Good hitting requires good timing. Here's a story about the timeliest hit I have ever witnessed.
My little sister was married on NFL jerseys Saturday near Port Colborne, Ontario. The city sits on the northeast shore of Lake Erie, a two-hour drive from downtown Toronto..
Early on, starting pitchers David Purcey and Ian Snell were working at a pretty good pace, and this made my frequent glances at the Rogers Centre clock less concerning. But things slowly changed; Purcey started to leave some pitches up, and his control began to wane. Soon, the bullpen was called in to action, and we all know pitching changes take time.
On the opposing side, Snell was moving through the order efficiently, until Jose Bautista hit a sixth-inning home run that brought Toronto to within a run. By the seventh, the Mariners increased the lead to two and, this being another non-playoff year, I felt content with the situation if it meant seeing my only sister married.
But then the eighth inning arrived. Aaron Hill hit a double, and Adam Lind stepped to the plate.
Funny things can happen when the love of family and devotion to a team intersect. So when Lind hit his game-tying shot over the left-field wall, I became a bundle of confliction. Extra-innings appeared likely.
When the Blue Jays needed to shut down Seattle in the ninth, they brought in the right man for the job. I admire Jason Frasor in every sense; as a person and as a pitcher. And I don't mind his habit of taking long strolls around the mound when contemplating his next pitch.
Except, of course, on the day my sister is getting married.
That day, I was scheduled to broadcast the afternoon game between the Blue Jays and Mariners, knowing the average ballgame lasts about three hours. The exchange of vows was scheduled for 6:30pm, so if Saturday was destined to be an average game, I'd roll in to Port Colborne with about a half-hour to spare
Fortunately, Frasor was exceptional in the ninth. Unfortunately, he was about to throw another inning. The Blue Jays went down in order in the bottom half, and my greatest fear was realized: they're going to play at least 10.
Now, it's easy to suggest a wedding could simply be delayed to accommodate a late-arriving brother, but you must understand this: the reception hall was stocked with about 600 beers. My family likes beer. My soon-to-be brother-in-laws' family likes beer. The congregation wasn't going to let the absence of one person impede their plans for a good party.
I knew this as I watched the Rogers Centre clock hit 4:10 pm. It was the bottom of the tenth.
None more than me.
After a replay of the game-winner, and a quick sign-off (that's TV-speak for saying goodbye), I was out of the broadcast booth quicker than Carl Crawford. My car was parked so strategically that by the time I got to the highway, radio announcer Jerry Howarth was still engrossed in his game recap.
The drive was relatively smooth, save for a smoldering car outside St. Catherines that caused a minor delay.
By the time I finally rolled in to the church parking lot, the pews were full and the bride was moments from making her entrance.
Dedication to the job is extremely important, but in my world, family comes first. Thanks to Adam Lind for ensuring this on Saturday.
2010年5月15日星期六
2010年5月14日星期五
Baseball's apocalypse
Steroid culture has reared its ugly head once more with NHL jerseys Mark McGwire 'coming clean' on Monday. His name, along with all the other steroid users, should never be placed in the same sentence as integrity.
Don't look so shocked.
Smoother and easier? Neither should happen. He clammed up in front of the U.S. Congress on that fateful March day in 2005, answering some pointed questions about his steroid use with a weak, "I'm not here to discuss the past."
While he never lied before Congress (which may prove to be the smartest thing he did during the whole sad episode) that doesn't mean that baseball, as an institution, should welcome him back with opened arms. The bottom line is he cheated; smashing Roger Maris' 1961 home run record by not one or two, but rather by nine. The lofty tally aided, as he now confesses, by steroids. How could he have hugged members of Maris' family with a straight face when he broke the single-season home run record? Only McGwire can answer that now.
Am I the only one who's starting to feel like there are many tentacles attached to this story? Here we sit, just over a month until training camps open, and suddenly, without warning, this pops up. Everyone, including McGwire, Cardinals' manager Tony LaRussa and commissioner 'Bud' Selig, say the right things. McGwire says he only turned to 'roids after suffering through a string of injury-plagued seasons. LaRussa confesses that he was "encouraged that (McGwire) would step forward ... and his explanations will be well received." Finally, there is Selig's assessment that the admission will make "Mark's re-entry into the game much smoother and easier."
I failed to mention Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, both strongly alleged but not proven PED users, but each will get what's coming to them when the legal system runs its true course.
