SB Nation - James Wisniewski

Luck Finally Finds the Dallas Stars in 3-1 Win Over Ducks

Brandon Worley — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:10:05 -0000

More photos » by Mike Fuentes - AP

That was more like it.

This was easily the oddest game the Stars have played in all season long.

Until James Neal's wayward shot in the third period somehow found it's way past J.S. Giguere, the Stars were engaged in one of their more frustrating games in recent memory. The revamped line combinations needed about 20 minutes or so to get going, but once Brad Richards and company found their rhythm the only thing between them and at least a two goal lead was some great goaltending a whole lot of bad luck. The Stars moved the puck well, excuted perfectly in transition and peppered Giguere with 18 shots in the second period. Yet the rebounds constantly escaped the Stars' reach, shooters double clutched on wide open shots and several would-be tap ins became inexplicable whiffs.

After putting 30 shots on net through the first two periods, the Dallas Stars needed just two to get a lead in the third.

James Neal's goal early in the third broke the seal, when his blind toss at the net bounced off Giguere, off a passing Wisniewski and into the net. It was an extremely ironic score for a team that had gone with out a goal for over four straight periods despite a high number of shots. Just over a minute later, Steve Ott threw the puck in front from the low corner and that somehow found it's way through Giguere as well. In the space of 71 seconds, the Dallas Stars had erased a week of frustration with two of the flukiest goals you'll ever see.

The Stars held on late in the third as the Ducks pressed before Brenden Morrow's empty net goal put the game away. It was an odd way to win a game in which the Stars' dominated, but at this point they'll take it any way they can get it.

Highlights, stats and more thoughts on the game after the jump...

On Wednesday night's podcast, we talked about the impact the shake up of the lines might have on Steve Ott and James Neal. Specifically, we were of the opinion that Ott's physicality and ability to create to pressure off of the forecheck was an element that had been missing from the Dallas Stars lately and even on the top line. Neal's confidence looked deflated after his suspension and he was invisible on the ice despite playing next to Brad Richards. Tonight, both Ott and Neal had their best games in weeks and I'd say that even if they had not scored two of the luckiest goals they'll ever have in their careers.
Overall the Stars once again had balance between from the top line down to the fourth, after five games of frustration with Crawford trying desperately to find the chemistry his team briefly showed against New Jersey. Depending on what happens against Edmonton this could be a combination of what we see moving forward. Even if they stumble on Saturday, I'd still like to see Crawford try and stick with this combination to at least establish a rhythm. The Stars were far from perfect against the Ducks, but after a slow start they showed a cohesiveness and determination we have not seen on a consistent basis.
He played just under ten minutes and didn't show up on the stat sheet at all, but Fabian Brunnstrom looked much, much better on the ice than he had before his shoulder injury. Razor mentioned it during the broadcast as well, but Brunnstrom was confident and physical with the puck and made several good plays on defense. The fourth line overall executed their job perfectly; don't make any mistakes on defense and maintain as much pressure as possible on offense.
The Stars had 30 shots on goal through two periods and no goals. This is a continuing trend, but tonight it was just horrifically frustrating to witness. We've written this week about the Stars' goal-scoring woes the past month, but it's not for lack of effort. Yet despite the Stars statistically peppering the opposing net nearly every game, it doesn't feel as if they're maximizing their offensive potential and it's showing on the scoreboard. The biggest issue is not with the amount of shots or even shot selection (although that's not perfect, either), but the inability of the Stars to cash in on the rebounds they're working so hard to produce. Whether it's a bouncing puck, poor positioning or just not beating a backchecking forward to a loose puck the Stars are failing time and again to get to the second chance shots.
Now that Jamie Benn and Mike Ribeiro look to be actually willing to shoot the puck again, perhaps the problems stated above won't be as big of an issue.
Finally, completing just the odd night from all angles was Marty Turco. After being knocked silly in just first minute and then looking incredibly sluggish on the Koivu goal, Turco rebounded to have a great, great game. He controlled his rebounds, found the puck through traffic and moved well around his crease. After a couple of games in a row of sub-par performances in net, apparently all Turco needed was good elbow to the head to get refocused.

