I never keep up with how the Devils are doing. I know that Brodeur will likely be the starting goalie for Team Canada...but I'll be the first to admit that I don't exactly keep up with the Devils.
Enemy blog: Although I don't keep up with them, I know someone who does, check out Running with the Devils
The Devils played against the Canucks at home on Wednesday and lost to Vancouver 5-2. The Lightning have lost their first two games against the Devils already this season back in October and need to beat the Devils to stop this current slide. It's not sure if Brodeur will start in net tonight as the Devils haven't released any official word yet. Line-up Notes:
I don't usually get to catch the first period because I live on the Westcoast and by the time I have most likely missed the 1st and sometime a bit of the second period. So when I get home and see that the Lightning are losing 4-0, I'm not even going to bother watching the game. Losing 4-0 shows a lack of effort. That just adds to the 4 out of the last 5 games that we've lost.
Marc Savard just signed a extension so it was expected that he would score a goal non? The other goals from the B's came from Bergeron and two from Sturm. Former Bolt Mark Recchi got 3 assists.
Halpern got the only goal for the Lightning and Matt Smaby played for the first time this season. The Lightning as a team is going to need to put together a good performance, especially in the defense on Friday because they'll play the Devils. The play between tonight's game of offense from the B's will be a stark contract to the defensiveness from the Devils. Let's move on and hope that the team can put together some effort to stop the losing.
Enemy blog: Check out Something's Bruin where they are currently dissecting the contract extension that has Savard on the team till he's 40 years old (clearly front loaded).
The Bruins have won five of their last six games, and the Lightning have now been losing more than they've won in the past few games. The Lightning need to turn this around. With the new contract announcement, I expect Marc Savard to have a good game tonight, of course with any new contract, he may begin sucking next game for the rest of the year....
The plus for the Lightning is that Ohlund has returned back to the lineup last game which will give the D some leadership direction. It wasn't that the defense played horribly while Ohlund was out, it just looked like they were lost during some games.
Although I have not entered....sad I know, the Lightning are running a contest for people to choose their favorite photo of a Lightning fan that doesn't reside in the Tampa Bay area. Fans submitted photos to the Lightning Facebook fan page and now 10 photos have been selected, go here to vote for your favorite.
So this rumor hasn't really had legs yet because not many people care about the player, but Dmitry Chesnokov tweeted "according to some reports in Latvia, Lightning's Martins Karsums wants to play in the NHL".
He then followed his tweet with this "I have never even heard of the guy" which just says it all. Karsums has just been all but forgotten of playing down in the AHL. Not a huge loss to the Lightning or anything since he was a little disappointing, thought I did think his name was fun to say.
It's Swedish Night! Featuring: Swedish meatballs! and chips, and hot dogs and Pepsi?!? The last 3 are definitely not Swedish... Where is the pickled herring? the vörtlimpa (Christmas rye bread)? the gravad lax (lox)? or my favorite: the Glögg? That last one not only sounds cool, it's the nordic term for mulled wine and I would recommend it as your beverage of choice while you watch tonights game.
Enemy blog: Check out Jibblescribbits whose mother considers him as "handsome" or Anyone but Detroitwhose mother may or may not consider him as "handsome".
The Avalanche were awesome coming out of the gate surprising everyone, largely due to Craig Anderson's oustanding play. They have since slowed down a little, but are still in 4th place in the West, only 2 points back from the NW division leader. In the beginning of the season, Matt Duchene's name was being thrown around a lot for a possible rookie of the year...yeah, now, not so much but he does show flashes of great skill, but how about that Ryan O'Reilly kid?
Craig Anderson has been 3-6-3 in his last 12 starts. Like the Lightning's loss to Dallas, the Avalanche lost on Saturday in a shootout to Minnesota. What hurts more for them is that also lost David Jones for the season with a torn ACL. Milan Hejduk and TJ Galiardi did not play due to injury. Line-up Notes:
Our big Swede, Mattias Ohlund is still out
Game time: 7:30pm ET on SUN.
Note: I am a bit of a foodie, and have a thing for local European foods...so I am a little dismayed that Swedish night only has Swedish meatballs.
