Saturday, April 28, 2007
Lets Talk Hockey Episode 50
Yet more NHL playoff talk plus a little World Championship talk...
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Lets Talk Hockey Episode 49
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Lets Talk Hockey Episode 48
MSU is the NCAA Champs, our NHL Playoff breakdown, and Sopel's run in with the cracker...
Friday, April 13, 2007
Introducing the LTH Blog
Because of issues with Feedburner or whatever the hell that is called we had to move the blog to a new site. All my blogs were not allowing many episodes to show up on iTunes so we moved to
http://www.lthpodcast.com/blog/
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http://www.lthpodcast.com/blog/
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Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Watch the Playoffs Live online
Here are two sites that are legit sites to watch NHL Playoff games.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl (US Only) Tonight Minnesota at Anaheim will be on
http://www.comcast.net/sports/ (Not sure if this is US only or not so check it out post comments to let our listeners know) Right now Sharks at Predators.
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http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl (US Only) Tonight Minnesota at Anaheim will be on
http://www.comcast.net/sports/ (Not sure if this is US only or not so check it out post comments to let our listeners know) Right now Sharks at Predators.
SC
Playoff Blog, The First Round
First I said in a blog last week that if the Islanders make the playoffs we all need to raise a glass to Wade Dubielewicz. Today we raise a glass to Wade!
Let's start with Wade and the East
1. Buffalo vs 8. New York Islanders
Buffalo has pretty much been the leader in the East all year while the Islanders have been on and off all year. Although you have to give the Jack Adams Award to Ted Nolan. Who expected the Isles to have this much success with the roster they had. Also Garth Snow did an incredible job to build the team. The Sabres may only have one chance to compete at the level that they have the past two years. They will lose on of Drury or Briere this off season because of the cap. In this series though I cannot see the Islanders mounting much of an attack. I don't think they'll lose in 4 straight because Wade Dubielewicz will steal at least one game from Buffalo. The Sabres are too strong and too good not to make it past the Isles.
Buffalo in 4
2. New Jersey vs 7. Tampa Bay
Lou takes over NJ for the last three games and this is when it is really going to count. If Tampa pulls off the upset it was the wrong move. Even in the 2nd round it may still be considered the wrong move. This series is New Jersey's defense against Lecavalier, Richards, and St. Louis. Who wins this series will look at this to see who won. The only way Tampa Bay is going to win is if they out score the Devils every game. Their goaltending is not good enough to get them past the Devils. Look at last year against Henrik Lundqvist the Devils took him out in four games. Personally I don't think you mess with NJ's defense. It is hard to pick against them as they have an amazing track record. Tampa Bay needs a goaltender bad and Holmqvist and Denis are not going to be answer whether it be this year or next year.
New Jersey in 6
3. Atlanta vs 6. New York Rangers
Atlanta has made the playoffs for the first time in history and it was key for Don Waddell. I said early in a blog that if they did not make the playoffs he would be fired. Well his job maybe safe for one more year. For the Thrashers the key is going to be scoring on Henrik Lundqvist. Henrik has been on top of his game for the last month. If Hossa, Kovalchuk and Kozlov can get through King Henrik they will have a chance. The three of them are all good scoring forwards and they have to score quite often. Now for the Rangers I think this series will all depend on Sean Avery. If Avery can harness his craziness for the good of the team it will drive Atlanta nuts. On the Thrashers the only two players who have seen Sean's act close up is Eric Belanger and Jon Sim who both played with Sean in LA. I think this series is going to be a nail biter since they are so closely matched. I think Atlanta is going to move on
Atlanta in 7
4. Ottawa vs 5. Pittsburgh
Now in the East this is the series to watch. How will Sid the Kid take on his first playoffs. I've said the Penguins are only going to go as far as Sidney Crosby takes them. He is going to have to play out of his mind to get the Penguins past the 2nd round. The goaltending for both teams are question marks in my opinion. Ottawa is facing a harder opponent than last year and it's not going to be easy for Ray Emery. Then again same goes for Marc-Andre Fleury as he is facing his first playoff games. This is going to be the best first round series in the East. This one has the potential to be a classic series as both teams are evenly matched. For Ottawa they have to stop Crosby. If you stop Crosby you have a damn good chance to win. Of course stopping Sid the Kid has not been easy. It just has not even for multiple defensemen.
Pittsburgh in 7
West
1. Detroit vs 8. Calgary
Calgary backed into the playoffs. There is no other way to explain it. How Colorado almost caught them was amazing where they were near clinching for almost two weeks. They are not playing playoff hockey and besides Kipper and Iginla you have to question the work ethic of the team. Detroit on the other hand is going to come into the playoffs strong and have the ability to make quick work with the Flames. Hasek maybe old but the guy has proven that he can win. As long as he does not get hurt the Wings look to be a lock in this series. I cannot see Detroit losing to Calgary like they did in 04. This is a totally different Flames team and they do not have the heart like they did back then.
