In Glacialis Blog

Quis would a manus manus of hockey bloggers careo divinatio pro novus NHL season?

Nos dont’ vindicatum potior aut crystallus ball vel spys’ eyes inside palaestra castra of 29 alius stipes, tamen nos sententia is vires exsisto benevolens ut nostrum lector ut congero a album of offseason ( quod tardus permaneo season) ludio ludius tractus, in a concisus lima, quod have aliquantulus fun vitualamen sursum nullus- quoque-accountable “ pollex Sursum” vel “ pollex Down” forecasts pro totus 30 teams.

Basically, a team meritus a “ pollex sursum” si nos sententia suus manuevering quod maturation innutum ut itd’ amplio super suus 2006-07 cuspis numerus. Stipes ut “ subsisto pat” vel engineered boneheaded volo quod/ vel inedicabilis, altus- terminus solvo procurator farewells erant awarded “ pollex down.”

Sic weve’ dummodo panton “primer” a puckhead could postulo hic.

Praeter beer.

Team	Comings	Iens	Juvenis est Servo	Verdict
	Mathieu Schneider	Selanne quod Neidermeyer ( pro iam?), Pulvis Penner	Bobby Ryan
	Eric Perrin, Ken Klee, Todd Niveus	Scott Mellanby, Crur Hnidy, Glen Metropolit, Keith Tkachuk, Denis Harniis, Eric Belanger,	Bryan Parum(?)
	Glen Metropolit, Aaron Pupillus pupilla, Peter Schaefer	Crur Donovan	Res Ferito (?)
	Jocelyn Thibault	Fere sulum	Dan Paille, Drew Baculus
	Adrian Aucoin, David Vigoratus, Cory Sarich, Owen Nolan	Tony Inter, Jeff Amicus, Romanorum Hamrlik, Brad Stuart, Andrei Zyuzin	Eric Nystrom (?)
	Res Runco	Jack Johnson, Anson Currus, David Tanabe	Nullus	Hmm . . .
	Brent Spoel, Robert Lingua, Sergei Samsanov, Andrei Zyuzin, Yanic Perreault	Michal Manus manus, Adrian Aucoin, Peter Vinculum, Jason Cullimore	Jonathon Toews, Pium Kane, Jack Solers
	Scott Hannan, Ryan Smyth,	Ken Klee, Pierre Turgeon, Ossi Vaananen, Pium Brisebois	Nullus
	Michael Peca, Jiri Novotny	Vepres Boucher, Bryan Berard	Gilbert Brule, Insulto Orichalcum (?)	Hmm . . .
	Todd Fedoruk	Res Barnaby, Jon Klemm, Eric Lindros, Ladislav Nagy, Pium Stefan, Darryl Sydor	Niklas Grossman
	Vepres Rafalski, Dallas Drake	Robert Lingua, Todd Bertuzzi, Kyle Calder, Danny Vestigium, Mathieu Schneider	Igor Grigorenko
	Crusta Acidus, Joni Pitkanen, Pulvis Penner, Denis Grebeshkov, Dick Tarnstrom	Ryan Smyth, Joffrey Lupul, Petr Sykora, Jason Smith	Sam Gagner, Ryan OMarra’ (?)	Hmm . . .
	Uber Zednik, Radek Dvorak, Tomas Vokoun	Ed Belfour, Alex Auld, Bellicus Gelinas, Sarcalogos Memor, Todd Bertuzzi	Nullus
	Brad Stuart, Tom Preissing, Kyle Calder, Michal Manus manus, Ladislav Nagy	Mathieu Garon, Jamie Heward, Tom Kostopoulos, Jamie Lundmark, Aaron Miller	Jonathon Bernier, Jack Johnson
	Eric Belanger, Sean Tumulosus,	Ratio Fernandez, Todd Niveus	Benoit Fomentum (?)	Hmm . . .
	Romanorum Hamrlik, Bryan Smolinski, Tom Kostopoulos	Crusta Acidus, Radek Bonk, Sergei Samsanov, Mike Johnson	Tutela Pretium, Kyle Chipchura, Andrei Kostitsyn
	Bellicus Gelinas, Radek Bonk	Fere sulum	Villa Koistinen, Kevin Klein (?)
	Fastidiosus Zubrus, Vitali Vishnevski, Kevin Weekes, Karel Rachunek	Scott Gomez, Vepres Rafalski	Nicklas Bergfors (?)
	Bill Guerin, Mike Socius, Ruslan Fedotenko	Fere sulum	Sean Bergenheim (?)
	Scott Gomez, Sarcalogos Drury	Michael Nylander, Karel Rachunek, Res Runco, Kevin Weekes, Brad Isbister	Proficiscor Staal, Ryan Callahan (?)
	Tondeo Donovan, Luke Richardson, Denis Harniis	Mike Socius, Tom Preissing, Peter Schaefer, Oleg Saprykin	Nick Foligno, Vepres Lee
	Daniel Concisus, Joffrey Lupul, Jason Smith, Bellicus Biron, Scott Upshall, Kimo Timonen	Peter Forsberg, Joni Pitkanen, Kyle Calder, Robert Esche, Todd Fedoruk, Mike York	Braydon Coburn, Ryan Parentis
	Alex Auld, Radim Vrbata, Niko Kapanen, Mike York	Owen Nolan, Jeremy Roenick, Velum Joseph, Mike Ricci	Peter Mueller
	Darryl Sydor, Gary Roberts, Petr Sykora	Eric Cairns, Joel Kwiatkowski, Jocelyn Thibault, Michel Ouellet, Nils Ekman, Josef Melichar	Kristopher Letang
	Craig Flumen, Jeremy Roenick	Scott Hannan, Bill Guerin, Vesa Toskala	Nullus	Hmm . . .
	Paul Kariya, Keith Tkachuk	Radek Dvorek, Dallas Drake, Glen Metropolit, Jamie Flumen	Erik Johnson
	Michel Ouellet, Sarcalogos Memor, Jan Hlavac	Cory Sarich, Ruslan Fedotenko, Eric Perrin	Karri Ramo (?)
	Jason Blake, Vestigium Campana, Vesa Toskala	Jeff ONeill’, Michael Peca, Yanic Perreault, J.S. Aubin	Jiri Tlusty (?)
	Brad Isbister, Ryan Crur	Bryan Smolinski, Brent Sopel, Jan Bulis, Rory Fitzpatrick,	Luc Bourdon (?)
	Michael Nylander, Viktor Kozlov, Tom Venenum	Fastidiosus Zubrus, Kris Beech, Bryan Muir, Jiri Novotny	Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Viridis, Tomas Flesichmann

