Tonight there are three NHL playoff games. That's an unusual number for the second round, but we should be glad to have it. The Detroit-Colorado series took an extra day off, which left yesterday with just the one game.
John Forslund, who has been with the Whaler/Canes organ-eye-zation since the early nineties, and who has been the teevee play-by-play guy since 1995, will be making the call for Versus for games three and four of that Detroit-Colorado series. He's been logging a lot of miles for Versus, and he's been doing a great job. It's weird, I must say, to hear him say "And Colorado is off and running!" or "Budaj says no!" rather than to have "Carolina" and "Cam Ward" plugged into those formulae.
Earlier in the night, of course, the Penguins and Rangers head into MSG for game three of their series. I don't expect the Penguins to sweep the series, but I don't expect the Rangers to win both home games either.
The biggest thing for me, though, will be game seven between the River Rats and the Phantoms in the Wachovia Center tonight.
In other AHL news, former Hurricane and female fan favorite Bates Battaglia scored a dramatic goal with less than a minute to play to give the Toronto Marlies (Maple Leafs) a series victory over the San Antonio Rampage (Coyotes). I'm not a fan of Battaglia on a personal level, but it's good to see him doing well.
Go Pens!
Go Rats!
Showing posts with label Battaglia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Battaglia. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Leafs pound Canes
Toronto Maple Leafs --- 4,275,634
Carolina Sons of Motherless Whores --- 1
(tip of the hat to the boys at CinO)
On Tuesday night, Carolina had a chance to strengthen their tenuous hold on the sixth playoff spot in the East with a home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto is a team on the outside looking in, desperate for a chance to return to the playoffs. Carolina is a team limping through the race as they approach the quarter pole. They will should be at full health heading down the homestretch and won't have any excuses if they can't finish in the top eight.
"Ole One Eye", aka Chairman Mo, aka "Paul Maurice" came back into town with the much maligned duo of Jeff "Public Urination" O'Neill and Bates "Manwhore" Battaglia and shut the home crowd up with a very impressive first period. Although the score was knotted at one after 20 minutes, Toronto was by far the better team. They outshot Carolina 14-4, dominated puck possession and puck position, outhit, out-hustled and just plain outplayed Carolina. They were roaring out of the gates with seven SOG in the first three and a half minutes played. In that same amount of time, Carolina's defensemen couldn't even keep their equipment in order. Dennis Seidenberg broke two sticks in the first three minutes of play. This, naturally, made things much more difficult for Cam Ward.
Bates Battaglia scored the game's first goal at 14:00 by tucking in a rebound of a John Pohl shot. Ward made the stop and there was a short rebound off to his left. Unfortunately, Batesy was there all alone on the right post to tuck it in for the easy goal. Ian White got the secondary assist.
Ray Whitney answered back at 16:06 to tie it up on a garbage goal. Dennis Seidenberg made a beautiful home run pass to Whitney from his own end to the Toronto blue line. Whitney went in all alone and Andrew Raycroft stopped his point blank attempt, but the puck trickled through Raycroft's equipment and over the goal line. Rod Brind'Amour picked up the secondary helper.
There was no scoring in the second period.
Nic Antropov gave the Leafs the lead they would never surrender at 0:37 of the third. It was just about a carbon copy of the Battaglia goal. Mats Sundin and Tomas Kaberle got the helpers.
There was a lot of action, and some chippiness in the next ten minutes, but nothing happened until Antropov scored again at 16:20. He wrapped around the back of the goal and lifted it top shelf from over near the right post. Same positioning as the first two goals. Bryan McCabe got the only assist.
The Canes were early to pull the goalie with about 2:30 to play, and with six forwards on the ice, they couldn't accomplish anything. Scott Walker did a nice job of saving an empty net bid, but before it was all said and done, Tomas Kaberle got to the vacated cage. One of those "who wants it" plays. Three Leafs came into the Carolina zone all alone. A couple of passes later, Kaberle buried it from the right circle. Chad Kilger and Battaglia got the assists.
During the first period, Eric Belanger was awarded a penalty shot on what I thought was a questionable call. It was no matter because he couldn't convert the shot. He drifted in to the left of Raycroft, hesitated too much and didn't score.
There was absolutely nothing redeeming about this game. Nothing. They looked awful. They deserved to lose. They looked like a team that will play themselves out of a playoff position, or one who will get demolished in the first round.
There was, actually, one redeeming thing. In a very silly way. There's a woman in my section on whom I have a perma-crush (for about three seasons now). I've never actually spoken to her, but always thought she's hot. I haven't seen her much this season, and even if I don't talk to her, it's still fun to look at pretty women, and it always cheers me up to see this one.
