2011 - Page 6 of 24 - Last Word On Sports

UFC 139: Full of Surprises

Posted on November 21, 2011November 5, 2021 by Mark Modeski

There really isn’t much you can say about this card, other than “Ohhhh my!!!”

I went into this card with not really knowing what to expect. There were a lot of good potential fights, but not really one that I thought would be an outright show-stopper. A lot of the headlining fighters were of an older generation (i.e. Hendo, Silva, Le) and I wasn’t really sure they had they ability to compete at the top level of the game. I was wrong.

Watching Faber beat Bowles with relative ease was fun to watch.

Watching Wanderlei Silva rebound from near defeat to TKO Le in vintage “Axe Murderer-style” was fantastic.

However, watching the battle between Henderson and Shogun that can only be described as epic!

This fight was the definition of what makes MMA so much fun observe. Watching Henderson turn Shogun’s face into ground hamburger meat for the first three rounds, only to see Shogun come back in the last two rounds to almost beat Henderson was the stuff of legend. Yes, Henderson came out on top – but, no one really lost the fight at the end of the day. I can’t write out here in words why this fight was so amazing aside from what I’ve said above, I can only recommend you try to find it and watch it yourself. Without sounding to dramatic the best way I can articulate it is to say: that this was a ballet of the indomitable human will (from both fighters).

Despite what he says, Henderson v. Shogun was fight that Dana White wanted last week on FOX. This was the five round war, that had shades of Griffin v. Bonnar, that he wanted as the UFC’s handshake to the mass audience. What better way to educate people on the sport of MMA than to show them jaw dropping stand up and ground action that never stopped? I would really have loved to hear Dana White say after a fight such as this on mainstream TV that he was disappointed with the outcome. It’s not to say Dost Santos v. Velazsquez was a bad fight, this one was just that much better.

Just for the record, below are the results from last night event:

Danny Castillo (W) Shamar Bailey (L) TKO (Punches) Rd1
Seth Baczynski (W) Matt Brown (L) Submission Rd2
Miguel Torres (W) Nick Pace (L) Decision Rd3
Gleison Tibau (W) Rafael dos Anjos (L) Decision (Split) Rd3
Chris Weidman (W) Tom Lawlor (L) Submission Rd1
Michael McDonald (W) Alex Soto (L) KO Rd1
Ryan Bader (W) Jason Brilz (L) KO Rd1
Stephan Bonnar (W) Kyle Kingsbury (L) Decision (Unanimous) Rd3
Martin Kampmann (W) Rick Story (L) Decision (Split) Rd3
Urijah Faber (W) Brian Bowles (L) Submission Rd2
Wanderlei Silva (W) Cung Le (L) TKO (Knees & Punches) Rd2
Dan Henderson (W) Mauricio Rua (L) Decision (Unanimous) Rd5

… and that is the last word.

It's November 20th and the NHL's Top Team is…

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Ben Kerr

Minnesota Wild v. Detroit Red Wings © by jpowers65

The Minnesota Wild!!

What a surprising start for a team that most experts had out of the playoffs this season. So what is going on in Minnesota?

Quietly, Mikko Koivu has become one of the most underrated players in the entire NHL. Not only has he become a superb offensive center, he is also one of the best shutdown centres in the game this year. He’s far and away the team MVP and leading the Wild to this great start. His line with wingers Dany Heatley and Devon Setogucchi has been nothing short of outstanding to start the year.

But thats not all; The Wild are also getting secondary scoring contributions from a unit of Cal Clutterbuck, Matt Cullen, and Pierre Marc-Bouchard. Their third and fourth lines are playing solid hockey and chipping in the occasional goal as well.

On defence a makeshift unit that lost Brett Burns in the offseason; and now has Marek Zidlicky out injured is performing well above expectations. The Wild have always relied on a contribution from all 5 skaters on the ice in playing their defensive system, and this year is no different.

Lastly in Nick Backstrom and Josh Harding the Wild have very strong goaltending and they clean up any mistakes that might happen up front.

