This week on the show, we look at the tragic death of former NFL star Junior Seau and the latest bounty suspensions from that league, as well as news from the NHL that Raffi Torres is appealing his lengthy suspension. We also look at the situation in the Nashville Predators camp, along with speculation that the NY Islanders might soon have a new home.
In the GABBYs: Leo Messi, Jose Mourinho, Jered Weaver, the NY Knicks, the Montreal Canadiens and Jeremy Affeldt. The Punchline this week is, once again, the Charlotte Bobcats!
For the second time this season, the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Nashville Predators.
On Tuesday, they not just defeated Nashville, they dominated them. In a very impressive road game after losing 4-1 to the Dallas Stars just the night before, the Oilers got off to a fast start by scoring three first period goals en route to a commanding 6-2 victory.
You know it’s a good night when the opposition coach decides to make a goaltending change, something Barry Trotz decided to do after Jordan Eberle made the score 3-0. Out went Pekka Rinne and in came Anders Lindback.
Eberle led all Oilers in scoring with three points (two goals and one assist). Shaun Horcoff (two goals), Ales Hemsky (one goal and one assist), Ryan Smyth, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (two assists) also had multi-point games. The other Oiler goal scorer was defenceman Jeff Petry.
Devan Dubnyk made 30 saves for his first win since October 28 against the Colorado Avalanche.
With the win, the Oilers improve to 11-8-2 and back into a tie for fifth place in the Western Conference with the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars. The Oilers next play Friday afternoon against the Minnesota Wild.
Did you pick the Tampa Bay Lightning to sweep the Washington Capitals in the second round?
Be honest.
Yeah, me neither. Imagine my surprise then on Wednesday night when I watched with my own two bespectacled eyes as the boys from Tampa skated to a 5-3 game four win, putting the brooms to the Eastern Conference’s best team. It’s impressive enough for the Bolts to win that series, but to do it in four games is quite the feat!
How did they manage it?
The Lightning are playing like champions right now – Dwayne Roloson is standing on his head between the pipes and the star players are putting up big numbers, but most importantly, the rest of the team is also clicking at the moment. When a guy like Sean Bergenheim is leading the team in goals and everyone seems to be getting involved offensively, you’re going to have success! (After the jump: More on Bolts/Caps, plus Preds find creative way to chirp refs)… (more…)
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (David J. Philip, Associated Press)
The National Hockey League playoffs will dominate my television viewing this weekend, but this morning I will have a little diversion.
The World Figure Skating Championships takes place in Moscow, and Canada is in an excellent position to win a second Gold medal. Olympic Gold medallists Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue of London, Ontario currently lead the ice dance competition after the short program. The long program goes this morning (11am, www.cbc.ca), with Virtue and Moir leading Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White 0.53 points. Virtue and Moir have 74.29 points and Davis and White have 73.76 points. Keep an eye out for Virtue’s leg however, as she was recently diagnosed with compartment syndrome. The team had to pull out of the Four Continents event leading up to the Worlds.
Here are the other events I’ll be watching:
Saturday–1pm–NHL Eastern Conference Semi-Final, Game 1–Boston Bruins @ Philadelphia Flyers–NBC–Last year, the Bruins and Flyers played an epic Eastern Conference semi-final with the Flyers winning in seven games after they lost the first three in the series. This year, the Flyers have the home ice advantage. I like Boston in this series because they seem to be more stable than Philadelphia at the goaltending position. Tim Thomas is playing better now than when he won the Vezina Trophy two years ago.
I think something that is lost a little bit with the Phoenix Coyotes and the constant controversy surrounding the future of their franchise, and their possible move, is plain and simple the product they have been able to produce on the ice is quite frankly miraculous.
I know head coach Dave Tippett won the Jack Adams Trophy in 2010, and probably won’t win two consecutive seasons, (Nashville’s Barry Trotz will also be in contention because A) he hasn’t won it before and B) the Predators have done a remarkable job with such a low payroll) but it is amazing he has been able to help the Coyotes deliver two consecutive playoff appearances with an overall record of 93-50-20.
Another One Bites The Dust
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