Content about hockey

This post-game interview with Paul Maurice is everything I love about sports. When the competition is over, it's about pure emotion, and he's not afraid to show it.

It's not what I thought it would be but it's so much better. But it's the hugs, man."

For me, Maurice is in the same category of coaches as Dan Campbell of the Lions in the NFL. His press conferences are pure gold, from a fan's point of view, and I bet he's a hell of a motivator in the locker room. Much like the Lions players for Campbell, I bet Panthers players would run (skate) through a brick wall for the guy.

[I]t's the hugs, man.

I absolutely love that quote, and the fact that he said it in the moments after winning the Stanley Cup. It applies to so much more than hockey. We had a family wedding on the night of Game 7. Indeed, several of us watched bits of the game on my phone during the reception. At the end of the evening, after eating and dancing for hours, and right before we headed out in our separate directions, it was all about the hugs, and it was great.

[I]t's the hugs, man.

That's now one of my all time favorite sports quotes. Thank you, coach.

tags: nhl hockey quotes

postposted by matt in Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Overall, the NHL playoffs have been great this year. The finals have been a bit lackluster, with Florida dominating, but Edmonton won Game 4 and is out to an early lead in Game 5. Florida has zero pressure to win tonight – they're at home with a 3 games to 1 lead. Win tonight, and they get the Cup in front on their own fans. If they lose tonight, a bit of pressure will creep in.

I'm pulling for Florida but I'd also like to see a Finals that reflects the fantastic nature of the playoffs up to this point. It's not likely, but I'd love to see Edmonton stretch this to six or seven games.

I don't want hockey to end yet.

tags: nhl hockey

postposted by matt in Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Hockey players are just built different. We’re watching the Bruins play the Blue Jackets, and a Bruins player just left the ice with a busted (literally!) lip. He returned to play rather quickly, after some stitch work. The broadcast showed a segment from the on-ice reporter a few minutes later, showing a gloved hand holding a chipped tooth that they had located on the ice. Apparently it was more than a busted lip!

tags: sports hockey nhl

postposted by matt in Tuesday, January 2, 2024

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We bought tickets at the last minute, so we didn't have great seats. We were stuck in the end section, which sort of reminded me of Block-O seats at Ohio Stadium, which I hated. Forget the audience participation, I just want to watch the game! These actually weren't that bad compared to Block-O...this banner was really the only thing the fans had to do, and they rolled that out during a time out. Nothing like the constant up and down and shuffling of placards that comes with a seat in Block-O at Ohio Stadium.

tags: toledo walleye hockey

photo posted by matt in Saturday, May 18, 2024

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We haven't made it to many Walleye games this year, which is too bad because they've had another great season. They're in the conference finals now, but might be outmatched. We went to game two tonight, and they just didn't have it. They're down in the series 0-2. Hard to see them coming back from this with only one more game in Toledo and the rest of the series in Kansas City.

tags: toledo walleye hockey

photo posted by matt in Saturday, May 18, 2024

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Toledo Walleye goalie Billy Christopoulos skates onto the ice during team introductions before Game 2 of the ECHL Kelly Cup finals. (Matt Buchanan/Huntington Center, downtown Toledo, Ohio)

Goose!

The best part of Game 2 of the Kelly Cup finals may indeed have been the introductions. This show never gets old.

tags: toledowalleye hockey echl toledo

photo posted by matt in Saturday, June 4, 2022

We went to Game 2 of the ECHL Kelly Cup finals last night. The Walleye continued to struggle, spanning four periods between goals (going back to Game 1). The team is struggling all around - passing is less crisp and guys are just not in the positions they should be, leading to missed opportunities and turnovers. The first two games of this series are not representative of Toledo hockey, but, unfortunately, we've got to live with it. Hopefully they can start a rally in Game 3...on the road.

tags: toledowalleye hockey echl

postposted by matt in Saturday, June 4, 2022

I broke a long-standing vow of mine yesterday.

Well, kind of.

Long ago, as a freshman at Ohio State, I left a football game in the fourth quarter as my beloved Buckeyes trailed LSU by 13 points. The game looked hopeless to me and my mates, so we decided to pack it in and head home early. When I eventually made it to my dorm room, I noticed my roommate glued to the tiny television in our common room. He glanced at me and my friends and gave us a simple "you're not going to believe this." We knew right away that the Buckeyes had somehow made a game of it, and then sat and watched—on television—the last few seconds of what is considered one of the greatest games ever played in Ohio Stadium.

