SB Nation - Ed Jovanovski

Want to Solve the Concussion Issue?

BReynolds — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:28:01 -0000

The Wild now have four players out with concussions. Brent Burns, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Petr Sykora, and now Andrew Ebbett. A week or so ago, I discussed exactly what a concussion is. Now, let's talk about how to fix the problem, since the Wild seem to be disproportionately affected.

Join me after the jump for some fun with words.

The Holy Grail of concussion cures is not likely to be found anytime soon. There is no helmet, no protection device that can prevent the brain from moving inside the skull. Unless they find a way to change the laws of physics and get rid of that pesky inertia thing, concussions are going to happen. The focus needs to be on how to prevent as many as possible, and since it is equally impossible to make the ice surface soft, what else can be done?

Messier Cascade M11 Helmet

First, we have a basic, simple solution. Helmets. Specifically, the Messier designed helmet:

The helmet is designed to cushion the blow to the head using (in layman's terms) shock absorbers throughout the helmet to absorb up to 80% of the impact.

The question this begs is, why does the league not mandate its use? Change comes slow to the NHL, shocker, I know. It has been left up to the players to decide if they want to wear it, much like face shields. Similar to the NHL prior to helmet use being mandatory, the "cool" players don't wear face shields. The "cool" players won't wear the new helmet because the stigma has already been assigned to it, that only a sissy would wear this thing.

It will require the league mandating its use in order for players to wear it. Or, perhaps the Wild need to make the move and mandate their players wear it. Suck it up boys. I'd rather see you skating in this "goofy" new helmet than not see you at all.

Count me in as a proponent of making the helmet mandatory. It hurts no one, and could save careers.

Enforcing the Rules On the Books

There are rules, already in place, to help prevent concussions. Problem is, they are not enforced. Charging, boarding, high sticking, elbowing, cross checking, slashing, tripping (am I missing any?) all have sub-clauses that if they cause injury or you show intent to injure, you can be suspended. The debate is long and ongoing about how to dole out suspensions and what garners a suspension and what doesn't. I won't go into that right now. Find any thread about suspensions, and join the discussion.

What needs to happen is for the league, and the NHLPA, to call for the rules to be enforced. It worked to eliminate the clutch and grab. There were not all that many rules added to eliminate it, they simply enforced the interference, hooking, and holding rules they already had.

Enforce the rules you have, and things calm down. At least a bit.

Eliminate One Specific Rule

Can you guess which one? That's right. The instigator rule. It is the worst thing that has happened to hockey since Jacques Lemaire perfected the trap. Fellow Wild blog Wild Puck asked today about The Code. The Code is supposed to make it clear to players that they must respect each other. It is the unwritten rules of any sport that are more important than the rules in the rule book. However, The Code is dead.

Gone are the days of bench clearing brawls, of knowing you were going to have to stare down Derek Boogaard if you crossed the line. Now, all you need to do is wait until Boogey is on the bench and take your shot. Not like Boogaard can jump the boards and come take you out. If he does, he gets suspended. So, you simply wait it out and take your shot when the scariest guy on the ice is James Sheppard.

If I am Ed Jovanovski, and I know that if I cross the line, no matter when or where, that all 6' 8" 275 lbs of Derek Boogaard are going to come crashing down on my head, I think twice. Andrew Ebbet gets put into the boards, or I poke check the puck away. Instead, Jovo has free reign to do anything he wants, knowing that the worst that will happen is he will need to rest his weary bones for a couple games.

Players are no longer allowed to police themselves. With less than five minutes left in a game, you no longer see the retribution doled out like in the old days. Now, it carries a suspension and a fine for the coach. So, no one does anything. By the time the next game comes around, the focus is back on getting the two points, and retribution can wait.

Why, you may ask. Why has The Code died? There is no simple answer other than: economics. Gary Bettman has decided it is more important to be able to market the game to people who have absolutely no interest in the game than it is to allow the players to play the game. Find yourself a non-hockey fan and ask them why they don't watch it. You will most likely find out that "they don't like the fighting." Despite the fact that the number of fights has plummeted, they still don't watch. They never will. So screw 'em. Stop catering to people who hate you.