As I've written in columns previously, none of the steroid/performance enhancing drug users should ever be feted in Cooperstown. Not McGwire, not Alex Rodriguez, or Jose Canseco, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Jason Giambi or Andy Pettitte. Or any of the players mentioned in the Mitchell Report. Quite simply, each represent cheating and have no place in the Hall of Fame. Not with their own wing; only with asterisks in the record book.
I guess we'll really see what's up over the next couple of winters. Rafael Palmeiro, a member of the 3,000-hit club, is on the ballot for the first time with a failed drug test on his resume. Other first-timers include 1998 American League MVP Juan Gonzalez, Kevin Brown and Benito Santiago - all of whom appeared in the Mitchell Report.
So, where does this leave the Baseball Writers Association of America, the protectors of the game? Until now, the most votes that McGwire has received hovers around 23 per cent, far short of the 75 per cent needed for induction. It says here that the number may go up slightly but not even close to the number required. And this will have a significant effect on who gets in from this generation of players, a dozen or so who had Hall of Fame numbers, but all tarnished by drug use.
Clemens, Bonds and Sammy Sosa will all appear on the ballot. Hopefully all will have come clean, either forced through legal proceedings or voluntarily.
With that being two years away anything is possible.
For the sake of the game, long based upon records and tradition, here's hoping all the names of players who juiced are finally public and this mess can finally be left to the historians.
For the uninformed, Home Run Derby was a TV show back in 1960 that pitted the top sluggers of the day in a home run contest; something that wouldn't be possible in the modern game.
It was an era before power in a bottle arrived onto the baseball scene.
I'll let you in on a bit of irony that I encountered upon checking into my hotel in St. Paul, Minnesota on Tuesday night to prepare for the Canucks/Wild game on Wednesday. As a flipped around the dial, I came across the four ESPN channels. Of course, college hoops were on the main network and the 'Deuce'. On ESPN News, though, McGwire was getting grilled by Bob Ley and 'Big Mac' was in pure spin mode. Then when I went one channel higher to ESPN Classic, there was Home Run Derby, without any chemically-altered sluggers, in all of its black & white glory. And there was a young Hank Aaron, who once held the most cherished home run record of all, opposing Ken Boyer. Back-to-back channels, with all that is currently wrong with the game butted right up next to all that used to be good.
Don't look so shocked.
Smoother and easier? Neither should happen. He clammed up in front of the U.S. Congress on that fateful March day in 2005, answering some pointed questions about his steroid use with a weak, "I'm not here to discuss the past."
While he never lied before Congress (which may prove to be the smartest thing he did during the whole sad episode) that doesn't mean that baseball, as an institution, should welcome him back with opened arms. The bottom line is he cheated; smashing Roger Maris' 1961 home run record by not one or two, but rather by nine. The lofty tally aided, as he now confesses, by steroids. How could he have hugged members of Maris' family with a straight face when he broke the single-season home run record? Only McGwire can answer that now.
Am I the only one who's starting to feel like there are many tentacles attached to this story? Here we sit, just over a month until training camps open, and suddenly, without warning, this pops up. Everyone, including McGwire, Cardinals' manager Tony LaRussa and commissioner 'Bud' Selig, say the right things. McGwire says he only turned to 'roids after suffering through a string of injury-plagued seasons. LaRussa confesses that he was "encouraged that (McGwire) would step forward ... and his explanations will be well received." Finally, there is Selig's assessment that the admission will make "Mark's re-entry into the game much smoother and easier."
I failed to mention Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, both strongly alleged but not proven PED users, but each will get what's coming to them when the legal system runs its true course.
As I've written in columns previously, none of the steroid/performance enhancing drug users should ever be feted in Cooperstown. Not McGwire, not Alex Rodriguez, or Jose Canseco, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Jason Giambi or Andy Pettitte. Or any of the players mentioned in the Mitchell Report. Quite simply, each represent cheating and have no place in the Hall of Fame. Not with their own wing; only with asterisks in the record book.
I guess we'll really see what's up over the next couple of winters. Rafael Palmeiro, a member of the 3,000-hit club, is on the ballot for the first time with a failed drug test on his resume. Other first-timers include 1998 American League MVP Juan Gonzalez, Kevin Brown and Benito Santiago - all of whom appeared in the Mitchell Report.
So, where does this leave the Baseball Writers Association of America, the protectors of the game? Until now, the most votes that McGwire has received hovers around 23 per cent, far short of the 75 per cent needed for induction. It says here that the number may go up slightly but not even close to the number required. And this will have a significant effect on who gets in from this generation of players, a dozen or so who had Hall of Fame numbers, but all tarnished by drug use.
Clemens, Bonds and Sammy Sosa will all appear on the ballot. Hopefully all will have come clean, either forced through legal proceedings or voluntarily.