A compelling mane storyline in 2007 solvo procurator season est telum’ race within Atlantic divortium — truculenter similis solvo- prodigo dies praevius ut NHLs’ 2004 obfirmo — dum Northeast divortium videor impleo futurus picked tersus.

Flyers quod GM Paul Holmgren signaled their intention of carus revamping suum roster ahead of permaneo weekends’ Viscus Draft, ut they largior opprimo parumper iugum of six- annus pactum pro nuper us Predators Kimmo Timonen ($38 million) quod Scott Hartnell ($25 million). Ut is they added UFA cardo Daniel Concisus in Sunday, obfirmo him sursum pro duodeviginti annus procul $6.5 million per.

Quoque yesterday Holmgren traba sicco spondeo young Finnish tutor Joni Pitkanen pro Oilers’ caput Jason Smith quod in- iterum, off- iterum volatilis Joffrey Lupul. Si illic’ unus res ut exsisto mico ex totus sudo-changing on Prolixus Vicus is offseason, suus’ ut obfirmo cella chemistry permaneo season eram aliquantulus of a weakpoint. Another vires exsisto: Holgren quod Flyers’ procuratio est abyssus- curvus in prodigo suum via out of it. 

Non futurus diffusus per a divortium certantibus — vel quisquam, illo res — Rangers fantasy’ league GM Glen Sather ponied sursum a combined $85 million in Sunday parumper iugum of no. 1.5 centers, Sarcalogos Drury and Scott Gomez. Drury has 70 calx suus preteritus duos seasons, quod ut talis forsitan est signum sui a legio 30- calx guy ( utique in 110-pt. Sabre stipes), tamen in six of suus duodeviginti seasons he scored fewer quam 25. Is volvit 31 is Ales. Gomez est coming off a 13- calx campaign in Jersey, quod in six of suus septem magnus-league seasons has deficio ut ustulo 20 calx. Sic haud admiratio is meritus a $7-million- pupa-a- annus paciscor. Utique is can exsisto said ut dum per Diabolus Gomez skated in an obscoena modestus ratio, quod iam in Prolixus, hell enjoy’ aliquantum more freedom. Like Concisus’ paciscor in Philly, illud pro novus Rangers’ centers tendoputeus in tunc decade.       