But hold on a minute. We can't just get rid of people who hate the game and put the instigator rule to death. But Buddha, why not? Because there are hockey teams in non-traditional markets that are struggling. I know, here it comes. The "I'm a Minnesota hockey fan so I am so much better than you" right? Wrong.

The Coyotes have no corporate partners. Either do the Panthers or the Lightning. The institution of the instigator rule coincided with the expansion of the NHL into markets it did not need to be in. In order to garner the corporate partners it needed, the NHL need to get the violence under control. In doing so, the NHL killed The Code in order to make a buck.

They are now paying the price for that greed.

Players are dropping like flies. Concussions are clearly on the rise. There is no simple solution, and there will always be concussions in a game as fast and as physical as hockey. However, a combination of new protection, enforcement of rules, and elimination of the instigator penalties would certainly cut down on the bulk of them. Until they invent padded ice, something else needs to be done.

Got a better idea? Tell us about it.

-Buddha

Thursday Links: Sweet, sweet victory edition

averagejoe — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:00:29 -0000

Ahh victory. So nice. And ~~A2Y~~ A2M, since I know you read this: How did that taste?

Blues news

The Blues won AGAIN on the road. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Wanna know why the Blues wore blue on the road? The Wings asked to wear white, but forgot they did. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Even though the Blues won, goal scoring — or a lack thereof — remains a problem. [Belleville News-Democrat]
Blues beat writer Jeremy Rutherford will be chatting at 1 p.m. today. [STLtoday]

Hockey news

Here are your results from Wednesday. [Yahoo! Sports]
Thursday's schedule. [Yahoo! Sports]
Randy Moller is back. [Puck Daddy]
After Martin Brodeur tied his shutout record, Terry Sawchuk has been in the news. Wanna know more about Sawchuk? Read and learn. [The Copper and Blue]
A Coyotes fans think the NHL did right by suspending Ed Jovanovski. [Five For Howling]
Mark Messier will be the GM of Canada's Juniors team. ... [ESPN]
... And it looks like Wayne Gretzky could be the head coach. Sorry Canada, you're being led by a cry baby and ... well, a guy who can't coach. [TSN]
Ray Emery is having surgery to repair a torn muscle. [ESPN]
Tyler Myers is trying to pull a Barret Jackman — win the Calder as a defenseman. [ESPN]

Other links

This is either one really smart, or really stupid drug dealer. But hey, it sure beats calling all of you clients and telling them you're not selling. [Pic]
I never had braces, but both my sisters and my best friend did. I made fun of them. A lot. [When I had braces...]
The list is the weapon of the lazy blogger. Here is a list devoted to ranking lists. My head hurts. [Never.com]
Michael Scott is very, very quotable. [IGN]

Video

Answer Man sends along this video. Treat it accordingly (language NSFW).

gametimelinks(at)gmail.com

Off the Post - December 10th

Conico do Mayo Miracle — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:00:24 -0000

[UPDATE] - Happy 40th birthday, Rob Blake! Love, Rudy Kelly (j/k).
[UPDATE] - St. Louis Game Time (the newspaper which spawned the blog) reproduced a segment of "Ice Chips" - questions answered by none other than T.J. Oshie's dad - on the SLGT blog. Highly recommended.
In case you weren't aware, TCY's boy-toy Logan Couture is a great prospect.
Manny Malhotra will be at the Sharks Store signing autographs on December 15th; if you're going, mention it in the comments, and be sure to contribute to Manny's tip jar.
The Ottawa Senators are failing to get production from their high-priced acquisitions... and Jonathan Cheechoo's name doesn't even come up once.
Rudy Kelly really, really, really hates Evgeni Nabokov... who may or may not be a lock for Team Russia.
Ed Jovanovski gets suspended for 2 games, causing him to miss this Saturday's contest against the Sharks; meanwhile, Silver Seven gets irate at those defending JovoCop.
J.R. chimes in on the recent suspensions.
The Nashville Predators slowly climb towards the 14,000-person attendance benchmark required for full NHL revenue sharing...
...which leads us to yet another article on why Canada deserves a 7th team.

