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Chris: . . . . Thu, Nov 5, 11:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I just cleared the log. Sorry for the delay. The last one is a 6^th of a megabye (180k).

gbfreeman: . . . . Thu, Nov 5, 12:01AM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott, check out button The Penguins are suing the city!

C5: . . . . Thu, Nov 5, 12:05AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Welcome, Chatsters! Just FYI, remember that you can check out pix of other chatsters at this button ... and if you have pix of yourself you'd like to scan (or would like to send actual photos (with postage-paid SASE) for scanning), just email CatsFive at this button ...

Vile: . . . . Thu, Nov 5, 12:42AM PST (-0700 GMT)
well, balloting has begun for All-Star, altho I am not sure the international all-star game needs to be repeated. It was great last year, with the olympics, and I realize it was the best played game in a while, but it seems they are really bucking tradition. It seems nothing is sacred with the NHL.

Vile: . . . . Thu, Nov 5, 12:43AM PST (-0700 GMT)
That out of the way, who do you think the front runners should be?

Vile: . . . . Thu, Nov 5, 12:45AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I was pretty psyched to see Irbe on the list and voted for him. Perennial all-star Roy has played like crap... do you think he'll get it anyway?

Vile: . . . . Thu, Nov 5, 3:49PM PST (-0700 GMT)
hmm, maybe my previous statement about Roy was too harsh, sorry. The avalanche are smelling up the NHL, it is certainly a team problem not a case of poor goal tending.

Beatts: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 4:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Don't worry Vile...I lOVE hearing that Sir Patrick is playing like crap !! As you can tell I'm not a big fan...

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 5:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well I think Patty is fighting the puck and not playing a whole lot better than his teammates...yes Arty has shown so good stuff so far eh?

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 5:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
And how about Beezer? Hasek of course....but after that nobody really jumps out at me right now....I would always vote for Ollie though.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 5:38AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yes, Pens now suing teh city on the preposterous charge that Pgh city council has depressed game attendance and cost the Pens money....Pgh council is a bunch of clowns actually - threatened to padlock the arena! But only because Marino hasn't coughed up rent for like a year....it's a mess.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 5:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
NHL needs to take over the franchise and find a responsible owner.

Sieve: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:01AM PST (-0700 GMT)
hi all. I vote Arty, Byron, Manny. I'm an underdog kinda guy. I'll also throw in an Ozzie whether he deserves it or not.

Sieve: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:08AM PST (-0700 GMT)
wow, I see Pat has 10 PIM's already... hehe, frustration setting in.

Sieve: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:15AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Thinking Mike Dunham as well...

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmm Arty, Manny, Dunham....the year of the PineRiders!

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:25AM PST (-0700 GMT)
JS Aubin gets his first NHL win as Pens come back to scorch Damien and the Sens....

snowman: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:44AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi all. My team finally on the ice. We were blown away in our 1st game 10-3 . We played a good half a game of hockey and then.....BOOM 6 goals go by. Shell shocked. Oh well!

Grass: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:44AM PST (-0700 GMT)
As the resident Beltway Dweller, I gotta go with 'Zilla of the CAPS

snowman: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:47AM PST (-0700 GMT)

snowman: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:51AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm....Why not Cujo and Kolzig

Vile: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:52AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Did anyone see the goal support for Trevor Kidd last night?

Vile: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 8:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
If he had that kind of support before, he might not be second goalie now.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 10:14AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Good support for Aubin too....he looked so awful on the first 2 goals, Pens went gulp OK no more shots on net!

C5: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 11:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Played the #1 team in upper double A last night, won 3-2, only had to make a couple good saves. Their goalie put on a clinic, but in the third trying to clear the puck offensively a la Roy he put the game winner in his own net off one of our guys' ankles. Not good.

C5: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 11:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
oops. Saw my first ever STANLEY CUP RING last night. The goalie I'm filling in for showed up to cheer the team on and he used to work for the NJ Devils as a PR guy, the ring was incredible, absolutely incredible. It had their road record, home record, and sweep record on one side of the ring, and the NJ logo on the other side, with Stanley Cup Champions on the top, etc., and the ring was HUGE, heavy and all gold, with some tiny, (I thought) cheesy diamonds all over the top... but I was mucho impressed. His signature had been laser etched into the inside so that it was guaranteed genuine.

Tripp: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 12:00AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Big article in today's Edmonton Journal about Patty WAH's slump. They're comparing it to Hasek's slow start last year, saying that WAH isn't finished, he's just like a machine that won't run smoothly because it has a loose bearing. He has looked average this year, but it's hard for me to believe that he won't get around 25-30 wins this year. I'm by no means a WAH fan, but he's too damn good to keep playing like this.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 12:22AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I think the whole team has loose bearings under the new coach. Patty has been leaky for sure, but he's not getting the help he's used to either. Dom on the other hand, is used to getting no help!

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 12:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
JD waxing poetic on ESPN about parity in the league....saying how wonderful the goaltending is, to explain lack of scoring. Couldn't possibly be lack of talent could it? Expansion maybe? If everybody sucks, isn't that "parity" too JD? Heh heh heh...

fourqts: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 2:11PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Just finished the CPA exam yesterday and just wanted to let everybody know that it is a lot harder than stopping screen shots..... HEHE.... And Look for me on ESPN tonight as the Wings and The Yotes Play in Phoenix.... one other question i have... Does anybody know what Tony Szabo's number from The Web Warriors (Pro Beach Hockey) is????? Little Trivia here. Been lookin for it on the web but PBH's site is not done yet

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 3:20PM PST (-0700 GMT)
3 games last night. First game the team that finished 0-10 last season improved to 2-2 this season. Only one new player. Guess who? Second game the team I've been with for 5 (10 game) seasons gets first win of season 4-2. 3rd game 6-1 victory. Shutout going with 20 seconds left in game, defense in control of puck, and I yell for him to clear it. Does he? NNNOOOOOOO! Tries to stickhandle, overskates puck and shut is history with 12 seconds left in game. D skates back to me and says "Hey, all that matters is the win". I wanted to put my stick through his sternum. fourqts, could Pro beach roller hockey's web site possibly be a little bit more annoying? Whoever thought that shaking graphics and a seemingly endless string of ads was cool should have their eyes plucked out and their fingers broken.

fourqts: . . . . Fri, Nov 6, 9:25PM PST (-0700 GMT)
agreed GB. The site sux. As for my yotes tonight.... A workman like win. Two goals in the first both on shots Ozbad should have stoped. Boolin looked awesome the entire game. Gave up one on the PP, add an empty netter and the yotes go away with a 3-1 win..... Sorry Wings fans.... As for the hit on Dallas Drake the local radio was reporting a mild concussion then a fight with the team doctor and coach for not letting him return to the game. Whoa Dally, protect that noggin now we need you in March.

: . . . . Sat, Nov 7, 5:38PM PST (-0700 GMT)
What happened to Toronto?

REY: . . . . Sat, Nov 7, 5:39PM PST (-0700 GMT)
What happened to Toronto?

REY: . . . . Sat, Nov 7, 5:40PM PST (-0700 GMT)
For a while they were losing 6-1. Now they're winning 4-2

REY: . . . . Sat, Nov 7, 5:44PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Also Dunham the goalie for Nashville has the most shots (no surprise

: . . . . Sat, Nov 7, 5:49PM PST (-0700 GMT)

Sieve: . . . . Sun, Nov 8, 6:02PM PST (-0700 GMT)
hi all. 4qt. - I'll get over it... hehe (re: Sorry Wings fans) their first 4 game lose streak since 1993 I think.

Toast: . . . . Sun, Nov 8, 7:31PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Wow...Rangers 6, Leafs 6. Starting goalies making $11+ M between them...and they played like bovine droppings. Just ugly...as you can tell I am a huge fan of the salary explosion...

Beatts: . . . . Sun, Nov 8, 7:58PM PST (-0700 GMT)
We won tonight 8-2. still unbeaten...Played the team that we beat in the finals last year, They were really gunning for us but we put them in their place. I didn't have a busy night, the "D" was really tight...Note to Curtis Joseph...I think your pads are way too long !!

fourqts: . . . . Sun, Nov 8, 8:43PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Cujo has always used a very tall pad from all the picts i've seen..... as for me i played to a heartless 10-5 win... We had complete control of the game from the first minute.... The five i let in were weak goals as well. had a hard time gettin into it. two more five hole shots (memo to scott make sure those pads I ordered have no five hole again). 5-1 for the season

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 6:28AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Notes from the No Social-Life League.....play a double header Sat night, 10:10 and 11:30 PM, yay.....first was a fill-in for an 0-5 bunch, I manage to sport them to their first win a 6-3 surprise....the other goalie was 10 mins late and we got to start with a 2-0 lead, always a nice beginning! ALso the other G is a real jerk, always mouthing off how great he is. So any time I get a W over him I'm a happy camper....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 6:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
2nd game with my regs, we show up with 7 skaters vs last session's champs, but escape w/ a 3-3 tie....came back from 1-goal deficits 3 times, very scrappy. Might have even had the win except my D buried a clearing pass off their F's shinpads and right into my net. Gotta love it.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 6:42AM PST (-0700 GMT)
As for long pads....I need to find a happy medium between pads that are so long they impede my movement and my current too-short 32" Louisvilles....though I can scramble around freely in these pads, the tops of my knees are targets when I fly....also since there is no pad above the knee at all, I occasionally get burned by the over-the-stick 5-hole, off the inside of my knee and in....notice how DOm's pads fold up around his knees and take away a little bit of that area? that would help me a lot, but would I be falling on my head trying to move around in them? Think I need a pad that is quite flexible up top....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 6:43AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Toastie I know you are in 34" TPs...are they flexible up top and do they fold up around your knees when you fly?....

Sieve: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 6:48AM PST (-0700 GMT)
morning all. congrats smott... sure sounds like you are fully out of that earlier funk. unfortunately I am still a member of Parliament Funkadelic. Actually, I could use some advice. I cant seem to get in the game until end of the first-ish. Am consistently putting my team in the hole right off the bat. And thats a bad thing considering they are only mustering avg. <3/gm. Any suggestions on how to start sharp are appreciated.

Sieve: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 6:51AM PST (-0700 GMT)
hmm, thats weird... the rest of that msg. read >>> ...less than 3 goals/game. Any advice on starting sharp is appreciated. thanks

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 6:58AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Afraid I am sometimes slow to get going also....a function of age I suppose....are you playing late-night games? That is always tough to get your body moving when it's past bedtime! Best advice I can muster is avoid eating a big meal pre-game, possibly even have a little caffeine or a (small!) amount of sugar, like a candy bar or Power Bar etc...stretch A LOT, and even do a couple of sprints during warmup. They key is to get the big muscles (ie legs) fully warm.

C5: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 7:01AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Seive, I find that playing a CO-ED game before my 'real' game helps... heh. Seriously, when you warm up, take the first 20-shot round just looking at the shots, second make some movement, then third, save EVERYTHING. I find this helps me. Smott, no shootouts after ties in your league?

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 8:15AM PST (-0700 GMT)
No reg-season shootouts only in playoffs. GEEZ you have great warmups, if I see 12 decent shots whole time I'm in luck.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 8:18AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ah hmmm maybe that's why I start so slow!

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 8:18AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Seriously I have found that getting warm takes longer as I get older....if I have time and the game is not too late I now go to the gymn and do 1/2 hour on LifeCycle. That helps a lot.

Tripp: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 10:49AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I'm pretty much from the C5 school o' warmups. The first 2 rounds of shooters, I stay on my feet in my stance at the top of the crease and make sure my angles feel right. Once the guy shoots, I'm already looking for the next puck. Third round I'll reach for pucks, but not butterfly or anything. Last two rounds I try to stop everything like I would during the game, no matter where it's going. It seems to keep me out of that dreaded slow start.

Sieve: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 11:50AM PST (-0700 GMT)
boy-o, I'd love warm-ups like that! Our league sets 3mins. as the warm-up period. After on ice stretching I'm lucky to see ten shots, and even those are very rushed. Have considered cutting out on-ice stretching in order to see more warm-up shots, but you cant get the same stretch on the rubber mats. Not to mention breaking a routine...

Sieve: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 11:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
On the dietary issue, I usually dont change my eating habits on game days except that I make sure I eat dinner at least 2 hours prior to puck drop. Eat less? Bananas, candy bars? hmm.... need to stimulate the brain as much as the body it seems.

gbfreeman: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 1:10PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I have found for me that a plate of pasta about three hours before the game and an energy drink (ginseng) 20 minutes before help on the alertness and stamina fronts. One other thing I do on game days is toss a lighter in the air and catch it as I walk along. Gets my eyes used to following a small object. Pretty hard to get a good warmup prior to my games. Same three minute rule. Long shots, followed by one-timers off of passes from behind the net, and then a couple of skate in, make a move, shots to finish. Being outdoors in 70+ degrees helps to get the sweat pumps going real fast.

Sieve: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 1:40PM PST (-0700 GMT)
There are some good ideas here. Thanks everyone. We'll see if I can get it together tonite at 10 rather than 10:20-ish. : >)

Goal35: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 2:07PM PST (-0700 GMT)
hi all.. well had a heck of a weekend, was out of town for my game fri nite, we lost 6-4 against a team we beat 11-1 the time before... find out our top player is expelled from the league for too many PIMS.. go to play last night only had 7 skaters,they had 3 full lines then lost our cap 1/2 way thru the 1st with a stick to the face that required some sewing.. we managed to eeek out a 5-4 win.... Got my new blocker from Scott fri!! very nice, will take a little getting used to but used it cold turkey in the game last night...

Scoop: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 2:45PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey all, ran across an interesting site earlier that some of you might appreciate. button

Toast: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 3:19PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey C5 - had the "co-ed" warmup before my game on Saturday - turned in my best performance in months in a 1-0 win...coincidence? Smottsie, my pads aren't that flexible around the top (I think), but then again I go down in such a manner that my thighs don't get exposed. I go down on the sides of my knees, with my pads facing outwards.

: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 3:22PM PST (-0700 GMT)
And I do think Cujo's pads are too tall as well.

Toast: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 3:23PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Oops. That was me.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 5:13PM PST (-0700 GMT)
YIKES!!! Ollie signs four year 12 mil deal!!! He's good but campers what is the world coming to????

wolfman: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 8:49PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well I got another tie on sat. 5-4-1 unbeaten in 7. Got one bruise in the armpit making a Dom save with 7 secs left. Then on sun played a team made up of mostly senior A players. We lost 6-3 and only a half dozen bruises. I'm thinking of maybe a different C/A unit. Any suggestions? I now have a Vaughn 1050.

deke: . . . . Mon, Nov 9, 11:16PM PST (-0700 GMT)
wolfman: I've had real good luck with my Brown c/a unit. It's a jb551, currently replaced by jb552. Garner's in Barrie is a great source for Brown gear.

Sieve: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 5:18AM PST (-0700 GMT)
THE CO-ED WARMUP WORKS !!!

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 5:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I've had good luck so far with R5 c/a....

Sieve: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 5:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
morning all. c/a...I got shot in the chest with a high powered puck rifle last night, my old Vaughn 1000 absorbed everything, hardly even a red mark.

Beatts: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 7:01AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I have a Heaton C/A that I love but I still get stung the odd time on the forearm...I woudn't trade it in though..

gbfreeman: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 7:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Apparently the St Louis Blues are taking a page from the Kings playbook. Grant Fuhr will be out 6-8 weeks with a groin injury. Jamie McLennan has an injured hand and is day to day. They recalled Rich Parent and Brent Johnson from the Worchester Ice Cats of the AHL. Stephan Fiset and Jamie Storr are still out for the Kings. Manny Legace has looked pretty good. The director of my roller hockey league is an idiot. 11-2-98 playoff games (we are the #1 seed) canceled due to moisture on the surface (roller). All the teams planned on playing last night. This moron leaves the same message on the rinks answering machine for a week, forcing us to show up at the rink to find out that games will not be played until next week. It looks like we are not going to have our two best players for the playoffs due to this sceduling snafu. Great. Play hard and get handicapped in the playoffs. Guess which league we won't be coming back to.

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 7:59AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Toast, cool, that's the way to handle the warmups. I'm sorry for you chatsters who don't get a good warmup. As a goalie you should insist on it. Sometimes I get to the rink early and can stretch before warmup so I'm concentrating on shots. Sometimes the refs show up late and I get too much warmup, which also sucks. If I get there late, or the previous game goes to a shootout or something and can't get enough warmup, I spend the game's opening minutes imagining shots and making saves while the play is in the other end of the ice. It doens't look weird, I'm not Roy back there or anything, I just imagine it a bit, just to, as Seive says, gets the brain going...

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 8:00AM PST (-0700 GMT)
GB, back at Hockey Southern Style we used to have games cancelled for rain... an unusual situation this Canadian took some time getting used to!

Beatts: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 9:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5, your right on the money about having too long of a warmup...It tires you out right from the start...If I'm having a long warm-up I'll just skate out to the corner and take a breather while the players shoot on an empty net. At first they got a little pissed but once I explained my rational they understood...Damn players, they say WE'RE Strange !!

wolfman : . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 9:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Thanx for the input chatsters. I'll start looking today. The guys I played on sun were AAA senior not A as I thought.

Beatts: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 9:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
My poor Leafs outshoot NYI 38-19 and still lose 3-1...Where has Tommy Salo been the past 6 or 7 years...Virtually invisible untill now...It's amazing how great you play when there is rumours of you becoming a back-up to make room for a certain french-Canadian "cat" like Goalie...Dammit, I wanted the Leafs to get Trevor Linden, dosen't look like it will happen now that Tommy Sawchuck is playing great in New York....Apologies to the greatest ever....Terry.

Sieve: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 9:48AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Just when I thought I was onto something... I head out to my game last night ready to concentrate on a good warmup up when MDOT throws me a curve by closing the exit to the rink. Via their super-duper detour I arrive at the rink 5 mins. before game time. So I set a new goalie speed record for getting dressed and the game starts as soon as I step onto the ice. Slow start?, stiff and immobile? Nope!, played great! hmmm, I say... my thought is that my mind was still racing from driving like a bat outta hell and speed dressing and that translated into game ready mind set. hmm, hooda thunk it. : >)

Sieve: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 9:50AM PST (-0700 GMT)
and how about Beezer giving up 5 on 19 shots? Baaaaaarf...

wolfman : . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 9:56AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Usually I stretch when they flood.I get about 8 mins then and less than 3 for warm up shots. But there is so much water that I end up with a shower before the game starts.

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 11:16AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I'll tell ya what. High shots in warmups make me want to hurt somebody. Johnny Slapshot comes crusing down the slot last night, winds up and hammers one right into my chin from about 15 feet away. Needless to say, I was unamused. Also needless to say, he had a fun-filled night of me slashing the hell out of his ankles and the back of his legs. He left the rink with a limp. Heh heh.

Grass: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 11:59AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I guess I play in a different environment than most... Warm-ups a performed at my direction. After I've stretched and skated a bit, I call for "long shots" and the team lines up in a semi-circle out past the face off dots. After two or three rounds of that I ask for "Corners" and they skate in for one-timers from a pass from the corners.

Grass: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 12:03AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Is this pick-up where you are being targeted?

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 1:49PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I still have to stick by the old R6 C/A unit, it's bombproof. Check out my review of it if your going to spend some serious money on a good C/A unit

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 1:50PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Wolfman, when they FLOOD? You don't mean when they Zam the ice, do you? Seive, sometimes I don't feel like warming up, I think about (hockey) every 17 seconds, sometimes I've been thinking (hockey) all day and when I get to the rink I'm just ready to play...

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 1:59PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Holy cow... it's CdP! I was wondering if you had abandoned us.

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 2:23PM PST (-0700 GMT)
The only place I get half-decent warmup is A, or occasionally the sensible B team. Bs and Cs for the most part are clueless.

Sieve: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 2:24PM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5, I know what you mean about getting the Jonz... Hey CdP, took quite a blast off the forehead of the Eddy last night. I know it was a good shot not because I felt it but because it deafened me. Masks = much louder clang than buckets.

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 2:26PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ah how's this one Chatsters? For those of you inclined to take a swing at your opponents....long clearing pass down the center, their guy chasing it, I stop and smother it long before he gets there. Does he ease up? Nope keeps coming hard, stops hard, and BURIES me with snow. I mean I had a bucket of snow up my nose, in my eyes, my ears you name it. This is a fill-in game, none of my unfamiliar teammates comes to my rescue, I quell my urge to get up and swing at the guy seeing as how he outweieghs me by 70 lbs or so. Pick the snow ignominiously from my face and say nothing.

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 2:27PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Maybe I'm just in a prickly mood but could that be an Unsportsmanlike penalty? 2 mins for burying the goalie?....