Detroit in 5
2. Anaheim v 7. Minnesota
The good old "2-7" match up. The "2-7" is one of the most common to produce an upset. I really think this one will also produce an upset. Minnesota's team is not a 7th place team if they had a healthy Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra the whole season. They have a terrific power play with Brian Rolston on the point and Brent Burns has been playing amazing hockey lately. For Anaheim the question is can they get scoring from Penner, Perry, and Getzlaf. Lemaire's defensive system will shut down Selanne, Kunitz, and McDonald as that will be the job of Wes Walz. Unlike in the 2003 Western Conference Finals the scoring threat of Gaborik, Demitra are going to prove deadly. I do not think the Ducks have the depth on the 3rd and 4th lines to get past Minnesota. Of course Pronger and Niedermayer will never leave the ice in the third period. The biggest problem with the Ducks is they have three levels of defensemen. Tier 1(Pronger, Niedermayer) Tier 2(Beauchemin, O'Donnell) Tier 3(Huskins, Jackman). It is going to be tough for the Ducks even though they have a strong team.
Minnesota in 6.
3. Vancouver vs 6. Dallas.
If Dallas wants to win this series Marty Turco is going to have to steal it from Vancouver. I cannot see them winning without winning games 2-1, 1-0, 2-0. Luongo is not going to allow enough goals for fire wagon hockey. It is going to be a goaltending match up. If Turco can't do it Dave Tippett is going to have to try Mike Smith. Tippett will have no other choice if Dallas goes down 0-2 going back to Dallas with two bad Marty Turco games. Mike Smith is going to have to out duel Luongo. It is going to come down to that. Offensively Vancouver is better too which is not going to help anything out. Vancouver's defense is too strong and I don't see Turco or Smith doing it. If Dallas does win look at one of those two as the reason.
Vancouver in 6.
4. Nashville vs 5. San Jose
It's like Deja Vu all over again. For the 2nd straight year this is where San Jose and Nashville fall. Although the question is will the result be the same. Nashville was not as deep last year as they are now. Peter Forsberg is going to be huge when he plays. The guy is a playoff player and is simply amazing. Now last year Chris Mason had to come in when Tomas Vokoun went down with a Blood Clot. This year Vokoun is going to lead this team. San Jose has a Vesatoskala condition but you never know if Nabakov plays. San Jose could put either goalie in net and still be able to win the series. Again like the "4-5" match up in the East this is going to be the best series in the West.
Nashville in 7.
I cannot see this year having the amount of upsets like there were last year in the west. I think the "4-5" could go either way though but with those two teams I doubt it will be an upset to be honest. Both teams are so strong. It is an interesting playoff year. Most teams have been playing their best hockey right now. Get ready for this ride because it is going to be fun.
Now some other stuff.
Chicago wins Draft Lottery.
The bottom five teams all have a chance at the No. 1 pick and Chicago won the lottery and that pick. Sadly the Flyers fans the junk hockey you had to watch all season did not even pay off with the No. 1 pick.
1. Chicago
2. Philadelphia
3. Phoenix
4. Los Angeles
5. Washington
Eddie the Eagle runs wild.
Well Eddie Belfour is at it again. At least this time he is not bribing cops with $1 Billion Dollars(Insert Evil Laugh here!). Eddie and Ville Peltonen were both arrested a couple days back after being a little too drunk at a bar. So here is the news and some fun about it.
http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=203471&hubname=nhl
Fly Eddie Fly
How to convey that Eric Staal is a Diver. In case you have not seen it already.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLY8JMV1eTw
All for today. Enjoy the playoffs!
SC
Let's start with Wade and the East
1. Buffalo vs 8. New York Islanders
Buffalo has pretty much been the leader in the East all year while the Islanders have been on and off all year. Although you have to give the Jack Adams Award to Ted Nolan. Who expected the Isles to have this much success with the roster they had. Also Garth Snow did an incredible job to build the team. The Sabres may only have one chance to compete at the level that they have the past two years. They will lose on of Drury or Briere this off season because of the cap. In this series though I cannot see the Islanders mounting much of an attack. I don't think they'll lose in 4 straight because Wade Dubielewicz will steal at least one game from Buffalo. The Sabres are too strong and too good not to make it past the Isles.
Buffalo in 4
2. New Jersey vs 7. Tampa Bay
Lou takes over NJ for the last three games and this is when it is really going to count. If Tampa pulls off the upset it was the wrong move. Even in the 2nd round it may still be considered the wrong move. This series is New Jersey's defense against Lecavalier, Richards, and St. Louis. Who wins this series will look at this to see who won. The only way Tampa Bay is going to win is if they out score the Devils every game. Their goaltending is not good enough to get them past the Devils. Look at last year against Henrik Lundqvist the Devils took him out in four games. Personally I don't think you mess with NJ's defense. It is hard to pick against them as they have an amazing track record. Tampa Bay needs a goaltender bad and Holmqvist and Denis are not going to be answer whether it be this year or next year.
