Eckman, Fricke Lead Diablos Over Fighting Saints
In their most impressive game to date, the D1 Diablos thoroughly dominated the Fighting Saints at both ends of the ice and secured a 5-1 victory on Sunday evening. Coming off a disappointing loss to the Royals, the Diablos made several changes to their game plan that seemed to pay big dividends.
One of the biggest changes from last week was the Diablos' commitment to the 'other side of the puck'. In the first 3 games of the season, the Diablos played very well but seemed to suffer the consequences of some very costly defensive mistakes. They seem to have finally righted the ship, however, as they managed to all but completely shut down the Saints for three periods. All three forward lines were backchecking hard all night long, and along with the stellar play of the Diablos defensemen, made it impossible for the Saints to create any offense.
The Unholy Trinity of Steinbach opened the scoring at 11:08 of the first period. Shane Steinbach, who has been snakebitten along with his brothers lately, scored his second goal of the season on the kind of beautiful passing play the Steinbachs are becoming known for.
While all 3 lines generated a number of scoring chances throughout the game, it was the Destruction Line that surprised everyone (including themselves) by exploding for 4 of the team's 5 goals. Peter Sinesio increased the Diablo lead to 2-0 about a minute later when Shawn Fricke redirected a cross-ice pass from Larry Eckman right onto his tape in the slot.
Larry “Tomahawk” Eckman, known more for being “experienced” than anything else, was exceptionally impressive in registering 2 goals and 1 assist. On his first goal, he capped off the first period scoring for the Diablos when he skillfully banked the puck into the net off of the Saints' defender in a way that only a wily veteran can. Then, in the third period, Eckman did a wonderful impression of Sidney Crosby by collecting a lead pass from LW Shawn Fricke, who won a puck battle in the defensive zone. As he skated up the ice, Eckman accelerated to an incredible speed, beat the lone Saints' defender to the outside, and then tapped the puck in the net on a beautiful rendition of the forehand-to-backhand breakaway move pioneered last season by a certain former D1 Diablo who now runs a certain Satanic hockey blog. When asked about his performance, Eckman said, "Hopefully these damn whippersnappers will finally realize that I'm not 'older' than they are...I'm just 'wiser.' OK, I guess I'm older too...but still..."
Shawn "Clutch" Fricke was also exceptional, putting up 3 points of his own (1 goal, 2 assists). He assisted on Eckman's first goal by just plain outworking the Saints down low in the offensive zone, and also scored a very pretty goal right after an offensive zone faceoff. He beat several Saints to a loose puck and fired a snapshot into a puck-sized hole between the goalie's pad and the left post at 7:56 of the second period. Fricke now leads all Diablos with 6 points in 4 games.
Late in the second period, newfound enforcer Cory Steinbach, who currently leads the D1 Diablos and the D1 East Division with 8 PIMs, got into some (undeserved) penalty trouble as the refs decided to give their whistles a workout. He would again decide to take a 2 minute break at the start of the third period, but luckily the Diablos PK unit prevented the Saints from building any real momentum. After the game, Cory declined to comment on the officiating, saying only that he felt his opinion would not be appreciated by league officials.
The Power Line of Groth, Schaefer, and Lindquist, though they were held off the official score sheet, managed to create several scoring chances that could easily have been goals while maintaining their outstanding defensive play. Dean "Machine" Groth set the example with several unbelievable backchecking efforts. All three played a very smart game and took away the Saints' time and space all night.
In fact, the Saints got so frustrated with the Power Line that they felt the need to take a run at Dean in the third period. In an effort to slow him down, one of the Saints skaters put him in the proverbial "trolley tracks" and ran him hard into the boards. It didn't work, however, and the Diablos thoroughly enjoyed the ensuing power play. Dean is just fine, and after the game said "What? Oh, I'm totally fine...I just needed to skate it off, that's all." Apparently, they don’t call him “The Machine” for nothing.
Diablos goalie Todd Latterner faced 18 shots and continued to impress with his quick reflexes and great positioning. He played well enough to earn his first shutout of the season, but was denied when the Diablos were outnumbered at the top of the crease in the third period, and the Saints managed to score off a rebound on the power play.