Anyway, the Canes will be back in action at home on Thursday night against the Bolts and again on Saturday at home against the Bruins. I would say that the Canes will have to win both of those games.
The way the "official" three stars went was:
Andrew Raycroft (third), Ray Whitney (second) and Nic Antropov (first).
Almost, but I just can't justify giving the Canes anything. The RBH Three Stars of the Game:
Third Star Andrew Raycroft, TOR -- 28 saves, win
Second Star Tomas Kaberle, TOR -- 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 takeaways
First Star Nic Antropov, TOR -- 2 goals (GWG)
Carolina Sons of Motherless Whores --- 1
(tip of the hat to the boys at CinO)
On Tuesday night, Carolina had a chance to strengthen their tenuous hold on the sixth playoff spot in the East with a home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto is a team on the outside looking in, desperate for a chance to return to the playoffs. Carolina is a team limping through the race as they approach the quarter pole. They will should be at full health heading down the homestretch and won't have any excuses if they can't finish in the top eight.
"Ole One Eye", aka Chairman Mo, aka "Paul Maurice" came back into town with the much maligned duo of Jeff "Public Urination" O'Neill and Bates "Manwhore" Battaglia and shut the home crowd up with a very impressive first period. Although the score was knotted at one after 20 minutes, Toronto was by far the better team. They outshot Carolina 14-4, dominated puck possession and puck position, outhit, out-hustled and just plain outplayed Carolina. They were roaring out of the gates with seven SOG in the first three and a half minutes played. In that same amount of time, Carolina's defensemen couldn't even keep their equipment in order. Dennis Seidenberg broke two sticks in the first three minutes of play. This, naturally, made things much more difficult for Cam Ward.
Bates Battaglia scored the game's first goal at 14:00 by tucking in a rebound of a John Pohl shot. Ward made the stop and there was a short rebound off to his left. Unfortunately, Batesy was there all alone on the right post to tuck it in for the easy goal. Ian White got the secondary assist.
Ray Whitney answered back at 16:06 to tie it up on a garbage goal. Dennis Seidenberg made a beautiful home run pass to Whitney from his own end to the Toronto blue line. Whitney went in all alone and Andrew Raycroft stopped his point blank attempt, but the puck trickled through Raycroft's equipment and over the goal line. Rod Brind'Amour picked up the secondary helper.
There was no scoring in the second period.
Nic Antropov gave the Leafs the lead they would never surrender at 0:37 of the third. It was just about a carbon copy of the Battaglia goal. Mats Sundin and Tomas Kaberle got the helpers.
There was a lot of action, and some chippiness in the next ten minutes, but nothing happened until Antropov scored again at 16:20. He wrapped around the back of the goal and lifted it top shelf from over near the right post. Same positioning as the first two goals. Bryan McCabe got the only assist.
The Canes were early to pull the goalie with about 2:30 to play, and with six forwards on the ice, they couldn't accomplish anything. Scott Walker did a nice job of saving an empty net bid, but before it was all said and done, Tomas Kaberle got to the vacated cage. One of those "who wants it" plays. Three Leafs came into the Carolina zone all alone. A couple of passes later, Kaberle buried it from the right circle. Chad Kilger and Battaglia got the assists.
During the first period, Eric Belanger was awarded a penalty shot on what I thought was a questionable call. It was no matter because he couldn't convert the shot. He drifted in to the left of Raycroft, hesitated too much and didn't score.
There was absolutely nothing redeeming about this game. Nothing. They looked awful. They deserved to lose. They looked like a team that will play themselves out of a playoff position, or one who will get demolished in the first round.
There was, actually, one redeeming thing. In a very silly way. There's a woman in my section on whom I have a perma-crush (for about three seasons now). I've never actually spoken to her, but always thought she's hot. I haven't seen her much this season, and even if I don't talk to her, it's still fun to look at pretty women, and it always cheers me up to see this one.
Anyway, the Canes will be back in action at home on Thursday night against the Bolts and again on Saturday at home against the Bruins. I would say that the Canes will have to win both of those games.
The way the "official" three stars went was:
Andrew Raycroft (third), Ray Whitney (second) and Nic Antropov (first).
Almost, but I just can't justify giving the Canes anything. The RBH Three Stars of the Game:
Third Star Andrew Raycroft, TOR -- 28 saves, win
Second Star Tomas Kaberle, TOR -- 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 takeaways
First Star Nic Antropov, TOR -- 2 goals (GWG)
Friday, December 15, 2006
Canes host a bunch of Canes castoffs Leafs tonight
Tonight at the RBC Center, the Canes will play host to the Leafs, and it will be a homecoming of sorts for many of the Leafs.
