Hockey Day In America
By: Greg Vitucci
What started in 2011 as a way to create a larger fan base for hockey, has now turned into an event that rivals the excitement of Super Bowl Sunday. Wait, no that’s not right. Nevertheless “Hockey Day in America” has become the most entertaining day of the hockey season. It’s not simply just professional games on television for 9 hours. Camps are created, free clinics are offered to people who may not have the financial ability to skate, and in the end the winner is the game of hockey. But enough of this crap, to today’s games.
Pittsburg Penguins v. Buffalo Sabers
Within the first two minutes of the game Pitt had jumped out to a 2-0 early lead with goals by Pascal Dupuis and Sidney Crosby. Dupuis’ tally was a redirection of a Bruce Orpik shot coming from the left point. Crosby stuffed in a rebound from an Evgeni Malkin shot from the slot. As usual Malkin does all the work and “Captain Concussions” gets all the glory.
Buffalo would tie the game and then take the lead with three consecutive goals, one in each period. Cody Hodgson would first light the lamp just four minutes after Crosby’s goal making the game 2-1. Hodgson’s sixth goal of the season was a quick wrist shot just under the glove of Pittsburgh goalie Marc Andre Fleury. Halfway through the second period Buffalo would take advantage of a 5 on 3 power play. Thomas Vanek this time would put the puck behind Fleury, again to the glove side. Steve Ott would give Buffalo the lead or the first time in the game when he buried a fat rebound with 15 minutes remaining in regulation.
The Penguins would tie the game at 7:06 into the third period when Dupuis was set up by a beautiful cross-ice backhand pass by Kris Letang. Dupuis’ snap shot top-shelf (high in the net) evaded the glove of Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller. With just two minutes to play, Paul Martin would net the game winner for the Penguins. With a one-timer slap shot Martin sealed the victory, 4-3. Miller never saw the puck thanks to two of his own defenseman screening him.
While the score might not reflect it, these two goalies, Miller and Fleury put on a show. The glove save Miller makes on James Neal in the third period reminded me of a young Martin Brodeur, before he got fat.
You may have picked up on that I’m not a huge Sidney Crosby fan. Actually I hate him, and I really don’t know why. He’s my Bono.
This is the first image that comes up when you seach “Bono.” It absolutely makes Greg’s point for him.
Nice guy, does plenty of charity work, extremely talent but I just simply can’t stand him. This goes back to beginning of his career, before we knew his skull had the density of a damp cheese doodle. Maybe it’s because I’m 45 days older than him. Maybe it’s because he’s five inches taller than me. Maybe it is because he got to LIVE WITH MARIO LEMIUEX his rookie (locked out) season. Whatever the reason is I loathe him. In conclusion Malkin > Crosby.
Chicago Blackhawks v. Los Angeles Kings
Chicago is going to win The Stanley Cup. This isn’t exactly what you would call a, “Bold” prediction. They were favored to win the western conference, and 7-1 to raise the cup, for a second time in 4 years. The Blackhawks have yet to lose in regulation this season and have a .900 winning percentage. Amassing 27 points, they are eight points ahead of the next team in its division, Nashville. Wait, Nashville, Tennessee is in the western conference? Regardless, they smacked around the Los Angeles Kings today, the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Despite this game ending by just a one goal margin it was dominated by Chicago. Brent Seabrook started the scoring, at 6:34 into the game, by putting the puck past Jonathon Quick of the Kings. Quick had lost his stick and Jordan Nolan had lost his defensive assignment, giving Seabrook all day to find a gaping goalmouth. There’s a sex joke in there somewhere, come up with you own, leave it in comments.
Chicago’s captain Jonathon Toews dove through the crease to tip home a Duncan Keith shot, to make it 2-0 halfway through the first period. Chicago really got rolling in the second, outshooting the Kings 32 to 18 by the end of the period. Patrick Sharp scored less than a minute into the second period, beating Quick who again was terribly out of position. There was nothing “quick” about his lateral movement tonight. Quick has now allowed three goals in three straight games. From his recent performance it’s pretty obvious that Jonathon Quick went on seven month rager fueled by cocaine and Canadian whiskey after winning The Cup.
Chicago was called for four penalties in the third period, allowing Los Angeles to crawl back into the game. Patrick Sharp was called for hooking 43 seconds into the period and Mike Richards took advantage closing the gap and making it 3 to 1. Richard’s slap shot snuck through a traffic in front of the net and found the twine. Later in the period Richards would again score, while Toews was in the box for high sticking. If you’re going to go in a box, your stick should be high. Richard’s second goal, also a slap shot was set up by a spinning pass from Drew Doughty, just above the right circle.
The game was only slightly interesting during the last minute and four seconds. With the score 3 to 2, Johnny Oduya was called for slashing. The call put Chicago again on the penalty kill, and down a skater. The Kings would also pull their goalie, and were skating 6 on 4. The Blackhawks would fend off the rush for the final 64 seconds, and secure the W.
In a side note; fans in Chicago’s United Center cheer the entire national anthem, which is pretty cool. ‘Merica.
New York Rangers v. Washington Capitals
I particularly enjoyed this Rangers victory because I drove back and forth from Washington D.C. last year to watch the Rangers lose a playoff game. Seven hours in the car, $80 for the ticket and the shmucks couldn’t even let me see a win. The MCI (Verizon) Center is not a big building and that place rocks. Washington has a very passionate fan base. It’s too bad their star player Alex Ovechkin has seriously regressed in recent seasons. Ovechkin has yet to evolve his game, and people have figured out how to defend him. Tactics, unlike underwear need to be changed.
Washington jumped out to the early lead, which had been a trend of the Rangers recently. John Carlson blasted a slap shot over Henrik Lundqvist’s right shoulder at 1:19 into the first period. To nobody’s surprise the Rangers were unable to cash in on three Capitals penalties in the first. That brings the Rangers power play stats to 1 for 134,059 so far this season.
Carl Hagelin continued his hot streak by knotting the game at 1-1 seven and a half minutes into the second period. Hagelin was on the doorstep when Ryan McDonagh let a wrist shot fly from just inside the blue line.
When Karl Alzner took a tripping penalty at 4:18 I was ready for more frustration and disappointed. Except something magical happened. New York won the faceoff cleanly and executed three quick passes. The final pass found the stick of Derek Stephan, who snuck the puck past Capital’s net minder Brandon Holtby. The entire Madison Square Garden stood quite in shock and awe at the miracle they had just seen a power play goal. That brought the Rangers power play stats to 2 for 134,060 (ED. Note – Give or take). That little miracle held on to be the game winning goal.
Hockey Day in America was probably a big success; but do ratings even matter to NBC anymore? This is just one of many fences the NHL should mend for the 34 games taken from us because of the lockout. I personally wished Gary Bettman was in Central Park, partaking in all the hockey festivities. That way dozens of children could beat him to death with hockey sticks, as Jeremy Roenick bleached his hair or cried or something. (Ed. Note – Please for the love of God Greg, please stop wishing for the brutal slaying of Gary Bettman – These views are Greg Vitucci’s and do not represent AFRSports.)
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