In all, it was a much-needed victory for the Diablos, who are now in a 3-way tie for 2nd place in the D1 East Division. They will take on the surging Wolf Pack back
at West Side arena on Sunday 11/23/08 at 4:50 PM. Catch it! Official AHA Scoresheet
By the Numbers:
-Larry Eckman, rumored to be the great-grand-uncle of goaltending legend Terry Sawchuck, has a Kovalchuk-like 4 goals in the past 4 games.
-Every D1 Diablo skater who has played in all 4 games this season has at least 1 point.
-The Diablos had a total of 48 shots on goal, 22 of which were in the third period. The Fighting Saints had only 20.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Diablos C2 7 - Bulls 3
The Diablo Hockey Club C2 Team began last Sunday night's game against the Bulls playing fairly tight and not very cohesive. The Bulls were playing strong defence and their goaltending was firm. However, they blew open a tight game with four goals in the third to come away with their fourth victory in as many games.
Rob Anderson had a four point night (1g, 3a) and Ted Reiff potted a pair of goals including a shorty from Anderson which proved to be the game winner. Andy Suerth had his third tally of the season during the second and Dave Hackley, Jarrick Losey and Steve Nelson all found the back of the net. Justin Alderink saw 16 shots and stopped 13. Official AHA Scoresheet.
Rob Anderson had a four point night (1g, 3a) and Ted Reiff potted a pair of goals including a shorty from Anderson which proved to be the game winner. Andy Suerth had his third tally of the season during the second and Dave Hackley, Jarrick Losey and Steve Nelson all found the back of the net. Justin Alderink saw 16 shots and stopped 13. Official AHA Scoresheet.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
DiabloHockey This Weekend... Catch the Fever!
For those who check out this blog for entertainment options in the Twin Cities, be sure to check out some DiabloHockey on Sunday night.
The C2 East leading Diablos take to the ice at their home-away-from-home, Biff Adams arena at 7:50 pm in a battle for first place vs. the Bulls (2-0-1-0). Can playoff hockey be played in the middle of November? If so, this matchup is as good as any.
If being caught in a prostitution sting doesn't appeal to you, then there's always a quick trip to the Yack. Ken Yackel's West Side Arena will host the D1 Diablos as they look to rebound from a stinging loss to the Royals against the familiar Fighting Saints. Puck Drops at 8:10 pm.
DiabloHockey Fever... Catch it!
Other successful hockey marketing campaigns...
The C2 East leading Diablos take to the ice at their home-away-from-home, Biff Adams arena at 7:50 pm in a battle for first place vs. the Bulls (2-0-1-0). Can playoff hockey be played in the middle of November? If so, this matchup is as good as any.
If being caught in a prostitution sting doesn't appeal to you, then there's always a quick trip to the Yack. Ken Yackel's West Side Arena will host the D1 Diablos as they look to rebound from a stinging loss to the Royals against the familiar Fighting Saints. Puck Drops at 8:10 pm.
DiabloHockey Fever... Catch it!
Other successful hockey marketing campaigns...
D1 Diablos 2 - Royals 5
D1 Diablos fall 5-2 to Royals; Global Ski Mask Shortage.
DiabloHockey Correspondent Peter Sinesio reports from Highland Arena in St. Paul
If you were planning on giving someone a ski mask for the Holidays...you might want to make other plans. It appears as though the D1 Royals, who spent months stockpiling black ski masks, large nondescript brown bags, and black clothing, managed to steal a deceptively close game by defeating the D1 Diablos by a score of 5-2.
The Satanic Underground Kingdom's Bureau of Unholy Statistics for Hockey (SUKBUSH) confirmed that this was the closest 5-2 D1 Diablo game ever played. The Diablos came out flying and played a fast paced game. Outskating their opponents from the opening draw, the Diablos took the lead thanks to the lightning quickness of the "Power Line" of Dean "Machine" Groth, Dave "War Hammer" Schaefer, and Monique "AzzKikr" Lindquist (Schaefer from Groth & Lindquist). The Power Line used their speed to create chances throughout the game, and put what seemed like a hundred shots on the Royals Goalie.
If the Power Line put a hundred shots on, then the "Unholy Trinity of Steinbach" Line must have had a thousand. The Steinbach brothers Cory, Taylor, and Shane generated scoring chance after scoring chance using their speed, skill, and sheer will to win. Unfortunately, the Royals goalie had just won the lottery, hooked up with a supermodel, managed to get free snacks from the vending machine, gotten a huge undeserved promotion at work, made millions on a simple bank error, and was generally enjoying the luckiest day of his life.