Will the Wild sustain this start? I really can’t see them finishing atop the NHL, or even atop their division… but with the way they are playing, they could continue to surprise and make many of the pre-season prognosticators including yours truly burn those predictions that saw them as a non-playoff team.

…and that is the last word.

Sidney Crosby to Return Tomorrow

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Ben Kerr

10 and a half months after suffering concussions on hits by David Steckel and Victor Hedman, the best player in the NHL is set to make his return. Sid and the Pens will be at home to the New York Islanders.

Will he be the same player he was before the injury? How can he not be tentative going into the corners? How can he play with the same ferocity? It seems as the though the Penguins did not rush him back, which is only going to be good in the long run. We have learned what returning from a concussion too early can do – how many players have suffered multiple concussions only to have their career cut radically short? Vote in our poll and have your say! (go to home page, in left column)

Either way, Crosby coming back is good for the Penguins, great for the NHL, and fantastic for us, fans. The Hockey world waits in anticipation.

…and that is the last word.

Brown's Week 11 NFL Picks

Posted on November 20, 2011November 4, 2021 by Ben Kerr

After a strong week 9, but an ugly week 10 the picks are in the plus column on the season. This does not look like a strong week again this week so let’s just see if we can finish better than .500.

ATLANTA -6.5 over Tennessee – Seems like a lot of points for two 5-4 teams. But it also seems like the perfect storm for Tennessee to lose. They are coming off a big win but over a terrible opponent. Atlanta is coming off a close divisional loss and should be itching to get back in the win column. Factor in tha the Titans have to play in Atlanta’s loud dome and they should have problems pass protecting and definitely won’t be able to run the ball like they did the last week. When you factor in how poorly Tennessee has done against decent teams all year-long I have to go with Atlanta.

Buffalo +3 over MIAMI – I understand Miami is playing a lot better now, and I think it is legitimate. But they still were only able to grab wins over KC and Washington. The Redskins are in shambles and KC is the second worst team in the league right now. Even if Miami does manage to outplay the Bills they are not a high scoring team so the Bills could still cover, or steal the game late.

BALTIMORE -7 over Cincy – Baltimore always struggles to move the ball on Cincy, and I expect that to continue. But losing AJ Green is too big a loss for Cincy. Now they are on the road against the best D in the league without their best player and a rookie QB.

Jacksonville +1 over CLEVELAND – Everyone is siding with Jacksonville here. They are seeing MJD and a strong defense, what they aren’t seeing is how they pass for 120 yards or less every game. Everyone being on J-ville makes me want to go the other way. But I am not picking Cleveland again the rest of the year unless I am forced.

MINNESOTA -1 over Oakland – Carson Palmer played well last week, better than I ever expected he could. And he still turned the ball over twice. Now he is on the road against a good pass rush in a dome. When Palmer was forced to move out of the pocket last week he looked old man slow, he is in his late Drew Bledsoe stage of his career at this point. Jared Allen could win this game by himself. Add in Peterson versus a poor run D and I am surprised at this line.

DETROIT -7 over Carolina – Tough line here. I think Detroit needs a bounce back game and Carolina\s offense has not been clicking lately like early in the season. You could even say they haven’t played a really good game since week 5. Both teams have decent offenses but only one team has a really good D.

Tampa Bay +14 over GREEN BAY – Who knows, but 14 points doesn’t get covered very often.

Dallas -7 over WASHINGTON – Seems like a gift. I would do anything to avoid Washington at this point and only having to cover a TD is fine by me. Dallas is a power house, but like Baltimore you never know which Dallas will show up.

SAN FRAN – 10 over Arizona – Arizona has managed to keep most games close and San Fran only really has one blow out on their resume. But I am tired of going against San Fran and losing, so if I lose this week so be it. Arizona also historically struggles with San Fran’s powerful front 7 so I am ok with laying the big points.

Seattle +3 over St. LOUIS – The full 3 points here is a gift. You can never trust Seattle on the road but they are easily the better team. I like the way their O-line has come together, if the injuries to the right side of the line don’t set them back this could be an easy victory for Seattle.

