The Program

Videos Before Bedtime

2008-10-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

In the beginning, I was tired. Now I am more tired. Tonight's videos well one is quite funny and the other is actually about hockey honest.

First up a little Drunk History.

Next up is some hockey from tonight...

A shootout thanks to Nowhockey...enjoy.

Is Aaron Voros The New Sean Avery?

2008-10-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

(Kathy Willens/AP Photos)

I have seen Groundhog Day too many times. Once again the Devils were bullied all night by a mighty mite who pesters people until they either make mistakes or he scores on you. Tonight was no exception as Aaron Voros scored twice on the Power Play and added an assist in a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils that had several fans of the game scratching their heads at the display that was seen at MSG tonight.

Everyone remembers Sean Avery....and well if you do not...then here is a video for you.

So if this is to be the bane of my existence this year...having to watch the Rangers manhandle the Devils 5 or 6 times out of 6 then at least I hope to see someone take some liberties with Aaron Voros because it is clear the refs will not do anything about this. I saw at least four slashes from Voros that were penalty material but alas the one that was most marginal was the only one actually called.

I will give him credit though. If you can get away with it and the opposing team does nothing about it...then keep on doing it! Brandon Dubinsky was the real star player with a goal and two assists in the game as he played a great two way game. However, much of the praise will go to Aaron Voros because Ranger fans see him as Sean Avery part two and for far less in Sather's pocketbook.

Hopefully on November 12th, we see a better effort from New Jersey as Brent Sutter and this team have to figure out how to stop Voros by any means necessary short of injury. No one wants to see that. I will say this. Though I still don't think the New York Rangers are going to be able to keep this up. Aaron Voros is one of the main reasons they are 5-0 on the young season. Maybe he should get Player Of The Week honors then again I don't think Sean Avery did either. I don't think Sean Avery really cared about that. His bottom line was wins and losses for the team and he clearly did his job. So is Aaron Voros....here's to you ex-Devil.

From Russia With Much Sadness....

2008-10-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

It saddens me to report this but Alexei Cherepanov has been pronounced dead per TSN. Chrepanov literally collapsed on the bench during a KHL game for Omsk and was later pronounced dead. Already defibrulators and the ambulance have come into issue but that doesn't matter...a life is lost folks.

Cherepanov had 12 points in 14 KHL games....he will be dearly missed by the Rangers and their organization and well amongst all of hockey. A very sad day indeed.

My condolences to his family...what an awful day!!

Sincerely,

Chris Wassel

Director Of The Program

Fantasy Hockey 101: Mixed First Week

2008-10-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

I wanted to humbly say that 33 fantasy hockey leagues is hard work folks. Although if Yahoo allowed more teams per Yahoo ID...that would make life a bit easier on changing rosters and making moves. The fun part is always presenting the good, bad, and ugly of the week. What better place to do it than here.

The GOOD
================================
Martin Brodeur (G) -- 2 wins...a 0.97 GAA and a .951 save percentage. I mean come on folks...he is getting older (36) but you would never know it. The Patrick Roy French-Canadian prime theory which states...you only get better with age is definitely a true assessment on the soon to be Goalie Career Wins King. He was a third star this week for the NHL.

Daniel Sedin (LW) -- The Vancouver forward had a great start against Calgary with 2 goals and 3 assists. Granted it was Calgary and they clearly did not have it but Sedin is a stud and in a contract year. Needless to say contract year and Sedin twins could be a scary combo for teams that play them this season. Look out NHL folks!

THE BAD
===============================
Jean Sebastien-Giguere (G) -- A 4.03 GAA and a .877 save percentage plus an 0-2 record from a top, elite goalie does hurt some. Expect Giguere to bounce back as Anaheim had two tough matchups with San Jose and Phoenix. The team will take some time to gel but all signs point ahead to a better second week.

Steve Stamkos (F) -- The #1 pick in 3 games did nothing offensively. Maybe the Traverse City Prospects Tournament would have helped the kid some. Hello Tampa management, you need refinement of skills to be able to play in the NHL today. Stamkos has the skills but his finish left much to be desired in Week 1. That has to be improved and maybe Vinny Lecavalier can get a hold of this kid because he needs to!

THE UGLY
=================================
Martin Biron (G) -- That first game against the Rangers was brutal. A 14.80 GAA and a save percentage that was not much better was a definite ugly first impression for the goalie who many felt would be a top 10 goalie this year. His positioning was not good at all. I don't know what happened between the pre-season and the first game but it needs to change for Week 2.

Mikka Kiprusoff (G) -- OUCH! When you have two losses, a 5.33 GAA and a .807 save percentage in two games...that is a recipe for disaster. I was one who was expecting a much better season for Kipper but so far...so bad! His goaltending has gone downhill and if he cannot get Mike Keenan out of his head and quick...this has the makings of an even longer fantasy season for Kipper owners. Look out below folks!!

