So as it turns out Laraque will have to serve a 5-game suspension for his leg whip on Wings forward Niklas Kronwall. Aditionally, Laraque will lose $38,000 in salary, he will return December 4 vs. Boston. Yesterday we posted the video and asked what you thought, apparently the same as the NHL.
Laraque received the suspension for an incident on Nov. 21. against the Red Wings when he collided with Kronwall resulting in a leg-on-leg, open-ice hit.
So I was cruising youtube today and found 2 more reasons to love the show, and any excuse to put up a good scrap on the Loge is reason enough for me.
First, Troy Brouwer taking on Jarome Iginla last week in the Hawks/Flames rematch. What’s so great about this fight? Chicago was down 5-0 and came roaring back to win in OT. Iginla had enough, and as great captains do he stood up for his team and fought Brouwer at center ice. Well played by both guys…dropped the buckets and went at it.
The second fight, Radek Smolenak from Chicago taking on Brad May of Detroit. A great scrap early in the first to get this rivalry heated up early in the season. A nod to both players in this one, May for fighting Smolenak who is trying to make a name for himself, and Smolenak realizing it’s time fire up the troops and hopefully find a permanent home away from Rockford, IL. I love the dialog they show at the end of this clip…
NHL.com is reporting that the New Jersey Devils have re-signed 22-year veteran Brendan Shanahan, to a one year deal. The 40-year old Shanahan will spend his 23rd season with the team who drafted him way back in 1987. After spending seasons in St. Louis, Hartford, Detroit, and New York it’s probably safe to say “Shanni” is looking to make one more go at it this year, and call it a career. As a fixture in Detroit, where he won 3 cups, Shanahan has pretty much locked in his Hall of Fame ballot, and will most likely retire with the Devils, after this season. It’s good to see Shanahan back for another season, and New Jersey can use his veteran leadership. They’ll need it after losing forwards Brian Gionta (Montreal) and John Madden (Chicago) during free agency of this year. There is an expected official announcement coming later today.
I’m going to go with the top hits of the ’08-’09 season because metaphorically that’s what the kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid’s going through today. Because I am getting RAILROADED with work right now…enjoy the video, I have not been able to watch it yet.
By the way, I was walking past Tresca last night on my way home from work, and outside they had pictures of local Bruins players, autographed, with a note like “Thanks for the great food, Milan Lucic”. I was thinking, if I ate at Tresca or Lucca or whatever, I wonder if they would post a picture of me sitting in my cube working, an action shot of course, with a little note. I think it would be pretty cool, my only concern is that someone would try and steal it to make a few bucks by selling it on eBay.
OK, I had a chance to watch the video, and I think I can align my day really well with hit #4 or #2. Here’s why, as for hit #4, here I am thinking I’m making a pretty good play today, I put the puck on net (finish off some projects) and then BAAAAAAAAAAM, I get blindsided and my sh*t goes everywhere….as for hit #2, here I am going through my day going to make some moves, get the puck deep, yea I know I’m going to get rubbed out, but whatever. Next thing you know the GD turnbuckle shows its face and picking my chicklets up off the ice (translated to I’m trying to cruise out of here, under the radar, I’ll probably have some things to do, and then BOOM, I get my clock cleaned by some project I didn’t anticipate).
I wanted to do this after the Boston Bruins were knocked out, but I was unhappy, and lazy, so I’m going to do it now. I want to go over the top 3 games I attended this past season. I was able to see quite a few games this year, in a few different venues, so this is not limited to Bruins games alone, instead games I attended around the league. So, before the announcement from the NHL this afternoon, here are my top three games of the season, feel free to post yours:
3.
The third best game I saw this season is actually a tie. It’s a tie between the Redwings/Bruins game on November 29th and the Blackhawks/Bruins game on March 7th. I have these at a tie for a few reasons and on my top 3 games this season for another. First of all, in general, the reason these games are on my top three are because this is something the NHL needs to do on an annual basis. The NHL needs to renew the rivalries of the Original 6 teams. Although people say the Original 6 is no big deal and yada yada yada, it’s the heritage of the league. It’s a shame that teams in the Western Conference only see Eastern Conference Original 6 matchups maybe a few times during the season, and vice-versa.
This just in from Boston.com, the Bruins will host either the Washington Capitals or the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 1. Furthermore, they are also confirming that the 2010 Winter Classic will be played in Boston this year, gauranteed. Look for an official announcement from the NHL sometime in July.
Yes, there will be a sheet of ice in Fenway Park for a Jan. 1 Winter Classic. It’s a done deal, Bruins vs. either the Capitals or Flyers. The league will make it official at the start of July, with a splashy media event in the old ballpark. NHL free agency begins July 1, which grabs headlines around league cities (except for Phoenix, of course) for 2-3 days. The Sox play at home July 3-12. If the league wants the day for full media attention, it likely will wait for July 13-14 to make official all details, including how to purchase tickets.
I’m sure most of you have seen this, but those that have not, Adam Burish must have some feline traits in him. Clearly he has used up 2 of his 9 lives, that we know about. His first, was the car accident he was in as a teenager, and now almost getting his neck sliced open by teammate Ben Eager. When you watch the video, Burish does not have much of a reaction when Eager’s skate cuts him. He knew the blade had made contact, but he checked for blood and kept going. Of course, this was eerily reminiscent to the Richard Zednik incident last year. And who could forget about Buffalo’s Malarchuck getting his throat severly cut. (Warning, this video is graphic) Luckily for Adam he was just grazed and will be OK to play in tonight’s Game 2.
Immediately after the game NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman caught up with Adam Burish to get his thoughts. Burish had some interesting things to say about the incident with Eager’s skate, and his presence in the lockerroom. Nothing says NHL playoffs like considering a punch in the face as something positive.
DETROIT —Adam Burish knew immediately there was a problem.”I saw his skate come right up my throat, and right away I grabbed my neck and said there’s something coming out here,” Burish said. “There were a couple drips, so I was pretty darn lucky.”
It was the second period, and Burish and linemate Ben Eager were forechecking in the Detroit zone when Eager and a Detroit player got tied up. Eager lost his balance and his skate flew up and clipped Burish in the throat.
It was a play reminiscent to the scary Richard Zednik incident last season, when Olli Jokinen’s skate blade sliced Zednik’s jugular vein.
What spectators in The Loge are saying…