Drury quod Gomez es magnificabiliter hockey ludio ludius, and they are eximius pecuniosus iam. Tamen they quoque videor futurus valde similis ut caliber of ludio ludius cuius July pactum drove NHL in financial panic a mereo three annus abhinc.

Pittsburgh promptus believes that its Sto Vas aspirations postulo an anti- juvenis tractus: suus three plurimus significant roster additions, beginning per Februarys’ professio mortifer quod jugis in solvo procurator, es Gary Roberts, Petr Sykora ( decens- tamen- in- senium unus), quod Darryl Sydor.   

EGO have a difficilis vicis opus sursum ullus sympathy pro Jersey Diabolus, tamen in iustus preteritus iugo of annus hes’ vigilo amo of Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Petr Sykora, quod Scott Gomez ingredior absentis, uncompensated pro. Hes’ got a torqueo novus aedificium edificium expleo explevi expletum showcasing hockey ut is oriens videor, si possible, vel magis boring than that of preteritus six vel septem annus.  

Tamen ut ambitus nos should sentio ullus sympathy pro ullus alius Orientales placitum certantibus ( quod Im’ non consilium nos should), take a inviso roadkill carcass in Porro Insula. Absentis es Ryan Smyth, Tom Venenum, Jason Blake, Viktor Kozlov, quod ( misericordaliter) Alexei Yashin. Team Wang did adaugeo Jon Sim. (ut’ scilicet got phones of the Isles’ venditio baculus buzzing. Remember) permaneo estas ut UFA subcribo Brendan Witt sermo of quispiam proprius res constructum in Porro Insula? Its not’ a porro super replacement pro Nassau Mausoleum, quod suus’ certus non a postseason hockey stipes in ‘07-’08.  

Meanwhile, res certus es acquisition- quietis in Northeast, quod certainly est melior quam res via pickings in Isle. Pro weeks totus Audivi inter ‘Net garrio eram quam Bob Lucrum quod Montreal erant positus facio a magnus incumbo of a medius roster. Ut may etiam venio, buit itll’ take trades ut perficio is — altus- terminus solvo procurator tractus obduco lemma per unacted-upon. Free procurator “Bridesmaids” est operative vox ex Montreal mane is week. Lucrum lost venatus’ plurimus fearsome cuspis presentia in Crusta Acidus quod tardus is meridianus restituo him per Romanorum Hamrlik. Downgrade.   

Folium, amo Habs, erant forecast futurus offseason roster permoveo quod infirmo. They venit ex porta Sunday quod subcribo Jason Blake. Suus 40 calx permaneo season erant a breakthrough. Vel a Brady Anderson mico- in--pan. He volvit 34 is September.

Bs requiro playoffs quod have quoque sat etiam. Ottawa est in optimus vultus of quislibet in Northeast, having drafted sic puteus primoris, medius, quod tardus in drafts, sursum frons quod in blueline. Etiam, tardus Monday is videor tanquam Orientales champs erant slated perdo species blueliner Tom Preissing. Voluntas have been picked at the preteritus duos summers by free procurator quod es iam iunctus per Plaga ut victor of suum superstes success.  

Si Insula have subnuba in roster-gutting, suus’ Plaga. Permaneo season Sabres erant laudabilis pro suum quattuor- versus depth. Theyll’ need emergency reserves in ‘07-’08, causa theyve’ lost 150 cuspis down medius. Tristis, isnt’ is?

Inferus has, EGO reputo, showcased unus headline ludio ludius in solvo procurator eatenus, quod ut’ quisnam is necessarius futurus: nos in D.C.  

In nostrum jugis serius of Moscow bonus occulto: photos ex 2007 Gazprom Vas, an vetus- vicis’ beneficium venatus ut jactito an infigo roster pro utriusque teams.

Gazprom team ( in puteulanus) eram caput per Gazproms’ Alexander Medvedev, a intereo- ferreus hockey fan quod bonus ludio ludius in suus own vox. Gazprom cogo eram valde quondam goaltender Vladislav Tretiak. Orbis terrarum Team saw Scotty Bowman’s reverto ut coaching pius.