New Jersey in 6
3. Atlanta vs 6. New York Rangers
Atlanta has made the playoffs for the first time in history and it was key for Don Waddell. I said early in a blog that if they did not make the playoffs he would be fired. Well his job maybe safe for one more year. For the Thrashers the key is going to be scoring on Henrik Lundqvist. Henrik has been on top of his game for the last month. If Hossa, Kovalchuk and Kozlov can get through King Henrik they will have a chance. The three of them are all good scoring forwards and they have to score quite often. Now for the Rangers I think this series will all depend on Sean Avery. If Avery can harness his craziness for the good of the team it will drive Atlanta nuts. On the Thrashers the only two players who have seen Sean's act close up is Eric Belanger and Jon Sim who both played with Sean in LA. I think this series is going to be a nail biter since they are so closely matched. I think Atlanta is going to move on
Atlanta in 7
4. Ottawa vs 5. Pittsburgh
Now in the East this is the series to watch. How will Sid the Kid take on his first playoffs. I've said the Penguins are only going to go as far as Sidney Crosby takes them. He is going to have to play out of his mind to get the Penguins past the 2nd round. The goaltending for both teams are question marks in my opinion. Ottawa is facing a harder opponent than last year and it's not going to be easy for Ray Emery. Then again same goes for Marc-Andre Fleury as he is facing his first playoff games. This is going to be the best first round series in the East. This one has the potential to be a classic series as both teams are evenly matched. For Ottawa they have to stop Crosby. If you stop Crosby you have a damn good chance to win. Of course stopping Sid the Kid has not been easy. It just has not even for multiple defensemen.
Pittsburgh in 7
West
1. Detroit vs 8. Calgary
Calgary backed into the playoffs. There is no other way to explain it. How Colorado almost caught them was amazing where they were near clinching for almost two weeks. They are not playing playoff hockey and besides Kipper and Iginla you have to question the work ethic of the team. Detroit on the other hand is going to come into the playoffs strong and have the ability to make quick work with the Flames. Hasek maybe old but the guy has proven that he can win. As long as he does not get hurt the Wings look to be a lock in this series. I cannot see Detroit losing to Calgary like they did in 04. This is a totally different Flames team and they do not have the heart like they did back then.
Detroit in 5
2. Anaheim v 7. Minnesota
The good old "2-7" match up. The "2-7" is one of the most common to produce an upset. I really think this one will also produce an upset. Minnesota's team is not a 7th place team if they had a healthy Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra the whole season. They have a terrific power play with Brian Rolston on the point and Brent Burns has been playing amazing hockey lately. For Anaheim the question is can they get scoring from Penner, Perry, and Getzlaf. Lemaire's defensive system will shut down Selanne, Kunitz, and McDonald as that will be the job of Wes Walz. Unlike in the 2003 Western Conference Finals the scoring threat of Gaborik, Demitra are going to prove deadly. I do not think the Ducks have the depth on the 3rd and 4th lines to get past Minnesota. Of course Pronger and Niedermayer will never leave the ice in the third period. The biggest problem with the Ducks is they have three levels of defensemen. Tier 1(Pronger, Niedermayer) Tier 2(Beauchemin, O'Donnell) Tier 3(Huskins, Jackman). It is going to be tough for the Ducks even though they have a strong team.
Minnesota in 6.
3. Vancouver vs 6. Dallas.
If Dallas wants to win this series Marty Turco is going to have to steal it from Vancouver. I cannot see them winning without winning games 2-1, 1-0, 2-0. Luongo is not going to allow enough goals for fire wagon hockey. It is going to be a goaltending match up. If Turco can't do it Dave Tippett is going to have to try Mike Smith. Tippett will have no other choice if Dallas goes down 0-2 going back to Dallas with two bad Marty Turco games. Mike Smith is going to have to out duel Luongo. It is going to come down to that. Offensively Vancouver is better too which is not going to help anything out. Vancouver's defense is too strong and I don't see Turco or Smith doing it. If Dallas does win look at one of those two as the reason.
Vancouver in 6.
4. Nashville vs 5. San Jose
It's like Deja Vu all over again. For the 2nd straight year this is where San Jose and Nashville fall. Although the question is will the result be the same. Nashville was not as deep last year as they are now. Peter Forsberg is going to be huge when he plays. The guy is a playoff player and is simply amazing. Now last year Chris Mason had to come in when Tomas Vokoun went down with a Blood Clot. This year Vokoun is going to lead this team. San Jose has a Vesatoskala condition but you never know if Nabakov plays. San Jose could put either goalie in net and still be able to win the series. Again like the "4-5" match up in the East this is going to be the best series in the West.
Nashville in 7.
I cannot see this year having the amount of upsets like there were last year in the west. I think the "4-5" could go either way though but with those two teams I doubt it will be an upset to be honest. Both teams are so strong. It is an interesting playoff year. Most teams have been playing their best hockey right now. Get ready for this ride because it is going to be fun.
Now some other stuff.
Chicago wins Draft Lottery.
The bottom five teams all have a chance at the No. 1 pick and Chicago won the lottery and that pick. Sadly the Flyers fans the junk hockey you had to watch all season did not even pay off with the No. 1 pick.
1. Chicago
2. Philadelphia
3. Phoenix
4. Los Angeles
5. Washington
Eddie the Eagle runs wild.
Well Eddie Belfour is at it again. At least this time he is not bribing cops with $1 Billion Dollars(Insert Evil Laugh here!). Eddie and Ville Peltonen were both arrested a couple days back after being a little too drunk at a bar. So here is the news and some fun about it.
http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=203471&hubname=nhl
Fly Eddie Fly
How to convey that Eric Staal is a Diver. In case you have not seen it already.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLY8JMV1eTw
All for today. Enjoy the playoffs!
SC
Monday, April 09, 2007
Lets Talk Hockey Episode 47
Devils fire coach with 3 games left, The playoff race, Datsyuk in Detroit for 7 years, and Scott is going to London!
