GoonBlog.com

Hockey fight blog with humorous, blow-by-blow commentary on goons, enforcers and donnybrooks

Hockey fight blog with humorous, blow-by-blow commentary on goons, enforcers and donnybrooks.

Milan Lucic

GoonBlog.com: Benched, Traded or Just Lacing Back Up?


in Milan Lucic, Hockey Movies, Matt Rempe, Site News

The history of our website, Goonblog.com, is a long and sordid yarn.

Also “storied“, possibly “alcohol-fueled“. And I have to assume a lot of material hasn’t “aged well“.

(Laughing as I write this because I just imagined Bennett Brauer reading those first sentences).

Admittedly… it’s been inconsistent.

So – let’s address the fact we’ve obviously lost some posting momentum this season.

And run through our history. And nobody has a gun to your head if you’d rather be watching Slapshot.

A History of Hostility

Back in the site’s 2009-2011 heyday, we were hammered with (relevant/transactional) traffic on a daily basis. Major publications linked to us regularly. Google adored us, and we even got to the point where there was a trickle of advertising, t-shirt and affiliate revenue. Almost enough for a cup of coffee every month. Top of the world, ma.

Jimmy Cagney: Top of the World, Ma!

We were doing a hockey podcast, remote hockey podcasts form Boston Garden, getting into fights at Boston Garden during remote hockey podcasts, interviewing NHL enforcers in person due to a growing perception of “rink cred” – and everything was ticking along nicely. But then, something happened.

Some of us had children, some of us moved away from North Station. And after the Bruins’ Stanley Cup win in 2011, that article about the rioting in Vancouver which was picked up by a dozen big outlets, the delightful smiting of the Sedin Sisters, and that torrid tale of Tim Thomas – some of us may have even thought, “Our work is done here“.

Hockey Blog

There was never a decision, it was never discussed, but we definitely did not pick things back up in 2012.

For the next 13 years, while we did keep renewing the domain name in hopes of a “someday” kinda comeback, the site was left unattended, un-updated, and was even significantly hacked by some little prick in Malaysia.

Now, I’ve been to Malaysia. They’re good people, Kota Kinabalu is beautiful beyond words, and Beef Rendang is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. But he made the mistake of sending me an email once, asking for money to release the site from his clutches, and I got his IP address out of the header. So, yeah, a confirmed little Malaysian prick.

Said little prick kept the site up, but anyone who came through via a Google search was first served an advertising popup window, for fucking raincoats or something, and eventually Google caught on and banished Goonblog from their results, entirely.

In that sense, the slimy little beef rendang-eating bastard shot himself in the foot, which was fun to watch. But once we decided to reboot the site, it became our (almost) insurmountable problem.

A Return to Glory? Not Quite

After finally recovering control ahead of the 2023 season (at great effort and greater expense), we were reinvigorated. Back to form in terms of strategy and content creation. If you ever have to unfuck your site, I’ve got a guy.

Again – just a labor of love we all simultaneously realized we wanted back in our lives. Now that life’s dust had settled. A bit. There is always dust.

Out of the gate there was no shortage of things to discuss. While we lost our initial excitement about Milan’s return to Beantown, we gained the ridiculous rookie season of the Rempire State Building. Then year-over-year fight frequency was on the upswing, and I even finished my best hockey movies post which had been in various stages of production since 2008.

Hockey Fights

Throughout the 2023 and 2024 season, we published nearly 40 new posts. And they were good. Relevant, original, and sticking to our collective GoonBlog credo of: write what we’d want to read. But, despite our best efforts, we stayed working in a “vacuum”, and that tends to take the piss, Schlitz and vinegar out of anyone.

Get Over It, Google

More about the vacuum: Google couldn’t get past the fact we’d once been hacked (granted, for nearly a decade). As a result, to call our organic traffic a “trickle” after 24 months and so many gleaming posts on the new and improved, unhacked, site… would be an insult to trickles, everywhere.

We have Goonbloggers who have been involved in digital marketing, SEO, and getting traffic to sites for 40 years combined. The competency was enviable in that respect. But nothing we did made a difference. And it’s reasonable to say that stubborn vacuum led to this year’s lapse in enthusiasm and output.

It was a diabolical Dyson of a disadvantage (see what I did there?).

But then, one day in early December, after none of us had touched the site in 3 months, there was what can only be described as an algorithmic search engine sea change. We got an email from the hosting company telling us our monthly bandwidth limit had been exceeded.

It was like an angel singing “Return of the Mack” in our ear.

As said, GoonBlog has always been a labor of love. For a rotating cast of 2-4 high school friends, from the mean streets of Concord, Massachusetts. And we do love it. Still.

But a month previous there had been texts around whether to keep ‘er going – or throw in the towel for good. Google finally deciding to stop being a dickhole has been a blazing North Star in terms of the future of the site.

Let’s Go With “Lacing Back Up”

The recent realization that traffic levels are suddenly back up to (and some days exceeding) our 2011 heyday is looking like the kick in a pair of discouraged pants we desperately needed.

Considering all the first time visitors now coming through the doors, a status update after a few months off was needed. The proof will be in the pudding, but Goonblog is back (again), baby.