Click humus photo parumper amplus poema poematis

Sic ut vos may have lego, Steve Yzerman eram slated ludo huic venatus. Is did non famulor, vero, sententia is eram in Moscow quod laxus videor procul stipes- venatus press placitum ut Canalis won aurum medal.Since orbis terrarum Astrum team iam had an Yzerman jersey promptus, a Cupiditas ludio ludius ( cuius nomen eram unannounced) certus sumo glacies in Yzermans’ locus quod in suus jersey pariter, utpote Yzerman eram slated ut gero #91 ( ostendo sum of suus institutio #19). Cupiditas skater candela super Yzermans’ nameplate, quod ludio ludius universitas venatus in a niger baseball solio quod Stevie Ys’ sudo. Videlicet is vicis eram magis pro fun quam pro penitus competition. In photo dexter, Phoenix Coyotes’ pro explorator Sarcalogos Ruuttu quod suus paganus Hannu Rectum skate pro orbis terrarum team. Ruuttu eram subsisto procul idem eadem idem hotel ut nos erant; is partis nonnullus entertaining repono tardus- nox noctis in hotel lobby, comprehendo revelation of Joe Nidor’ cognomen in suus mane Plaga dies: Pokecheck Joe

Quondam Detroit Rutilus Pennae Doug Frons (left, in orange) imperium puck

Mike Vogel, Igor Larionov, quod Mike Rucki

(persevero)

A valde nox noctis of lascivio hockey, per duos physical, penitus venatus certus ( pro totus penitus quod voluntas) per unus calx.

• Totus quattuor calx ludio ludius puteus. Brodeur eram. . . Brodeur, per plures highlight-reel servo, quod suus’ pulchellus tutus loquor ut Mike Piscator’ “run- in” per Brodeur may have had quispiam efficio per Ottawas’ calx. Nos can dico ut vel, karma- sapiens, ut Brodeur mane had trinus Mike Socius, quisnam eram totus unus pro net per puck.
• Video per an oculus obviam Scott Gomezs’ impending solvo procurator had potuisse infigo per quis they saw ex him permaneo nox noctis. Sit a skating vis, per stupendum agility, ex quod is deftly dididi ustulo chances pro suus linemates.
• vox lascivio has porro been bane of Novus Jersey Diabolus. Is eram 0- pro-5 permaneo nox noctis, tamen is showcased limitations of Diabolus’ alio in a ratio ut’ intentio ut stalemate inimicus procul vel vires quod offendo in suus precious pauci obscoena vicis tunc credo Brodeur ut eek sicco a W.
• Procul unus cuspis in a vox lascivio, Partis had three guys pro net. Exsisto etiam meus pulsus pectus pectoris.
• Vos could sentio Partis’ primoris calx coming in, quod is showcased quis’ tantus super playoffs: Nicklas Lidstrom quod Joe Thornton secundum Detroit net, pugna is sicco.
• Ryan Fossor drew lumen permaneo nox noctis. Involved in scabrosus effercio, quod involved per obscoena chances, a nice, quod drew a poena ( sententia nos should forsit promeritum Bertuzzis’ penuriosus ratio). Nice totus- inter venatus.
• Lidstroms’ calx eram a porro plaga, quod socius Detroit blueliner Mattheiu Schneider quoque rang duos stipes ex near obscoena blueline — praecessi of Northmanni flow of venatus, vel quispiam Pennae es focusing in? Quispiam ut servo an oculus sicco pro tunc venatus.
• Bonus Genu-jerk exWCSNs’ occulto of IIHF 2007 Universitas Vas: Nicklas Backstroms’ calx ex yesterday, 29 secundus in — Is eram lascivio vox pennae, quod eram primoris guy sent in in forecheck. Laxus in amoveo, per puck secundum net, is castra in laevus levus of calx, super 8 feet sicco, quod converted a centering nutritor inter left pad quod glove of calx, is videor. Non a mala- occumbo, tamen is got puck in a ustulo area quod converted, quod est nunquam nocens.

Certus a causa moror sursum permaneo nox noctis, quod iam totus quattuor serius es angustus procul 2 venatus ut 1. Nos can totus spero a continuation of permaneo nox noctis’ altus campester of lascivio, quod maybe aliquid mos sermo ut Vepres Engblom super maybe iens per a altus & angustus.

Nonnullus angustus- reprehendo, defensabiliter hockey super weekend, comprehendo orior oriri ortus of a ludio ludius Ive’ nunquam been a proprius fan of.

