Police in Montreal are reportedly looking into a brutal hit by the Boston Bruins’ Zdeno Chara on the Montreal Canadiens’ Max Pacioretty. The hit produced a major penalty and game misconduct, but did not result in a suspension, even though Pacioretty suffered a concussion and broken vertebrae. I suspect the NHL’s failure to discipline Chara […]
Archive | Hockey
The Red Army vs. “Animal Hockey”
Thirty-five years ago the Soviet Red Army hockey team concluded a series of exhibition games against NHL teams playing the Philadelphia Flyers. It was a legendary confrontation. The Stanley Cup champion Flyers (aka the “Broad Street Bullies”) had upended the sport with their aggressive, physical play. It was a style the Red Army did not […]
Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks
Tonight the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. An overtime goal against the Philadelphia Flyers captured game 6 and sealed the series win. In doing so, they ended the longest Stanley Cup drought in the NHL and capped a marvelous season. The young, explosive, and versatile team earned their victory. While I am a die-hard […]
How Baseball Gets It Wrong, and Hockey Gets It Right
The sports world is atwitter over Major League umpire Jim Joyce’s blown call in the ninth inning that cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a well-deserved perfect game. The play at first base was made to end the game. It would have been the 27th out on the 27th batter, but Joyce called the runner […]
A Stanley Cup Final for the History Books
Tonight the Philadelphia Flyers face off against the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals. Whichever team prevails, this will be one for the history books. The Chicago Blackhawks have gone longer than any other NHL team since their last championship — 49 years — as they last took home the Cup in 1961. […]
A Historic Victory
Tonight the Philadelphia Flyers overcame a 3-0 deficit to win the seventh game of their playoff series with the Boston Bruins — a series in which they trailed 3-0. In the process they became only the third NHL team to win a seven-game series after losing the first three games, and the first such team […]
The Greatest US Hockey Upset Since the Miracle On Ice
I just watched the US Olympic hockey team defeat Canada 5-3. In view of the disparity in talent between the two teams and the fact that Canada was playing on home ice, this is the greatest US hockey upset since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. As a one-time hockey player and longtime fan, I’m very […]