The AHL has decided to not fine Tuukka Rask of the Providence Bruins for his meltdown last Friday. Why was fining him even an option? Why wasn't there talk of giving him a bonus? It doesn't even matter if the referee got the call right. That's not the point. The poor kid is 22 years-old and lives in Providence. Rhode Island! Just look at what it's doing to him.
He's a goalie. They're known for being crazy. Any goalie will openly admit to such cerebral schizophrenia. Everyone hockey fan knows it. Tuukka just got pissed during (and after) the game because of a questionable call. He's not the first and certainly won't be the last professional goalie to throw a tantrum in an awesome display of psychotic rage.
There are much worse things he could have done. Back in the days of the Patrick Division the fans were treated to better aggression on a weekly basis. If one types "Ron Hextall Fight" into YouTube the results returned border on batshit insane.
He was one crazy goalie. He probably still is. And even Ron Hextall (Heeeeeexxx-taaaallll) was a close second to 'Battlin' Billy Smith of the Islanders when it came to down to being bonkers. But this is about Tuukka Rask and his potential.
It's not about how good a goalie he can become, but how crazy he can get. He's only 22 right now. He has a lot more crazy in him. Moving to Boston can help him take that next step. I know.
Tuukka, the fans believe in you. We dream of a day where you are butt-ending Lindy Ruff for no reason or skating down to the other crease to drop the gloves. You have shown that you have promise, but don't let it go to waste. If you need some help, I'm sure opposing fans can work in a nice "Tuuuuuuu-kkkaaaaaaa" chant. Just believe in them because they believe in you.
The trade deadline is approaching, the final quarter of the season is drawing near and it's officially time for the same old questions to begin. Who will make the playoffs? Who will miss the playoffs? Why are they still running those terrible commercials on the NHL Network? How is the playoff seeding determined? And, what is the NHL's tie-breaking formula if teams have the same number of points at the end of the regular season?
Here is the breakdown of how the standings will be determined for each Conference at the conclusion of the regular season, determined in accordance with the following priorities in the order listed:
a) First place in each of the three (3) divisions seeded 1, 2, and 3. b) The higher number of points earned by the Club. c) The greater number of games won by the Club. d) The higher number of points earned in games against each other among two (2) or more Clubs having equal standing under priority (b) and (c) ** e) The greater differential between goals scored for and against by Clubs having equal standing under priority (d).
** NOTE: For the purpose of determining standing under priority (d) for two or more tied Clubs that have not played an even number of games with one or more of the other tied Clubs, the first game played in the city that has the extra game (the “odd game”) shall not be included. When more than two Clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any “odd games”) shall be used to determine standing.
That's it, plain and (relatively) simple. Don't worry, the playoffs will be here before you know it.
As much as the game has changed over the last 50+ years it will always remain the same in so many ways. This film is a reminder that all the new technology, expensive advertising, rule changes, salary negotiations and other modifications will never alter what we all truly love about hockey.
It could have been just one of those fights where two guys tussle, don't really get in a good punch and fall to the ground. And it was...until the end.
Why don't most snipers fight? Well most people probably think it's because they don't want to break a hand, or a nail, or maybe it's a more logical matter like coach doesn't want them wasting their time in the penalty box.
Well, Alexander Semin provides his own answer to that question. He shows us that he just, straight-up, doesn't know how to punch horizontally. Apparently he can throw a temper tantrum or play the bongos, or throw a lower-cut, but whatever it is, its ugly.
Pond hockey came early to Boston this year. Not the sport itself - it’s still too warm for that - but the documentary Pond Hockey was screened at Boston University this week. The event was held at the Agganis Arena, serving as both a screening of the film and a tribute to Jack Falla, the celebrated hockey journalist and professor at BU.
The event was well coordinated in every way, and I don’t just write that because of the open bar. Hockey fans, players, men, women, boys and girls all came out to the screening and sat, transfixed on the screen as every level of hockey player talked about the game we all love. The two greatest active coaches in men’s college hockey even managed to make it to the festivities. Friends and rivals Jack Parker of Boston University and Jerry York of Boston College were on hand to watch the movie and show their support for the Jack Falla Memorial Fund.
But the real stars of the night were those players featured in the film. Pond Hockey is a film made for those who love the game, by guys who love the game. It is about the love of the game in its purest form. It is about hockey the way it was supposed to be played, the way it was originally played.
The film follows the journey of two teams at the US Pond Hockey Championships. But that simply serves as an extension of examining the game. Whether competitive games or whether games where none know the exact score, it is irrelevant. The documentary reminds us all that the game isn’t about suicides or two-on-three drills. It’s not about whether you are playing sober or drunk or have a bonfire going or have a warming hut or only have the sun to provide some warmth or none at all. It’s about playing ice hockey.
In an era of elite camps, travel teams, over practicing, and year round training, the player begins to forget that it should be fun. The irony is that those players are playing or practicing too much to appreciate what they are doing. Being on the pond signifies that freedom that few take the time to recognize anymore. A pond doesn’t cost $125 an hour. You don’t have to schedule time. You don’t have to go because you think your coach is going to pissed if you don’t show. You go because you would rather do nothing else.
Pond hockey is about the love of the game because anyone skating out there loves the game. He or she loves it so much it doesn’t matter how cold it is. Most of them thrive on it. They inhale the taste of winter and exhale the exhilaration of the moment in pure vapor form.
Pond hockey is not just about pond hockey. It’s about pure hockey. It is about the game, not the sport. Pond, river, backyard, parking lot or anywhere else frozen water can become a rink serves the sprit of the game and those crazy enough to play it. The film reminds us what it means to be out there on a fresh sheet. It shows us that any player - from the Great One himself to the guy who was the last cut on the high school team – can lace up a pair of skates, step onto the ice and be taken away to a special place where he can exist until his mother or wife calls him in for dinner.
No other aspect of hockey encompasses the intensity, insanity and individuality of the goaltender like the goalie mask. Unless you have suited up between the pipes yourself it is difficult to gain insight into the mind of these unique individuals. Even if you have spent the seemingly endless minutes putting on all that equipment, one can almost guarantee that your mind works entirely different than anyone else who plays the same position. For those of you fascinated with the history of the goalie mask, the design, or the motivation behind some of the artistic decisions, you are in luck.
To celebrate the anniversary of Jacques Plante becoming the first NHL goalie to regularly wear face protection, the NHL has compiled a collection of information and imagery to salute these popular padded protectors.
Featuring a brief explanation about the design along with some rich visual imagery the NHL has compiled an impressive collection that any goalie enthusiast will relish.
DISCLAIMER: Insight into the mind of a goaltender may result in confusion, disorientation, night terrors, overheating, and in extreme cases could possibly lead to a fear of Jonathan Toews.
The AHL has decided to not fine Tuukka Rask of the Providence Bruins for his meltdown last Friday. Why was fining him even an option? Why wasn't there talk of giving him a bonus? It doesn't even matter if the referee got the call right. That's not the point. The poor kid is 22 years-old and lives in Providence. Rhode Island! Just look at what it's doing to him.
