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.

Uncategorized

Ain’t no Lake Placid


in Chris, GoonSquad, MOL, Uncategorized

I want to be very clear on one thing. I am in no way comparing what happened last night in Vancouver, to what happened 30 years ago today in Lake Placid from a social-big guy defeated by little guy-totally mind blowing once in a lifetime thing. Last night, a team of very good American NHLers, defeated a very good group of Canadian NHLers in one of the most thrilling hockey games I have ever witnessed. It was in no way a win of the magnitude of USA over USSR, despite the similarities.

These two games were similar in so much as in 1980 the United States had a goaltender that stood on his head (Jim Craig) and took advantage of their opportunities when they were presented. Last night Ryan Miller had the game of his life between the pipes for the United States, and when the US did get scoring chances, they capitalized on them. I feel Marty Brodeur was very underwhelming in goal for Canada last night, as Vladislav Tretiak was for the Soviets 30 years ago. While this was a big, huge win for the United States, I would rank it third behind Squaw Valley in 1960 and the Miracle on Ice in 1980.

Either way, was that some kind of hockey game last night or what?! Can we talk about the three breakaways they traded for a second? Oh my God. I thought for sure Doc was going to blow a gasket. Oh, and then the shooting gallery in the last 4 minutes? I even caught MOL secretly watching the third period last night! I am not sure how this tournament is going to wind up, but the United States certainly impressed the hell out of me last night. Do not count Canada out though. Even though they made their lives difficult by having to win four in a row, including having to go through the powerhouse Russian Club to win gold on home soil, they definitely have the squad to do so. Was last night the Miracle on Ice Part II? No, but it was one damn fine hockey game!

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Wh? What? What Happened?


in Chris, GoonSquad, Uncategorized

Holy cow. You ever lose a whole month? Jeez. I feel like Mark Recchi being woken by mother from his pregame nap. You know, scared, a little confused, and furious because I missed Matlock. I went in to work today, and the first thing I do is leave an outgoing message on my voicemail with name, date and the like. I stopped myself this morning, as I had to double check the date. It’s the friggin 25th. The Classic seems like it was yesterday, and the Bruins seem like they’ve been bad all year, so not a lot changes there, but still.where the hell did the month go?

I guess when everyday is pretty much the same, they kind of run together. I mean, I get up, I go to work, I either watch the Bruins, or go to the Bruins. Mumble how they have the intensity of an eye exam at the DMV, and do it all over again the next day. Hell, at least when I was drinking, I’d get the excitement of the split second when my eyes opened of where I could be. No more, huh. I’m in the bathtub with a TV remote and a lampshade on my head. Makes sense. Not that I am complaining, quite the contrary. It’s nice to be asked the score of the Bruins and being able to tell someone, yes, they lost 4-1 without having to think about it! Point is things are good, just super busy eh?

So, the Bruins blow goats right now. Brother David and I had our annual game together on Saturday, and by the end of it, we damn near needed to be nudged awake. Again, zero intensity/sense of urgency right now. On the bright side, the top 13 teams are separated by so few points; the Bruins can catch fire, as in win 3 in a row, and be right back in this thing. Not to worry Bruins fans. These guys will make the playoffs, and when that happens, it’s anyone’s game. If not, they could be looking at the first two picks in the 2010 Draft.

Stay tuned in the next week or so. There is talk of a Goonblog Podcast at Goonblog HQ right here in scenic West Acton on Friday, and we have a little something up our sleeves in the form of a Goonblog exclusive you won’t want to miss. I promise I won’t miss February!

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Winter Classic First Blood


in Uncategorized

The first outdoor donnybrook in history – of the NHL’s new Winter Classic, that is. The Bruins beat the Flyers 2-1 in overtime, and likewise Carcillo beat the stuffing out of Thornton under the Green Monstah!

So at least the Flyers have that going for them.

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The Return of Killer


in Uncategorized

killer Where the hell have you been? Funny you should ask, GoonBlog Fans. For you loyal followers, it’s been a while since my last post and I’m sure all of you have been worried sick. I’m here to tell you that I am alive and well… kinda. The government did not appreciate my import and export business and controlled me for some time. Upon letting me out  I had a few guidelines I needed to follow. I wish I had written those down because they came looking for me again.