{ 1 Comment }

The Rempire State Building


in Milan Lucic, Lowell Lockmonsters, Marty McSorley, Matt Rempe, Portland Pirates, Sean Avery, Trevor Gillies

I have never attended a game where a 5-on-5 fight kicked things off. I have seen all manner of things at a hockey game (freshly minted Matt Rempe shirts, peanut fights, fist fights, mustard pack fights, male and female nudity, hate crimes, personally being escorted out of the Garden) and been in the building countless times when a fight happened right off the opening faceoff. But never an all-ice-encompassing shitshow like that one between the Rangers and the Devils.

Elvis Who? Chris Has *Entered* the Building

I was in the building when Milan Lucic (I am still pissed at him) tried to put Mike van Ryn into the third row at the Garden. It happened right across the rink from my old season tickets, and I remember it like it was yesterday.

And I vividly remember being in the building that time the Portland Pirates and Lowell Lockmonsters had 5 successive fights to start the last game of the season – after someone on the Pirates called the Lockmonsters “beer leaguers” because they weren’t going to the playoffs.

The Monsters put a out a guy that could fight. So did the Pirates. Puck dropped, they squared up. Rinse and repeat 5 times. It was magical.

I have definitely been in buildings for 5-on-5 line brawls. Just not at the first puck drop.

I was building-proximus the night Billy Tibbetts and Trevor Gillies started when they were with Springfield. They came into Lowell looking to stir the pot on a Sunday afternoon, and did just that. Patrick DesRochers, the fighting goaltender from Lowell, went the length of the ice to fight Springfield’s goalie, David LeNeveu.

LeNeveu, after the game, was crying in front of (then) Springfield Falcon coach, Marty McSorley, saying in a very thick French accent, “I did not want to fight him.” Then he’d cry a little. McSorley, was disgusted. I will never forget the look on his face. It was classic.

All that now said, I have never attended a game when a 5-on-5 fight starts the game. It is most assuredly on my bucket list, dare to dream, and I am jealous of all the people in attendance for that epic brawl last week. Matt Rempe and company sure got the hockey world talking.

Five-On-Five Fallout

Sean Avery loved it, and was talking about the brawl on his podcast. Avery was giving the Rempire State Building pointers on how to fight. It was his contention that Rempe needed to lock up Kurtis MacDermid’s arm a little better. Avery’s logic is it will give him better leverage to come over his opponent and use his size and reach to his advantage.

I agree with Avery. Rempe is a tough customer, and is certainly willing to take on all comers, but if he doesn’t start getting better separation when he fights, he’s really going to get hurt. I don’t care how tall that big galoot is.

Chara Chops it Up with Sean Avery

Sean Avery also encouraged the girls of New York City to “take care” of young Matt Rempe if they see him socially. I don’t know Rempe’s marital/girlfriend situation, but if he has one, I’m sure she wasn’t pleased about said advice. Rempe, on the other hand, probably appreciated the shout out / shut himself in the airplane bathroom for 5 minutes.

John Scott has an excellent podcast called Dropping the Gloves. It is the Official Podcast of Hockey Fights.com and is a must listen for any fight fan. Scott is a massive Matt Rempe fan, and the day of the game last week he was pining for Rempe and MacDermid to fight. He covered everything regarding history between the two, and why they needed to fight.

After the much-anticipated fight, and the bonus 4 others, John Scott broke the scrap down for us laypeople. Scott says he loves Rempe, but he can’t fight and wants to work with him on getting better. I’d take him up on that offer, Matt.

His technique is flawed, which both former enforcers Sean Avery and now John Scott have mentioned. His holds, and his balance are all way fackin’ off. I’m not a former enforcer, at all, but I think I have watched enough donnybrooks over the years to solidly agree. Matt Rempe is going to get knocked the fuck out if he doesn’t clean it up.

What John Scott also said about him, and what I fully agree with, is the kid is a gamer. He’s got a raw ability to fight. He likes to do it, and he’s not afraid to go with anyone. Matt Rempe has already fought all the heavies in the game right now. I think he’s lost most of them, but it hasn’t stopped him from doing it, and Goonblog loves it.

Matt Rempe’s Dastardly Detractor

Not everyone, of course, is in on the Matt Rempe love fest. Adam Proteau of the Hockey News says there’s no room for what Rempe’s doing in the NHL anymore, and we should be focused more on playoff races right now. Also, got fuck yourself, Adam. Not really – but just kinda. “Progress” is in the mind of the beholder.

Matt Rempe

2024 NHL Playoff Pontificating

I am super-focused on the playoffs, buddies. My beloved Bruins are on a collision course with the Tampa Bay Lightning. It is probably the worst draw they could get, and if it happens, I think the Bruins are out in round 1. AGAIN.

The race for the last spots in the East is ridiculous. Last week, the Flyers were the third team in the Metropolitan Division. Today, they’re on the outside looking in. In a week, the whole thing changed. I wish the Devils were good, only because if they could have played the Rangers in the playoffs after what happened the last time, I would absolutely sign up to see that series.

In my estimation Matt Rempe is one of the most exciting guys to come along in a while in the fight game. His story of how he got to The Show is incredible. Playing his first game in an NFL Stadium and getting in a fight.