As the game wore on, the Royals would score two consecutive goals to get ahead 2-1. The Diablos answered back when the "Destruction" line of Larry "Tomahawk" Eckman, Peter "Hail Satan" Sinesio, and Shawn "Mr. Clutch" Fricke scored to tie the game at 2 in the second period. Shawn Fricke, fresh off his nickname-earning goal with 50 seconds on the clock against the Spiders, battled hard to get the puck deep in the Royals zone. Peter Sinesio managed a short pass from behind the net, and it was all Eckman needed to bury it for his 2nd goal in 3 games.
Throughout the remainder of the game, the Diablos mostly outplayed, out-skated, and outshot the Royals. They don't award points based on shots though, and the Diablos suffered a few defensive lapses late in the game to finally fall 5-2. The game was 3-2 until just the final minutes of play, when the Royals managed to score on a few of the rare breakaway chances given up by the normally stingy Diablos.
In all, it was an impressive effort for the Diablos. Despite being outscored, the Diablos outshot the Royals 35-23. In the third period alone, the Diablos controlled play by outshooting the Royals 16-4. There were several occasions when the Royals, who have mastered the art of defensively collapsing around their goalie, got hemmed in their own zone for several minutes at a time. The Diablo defensemen did a great job keeping the puck in the offensive zone, and the Royals quickly lost their energy and gave up chances. Defenseman Mike "Death Cannon" Wrobel, in his Diablo debut, impressed his new teammates with strong 2-way play and several great shots on goal.
In a rare postgame interview, one Royals player, speaking only on condition of strict anonymity, said "[The Diablos] scared the shit out of us at first". When asked for a reaction to this sentiment, the Royals goalie said, "Yeah they totally--wait..hold on....I just found $1,000 on the ground....and another $20 in my pocket.....and it looks like someone is about to give me a new Lexus, free of charge..."
The remaining Royals players could not be reached for comment. Official AHA Scoresheet.
DiabloHockey Correspondent Peter Sinesio reports from Highland Arena in St. Paul
If you were planning on giving someone a ski mask for the Holidays...you might want to make other plans. It appears as though the D1 Royals, who spent months stockpiling black ski masks, large nondescript brown bags, and black clothing, managed to steal a deceptively close game by defeating the D1 Diablos by a score of 5-2.
The Satanic Underground Kingdom's Bureau of Unholy Statistics for Hockey (SUKBUSH) confirmed that this was the closest 5-2 D1 Diablo game ever played. The Diablos came out flying and played a fast paced game. Outskating their opponents from the opening draw, the Diablos took the lead thanks to the lightning quickness of the "Power Line" of Dean "Machine" Groth, Dave "War Hammer" Schaefer, and Monique "AzzKikr" Lindquist (Schaefer from Groth & Lindquist). The Power Line used their speed to create chances throughout the game, and put what seemed like a hundred shots on the Royals Goalie.
If the Power Line put a hundred shots on, then the "Unholy Trinity of Steinbach" Line must have had a thousand. The Steinbach brothers Cory, Taylor, and Shane generated scoring chance after scoring chance using their speed, skill, and sheer will to win. Unfortunately, the Royals goalie had just won the lottery, hooked up with a supermodel, managed to get free snacks from the vending machine, gotten a huge undeserved promotion at work, made millions on a simple bank error, and was generally enjoying the luckiest day of his life.
As the game wore on, the Royals would score two consecutive goals to get ahead 2-1. The Diablos answered back when the "Destruction" line of Larry "Tomahawk" Eckman, Peter "Hail Satan" Sinesio, and Shawn "Mr. Clutch" Fricke scored to tie the game at 2 in the second period. Shawn Fricke, fresh off his nickname-earning goal with 50 seconds on the clock against the Spiders, battled hard to get the puck deep in the Royals zone. Peter Sinesio managed a short pass from behind the net, and it was all Eckman needed to bury it for his 2nd goal in 3 games.
Throughout the remainder of the game, the Diablos mostly outplayed, out-skated, and outshot the Royals. They don't award points based on shots though, and the Diablos suffered a few defensive lapses late in the game to finally fall 5-2. The game was 3-2 until just the final minutes of play, when the Royals managed to score on a few of the rare breakaway chances given up by the normally stingy Diablos.