Notes, courtesy of the Dallas Stars:

• With tonight's win, the Stars' have registered at least one point in each of their last five games at home (4-0-1), and in nine of their last 10 games (6-1-3).
• James Neal scored his team leading 12th goal of the season.
• Steve Ott scored his third goal of the season.
• Loui Eriksson earned two assists - his seventh multi-point game of the season. He also has points in two of the last three games (0 goals, 3 assists).
• Brenden Morrow's goal gives him a five-game goal streak - a new career-high (was 4 games, twice). He also has points in six consecutive games (5 goals, 1 assist).
• Mike Ribeiro's assist gives him points in three of the last four games (1 goal, 2 assists).
• Marty Turco turned aside 26-of-27 shots on goal for his ninth win of the season.
• Tonight marks the Stars' first win of the season when trailing after the first period (1-4-3).
• THREE STARS OF THE GAME: 1) Marty Turco, 2) Steve Ott, 3) James Neal.

DBD's Three Stars of the Game:

Jamie Benn, Dallas: After a couple of weeks of disappearing a bit, Benn had a big game with six shots, four big hits and a team-high three takeaways.

Steve Ott, Dallas: This is what the Stars need from Ott every game: big hits, strong physical presence with an offensive edge and an attitude that had been lacking on the team.

Marty Turco, Dallas: A bad goal early but he rebounded admirably to stop 26 straight, including nine in the third period.

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!

How Much Is That Duck In The Window?

Arthur from Anaheim Calling — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:28:27 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

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ARTHUR:

Anaheim calling to the hockey world...

With 15 scouts credentialed for last night's game, any joy derived from Anaheim's 2-point performance is tempered with the certainty that a trade is coming, and, as far as the pro scouting world is concerned, so is a fire sale.

Daniel, based on last night's performers, what move do you think has the best chance of shaking up this roster and getting the Ducks the 37 wins they'll need to contend for the playoffs-- should the team move one of last night's superstars (be they point-streaking dynamos or Finnish power play machines), one of last night's role players or the man between the pipes? And for what? Give me your single key trade (and only that trade).

DANIEL:

I'd like to take this opportunity to hate on James Wisniewski. Wiz has the most movable contract, with the highest upside. After all, how many top 4 defenseman have expiring contracts that can be shipped to contenders with cap problems? I'm looking at you Chicago, Washington, and New York, the Rangers not the Islanders. Wisniewski would have provided a high draft pick and NHL player. Instead he proves to half the teams in the league that he's made of glass. So, why don't you go make another mistake on the kill WIz so you can force the knife a little deeper into my back?

Now that that's out of the way, I have to say our best trade bait is still Joffrey Lupul. I hate to do it to the guy since he's so happy to be back, but he's on pace for around 25 goals despite a relatively slow start. His contract is a little scary, but on the right line he can still be a force, as he demonstrated when he was getting time on the top line. I think some of the surprise teams this year, Phoenix, or the Islanders might see Lupul's extra 20 goals as a way to keep themselves in the hunt all year long.

When we trade Lupul for a second time as punishment for not being able to mesh with Selanne, my ideal return would be a solid stay-at-home defenseman, and a high draft pick, like a second or third rounder. If the team doesn't want to part with the pick, then I think we need a prospect with top 6 potential. In my real world he goes to Phoenix for Kurt Sauer and a 3rd round pick In my happy fantasy world we trade Joffrey Lupul to the St. Louis Blues for Paul Kariya and a 2nd round pick. I know this doesn't involve that defenseman I want, but I'd love to see Kariya back in Anaheim, on a line with Koivu and Selanne. Make my dream come true Murray and I might forgive you for giving Beauchemin's money to Wisniewski.

ARTHUR:

I'd accuse you of freely ignoring the "ONLY THAT TRADE" caveat, but as a trade for Paul Kariya would do very little to get us 37 wins, I'll let it slide as the same trade i would make as an EA NHL 10 general manager if my season was going down the toilet.

