Monarchs 3 - Sens 1
March 7, 2006
The Sens had an early Sunday game this weekend followed by a post game skate with the players. There seems to be a Binghamton curse that whenever the players will be doing something with the fans after the game they lose. Tonight looked like another stinker when the Sens fell behind early, but instead of playing the usual hot potato defense, the Sens looked like a team on a mission. I saw hustle, I saw puck control, and I saw numerous high quality chances either robbed by the Monarchs rookie goalie or ping off the post.
If you wanted to see the Sens game in a nutshell, look no further than at one of numerous high quality shifts by Jan Platil. He had shot after shot and seemed to be all over the ice. Yet every time when the fans were halfway out of their seats to celebrate a goal we realize that Brust made another unbeleivable (sometimes lucky) save. Platil would throws his arms up and then grab his helmet and shake his head in disbelief.
Despite the score this was the best game I’ve seen the B-Sens play in over a month. Its a shame, but sometimes hockey teams lose games they should have won, but at least its a step in the right direction.
Notes
Filip Novak continues to play his best hockey of the season. Keep your fingers crossed that he’s still wearing a B-Sens jersey after Thursdays trade deadline.
Kelly Guard continues to play well in net while Billy Thompson rides the bench in Ottawa. If the Sens don’t trade for a goalie Thursday, expect Thompson to come back to Bingo. Either because Hasek is back or to get some playing time while Kelly Guard gets a well earned chance to practice with the big boys.
Despite the loss. the B-Sens players couldn’t have been more accomodating the fans during the skate. Jan Platil even had some fun teasing my rink rat for wearing a Moose jersey.
The B-Sens announced today that they have release center Mike Kompon and signed Dusty Jamieson. I thought Kompon played well in limited ice time, but Jamieson looks like he’ll have more of a scoring touch and some more size, two things sorely needed in Bingo right now.
That’ll Leave a Mark
March 7, 2006
Jose Theodore Shooting Gallery
March 6, 2006
What’s Wrong with this Picture?
March 5, 2006
Sorry this picture is so grainy, but the lights were turned off while this was happening, thus the zamboni had its headlights on inorder to avoid the players on the ice! Seems like there was a rookie zamboni driver tonight. First he dumped a nice pile of snow at center ice then when he was debating whether to drive over it he dumped a bunch of water. After about five minutes they got they finally decided to grab the shovels and a garbage can. The veteran zamboni driver finally took over, but while he was finishing the ice the Machester Monarchs decided they couldn’t wait any longer and started their warm ups before the first period.
Slot Hockey
March 5, 2006
Amerks (2) v Admirals (3) OT 3/3 at Bradley Center
March 4, 2006
OTR and I were at the Bradley Center last night for the game. Unfortunately we missed getting a matching set of Sads athletic supporters AND, because we drove the small car, we missed the opportunity to give the Carlsons a ride to their digs.
Pucknut, who has occassionally let me post on his Blog sent me this e-mail comment: “Happy Days? I just saw that Hurme was traded.” Okay. Umm… Jani Hurme, who I often referred to as the sieve has been traded in a deal for the Mighty Ducks’ Joel Stepp. Hurme was a sieve here. Which isn’t to take away from his spirit. Anyone who can get back in condition after coming through what he did deserves that recognition. But I felt he should have been placed with an ECHL team, the Gladiators, to condition.
In any case, his return was a blow to the salary cap and with too many goalies in the Thrashers organization he had to go. So, the conditioning here and in Gwinett was a prelude to a trade.
Why are the Wolves not going to be in the playoffs? Well, lack of discipline, lack of effort, lack of talent, lack of leadership and a crucial period in November and December when all the gods of goaltending turned their backs on us… Jani Hurme was the first of two significant disasters in the pipes. The other… the return of Michael Garnett.
Hurme was thrust upon the Wolves. He lost game after game for us before he was able to beat back the opposition for 30 minutes. Then, he was gone to Gwinett.
That other situation, Michael Garnett, is worth an entry by itself. But not this morning. Using the techniques of established pundits, I’m giving five for the price of one.
1) Simon Gamache is no longer playing for the Admirals. I know this is coming as news to many people, especially those Sads fans who saw a guy by that name with the number ten on his back skate around in an Admiral sweater on Friday. But hear me out. This guy skates for Simon Gamache now, not for the Milwaukee Admirals. He is a hot dog and has forgotten what the name on the front means.
I’ve spent a good part of the winter expecting the Admirals to run the Aeros out of first in this division. It never happened. I’m not disappointed, in fact, now that I see how the playoffs are shaking out, it looks great. I think the reason the Ads are stuck in second is several fold. First, Noel can’t hold together a team, several people in Chicago have talked about how the Admirals self-destructed in previous runs at about this point. The musicians are playing the tune again and look at Gamache play.