With that being two years away anything is possible.
For the sake of the game, long based upon records and tradition, here's hoping all the names of players who juiced are finally public and this mess can finally be left to the historians.
For the uninformed, Home Run Derby was a TV show back in 1960 that pitted the top sluggers of the day in a home run contest; something that wouldn't be possible in the modern game.
It was an era before power in a bottle arrived onto the baseball scene.
I'll let you in on a bit of irony that I encountered upon checking into my hotel in St. Paul, Minnesota on Tuesday night to prepare for the Canucks/Wild game on Wednesday. As a flipped around the dial, I came across the four ESPN channels. Of course, college hoops were on the main network and the 'Deuce'. On ESPN News, though, McGwire was getting grilled by Bob Ley and 'Big Mac' was in pure spin mode. Then when I went one channel higher to ESPN Classic, there was Home Run Derby, without any chemically-altered sluggers, in all of its black & white glory. And there was a young Hank Aaron, who once held the most cherished home run record of all, opposing Ken Boyer. Back-to-back channels, with all that is currently wrong with the game butted right up next to all that used to be good.
2010年5月11日星期二
Fish out of water
Here is the rundown of my night on the wild side: NHL Jerseys
6:13 pm - I'm at home trying to decide what to wear to my first MMA fight. I don't want to be the only guy in the building wearing Dockers. Plus, everyone there is going to have a tattoo and I don't have any ink on my body. Perhaps I can get my wife to draw something on my arm using one of our Mr. Sketch markers. It will be hard to pull off the intimidating look while simultaneously smelling like artificial grape. Unfortunately, it turns out my wife can only draw those 3-D box shapes, so I think I'll pass on a homemade tattoo.
6:47 pm - I pull into the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau. I'm surprised to see a long line at the ticket window. This marks the first time in history that people have paid to watch violence at a QMJHL arena without any members of the Roy family involved.
7:27 pm - I take a look down at the souvenir stand. I wanted to see if they had a T-shirt that said "I went to a MMA fight and a WNBA game broke out." (Author's Note: This joke has a 7-day shelf life. If someone accesses this article six months from now, they will be wondering what the hell I'm talking about.)
On Saturday night, I was assigned to cover my first-ever mixed martial arts fight, as former CFL star Glenn Kulka stepped into the ring for his MMA debut.
For those of you that don't know me, I'm a pretty conservative guy, who isn't into blood sports. I drink San Pellegrino and I cringe every time I get a hangnail.
So like a Jehovah's Witness who inadvertently rings the doorbell of the Playboy mansion, I was really out of place in this environment.
7:44 pm - The first fight of the night is about to start. They actually check the fighters for weapons as they enter the ring. There is a security guy that pats them down and everything. Evidently, this is where the rejects from the TSA Airport screening program end up. Or maybe it's a promotion for them. I'm not quite sure.
8:07 pm - Am I the only one who thinks it should be mandatory for all ringside officials to wear a white shirt with a black bow-tie, like Super Mario did when he served as a guest referee in Mike Tyson's Punch Out?
8:22 pm - A guy named "Showtime" just won his fight and proceeded to swear in his post-fight interview, which was broadcast throughout the arena. Can you imagine this happening in the NHL?
Reporter’s question: "Jason Spezza, you just won the game in a shootout. What are your thoughts?"
Spezza’s answer: "I know Toskala has a (expletive) blocker side. We (expletive) own those guys and they know it."
8:57 pm - I suddenly realize that I haven't seen any other visible minorities tonight. Now I expect certain spectator events - like curling or a production of Mamma Mia - to be filled with white people in the stands. But I guess I just didn't think it would be like that here. I feel like I did at a Mennonite wedding about 10 years ago, when I was the only minority in the whole place. That night, I ended up hugging a Chinese guy when he walked into the reception hall (I looked foolish when I found out he was with the catering staff).
9:31 pm - I really have to use the bathroom, but I admit - I'm kind of afraid. This is the type of event where I could get jumped or knifed if I go in alone. And that's if I try using the women's washroom. So I've decided to risk a mild bladder infection and wait until I can use a washroom in a safe zone. I feel like Homer Simpson when he drank too much crab juice at the Kalkalash stand in New York. (For the record, "Kalkalash" came up as "calculus" on the spell-check for this blog).
10:04 pm - Kulka's fight lasts only 73 seconds, as he disposes of his opponent with relative ease. Not to make another "Punch Out" reference, but I'm pretty sure Kulka would have had a tougher time with either Glass Joe or Don Flamenco.
