Takes and trash talk from both ALL sides of the NHL's most obscure PATHETIC* rivalry

* Thanks, Kevin Lowe!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Ducks Gameday—Warning: Dangerous Karma Ahead

Anaheim Ducks (31-22-7, t-3rd in west) at Colorado Avalanche (30-21-5, 6th in west)

The scene is set February 1st, COL @ DET: Late in the 2nd period of a scoreless game, Milan Hejduk puts a puck past Dominik Hasek, but the goal is disallowed for goalie interference. Here's Bill at A2Y:

Scott Hannan was pushed. Brett Lebda did it. I saw it. Dominik Hasek dove. I didn’t see that but I can assume it. Hejduk’s goal should have counted, but it didn’t. And all of that made me smile last night, and still warms me this morning. Somewhere in Denver the 6 remaining Dive fans angrily switched back to the Oxygen Channel, convinced the world is against them.

And we laughed at them.
The Chief then proceeds to rip on some Avalanche complaints (good fun, that), including this prescient beauty:
“If the roles were reversed Detroit would have gotten the benefit or at least a review.” ...Please. Really? How many times (even though the call’s not reviewable) has Holmstrom been shafted in similar circumstances this year?
Forward to February 10, ANA @ DET: Late in the 3rd period trailing by a goal, Nicklas Lidstrom rifles a puck past J.S. Giguere, but the goal is disallowed for a very questionable case of Holmstrom interference. Here's Matt at On the Wings:
I’m a firm believer in the idea that profanity should only be used sparingly and in times of extreme emotion. Otherwise it loses its shock value. I’ve been pissed off enough before to use language I would otherwise not use on this site, but I have so far refrained from doing so. Not this time, however.

I’m in frank agreement with the fans at Joe Louis Arena: Dan O’Halleran’s call on Nick Lidstrom’s goal was bullshit.
Now Matt is certainly not alone in his sentiment (he was just the most eloquent), and I don't intend to pick on any of these bloggers for any reactions (I quite agree with all of them); they've just put in the legwork to set up the karmic imbalance for this post.

It's true. The referees hosed the Red Wings on Sunday, just like they hosed the Avalanche the week before. And yes, it is a tragedy that in such a low-scoring league such bad calls can go unchallenged especially in crucial moments of a marquee game. But really, this is a story about what goes around, comes around. The Red Wings got a referee's favor at the expense of the Avs, but a week later got their comeuppance at the hand of the Ducks. And if there's any truth in the karmic cycle, the Ducks should have an important goal disallowed tonight in Denver. The circle would be complete and karmic balance would be restored, all in a neat little three-game package.

I guess fortunately for me, life's generally not that fair, or at least not that tidy. It's more likely that the Ducks get awarded a questionable goal tonight instead.

Speaking of unfair, how did I not hear about the NHL's new movie endeavor? I hear the film's a tragedy, but it's critically acclaimed and everything!


OK, I guess I'm the asshole.

Prediction: The Ducks are playing this game Weightlessly; Dig-Doug has gone home early with a shoulder strain, so I'd guess the Ducks play the same lineup as we saw in Detroit. I don't really mind Pahlsson centering Selanne; for sure it's two individuals playing with different mindsets, but Teemu's in a no-lose situation. If he scores, fantastic, and if he doesn't, it's just because he's one point behind Kariya for the franchise scoring lead and wants to set a record in front of the home fans. I've probably angered too many hockey gods in this post to predict a win, so Ducks 2, Avs 3. Goals by Kunitz, Pahlsson, and Selanne's goal gets arbitrarily disallowed.

Go Ducks.

25 comments:

Bryan said...

The goal disallowing was a make up call for the penalty which gave the power play in the first place. So I don't foresee any bad karma.

Earl Sleek said...

I dunno, Bryan. I see bad calls all the time, every game. But badly disallowed goals are still a rarity. The last one I recall before these examples was G4 against Minnesota last spring, when Giguere mysteriously got out of a meaningless goal-against.

I'm not sure that a phantom call and a disallowed goal offset each other, but I'm willing to keep an open mind.

Anonymous said...

Didn't Kunitz already have a goal disallowed last year against the Avs? Maybe it's already been evened out.

Julian said...

Where's that mindless optimism we've come to expect from homers everywhere?

Ducks 127 Avalanche -12. We'll get a positive goal differential yet!

Earl Sleek said...

Didn't Kunitz already have a goal disallowed last year against the Avs? Maybe it's already been evened out.

If this is true, then I'm totally optimistic. Look out, Avs! We owe you NOTHING!

VeryProudofYa said...

"If this is true, then I'm totally optimistic. Look out, Avs! We owe you NOTHING!"

Yea, I think it was the night selanne got #500. I can't say for certain, though.

What I DO remember is that the puck went in off of his skate as he tried to slow himself down. Ultimately, if was ruled a kick and the ducks lost in the shootout.


A side note: The last few games we've seen Parros and Sutherby record assists, Carter pot the first three goals of his NHL life in two games, and Kent Huskins strut through the entire detroit team.

Could tonight be the night for Mayday?

Anonymous said...

how bout the first or second lime scoring? im about to put getz and perry on a milk carton

Steph said...

Thanks for linking me at my finest :P

Although it's true, we got the same sort of lucky break in Colorado (I'd almost forgotten - funny how victory makes everything seem perfectly fair, and defeat, well.). And yet, I find myself still mad...

