About Me:
My name is Michael Gwizdala and I live in Albany, N.Y. The Capitol of the Empire State. I'm probably the biggest most knowledgeable, opinionated sports fan I know. First and foremost I'm an avid, die-hard New York Yankees fan.
About Me:
My name is Michael Gwizdala and I live in Albany, N.Y. The Capitol of the Empire State. I'm probably the biggest most knowledgeable, opinionated sports fan I know. First and foremost I'm an avid, die-hard New York Yankees fan.
About Me:
My name is Michael Gwizdala and I live in Albany, N.Y. The Capitol of the Empire State. I'm probably the biggest most knowledgeable, opinionated sports fan I know. First and foremost I'm an avid, die-hard New York Yankees fan.
Onto Washington where the New York Rangers were looking to avenge last year's 3-1 playoff collapse to the Caps. Ovie was kept in check on the night. It was 2-1 Rangers heading into the third when Nicklas Backstrom struck back for the Capitals with a goal from center ice past King Henrik tying the score. Backstrom was back for more on the power play with a nifty p**** from Brooks Laich for his second on the game and on the season. But Marian Gaborik already looking like the signing of the year if not comeback player of the year, took over for the Blueshirts. Gaborik scored two goals of his own in the third to tie and take the lead for the Rangers, the final coming on the power play and it was New York over Washington 4-3.
Well they broke up the Coyotes as the Buffalo Sabres beat Phoenix late in the third on a Thomas Vanek power play goal 2-1.
In Ottawa Martin Biron got his first start for the Isles making 25 saves, but Mike Fisher and the Sens scored within the first minute of OT and Ottawa topped New York 3-2.
The battle of Pennsylvania was a high scoring affair between the Flyers and Penguins. Pittsburgh struck in the first minute on a Evgeni Malkin goal in the first period. Danny Briere chipped in two goals for Philadelphia as did Jeff Carter, but Marc-Andre Fleury made the saves when he needed to as Pittsburgh hung on for the 5-4 victory.
The hockey version of Anaheim and Boston didn't go any better for Beantown Thursday night. After Marco Sturm put the B's up 1-0 in the first, it was all downhill from there. The Ducks scored three in the second and three in the third, including two power play goals from Teemu Selanne and two goals (one short-handed) and a helper from Corey Perry as the Ducks beat the Bruins 6-1.
In Detroit three second period goals were good enough for the Red Wings to top the Chicago Blackhawks. After his benching former Adirondack Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood was sharp for the Wings with 32 stops. Former A-Wing forward Kris Draper scored Detroit's second goal and another former A-Wing Tomas Holmstrom picked up an ****ist one Johan Franzen's eventual game winner. Red Wings win 3-2.
Down in Tampa it was a good night to be a former Albany River Rat. Former Albany forward Zach Parise who had 45 goals last year got some help from Lightning goalie Mike Smith who knocked the puck into his own net off the butt end of the stick giving the Devils a 1-0 lead. Former River Rat Travis Zajac picked up an ****ist on Parise's first of the season on the power play, more on Zajac later. Tampa Bay struck back in the second on a goal from standout Steven Stamkos. New Jersey answered when ex-River Rat Jay Pandolfo scored on an ****ist from another former Rat David Clarkson. After Stamkos netted another on the power play in the third and Todd Fedoruk put the 'Ning ahead 3-2, Zajac scored with one tick left on the clock from former Rats Brian Rolston and Parise to send the game to OT. In the shootout Marty Brodeur who had 41 saves came up big as Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner scored and the Devils went on for the 4-3 win.
The Nashville Predators beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on the strength of two Patric Hornqvist goals. Former Rats sniper Steve Sullivan picked up a helper on the night.
Atlanta beat St. Louis 4-2 on the strength of two Ilya Kovalchuk goals. Former Rats goalie Chris Mason had 18 saves in the loss for the Blues.
Calgary knocked off Edmonton in a shootout 4-3 with Nigel Dawes netting the winner.