10:27 pm - I head back across the river to the safety of Ontario, where MMA fighting has been banned by the provincial government. I can once again sip my San Pellegrino (with a twist of lemon), while wearing a comfortable pair of Dockers.
6:13 pm - I'm at home trying to decide what to wear to my first MMA fight. I don't want to be the only guy in the building wearing Dockers. Plus, everyone there is going to have a tattoo and I don't have any ink on my body. Perhaps I can get my wife to draw something on my arm using one of our Mr. Sketch markers. It will be hard to pull off the intimidating look while simultaneously smelling like artificial grape. Unfortunately, it turns out my wife can only draw those 3-D box shapes, so I think I'll pass on a homemade tattoo.
6:47 pm - I pull into the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau. I'm surprised to see a long line at the ticket window. This marks the first time in history that people have paid to watch violence at a QMJHL arena without any members of the Roy family involved.
7:27 pm - I take a look down at the souvenir stand. I wanted to see if they had a T-shirt that said "I went to a MMA fight and a WNBA game broke out." (Author's Note: This joke has a 7-day shelf life. If someone accesses this article six months from now, they will be wondering what the hell I'm talking about.)
On Saturday night, I was assigned to cover my first-ever mixed martial arts fight, as former CFL star Glenn Kulka stepped into the ring for his MMA debut.
For those of you that don't know me, I'm a pretty conservative guy, who isn't into blood sports. I drink San Pellegrino and I cringe every time I get a hangnail.
So like a Jehovah's Witness who inadvertently rings the doorbell of the Playboy mansion, I was really out of place in this environment.
7:44 pm - The first fight of the night is about to start. They actually check the fighters for weapons as they enter the ring. There is a security guy that pats them down and everything. Evidently, this is where the rejects from the TSA Airport screening program end up. Or maybe it's a promotion for them. I'm not quite sure.
8:07 pm - Am I the only one who thinks it should be mandatory for all ringside officials to wear a white shirt with a black bow-tie, like Super Mario did when he served as a guest referee in Mike Tyson's Punch Out?
8:22 pm - A guy named "Showtime" just won his fight and proceeded to swear in his post-fight interview, which was broadcast throughout the arena. Can you imagine this happening in the NHL?
Reporter’s question: "Jason Spezza, you just won the game in a shootout. What are your thoughts?"
Spezza’s answer: "I know Toskala has a (expletive) blocker side. We (expletive) own those guys and they know it."
8:57 pm - I suddenly realize that I haven't seen any other visible minorities tonight. Now I expect certain spectator events - like curling or a production of Mamma Mia - to be filled with white people in the stands. But I guess I just didn't think it would be like that here. I feel like I did at a Mennonite wedding about 10 years ago, when I was the only minority in the whole place. That night, I ended up hugging a Chinese guy when he walked into the reception hall (I looked foolish when I found out he was with the catering staff).
9:31 pm - I really have to use the bathroom, but I admit - I'm kind of afraid. This is the type of event where I could get jumped or knifed if I go in alone. And that's if I try using the women's washroom. So I've decided to risk a mild bladder infection and wait until I can use a washroom in a safe zone. I feel like Homer Simpson when he drank too much crab juice at the Kalkalash stand in New York. (For the record, "Kalkalash" came up as "calculus" on the spell-check for this blog).
10:04 pm - Kulka's fight lasts only 73 seconds, as he disposes of his opponent with relative ease. Not to make another "Punch Out" reference, but I'm pretty sure Kulka would have had a tougher time with either Glass Joe or Don Flamenco.
10:27 pm - I head back across the river to the safety of Ontario, where MMA fighting has been banned by the provincial government. I can once again sip my San Pellegrino (with a twist of lemon), while wearing a comfortable pair of Dockers.
2010年5月10日星期一
Ultimate Sens Quiz
On top of that, nobody has the motivation to go back to their cubicles and work this week. (My rule of thumb: you don't need to work hard until the egg nog in the staff fridge has expired).
So for the good people of Ottawa, I've decided to put together a fun Sens quiz from the past decade. Fifteen multiple choice questions to help you kill some time and pretend you are working at the office.
