I just read this. I really don’t know what to say. I like Joe Thornton, and he should be the prototypical Bruin. I guess it just never panned out for either side. Good luck in San Jose Joe.
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Make up your Mind Dude!
My liver is glad Thanksgiving is over. I ate too much, and drank way too much over the past couple of days. I hope everyone had a good Turkey Lurkey Day!
I was on my way to the Betty Ford Clinic, when I happened upon this article from ESPN. I didn’t see the game so I can’t really comment on what exactly happened. When the new CBA was signed, there was a rule that anyone who instigates a fight in the last five minutes of a game will be kicked out, and face a fine. Also, the Coach of the offending team, will also be assessed a fine. When I read it, I thought it was just one more nail in the coffin of fighting in hockey. I think it is a stupid rule in the first place, and secondly, Colin Campbell is going to start a major shit storm by not fining The Great One.
There is supposed to be a no tolerance on the enforcement of rules this season, why should this be any different? While I think it is a stupid rule to begin with, I don’t think its right that Gretzky not be fined. I see the point that he didn’t send him out there, and Doan certainly isn’t going to be mentioned much in this space, but I think by not fining Gretz it creates a big problem. Once again, the rules are open to interpretation.
Just like in his playing days, Wayne Gretzky is untouchable. Let’s say for example, Boston is losing with under 5 minutes to go (a stretch, I know, bear with me) and PJ Axelson is lining up for a faceoff on his regular shift. Let’s say earlier in the game, someone had taken a liberty with a Bruin, and as the puck drops, PJ snaps. He drops his gloves, and gets into a fight with the winger next to him. PJ is assessed a 2,5,10, and we’ll see you later. How can Coach Sullivan be fined for that? If you didn’t fine Gretz, you can’t fine Sully right? I ask you: What would happen if it was an enforcer who did the same thing? Why should it matter if it is a skill guy, or a tough guy? I think, especially for this first time, if it is a rule, it’s a rule. Gretz should be fined, and so should Doan. A rule is a rule, even if it is a stupid one.
Give Thanks For The Goons
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I am a very thankful man. As you sit to break bread and give thanks with family and friends today, I invite you to think about some things you might be thankful for. For instance:
I am thankful there are still players like Trevor Gillies out there. He’s a young kid just trying to make it to the show. He knows how he’s going to get there, and has no problem doing the job asked of him.
I am thankful Gordie Dwyer had a fight last night. I was beginning to think he was a woman.
I am thankful Tie Domi is still in the league. He had a fight with Andrew Alberts last night, and played a regular shift as well. He’s one of the guys that got me interested in fights in the first place, and I am glad he still plays.
I am thankful for all the boys across the AHL, NHL, ECHL, CHL, UHL, and whatever HL, out there willing to drop the gloves.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I’m Going to the Show!
I had planned a fun filled evening of answering MOL’s questions about Thanksgiving during the Bruins game tonight, but I just got the call from Dave. We’ll be in the house for the Bruins game tonight as they host the Sabres.
This is what I missed about the NHL being gone. Getting the call late on Saturday saying, "hey man, I got an extra, you in?" I feel as excited right now as I did the first time my father took me to the old Boston Garden for my birthday. I know the Bruins suck, and there will probably be no fights, but I still can’t help but get wound up for a chance to see the best players in the world do there thing. At the very least, it’s a chance for Dave and I to get gooned, and make fun of Hal Gill. Enjoy the weekend boys!
Cam Janssen Suspended
He’s not playing, he’s suspended!
I can see the stick boy in Slap Shot now. It seems the AHL got a tape of the hit Cam Janssen put on Mitch Love Wednesday night, and have handed him a two game suspension for his actions.
Janssen and Gladiator Runner up Mike Sgroi were trying all night to get either Gordie Dwyer, or Mitch Love to fight them. I saw love turn Janssen down at least three times, and Dwyer turned them both down probably another six times. Gordie is a super nice kid and all, but he is about as interested in fighting in the AHL, as I am in being ass raped in MCI Cedar Junction. At one point during the game Gordie and Janssen were locked up in a scrum along the boards after a stoppage in play. It appeared to me that Cam tagged Dwyer once, and Gordie turtled. Typical Lockmonster behavior truth be told.
As the game wore on, Janssen and Sgroi were growing tired of the lack of intestinal fortitude shown by the entire Lowell squad. Near the end of the third, Love was breaking out of his zone and had just dished the puck to his partner. As he dished it Janssen lined him, left his feet, and drilled Love, sending him sprawling to the ice. Love’s partner Tomas Slovak jumped in and challenged Janssen. Kudos to Slovak for sticking up for his teammate. Slovak was way out matched by Janssen, and really has no business fighting him at all. He did a great job keeping Janssen at bay, and getting his head far away from Janssen. I don’t really think either guy landed any punches. The penalty box attendant said Janssen winked at Slovak on the way to the box, and gave him a ton of credit for sticking up for Love.
I feel the suspension is warranted. Janssen is lucky he didn’t get a major for intent to injure on the hit. I don’t blame him for doing it, he’s just trying to do his job, but you do the crime, you gotta do the time. That is my second prison reference today. Maybe I do want to go to Cedar Junction? Oh wait….