Look, I hate Brenden Morrow as much as the next tealblood... but that's Corey Perry he just upended, so you have to smile just a little.

A car gets hit by Brendan Witt.
Enter Boucher....
Mark Messier gets named as the Canadian GM for the 2010 world championship, and decidedly ignores Gretzky's record behind the bench to recommend his old buddy for the coaching position.
Going into last night's game, the Sharks were 1-for-17 on the power play... medical experts are not ruling out MGS as a possibility.
If you ever doubted it, yes, yes indeed - NHL'ers read SBN blogs.
Behind the Net adds analysis to the Brodeur vs. Sawchuk debate.
Sean Gallagher has a sit-down with Andy Murray... kinda.
If you'll excuse me, my buddy OdinMercer and I are going to go celebrate Cinco de Coyo...
...in the meantime, who's the better rapper = Crosby, or Ovechkin?

Kings-Sharks Recap: Booyah!

RudyKelly — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:26:05 -0000

More photos » by George Nikitin - AP

I take it all back: I love Evgeni Nabokov on the Sharks. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

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First thought: woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Drew Doughty is awesome. His assist to get Kopitar off the schneid was a beautiful play. He patiently held onto the puck until the Sharks overcommitted then slid the puck between two defenders to a wide open Kopitar. His goal was just straight heat. I always thought it was kind of bullshit when he talked about how he felt more comfortable because he changed his stick blade, but maybe that actually worked.

-Ted Purcell, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown all broke 10+ game droughts. Good thing the Sharks had a shitty goalie in, otherwise they still might be waiting for their goal.

-You know who's good? Marc-Edouard Vlasic.

-You know who's not? Erik Ersberg.

-Michal Handzus had a pretty bad game, picking up 3 particularly brutal penalties. The Kings managed to win the special teams battle, however, and staved off the powerful San Jose power play. The Kings penalty kill still kind of sucks by the percentages, but it should be better and hopefully this game is a sign that it's going to start improving.

-The Kings have another tough game tomorrow night against the Coyotes, although Ed Jovanovski is suspended for tomorrow's game because the NHL head office still doesn't understand Pronger physics. Quick will be in for that game, so it should be a good one.

-The Kings are 3 points out of 1st in the Pacific. Just saying.

Final thought: wooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NHL gets Jovanovski suspension right

zyllyx — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:46:07 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

10 days ago: Phoenix Coyotes' Ed Jovanovski (55) checks Minnesota Wild's Andrew Ebbett, bottom, as Coyotes' Robert Lang, right, of the Czech Republic, tries to avoid the collision in the third period during an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. The Coyotes defeated the Wild 2-0. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Don't skate with your head down. Bad things will happen.

If you've ever played a single shift of competitive contact ice hockey, that is one of the first lessons you are taught. You either learn that lesson from your coaches... or from the little birdies that circle your head after you get destroyed by an opponent with better situational awareness than you have.

That's why some Phoenix Coyotes fans are peeved today that Ed Jovanovski will be missing the next two NHL games for the team.

But with all due respect to my fellow fans, I think they need to do what Jovo himself has to do - suck it up and take it like a man. (Even the women.)

In Monday night's game against the Minnesota Wild, Jovanovski caught Wild forward Andrew Ebbett skating into the offensive zone with his head down. As Ebbett swept towards the right half-boards, Jovo skated to intercept. The big Coyotes blueliner caught Ebbett with his forearm and left glove hand smack in the head, and Ebbett crumpled to the ice with blood flowing from a glove-induced cut. Ebbett would get back to his feet but stumble around the ice until the referee's whistle about twenty seconds later.