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 2:28PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Opinions welcome. Yes BTW hard shots will deafen you. Especially if they hit right in the center of the forehead.

gbfreeman: . . . . Tue, Nov 10, 8:23PM PST (-0700 GMT)
New York Rangers 10 Tampa Bay Lightweights 2. Ranford got lit for 10 on 30 shots. Demers left Billy boy out there to get killed.

C5: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 6:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Smott, I love it when guys snow me. It means they're trying to get to me any way they can, and it helps focus me. Sometimes I'll scoop snow up in my glove and flick it into my helmet to cool down, anyway. Oh, and on being deaf, I once took a shot on the collarbone (in warmups, nonetheless) that stung me so bad my ears rang and my left ear would 'pull' when I turned my head. A doctor who was also playing on our team said it was a nerve, but wasn't sure why it was affecting me that way, as no muscles in the neck are connected to the chest, but it was weird....

Beatts: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 7:07AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Smott, I wear glasses when I play so as you can imagine I am pretty wary of the dreaded "snow-job"...Luckily, in both my leagues I am pretty well liked and nobody takes any liberties with me...I have had it done a couple of times and thats where my red-haired temper kicks in...Luckily again losing my temper dosen't get me off my game, it just helps me focus better (unless of course mt face is full of snow!) over-all though the guy's are great at not being assholes and trying a stunt like that.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 7:47AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yes, most guys are great and I must add that during the end of game handshake one guy from the other team did come over and apologize to me for his friend. And the a-word was exactly the term he used!

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 7:48AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Don't look now but my Bankrupt Birds are tops of the East. Pick up a 3-2 win vs NYI yesterday, JS Aubin gets his 2nd win and hangs on as Pens outshot 14-4 in the 3rd. Got a post too. So hmm maybe not everything going against the 'Guins!

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 7:50AM PST (-0700 GMT)
And for those of you waiting breathlessly, the Pens did pay off their 50K$ tax debit to the city.....so 50K down, 30+ mil to go! And with all of 10,000 showing up at the Civic Arena last night, geez they should make that money back in no time!

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 7:51AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Oh yes my Shellack of the Week entry: we go down 14-1 against league top dogs last night, one of those annoying games where everybody on the other side sensed the opp to pad their stats at my expense! Managed to get bitten through my Koho glove (a rarity). Ever get one of those shots in your glove where it seems some little blood vessel gets broken inside your finger? Well the middle finger of my glove hand now looks like somebody inflated it with blue ink. Ow.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 7:52AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Did make the save though heh heh.

wolfman: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 7:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5 yes when the zamboni is out is when I do my streches.I took a boomer from the top of the face off circle on sun off the top of the helmet that put me on my butt into the post,but they didnt score.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 7:59AM PST (-0700 GMT)
This just in from the Maybe There is Justice After All Dept: OJ loses custody of his kids.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:01AM PST (-0700 GMT)
In a stunning burst of common sense (and a reversal of previous ruling), the court finds that overwhelming evidence that one spouse murdered another is, in fact relevent to child custody hearings.

wolfman: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:01AM PST (-0700 GMT)
morning smott.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:01AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Somewhere Nicole is smiling.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:01AM PST (-0700 GMT)
owoooo hey wolfman.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:02AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmm blasts to the bean - haven't been rung up recently. Guess that means I'm in for one tonight!! Got a call for an A fillin woohoo should be fun. A chance to actually be competitive against a team that regularly shellacks me with my Demoralization Troops.....

wolfman: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:02AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hows things?

wolfman: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:04AM PST (-0700 GMT)
That was one of 3 that day,the 2nd one they scored on from behind the net and off the side of the helmet.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:05AM PST (-0700 GMT)
New House business finally wearing off a bit - though I do have to clean the gutters ikn the next couple days. Plenty of ice time to keep me busy - 3 regular teams now and usually at least one fill-in a week....teh A guys that I'm subbing for tonight want to pick me up for next session - so I guess I will say goodbye to my Troops....could not help them win anyway, the need somebody way better than me. But I think Dom is busy right now.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:05AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Eeek from beside the net off your bean? A new one....

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:06AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Funny beanings seem to go in cycles for me. Got rung up regularly for a spell, my old Itech finally began crumbling around my ears, ditched it for a nice new Pro-masque, then went without a headshot for a couple weeks. Go figure.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Gotta jet, back later....

wolfman: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I spend a lot of time on the ice doing snow angles so I use whatever I can to stop the puck. I usually get hit at least once a game.

wolfman: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:10AM PST (-0700 GMT)
See ya Ive got a p/u at noon.

Sieve: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 9:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
hi all. smotts, I say snap on the guy if you need to. he would have to be one no class SOB to retaliate on your small fem-ness. Shots in strange places dept.: I made a back of the jersey save Monday night. Somehow started as a shot to the torso, ended up curled up in the back of my jersey. and I was upright the whole time. hehe, took a while to even find it.

Tripp: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 11:47AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hiya chatsters... man, I wonder what Ranford did to deserve a 66% svs and 10 goals against in 1 game. Yuck. Of course Barry Melrose still insists that Tampa has the best goaltending duo in the league. Too many hairspray fumes, I think.

Beatts: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 11:58AM PST (-0700 GMT)
If Toronto dosen't have the best Goaltending duo in the league I'll eat my jock...They definately have the most expensive...

Sieve: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 12:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I wouldnt eat my jock even if that brought the best duo to Detroit! : >)

gbfreeman: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 1:09PM PST (-0700 GMT)
One more thing about Ranford. All the replays I've seen and stories I've read have reinforced one thing. Ranford is still a class act. He didn't pull a Patrick Roy and start showing up his coach. He didn't tell his general manager that would be his last game in Tampa. I also wonder what Demers was doing.

gbfreeman: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 1:11PM PST (-0700 GMT)
What got into the Rangers? How does a team go from averaging 1.5 goals per game to 16 in two games. Maybe it's "Andro"?

gbfreeman: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 1:16PM PST (-0700 GMT)
On the "Why now?" front, playoffs starting Monday in one league, scrub teams playing well, good teams playing great, and suddenly I have a possible recurrence of the shoulder problems of 2 months ago. Monday wake up with tightness in my left shoulder. Seems normal with the new condo I've been doing all kind of things and am constantly sore. By Monday night it hurts to move the arm at all. Tuesday morning, it seems better and some stretching seems to help. Tuesday night while stretching shoulder goes "CRUNCH" not pop CRUNCH. It feels like someone is sticking a knife under my shoulder blade. This SUCKS!! I'm hoping rest fixes it. PLEASE!

gbfreeman: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 1:24PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Getting hit in the helmet is one of the things I've become known for in my roller leagues. Until recently I would get at least 1 per game off the cage. Bought a new Itech and now none? C5, I have also had the pleasure of the collar bone shot. Mine happened going to block a slapshot stick side high. Moved from the other post and as I stretched across the crease my chest protector shifted. Sniper found exactly where my collar bone was uncovered and "BANG". Cut the skin over the bone and seemed to actually dent my collar bone. Adding insult to injury, my collar bone did a great job of deflecting the puck into the top shelf. Same game I took a stick to the throat just under the adams apple. And some people question why they are called "The tools of ignorance".

Scoop: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 1:34PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey all......received my new set of leg pads today from Scott Battram.....will play in them tonight!

Scoop: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 1:35PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey all......received my new set of leg pads today from Scott Battram.....will play in them tonight!

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 3:54PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yep I'm back. Had to take off for a couple of weeks but now I'm back. Played pick up this afternoon and have a game in a few hours to boot.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:10PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Talk about hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have played pickup this afternoon. Tonights game ended in a tie so we go to the shoot off. Shoot off ends in a tie as well. Now we go to sudden death 1 on 1. My shooter bounces it right off the other goalie like he was aiming for him. Other teams guy comes down on me and I make one of those saves where you get a piece of it and it drops behind you and it trickled in. I don't feel too bad since I damn near stood on my head to keep the score where it was at and my guys just couldn't get their act together in the other end.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:12PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Had some real funky knuckle ball shots tonight, a lot of weird bounces and speeds on the shots

fourqts: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:47PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Lo all.... Looks like everyone that ordered from scott about the same time i did is getting filled currently.... Mine probably tomorrow or FRi (drooling).... As for the best tending tandem in the league right now all you have to do is look at the stats... Boolin under 2.00 GA and Waite sub at .66 after shutting out the Stars tonight. Best goalies or Best D or best team...... With the new attitude they are playing with (its all about team)... Roenick and Tever injured tonight though... But they are off until Saturday. GO YOTES... and Go Fourqts withthe new five-hole-less Battaram Pads (hopefully soon)

fourqts: . . . . Wed, Nov 11, 8:48PM PST (-0700 GMT)
if i could spell i would be dangerous

Scoop: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 1:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well, I plowed through my first game with the new set of leg pads without giving up a goal.... the "no 5 hole" pads I ordered weren't the ones I got because during warmups I couldn't stop anything shot 5 hole. Gametime was a different story..... actually I only had to face about 5 shots. An hour of icetime helps breakin time regardles of shots (I hope)..... The only question in my mind is that I think the pads are too short. They are the same size as my previous set but they "feel" smaller.... anyone else experience this with a set of new pads?.... Anyway, as far as doing business with Battram, I am pretty happy. He told me what to expect as far as production time and he was on time..... We had a shipping problem that turned out not to be a problem....He repied to all of my e-mails promptly and was very helpful when I phoned him. More later.... and by the way, I know that this will probably double post.... WHY? I was an everyday regular for a long time and never had a double posting problem... but now everything I post seems to double post... WHY?

Scoop: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 1:59AM PST (-0700 GMT)
.... and of course it didn't double post, go figure....

Goal35: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 4:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I agree with Scoop on dealing with Battram, all e-mails are answered promptly and get this - you can call and actually talk to the owner! If you have the time to wait, it's well worth it - I was out of town last fri when my blocker came in and had 3 calls to my wife telling her it was here for me... :) BTW, did Waite put on a clinic last night or what... his foot movement was incredible

C5: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 6:26AM PST (-0700 GMT)
GB, same thing happened to me in a shootout, sudden death, but last time we won, fortunately, on the second shot (they had one, we had two). Grr, I TOTALLY know what you mean about aiming for the goalie... The only time I've been on a team where I know they could consistently beat a goalie one on one was with the upper double-A team I no longer play with (their goalie is back, now, but I was with them for 5 straight wins at least). That team promised to pick me up in the summer... can't wait.

C5: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 6:27AM PST (-0700 GMT)
...and I don't think I was stung as bad as you were, sheesh, that's rough... Good going, you Battram folks!

C5: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 6:27AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Tried ordering DSS service last night... $89 hookup/card, plus $139 for the season which has already started? I'll visit my neighborhood sports bar, thank you very much...

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 7:12AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yes a lot of "Who?" goalies putting up great numbers, Waite, Dunham, Arty, Legace....

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 7:13AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Best goaltending is Dom, period I believe. Though I do like Arty he is fun to watch. And are the Yotes a fluke???

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 7:14AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Looks like it's another Year of the Mystery Injury for Barrasso again....pulled groin Oct 17th haven't seen him since. Fortunately JS AUbin hanging in there very well.

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 7:15AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Folks in an A fill-in last night I got to play agaainst an ex-NHLer. Guy was not the fastest skater but by golly he went to the open spots and when he fired the puck it practically was invisible. He scores or sets up 6 and we lose 8-7. Arrrggh.

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 7:17AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Also I need an exact ruling on kicking the puck in the net. Does it have to be a deliberate "kicking" motion or merely a deliberate "direction" of the puck? D had his stick tied up nicely but the guy angled his skate on a pass across to put it in the net, ref calls it a goal. These things loom large in one goal losses.

fourqts: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 7:54AM PST (-0700 GMT)
we'll all see if the yotes are a fluke come april... ut they a great to watch right now.

: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 8:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
JAKE; Ladies and gentlemen of the CHAT. I had the great good fourtune of seeing SCOOP'S new pads last night as we played at the same time although not against noe another. I must say they are fantastic looking and are built for the long run. Well done Scott! As for me I have been playing 5 to 6 times a week, usually 3 shinny and 2 or 3 real games. I'm not playing to badly and am having a great time. Scoop and I have faced each other a couple of times this year, and his youth and skill have topped my age and craftyness. Have a great day. More later.

Vile: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 9:26AM PST (-0700 GMT)
It is my understanding, it must be a deliberate kicking motion.

Vile: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 9:27AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I was at the Stars game last night. The Stars played well, ther Yotes played a good defensive game, enhanced by playing with a lead, but Waite was on fire.

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 10:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
shots like 38-18? geez that's Dom numbers....

Tripp: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 10:30AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Where's Grass when ya need him? He'll set the rules straight for us. He will show us the way!

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 10:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmm so how many big-name big-buck goalies are off to minimum-wage starts? Patty, Cujo, Marty (OK he's shaping up), Eddie, Beezer, Richter....

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 11:11AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Grass the Rule-meister to the resucue! And I quote Rule 624. Kicking Puck (d) ...The goal shall not be allowed if the puck has been kicked, thrown or otherwise deliberately directed into the goal by any means other than a stick.

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 11:12AM PST (-0700 GMT)
This was of the "deliberate direction" variety, a rather clever skate-angling of a clear attempt....ref sees nothing, having left his seeing-eye dog in the locker room.

Sieve: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 11:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
hi all. No need to include McLennan in on the "Who?" goalies kicking buttocks. People of St.L better take turns massaging Fuhr's groin ... hehe

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 11:26AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey sieve, yes Jamie doing well.....I wonder if the new smaller equipment might be helping some of the good athletic movers out there, Waite comes to mind, Arty too....

Grass: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 11:28AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Rule 624. Kicking Puck (a) Kicking the puck shall be permitted in all zones; however, a goal shall not be allowed if the puck was kicked by an attacking player and entered the goal either directly or after deflecting off any player including the goalkeeper.

Grass: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 11:30AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Opps! I hadn't updated in a while (sending ms. smott a note)... sorry for posting old news...

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 11:32AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hiya Grass! Well I feel a bit better knowing that my squawking at the ref last night wasn't entirely without merit...happened with 15 secs left in the period too, yuck.

Sieve: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 11:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
He got ... umm...LAMBASTED last night at Joe. A couple of the goals I would be embarassed for missing. Especially against an offensive dynamo such as Joey Kocur (2 on same shift)

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 11:45AM PST (-0700 GMT)
OOps didn't see last nights highlights...thought Jamie a capable backup!....

Sieve: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 12:03AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Maybe just an off night. Looked like his mechanics were all out of wack. Unless he is pretty unorthodox (havent seen him play much)

C5: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 12:58AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Smott, that's a very interesting point. And I'd extrapolate that if Roy can't pick it up and has a bad season he'll fall from the ranks of the adoring but misled fans... This only means that the older goalies will be retiring at younger ages, and the elderly guys like Moog, Vernon and Fuhr will be increasingly rare... 20 years from now NHL hockey will be a thing you'll be only able to play for about 2 years and you'll pull down $60 million to start... :-D

C5: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 12:58AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Jake, thanks for the report!!

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 1:05PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmm not ready to believe Patty's success has been because of the size of his equipment....but his failures largely due to the size of his ego!

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 12, 1:09PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Saw another rec league goalie stumbling around last week in a huge pair of kohos, was reminded of myself....no question how much size/shape of leg pads influences your movement.....

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 5:30AM PST (-0700 GMT)
WOW Sundin & the Leafs light up Jeff Hacker I mean Hackett for 10....

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 5:32AM PST (-0700 GMT)
But lest wet hink that's anything but an aberration as far as scoring goes, don't forget there were two more shutouts last night and only 18 goals scored over the other 5 games....

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 5:32AM PST (-0700 GMT)
And I believe average goals per game in the NHL remains well under 5...?

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:08AM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott, not to quibble but Hackett gave up 6 of the 10 (on 21 shots) before being yanked in the 3rd. Fitzpatrick came in and gave up the last 4 (on 9 shots). At least 5 of the goals were 5 hole. 2 of the other goals were shots from the blue line (glove side high). Truly ugly. Any question why the Blackhawks are winless in 8? They also lost Chris Chelios to a groin pull. Oh for the days of the Chicago Stadium. This team has lost its soul and grit. Bob Probert got his butt kicked by Ti Domi. I grew up watching pretty bad Hawks teams, but at least they tried. This team looks like a bunch of pansies. Bet you Chris Terreri is glad to be out of this mess. Dirk Graham and Denis Savard can't even agree how to coach this team.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:10AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yes tough times to be a Hawk fan...saw the crowd cheering when Hackett stopped a dribbler....

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:10AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meantime the Pens and the City of Pgh council have kissed and made up....something about back taxes finally being paid in full! Even talk of a new arena, though how they'll escape their current lease I don't know....

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:11AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Scheduled for 3 games last night. Show up early for my game to have plenty of time to warm up. Early game (6pm) team has no goalie. Brilliant person I am, I agree to get between the pipes. No warmup. What happens? Shutout. 6:50 game, my lower division team that somehow gets placed in an upper division gets first win of the season 3-2. Had to stand on my head for the first 10 minutes and suddenly my team realizes we can win this thing.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:12AM PST (-0700 GMT)
You played FOUR games???

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:14AM PST (-0700 GMT)
7:40 game, scrub team which got it's first win last week. What happens, shutout. Had to make 2 tough saves, 1 on a guy on top of the crease. He goes glove side high and I make him cry. 10:10 game, I play like crap for the first 20 minutes. We are down 3-1 to last season's champs. Suddenly I pop my head out of my butt and shut them down the rest of the way. We score 2 in the final 2 minutes to salvage the tie.

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:15AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yep. 2 shutouts. Go figure. I am one bundle of pain this morning.

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:16AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Luckily I don't have to put the pads back on until Sunday AM for practice. Final numbers from last night 4 games, 3 wins, 1 tie 2 shutouts, 5 goals on 65 shots.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:17AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Oh for lost youth. I play 2 these days and I need a stretcher. Good going!! 2 cheerios in one night!

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:17AM PST (-0700 GMT)
How do you have a game at 6 and a game at 6:50? 15 min runtime periods?

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:18AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Oh yeah, smott, my email address has changed it is now gfreema2@san.rr.com . On the new condo front, turned on the furnace for the first time last night (Southern California) and had a real Creepshow moment. Going into the kitchen for some coffee (and aspirin) and as I go under the heating vent BUGS COME OUT. EEEEEWWWWWWWW!!!!

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:19AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Roller 2 20 minute run time periods (stop time last 2 if with 1 goal)

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 7:21AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh heh didn't know you had furnaces in Southern Cal. Soon you'll be telling me you've got a snow-blower....

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 8:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
GB way to go. 2 goose eggs in one night, nice. My mask is off to you. I have come to the conclusion that it's harder playing in the mens league than it is when I play with the local CHL team. I know that sounds backwards but i have had to work my butt off more in mens league than the later. What is really throwing me off is the whiffle ball shots that seem to go everywhere haphazardly. I literally watched a puck come right at me chest high then drop out of the air and land on the ice about 3 feet in front of me as if someone had just tossed a puck onto the ice, weird. The CHL guys clean up anything I might leave after the first stop and then it's in the other end and I'm drinking water. League guys stand there and watch as the guy charges in on me with the puck then do nothing to make the situation better. We had 4 power plays and the puck never left our end during that time, can you believe it? I felt like the goalie from the movie Slapshot after the game. But it was kinda fun going to sudden death shoot out even though I bit the big one.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 9:45AM PST (-0700 GMT)
How reassuring to hear confirmation that my toils in C-league are, in fact, much more difficult than my occasional forays into A. CdP you are so right. Ain't it great to have excellent D gobbling up your rebounds before you can? Then you go to rec league and get lit up like a xmas tree on knuckle balls. Too funny.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 9:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Also in my Concession To Age category: I notice that as my reflexes slow down, I depend a little more on anticipating the play. And in low-level rec, there ain't nuthin' to anticpate, the play has no pattern, these goobers don't know where the puck is going or whether they're passing or shooting. So how can you get a jump on the play?

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 9:47AM PST (-0700 GMT)
The you go up to high level stuff and it all makes sense, puck carrier, over the line, drop pass, winger going wide, pass for the one-timer, and HEY I'M THERE!! No soup for you!! Heh heh.

Tripp: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 11:44AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Another thing about league games is the guys who wind up like Tiger Woods, and then flutter a change-up at you at about 5 mph because they half-fanned on the shot. Or breakaways where they skate in so slow that you could have some coffee before they're in on ya. Give me the upper level players anyday. And God forbid your guys should backcheck and sweep out any rebounds. Hhmmmm. Bitter, bitter Tripp.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 12:16AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh heh Tripp know where that's at...yes nothing like the windmill windup knuckler to make us look like idiots out there! On the slow breakaways though you can cheer yourself up by just doing the old rolling body-block on those tripods, take'em out at the knees!...