• Narro quis vos volo super suus tribuo quod suus off- glacies antics, tamen Sean Mediocris has been lascivio praeclarus hockey pro Novus York Rangers, in plures theca res suum optimus ludio ludius in a donatus nox noctis. Peius’ nunquam exsisto a fan, tamen firmamentum ut suus ingens lascivio effectus eatenus.



• Rutilus Pennae admiratio mihi in Imbuo. EGO sententia pro certus ut San Jose had affirmo themselves, tamen lascivio of ultum- viator Dan Videlicet has lemma tied in a serius EGO sententia eram certus iens Partis’ via.
• Is eram propinquus, tamen EGO reputo video sentio no an erroris in velitatio calx procul MSG yesterday. dico, universe, have been valde odd in ut serius, quod in Sabres’ ventus. Im’ non an clementia in insidiae, quod EGO dont’ reputo illic’ ullus bias in officiating, iustus nonnullus nocens dico es res no, quod theyre’ res accersitus in Rangers. Sabres es a solers, velox team, quod ut partum vicis pro refs voco a poena per tantum a scindo- secundus facio a sententia. Plaga Cogo Lindy Ruff queribundus super officiating eram sicco-of- versus, si predictable.
• Zubrus has vere been conicio somes is serius, sententia suus ledo in Jagr vultus aliquantulus mugio volo.
• Ive’ amo Jonathan Cheechoos’ nixus in Detroit serius.
• Anaheim est magnus, physical, quod solers. Vancouver did a fantastic officium rapio a venatus ex lemma, tamen EGO cant’ animadverto lemma captus is ex Ducks. Canucks got bonus venatus ex Luongo, Seditio quod Naslund quod etiam lost. Ut doesnt’ bode puteus.
• Bellicus Broduer vultus amo suus vetus ego in Imbuo, quod est nocens novus pro Ottawa. serius est quoque propinquus mihi ut vehementer ventus aut team, tamen goaltending planto quod effrego lascivio serius.

A fun hockey weekend, quod suus’ usquequaque nice ut illic’ an mane venatus quod an vesper venatus, sic vos can reprehendo utriusque vacuus subsisto usque 1 sum. Tergum ut tardus- nox noctis frendo tonight.

Quod prothoplastus team cado. In a venatus ut may sumptus Atlanta imperator procurator Inicio Waddell suus officium, oneratus- pro--playoffs Thrashers pluo nonnullus subcribo of vita obviam Rangers, tamen is eram parum, quoque tardus, quod theyre’ lascivio puteulanus in Blueland.

• Promptus, Keith Tkachuks’ primoris period calx eram Atlantas’ primoris plumbum of serius. Yikes. Odio Sam Rosen quod Joe Michelettis’ protestor, non- dico in Kovalchuks’ ledo in Sean Mediocris eram rectus. Im’ non certus quis poena vos can dico si ludio ludius A hits ludio ludius B in ludio ludius C quod ludio ludius B occumbo amo they es lubricus in a banana excorio.
• Quod ut’ quam velox Plaga can ustulo in vos. Isles had res iens, quod erant vultus pulchellus bonus, tunc *wham*, theyre’ down per unus.
• Zubrus has instituo suus macula in Sabres, is videor, quod est haud diutius res mis- iacio ut a primoris- versus center. Caps’ procuratio did vox res in institutio him, tamen suus’ nice video vidi visum Fastidiosus operor puteus.
• Bellicus Brodeur doesnt’ per vultus amo usitas playoffs Brodeur, tamen did emersum per pauci magnus subsisto ut is had ut. EGO didnt’ amo prothoplastus poena accersitus in venatus, quod eram a ticky-tack dico in volatilis Jason Pupillus pupilla.
• Nice offa per Gomer ut terminus venatus. Is quod Drury have perfectus nusquam tamen coegi suum off-season paydays sursum.
  Vir, operor Malo vigilo venatus in populus television.
• Tim Connolly can virga- tracto aliquantulus frenum.
• Quare doesnt’ is admiratio mihi video vidi visum Zack Parise erigo suus venatus in playoffs?
• Vokun has ut subsisto Pavelskis’ quod Michaleks’ secundus calx.
• Im’ vere usura intensity of San Jose/Nashville serius. Lots of factum.

Should exsisto magis factum tonight, per three teams adversus elimination, sic illic ero multus in versus.