Links Galore
I'm going to type up a playoff synopsis on Wednesday so today you're going to get a lot of Links of places that have good hockey news.
www.thehockeynews.com
http://video.google.com/nhl.html (Video of past games)
www.thefourthperiod.com
http://thefourthperiod.com/columnists/bernstein.html (Dennis is a good friend of mine and overall a good guy)
http://www.insidesocal.com/kings/ (Daily News writer Rich Hammond's Kings blog)
www.hockeybuzz.com
www.gamewornjerseys.com
www.tsn.ca
www.sportsnet.ca
http://spectorshockey.tripod.com/spectors_trade_rumours.html (Spector's site the best out there Thanks for having the Blog on there during the Trade Deadling)
www.viewimages.com (Look for pictures if you'd like)
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/instigator/index.html (Funny Comics)
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/stanleycup2007/
www.HFboards.com
www.hockeysfuture.com
http://www.isshockey.com/ (Prospect Scouting page. One of the best)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdf4GeT4ELA (Clark the Canadian Goalie)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xFbO4sQjPw (How a Puck is made)
http://hockeyfights.com/
www.IIHF.com
www.LTHPodcast.com (Those guys are Brilliant!)
If you have any sites you check out add a comment and put them on there.
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www.thehockeynews.com
http://video.google.com/nhl.html (Video of past games)
www.thefourthperiod.com
http://thefourthperiod.com/columnists/bernstein.html (Dennis is a good friend of mine and overall a good guy)
http://www.insidesocal.com/kings/ (Daily News writer Rich Hammond's Kings blog)
www.hockeybuzz.com
www.gamewornjerseys.com
www.tsn.ca
www.sportsnet.ca
http://spectorshockey.tripod.com/spectors_trade_rumours.html (Spector's site the best out there Thanks for having the Blog on there during the Trade Deadling)
www.viewimages.com (Look for pictures if you'd like)
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/instigator/index.html (Funny Comics)
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/stanleycup2007/
www.HFboards.com
www.hockeysfuture.com
http://www.isshockey.com/ (Prospect Scouting page. One of the best)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdf4GeT4ELA (Clark the Canadian Goalie)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xFbO4sQjPw (How a Puck is made)
http://hockeyfights.com/
www.IIHF.com
www.LTHPodcast.com (Those guys are Brilliant!)
If you have any sites you check out add a comment and put them on there.
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Friday, April 06, 2007
PLAYOFFS? YOU'RE TALKING PLAYOFFS?
First a Little Fun. Clark the Canadian Hockey Goalie!
The guy who plays Clark is Nick Vachon. Recognize the last name Vachon, Nick is the son of the Great(And should be in the Hall of Fame) Rogie Vachon.
Well it was a fun night last night in the NHL so lets go over it.
Colorado Hanging Around
Peter Budaj had a great night and Hedjuk had a Hat Trick in a 3-1 win for the Avs. Calgary lost 4-3 after a late Jarome Iginla rush did not get them ahead of San Jose. So Colorado is still alive and they still need to win against Nashville and Calgary and for Calgary to lose against Edmonton and Colorado. It is nothing short of amazing what they are doing to stay alive.
Eastern Conference
Dubie Dubie Do
Wade Dubielewicz is keeping the Islanders alive. Now in order for the Islanders to make it they need first off Toronto to win in regulation against Montreal on Saturday. That is one and the other is they need to win their remaining two games against Philadelphia and New Jersey. Dubielewicz has won his last two in outstanding fashion to keep the Islanders alive. If the snowball's chance in hell comes true we all need to raise a glass to Dubie.
Toronto and Montreal
Both teams lost last night and neither team looked particularly good in losing. So this brings it all down to game 82 on Hockey Night in Canada this Saturday. Montreal clinches with a win in this game. Now if they lose in OT they will have the tiebreaker over the Leafs but their 91 points could still be beaten by the Islanders who can finish the season with 92 points. Toronto can clinch with a win in regulation along with an Islanders lose. Even if the Leafs and Islanders end with 91 points Toronto clinches on a tie breaker. Should be a great weekend in the NHL.
Datsyuk gets Paid!
Well if you are a Detroit Red Wings fan you should be happy to hear that Pavel Datsyuk has been resigned by the club today for an additional seven years. TSN.ca has the deal in around the $6 to $7 Million dollar range per season. An expensive raise but he is going to be the catalyst for this Red Wings team for years to come. Get your Datsyuk "13" jerseys next year when you get the chance. You know it has a good shelf life.
TSN Link- http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=203000&hubname=
London In My Sites.
I plan on putting the deposit down today for the Kings package to head out to London, England and the O2 Arena for the opening night of the NHL between Anaheim and Los Angeles. The package is kind of expensive but I really wanted to do this and I am doing it. Here is what the package includes for $1,545(USD)
Here is the Tentative Schedule from LAKINGS.com
Wednesday , Sept. 26 – Depart LA for London
Thursday, Sept. 27 – Arrive in London – VIP Check in Free Day
Friday, Sept. 28 - London Tour in the morning with an Exclusive VIP reception in the evening.
Saturday, Sept. 29 - Open Practice in the morning with the Kings Game that evening.