If you haven't seen the hit itself, here it is:

Now, it's pretty clear that Ebbett had his head down and was more concerned about his skating than the rather large Coyote curling on a collision course with him. There should be no question about what Ebbett deserved for his inattention - the euphemism is "getting rubbed out," but it really means being suitably destroyed by a hard check.

It's pretty obvious that Jovanovski got the job done. What's at issue is the tools he used and how he used them.

Jovo apologists naturally believe that the smaller Ebbett's size was the reason why Big Ed's forearm connected with the Minnesota forward's face (the argument being that Jovo would have to be on his knees to deliver a body check on a guy that small). There's enough gray area in the height differential, they say, to make the hit at least questionable instead of the cheap shot that it obviously was.

The referees apparently agreed, because Jovanovski didn't get penalized at all for the play. Some Coyotes fans believed that the non-call proved that the hit wasn't dirty (although the idea that a non-call should indicate that a hit is clean is an ironic one, considering the hue and cry over hits like Patrick Kaleta's destruction of Petr Prucha which led to no penalties or suspensions for Kaleta but drew an instigator and misconduct for Martin Hanzal, who fought Kaleta after the hit).

But, for once, Colin Campbell and the League of Extraordinarily Subjective Gentlemen that make up the NHL disciplinary office got the post-game call right. The suspension was the right call because head shots like Jovo's are a completely unnecessary and hazardous part of the game of hockey and should be punished quickly and decisively. The idea that head shots are unavoidable is ridiculous and hockey players know it - they simply take advantage of the erroneous fan sentiment to the contrary and the historic subjectivity of the league to get away with them (see: Mike Richards and David Booth).

This is not to say that the league should take physicality out of the game. A head-shot-free NHL would simply require players to modify their aim a bit. And that's the truth, no matter what the hysterical traditionalist lobby would have you believe. More truth? Head-shotting is the lazy player's way of body checking. It is a cheap facsimilie of a hockey play that once was the prime method of separating a player from the puck. A head shot is as lazy and reprehensible for players who want to play the game right as it would be for a skater to skate with his head down or admire a pass crossing the offensive blue line.

If there is a reason for Coyotes fans to be outraged at the NHL for Jovanovski's suspension, it should be because the league still applies arbitrary and subjective criteria to head shots instead of a consistent and serious penalty for the offense - in other words, that Jovo should (rightly) be penalized and others are (wrongly) left untouched. The fact that the NHL does not take decisive unilateral action only serves to make the problem worse - leading fringe players to try and get their names out on ESPN, TSN, and YouTube by head-shotting an opponent and thereby raising their profile, or more "mainstream" players to do so to create a reputation of toughness in the league that will help them when contract negotiations are up. In other words, as long as there is no concrete and devastating penalty for head-shotting, it will remain a viable (and, in some cases, unpunished) course of action for players.

Fortunately for the Coyotes, they can play and win with Jovanovski out of the lineup. So fans shouldn't worry too much about the effects of Big Ed's suspension. But even if we had to roll with someone like, say, David Hale or Matt Jones on the blueline as a result, I would think that the bigger issue would be what we would have to live with if Jovo got away with a cheap shot. The Coyotes are already under the gun because of the NHL's ownership and the attitude towards our market - adding "cheap-shotting" to the list of our perceived crimes against hockey is something we could live without.

Size is not an excuse for a high hit

DarrenM — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:52:33 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

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Ed Jovanovski was suspended recently for a hit to the head on Andrew Ebbett, which sparked a bit of controversy. You see, every time a small guy gets hit in the head by a big guy, people in the hockey community rise up and decide that the big guy was not at fault. The classic argument, and one that was posted over Twitter in defence of Jovo, is that the offender is simply being punished for being big: "the hit would be considered legal to player taller than 5'9". Its punishment to Jovo who's 6'3"."

The problem with this argument is that Jovanovski didn't hit a player that was taller. He hit a small player, and could see that he was hitting a small player. This argument is akin to getting undressed in front of a coworker and, during your wrongful dismissal claim, trying to argue, "Come on! If she was a man it'd be okay!" You can't argue that something is fine in other circumstances, you have to take the circumstances as you find them. Jovanovski found himself defending a short player, and he has to handle that situation accordingly. He's not less blameworthy, nor is he exonerated, simply because he's a big player.