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Fri, Nov 13, 5:11PM PST (-0700 GMT)
You are so on the money Smott, the higher up you go the more structured the play and positional play as opposed to the mass chaos theory in rec. I'm going to put together a small packet of job descriptions/responsibilities for each position and hand them out to everyone. I honestly think some of these guys don't know where they are supposed to be on the ice. It's kinda frustrating watching all of your guys in the corners and no one in front of the net and watching the pass out front get picked up by the other teams D and brought down on me uncontested.

smott: . . . . Sun, Nov 15, 6:08AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm yes I like your idea of the pack-of-responsibilities. Cue cards maybe, for the guys that have memory lapses out there. On the other hand, your status as semi-pro I'm sure would make this idea palatable to your guys.

smott: . . . . Sun, Nov 15, 6:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Whereas, how accepting would they be of the list of job tasks coming to them from the skinny chick in goal? Hmmm.

smott: . . . . Sun, Nov 15, 6:10AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile, Barrasso ties Fuhr's mark for most assists, plus a SO in Pens 4-0 win v Panthers last night. Now all three of the Pens goalies have SOs this year already. Scary. And is there anybody with fewer than 4 losses? Pens may have boring ties a lot, but they don't lose too often....

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sun, Nov 15, 10:32AM PST (-0700 GMT)
What the team needs is a Cpt. that can control things from the bench. Between periods is the only time I talk to everybody and I usually see/hear the finger pointing and complaining. I tell them every time before the game....30 sec shifts if possible, play it up the boards, don't get sucked in on D and stay in position. It doesn't help or so it seems. Plus it's hard to motivate people and explain concepts in the short time between periods. they will learn, hopefully. It is rec league after all I take it in stride and try to work on my game. You'd be surprised how many guys I've actually had to tell them how to shoot correctly. they had no idea why the puck was flying all over the place.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sun, Nov 15, 10:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
The big problem is that most don't think that the goalie can tell them anything about playing out when we're standing back in the net. While the later is true for goalies, who all ways get unsolicited advice from players on what they should do to stop the puck without having played in goal once in their life. As goalies, I think we see more of whats going on out on the ice than most and we see the bussiness end of shots so we can tell if a guy is going to send a shot wide or if it's going to come off the ice.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sun, Nov 15, 10:44AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I see in the news that beaning the spectators with water bottles is not an accepted practice in the NHL. Although I'm sure the individual involved deserved it. At least he didn't climb over the glass and pummle the guy

Tripp: . . . . Sun, Nov 15, 2:17PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Don't forget, the Pens have another good one in Craig Hillier. I've played against him, and he's solid. Really easygoing, nice guy. He's very skinny, though. I wonder if he'd be able to talk a full season of punishment in the NHL. He'll probably need at least 1 more year in Syracuse, unless the Pens are in desperate need of goaltending.

Tripp: . . . . Sun, Nov 15, 2:18PM PST (-0700 GMT)
err...of course I meant TAKE a full season. Not talk a full season. Ughh.. I need a nap.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 5:13AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm yah Tripp Hillier came with great expectations, though so far he hasn't really played up to them....we shall see, he is still young but I think JS Aubin might pass him by...

Beatts: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 9:31AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Go Leafs Go !!!

C5: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 10:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yeah, CDP, I get 'advice' like that all the time. "Get your legs down on those ones," is one of my favorite nuggets of wisdom...

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 10:34AM PST (-0700 GMT)
This from the D whose main talent is screening you or maybe tipping incoming shots at the last second....

Sieve: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 10:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
or "Man, you gotta stop that junk" right after the scorer took the guys jock off with the end of his stick.

Sieve: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 10:41AM PST (-0700 GMT)
oh yeah, Hi all.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 10:41AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Tell the guy to shut up and get dressed heh heh....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 10:43AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Another smottsie-speedbump last night, run over by my own D chasing a breakaway. Honestly I get more beat up by my own guys than the other team sometimes.....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 10:47AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi Scoopster....

Scoop: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 10:47AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well only two more games until I take a 2 week break and head to Dallas. If any of the Dallas area goalies around here get a chance let me know if I should take my gear and rink rat for some icetime.

Scoop: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 10:48AM PST (-0700 GMT)
it's double posting again on me smott.... MAKE IT STOP

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 10:55AM PST (-0700 GMT)
heh heh can't help ya......careful of that refresh button tho'

Tripp: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 11:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey howdy all... One thing I don't understand. Why is it that defensemen, forwards, coaches, --who wouldn't throw themselves in front of a puck if it meant winning the Stanley Cup-- get to tell us how to play goal and what we should do to stop shots? But when we try to point things out to them, they get all offended by it. Oh well, just one of my personal pet peeves.

Tripp: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 11:40AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I dunno, smott. I still think Hillier will be in the NHL in a year or two. Tough to base his potential on his performance in Syracuse. They're awful. I think their other goalie is like 0-7-1 or something. Aubin's numbers in Syracuse were horrible, and so were Corey Hirsch's. Of course I'm probably sticking up for him cuz he's a friend, and I may be a wee bit biased :-)

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 12:32AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yep Tripp Hiller may wind up being very good indeed after all Pens drafted him #1 I think...but he is taking awhile to develop....right now Pens have Skudra and JS Aubin looking solid...makes me wonder if Hiller may wind up in a trade...

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 12:33AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Speaking of trade, who else but the Rangers would be silly enough to offer Petr Nedved an NHL contract?? Now they can not only have overpriced underachievers on their roster, but overpriced, underachieving HOLDOUTS heh heh heh....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 12:34AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Rumor is that NY & Pgh will try to swing something in the next week...look for Pens to try to get Sudstrom & options.....

Vile: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 12:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
As far as Dallas goes, there are always pick-up games that need goalies. Dunno about league subs

Vile: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 12:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Did everyone hear, Toronto has an "official deadline" for trading Potvin for Nov 26th. I don't think it means anything.

gbfreeman: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 12:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott, speaking of trades, check out button Jeff Hackett is a Blackhawk no more. If he thought the crowds were tough in Chicago, wait til he gets a taste of Montreal.

gbfreeman: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 12:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Vile, with Montreal essentially picking up a career backup in Hackett, do you think they will come sniffing around Potvin. Do you think that Toronto would risk trading him to the Habs? You know that whole "Patrick Roy would never have been traded to the Nordiques if they hadn't become the Avalance?

Vile: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 12:49AM PST (-0700 GMT)
heh, I heard Fla was looking... Altho, we might look hardest at the worst teams right now.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 1:04PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I recall Tast mentioning that Montreal might be a destination for Le Chat....could make those Hab-Leaf games mighty interesting....

J37: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 2:38PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi Everybody, remember me? I really miss not chatting all the time but school has put a number on me. I've been playing in a roller hockey league and playing like crap I must say. Our team finished last at 2-14. My save percentage was about 60 or so with a GAA at about 9 or 10. Well I just thought I'd check in and say howdy. See y'all later.

gbfreeman: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 9:24PM PST (-0700 GMT)
CDP and Tripp, I know that this has taken awhile, but I finally got a graphic of Beezer's mask. It isn't the greatest, but you can get an idea of the general design. If you are interested I can email it to you. My email is gfreema2@san.rr.com .

Tripp: . . . . Mon, Nov 16, 11:14PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Jeez...after I vented my frustrations this morning about shooters lecturing us about how to play goal, I read some of the old chat. Looks like CdP beat me to my pet peeve by saying pretty much the same thing I did 1 day earlier. You'd think I could at least whine about something original. Oh well, happy to see it gets on at least 1 other person's nerves.

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 5:27AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm so I see Habs-Hawks trade goalies TBo for Hackett....can't see this making a whole lot of difference to either team....

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 5:28AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile I have an uh, 11 PM game tonight....somehow I have a strong suspicion I'll be working from home tomorrow.......

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 6:34AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi, Smott! Beat my old team 4-2 (the Suns, I mean), and I was solid as a wall, both goals I had no chance on, first one, a shot from the top of the circle late in the 2nd spoiled my shutout bid by hitting a D's stick and bouncing perfectly between my legs off one of their skates... Teammates always compliment the do-nothing saves and no one ever seems to catch the subtle ones. Glove save gets comments, but only the goalie notices the skill when you're in a heavy screen and any other goalie (in my league) would be moving with the last guy who had the puck, but instead you hang where you know the play is going and make a toe save on a well placed shot... no one says a word... :-D

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 6:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I agree that the Hawks and Canadiens haven't made much of a trade. It's not a goalie trade, though. I expect the Hawks were thinking that they're perhaps getting something in those O players... who are they, how young, what skills?

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 6:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
...and are you working from home today? Yeesh, the games all started late last night and we weren't out of there 'till 1...

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 6:41AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Saw this quote on CNNSI this AM: "The Leafs have Cujo, Felix and Healy making almost a combined $10 million. That's a lot of money for goaltending -- half of the Calgary Flames' total payroll. Then they have Steve Thomas making an absurd $2.5 million a year. And Maple Nut fans are whining about why they can't afford to keep Mathieu Schnieder or sign a banging defenseman? Is Harold Ballard still alive? -- North Guy" Very true. Toast? Comments?

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 8:03AM PST (-0700 GMT)
NHL headed for a salary implosion in my opinion....meanwhile my Pens manage to be tied for Div lead while having a payroll 21st of 27th...

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 8:04AM PST (-0700 GMT)
...and some topsy-turvey divisions they are lately!! Hmmm, Wash & Colorado in last place....Detroit with 8 losses already. Buff atop theirs, Pens tied, and oh yeah Carolina tops of their div also....

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 8:05AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Nah working at work today....I only wish for jammie job more often!...

Goal35: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 9:14AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yea, that's nuts with all the money stuck in unused and underused goaltending in Toronto.... last week Healy is down here playing for the Chicago Wolves of the IHL, got to see Fichaud last Fri nite, he started slow and got beat by a stickside shot from just inside the blueline, but all and all he looked pretty good - it looks likes he might be anchored in Milw for the season by the looks of his new gear... gonna go in withdrawals, league is off till Dec 6th, then off til Jan 3rd :( went out strong Sat night with a 7 man 9-1 win.. lost my shutout on a screenshot from the point - knuckler, was down covering low, saw it coming high, hit top of glove and popped in, if I woulda stood up... prob hit me square in the chest... lol

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 11:15AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ironic, G35... ya gotta be low to see it, high to stop it, what's a goalie to do?

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 11:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi all... hey, SFSL has the Koho Lefevre trappers on sale for $249. Are they as good as SFSL hypes them up to be? I haven't seen any Koho Lefevre products in person, just in catalogues and stuff. Any info would be appreciated.

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 11:56AM PST (-0700 GMT)
AT least you lose the shutout late in the game, half the time I blow it on the first shot! Heh heh.....

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 11:59AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Tripp, I'll give you my opinion on that glove. It's HUGE. Too huge. Unless you can palm a basketball (or can get this particular model in a variety of sizes), you don't want it. My 2 cents...

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 12:00AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I have the new LeFevre blocker and it's awesome....

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 12:00AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hiya C5 hmmm I have the Roy catcher and it's not too big, best trapper I ever had.....

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 12:03AM PST (-0700 GMT)
If only I had pads as nice & white as my gloves heh heh.....

Beatts: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 12:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Toronto has definately got to Trade Potvin just so he dosen't rot away...I dislike Mike Smith Immensely but My leafs are number 1 in the League, somebody must be doing something right..

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 12:23AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Thanks for the input. Actually, I CAN palm a basketball... but I also have arms like a bird's legs, so I don't usually go for the larger trappers. I had a Brian's Air Hook, which I thought was just too clumsy, so I dumped it. I have a Vaughn 5500 now, and I think that's about the right size for me.

TheCat37: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 4:27PM PST (-0700 GMT)
shellacking of the week... we lose 19-2. outshot 55 to 7. i need new pads. can anyone reccomend anything?

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 5:46PM PST (-0700 GMT)
The Cat 37---I recommend you buy my Vaughn 3500's :-) I'm practically giving them away.

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 5:46PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Smott, I should have mentioned to Tripp that I, too, have a Koho Revolution glove and love it, but I got the chance to see a Lefebre right out of the box and it was about 10% bigger than mine, and mine's HUGE. Mine says "Koho 500 Professional" -- it's not modeled for any particular goalie, I guess. But the Lefebre was just huge. It reminded me of the Reactor 5 Hasek wore. But, whatever. You should always try on what you buy, that's the rule. I didn't have that luxury, but I got lucky with my glove.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 5:49PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heres food for thought goalies: On the topic of advice from the peanut gallery(forwards, D) what is the favorite piece or most commonly heard advice that either makes you smile or want to crack skulls? ie: try to get in front of those, ect

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 5:55PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Another observation: Almost all the goalies I've met always will exchange info, tips on playing...kinda like this chat and will study the position in order to play better. It would seem logical then that others playing the sport(forwards, D) would be inclined to read up on their position maybe exchange info with others, tips , or just try to imitate what they see on the idiot box to some extent. Yet I find that when you sit down with most of these individuals(notice lack of the word team, which infers working together) they look at you like a dog staring at a celing fan when you mention how to break out or play the box. Is anyone with me on this or am I delusional?

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 7:00PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Undoubtedly, I love when the guy who missed his check skates back after a goal and says "tough one, nothing you could do there". Or when a shot you never saw whistles past your ear, you never even move til it's behind ya, and your guy goes "was I screening ya there?" Classic.

gbfreeman: . . . . Tue, Nov 17, 10:01PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I believe it has to do with the nature of the job. Our task is reactionary, so talking to people, watching tape, and watching others is a useful way to look for tendencies and adjust our game accordingly. Often we are the only player between defeat and victory and a strong knowledge of the game is required. A skater can sometimes get lucky by just throwing it at the net at a bad angle. A goalie is rarely this lucky. If you don't know the angles, the positioning, and what is likely to happen you have handicapped yourself. As for goalies talking, who else knows the position like another goalie. I often don't like the guy between the pipes across from me, but I still have some measure of respect for him (or her).

C5: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 7:07AM PST (-0700 GMT)
To their credit, my guys are pretty up front when they're clueless. A lot of the time they'll say, "Damnit, we didn't give you a chance on that one," especially if I didn't see it. Sometimes I even hear my D yelling to each other, "Let him see it!" So it works both ways.

Sieve: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 7:25AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Morning all. yeah C5, that is good to hear isnt it? Throughout my current slump (2-5-0 5.00gaa, .800) no body on my team has had any snide remarks to me except one defenceman. I dont return fire because I deserve it...

Sieve: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 7:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott, watched your Pens last night on ESPN. Came out of the gate hard, but where'd they go? Got a couple of young speed demons (names don't come to me). I know the chat has talked about this before, but tell me again... What the heck are those things strapped to TB's shins?

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 7:38AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh heh Sieve yes you have noticed the aberrations that Barrasso now wears as leg pads....actually these are the famous No-Name pads, cut in the mold of teh old Vic styrofoam-stuffed jobs of the early 90 cup years. I haven't asked anyone in the know, but I wonder if they are hand made by a local old guy name of Bucky Palermo, who is a wizard for that sort of thing and does a lot of work for the Pens. Coffee still ships his skates to Bucky for sharpening believe it or not...I had him widen the heel in my beatiful Bauer 4000s earlier in the year, he made them wearable.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 7:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
ANyway there's no visible brand name on Barrasso's pads so I guess they're custom...although who would want to put their name on those things anyway?

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 7:40AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yep Pens have a fair amount of speed and not bad skill on the top 2 lines. But Beezer played ridiculous and as usual Pens mistakes around the net cost'em.

Tripp: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 8:02AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Checked the TV listings, and was surprised to see my beloved Oilers are on ESPN2 tonight against the Red Wings. I really wish they could get Felix Potvin, but Slats won't give up Boyd Devereaux. Still, they're fun to watch. No left wing lock, no trap... just fast paced fire wagon hockey. Hopefully they'll upgrade the goaltending (although Senzo and Shtalenkov are holding up so far) and get Weight back by playoff time.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 9:14AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile do I see the Yotes have only given up 17 goals? Talk about stingy!!

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 9:17AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmm as for fave or un-fave remarks.....had a nice one last week from my D who had just flattened me from the side as a one-timer approached: "Ooops sorry, um, did that go in?" Seeing as how I'm now on my face in the faceoff of circle I said "Well yah unless YOU happened to stop it..."

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 9:18AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yes CdP I think all goalies are naturally students of the game...whatever gene mutation we have that makes us actually want to stand in front of pucks, also makes us want to find out everything we can about the position....

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 9:20AM PST (-0700 GMT)
In the Confession Dept - I recall at the age of maybe 10, actually reading goalie how-to books under the covers w/flashlight, past bedtime....never got on the ice until I was 16-17 but by golly I knew the moves when I got there heh heh heh!

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 9:23AM PST (-0700 GMT)
In the What goes around Comes Around: after losing 5-2 on Sun to a goalie who stood on his head while we dominated & outshot them, last night I managed to do teh same thing, getting in the way of about 40+ while we win 5-2 while getting dominated for 3 periods. So whatttya know. After one rather nice split glove save late inthe 3rd, I look up to see the shooter put his head in his hands. I'm afraid I giggled. Opposing Cap later tells me the kid is snakebit against me and I've permanently damaged his confidence. Is this funny or what?

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 9:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Of course I will crash back to reality tonight in my A-league where I am a flogging post for my winless team. My only curiosity is whether the shots tonight will exceed my current record of 77 in one game. SO stay tuned for my Shellack of the Week entry tomorrow Chatsters!!

Beatts: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 9:32AM PST (-0700 GMT)
We won last night 9-1. Ho hum... At least I had about 25 shots on me, some pretty good ones too. I felt bad for the other goalie who did his best Jeff Hackett impersonation.( He's a pretty good goalie but got bitten bad). We haven't been challenged yet and it's getting a bit boring...

Tripp: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 9:34AM PST (-0700 GMT)
That's too awesome smott... you broke the poor kid! I love it. That kid burying his head in his hands is the reason I love being a goalie. I never look at a guy after he scores on me, but I always check their faces after I stone em. Nothing like the "look at the heavens in disbelief" pose. Or hearing them say "He didn't stop that...did he stop that? God @$%!#" Good luck in the A league. Sounds like you'll need it

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 11:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ah watch him light me up for 3 or 4 next time out....I take these things with a grain of salt....but it was kinda funny heh heh heh...

C5: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 11:44AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Tripp, dead on! Smott, rock on! STILL waiting for the rolling pad Hasek save. I don't think I've snakebit anyone ('cept for one guy, but I suspect I'm the only goalie in the league who's figured out that he ALWAYS goes for the top corners), but it's fun to see a team I'm playing come out bustin' a move in the first period and pepper the hell out of me, but if I manage to stop 'em, they gradually out-think themselves as they try to get more and more cute with their plays... First period stuff a perfect 2 on 1 (with no cheating) and in the third they're pulling three passes before putting it solid into your chest on the same play... it's snakebit, in a way, but not as cool...

C5: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 11:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Then again, if I can't stop them in the first period the bleeding never stops, as witnessed by our only loss this season 9-6, with FIVE goals in the first 6 minutes... yike, that was a bloodbath. Every win so far this season has been within 3 goals or less, so it's a pretty competitive league so far...

Tripp: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 1:18PM PST (-0700 GMT)
You betcha, C5. I love it when you get in their heads and they try to get too fine with their shots and passes. Once ya get them thinking that only the perfect shot will beat you, things are looking good.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 1:23PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yes it's not too often I can make grown men cry....

Goal35: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 2:38PM PST (-0700 GMT)
aw come on smottsie, that not what we've heard..... :)

Goal35: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 2:39PM PST (-0700 GMT)
must say anyone looking at gloves - give Battram a look, am very happy with the new blocker...

Goal35: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 2:40PM PST (-0700 GMT)
and Mr Grass had nothing but good things to say about them as well

: . . . . Wed, Nov 18, 4:10PM PST (-0700 GMT)
i am looking for some blue and white heaton pads for no more than $400, size 32-34, if u have these please e-mail me at KACO33@aol.com

Chris: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 4:05AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I don't know if anyone noticed. I just signifigantly increased the height of the message bar on the bottom. This way, most messages will be visiblein their entirety. Let me know if you have any problems with it (or anything else).

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 5:14AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Thanks Chris for the new msg box! Whoever's looking for those Heaton pads you might try The Sports Exchange, got a good deal on used Louisvilles from them and they seemed ot have a bunch of stuff. Think the url is thesportsexchange.com but surf around & you'll find it....

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 5:16AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Shellack of the Week - 9-3 last night and the other guys were shortbenched with only 8 skaters. But way too good for us anyway! Stopped every breakaway though!

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 5:18AM PST (-0700 GMT)
In the Don't See That Too Often category - both my D tried to carry the puck up the right side, get tangled/picked off, resulting in a nifty 3 on 0 coming back inside my own zone! Luckily the pass across was not so good so I escaped taht time. Not sure whether to yell at my guys or just giggle.