And I share your Wisniewski hatred because I, too, would have pegged him as bait when his fragility was still a west coast secret, when we could point to his repeated knee injuries as bad luck. But it's now obvious to 15 NHL scouts that from shoulder to knee to foot, this guy does not have the body to play a full career as a professional athlete. And as we received anonymous Blogger hatred the last time I said that, I should reiterate that there's nothing wrong with that. From Mario Lemieux's back to whatever is going on with Marian Gaborik's hips and groin, some players just aren't built to go the long haul, regardless of how much talent they have. And that's why the truly responsible and durable athletes in contact sports deserve every penny they get; it's astounding what they do.

My trade is exactly what was on the table in a Marchant for Higgins deal. I think we send a role player out for a scorer, perhaps buying low on a struggling player but nothing as feeble-minded as the McDonald for Weight deal, I mean a real scorer. At minimum, we move Marchant for a larger, and thus (sadly) Pahlsson-like, checking line center.

And that seems feasible after the bottom six performance last night. It would hurt to move a fan favorite like Parros or a quality player like Marchant, but if we can get by with players like Sharp, Beleskey and Calder, then we should consider adding someone with more utility than Parros or more size and scoring skill than Marchant. I'll miss either player, and the facial hair that goes along with them, but the Ducks are not in a place to turn down an upgrade for sentimental value.

Coyotes at Ducks - Game #17 Preview - It's Gonna Get Bumpy

OdinMercer — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:26 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

about 1 month ago: Phoenix Coyotes' Paul Bissonnette (12) fights with George Parros (16) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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The Phoenix Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks last met a week ago in a game in Phoenix. It was your average Ducks and Coyotes game until James Wisniewski decided to hit Shane Doan in the face with a forearm and elbow. Doan was woozy after the hit and the Coyotes were just plain pissed. Things were more than a little chippy from that point on. The hits were quite a bit harder and Doan even dropped the gloves with Wizneiwski and got even. Though I'm not so sure that's over with so it should be another hard hitting game tonight (That most here won't see on tv)

Five for Winning

It's Bryz Again: Ilya Bryzgalov is still getting the majority of the starts for the team. Jason LaBarbera was brought in to relieve him and push him, but hasn't really done that. Bryz will get a few days off as the next game isn't until Thursday, but It would also suck to have him get burned out down the stretch. He did great against the Hawks, so hopefully he can keep it up tonight.

Don't let the Hitting Get in the Way: While having a certain amount of physicality going on can make for an intense game, we can't let it be the sole focus and get us off our game. That's exactly what happened for a couple periods last week against them before we bounced back, but I imagine that the Coyotes will come in with a game plan that combines both hitting and skill.

Weather the injuries: Zbynek Michalek is still out with a leg injury of some sort as it's been reported that he has a walking cast on, Kurt Sauer is still out as well. Now Ed Jovanovski is Day-to-Day too. He made the trip with the team to California though, so he may be good to go. If not Shaun Heshka, who was just called up will start in his place. David Schlemko was solid on Thursday and will get Michalek's spot again tonight.

Keep the Special teams Up: 10th in PP% and 13th in PK% is the best our team has had in a Looooooong time. We're far enough into the season to see that it's not just a fluke anymore. In past seasons, the special teams were atrocious on both ends. Our new defensive system has the PK working well and though we don't get much offense in general we find ways to make it happen on the PP.

Getting the Role Players Involved: Daniel Winnik has looked great in this new system. He gets to hot, but in the odd point and leads the team in +/- at a +5. Peter Mueller got his first goal of the year in the last game as well. We need both of these guys to be playing at the top of their games to keep this team in contention.

I'll be watching tonight (I hope).

GO YOTES!

Game Day Preview: Nashville Predators @ Anaheim Ducks

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:42:09 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

about 1 month ago: Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller of Switzerland, makes a save against the Vancouver Canucks in the third period of a NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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The Nashville Predators kick off their November schedule with a road game in Anaheim tonight, the first of a four-game trip that continues Saturday at Los Angeles. Can the 6-6-1 Preds hang around the .500 mark against a surprisingly poor 4-7-2 Anaheim team?

After the jump, let's break down the matchup...

Meet the Enemy

Anaheim Calling is SB Nation's new Anaheim Ducks blog, and Arthur was good enough to pass along this assessment of the disappointing Ducks:

You basically can't swing an Easton ST without hitting something going wrong for Anaheim. At Anaheim Calling, Daniel is quick to blame the defense, but I think this team was built for offense and has no excuse for being 20th in the league in Goals For.

