Let's Get it Ready for Saturday

Thanks very much Christine for that great welcome. I feel honored to be posting for this blog, and I hope I work up to all of those great things you've said about me. And by the way, I believe that icing is when you pass the puck in from your own blue line down to the other end and for some reason it is a stoppage of play and the offending line has to stay on the ice. I have no idea why, only that I know when it's not and when it is. I shall have to study that rule again.

And now to the game- last night was a great effort by the Isles, all around. Although I didn't watch the entire game, I saw the ceremony for Sillinger and I was very touched- seeing the whole team congratulate him and his family for a job well done in the NHL. The best part is, he's still got some left in him! Again, congrats to a great player with intelligence, heart and soul. Rick DiPietro had a great rebound from the abysmal game last week- making some great saves and excellent positioning. And Mike Comrie made his presence felt as well- two assists on the night. Overall, better effort and better outcome, and against a team that has been struggling, yes, but has seemed to have had our number for the last eight meetings.

Looking forward to Saturday, and the great Al Arbour coaching his 1500th game- this is the game to watch as of yet. Not only against a good opponent in the Pittsburgh Penguins with all of their young talent, but to see our coach from the dynasty years alongside our dynamic current coach, Ted Nolan, tomorrow night at the Coliseum. I wish I could be there, but I'm not that lucky- I will, however, be watching very closely. I think our boys will definitely show the respect and the same hardworking attitude towards Arbour as they do to Teddy. Let's make it a win!

P.S. Apparently, USA Today has labeled some of our players, including Trent Hunter and Billy Guerin, as "overrated." Now, I don't want to nitpick, but I doubt that USA Today is a credible source when it comes to talking about hockey. Bill Guerin, while maybe a bit past his prime, is not an overrated player, nor is Trent Hunter, who I doubt was ever hailed as the next coming of Mike Bossy- I mean, come on. As opposed to the smooth and pure-scoring play of the Boss, Hunter's game is more garbage-goal, grinder-style play, which works just as well for the work ethic of the Isles as it is now. The main mistake the paper makes is to confuse "overrated" with "past your prime"- usually when someone is overrated, you notice that early on in their career (such as Matt Leinart in football). But when you're past your prime, that is of course self-explanatory. And even so, Guerin's five goals prove that he is still capable of scoring and contributing. So I doubt that this article by USA Today will be anything more than fodder for Ted's guys to prove that they are otherwise- as they always do. It's satisfying to hear the sounds of serious backtracking in store.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/montgomery/2007-10-30-overrated_N.htm
(link to USA Today article)