In all, it was an impressive effort for the Diablos. Despite being outscored, the Diablos outshot the Royals 35-23. In the third period alone, the Diablos controlled play by outshooting the Royals 16-4. There were several occasions when the Royals, who have mastered the art of defensively collapsing around their goalie, got hemmed in their own zone for several minutes at a time. The Diablo defensemen did a great job keeping the puck in the offensive zone, and the Royals quickly lost their energy and gave up chances. Defenseman Mike "Death Cannon" Wrobel, in his Diablo debut, impressed his new teammates with strong 2-way play and several great shots on goal.
In a rare postgame interview, one Royals player, speaking only on condition of strict anonymity, said "[The Diablos] scared the shit out of us at first". When asked for a reaction to this sentiment, the Royals goalie said, "Yeah they totally--wait..hold on....I just found $1,000 on the ground....and another $20 in my pocket.....and it looks like someone is about to give me a new Lexus, free of charge..."
The remaining Royals players could not be reached for comment. Official AHA Scoresheet.
Cal Clutterbuck is Now Utility Position Eligible
Cal Clutterbuck had his first NHL fight Thursday night against a former dance partner from the AHL, Keith Yandle.
On the plus side, he did a nice job rattling Yandle's jaw with the constant lefts to the chin. On the negative side, take off the visor, Clutter. Don't drop the gloves and leave your helmet on.
Obviously, he missed that lesson at the Boogaard fight school.
On the plus side, he did a nice job rattling Yandle's jaw with the constant lefts to the chin. On the negative side, take off the visor, Clutter. Don't drop the gloves and leave your helmet on.
Obviously, he missed that lesson at the Boogaard fight school.
Monday, November 10, 2008
DiabloHockey Fantasy League Update: Week 5
Five weeks of the NHL season are behind us and one team is standing head and shoulders over the others in the DiabloHockey Fantasy League. The Peter Sinesio-led Dio squad is crushing the competition with a record of 33-9-8. This week, he shut out the hapless Puck You squad, led by John Driscoll, 9-0. Dio has 74 points, 10 points ahead of the 2nd Place team in the league, Puck Tooth.
The surprise team this season so far is the Mike Monroe led Puck Tooth team. They've firmly established themselves as the #2 team in the league yet at the beginning of the season, neophyte G.M. Monroe, could barely figure out the difference between Brad Boyes and Brad Bombadier. Good balance and solid goaltending from J.S. Giguere have set Puck Tooth firmly in the mix for the top spot in the league.
The Fighter Rule has been a success so far - Fantasy Hockey orphans like David Clarkson and Jarred Boll have found homes in the DiabloHockey league. DiabloHockey is like the United Way with regards to providing NHL fighters a warm home and three squares a day. We'd like to acknowledge each of the fighters for each team right now...
Dio - Dion Phaneuf (not necessarily in need of a good home, but opens up another roster spot for his team)
Puck Tooth - David Clarkson
SlingBlade(mmmhmm) - Ryan Malone and Jason Chimera
Unoriginal Bastards - George Parros (the 'stache)
Mojito John (mojo) - Rene Bourque
Douchbags - Adam Burish & Joe Thornton (Hey Douchbags - Thornton drops the gloves (hint hint))
Angry Bears - Jarome Iginla, Aaron Voros, Derek Boogaard, Todd Fedoruk, Brent Burns, Chris Neil & Pierre-Marc Bouchard. Add Ryan Getzlaf to the mix and you've got a team of scrappers. Unfortunately, that's only good for 7th place.
Hyphan Slayers - Jared Boll
Spider Monkeys - Cody McCloud &/or Steve Ott
Satanic Mass - Eric Godard
Mood Killers - Georges Laraque
Puck You - Milan Lucic
Goalie Notes: Roberto Luongo (Slingblade(MmmHmm)) had his third consecutive shutout by blanking the Wild on Sunday. The NHL Record is five. Recent injuries to Martin Brodeur (Spider Monkeys) and Evgeni Nabokov (Mood Killers) have meant that teams need to scramble to keep the lineup intact.
Aaron Voros and Ryan Malone squared up for the second time this season for a possible fight of the year...