Martin Grenier: Busy Brawler
The Goonsquad was well represented in Lowell Saturday night, as Dave (on his maiden voyage to the Paul) and myself were in the house for a thrilling 4-2 shootout win by the hometown Lockmonsters over the dreaded Wolf Pack of Hartford. I think Dave has some good pictures to post later. Naturally his camera didn’t work for the fights, but if you like pictures of Zambonis and stuff, he’s your guy.
I noticed very early on that Martin Grenier had a very big shiner under his left eye. I guess his bout with Danny Bios of Binghamton the night before was pretty serious. I also noticed he was wearing 27 this season. I am not sure why the number change. I think Brushback follows the Pack pretty closely, maybe he can chime in. Anyway, it didn’t take new Lockmonster Ryan Jorde (LOW) long to find anyone to go with, as he and Martin Grenier (HFD) got into it 5 minutes into the opening stanza.
I think Marty gave the youngster a bit of a slash, and Jorde asked if he’d care to have a dust up. Grenier obliged, and off they went. Jorde hung in pretty good against Grenier. I was really surprised, as Marty is a much bigger man than him. Jorde was throwing a lot of nice left hands, while Grenier was countering with some rights of his own. He landed a couple of really hard punches as Jorde was seen sporting a mouse under his left eye for the rest of the game. The fight had started along the boards right next to the Monster’s bench, and Jorde seemed to tire a lot faster than Grenier. The penalty box attendant for the home side reported that when Jorde came in, he reported he had broken his shoulder last season, and this was his first fight in over a year. He also reported that he was only doing his job, and that’s what he was there for. That is good to hear for us Lowell fans, as they haven’t had a true enforcer, someone who really enjoyed the job, since Trevor Gillies was there several seasons ago. All in all, I would score the fight a win for Martin Grenier, but a good showing by Jorde gets points in my book. I would look for these two to go again next meeting.
Anyone that has followed the AHL for the last couple of seasons knows very well that Hartford and Lowell do not like each other. The bad blood between the two boiled over about 8 minutes into the second period. As the play stopped, a little scrum started to the right of the Hartford goal. It started like any typical after the play scrum, face washes, guys pushing each other. I am sure you have seen it a million times. Here’s the thing: it didn’t stop. The boys just kept pushing each other, and then some gloves came off, and punches got thrown from around other guys. Eventually Dave Liffiton (HFD) and another Lockmonster newcomer Tomas Slovak (LOW) paired up, and Mitch Love (LOW) and Craig Weller (HFD) squared off as well. The Liffiton and Slovak match up looked like it was a lot of hugging, but Love and Weller seemed to be chucking and trading some decent punches. Love loves the uppercut, and tried to land a few, but it doesn’t look like he landed any. They traded two to three punches each, back and forth. Eventually, they got tired and the Zebras came in to separate them. I would say both fights were a draw, but I love line brawls like that. The only thing that would have made it better, would have been if the goalies got involved.
The last fight of the night happened in the third period when Bruce Graham (HFD) and Cody McCormick (LOW) got into it along the dasher in the Hartford end. Graham had just leveled Ryan Jorde behind the Hartford goal, and Cody took exception to the hit. He jumped Graham, and they got into it hot and heavy. I really couldn’t see the fight from my vantage point, but a friend at ringside scored the fight a win for McCormick. From what I saw, it looked like he did in fact land more punches, but again, I really couldn’t see, so maybe I am being a homer.
I love the Hartford and Lowell rivalry. These guys clearly hate each other, and I find Marty Grenier awesome to watch. He is just a massive guy, and is always in the middle of everything. Dave really enjoyed himself, and may or may not be getting season tickets as we speak. Also, big ups to Dave for donating the Best of Will Ferrell video for our troops overseas. This update is coming two days late because we went to a party after the game, where the GoonSquad almost had a go of their own. I will just say that there was a difference in political opinions in the room, and they almost came to a boil. Call it a scrum in the corner if you will. Dave accidentally got hungover, so we spent yesterday watching the Patriots and trying to drink the pain away. I hope eveyone had a good weekend. I am hoping for a Colton Orr tilt Thursday against Toronto. I would think he’d be a marked man after his tilt with Belak last time. Lowell has Albany on Wednesday. They had some bad blood last time, and I hope it continues. Any updates, can be found here. Take care all.
NHL Rivalries – Senators and Bruins
Happy Veterans Day everyone. If you are a Veteran, I would like to say thank you. If you know a Veteran, please be sure to call them and say thanks today. They do so much for us, and don’t get the kind of coverage in a positive light as they should. They are the world’s enforcers, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude.
The two fights in the Bruins game got me thinking about the rivalries the NHL is trying to start up again with the new schedule format. I like it, and it’s one of the only changes I do like.