San Diego +4 over Chicago – Maybe I am just out smarting myself here but I don’t love the Bears and they have beat some bad teams lately which is propping up their standing in everyone’s minds. The Chicago offense still really struggles to protect and to take a team like that to cover points is risky. San Diego also comes off a loss 10 days ago. They have extra rest and they know they need a win to stay in the division title hunt. I hate this game and I am only making a pick because I have to.

NEW YORK GIANTS -5.5 over Philly – With Vince Young starting I thought I would be all over the Giants here but I am not feeling great about it. I still can’t see grabbing the Eagles at less than 7 points though.

NEW ENGLAND -15 over Kansas City – KC is missing their starting QB. This team has now lost 3 of their top 4 players on offense this season. They have four wins this season somehow but if you look back on it they seem to have gotten pretty lucky in some of those. They have also lost their best defensive player. Too many injuries. Add it all up and to me you are looking at the second worst team in the league. This is also the first time the Patriots will play the Chiefs since week one 2008. Everyone should remember the significance of that game. And everyone should know there is no way the Pats aren’t going to punish the Chiefs for that one.

This Week: 0 – 1

Last Week: 6 – 9

Season: 36 – 35 – 4

When the Wheels Fall Off

Posted on November 20, 2011November 4, 2021 by Grant Alexander

“Form an orderly line!”
People are getting hurt they’re jumping off of the Leafs bandwagon so fast! And then there are the diehards. Who are still waiting for their “savior” (Reimer) to come back, right the ship, and take them to the promise land!

People; get off the wagon, get off the ship, and get off the pot! This is the same mediocre, (hopefully) 8th place team that we started the season with. Yes, they have had a spectacular start to the season. Mostly due to favorable scheduling, but a great start none the less. So far they have exceeded expectation. But, unfortunately the run has ended, as all runs due. And now its time to go back to grinding out games, and hopefully winning three out of every five to finish with enough points to sneak into the playoffs.

Don’t get me wrong, the Leafs do have some offensive talent. I was the first one to say Kessel will score 40 this year. But he’s not going to score 60. And he can’t carry this team. Lupul’s been good, and the secondary scoring is decent, but decent isn’t good enough. And now 2/3 of the second line is injured. Who’s going to fill that gap?

And then there’s the ever-elusive first line centre… So far, “Band-aid solution” Tim Connolly hasn’t been very productive. Not only that, but he’s only appeared in 7 games! The Leafs don’t mind coddling Connolly because they think he his a legitimate first line pivot. But I strongly disagree. And this, “maybe I’m hurt, maybe I’m not” crap, wouldn’t fly with me. I need a guy I can count on. Every time he got hurt I would be sending him to the minors for lengthy conditioning stints. And I would also find myself asking, is Colbourne close to ready?

On the back end there has been some surprises, and there has been some disappointments. Phaneuf is really taking to the captaincy role, and is digging deep to contribute at both ends of the ice. Liles (JML) has really assimilated well in Toronto, and the stats sheet mirror his efforts. Gunnarsson has been solid, and consistent. And so has rookie Jake Gardiner, although he is a minus six. A lot of people have been impressed with Mike Komisarek’s game, but I’m not quite convinced, and I’d like to see a little more before I offer my opinion. Although I will concede that he has a defense leading plus 3 right now. The guys that have been disappointing so far are Schenn, and Franson. They are minus 4 and minus 5 respectively. Schenn is supposed to be the Leafs best defenseman (maybe behind Phaneuf), and right now he’s probably the worst. He needs to get back to that elite level if the Leafs are ever going to be a contender. Franson, well I feel Franson hasn’t really been given a fair shake in Toronto. He got off on the wrong foot with coach Wilson, and for that has seen a revolving door of defense partners, and the inside of press boxes around the league.

I think Wilson needs to suck up his pride here and cultivate this young talent, well actually I don’t think that is Wilson’s forte, but he should at least be making the effort. This is a kid with a ton of skill, played last year as a top-four guy on a pretty good defensive team in the Nashville Predators, went deep into the playoffs, and grew up idolizing the Leafs.