Two of the three players formerly known as the Slovakian Mafia, skipped Saturday's reunion when the Wild traveled to Vancouver. Pavol Demitra and Marion Gaborik were both out with injury. The third member, Branko Radiovovich, is playing for Spartak HC in the Russian Superleague.
DiabloHockey Fantasy Hockey Tip of the Week: Set your lineup for the entire week by setting, then saving your lineup for each day. Look up top for links to each day and then set your lineup with regards to your team's schedules.
The surprise team this season so far is the Mike Monroe led Puck Tooth team. They've firmly established themselves as the #2 team in the league yet at the beginning of the season, neophyte G.M. Monroe, could barely figure out the difference between Brad Boyes and Brad Bombadier. Good balance and solid goaltending from J.S. Giguere have set Puck Tooth firmly in the mix for the top spot in the league.
The Fighter Rule has been a success so far - Fantasy Hockey orphans like David Clarkson and Jarred Boll have found homes in the DiabloHockey league. DiabloHockey is like the United Way with regards to providing NHL fighters a warm home and three squares a day. We'd like to acknowledge each of the fighters for each team right now...
Dio - Dion Phaneuf (not necessarily in need of a good home, but opens up another roster spot for his team)
Puck Tooth - David Clarkson
SlingBlade(mmmhmm) - Ryan Malone and Jason Chimera
Unoriginal Bastards - George Parros (the 'stache)
Mojito John (mojo) - Rene Bourque
Douchbags - Adam Burish & Joe Thornton (Hey Douchbags - Thornton drops the gloves (hint hint))
Angry Bears - Jarome Iginla, Aaron Voros, Derek Boogaard, Todd Fedoruk, Brent Burns, Chris Neil & Pierre-Marc Bouchard. Add Ryan Getzlaf to the mix and you've got a team of scrappers. Unfortunately, that's only good for 7th place.
Hyphan Slayers - Jared Boll
Spider Monkeys - Cody McCloud &/or Steve Ott
Satanic Mass - Eric Godard
Mood Killers - Georges Laraque
Puck You - Milan Lucic
Goalie Notes: Roberto Luongo (Slingblade(MmmHmm)) had his third consecutive shutout by blanking the Wild on Sunday. The NHL Record is five. Recent injuries to Martin Brodeur (Spider Monkeys) and Evgeni Nabokov (Mood Killers) have meant that teams need to scramble to keep the lineup intact.
Aaron Voros and Ryan Malone squared up for the second time this season for a possible fight of the year...
Two of the three players formerly known as the Slovakian Mafia, skipped Saturday's reunion when the Wild traveled to Vancouver. Pavol Demitra and Marion Gaborik were both out with injury. The third member, Branko Radiovovich, is playing for Spartak HC in the Russian Superleague.
DiabloHockey Fantasy Hockey Tip of the Week: Set your lineup for the entire week by setting, then saving your lineup for each day. Look up top for links to each day and then set your lineup with regards to your team's schedules.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Diablos C2 4 - Eagles 2
The C2 Diablo squad were able to put a solid performance on the Ken Yackel West Side sheet last night despite a plucky eagle team and an inch and a half of snow. Steve Nelson led the effort with his first Gordy Howe/AHA Hat Trick (goal, assist, roughing penalty), and Andy Suerth and Jarrick Losey were each credited with a goal and an assist apiece. Justin Alderink faced 30 shots and turned away 28. The Diablos are on top of the C2 East Standings with a perfect 3 - 0 record. Official AHA Scoresheet.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Diablos C2 5 - Renegades 2
The Diablos C2 invaded Biff Adams arena again to face a familiar foe - the Renegades. (Angry) Todd Ewing and Peter VanZyl each picked up a goal and assist and Justin Alderink turned away 23 of 25. Official AHA Scoresheet.
Diablos D1 4 - Spiders D1 4
A Diablo first - a regular season tie. The Diablos D1 and Spiders D1 each potted four but couldn't find the back of the net during the extra time. A power play goal by Fricke with :50 on the clock saved a point for the Diablos. Dean Groth scored his third goal of the season and C. Steinbach had a goal and an assist for his second and third point of the season.
The Official Diablo Tie Video
All members of the D1 Diablos (and most of the C2 Diablos) must watch this before taking to the ice again.
The Official Diablo Tie Video
All members of the D1 Diablos (and most of the C2 Diablos) must watch this before taking to the ice again.