So what to expect for Week 2....do not forget David Booth,take the safer bets, and look for bounce back weeks...that would be my tip. Now....a video. Maybe this will jog Biron's memory.

More on the VERSUS Doubleheader Ratings Bonanza, Plus Your TV Guide for Monday Night

2008-10-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

No analysis here, just some good stuff from a VERSUS PR hyping the ratings for Thursday night:

Game-by-Game:

Detroit - Toronto - 0.5

Face-off Rocks - 0.3

Boston-Colorado - 0.3

Viewership Gains:

Overall Viewership - 17%

Men 18-34 - 82%

Men 18-49 - 57%

Men 25-54 - 45%

Local Market Ratings

Detroit - 4.0 (#4 in the Market for the Timeslot)

Denver - 1.8 (Up 67% from 2007-08 in that market)

Boston - 1.1 (Up 11% from 2007-08 in that market)

Your TV Guide For Monday, October 13

1:00 PM - St. Louis vs. Toronto

Regional TV (TOR): Leafs TV

Play by Play: Joe Bowen

Color: Greg Millen

Reporter: Paul Hendrick

2:00 PM - Buffalo vs. NY Islanders

Regional TV (BUF): MSG

Play by Play: Rick Jeanneret

Color: Harry Neale

Reporter: Mike Robitaille

Regional TV (NYI): MSG Plus (HD)

Play by Play: Howie Rose

Color: Billy Jaffe

Reporter: CJ Papa

7:00 PM - New Jersey vs. NY Rangers

Regional TV (NJ): MSG Plus (HD)

Play by Play: Mike Emrick

Color: Chico Resch

Reporter: Steve Cangialosi

Regional TV (NYR): MSG (HD)

Play by Play: Sam Rosen

Color: Joe Micheletti

Reporter: Rob Simpson

7:00 PM - Montreal vs. Philadelphia

National TV (Canada): RDS

Play by Play: Pierre Houde

Color: Benoit Brunet

Reporter: Chantal Machabee

7:00 PM - Vancouver vs. Washington

National TV (US): VERSUS

Play by Play: Joe Beninati

Color: Daryl Reaugh

Reporter: Bob Harwood

Regional TV (VAN): Canucks TV PPV

Play by Play: John Shorthouse

Color: John Garrett

Reporter: Dan Murphy

7:00 PM - Detroit vs. Carolina

Regional TV (DET): FSN Detroit (HD)

Play by Play: Ken Daniels

Color: Mickey Redmond

Regional TV (CAR): FSN South

Play by Play: John Forslund

Color: Tripp Tracy

8:30 PM - Nashville vs. Chicago

Regional TV (NSH): FSN South

Play by Play: Pete Weber

Color: Terry Crisp

Regional TV (CHI): Comcast Sportsnet Chicago (HD)

Play by Play: Pat Foley

Color: Eddie Olczyk

Reporter: Josh Mora

Monday Ice Water Cooler

2008-10-13T10:04:00.001-07:00

Hello and welcome to "The Cooler". I wanted to thank everyone who could come on to The Program last night and the archive is up....go check it out! It is also nice to wake up and watch some hockey as St. Louis plays Toronto right now and Buffalo is playing on Long Island in less than an hour. You have to love Columbus Day hockey but also a Happy Thanksgiving to our friends in Canada. Enjoy it and save me some good holiday food!!

So as the winds howl outside my door this morning....here is some of what else is going on in the hockey world today. Just in of course, the Philadelphia Flyers just acquired Andrew Alberts from Boston for Ned Lukacevic and a conditional 2009 draft pick. Philly had to get someone...good to see they did not pay too much at all for Alberts.

The NHL came out with its three stars of the week...this is who they got.

Daniel Sedin
David Booth
Martin Brodeur

Nice choices I must say. I am guessing Marc-Andre Fleury got an honorable mention for his valor Saturday Night.

Anyone who thinks that your team's season is doomed after one week....you are definitely insane! I have seen some of the more insane panic coming from various team boards. Really at least give it a month unless you are Tampa Bay and your team is already trying to revamp its defense on the fly but I digress. Marek Malik anyone? That would be their best defenseman if the rumors are indeed true.

So chin up everyone and here comes week 2 with an Ovechkin-Luongo battle, The NYR-NJ rivalry, and Montreal Vs. Philly....this is going to be a fun night of action....so gear up and get ready. Of course do not forget the afternoon hockey. Isles-Sabres in just 20 minutes....enjoy!!

In which Steve is Wrong, Leafs-Wings draws record for Versus

2008-10-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

The Detroit-Toronto game on Thursday drew over 500,000 viewers, becoming the most watched regular season game in the history of The NHL On VERSUS.