Then following it up by fighting most of the heavyweights in the game, right out of the goddamn gate, and doing OK. He caps the start of his NHL career off by being involved in a 5-on-5 fight in the World’s Most Famous Arena, in the biggest media market in the world.

If I needed any more proof (I didn’t) that Rempe is the catalyst for a bit of an enforcer excitement resurgence, one need look no further than Google’s reported search trends for his name – mostly related to ecommerce and people looking to buy Matt Rempe T-Shirts and jerseys. There is a buzz around the Rangers, and the fluid state of fighting in hockey right now – and we all have little Matty Rempe to thank!

{ 0 Comments }

Not Mad. Just Disappointed and Furious


in Milan Lucic, Patrick Maroon

I’m furious at Milan Lucic. I think I speak for a lot of Bruins nation when I say this, too.

I look at the Bruins Trade Deadline acquisition of Pat Maroon, and I like it overall. I mean, it doesn’t help now, really. Maroon is sidelined after back surgery. He has no timetable for return. He told reporters in his media scrum the other day he’s “meeting with the medical staff, and I’m skating a little bit.” That’s not, um, encouraging.

This could have been avoided if Lucic could handle his liquor and keep his hands to himself. Allegedly.

A Sort of Homecoming

In July, we reported Milan Lucic was coming home. I for one was excited, and hoped the fans in Boston would have (at least) tempered expectations for the former prodigal son. As it turned out, people around town were buzzing. Fucking psyched. Firefighters in town were greeting Lucic like the mayor. Collectively, we were pumped!

Things started off OK for Lucic. He played in a preseason game, with the Bruins at home. When he hit the ice, or touched the puck, the familiar LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCH could be heard from the Garden faithful. We were loving it, eh?

The season started on October 11th with a bang. So impressed was I with the play of the new look 4th line of Johnny Beecher, Jakub Lauko, and Lucic, I went so far as to say they could be the best 4th since the Merlot line. I may have jumped the gun a bit there.

Hindsight Being 20/20 (Beers)

Months later, same season, Lucic is in the NHLPA Player Assistance Program after breaking his foot in October. And drinking too much. And not being able to keep his hands to himself. And Johnny Beecher is plying his trade in Providence. And Lauko has been fairly solid after getting kicked in the face in October.

What a fucking waste.

I was already bummed out Lucic was obvi going to be out long term. We had recently learned he would not be available for an Era’s Night Game November 18th against the Canadiens at home on a Saturday night that I was attending. On the morning of the 18th, I got a text of a mugshot of Milan Lucic with a caption reporting he had been arrested the previous evening for domestic abuse. Well, shit. If that isn’t a kick in the groin, I’m not sure what is. Except for maybe a kick in the groin.

I was hoping it wasn’t true, but as the day progressed, various news outlets were reporting it as true. Allegedly, Milan Lucic had been out drinking on November 17th. He came home and accused his wife of hiding his cell phone. She told him she didn’t, and Lucic wasn’t buying it. He broke some stuff and put his hands on her. Oh, and there was a kids’ sleepover going on. Not good.

Handsy / Boozy Fallout

At the game on the 18th, the Pro Shop was completely cleared of any and all Lucic gear. A few people wore their Milan jerseys to the game, but for the most part he was erased from our collective minds like the flashy pen thing in a Men in Black movie. Poof. It was swap gas we saw. Not Milan Lucic.

Then, on February 16th, the charges against Milan Lucic were dropped. His wife refused to testify, and the 911 call was deemed inadmissible in court because Mrs. Lucic didn’t identify herself or Milan as the assailant. The State, realizing their case just blew up, dropped it, and Lucic was free to go.

Wait For It…

…but the damage was done.

Milan Lucic wants to meet with the commissioner to talk about playing hockey again. It’s not going to happen this year, as the Bruins organization has shut a return down. It all leads to a couple of questions, and reminds me how fucking furious I am at Milan Lucic.

The first question is, will he ever play again? There is recent precedent. In 2018, while with the Nashville Predators, Austin Watson was arrested for Domestic Abuse. Watson admitted to his transgression and was suspended 27 games by the league. He made his return to the NHL after a stint in rehab.

While the outcome is different- in so much as Watson copped to it and went to rehab – Lucic had his charges dropped entirely and is already participating in the NHL Players Assistance Program. After successful completion of the program, will he ever play in the NHL again… and has any lesson been learned?

Milan Lucic Back in Boston?

The second question is, will he ever play in Boston again? I don’t really know. He’s on a one-year deal in Boston. After the Bruins went and got Patrick Maroon, I seriously doubt they intend to bring Lucic back. Strategically, that was probably the whole point. I’m guessing Lucic may not be done in the NHL, but I am willing to bet he’s done in Boston. 

And that’s a goddamn shame.

I am so mad at Lucic right now. What could have been an amazing homecoming, full of LOOOOOOOOCH cheers, big hits, and brutal, career swansong fights, will never materialize.

I don’t condone violence of a domestic nature. I don’t know what happened on the night of November 17th, and to the letter of the law, Lucic has been cleared of any wrongdoing. Optics aside, he’s doing what he is supposed to do in the program, and if he is reinstated, he may get a job in the NHL. But not in my patch. And I am so furious at him.