Sunday, Sept. 30 - Free day in the morning, Kings game in the afternoon and an optional Kings get together in the evening.
Monday, Oct. 1 – Depart London and return to Los Angeles.
Talking with my buddy Sean we may fly out early and get a cheap hotel for a couple of days just to spend more time in London. Also besides visiting around London I want to try to catch an English Premier League game. Most likely it will be Tottenham Hotspurs because their Home Pitch is near the Hotel and the O2 Arena.
One place I am going to try to check out is the Maple Leaf Pub. This was mentioned by one of our readers/listeners in an email to me. Now I'll give you credit with your real name if I could access the LTH account from school but I cannot. So I'm not even sure where this place is but it sounds great and a place to check out. Also I'd love to see if I can get to Big Ben, Wimbledon, and many other places in England.
Closer to September I will post more of what we are doing so if any of our UK listeners want to say hi at a Pub we'll see if it can happen. I may have a hell of a week as right now I maybe going to Frozen Fury a week early
Frozen Fury is the annual Kings game in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. So Vegas on Sept 22nd and then England a week later. So I have a goal for Vegas. Win enough money to pay for my England trip. Come on Triple Sevens!
We're podcasting today just to let you know.
For all of you that celebrate Easter we wish you a Happy Easter. Although Dave and his Atheist views may say otherwise but I don't know about his opinion on Easter. So to all listeners have a Happy Easter and a great weekend.
SC
The guy who plays Clark is Nick Vachon. Recognize the last name Vachon, Nick is the son of the Great(And should be in the Hall of Fame) Rogie Vachon.
Well it was a fun night last night in the NHL so lets go over it.
Colorado Hanging Around
Peter Budaj had a great night and Hedjuk had a Hat Trick in a 3-1 win for the Avs. Calgary lost 4-3 after a late Jarome Iginla rush did not get them ahead of San Jose. So Colorado is still alive and they still need to win against Nashville and Calgary and for Calgary to lose against Edmonton and Colorado. It is nothing short of amazing what they are doing to stay alive.
Eastern Conference
Dubie Dubie Do
Wade Dubielewicz is keeping the Islanders alive. Now in order for the Islanders to make it they need first off Toronto to win in regulation against Montreal on Saturday. That is one and the other is they need to win their remaining two games against Philadelphia and New Jersey. Dubielewicz has won his last two in outstanding fashion to keep the Islanders alive. If the snowball's chance in hell comes true we all need to raise a glass to Dubie.
Toronto and Montreal
Both teams lost last night and neither team looked particularly good in losing. So this brings it all down to game 82 on Hockey Night in Canada this Saturday. Montreal clinches with a win in this game. Now if they lose in OT they will have the tiebreaker over the Leafs but their 91 points could still be beaten by the Islanders who can finish the season with 92 points. Toronto can clinch with a win in regulation along with an Islanders lose. Even if the Leafs and Islanders end with 91 points Toronto clinches on a tie breaker. Should be a great weekend in the NHL.
Datsyuk gets Paid!
Well if you are a Detroit Red Wings fan you should be happy to hear that Pavel Datsyuk has been resigned by the club today for an additional seven years. TSN.ca has the deal in around the $6 to $7 Million dollar range per season. An expensive raise but he is going to be the catalyst for this Red Wings team for years to come. Get your Datsyuk "13" jerseys next year when you get the chance. You know it has a good shelf life.
TSN Link- http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=203000&hubname=
London In My Sites.
I plan on putting the deposit down today for the Kings package to head out to London, England and the O2 Arena for the opening night of the NHL between Anaheim and Los Angeles. The package is kind of expensive but I really wanted to do this and I am doing it. Here is what the package includes for $1,545(USD)
- Accommodations – Five (5) days and four (4) nights at the 4-plus star “Hilton Canary Wharf” (www.hilton.co.uk/canarywharf )
- Transportation – to and from airport and to both games at the O2
- Two (2) Lower Bowl Tickets to the NHL Premiere games on Sept. 29 & 30
- Half-day Private London Tour
- Daily breakfast at the Hilton Canary Wharf
- Exclusive VIP reception with Los Angeles Kings front office and players
- Watch a Kings practice at the O2 followed by a private tour of the facility
- Limited Edition Los Angles Kings NHL Premiere merchandise package
- Personal travel hosts and services also included
Here is the Tentative Schedule from LAKINGS.com
Wednesday , Sept. 26 – Depart LA for London
Thursday, Sept. 27 – Arrive in London – VIP Check in Free Day
Friday, Sept. 28 - London Tour in the morning with an Exclusive VIP reception in the evening.
Saturday, Sept. 29 - Open Practice in the morning with the Kings Game that evening.
Sunday, Sept. 30 - Free day in the morning, Kings game in the afternoon and an optional Kings get together in the evening.
Monday, Oct. 1 – Depart London and return to Los Angeles.
Talking with my buddy Sean we may fly out early and get a cheap hotel for a couple of days just to spend more time in London. Also besides visiting around London I want to try to catch an English Premier League game. Most likely it will be Tottenham Hotspurs because their Home Pitch is near the Hotel and the O2 Arena.
