My Flyers keep struggling on to set a new (low) record. How many consecutive losses will be the new goal since they tied the original of six set in the early Nineties. They chalked up three more with the equally awful Islanders, the impressive Sabres (still the team with the best record, but we’ll see in March) and the rejuvenated Penguins starring the new diving champ, Sydney Crosby! At least the Sabres game was close. However, as the newer Weird Al song on my stream goes, close only counts with horseshoes, hand grenades and government work (personally, I don’t wholeheartedly agree on the last one). If Saturday’s loss were the last game of the playoffs this Spring, I would’ve felt better than the 7-1 spanking. A mixed piece of news is the return of Todd Fedoruk from the Ducks. He’s still recovering from a fight so I have no idea when he’ll be in the line up. I agree with Holmgren’s point about Fedoruk bringing spirit to the team but he’s just a clumsier version of Donald Brashear, Tie Domi or Georges Laraque and scores fewer goals. At this point, I think the season is pretty over for them. Holmgren and Stevens should let the younger guys play more, ride out the contracts of the useless defensemen and tell Forsberg to go back to Sweden in April if he can’t be traded. Tonight begins their three-game losing streak in California because even the mediocre Kings can beat these jokers.
Phoenix surprised me last night. I wish I wasn’t so tired since I fell asleep after the Wild’s first goal (I always need about a month to adjust to Daylight Savings Time ending). I overheard some kind of fight but dozed off again until I woke to discover the ‘Yotes won! I recorded the game but space is tight on the DVR still (under eight hours remain) so I chalked up the win, erased the match and went to bed. I read more about it online. The NHL Center Ice package has been pissing me off when it comes to Phoenix too. Seems the league doesn’t really care to have all of the Coyotes’ games televised despite the coach being Wayne Gretzky, just the highest scoring player in the NHL’s entire history. Never mind Phoenix being the sixth largest US city duking it out with the Sharks, one of the best teams in the Western Conference. At least the game was a low-scoring loss. Last night’s victory was still impressive as they are still without Doan, Comrie and Ricci.
Finally, my 2007 NHL team calendars arrived. This year there was free shippng if I ordered by a certain deadline. I always score one of Detroit for my friend Brian and a Flyers roster for me. The publisher (John F Turner) had all 30 teams this time. Last year, there were only a few teams and Phoenix wasn’t one of them which bummed me out. I scored the ‘Yotes 2007 for Somara because she has declared the desert dogs her team this season (she has rooted for Atlanta and Florida in the past). It lacked Jeremy Roenick though. Couldn’t believe it. He’s one of their biggest draws and he’s the #10 leading scorer, not bad for five short seasons with them the first time and the team includes its Jets’ days.