This will be the first time that Leafs Coach Paul Maurice has been back to Raleigh since being fired midway through the 2003-04 season. Maurice was the longest tenured coach in the League, and although he led his team to a fluke appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, he wasn't doing well. His non-aggressive style of hoping for a 2-1 game every night landed his team in the League's basement in 2002-03 and they were headed that same way in 2003-04. After being replaced by Peter Laviolette, Maurice went to coach the AHL Toronto Marlies.
It was there that he got re-acquainted with one time Canes winger Bates Battaglia, who had a good season in 2002, but became more known for his clashes with Maurice and also for his party boy lifestyle in 2003. He was traded to Colorado for Radim Vrbata, then traded from Colorado to Washington for Steve Konowalchuk. Then he was let go. I mean really let go. He found himself down at the ECHL level. However, when Maurice was hired to coach the Marlies, he gave Battaglia a try-out, and he did well there. After a 67 (20/47) point season there last year, he has worked his way back up to the NHL level, thanks again to a chance given him by Maurice.
In the off-season, Battaglia still lives in Raleigh where he runs a really crappy bar called "Lucky B's". His father also lives in Raleigh, where he runs a restaurant or two.
Jeff O'Neill, who was once one of the star players for the Canes, fell from grace really quickly. He had a much publicized blow-up with Maurice after a bag skate, and his work ethic really started to go down hill fast in the 2003-04 season. He went from being a steady 60 point scorer to putting up 34 points that season, and he clearly wasn't putting forth any effort on the ice or in the weight room. During the lockout, he didn't play at all, choosing to get fat and drunk. He was arrested for his second DUI, and the team quickly lost their patience with him. Then tragedy struck. His brother was killed in a single car accident, and he expressed an interest in being traded to Toronto. The team obliged, making a draft day trade, essentially "letting him go". It was a perfect resolution to a sticky situation. The team wanted him out due to his poor play and poor conditioning. Aside from that, he wanted out for family reasons.
O'Neill has of course been back a couple of times last season. He was met with the same boos that he received even when he played here. I have no idea how Chairman Mo and Bates Battaglia will be greeted, but I can say that there's not a whole lot of love for either of those guys. We're happy for them that they both landed good jobs, but we still don't like them.
Puck drop at a special time of 7:30 tonight.
This will be the first time that Leafs Coach Paul Maurice has been back to Raleigh since being fired midway through the 2003-04 season. Maurice was the longest tenured coach in the League, and although he led his team to a fluke appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, he wasn't doing well. His non-aggressive style of hoping for a 2-1 game every night landed his team in the League's basement in 2002-03 and they were headed that same way in 2003-04. After being replaced by Peter Laviolette, Maurice went to coach the AHL Toronto Marlies.
It was there that he got re-acquainted with one time Canes winger Bates Battaglia, who had a good season in 2002, but became more known for his clashes with Maurice and also for his party boy lifestyle in 2003. He was traded to Colorado for Radim Vrbata, then traded from Colorado to Washington for Steve Konowalchuk. Then he was let go. I mean really let go. He found himself down at the ECHL level. However, when Maurice was hired to coach the Marlies, he gave Battaglia a try-out, and he did well there. After a 67 (20/47) point season there last year, he has worked his way back up to the NHL level, thanks again to a chance given him by Maurice.
In the off-season, Battaglia still lives in Raleigh where he runs a really crappy bar called "Lucky B's". His father also lives in Raleigh, where he runs a restaurant or two.
Jeff O'Neill, who was once one of the star players for the Canes, fell from grace really quickly. He had a much publicized blow-up with Maurice after a bag skate, and his work ethic really started to go down hill fast in the 2003-04 season. He went from being a steady 60 point scorer to putting up 34 points that season, and he clearly wasn't putting forth any effort on the ice or in the weight room. During the lockout, he didn't play at all, choosing to get fat and drunk. He was arrested for his second DUI, and the team quickly lost their patience with him. Then tragedy struck. His brother was killed in a single car accident, and he expressed an interest in being traded to Toronto. The team obliged, making a draft day trade, essentially "letting him go". It was a perfect resolution to a sticky situation. The team wanted him out due to his poor play and poor conditioning. Aside from that, he wanted out for family reasons.
O'Neill has of course been back a couple of times last season. He was met with the same boos that he received even when he played here. I have no idea how Chairman Mo and Bates Battaglia will be greeted, but I can say that there's not a whole lot of love for either of those guys. We're happy for them that they both landed good jobs, but we still don't like them.
Puck drop at a special time of 7:30 tonight.
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