The first tilt was the main event. Colton Orr (BOS) and Brian McGratton (OTT) got into it early in the first. Amazingly, these guys had never fought in Pro Hockey before. It was the right time to do it, as the Bruins were down one early. The fight was too close to call. Orr landed some really hard right hands to the huge mellon of McGratton, and Brian countered with some heavy rights of his own. McGratton showed some great technique giving Orr some quick lefts to the teeth while holding the Boston enforcers jersey. He showed some real savvy with that move, and it was distracting Orr from getting the scrap started again. This was a very long fight, and both guys were winded after the tilt. Orrsie playfully had his tongue out, and a smile on the way to the Sin Bin. No one can say he doesn’t like his job!
The second fight featured the worst player in the NHL, Hal Gill (BOS) and Chris Neil (OTT). This one happened near the end of the second period. Gill should have smoked the much smaller Neil, but instead got fed his lunch. As the bigger combatant the play should be to stand in there and throw as many hard punches to the other guy’s grille as possible. The smaller guy is trying to punch his way in. As the bigger guy, it is your job to not let him in. Instead Gill does the Sean Curry hang on to the other guy’s jersey and get my head as far away as possible from the punches being thrown at me routine. It’s a great way to get knocked the fuck out Hal. Next time, throw a punch. Pussy.
What I liked about the two fights is, first off, they were fights. Secondly, the first one was a guy trying to get his club going after a flat start. Plus, it was the two toughest kids on the block, and they just had to go. The second fight was a rematch from when Havlat kicked Gill in Ottawa during the first meeting. If you remember the game, after Gill got kicked, he pushed Havlat. Neil came to Havlat’s defense and went after Gill. Hal Gill, being the worst player in the NHL and all, fell down before they could really get going.
This is what the NHL wants in the new era of rivalry based scheduling. Games in October that have emotion. The next time these teams play, I will remember the two fights, and the Boston loss, and I am only a fan. The boys in the room are going to have it on their minds even more, and that will cause emotion, and hopefully some more fights. At the very least Orr and McGratton are tied, and need a rubber match for supremacy, eh?
Remembering The Joe Turners
Today is Remembrance Day, and although I do have to get to work, I at least feel somewhat less guilty about blogging during office hours in this instance. Especially since I’m going to talk about a related subject – how World War II affected the AHL, NHL – and more importantly the players of the day – when Hitler crashed the boards in the early 1940’s. I am taking my cue from this article which focuses on a goaltender named Joe Turner, who played around the AHL and eventually became a Detroit Red Wing in 1943. More information on Joe from LegendsOfHockey.net:
"Turner, who was born in Windsor, Ontario, spent three of his first four seasons playing in his hometown then began a nomadic stretch that saw him guard the crease for seven different clubs over the next five campaigns which led to his NHL debut."
Joe, a Canadian, finished off his debut season and then joined the U.S. Army and eventually lost his life at the Battle of Hurtgen Forest in Germany when he was only 25 years old. This struck a chord with me, as my great, great, great grandfather was a Canadian who went down to fight for the Yankees in the American Civil War. And on both counts I find the deed remarkable.
The current overseas conflict is the first in almost a hundred years that Canada has not participated alongside the Americans – and I don’t want to get in to how I feel about the seated government here on GB. But I guess I sorta just did. On this November 11th, a heartfelt thanks to Joe Turner, Red Garrett, Les Douglas, Moe Roberts, Norm Burns, Augie Herchenratter, Murdo MacKay and all the other players of the era who stepped up and served their country – some never to return. And of course, a bigger thank you to them all, regardless of the occupation they left to heed the call.
CBC’s “The Instigator” Returns
Score another one for the good guy hockey fans. I mean, other than having the season back. A tiny grass roots effort, spearheaded by Puck Update and another affiliated blog, has finally succeeded in getting the hilarious Instigator cartoon strip re-instated on the CBC’s hockey website. 
The power of the internet is truly staggering. If you’re not familiar with this gem, click through and familiarize yourselves. It looks like we’ll be able to enjoy it for a while yet. On a sorta related note, I washed Don Cherry’s windows once (I worked a summer during University on a window crew in and around Toronto). He wasn’t home at the time (neither was Blue). How’s that for a riveting anecdote?
Mitch Love Should Have Fought Gillies
After a very long week of work, and partying, I’m back in the saddle. Yesterday I had a half day at work and took a tour of Fenway – and drank about 112 beers at lunch. After the tour was over I went up to Lowell for the Lockmonster game. The game was a pretty good tilt, with a fight between Mitch Love (LOW) and Geoff Peters (POR) in the third period. The fight was pretty good with lots of uppercuts and straight right hands from Love. He missed with a couple of huge bombs that, had they landed, would have really hurt Peters. But here’s the thing. He should have fought Trevor Gillies.
From the drop of the puck, Gillies was out there doing what he does. The first time Love turned him down, they were jawing at each other at a faceoff. It was in the neutral zone, and it would have been the perfect time and place to have a go. Love turned Gillies down at least three more times during the game. I can’t figure if it was because Love wanted no part of Gillies, or if Coach Rowe didn’t want him to fight Trevor or what, but it was kind of a let down man. It really bummed me out. Here’s hoping tonight they have a scrap when the two teams meet again tonight in Portland.