But if I had to sum up the problem, I'd refer you to the old adage, "If you have two quarterbacks, you actually have none." That sums up the Ducks' troubles. In training camp, they thought they had battles at every position, people fighting just to be the scratch defenseman or forward. Since then? If you have eight Top 6 forwards, you actually have none (Ebbett/Christensen waived, rumored attempts to acquire Higgins). If you have eight defensemen, you actually have none (Sbisa in WHL). If you have two elite PK and PP units, you actually have none. And if you have two playoff goaltenders-- well, Jiggy's hurt, but you get the point.

While the blueline was expected to undergo a significant transition as Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin left via free agency, nobody expected things to be quite this chaotic. To make matters worse for the Ducks, James Wisniewski will sit this one out as part of a 2-game suspension for a hit that he put on Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan.

At the top of the depth chart, however, their top two forward lines are producing at a decent clip; Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf are dominant. All-Star caliber players, supported by both young and old in Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne. Joffrey Lupul is also chipping in (5 goals, 3 assists) as he enjoys a second stint with Anaheim.

Meet the Good Guys

Just when we thought we might start to see a complete lineup for once, injuries have cropped up once again to decimate the Predators roster. Martin Erat was out already, but just since the last game Shea Weber, Colin Wilson, and J.P. Dumont are all out of action. Yes, Jason Arnott and Jordin Tootoo are returning to action, but this is hardly the lineup you'd plan on taking on the road. The lines, as described by Pete Weber on last night's HockeyBuzz Radio, may look as follows:

Forwards

Sullivan - Arnott - Hornqvist

Scatchard - Santorelli - Thuresson

Smithson- Legwand - Ward

Tootoo - Goc - Belak

Defense

Suter - Hamhuis

Bouillon - Klein

Sulzer - Franson

Even Strength Play

Team	GP	GF	GA	GF/60	Shots For/60	Sht %	GA/60	Shots Ag/60	Save %	+/- per 60
Nashville	13	17	24	1.6	24.9	6.6	2.3	29.8	.922	-0.7
Anaheim	13	24	25	2.5	27.2	9.0	2.6	34.3	.926	-0.1

In 5-on-5 action, Anaheim isn't faring too badly, although their goaltending is bailing them out based on those Shots For & Against totals. What's really killing the Ducks these days is special teams...

Anaheim PP vs. Nashville PK

The Ducks' power play has been pretty decent so far (22.2%, 12th in the league), as would be expected given the high-end talent at forward and on defense. The Predators' penalty kill has improved recently (having climbed up to 23rd from dead-last), and who knows, is it possible that Jerred Smithson has another short-handed goal in him?

Nashville PP vs. Anaheim PK

While the Predators PP struggles are, by now, legendary, this is probably their best chance for success against the Ducks. Anaheim takes the 2nd-most penalties per game in the NHL, to go along with the 2nd-worst PK unit. In a recent loss to Toronto (!), the Ducks gave up 5 power play goals. If the Preds are going to get on the board, the PP may be the best way to do that.

Yes, even without Shea Weber.

Goaltending

Jonas Hiller has been getting the bulk of the work in Anaheim, due both to his surprising playoff run last spring, as well as injury trouble for longtime starter J.S. Giguerre:

	GP	MIN	W	L	T		GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Jonas Hiller	11	575	4	5			29	3.03	326	297	.911	0

According to @PredsRadio, Pekka Rinne gets the start for the Preds, after having recently earned the NHL's 2nd Star of the Week honors:

	GP	MIN	W	L	T		GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Pekka Rinne	8	411	4	3			18	2.63	199	181	.910	1

Summary

This is a classic Nashville Predators-style setup; an undermanned team heads into a road game against a talented opponent, but one prone to making mistakes. If the Preds can maintain a disciplined approach and tip the special teams balance in their favor, they have a good chance to start this road trip with a win.

While waiting for the game, head over to Pull My (Fang) Finger for another preview of the Predators travels.

Rotten To The Corps?

Arthur from Anaheim Calling — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:22:06 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

I know this is Southern California, but would someone PLEASE clear the traffic!!! (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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DANIEL:

The losses are piling up for the Ducks. Anaheim has given up 48 goals in 13 games, and the team's GAA (3.46) ranks 26th in the league.