C5: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 6:17AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Whoa, Chris, the box is huge! As if I wasn't long-winded enough already! ;-)

gbfreeman: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 8:20AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Three games last night. 1-1-1. Played like crap in the first game. Faced 20 shots, made the tough ones and then let in the easy ones. Got caught in between going out and staying back on a rolling puck coming in from the blue line with a guy rushing into the zone. So, I made the easy decision. I just let it roll right through my legs. AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH. I wanted to crawl under the crease. Second game I finally popped my head out of my butt. Faced 29 and stopped 27. Got to have fun with a guy sitting with the puck alone on top of the crease. He's probably still muttering. He waited, and waited, and then put a shot that made such a nice pop in the pocket of my glove. Hehe. Late game was a war. Faced 24 let in 2 for the tie. Played against my friend I haven't seen in 2 years. Lots of fun.

gbfreeman: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 8:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
What was up with Essensa last night? Stopped 20 of 26. Scored on glove side from the blue line. Coach Ron Low was asked about his teams play and responded "It was a very, very individual efort by our hockey club. Twenty guys playing as individuals failed miserably. As an overall effort, that was horrific. You can start with (goalie) Bobby (Essensa) out." Ouch.

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 9:21AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ouch gb the long rolling 5-hole, we've all been there....let's see my contribution to the opposition last night, failed to stop a puck behind the net, scramble back to my crease as their guy sends a centering pass across, figure I'm being smart by deflecting it....oops right onto the stick of the onrushing F who was nowhere near the original line of the pass. Who knew? He buries it. Shorthanded no less.

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 9:21AM PST (-0700 GMT)
So, an assist for moi. Soon I'll catch Fuhr and Barrasso heh heh....

Vile: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 9:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Essensa was pretty frustrated last night. Did anyone see those break aways? He went butterfly to cover the bottom perfectly, but the simply went up on him. Is there anything else he could have done?

Vile: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 9:55AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Garth Snow was translucent last night too. I wonder if Vancouver is looking to replace him. I have made predicting the Potvin trade into a hobby.

Vile: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 9:58AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ana, Van, Edm, Fla seem to be the most needy. I doubt Edm can afford Potvin.

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 10:34AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heaven help Felix if he winds up in Vancounver!

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 10:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
On breakaways ever notice how high Hasek holds the glove? Takes away topside, almost forces the guy to deke, then there ain't no way they're goin' around Gumby-legs Dom in those big pads!

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 10:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Speaking of huge pads, is that Cujo standing behind those 6-foot Bauers???

C5: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 10:41AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Long roller... I have never been there, no, not yet... GUMBY! That's his nickname. Perfect.

Tripp: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 10:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Pretty sad showing by my Oilers last night. I think Essensa was just plain nervous at the start. If he got any deeper in the crease, he'd have been in the goal judge's seat.

Tripp: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 11:00AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I coulda used those 6 foot Bauers last night. Took one right off the upper thigh. Owieee. I have the Vaughn 2500 pants and don't get bitten too often, but I took the edge of the puck in that little gap between the thigh pad and the goal jock. Didn't cough out a rebound into traffic though. Probably cuz the puck was embedded in my leg like a stray bullet :-)

smott: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 11:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I have the R5 pants and they are soft up there too....I think we sacrifice a bit of protection for mobility....

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 2:21PM PST (-0700 GMT)
DAMN! Talk about a big box, that thing is HUGE. I think you should scale it down a little bit Chris

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 2:27PM PST (-0700 GMT)
So far the rec team I'm playing for is still trying to kill me. Buddy of mine on the other team said it was pityfull and I have to agree with him. These guys are making me alter my game so much to compensate for the lack of D that I'm scrambling around like a wildman. I'm my own D. I make the stop,move away from the play to the corner and pass it up the boards to the winger,hope he gets it and skate back to the crease. I actually got 2 assists in one game by flicking the puck up to the center who was all alone

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 2:32PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I can tell my stickhandling will be awesome by the end of the season. The only way the puck leaves my zone is if I clear it. First time i rang it off the glass everyone ducked down, guess I scared them :-)

: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 2:55PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yow, CdP, that sucks! Is this with your regular team? How's the pine-riding coming? I hit the glass the other day, made that loud glass KLUNK! and I was like, "What was that??" I was thrilled. I sometimes get caught out of my crease with indecision, and I've stopped getting caught as much and over-committing or doing something stupid because I think someone said something that made me realize how much that really throws the team off. If the goalie is playing scared, the whole team things maybe there's something to play scared about. That's maybe what happened in Edmonton, and why some of the finest goalie performances haven't necessarily been mere goaltending, but leadership as well, i.e. Hasek/Kolzig, and Vernon in '97...

C5: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 2:57PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Urk... the big box made me forget...

: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 5:12PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I Have trouble even getting the puck to the glass, can someone please tell me the secret to stickhandling??

C5: . . . . Thu, Nov 19, 6:51PM PST (-0700 GMT)
That wasn't me, but it may as well have been. I've only been playing for 2 years or so, so... never shot left before (that's what they all say, eh?)... Anyone have any advice? No one particular style seems to work. Sometimes the knob on top helps me flick it, I use that when playing the puck TO someone, but other things work well when clearing...

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 3:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Still waiting for the call to ride the pine but have been practicing with the team off and on as work permits. It's funny, I go out and play with those guys and maybe get scored on lets say 2-3 times give or take. I show up for rec league and I'm working like a mad man and letting in about 5-6 give or take. Can anyone else hear that banging sound? It's my head against the wall in case your wondering LOL. On stickhandling I have to say say that you have to find out what works for you. I can't seem to get a really comfortable grip with my glove hand around the bottom of the stick so I use the whole surface of the glove as a fulcrum point. The key I've found is foot position,it has a lot to do with how well you shoot. I shoot best with a right foot lead and the puck next to me or slightly behind slightly in front of the heel of the stick. I've also cut my stick length down by 2 inches to 53 1/2 and found that it works better for me

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 5:49AM PST (-0700 GMT)
CdP are you shooting left or right? I shootleft (well I guess you can call it shooting!) but I tend to lean on the off leg ie my left leg when I shoot, for me to cross over and lead with teh right foot seems to awkward with the bulky C/A etc....

Sieve: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 5:56AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Morning all. CdP, what is the curve like on your blade? wicked? I don't hold the paddle in my trapper either. I use the back of it.

Sieve: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 6:06AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Doing it that way tends to produce a highly mediocre shot, but thats the only way that feels half decent. I practice in my garage on off nights by shooting off of a piece of drywall into another piece of drywall propped up against the wall. Its fun to really get ahold of one and put it through the drywall... : >)

C5: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 6:32AM PST (-0700 GMT)
It is so cool to see Jeff Hackett in the new uniform! There's a great pic of him at this button ...

C5: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 6:33AM PST (-0700 GMT)
CdP, that is totally the way. I feel like such a stud when I play AA and stuff people, and then just can't figure things out when I play co-ed, see 10 shots, and let in four... {sigh}

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 7:40AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well I confess I just never learned to shoot that darn well lefty.....I'm doing good if I raise the puck significantly, but have never hit the glass.

Vile: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 9:12AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Wow, I call Snow translucent, and he comes up with a 35 shot shut out against Colorado.

Goal35: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 9:30AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmmm, no games until 12/6, then none til 1/3..... gonna be going into withdrawals pretty quick.. calling all rinks for p/u schedules...

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 9:45AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Three games last night. First game 3-2 loss. Second game 4-1 win with my former scrub team. Former because after losing first three, we have won out last three to move into 3rd place. Nightcap was like watching a bad horror movie. You know something bad is going to happen but not necessarily how. 0-0 early in the game, stop a breakaway clean (I thought). No whistle. Look down. No puck. D looking at me and the @#$@!@##%$ puck hits me in the back and goes in. We ended up losing 6-2 faced 39 shots. Everytime I went to redirect a shot to the side it seemed to find a cutters stick. AAAARRRRGGGGGG.

Bonn: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 9:45AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey folks! It's been a while. I read about the problems some of you are having with shooting and thought I'd add my two cents' worth. I shoot fairly well, (sorry if that sounds immodest) and the best advice I can give is practise! I like a curve that starts at the heel, and twists under a little bit. I'm currently using a VIC Hirsch pattern, and like it a lot. I find I get the best results when I start with the puck at the heel of the stick, and roll both wrists so that the puck rolls up the blade, and off the tip. I grip the stick with my bottom hand, just above the paddle, and the top hand, just below the knob. I pull my top hand towards me, as I roll my wrist, sort of pivoting the stick about my bottom hand. It takes quite a while to get the different motions timed correctly so just keep practising. Once you get the feel, you'll find that you don't have to try to shoot hard, to get some good height, and effective clearing shots. I also recommend practising passes where the puck goes about 6-12 inches off of the ice, and then lands flat, as most of the time that you are passing, you will be trying to put it past on opposing teams' player to get it to one of your teammates. I really don't know how some of you can get a good shot without gripping the stick with your bottom hand. As well, it is the bottom hand that controls the accuracy of your passes/shots, so I'd recommend holding the stick. You'll notice that Ron Hextall uses shoe laces in the pocket of his catching glove, and this is so that he can grip the stick better. I have an old Vaughn trapper that is super soft, and this allows a good grip. I'm afraid to buy a new one as I fear that I'll have to learn to shoot all over. My personal goal for goaltending (I'm 28 now, and my glory days in minor hockey are well over) is to score a goal. I can usually hit the other net in warm ups, and I've been waiting for the right opportunity to try it in a game for about 5 years! I hope this helps (sorry it's so long winded!)

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 9:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Sorry about the double post. Netscape stopped responding. Did any of you see the Kings/Ranger game last night? Legacy didn't look all that sharp early and to compound it his teammates appeared to be skating in quicksand. Matt Johnson sucker punched Jeff Beukeboom from behind and knocked him unconsious. Match penalty. Colin Campbell is going to come down hard on the boy. My prediction is 10 games.

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 9:55AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Maybe Garth Snow can coexist with Mike Keenan after all. After last nights 5-0 win, Keenan wanted to give Snow the puck for the shutout and Snow instead gave the puck to Keenan (500th victory as a coach)

Bonn: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 10:11AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Manny Legace. Have you noticed that an awful lot of players have been getting knocked "unconscious" from seemingly light hits this year? Do you think this has anything to do with the leagues' crack down on hits that cause head injuries? I saw the sucker punch that you mentioned gbf, and it was brutal, and completely wuss, but I have a really hard time believing that you can knock a guy unconscious when you have a padded glove on, and he has a polycarbonate helmet, with at least 1/4" foam on. Poulin for Montreal got punched in the face during a fight last night, nogloves, no helmet and it stunned him a little, but it certainly didn't knock him out. It was a much harder hit than the one on Beukeboom. These NHLers are really starting to piss me off with their melodramatics. You put in an admirable rule, to try to cut down on the concussions that are plaguing the sport, and the idiots ruin it by diving in an attempt to draw suspensions. Take that guy from Boston that Manson hit a couple of weeks ago with an elbow. It was a nasty elbow and all, but the guy acted like he didn't know where he was, then he came back! A couple of nights later, he was pulling the same act in another game. Sorry about the rant, but this shit drives me crazy!

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 10:31AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Bonn, I think Beukeboom may have actually been knocked out by his head hitting the ice. The punch really just acted to propel him in a direction he wasn't expecting he lost his balance. I mean, why dive when the puck is in your zone? There is always the chance that you give up a goal if the ref doesn't make the call. Legace (sorry about that earlier spelling) hasn't looked all that confident in the last few games.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 10:50AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm yes well diving is maybe more of a trend....of course I think hits from behind or head shots should have 0-tolerance anyway....Pens Morozov still out w/consussion, Wendell creamed Kaspar from behind last night thinking he'd slashed LeCavalier....in fact it was Barrasso heh heh...

Tripp: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 11:03AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ya know, I wasn't sure about the Keenan/Snow situation either, but then I realized what he did for Grant Fuhr. When Fuhr left L.A., he was really overweight and underworked. But Keenan forced him to get into shape, and played him something like 74 games one year. Richter had 40+ wins with Keenan, Belfour won the Vezina and Jennings, and even Hexy got a Vezina and a Conn Smythe way back when. I still think Snow has feet like cement blocks, but if Keenan keeps going to him, his confidence has to rise. Just a thought.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 11:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
So you saying I could lose some weight if I went and played for Herr Keenan? :-D

fourqts: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 11:38AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Lo all..... I see my Yotes get the mark for still being the lowest goals given up.... But with numbers 1 and 3 in GGA in the league..... Who do you play... The Red hot Waite or the more solid number one boolin? As a coach I think this is a good decision to have to make. As for the D the yotes are putting up..... On the Duce tonight, see how well the D gets to the puck after a shot.... No second chances at all right now... they are looking awesome.

Tripp: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 11:43AM PST (-0700 GMT)
heehee... I love ya smott, but I dunno if I'd go THAT far ;-)

Bonn: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 12:33AM PST (-0700 GMT)
gbf: You may be right about Beukeboom, I only saw it from one angle. I still think some of them are faking in an attempt to draw suspensions. I agree that the players have to try to avoid hitting other players in the head, but I think the noble attempt to stop these hits is adversely affected when players fake injuries when they get the slightest knock on the noggin. Oh, and just to jump into the Garth "Don't call me Algar" Snow debate, he's a sieve, and a punter...always has been, always will be.

: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 12:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
What are the best places to ask to sponser you? I want to raise about 3,000 for some Brian's pads. If you have any Brians Alite used equipment for sale please e-mail me at Kaco33@aol.com

gbfreeman: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 12:41AM PST (-0700 GMT)
On the Snow front, he spent the offseason (when not losing at the world championships) in an intensive conditioning regiment (same one Rob Blake uses) in L.A. and is (supposedly) in the best shape of his career. I do agree with you Bonn about the fact that many players will push new rules (or enforcement of old ones) too far. However, from day one these guys have always been told to do whatever it takes to win. That was not meant as an excuse, but as a possible explanation for their fainting daisy actions.

wolfman: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 12:56AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi everyone. Been out for a bit. Had a car fall on my head at work last week Fri. Slight concussion sore neck and shoulders but nothing to serious. I havent played all week so I'm anxious to get back on the ice tommorow.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:03PM PST (-0700 GMT)
OUCH hi wolfman...don't push those concussions my friend take it easy 'til you feel normal again. I recall trying to balance my checkbook the day after my last concussion....sitting there going "duh...." on simple addition. Give your bean a chance to heal!

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:03PM PST (-0700 GMT)
And Kaco weren't you looking for Heatons at a couple hundred bucks a day or two ago? Now it's Brian's for 3K dogbones? Hmmm you have expensive tastes!...

wolfman: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:05PM PST (-0700 GMT)
The doc said to take it easy. It isnt to bad right now but I'll see tommorow.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:07PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yep you may find you get tired a lot more easily than usual...or hmm maybe that's just me and my old age!!

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:07PM PST (-0700 GMT)
...and I think I speak for all Chatsters when I ask just HOW did a car fall on your head and you live to Chat about it???

wolfman: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:08PM PST (-0700 GMT)
No thats true I've been whipped all week. Cant seem to keep my eyes open at work.

wolfman: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:10PM PST (-0700 GMT)
We were throwing it off a mezzanine and it slipped and hit me on the top of my head. It dropped about 6 inches and I dropped to the grating.

smott: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:12PM PST (-0700 GMT)
A mezzanine? Throwing it where? Y alost me.......

wolfman: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:16PM PST (-0700 GMT)
A mezzanine, second storey about 15 feet above floor level. We had to throw it down because it had gotten jamed in the line. It was scrap so we cut it in pieces and threw it to the floor below.

kaco: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:47PM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott i figured that if I could get some sponsers that instead of getting used stuff i could get top of the line new stuff. Makes sense?? I just need sponsers now.

Sieve: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:52PM PST (-0700 GMT)
wolfman, ummmmmmmm.... uhh... hmm?

kaco: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:52PM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott i figured that if i could get some sponsers, I could get top of the line new stuff instead of getting used stuff. Makes sense?? I just need sponsers now.

kaco: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 1:53PM PST (-0700 GMT)
sorry about the double post this machine is crazy

TheCat37: . . . . Fri, Nov 20, 5:45PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Why would a company want to sponsor you? i don't understand what you mean

C5: . . . . Sat, Nov 21, 7:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Wolfman, where do you work, in an assembly plant? Sounds like you're working on a movie set! I'm off to Brussels/Vienna today, BTW! Gonna be fun.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sat, Nov 21, 1:50PM PST (-0700 GMT)
On the stickhandling thing again, the curve I use isn't all that special or wicked. I've been using a Sherwood 870 that I picked up from the team trainer when I cracked my Heaton 90Z. It's a heavyier stick than my Heatons but it has worked good so far. It is a real stiff stick though, pucks make this major crack off of the stick . Other than weight I have no complaints about it especially since they were free sticks to boot.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sat, Nov 21, 1:55PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I see Hexy passed a milestone lastnight. No matter what your stance on him is you have to admit that he's accomplished several things that are note worthy. Is it me or does it look like Hexy and Beezer might have had the same guy paint their masks? Hexy's flyer logo and the paint look like it might be from the same hand.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sat, Nov 21, 1:56PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yesterday I saw a close up profile of Irbe in goal standing up straight and there is no doubt that the pads he is wearing have got to be at least 34" or 36", they cover the whole front of his thigh when he stands erect

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sat, Nov 21, 10:22PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I see Tommy B pulled a Hexy tonight with the slinging of the pine and the fist to cuffs. How about Ollie and Lord byron squaring up and dancing. Looks like it was an interesting night

zen: . . . . Sat, Nov 21, 10:30PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hello all, been busy for a bit, much is happenning in the big old world. I hope all of you are well and keeping the ice behind you clean..... Had abusy and somewhat productive summer hockey wise, wish i could say the same for this Fall. I have been a virtual seive.......On a brighter note, child #4 arrived healthy and without a hitch. Rose Elizabeth came into the world on 10/21 @ 7lbs, 6oz. BTW, did anyone notice that the top NHL teams are pretty close in terms of numbers? Has the NHL struck balance? (talk amongst yourselves...) PS:to whom it may concern: My previous efforts to support this cite were either ignored or lost in cybespace. Would someone enlighten me by dropping a kind and direct note to the following: roberea@naesco.com zen PSS, son #1 is kicking it in th atoms level!!!!!!!

gbfreeman: . . . . Sat, Nov 21, 10:31PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Bring me the head of Dirk Graham. Tonights game by the Black chickens versus the kings was a disgrace to the game of hockey. Not only do they play horribly, they start taking cheap penalties once they were down. They had 75 minutes in penalties tonight. As time ran out, one of the Hawks gained possession of the puck, turns, and fires it head high at the ref. I can only hope that parents were lucky enough to have not had their children see this yellow bellied display of lack of respect and class. I have been a life long Hawks fan through some bad teams but they always seemed to play hard. This team is just dirty. I am truly disgusted by the play of this band of low lifes. Sorry for the rant, but this team is a black eye for hockey.

zen: . . . . Sat, Nov 21, 10:32PM PST (-0700 GMT)
That e-mail address again is: roberea@naesco,com

zen: . . . . Sat, Nov 21, 10:34PM PST (-0700 GMT)
gbfreeman, just what is going on in the windy city???

fourqts: . . . . Sat, Nov 21, 11:42PM PST (-0700 GMT)
My yotes pull off two ot wins in a row..... Still the streak of no more than two given up in a game since their opener....... YOtes and boolin and waite loot tough.

Tripp: . . . . Sun, Nov 22, 12:55AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Luckily for Dafoe, Kolzig's his best friend. I wouldn't wanna mess with Zilla. He's linebacker-size. All 12 guys on the ice got ejected. Wish I could've watched that game. Looks like Barasso re-injured himself last night, too. Aubin had to come in to replace him.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 5:14AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yes Tommy Brittle-Boy Barrasso threw his back out in that wrestling match. The Lightning I guess saw the tapes of TB slashing LeCavleir the game before and came after him....however Pens knock of Tampa 5-2 anyway an JS gets another win.....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 5:14AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Who are those Yotes anyway??? My goodness ubeaten in 11, still only 2 defeats!...Unreal.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 5:16AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yep the Hawks are sure putting out some ugly stuff, apologies to my CHicago CHatsters....how long will Graham last? And Pens hoping to shop Nedved for cash but the league won'tlet'em. Hmmmm, I say Petr's an asset they've beenunable to use the last 2 years, why not let'em get some $$ for him?