The Ghost of Milan Lucic

There have been so many times this season where the Bruins could have really used his presence on the bench. No more so than Thursday March 7th against the Maple Leafs. The Leafs, having been man handled by the struggling Bruins 4-1 earlier in the week, were looking to at least be a physical presence as they came into Boston 3 days later.

The Leafs were physical, to be sure. Brad Marchand got high sticked in the face, and there were a couple of fights. Parker Wotherspoon of the Bruins was embarrassed by former Bruin, Tyler Bertuzzi, in as one sided fight as there can be. We watched and longed.

He got demolished. Not only should Wotherspoon not being fighting, but if Lucic were around, he could have given the kid some pointers on how to defend himself. Lucic was brought in to mentor these kids, and that’s part of the gig. Teaching callups how to fight. Or at least defend themselves more wicked better.

I was watching this 4-1 game play out thinking to myself – it would have never happened if Milan Lucic were dressed. Once it got physical, he and Ryan Reaves would have taken it to center ice and settled the thing.

Like it or not, girls, frontier justice still exists in the NHL. Both those guys, having been doling it out for years, would have been happy to dispense it.

It’s really not a huge surprise the Bruins brought Patrick Maroon in at the deadline. They must know more than they’re letting on to acquire a guy that isn’t even playing right now, with 17 games left in the season. Like, maybe, Lucic is out for all times.

I don’t know how much of a deterrent Maroon will be moving forward from the press box. He does have a ton of playoff experience, having won three Cups with St. Louis and Tampa, respectively, and maybe they have started talking about a role next year.

I like the move overall, but I am still fuckin’ furious at Milan Lucic. He was the prodigal son, returning to his original citadel, and now his legacy is tarnished because he can’t hold his liquor or keep his hands to himself. Allegedly. 

Oh well, there’s always work at the post office, the Amazon warehouse, or as a boudoir photographer wherever he ends up in Canada.

{ 0 Comments }

The Long, Long Lucic Recovery Road


in Milan Lucic, Chris Nilan, Ryan Reaves, Sean Avery

I’m not really sure why the universe hates me, but clearly, it does. Maybe I’m being a little dramatic, because there are some very positive things in my life. Maybe it’s just the hockey gods who hate me? Or at least don’t like my face?  What has got me thinking this way are two recent developments around our beloved Boston Bruins.

When Ryan Reaves signed in Toronto this offseason, everyone had November 2nd circled on their calendars. It marked the first time the Leafs were coming into Boston, and the excitement was palpable. The Ref was even talking about making a long awaited return to the Garden. As Mrs. Francine Dunlop remarked in Slapshot, “It’s been a long time since this building has seen my shadow“, and the same can be said for the (often fairweather) Ref. We were excited at the potential for Milan Lucic and Reaves having an old school Thursday night throwdown at center ice for all to see!

As it turns out, the universe had another idea. Lucic took a puck off the foot in early October and would not be in the lineup when Reaves and the Leafs arrived. Not a huge deal, right? We can probably be treated to Ryan Reaves acting a fool and running around all night, right? RIGHT?! Nope. Instead, we got a decent hockey game, with zero antics, and just a lot of tough talk from Reaves with the old, why I oughta….let me at em… bullshit.

Reaving Something to Be Desired

Ryan Reaves got called out post-game by John Scott, Sean Avery, and Chris Nilan (just to mention a few) for his lack of response to what many thought was a dirty play by Brad Marchand against Timothy Liljegren as they were battling for a 50/50 puck. We at Goonblog already mentioned Ryan tends to be a non-factor, and I am glad I didn’t pay the excessive price (to quote Wayne Campbell, a “gun ticket” price) to get into the Garden to witness that lackluster affair.

With Lucic out, and the Leafs game a bit of a bust as a result, my attention turned to the upcoming tilt against the Montreal Canadiens on November 18th. It was looking like it would be Milan’s triumphant return, Part Deux, as he’ would’d be off Long Term IR and ready to roll. After watching last Saturday’s loss in Montreal, where both sides were getting a bit testy with one another, and Goonblog favorite Arber Xhekaj looking like he wanted to fight – this Saturday’s game was primed to be a doozy.

Big Bad Bruins… and Tuna

Did I mention I am going to be in the building Saturday? As part of the Bruins Centennial Season, they’re doing Eras Nights. Not to be outdone by Taylor Swift, the Bruins will be celebrating periods of time in their history. How fitting then is this Saturday’s Era of the Big Bad Bruins? Montreal coming to town off a contentious game last Saturday. Milan Lucic potentially making his return from LTIR. Goonblog in attendance. It’s a match better than lamb and tuna fish!

Well, the hockey gods hate my face, remember. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery has given a less than promising update on Lucic’s return. Apparently Milan is about a week behind on rehab, so will definitely not be playing this Saturday against the Habs.

Back in the day when the Bruins and Montreal really hated each other, they played 8 times a year. These days, they don’t play as often, meaning we have to wait until January 20th to see if Lucic and Xhekaj will tangle. Knowing the hockey gods disdain for me, I am not holding my breath.