After doing it to the Sharks, the Kings put up another six spot on the Wild. Los Angeles beat Minnesota 6-3 on the strength of two Ryan Smyth goals
Speaking of San Jose they posted a six pack of their own against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dany Heatley blew up the Blue Jackets for a hat trick and Joe Thornton notched four ****ists as a four goal second was the difference as the Sharks rolled 6-3.
If you didn't come away impressed from Tuesday night's contest between the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals, I guess I'll never convince you what a great sport this truly is. Just an astounding amount of scoring between these two. Mike Richards of the Flyers ended up with a hat trick, two of which came on the power play. The first one by Richards got Philly on the board and after that Richard scored two within 58 seconds, all in the second period. And get this Flyers defenseman Matt Carle who did well to keep the puck in the offensive zone to set up Richards' hatter, had four ****ists on the game himself all of which also came in the second.
The Alexander's also came up strong for Washington, Ovechkin with two goals and an ****ist and Semin with two goals including one on the power play that got the Caps back tied 4-4 in the third. Former Albany River Rat Brendan Morrison scored his third of the season putting the Caps on top 5-4. Yet late in the third Philly rallied on a PPG from Scotty Hartnell who evened things up at 5-5. In OT it was Danny Briere hoping to have a healthy bounce back season who put away the winner for Philadelphia 6-5.
In Toronto it was Daniel Alfredsson's second period penalty shot against fellow Swede Jonas Gustavsson that turned out to be the eventual winner as the Ottawa Senators took out the Maple Leafs 2-1.
Down in Raleigh it was a former member of the 'Ning Dynasty, Jussi Jokinen lighting the lamp on the power play for Carolina in the first. Tampa Bay countered with one of their own in the second from Ryan Malone. This game also saw former Albany River Rats defenseman Tim Conboy get in a scrap for the Hurricanes with Zenon Konopka. Another former Albany defenseman David Hale took a tripping penalty late in OT but it wouldn't matter. Heading into the shootout, shockingly Jokinen who has one of the better moves in the league was kept at bay, but goals from Sergei Samsonov and Tuomo Ruttu were the difference in beating Mike Smith. Cam Ward and the boys bounce back from two absolute clunkers against Philly and Boston and win 2-1 against the Lightning.
Out in the Midwest, that "other game" in Minnesota, the Minnesota Wild taking on the Anaheim Ducks. This one saw the Duck charge out front early in the second. Former Montreal captain Saku Koivu netted his first as a Duck on the power play, following tallies by Joffrey Lupul and Evgeny Artyukhin hoisting Anaheim to a 3-0 lead after two. But Saku's little brother Mikko would have none of it in the third and the Wild made a hard charge back. This Koivu also scored on the power play. Then it was former Albany River Rat Petr Sykora with his first goal in a Minnesota sweater cutting it to one goal. Eric Belanger tied things at three with a PPG late in the third and sent this one to OT. That's where Andrew Brunette rocked home a power play goal to give the Wild a dramatic comeback over the Ducks 4-3. Another big part of the three goal comeback was Martin Havlat who recorded three ****ists on the evening.
In the great Northwest the Edmonton Oilers faced off against the Dallas Stars. Mr. Hilary Duff, Mike Comrie back in Edmonton, got his Oilers on the board in the first. Brenden Morrow netted his first of two on the night for Dallas tying things at one. After trading off goals in the latter two periods both teams went to a shootout with things stading at four all. Ales Hemsky notched the winner for Edmonton in a 5-4 victory over the Stars. Stars goalie Marty Turco picked up a short-handed ****ist in the loss for Dallas.
Finally in a battle of Cali, the Los Angeles Kings upended the San Jose Sharks in a 6-4 barn burner. L.A. jumped out to a four goal edge, chasing Evgeni Nabokov midaway through the third with scoring capped off by Anze Kopitar. The Sharks countered with four straight goals of their own however and with all coming compliments of the extra man advantage. Devin Setoguchi notched two, former King defenseman and captain Rob Blake picked one up as well and newly acquired Dany Heatly scored his first as a Shark to knot things at 4-4 midway through the third. But Teddy Purcell put in a quick dagger just 26 ticks later for the Kings, in essence sucking the life right out of San Jose and their valiant comeback attempt. The Kings beat the Sharks 6-4 with a late empty netter.