The worst part about the D though, is they are again, at the bottom of the league in penalty killing percentage (29th). This is year after year, folks. And with the talent, and potential of talent they have on the blue line, it is unacceptable! For this reason alone I think Wilson isn’t the guy.

In goal it’s a different story. James Reimer was lights out (still hasn’t lost in regulation) before he got sidelined with a concussion from a dirty hit to the head. Rookie Ben Scrivens was tapped on the shoulder, and responded by posting a 2-3-1 record, with a 2.95 GAA, and a .899 SV% over 6 game. Which I think is excellent for a rookie that was thrown in to help a mediocre team, un-expectantly. But Toronto fans are out for blood. Come on guys, this kid still has a future, lets not ruin it yet. But before Scrivens got the tap, the onus fell to Jonas. And Gustavsson was his usual .500 self, going exactly 4 and 4 over 8 games. That’s not a shock to me. He’s a decent goalie, but not a great one. Maybe there still is some hidden potential there, but so far, after 3 years, I’m not seeing it. Well, I guess the Leafs brass is skeptical too if they are currently shopping for a steward for Reimer. Which I don’t mind, grab a guy like Turco for a 1 year, league minimum contract, send Scrivens down, which is a must, trade Gustavsson, and wait for Reimer to return. But I only like this if Gustavsson is traded. If you want to hang on to him because you still see potential, that’s fine, but then he should be playing, and there shouldn’t be any shopping. If you can’t count on him to step up for a few games when he’s needed, then why do you have him?

So in summation, no more delusions of grandeur! This team, and its fans, need to work together, and concentrate on the task at hand. Which means stop “planning the parade”, stop chirping other teams, and stop writing Kessel’s MVP speech. But it also means, don’t get down on your team when they lose a couple, it’s going to happen. And stop throwing the players, especially the young goalies under the bus (Wilson will do enough of that for everybody). This is the point in the season where the team is going to need your positive support the most. They are trying to pull out of a small tailspin before it turns into a big nosedive down the standings. And it’s hard enough with the adversity they are facing, having 7 of their starters out with injury (Reimer, McArthur, Grabovski, Lombardi, Armstrong, Brown, Komisarek), including their starting goalie. They don’t need the negativity from the fans and the media too. It’s going to take a lot of heart and determination to weather this storm. And they could sure use the rally and support of Leafs Nation to help them through it. And it all starts with you!

…and that’s the last word.

Phantom Picks November 19, 2011

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Grant Alexander

I know you’ve been waiting all week for this… And the wait is finally over! Saturday night hockey and Phantom Picks are back!

It looks to be a tough week, with a full docket, some interesting matchups. Only 3 teams of the 20 are playing on the second of back-to-back nights. But its not fatigue, as much as it is injury, that might factor in tonight. With several starting goalies still out for there respective clubs. Lets take a look…

Phoenix @ Buffalo

Buffalo is the better team here, and they have been playing great hockey despite losing their starting goalie. But I like the upset. Phoenix has played well on the road, and Buffalo has to be a little worn out from that nail-bitter last night. I’ll take the road dog at 1.90.

Washington @ Toronto

Toronto is forced to dress a handful of Marlies for this, “Which team can stop the bleeding?” matchup. And it’s hard not to take Washington here; especially considering Toronto’s starting goalie is on the IR. Washington at 1.65.

New York Rangers @ Montreal

New York is one of two teams going for their 8th straight win tonight, and unbelievable they’re not favoured! Montreal has been playing better as of late, but this is a no-brainer for me. I’ll take the incredibly hot Rangers, with the road dog odds of 1.85.

Boston @ New York Islanders

Boston is the other team going for their 8th straight. And like the Rangers, I see them getting it as well. Let the battle of the streaks continue! And give me Boston at 1.45.

New Jersey @ Tampa Bay

Both teams have similar records, and both have been mediocre over their last ten. However, Tampa is 6-1-0 at home. I will take Tampa at 1.50. But I do like Jersey’s odds at 2.10 for the upset.

Pittsburgh @ Florida

I think these days, as TSN has pointed out, the only real deal is the “real deal James Neal”. I’m not buying the Florida hype, and I’m not picking them to win tonight. Pittsburgh at 1.55.

