for these kind of games. A good defense usually limits the shots on the goal from the other team…
What I loved about the Buffalo game was how the Buffalo fans ended up cheering everytime Ottawa scored. And when a save would be made or a good defensive move played by Buffalo, the crowd sarcastically cheered. hehe
Oh if you guys get a chance: watch Carolina. Wow. They have this awesome 21 year old kid, Staal, who almost got his 2nd hatrick of the season tonight (they took it back because someone took a dive).
They beat Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Philly, etc - 6 games, all in a row, breaking a franchise record.
This is what I like about the NHL now: these teams will get a better chance at things. Though, Carolina did make the finals a few years back…
Woo hoo, Coyotes beat the Kings, 4-0. Cujo w/the shutout. For an old man, he’s looked really good this season. Of course, I missed tonight’s game, because I was at Bauhaus, but I read the recap, and apparently had their best defensive outing of the year.
