If you watched last night's Cup-clinching win by the Red Wings or saw any of the highlights you probably noticed that Detroit's third goal was a little...odd - going from the stick of Zetterberg, through a maze of players in front of Fleury, and landing between his pads.
Then he sat on it, propelling the frozen rubber disk over the goal line.
It would be a painful goal at any time but you almost have to feel for Fleury, especially considering that such a fluke eventually cost his team the Stanley Cup. He had put together some pretty great performances throughout the playoffs and even a few in the Finals - his teammates spoke the truth when they said they wouldn't be there without him and so he had nothing to hang his head about.
In fact, the entire Penguins team and their fans should be very proud that their young team made this series as interesting as it was. It was a hell of a performance and a hell of an ending. Nothing should take away from that.
And yet...being the bitter, cruel, schadenfreuder that I am I just couldn't resist it when the creative urge (and a great deal of boredom) struck. After all, it was just two months ago that a certain captain was cackling about one of our players putting the puck into his own net. Karma can be a bitch, can't it?
At any rate, I blame my roommate and fellow Caps fans I talked with throughout the game for what finally took shape around 1:00 this morning. I'll probably regret posting it, but enjoy:
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Fleury's Caboose
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Tuesday Thoughts
Last night's game was incredibly intense and exciting - it's hard to get all your thoughts together at once. Here's a few more:
- With Crosby out, Versus was really hyping up this battle of Ovechkin vs. Malkin because...I don't know why. Maybe they feel like every hockey game needs an angle to be interesting. Not only were they right on the money with that one (for once) but every minute that passed and every goal that was scored made you wonder why this wasn't the rivalry the NHL targeted in the first place.
Crosby and Ovechkin? Completely different creatures. They score goals differently, they approach the game differently, they collect points and lead their teams and interact with their teammates differently. Both incredibly, stunningly talented players but different and really beyond comparison
Ovechkin and Malkin on the other hand are incredibly similar. Watching them battle it out on both ends of the ice last night was a show for the ages, a treat for any true hockey fan. In the coming years that is going to be be a rivalry to watch - and to me it's much more interesting than any battle Ovechkin and Crosby have had since coming into the league.
- Had Ovechkin connected with that hit on Malkin it would have been one for the highlight reels. With the miss it was one that made the collective hearts of all Caps fans leap into our throats. Alex, we love you, but please do not kill yourself trying to behead a Penguin. It's just not worth it.
- Give the Versus guys a lot of credit. They did do a fair amount of Sid-spotting (and if I never hear the words "high ankle sprain" again it'll be too soon) but they also did a good job of trying to include all the players on both teams. One word of advice though - when the Penguins score a goal, maybe focus on the guys who actually did the work instead of cutting to a shot of Crosby in the press box. He had nothing to do with it...he's good, but even he's not that good.
- Speaking of the Versus guys, why did they sound so surprised everytime Ovechkin or Malkin did something amazing? This just in, they're both very talented players. Is this seriously a newsflash?
- Brian Engblom's hair gets poofier and thinner with every broadcast.
- Mario Lemieux's hair gets greasier with every game...and now he's passed on his hair gel issues to Sid.
- How many people laughed when Semin scored the shootout winner and accidentally opened Johnny's door in his celebration, releasing the backup goalie onto the ice?
Friday, December 28, 2007
Same Old, Same Old
Reading the headlines the morning after, one would get the sense that Sidney Crosby outdueled Alex Ovechkin to lead his team to a win.
Anyone who watched that game, Caps fan or Pens fan, would have to respectfully disagree.
That's not to say that Ovie came out on top, either. He finished the night with a goal and a +2, Crosby had two assists and a +1. Both respectable stats for a game that saw each of them have a few chances and a few good shifts...but neither player dominated this game.
This game was in fact a workshop on how to shut down a superstar, a clinic on how to take away time and space. Neither one had much room to maneuver, although being the phenomenal talent that each of them is, they were able to create that room when it was needed the most. When your offense for the night consists of names like Taffe (who?) and Brashear and Pothier and Armstrong...this ain't a battle of the number one draft picks that the NHL seems to want so badly.
I'm not sure when, if ever, the NHL and the 
media will decide to stop making this into the Ovechkin vs. Crosby show. If anything the likelihood goes down with every meeting that games between these two teams will end up panning out that way. Sure, they have different styles, but you have to think that practicing with Sidney Crosby gives you a better idea of how to shut down Ovechkin - and vice versa. Learn how to take away time and space from someone and you're going to take the power away from any forward.
Yesterday in the gameday preview I mocked how much the commentators love to drool over Crosby, and the same can probably be said (to a lesser extent) for Ovechkin. It's understandable. Two amazing talents cannot be denied. But at what point do we start recognizing the real heroes of a game, even when they're not named Ovechkin or Crosby?