In addition to this, According to Kevin Allen of USA Today, the entire doubleheader was a success, with the Wings-Leafs game combining with the Boston-Colorado game at 10:20 PM to draw an average of over 400,000 viewers, up 17% from Anaheim-Detroit and Dallas-Colorado last season.

Huh. This is maybe a testament to hockey having a little carry-over buzz from last season's final. Remember, as an almighty Canadian team, the Leafs' local audience does not count in VERSUS ratings. On top of that, Detroit-ers had the option to watch the CBC broadcast of the game. Apparently enough people around the country chose VERSUS to make it their most successful night ever, regular season-wise.

Should be interesting to see if this buzz carries over to Tuesday's Philly-Pittsburgh game, and throughout the season as well. Looks like VERSUS is headed towards another positive year.

On Tap For Tonight....

2008-10-12T14:40:00.001-07:00

Three games tonight...here they are.

All times Eastern......

Colorado @ Edmonton 8pm ET Preview

Phoenix @ Anaheim 8pm ET Preview

San Jose @ Los Angeles 9pm ET Preview

THE FINALS
==============================
Colorado 3 Edmonton 2 F Recap

Phoenix 4 Anaheim 2 F Recap

San Jose 1 Los Angeles 0 F Recap

So granted there is only three games tonight but Center Ice has been nice enough to offer the home and away feeds for these games. I suggest checking out both feeds for a nice perspective.

Larry Brooks: A Day Late...A Dollar Short!

2008-10-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

(AP Images/New York Post)

Hi Larry...we know you well....nice pic of the Rangers winning. Larry Brooks has an article today on the CBA Performance Bonus Cushion and the mess it has caused. Well this just in...over three weeks ago, we knew this was likely going to happen. Teams knew the PBC was going to be an issue and they would have to navigate around it. I don't get why to rehash this just because Brendan Shanahan can't resign with the New York Rangers.

The reason why the Rangers can't take Shanahan back is because Glen Sather could not manage money if you put a gun to his head. Like it or not, this is what the Rangers have been dealt with. Yes, they have started 4-0 but even last night there were signs that being a little faster and skilled has its considerable detriments. Another leader like Shanahan would not hurt and a little grit as well but this was because Sather mismanaged his "play money" as opposed to the Performance Bonus Cushion.

Let's get back to the PBC for a second....Larry Brooks also contends that the NHLPA should have done something about this. My question is why would they as a whole? For the sacrifice of a few players, they are happy and the money is rolling in. There is a reason why Paul Kelly (NHLPA director) has delayed this....and that is THIS. He does not want a lockout...it is a novel concept. Sometimes it is best to save the whole and not save a few and Kelly does realize that. Besides, with the rate of injuries...do you think guys like Schaefer and McLaren are really going to stay in the minors for long? Get real Larry!!

Better yet Larry, do me a favor. Talk about it as it is happening....not weeks later. That can be the problem sometimes. Discussion way after the fact is about as productive as the Rangers were after the first period last night in Philly. So what may need to be reported here is more money mismanagement than lamenting about the PBC part of the CBA that really was a known issue already.

The Fab Four!

2008-10-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

There were four top performances last night. They did shine head and shoulders above the rest though there was much honorable mention with 13...yes 13 wild and crazy games. So I took a look and enjoyed this thoroughly...you will see why. And now your Fab 4 for last night....

The Fab 4

4th -- Alex Tanguay (MTL) -- Four points should get you higher on most nights but Toronto really just laid down last night and Toskala was not there to save them unlike Thursday night. His goal and three assists kept the hounds off of him for a few more nights at least.

3rd -- Eric Staal (CAR) -- This was tough but 2 goals and the way he scored them....get Eric on this list. It is what you expect of a leader and really a guy getting paid as much $$$ as he is. He scored the game tying goal and the game winner to propel the Canes to victory. Those 8 shots and a +2 does not hurt either.

2nd -- Sergei Kostitsyn (MTL) -- 2 goals and an assist all on the Power Play. He is the most dangerous on the man advantage. The way Kostitsyn played last night is more of what is expected from the guy. Production wise there is no reason why Sergei cannot score 80 points this season.

1st -- Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT) -- Give Fleury credit folks...he was under siege last night from the last few minutes of the first period on. When you stop 47 of 49, you deserve a better fate than just the one point for Pittsburgh. Though Fleury did get lucky at times, he may some unconscious saves on a buzzing, angry Devils team. He definitely gets top billing as the best performer from last night.

So time to pull out a video to spotlight our #1 performer and here we go.....

13 Games Of Wild Action!

2008-10-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

There will be more scores for tonight...and we will edit this as it goes but for now here are the finals.