• Colo colui cultum nos incrementabiliter infigo per utriusque Poema poematis quod NBC. Poema poematis has a voluptuosus habitus - dress of impendo suus occulto per “ in progressio” transitions ut tardus- nox noctis venatus. Magis puck pro vestri buck. Quod suus’ adveho sic, eatenus ex suus primitive bulla sets quod infecundus analysis illic orbis autumn 2005. Nos etiam reputo Bill Clement melior procul colo colui cultum opus quam bulla obnoxius. Mike Emerick? Simplex optimus lascivio- per- lascivio guys in totus of lusum hodie. Quod Peter McNab! Suus glacies- campester analysis eram sic chock plenus of libramen quod excolo quod perspicax insight ut NBC magis vel minor converted him ut alter colo colui cultum guy in tabernus. Suus opus nam dedecus ut of glacies- campester puck Hunnam of repens annus . . . Erin Andrews ( qua has is absentis??) libero . . . pro aesthetic causa . . . nimirum.
• Sean Mediocris per luckiest/ fatum of totus calx . . . off a rabidus reus ex a dump in Imbuo. Fortunate is wasnt’ Rags’ venatus victor. Ut professio mortifer acquisition est velox verto sicco futurus unus of melior ones.
• Denique. . . denique . . . nonnullus decens utor of “Micd’ sursum” quod “ sanus of Venatus” Weve’ exspecto super duos seasons pro is. Dum a scrum eram infractus sursum per refs Imbuo in Atlanta, Thrasher Brad Larsen said ut Novus Yorks’ Thomas Sinus “Dont’ fossor vestri . . . itll’ exsisto terminus of period for you . . . you don’t want that!” And Sidney Crosby actually articulated some insightful reflections for NBC Saturday.
• Brett Hull laments Ottawa fans’ “respectful booing” of Crosby. Why? Is his memory that short? Mario got it pretty good on the road in the Patrick Division postseason in his day.
• The final minute in the Mullet zone late Saturday afternoon was high octane incredible pressure by Ottawa, playoff puck at its regulation time most dramatic. That was one fabulous game for 80 percent of the U.S. to receive.
• Saturday night: It’s HNIC and no Canadian teams are playing, yet they aired the complete singing of the U.S. National Anthem. There was a time when the U.S. broadcasters did the same. We miss those days.
• Not the normal early game HNIC announcers on Saturday — they must have the main guys for the earlier Senators’ game. Which also means no ‘Coach’s Corner.’ Is this why we haven’t seen Grapes on NBC yet?
• Speaking of NBC, both Saturday’s Sens/Pens’ and Sunday’s Wings/Flames’ games seemed to be a bit dark and yellowish. Saturday’s broadcast of Rags/Thrash, however, was bright. Is the lighting in Philips Arena that much better, or is it something else?
• Scott Gomez can dramatically obliterate the meager numbers from his injury-plagued regular season with a prosperous postseason. Let’s hope he does, and that he seriously considers trading in that red, white and black for red, white, and blue.
• It’s only one game, but in Buffalo Saturday night it was the Rick DiPietro Show, squashing talk of a SlugSweep, and as veteran Caps’ fans, we’ve seen enough Isles’ postseason heroics in net for four lifetimes.
• Marty St.Louis with a killer one-timer from a sharp angle — the little guy always comes up with large goals.
• Daniel Alfredsson can look uninvolved and marginalized for large portions of a game and then, as in Sunday in Pittsburgh, in a flash release a laser shot from the faceoff circle that sours the spirits of the Iron City-swilling faithful.
• The Stars again are in an early postseason hole, but does anyone want to scapegoat Marty Turco? The margin between victory and defeat in this series, in all three games, has been sheer agony for Stars’ fans — it could very easily be a 3-0 lead in games for Dallas this morning.

A double-edged sword for hockey fans last night: all four playoff games started between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. EST. On one hand, this gives time for make-up sleep after the marathon of Opening Night. On the other, it was hard to keep an eye on all four games at once, and when they were over, there was no West Coast game to watch for mad playoff double-header action.