Arthur, you and I both know that Carlyle values defensive responsibility above all things, but the Ducks have not been a solid defensive team. Part of that can be attributed to the forwards, and part of it can be attributed to missed playing time by James Wisniewski, but the overall ability of the defense to dominate a game has severely dwindled. Is it time for the front office to start thinking of a drastic change to the blue line, or can the team stick it out and expect improved play from the current defensive corps?

ARTHUR:

I don't think the Ducks should make any changes on the blue line, and I don't think they CAN.

As far as shipping off a rearguard, Whitney hasn't played well enough to attract a team to his graduated salary, and while Wisniewski's stats are impressive, he's arguably overpaid for having already suffered an injury this season. That leaves Niedermayer and whispers of a Niedermayer trade. If Murray moves the captain in November, he'll definitely wake up this team, but he either trades for expensive veterans or affordable second-contract guys. The former won't fill the void left by Nieds, and the latter would shift this team into a rebuilding process before the Olympic break, a serious slap in the face to Selanne and Koivu, who returned to play for a contender.

I suppose he could ship off a forward, like Koivu or Perry, who are both affordable and playing well. But I don't know if we could get an impact defenseman for Koivu, and we'd be sacrificing a lot of future to get an impact defenseman for Perry.

I think there's something to be said here for dancing with the girl you brought. The lack of defense was no secret during the offseason, but this team was supposed to win high scoring contests not sit 20th in the league in GF through 13 games. It's technically the forwards that have let us down.

But I want to say one more thing. We talked about firing Carlyle. Why don't we fire Murray? Everyone has praised the quick turnaround he wheeled and dealed, but let's not forget how he lost his last GM job. The way I see it, he's miscalculated a lot of this rebuilding process. He was so SURE Sbisa would be an NHL contributor this year. Then he sends the kid back to the WHL, and suddenly, we didn't get an 09-10 defenseman in the Pronger deal. He didn't even make an offer to Beauchemin, but he sinks 2.75M into Wisniewski. He signs two guys that weren't considered good since the last time he was a GM (Boynton and McCarthy). If this team can't play defense, and can't approach the stability provided by Pronger and Beauchemin, is it because Carlyle can't get the most out of his new role players, or is it because there's nothing there to get? I call on Bob Murray, who admitted Wendel Clark was a mistake, what mistakes have you made this past offseason?

DANIEL:

I agree that this is all Bob Murray's fault, but I don't agree that the Ducks should simply live with the results.

Yes, Murray made a huge mistake in the Chris Pronger deal, but the mistake was not addressing the loss of Pronger. He must have thought that Wisniewski and Whitney would pick up Pronger's physical slack. BIG MISTAKE.

ARTHUR:

Yeah, I think that's the problem with Murray. He checks things off the grocery list without knowing what he's buying. He picks up guys with hundreds of NHL games played, and he thinks he has responsible veterans. He sinks more money into Wisniewski, and he thinks that will keep the kid healthy and make him the physical guy he was for Chicago AND the offensive guy he was in the AHL. And he gets a large defenseman with a decent shot from the point, and he thinks he's replaced Pronger, even though he has no idea how well the kid will fare in front of the net. He's shopping without reading the labels.

DANIEL:

I think Whitney is a product of the East, and he's still adapting to the physical play of the West, but he's proven he can't dominate in front of the net like we need him to right now. And Wisniewski is a roadblock made of glass. He might deter some people for a while, but eventually he's going to break.

Murray's mistake was not getting any blueline muscle this summer, or as you said, assuming he already had it. He's asked Carlyle to defend the net with a smooth skater and passer (Eminger), a below average stay at home guy (Boynton) and a cheap, yet feisty, winger/d-man (Brookbank). Mix in Wisniewski's frequent absences and Whitney's inability to play to his size, and all of the sudden you only have Niedermayer, who can play well in front of the net but can't be a snow plow. Essentially, Murray has forced Carlyle to bring a knife to a gun fight.