I missed it. And I vowed right then and there to never again leave a game early.

And I haven't. Whenever we go to a sporting event, we stay to the end, no matter what. Usually we even stay a bit longer, especially for hockey games—you've got to see the three stars, after all.

Well, I broke that vow last night. Sort of.

Our beloved Toledo Walleye are playing in the ECHL Western Conference Finals. I watched the first period at Renee's parents' house, and it was awful. It's probably the worst twenty minutes of hockey I've ever seen a Walleye team play. They were down 0-4 at the end of the first, and I packed it in. Hopeless, I said, and left.

I couldn't watch the game at home (it's minor league hockey…streaming is a bit of a challenge), but checked the score later as I was headed to bed (they're playing in Utah, so the game was on relatively late). 2-4 half way through the third period.

Interesting.

I checked again with five minutes to go.

Tied.

Again.

Overtime.

Again.

Still tied.

Again.

Walleye win 5-4, about five minutes into the overtime period.

Damn! Probably one of the greatest comebacks in Toledo hockey history, in a playoff game no less, and I missed it!

But, technically, I wasn't at the game, so I didn't break my vow to never again leave a game early.

Right?

Anyways, the Walleye play again tonight and could win the series on the road. I'll be at Renee's parents' house again, and there's no way I'm leaving early.

No matter what.

tags: toledowalleye hockey echl sports ohiostatebuckeyes

postposted by matt in Saturday, May 28, 2022

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We went to the Walleye game tonight—first game in the second round of the playoffs. They looked fairly good, maybe a little winded from just finishing a seven game series with Cincinnati. And I believe Wheeling was playing with a replacement goalie considering the goalie situation the Penguins, their NHL affiliate, have right now.

Walleye won 5-1. If last night's on-ice tension carries over, tonight's game could be quite interesting. We're not planning on going but will be watching.

Let's go Walleye!

tags: hockey toledo walleye

photo posted by matt in Friday, May 6, 2022

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Who let these knuckleheads into the game?

It's funny, the Hanson brothers are like Mickey Mouse for middle-aged hockey fans. Every guy sitting around us started cheering once we realized the Hansons were surveying our section like they were looking for the fan who threw the car keys (or was it a tire chain or monkey wrench?) at Jeff.

As a serious Slap Shot fan, I had one question, though.

Why was Ogie Ogilthorpe helping them?

tags: hockey slapshot hansonbrothers oldtimehockey

photo posted by matt in Saturday, April 23, 2022

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There's so much I love about hockey, but the post-game handshake line has to be near the top. While the NHL only does it at the end of a series, college players still line up at the end of every game and shake hands, just like the little kids playing pee wee. After beating the living daylights out of each other, each of these guys congratulated every opposing player and coach. It's such a hockey thing, and I love it.

tags: hockey sports tradition

photo posted by matt in Friday, November 5, 2021

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It's been awhile since we've been able to watch a game with the boys, so the Harvard game was great just from that perspective. But what a game! Harvard is ranked 8th, Cornell 14th, and it's an intense rivalry. Both teams have some incredible talent, and the small, nay, intimate, arena intensified everything. This was one of the best hockey games I've seen in years.

tags: harvard hockey sports

photo posted by matt in Friday, November 5, 2021

Well, I've never seen this in a hockey game before - the scoreboard at Little Ceaser's Arena is malfunctioning during tonight's Red Wings game against the Lightning. The buzzer is going off constantly, seemingly ever minute, on the minute. The refs stopped play when it happened the first time, but told the players to just ignore it after that. So, the buzzer's buzzing but the game continues. It's weird and funny at the same time. And, of course, this is all happening with only 750 fans in the stands because...pandemic

I'm betting someone is on the phone with customer support at Datroniks. We'll see if they get it figured out before the second period.

tags: hockey nhl redwings tblvdet

postposted by matt in Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Chicago Blackhawks - Detroit Red Wings - February 15th, 2021 (nhl.com)

The improvements are there, but aren't routinely resulting in wins. Yet. Let's keep it moving in the right direction, Red Wings.

tags: nhl hockey chivdet

posted by matt in Monday, February 15, 2021

Well, the Red Wings picked up right where they left off. Miserable performance, lost 3-0. Shots on goal tell the story - 43 to 14. Hard to wind a game when you don't shoot the puck. Game 1 has set the floor. Up from here.

tags: hockey nhl redwings carvdet

postposted by matt in Thursday, January 14, 2021