Cid_MCDP 0 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Dunno if any of you all are into NHL hockey at all, but if you're wanting to watch a good game or are curious to see your first game, you could do a lot worse than tomorrow's matchup between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Capitals have been vastly improved since coach Bruce Bodreau took over about a year and a half ago. They made a deeper than expected run into the Stanley Cup playoffs last year and this year have been dominant in their division and some would say, their conference. The Capitals are tied for second in the East, the on-ice contributions of NHL goal scoring leader Alex Ovechkin, Left Wing, playing no small part. The Gr8 One leads the NHL in goal scoring with 42 in 57 games after a slow start due to a death in the family which obviously weighed heavily on his mental game and ultimately demanded a return trip to Russia for a funeral and to spend time with his family. The Pens have played a little below themselves as a team this season which is common when a young team makes it to the Stanley Cup finals the year before, but you wouldn't know it by watching Pittsburgh Center Evgeni Malkin. The Russian star leads the league in points with 84 (26 goals, 58 assists) in only 59 games this season. Despite Malkin's best efforts, the Pens are fighting for a playoff spot in a relatively tight Eastern Conference and currently sit 10th. Both teams are young and extremely gifted offensively boasting some of the biggest names in the NHL today. Additionally, neither have outstanding goaltending (although Washington's defense is superior to most teams) which should make for a high-scoring affair. There is definitely a personal rivalry between Capitals Ovechkin and Alex Semin, and the Penguins Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, which only serves to make these games between their teams all the more entertaining. The game starts at 12:30 Eastern US tomorrow. Don't know who shows NHL games over there (if anyone), but if you're curious at all about hockey, tomorrow's game should be a great one to watch. On a sidenote- Ovechkin scored another one of his "how'd he do that" goals the other night against Montreal. Good stuff- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Manson 0 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Ovechkin and Crosby are both awesome talents. I have an ice hockey match myself when it's broadcast so going to miss this game. Bloody annoying that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 5941 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Setanta have an american sports channel. May be on there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 The words great and NHL in the same title? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooner 243 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 The words great and NHL in the same title? ......hey now, don't be that guy. The NHL is awesome, although it does have to many teams now. They should get rid of all the teams in the southern US and puts some more back in Canada, they'd be way more profitable we're hockey MAD up here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Kirkey 0 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Detroit are my favourite team to watch in the NHL, Lidstrom and Zetterburg are outstanding players. And Mike Babcock their coach played for one year in the North East with the Whitley Warriors, so even more reason to like them. I like watching Vancouver for Luongo too, he's an incredible goalie. ESPN America, formerly NASN is a good place to watch NHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 26511 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Going to see my first ice hockey game tonight, Basingstoke v Belfast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 14085 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I used to get along to a canny few Whitley Warriors games back in the day. Where else would you get to hero-worship someone called Hilton Ruggles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaMoUsE 0 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 i always remember stefan simoes from being akid watching the warriors. He was awesome. Must have been 1997 or so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cid_MCDP 0 Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 Detroit are my favourite team to watch in the NHL, Lidstrom and Zetterburg are outstanding players. And Mike Babcock their coach played for one year in the North East with the Whitley Warriors, so even more reason to like them. I like watching Vancouver for Luongo too, he's an incredible goalie. ESPN America, formerly NASN is a good place to watch NHL. That's ironic as hell- here in the states ESPN doesn't carry hockey at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooner 243 Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Detroit are my favourite team to watch in the NHL, Lidstrom and Zetterburg are outstanding players. And Mike Babcock their coach played for one year in the North East with the Whitley Warriors, so even more reason to like them. I like watching Vancouver for Luongo too, he's an incredible goalie. ESPN America, formerly NASN is a good place to watch NHL. Toronto are my favorite team....always have been, seems I like the teams with the 40+ year droughts for championships Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 9023 Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 All about the Pens tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooner 243 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 (edited) All about the Pens tbh lots of star power on the Pens to be sure......however the Leafs have had their number this year they lead the season series 3-1, but hey to each their own. Did you see the game that started this thread? Crosby and Ovechkin getting ready to scrap..... too funny Sid the kid would get WHOOPED Edited February 27, 2009 by tooner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Kirkey 0 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Detroit are my favourite team to watch in the