• Atlanta made a mental error late against the Rangers. With the Thrashers’ goalie pulled, the Rangers’ Thomas Pock was called for a holding the stick penalty. Instead of immediately giving the puck to the Rangers to maximize the time they would have a 6 on 4 power play, the Thrashers toodled around for 15 more seconds or so. It’s difficult to say if this would have changed the way the rest of the game went down, but it was an opportunity that the Thrash passed up.
• Goaltending did cost the Lightning against the Devils, but not in the way you’d think. Holmqvist’s poor decision to play the puck late seals the game for New Jersey, wasting an excellent effort from Vinny LeCavalier, who may be the best player in hockey right now.
• Speaking of good players, Parise impresses me every game I watch him.
• Hockey writers everywhere are going to sue Pavel Datsyuk for ruining some of our best post-season jokes.
• Calgary’s road woes continue. It’s difficult for me to say how much of the Red Wings’ win was Detroit playing well versus Calgary continuing its ineptitude on visiting ice.
• Nothing surprising in the Islanders/Sabres contest (including seeing Brendan Witt in the penalty box for a costly minor penalty), and UFA-to-be center Chris Drury continued his post-season ways with two scores. The Islanders look out-matched, but word is Ricky DiPietro will be manning the pipes in game 2. Couldn’t hurt, at this point.
• I enjoyed Ken Hitchcock’s visit to the Versus set. Mercifully free of bombast and bluster, he stuck to what he does best — teach hockey. None of the insights were revolutionary, but it’s always nice to see the X’s and O’s of hockey being discussed.

Two tense games that went down to the final few minutes, and a couple of washes. Not quite as grueling as the night previous, but some good action nonetheless.

The latest issue of The Hockey News has ranked all 30 NHL team’s prospect systems. They have defined prospects as players under 22 years of age as of January 31, 2007. This ranking does not take into account any movement of players at the trade deadline. Note that three of the Caps’ Southeast Division rivals bring up the bottom-5 rear.

1. Pittsburgh [Last Year’s Ranking 1]
2. Washington [7]
3. Nashville [6]
4. Los Angeles [10]
5. Chicago [8]
6. Boston [12]
7. Anaheim [2]
8. St. Louis [28]
9. Montreal [17]
10. N.Y. Rangers [19] (Continued)

Mrs. Gustafsson just returned from Las Vegas and brought me the Bellagio’s Odds to Win the 2007 Stanley Cup. I’ve combined that sheet with the one I picked up in November.

Nice game overall by the Caps today. Given yesterday’s win in the swamps of Jersey, there was a good chance the Devils would come to town and take a pound of flesh from the Caps in the form of an old-school beat-down. But despite the loss the team put forth a solid effort.

• After 32 straight starts for Marty, the hardest working goalie in the NHL, he watches from the bench today.
• Did we spy Brodeur sporting a mullet while enjoying the bench?
• Semin circles like a shark: at times he seems dispassionate, but then he smells blood in the water and attacks. With more consistent effort he could be one of the best in the league, but he’s still pretty damned good.
• Fleischmann had a nice pass through the crease on the power play, only bright spot of the 1st PP.
• Caps’ 1st goal looked more like a PP than the PP did . . . nice cycling, nice patience . . . granted, it was a lucky bounce, but good teamwork.
• Per GMGM, the Caps will be active in/before the trade deadline but will not deal away young players.
• Clemmensen leaves rebounds that Brodeur does not.
• Rupp vs. Suts — give the decision to Suts with the late strikes even with less of a reach than Rupp
• Lukovich with a puck to the face to end the 2nd and stayed on the bench instead of the locker room . . . that has to hurt.
• Erskine seemed to have been burned on NJ’s first 2 goals.
• Caps looked flat in the 3rd, perhaps the 2nd straight matinée was showing its wear?
• Brent Johnson looked good . . . obviously he needs to play more often to be effective.
• I miss the intermission interviews with the GM back when Poile had the duties . . . although I’m not sure it would be as good now since GMGM is very tight-lipped
• Finally, Ovechkin with a goal . . . and not a garbage goal either; will this break the dam or merely crack it?
• Questionable call on Pothier which lead to a PP goal for NJ . . . looked like he got puck, but perhaps too late?

Two points of a home-and-home weekend against the Devils is not bad, but I think we could have had more.

A welcome win in the swamp, against a top-notch goaltender on a team that is leading its division. What I thought was going to be the first game in the most boring home-and-home series in recent memory turned out to have some scoring, some hitting, a few diving defensive plays, and we even got a tilt, though not much of one. It’s amazing what a win against a solid opponent will do in regards to enjoying the game.

