Lining Up a Few Short Ones

Last Friday night, just before a flu bug began to render me useless for the rest of the weekend, I managed to watch Minnesota at Michigan State and Colorado College at North Dakota. The first game was a WCHA/CCHA matchup, but was being sold as a Big Ten affair.

Well, the Gophers and Spartans may well be a Big Ten gathering in most circles, but not in hockey. Not just yet anyway. And maybe it was the flu, but the game left me cold and the crowd had to be the quietest that Munn Ice Arena has hosted in some time. (The Spartans claimed this one, 4-3.) I fear the first year of the new Big Ten hockey association will have a visit by Minnesota and Wisconsin to Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Columbus or State College generating about a third of the buzz that it would in, say, Denver, Colorado Springs, Grand Forks, Bemidji or Duluth.

I must clarify that for a minute by saying that perhaps the fans of the Badgers will have their hosts singing in the aisles and at the postmortems along the bar. But the game itself will miss a little something.

-- On the other screen, the CC Tigers and the Fighting Sioux were scoring goals in bunches, at point allowing the NoDakers to take a two-goal lead before CC gave them the old Broadmoor try and got things back to even at 5-5 early in the second period. The Sioux would take this one, 7-6

A true WCHA rivalry that will survive the transplantation in the new National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

-- A true sign of the times as there is a luxury box section inside Notre Dame's new arena, the Compton Family Ice Arena. The new digs look quite sharp, if not dark. The roof is painted dark, and the broadcast team on CBS College Sports channel said on Nov. 18 that this specific touch gave the arena the same cave-like effect that as the old Capital Centre in Landover, Md.

From the Capital Centre blog, here is a blurb about the Capitals' old joint:

By the late 1990's, as the renamed US Airways Arena prepared to shut its doors, there were few kind words. One Canadian journalist wrote, “No one will miss it. It's the darkest rink in the league and it is located in the middle of nowhere.”

Both visiting and home athletes surely agreed with Post columnist Tony Kornheiser, who called the place a “Dungeon.”

I read once that the black interior and dim lighting was an attempt to create a theatre-like setting; if so, it failed to appreciate the energy that sports stadiums are supposed to create.

That is dark, but not enough to lure Kornheiser out of TV retirement to give this joint equal standing as the Cap Centre. Not yet, anyway.

Now about those suites at a college hockey rink. That just doesn't sound right, but I guess that's progress. I wonder how the Basilica of the Sacred Heart will be reconfigured to handle luxury pews. That should rake in some dough.

I'll set 'em up again soon.

Say It With Me: Life Isn't That Bad

That maybe Peter Gibbons describing his endless series of bad days in "Office Space," but Adrian Dater of The Denver Post is truly living that life. And he lets you know it, in his blog posts and especially on Twitter.

And it's too bad, because it's easy to tune out a writer who wears out his footie pajamas by stomping and kicking the moment something displeases him. There is no middle ground for Dater. It's either hot or cold, you're with me or against me.

And that's a problem, because he might just be right about what is wrong with the Avalanche, and perhaps, he might be on to something about the growth of dump and chase hockey in the NHL. But nobody appears to want to talk to him. He sure does let you know about it in a recent blog post.

The Avs of today just casually take off their gear and quietly walk to their back-room sanctuary, keeping their heads down to avoid having to talk to the media. This team just seems like it doesn’t care enough, doesn’t want it bad enough, and that’s the real indictment of it.

He's just getting warmed up, folks.

What does GM Greg Sherman have to say about all this? Dunno, he hasn’t wanted to talk to the media lately. I’ve asked. Josh Kroenke? Ditto. It’s like Avalanche management has all retreated into the bunker lately, hoping not to be seen by the dastardly one or two people that actually cover this team anymore. I mean, can you imagine if these guys worked in Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver or Philly or New York? The media would be all over them for answers. But I guess in good old little cowtown Denver, they don’t really need to answer to anybody. At least, that’s the impression they give off too much.

The poor guy is really down, or maybe it's just his way of drawing more people into his pitty party.