Gamache is headed into the autumn years of his playing. This year he had a solid shot at the big time. God bless him. The Blues salary dumped him and everyone else as they started their DIVE! DIVE! DIVE! for the number one draft pick. Now Simon has NHL fever. Hey Dufus! You play for the Milwaukee Admirals. If you play for yourself you are guaranteed to lose.
Now, when the Ads need some NHL experience, they’ve got a guy who has already shown himself to be a prima donna back in full bloom. YIKES! Admirals fans, you may love him, but for the sake of winning a cup, it is time for this fruitcake to go.
2) Haydar is obviously one of the best in the AHL. And it was surprising to see him flub several break-away attempts Friday night. I counted 3 out of four flubs. What’s the story here? Why can’t one of your best skaters, most experienced guys and your captain put together a break away that ends with a shot on goal at least half the time? I’m disappointed. I take back what I said about the Admirals about to clean Houston’s clock.
3) OTR loves her Amerks. But there’s a reason they are not going to be going to the second half dance. They are undisciplined. I loved running into the Amerk fan on the BC concourse. “It’s all the officials fault.” No, my midguided friend. Your defense was pulled out of position by the Ads, not the refs. And the PIMS. You may not believe this, but your guys are undisciplined and deserved that time in the sin bin.
4) TOOTOO. The Ads have Stortini. Why hang on to this second rate goon? I’m just not seeing him step up. Bring up the stats and explain it to me because it’s just not obvious on the ice.
5) Why am I excited that the Ads may end in second place, as it now appears? Because the Riverguys of Peoria look to be in third. That means Chicago will be sitting between games in both cities (and of course there will be playoff hockey in Grand Rapids too.)
If we can’t have it here, at least there will be lots of good hockey to see in April and early May nearby. But based on what I’ve seen this season so far, the Ads, the Aeros and Peoria are all going down in the playoffs to better teams playing to our east. Sad. Maybe the Moose will pull it out for IHL yet.
Patrick Boylan blogs from Chicago at chiaort.blogspot.com
Keith Primeau Out for Year
March 3, 2006
Worlds Largest Hockey Stick
March 3, 2006
Fanboni
March 2, 2006
I was watching an Oilers game a few weeks ago on Center Ice when I spotted the most amazing zamboni during the intermission! It had a seating area on the top filled with kids. Brilliant! I’ve often seen one kid riding shotgun on the zamboni, but allowing a dozen rink rats a chance to circle the rink during an intermission is an amazing idea. And yes, I’m jealous of these kids!
Surprisingly, it was difficult to find information on this zamboni. They don’t mention it on the Oilers website. I did some searching on google and discovered and old cached announcement about the Fanboni:
You’ve seen the latest craze in television – shows like ‘Monster Garage’ and ‘Overhaulin’. Now you can see firsthand the craftsmanship that exists within our own city, as the Edmonton Oilers unveil their new community events cruiser - the Fanboni.
During the off-season, the Edmonton Oilers set out to design a community events cruiser that epitomized “hockey” and the passion for the game that exists within our community. And only in the Heartland of Hockey would you find a vehicle as unique as the new Fanboni. Rather than simply sticking a logo on a vehicle, the Oilers went one step further and acquired a second-hand Zamboni. Then the call went out to Edmonton’s most talented auto body mechanics, painters and craftsmen to bring the vision to life.
The result is the Edmonton Oilers Fanboni, a completely overhauled Zamboni that features seating for 8, a plasma screen television, a Playstation 2 with 8 game controllers, a monster stereo system, and more whistles than the entire NHL referee corps. It’s also ready to take to the streets of Edmonton and area.
“We were looking to create a community events cruiser unlike any other,” said Patrick LaForge, President & CEO of the Edmonton Oilers. “And thanks to some of Edmonton’s most talented designers and painters, we now have a vehicle that will help the Oilers provide assistance to the community in a lot of creative ways.”
The Fanboni is the Oilers gift to the community, and will be available to local non-profit charities to assist with their fundraising efforts, as well as to local businesses and individuals for special events.
The Fanboni was first conceptualized by local designer Ray Fowler, and then given to Ron Hodgson, a member of the Oilers ownership group, to turn into reality. After months of strenuous labor from the staff of Milron, who did all of the metal fabrication, and weeks of extensive custom painting and bodywork by Joey Steckler of Joey’s Place, the Fanboni is ready to take Edmonton by storm.
Formal Request from Swedish Ice Hockey Federation
March 1, 2006