In the Ebbett example, Jovanovski is in the best position to prevent the situation, which puts the responsibility to avoid the situation in his hands. There are a variety of ways to strip Ebbett of the puck that don't involve a forearm to the head. When people make the big vs small argument, they are blaming the victim. The victim that, in this case, has suffered a concussion that will adversely effect him for the rest of his life. They're also blaming the kind of player who has a tough enough time making it to the NHL with his diminutive stature as it is, let alone with people calling for big guys to be able to hit as they please without any caution for smaller players - hell, imagine Derek Boogard and Zdeno Chara arguing that the concussion they caused would've been a legal hit on someone their size. The argument is further weakened when you realize that this rationale effectively prevents Martin St Louis or Andrew Ebbett or Ryan Shannon from going into corners or even near any player over 6'2", as they are bound to get concussed if players are allowed to hit them as they'd hit other tall players. Size is simply not an excuse for dangerous hits to the opposition, nor is this a case of Jovanovski being punished for size. It's punishment for a hit to the head, and size doesn't enter into it.

The key thing to realize is that a high hit isn't bad because you are jumping, or that you're trying to reach above where you'd normally hit -- that's not why it's penalized. It is penalized because it is a hit that targets or connects mainly with the head of the opposing player, making it very dangerous. The same is true of a big player not taking into account the size of a smaller player, and knocking them in the head. It's a high hit, and one that the league has to remove from the sport.

Ed Jovanovski suspended for blow to the head: Andrew Ebbett concussion: Nathan Smith recalled from Houston

BReynolds — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:09:22 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

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From NHL.com:

TORONTO -- Phoenix Coyotes' defenseman Ed Jovanovski has been suspended for two games, without pay, for an incident in NHL game #436 against the Minnesota Wild, December 7, the National Hockey League announced today.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Jovanovski will forfeit $67,357.52. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

At 9:34 of the third period, Jovanovski delivered a forearm to the head area of Minnesota's Andrew Ebbett. No penalty was assessed on the play.

Jovanovski will miss Thursday's game at Los Angeles and Dec. 12 against San Jose. He will be eligible to return Dec. 14 at Detroit.

So wait, let me get this straight. A "star" player was suspended for TWO games after hitting a non-star player in the face? All this despite the fact that it is not publicly known if Ebbett is going to miss any time?

I. Am. Amazed.

Congrats to Colin Campbell for getting one right. A blind nut finds a squirrel every once and a while right? (Yes, that was on purpose.)

-Buddha

In case you didn't see the hit

EDIT (nathaneide): Andrew Ebbett has been diagnosed with a concussion. He is the fourth Wild player to be out with either a concussion or post-concussion symptoms this season. Ebbett's loss hurts the Wild as he has three goals and a shootout goal in his seven games in a Wild sweater.

Nathan Smith has been recalled from Houston to fill Ebbett's slot and will join the team in Colorado.

EDIT #2 (nathaneide) This is a fantastic post over at Silver Seven Sens (SB Nation's Ottawa Senators blog)

Size is not an excuse for a high hit - Silver Seven Sens
The problem with this argument is that Jovanovski didn't hit a player that was taller. He hit a small player, and could see that he was hitting a small player. This argument is akin to getting undressed in front of a coworker and, during your wrongful dismissal claim, trying to argue, "Come on! If she was a man it'd be okay!" You can't argue that something is fine in other circumstances, you have to take the circumstances as you find them. Jovanovski found himself defending a short player, and he has to handle that situation accordingly. He's not less blameworthy, nor is he exonerated, simply because he's a big player.

Poll

Is the 2-game suspension enough for Jovanovski?

Coyotes Celebrate Cinco de Coyo(te), Bryzgalov Gets Shutout in 2-0 Win.