So the NHL Arena is running a blog-off contest for all the NHL Teams. Yours truly has been nominated as one of the Tampa Bay Lightning bloggers. It says you have to pick your favorite 4, but really you can just pick 1 and hit submit...
but I think Rawcharge are cool people too, so feel free to give them some love too.
It takes about 5 minutes to register for an account, but maybe you'll be rewarded with good karma or something for voting for me. I don't really know what the purpose of this blog-off is, maybe just being voted best blog? Who knows.
So here is the direct link to click if you'd like to show me some love. If you don't, well thats ok too, since it doesn't affect me how I do on a discussion board contest, since well I rarely visit discussion boards...
Both teams were in action last night, the Lightning won 5-1 over the Rangers, and the Stars lost 5-2 to the Coyotes. Both teams travelled to Dallas for tonights game. Both of our records are pretty close in number, the Lightning at 10-6-7 and the Starts at 11-7-7. There was a lot of 'both teams' in that paragraph, but what I'm trying to get at is that the teams are well matched up, and are in the same position in tiredness. Dallas has the edge with it being a home crowd, though fan turnout for Dallas has been pretty suspect lately.
The Lighting will not make any line-up changes to tonight, which means that Mike Smith will start in goal. Smith and Halpern return to Dallas to face their old team, from which they got traded from for Brad Richards.
The Lightning have had help in scoring from their D men during the last couple of games which is great to see. Stamkos clearly is continuing his campaign to crack the Team Canada roster. Players to watch from Dallas beside Brad Richards is James Neal, Louie Eriksson and their rookie, who is a former Kelowna Rocket, Jamie Benn.
If you can get the FS Southwest feed instead, I would highly recommend watching that one instead of the SUN one. By far, the Dallas guys are the most hilarious announcers in the NHL. Line-up Notes:
Mattias Ohlund is still out with a lower body injury (day to day)
Mike Smith is in goal
Game time: 8:30pm ET on SUN.
No recap of the game tonight, because I will be out hitting the town tonight for some celebrations...so instead to make up for it, please enjoy the Lecavalier and Richards NHL promo video
When we were up 4-0 going into the 3rd, and I started to get nervous. You'd think being up 4-0 you wouldn't be nervous, but I was. It comes from the repeated times that the Lightning can have a lead, then somehow lose all composure, blow the lead, and end up losing in overtime.
But we didn't.
And Lundqvist got pulled. He gave up 4 goals on 22 shots.
Things just kinda went our way in this game. Great team effort.
St. Louis had 3 assists
Stamkos got another goal (#16)
Kurtis Foster went from no goals up until a week ago, to 3 goals, this may not seam like a lot, but that the same amount that he got for the Wild during the whole 06/07 season
Black Friday. I don't really understand all the hoopla about Black Friday....though I'm the type of person that will buy shoes at the beginning of the season because I don't like to deal with being told they don't have my size during a sale. I don't do large crowds at sales, I don't do boxing day sales, so I don't think I would do Black Friday well. I do like the concept of getting another day off, even if it is without pay.
Enemy blog: I don't respect many Ranger fans, except Scotty Hockey
So for Black Friday, the Lightning will have an open skate for fans from 6-8:45am (who is up at that ungodly hour on a day off, I don't know) which if you are reading this, you have already missed. Followed by an open Lightning morning skate from 10am-1pm and a discounted equipment sale. Terrace level tickets are on sale for $10. Seriously. Click here for all the Black Friday details.
There is also some discount on tickets for a "Lingerie Football League". I'm afraid to type that into the google machine and see what pops up.
On the hockey front, the Ranjuhs are 13-10-1 and have won the last two in a row. The Lightning on the other hand, well defence at least look like they've lost all sense of direction since Ohlund has been out with injury.
Tonight is the return of John Tortorella for the first time back to face the Lightning as a coach for the Rangers, and really it's not a big deal. He still lives in the Tampa Bay area (at least he did last year when he was an analyst on TSN) and is part of the community. Yes he did have a bit of a feud with Vinny when he coached the team, but Vinny is a big boy and will get overthe drama.
What is a big deal is that Marian Gaborik is still healthy. And Wade Redden is injured.