NHL, Lidstrom and Zetterburg are outstanding players. And Mike Babcock their coach played for one year in the North East with the Whitley Warriors, so even more reason to like them. I like watching Vancouver for Luongo too, he's an incredible goalie. ESPN America, formerly NASN is a good place to watch NHL. Toronto are my favorite team....always have been, seems I like the teams with the 40+ year droughts for championships He he Maple Leafs are patently the NUFC of the NHL! Trade deadline on Wednesday too, wonder how many Leafs are left after that. Wish we could trade away some of our players, Trading Viduka, Smith, Duff, Geremi and Cacapa for a bag of grass seed would be fair value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooner 243 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Detroit are my favourite team to watch in the NHL, Lidstrom and Zetterburg are outstanding players. And Mike Babcock their coach played for one year in the North East with the Whitley Warriors, so even more reason to like them. I like watching Vancouver for Luongo too, he's an incredible goalie. ESPN America, formerly NASN is a good place to watch NHL. Toronto are my favorite team....always have been, seems I like the teams with the 40+ year droughts for championships He he Maple Leafs are patently the NUFC of the NHL! Trade deadline on Wednesday too, wonder how many Leafs are left after that. Wish we could trade away some of our players, Trading Viduka, Smith, Duff, Geremi and Cacapa for a bag of grass seed would be fair value. you reckon any of them can skate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I thought the Canucks were the NUFC of the NHL. Hockey-mad city but they're never won the Stanley Cup. My favourite team anyway, just because I've been there like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Kirkey 0 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Detroit are my favourite team to watch in the NHL, Lidstrom and Zetterburg are outstanding players. And Mike Babcock their coach played for one year in the North East with the Whitley Warriors, so even more reason to like them. I like watching Vancouver for Luongo too, he's an incredible goalie. ESPN America, formerly NASN is a good place to watch NHL. Toronto are my favorite team....always have been, seems I like the teams with the 40+ year droughts for championships He he Maple Leafs are patently the NUFC of the NHL! Trade deadline on Wednesday too, wonder how many Leafs are left after that. Wish we could trade away some of our players, Trading Viduka, Smith, Duff, Geremi and Cacapa for a bag of grass seed would be fair value. you reckon any of them can skate? Not sure, but stick tubbo Viduka in net and you've got a guaranteed shut out every time, he'd comfortably fill every inch of space the opposition could shoot the puck into His 70 grand a week wages might mess up a teams salary cap mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooner 243 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I thought the Canucks were the NUFC of the NHL. Hockey-mad city but they're never won the Stanley Cup. My favourite team anyway, just because I've been there like while the canucks have never won, the Vancouver Millionaires won it waaaaaaay back at the beginning of the 20th century, they are my second team because I live in BC now and if you cheer too loudly for the Leafs there is a good chance of having to step outside.......I'm a lover not a fighter broke my heart to see Mats Sundin sink the leafs (former captain) in the shoot-out on Saturday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I thought the Canucks were the NUFC of the NHL. Hockey-mad city but they're never won the Stanley Cup. My favourite team anyway, just because I've been there like while the canucks have never won, the Vancouver Millionaires won it waaaaaaay back at the beginning of the 20th century, they are my second team because I live in BC now and if you cheer too loudly for the Leafs there is a good chance of having to step outside.......I'm a lover not a fighter broke my heart to see Mats Sundin sink the leafs (former captain) in the shoot-out on Saturday Sound more like us all the time The Canucks got beat in the final once as well didn't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooner 243 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I thought the Canucks were the NUFC of the NHL. Hockey-mad city but they're never won the Stanley Cup. My favourite team anyway, just because I've been there like while the canucks have never won, the Vancouver Millionaires won it waaaaaaay back at the beginning of the 20th century, they are my second team because I live in BC now and if you cheer too loudly for the Leafs there is a good chance of having to step outside.......I'm a lover not a fighter broke my heart to see Mats Sundin sink the leafs (former captain) in the shoot-out on Saturday Sound more like us all the time The Canucks got beat in the final once as well didn't they? Indeed they did and how about a little serendipity, it was Mark Messier a former canuck that beat them in game seven of the final.....how's that for heartbreak? the last time the Leafs won was 1967, Bill Burillko scored in overtime to win the cup for the Leafs, then in the summer he was killed in a plane crash while on a fishing trip in Northern Ontario.......check out "50 mission Cap" by the Tragically Hip for a musical rundown on that bit of Canadiana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cid_MCDP 0 Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 Vancouver hasn't been in the league long enough to be NUFC. I'd say my beloved, much-malinged Los Angeles Kings are pretty close to the NUFC of the NHL. Never won? Check. Questionable ownership? Check. Disliked by rest of league? Check. Always seem to play opposites (win games against teams they should lose, lose games they should win)? Check. Big-name former player as coach? Not yet, but Tony Granato stood-in for the Avs and got a few games under his belt... and Robitaille could always turn coach... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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