This Saturday your beloved GoonSquad will be returning to fighting form and attending the Bruins/Ranger game at the Garden. To say that we’re excited about hockey’s return would be an understatement. To say I’m excited about having Jalepno poppers at Sports Grill beforehand would be a gross understatement. Very gross. Regardless, Colton Orr will be returning to Beantown for the first time since his release, likely looking to tattoo Wade Brookbank. Hopefully Chris won’t run into Orr at the bar and fire chicken wing spittle into his face while pledging his eternal devotion this time. So Chris, Hammer the Younger and yours truly will be lacing up our livers and hitting North Station with a vengance around 2pm, with digital voice recorder in tow. Digital voice recorder, you ask?

To further mark this joyous occasion, we’ll be recording our very first GoonBlog Podcast before, during and after the game. It may take a while to get the hang of it, and even longer to figure out the editing learning curve, but by this time next week it’ll be live for your enjoyment/morbid fascination. You can expect mutual disresepect, at least 10 SlapShot references, extreme off-topic veering and - we hope - a heck of a lot of funny. If you want statistics, nobody beats HockeyFights.com. For humorous, R-rated, booze-soaked commentary and morbid entertainment value, we hope the GoonBlog Podcast manages to get a hand on you, pull a shirt over your shoulderpads and then pummel the crap out of you. You know, make an impression.

Tie Domi has decided to hang em up after a 15 year career. Never one to back down from anyone, Domi built his reputation through the years as one of the most willing enforcers in the league. He had said he was thankful for the guys that were established in the league when he came in giving him a chance to hone his rep by obliging him when he asked to go. Near the end of his career, he often turned down guys trying to do the same thing he had done many years before. He cited a different climate in which fighting exists in the NHL. When he came in there was no such thing as a time and place. If you wanted to go, you went. These days, it has to be the “right time.”

So, with Domi’s retirement came the groundswell of the end of the enforcer as we know it, and you can’t just be one dimensional anymore…blah, blah, blah…..I say hogwash. Domi was always an enforcer, yes. But I don’t think he could ever be considered a one dimensional goon. He skated surprisingly well for a guy that does what Domi did. He chipped in offensively every year. He has 104 goals and 141 helpers in 1,020 NHL contests. That isn’t too bad for a guy that spent 3,515 minutes in the sin bin in those 1,020 games. If you break those numbers down, his PIMS add up to almost 60 games spent in the Box. Some guys that are true goons don’t even have 60 games in the show on their resume. What Domi provided was grit, a few points a year, and a presence in the room and on the ice. Sounds pretty multifaceted to me.

While Domi represents the “Old Guard”, he is by no means the end of an era. The only era ending here is the Tie Domi era. Let’s not forget, Tie Domi is 36 years old. Guys that don’t do what he does are being bought out around the league. This isn’t like some 23 year old kid is being bought out because he only brings one dimension to the table. Domi is old by NHL standards, and ancient by enforcer standards. Fighting in the NHL is on the decline in general, and guys do need to be able to help the team these days, but just because Domi is done, it doesn’t mean the whole role is done. There are plenty of guys in the show that are keeping the role alive. So, Tie, thanks for the memories. You will be missed. Good luck with TSN. I look forward to seeing you this winter on TV. Thanks for doing what you did for 15 years.

I found this link on TSN. It looks like Trevor has a cut on his head. In reading what the Ducks’ website had to say about the tilt, they painted Trevor as the winner. Anyone see the fight?

“Jane, since I have met you, I have noticed things I never noticed before. Colors…birds singing…..stop lights.” LT. Frank Drebin

A weekend wedding at The Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire is a major reason I am feeling like LT. Frank Drebin. What a gorgeous spot to get married, and the Bride and Groom put on a great spread. Thanks for having us Mr. and Mrs. Derum, and congratulations! MOL and I will be here for beers when you get back from Hawaii.

The other reason for feeling like a new man? Hockey is back boys! The long pointless Summer with it’s heat, and humidity has given was to the crisp nights of Fall, and the return of the Boys of Winter! MOL and I made the drive back from New Hampshire last night so I would be able to make it to the Bruins/Devils tilt at the Paul today. She also had to work, and the NASCAR race was at Louden, so it made sense to make it yesterday. I awoke this morning in my own bed, ready to see my first glimpse of hockey this season.