OdinMercer — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:15:48 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

10 days ago: Phoenix Coyotes' Ilya Bryzgalov (30), of Russia, celebrates his shutout win with teammate Keith Yandle (3) at the end of the third period after an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. The Coyotes defeated the Wild 2-0. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Woooooo! 5 wins in a row baby! Have a Margarita tonight because it's Cinco de Coyo! The fans around the arena were certainly high-fiving and celebrating and while there's still a long way to go, a shutout win over the Wild certainly made everyone feel good and elevated the Coyotes to 37 points on the season. It also sets up a matchup with the Kings on Thursday that will be for the fifth place spot in the West and 2nd in the division either way. But enough with standings and all that poppycock. To the gameness!

First of all I was really annoyed that Mikkel Boedker was a scratch tonight. I'm glad Peter Mueller got to come back and played fairly well but Mikkel Boedker has played his pants off lately and not gotten any reward for it. I get that Tippett doesn't want to use younger layers as that just doesn't fint into his scheme, but to call him up and use the minutes he's played pretty well and get no reward is disappointing at best. Then the guy I highlighted in the pregame Cal Clutterbuck, was a scratch as well as I guess he got some sort of illness that's been going around. His absence didn't really decrease the amount of hitting and all around scrapping as the teams would get into hitting matches and fights especially later in the game.

For the most part the game itself was an outstanding goalie battle. Both Ilya Bryzgalov and Niklas Backstrom were outstanding, but the Phoenix offense was just good enough to get a missed rebound past him for the first goal by Scottie Upshall. Then Shane Doan made a fantastic move to get the puck to Taylor Pyatt who scored his third goal in as many games. On the offensive end that was the entirety of the production offensively.

In the third period though the game started to get away from the officials in a big way. Mid way through the period Ed Jovanovski made a big hit on one of the Wild players (I can't recall who it was) but there was no penalty and the Minnesota players wanted to go after him. The hitting picked up in a big way after that with Winnik, Upshall and Jovo all getting hits on people within a short time. The emotions boiled over at the end of the game with a huge scrum in the corner. Keith Yandle threw a few punches in the middle of the crowd, but Vernon Fiddler grabbed a guy out of the pile and simply beat the hell out of him. Owen Nolan and Keith Yandle almost went after each other too, but the officials were able to clear the players off the ice so that the team and the crowd could celebrate what really mattered in Ilya Bryzgalov's shutout. I wouldn't be surprised if there were some fines or suspensions handed out because of the after the horn activities.

The NHL's top defensive defencemen

James Mirtle — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:56:24 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

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As with the top defensive forwards list, this is the same Rod Langway Award business I've been putting out for a couple years now. It ranks players defensively based on (a) quality of competition at even strength, (b) goals against per minute played at even strength and (c) goals against per minute played on the penalty kill.

Players also have to have played at least 15 games and fill a significant role on their team's shorthanded unit. Credit, as always, to Behind The Net for the data.

Here are the top 25 a little past the quarter-way mark:

	NAME	TEAM	GP	QCMP	EVGA/60	SHGA/60
1	CHRIS PRONGER	PHI	24	0.12	1.38	4.41
2	DUNCAN KEITH	CHI	25	0.14	1.59	4.12
3	JAY BOUWMEESTER	CGY	26	0.08	1.39	4.51
4	ROMAN POLAK	STL	24	0.12	1.71	5.06
5	PAVEL KUBINA	ATL	23	0.06	1.71	3.38
6	MIKE MOTTAU	N.J	23	0.09	1.69	5.00
7	COLIN WHITE	N.J	24	0.11	2.06	4.63
8	JEFF SCHULTZ	WSH	20	0.09	1.38	6.08
9	NICK LIDSTROM	DET	26	0.08	2.15	3.83
10	MIKE WEAVER	STL	23	0.03	1.12	4.38
11	BRENT SEABROOK	CHI	23	0.17	1.50	6.84
12	M-E VLASIC	S.J	28	0.13	2.51	3.01
13	ROB BLAKE	S.J	17	0.18	2.58	3.85
14	ED JOVANOVSKI	PHX	18	0.08	2.35	1.24
15	MILAN JURCINA	WSH	20	0.16	2.26	5.60
16	NIKLAS HJALMARSSON	CHI	25	0.04	1.56	5.02
17	ANDY SUTTON	NYI	26	0.08	1.60	6.26
18	ZBYNEK MICHALEK	PHX	17	0.07	1.92	5.53
19	ZDENO CHARA	BOS	26	0.23	2.65	4.97
20	RADEK MARTINEK	NYI	16	0.10	1.81	6.47
21	DARRYL SYDOR	STL	18	0.05	1.19	6.75
22	CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF	VAN	26	-0.06	1.31	3.52
23	GREG ZANON	MIN	24	0.06	1.81	6.31
24	JOSH GORGES	MTL	26	-0.05	1.39	3.91
25	WILLIE MITCHELL	VAN	26	0.15	1.85	7.85