A light night in the NHL but a good night if you're wearing blue. The New York Rangers found themselves in New Jersey taking on the Devils, while Columbus was out west facing the Vancouver Canucks.
It was the Devils in Newark who pounced on the Rangers extremely early with a goal a little more than a minute into the action. Rob Niedermayer put New Jersey out front with his first as a Devil from former Albany River Rats' Jay Pandolfo and David Clarkson. This prompted Rangers coach John Tortorella to go absolutely ballistic on the bench, lighting into his players. From that point Rangers youngster and defenseman Michael Del Zotto caught Marty Brodeur out of position on the power play and locked things up at one in the first.
Midway through the first New Jersey struck back with a power play goal of their own with a nifty pass from Clarkson in front of the crease back to another former Albany River Rat Travis Zajac to light the lamp on Henrik Lundqvist. Zach Parise who also played in Albany picked up an assist on the play as well. But New York who went oh-fer their first two games on the power play, put another one past Brodeur from way out off the stick of newly acquired Ales Kotalik for his first as a Ranger. The former Buffalo Sabre Kotalik who assisted on Del Zotto's PPG picked up his goal this time around from Del Zotto and Ryan "don't call me Tommy" Callahan to tie things up once more.
Early in the third it was Matt Gilroy the rookie and former captain of last year's Boston University National Championship team putting home his first career NHL goal off a brand name goaltender. The latter two goals were not typical of shots that followers of Martin Brodeur are accustomed to seeing let up. In any event that was enough to garner the Rangers a victory 3-2.
Out west Columbus goalie Steve Mason continues so sparkle between the pipes after being pelted with 43 shots from the Canucks and stopping 40. Henrik Sedin got the Canucks going late in the first but with under a minute to go the Jackets answered back with a score by Antione Vermette, so it was 1-1 after one.
In the second Columbus kept that momentum going beating Roberto Luongo three more times, including twice within a span of 22 seconds. Kristian Huselius, Rostislav Klesla and Nikita Filatov all scored chasing Luongo from the game.
Midway through the second and third Vancouver tried to chip away with Christian Ehrhoff and Willie Mitchell bringing the Canucks back within one at 4-3. Mitchell the former Albany River Rats defenseman had that goal and an assist on Ehrhoff's goal on the night.
However Fedor Tyutin's power play goal late in the third for Columbus gave them all the insurance they needed to roll onto a 5-3 victory. Rick Nash also had a big influence on the Blue Jackets win with three helpers.
Nightly Notables: Erik Cole of the Carolina Hurricanes is out 4-6 weeks with a fractured leg, which could result in either the call up of Brandon Sutter or Pat Dwyer for all you Albany River Rats fans out there who are curious. Habs top defenseman Andrei Markov will be out another four months after getting cut on his ankle.
As far as 15 year contracts go on the Island, I'm not saying you want to lock up John Tavares just yet but I'd give it a few more games. However it was Sidney Crosby from start to finish saying not so fast there Sparky!
Crosby got Pittsburgh on the board in Uniondale with his second of the season, past Dwayne Roloson. Then the Islanders went on the power play where their most consistent player from a year ago Mark Streit lit the lamp and was assisted by Kyle Okposo and Tavares to tie things at 1-1. In the second Tavares got a PPG of his own, the first of his NHL career, staking New York to a 2-1 edge. Then the Pens really turned up the heat in the third, out shooting the Isles 18-5 and after being down 3-2 knotted it up on a Ruslan Fedotenko goal. After OT it was all Penguins in the shootout on goals from Kris Letang and Crosby. Former Albany River Rat Michael Rupp picked up a five minute fighting major. Pittsburgh will be sad not to play against either New York team until Thanksgiving (and I'm not talking about the Canadian one next Monday).