Saturday Oct. 11th
================================
Montreal 6 Toronto 1 F
NY Rangers 4 Philadelphia 3 F
Washington 4 Chicago 2 F
NY Islanders 5 St. Louis 2 F
Florida 3 Atlanta 2 F (OT)
Detroit 3 Ottawa 2 F
New Jersey 2 Pittsburgh 1 F (OT)
Carolina 4 Tampa Bay 3 F (OT)
Nashville 3 Dallas 1 F
Minnesota 4 Boston 3 F
San Jose 3 Los Angeles 1 F
Phoenix 3 Columbus 1 F
Vancouver 5 Calgary 4 F (OT)

Tonight's Tidbits (Highlight Games)
================================
-- The Montreal offense went nuts in the first 40:00 tonight...tallying 6 times on Toronto led by Sergei Kostitsyn with 2 goals and an assist plus Alex Tanguay who had a goal and 3 assists in a 6-1 victory. Jaroslav Halak made 24 saves tonight while Vesa Toskala (Thursday's hero) got pulled after giving up 6 goals on 23 shots.
-- The Rangers chased Martin Biron with 4 goals in the first period then held on for dear life as Hartnell, Gagne, and Richards scored for Philly but it wasn't enough as the NY Rangers held on to a 4-3 win.
-- Marc-Andre Fleury got bombed but Hal Gill foiled him in the final minutes (yes his own defenseman) as the Devils tied it...then Zach Parise fires a screamer past Fleury in OT to give the Devils a hard fought 2-1 win. Fleury stopped 47 shots and got the first star but even that was not enough to get 2 points for PIT only 1.
-- Tampa went up 3-0....but Carolina stormed back like a major hurricane with three goals in regulation capped off by Eric Staal's tally midway in the third. Then in OT, Staal struck again with just 24 seconds left as Carolina stole the second point with a stirring 4-3 victory.
-- Vancouver beats Calgary 5-4 in OT behind Pavol Demitra's game winner...as Kiprusoff endures another long night in net but at least Calgary gets a point.

This was a whale of a night....Sunday is a bit of a breather but still some solid games.

Hockey Fights Cancer 2

2008-10-11T14:50:00.001-07:00

I wanted to thank Wayne again for doing another Hockey Fights Cancer. Here is some pictures and then the information provided by Wayne himself. You can find it on the Devils board on The NHL Arena and HFBoards. Here it goes and thanks big man for doing this for such a great cause.

Thank you to Buffaloed for allowing me to post this auction to support a great cause, Hockey Fights Cancer. On a personal level, I lost a kidney and part of my liver to Wilm's Tumor as an infant and my father (who was my biggest influence on becoming a hockey fan) was a cancer victim at age 45.

1st goal, 1st fight, 500!

Changing up a little for this one. Each autographed ticket will be auctioned off individually to benefit Hockey Fights Cancer. Also, it will be posted on other websites to increase exposure. I will post the ID/username of current high bidder, but not the site they are from (I want to avoid spamming). I did one auction last season (on one site) which raised $200, so obviously I'm looking to top that this season! Bids or questions can be posted in this thread or PM'ed to me. Thanks for looking and good luck to all!

Tentative deadline is October 31, 2008

Ticket from Devils @ Flyers November 17, 2007
Brodeur's 500th win
Autographed "500th Win Martin Brodeur"

CURRENT BID $100 billyH20

Ticket from Lightning @ Devils March 7, 2008
Game featured Zach Parise's first NHL fight
Autographed "Zach Parise 1st NHL Fight"
Zach also wrote "Thanks for supporting Hockey Fights Cancer" on the back

CURRENT BID $60 DevRickus

Ticket from Islanders @ Devils March 21, 2008
Kyle Okposo scored his first NHL goal in this game
Autographed "1st NHL Goal Kyle Okposo"

CURRENT BID $25 SCFronty

Payment info from Wayne...

Check or money order is preferred payment. I do not want to deal with cash or Paypal (sorry).

If a Canadian resident wins: Check or money order payable to NHL Foundation. Also write "Donation to Hockey Fights Cancer" in check's memo section or comparable area on a money order. You will be able to use the donation as a tax deduction! I would like the check or money order mailed to me as proof. I will then forward the check/money order to NHL Foundation P. O. Box 1282, Station B Montreal, Quebec H3B 3K9 and mail the ticket(s) won to the winner.

If an American resident wins: Check or money order payable to Hockey Fights Cancer. Also write "Donation to Hockey Fights Cancer" in check's memo section or comparable area on a money order. You will be able to use the donation as a tax deduction! I would like the check or money order mailed to me as proof. I will then forward the check/money order to Hockey Fights Cancer P. O. Box 5037 New York, NY 10185-5037 and mail the ticket(s) won to the winner.

In the event of a winner outside North America, the winning bidder can choose between either the canadian or American scenario.

Thanks again to everyone who has participated and helped!

Wayne

Thanks to everyone who has helped so far.