Well, that was three hours you and I will never get back. What a terrible hockey game tonight at the Pepsi Center, in front of the lowest crowd of the season (12,015). Just awful.

Well, this little zinger on Twitter, announcing his blog post, clearly showed his true intent.

Postgame rip job on Avs

Hmm, I want someone from the organization to talk to me and yet I christen my latest gift of gab with "RIP JOB" on the ribbon. It sure doesn't open doors, which would help him both better address his specific point with the Avalanche as well as the greater point of what the entire NHL needs less of.

Seriously, several teams have taken the safe route of dumping the puck in, scramble in the corner, cycle forever if you win the puck, retreat quickly if you don't. The Kings' Anze Kopitar had 1 shot, no points, 3 hits and 2 takeaways in 23:10 of ice time against the Sharks last night. I applaud his fine defensive skills but this man is a premiere playmaker, has the muscle to take on the big boys in front of the net and can really wire a shot. But he's playing a checking role because Terry Murray's idea is to flip the puck into a corner as soon as you hit the blue line and then see what happens next. You really need a playmaker for that?

Colorado, Dallas, Nashville and now St. Louis and any other team playing not to lose rather than to win, are equally as guilty, if not as successful in the standings.(And what happened to the wide open Western Conference?) But it doesn't always have to be this way.

The Stars have shown that they can play hockey. On Nov. 6 in Carolina, Sheldon Souray set up a goal with a pass from the defensive zone to the red line, where Vernon Fiddler was able to take the puck, gain the offensive zone and find Eric Nystrom along the left wing boards. Bingo, bango, bongo, a goal off the rush by Nystrom.



And sadly, that was a rare occurrence, according to Billy Jaffe, who was doing guest color commentary on the Stars broadcast that day, most likely because Daryl Reaugh needed a day off to produce more entertaining offerings for the public lexicon. (Have I mentioned that I love the Center Ice package?) What to make of a game that has fewer goals off the rush and more off scrums after a rebound in front of the net. Or for that matter, after a point shot bounces off any number of shot blockers, skates, heads, toes, whatever, before going past the goalie, who could not see any of that process.

I wish Dater would expand on that, but he needs to find the mantra that helped Peter Gibbons achieve blissful clarity (mine is skate, shoot, score). Adrian, stick with me and the Razor. Look how calm we are.

What Happened to the Daily Hangover?

That's what I might have asked as a younger college student. Now it is a lead-in to my decision to give up the daily grind of listing scores for more leagues than you can ask for. And, quite frankly, none of you have.

I was faced with adding to my list the Minnesota High School League scores on Saturday morning. But that, and an early case of the flu, had me face down in bed, praying for Mark's Life, version 8.0, to begin.

Well, today finds me upright and clear headed. With that in mind, I will no longer spend time typing in the scores. Should the popular vote indicate that I should restore them, I will. But judging on the amount of outside input I get, I suspect I already know the score on that one.

Garrioch's Fridge Is Behind a Veil of Spaghetti

I am not kidding. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun throws more stuff at the fridge door to see if it sticks than any other writer I have read, heard of, known, etc. (And it's a food myth. You can throw anything out there you want. You'll only produce a mess and nothing of substance.)

This today, courtesy the Rumors section of ESPN.com.

The Vancouver Canucks are apparently still trying to trade Keith Ballard, the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch writes, adding: "The Canucks would like a blueliner in return and there%u2019s some belief they may try to pry D Matt Carle out of Philly."

or

There's been some grumbles about a Paul Stastny trade, although most have dismissed it because od his $6.6 million cap hit. But the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch writes, "A league executive noted anything is possible in Colorado. The Avs dealt Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk to St. Louis for Erik Johnson and Jay McClement."

And what about

The Tampa Bay Lightning at apparently willing to trade Mattias Ohlund, but they also want to add a blueliner. That said, the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch writes, "Nobody is willing to eat his $3.607 million cap hit for three more seasons." For that price, there may be better options on the trade market.

But then came

The Chicago Blackhawks have more than $4 million in cap space after sending Rostislav Olesz to the minors. And that money may go toward trading for a blueliner, the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch writes.

