Game of the Week - Pittsburgh vs Vancouver

In this episode, I decided that I wanted to feature my hometown team Pittsburgh Penguins. They've made some serious waves in the free agent signing period and off-season. They've "given up" on Sutter, while hoping that they can build a more defensive team that is strong on all 4 lines. I haven't heard what Vancouver has thought of the trade yet.

So, here is the game where all sets of players are on their new teams. What exactly would they do in this simulation? This game will explore that. Would Sutter get that "revenge"?


If you have an idea for a great match-up.. then leave a comment or two in the forum below or use the various methods of social media.

2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Final Round

So, it comes to this... the team that won the Presidents' Trophy, the Vancouver Canucks versus the stigmatic Boston Bruins who were able to figure out a balanced roster with the trades at the deadline.



Vancouver v. Boston

Boston is going to sit-back on this one and play defense around the stunning and attention grabbing style of goalie Tim Thomas. He has the ablitiy to steal a game or two. Look for the Canucks to counter with their own goalie, Roberto Luongo. But at least Tim Thomas doesn't have a threat to be pulled in favor of a back-up like Luongo does. Young Cory Schneider has put himself on the pundits radar by filling in for a weakened and exposed Luongo. I think Boston is overall the better balanced team having acquired a solid centermen corps, talented wingers, tough tree-like defensemen, and a goalie that hustles everywhere!

But, of course, the threat of the President's Trophy curse still looms over it's current recipient.

Prediction: Vancouver in 6

GM Place in Vancouver Retires Naming Rights in Favor of Communications Company

GM Place, General Motors Place, Hockey Canada Arena or "The Garage". Whatever you call it, the place that the NHL's Vancouver Canucks that called home. But since GM is undergoing a government stretching, the advertising rights to the arena had to expire. And the communications giant Rogers is going to pick up the rights to seal off their name recognition on both ends of the country.

"Rogers is an industry leader and innovator focused on enhancing customer experiences and fostering community partnerships. Our Arena is where we engage our loyal fans and host our most important partners; we are thrilled to have Rogers as an integral partner in our business."

But not only is this arena bearing the Rogers name brand, but they also have one of the biggest stadiums in Canada. It would be like if SafeCo Field in Seattle suddenly got outbid by WB or Turner Broadcasting and called Turner Park or something similar to the Atlanta field.

Rogers is no stranger to the sports landscape in Canada, owning the Toronto Blue Jays, Rogers Centre and national sports network Rogers Sportsnet.

If Rogers can spend this amount of time and effort on acquiring naming rights, just how much time are they actually paying attention to their baseball team this season.

But since the GM Motors place is no longer it's name, I wonder what they are going to call it now. "The Garage" was a pretty clever name. "The Communications Hub" or something?

[Via: Rogers Sportsnet]

United States Fall Short of Olympic Gold

In what is sure to be talked about for very many years to come, the USA and Canada gold medal game went down to the wire. Unfortunately, the game could not end in a tie, the most diplomatic result, and they played one nail-biting OT.

Team USA was feeling confident that the All-World goalie Ryan Miller was once again standing tall in the first period keeping them at a 1-0 deficit. And by the second half of the first period, Edzo noticed that the more the Americans got the puck to the net, "Bobby Lou" Roberto Luongo was unsure of the rebound or where the puck went. Surely, the Americans would feel as they were still in this contest.

But the Americans' backs were to the wall when the second Canada goal slipped by tournament hero Ryan Miller.

"No one knew our names. People know our names now," said Chris Drury, one of two holdovers from the 2002 U.S. team that also lost to Canada in the gold-medal game.

The Herculean efforts continued to the third period where the U.S. team decided to make their final stand against a juggernaut Canada team that had 4 lines of scoring.

"Our team worked so unbelievably hard," Crosby said. "Today was really tough, especially when they got a goal late in regulation. But we came back and got it in overtime."

A few seconds later after the puck had crossed the goal line, I was okay with it. If the Canadians had to win, Crosby was 1 of 2 players I would be okay with getting that goal.

The rematch in Sochi, Russia countdown has begun.