• Brent Johnson turned in a strong goaltending performance, marred only by giving up Cam Janssen’s first career goal — the Pandalfo goal wasn’t stoppable.
• Milan Jurcina continues his solid play in all zones, and it’s hard to believe that the Caps got him for a 4th round pick. It seems the coaching staff is giving him more power play time, and it’s paying off. I like him on the second power play unit — he can just blast away from the point, and not have to worry about getting Ovechkin and Semin the puck so they can create. It’s just bombs away.
• Speaking of Alexander Semin, nifty move to score, but it seems at other times he ignored some open teammates in scoring position today. His puck-handling skills are beyond critique, but he’s been spending more time lately holding the puck himself, and typically veering back towards the boards or center ice. I like how hard he worked in puck pursuit, but I wonder if he still doesn’t have a lot of faith in his linemates.
• The Caps’ offense seems to live or die with their passing on the breakout. If they can put together a good head-man pass (like Beech’s on Semin’s goal and Gordon’s on Pettinger’s shorty) their transition game is pretty darn good. If not, they are in trouble, as the Caps seem to be better at transition offense than they are at scoring off of prolonged puck possession in the offensive zone.
• Alex Ovechkin didn’t figure in, goal-wise, but I liked his hustle, especially in his fore- and back-checking. In one instance his closing on a Devils’ forward from behind spoiled a Jersey scoring chance, and that’s all effort. He’s still on the schneid, but I have the feeling that once he gets one goal, he’ll get a bunch.
• While New Jersey’s power play numbers aren’t daunting (17.9%), the Caps did a good job of keeping the Devils’ man-up unit back on their heels, and the shortie was a nice cherry on top.
• Shaone Morrisonn looked out of sorts today, with poor puckhandling and an unusual display of poor positioning. While the Morrisonn-Jurcina pairing is certainly working for big Milan, is it working as well for Morrisonn… or was this just a hiccup?
• Brian Pothier didn’t have a good game playing the power-play point, making several bad decisions and missing a keep that seemed to be an easy play.
• Jeff Schultz had a solid game, his only glaring mistake being caught flat-footed on a Devils’ outlet pass. Luckily, John Erskine made a nice diving sweep check from behind to save the day. Schultz seems to be the target of some dissent, but he’s been playing remarkably well for a twenty year old in his first full season of professional hockey.
• Calling the Erskine-Janssen fight a draw, though it looked like Erskine landed the one punch that truly connected in the scrap. It was pretty much just wrestling and tugging.
• Not much can be said about Brodeur that hasn’t already been said, but if not for Marty the Caps score at least three more goals. Can’t be many who have been better.
• The Caps still are lazy on their clears out of the defensive zone. I’m not sure how it can be fixed, but cutting down on the three or four extra scoring chances they give away through lackadaisical own zone attempts would help. A lot.

Well, a pleasant result, and the Senators/Sabres rematch later tonight on Center Ice. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

A few months back we speculated that Cleveland’s new AHL franchise would resemble newspaper-wrapped fish in its Reebok uniform system next season, as word leaked that management had secured a patent on the name “Fighting Walleye.” But we underestimated the impact of focus groups . . . or Internet message board ridicule. Cleveland’s AHL franchise will begin play next season named the Lake Erie Monsters! And affiliated with the Colorado Avalanche.

Its mascot simply must be named Herman.

And like the New Jersey Devils, there’s regional mythology behind the moniker. (Hopefully, they’ll play more exciting hockey than the Devils.) The team’s web site (rather impressive, btw) includes a history of the dreaded aquatic beast:

“Somewhere below the surface of Lake Erie, it slithers, a mysterious and misunderstood creature. On rare occasions, the creature rises above the surface, but usually just ends up startling fishermen and sending boaters speeding for shore.

First sighted in 1817, The Lake Erie Monster has captured the imagination of Northeast Ohio residents for nearly 200 years. Often described as a 30-40 foot serpent, hundreds of residents have witnessed and come forward with tales of what they have seen in or around the lake.

Described as a passive creature, the legend of the Lake Erie Monster was heightened when the creature was blamed for an attack in 1992 that killed three people in Port Dover, Ontario. The survivors of the attack say the creature’s head was as large as a car. This prompted a group of local businessmen to offer a $150,000 reward for the beast’s live capture.”

Don’t know about you, but we’re more scared of a January layover in Cleveland.