Diablos D1 4 - Wingmen 2
The D1 Diablos continued where they left off last year by defeating the D1 Wingmen 4 - 2. Dean Groth tossed in a pair, but the highlight had to have been Monique Lindquist being sent off to the showers for a high sticking infraction with less than a minute to go. Official AHA Scoresheet.
Diablos C2 5 - ShameonIce 1
A good first showing by the new Diablo squad in their new division. Dave Hackley had a pair of tallies and Robin Jacobs-Spaulding had a pair of helpers. Goaltender Justin Alderink stopped 26. Official AHA Scoresheet.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
This Week in the NHL
The Wild blew a 3-1 lead with a little over 4 minutes to go to lose in OT to Buffalo on Thursday night.
The only reason I show these highlights is because Rick Jeanneret is hands down, the best announcer in the NHL and even though the Derek Roy scores the game winner, it's an absolute joy to listen to his exuberance.
So the Wild are 4-0-0-1 and I am beyond frustrated with this squad and their management. Without going into a full blown rant, I need to voice my frustration by the absolute paucity of scoring chances. In the last two games I can't remember seeing one legitimate scoring chance. All of the goals (three in two games) were goals by M&G'ers (muck & grinders), unless you count Ryan Miller being rushed into shooting it in his own goal as a finesse goal. Jacques, ya gotta loosen up the trap and allow the boys to wheel & deal rather than toss it in.
At the beginning of the pre-season, I stated that I had some bad feelings about letting Gaby on the ice without a new contract. Unfortunately, that was too prophetic because Gaby has now had his third annual October "lower body injury" which makes it impossible to move him. Mike Russo reported that Bob Gainey and Montreal have shown interest and would possibly consider offering Chris Higgens and Ryan McDonaugh, the kid from Cretin. That's all fine and good, but there's a gap of about 5 million in cap space, so that deal is going nowhere.
Every day that Gaby remains with the team means less and less value for him. This will get uglier before it gets resolved. Read more of Russo for more info - if you can stomach it.
Poor Manny Legace. He trips on Sarah Palin's carpet before the game and strains his hip flexor. Apparently her fifteen minutes of fame aren't up.
Speaking of ugly, how about the Flyers coming into the Rock last night and throwing six past Marty? Brutal. Not to mention that the boys scored three of their own in the first period. Scary - although Brent Sutter probably saw that and told the boys that only Parise and Elias were allowed cross the blue line in the second and third periods. To make matters worse, it was Philly's first win of the season. And to make matters even more worse, it was Philly.
I love defence as much as anyone, but the only way you score goals in this league is if you're around the net. How is it possible to backcheck when you are constantly in the neutral zone?
Captain Langenbrunner left the game with a "lower body injury" and didn't return. He's going to make the bus trip to Philly tonight and see how he plays. That's cool - they take the bus on "local" road trips. I wonder if there's beer on the bus. I hope Rolston doesn't bring his guitar and lead the team in Beetles tunes.
The only reason I show these highlights is because Rick Jeanneret is hands down, the best announcer in the NHL and even though the Derek Roy scores the game winner, it's an absolute joy to listen to his exuberance.
So the Wild are 4-0-0-1 and I am beyond frustrated with this squad and their management. Without going into a full blown rant, I need to voice my frustration by the absolute paucity of scoring chances. In the last two games I can't remember seeing one legitimate scoring chance. All of the goals (three in two games) were goals by M&G'ers (muck & grinders), unless you count Ryan Miller being rushed into shooting it in his own goal as a finesse goal. Jacques, ya gotta loosen up the trap and allow the boys to wheel & deal rather than toss it in.
At the beginning of the pre-season, I stated that I had some bad feelings about letting Gaby on the ice without a new contract. Unfortunately, that was too prophetic because Gaby has now had his third annual October "lower body injury" which makes it impossible to move him. Mike Russo reported that Bob Gainey and Montreal have shown interest and would possibly consider offering Chris Higgens and Ryan McDonaugh, the kid from Cretin. That's all fine and good, but there's a gap of about 5 million in cap space, so that deal is going nowhere.
Every day that Gaby remains with the team means less and less value for him. This will get uglier before it gets resolved. Read more of Russo for more info - if you can stomach it.
Poor Manny Legace. He trips on Sarah Palin's carpet before the game and strains his hip flexor. Apparently her fifteen minutes of fame aren't up.