Pronger, Keith, Bouwmeester — sure, those are all names synonymous with tough defence. But how about Mike Weaver? Or Pavel Kubina?

It's early, but all of these players are playing significant defensive roles on their teams. Some benefit from having a great goaltender behind them, but there are a lot of blueliners here from weak teams, too.

Someone like Weaver, who has a really low profile, is considered by his coach a pretty big part of shutting down top opposition:

"I'd say Weaver is one of our best puck-movers," Murray said. "He's not a finisher, but in terms of moving the puck out of our zone and putting it in the hands of our forwards, he's pretty good. He's not a guy that contributes on the offensive side. But what is an amazing stat, he's plus-5. And for quite a while there, he and Roman (Polak) were playing the top line on every team. He's a plus-5."

Those are the sorts of guys I'm trying to highlight here, and for the most part, I think this works — even if there are some surprises. The real test is which guys can maintain play like this all season.

Coyotes at Ducks: Game Preview #27

zyllyx — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:04:30 -0000

More photos » by Jason Redmond - AP

Phoenix Coyotes center Martin Hanzal of the Czech Republic (11) shoots wide as Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller of Switzerland defends in the third period of a NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

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The Phoenix Coyotes bring an end to a grueling three-week stretch of games with only seven off days on Sunday with a divisional matchup with the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Sunday's game will be the third game already between the bitter rivals in the young season, each team with a victory apiece in the previous two tilts.

What Happened Last Game?

Really? You don't remember? It was an arena full of awesome! The Coyotes chased Marty Turco out of his net in a 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars at Jobing.com Arena. Lauri Korpikoski was the first star of the night after tallying his first two goals of the season, and linemates Scottie Upshall and Matthew Lombardi each had three assists to help the team to a convincing victory.

It was only the second time that the Coyotes have scored as prolifically, and the first margin of victory of three or more goals in 14 consecutive games. The young Mutts did everything on the Five For Winning Game Preview checklist except for one - keeping the penalties balanced - which means that when the Coyotes listen to their very wise and perceptive bloggers, success follows naturally.

Which means that I'd probably better make this

FIVE FOR WINNING

extra special for the game against Anaheim.

Play With An Edge
It's no secret. These teams hate each other. Lots of teams hate the Ducks because the Ducks play a hard-nosed, gritty, in-your-face style of play, but the Coyotes and Ducks seem to reserve their worst inclinations and loudest chirping for each other. It makes for some thrilling sideshows to go along with the hockey; it also makes for more than a few cheap shots like this "Elbow Heard Round The World" from James Wisniewski on Shane Doan. The proper response to such play, of course, is illustrated by Captain Coyote himself, to wit:

Now, as satisfying as that is to watch, a lot of the shenanigans that happen between these two clubs happen out of sight of the referees even with Chris Pronger douching it up in Philadelphia (I'm looking at you, Corey Perry). So the Coyotes will have to play with their heads up and be ready to weather some tough hockey.