Line-up Notes:
Mattias Ohlund is still out with a lower body injury (day to day)
This game was a bit of a first for the Lightning, it showed a back and forth play between the two teams. Even though we lost, and ended the home streak, from what I watched, I enjoyed the game for the entertainment factor.
The Leafs came out early and scored two goals from Kulemin and Hagman early in the game. The Lightning answered back with a PPG from Meszaros and a even strength goal from Lecavalier in the 1st. Hagman started off the 2nd period with a goal for the Leafs, before Malone evened it up at 7:52 in the 2nd. It wasn't until the end of the 2nd that Stajan got the game winner of the night for the Leafs.
Thoughts on the game:
Stamkos had two assists
Toronto's Hagman had a fantastic game
Malone had a great chance to get a goal in the end, but he was clearly out of gas, and a neat diving poke check from Beauchemin killed the attempt
I didn't like Lundin's game, was terrible from what I saw in the 3rd
The Lightning lost for the first time in regulation at home this year
Next game for the Lightning is on Friday against the Rangers. Enjoy your Thanksgiving everyone (well Americans at least). Gobble Gobble.
And check out this gem of a post by Archimedies I missed the last time we played the Leafs, analyzing the suits that our boys wear as they walk into the arena. I agree with him/Wrap on Hedman's suit analysis.
I hate when people call the Leafs the Laffs. It just sounds stupid and kinda redneck. I'm not a Leaf fan or anything, though I may know 2 or 3 (or realistically maybe about 10 of them), and of course, I like toss out a few Leaf jokes when they come in to town, but the people who call them the Laffs, they are just terrible and not creative at all.
Plus, I don't hate on the Leafs just because they suck, hell, we sucked more for the last 2 years, and if we don't stop losing games in OT we might be in the same position in a few months. In fact, I may have a soft spot for some of their players: The Monster, Schenn and Stalberg.
So positives for the Leafs? They now have Phil Kessel playing. Unfortunately for the Leafs (and my hockey pool), they can't clone like 30 of him.
The not so positives? They still have Jason Blake et al. on the team.
Vesa Toskala is back on the IR after tweaking his groin, along with John Mitchell (on the IR that is, not involved in the going tweaking) so they can hang out with Mike Komisarek and Mike Van Ryn. They have recalled Joey Macdonald and Christian Hanson from the Marlies yesterday as replacements. And the Leafs are tied with Carolina in points for the bottom of the East at 15 a piece.
There's some Thanksgiving tailgate party you can go to in Tampa tonight, where for $25 you can have unlimited food, beer, wine and soda! Did I seriously write that? Unlimited beer and wine? Where I live, I think that $25 may cover your parking, and that's not even talking about food and drinks. Back to tailgating: I've never been to a tailgate party, they don't have those here where I live, so I don't really understand what goes on at them, but I would really love to go. Click here for details on the one going on tonight in Tampa.
update: Mike Lundin has been recalled back from Norfolk
Game time: 7pm ET SUN and TSN!!
I found this while looking up Lightning/Leaf picture for my preview, and came across this from last year when the Leafs and the Lightning played. It's from the Believe in The Goal Foundation that was founded by Todd Davison (WHL player) who was diagnosed with cancer. He started the foundation to help in the fight to end cancer. Check out some pictures of the Lightning hanging out with12 year old cancer survivor, Mason Sesak who got to hang out with some of the team last year in Toronto. Love this.
I don't how the magazine came up with the nickname "The Iceman" since I'venever heard of anyone calling him anything but Ohlie, but after this photo I don't care.tHB approves of this photo.
So while checking out the Lightning website today, on their front page, they told me that Victor Hedman has a message for me! So clearly, I clicked on it. Click here, seriously, you won't regret it.
Um....Victor Hedman...I think I may love you after this video. The writing is so bad, but you make it work, shifting your weight and your coy smile....
Guh. What a lack of effort yesterday. We lost to the second worst team in the league, who is missing a goalie and E Staal. Let's forget about it.
Enemy blog: Pay your respect to Laura at Wazzupwitchu for some Thrashers love
When the NHL designed schedule, did they say to themselves: "gee, no one will care about this game, so let's just stick it on a Sunday afternoon and not televise it". Well if they wanted people not to care about the game, I think they've achieved what they were looking to do.