One place I am going to try to check out is the Maple Leaf Pub. This was mentioned by one of our readers/listeners in an email to me. Now I'll give you credit with your real name if I could access the LTH account from school but I cannot. So I'm not even sure where this place is but it sounds great and a place to check out. Also I'd love to see if I can get to Big Ben, Wimbledon, and many other places in England.
Closer to September I will post more of what we are doing so if any of our UK listeners want to say hi at a Pub we'll see if it can happen. I may have a hell of a week as right now I maybe going to Frozen Fury a week early
Frozen Fury is the annual Kings game in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. So Vegas on Sept 22nd and then England a week later. So I have a goal for Vegas. Win enough money to pay for my England trip. Come on Triple Sevens!
We're podcasting today just to let you know.
For all of you that celebrate Easter we wish you a Happy Easter. Although Dave and his Atheist views may say otherwise but I don't know about his opinion on Easter. So to all listeners have a Happy Easter and a great weekend.
SC
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
We're almost there
Well Sunday is the end of the regular season. It will mark the start of the playoffs and the end of the miserable seasons of Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
Claude Julien Fired
With three games left in the season New Jersey has fired coach. General Manager Lou Lamoriello decided that his team was not moving in the right direction. Lou decided to make himself manager for the final three games. For Lou he is not in unfamiliar territory as in 2000 he fired Robbie Ftorek with 8 games left in the season and Larry Robinson took over the team and lead them to a Stanley Cup win. Lou is not scared of making a move like this. When I heard the news I was shocked as I've never seen it happen to a playoff team but that is Lou. Lou does what Lou wants and he has a trust in there that people believe in. He won three cups since 1995 so he has to be doing something right. New Jersey won last night against Ottawa in a very entertaining shootout.
Joe Sakic
If you've had a chance to watch the Colorado Avalanche this year you've been treated to watching Paul Stastny's rookie season. If you've had the Altitude feed you would hear the love affair that color commentator Peter McNab has with Paul. What has gone unnoticed by many is the season that "Super Joe" is having this year. With a four point night last night(1-3) Joe now has 95 points on the season(35-60). With two games to play Joe Sakic could hit 100 points for the first time since the 00-01 season when he had 118 points. With all the young guys getting press I feel that Joe is not given as much as he should outside of Colorado. Colorado kept their slim playoff hopes alive last night and still has to win out and have Calgary lose their remaining games. If Colorado sneaks into the 8th spot(Which would possibly produce a Detroit Colorado 1st Round) I think Joe Sakic needs to have consideration for the Hart Trophy. Without Joe where is Colorado?
East Playoffs
Carolina is gone and so are the Islanders so now we are left with Toronto and Montreal. Both teams have two games but the main attraction is going to be Saturday night most likely. Here are our scenarios
Thursday Night, Canadiens play Rangers and Toronto plays Islanders.
Team Decision Points
Montreal Win 92
Toronto Win 91- Saturday night decides
Montreal Win 92- Montreal clinches playoff spot
Toronto Loss 89
Montreal Win 92-Montreal clinches playoff spot(Toronto has less wins so Montreal wins Tiebreaker)
Toronto OT/SO Loss 90
Montreal OT/SO Loss 91
Toronto Win 91- Saturday decides
Montreal SO/OT Loss 91
Toronto SO/OT Loss 90- Saturday decides
Montreal Loss 90
Toronto Win 91- Saturday decides
Now when we get to Saturday night Toronto must have a one point lead at the end of the night. The Leafs lose the first tie breaker to Montreal so if both teams have 92 points it does not do Toronto any good. Basically for Toronto they have to win both games. Even though there is the OT loss scenario Toronto has to look at it as win or go home. Montreal can error on Thursday night but they cannot on Saturday night. It maybe all done tomorrow or we may decide the playoffs in the 82nd game of the season.
West Playoffs.
Besides seeding we're just waiting on Colorado and Calgary. Calgary needs two points and or a Colorado loss to clinch. They cannot gain only one point as if Colorado wins out they would win the first tiebreaker which is total wins.
Flames
Thursday @ San Jose
Saturday Oilers
Sunday @ Colorado
Avalanche
Thursday @ Vancouver
Saturday Nashville
Sunday Flames
It looks bleak for Colorado as they need to beat two tough teams in Vancouver(On the road) and Nashville at home. Calgary also plays Edmonton who has been almost a give me game in the last month as Edmonton's injuries have been awful. Hemsky is back but cannot lead the team. Good Luck to Colorado you have a large hill to climb while the other side of that hill needs to crumble.
Playoff Pool
If you are interested in a Playoff Pool please e-mail me and if we get enough we'll do a pool. Let me know ASAP
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Claude Julien Fired
With three games left in the season New Jersey has fired coach. General Manager Lou Lamoriello decided that his team was not moving in the right direction. Lou decided to make himself manager for the final three games. For Lou he is not in unfamiliar territory as in 2000 he fired Robbie Ftorek with 8 games left in the season and Larry Robinson took over the team and lead them to a Stanley Cup win. Lou is not scared of making a move like this. When I heard the news I was shocked as I've never seen it happen to a playoff team but that is Lou. Lou does what Lou wants and he has a trust in there that people believe in. He won three cups since 1995 so he has to be doing something right. New Jersey won last night against Ottawa in a very entertaining shootout.