Special Blogosphere Weekend!

2008-10-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

A special weekend as Bob has three blog matchups up...but we will spotlight two of them in a special tour de force. Here are the combatants and who they are up against.

James Mirtle

Blue Shirts on Broadway

AND............

Taking One For The Team

Hockey Rants

These two battles are meaning only one thing...the end of the first round is getting closer. Now Blue Shirts really drew up a tough one against James Mirtle as well James is one of the best out there of all. But if you want to vote for one of these fine blogs...go on out there to The NHL Arena and vote there today.

The second battle expects to be a bit more contentious perhaps. TOFTT takes on the recently retired Hockey Rants. Hockey Rants was an icon folks but TOFTT is rapidly gaining some serious praise. Chris from TOFTT now does a weekly fantasy hockey column on Sean Leahy's Going Five Hole. So how will this vote turn out...only one way to see its course and that is to make your vote known over at The NHL Arena.

See who moves on to Round 2 because before you know it...Round 2 will indeed be here!! I can't wait!

The Injury Bus Is Cranking Up!

2008-10-11T10:49:00.001-07:00

You never like to see this many early season hockey injuries but it does happen from the transition of the pre-season to the regular season. It is inevitable. However, you don't have to like it necessarily. Here is a partial list of injuries and just think it is only a little over a week into the hockey season.

Ryan Whitney (PIT) -- Foot (out till January at least)
Sergei Gonchar (PIT) -- Shoulder (out 4-6 months)
Daniel Alfredsson (OTT) -- Knee (out about 2 wks)
Manny Malhotra (CBJ) -- Lower body (on IR)
Randy Jones (PHI) -- Hip (out 12-16 wks!!)
Ryan Parent (PHI) -- Shoulder (out 3 months)
Rick DiPietro (NYI) -- Fluid on knee (TBD)
Bryan McCabe (FLA) -- Back (TBD)
Justin Williams (CAR) -- Achilles (4-6 months)
Scott Walker (CAR) -- Hand (On IR)

This is just a short list folks but these were some of the more notables. Gonchar's and McCabe's appear to be the most serious. Reports from Florida's camp suggest that it is indeed a broken back and there are fractured vertebrae involved. That is never a good sign! I have heard that he may indeed be done for the season but until a further prognosis is available...I would stay tuned.

The coolest game on Earth is also the fastest game on Earth. Every year the speed and power go upward. That is just how it is. You have to play with your head on a swivel. I remember my days of semi-pro and I look at the game now and there is a HUGE difference that can't be measured by watching it on television. Go in person sometime and sit near the glass and you will see just how fast and dangerous it can be.

The frightening thing is this is only the beginning but it is a small price to pay when the goal in the end is the greatest trophy in sports....the Stanley Cup!

Tough Teams, Get Used To It

2008-10-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

Boy, the hockey geniuses at the scheduling department of the NHL sure must have it in for the Penguins. First, they get two games around the world against the likes of Alfie, Dany boy, and the Ottawa Senators, and then they open their “real” season against the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals.
But the Penguins cannot expect any easy games this year, especially in a tough Atlantic division. The Devils are, well, the Devils. They still have Brodeur, Elias, Gionta, Holik, Langenbrunner, Madden, Pandolfo, and Parise, and that was Halloween-like scary just to type. I couldn’t bring myself to even list the “D-men”. This team cannot be happy about how last year ended, and surely want to get off to a strong start.
The Flyers are looking more like the “Broadstreet” gang of past with hard-hitting hockey first, followed by goal scoring and goaltending. Cult heroes like Downie, Eminger, and Hartnell lead the six-foot and over bunch, (well Downie, like his name, is only 5’-11). Along with Carter, Cote, Knuble, Lupul, Richards, Coburn, and Hatcher, these guys look to hit first and screw the asking questions. Being ousted in five games against the Penguins in last year’s playoffs is like adding gasoline to a raging bonfire.
The Capitals are also team on the rise. Maybe. After squeaking in the playoffs by winning a very weak division last year, they need to fire on all cylinders to get back there again this year. Goaltending will be under the microscope with Johnson and Theodore in net, but with the likes of Backstrom, Fedorov, Kozlov, Nylander, and especially Ovechkin, offense will not be a problem. Look for more 7-4 losses like on opening night.
If the Penguins can stay above.500 in their division and win the games they should win, (read Capitals here), this season should play out like last, with nearly all Atlantic teams in the playoffs. This week will prove if they can stay in the hunt with key players out.

The Damned Opinion Went On Vacation

2008-10-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

Since Brad is on vacation this week...lucky dog I must say! I have temporarily hijacked the column...well not quite. I will say this to see 39 degree weather this morning where I live in California was somewhat comforting. Fall is in the air...the first big hockey day of the season is here with 13 games. There are also no afternoon games so it will be a bit of a challenge to keep up with it all tonight.