Last night the Penguins got an overtime winner from Gonchar, who had a horrible game otherwise but more than made up for it by...well, winning the game. Evgeni Malkin was everywhere and took more than a few bone-rattling checks from Ovechkin while still making plays and Taffe (WHO?) came out of nowhere to get the Pens on the board early.
For the Caps you had Brashear with an absolutely dominant first period that included a fight and a goal. Then there was Nicklas Backstrom, who continues to thrill and basically created two of the Caps three goals just by being his hard-working, talented self. And Boyd Gordon, returning from an injury that kept him out most of December, slipped right back into his old role of shutdown master, keeping Crosby virtually silent for a majority of the game.
Oddly enough not one of them, with the exception of Gonchar (OT goals are sexier than just being a talented hockey player, I guess) shows up in the headlines. Instead we get things like "Crosby Outduels Ovechkin" and "Crosby Leads Pens Over Ovechkin" and so on and so forth. It almost makes you think they've just got headlines already written regardless of how the game turns out.
Guess what, members of the mainstream media, AP headline writers, whoever you are - it's been three years now. Enough is enough.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Gameday Preview: Caps vs Penguins
Who: Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Where: Mellon Arena
When: Thursday, December 27, 7:30 pm
Broadcast Info: CSN, 3WT Radio; FSN Pittsburgh, 105.9 FM
Media Notes:
NHL.com
Washington Post
Washington Times
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In lieu of our regularly scheduled preview, please enjoy this dramatic reading featuring everyone's favorite puffy-lipped superstar...
[Interior - Mario Lemieux's house, the Crosby wing.]
[Sunlight is streaming through the window onto the lacy pillow of one Sidney Crosby, who is snoring softly beneath a pink canopy. The alarm clock buzzes, rousing young Sid from his hockey-filled dreams. He grumbles something groggily that sounds like "Ovechkin!!" then swings out an arm to stop the incessant buzzing with one smack, the room sinking back into silence.]
[A strange voice breaks through...]
Errey: Wow! Did you see that, Steigy?
Steigerwald: I did indeed, Bob. Very impressive.
[Sid opens his eyes slowly and frowns. The room is silent once more and, confident that it was just a dream, Sid's eyes slowly close again. A few minutes pass and the snooze alarm kicks in; a hand reaches out to silence it and uses such force that the clock flies across the nightstand and onto the floor.]
S.: You just don't see strength like that in someone his age very often.
[Sid's eyes now fly open and he bolts straight up in bed, glancing around the room warily.]
SC: ...i-is someone there?
[Silence. Sid frowns, scratches his head in confusion and shrugs.]
SC: Weird dream. Guess I might as well get up...
[Sid climbs out of bed and pads to the bathroom, the rubber souls of his footie pajamas making satisfying scuffling noises on the carpet as he goes. He slips a little on the tile floor but catches himself on the door handle.]
E.: Holy mother of...that was close! Good thing he had the presence of mind to grab that handle.
SC [angrily]: Okay, seriously - who's there? Army? Whoever it is, it's not funny!
[Silence. With one more wary look around he reaches for his Mickey Mouse toothbrush and squeezes some bubblegum-flavored gel onto it.]
SC: Mmm...yummy. [Starts to brush]
S: Notice that technique, Bob. Sidney Crosby really looks at home with a toothbrush in his hand, doesn't he?
E: He sure does, Steigy. He sure does.
[Sid drops his toothbrush into the sink and whips around, searching the room for the voices. He rips open the shower curtain but finds no one there. As he pulls it closed again he stops to have a giggle at the funny pictures of fish all over the curtain but remembers that he's scared and quickly wipes the smile from his face.]
SC [nervously]: S-steigy? Bob? Is that you guys?
E: This kid's just super intelligent, Steigy.
SC: Where the heck are you? Come on, you can knock it off now.
[Silence.]
SC [sighing]: Okay. Fine. Just...don't watch me change, okay?
[He wanders back into his room and closes the door, emerging a few minutes later fully dressed and fuming.]
SC: Well, they didn't have to laugh that hard...
[Stomping down the stairs he hops on the trolley that takes him to the main Lemieux living quarters, finding an empty kitchen and a note on the fridge.]
Sid -
Please pick up some milk and don't forget it's your day to unload the dishwasher. No friends over until it's done - and no food in the living room...
- Mario
S: Look at the concentration on his face. You just know he's about to do something great.
SC: Yeah, yeah.
[Pocketing the note, he heads back out to the front hall where he picks up his keys and the $20 bill that is now sitting there under a Post-It that says "for milk".]
E: And he did! Look at the way he swept those keys into his palm - like he was born to do it, Steigy.
S: I think he was, Bob.
[Sid walks outside and climbs into Mario's station wagon, pulling slowly out of the driveway and into the streets of Pittsburgh.]
S: I just never get tired of watching this kid execute a car in reverse.
E: You know he's making his hometown proud with that one.
SC [visibly annoyed]: Yeah, because they never see anyone drive in Canada.
E: And so modest too! I tell you what, he's really something special.