As I type this post, I am at the tail end of a battling a horrific stomach bug. I’ve been wagnoring the toilet bowl since Monday. The Million Dollar Babies think it’s great – as every time I sit down it sounds like a combination of a fire hose and the USC Marching band coming out of my ass. I’ve had food poisoning before and based on this past week, I would prefer that as it’s pretty much over within 2-3 days, this is now going on 7. MBH said look at the bright side – you dropped the 10 pounds you were talking about. Little does she know as soon as I drop my first log, I am off to eat buffalo chicken pizza until fire shoots out of my crusty bung nostril.

So I recently had my High School’s 20th reunion… what a shit show that was. The Government was kind enough to allow me to attend however I needed to wear a giant fucking GPS device around my ankle. It’s hard enough at those types of events to give the reader’s digest report about your life to people you haven’t seen in 10+ years, let alone explain why your ankle looks like you’ve been blocking Zdeno Chara slap shots for a living. Some highlights of the evening included; 6 boob jobs, 2 nose jobs, a giant scar removed from ones face, 7 divorces, hot girls from HS now looking like Bruce Shoebottom and fat girls from HS looking like Tiger would give em a go.

Speaking of Tiger, holy shit guy, you are one stupid Blasian. He has provided millions of people a perfect map of how to get busted stepping out on the Missus. I will say when I first heard about his car crash at 2:30 in the morning, I knew there must be more to the story. I had no idea it would blow up like it has. How many Pro Athletes wife’s spent Thanksgiving weekend going through their husband’s cell phones? I had a shitty 2009 but I take solace in knowing someone else had one which was far worse!

Chris, what can I say? You have been writing your ass off and providing our readers with high quality material. The Ref has been quietly contributing great posts as well and it’s only going to get better. As you can see today on the site, we have enhanced things similar to some of my lady friends from HS. I’d say it would be like going from a small B cup to a solid full C. Our commitment to provide our readers with high end Goonery is at an all time high. If you like our stuff, please pass it along. Thanks for reading and come back soon.

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Matt Carkner has Arrived!


in Uncategorized

Mighty Matt Carkner was signed to a 2-yr deal by the Ottawa Senators this week, just a few short days after his first-ever NHL goal. He also soundly beat the snot out of Steve Downie on the 15th. To say it’s been an incredible month for the man would be an obvious understatement. I have gotten to know Matt a little – as we’re both residents of Westport, Ontario – and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.

The Cove, a classy Westport Hotel has organized the CarkBus for all of us proud residents this evening, and I have to wrap this up if I’m going to make it down there in time for a few Molsons prior to departure. We’re getting into the player’s area after the game and the excitement coursing through my veins is ridiculous.

matt-carkner-senators-sm2

Obviously I’ll be taking photos and videos to share with you on the blog tomorrow – and you can keep up with us in real-time by following us on the all new Goonblog Twitter account which will be officially announced over the weekend. The Ref is out!

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My Money is in my Other Pants


in Chris, GoonSquad, Off Topic, Uncategorized

I am a reasonably smart man. OK, I am kind of smart..fineI am a man. Ooooo shiny.Anyway, what I can’t figure out for the life of me, is why the NHL is so vehemently against Jim Balsillie owning a NHL franchise.

Craig Leipold, a man who himself was forced out of NHL ownership in Nashville, only to be inexplicably allowed to buy another NHL team in the Minnesota Wild, went so far as to say “Based on my owner experiences with Mr. Balsillie, I have formed a highly unfavorable opinion regarding him, including his suitability as an NHL owner. That isn’t a ringing endorsement from a guy that knows about losing a lot of money in areas where hockey won’t work.

I would love to know what the deal is with Balsillie. From everything I have read about him, he seems to be a decent guy. Obviously he LOVES hockey, has a crap load of money to throw around, and doesn’t appear to have a drawer full of child porn or anything. Leipold, and Boston Miser Owner, C. Montgomery Burns, I mean, Jeremy Jacobs are beating the drum the loudest against Balsillie owning a team. The NHL is asking his bid to be discarded from the pile of bids that will be received in September when the Coyotes go up for auction. In fact, the other 30 owners voted 26-0 against his bid being accepted. 3 abstained from voting, one was unavailable in case you were wondering about my math.