That is the fun part....too many games at once can cause this.

So let that be a lesson to everyone. Here is the much easier way. Find the two games from each time slot that you want to watch and get picture in picture....do the early 7pm ET games first as you can always overlap with the 7:30 starts during intermissions. Then set your Tivo or DVR to record one early game and one late game. At the very least you will pretty much be guaranteed six games in just about their entirety. You can also cheat this weekend and go NHL GameCenter Live by just following the links off nhl.com. Pretty much at 8 games for a night the mind will start to wander a bit so you may not want to push critical mass.

I have known people who tried to watch all 15 games in one night with six tv's in one room. Folks it is not a pretty sight. Imagine being the person that has to clean up after someone drinks 12 energy drinks in an hour. This is real ugly. You're gonna have a bad time (I keep hearing that from South Park). So if you want to maintain your sanity today...then watch the games you can....and get the highlights version of the rest. It will make your Sunday just a bit easier on the eyes and brain.

That's my opinion!

Friday Night Punch Drunk Hockey

2008-10-10T19:35:00.000-07:00

First off for tonight's action since it ended early....we will do a 3 stars every Friday and Saturday Night along with one of our posts. So without further adieu....let's get out those 3 stars.

Three Stars

1. Mike Green (WAS) 2 goals, 1 assists, 7 shots.
2. Bryan Little (ATL) 2 goals, 1 assist, GWG
3. Martin Brodeur (NJ) 25 saves..saved penalty shot.

Ryan Miller gets an honorable mention and probably would be Rick's pick as he stopped all but one and won in the shootout. An impressive effort indeed. Keith Tkachuk has 2 goals tonight for St. Louis and even Tim Gleason had 3 assists for Carolina tonight in a 6-4 win. I did also want to say that Ryan was indeed right on with his dud as Dan Ellis has given up 5 goals. Another dud was Jose Theodore who gave up 4 goals on 17 shots before he got yanked for Brent Johnson. The Theodore era in DC needless to say got off to a rather inauspicious start.

Another goalie who had better expectations along with the team was Tomas Vokoun who gave up 5 goals on 23 shots tonight. Hopefully this is not a sign of yet another slow start for Florida which will have new coach Peter DeBoer shaking his head faster than a bobblehead doll.

A game I have been keeping an eye on is Columbus and Dallas. Columbus in the third period just netted two goals early to gain a 3-2 lead...still 12:00 left in the game. But Turco again gives up 3 goals on 18 shots so far. That is going to cause some anxiety amongst the Stars' faithful at least early on. I will keep that one updated as needed. Sure enough Derek Brassard adds one for the Blue Jackets and it is now 4-2....panic is settling in....in Dallas right now. Thanks to picture in picture and we are headed back to this game....as Nashville is about to go down to St. Louis.

Two of the three Columbus goals I am sure Turco would like to have back...as Columbus is still playing hard and not sitting back folks. An impressive first effort from the Blue Jackets. Pascal Leclaire seems just fine only giving up 2 goals so far.

So with the first Friday Night in the books and a lot of beer downed....what do I think about it? If tonight is any indication, we are in for a hell of a regular season folks!! Well make that threeeee.....as Brad Richards tips the Robidas shot past Leclaire and we have ourselves a hockey game in DALLAS!!!! WOW....AGAIN!!! Trevor Daley ties it at 4....what a crazy game....get the brandy ready baby!!!

Headed into some 4 on 4 OT....gotta love it. Will it go into a shootout? Turco has to make a nice stop there from Brassard. Dallas keeps getting close but can't finish. Then Turco stones NASH on highway robbery.....Nash that open should be hockey game but nope...this one keeps going. Turco is definitely playing better in the last 15:00 of action or so. And what do you know...Rick Nash on a 3 on 2....wins it with less than 30 seconds on a sizzling wrister from about 45 ft....5-4 Columbus...the final in OT. Great ending to a great night of hockey folks.

Now time for a little video.......Florida's first goal this season by David Booth.

Moonlight Serenade Well Not Quite

2008-10-10T19:09:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow you will see something on Red Light District that will be going on every Saturday throughout the season. Here is the plan. We will pick a forward, a defenseman, and a goalie. Whoever does the best gets the bragging rights. Of course whoever wins for the season...well Ryan and I will come up with something I am sure.

If you want to make your picks....make them on the comment page. The rules are simple....you can't pick any one player four times. Really that blasted simple!

So if you think you can best us....by all means go for it folks! That is the whole point...to have some fun...and enjoy some hockey.

Your Slot Here...

2008-10-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another edition of Your Slot Here. This week we take a look at a blog that doesn't produce posts at a breakneck speed but when he does...boy are they always something to see and be in awe of. I am talking about Gregsky from Around The Rink with Gregsky this week and he gets our spotlight.