{ 0 Comments }

What’s the Definition of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick?


in Gordie Howe, Jack McBain, Jarred Tinordi, Liam O'Brien, Milan Lucic

Gordie Howe Hat Trick Definition:

  • One Goal.
  • One Assist.
  • One Fight.
  • …in the same game.

History of the Gordie Howe Hat Trick

Long before the era of helmets, mouthguards and health insurance – in the wild, wild west of heralded hockey history – a player named Gordie Howe was busy writing his own tattered and (assumedly) blood-soaked book of rules.

Legend has it, he was such a fierce competitor that he (inadvertently) invented his own version of a hat trick – a goal, an assist, and a fight in the same game. The “Gordie Howe Hat Trick“, as it came to be known, resonated with the rough and tumble culture of the sport and has survived as a concept for the last 50 years.

In an amusing twist, despite his name being etched in folklore for this unique achievement, Gordie himself only accomplished this feat twice in his illustrious career. While his competitors were busy getting their teeth knocked out trying to emulate his style of play, G-Diddy was probably chuckling to himself on the bench, wondering why everyone was getting so worked up about a feat he rarely even performed.

Fast forward to the present day, and the “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” still brings a grin to the faces of hockey fans. Every time a player scores a goal, dishes out an assist, and drops the gloves for a brawl – there’s a ripple of mirth that goes through the crowd, as they remember the man who started this unofficial tradition. Because in a sport riddled with lost teeth and broken noses, who said you can’t have a little fun? And I’m sure he appreciated the reference.

Who Has the Most Gordie Howe Hat Tricks?

For those uninitiated, new to hockey, or fighting, or maybe Planet Earth in general, and one more time for the cheap seats: a Gordie Howe Hat Trick is when a player scores a goal, an assist, and has a fight in the same game.

Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe, on a fishing trip.

As mentioned, it’s a bit odd that Gordie Howe himself only had 2 GHHTs in his whole career, but I think the namesake is more of an homage to his overall badassery. I once heard someone say that a more appropriate GHHT would be a goal, an assist, and an elbow. As he was known to throw elbows around to absolutely anyone who wanted one. Or was just in the general vicinity. Or conscious.

GHHT Leaders: Active and All-Time

The all-time leader in Gordie Howe Hat Tricks is current Canucks head coach, Rick Tocchet, with 18. The active leader is none other than Boston Bruin legend Milan Lucic with 3.

I remember his first like it was yesterday. Because it also happened to be his his first career goal, his first career assist, and his first fight (in LA against Raitis Ivanans while still wearing number 62). That’s pretty amazing. Lucic credits the game, and more specifically his actions in the game, as the reason he stuck in Boston and was soon spotted wearing the now familiar 17 we know and love him in.

Why all the talk about Gordie Howe Hat Tricks? Well, last night in Arizona, two players on the same team recorded the feat. In the same game. Whaaaaaaat?

But that’s just two players out of a long history which has seen many examples of this awesome phenomenon. Let’s go broader.

Top 30 NHL Players With Most Gordie Howe Hat Tricks – List

  1. Rick Tocchet – 18 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  2. Brendan Shanahan – 17 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  3. Brian Sutter – 12 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  4. Cam Neely – 10 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  5. Bob Probert – 9 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  6. Gordie Howe – 9 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  7. Kevin Stevens – 8 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  8. Jarome Iginla – 8 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  9. Paul Kariya – 8 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  10. Milan Lucic – 6 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  11. Teemu Selanne – 6 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  12. Brad Marchand – 5 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  13. Pat Verbeek – 5 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  14. Wayne Gretzky – 5 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  15. Eric Lindros – 5 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  16. Joe Sakic – 5 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  17. Ilya Kovalchuk – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  18. Martin St. Louis – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  19. Jaromir Jagr – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  20. Rick Nash – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  21. Mario Lemieux – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  22. Keith Tkachuk – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  23. Ryan Getzlaf – 3 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  24. Pavel Datsyuk – 3 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  25. Bobby Orr – 3 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  26. Scott Stevens – 3 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  27. Chris Pronger – 3 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  28. Zdeno Chara – 2 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  29. Rob Blake – 2 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  30. Drew Doughty – 2 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks

Liam O’Brien vs. Uncle Nick Foligno

The first was Liam O’Brien. He mixed it up with former Bruin favorite, Uncle Nick, Nick Foligno Foligno – acquired by Chicago so the Blackhawks would have someone to protect Connor Bedard. It also looked like the Bruins were all-in on Tyler Bertuzzi during the offseason as Foligno and Taylor Hall were shipped to Chicago. Well, that didn’t happen.

After the Blackhawks went down 3-1 with 4 minutes left in the first, Nick Foligno and Liam O’Brien mixed it up on the ensuing faceoff. I’m not sure why Foligno seems caught off guard by O’Brien, but he clearly was asleep at the switch when this bout began. Nick looks like he wants his dental plan activated as O’Brien lands two hard ones before Foligno seemingly is even aware a fight is happening.

This scrap then turns into one of the the more typical examples we see today, with O’Brien trying to put the arm bar to Foligno. Uncle Nick tries to break said bar while delivering several punches to O’Brien’s already bruised face. Despite his slow stat, I have to score this as a solid win for Nick.

