All Star Game Flops; Second Half Mercifully Begins
January 27, 2009 by Big Tony · Leave a Comment
The NHL All-Star break is now over and mercifully so is the NHL All-Star game. It was the highest scoring all-star game and 22 goals scored plus the addition goal awarded for the shootout win for the East really could not have been any less entertaining. Even the skills competition was boring with the modification of the event to try to make it more exciting did the exact opposite. With that said, Tuesday night the de facto second half began and there were some pretty good games on tap. The best of Tuesday’s games was in Boston as the Bruins battled the Caps.
Washington and Boston are two of the best teams in the lead not only in team points but in talent level and that makes all of their match-ups particularly intriguing. Washington made Boston come from behind twice in the game before the game was won 3-2 in overtime by Boston on a blocked pass attempt that by chance went into the net behind Theodore. It was unfortunate because both netminders played an incredible third period making incredible shots to keep their respective teams in the game as the aforementioned talent that these two teams are loaded with. Both Theodore and Thomas showed Tuesday night that despite all that talent it is the goalies who need to be the best player on the ice more often than not if any hockey team wants to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Some other notes worth mentioning before signing off:
Claude Lemieux made his return to Colorado with the San Jose Sharks. The 43 year old signed an AHL deal with San Jose before being called up to play with the NHL club last Tuesday.
The Buffalo Sabres scored 2 goals in the first 1:45 of the first period against Edmonton on route to crushing the Oilers 10-2.
The Detroit Red Wings started the second half of the season with a 3-2 OT loss to Columbus.
Sharks Sign Claude Lemieux
November 25, 2008 by Big Tony · Leave a Comment
Claude Lemieux signed a minor deal with the San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate this week after being out of the league for five years. So what does this mean for the Sharks on the ice? Probably nothing. Lemieux is 43-years-old and it is doubtful that he will play well enough to be called up to a team that has need for very little. However, if Lemieux is able to get his legs back under him and show even shades of what made him the great player he was for 18-years there are plenty of teams who could use even an aged Claude Lemieux. In the meantime it seems to me that San Jose really has little to lose by signing Lemieux; his salary will not be very high and he offers priceless experience to his young teammates in Worcester. Lemieux brings with him the experience of playing in a ton of playoff games, four Stanley Cup rings, and a Conn Smythe Trophy to boot. These young players can get a unique prospective from someone who has been there, been very successful and will be able to not just tell them the “right” thing to do but actually show them on the ice. Generally speaking someone Lemieux’s age would be a coach on a team like this and not a player. This gives San Jose’s up-and-coming players an incredible experience which will aid in the Sharks’ efforts for continued, long-term success. All-in-all it is a win-win for every party involved; so while many may be skeptical of the move I am totally in favor of it.