hockey
We talk pucks and objects of that kind. We yell, complain, and analyze in the language of hockey fandom. Gretzky can do no wrong.
The Phenomenal Career of Tuukka Rask
This week, longtime Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask called it a career; he announced his retirement from the National Hockey League. Rask's career had been an amazing one, as his stellar goaltending put the Bruins back on the map for the first time in decades. He definitely made a lot of waves in his career, with his first one coming even before he started in the NHL.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 2 years ago in UnbalancedNHL 2021-22 Western Conference 1st Half Recap
The picture in the NHL's Western Conference has been a very intriguing (and crowded) one, to say the least. While it appears that the Eastern Conference may have their playoff teams set in stone, the Western Conference has a lot of pieces on the board entering the All-Star break. The potential for a thrilling second half and home stretch is right in front of us, but before we look at the possibilities, let's look at where the West teams stand.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 2 years ago in UnbalancedNHL 2021-22 Eastern Conference 1st Half Recap
It was rocky, but the NHL made it to the All-Star Break, the midpoint of the season. The second half will begin sooner than planned, as the 95 games that were postponed due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, will all be played during the NHL's originally scheduled Olympic break during the heart of February. But that's the second half. This is about the first half of the season, and it was quite interesting in the NHL's Eastern Conference. Here's how things stand in the East entering the break.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 2 years ago in UnbalancedPlaying Pond Hockey in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Since 2007, St. Ignace, Michigan, has hosted a pond hockey tournament on Moran Bay. For those unfamiliar, St. Ignace is the first city you encounter as you cross over the Mackinac Bridge (pictured below) into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. You are in "Yooper" territory now.
Jeffrey ClosPublished 2 years ago in UnbalancedAn Avalanche of Goals and Wins
I have been a fan of the Colorado Avalanche since the team's final two seasons as the Quebec Nordiques. Since the move, the Avalanche have won two Stanley Cups, but it has been a long road back to the prominence this team had back in the late 1990s/early 2000s. The resurrection surprisingly began with a three team trade on November 5, 2017, and just like that, the Avalanche became a playoff team. Here it is, barely over four years later, and now, I am happy to say, the Avalanche we remember from yesteryear, are back.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 2 years ago in UnbalancedRecapping the 1st Half of the Seattle Kraken's Inaugural Season
There was a lot of buzz and hype around the National Hockey League's 32nd franchise, even before the team found their new home. The buzz increased when it was officially announced that team #32 would play in Seattle, and the progression of the countdown to Seattle's debut included a new arena, jerseys, and the official name: Kraken. The Seattle Kraken made their anticipated debut this season, and they have played 41 games--putting them halfway into their inaugural season.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 2 years ago in UnbalancedOil Spill: Analyzing the Edmonton Oilers' Skid
It always seems to be something with the Edmonton Oilers, especially in this current era. The Oilers are coming off finishing 2nd in the makeshift North Division last season, but it saw them swept out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs' opening round by the Winnipeg Jets, adding to their recent list of playoff disappointments. In what proved to be another blow against the "North Division sucks" narrative that plagued the previous season, the Oilers got off to a strong start, going 16-5-0 in their first 21 games, leaving many to suddenly believe that the team could contend for a Stanley Cup this season.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 2 years ago in UnbalancedWe Lived For Friday Night Hockey!
I was telling a story the other day regarding an observation a friend and I made a few decades ago. He and I were coming up the ranks in our weekly Drop-In Hockey and Adult Hockey leagues. We were young, and together we were looking around the locker room and noticed we were the youngest in the locker room. It is incredible how fast the tides have turned. We are now the oldest in the room.
Jeffrey ClosPublished 2 years ago in UnbalancedJohn Jay Field Hockey Falls Short to Lakeland in Section Final Heartbreaker
John Jay completed their season at 11-2-3, and seeded third, a sectional championship was within reach. Of course, the 12 time defending champs of Lakeland would be in the way, and a Halloween matchup proved a scare that the top seed didn’t bargain for. Still, Zoe Eliades' pained response said it all. “So close,” she lamented the 2-1 loss. But the senior left it to her teammate to bring proper perspective.
Rich MonettiPublished 2 years ago in UnbalancedIs There No End to the Vancouver Canucks' Freefall?
One of the many things that stood out to me during the "bubble" Stanley Cup Playoffs of 2020 was how well the Vancouver Canucks did. The Canucks entered the 2019-20 season still looking for something, anything that would spark them to a possible Stanley Cup in the near future. Of course, that season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Canucks would get their chance in the modified playoffs that took place in the late summer and early fall of 2020. What we saw from the Canucks was an amazing run the likes of which we have never seen since they fell one win short of the Stanley Cup in 2011.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 2 years ago in Unbalanced- Top Story - October 2021
The Agony and Ecstasy (but mostly Agony) of Being a Toronto Maple Leafs Fan
1967. 1967. 1967. 1967. Am I getting annoying yet? Imagine listening to that constantly from followers of rival teams when you’re a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. It was their favourite chirp, and we’ve heard it so often, it doesn’t even bother us. We’ve heard the best and the worst of insults for decades from haters, but the one thing they don’t realize is, nobody hates the Leafs more than their own fans.
Cathy holmesPublished 2 years ago in Unbalanced A Family That Plays Together Stays Together
Just a year ago, I wasn’t all that into hockey. Both my husband and son played in several leagues, but the sport did not appeal to me. My daughter played volleyball, and that felt more like my speed. But COVID-19 delayed the volleyball championships and cut her club season short, leaving us with little to do outside the house and few live sports to watch. That year, we watched the Stanley Cup playoffs as a family, and thus began my obsession with hockey. (Or, as my husband likes to say, my transition to “bona fide hockey junkie.”)
Diona L. ReevesPublished 3 years ago in Unbalanced