So even though this game may not seem to even matter, it does. The Lightning look better in the standings than they have been playing due to the 7 points they've picked up from their OT losses. The loss last night against Carolina was really 4 points because the Hurricanes are in the same division as the Lightning and tonight the Lightning are in the same situation with the Thrashers.
Nice of the folks at the Lightning website to use a photo of a player (E Stall) that is not even playing. Half of the Canes are out with injury: Eric Staal, Cam Ward, Michael Leighton, Scott Walker, Joni Pitkanen and Michael Ryan.
The Lightning are now 4-0-2, and are tied with the Islanders for the most pity points awarded: 7 FYI.
I cannot love the Ducks, in fact I think I may hate them. The hate I feel for them feels like it has gotten stronger over the years. It's something about the players on the Ducks that I just don't like. Ryan Getzlaf makes me want to kick kittens.
Enemy Blog: Check out Anaheim Calling, because although I may hate the Ducks, Arthur and Daniel are actually nice guys.
And because I don't like the Ducks, it makes me pleased to see them at the bottom of the Pacific division. The Ducks have lost 10 out of the last 13 games which has put them at 6-10-3. During their roadtrip out east, which they just got back from, their record was 0-3-1, and that has dropped them back to the bottom of the West.
With rumors swirling last week that Randy Carlisle's coaching job was on the line, the GM came forward and squashed those rumors. So, if it's not the coach being fired, will we see some players traded soon? Perhaps. The Ducks' defense haven't looked as good since Pronger was traded last year and although they have scoring from Getzlaf and Perry, the need more scoring from their other players.
I'm going to enjoy this fabulous feeling of the Ducks sucking while I can.
The Lightning on the other hand 4-0-1 in their last 5 games. Last game in Phoenix, the Lightning had goals from all the players that really had to deliver: Lecavalier, Tanguay and St. Louis. Smitty also had a solid game in net, which has earned him the start tonight against Anaheim. Does this make sense? Winning one game gets you the start in the next one even though Niity has played so well in a string of games before? Well it does when Tocchet is your coach, who may or may not want Smith to succeed and Niity to fail (which is completely based on no fact whatsoever). But neverless, it's a good reward for Smith after playing a good game.
Now all this has sounded like the Lightning are perfect, um not so much. Cristodero raises a great point, that the boys have been outshot in eight straight games, and in 13 of its past 14. Which really does say that the goaltending by primarily Niitymaki, and that last game from Smith has really bailed them out.
Tocchet rattles on about having the players going hard to the net, which is good advice for the players that can do it, though I don't agree about his view that he doesn't want perimeter players. Some players are perimeter players, who, yes, need to get pucks on net, but I think you need to play your strengths by shooting and if the initial shot doesn't go in, well then there need to be players who are at the net to put in the rebound.
Line-up Notes:
Mike Smith in net
Mattias Ohlund is expected to play, but spent the Wednesday in a walking boot
Game time: 10:00pm ET on, um nothing locally, but it is broadcasted on Prime for Anaheim fans.
Vinny covers his face thinking something bad may have happened, but Marty answers back: "High Five man?"
Mike Smith got the start in net tonight. Earlier today I was confused as to why you would give Smith the start even though it was Niitymaki who had gotten the Lightning points in games that they had no business being in. But we won, so I can't complain, but I am curious as to why, especially since our next game is not until Thursday night so Niity would have had plenty of rest...oh, but recap, that's why you're here:
The Lightning won. And they won in regulation.
Malone looks like someone just told him unicorns exist, jebus he look happy.
Here are some thoughts on the game:
Mike Smith make 30 saves, some of those were big saves on Petr Prucha
The Coyotes have less fans that we do
Lecavalier, Tanguay and St. Louis all got goals. Vinny got two of them (though the second one was off of Hanzal's stick)
"The announced crowd was 9,503, ending a three-game streak of five-figure attendance", but if you saw the stands, you'd know that they were no where near 9500....
I'm a Tampa Bay Lightning fan. When not working, I spend much of my free time watching, reading, listening or attending hockey games. If there is no Lightning game, I can be found most nights at the rink with my other love, the Canucks.
Send me an e-mail or if you want to do a link exchange, contact me at thehockeybay AT gmail DOT com
Posts