I hope you enjoy "The Ultimate Sens Decade Quiz"
1. What's the one thing you'd like to see the Sens do in this next decade?
A) Win a Stanley Cup
B) Beat the Leafs in a playoff series
C) Acquire Gary Roberts
2. Which late-season addition had the least impact on the Sens?
A) Tyler Arnason
B) Petr Bondra
C) The Gladiator Guy From 2008
3. What was the worst decision of the decade made by Sens management?
A) Choosing Redden over Chara
B) SigningC) Trading Havlat for Preissing/Hennessy/Barinka
4. What was the funniest moment of the decade involving the Leafs-Sens rivalry?
A) Alfredsson's fake stick-toss to make fun of B) Tie Domi deciding to take on noted tough guy Magnus Arvedson
5. Which player wore the biggest goat horns in the decade?
A) Ricard Persson for his untimely boarding major on Tie Domi in 2002
B for his infamous Game 7 meltdown in 2004 against the Leafs
C) Peter Bondra for his no-show in the 2004 playoffs
6. Which player did the most damage to Ottawa from a PR standpoint?
A) Alexei Yashin
) Ray Emery
7.What was the best thing about Dominik Hasek's tenure in Ottawa?
A) We learned what an adductor was
B) Hasek leaving at the end of the season with all of his possessions in a Glad garbage bag.
C) We got to do impressions of Hasek's thick Czech accent on a regular basis.
8. Which one event do you wish actually happened to the Sens this decade?
A) They acquired Gary Roberts at a trade deadline
B) They beat the Leafs in a playoff series
C) They acquired Gary Roberts and then beat the Leafs in a playoff series.
9. What do you miss most about Ray Emery?
A) Driving on the Queensway seems boring now
B) Sens practices seem boring now
C) Everybody's suits seem boring now
10. What was the most annoying thing about playing the Leafs in the playoffs?
A) Constant TV shots of Ken Dryden awkwardly clapping in the press box
B) Alyn McCauley pushing the net off repeatedly - but never getting called for a penalty
C) Hearing Leafs fans saying their team was "built for the playoffs" - but avoiding the fact that their team lost every series immediately after playing Ottawa.
11. What ritual do you miss the most?
A) Jacques Martin constantly looking up at the scoreboard
B) in a Stevie Wonder-like trance listening to the anthems.
C) Bill Muckalt missing the net
12. What was the most heart-breaking goal scored against Ottawa?
A) Jason Pomminville's OT goal in 2006
B) Jeff Friesen's third period goal in Game 7 in 2003
C) Cory Cross' OT winner in 2001. (I mean come on, seriously...Cory Cross!?)
13. Which was the best Sens celebrity girlfriend of the decade?
A) Carol Alt
B) Hilary Duff
C) Carrie Underwood
14. What was the best trade the Sens made in the decade?
A) Yashin for Chara/Spezza/Muckalt
B) Comrie for Kaigarodov
C) Leclaire and a 2nd rounder for Vermette
15. Which was the best moment of the decade?
MLB jerseys
A) Daniel Alfredsson's OT goal in Buffalo to put the Sens in the Cup Finals
B) OT goal to force a Game 7 in 2003 vs. New Jersey
C) Team is saved from bankruptcy by Eugene Melnyk
So for the good people of Ottawa, I've decided to put together a fun Sens quiz from the past decade. Fifteen multiple choice questions to help you kill some time and pretend you are working at the office.
I hope you enjoy "The Ultimate Sens Decade Quiz"
1. What's the one thing you'd like to see the Sens do in this next decade?
A) Win a Stanley Cup
B) Beat the Leafs in a playoff series
C) Acquire Gary Roberts
2. Which late-season addition had the least impact on the Sens?
A) Tyler Arnason
B) Petr Bondra
C) The Gladiator Guy From 2008
3. What was the worst decision of the decade made by Sens management?
A) Choosing Redden over Chara
B) SigningC) Trading Havlat for Preissing/Hennessy/Barinka
4. What was the funniest moment of the decade involving the Leafs-Sens rivalry?
A) Alfredsson's fake stick-toss to make fun of B) Tie Domi deciding to take on noted tough guy Magnus Arvedson
5. Which player wore the biggest goat horns in the decade?
A) Ricard Persson for his untimely boarding major on Tie Domi in 2002
B for his infamous Game 7 meltdown in 2004 against the Leafs
C) Peter Bondra for his no-show in the 2004 playoffs
6. Which player did the most damage to Ottawa from a PR standpoint?
A) Alexei Yashin
) Ray Emery
7.What was the best thing about Dominik Hasek's tenure in Ottawa?
A) We learned what an adductor was
B) Hasek leaving at the end of the season with all of his possessions in a Glad garbage bag.
C) We got to do impressions of Hasek's thick Czech accent on a regular basis.
8. Which one event do you wish actually happened to the Sens this decade?
A) They acquired Gary Roberts at a trade deadline
B) They beat the Leafs in a playoff series
C) They acquired Gary Roberts and then beat the Leafs in a playoff series.