Joe Sakic
If you've had a chance to watch the Colorado Avalanche this year you've been treated to watching Paul Stastny's rookie season. If you've had the Altitude feed you would hear the love affair that color commentator Peter McNab has with Paul. What has gone unnoticed by many is the season that "Super Joe" is having this year. With a four point night last night(1-3) Joe now has 95 points on the season(35-60). With two games to play Joe Sakic could hit 100 points for the first time since the 00-01 season when he had 118 points. With all the young guys getting press I feel that Joe is not given as much as he should outside of Colorado. Colorado kept their slim playoff hopes alive last night and still has to win out and have Calgary lose their remaining games. If Colorado sneaks into the 8th spot(Which would possibly produce a Detroit Colorado 1st Round) I think Joe Sakic needs to have consideration for the Hart Trophy. Without Joe where is Colorado?
East Playoffs
Carolina is gone and so are the Islanders so now we are left with Toronto and Montreal. Both teams have two games but the main attraction is going to be Saturday night most likely. Here are our scenarios
Thursday Night, Canadiens play Rangers and Toronto plays Islanders.
Team Decision Points
Montreal Win 92
Toronto Win 91- Saturday night decides
Montreal Win 92- Montreal clinches playoff spot
Toronto Loss 89
Montreal Win 92-Montreal clinches playoff spot(Toronto has less wins so Montreal wins Tiebreaker)
Toronto OT/SO Loss 90
Montreal OT/SO Loss 91
Toronto Win 91- Saturday decides
Montreal SO/OT Loss 91
Toronto SO/OT Loss 90- Saturday decides
Montreal Loss 90
Toronto Win 91- Saturday decides
Now when we get to Saturday night Toronto must have a one point lead at the end of the night. The Leafs lose the first tie breaker to Montreal so if both teams have 92 points it does not do Toronto any good. Basically for Toronto they have to win both games. Even though there is the OT loss scenario Toronto has to look at it as win or go home. Montreal can error on Thursday night but they cannot on Saturday night. It maybe all done tomorrow or we may decide the playoffs in the 82nd game of the season.
West Playoffs.
Besides seeding we're just waiting on Colorado and Calgary. Calgary needs two points and or a Colorado loss to clinch. They cannot gain only one point as if Colorado wins out they would win the first tiebreaker which is total wins.
Flames
Thursday @ San Jose
Saturday Oilers
Sunday @ Colorado
Avalanche
Thursday @ Vancouver
Saturday Nashville
Sunday Flames
It looks bleak for Colorado as they need to beat two tough teams in Vancouver(On the road) and Nashville at home. Calgary also plays Edmonton who has been almost a give me game in the last month as Edmonton's injuries have been awful. Hemsky is back but cannot lead the team. Good Luck to Colorado you have a large hill to climb while the other side of that hill needs to crumble.
Playoff Pool
If you are interested in a Playoff Pool please e-mail me and if we get enough we'll do a pool. Let me know ASAP
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Monday, April 02, 2007
Welcome Back Blog
Well I had my Spring Break last week and along with starting my new job I really did not have time to blog. My new job has me starting at 7:30am. Which for me anything early then 10am is early then hell. So imagine how I felt getting to work at 7:30. I was completely done when I got home. Usually just ate and then fell right to sleep. Then on Friday and Saturday my friends and I planned our Paintball outing so that is the reason why we did not have a podcast this week.
East Playoffs
Well the newest team to clinch is the Atlanta Thrashers. This is great as this is their first trip to the playoffs. Waddell made a lot of moves at the deadline, a lot that I was very critical of because of the youth he gave up, but he made the playoffs and that is the most important thing. So good for them. Personally I hope they don't do too well as the Price of Belanger's jersey will go up. If the Thrash make the finals I do not know if I can afford his jersey.
Now the bottom of the East is as crazy as ever. I made my predictions last show and it looks like two of the three are going to make it. The Islanders' season ended it seems when Steve Begin's knee met Rick DiPietro's head. They are not playing good hockey and sadly they are not going to make it. I still do not blame Garth Snow for his move at the deadline bringing in Ryan Smyth. It was still a great trade for them to get towards the playoffs. If DiPietro stayed healthy they would have had a better shot.
So this opens up a spot between Montreal, Toronto, and Carolina. Carolina in my opinion is already floating in the dead pool. They had to battle back to beat Florida yesterday in the 3rd period after being down 3-1. They won it in OT when they were awarded a two-man advantage. Now in OT they do not play 4 on 2 they go back to regular 5 on 3. It is amazing how much the loss of Matt Cullen and Aaron Ward was to this team.
So that leaves a battle between the two most storied teams. Toronto and Montreal. Toronto pulled out a victory on Saturday against Pittsburgh after blowing a lead with 4 seconds on the clock and causing a fan to have a heart attack(He was revived and is in stable condition). Kaberle won it in overtime to keep them alive. Then they played the Rangers on Sunday and got smacked around. Seven goals scored against Toronto. They have three games left and sitting in ninth place with 87 points. Their final games are against Philadelphia, Islanders in NY, and Montreal. That last game against Montreal could be the deciding game.
Montreal on the other hand is riding the hand of Jaroslav Halak. Halak has been playing great allowing Montreal to get into the race. Right now I think they are the odds on favorite to make it. They have Boston at home then they move on to play the Islanders and Toronto on the road. Personally I think they have a good chance to sweep all three.
