October 16th Column

- Saturday was my first chance to watch an NHL a game in person this season, as I saw the New Jersey Devils take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the upper deck of Mount Continental. The fun part was seeing how much Devils fans will be screwed over this season. In addition to prices rising for parking ($12 up from $10), souveneir drinks ($5 from $4) and everything else except tickets, the arena had a break in its water main Saturday morning. There was no water in an arena, which I think is bad for a game played on ice (They could always put out the Rock'N'Rollers for a one-night RHI reunion though).

OK, so why the whining? I would've never known had someone gone to the arena the morning of the game and found out. Nothing on the Devils' nor the NHL website, and the only person really reporting it was Eklund, whom always instills confidence in anyone reading. People should've at least known about it, but I guess the attendance number of 14,000 and change might've been lowered further...

-...Which goes into what a mess the Meadowlands has become. Parking structures going up everywhere, Xanadu (the all-purpose remodeling of the Meadowlands, which includes a baseball field, a mall, an ESPN Zone and...indoor surfing?), higher prices. I can't believe I'm saying this but...Go Newark Go Newark Go!

-The game, God forbid I should speak of it, was surprising, in the lack of carnage their was, not on the ice but in the stands. Only one mild argument that died down shortly between a Devil fan in one section and a Flyer fan two sections over (Reason #5,634 why hockey rules all: Fights between fans in different sections). In fact, Philly fans were less present at a Devil game than I'd ever seen them before. Maybe it's because the Devils owned Philly in the Swamp last year or maybe, just maybe, it was because a gentleman wearing some strange Eagles jersey (#81 Owens? Never heard of him) got carried out on all fours. Now if we could only use more pesticides to keep the Rangers fans out.

-Canadian Women's Hockey legend Cassie Campbell became the first woman to ever do color analysis on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night, calling the Flames-Maple Leafs game as Harry Neale was snowed in at his home in Buffalo. She was, as George Carlin once said, on point, on task and off drugs. To put it another way: She was better than most of the Men's Hair Restoration Club that HNIC has become. The only problem is that she sounded a little distracted at times. No worries: anyone can drift off looking at the loose skin on Bob Cole's neck.

-Speaking of distracted females, Pierre McGuire was between the benches for TSN's (Canada's ESPN) coverage of the Buffalo-Detroit (TGIF: Thank God It's Not Football) a la what he does for NBC's coverage in the U.S. The only difference being that it was just Pierre and Gord Miller, the play-by-play man, with no regular analyst in-between. McGuire showed why he's the best in-betweener; he listens, carries on conversations with players, and most importantly, tells it like it is.

-Anyone who went to the Islanders' home opener was offered a 15-year season ticket deal.

Sorry, too easy I know. Still, as one of the five folks in the metropolitan area who followed the orange and blue's west coast trip, they don't look THAT bad. Maybe a little slow on defense, but they've got great, offensively skilled players up front. They'll challenge for a playoff spot around midseason before a year-end collapse.



-In the NHL 07 vs. NHL 2K7 debate: even for someone who has regular XBOX, the choice is clear: NHL 07 from EA Sports is much better. The new control sticks make the game an absolute must for anyone who's still not bored with NHL'94.

-Ah, the fun of early season standings: Pittsburgh is second in the Atlantic, Florida second in the southeast, and no one technically above .500 in the Central, while the Rangers are in fourth place despite having three of the NHL's top five scorers. Look out for Florida, they have solid veteran leadership in guys like Nieuwendyk and yes, Eddie the Eagle mixed in with young hotshots like Jokinen, Bouwmeester and Horton. They may challenge to be that unsung southern team everyone thought Atlanta would be this year.

-Back to the Devils for a moment, Zach Parise, a sophmore forward who struggled his freshman year, will score 30 goals this campaign. The kid looks bigger, stronger and more confident than in 05-06. With three in his first four, expect the North Dakota product to be this year's Brian Gionta. However, this year's version of Brian Gionta may himself score another 40, maybe even 50.

-The acquisitions of Martin Havlat, Michael Handzus (Zeuuuuuuus), and even Brian Smolinski have already paid off, but the Chicago Blackhawks have to do something about their attendance problems. Their offense might be enough to challenge for an eighth spot, but 8,008 on a Thursday night is just a disgrace in the third largest market in the U.S.

-SFM-