9. What do you miss most about Ray Emery?
A) Driving on the Queensway seems boring now
B) Sens practices seem boring now
C) Everybody's suits seem boring now
10. What was the most annoying thing about playing the Leafs in the playoffs?
A) Constant TV shots of Ken Dryden awkwardly clapping in the press box
B) Alyn McCauley pushing the net off repeatedly - but never getting called for a penalty
C) Hearing Leafs fans saying their team was "built for the playoffs" - but avoiding the fact that their team lost every series immediately after playing Ottawa.
11. What ritual do you miss the most?
A) Jacques Martin constantly looking up at the scoreboard
B) in a Stevie Wonder-like trance listening to the anthems.
C) Bill Muckalt missing the net
12. What was the most heart-breaking goal scored against Ottawa?
A) Jason Pomminville's OT goal in 2006
B) Jeff Friesen's third period goal in Game 7 in 2003
C) Cory Cross' OT winner in 2001. (I mean come on, seriously...Cory Cross!?)
13. Which was the best Sens celebrity girlfriend of the decade?
A) Carol Alt
B) Hilary Duff
C) Carrie Underwood
14. What was the best trade the Sens made in the decade?
A) Yashin for Chara/Spezza/Muckalt
B) Comrie for Kaigarodov
C) Leclaire and a 2nd rounder for Vermette
15. Which was the best moment of the decade?
MLB jerseys
A) Daniel Alfredsson's OT goal in Buffalo to put the Sens in the Cup Finals
B) OT goal to force a Game 7 in 2003 vs. New Jersey
C) Team is saved from bankruptcy by Eugene Melnyk
2010年5月9日星期日
Panthers get 3-2 win over playoff-bound Devils
Clemmensen, who signed a three-year contract with the Panthers in July, faced the Devils for the second time this season. He stopped 26 shots in a 4-2 Florida win in New Jersey on Dec. 11.
Coming off the 600th win of his NHL career on Tuesday night in Atlanta, Martin Brodeur made 15 saves.
The Devils, who will be making their 13th consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs, will now have to wait a little longer to clinch the Atlantic Division. They needed both a win over Florida and a Pittsburgh regulation loss to the New York Islanders to claim the title.
The Panthers were already eliminated from playoff contention.
Dvorak gave the Panthers their first lead of the night with his goal at 1:14 of the third period. Set up by Rostislav Olesz's pass from behind the net, Dvorak scored on a shot from the slot. Horton then stretched Florida's lead to 3-1 at 12:23 in the third when he scored on a wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle.
Clarkson closed the gap to 3-2 at 14:46 of the third, but it wasn't enough to complete the comeback.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) - Radek Dvorak and Nathan Horton scored in the third period to help the Florida Panthers beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on Thursday night.
Scott Clemmensen stopped 42 shots against his former New Jersey teammates, and Michael Frolik added a goal for the Panthers, who won for the second time in eight games.
Patrik Elias and David Clarkson scored for the Devils in their final road game of the regular season. Coming off the 600th win of his NHL career on Tuesday night in Atlanta, Martin Brodeur made 15 saves.
Florida tied it at 1 with Frolik's goal at 6:03 in the second period. Frolik took a cross-ice pass from Horton and beat Brodeur with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle. It was the 20th goal of the season for Frolik.
NOTES: Bryan Allen (ribs) returned to the ice for Florida after missing two games. ... Florida will wrap up its season with a home-and-home series against Tampa Bay this weekend. New Jersey will return to home ice for games against the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres. ... Florida signed G Marc Cheverie to an entry-level contract.
Elias opened the scoring 59 seconds into the second. Clemmensen stopped the intial shot with his leg pad and a second chance then went off the crossbar. That's when Elias tipped in the World Cup Soccer Jersey puck to give New Jersey at 1-0 lead.
Coming off the 600th win of his NHL career on Tuesday night in Atlanta, Martin Brodeur made 15 saves.
The Devils, who will be making their 13th consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs, will now have to wait a little longer to clinch the Atlantic Division. They needed both a win over Florida and a Pittsburgh regulation loss to the New York Islanders to claim the title.
The Panthers were already eliminated from playoff contention.
Dvorak gave the Panthers their first lead of the night with his goal at 1:14 of the third period. Set up by Rostislav Olesz's pass from behind the net, Dvorak scored on a shot from the slot. Horton then stretched Florida's lead to 3-1 at 12:23 in the third when he scored on a wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle.
