As expected, Dustin Brown will not face any supplemental discipline for last night’s hit on Antti Miettinen.
Jonathan Bernier will start in goal against Chicago and no changes are expected on defense. Terry Murray said he’s still undecided about the makeup of his fourth line. More notes and quotes to come…
And no suspension for Brown after his clean shoulder on shoulder hit.
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We are off to a really good start..Lets try to take these 2 games, and well be looking REALLY good.
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Wow! I guess this amounts to Bernier’s big game so far. Murray is being consistent with regard to the games he starts B in. In my opinion, there’s not that much difference between a division rival and a conference rival, given the points system. On the other hand, Dallas may be playing better than Chicago right now, too. It could be six of one, half dozon of the other.
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AZ King Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
Remember though that points against the division do count more if we win the division. Lets say Chicago gets 105 points but finishes 2nd in their division, we get 104 points and are 1st in our division. In this scenario we would seed above Chicago in the Conference.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
@AZ King, Interesting…fortunately, they’re both good enough that it’s not a critical decision. I love that.
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KC23 Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, If you don’t win your division you can not finish any higher than 4th in conference and likely get no better than a first round home ice advantage. Home ice advantage is last shift change.
Division games are HUGE and are definately more important than non-division games.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
@KC23, If you don’t score enough points, you can’t win your division anyway. I think the difference is minor.
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…and everyone buries their head in the sand about the on-ice call.
Obviously, had it been an illegal hit, he would have been suspended.
In fact, it was a legal hit and shouldn’t have been called in the first place, but let’s just forget about that.
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Belexes Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
@Bogey,
This is about as acurate as it gets with this whole situation.
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Belexes Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
@Belexes, ‘accurate, that is
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Randy S Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
@Bogey,
As Murry pretty much implied… let’s drop it. It was a missed call, I’m sure the refs will talk about trying to stop it from happening again (but it will), and coach doesn’t want replay on penalty calls. No one does. Since it was rescinded we just move on and hope the next few calls against Brown they give him the benefit of the doubt.
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mrbrett7 Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
@Randy S, Your both right.
I do think we need to keep in mind though (Bogey)…despite that fact that I agree with you, cut the refs a little slack. Hockey isn’t exactly easy to officiate.
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AZ King Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
@Randy S,
Got to cut the refs a little slack here though. This is a new rule that everyone is still trying to adjust to. They will get it worked out with a little more experience. Honestly I would rather have them be over cautions right now until everyone gets used to the new rules.
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Michael_DD8 Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
@AZ King,
Its a joke the ammount of pressure on the refs now days. So much stuff to watch, its frustrating when they miss the light stuff. Just gotta give them the slack.
Jeff Hoffman Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
@AZ King,
Agreed. I definitely see why it was called on the ice. Especially with the focus on certain hits. Without replay it is extremely hard to tell that wasn’t a hit to the head. Does it suck that it happened to Dustin and could have cost the team the game. Sure, but come on if that hit was on one of our players we would have been screaming until we were able to watch it much more closely and see it wasn’t a hit to the head.
Paddy Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
@Bogey, And Gretzky should have had a game misconduct for high sticking prior to his OT winner in Game 6 of the Campbell Conference finals.
Missed calls are part of the game.
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OT a bit -
the times is saying doughty will not be in dallas either…
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Michael_DD8 Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
@Jack Handy,
Kind of obvious.. Why rush him back, and fly him out, when he would have to TEST in LA that morning to clear his baseline tests first. He might clear on thursday, but wont play. I hope to just see him at home on the 30th against the Devils! Stay up DREW!!!
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johnjuan Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
@Jack Handy,
I think its a good move. I would not mess with a concussion problem. They should leave him out for two weeks after they think he is recovered.
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Bill M. Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
@johnjuan, definitely. The team is not struggling. In fact, other players stepping and establishing (or reestablishing) themselves, might give Drew far more room to work upon returning. Drew hasn’t been the offensive powerhouse he was last year, but I didn’t see drew playing badly. I saw him playing great defense, keeping it simple. He saw that he is a target now, and that with other players slow starts, he was getting the focus. He was simply reacting to having all of his time and space taken away, and not trying to force the aggressive play that wasn’t there (you listening JJ? I think you are, you did better the last couple games).
With other players stepping up, providing offense, drew will come back to a team that is spreading defenses thinner, and once he gets comfortable, probably go on a scoring spree.
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I don’t know why Murray doesn’t go with the exact same lineup. That was the best team game played all year long..
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Adam Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
@kylecliffordfan, TM shuffled the lines as soon as Brown got ejected.
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kylecliffordfan Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
@Adam, I understand that.. I said lineup, which means players that were dressed.
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Here’s to Richardson having another big game. We’re definitely going to need it -vs- Chicago
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The game suspension doesn’t appear to have been rescinded, like Letang’s was. It appears to still be a strike against Brown.
…and what would your thoughts be had Minnesota scored a couple goals on that power-play and the Kings lose the game?
This is clearly a problem that needs to be addressed, but knowing how this league works, there are going to have to be some drastic re-occurrences of this same type of problem before they give it a second thought.
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Any thoughts on what the 4th line will be?
Im assuming:
Richie-Kopi-Brown
Smyth-Stoll-Williams
Poni-Zus-Simmer
?Clifford-Schenn-Lokti?
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What’s the deal with Helene Elliot suggesting NHL contraction? Is she bored or something?
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Mel Powell Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
@friarking, Helene suggesting it?!? She was reporting that the NBA’s frank consideration of the idea may trickle over to the NHL’s considerations the following year. Of course, if contraction means the Mighty Ducks go away, I’m for it.
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Matthew Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
@Mel Powell, Lol… maybe they could turn the pond into an indoor swap meet or Chapman University’s basketball stadium?! It’s an awful arena for sports, horrible sound for concerts and it’d feel awkward being surrounded by marble watching UFC… not to mention sitting in violet seats.
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DougS Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
@Mel Powell,
Yes, I thought it was actually a rather shrewd article in some ways. Honestly, contraction has been lurking in the back of my mind for at least the last 5 years, maybe 10. There are some markets in which it’s just an uphill slog for an NHL team, especially if the team has no recent history of success.
We all know that Phoenix has been struggling terribly (and I take no joy in that, since I have a good friend with ‘Yotes season tickets). Columbus isn’t drawing well, and it’s in a part of the country that’s really struggling economically. Even New Jersey is said to be having trouble selling out. And does anyone really think that Florida needs two NHL teams, especially when one is a perpetual doormat?
I don’t think contraction is an outrageous idea.
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Rich, is there any finality on whether the Game Misconduct will be rescinded? No word on that from you, so I assume nothing… Thanks.
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