Western Ho
Colorado is knocking on the door step of doom and will most likely not make the playoffs. Any Calgary win or Colorado loss will spell disaster. Eight games between the two and that one win or loss ends the season.
The rest of the west is fricken crazy. Right now there are three teams with a chance of winning the division. Anaheim(106), Detroit(108), Nashville(105). Personally I hope Detroit gets it because I'm not a fan of the other two. Besides that San Jose and Dallas are both at 102 points Vancouver is right there with 101. Minnesota in knocking on the door at 98. There is a good chance all eight playoff teams in the West will have 100+ points. Most likely teams will not know who they play and if they have home ice till the last two days of the season. There could be some interesting match ups. San Jose and Anaheim, Detroit and Calgary, Dallas and Anaheim, maybe even Minnesota and Dallas is possible. Should be a great time.
Vinny hits 50!
Vinny Lecavalier put in his 50th goal this season against Carolina. It has been a great year for Vinny and he is leading the NHL in goals and is looking like he'll be the Rocket Richard Trophy winner barring a goal scoring output from Dany Heatley(For fantasy reasons I'd love for this to happen). Heats needs two goals in his final three games to hit the 50 mark. Teemu Selanne is the only other player who in my mind has a chance. He needs five goals in three games to hit the mark. It will be tough but the Finnish Flash always preforms well under pressure.
It also looks like Sid the Kid will lead the league in Points. He has 117 now and is eight ahead of Joe Thornton(109) who had a four point game on Sunday against the Kings. Hitting 100 I think the best chance goes to Marian Hossa who needs three points in three games to hit the century mark.
That is all for now.
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East Playoffs
Well the newest team to clinch is the Atlanta Thrashers. This is great as this is their first trip to the playoffs. Waddell made a lot of moves at the deadline, a lot that I was very critical of because of the youth he gave up, but he made the playoffs and that is the most important thing. So good for them. Personally I hope they don't do too well as the Price of Belanger's jersey will go up. If the Thrash make the finals I do not know if I can afford his jersey.
Now the bottom of the East is as crazy as ever. I made my predictions last show and it looks like two of the three are going to make it. The Islanders' season ended it seems when Steve Begin's knee met Rick DiPietro's head. They are not playing good hockey and sadly they are not going to make it. I still do not blame Garth Snow for his move at the deadline bringing in Ryan Smyth. It was still a great trade for them to get towards the playoffs. If DiPietro stayed healthy they would have had a better shot.
So this opens up a spot between Montreal, Toronto, and Carolina. Carolina in my opinion is already floating in the dead pool. They had to battle back to beat Florida yesterday in the 3rd period after being down 3-1. They won it in OT when they were awarded a two-man advantage. Now in OT they do not play 4 on 2 they go back to regular 5 on 3. It is amazing how much the loss of Matt Cullen and Aaron Ward was to this team.
So that leaves a battle between the two most storied teams. Toronto and Montreal. Toronto pulled out a victory on Saturday against Pittsburgh after blowing a lead with 4 seconds on the clock and causing a fan to have a heart attack(He was revived and is in stable condition). Kaberle won it in overtime to keep them alive. Then they played the Rangers on Sunday and got smacked around. Seven goals scored against Toronto. They have three games left and sitting in ninth place with 87 points. Their final games are against Philadelphia, Islanders in NY, and Montreal. That last game against Montreal could be the deciding game.
Montreal on the other hand is riding the hand of Jaroslav Halak. Halak has been playing great allowing Montreal to get into the race. Right now I think they are the odds on favorite to make it. They have Boston at home then they move on to play the Islanders and Toronto on the road. Personally I think they have a good chance to sweep all three.
Western Ho
Colorado is knocking on the door step of doom and will most likely not make the playoffs. Any Calgary win or Colorado loss will spell disaster. Eight games between the two and that one win or loss ends the season.
The rest of the west is fricken crazy. Right now there are three teams with a chance of winning the division. Anaheim(106), Detroit(108), Nashville(105). Personally I hope Detroit gets it because I'm not a fan of the other two. Besides that San Jose and Dallas are both at 102 points Vancouver is right there with 101. Minnesota in knocking on the door at 98. There is a good chance all eight playoff teams in the West will have 100+ points. Most likely teams will not know who they play and if they have home ice till the last two days of the season. There could be some interesting match ups. San Jose and Anaheim, Detroit and Calgary, Dallas and Anaheim, maybe even Minnesota and Dallas is possible. Should be a great time.
Vinny hits 50!
Vinny Lecavalier put in his 50th goal this season against Carolina. It has been a great year for Vinny and he is leading the NHL in goals and is looking like he'll be the Rocket Richard Trophy winner barring a goal scoring output from Dany Heatley(For fantasy reasons I'd love for this to happen). Heats needs two goals in his final three games to hit the 50 mark. Teemu Selanne is the only other player who in my mind has a chance. He needs five goals in three games to hit the mark. It will be tough but the Finnish Flash always preforms well under pressure.
It also looks like Sid the Kid will lead the league in Points. He has 117 now and is eight ahead of Joe Thornton(109) who had a four point game on Sunday against the Kings. Hitting 100 I think the best chance goes to Marian Hossa who needs three points in three games to hit the century mark.
That is all for now.
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