Earl Sleek said...

how bout the first or second lime scoring? im about to put getz and perry on a milk carton

You're probably right, Spade, but generally I don't really notice scoring slumps when the team is winning.

I don't think it's a coincidence that they're scoring dropped off on this road trip, by the way. They are much more effective with the last change at home. So, I'd expect them to come around soon, especially now that defenders might start shadowing Selanne.

Thanks for linking me at my finest :P

I thought it was an excellent post. Why belabor the point with complete words and sentences?

Anonymous said...

yea im the pessimistic butt munch sorry wa wa waaaa...im still upset that we lost all those games in a row...i dont trust the dux right now..u dont have that many quailty defensemen and forwards and slump like that....(IMO were still slumping) when is the on switch gonna be turned on offensivly?

im gonna chalk it up to the road trip i guess and what u said about not having the last line change...i dunno...dont trust them...somthing isnt right

Anonymous said...

lets see how they play today...the dux of this year..use the last game of a road trip usally as excuse to mail it ...knowing there beds are waiting....

im drinking a bottle of wine to make sure i can either drown in sorrow or celebrate...

Earl Sleek said...

Well, maybe I'm too trusting. I've come full-circle and now am a believer in their six-game excuse of "the flu".

For one, it's still got Moen out of the lineup, and I don't think he's the kind of guy to take a night off if he can help it. But more importantly, (like you) I can't really explain how a team with such talent scored only 5 goals in 6 games. It certainly wasn't a personnel issue like we had for a stretch last year, but somehow it became a completely different, horrible team.

As for the continued slump, I dunno. I don't know if I expect any more goals in their last couple opponents. I'm comfortable enough with 3G @ NYI, 4G @ NYR, 2G @ NJD, and 3G @ DET (especially when those four teams combine for four total goals). The last two opponents, especially, are tough to get goals against.

We'll see, though. I'd like to believe the slump is over, but I'm still in a bit of a gullible position.

Anonymous said...

some good news...souray out for the year...lottery here we come!!!

Earl Sleek said...

Spade, you and I are emotional opposites these days.

I saw that Souray news and said "Damn." I dunno, I haven't seen that much of Souray this year, but I'd rather have him try to play hurt or stay week-to-week than announce that he's done.

Still, Souray or no, that pick's looking pretty sweet.

Steph said...

Hey now, I think it was perfectly legitimate sentence! (Or does the lack of pronounceable words mess with that?)

Bryan said...

Prior to Selanne coming back, the Ducks didn't have a super impressive group of forwards. If you look at the games they won when Niedermayer returned, they were low scoring, tight games. You can't expect to win all your games when you don't score much. So the no goal scoring slump is a price you pay for having such a heavy back end.

Anonymous said...

Detorit has won more Stanley Cups then any other team in the US. Plus they're the Detroit Red Wings. In the grand scheme of things I don't think 1 bullshit goal even comes close to paying their karmic debt. =P

Earl Sleek said...

Hey now, I think it was perfectly legitimate sentence!

Damn straight! Full apologies! (note that I've reverted to nothing but incomplete sentences)

Prior to Selanne coming back, the Ducks didn't have a super impressive group of forwards.

It wasn't super impressive, but it did show signs of being capable. The "flu" dropoff in scoring was huge, though. In the six games before their 0-5-1 stretch, the Ducks scored 24 goals. Nothing shabby about that. Next six games? 5 goals. Yeesh.

Earl Sleek said...

SAMMY!!! I'm so happy that line is back.

Anonymous said...

I. DRINK. YOUR. ... Profusely leaking femoral artery?

Ah, so that's what was wrong with the sucky powerplay. Welcome back Teemu. Now just rack up another 25 of those before the year is up and we'll be all set.

Anonymous said...

Thank god Carlyle decided to re-unite the checking line, and they come up HUGE in the game. He was crazy not to have them together in the first place.
And you so almost hit the nail on the head with the goals. Selanne had a goal, and it was allowed, and so did Pahlsson. Nice job, Miss Cleo.

Glad the boys are returning home.

Earl Sleek said...

He was crazy not to have them together in the first place.

Actually, I support what Carlyle was doing, trying to ease Sammy and the Omen back into their checking roles. Both were out for a bit, and it wasn't as if the Carter-Marchant-Rob trio wasn't effective in the role.

Still, kudos to Carlyle for sensing when the time was right for the reunion. I really like the third period lines, which will probably be what we see when the Ducks come home. Marchant (who's been playing great) is a more logical Weight-replacement than Sammy.

Doogie2K said...

I. DRINK. YOUR. ... Profusely leaking femoral artery?

If you're referring to a leaky leg, that'd be a yes.

Jibblescribbits said...

I want my karmic victory...

Yet instead the Ducks get a BS "played the puck with a broken stick" call on Lappy.

not that I'm bitter

Earl Sleek said...

Jibblescribbits, I wish I could offer more sympathy, but you are talking to a fan of the most penalized, most shorthanded team in the league by quite a margin. Sure, a lot of that stems from Anaheim's style of play, but even so, the Ducks are regular victims of phantom calls.

Still, I will admit that ANA 5-on-3s are pretty rare these days, so it's unfortunate COL got caught in the rarity, but it's not like the Avs didn't end up with their own 5-on-3, or end up with more PP time than the Ducks did.

Karma never forgets, though. Your karmic victory is coming.