Columbus @ Nashville

If Columbus can’t score on other teams around the league, how the hell are they gonna score against Nashville? Nashville has the best goalie in the league, and one of the best defense corps. They are also 7-1-2 over their last 10, and Columbus hasn’t won on the road at all this season. Columbus does have nice odds at 2.50. But I’ll take Nashville at 1.35.

St. Louis @ Minnesota

This game is tricky. Both teams have won 3 straight, and both have been good over their last 10, with Minny being a little better. Minny gets the edge here, especially considering the Blues record on the road. But the odds have Minny as a huge home favourite at 1.50, and St. Louis at 2.10. I think this is a big miss-match, and I’m going to take St. Louis at 2.10.

San Jose @ Dallas

Again, I think there is a big miss-match of odds here. Dallas, who has lost 4 straight, is favoured at 1.70. And San Jose, who is hot right now going 7-2-1 over their last 10, is the underdog at 1.80. Now, I do think Dallas is due for a win, they are way to good a team to lose 5 straight. But San Jose is 5-2-0 on the road, they just smoked Detroit 5-2 on Thursday, and it would be an insult not to take them as the underdog here at 1.80.

Chicago @ Edmonton

Edmonton’s home record stacks up nicely against Chicago’s road record. But I honestly think Chicago is the best team in the league right now, and for some reason Toews is out to prove it. Chicago at 1.60.

Favorites

Washington
Boston
Tampa Bay
Pittsburgh
Nashville
Chicago

Pick ‘ems

Minnesota
Dallas

Long shots

Phoenix
New York Rangers
St. Louis
San Jose

OWC (Odds Worth Considering)

New Jersey 2.10
Columbus 2.50

That’s it for this week. Look for more Phantom picks coming next week. And as always, good luck, and let me know how you did!

Review of week 11 and week 12

Posted on November 19, 2011November 4, 2021 by Frank Giuliano

Serie A Review of Week 11

Due to the tragic occurrence of flash floods in Genova (which also killed several civilians) and in Naples, two matches were postponed: Genoa v Internazionale FC and the scudetto showdown between SSC Napoli v Juventus FC.

In Milan, the Diavoli thumped the so-called “giant killers” Catania Calcio 4-0. AC Milan dominated the match from beginning to end. The Etnei had difficulties stopping the on-form Robinho who scored two goals, while Ibrahimovic and surprisingly Zambrotta finished the pounding. The Rossoneri are currently riding high on a 5 game winning streak. Udinese Calcio continue to lead the pack with a 2 -1 win over Siena. It was the first goal Udinese conceded at home this season. The inconsistent AS Roma defeated lowly Navara 2-0 away. SS Lazio defeated Parma 1-0 with a last-gasp winner by Giuseppe Sculli. The Biancocelesti are now tied for first place accompanied by Udinese with 21 points while AC Milan sits 1 point behind with 20 and Juventus following closesly with 19 points and has a game in hand. Seria A has never experienced such a tight gap!

Preview of Week 12

In the first encounter on Saturday afternoon, struggling Inter hosts Cagliari. The Nerazzurri have scored only one goal at home and sit in the final third of the table. It is expected that Inter will their season around before it’s too late. First-placed SS Lazio travels to Napoli to take on Walter Mazzari’s men who have been struggling recently. The Partenopei will be looking for a big win ahead of this week’s Champions League encounter with Manchester City. Lazio’s key pick-up and partnership of Miroslav Klose and Djibril Cisse seems to be working out better than expected. Sebastian Giovinco’s Parma is up against the other first-placed team Udinese. This will be Udinese head coach, Francesco Guidolin’s first time confronting his old squad and will looking to stay ahead of the pack. Good news for Parma is that Sebastian Giovinco will be in the line up. Juventus FC v Palermo will provide exciting action. The Sicilians have always had a hard time playing away and will be up against a hungry Bianconeri side. Playing away in the English-style Juventus Stadium will be even harder. The Old Lady will be aiming to keep her momentum running after not playing for 22 days. One of the key match-ups of this week features AC Milan travelling to Florence to play ACF Fiorentina. The Viola has terminated their contract with Sinisa Mihajlovic and have appointed new boss Delio Rossi and will debut against probably the hottest team in the Serie A at the moment. The Rossoneri will welcome Alexandre Pato back for this game. The Diavoli have been in excellent form recently. Ibrahimovic and Robinho have been clicking very well even with the absence of Antonio Cassano. Milan will look for a morale-boosting victory in Florence, ahead of their very important encounter against the Blaugrana juggernaughts and currently champions- Barcelona FC- in mid-week Champions league action at the San Siro.