The Ducks have to do something. Sbisa will be a great d-man in the future, but we need muscle now. I think we should consider shopping Philadelphia's pick for a solid stay-at-home guy who can clear the front of the net. Obviously, a First Rounder might be too much, but since we have the extra pick, maybe we can shake a good defenseman out of the New Jersey Devils' tree, like a Salvador or an Oduya. Not the best, I know, but potentially solid enough to handle PK and even strength duties, which could take some of the stress off of Whitney and Nieds.

I know there aren't a lot of available guys who fit the mold, but Murray has to find some muscle soon. Our forwards have enough talent; waiting for them to gel won't be a problem. But the defensive corps is different. If Murray waits too long, he might wait us out of playoff contention. With a little more security on the blueline, the Ducks might find themselves on the right side of those 4-3 and 5-4 decisions, rather than wondering how Hiller and Jiggy are going to stop pucks they can't see.

Tuesday links: Seeking the fire we had last year edition

averagejoe — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:37 -0000

It's Tuesday. That's all I have to say today. Links? Links.

Blues news

Headline: Blues struggling to score goals. Deck: Pope remains Catholic. [Belleville News-Democrat]
But hey, at least Erik Johnson and Alex Pietrangelo are playing well. [Sporting News]
Seriously, EJ and Petro are living up to their potential. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Some notes on the Riverman and Ed Belfour. Good news, captain Yan Stastny isn't seriously hurt. [Peoria Journal Star]
The team is trying to find the fire it had last year. Yep, that's what's missing -- fire. Not goals or players like David Backes playing up to their potential, it's fire. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]

Hockey news

Results from last night. Islanders, Flyers and Kings all are winners.[Yahoo! Sports]
Five games tonight. My game of the night? Rangers vs. Cancuks. [Yahoo! Sports]
The Flames are 7-4-1, but could they be better? [Matchsticks and Gasoline]
Ducks' d-man James Wisniewski suspended for a hit to the head. [ESPN]
Anaheim Calling tackles hits to the heads. [Anaheim Calling]
OdinMercer rejoices: the NHL is buying the Coyotes. [Five for Fowling]
Alex Ovechkin is week to week. Not good times for the Caps. [ESPN]
Speaking of injuries, Simon Gagne is going to miss a few weeks. [ESPN]
Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen are close to coming back. [ESPN Dallas]
More injury news: Jason Spezza is out.[TSN]
In still injured news, Phil Kessel is still out. Still. [TSN]

Other links

Man gets caught cheating by standing on an a/c window unit in the nude. Seriously. [Blame it on the voices]
Big Ben, the clock, is on Twitter.[Twitter]
I know this Web site all too well. I think the only people that read newspapers anymore are the easily angered. [Angry people in local newspapers]
People google the dumbest fucking things. [gtards]
The Simpson's are famous for fake products. Here are some good ones. [Guyism]

Video

RFJCC sends along a video I was going to show anyway. Am I worried I'm thinking like him? Not really. Christopher Walken is bad ass.

gametimelinks(at)gmail.com. Keep it real, kids.

Hits To The Head Revisited

Arthur from Anaheim Calling — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:23:56 -0000

ARTHUR:

Injurious head shots seem to be grabbing headlines every day this season, and one has finally landed in the Pacific Division as James Wisniewski erased Shane Doan at Jobing.com on Saturday, a hit which garnered the Ducks defenseman a two-game suspension.

Daniel, you and I have already said our peace on the NHL regulating the shoulder check to the head, but let's talk about another controversial prong of this issue. Assuming that not every player is trying to put a shoulder into a guy's head, but most are aware that they will likely make shoulder-to-head and not shoulder-to-chest contact, is the shoulder check to the head a dirty play?

DANIEL:

Before I answer the question, I have to admit that I'm starting to waver on this issue a little. When I was watching the Phoenix game, Brian Hayward mentioned that players seem to be getting hurt more due to the speed of the game and the increasing size of the players. This sentiment was echoed in the Ottawa Citizen by Bryan Murray, who feels the game's faster pace has left more players caught with their head down and hit with harder hits.