Speaking of ugly, how about the Flyers coming into the Rock last night and throwing six past Marty? Brutal. Not to mention that the boys scored three of their own in the first period. Scary - although Brent Sutter probably saw that and told the boys that only Parise and Elias were allowed cross the blue line in the second and third periods. To make matters worse, it was Philly's first win of the season. And to make matters even more worse, it was Philly.
I love defence as much as anyone, but the only way you score goals in this league is if you're around the net. How is it possible to backcheck when you are constantly in the neutral zone?
Captain Langenbrunner left the game with a "lower body injury" and didn't return. He's going to make the bus trip to Philly tonight and see how he plays. That's cool - they take the bus on "local" road trips. I wonder if there's beer on the bus. I hope Rolston doesn't bring his guitar and lead the team in Beetles tunes.
More Politics
This has absolutely nothing to do with hockey. My apologies. However it's fairly funny and I believe it appropriately encapsulates our nation's political landscape.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Diablo Dominance - The 08-09 Edition
The season is on. The full schedule is up and the first games are this weekend.
The D1 Squad has their opener on Sunday at 7:40 pm against the Wingmen. They are on the big rink at Wakota Arena in South St. Paul.
The C2 Squad is opening up against ShameonIce on Sunday ten minutes later at 7:50 pm. They'll be skating at the "Big Biff" in HockeyTown, i.e. Saint Paul.
Here are links to the complete schedules. D1 Diablos C2 Diablos
By the way - we need names for our teams other than D1 and C2. How about...
D1 - The Fancy Diablos!
C2 - The Zippy Diablos!
If there are any other good suggestions, please let me know!
The D1 Squad has their opener on Sunday at 7:40 pm against the Wingmen. They are on the big rink at Wakota Arena in South St. Paul.
The C2 Squad is opening up against ShameonIce on Sunday ten minutes later at 7:50 pm. They'll be skating at the "Big Biff" in HockeyTown, i.e. Saint Paul.
Here are links to the complete schedules. D1 Diablos C2 Diablos
By the way - we need names for our teams other than D1 and C2. How about...
D1 - The Fancy Diablos!
C2 - The Zippy Diablos!
If there are any other good suggestions, please let me know!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Hockey Night In Canada - New Theme
It looks like the CBC has chosen it's new HNIC theme song. After going through hundreds of original compositions by Canadians, they finally chose this one...
Fairly bland - nothing too fancy. The song was composed by Colin Oberst, an elementary school teacher from Beaumont, Alberta. What I can't understand is the bagpipes. They may be Canadian, but they originated in Scotland and haven't we discussed how the Brits have denigrated hockey already? For Cripes Sake!
The other (better) finalist was Robert Frasier Burke, a thirteen year old from Toronto.
Either way, they both pale to the original.
And did anyone notice from both videos - the HNIC map pans out from... Minnesota. Nothing surprising there.
Fairly bland - nothing too fancy. The song was composed by Colin Oberst, an elementary school teacher from Beaumont, Alberta. What I can't understand is the bagpipes. They may be Canadian, but they originated in Scotland and haven't we discussed how the Brits have denigrated hockey already? For Cripes Sake!
The other (better) finalist was Robert Frasier Burke, a thirteen year old from Toronto.
Either way, they both pale to the original.
And did anyone notice from both videos - the HNIC map pans out from... Minnesota. Nothing surprising there.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Frickin British Idiots
I thought the whole idea of NHLRocks two nights ago was an awesome idea. A little hockey and a little 80's Hair Metal. I didn't really care for the whole Alannis Morissette deal, but hell, she's from Canada and did a kick-ass version of the anthem in Ottawa two years ago in the Cup Finals.
But Def Leppard? Way Cool. The Hockey Hair. The One-armed Drummer. Pyromania, Photograph, Hysteria, Rock of Ages, and Pour Some Sugar On Me? Classic. How can something that takes me back to Pee Wee's be wrong?
Oh, but it was. It was so wrong when this happened.
I'll let Puckdaddy take it from here...
"Def Leppard's Joe Elliott redefined the concept of embarrassment during one of their NHL Face-Off Rocks segments at the Fox Theater in Detroit. This is what you get for booking a band from England: Drive on the wrong side of the road, place the holiest of holy hockey grails on a pedestal upside down. Epic, epic fail. Even Draper's kid had the good sense to poop in the thing right-side up.