Jarred Tinordi vs. Jack McBain

The hits keep coming with one minute left in the second period. The Blackhawks, trailing 7-1, are feeling the frustration and another former Bruin, Jarred Tinordi, has had enough. Arizona’s Jack McBain is jamming away at the Blackhawks goaltender before a whistle and the two wind up behind the net.

Tinordi asks McBain to go, and McBain obliges. Again, we see a classic fight of today’s style with both guys trying to tie each other up whilst throwing some bombs that mostly miss. Each guy does manage to score a couple of points by landing a shot – with Tinordi landing a big bomb at the end of the fight to earn a win.

“Utah, Get Me Two. Gordie Howe Hat Tricks”

Arizona went on to win the game 8-1. McBain finished the night as the second star with 2 goals, 2 assists and a fight. Liam O’Brien had the more traditional 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 fight line to go with his already bruised face. Two GHHTs in the same game. I was more excited than Detective Angelo Pappas getting his hands around two meatball sandwiches.

Great to see this kind of action, this early in the season. There’s nothing more pathetic than a team getting smoked 8-1 and there’s no emotion (or fights) at all. It’s just boring to me.

I always wondered how Mr. Hockey felt about having a feat such as the Gordie Howe Hat Trick named after him. I hazard to guess that – if it made for good hockey – he’d be all for it.

{ 3 Comments }

More Great Milan Lucic Foot Injury News


in Milan Lucic

Can you sense our sarcasm? Cause we be layin’ it on pretty thick.

After breaking down Milan’s recent injury on Goonblog.com only yesterday, when his return to form was estimated at just 2 weeks, the Bruins have now reported he’s been sidelined and listed on LTIR, meaning he will be unavailable for at least 24 days and 10 games.

Milan Lucic scores a goal. Courtesty of https://www.enterprisenews.com/

What else does that classification mean? Well, since technically he has a longer-term and less reliable return date as of this morning, his salary comes off the cap. Not good. That said, a third-party source points out he may be able to return as soon as November 18th against Montreal.

Total Recalls

In response, they’ve called up center Oskar Steen as a replacement. The Bruins’ other recent recalls, which have since been revoked, brought them within an approximate margin of $82K under the cap ceiling. The difference between this and Lucic’s $1MM cap hit is the LTIR room they managed to create.

And Steen, a dynamic forward, will bring a strong offensive presence to the team. His speed on the ice and precision with the puck should increase the Bruins’ scoring potential, and his tenacious style of play can disrupt opposing defenses.

Although they couldn’t afford to recall two players, this move does afford them some flexibility in terms of who else they could feasibly rotate up in the near future.

Lucic Injury Recap & Details

Again, Milan Lucic’s absence is due to a lower-body injury (slapshot to the foot) that was initially thought to keep him out only for a couple weeks. As disappointed as we are, however, this extended timeline may work in Boston’s favor, as it allows for Steen’s integration into the roster.

Twitter users were quick to point out both Lucic’s history of durability and how difficult it can be to recover from the type of injury (cracked pedal navicularis) which many assume is the issue.

Lucic, 35 years old and in his first comeback season with the Bruins, had a promising start with two assists and eight hits in his first four games prior to his injury. Here’s hoping we see him back in fine form on November 18th vs. Montreal. What a pain it the… foot.

{ 1 Comment }

Milan’s Maddening Misadventure


in Milan Lucic, Ryan Reaves

During a season that would have made a wounded turtle look spry, Lucic only managed 7 goals, 12 assists, and 19 points from 77 games with the Calgary Flames in 2022-23. But this year he’s been off to a better than decent start, and who’s counting? (We all are, Milan. We all are.) So this recent slapshot to the friggin’ tootsie, when everything was going so well, is just a goddamned insult to injury.

Milan Lucic Boston Bruins injury.

Well, if we want to get technical, it’s an… “injury to injury“? I’ll have to check my style guide and get back to this fascinating piece of wordplay. But I can tell you now for nothing – that I’m extremely disappointed, Jakub Lauko (and his eye) is probably also disappointed that Jesper Boqvist has been summoned up from Providence. Everybody is disappointed. Except Jesper.

But, please, do not misunderstand me in the meantime – Goonblog.com is 100% pro-Milan Lucic, and every one of us is thrilled he’s back in Boston. I was planning to drive down to Beantown for the 11/2 game against Toronto in hopes he’d be squaring off with Ryan Reaves. But I hadn’t gotten tickets yet, and now that the big boy is out for at least 2 weeks I’m far less interested in making the trip. As much as I love getting shit-hammered at The Harp, I have my priorities and am perfectly capable of getting shit-hammered in Vermont, thank you very much.

Milan Lucic’s Injury – How? Why? WHY NOW?!

Journey back with me that fateful Saturday night joust against the Los Angeles Kings. Lucic, still pretty froggy for a 35-year-old, channeled his inner superhero when leaping in front of a speeding puck. In the process, he sustained an injury that was somewhat less heroic and more, well, excruciatingly painful. Nevertheless, like an unstoppable force happy to be back in the gold and black, he played on, notching an assist in his 12 minutes and 15 seconds on the ice before the Bruins clinched the victory with a 4-2 tally.

