The NHL Thread

[hailtopitt]

don't be rattled dude, it's not attractive AT ALL

[TMoore4075]

Sometimes fans of one team see a rivalry where the other side doesn't. Hawks fans used to think Detroit and Chicago was still a huge rivalry pre-2009, while Wings fans were like "where did the Hawks finish last year? Oh 50 points behind the Wings? Oh ok."

[fonzz41]

Well, according to NBC Sports, if two teams have ever even taken a penalty against one another they qualify as a rivalry.

[TMoore4075]

Waiting for a shootout loss tonight.

[salrx95]

Originally Posted by TMoore4075

Waiting for a shootout loss tonight.

Nah, we saved you time and won it in regulation. Hope Howard is ok. He is my #1 G in fantasy.

Dats and Zetterberg are still amazing with the puck. They still gots the skillz. It's amazing we kept them off the scoresheet.

Big win!!

Then again. It was expected as we have now won 5 straight in Detroit.

[kev87lads]

Did anyone else see this shenanigans!?!?!?! I don't know ifthis makes me like the Pens a tiny bit or hate them more?!?!?!?!?!?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...holiday-video/

[Roose13]

OMG

[lockman21]

Well Calgary is sure as hell is redefining "crash and burn".

[salrx95]

God, I love this team.

[fonzz41]

Willie Mitchell takes a swing at Letang with Letang's own helmet.

Whoops, sorry for laughing, Bron.

[barbogast]

Caps played their best game of the year last night. Made the Devils look like a pee wee team. And Ovie's goal. Wow.

[aeroshady]

NY Rangers are the hottest team in east with 5 straight win and tied for the hottest team in hockey! Finding ways to win games! Hope they keep it going and sweep this home and home with Carolina at MSG tonight!!

[JRS1386]

Originally Posted by aeroshady

NY Rangers are the hottest team in east with 5 straight win and tied for the hottest team in hockey! Finding ways to win games! Hope they keep it going and sweep this home and home with Carolina at MSG tonight!!

http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/H...FscSaBdcAm.jpg

[aeroshady]

He is so handsome.

[kev87lads]

Anyone watch the road to winter classic episode one? I just started it. Hoping not a complete waste.

[lockman21]

I did, I loved it. Obviously I'm biased, but the on ice talk made it worth it alone. Looking forward to watching it develop. I think both teams are more interesting than the past couple years teams.

[lockman21]

Sad day for the Blackhawks organization. Good showing the team and organization put on for Clint Reif.

[kev87lads]

Flyers win two in a row. Hell of a comeback in Peg tonight.

[fonzz41]

MacKinnon's mitts... gotta go change my pants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_joSy2oaBEM

Also Timmy, was it Tatar that blocked that shot in OT? Huge boner after that one.

[dmbetc]

Originally Posted by fonzz41

MacKinnon's mitts... gotta go change my pants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_joSy2oaBEM

Also Timmy, was it Tatar that blocked that shot in OT? Huge boner after that one.

Just saw that and came to post about it.

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by fonzz41

MacKinnon's mitts... gotta go change my pants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_joSy2oaBEM

Also Timmy, was it Tatar that blocked that shot in OT? Huge boner after that one.

Clearly he saw my moves on my penalty shot attempt last week. It was a decent attempt to copy me, I guess. Maybe with more practice he'll get it right next time.

[lockman21]

So just a brief moment here to talk about the Hawks assistant equipment manager, Clint. I only had brief interactions with him a couple times at Johnny's Ice House, but from guys that worked there that I talked to, he was a really great guy.

For those that don't know, he shockingly passed away last night. The organization isn't releasing details as to how, but it definitely caught everyone by surprise. He was with the team in Columbus and on the plane back to Chicago with them after that game.

Here's a little clip on Clint that was on the news in Indiana:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gT2Z_OpAY0

Here's a picture of him with the Cup after the 2013 win:

https://twitter.com/keeperofthecup/s...19530086817792

And yes, those are his 4 kids and his wife.

If you guys have the chance, check out some of the highlights from tonight. The UC held a moment of silence for him that was hauntingly quiet. Like all hockey families, the Hawks are an extremely tight knit group, and you could see it in their faces during the pre and post game interviews (especially Q) that this hit them really hard. I can't imagine going out and playing a game after someone you were close to had just died. WGN showed the head equipment manager as the game had just ended, and he was already crying.

Tough, tough day for those guys, for sure. Just goes to show you how hockey really just brings people together.

[salrx95]

Sad news about that Hawks equipment guy. His family is so young.

Guess I can't complain as it is small beans that I had the 2nd most points in my fantasy league, had a 1.49 gaa and 2 SO and Lost the week 7-4. Grrrr!!

[Bron Yr Aur]

Awful awful news. Someone so young and with a family with young kids. Gutwrenching to hear about this news.

[hailtopitt]

so willie mitchell....

[aeroshady]

NY Rangers officially the hottest team in the NHL with their 6th in a row last night!! The boys in blue share third in the division with two games at hand over the Caps! Big game tomorrow night between the two!

[fonzz41]

Thanks for sharing those links, Chris, so I could get some better context around just what kind of man he was. Terrible.

Originally Posted by Bron Yr Aur

Awful awful news. Someone so young and with a family with young kids. Gutwrenching to hear about this news.

Well said. Absolutely broke my heart.

[barbogast]

Wow, how sad about the Hawks equipment guy. Tough to click that link and see how young his family is. I wonder what happened. Not that it's any of my business, but it is strange there are no details as to what exactly happened.

[lockman21]

It's amazing to me that Columbus is 8-1-1 in their last 10, and yet they still find themselves behind 3 very average teams and 1 good/not great but vastly underachieving team.

[barbogast]

Originally Posted by lockman21

It's amazing to me that Columbus is 8-1-1 in their last 10, and yet they still find themselves behind 3 very average teams and 1 good/not great but vastly underachieving team.

I don't find it too amazing at all actually. Columbus really lost a lot of ground back when they had to basically ice their AHL squad when everyone was injured, and now the Metro's actually trending up for a change. I'm not sure, but I'm gonna assume you mean the average teams are the Flyers, Caps and Isles and the vast underachiever is the Rangers. First, the Islanders have been on point all season so to call them very average is an understatement in my opinion. Second, over that same 10 game span, the Rangers have gone 8-2-0 and the Capitals have gone 7-1-2. So the Rangers are finally starting to play like everybody thought they would and the Caps have had a fantastic December and haven't been playing average hockey at all. The Flyers, well I got nothing, Columbus will probably pass them soon.

All that said I'm really looking forward to tonight's NYR/Caps game. Should be a great test for both teams and they've both been very good these past couple weeks.