It's undeniable that the game is moving much faster than in previous years, and guys are flying into boards, flying into each other and flying into goaltenders. USA Today's Kevin Allen claims that roughly 18% of the league's regulars are currently injured or ill. In this environment, I think players should start making the extra effort with each other to prevent more injuries, especially career-ending injuries. I don't know if crashing into guys who are speeding through the neutral zone while looking back for a stretch pass is "dirty," but it certainly isn't safe. I love fast-paced physical hockey, but pretty soon there won't be anybody to play that style, because they will all be hurt.

My answer to the question is that I don't think these shoulder hits to the head are dirty. Taking the body is part of this sport, one of the most exciting parts. But maybe, guys need to be more responsible in their hit selection. Standing a guy up doesn't mean you have to bury him. Ultimately, players need to be more responsible for their hits. I'm not saying you shouldn't hit a guy skating with his head down, but you should maybe avoid a 100% shoulder follow through. If the guy can't see you coming, it's better not to lower the boom. That way, our favorite superstars can stay on the ice, instead of ruining our fantasy hockey seasons.

ARTHUR:

First, I just want to say that I honestly believe that not every player is attempting to catch a guy in the head with his shoulder; it's not just an assumption I created for the purposes of this question. In fact, it's an assumption made in many sports. Soccer players aren't always booked or suspended for kicking a guy in the head when he's going for a header. The referee assumes the player was trying to make a legal play on the ball, but you'll never convince the injured player's fans of that.

And it's the fans that really drive the 'dirty' discussion. They see their guy laid out or put onto a stretcher, and the perpetrator is automatically a dirty player in their eyes. But a play isn't dirty just because it injured someone. A textbook hip check can injure someone too, but I've never heard Rob Blake called dirty for it. And you and I never called Scott Stevens dirty for putting his shoulder into Paul Kariya or anyone else's head, whether he came laterally at them or skated straight into them.

I agree that rule changes have made the game faster, and maybe placed it at odds with itself, but there is a legal, purposeful and traditional hockey hit underneath all this controversy. And it's NOT akin to helmet-to-helmet tackles or head-slapping in the old NFL. In last year's playoffs, when Brown dropped Hudler, the TSN crew had a lively debate about it, but Bob McKenzie rolled tape on textbook shoulder checks to the chest executed elsewhere in the playoffs, checks that were completely harmonious with today's NHL. The shoulder check still has a place in the game.

People who want the NHL to do more about it aren't wrong, but people who claim players should keep their heads up aren't wrong either. Not every player is trying to cheapshot Blair Betts out there. Most are just trying to execute a solid check, and they have enough professional respect for each other to hope the other guy gets up or sees them coming in the first place.

Olympics Watch: Americans off to hot starts

James Mirtle — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:57:07 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

Browse more photos »

Following up on a look at the hottest Canadian players in the NHL so far this season, here's a look at which American players may be impressing the Team USA brass so far:

Goal

	Player	Team	GP	GS	W	L	OT	GAA	Sv%
1	Ryan Miller	BUF	10	10	8	1	1	1.86	0.936
2	C. Anderson	COL	15	15	10	3	2	2.11	0.936
3	Ty Conklin	STL	5	4	2	2	0	2.34	0.921
4	Tim Thomas	BOS	9	9	4	5	0	2.66	0.910
5	Jon Quick	LAK	13	13	8	3	2	2.59	0.905
6	J. Howard	DET	5	3	1	2	1	3.42	0.879

Thomas may be the reigning Vezina winner, but it's hard to argue with Miller and Anderson making the team based on their starts. The Americans have the NHL's two hottest netminders so far.

Defence

	Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-
1	Alex Goligoski	PIT	14	5	7	12	12
2	Matt Carle	PHI	11	2	10	12	9
3	James Wisniewski	ANA	9	0	9	9	6
4	Ryan Whitney	ANA	12	1	6	7	3
5	Erik Johnson	STL	12	0	7	7	3
6	Ryan Suter	NSH	13	2	5	7	2
7	Jordan Leopold	FLA	12	1	5	6	2
8	Brian Rafalski	DET	12	1	5	6	-1
9	Zach Bogosian	ATL	10	5	1	6	-2
10	Keith Yandle	PHX	13	1	4	5	-2
11	Matt Niskanen	DAL	12	0	5	5	-3
12	John-Michael Liles	COL	8	2	3	5	-4

There will definitely be some interesting decisions to make on the Americans back end, with some of the less-heralded names playing th best to this point. Whitney, Suter, Rafalski and Johnson were the only ones invited to the team's summer camp.