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 5:20AM PST (-0700 GMT)
meanwhile I have played Fri-Sat-Sun and have games Mon-Tues...could this explain why my lower back has been shrieking at me lately??? Got a call to fill-in in a AA League in nearby Ohio on Friday, drive out there to face some of the hardest shots I have ever seen, talk about Bambi in the Freeway, yikes!! We lose 8-5 and though I made a bucnh of good saves I was really over my head, if these guys had time to pick a spot, forget it. 3 goals off the posts and in at about 90 mph, my neurons didn't even have time to go "Eeeek!". Also the refs called a shall we say, wide-open game....first period a guy fklattened me through the back of the net, a brawl ensues, we wind up with the only penalty. I chirp at the ref about the Effort to Avoid the Goaltender which was lacking, he says "Ah yer D pushed him into ya..." If I had a nickel for every time I heard that....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 5:31AM PST (-0700 GMT)
2nd period I am a speedbump again and this one must have looked funny, guy tried a high speed stuff in, I stop it, he just keeps going and bowled me over, and I mean over, 360 degress head over heels (which ain't easy in 50 lbs equipment, try it sometime!). Another brawl, no penalties. I ask the ref if he's going to call anything or just wait until I get killed. The Posthumous Interference on The Goalie penalty. Anyway...it was still fun, it's neat to play when the whole team participates in the D, forwards coming back and all. Totally different game. And, I confess, a tad bit too fast for moi!

Beatts: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 7:11AM PST (-0700 GMT)
We won last night again, 8-3. I STUNK !! Thank god we have a great team because ol' Beatts really crapped out the arena. 6 SHOTS 3 GOALS. I keep this up and I can sign a contract with Montreal !!

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 7:15AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh heh Beatts you may have to get the SA% a little lower to qualify!....

fourqts: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 8:15AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Played my best game of the season in crusing to a 9-3 victory last night. The three were basically given to them as all were the results of my d trying to get fancy with the puck about 5-10 feet in front of me. I was just in the way all night and was seeing the puck well. I touched everything but those three dribbled in. 7-1 now, but still waiting for the magic delivery from Scott.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 8:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Good going 4q! And my Sheallack/Week entry - a 14-3 humbling in A on Sun, where I was silly enough to accept a fill-in for the cellar-dwellars.....that'll teach me!

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 8:38AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I was left at a loss for words on about their 8th goal late 2nd...guy left all by himslf top of teh crease, has time to wait, wait, comb his hair etc, finally bing 5 hole. The AWOL right D skates back, I am expecting to hear an apology (this about the 4th time his man has scored) but he says "Yer forgettin' to leave your stick on the ice."

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 8:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Chatsters can you supply me with a snappy comeback for next time this happens? :-D

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 8:50AM PST (-0700 GMT)
How about "you're forgetting to move your skates on the ice" Think he might get the message?

Tripp: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 10:10AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Jeez. What a brilliant piece of advice from your defense, smott. The NHL hasn't come calling this guy for his sage wisdom yet? Tell him if he doesn't start getting back and picking up his check, he'll find out where you can shove that stick.

Sieve: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 10:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi all. smott, tell him it'll be tough to keep the blade on the ice with the handle sticking out of his ass... hehe

Sieve: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 10:34AM PST (-0700 GMT)
another Christian CC bites the dust... Playing drop-in Friday night, one of the regulars with a blistering slapper tees one up from top of the right circle. Yep, he buried it in the back of the net... IT being the top of my stick handle! Pure luck that I got the handle in the way, he blew about the top 10" right off the stick. Play temporarily stopped long enough for everyone to pick up their jaws.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:04AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Sieve, Toast is looking for CCs...let us know where you got yours....I remember taking a Vic back that shattered on like the 3rd shot of warmup. Store mgr says, "Can't guarantee these! Barrasso uses a new one every period!" I go "Ah - that's the NHL pal, we're talking C-level shinny warmup here." But no dice. And on I went to Kohos where I've been happy ever since!

fourqts: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:06AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I like Sieve's come back the best

fourqts: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:08AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I also got to look at the tender stats last night..... MAN I SUCK (Or so the stats Say).... I'm last in every category except win/loss record, in which i happen to be first. Kinda funny that all the other teams are trying to get the worst goalie to defect to them... HEHEHE

fourqts: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:16AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I think Jimmy Waite and Nik Boolin deserve a little banner respect here too considering they have now gone 15 games allowing no more than 2 goals a game......

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
4q yes the Yotes are streakin! I see Dallas has only 3 losses, Gumby has 4...Pens 5....I don't like to look at my A stats! REALLY bad, but in B or C I'm OK....2-3 GAA last 7-8 games or so.....no complaints.

J.T.: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:32AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well, it's not a car, but I've been away the past 6 weeks or so after tearing a hamstring thanks to attempting to lift a 33" television. Not a smart thing to do. Haven't run a step or done anything physical in weeks and it's starting to drive me absolutely crazy! Looks like the much-awaited return to playing may have to wait a bit....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Also I encourage all you Chatsters to PLAY TENNIS! Heh heh on Sat in C league their guy had an empty net on a post rebound, I dove over and swatted his shot out of mid air with the paddle, a nicely executed forehand a la Steffi Graf! So get out there on the courts Chatsters!!!

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
OW JT....sorry to hear it....do your PT religiously and you'll be back soon......

J.T.: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:42AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well, it's not a car, but I've been away the past 6 weeks or so after tearing a hamstring thanks to attempting to lift a 33" television. Not a smart thing to do. Haven't run a step or done anything physical in weeks and it's starting to drive me absolutely crazy! Looks like the much-awaited return to playing may have to wait a bit....

J.T.: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:44AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ack, the double-post boogieman got me. Yep, PT has been interesting, and I think I have about 70% range of motion back so far. Walking is back, but anything involving strength from the hamstring is still out of the question. Sad part is, running killed my flexibility over the past few years, and now it's even worse. Oh well, gives me more motivation, right? In other news, I saw the worst shellacking of all time last night: 24-1 in a B-league game. It was just ugly...

TheCat37: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 11:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
We won 32-2 last night. The other guys gaa is now 23.41 over 8 games.

J.T.: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 12:00AM PST (-0700 GMT)
32-2? OUCH. That's got to hurt. What was the period length? The 24-1 game I wrote about was 3 22 minute running clock periods. Had to stop the clock once after about 20 goals for a major brawl. 5 guys ejected...sheesh....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 12:43AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yikes fellas I thought I had it bad!.....Are these bloodbaths ice or roller??

gbfreeman: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 12:51AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey, all. Another entry in the who's in net sweepstakes. Darren Puppa injured his (yes, you guessed it) groin and will be out 10-14 days. Goalies are falling at a scary pace these days (see LA Kings). On the continuing rant about the Black Hawks, they lost 4-1 to the Mighty Ducks. For Pete's sake, Grimson scored on them. Thiebeau actually said he was happy to be in Chi town. This conclusively proves that he had not seen the Black Hawks play this season. Well, maybe the Black Hawks need another game against the Ducks to get it going (not the NHL team, THE KIDS from the movie). I can here Jeremy Roenick laughing from here.

gbfreeman: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 12:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott, how is it going? Got 2 games tonight if the surface is fixed at the roller place I play at. They had a problem with the surface being to slick, so they sandblasted it. Took it down too deep and now it is all rough. During a pickup game, sparks were coming off guys sticks as the took shots (from small pieces of gravel) These playoffs have now been postponed 4 weeks.

fourqts: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 12:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yup JR is laughing like a madman in PHX..... Now a question.... Helmets (I'm hearing ) the promask is the way to go for most here right? Well their site shows theit basic mask for around $350 unpainted.. What is the scoop on the Simmons masks and I also like the look od the koho 450.... And where to get good custom paint done at a reasonable price..... I'd like to save as many $$ as possible.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 1:00PM PST (-0700 GMT)
gb you are the IronMan of the Chat with your multi-game nights! I am in the midst of 5 ice games in 5 nights and by golly I am feelin' it! Mixed in a few hours of tennis plus some running this weekend and I am a hurtin' puppy today! On the ice at 11 PM tonight, 10:40 tomorrow. Will look like something my cat dragged in by Wednesday AM.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 1:02PM PST (-0700 GMT)
4q I have zero complaints about my ProMasque and many nice things to say about their service. Have taken a number of bombs to the bean with no ill effects besides the normal ringing ears.

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 1:04PM PST (-0700 GMT)
However once you buy from P-M you have to get it painted by them, or you'll lose the guarantee. That is not unusual I think - they don't want some guy in an auto shop sand blasting the thing, then you complaining when it cracks....but the mask itself is light, fits well with the little air bag on the forehead, and once you get use to the long snout (no worse than Itech) you'll be fine.

J.T.: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 1:28PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey! No fair! I want to be the ironman of the chat! ;-) Geez, doesn't finishing several of those all-day races count anymore? Maybe I need to take up a pro baseball career and play for several years nonstop..... sarcasm, not enough coffee mode off

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 2:31PM PST (-0700 GMT)
FQ's you get your Pro-Masque painted in a solid color for the price listed. I gar-ron-tee you will not get a better mask from anybody especially for that price. Matt Garland will speak to you personally about your mask needs and questions. Do you think KOHO, Heaton or any of the other off the shelf mask makers will even give you the time of day? Don Simmons? I won't even go there, anybody willing to sell obviously pirated gear and claim it's as good as the real McCoy is not trustworthy IMHO. Matt stands behind every mask he sells. How many places do you know of that will send you a loaner if something happens to your mask or you send it in to be painted? On paint, he is fair price wise. Depending on what your looking for he can give you a good idea of the price over the phone or via E-mail. Don't expect to pay low dollar for high quality work. You get what you pay for and he guarentes his paint as well. If it's airbrushing it isn't as expensive, once you get into hardlines and clear defined detail the price will go up. I looked all over the place for "known" mask painters and they all offer different levels of work as well as prices. If anything call Matt collect and he will direct you to a good painter and not some high school drop out stoner dude who paints motorcycle helmets and T-shirts. Bottom line: for the money you will not find better quality or service else where. If you don'r believe me ask Smott and I'm sure she can give you an earfull as well. Hope I helped you out

gbfreeman: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 5:16PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well, I underestimated Colin Campbell's desire to stop blows to the head. I predicted a 10 game suspension for LA's Matt Johnson for his hit on Jeff Buekeboom. Today the NHL announced a 12 game suspension! Ouch! Does anyone actually think that this is working? I ask this because if you look at ESPN's NHL site most of the articles are about suspensions for hits to the head.

Chris: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 5:38PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh, CdP, if I'd scaled the box down, you would of had trouble with the above post :-). Currently working on several new features, including a web based mail archive of the Netmiders' list. Let me know if you have any other suggestions.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 8:16PM PST (-0700 GMT)
See what happens when you give me all that space to fill. It's the goalie in me trying to fill as much space as possible :-)

Tripp: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 8:27PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I had one of my masks painted by Todd Miska (painted Belfour's mask), and all of the others painted by Dennis Simone at Painted Warrior Designs (painted CuJo, Salo, Richter, Carey, Dunham etc...). It'll usually run ya anywhere from $350-500, but they did excellent work. I was able to speak to them at any time, and they sent me several designs until I was totally happy with the result. If you'd like to see my newest design, you can e-mail me at Hockygolie@aol.com and I'll pass it along to ya.

fourqts: . . . . Mon, Nov 23, 10:03PM PST (-0700 GMT)
CdP.... I emailed ProM today and i have a little bit of a problem..... Simmions has the same mask that ProM advertises for 349 us for 259US... So I email proM direct and they say they will not undercut a distributor???? I didn't ask about getting a better price, but rather asked if it was the same helmet..... They just said that 349 was their SRP and that they do not undercut their distributers.... Kind of a short answer and enough to piss me off a little..... If i emailed a large co like KOHO and asked if a product was actually theirs (from a known copy shop) you think I'd get a YES! and their price is great why not order one from them and if you need it painted, send it to me..... But they were kinda short with me (A turnoff)

C5: . . . . Tue, Nov 24, 12:19AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Onderzoek naar Antwerps oud-procureur Van Camp! Er, that's dutch. There is no hockey to speak of here in Leuven, Belgium. Tomorrow I'm going shopping in Brussels, 20 minutes south of here. Will hopefully be dropping in on a sport shop and picking up a jersey to wear for my fill-in games where they don't have a team jersey for me. Think I want to get something red, white, and black, to match my other stuff.

Sieve: . . . . Tue, Nov 24, 12:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi all. Toast, smott says you are hunting for CC's? Local shop here in Mich. has them. Order online at button

smott: . . . . Tue, Nov 24, 12:48AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi fellas....hmmm don't unsderstand that repsonse from Pro-M re undercutting...my thought was that the onlyplace you can purchase a P-M is from P-M. Did you talk to Matt? Anyway all this talk of masks, of course I got beaned last night. Shattered the buckle at the side of my chin, yay. ALso lost 3-2 after clinging to a SO for 2 1/2 periods while getting pelted. Oh well.

Sieve: . . . . Tue, Nov 24, 2:00PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi smott. Broke a buckle, cool. Did you have a spare? I dont, but should sounds like. I was turned to a deaf man again last night with a fast mover to the chin - attempting to keep my shellacking in the single digits. I did 8-0 loss. 54 shots.

Sieve: . . . . Tue, Nov 24, 2:10PM PST (-0700 GMT)
how about this... Ref dropped the puck to start the second period while I stood gloveless with my back to center ice. Instead of leaving the crease I decided to try to get my crap on in time -- I didnt. Guess it really doesnt matter how many go in since my guys havent score A goal in over three weeks...

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Tue, Nov 24, 2:50PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I concur with Smott. Weird what you heard from P-M. the only thing I can think of is that Simmons bought in batch quantity and is now trying to clear his inventory by selling low. If you ordered direct at least you would know that your mask was recently produced and not collecting dust on a shelf. Matt is usually super friendly about everything, maybe you got him on a off day . I still recommend his product though. Light ,bullet proof and worth the money

Scoop: . . . . Tue, Nov 24, 4:51PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey C5, ik spreken de nederland...... there is some hockey there, you just have to dig a little deeper.... I'm currently down in Texas.... didn't bring my gear.... went and watched a city league game with only one goalie... go figure.

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Nov 24, 5:14PM PST (-0700 GMT)
For what it's worth, Boston Hockey has the CC sticks too. I'd bet the farm that you can find em cheaper though. BoHoCo's prices are a bit outta whack sometimes. They want $800 for a pair of Bauer R3's!

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 6:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
gee the yotes look good!

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 7:25AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Got my Bauer 4000s for 75$ US....Toast found a clearnaceup in T.O....they are the best skates I ever had, a little tight through the heel but after I got them widened they're fine.....

fourqts: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 7:55AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Re: Yotes..... They are not winning big but winning none the less... Were really outplayed by the BlackHawks last night but still pulled out the win..... The local comentators are finally picking up on the things I've been talking about all season..... The D is swiping all the rebounds fast.... Only one shot and they force the play to the slid very well so it is a clean angle save in most cases.... The only bad thing we have going is that allowing two goals a game is actually hurting the GGA for the team and both goalies...... Go figure. And as for the prior headache and currently arguably the best player in the NHL (Keith TkChoke) I think he has grown up a ton over this last holdout.... And the rest of the team appears to have done the same. Maybe Tocchet has had a little to do with this.... What do all you Pens and Flyers fans think?

fourqts: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 8:01AM PST (-0700 GMT)
As for the PMasque deal, I'm not so sure what they were thinking. Their site talks of custom fitting masks ect... and of course the painting. But for $100 less I think that if I decide to get one, the evil simmions store may get my change and then send it to PM for painting and or fitting(When I can afford it). Still awaiting a delivery from Scott and a delivery from Niagra Sportswear for my new team jersey (Bruin Third with my teams logo). Damn I wish I could win the lottery and then this whole money thing could just go away.... or maybe landing an NHL contract (I think the median Salary has now jumped over a mill)

Tripp: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 10:30AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well smott... say hello to Alexei Kovalev, Harry York and future considerations. Nedved, Tamer and Pronger go to the Rangers. This IS a done deal, not just rumours. Gotta love Neil Smith. Now that he has problem child Petr, he can go after whiny superstar # 2 Bure. Unreal.

Tripp: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 10:34AM PST (-0700 GMT)
And hey chatsters... if I don't see you guys--and gal, happy turkey day here in the U.S of A. Before ya stuff your face, always thank Jacques Plante for the mask, and the genius who invented the goal jock. Great men in my book. Take care all.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 10:43AM PST (-0700 GMT)
RATS!!! I wanted Sundstrom!! Oh well, thanks for the hot off the wire tip! It will be a relief to get the Nedved thing out of the way, I see the Rangers keep with their over-spending habit and offer Petr 4 mil a year for 3 years, not bad for a guy playing for lunch money in the I lately. Tamer is injured constantly but was a physical force when healthy and could shoot from thepoint pretty well. Pronger unproved and not consistent so far. Who the heck is Harry York???

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 10:47AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I just wonder if Petr has a decent year will he hold out again? Why in the world NYR want this headache is a mystery....but I do have a soft spot for Nedved since he scored the winner against the Caps in the the 3-OT playoff a couple years back....apologies to Grass and other Caps fans!...And what's with Caps anyway?? Ollie at 2.7-something GAA? ARe they just injured or actually mediocre this year???

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 10:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
4q I always loved TOcchet, he could have a lot to do with team maturity and desire. We loved him here in Pgh, always remember him in a post-playoff interview, eye swollen shut, "I'll take a black eye for a conference championship any day!" THem's hero words in the Steel City! Always thought of him as the Jack Lambert of the hockey rink heh heh!

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 10:54AM PST (-0700 GMT)
As for the P-M custom fit, don't be too fooled, they are just small-med-large sizes, with the air bag. But still a very good fit. I don't know if you'kll get the same service from SImmons though, ie, giving you a free mask while yours is repaired, etc. And Matt guarantees all his masks for any repair, you'll never buy another mask once you buy from him. It breaks, you get another one free.COuld not say the same for my old battered Itech.

smott: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 10:54AM PST (-0700 GMT)
And HAPPY TURKEY DAY Chatsters! Stay outta trouble!

gbfreeman: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 11:52AM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott, Harry York is (I believe) a second or third year player who showed some promise last year playing on a line with Brett Hull in St. Louis. The caps are injured (on a pace to set a record I think). The roller hockey rink I was supposed to play at monday did it again. We have been trying to get these playoffs going for 4 weeks now and they have screwed up the surface big time. It has gone from a slick concrete pad to a sandblasted concrete pad doing its best impersonation of an urban street. They used the wrong size beads and now have a very rough, pock-marked rink. I didn't spend 500 dollars on pads from Scott to mess them up for a chance at a t-shirt. Layed the ultimatum on the owner of the rink and my teammates (along with the three other goalies involved in the games) "Fix the surface or we don't play". GGGGRRRRRRR After two horrible games here in SoCal, the Blackhawks go into Coyote country and play a pretty good game. One question. WHAT WAS CHELIOS THINKING LEAVING TKACHUK ALONE ON THE TOP OF THE CREASE!!!! Again I say GGGGRRRRRRR.

Beatts: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 12:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Sorry to burst you bubble Fourqts, your "Yotes" are the best team in the NHL.....Right now....Don't count on this to keep up till the end of the year. Don't get me wrong, they'll get 85-90 points and will be in the play-offs but lets not assume that lord stanley will be relocating. Hell, look at my Maple Leafs, I highly doub't they'll be able to keep it up....I'm not trying to be a prick or anything, I hope Pheonix does well, (except when they play Toronto) but It's still too early for predictions

Chris: . . . . Wed, Nov 25, 2:00PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Shoot. This past log just cleared itself. Ah well, a little chat lost here and there should hurt too much.

fourqts: . . . . Fri, Nov 27, 0:20AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yotes get 3 goals from the second line tonight.... the super confident devil goalie dosen't look so super but man can he stick handle.... As for the cup relocating to PHX.... I can only dream... But they look so solid right now. Again a game with almost no second chance shots.... their D is incredible... Waite did not look so hot tonight didn't seem ready... but a win makes it 7 straight and no losses in 14.... Back to helmets.... What is the word on the Brians helmets?

Tripp: . . . . Fri, Nov 27, 4:13PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Jeez...another Rangers trade. Bill Berg to Ottawa for Stan Neckar. That's 9 NHL defensemen for the Rangers. Hmmm... Vancouver could use some defensemen and Mess would love to see his chum Adam Graves on his wing again, eh? Nedved returns to the Burgh tonight. Think he'll get booed?

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sat, Nov 28, 3:06PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Pretty dead around here. Everyone must be on the ice or have nothing to say. I see Carolina won tonight. Has Kidd got his Mojo back or is Irbe gonna continue holding down the #1 spot?