SC: Maybe we can play the silent game until we get to the store, okay, guys? First one to talk loses.
[The car is silent until Sid turns into the parking lot of the grocery store, when-]
E: That parking job was AMAZING!!
S: Right between the lines, Bob - that's some serious talent.
E: And look how good he was at being silent, too! Amazing.
[Sid heads toward the row of shopping carts and selects one; it has a wobbly wheel, though, so he puts it back and grabs another. After a few test rolls he's satisfied and he makes his way into the store.]
S: Now, see what he did there? The technique was just great. He knew that a wobbly wheel would not only slow him down but also cause excessive noise that would annoy his fellow shoppers.
E: That's right, Steigy. The selection of that non-wobbly wheeled cart was simply genius. Like poetry.
SC: Poetry. Uh-huh. You might also say incredible...or amazing...[rolling his eyes] At least you guys are easily impressed.
[He makes his way through the aisles, stopping to sign autographs and take pictures and kiss babies along the way until he reaches the dairy case. Pulling the note out of his pocket he glances at it and frowns.]
SC: Didn't say what kind...I guess we'll go with 1%. Or maybe 2%? Hmm...no, better make it the 1%.
E: Smart selection, Steigy. Very smart. Captains have to be good decision-makers and he showed how much he deserves that 'C' by picking the 1%.
S: Mario will be very pleased.
[Sid pays for the milk and, after hungrily eying the candy shelf next to the checkout, adds a chocolate bar and some gum to his purchases before heading out to the car.]
SC [muttering under his breath and glancing up at the ceiling]: Don't tell, okay, guys?
S: Ooh, he'll want to be careful there, Bob. You can bet that Mario will be checking the receipt.
[Sid looks nervous but then smiles, crumples up the receipt in his hand and triumphantly tosses it in the trash.]
E: Brilliant! He knew exactly how to handle that situation. He's got the sensibilities of someone twice his age - maybe even three times!
S: It's pretty special, Bob. Sidney Crosby is just a master of all -
SC: Okay, that's enough!! I can't...take it...anymore! You have to stop, you can't comment on ANYTHING I do anymore or I'll...I'll...I'll pinch you!
S: Whoa, look how angry he is! Sid's quite the competitor, Bob. He really knows when to let his temper show and he's showing it right now.
E: Almost makes you want to see what he can do in a fight, doesn't it?
S: Almost, Bob. Almost. I tell you, it's truly a joy to watch this kid every day.
E: I hear he's not a bad hockey player, either, Steigy. We should check that out sometime.
[Sid sighs.]
SC: I need a drink...
Friday, August 24, 2007
Sid Better Work
Okay, I know I promised a Sidney-free zone for a while but I couldn't resist a follow-up to my initial discussion of Sid the Kid launching a clothing line. Check out a video featuring bits of the launch with some of his trend-setting designs modeled by real live people as well as ol' puffy lips himself, at Reebok's Sidney360.com.
By the way, those atrocities being marketed to women should not be viewed while eating. Why does everyone think girls, especially girls who like hockey, wear nothing but pink?? Guess what, Sid. Guess what, NHL. We don't - and we're pissed.
I guess it could be worse...
Nothing says "I'm a serious hockey fan" like...butterflies.
Happy Friday.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Satire At Its Finest
Need a laugh?
I have just the thing.
In my random trips through the interwebs I stumbled across the piece below and, intrigued by the title, couldn't resist reading through the whole piece. Don't be deterred by the fact that it revolves around a certain team from Steeltown...it's funny anyways. To be honest I'm not even completely sure if the author is mocking or celebrating Sid and his teammates, but I am pretty sure it doesn't matter either way. Fans and foes of the team will find it funny, I promise.
Just be sure to read it all the way to the end, stage directions included. You won't be sorry - and if you're like me, you'll be eagerly awaiting the next chapter:
You know, unless he launches a fragrance or something.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Sid the Clotheshorse
This is just too funny not to mention:
According to the article Crosby is working with Reebok to develop his very own line of clothing, which in itself is a scary thought. The forthcoming line includes
his own logo in Penguins black and gold and a couple different styles of shirts adorned with his name and familiar No. 87. There's even a modest women's line that includes a pink baby tee featuring the words: "I (heart) Crosby." [Excuse me, I have to go throw up now.]Said Sid,
"It was something I was comfortable with and more than happy to partner up with them and do. It doesn't mean I'm going to go and do everything there is else out there to do. This is just something that's a pretty easy fit."I don't know if I want to dress in anything approved by Crosby, especially after reading this little tidbit:
"It's pretty simple, pretty casual," Crosby said of his own style. "I don't like to get too dressed up unless I have to. If I had the choice I think I'd wear sweatpants every day to be honest with you."Oh, Sid. Sweatpants? NO. I assure you, as soon as I can get pictures of this abomination I will post them.
Up next for Crosby...a line of lipsticks and glosses for men guaranteed to give you that Sid the Kid glow.