This was the proverbial slow-motion car crash; like on "The Price is Right," when a contestant is about to put the $199 price tag on the tube of toothpaste and the crowd simultaneously shrieks "NO! NO!"
You saw him turn the Stanley Cup the wrong way, and you just wanted to reach through the television and flip it back before he put it down. If only someone on stage had helped him. Why couldn't the drummer have lent a ... bit of moral support?"
Good stuff from the daddy.
I have a problem with the NHL letting any stupid idiot carry the cup, let alone kiss it. I'm 38 years old and am playing beer league hockey but I will never touch the cup because I know that if I touch it, there's still no way that I'll ever win it.
I mean, you never know.
But Def Leppard? Way Cool. The Hockey Hair. The One-armed Drummer. Pyromania, Photograph, Hysteria, Rock of Ages, and Pour Some Sugar On Me? Classic. How can something that takes me back to Pee Wee's be wrong?
Oh, but it was. It was so wrong when this happened.
I'll let Puckdaddy take it from here...
"Def Leppard's Joe Elliott redefined the concept of embarrassment during one of their NHL Face-Off Rocks segments at the Fox Theater in Detroit. This is what you get for booking a band from England: Drive on the wrong side of the road, place the holiest of holy hockey grails on a pedestal upside down. Epic, epic fail. Even Draper's kid had the good sense to poop in the thing right-side up.
This was the proverbial slow-motion car crash; like on "The Price is Right," when a contestant is about to put the $199 price tag on the tube of toothpaste and the crowd simultaneously shrieks "NO! NO!"
You saw him turn the Stanley Cup the wrong way, and you just wanted to reach through the television and flip it back before he put it down. If only someone on stage had helped him. Why couldn't the drummer have lent a ... bit of moral support?"
Good stuff from the daddy.
I have a problem with the NHL letting any stupid idiot carry the cup, let alone kiss it. I'm 38 years old and am playing beer league hockey but I will never touch the cup because I know that if I touch it, there's still no way that I'll ever win it.
I mean, you never know.
Desparate Attempt to Hide a Scar
Clint Malarchuk's neck is in the news again... Do you remember this?
Apparently he was cleaning out his .22 rifle with the butt in between his feet. You can figure out the rest. Fortunately, he's on the mend and should be o.k. The (tasteless) question I have is, "Will he be able to connect one scar to the other in order to make them both less noticeable?"
Best Wishes, Clint!
Apparently he was cleaning out his .22 rifle with the butt in between his feet. You can figure out the rest. Fortunately, he's on the mend and should be o.k. The (tasteless) question I have is, "Will he be able to connect one scar to the other in order to make them both less noticeable?"
Best Wishes, Clint!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Hockey Season Again
There is a crispness to the air and violent emails from Todd in all of our inboxes. Yes, it's hockey season again folks.
There will be some scrimmaging going on fairly soon so mark your calenders.
- October 12, 11:30am to 1:00pm. Breck Arena vs. the C2(Luv-a-)Bulls. Bring a Dark Jersey. Some of you may need to skip church.
- October 19, 9:15pm. Parade Park (Home of the Wild's practice facilities) vs. the C2 Renegades.
There will be some scrimmaging going on fairly soon so mark your calenders.
- October 12, 11:30am to 1:00pm. Breck Arena vs. the C2(Luv-a-)Bulls. Bring a Dark Jersey. Some of you may need to skip church.
- October 19, 9:15pm. Parade Park (Home of the Wild's practice facilities) vs. the C2 Renegades.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Politics
Sarah Palin. No Milf jokes on this blog... Too Easy. However, when I saw her acceptance speech at the X a few weeks ago, there was a joke that I didn't get.
I didn't get the joke until I remembered this part of the movie "Garden State".
I didn't get the joke until I remembered this part of the movie "Garden State".
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Let the NHL Season Begin
Since we are starting the season in Europe this year, let's bring out the best rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner ever. This version screams kick-ass, bloody-mouth, balls-to-the-wall hockey. Ladies and Gentlemen of DiabloHockey, I present to you, Burton Cummings, best known as the lead singer and keyboard player of the Canadian born and bred band, The Guess Who.
Tears streaming from my face keep me from seeing the screen.
Tears streaming from my face keep me from seeing the screen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