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sat, Nov 28, 3:12PM PST (-0700 GMT)
If anyones interested, Perani's has Brians pads(Alite, Air pro) on sale for middle to high 8's. Saw it in my wife's copy of American hockey, guess being USA hockey isn't a complete waste of money. They also have Brians pads ala Kidd but in black and white color scheme. 4qts, don't know anyone who uses Brians mask although it looks A LOT like the Heaton knock offs of the pro's masks.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sat, Nov 28, 3:39PM PST (-0700 GMT)
SFSL rates Brians mask as a REC mask. Food for thought on the matter. If your gonna lay down $200 bones for Brian's or anybodys mask plus another 25-50 for a cat eye cage plus S&H your looking at about 3 bills give or take. Lets say you go with the PM Classic which costs middle 3's or better yet, lets splurge, you go for the Carbon fibre/kevlar model which costs in the low 5's. You still will pay less for the PM than you would for an Itech Profile pro (600) which is an off the shelf no guarentee job. In the long run you get a better product that will hold up to the abuse and if you do have a problem you can talk to the man who made the mask and not a salesman at the store you bought it from who probablly doesn't know squat about playing goal. The paint on PM is the toughest I've seen,( they all come painted in a solid color of your choice), and I compare this to the guys I play with in the CHL who have their masks painted by Itech and if you ever look close at those masks they don't look all that pretty because the paint can't withstand the abuse. Of all the shots to the head I've taken none has removed paint from my mask and the paint looks like it was just sprayed on. The cat eye cage is made from stainless steel so it's not going to buckle or bend like some of the off the shelf jobs out there. Plus if your mask cracks you send it in to be fixed/replaced and PM sends you a loaner to use in the interim,ask any of the stores who sell masks if they will do that. If I didn't think PM wasn't the best bet out there I wouldn't have used all this space up telling you about it. Believe it or not, I still haven't gotten to the bottom of the box, it just keeps going and going :-)

smott: . . . . Sat, Nov 28, 5:59PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Wow Straka's on fire Pens blow 3 past Jose in the 2nd....

smott: . . . . Sat, Nov 28, 6:00PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I vouch for my P-M same as CdP....though I did get some paint scrapeage from a boot to the bean.....

fourqts: . . . . Sat, Nov 28, 11:05PM PST (-0700 GMT)
YOtes rip the kings tonight with four goals.... Boolin shuts em out and was not tested at all..... Undefeated through a month. But the test is on only 3 of the next 12 at home (longest of the year). They looked sloppy in the first but stormed through the second with three. Back to masks.... Please post what kind of measurements simmions will need to know If i order a PM.... Why give PM an extra hundred when simmions has the helmet (which PM will warranty) for a hundred less... but probably try to talk me into some cheap *ss fake pro model. Thanks for all the advice as well.

fourqts: . . . . Sat, Nov 28, 11:28PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Back after checking a few sites.... The brians ia full sheet kevlar vs the heaton and Koho kevlar inserts on the chin and head. I can get the brians here for 200 US the warranty from the mfg is 1 year. The local shop is real good though and say they can get breakage problems repaired or replaced for life.... The local shop will give a loaner if i have problems. The PM I would buy through simmons for roughly 250 US and shipping. Both with the pro cages. I'm looking at relatively low bucks here, as the christmas season is about and moneys go elsewhere. I hear bad stiff about simmons though but PM says that the simmons mask is their standard mask. As always thanks for all the advice....

wolfman: . . . . Sun, Nov 29, 7:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi everyone. Another tie last nite with a loss last week. That makes 5-6-2. I played an awesome game last nite my best yet this year. Butterfly was working excellent. It was 1-1 last nite. The fog in my head finally lifted from the bump on my head.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sun, Nov 29, 7:44AM PST (-0700 GMT)
4qts, you won't need to send any measurements other than hat size to Simmons or PM. the air bladder will snug the mask up to your face. Matt does do personal fittings for masks but that means going to his shop, which is what my step father did several years back. But the mask he has is strictly for his face regardless of the airbladder, which he incidentally removed because the mask fits like a glove already. If your really important or have the bucks I know Matt will come to you to do fittings, which is what he does for most of the NHL guys who use his mask. If Simmions can hook you up for a lower price with a PM then power to you, either way you'll be getting a mask for the long haul

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 5:30AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yep 4q the only real "fitting" is small-med-large on the shell size, after that the air bag is what make it fit snugly. My only question owuld be whether Simmons will guarantee the mask same as P-M does. ie if the thing does crack, will Simmons replace it for free? Matt will. So once you buy from Matt you'll never buy another mask....If Simmons will guarantee replacement then go for it. If not spend the extra dogbones and go with Matt....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 5:45AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Chatsters hope you all enjoyed your THanksgiving!....I visited bro/sis in law/nephews this weekend....SIs in law: "Ah so you're actually giving up hockey for 3 days to come visit us?" Brother: "Yes, but she's wearing a patch." Heh heh....of course the 2 yr old gave me the flu by Saturday, came home and struggled through a C league game anyway but was floored for Sunday.....how the question is should I try to get myself togther for my B game tonight? Hmmmm....

smott: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 5:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile Kovalev looks pretty good as a Penguin...I hear he's inconsistent however....but can't be any worse than Nedved who's been AWOL for 2 years. What are the Rangers thinking anyway????

fourqts: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 9:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I still think Boolin and Waite Deserve a little banner recognition

: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 10:41AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Slew footing is bad. Nice to see that is the new crack down penalty. Ugly footage of Rob Ray.

Vile: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 10:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
That was me

Chris: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 11:13AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hello Vile.

J.T.: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 11:16AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Quite a hockey-filled weekend here. Got to watch Cujo and the Leafs pummel Vancouver on Wednesday night, and then some OHL action with Erie and Bellville on Thursday. I had heard the OHL has gotten better, but this was plain ugly. 6 game misconducts, 8 ten minutes...and the list goes on. Cujo was amazing though...nothing was getting by him....

J.T.: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 11:27AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Then, thanks to finding a great deal on some skates in TO, I had the chance to get back on the ice for the first time in almost 15 years Saturday night. Clockwise (well, when I wasn't busy falling down) to Madonna for two hours. Spooky at first how unnatural it felt...felt a bit better after a couple of hours.....it's going to be awhile...

Tripp: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 11:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Once Kovalev learns that making the crowd go OOOHHH AAAHHH doesn't win you any games, he'll be fine. He's got moves that 95% of the players out there would never be able to pull off in practice. He'll score 7 or 8 one month, and then get zero for 17 straight games. I'd like to see him do well, though.

Tripp: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 11:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Looks like Mike Dunham got hurt yesterday, too. He made a wicked glove save on Sundstrom and doubled over at the waist. Pulled groin. Ouch. He wears one of those Brian's thief gloves, and lemme tell you that thing is friggin huge! I dunno how anyone could wear such a big glove. I had a Brian's Air Hook, and got rid of it after a month because it was so big. Comfortable, just clumsy.

C5: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 11:54AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Smott, I was down all day Sunday with the same bug, I believe. I blame Saddam Hussein. It's taking everyone. There's no use staying home from work-- everyone I know has this thing. And I have a game tonight at 10...

C5: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 11:55AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yes, chatsters, the banner needs changing... I've been dutifully collecting images. However, if anyone can find a really good pic that was NOT on CNNSI or ESPN and wants to send it to me for consideration to the banner, just press this button and we'll make it so...

wolfman: . . . . Mon, Nov 30, 11:56AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi C5 did you get my email and picture??

C5: . . . . Tue, Dec 1, 5:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Wolfman! Yes, I did. They look awesome. Filed them away for when I next get a chance to change the banner. I agree-- both these boys are kicking butt. I'll try to have the banner 'updated' as soon as I have some time. Keep the pix coming, chatsters!

C5: . . . . Tue, Dec 1, 5:40AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Played in an absolute SNOOZER last night, faced only 12 shots or so. Won 8-2, but the freaky thing was that I was left to dry while my sub team celebrated the win, so they scored a goal literally with 1 second left! Goal, net, buzzer, just like that. Strangest feeling.

gbfreeman: . . . . Tue, Dec 1, 6:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5, the two pictures I sent you last night are cropped from images in the player section of the Phoenix Coyote web site.

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 1, 8:27AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm C5 I have not quite shaken Saddam's bug yet....felt fairly chipper last night for my B game and actually played well despite having eaten next to nothing for 48 hrs....my guys scored a few and I lugged a cheerio into the 3rd period again, came out with a 5-3 win....but now today I am flattened once more...and B playoffs tonight!

Fourqts: . . . . Tue, Dec 1, 12:02AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Just an FYI on the whole Pro Masque discussion. Got an email From PM today saying that they will honor all perks of their warranty even if the mask is purchased from a third party vendor (IE free repair or replacemant and a loaner during repair and painting). Note: the painting must be done by them or all warranties are off. So Even if you want to save the $100 by ordering from Simmons you are covered. Also the masks are identical to the lowest cost version noted on the Pro Masque web site.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Tue, Dec 1, 2:42PM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5 did ya get the picture I sent you? I'm waiting to see the new page with all the chatsters up on it. Played with my rec team last night, got 1 new player who actually knows what he is doing so I wasn't left completly out to dry. Faced a whopping total of 77 shots of which 37 where break aways and allowing 4 to go in. We managed to pull out a 7-4 win that was fought to the last second with the buzzer going off while the puck was in my end and a flury of activity. Had 2 really solid deflector shots at the end there that freaked me out. The 1st one was from the left face off circle as I was going into the fly. I deflected it and angled it to the left corner, however, it deflected unknown to me WAY up and left and when I lost it I freaked until I saw it land in the corner. The 2nd one was similar except this time I got it from the slot on a 1timer and did the old wrist turn to the right corner and it too shot almost straight up and right into the corner. Nothing like the last few minutes in a game and the pressure on in your end to make you do strange things. Of the 4 that went in I can honestly say 1 of them was on me the other 3 where on the D not covering the man in the slot and screening me. I can honestly say that I am tired of facing break aways.

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 5:26AM PST (-0700 GMT)
CdP CONGRATS!! We are co-holders of the Shellack/Week Most Shots in a Game which is 77. And YOU WON!! I'm in awe. I gave up 16 I believe in A league when I saw my 77. Amazing....

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 5:28AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile I actually cancelled my playoff game last night, still stricken with the flu bug....I relapsed and crawled home from work mid-afternoon....now I got a phone call wanting me to sub in another playoff game tonight!! I feel pretty good this AM....so what to do???

C5: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 5:30AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Run away and fight another day...

C5: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 5:31AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Has anyone noticed that the chat log is editing itself?? That is COOL, Chris!

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 7:45AM PST (-0700 GMT)
YAh how does the edit work?? Seems like it comes back to the last time you logged something....

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 7:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Wow can Paul Kariya skate! Watched the Ducks and Pens tie 4-4 last night, that guy is like a waterbug, all over the place. Jagr finally snaps out of scoring drought for 2 + 2 assists, he owns poor Hebert, smoked'em like a bad cigar as we say here in Pgh heh heh!

Fourqts: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 7:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
yeah but where is the info going????? Auto into archive??? Have to go look. Cool

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 7:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile what's with the Caps???

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 7:47AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hiya 4q, order that P-M yet?

Fourqts: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 7:50AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Nope I thinks I'll let someone get it for christmas... My Girlfriend has been hounding me for Ideas..... So.... And She puts up with my hockey habit, and loves the Yotes....

Fourqts: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 7:51AM PST (-0700 GMT)
And for the price..... They will spend about 240 right now... and I'm starting to really like the PM style as compared to all the stuff i'm looking at.

J.T.: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 8:27AM PST (-0700 GMT)
No idea on the Caps (but I should living here) but I'm still really psyched at how my Leafs are doing. Cujo has been amazing as of late....now, if they would just move my Jets back to Winnipeg I would be in Heaven! Did the third skate since a 15 year layoff last night...it's starting to come back albeit slowly. One day...oh yes.....

fourqts: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 8:51AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Sorry JT but the ex-Jets are very happy in Phoenix... And we won't let them go (They will get a new 20,000 seat arena in the next two years)... We average like 15,500 fans a night and the arena holds 16,210 but has 4000 limited view seats...... With the roll that they are on and the fact that the NBA is out is making it hard to get tickets even weeks in advance (last year I could generally walk up a half hour before the game and get in). Tonight will be 9 wins in a row (sorry oiler fans, but face the facts).... I also think they are showcasing Quint for a trade somewhere... Any takers on a offensive defense man who could not skate around a tree...

fourqts: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 8:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
nor stop a 3 year old figure skater from snagging the puck from him and getting a breakaway..... he would feel really at home on one defense we recently read about (that was 77 shots and 37 breakawaye in one game right)

fourqts: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 8:56AM PST (-0700 GMT)
So does the chat edit itself for each person or does it clear after time...... If it is time sensative, I thinks it takes away from discussions. I'm getting all DEC 2 stuff now..... can't look back at what has been said.... So my verdict is not in just yet on the self clearing

J.T.: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 9:27AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Agree with fourqts....it's hard sometimes to follow conversations, switching back and forth between a few different machines. All I'll say about my Jets is, hey, you can take the Jets out of Winnipeg, but you can't take the Winnipeg out of my Jets. (uh, that just sounded really stupid....)

C5: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 11:51AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Whoa.. the chat is going too fast... I missed some stuff.

C5: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 11:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
JT, uh, yeah, since almost no American even knows where Winnepeg was... How'd you come to be a Winnepeg fan? Goalies (wracking my brain) or?

J.T.: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 11:54AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Back in the days when Essensa ruled the net.... ;-) Well, how about growing up in Northern Minnesota and playing in Manitoba as a kid? (and, it also seems, no American can SPELL Winterpeg. ;-)

Goal35: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 12:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi all, looking forward to leagues resuming for a whopping one week this weekend for our team, and knowing everybody but me hasn't skated in the last 3 weeks- should be interesting.. then no games til 1/3.. scheduling genius, hopefully 'ill be subbing once or twice a wk..

Sieve: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 1:37PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi all. Just back from Thanksgiving in Fla. So relaxing down there on the sea its easy to forget about winter and wintersports. How is it that you play goaltender in uhh, uh... hockey, yeah thats what its called.

Sieve: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 1:44PM PST (-0700 GMT)
CdP, Damn...73 save night?!? You must have been unconcious (sp.) and on your head. Nice work. I need one of those nights to help my stats, but I'm afraid I be in ICU afterward.

Scoop: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 4:06PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey all..... the chat is clearing rather quick, maybe we can find some middle ground, say maybe once a week (instead of every 5 or 6 weeks)..... anyway, missed CDP's mention of a 73 save night.... but will pass on now that I was in goal during a tournament a few years back and faced 78 shots... unfortunately I didn't have 73 saves....I only had 62.... do the math....I'll have nightmares about that game the rest of my life....still have the pain in my neck from turning around so often looking for the puck behind me...

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 4:27PM PST (-0700 GMT)
This self clearing log is the pits. Chris, this needs to be changed. It makes it almost impossible to follow the topic if you miss a segment.

fourqts: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 5:19PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I concur with CdP.

gbfreeman: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 5:23PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Can we please put the log back the way it was? If you don't check in each hour, you miss alot.

wolfman: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 5:48PM PST (-0700 GMT)
HI all. If you want to see what was said earlier use the scroll back for messages.

wolfman: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 5:49PM PST (-0700 GMT)

fourqts: . . . . Wed, Dec 2, 9:20PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well the winning streak ended for the yotes as they fell to the oilers tonight 4-3 (also games allowing 2 or less fell). But for all who got to see that game tonight..... WOW..... That was an excellent hockey exhibition. Both up and down the Ice the game was great.... They had to lose somtime i guess, but to lose while playing that level of hockey.... I'd rate that as the best game i ever watched on tv

Carpe de Puck : . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 3:05AM PST (-0700 GMT)
the scroll back thing isn't that effeective. Took me about 5 times to get to where I left off. I started in increments of 10 and worked up to 50. I like the old scroll down method personally

C5: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 5:07AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Chatsters, Chris told me it's a bug, and not the chat, and not some feature he turned on. I kind of like the idea of the chat auto-regulating itself, but this IS too fast, as many of you have mentioned. Chris is working on it, just so you know.

C5: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 5:08AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Oh. And it's the ISP's fault, not Chris, and not the chat CGI. That's what he said.

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 5:40AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi fellow Chatsters, yes the log is consumign itself. Use the Scroll Back and you can recover what you missed though...

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 5:43AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well guys despite my lingering flu I tottered out for a fill in playoff game in B....re-match against the guys who beat us 8-7 last time, getting 6 from an ex-NHL guy. (Yes that's right I couldn't stop'em!!) Luckily for moi they are missing Bobby NHL this time, and those 6 goals magically went away, we win 7-2. Amazing how one guy changes the balance.

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 5:43AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile when am I going to feel better? I have decided not to eat anything ever again.

Beatts: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 7:03AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Keep that up Smott and you can get a starring role on " Ally McBeal" hehe

C5: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 7:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Am I the only one who's found that playing hockey is actually cheaper in the long run? It really keeps me out of trouble. Normally I'd go to a movie or dinner or sit at home and drink beer and watch TV, but instead playing hockey gets me out of the house, keeps me active, and gets me home far, far too late to get into any trouble!

C5: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 7:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Beatts, heh heh. Smott, I'd kill to play against some ex-NHL'ers!

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 8:21AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh heh you are braver than me C5. This ex-pro could shoot like you can't believe. Got rid of the puck so fast it was in the net before my little neurons could even begin colliding with one another to form a reflex....The couple of times he hit me I was going "OW" like 5 mins later....

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 9:59AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm re staying out of trouble....was that me in a rink parking lot drinking beer at 1 AM last night? Um no wonder my stomach hurts today.....

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 10:00AM PST (-0700 GMT)
But all worth it in the name of a cadaver-of-the-week guest shot on Ally McBeal!

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 10:07AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Does the Chat clear itself to first message of current day?....

Tripp: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 10:22AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well... had my first league game last night. My team has 3 former AHL'ers, 3 guys fresh outta juniors, and some guy who played junior A player in the net. We're gonna be way tough to stop. Beat the defending league champs like a drum... 12-2. I didn't play all that well, but then again, I didn't have to. That was the first full game I played since my shoulder injury 2 years back. That third period dragged on and on.

Tripp: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 10:23AM PST (-0700 GMT)
And oh yeah... the Yotes streak is dead! Long live Shtalenkov!

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 11:11AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yotes had to end sometime. But they are for real. Gee some of the divisions are unbalanced at the moment...

Beatts: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 12:06AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Tripp, I know how you feel...The team I play for are all former junior players, amazing team but geez is it boring sometimes. I feel myself getting real lethargic and when Friday pick-up come's around I get shelled....and like it !!

Fourqts: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 12:06AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I think the Yotes will show if they are for real over the next five games. at clagary, at vancouver, montreal, at ottowa, and at montreal. This is the longest road swing of the year.... And we have yet to see if Tocchet can keep the lockerroom together after a loss. If they restart the streaks and go on another tear then (I think) they will be in serious contention come playoff time. If they slide here then I think Tocchet will have lost control of the dressing room and that will spell doom for the Yotes.... I think their bigest change from last year has been the fact that Tocchet is the clear leader this year.... Before you had the Keith Tk , JR, and Tocchet factions wrestling for control..... I think late in last season JR started following Tocchet and the team played better in the playoffs (I think they tested the Wings more than anyone else in the playoffs). Over the summer and through the holdout, I think Keith Tk got the clue that the leader that could bring the cup to PHX was not Keith Tk but Rick Tocchet. Hopefully Keith has found someone to pattern himself after (on the leadership front).... As Long as JR and Keith Support Tocc, I think they are contenders. And if Keith really gravitates to the Tocc way, they will be contenders for quite some time.

Fourqts: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 12:15AM PST (-0700 GMT)
As for the loss last night and the tenders.... Stlen was standing on his head all night.... He played a great game.. As for Boolin, I think one of the goals was his fault. The other three by either sloppy d or by great setups.

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 12:20AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ah you guys the season is already a quarter over, them Yotes is the real deal. With a guy like Tochett they've already gotm ore heart than Dallas, apologies to Stars fans....I would love to see Rick T. get another Cup.

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 12:21AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Speaking of leadership, or lack thereof, what's with Patty (wahhhhh! waahhhh!) Roy throwing a tantrum and pitching his stick after goals? He looks like a bad-tempered adoloscent.

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 12:22AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Oh that's right, he IS a bad-tempered adolescent... :-D

Sieve: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 12:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
right on smott. You would've thought he was down 0-6. Cripe, that was the first goal. An a very well placed shot from Lidstrom. I think he's losing it, and cant stand it. Sure was great back in his day...

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 12:51AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well Roy's still very good. But if I wanted to see a tantrum I'll just go babysit my nephew.....

Sieve: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 1:22PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Actually seeing him do that on national tv made me realize how important it not to overreact to stuff like that. First thing I thought was, man, I must look really silly when I do something like that. So for that lesson, Pat, I say thanks.