[Via: NBC Olympics]

Slovakia Lose Bronze to Finland

The hands down selection as the "dark horse" in these Olympic games tournament has to be the Slovaks. Now built evenly with good goaltending and developed scoring talent, the Slovaks made a very good run in 2010. It is something that I hope they build upon during the next few years and rise up

However, team Finland once again proved to be a spoiler for the Slovaks who now only have a 4th place finish to show for their otherwise successful run. Jaro Halak, playing with the confidence of being the #1 goaltender in Montreal, was the first player who stood out and stepped up to the challenge. He saw an enormous amount of rubber his way during the opening round loss to the Czech Republic, but bounced back to earn wins against the powerful Russian and Swedish squads.

The three other players who were worthy of representing the Slovak Olympic might were: Zedeno Chara, Marian Gaborik, and Pavol Demitra. Chara was crucial in the Russia and Sweden games while he constantly slammed opposing forwards into the boards. The tighter confines that most other European teams that weren't used to North American sized rinks. Gaborik was the scoring threat that the team used to have with the now-retired Peter Bondra. If he didn't score, Gaborik created a lot of second and third chances. Pavol Demitra was clutch when clutch mattered in some of the later games against Canada and Sweden. If it wasn't for him, the Slovaks might have finished lower than what they did.

[Via: NBC Oylmpics]

Canadian Women Controversial Celebration

Soon after Team Canada had successfully won the gold medal on their home ice (apparently it was important to the country to do that), the Canadian women's team had chosen to enjoy the historical moment by choking down some Canadian beers (no American or Euro imports please) and smoking on long cigars (insert phallus joke here).

But while you might hear some pundits try to defend the team's behavior, I would just like to counter with the notion that those who do defend Team Canada's ladies are doing so out of 1.) loyalty to their country or 2.) ready to take a swipe at the Team's detractors casting the naysayers as a puritanical judgmental bunch.

Congratulations to the Team Canada womens Gold medalists. They worked hard for it and won when it really mattered. But the hearty party that ensued showed just about as much class as when team Canada ripped through the ranks of other less talented teams to get to the gold medal rematch. Plus, it shows a little thoughtlessness to allow a teammate who was underage at the time.

Star-Ledger photographer Andy Mills captured 18-year-old Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored both goals in the gold-medal game, drinking Molson Canadian beer. Poulin doesn't turn 19 – the legal drinking age in British Columbia – until next month. The Canadian team trains in Alberta, where the legal drinking age is 18.

With a hyper sensitive media is ready to castigate any athlete that does not behave as a role model 24/7/365, it only shows how much little progress society has made.

The IOC said it would look into the matter.

"I don't think it's a good promotion of sport values," Gilbert Felli, the IOC's executive director of the Olympics, told the Associated Press after learning about the celebration. "If they celebrate in the changing room, that's one thing, but not in public. We will investigate what happened."

The team made a public apology, but it seems a little hollow after the damage has been done. You can read the apology on the link below.

When I used to work for the womens ice hockey team at Penn State, I was a witness to a controversial moment that I care not to repeat here. I can remember, however, the stigmatic shame that was leveled on the team, logo, and schools character for several days later.

If teams like this can just shrug it off like no big deal, then perhaps deeper sanctions should be considered.

[Via: New Jersey Star Ledger]

Luongo Signs 12 Year Extention

Roberto Luongo is the newest entrant into the "millionaires club" as the workhorse goalie signs a 12 year extension. The real deal is scheduled to kick in after his current contract expires at the end of this season. The new deal will guarantee Luongo will be in Vancouver after the ripe old age of 40.

I am not sure what Vancouver GM Mike Gillis is thinking here. It has all the earmarks of an albatross contract, but with some out clauses to help either side move on in case it doesn't work out. Luongo, once rejected in two hockey markets, is known to be a steady goaltender who could steal a game or two on his own. One thing that does not justify the $64 million dollar price tag is that Luongo has never in his career had an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup.

Good numbers for an NHL goalie, but wouldn't this money be better invested in the team that the Canucks can put in front of Luongo?

It's speculative of GM's in the NHL, but it seems like the eagerness to lock up a player long-term is beneficial for them. Hockey needs stable player movement just like it had when players only wore one or two sweaters their entire career.

[Via: ESPN & Sportsnet.ca]