Here are the fixtures for week 12…

Week 12 20 Nov 2011

Bologna Preview Cesena

Catania Preview Chievo

Fiorentina Preview Milan

Genoa Preview Novara

Inter Preview Cagliari

Juventus Preview Palermo

Napoli Preview Lazio

Parma Preview Udinese

Roma Preview Lecce

Siena Preview Atalanta

That is the last word on the Serie A

College Football Picks, Week 12

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Lindsay Higgins

After a full week with no electricity following a freak fall snowstorm, and a week on vacation, I’m back with my picks.

#16 Nebraska @ #18 Michigan: Neither team is great in the passing game, so stopping the run is key. I’m giving the edge to the Huskers in a fairly close game.

Citadel @ #12 South Carolina: Homecoming for the Gamecocks, I assume. They’ll give the crowd a win to cheer about.

Indiana @ #15 Michigan State: Sparty is the stronger team in all phases of the game and should win by at least a TD.

#17 Wisconsin @ Illinois: The Illini got off to a good start this season before stumbling down the stretch. They have talent, but not enough to beat Wisconsin, especially at a time when their confidence must be low.

Kentucky @ #14 Georgia: Kentucky is in the same tier of the SEC as Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. Georgia’s no Bama, but they should beat the Wildcats with no trouble.

Samford @ #24 Auburn: Must be homecoming at Auburn too. War Eagle.

Georgia Southern @ #3 Alabama: Is it me, or do the SEC schools have homecoming later than most schools? I thought homecoming was usually in mid-October. Roll Tide.

Mississippi State @ #6 Arkansas: The Hawgs will get in a relatively easy win before what should be a really good game against LSU next week.

#7 Clemson @ NC State: Dabo Swinney has done a really good job with the Tigers this year. They’ll thump the .500 Wolfpack

SMU @ #11 Houston: The last time I was able to write this column I’m not sure Houston was even ranked. I’m looking forward watching this game, since I haven’t seen Houston play yet. SMU is a respectable 6-4, but I’m going to take the easy way out and pick the unbeaten Cougars.

Colorado St @ #19 TCU: This has been a mediocre season for TCU compared to their last few, but I still expect them to beat the 3-6 Rams.

#21 Penn State @ Ohio State: This is a tough one to pick. The Penn State players, through no fault of their own, have had an emotional and stressful last few weeks. If Ohio State can take advantage of that, the game is theirs to win. At the same time, I could see the Nittany Lions coming out, playing hard, and putting a beatdown on the Buckeyes. I’m taking Penn State, but without much confidence.

#1 LSU @ Ole Miss: I can’t see the Tigers losing to Ole Miss at this point.

Virginia @ #25 Florida State: The Noles rank better in most statistical categories, and they’re at home. I’m picking that to be the difference between two 7-3 teams.

USC @ #4 Oregon: Robert Woods is most likely out, which makes this an easier pick. Oregon will win, but I see it as a close one.

#5 Oklahoma @ #22 Baylor: Tough choice. Baylor is a good team, but I have trouble envisioning another loss for Oklahoma. I’m taking the Sooners in what should be a fun game to watch.

#10 Boise State @ San Diego State: Boise will rebound from last week’s loss.

#13 Kansas State @ #23 Texas: Despite the rankings, I like Texas at home.

Cal @ #9 Stanford: Stanford will get back on track with a rout.

goalTender, Loving, Care – A problem facing NHL goalies

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Grant Alexander

The most important position on every team seems to be the most vulnerable these days. What happened to showing goalies a little TLC?