Chris: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 1:24PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey Sieve

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 2:15PM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5 have you posted any new pics to the page yet? I sent ya a pic almost a month ago I believe.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 4:39PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Back to the stick blade topic for a moment. I believe I have found the ticket to improving just about everyones ability to lift shots. I came apn this idea from my buddies who golf and something I read about Hextall and his stick handling. If you think about it, it's not so much the curve of the stickblade but the angle. Think golf club now, a 7 iron has a face on it that tilts back at an angle and is used to lift the ball. When the club makes contact with the ball because of the tilt the ball is lifted upward(vertical)in conjunction with the forward(lateral) speed of the club. With this in mind, I set out to try my hand at making a stick to resemble a 7 iron. Here are the results. I started with a Louisville TPS gold stick for a full right goalie that had a slight curve on it(one of Delguidice's pattern) and heated the blade enough to bend it into a completly straight blade. From there I continued heating it and rolling it over an old can to help put some left curve into it. Once I had a decent amount of curve going I stood the stick up as it would be used on the ice with the face of the blade facing me and stepped on it with my foot, pushing the top of the blade backwards at an angle. The whole time I continued to heat the blade as needed to keep it workable. The finished product looked like a stick with a slight curve in the toe that leans back at an angle. Took it on the ice that night to test my monster out during warmups. The first puck I shot came off the ice relativly easy without muscle maning it. I think if I start with a straight blade or a curved blade and concentrate on backwards lean of the blade more the results will be even more pronounced. Another observation, Louisville TPS sticks have considerably more lumber in the blade, ie a tall blade 4" as compared to 3 1/2" on my other sticks. This seems to make a difference in being able to lift the puck as well. It also helps cover more 5 hole area when in the fly. So break out your blow torches and heat guns and start bending those stick blades backwards at an angle if you want to look like Hexy when you put your lumber on some rubber. I'll keep you updated as I continue to mold stick blades into new and unusual shapes.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Thu, Dec 3, 7:49PM PST (-0700 GMT)
4Qts just got an E-mail from PM. Check this sale out ;PM Classique $279.95 until 12/31/98 and the graphite model is $449.95

C5: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 4:50AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Seive, I thought I already put those pix up? Yeek. Email me at this button and remind me what pix those were... Sorry! Speaking of pix, there's a great pic of Thibault doing that stickhandling thing at this button ...

Sieve: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 5:13AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Morning all. C5, thats CdP asking about pix. Yes, you did put mine up a while ago.

smott: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 5:17AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi fellas. My Pens meet up with former Cap Ron Francis and the Canes tonight....poor ROnnie on course to get maybe 20 points this season! Of course not having guys like Lemieux, Jagr, Straka etc to convert his nice passes may have something to do with that!....

smott: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 5:17AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hiya Sieve....

Sieve: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 6:02AM PST (-0700 GMT)
good morning Ms. Smott, puck warrior princess. : >)

smott: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 6:11AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Too funny....hmm though I guess that c/a protector is a little Xena-ish heh heh....

smott: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 6:12AM PST (-0700 GMT)
In my quest for an Ally McBeal guest spot, I continue to eat nothing! Well actually a little bit of pasta last night, which almost killed me. So hmm. And 2 big games coming up on Sun - Mon, one playoffs, the other last-game-must-win for playoffs. Yikes. How to get calories?

Beatts: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 7:06AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I just started using a Blue Koho "Potvin" model stick after a long marriage to Sher-Wood, Hespeler and Heaton Sticks. I never liked to way the blade "leans back" on the koho model until I tried one....Carpe's right, It makes a huge difference....Only one problem, I've had three penalties for delay of game because of shooting the puck over the boards unintentially....It works though

smott: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 7:11AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi Beatts I could never use the Potvin, it seemed too flat to me, but the ROy is great. Sometimes I even lift the puck off the ice heh heh...

Mntender: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 10:20AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi all, been a while. Thought I would tell you a little story about my older son. He was in a game this week and about 1/2 way through the 2nd period he was mowed over by several players (4), anyway we can't see him at the bottom of the pile, just his goalie mask scooting across the ice. Mom was really worried till one of the other dads said " well at least his head isn't in the helmet !!!" Pretty funny and he only received a mild concusion.

smott: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 11:27AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ouch Mntender hope your youngster is OK! My last concussion was similar....the only time ever my helmet came off, but I think the knee under my chin had something to do with that, as well as the concussion! heh heh...

Tripp: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 11:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ouch... I've been on the bottom of those pile-ups one too many times, and if there's one thing I've learned it's that concussions are only mild when they happen to someone else!

Toast: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 11:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yowsa...no net access for three weeks (dead computer - no replacement yet)...but I am still alive (barely). Today is a fluke that I am on the net - found a computer at school that someone forgot to log off so I have illicit access for a few minutes. No email though - so I will not be able to peruse that. BTW, anyone who has sent me mail since mid-November, I am sorry - I have not been able to retrieve it yet. Soon though, and I promise to follow up.

Toast: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 11:40AM PST (-0700 GMT)
In the meantime, I do apologise for any angst that may have caused...on a hockey note, on the games I have been able to make it out to (end of school term + insane work schedule = one stressed Toast), I have been really sharp. Go figure, but I have been pleased with my play.

smott: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 11:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
wow a Toast sighting!

Toast: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 11:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Fleeting, but like a long Leaf losing streak...I will be back!

smott: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 12:21AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Toast is too polite to say so but one of the primary angstees was moi! Our Toast is a driving instructer and it occurred to me that one of those Young Drivers might have driven him in front of a train or something! GLad to see that was not the case!....

Tripp: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 2:00PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Just a question... are there any chatsters who live in Canada?

TDog: . . . . Fri, Dec 4, 7:30PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey all, I havent been around in a LONG time. I see things have been moving along without me. Hopefully I'll be able to check in from time to time

C5: . . . . Sat, Dec 5, 7:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Tripp, I'm from there, and I'll be there for 10 days this month.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sat, Dec 5, 8:03AM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5 whats the URL to your page, seems I've lost my bookmark to it

fourqts: . . . . Sat, Dec 5, 9:58AM PST (-0700 GMT)
The PM air 2000 (very similar to the classic is about 225 (after the us can conversion) at simmons..... On my christmas list so i thinks I'll be sporting a PM after the 25th....

: . . . . Sat, Dec 5, 1:46PM PST (-0700 GMT)
My homepage is at this button and the chat page is here, at this button

smott: . . . . Sat, Dec 5, 1:57PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ho hum another tie, Pens-Canes 3-3. Guess I shouldn't complain after all, it ain't a loss but geez. Irbe fun to watch anyway.

smott: . . . . Sat, Dec 5, 1:59PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile Kovalev has more moves than Mae West! But when will he shoot the *^*&^ puck??? He'll get it in good position, I'm going "SHOOT FOR *&(^*&^*&^SAKES" he dishes it off to some winger who goes "Erp!" and trips over the puck, never expecting it....geez....

Tripp: . . . . Sat, Dec 5, 2:54PM PST (-0700 GMT)
It's unreal, eh smott? He'll have the puck dead center in the slot, and try to stickhandle through the whole team. He's a wiz with the puck and he does have a good shot, which makes it even more confusing. I can't imagine him on a line with Francis or (God forbid) Mario and Jagr.

wolfman: . . . . Sat, Dec 5, 2:56PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I'm from Canada, Tripp.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sat, Dec 5, 3:10PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I saw a pair of VIC pads for sale on SFSL special page, these anything like the ones you liked so much Smott?

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sun, Dec 6, 8:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well chatsters I rode the pine last night. I thought for sure I was going to go in after the first period since the now #1 let in a shot from the blue line that was on par with rec hockey. I think the guy was just throwing it on net for the chase in. I think the new goalie is nearsided, he can't handle the shots from far out to save his life. His saving grace is that he's a big guy and covers a lot of net. Other than that i see this guy getting the boot soon so maybe yours truely will be getting some ice time in the not so far future.

Tripp: . . . . Sun, Dec 6, 1:08PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Good luck to ya, CdP. It's tough to sit and watch while the other goalie is out there giving up junk. Hopefully you'll get your shot sooner than later

Tripp: . . . . Sun, Dec 6, 2:06PM PST (-0700 GMT)
SFSL is taking advance orders for the new Koho/Lefevre Roy gear. I'm not exactly sure how I got there from the homepage, but there are some good pictures of the stuff at their site.

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 5:30AM PST (-0700 GMT)
CdP CONGRATS on getting up to pine-level!! All us Chatsters are pulling for you to get some ice-time!

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 5:31AM PST (-0700 GMT)
As for the Vics my old faves were the GP1000 (or were they 1500???) anyway the square styrofoam-filled guys. Very light and easy to move in but they gave up nuclear-powered rebounds. Had to get used to them.....

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 5:32AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile here's another plug for Matt Garland at Pro-Masque. After that buckle on my chin got shattered by a shot, I hunted around some pro shops but couldn't find the right size....emailed Matt and he's sending me a bunch for free. So there you are.

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 5:38AM PST (-0700 GMT)
So fellas what is it with horeshoes out there, or lack of same??? After finishing 7-2-1 in my C league for 2nd seed, we lose first round playoffs 7-4!! 2 goals go in on centering passes off sticks on my own team, (mine included!!) wierd stuff you see once a season suddenly ends up in the net. After allowing 7 goals total in the last 4 games, I'm suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree for 7 in one game! 3 breakaways, I stop nada. Other goalie who we scorched for 9 last time out suddenly is in front of everything. Still 4-4 in the 3rd until we too, ah, 4 straight penalties. Rats.

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 5:38AM PST (-0700 GMT)
And back to the NHL, I see Felix has finally had enough!! Where will he end up??

C5: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 5:47AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Smott, those flukes come in threes! Two weeks ago against Sun Data-- the team I sometimes play for and always want to beat-- they got their first goal on a skare-then-stick redirect of a centering past. I realized, "OH, it's going to be that kind of night!" I spent the night stopping chances but always expecting the garbage out of the corner of my eye, and sure enough, managed to stop a bit of trash here and there which might have fluked in otherwise.

Goal35: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 6:11AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey all.. Congrats CdP!! - yea, those sound like our old GP1000's smott.... sorry to hear about your playoff game... we had our 1st game in 3 wks last nite, the boys came to play - had to be the best D game they played, made it quite boring for me, only 20 shots... we cruise to a 9-2 win. they shelled the other guy with 47.. and he had a pretty good game, made some great saves and was getting no D help.

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 7:11AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well the really sucky thing about this league is the playoffs are single-elim. One loss and we're out. So after a pretty solid season, lowest GAA ever I think, suddenly it's over and we don't start up again with this league until 3rd week Jan. So, ick.

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 7:12AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile I still have 2 teams....final game must-win tonight in B. If we win we're in the playoffs starting tomorrow, again single-elim. Then scheduled for a shellacking on Wednesday with my sad sacks.

Fourqts: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 8:02AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Went to sfsl to check out the ROY new series and it looks good but a little pricy (989 pads, 315 catch, 200 blocker in US Funds). But I hear that when you wear it your GAA jumps 2-3 points through the first month of the seasson. That is not to mention a weird feeling you have whenever you skate towards a line and the added cost of hockey sticks when you start smashing them on national TV with every goal that is scored on you.... HHHHHEEEEE

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 8:04AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh heh hi 4q....

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 8:05AM PST (-0700 GMT)
DO you also suddenly acquire an ego the size of Quebec???

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 8:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile the Pens suddenly have 6 days off....what is with the NHL schedule?....

fourqts: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 8:42AM PST (-0700 GMT)
After the Yotes Game last night it seems that the key to beating them is to score more than two goals.... When the opp scores less than 2 they are like 14-1-1 otherwise they are 0-2-0. Go figure defense wins games.

C5: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 9:30AM PST (-0700 GMT)
4q, I tried on a pair of Roy Kohos and they not only dropped my GAA 2 points but they also made me jump over the goal line and blue line constantly! No, I'm kidding. Since Toast isn't here on the chat I have to stand in for him by saying that equipment does NOT matter when you get into the upper leagues where you're facing high quality shots. The net is 24 feet square and a few inches here and there won't help you as much as positioning, anticipation and quickness/athletic ability will. That's why some goalies seem to jump equipment-- usually to whomever will give them the endorsement deal-- because firstly, they're custom-made anyway, and secondly, at that level the goalie is NOT depending on his equipment for GAA reduction, anyway! Although it's true that goalies like Roy use it to shave off percentages, but mostly it's just stuff you wear.

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 9:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Goodness was that Toastie??? :-D

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 9:38AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh heh not a bad imitation.....I will say that for me, changing pads made a huge difference, mostly becauset he tapered toe on my Lousivilles allows me quicker turns and lateral movement, and gets the pad down flatter quicker. In low-level goober hockey like I play, take the ice away and you're in good shape....

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 9:42AM PST (-0700 GMT)
As for 2 goals/game, Pens held the Bees to 2 goals, but Jagr, Straka, Kovalev and CO could only get 1 by Lord Byron on like 34 shots. Of course he had a few pipes to help him out.....

Tripp: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 10:49AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I think you also get that trademark tourettes twitch when you buy the WAHHH pads. But the playoff "wink" is a custom upcharge.

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 11:18AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well, I did briefly own a pair of the Roy pads, but not long enough to acquire any twitches! However they were so damn big and bulky they impeded my movement and the square toe twisted my knees and made them sore. So I jettisoned them in favor of a pair of comparitively tiny Louisville Butterflys...but I scramble around much quicker in them. Also when I go down I don't need a forklift to get back on my skates. All positives.

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 11:19AM PST (-0700 GMT)
So guys take heart: there are some areas where bigger isn't always better! ;-D

wolfman: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 11:25AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi smott. I can say yes to that. My old D&R set at 27" where way to wide. My new Battrams are perfect. Lots of mobility and easyto recover from the butterfly. Much better with the smaller pads.

wolfman: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 11:26AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi smott. I can say yes to that. My old D&R set at 27" where way to wide. My new Battrams are perfect. Lots of mobility and easyto recover from the butterfly. Much better with the smaller pads.

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 11:52AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yikes 27"? Wow mine are 32" and I think I need 34" probably...

smott: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 11:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Once upon a time Toastie knew someone who was selling a pair of 34 Louisvilles....of course, that brings up the choice: pay the mortgage, or buy the pads??

fourqts: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 12:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
and the bank hasn't forclosed right smott....

wolfman: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 2:50PM PST (-0700 GMT)
My D&R were 33" high and 13.5"wide for 27" total width, which were way too wide. I couldn't even walk with them on let alone move on the ice.

kaco: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 2:50PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hello wolfman

C5: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 3:42PM PST (-0700 GMT)
This is why I don't buy Simmons and all that crap... They're knock-offs with more width for guys who think standing there like a wall makes them a goalie. I've been really interested in trying out a pair of Cooper Reactor 5 pads-- they look so thin and light. If I had my way, my pads would give huge rebounds (I hate the 5-foot rebounds-- right onto that guy parked at the top of the crease) but be light as a feather. I'm not the greatest by far, but I'm basing my skills on anticipation and positioning, and not on being a wall. When I played goal in competitive ball hockey in high school I wore cricket pads and could butterfly in those, although it was really hard on the knees. Positioning is 9/10's the save...

C5: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 3:43PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Maybe when I'm in Canada I'll check out a pair... don't need any pads-- my old Brown's are holding up fine, although I need a toe clip or two-- but if a good price pops up, who knows? will definitely come back with some industrial-strength kneepads, though. 25 stitches will make any goalie want to upgrade!

deke: . . . . Mon, Dec 7, 5:44PM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5 - Which model Browns do you have? I just bought a pair of 290's and am having trouble adjusting to the way the pads flex up top (or don't) Overall, I'm happy with the pads, especially the soft fronts to help cut down on rebounds.

: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 5:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ugh... 6-6 tie last night, 5 of the 6 goals game from their ringers who do NOT belong in our league. I've been playing against these a$$holes all my life. You're at the neighborhood ring playing 'Bobby Orr' when the f@#$king SWEDES show up... the rest of the night is keep-away. Jerks. So-- last night, third period-- the puck is sliding down to my corner, I skate out the (lamely) clear it by one of their rushing guys, but only to the blue line, and the Swede #1 guy holds me trying to skate back into the net, so I decked him. Ah, my first penalty of the season, and it would have hurt us but the ref also duly noted the sweet, two-handed slash to my pads as well. Swede #2 got a NIIIIIICE stick to the ankle 5 minutes later. Pissed him off. He was ejected for fighting and could not contribute to the 2-2 shootout, which is probably why we tied... I was sucking...

C5: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 5:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Sorry, that was me... I think that when I was in Europe I somehow re-tasked each and every brain cell formerly dedicated to goaltending... I am re-training them now, but it's hard...

C5: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 5:37AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Deke, I don't know what model I have... you can see a pic of them at this button but I don't know if that'll help. I've seen a pair at the rink exactly like 'em, but even though they were 34" as well they were smaller and seemed different.

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 6:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi guys...too bad about the tie, C5 but don't sweat it, atleast you got a point! Played my must-win last night, needed a win to make playoffs, we go down 5-4. Once again, flukes get me, 3 of the 5 were wierd/lucky goals (did you say they come in 3's???) including one that was kicked in but not called. I don't mind if the ref disagrees with what I see, but when he's seeing it from 50 feet away because he can't be bothered to skate back into the play, I get crabby. Oh well. Another team done 'til mid-January.

Fourqts: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 8:13AM PST (-0700 GMT)
A little mis information on the yotes game on sunday night.. When i came into work and checked my yahoo page it had them winning 3-2.... I had taped the game and watched it last night.... It was a 3-3 tie.... Apologies.. All the goals in the game were caused by either great (lucky) plays or rebounds where the D did not pick up a man.... GRRRRR... I thought tocchet and Brasheers (SP) were gonna go at it..... Damn Tocchet is fearless, he gives up probably 4-6 inches in height and probably like 30-40 pounds. Anyhow during a little skirmish the camera zooms in on them and Tocchet looks up to Brash's face from like 6 inches away says simply "I will kick your A**".... Huge huevos.

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 8:28AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh heh yep I love Tochett. He's not that small either so how big is this Brash guy?

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 8:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ho hum Pens in the middle of a 6-day hiatus....Meanwhile Buff-St Loo on TV tonight....haven't seen Gumby play all year, maybe I'll tune in....

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 8:54AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Took a ride to the Garden last night for the Leafs/Rangers game. Cujo really blew his top after the game. He was screaming at one of the defensemen and shattered a perfectly good Helite stick on the ice. Ya don't see that too often from him. I still don't know how Cujo can move with those mattresses strapped to his legs. Nedved's line continues to put up all kinds of crazy points (13 in the last 2 games) and the Rangers may be the hottest team in the league. So do you screw up whatever chemistry you have and go for Bure??

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 9:00AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Tough break about that game C5. Sounds like you may have a wee bit of pent up steam about those guys, eh? I used to hate that when I was younger. You and a few pals are out messing around, and then a few of the older guys have to show up and see if they can punch a hole in you with their slapshot.

fourqts: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 9:22AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I think Tocchet is like 6-2 and about 200-210.... Brash is huge like 6-5 or 6-6 but like 240ish..... Gotta Love Tocchet.

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 9:31AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I thought Brashear was bigger too, but CNNSI says 6'2", 220. They say Tocchet is 6', 205. Of course they also say that Corey Hirsch is 5'10" 160. The only way he's 160 is if he has lead weights in his skates, so take the heights/weights for what they're worth.

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 9:38AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yes wow the Rangers are certianly rejuvenated huh? I am a little sour on Nedved because of the holdout but really he's a terrific player, great speed and an unbelievable wrist shot. Meanwhile in Pgh we hear rumors that Kovalev can shoot, but since he hasn't yet, we'll just have to wait to find out....

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 9:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
210, 240 lbs my goodness. Such big boys. I may have to go to an all you can eat pasta bar or soemthing to catch up!

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 9:45AM PST (-0700 GMT)
As for Cujo the guy's on pace for nearly 50 wins isn't he? Second only to Gumby. This is cause for a tantrum and breaking a perfectly good stick?

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 9:48AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Speaking of tantrums, the opposing goalie last night had a real screaming fit in front of his bench when we tied the game with 15 tics left in the 2nd. I can never bring myself to yell at my guys (though I have directed some anguished howls at the heavens on past occasion)....maybe this is a Y-chromosone thing....

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 9:49AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Also rumors floating around that we may see a Felix Potvin for Roman Hamrlik deal with Renberg back to the legion of doom in exchange for Dainius Zubrus. If the Oil could lock on to the Cat and get Dougie Weight back in time for the playoffs, they could give the Wings or Stars a run for their money. Doubt we'll ever see another Cup in Edmonton, though.

