EHM The Blue Line

To quote an e-mail a user at the SI Forums received from Channel Five:

Unfortunately, we will not be screening coverage of the forthcoming
season.

Following last season's lock-out the NHL organisation have recently
changed the way that they sell the rights in Europe, moving away from
selling to individual territories to a single European partner. This
regrettably means that we have been unable to acquire the rights to
screen the sport on terrestrial television in the UK.

It is a disappointing situation for us but unfortunately the matter is
out of our hands.

There must be a manner to watch games on the internet...

Probably not legally. Iirc, NHL.com might actually do some sort of subscription package but I'm not entirely sure.

They've got a set-up with Comcast broadband subscribers in the US but no-one else announced today

hluraven wrote:They've got a set-up with Comcast broadband subscribers in the US but no-one else announced today

Yeah, this is because their new partner network OLN here is owned by Comcast. They had to go that route when ESPN informed them they would rather show Poker games than NHL games. :rolleyes:

Comon, why did the Thrashers loose... This Luongo is the best goalie out there in my opinion: he saved all 36 shots. Atlanta had a 5-3 in the third quarter but nothing helped... next game against the C(r)aps .

One thing that being away from the game for so long made me forget was how unique the game is in it's ebb and flow and how it can turn on a dime. The Philly-Rangers game was a great example as Philly was simply throwing them around in the first period and then just when it seemed a forgone conclusion Philly would blow them out they came storming back and took the win.

I only tuned it in in the closing minutes but LA scored FOUR in the first and ended up losing to Dallas 4-5! That Pittsburgh game was all Pitt in the first fifteen minutes. They had two 5 on 3's for almost a full 2 minutes. But like you mentioned Octavian, the difference was absolutely rediculous goaltending by Broduer. He was just short of being a real live superhero in that game.

I saw the league's first Shootout tonight as well. That game (TOR v OTT) was a whirlwind at the end. I still feel that ecaxtly contrary to all the hype I still find the Shoout to be the most boring and anticlimactic moment in all of sport. It's painfully dull and all the energy and 'feel' has gone out of the building by the time they finally actually get around to shooting. They even bring back out the Zambonis to scrape the center portion of the rink! :rolleyes: Then three people take turns skating in on the goalie and taking a shot. Thrilling... *YAWN*

Hmm... other thoughts. New season; same old Forsberg. He is simply jaw-droppingly talented and maddeningly inconsistent. He dominated the Rangers in the forst period of the Philly game today... and then was never heard from again. He's either a brilliant game-breaker or nothing at all. I think he's the classic example of "a blessing and a curse". I think that if any coach or deity could get Peter Forsberg and Jaromir Jagr to play to their ability for an entire game they'd score 40 goals and then the world would implode.

Sounds like Crosby had a good start. He assisted the Pens' only goal - shame they lost 5-1

The Bruins, with only 11 seconds left of the game conceeded a powerplay goal, losing 2-1. Apparantly we were the best team in the first half of the game but then the Habs got control of the game. Bergeron played well, though.

Just watched the highlights from the Bruins - Habs game. Bruins gave away some silly hooking penalties, including the one that led to the PPG at the end. The fans weren't impressed - they started throwing things onto the rink such as plastic Stanley Cups! There's this funny shot of Raycroft crouched in his net to escape the things being thrown!

archibalduk wrote:There's this funny shot of Raycroft crouched in his net to escape the things being thrown!

There was no shortage of penalties last night. Goalies huddled under the safety of their nets reminds be of Vanbiesbrouck hiding out in his net while the fans threw a thousand rubber rats on the ice every time FLA scored during their Cup run

This isn't him but it's the only pic I could find:

I managed to take a screen grab from the highlights:


Sundin is out for about 4-6 weeks with a fractured orbital or some similar bone near his eye. He was hit by the puck. Ouch!

There were talking about Sundin on TSN (Canada's ESPN) and granted the overly freak out when bad things happen to Canadian team but it was amazing... they were due to a first night injury now saying that "they're going to struggle this year now" :rolleyes:

I can imagine though how their fans must be panicking because their entire team is riddled with question marks and now one of the only things they thought they didn't have to worry about gets added to the questions. At least though he didn't blow out a knee that will need surgery or something. Unless he has complications with his vision he should return ready to go...

End of the first and the Bruins have yet more hooking penalties!
Octavian's Thrashers are 4-2 up over Tasku's Caps with 14mins of the third left.

