Public Service Announcement: if you don’t have the sense to do so yourself, nominate someone to ask you if you remembered to eat today before diving headfirst into the Jagermeister.
It’s winter vacation here in New England, a chance for students to get out and ski and teachers to plan to catch up on grading and instead do an awful lot of ‘visiting’ with friends. The Pack are at home for 5 games in 9 nights (plus one just up the road in Springfield) and that plus several birthday celebrations so that leads to a lot of, um, visiting. Celebrating the end of Heather’s sabbatical from The Farm seemed like just one more good reason. Oof.
So last night the Pack righted the ship that had tilted ever so slightly after losing to the Norfolk Admirals on Sunday night. There’s no doubt the home crowd is spoiled beyond rotten as the Pack have only lost 4 times (plus one shootout loss) in 29 home efforts. If nothing else, though, it keeps the boys on their toes as anything less than 100% effort and a lead at the end of the period leads to a rain of boos as they head to the locker room.
Go to the Hartford Civic Center to see the Pack and you’ll see efficient, unexciting but totally dependable hockey in the style of the New Jersey Devils. Even after getting lit up on a number of road games, the Pack still has the fewest goals allowed in the entire league, a miniscule 115 in 56 games. Valiquette has taken over the league lead in net with a 1.71 GAA and .935 save percentage, with LaBarbera trailing him with a 1.96 GAA and .928 save percentage. Everyone backchecks. Everyone clogs the slot. Everyone takes responsibility for forcing the opponent wide through the neutral zone. Everyone hits. Everyone...everyone...
*zzzzzzzz*
Huh? Oh, yeah. Well, not EVERYONE does that, but we’re all tired of hearing about the defenseman otherwise known as “Laser”, aren’t we? And as much as I want them to, I don’t think they are going to trade Lundmark to Siberia as punishment for stupid minors.
Anyway, you get the point though. The Pack are doing ridiculously well at home, and I haven’t been traveling as much as in the past. The Pack are 12-13-1-1 on the road – would YOU travel to go see that?
So I suppose we might as well check out how some of the kids are doing these days, now that things have settled down and they can stop dreaming NHL dreams for the season.
Jason LaBarbera – Jason always seemed to me to be a guy in desperate need of a fan. Last year he was overlooked for the All Star Game, and went on to be the MVP of the league, driven by the snub. This year he was an All Star Starter where he struggled a bit in the Skills Competition, but showed his stuff with a shutout in the actual game. In 37 games played, Jason has gone 23-10 with one shootout loss and 4 shutouts. Always a somewhat streaky goalie, Jason has become more so this year, and has added a bit of a Patrick Roy temper to go with it when he’s scored on. Two things, Jason: First, your biggest fan in the world, a 3 year old boy who wants to be a goalie just like you, sits right behind you. And he’s learning everything you do. Second – remember Charlotte? No more suspensions, please. We need you on the ice, not in the stands.
Steve Valiquette – in 25 games, has gone 13-8-1-5 and taken over Jason’s spot as league leader in goal. Both goalies have been streaky this year, but luckily when one has started to take a nosedive, the other has gotten hot. Jason is finally winning again, so we probably won’t see much more of Steve for a while.
Lawrence Nycholat – Trade him. (Please direct all blind-worship-of-Lawrence-because-he-hugged-you-once-for-no-reason hate mail to the thread indicated at the end of the article. Thank you.)
Bryce Lampman – when the NHL season restarts, you are in for a treat. Having matured physically and as a player over the past year, Bryce has honed his skill at being a nearly invisible solid two-way defenseman. With 7 goals and 11 assists and 51 games, and a +12, Bryce contributes every night in wrestling opponents to the boards and clearing the puck neatly and efficiently. He can also carry the puck through the neutral zone to start the rush, and has been taking his shot out for a walk more often these days, averaging a little over a shot per game. Having Jake around (see below) and the accompanying responsibility seems to be great for him too.
Jeff MacMillan – Jeff is the 2005 version of John Jakopin. If you like big stay at home dmen who hit hard but don’t fight much despite their size, then you’ll love this guy. Team leader at +17, Jeff just picked up the “A” as Chad Wiseman is out with a concussion incurred when Mike Mottau, of all people, nailed him with a gorgeous open ice hit. Recent pairing with Lawrence is a good idea, and it worked well last night with Jeff staying behind as Lawrence ranged the ice. Jeff also gets bonus points for his patience with us as our waiter at the ‘tip-a-player’ event. Anyone who will sit and make friendly conversation with me about teaching – even if faking interest for the sole purpose of getting a good tip – is a good guy in my book. Don’t know if you’ll ever see him in New York because of his age (25) but a good steady call up if needed.