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 9:50AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Haha... sure smott... blame it on genetics

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 10:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm I was kinda hoping for Le Chat to go back to Montreal, really would have spiced up those Habs-Leafs encounters....

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 10:11AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh heh Tripp well it's not like I don't have the tantrum gene on my X-chromosome....I'm just not genetically equipped to yell at anybody but myself!

: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 11:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
The rumor I've heard the most is Potvin to Tampa Bay. I doubt Edmonton would give up Hamrlik

Tripp: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 12:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I don't think they'd give up on Niinimaa, Hamrlik, Poti or Mironov. Those are 4 really good young d-men. I also doubt Sather would shell out that kind of cash with Essensa and Shtalenkov doing a decent job. But I've got some friends up there who said it's been talked about for awhile.

gbfreeman: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 12:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
How about Potvin to Calgary for Theo Fleury? San Jose doesn't seem to want to pull the trigger on the deal because Calgary wants Brad Stuart and the third overall pick in the June draft. Fleury would give Toronto some more grit and scoring and Potvin would give Calgary proven goaltending beside Ken Wreggett.

smott: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 12:42AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Heh heh I see that Ken Wreggett now qualifies as proven goaltending!! Just kidding, I do like Kenny....poor guy won't have much success as a starter however, he's better as a backup....

Sieve: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 1:52PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi all. Speaking of Theo, did any of you see last night's game where he put on a fan's Fluery jersey out of the stands because his was soaked in blood and the ref made him change? Wacky. It had autographs all over it. Ref didnt go for that either so he got a no name #76.

Vile: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 3:04PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yeah, that was a pretty wierd game. Theo is bleeding all over the place, and Modano gets a scratch, and he is awarded a penalty shot (tried the 5 hole poorly) and then a double minor. In the American legal system that would be double jeapardy. It looked accidental too, he tried a blind lift of the stick, but whiffed the stick and smacked his face. The penalty shot was warranted but not the double minor. Top it all off, I'm a Stars fan. Prolly shouldn't let a player, even Modano, take a penalty shot right after a smack to the head.

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 5:24PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Shallacking alert: took a whopping 55 shots and stopped 50 of them. The goalie on the other end took a total of 15 shots and stopped 9. Some D on my end would of been nice, but since I was facing a guy who was in training camp with me, there was no one on the ice who could stay with him. He only managed to squeeze 2 by me and the other 3 were REAL lame. What was that comment about 3's? LOL

DLPanther: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 6:15PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I"m just glad Healy's getting a piece of the action for once, he's always getting the short end of the stick (no pun intended!)

deke: . . . . Tue, Dec 8, 9:57PM PST (-0700 GMT)
C-5 Thanks for the photos. I can't tell which model Brown's they are, but they look like what Fuhr wore in the Sabre days, or what Healy wore with NYR. The newer pads are quite different in design. There are no vertical shin rolls, just an outside roll with flat, soft faces. The graphic on my pads is kind of a crescent moon design. As I said, I like the pads, they're just taking some getting used to. What'd you do to your knee?

C5: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 5:13AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Deke, my knee got stepped on in a game. Got a 3.5" cut right above the knee, 23 stitches, 4 inside. Yuck. My first-- and hopefully last!-- time being taken off the ice on a stretcher! I saw a pair of those new Brown pads Monday night. I'd have to get a closer look at them, but I thought they were far, far too wide. You only need 2 inches to stop something along the ice. The only time I've found that wide pads seem to help is when you're stopping some hard angle shots from the corner and you can cover the whole net from the posts, standing up. Other than that, I'll take the mobility any day, which is why I have R5 pants, too. Rec hockey, what can you say...

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 6:03AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Of course those R5 pants have gotten me some nasty bruises around thigh/hip. Thin may help mobility but you get stung now & then.

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 6:04AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Yes CdP bad things come in threes evidently! I am scheduled for my shellacking tonight BTW....(3rd game of the week uh oh...)

: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 6:42AM PST (-0700 GMT)
I've also got the R5 pants. I haven't found the width of the Brown pads to be a problem. The lower portion of the pads are very flexible. It's the upper pad that is different. The only flex point is just below the knee so in the fly the top of the pad doesn't follow the contour of the lower thigh. Fortunately, the Browns have very beefy inner knee and thigh protection.

deke: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 6:43AM PST (-0700 GMT)
sorry, that was me

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 9:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm I see the Pens put Harry York on waivers and Vancouver nabbed him. Really makes him seem like a throwaway in the Nedved deal....would still like to know how much $$$ was involved with that....a lot I bet. Meanwhile STu Barnes has been demoted to fourth line, Kovalev, Straka, Titov now roaming first and 2nd lines....maybe soon Kovalev will actually shoot the puck. But I dream.

Tripp: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 11:02AM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5, my friend got a pair of the Bauer R3's, and they are really light and flexible. I've never worn them myself, but they're soft and not too wide. I think he got them at Garner's for about $450 U.S. You might want to take a peek at them if.

Tripp: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 11:35AM PST (-0700 GMT)
to continue my thought after our little power outage.... if you're in the market for pads.

Tripp: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 11:36AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Geez what a day. Hiya smott. How goes it?

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 11:50AM PST (-0700 GMT)
For me it's easier on my knees if the pad is softer versus stiff & inflexible.....less wierd twisting when you lay the pad flat in a fly....now I'm kinda afraid to buy new pads because they'll be stiff as boards....are you saying that hte Reactors are pretty soft even when they're new?....

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 11:50AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ooops missed him hiya Tripp....

Tripp: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 12:00AM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott... he wore the pads the day he got them (the Bauer tag was still on them when he got to the rink), and they were aleady softer and lighter than my 5 month old Vaughn 4000's. And the 4000's are a pretty light and flexible pad in their own right.

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 12:24AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm perhaps I should look into them....

smott: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 12:25AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Oops oh yeah gotta pay the mortgage instead!

Goal35: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 2:50PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Oh sure, I got tickets to the Admirals/Wolves game fri night to go see Healy and he gets called back up.... As far as the pads go, my Reactor 4's were pretty flexible from the get go - not like a buddy of mines Koho's who are like ironing boards 2 yrs later...

c5: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 5:42PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Geez, we gotta get this chat fixed... Smott, your remarks were top of the chat: "For me it's easier on my knees if the pad is softer versus stiff & inflexible...." For a split second I thought I was on the wrong chat... ;-)

c5: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 5:43PM PST (-0700 GMT)
G35, I love guys like you who turn up to the rink just to see an ex-NHLer.... I'd do that, too!

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Wed, Dec 9, 7:30PM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5 I sent you my picture a while back. You ever get it?

Beatts: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 4:52AM PST (-0700 GMT)
HAHAHA C5, your right, Smotts chat is DIRTY...hehe Ah..Gotta go....Thinking impure thoughts....hehe

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 5:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
OH DEAR!!!

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 5:41AM PST (-0700 GMT)
This Chat bug has caused my remarks to be taken ENTIRELY OUT OF CONTEXT!!!!

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 5:42AM PST (-0700 GMT)
...for those wondering, no, Monica Lewinsky did not wander into our Cyberspace, that was moi, smott, referring to knee pads used for ICE HOCKEY purposes only.....

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 5:45AM PST (-0700 GMT)
For all you guys who want your prurient interests indulged, well, just go watch the Impeachment Hearings.

Beatts: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 7:07AM PST (-0700 GMT)
hehehe.....

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 7:34AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile I took my Shellacking last night 12-6 on about 60 shots. Geez I'm tired and feeling a little fried after so much hockey. Not moving too agressively and let myself get screened a few times....

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 7:34AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Of course, got a call to fill-in in a B league tonight and what did I say? "Sure, what time?"

Vile: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 8:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Wow, the current vote leaders were released for the All star teams. Hasek, Irbe and Ollie for the world and Osgood, Cujo, and Broduer for North america... Interesting

Fourqts: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 8:46AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ended up changing my direction on the helmet.... Was all set to order a Pro masque, but ended up seing a slightly used and painted Koho mask at the local shop.. The cost was so good I had to go with it. And what is with Cujo and clearing the puck backwards..... Interesting seeings how i catch left and shoot right when skating out..... I know what I'm trying in open hockey tonight. And a werning on the Reactor Pads..... There are two distinctly different pads the US and Canadian made Bauers and the quality is hugly different.

Fourqts: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 8:47AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Boolin gets no respect..... sup vile

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 8:49AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm I see Dafoe nowhere to be found either...and Ollie's having a pretty ordinary year to get picked, geez....

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 8:51AM PST (-0700 GMT)
And no Patty WAH?? Just THINK what that must be doing to his ego!...:-D

: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 9:40AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey 4qts... Those are just the early voting results. They only one that counts is #1. Who decides the rest of the roster, I know they don't necessarily use the voting to pick anything beyond the starting line ups. But I thought the lack of Roy was interesting. Roy is apparently 4th in voting with Beflour 5th.

Tripp: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 10:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Dafoe isn't even on the damn ballot! Of course, I wrote him in, so he'll probably finish with 2 votes... his mother and me.

Beatts: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 10:41AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Has anybody heard from Toast ??? It's been awhile...

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 11:12AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Last I heard Toast was without a PC for awhile.....also very busy w/work & school....

C5: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 11:44AM PST (-0700 GMT)
His mother and you. Hehheheh. Tripp, you are a blast. :-D

gbfreeman: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 12:09AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Man, just when you really start thinking that Patty is finaly having to eat crow for his abundance of attitude, he goes on a 8-2-1 run with a save percentage in the 94 percent area. Have seen three games this week (Buffalo/St Louis, Colorado/NYR, and Kings/Caps) and all three had great goaltending. Hasek was unbelievable, Roy and Richter looked sharp, and Fiset looked pretty good also. So much for the changes to increase scoring. Maybe, just maybe, it is skill, not the size of the equipment. Ah, but then there is Trevor Kidd and Garth Snow to blow that argument out of the water. In the "It even happens in the pros" category, Jocelyn Thiebeut (sp?) beat Edmonton 3-1 last night with the only goal coming when he cleared the puck from behind the net, off of his defenseman, into the net.

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 12:57AM PST (-0700 GMT)
heh heh yes I saw TBone pull that one. His only goal too

Sieve: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 12:58AM PST (-0700 GMT)
ugh been there, done that : >(

Sieve: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 1:00PM PST (-0700 GMT)
hi smott. YEAH OZZIE! Doesnt mean he necessarily deserves it, just that we in Detroit get off of our cheeks to vote.

fourqts: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 1:46PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Being a yotes fan and a tender gives me mixed emotions on voting.... I would like to see boolin go, but that means a vote against DOM..... No..... So I write in Waite (Still undefeated) to appease the Yote in me... HEHE

fourqts: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 1:46PM PST (-0700 GMT)
so there are two tenders out there with a vote from a fan and their mother.

Tripp: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 3:05PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Ahhh haven't we all, Sieve my man. Guy took a wicked slapshot from the point on me last night, so I try to be Johnny Textbook and steer the puck into the corner off my stick. Thing is, it hit my defenseman in the skate and ricocheted into the back of the net. Nothing you can do but roll your eyes and hope they hit a goalpost later on to even out the luck.

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 3:22PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Fellow CHatsters I'm feeling a wee bit fried....after 4 games/week for some time now (most late on a school night!) I confess I'm actually looking forward to a couple weeks with only the odd fill-in to keep me occupied. I think it's a sleep-deprivation thing.....these late games (like tonight) require a little nap beforehand...then I get maybe 4 hrs after....then off to work looking like something my cat dragged in.....bad part is, my week off after Christmas when I could actually sleep in - NO GAMES! So, RRRrrrr....

gbfreeman: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 5:13PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Wow, the playoffs for my undefeated (7-0-3) roller team will finally happen this weekend (only 53 days after the season ended). I think my teammates may have to reintroduce themselves to each other. Played 2 last night (1 loss, 1 tie). Had one of those nights. Played like Hasek on the tough ones and like Goober on the easy ones. Tying goal in first game straight five hole. Stopped only 9 of 14 in the loss. EEEEWWWWWWW!!! The really hard part is the loss moved us from 4th to 5th due to the tie breaker. We have to win next week versus a team who killed us and hope the league powderpuff beats the 4th place team. Had our destiny in our hands and throttled the life out of it.

C5: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 5:34PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Fivehole shots are harder than people-- especially non goalies, ugh-- can imagine to save. That's when you find out just how small that puck is. And Smott, you have fun while you're there, right? Most of life is NOW NOW NOW and then gee, it sure sucks NOW, but wasn't that fun? Then NOW NOW NOW again... such is life.

Toast: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 8:01PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey everyone - quick peek in via girlfriend's computer...and no log of past chat! So I am in the dark over what has happened in the last month or so...

Toast: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 8:03PM PST (-0700 GMT)
As for me, I shall return shortly. Just need a PC and some free time...soon, very soon...I hope...

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 10:07PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm missed Toastie...he may not know about the Chat scroll-bug! AH well....back from my fill-in B game, different league, these guys can SHOOT, would be A in my part of town...anyway I was Bambi in the Freeway during warmups but somehow got in the way of a few once things got started and we wound up pulling away for a 10-4 win against a team I thought would shake & bake us....so go figure. Other goalie terrific, had LeFevre pads which seemed nicely tapered at top & bottom, and sounded real soft, no big rebounds.

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 10:09PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Meanwhile I gave up some bigger rebounds than usual but only because the puck was hitting me at 150 mph. Managed to chicken wing one with my elbow and OWWW on a thinner part of the R5 pads...now I can hardly raise my beer heh heh heh...but I'll manage....

smott: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 10:09PM PST (-0700 GMT)
And wow I see the Devils come storming back and singe Hexy in OT....goodness high scoring stuff for the NHL!

Tripp: . . . . Thu, Dec 10, 11:15PM PST (-0700 GMT)
and let's not forget Byron Dafoe with another awesome effort. Some HUGE stops against the Canes. "Mr. Pizza Hut tablecloth pads" Kidd had some decent stops too. Personally, I think Dafoe's success has everything to do with him changing from # 31 to # 34. If it's good enough for me, damnit it's good enough for him!

Goal35: . . . . Fri, Dec 11, 5:32AM PST (-0700 GMT)
yea C5 - I like watching different guys, even if they werent NHLrs - plus any night there are tix and I can talk the wife into going - i'm there :)

Goal35: . . . . Fri, Dec 11, 6:53AM PST (-0700 GMT)
And to follow that up, the Admirals affiliation with Nashville is killing us in the goalie dept.. Dunhams hurt, they have been playing switch with Voukoun and Fichaud, now Fichaud is hurt, they called up Mason, who was IHL goalie of the week, but a back-up 2 weeks ago - we now have a guy from the UHL (Gilmour), and ECHL (Minard), hmmmm maybe i'll take my gear along tonite just in case.... hahaha

smott: . . . . Fri, Dec 11, 8:21AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hi guys...hmmm I see in the Nedved deal, the cash exchange for the Pens was a nice 2.5 mil! That was enough to meet Pens' payroll in Mid Nov!...Of course, there's another payroll next week, so....heh heh maybe we can kiss Kevin Hatcher goodbye!....

Tripp: . . . . Fri, Dec 11, 11:17AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Eeeew... things ARE bad when Minard gets called up. Don't even bother bringing your pads, G35... ask Minard for his. Not like he knows what to do with them anyway!

Goal35: . . . . Fri, Dec 11, 11:20AM PST (-0700 GMT)
That bad Tripp???

Goal35: . . . . Fri, Dec 11, 11:21AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Well, at least the tix are free, and the Hanson Bros are there tonite.... should be good for a laugh or 2

Toast: . . . . Fri, Dec 11, 11:52AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Scroll bug?

snowman: . . . . Fri, Dec 11, 4:28PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hey all its been a while.... My season so far is very frustrating. Getting shellacked no offensive production and weak D.Basically it is no fun and the team is getting very intolerant of each other on the bench. I run the team & would like to cut some players but because of cash shortage I really cant, without footing the bill or pasing the cost to everyone else and they are against that. Still searching for sponsors, that would be a nice plus.

Felix: . . . . Sat, Dec 12, 9:39AM PST (-0700 GMT)
?

Goal35: . . . . Sat, Dec 12, 1:45PM PST (-0700 GMT)
hey Tripp - i'll have to give Minard his props for last night, he had a 36 sv 1-0 loss against Chicago, who's one of the best... was a great game to watch if you are a goalie.. both Minard and Wendell Young played great.. Minard even stopped a penalty shot..

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sat, Dec 12, 1:48PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Anybody ever used Graf goal skates before or know anything about them? The team trainer says he can get them for me at a good price but I want some feedback on them first.

Tripp: . . . . Sat, Dec 12, 3:00PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Wow... maybe he's improved since I played against him. He was fair, at best. He was a 3rd string ECHL goalie last I heard. So I take it he didn't let you play last night? ;-)

smott: . . . . Sat, Dec 12, 3:47PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Dear Lord, WENDELL YOUNG is still playing???? Hmmm maybe I don't feel so old after all! :-D

smott: . . . . Sat, Dec 12, 3:48PM PST (-0700 GMT)
CdP a pal of mine had a pair of Grafs and absolutely loved them. Assuming the pair you'll get is not the low-end of the line....I say go for it!

deke: . . . . Sat, Dec 12, 7:29PM PST (-0700 GMT)
CdP - I know Simmons doesn't have the highest credibility with the chat, but they swear that there isn't a better skate than the Graf. I tried to order a pair last Spring but their size availability was extremely limited.

deke: . . . . Sat, Dec 12, 7:33PM PST (-0700 GMT)
CdP - I know Simmons doesn't have the highest credibility with the chat, but they swear that there isn't a better skate than the Graf. I tried to order a pair last Spring but their size availability was extremely limited.

smott: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 6:14AM PST (-0700 GMT)
WOWEE Pens score 4 in 1:49 on a very rusty Grant Fuhr! Get outshot 27-7 last 2 and hang on 4-3. Go TB!

smott: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 6:17AM PST (-0700 GMT)
In the Hell Freezes Over Dept: KOVALEV SHOOTS! Twice! And scores! Twice! First one he put a move on McInnis that totally undressed him, then rifled it over FUhr's shoulder so fast you needed slo-mo replay to see the puck. My eyes were out on stems. Aweseome, awesome shot. Just a bullet. Wow. I sure hope the guy lives up to sojme of this potential. THey have him on a Russian line with Titov and Morozov that could be scary. And that's the second line.

ScottBattram: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 10:01AM PST (-0700 GMT)
Graf's line of skates are simply awesome, in this case, SIMMONS is right! they probably are the best goal skate out there.... next pair I get will be GRAF

deke: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 11:27AM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott: There never was any doubt about Kovalev's ability, just his commitment. Still, as a long-suffering NYR fan, I was sorry to see him go, especially to another team in the division. Hope it works out for the Pens. Meanwhile, how good does Richter have to be before the team responds with some consistent offense?

deke: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 11:29AM PST (-0700 GMT)
smott: There never was any doubt about Kovalev's ability, just his commitment. Still, as a long-suffering NYR fan, I was sorry to see him go, especially to another team in the division. Hope it works out for the Pens. Meanwhile, how good does Richter have to be before the team responds with some consistent offense?

deke: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 11:43AM PST (-0700 GMT)
sorry about the double post. anyone have any hints on how to prevent?

TheCat37: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 1:55PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Crapdepuck; i wear Graf skates and Scott is right. they are the best pair i have ever owned. i don't know how many pros wear them, but they are worth the money

Tripp: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 1:56PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hahahhaha... Crap de puck? A little typo there TC37?

TheCat37: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 2:02PM PST (-0700 GMT)
LOL... opps. I think i will call him CdP from now on just to be safe (c:

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 2:10PM PST (-0700 GMT)
I'll take that as a typo and not a jab :-) That is kind of funny if you think abou it. I think we've all had days when we've "Crapped the puck" so to speak. If theres one thing I've learned it's that you have to remember that it's just a game. Until I move out of the CHL and into the NHL (I don't expect that anytime soon )I 'll stick with those words of wisdom. If it wasn't fun why would anybody play?

Carpe de Puck: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 2:12PM PST (-0700 GMT)
no offense taken TC37, I actually got a good laugh out of it

smott: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 4:10PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Hmmm CdP seems the consensus is GO FOR THE GRAFS! Heh heh heh...

C5: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 6:00PM PST (-0700 GMT)
My CCM 832's are the best I've ever seen... Any web pix of these Grafs?

deke: . . . . Sun, Dec 13, 8:42PM PST (-0700 GMT)
C5- There is a picture of the Graf 750's in the Simmons on-line catalog.

Chris: . . . . Tue, Dec 15, 7:24PM PST (-0700 GMT)
Woah!!
Sorry about the lack of chat. It was a fault at the server end. Thank you for all those who emailed about the problem. I have been away for a bit and will try to stay on top of things, hopefully preventing this from happening again.
Sorry for the delay.