Feel The Bryz
Let's not beat around the bush. There is nobody more motivated on the Coyotes' squad to beat this Ducks team than Ilya Bryzgalov, he of the hot dog fetish and unnaturally high falsetto. He was aiming for a league-leading fourth shutout against Dallas before a couple of quick third-period goals dashed his hopes. But, barring any last-minute change of policy or injury, the Mutts are going to roll with their number one goalie and his fourth-best-in-the-league 2.12 GAA again on Sunday. Extra motivation is always welcome, and any time Bryzgalov faces his former squad the motivation is there in spades.

Play Competent Hockey for Sixty Minutes
This may seem strange to those readers who are new to the Coyotes, but long-time fans will know exactly what I'm saying here. I mentioned this in the last game preview (so I'm a bit redundant - give me a break, I'm just a fill-in for The Big Guy). The Coyotes are playing good hockey for the first time in what seems like forever this season, and they're doing much better at giving a consistent effort through the whole game instead of for only a period or two. Let's not beat around the bush - for most of the past decade, the Coyotes have been lottery candidates and for good reason. My wife attends games very infrequently - partially because she hated the way the Coyotes kept losing so embarrassingly. She was at the Dallas game last night and said (this is verbatim): "I didn't think these guys would ever learn how to play hockey... but I guess I was wrong." So, Coyotes, keep it up!

Play Through The Pain
There's no question - the Coyotes are starting to feel the wear-and-tear of the 82-game NHL season. Factor in the "Olympic Squeeze" during November where they've played a whopping ten games in just over two weeks, and you've got a recipe for a lot of agony. Fortunately, there are a lot of young guys on the team roster to provide raw young health. But after Ed Jovanovski, Vernon Fiddler, and Peter Mueller all left the Dallas game early with injuries, Sunday's game might end up being one of survival of the fittest. There's still no word as of this writing whether any or all of those three players will be back in the lineup against Anaheim, but it's a sure bet that they're not the only ones feeling the weight of such a demanding schedule. Grit your teeth, boys - you'll have a four-day layoff to heal when this one's done.

Build The Streak
The Coyotes once again avoided losing three in a row with their win over Dallas on Friday. Astoundingly enough, the Coyotes haven't lost three in a row all season. That's the good news. The bad news is that they haven't built a win streak all month after a strong October. Sunday's game would be a great start for a winning streak. It is, after all, the holiday season - why not give your fans a gift of a few consecutive victories?

Key Players

Corey Perry

#10 / Right Wing / Anaheim Ducks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 209

Born: May 16, 1985

Why? Corey Perry is one of those players that fans love to hate - he has a reputation for dirty play and cheap shots, and he rubs a lot of people the wrong way - but you just can't argue with his statistics. Perry already has 30 points this season (tied for 5th in the league) and is one of the hottest players around. This is a guy the Coyotes need to contain if they can - if they can't, it will be a long night for the Mutts.

Matthew Lombardi

#15 / Center / Phoenix Coyotes

Height: 6-0

Weight: 198

Born: Mar 18, 1982

Why? Lombardi is one of the Coyotes' hottest players right now. He scored three assists against Dallas and has three assists against Anaheim in the two games between the clubs so far this season. Lombardi's speed and playmaking abilities will be crucial in generating offense against a Ducks team that is gaining momentum.

The Owie List

Phoenix Coyotes Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Vernon Fiddler	undisclosed	11/28/2009
Ed Jovanovski	other-excused	11/28/2009
Peter Mueller	other-excused	11/28/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Kurt Sauer	other-excused	10/07/2009

Did You Know?

The Coyotes are seventh in the Western Conference, tied with 29 points with Nashville and Dallas. The Mutts are tied for sixth in the league in wins (14) after 26 games, are fourth in goals against per game, 12th in both PP and PK, and an incredible 7th in faceoff percentage.

Final Thought

OdinMercer has been gone since Wednesday, and while I have had a terrific time being the fill-in blogger here at Five For Howling, I'll be happy to let him have the keys back to the car. Don't worry, Big Guy, it may read empty on the gas gauge but there are still a few fumes left!