So far, the aftermath has seen him benched for subsequent games against the Ducks and the Blackhawks. And Montgomery has confirmed the grim prognosis – that Lucic is on the injured list for a while. At least 2 weeks as of the last update.

Before the catastrophe, Lucic had been coasting with a not-too-shabby two assists across four games. He was clocking a 0.5 point per game pace, something he hasn’t achieved since the Paleozoic era (or the 2016-17 season for the non-history buffs). Mind you, this is a smaller sample size than the number of people who actually enjoy listening to New Kids on the Block, but many of us were excited. Many of us feel like they’ve just had the return of old time hockey rug pulled right out from under them. And, true story, I was once mistaken for Jordan Knight by a landscaper my parents hired.

Many hockey fans feel, at this stage of his rough-and-tumble career, that Milan Lucic deserves everything he gets. And those hockey fans can fuck right off. We wish you a speedy recovery, bud, and look forward to watching you knock heads for a few years yet to come.

{ 1 Comment }

Bombs With Aplomb


in Florian Xhekaj, Alex Gallant, Brantford Bulldogs, Jeffery Viel, Milan Lucic, Peterborough Petes, Ryan Reaves

Hockey is now officially back in full swing. Major Junior has been going for a bit, and we’ll be keeping an eye on Arber “WiFi” Xhekaj’s younger brother, Florian. He’s with the Brantford Bulldogs in the OHL and looks to be every bit the shit disturber older brother Arber is.

Florian, who desperately needs a nickname at the same level of quality, was involved in a wild OT game against the Peterborough Petes over the weekend. Long and short, the Petes scored in OT to seal the Game Wand weekend series, and that’s when it got nuts. 2 fights, and 38 PIMS, later they got everything separated. If you have about 6 minutes to watch some delightful hockey chao (and we all know you do), the video is below. Old time hockey is alive and well in the “O”!

It was also opening weekend in the American Hockey League. Alex Gallant of the Calgary Wranglers treated us to an old fashioned Rock Em Sock Em Robots type fight with Jeffery Viel on Friday. Good gravy, what a donnybrook. These two were standing in there, throwing bombs at each other, with anger and aplomb. One doesn’t see fights like this very often anymore, and when they happen Goonblog must give enthusiastic stick taps all around. Just like the old days, two guys chucking knuckles with all they got. What a beauty, eh?

In the National, Ryan Reaves is continuing to run his mouth all over the damn place while doing his job as chief punk on the Toronto Maple Leafs. We are getting ever so close to November 2nd when the Boston Bruins host the Leafs for the first time this year. I don’t know about you guys, but I am more than a little excited at the prospect of seeing Milan Lucic and Ryan Reaves throw down in the Garden for all to behold! Here’s hoping it’s as entertaining as some of these early season brawls.

{ 0 Comments }

A Hardy 2024 Boston Bruins Opener


in Johnny Beecher, Milan Lucic

The Bruins 2023-2024 regular season kicked off with a win the other night against the Connor Bedard led Chicago Blackhawks. I wasn’t there, but did make a nice batch of Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches and won $175 bucks on Bedard getting his first NHL goal against the Bruins. Not a bad night, actually.

Beecher Bingo?

If you had Johnny Beecher on your Bingo card for first Bruins fight of the year, please come forward. He was centering the 4th line and making his NHL debut. I was super impressed by not only his play, but the entire line of Beecher, Milan Lucic, and Jakub Lauko.  They could be the best 4th line since the famed Merlot line of the mid 2000’s. It’s a small sample size, but they were impressive.

Anyway, the scrap. After Beecher boarded Chicago’s Cole Guttman early in the second period, Chicago’s Jason Dickinson skated quickly to his teammate’s defense. There was no penalty initially for the board, so Dickinson was looking to dole out some frontier justice which had been allowed to seethe for a while – which makes it that much worse. Because dole out, he did.

First NHL Game = First NHL Fight

Beecher, in his first NHL game, having his first NHL fight, did what a lot of kids do. He grabbed on for dear life and tried to get his face far away from the incoming rights that Jason Dickinson was hurling his way. Problem is, when doing that you often make your face a primary stationary target. That’s exactly what happened and Dickinson gave him so many rights that Johnny was begging for a left.

Later in the scrap, Beecher went on the offensive and landed a couple of hard right hands of his own, but the fight was a clear win for Jason Dickinson. I will say Beecher hung in there nicely, and good on him for standing in there and taking a beating. A lot of kids in his position would have turtled, but he took his licks and got in a few of his own. Might be eating soft foods for a day, but it was certainly a memorable first NHL game for Johnny Beecher!

Overall, I was encouraged by the Bruins start Wednesday and thought the 4th line was spectacular. David Pastrnak picked up right where he left off in 22-23 scoring two goals. The first came off a great feed from prodigal son, and Bruins legend Milan Lucic in his return to the club! Trent “Nightmare on Causeway Street” Frederic got the Bruins first goal of the centennial season, and was a factor every time he was on the ice.

All in all, it was a solid effort by the Black and Gold and (again) I won that $175 bucks and gooned about 4 roast beed sammies. Good night? A good night indeed, sirs!