Thomas Pock – is finally back! He started the season late with injury, played a few games, then hurt something else, was gone a really long time, then was sent to Charlotte, then called up to be sent to Austria, and now he’s back. He looked kind of confused the other night, I suppose he might be having trouble getting his teammates’ names right. In 26 games he’s a +5, with 5 assists but no goals. Saw that incredible shot once this season, but it was at the other end and even when they slowed it down on the jumbotron you couldn’t see the puck. He’ll be fun if he can stay healthy.
Martin Grenier – not back. For someone so big and so tough, it’s really kind of amusing that he’s missed all but 8 games this season after breaking the same thumb twice. Word is he had the pins out last week and is practicing, but look for a bizarre potato-chip bag opening accident to take him out for the rest of the year.
Dave Liffiton – Dave seems to have settled down a little bit from earlier this year, possibly because of his slow return from a shoulder injury. And he was hurt at the beginning of the season, too, but I’m not sure with what anymore. Dave likes to fight, and he generally wins. He’s actually a pretty good defenseman, too. He just turned 20 this season, though, so he’s got plenty of time to develop. And with only 20 games under his belt this year, there’s still a lot for us to see. Last night partnered with Thomas Pock, who looked confused by that too.
Jake Taylor – Jake also likes to fight, which is good because pretty much everything else is an adventure for Jake. As far as his fighting goes, he’s pretty good – he’s just so damn tall that his reach lets him grab and hold. I did see him get completely whipped just once this season, by a player I had never even heard of, but overall his 138 penalty minutes in 36 games gives you a pretty good idea of his skills. As a friend put it, though, “Jake and the puck don’t really get along.” Jake and the ice also have issues, in my opinion. The kid needs to put on some weight and learn to manage those long legs (the image is somewhat like someone shoved a giraffe out onto the ice) and he’ll improve. McGill partnered him with his childhood buddy Bryce last night, and hopefully this time he will stick with it. When Jake plays with Bryce, he heads over to him before each puck drop to get instructions, and it’s obvious when you watch them play that they have been playing together for years. Why not keep it that way? It’s good for Bryce to have the responsibility, as he should be one of the next in line for an “A” when it comes open.
Dominic Moore – He won the ‘hot shot’ award in the first part of the season, and leads the team with 41 points (14-27) in 56 games. He’s also tied for second on the team as a +14. I wish they would mike Dom for a game, to find out why everyone is always out to get him, but I’m afraid the answer may indicate the uglier side of hockey, and I suppose sports in general. The first game I saw after the announcement of his brother’s lawsuit, Dom got jumped twice by 4 Admirals players, for no apparent reason. Looked like something you’d see on a playground, hardly what anyone would call a ‘fair fight.’ A friend who picked up the Chicago feed on satellite watched both situations a few time and said it was as bad as it looked live. It ended as soon as the Pack players could wade in and start throwing white jerseys to the ground, but I hope Dom has been taking boxing lessons, and that the Pack remembers to take care of their own.
Craig Weller – perhaps they have, though, as Craig has rather unexpectedly been promoted to play with Dom and Alex Giroux, two of the three top scorers on the team. Craig and Dom are the only players on the team to have not missed a single game this year. He hasn’t maintained the scoring streak he started the season with, but Craig has assembled a nice 8 goal, 8 assist, +6 year with 130 penalty minutes as well – Not bad for a converted defenseman who still huffs and puffs a bit trying to keep up with all that skating. And particularly considering he gets moved around between defense and offense often between shifts, let alone games. Great team guy, you can see why McGill loves him. If McGill goes to MSG, so does Craig.
Alex Giroux – It’s impossible not to love the effervescent Rooster. In 54 games he’s amassed 21 goals and 14 assists, not to mention 83 penalty minutes (and the resulting broken nose and black eyes he’s sporting under his brand new cage at the moment). For a kid who’s really just not all that big (tall enough, but seriously lacking in mass) he throws himself and his fists around – while still racking up the points. He also beat the crap out of Umberger earlier in the year, much to everyone's amusement. He’s only 23, but has the skills to move on, if he can just get some mass and get past McGill’s tough love coaching.
Jeff Hamilton – he’s not ours, remember? As soon as the NHL starts again, he reverts to Islander property. Bet Milbury’s going to be really nice to him for defecting during the lockout, huh? Poor kid… perhaps we can give him asylum or something. Perhaps that’s why he played with Garth last night, but that doesn’t explain Layne.