The objection in this case appears to be some coercion on the part of Jerry Moyes, the current Phoenix Coyotes owner, and Balsillie regarding the Chapter 11 filing of Mr. Moyes. The league is accusing the two of trying to go around the NHL’s usual procedure for NHL team ownership by having Moyes file bankruptcy with a plan in place to sell to Balsillie. That does seem a bit convenient on both parties’ parts, but is it enough to totally blackball the guy? Jim Balsillie has tried twice before to buy a NHL franchise the legal way and has been shot down twice because he wanted to move said club to Hamilton, ON. Can one really blame him for trying to sneak in the back door?

What I really don’t get is the huge objection to having a team in Hamilton. OK, I could have seen a little outcry if the Pittsburgh Penguins had won the first cup in team history for the Hamilton Blackberries, as Pittsburgh is a hockey town with a bit of history, but he’s tried to move 2 teams that don’t work where they are to an environment that seemingly would be perfect for a NHL team. It appears to me that moving the franchises out of the toxic environment they are in, i.e., Phoenix, or Nashville, and into Hamilton would be a good financial move for the NHL. I can see the Leafs, and the Sabres having a bit of a beef over it, and maybe the Senators, but moving a team to the region doesn’t mean lifelong fans of the aforementioned teams would instantly become fans of the new Hamilton squad. Put it this way, if the Whalers ever come back, I will not be the first person in line for tickets. I didn’t like them then, why would I like them now is my point.

From my seat in the stands, having a team in Hamilton would be a way to generate money for the NHL and the owner of a team. The Coyotes have lost millions over the years, and they haven’t been very good on the ice either. I am sure there is way more to this story that the general public doesn’t know about, and probably never will know about. What I would be interested to see is if it’s Jim Balsillie the league doesn’t like, or is it the idea of a team in Hamilton? I am going to get together a couple hundred million, and try to move the Coyotes to Hamilton. Let’s see if the league will let me do it. Um, can I borrow a couple hundred million from one of you guys?

{ 4 Comments }

Happy to be back


in Uncategorized

Ah yes I am back and well kinda better than ever. The Government did not approve of my importing / exporting business and decided to lock me up for the past year. You won’t see me on any of those MSNBC episodes of Lock Up or COPS so don’t waste the space on your DVR. Let’s just say I am glad that time is behind me and hopefully I have learned something from this experience other than don’t drop the soap in the shower.

I have missed all of you and hope you are doing well in your life. This is certainly a fucked up time with the economy in shambles, a guy named Barack running the country, The Boston Globe on the brink of shutting down, Bernie Madoff ruining the lives of many, Farah Fawcett struggling with Anal cancer and Brett Michaels from Poison still trying to find a girlfriend.

As part of my release agreement, I was not allowed to use a computer until today so I have a shit load to catch up on. Thanks to Chris and The Ref for carrying the load during my absence. It sounds like the Goons have raised their game to another level with some outstanding posts and clips of great bouts. I just hope I can be half as good as time ticks on. You be the judge and if I suck let me have it but keep in mind I have some cobwebs inside my mellon that need to be cleaned out.

Whoda thunk that while I was away the B’s would be kicking ass all over the NHL this season? Claude has the boys playing tenacious on both ends of the ice and TT is putting together a Vezina caliber year. Wheels is showing some great scoring touch for a big man with 21 goals to date. Savy keeps dishing the puck around like Marley shared the whacky tabacky in the big house. Big Z, Chris’s favorite player, is certainly a candidate for the Norris. Lucic and Thornton have been policing the ice to allow for more space by the rest of the squad. By the way, it would have been a hell of a lot better had those two pulled me over than officer Twinkle Toe’s and his partner Slinky Dink.

There are only a few games left before the playoffs kick in and we all know you can throw regular season records out the door then. I love playoff hockey but my only complaint is that fighting drops off. So treasure these remaining games as I feel guys will really slug it out knowing they can’t drop em as much in the playoffs.

{ 6 Comments }

New Favorite


in AHL, Brandon Sugden, Chris, Dave, Francis Lessard, Goons, GoonSquad, Lowell Devils, Matthew Corrente, Philadelphia Phantoms, Pierre-Luc LeBlond, Uncategorized

Thank you to everyone for the comments on my last post. It’s good to know people are still reading the blog. As such, I thought this was a good time to introduce one of my favorite new enforcers. If I may borrow Dave’s Don Cherry impersonation for a moment (Happy 75th Grapes) gotta tell ya. I like this Matt Clackson.