Clarkson closed the gap to 3-2 at 14:46 of the third, but it wasn't enough to complete the comeback.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) - Radek Dvorak and Nathan Horton scored in the third period to help the Florida Panthers beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on Thursday night.
Scott Clemmensen stopped 42 shots against his former New Jersey teammates, and Michael Frolik added a goal for the Panthers, who won for the second time in eight games.
Patrik Elias and David Clarkson scored for the Devils in their final road game of the regular season. Coming off the 600th win of his NHL career on Tuesday night in Atlanta, Martin Brodeur made 15 saves.
Florida tied it at 1 with Frolik's goal at 6:03 in the second period. Frolik took a cross-ice pass from Horton and beat Brodeur with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle. It was the 20th goal of the season for Frolik.
NOTES: Bryan Allen (ribs) returned to the ice for Florida after missing two games. ... Florida will wrap up its season with a home-and-home series against Tampa Bay this weekend. New Jersey will return to home ice for games against the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres. ... Florida signed G Marc Cheverie to an entry-level contract.
Elias opened the scoring 59 seconds into the second. Clemmensen stopped the intial shot with his leg pad and a second chance then went off the crossbar. That's when Elias tipped in the World Cup Soccer Jersey puck to give New Jersey at 1-0 lead.
2010年5月8日星期六
Blues remove interim tag for Payne
Blues president John Davidson said that World Cup Soccer Jersey there was no reason to wait to decide whether Payne, who was with the Blues' AHL affiliate in Peoria, Ill., for the last two seasons, or someone from outside should be considered for the position.
"You can go many different ways," Davidson said. "You can wait until July and see who's available and who's not, but when you feel confident that you've got the right person and you feel confident with the job that he did during his 42 games and how he carried himself, his family values, the whole thing, I think it was a pretty easy decision."
The Blues finished at 40-32-10, which was good for 90 points, two off their mark of a season ago when they were sixth in the Western Conference. They finished ninth this season and missed the playoffs, going through exit meetings Wednesday.
"I'm very pleased," said Payne, who guided the Peoria Rivermen to a 62-44-3-6 record. "It gives me that added time with the players and the coaches to assess where we can really improve."
Payne was the ECHL coach of the year in 2006-07, guiding the Alaska Aces to the Kelly Cup Championship during a tenure that included three consecutive trips to the conference finals.
"He's young, he's got energy, he's got communication skills," Davidson said. "... We feel really good that he's from within (the organization). We feel real strong about that."
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Davis Payne is now the head coach of the St. Louis Blues.
Payne had been the Blues' interim coach since Jan. 2, when he replaced Andy Murray. The team announced his hiring Wednesday.
The 39-year-old Payne becomes the NHL's youngest coach. He led the Blues to a 23-15-4 record after taking over for Murray, including a 12-5-2 home record after the team had the league's worst home mark for much of 2009-10 season.
Payne appeared in 22 games as an NHL player with the Boston Bruins and played eight pro seasons after being chosen by Edmonton in the seventh round of the 1989 draft.
"We want to focus on the things that didn't happen for us," said Payne, who was accompanied by his wife, Jane, and two daughters. "We want to focus on why. We want to make sure the steps that are necessary to correct. We can't be looking back at any accomplishment when we aren't one of those 16 (playoff) teams playing tonight."
The native of Kamloops, British Columbia, is eager to get the Blues back into the playoffs.
"You can go many different ways," Davidson said. "You can wait until July and see who's available and who's not, but when you feel confident that you've got the right person and you feel confident with the job that he did during his 42 games and how he carried himself, his family values, the whole thing, I think it was a pretty easy decision."
The Blues finished at 40-32-10, which was good for 90 points, two off their mark of a season ago when they were sixth in the Western Conference. They finished ninth this season and missed the playoffs, going through exit meetings Wednesday.
"I'm very pleased," said Payne, who guided the Peoria Rivermen to a 62-44-3-6 record. "It gives me that added time with the players and the coaches to assess where we can really improve."
Payne was the ECHL coach of the year in 2006-07, guiding the Alaska Aces to the Kelly Cup Championship during a tenure that included three consecutive trips to the conference finals.
"He's young, he's got energy, he's got communication skills," Davidson said. "... We feel really good that he's from within (the organization). We feel real strong about that."
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Davis Payne is now the head coach of the St. Louis Blues.
Payne had been the Blues' interim coach since Jan. 2, when he replaced Andy Murray. The team announced his hiring Wednesday.
The 39-year-old Payne becomes the NHL's youngest coach. He led the Blues to a 23-15-4 record after taking over for Murray, including a 12-5-2 home record after the team had the league's worst home mark for much of 2009-10 season.