For starters you have to love a fan that states right in his profile...that he has cut his teeth in so many old time arenas. It also does not hurt to have a rabid hockey fan of your own to be proud of. That is a sure sign you can appreciate when a fan is that candid about his love of the game. Really it is refreshing in this day and age.

First off, check out all the autographs from his snapshots. Then just look at his most recent post of Habs signatures. I will be honest. I can't even fathom having that many John Hancock's from one team other than maybe the New Jersey Devils and even then that takes some serious dedication and man hours toward that awesome achievement.

This gets even better....I may be wrong on this but I think Gregsky really loves the Habs but this article takes the cake. Think about it...the Habs have been around for 100 years and whether you love, hate, or feel indifferent about Montreal...at the very least you have to respect this team. It is an impressive piece indeed and something I definitely took a lot away from just by reading it over a couple times.

So as you are waiting for the hockey to start tonight....why not take a look at this fine blog.....I am sure it will be quite the treat and for some a walk down memory lane.

An interesting Live Video chat....

2008-10-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

I wanted to thank Sam Weinstein....outstanding writer for lohudblogs and his very polished live video chat this afternoon just hours before the Rangers home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks. He answers some of the burning questions Ranger fans have had and more.

Check it out all at The Ranger Report.

Enjoy everyone but remember to click the on-demand video to get to the video you want to see.

New Hopes: Opening Night For Me

2008-10-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

Opening Night Last Season....

For me this means plenty....even 2800 miles away. Why? The Devils open their season at home tonight against the New York Islanders. Who does not get pumped for their team when they open up? I do not know many...that is for sure! Today also starts the countdown.

Martin Brodeur stands just 14 wins from breaking Patrick Roy's goalie wins record (551). Barring well you know...it is going to happen sometime in the calendar year....more than likely. I like TSN's little graphic about Chasing An Idol....it looks pretty cool. But Marty can get one step closer with a win tonight...on opening night at The Rock.

I am looking forward to see what the Devils can do this season....with the signings of Rolston and Holik and a full season of Bryce Salvador...it will be interesting to see what will transpire. With Holik, Zubrus, and Rupp...the Devils may have the most expensive fourth line but it may be one of the league's best as well. Will they get to 100 points this season? Honestly I think so. My prediction tonight....3-2 New Jersey by the way...just for the record.

With my Center Ice and NHL Gamecenter Live at the disposal....I will be ready tonight. It has been a long 5 1/2...almost 6 months since I last saw Devils hockey. That is too long of a wait for this fan. So to all the fans who are going to the game tonight and all the rest who will be watching on tv or listening on the radio or internet or anywhere. I say simply to you.....LET'S GO DEVILS!!!!

First Night In North America!

2008-10-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

This has been very enjoyable. Nothing like the first night of real hockey on North American soil. Combine the two games on Versus with the two games on Center Ice and you have some pretty awesome stuff. The Anaheim Ducks - San Jose Sharks matchup had the option of both feeds for your viewing pleasure so I chose the Sharks feed as that was not blacked out for some odd reason.

Now in earlier action tonight....the Wings raised their banner.....

Up it goes via AP Images

Now of course there was one problem....the Wings for all the pomp and circumstance had to actually play the game. Apparently Vesa Toskala wanted to spoil the party as he played unbelievably well (maybe there was a reason why he was named Captain). The Toronto goalie stopped 35 of 37 shots and basically stole this game for Toronto 3-2. Nikolai Kulemin scored the game winner for Toronto but Tomas Holmstrom did score twice for Detroit.

Again I wonder how Vesa Toskala does not get a star in this game. Detroit was 6 on 4 for the final 30 seconds and Detroit was firing away yet Toskala stood tall. Kubina should not have got a star he had 1 PPG and was even. So naturally because Yahoo and company can sometimes be misguided with these things. Hey it is early...it happens! Here are my 3 stars.

Vesa Toskala -- 35 saves.
Tomas Holmstrom -- 2 goals
Dominic Moore -- 1 goal, +2

Now Toronto came out hungry the whole game while Detroit played very sloppy for vast parts of the evening. That just will not get it done in today's NHL. No excuses....banner raising or no banner raising. But give credit where credit is due....Toskala had his "A" game tonight.

We have one more game about to go final. So as Colorado goes on a 6 on 4 with about 100 seconds left....let's see what happens here. Chara tried to hit the empty net as Sakic and Hejduk got stopped big time by Tim Thomas when it counted most. Nothing like stopping a Hejduk attempt with just 1 second left to preserve the 5-4 victory as Thomas made 35 saves. Boston definitely stole this one.

The other two games will end in a bit but both San Jose and Calgary are leading 3-0 in the third. Have a great night folks and enjoy the upcoming weekend of hockey.