Matt was in Lowell last week with the Philadelphia Phantoms, and had a decent scrap with Pierre-Luc LeBlond in the first period. It looks as if both guys threw and landed a couple of nice punches. I don’t think PLLL liked him throwing the couple he did after they went down. The five minutes Clackson spent in the box wasn’t his only time there either. He got four minutes later for getting put in a head lock by Lowell’s Barry Tallackson and defending himself, then the slew foot on Lowell defenseman Anssi Salmela (called a hook) got him another two. After 54 games played, he has203 PIM, and is second in the league to San Antonio’s Francis Lessard.

What I like about him, is he seems to relish being the pest, and tough guy. I was close enough to him when he was in the box that I could see him smiling at PLLL every time he looked over. I also had a chance to speak with him, and was asking about who the toughest guys in the league were. He told me they were all tough, but did single out Brandon Sugden as one of the toughest he’s fought. When I asked him if he ever fought my other new favorite enforcer, Lowell Devil Matthew Corrente, he said he hadn’t because he likes to fight the bigger guys because it’s more fun that way. This is a very sick man, and I for one love it. I enclosed the Lowell fight from the other night, but do yourself a favor and YouTube the name Matt Clackson. Matt, should you read this blog, e-mail me your address and I’ll send you a T shirt. More importantly, keep up the good work, and don’t forget to stay goony.

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Check Your List for Hockey Player for Life


in Buffalo Sabres, Chris, Goons, GoonSquad, Hockey Player for Life, Howard Shapiro, John Buccigross, Keith Primeau, Off Topic, Uncategorized

I guess since Christmas music is on the radio before Thanksgiving is even here, I should tell you what I am asking MOL to get me for Christmas. She wants a cocktail ring, which I guess is a ring for her right hand? I may go Homer Simpson on her and get her an onion ring. I on the other hand would like a copy of Howard Shapiro’s great new hockey book, Hockey Player for Life.

The story is of an AA player in Canada that can’t miss as the next big thing in the pro game. Apparently he does in fact miss, and the story is that of him reflecting on his past experiences and him realizing he is a Hockey Player for Life. A lot of pro teams have already bought the book, including the Buffalo Sabres, and several other NHL teams as well as several in the AHL, ECHL, and Major Junior ranks. Keith Primeau wrote the forward for the book, as well as John Buccigross provided some quotes for the back cover.

I know growing up playing on the pond and then playing organized hockey for years and years, I have made some fantastic friends, and some of my best memories are hockey related. The love of the game was passed on to me from my father, and should I have any kids, I would like to pass on hockey to them as well. I look back on all the good times, and bad I have had in the 30 years I have been a hockey fan and player (not so much a player in the last few) and I am grateful to everyone that helped me along the way. Mom and dad getting up at zero dark thirty to take me to one rink, and my brother to another, only to cross paths later in the day as we were playing game two, and sometimes three at the same rink. Coaches that gave me encouragement along the way, and tried to harness my sometimes over exuberance while on the ice, family and friends that encouraged me to keep playing after a big loss. My hockey memories stick out for me above else, because I too see myself as a Hockey Player for Life. I will be directing MOL to the links below to buy the book, and check out the really cool YouTube video I posted. Mr. Shapiro has done a great job with this book, and I am looking forward to a stroll down memory lane with Hockey Player for Life.

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R.I.P. Coach


in Chris, Goons, GoonSquad, Lowell Devils, Old Time Hockey, Uncategorized

I have an expression of sadness after hearing the news of player coach, and Charlestown Chief Legend, Reggie Dunlop’s passing. I found out yesterday while at a wedding in Vermont. (Congratulations Kyle and Jill. Thank you so much for having MOL and I.) Slap Shot is my all time favorite movie, as I’m sure it is for a lot of Goonblog readers.

I have often wondered where Reg played before Charlestown. I assume he probably played Junior in Canada, and I bet he played 5 or 6 years in the NHL before bouncing around the American Hockey League, and then hung around in the lower minors until he retired from hockey after 2 seasons in Minnesota. From there, I saw him going behind the bench where his unique tactics were a real shot in the arm for fledgling franchises.

The old mind fuck probably worked only so long though, and I think Reg probably bounced around a bit before he and old Francine retired to Florida. Like Reg says in the bar when the sale to Florida seems eminent, Hey, we’re really gonna miss you guys. Right back at you Reggie.

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