And I am not forgetting

But the Jackets may not be the only team interested. The Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch writes that Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman may be eyeing goalies and he, too, may be targetting Bernier. If the Kings want a young forward in return, perhaps they'll ask for Brett Connolly as part of the return package.

And that is just one day of mentions. I'd hate to be the one having to clean that refrigerator door.

Flushing the System

Miss a few days with the flu and look what happens around here.

Bruce Boudreau is fired in Washington, Paul "the Gangster of Love" Maurice is fired in Carolina and Randy Carlyle remains employed as coach of the woefully uninspired squad in Anaheim.

Maurice is a little closer to my heart, first for allowing to make my former colleagues in Southern California chuckle when I added the Steve Miller Band reference to his name. And also for being a guy who understood his circumstances and appeared to be loyal.

In his first stint with the Hurricanes, he and his team came in and did not have a particularly good game against the Anaheim's then not so mighty waterfowl in jade and eggplant. The beat writer from Raleigh was banging out his copy in the press box and missed the first elevator down to the dressing room area at the Pond. Apparently he missed the second and third elevator down, too. But Maurice would not start the postmortem until the Raleigh beat writer appeared.

I wonder how fast the Gangster of Love started his pressers when he was coaching Toronto. And what a change to go from one, to too many, and back to one on the road, perhaps.



Before I got the flu, I was wondering what what happening to the Capitals. (As were many others, of course.)

George McPhee makes it clear the coach had lost the room, which many had said long before. Well, we cannot help but think the room needs to be adjusted. Maybe Dale Hunter can take charge, but it is one thing to coach a bunch of teenagers willing to do most anything just to make the NHL. It can be another task entirely to get a room of men to head in the same direction.



A team headed nowhere fast, which is a funny fact with freeways all around the home rink, exists in Anaheim. Can't stop goals from going in. Cannot score enough. Carlyle appears to be safe, we are told, but why should we believe that. The stench coming from the Honda Center is hard to ignore. The Orange County Register's Mark Whicker has managed to navigate around East Katella Avenue.

The verdict. Nothing is working, and the quotes reveal more questions than answers, more ifs than butts moving toward a positive outcome.

Last night I stuck with the Maple Leafs/Ducks game through its conclusion only because I was a little late in doing laundry. Halfway through folding towels I noticed that I was working harder than the Ducks. (Hard to believe, I know, but go with me a bit on this.) Carlyle was looking for help. Perhaps I should have offered him a fresh towel to hold over his nose.

The Holiday Hangover: Nov. 23-24

Wednesday night's game between the Bruins and the Sabres was old-time hockey. Sabres came out and pushed; the Bruins responded over time and managed to get a victory when pushed to extra frames.

I managed to monitor the Kings/Stars game when Daryl Reaugh, the color announcer on the Stars telecast, noted that neither the Stars nor the Kings had lost when leading after two periods. Kings had a two-goal lead, and then they didn't, as they folded their cards and when home in shame with a 3-2 loss in overtime.

Look at the Kings' defensive scheme against the Stars in the final minutes of the third period. Stars go here, Kings play follow the puck, which goes into the net for a tie in regulation. Stars follow up quickly in overtime and that's how you do not protect a two-goal lead.

Nice effort.



Thursday was spent on a sunny deck with the turkey on the grill. Just a man, a bird, sunlight and solitude. OK, a few therapeutic adult beverages were consumed I was unable to erase the bitter taste of that outcome until sometime around 9 Eastern on Thanksgiving. A little turkey, more Negra Modelo cerveza and a viewing of The Who Isle of Wight 1970 concert, as shown on the Palladia channel, finally did the trick. It freed all the bad juju I had. It's a new day, and time for hockey.

After the Who, you can roll the scores.



NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
No games schedlued
Wednesday
Boston 4, at Buffalo 3 SO
At New Jersey 2, Columbus 1 SO
Philadelphia 4, at N.Y. Islanders 3 OT
St. Louis 3, at Pittsburgh 2 OT
At Washington 4, Winnipeg 3 OT
Montreal 4, at Carolina 3 SO
At Detroit 5, Calgary 3
At Florida 2, N.Y. Rangers 1
At Minnesota 3, Nashville 2
At Dallas 3, Los Angeles 2 OT
At Phoenix 4, Anaheim 2
Vancouver 3, at Colorado 0
At San Jose 1, Chicago 0
Standings and summaries are here

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
At Binghamton 5, Adirondack 2
Wednesday
At Connecticut 3, Portland 2 OT
At Grand Rapids 5, Hamilton 2
At Hershey 4, Providence 3
At Manchester 2, Worcester 1
Syracuse 7, at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 5
Charlotte 6, at Norfolk 3
At Rockford 6, San Antonio 3
Chicago 3, at Texas 2
Standings and summaries are here

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
Wheeling 5, at Gwinnett 1
Wednesday
Florida 3, at Toledo 2
Chicago 3, at Reading 2
At Cincinnati 5, Kalamazoo 2
At Colorado 5, Idaho 4 OT
Alaska 4, at Stockton 1
Standings and summaries are here

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
At Halifax 4, Cape Breton 1
At Prince Edward Island 7, Moncton 2
Rimouski 4, at Gatineau 3 SO
Acadie-Bathurst 8, at Rouyn-Noranda 5
Wednesday
No games scheduled
Standings and summaries are here

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
Belleville 3, at Erie 1
At Niagara 6, at Brampton 1
Barrie 4, at Sarnia 3 SO
Wednesday
Brampton 5, at Mississauga 3
At Plymouth 7, Saginaw 3
Standings and summaries are here

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
No games scheduled
Wednesday
Calgary 5, at Moose Jaw 2
Medicine Hat 6, at Prince Albert 1
Edmonton 10, at Lethbridge 3
Kootenay 7, at Kamloops 3
At Kelowna 7, Prince George 3
At Seattle 5, Regina 2
At Spokane 3, Swift Current 2
At Tri-City 7, Portland 6
Standings and summaries are here

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Thursday
At Waterloo 8, Cedar Rapids 4
Wednesday
Indiana 4, at Green Bay 3 OT
Tri-City 3, at Lincoln 2 SO
At Dubuque 3, Cedar Rapids 2 OT
At Des Moines 6, Omaha 0
At Sioux Falls 3, Fargo 2 OT
Standings and summaries are here

NCAA DIVISION I
Thursday
No games scheduled
Wednesday
Nonconference
At Merrimack 6, Alabama-Huntsville 0
Standings and summaries are here

The Hangover: Nov. 22

I went to see "Melancholia" last night, which was at times entertaining snd yet also as dense as clutch-and-grab hockey of the pre-lockout period. Just for a little relief, I returned to the Lounge and watched Edmonton skate circles around Nashville. OK, so maybe not circles, but I did appreciate the urgency with which the Oilers attacked the offensive zone.

So in short, the Lounge recommends "Melancholia" with chaser of skate-shoot-score hockey. But don't do this double in the opposite order. You might never recover.



Time to roll the scores.

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Toronto 7, at Tampa Bay 1
Los Angeles 3, at St. Louis 2
Edmonton 6, at Nashville 2
Standings and summaries are here

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
Alaska 4, at Bakersfield 3 OT
Standings and summary are here

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Quebec 4, Saint John 1
Standings and summary are here

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Kitchener 6, Guelph 1
Standings and summary are here

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Calgary 6, at Brandon 3
At Saskatoon 4, Medicine Hat 3 SO
At Portland 5, Regina 2
Kootenay 3, at Prince George 2
Standings and summaries are here

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE
Waterloo 8, at Team USA 4
Standings and summary are here

NCAA DIVISION I
CCHA
Notre Dame 2, at Western Michigan 2 SO
(WMU wins shootout)
HOCKEY EAST
At Vermont 2, Massachusetts 1
NONCONFERENCE
American International 3, at Brown 0
At Cornell 1, Niagara 0
At Harvard 7, New Hampshire 6
Sacred Heart 7, at Yale 6
Standings and summaries are here