{ 0 Comments }

Milan Lucic Returns to Boston


in Milan Lucic, Calgary Flames, Colton Orr, Georges Laraque, Nathan Horton

Rumors are swirling that Milan Lucic, a beloved Boston Bruins fan favorite, will be signing with the Bruins on July 1. Update: 1/7/23 – he did! I have mixed emotions about the alleged deal. Personally, I have always liked Lucic, and it’ll be fun to see him back in the black and gold. However, it makes me wonder what he’s thinking. 

Lucic’s Arrival and Early Success in Boston
Let’s go back to when Milan Lucic arrived here in 2007-2008, wearing number 62. In one of his very first games, he recorded a Gordie Howe Hat Trick and was soon given the number 17, which basically reinforced that he wasn’t going anywhere. As the season went on, he fought against many big names of the time, including Raitis Ivanans, Nick Tarnasky, Ben Eager, and John Erskine.

In my opinion, he acquitted himself well in most of his fights. He also managed to score 8 goals and provide 19 assists, resulting in 27 points (which is 27 more than I have in the NHL) in his rookie year. This is quite impressive for a guy that had 89 minutes in penalties to go with 13 fights. Everyone loved LOOOOOOOOOOCH, and then the comparisons started. 

The Lucic-Neely Comparisons: An Unfair Assessment
Due to his playing style as a power forward, his offensive prowess, and his willingness to drop the gloves, Lucic found himself being compared to Bruins legend, Cam Neely. It was inevitable. Both are from Vancouver. Both were great power forwards, and both could fight.

In my opinion, the comparison wasn’t entirely fair. Neely was a superior offensive talent, playing in an era when fighting was still prevalent and expected. Lucic came up in a time when fighting was a bit more specialized role, and he has never been the most graceful of a skater, but still always seemed to get the job done.

Lucic’s Role in the Bruins’ Championship Season
In the 2010-2011 season, Lucic had an outstanding year with the Boston Bruins. In 79 games, he scored an impressive 30 goals and provided 32 assists, resulting in a total of 62 points. This season was particularly significant as the Bruins ended a 30-plus year championship drought and won the Stanley Cup, with Lucic playing a crucial role in the team’s success.

Forming a line with Marc Savard and Nathan Horton, the strategy was straightforward: Lucic would use his physicality to create opportunities, Savard or Horton would capitalize on those chances, and the cycle would continue. It was a winning formula that brought joy to Bruins fans. However, it’s worth noting that Boston fans can sometimes be overly critical, which is unfortunate.

Criticisms and Controversies Surrounding Lucic
Lucic was a prominent offensive player and not just a fourth-liner, yet the fan base began to turn on him, particularly after losing fights to players like Colton Orr. There was also a well-known incident involving a public feud between Lucic and Georges Laraque in Montreal.

Milan Lucic asleep on the plane looking like Sloth from the Goonies.

Lucic was a prominent offensive player and not just a fourth-liner, yet the fan base began to turn on him, particularly after losing fights to players like Colton Orr. There was also a well-known incident involving a public feud between Lucic and Georges Laraque in Montreal. It’s been too long to remember the exact details, but tensions were high between them.

In a highly anticipated game in Montreal, Lucic and Laraque lined up next to each other. Laraque clearly challenged him to a fight, but Lucic declined. This incident added fuel to an ongoing feud between Lucic and Montreal’s Dale Weise. Fans were disappointed that Lucic refused to fight a heavyweight like Laraque but would engage in conflicts with a pesky shit disturber like Weise.

Lucic’s time in Boston was always productive, especially after Marc Savard left the game due to concussions. He formed a successful line with David Krejci and Nathan Horton, utilizing his signature “Lucic smash” style. However, despite his contributions, the fans were critical of his skating abilities and his choice of opponents in fights. 

In the 2014-2015 season, with a year remaining on his contract, Lucic was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Martin Jones, a decision that I believe the Bruins should have reconsidered. He spent a single season in LA before signing with the Edmonton Oilers in the summer of 2016. Unfortunately, his production has declined since then, leading to his recent trade to the Calgary Flames.

Milan’s Recent Decline and the Potential Risks of a Boston Return
Lucic’s skating skills have always been subpar, and they have not improved over time. Additionally, his offensive numbers have dipped. Although he had only three fights last year, they were against formidable opponents, with his bout against Kurtis MacDermid being one of the highlights of the year.

Signing Lucic for the Bruins makes sense. Reportedly, he will ink a one-year deal for $1 million. He is expected to bring intimidation to the ice and contribute to the team’s fourth line. However, there are concerns about the potential cost of this signing. I worry that Lucic may come to regret his decision to return to Boston after his time with the Oilers and Flames. It could turn into a disappointing end to his career, mirroring the cliche of finishing where he started. 

So – if the Boston fans can find a way to buck their usual trend of scrutinizing his every move, and the media can resist fueling the fire of the nitwit fans, I think it’s going to be a match made in heaven. Having said that, stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason, and I see this going down in a Hindenburg-esque ball of flames. Here’s hoping I’m very wrong. Because we love the guy.

{ 0 Comments }