Is there not a running NHL season thread?

I watched Smith stone them the other night. ChrisLong to the house phone, please.

 

CL mentioned Pete Weber on the previous page. Is he doing OK? Willy Daunic was doing a telecast the other night. I know Weber had some heart problems last year. Anyone know what's up?

 

The Preds switched radio and TV crews because they hate America or something.

 

In the first three Ducks games, they showed no passion, no grit, no speed. Their cycle game disappeared halfway through the Chicago series and hasn't returned. It was like they felt they could just show up and win. The last two games, the opponents' first shot went in.
Last night, it was better. They got 30 shots on goal and had 41 shots blocked ... 41 is a huge number. But most of their shots are from the wings, so the rebounds careen to the opposite side boards. They've gotten few second-chance opportunities. On a lot of their shots last night, the Avalanche got a stick in there for deflections and they shots went into the netting above the high glass.
Still not much cycle.
I can remember one breakaway, by Horcoff in the first game. That's all. There have been no 2-on-1s or 3-on-2s.
Rumor mill says Getzlaf has a hernia.
They might have been lulled to sleep by a good preseason (5-0-1) and a week off between the last preseason game and the first real game. No excuses, though, if you play without passion you lose.

 

Really like the Oshie and Justin Williams adds. Upgrades over Ward and Brouwer, for sure. As much as I loved watching Ward play, I completely understood his desire to get paid one last time and respected the fact that the Caps weren't willing to give a 34-year-old a 4-year deal simply out of loyalty. Curious to see how the third D pair evolves throughout the year. Seems like Trotz is going to try a lot of different combos there. I'm not sure I should attend another game. I've seen one Caps goal in the last three games I've been to, though that one was Beagle's goal in the 1-0 Game 3 win against the Rangers last year.

 

Has anyone else been impressed by the play of St. Louis rookie defenseman Colton Parayko? IIRC, he scored twice at Calgary the other night. Sunday afternoon at Winnipeg he had a shot tipped in and made a heck of a break-up on a Jets' breakaway in the third. Count me among those that might have underestimated Doug Armstrong's fairly quiet summer moves, both veteran and youth. And right now, both Stastny and Shattenkirk are hurt.

St. Louis at Montreal Tuesday night. Appointment viewing for me.

 

Preds steal one at home against Tampa with Ellis and Jackman both out. Filip Forsburg had a gourgeous assist to James Neal for the tying goal in regulation. Kid is gonna be a legend soon.

 

Who's more likely to get to 16-0 the Canadiens or any of the undefeated NFL teams?

 

Neither

 

Richards out, Torts in. Let the fun begin.