I'm watching the Devils slowly self destruct just like the Flyers did vs the Rangers opening night. I guess the Flyers learned their lesson but the beginning of this was the same story couldn't stay out of the box.

The tide turned after a controversial goal review and I think Marty is having a tough time getting past it... he's getting shelled. It's 5-2 Philly now. Niitimayki was shaky in the first but playing really well now.

Another shocking peformance for my Bruins. We lost 4-2 to the Sabres. We're giving up too many penalties and breakaways. Sabres' Paul Gaustad missed a golden opportunity with a shorthanded one-on-one breakaway.
Glen Murray's goal was good, though. He scored straight after Thornton won a face-off by the blue line. 8)
I somehow think Crosby will be getting his first goal when he faces the Bruins tonight

Nice result for the Hawks last night!

Octavian will be pleased to know that Kovalchuk is on the verge of signing a new deal after rumours that he'd be returning to Russia.

Minstrel wrote:I'm watching the Devils slowly self destruct just like the Flyers did vs the Rangers opening night.

Topscorer (Elias) out immediantly, two Rocks on Defence gone (Nieds, Stevens). Will be a very hard Season for my Devils Just watched some Hightlights on NHL.com.....the offensive zone is HUGE. The ONLY Austrian Player in the NHL is doing good already (Buffalo Sabres/Thomas VANEK). They scalped Archies Bruins tonight...

Blimy! Bruins 2 - 4 Pens so far. Not even halfway through the game yet! Crosby's gotten 2 A's already!
It's not like we can't score three and win the game but I just can't see it happening with the way we're playing at the moment...
I'm just waiting for Crosby to get his first goal...

3-4 HOORAY Go Leahy

Darn it!
We tie it up and then go 4-5 down a minute later. What a game!!

Ohdeergahd Arch; this game was a trainwreck! Here you go Mr. Bettman, proof that you can make it so we end up with a game with 13 goals score and it is still just a rubbish game... it's like goals don't even matter anymore. Nobody was really cheering anymore and the announcers were so overwhelmed/beat down by watching it that there would be a goal and would just be more like "and that ones in the net; so it's now 5-4" wow.. it was just... not good, at all.

Vancouver v Edmonton was a great one though right up until of course the ten minute pause and then six guys skating at a goaltender with the puck.

The Shootout has turned the penalty shot from 'the most exciting moment in sports' to 'the most boring anticlimactic way to end and decide a game. Part of that I notice is that you no longer care about the shots; you know each team has three chances so there's just no tension to lend excitement to it.

Not to mention that it takes a whiz all over tradition in a sport that takes particular pride in it's history, sells the game out to appeal to an audience that doesn't understand how the game works and turns the ultimate team sport into a contest decided by a single player skills competition.

They should do what we do to decide which team will have the first game in a show: Abstract Scissors, Paper, Rock "Turn around and when I count to three you will show anything except scissors, paper or rock." Now that is entertaining your fans!

I love news reports with personality, like this one regarding the DAL/COL brawl:

Arnott suffered cuts and lost his mind, which subsequently helped his team lose Saturday's game against Colorado, when he attacked Dan Hinote following a clean hit that Arnott felt was dirty. He received a game misconduct for instigation that gave the Avalanche a seven-minute power play.

Arnott's face bounced off the plexiglass divider slicing his forehead open... I hear the NHL Suspension Train coming around the bend looking to pick up some new passengers.

What is it about you at trains at the moment, Minty!?! Trainwrecks and the Suspension Train! Well I never!

Good to see the Bruins finally get a win although it didn't sound like the most convincing of wins. Egg on my face for saying we couldn't come back from 2-4 down
It's good see Boyes getting in the action - I'm a big fan of him.
And what about this Crosby kid?! A goal and two assists! I knew he'd get his first goal tonight

Dear god the Rangers just lost to Washington Crapitals

There's a little emoticon play reinacting the Hawks - Blues first period... They've actually had the better of the play outshooting them 13-8 but it's 3-0 with the refs calling everything. Ugly rebounds and bounces abound, and the last involved a 5 on 3 where Vandermeer dove accross the crease trying to knowck the puck down with his glove but only server to dive in Khabibulin knocking him three feet out of the net which gave Khabi no chance to return to then net. Hey Vandy, play defense and let the guy with the big pads play goal, k?