Pronger gives advice in the form of an autograph
So the game last night was really a lot of fun, but being the drunkard that I am, I only ended up taking one photo (I'm fairly new to the concept that there's a camera on my phone). I took a shot of the back of an autographed Pronger jersey I saw in the concourse that cracked me up.
That's right, Chris. Hit 'em high and hard. Hilarious.
(Also hilarious was my pal who was behind me. "Did you just take a shot of that guy's ass?")
I'm not a guy who collects autographs, but in my dream scenario I'd like to get a long-sleeve shirt signed by Pronger. I'd have him sign each of the elbows, making one out to Tomas and the other to Dean. The shirt would say "Oilers 4 Ever" on it and it would hang proudly in my hall of irony. I doubt he'd actually sign the thing, but the look on his face before he clobbered me would be priceless.
Oh, and as for the game? Well, we didn't get to see Roenick's 500th goal (I kept urging his teammates to pass to him, even when he was on the bench), but we did get to see Torrey Mitchell's first. At first when the Sharks fished the puck out of the net (I swear I meant no pun there) I thought they were going to bogusly award the goal to JR, like they tried with Mike Modano a week ago, but congrats to the kid anyway.
The Ducks at that point fell into their crippling routine of allowing a one-goal deficit to be fatal; they refused to get a shot on goal (or really exit their zone) for the rest of the first. The later two periods they seemed more in control, and finally they found a less competent opponent in the shootout. That was the 28th shootout in Anaheim's history (9-19), and marked the first time ever that they'd won two in a row. It was San Jose's 14th shootout (3-11); they've never won consecutive shootouts.
I understand griping at shootout suckage. Lost shootouts certainly represent standings points left on the table. But imagine if the Ducks and Sharks were average teams, winning half their shootouts. That would mean an additional 5 standings points for Anaheim and 4 more for San Jose--over the course of more than two seasons. It just doesn't seem like a lot to fuss over, though certainly it could be improved on by both teams.
Hey, if even for a day, the Ducks are on top of the Pacific. Not bad for a team that over its last five home games has had a lead for less than 8 minutes.
13 comments:
Call me an old-time fan or whatever but I am still lukewarm regarding shootouts. I think I was one of only 5 people who didn't like it when the league went to the shootout to decide games. I never really had a problem with ties. If they really want shootouts I would like to see at least a 10 min OT period before the shootout. It would make games longer but I think 10 mins of 4-on-4 would decide a winner most of the time
Yeah, I can't say that I mind them as much any more, I'm just sort of numb to them. I'll say this: shootouts might help a team make the playoffs, but they can't help once there.
All things being equal, I'm more scared come postseason of teams that are playoff teams despite their shootout record than teams that are playoff teams because of their shootout record.
Oh, and I won't reveal my sources, but a certain Row A insider told us that Teemu Selanne was in attendance last night. I don't know if that's a secret or not, but he seemed sincere.
Selanne was shown on the television broadcast smiling and drinking a beer in the stands.
...Teemu Selanne was in attendance last night.
I was at the game but I also Tivo'd it. They showed Teemu high-fiving his buddies when Mac scored his shoot-out goal.
Earl, no mention of your in depth interviews with Getzlaf and May?
I'd have him sign each of the elbows, making one out to Tomas and the other to Dean.
You're horrible.
And maybe your picture would have turned out less blurry if you were drinking less.
I would be alright with a 10 minute OT. What drives me mad is getting a point for losing. I'd like to see 2 points for a win in regulation or OT and 1 point for a shootout win and 0 points for losing in any phase of the game.
and 0 points for losing in any phase of the game.
I really can't support this. If you ask me what the baloney point is in a 3-point game, it's not the "loser" point--after all, a team does have to stay tied through regulation to get it.
It's really the "winner" point that's bogus. Somebody gets a bonus point for winning a 4-on-4 contest or a 1-on-0 contest, two features that do not seem important enough to be part of the postseason. Why reward teams for skills that will have no bearing on the playoffs?
I'm much more in favor of having ties than taking away OTL points. If it is going to be 2 points or 0, then I would hope that they would change OT to 5-on-5, so that the best 5-on-5 teams make the playoffs, not those blessed in irrelevant skills competitions.
I would be alright with 5 on 5 OT, I've never been in favor of 4 on 4 anyway. Not rewarding teams for skills that have no bearing on the playoffs proves my point. Everyone I know pretty much agrees that a shootout is an artificial way to win a game, so why make it worth as many points as a regulation or overtime win?
Yeah, and that kind of makes my point about the loser point--why take away an earned point for not being good enough to win an artificial part of a game? I think being able to end a 60-minute game tied is significant, moreso than the ability to end a 3-man shootout ahead.
You had better take a good picture if you get him to sign the elbows of an Oilers shirt, and I will forever regard you as a god amoung men.
earl i missed the game....who looked good? who sucked balls?...how many give aways did hnidy have? how ivisible was mowers?
how did the clown suits the sharks wear look like in person?
Post a Comment