After arriving at the Paul, and seeing all the old faces, we settled in for the game. Boston looked very sloppy in the first frame taking roughly 72 crappy penalties. The first stanza did feature the first fight of the year though. Wade Brookbank and Mike Rupp got into it right along the boards in between the benches, and after a long square off got after each other in front of the New Jersey goal. Rupp threw the first shot, and Brookbank countered with a right getting Rupp off balance. As Rupp was going down, Brookbank hit him again, and they crashed to the ice. Pretty quick scrap after a long square off, but I give the win to Brookbank because he landed both his punches of the bout.

The second period was more of the same for Boston. Lots of crappy penalties and not a lot of scoring chances. Toivonen looked pretty rusty, and the squad sure looked like a group that had only been on the ice for a couple of days. Billy Tibbetts looked very cautious. Like he didn’t want to do anything to be even remotely controversial. I don’t think that was Billy’s game. New Jersey for their part looked very good. A lot of those guys are familiar with each other, and it showed. They were crisper, and controlled the play. It also didn’t hurt the penalties were 492-1 in their favor. Boston could not keep out of the box, and it hurt them.

The final period of the night featured Wade Brookbank’s second scrap of the night. It was a quicker square off, and an even quicker fight. New Devil Dan LaCoutre and Brookbank got together in right at the blue line next to the home penalty box. They decided to go, and Brookbank lowered the boom on Lac’s face. He buckled the Massachusetts native with a hard right to his nose, and the fight was all over. Both guys were led to the dressing room as the fight came with 1:18 left in the game. I really could care less about the score. I am just glad to have hockey back. Next up, September 29th the Lowell Devils face off against the Portland Pirates at the Paul. Good seats are still available.

Last week I wrote a little piece about Columbus signing Brandon Sugden (they also signed Darcy Verot by the by) and how I wasn’t exactly sure I would make the trip to Albany to see a Syracuse tilt. My contention was the Albany didn’t really have anyone to fight him and I wasn’t sure I wanted to drive that far to be let down. I said it was more of the same for Carolina. One tough guy, and how willing was he going to be to drop em. Well, I am a moron.

I was perusing the lineups of Carolina and Colorado yesterday. Obviously Carolina added Stephen Peat the other day, but I totally forgot they signed Jesse Boulerice earlier in the off season. I would imagine those two will have some battles in camp to decide who stays. While I love the signings, I have to question the motivation? Peat played four games I think for Lowell after he was traded. Boulerice was in the Press Box for most of his time with the Canes last season. Did the Canes see something in the Season and Playoffs with regards to toughness or lack thereof? Or, is this a move to keep the AHL Team tough? Sort of a break glass in case of emergency type thing? The Capitals added Donald Brashear to protect Ovechkin. Carolina has them 8 times next year, and has had some battles with them as of late. I know Boulerice asked to stay in Lowell when he was sent there because he likes Tom Rowe, and wanted to play, and I would assume that had a lot to do with him signing. In regards to Peat. He didn’t seem very pleased to be there last year. Granted he was hurt and all, but he walked around with a scowl on all the time. He was also by himself a lot. I only saw him with his Old Lady. I never saw him with any of the boys. I think he is going to fight extra hard to stay in the Show. I would suggest getting to a Scrimmage at Canes Camp if you are near there.

Let’s not forget about Albany’s other Parent Club, the Colorado Avalanche. They have Mitch Love, and Cody McLeod both on the roster. Mitch told me at the end of the year party for the Lockmonsters last season that he turned down a couple of guys because he was the only one doing the heavy lifting. Then by the time McLeod came along, Mitch was already hurt. McLeod did OK for himself. He’s young, and needs experience in the AHL, but I think he’ll be OK. He did very well in a game against Hartford when Joe Rullier and Martin Grenier were running him at every turn. As an aside, I thought it was pretty cowardly of both those guys. That was the game when Boulerice had been sent down, and neither one of them would go near him. At any rate, McLeod squared off with Rullier in that game, but Rullier got hit in the eye with a clearing attempt before they could get going. McLeod got his eggs scrambled in Albany by Barry Tallackson, but who doesn’t from time to time? I like the kid. I think he’ll be good.

So, with Albany possibly having Stephen Peat, Jesse Boulerice, Mitch Love, Bill Kinkel, and Cody McLeod in their line up, I have re thought my idea on driving out there to see them take on Syracuse, or anyone for that matter. Who’s coming with me?