Good goaltending is essential for a team’s success. Look at a team like Pittsburgh. They have arguably the best player in the world in Sidney Crosby. But with a top net minder like Fleury, they don’t necessarily need Crosby in the lineup to win games. They sure as heck need Fleury though. Want more proof? Here are some examples of teams with current goaltending woes…

Vancouver– Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo hasn’t been 100% all year, and is now out with an upper body injury. This is really noticeable in the standings. The Canucks, who have been a perennial powerhouse, are currently sitting 11th in their Conference. This isn’t just on Lou’s shoulders; the whole team isn’t playing great. But a healthy number one goalie would have them well above .500.

Toronto– The Leafs were on a tear to start the season. They went 5-1-1 through their first 7, with number one goalie James Reimer going 4-0-1 over that period. But disaster struck as Reimer took a cheap shot from Habs forward Brian Gionta on October 22nd. He has been out with concussion like syndromes since that day, and there is no timetable for his return. Since then the Leafs have gone 5-6-1, and are desperately searching for an answer to their goaltending woes.

Buffalo– It’s a similar situation for the Sabres. They were on a roll to start the season, and their starting goaltender Ryan Miller was playing well, accompanied by rookie Jhonas Enroth. That was until this Saturday when Miller took a vicious hit from Bruins forward Milan Lucic. Miller, just like Reimer, is now out with concussion like syndromes. The Sabres have only played two games since then, one being a shoot-out win, the other a loss. So it’s a little early to tell how this will impact the team, and rookie sensation, Enroth. But we can all agree that it is a major loss.

The worst thing is, Luongo, Reimer, and Miller aren’t the only goalies getting hurt. Goalies are getting hit, bumped, and run over in the crease, on a nightly basis.

So what’s with all of the goalie contact these days? Why aren’t they protected better? And what is happening to the players that are hitting them?

Good questions. Well first, there are two reasons why they are getting hit. One is, teams like to use the “goalie screen” or “crash the net” methods for scoring goals. This usually results in goalies getting bumped or interfered with. And since the goalie interference rule isn’t enforced as often as it should be, and suspensions typically aren’t handed out for “bumping” the goaltender. Players are taking more and more liberties with opposing net minders (Gionta). The other reason is, goalies going out of their crease to play the puck. Goalies used to come out of their net and play the puck all of the time back in the day. They would come out, play the puck, and usually take a big hit for their efforts. They were also known to dish it out on occasion too (Ron Hextall comes to mind). But goalies were starting to get hurt on a more frequent basis. So a rule was put in place that said that goalies were off limits. The problem with that was, when the trap was popularized, and teams had to use the dump and chase method to fore-check, goalies would be waiting there to play the puck to safety with no consequences. So instead of putting the goaltenders at risk of injury again, the NHL instituted the trapezoid. Which was supposed to keep the goalie in his crease, and stop him from going out and playing the puck. Well it did. For a while anyway, until coaches found a way around it. All you have to do is send your goalie out to intercept the puck ahead of the trapezoid area. The problem with that is, your goalie is that much closer to the fore-checking winger coming into the zone, chasing the puck at top speed. Incidental contact is unavoidable. And so is contact-contact (Lucic). Especially when it doesn’t end in supplemental discipline.

As far as protecting the goalies… well like I said, the NHL does have rules in place to protect the goaltenders from both forms of contact, they just aren’t enforced the way they should be. But it looks like that is going to change. Given the recent incidences, and the impact it is having on the teams themselves. The NHL, and the General Managers, thought it was a pressing issue that needed to be addressed at their latest meeting. They did talk about it, and they did agree that the rules needed to be enforced tenfold. And also, that suspensions needed be issued for malicious cases.

So the players that have been running, or knocking down goaltenders up until this point, will be safe. But as of now, penalties will be more frequent, and goaltenders will be protected like NFL quarterbacks. Oh, and for malicious or repeat offenders, Brendan Shannahan, will be breaking out his yardstick!

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Year: 2011