Cold War

2008-10-09T14:16:00.000-07:00

Since this Blog is no longer in association with the NHL Arena forum. I have resigned my position on the Executive Board. I do not want to air out everything that was said but here are part of my resignation letter. To let you the readers know why I did what I did.

It is with great sadness, I come to you today to make an announcement. What better time than the day when the puck is dropped for the first time in North America. After much thought and consideration over the last few days, I have made a decision to resign. Just under 2 years ago I was invited to join The NHL Arena

Back then it was a board in its infancy just starting out. The main goal was to promote the game and talk about it. We called ourselves the home of the hockey expert. It was not about numbers, it was about quality. It was about being able to spread the word of the game and talk about it in an intelligent manner. No one person was greater than the board. It was an Arena for the fans by the fans. I have seen a vast change over that time. Unfortunately it has become more about driving numbers up and getting as many people to hit the buttons as possible.

I know I am going to be ripped to shreds and it will be said this is sour grapes, but the truth is I would not be stepping down if I did not love this place. It is because I love it here so much that I cannot be part of the team that is supposed to make the decision in which this board is directed. My opinions have become obsolete and this has become less and less about presenting facts and discussing the game I love. It no longer has the locker room mentality that is been designed to when I first joined.

I hope that you will all treat me with the same respect as you do everyone else. I hope I will not be persecuted for telling you my reasons for stepping down. I feel that things that have been asked of me have compromised my beliefs of fairness and integrity. I can not do this to myself anymore. I would rather just be blind to the politics, antics of things behind the scenes and most importantly the drama that is involved. I was the Lifetime Achievement winner at the Arena Awards along with Executive of the Year as voted by all of you. I feel for me to still be able to act like the person you voted for this is the only thing I can do.

I would like to thank all of you for the support you showed me over the last 2 years and let you know that all of you have affected my life in a positive manner. It was great working with you, but I just am burned out and time has come for me to move on. Please still listen to the podcast and read the blog as we still will be mentioning things on the Arena even if it is against the wishes of the powers that be. Just because the ties were cut one way does not mean that me and Chris will not still look for the growth of the Arena and support it in anyway we can.

The Arena was put forth for you the fans and no one person is bigger than it, we need to keep it that way. So keep Rattlin’ the Boards

The Rick

NHL Faceoff LiveChat, Tonight, 6:30 PM ET

2008-10-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

Hey, I threw together one crazy liveblog on short notice... Let's do it again! We're going to follow the VERSUS doubleheader here tonight, analyzing the game, and making fun of Brian Engblom. Be here at 6:30 for Hockey Central, and a little bit into the first game. Hopefully we'll have some special guests... see you then!

Fantasy Hockey 101: These Three Turkeys....

2008-10-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

Here come the turkeys again!!!

This week on the turkeys.....it had to be one of the toughest votes in quite some time. There were so many Tampa Bay players that could have fallen prey this week. I even thought of a Pittsburgh goalie who could not control a rebound all weekend or an Ottawa goalie who goes by Gerbage. At any rate...here are the three turkeys...enjoy this one folks. Naturally do not forget the stuffing!!

The Three Turkeys....

1. The entire Tampa Bay Defense.....

The answer here is crystal clear. They didn't play defense....that is the whole point! When you give up what it feels like 800 shots and 500 point blank scoring chances...that is an ominous sign. The coach calls your effort out the way he did...also a bad sign. There was nothing really good about that performance and if it continues....the Mullet Of Melrose may go white before it ever goes silver grey.

2. Martin Gerber (OTT)......

The goalie that looks pretty solid at times then at others...looks like a candidate for the scrap heap....hence his nickname Gerbage (thanks Dan). The four goals he gave up...at least two (even the OT one) were shots he should have found a way to stop. His rebound control was so bad that I think secretly players were just praying that more pucks didn't go into the net at that point. When Alex Auld stopped all but one shot the next day....it fairly created some drama in the media....and even though Ottawa says no big deal. This may become on quickly.

3. The New York Rangers Offense.....

Fair or unfair they did generate a ton of scoring chances and had amazing control of puck possession in their two games. But the bottom line is always how many can you put in the net....and they only hit the twine 4 times. That was not good enough against a Tampa team frankly that on the back end looked like an AHL team at best. Eighty shots combined in two games....four goals. Doing quick math that is a .950 save percentage for the Tampa goalies and yes both Smith and Kolzig made some outstanding saves but they also left a slew of wide open chances as well.

We saw this in the preseason and without naming true turkeys on the team....this is a group effort that they must rectify or Henrik Lundqvist will have to stop a ton every night to win 1-0 and 2-1 slugfests all the time....not to mention a ton of shootouts. Ouch!

Next week we promise three players will get the honor as there will be many more games and tons more to talk about. So see you next week and we will bring the gravy with the turkey!