Layne Ulmer – I can’t believe how long Layne has been part of this organization. And I’m still waiting for him to throw a punch. His hair has reached Roenick magnificence, though. It’s like a friggin lion’s mane.
Garth Murray – still angry, still looking to hurt people. Because he too broke his thumb and required surgery, Garth has 33 games on the year, and 101 penalty minutes to go with them. I believe he was supposed to be a scorer when he came to us, but no such luck.
Jamie Lundmark – I’m in awe of just how little he contributes to this team on a regular basis. YES, I KNOW he had two goals last night (one of them an EN), but he’s a –4 on the season! The only other “-“ players are Gilles and Hollweg! He’s got 66 penalty minutes in 41 games, and I can attest that all the ones I’ve seen have been dumbass stick penalties because he felt the need to spear someone (or “attempt to spear”) after the whistle. You know, when the ref and everyone are watching. I know we’ll never trade him, but still… I can dream. For now, he’s playing with Balej and Hollweg.
Jozef Balej – Everyone loves Balej, fauxhawk and all. He arrived last year just in time for the team awards, it seems, and sat there happily clapping for teammates whose names he probably couldn’t match to guys without their jerseys. He’s got the best goal celebrations, and leads the team with 154 shots in 46 games. He’s only a +1, though, despite his best efforts on backchecking. Balej does everything he can to contribute, even throwing that wee little body around at opponents. Joe is only 22, so you’ll definitely get to enjoy this kid who has Broadway written all over him.
Ryan Hollweg – in 51 games, Ryan has 6 goals, 5 assists and 160 penalty minutes with a –4. You know the cliché that someone plays like it’s their last game? Creepily true with Ryan. He’s a great fighter, but I watch through my fingers. He plays with complete disregard for his own personal safety, health, and life. I respect the choice he has made – without a family to raise, he can make a different choice than say, Mike Richter – but I still don’t want to watch his career end on Hartford ice. Watching him fight Jayme Filipowicz was nerve wracking. You’re not going to be much of a ladies man as a vegetable, Ryan, so please be careful out there.
Jed Ortmeyer – welcome back, Jed. Jed’s only gotten 38 games on the year, most recently due to a foot injury. He’s got 5 goals, three of which came during the snow game that the organization begged people not to attend, and 10 assists. He also falls down a lot, which has entertainment value, but to his credit he doesn’t seem too angry when we laugh. He’s wearing an “A” right now as Captain Kenny is out with a rib injury. Those of you in New York know what Jed brings – but he’s 26 now. Have to wonder if he’s going to be able to claim a space in New York when the season reopens, particularly with the widely advertised ‘youth movement.’ We’d be happy to keep him in Hartford (Kenny has to retire eventually, right?) but I don’t know if playing the fatherly leadership role only two years out of college – and only getting to rare call up – is what he wants. For now, he’s needed here to anchor the PK with Kenny out and Helminen out injured down in Charlotte. He skated last night with Lawson and Gilles.
Lucas Lawson – apparently took a picture of Layne to his hairdresser and said, “I want these EXACT SAME HIGHLIGHTS.” Since they both skate hunched over, highlighted locks flowing behind them, they are indistinguishable on the ice. Do we really need two of them?
Trevor Gilles – finally back. He was out with a broken foot from blocking a shot (see Jed Ortmeyer, above) and the team suffered from having him and Grenier out at the same time. P.J. Stock but with a better winning record in a fight, Trevor is another ‘run through a wall for the team’ kind of guy. The only player who consistently acknowledges his fans from the ice, Trevor has the huge job of being enough personality to balance out this overall distant team. With 158 penalty minutes in only 28 games, he’s certainly earning his keep – and the love of his fans. I mean, really – you have to love a guy who responds to a kid asking what position he plays with, “I’m a FIGHTER.”
As far as everyone else goes, Blair Betts is still out until the end of the season with – guess what – a shoulder injury. Steve MacIntyre is hurting people in Charlotte. Dwight Helminen, as mentioned above, is recovering from an injury in Charlotte. Chad Wiseman has a concussion, and Kenny Gernander has injured ribs. Martin Grenier should be back soon, and Ryan Cuthbert is around. Ryan Glenn is back in Charlotte, as is Rory Rawlyk, while Lee Farlardeau and Juris Stals were returned to Charlotte without even playing a game.
See you in Hartford.
http://bb.hockeybird.com/viewtopic.php?p=139199#139199
Posted by Heather at February 24, 2005 08:19 PMeMail this entry!
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