From the Island of Long to the Island of Manhattan where the New York Rangers looked to rebound against the Ottawa Senators. Rangers got on the board early in the second when my cousin Vinny Prospal who played for the Sens about a decade ago, put New York up one. Then Brandon Dubie-Dubie-Doo (enjoy the bud light but uh beware of the penguins) Dubinsky netted one of his two tallies on the night for a 2-0 advantage. Old reliable Daniel Alfredsson also responded in the second from Jason Spezza, cutting the lead in half. Imagine if the Islanders had Spezza and Tavares on the same line? Moving on Blueshirts rookie Michael Del Zotto who has impressed thus far, got that one back for the Garden faithful near the end of the period. Marian Gaborik (imagine if this guy stays healthy) notched his second goal as a Ranger midway into the third. From there it was pretty much a foregone conclusion as the Rangers rolled 5-2. Former Albany River Rat Aaron Voros fought with the Sens Mike Fisher at the end of regulation.
Heading down the turnpike where if you didn't think the New Jersey Devils were a dynasty in demise yet, it may be going that way after getting smashed by the Philadelphia Flyers. Jeff Carter and Mike Richards may be the most underrated tandem in the league. The two who scored in a 2-0 blanking of the Hurricanes, helped build up a 4-0 mountain climb for the Devils and Marty Brodeur (where are you Scott Clemmensen?). Former original Albany River Rat Brian Rolston broke the shutout in the third on the power play and was assisted by ex-Rat Nicklas Bergfors and by Dainius Zubrus who had two on the night. Philly then struck back with Matt Carle who was assisted by Chris Pronger, Pronger's second assist on the night as well as the Flyers rolled 5-2. By the way Anssi Salmela scored for Atlanta against Tampa Bay. And Jaques Lemaire was brought in to shore up the defense? Yikes!
Or maybe the Devils should have tried to hang onto Brian Gionta, as we shuffle off to Buffalo for the Sabres and Montreal Canadiens. Tim Connolly (imagine Connolly, Spezza and Tavares on a line Islander fans) busted through for Buffalo in the first on the power play. Then Travis Moen, buy it for looks buy it for life, bought himself and the Habs a shorty and a tie game midway through the second. Buffalo out shot Montreal 11-1 in the third, but hey the Canadiens toppled the Leafs in OT after getting out shot that game too right? And so it was to be, the Rochester Rocket back in Western New York for the 2-1 winner! Gionta the former Albany River Rat was assisted by the other one third to make up the old New Jersey "EGG line," Scott Gomez. How long is it until the final third Patrik Elias wants to join them?
Other Nightly Notables: Former Albany River Rat Brendan Morrison picked up his first goal and assist with the Washington Capitals while one time Adirondack Red Wing Mike Knuble netted his first as the Caps beat Toronto 6-4. Former Rat defenseman Jeff Finger picked up an assist along the way for the Leafs.
In Boston where the Carolina Hurricanes were routed 7-2 by the Bruins, former Rats goalie Michael Leighton turned away 11 of 14 shots in "relief" of Cam Ward and speaking of Ward, Aaron the former Adirondack Red Wing defenseman and Boston Bruin himself registered an assist on Scott Walker's (irony much?) first goal of the season.
Down in Dallas former Albany River Rats star Steve Sullivan scored his first goal of the year in the second to put Nashville out front 2-0. The Predators went on to beat the Stars 3-2 after a 2-1 shootout victory.
AHL Notes: Big night for AHL action in the greater Capital District with the Albany River Rats and Adirondack Phantoms drawing a combined 11,918 on Saturday night. Unfortunately both clubs lost, Albany dropping a 6-3 decision to Manchester and Adirondack in the last minute to Worcester and Clifton Park native Nick Petrecki 3-2. The Rats valiantly tied things at three in the third (Drayson Bowman and Zach Boychuk impressed me the most on the night) but were only one of six on the power play and looked a couple of steps behind the Monarchs when it came to their defense and goaltending and they may want to recruit another enforcer. Albany's new black alternate jerseys (poor Zack Fitzgerald got his torn up) reminded me of the Buffalo Sabres circa 1999, good stuff. Hopefully Mike Angelidis is alright.