Payne appeared in 22 games as an NHL player with the Boston Bruins and played eight pro seasons after being chosen by Edmonton in the seventh round of the 1989 draft.
"We want to focus on the things that didn't happen for us," said Payne, who was accompanied by his wife, Jane, and two daughters. "We want to focus on why. We want to make sure the steps that are necessary to correct. We can't be looking back at any accomplishment when we aren't one of those 16 (playoff) teams playing tonight."
The native of Kamloops, British Columbia, is eager to get the Blues back into the playoffs.
2010年5月7日星期五
Mitchell's SO goal gives Leafs win over Canadiens
TORONTO (AP) - John Mitchell scored the shootout winner for the soccer jerseys Toronto Maple Leafs, who again played the role of spoiler and beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Saturday night.
Toronto has won six of seven and is playing its best hockey of the season. Four of those victories have come after regulation time.
Mitchell and Nikolai Kulemin beat Jaroslav Halak in the shootout. Jonas Gustavsson stopped two of Montreal's three attempts. He sealed the win with a save on Brian Gionta.
Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs, who are 29th in the overall standings of the 30 NHL clubs.
Gionta had both goals for Montreal.
Gustavsson made 25 saves and extended his winning streak to five games. Halak stopped 31 shots.
The Canadiens squandered a chance to leapfrog Ottawa and Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference standings. They entered with a six-game winning streak and would have moved into fifth place with another victory.
There was very little intensity in a game between the old rivals.
Bozak opened the scoring by netting his seventh of the season at 16:05 of the first period. The rookie had a wide-open net after a shot from Kulemin hit the post and bounced out to him.
Montreal tied it before the period was over. Gionta raced up the right wing and beat Gustavsson with a backhander the Leafs goalie would probably like to have back.
Kessel put the Leafs back in front with a wicked shot from the top of the circle that beat Halak to the glove side at 18:15 of the second. Kessel has six goals in six games and is closing in on the 30-goal mark for the second straight season. He has 28 goals.
The Maple Leafs killed a four-minute, high-sticking penalty against Jamie Lundmark, but surrendered the tying goal after Fredrik Sjostrom went off for tripping.
Gionta was standing in the high slot and tipped Scott Gomez's shot behind Gustavsson at 13:54 of the third.
That set the stage for overtime _ the fourth time in five meetings this season the teams have been stretched past regulation.
NOTES: Kulemin had two assists. ... Ben Maxwell and Paul Mara were scratched for Montreal. ... Luca Caputi and Jeff Finger sat out for the Leafs. ... Toronto forward Christian Hanson played in his 21st game of the season and has yet to score a goal.
Toronto has won six of seven and is playing its best hockey of the season. Four of those victories have come after regulation time.
Mitchell and Nikolai Kulemin beat Jaroslav Halak in the shootout. Jonas Gustavsson stopped two of Montreal's three attempts. He sealed the win with a save on Brian Gionta.
Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs, who are 29th in the overall standings of the 30 NHL clubs.
Gionta had both goals for Montreal.
Gustavsson made 25 saves and extended his winning streak to five games. Halak stopped 31 shots.
The Canadiens squandered a chance to leapfrog Ottawa and Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference standings. They entered with a six-game winning streak and would have moved into fifth place with another victory.
There was very little intensity in a game between the old rivals.
Bozak opened the scoring by netting his seventh of the season at 16:05 of the first period. The rookie had a wide-open net after a shot from Kulemin hit the post and bounced out to him.
Montreal tied it before the period was over. Gionta raced up the right wing and beat Gustavsson with a backhander the Leafs goalie would probably like to have back.
Kessel put the Leafs back in front with a wicked shot from the top of the circle that beat Halak to the glove side at 18:15 of the second. Kessel has six goals in six games and is closing in on the 30-goal mark for the second straight season. He has 28 goals.
The Maple Leafs killed a four-minute, high-sticking penalty against Jamie Lundmark, but surrendered the tying goal after Fredrik Sjostrom went off for tripping.
Gionta was standing in the high slot and tipped Scott Gomez's shot behind Gustavsson at 13:54 of the third.
That set the stage for overtime _ the fourth time in five meetings this season the teams have been stretched past regulation.
NOTES: Kulemin had two assists. ... Ben Maxwell and Paul Mara were scratched for Montreal. ... Luca Caputi and Jeff Finger sat out for the Leafs. ... Toronto forward Christian Hanson played in his 21st game of the season and has yet to score a goal.
订阅：
博文 (Atom)