Forward

	Player	Team	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PPG	+/-
1	Zach Parise	NJD	L	12	6	8	14	1.17	7
2	J. van Riemsdyk	PHI	L	9	2	8	10	1.11	4
3	Ryan Malone	TBL	L	11	8	3	11	1.00	2
4	Dustin Brown	LAK	L	14	4	9	13	0.93	0
5	Patrick Kane	CHI	R	13	4	8	12	0.92	4
6	Tim Connolly	BUF	C	11	4	6	10	0.91	-1
7	Ryan Kesler	VAN	C	15	5	8	13	0.87	0
8	Jason Pominville	BUF	R	11	3	6	9	0.82	2
9	Kyle Okposo	NYI	R	13	3	7	10	0.77	0
10	Keith Tkachuk	STL	C	12	3	6	9	0.75	1
11	R.J. Umberger	CBJ	C	13	4	5	9	0.69	-3
12	J. Langenbrunner	NJD	R	12	2	6	8	0.67	6
13	Mike Knuble	WSH	R	14	3	6	9	0.64	7
14	Bill Guerin	PIT	R	14	3	6	9	0.64	5
15	Scott Gomez	MTL	C	14	2	7	9	0.64	0
16	Brandon Dubinsky	NYR	C	15	3	6	9	0.60	6

More tough calls here, probably, especially with players young and old like Van Riemsdyk and Tkachuk. Connolly and Pominville were not at the orientation camp but could play their way onto the roster in the next month or so.

Coyotes Defeat Ducks in Shootout, Win Third Straight

OdinMercer — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:27:55 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Browse more photos »

The Coyotes battled though a extremely chippy game last night to take down the Ducks for the team's third win in a row. THe Coyotes took the lead early on a pretty goal from Robert Lang. Lang is really starting to get back to form after signing with the Coyotes at the beginning of the season, missing training camp. The goal was nice and his passes were spot on. Shortly after the goal, as Shane Doan was carrying the puck into the offensive zone, he recieved a hard hit from James Wisniewski that the refs tought was a shoulder, but it looked to me like he followed through with an elbow. Either way, Doan was slow to get up and was woosy when he did. Keith Yandle went after Wisniewski in retaliation and while not a fighter did good in standing up for the captain. The game was much harder following the hit as the Coyotes were looking to hit anyone and everyone on the Ducks squad. George Parros and Paul Bissonette went at it late in the period as well. Doan did return as well to an ovation from the crowd.The period ended with all the players on the ice grabbing and pairing off but the refs were able to separate everyone and get to the locker rooms without any fights.

To start the second though Doan immediately found Wisniewski and took him on himself. Doan got in a few good shots including the takedown was well as another punch after Wisniewski was down. 8 minutes into the period Corey Perry would score on a 5 on 3 power play to tie up the game. Other than that the 2nd was pretty slow as both goaltenders made some quality saves to keep it tied.

In the 3rd Teemu Selane would give the Ducks the lead with a knucklepuck the squirted between Ilya Bryzgalov's arm and body for a goal. Bryz wasn't too happy with it even though the puck changed directions on him. The Coyotes didn't get down though, they went right back to work tying the game back up at 2-2 on a Vernon Fiddler goal just 18 seconds later. That's something that last year's version of the team wouldn't have been able to do, but the skaters bailed out Bryz after he'd done the same for them so many times. The period ended tied at 2 to go to overtime.

Nothing was decided in the extra frame so we went to the shootout. Radim Vrbata would score the only goal for either side winning for the Coyotes. The Coyotes other shooters, Shane Doan and Lauri Korpikoski, both clanged their tries off the posts and Bryzgalov stymied Perry, Getzlaf and Selane.

Other Notes:

Peter Mueller was a healthy scratch as he has yet to score a goal this year. Hopefully the view from the press box did him some good.
With the win the Coyotes move into 4th in the Western Conference with a game in hand on all Pacific Division foes other than the Ducks.
At 9-4-0 with 18 points, this is the best October the Coyotes have had.