Eurotrip was not kind to the original six, nor was Pittsburgh on Friday night.
Starting in Finland where Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane proved why he belongs on the cover of NHL10 with a goal and an assist on the day. Both the Blackhawks and Florida Panthers traded goals from the second period on. Finland native Ville Koistinen who came over to the Panthers from the Nashville Predators to play on their blue line added a goal in the third, more on him in a bit. After Patrick Sharp put the puck by Tomas Vokun who had 52 stops in the game, to give the Blackhawks the 3-2 edge the Panthers had an answer late from David Booth sending it to OT. From there it was the homeland hero Koistinen netting the winner in the shootout past Cristobal Huet for a 2-1 shootout win and a 4-3 victory overall.
Next to Sweden and a clash between Central Division rivals the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues. After falling behind early, the defending Western Conference champs roared back with three of their own from Jonathan Ericsson (assisted on by former Adirondack Red Wing Kris Draper), a shorty by Kirk Maltby, followed by a PPG from Ville Leino in the third taking a 3-1 lead on former Albany River Rats goalie Chris Mason. Mason had 31 saves on the night. But then it was welcome back to the National Hockey League Paul Kariya! Kariya who missed the last penalty shot for Canada against Sweden in the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics had a much sweeter return this time around. Kariya scored two of the Blues next three goals (the first of which came on the power play) in a five minute span including the eventual game winner. Blues Jay McClement also had a big night scoring St. Louis' first goal an assisting on the tying tally and the winner. Former Adirondack Red Wing goalie Chris Osgood had 19 saves in the 4-3 loss.
Back state side a couple of clubs whose AHL affiliates are only a mere 40 or so miles away in Albany and Glens Falls, the Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers in Raleigh. For the Flyers it was the usual suspects with Jeff Carter who scored 46 a year ago and Mike Richards who ended up with 30 of his own pushed Philly past the Canes with two quick power play goals within the first minute of the second period. Newly re-signed Cam Ward was solid, but welcome back to the NHL Ray Emery was better. Emery the former Ottawa Senators netminder was on his game turning away all 28 shots he faced for the first shutout of the young season. Flyers blank the Hurricanes 2-0. Former Adirondack Red Wings defenseman Aaron Ward played over 21 minutes in his second stint back with the Canes, registering one shot on net. Flyers backup keeper Brian "don't call me Bobby" Boucher was placed on the IR.
Finally to the new title town (minus the Pirates of course) the Pittsburgh Penguins taking on the New York Rangers. Did anyone catch Mike Keenan on MSG during the intermissions? Was that Rangers Cup really 15 years ago? I digress as the man playing the modern day Jaromir Jagr to Sidney Crosby's Mario Lemieux got the Pens going. Evgeni Malkin who had 35 of these last year, re-directed a shot from Sergei Gonchar on the power play to make the Igloo roar. Then the heavyweights decided to lock horns as newly acquired Donald Brashear went up against former New York Islander Eric Godard. Brashear got in a solid left to the jaw of Godard but Godard also gave Brashear a cut to the head, so pretty even scrap to say the least. After that it was the Blueshirts captain Chris Drury who knotted things up at 1-1. Then in the second Pens captain Sidney Crosby who scored 33 last year, was left in front to give Pittsburgh the edge. Shortly after it was Tyler Kennedy netting the eventual winner. New York did get an encouraging sign in the third as Marian Gaborik picked up the puck on a fanned shot and put in his first of the year, but the Rangers fell to the Penguins 3-2. The Staal brothers Marc and Jordan each picked up an assist and former Albany River Rats Aaron Voros and Michael Rupp suited up for the Rangers and Penguins respectively.
Nightly Notables: The defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins are the only team thus far to out shoot their opponent and win on the young season.
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