NHL Season 2011-2012

[JayDee]

...and so it begins.

After a sad off-season and  pre-season marred with head hits and suspensions it's time to move forward and play some hockey! Season kicks off tonight with my Leafers taking on the Canadiens.

[leo8877]

GO SHARKS!!

[Arkon]

Penguins open their schedule against the Canucks tonight.  Should be a pretty good game, hopefully we will truly see a rebound season from Malkin and a healthy Crosby at some point.

[kronovan]

Penguins open their schedule against the Canucks tonight.  Should be a pretty good game, hopefully we will truly see a rebound season from Malkin and a healthy Crosby at some point.

Yup, I'm looking forward to this one. Very dissapointing that Sid won't be playing and just watching. I'm curious if they'll make any announcement involving him, since this is his 1st time back since his golden goal at the Olympics. It's the NHL though, so probably not despite every fan in the building wanting to gush over him. I had a good ticket and sold it - hey Sid isn't playing and it let me buy front row seats for 20 Vancouver Giant games.

[Kagath]

Go WINGS!

[Devil]

Back to the playoffs!!

[Roman]

Go Lafs Go!

[kratz]

Go WINGS!

 

[Koz]

So is this the thread where Devil acknowledges it's been zero years since the Bruins last won the Cup?

[Devil]

You won. Congrats.

It's my worst moment as a sports fan.

I will still giggle with every loss, feel the sting of every win and hope it takes at least another 40 years to win one again.

 

[JayDee]

LEEEEAAAAFFFFSSS!

REIMER!!!!

STANLEY CUP!!!!

 

[Isgrimnur]

Sidney Crosby tells Telephone Pole He Has Recovered From Concussion

[Devil]

Hate the numbers on the front of the helmets. Looks wrong.

[leo8877]

Hate the numbers on the front of the helmets. Looks wrong.

Helmets, numbers?  Buh?

[Canuck]

OMG THE LEAFS ARE IN FIRST PLACE IN THRIR DIVISION!!!1 BRING ON THE Stanley cup!

[Canuck]

Hate the numbers on the front of the helmets. Looks wrong.

Helmets, numbers?  Buh?

[Isgrimnur]

I dunno about you but that looks like it's all the way behind the cross bar, but not over the line. 

[Isgrimnur]

And it didn't take long for there to be a shootout.  Pens win 2-0 over Roberto "I can't play worth a damn in October" Luongo.

[Canuck]

I thought it was "June".

[Clanwolfer]

I thought I would mind the new numbers, but I really don't. We'll see if I feel different when I see them on the Caps' helmets.

[leo8877]

I thought I would mind the new numbers, but I really don't. We'll see if I feel different when I see them on the Caps' helmets.

Why are there numbers on the helmets?  Hard to see those GIGANTIC numbers on the jerseys?  Weird move by the NHL.

[kronovan]

And it didn't take long for there to be a shootout.  Pens win 2-0 over Roberto "I can't play worth a damn in October" Luongo.

Yup Lu was typically suctastic in that shootout. Still, that was a much better start for the Canucks compared to the motoring through October in reverse gear of past seasons.  Fleury was excellent in net, definitely won the game for the Pens. I liked the play of Hodgson - came very close to scoring on a number of occassions. I miss Kesler. 

[kratz]

I thought I would mind the new numbers, but I really don't. We'll see if I feel different when I see them on the Caps' helmets.

Why are there numbers on the helmets?  Hard to see those GIGANTIC numbers on the jerseys?  Weird move by the NHL.

Because there are no forward facing numbers on the jerseys.

[Isgrimnur]

Sabres hand the Ducks their asses in orange sauce, 4-1.  One down, 81 to go. 

[Devil]

I thought I would mind the new numbers, but I really don't. We'll see if I feel different when I see them on the Caps' helmets.

Why are there numbers on the helmets?  Hard to see those GIGANTIC numbers on the jerseys?  Weird move by the NHL.

Because there are no forward facing numbers on the jerseys.

There never really were for most teams. Why the need now?

[kratz]

The new number placement is designed to aid on-ice officials, broadcasters, et al. by providing an additional point of player identification.

*shrug*

[Canuck]

I think it would be very handy for the refs when it comes to handing out players during free-for-alls. Sometimes players end up being penalized wrongly (or getting away with something) because the ref isn't sure who did it. All I know is that when the players are flying down the ice, I won't notice any numbers on their helmets.

[theohall]

I thought I would mind the new numbers, but I really don't. We'll see if I feel different when I see them on the Caps' helmets.

Why are there numbers on the helmets?  Hard to see those GIGANTIC numbers on the jerseys?  Weird move by the NHL.

Because there are no forward facing numbers on the jerseys.

There never really were for most teams. Why the need now?

What Katz said.  When enforcing things on ice, or reviewing questionable hits, the forward facing numbers make this easier.

[kronovan]

Pfft...you guys have it all wrong. The forward facing numbers are for when the player forgets who they are. Now they can take off their helmet, look at their number and know. Taking them off out on the ice is going to be tricky, but hey these are skilled players we're talkin about.

[Isgrimnur]

Buffalo's road white uniforms have the numbers sewn on the right front shoulder.

[Devil]

Ummm..guys, the season doesn't start in January every year.
 

[Isgrimnur]

You are correct.  I've enjoyed watching the Sabres start off 2-0 in their European adventure, handling Anaheim and LA this weekend.  Of course, I have to wait until Friday for another back-to-back gamedays against Carolina and Pittsburgh.

Oh, and screw you MSG, for not allowing the NHL access to your HD feeds for GameCenter.  I guess I'll be watching the opposing team's feeds all year. 

[gellar]

Man I had a great time at that game last night. 90% of the arena were rooting for the Sabres. The Christian Ehrhhrhhooff chants were pretty cool too. Beer + hockey = many, many fast friends. Probably my favorite hockey memory of all time.


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=52.554228,13.292006

[leo8877]

Man I had a great time at that game last night. 90% of the arena were rooting for the Sabres. The Christian Ehrhhrhhooff chants were pretty cool too. Beer + hockey = many, many fast friends. Probably my favorite hockey memory of all time.


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=52.554228,13.292006

Nice sounds like fun!

I'm really liking the Sharks opening effort!

[Jimmy the Fish]

The Coyotes are going to be horrible this season without Bryzgalov bailing them out every game.

[Devil]

A scene as old as time, Rick DiPietro is hurt.

[gellar]

A scene as old as time, Rick DiPietro is hurt.

Wait... he was healthy enough to get hurt?  I must have missed that.

Devils/Kings tonight in a game I'm missing on TV cause I'm attending the USC/Cal football game.  DVRing it with the hope of watching it delayed, but I'll probably spoil myself with the score and not bother.

[Koz]

At least this year the Fishsticks were smart enough to sign a zillion goalies.

In other news, there's a disappointing lack of Bruins' fan angst after their slow start. I guess a week before the "fire Julien" threads start appearing on hfboards.

[Devil]

Gells - Missed a pretty good game. Happy the Devils hung in there with, allegedly, one of the best teams in the NHL. (Who knows this early).

Parise's penalty shot - Like he's not even trying.

Koz - Why would there be any outcry from Bruins fans? They might finally be catching on to the fact that your play in April, not October, determines the success of your season. Besides Julien should have been fired last year and they went and ruined that.

[gellar]

Yeah I'll take a point on the road I guess. Also I obviously failed at my media blackout. Oh well.


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.777965,-122.389391