NHL Winter Classic

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

Who's going to win? Who will be MVP of the game? It maybe snowing like when they played the first WC in Buffalo. Cool. The "green monster" will never be the same.

m21sniper · 12-28-2009, 06:18 PM

As a Philadlephia sports nut i will respond with a rousing, "Who cares?"

exitwound · exitwound's Garage

Anyone but the Flyers! Goons are what they are.

Buckterrier · 12-28-2009, 07:28 PM

Boy tough crowd! Boston, 2-1.

1990C4S · 12-29-2009, 04:38 AM

The Flyers are too good a team to stay where they are in the standings. I'll pick January 1 2010 as the start of their turnaround.

flatbutt · 05:26 AM

Boston will win. Tim Thomas will have a big day in the net and be MVP. There is no city or sports franchise I loathe more than the Flyers.

Boston (99) has scored less than Philly (106)but have given up far fewer goals. And lead Philly by 7 points . I will say though, with only 1 more victory than Philly, Boston could be in for a tight game.

1990C4S · 12-29-2009, 08:53 AM

Check out Philadelphia's record of late....these two teams aren't headed in the same direction.

Vonzipper · 12-29-2009, 09:58 AM

Any team that can trade Joe Thornton deserves to loose

Roosterrusek · 12-29-2009, 10:56 AM

I am voting for Philly to win...of course I ALWAYS believe Philly will win, I bleed Orange and Black.

But maybe it'll be close.

Cdnone1 · 12-29-2009, 12:44 PM

I love this game!. I hope there is a full blown snow storm while it's being played. With the exception of the run to the Cup it is one of the few games outside of my division I will make time to see. This has become what the Indy 500 use to be to me.
I don't know enough about either team to guess, but if the ice is rough and covered in snow it's going to come down to the skill players. It's much harder for the goalies to move laterally with heavy snow in the crease.
I grew up playing pond hockey and would give anything to flood a lake at a friends cottage and "strap'em on again"
Steve

Brian 162 · 12-29-2009, 03:13 PM

As long as we are talking hockey I will boldly predict that the Leafs will make the playoffs for the first time in 5 years.

Christien · Christien's Garage

Brian, keep this up and we'll have to force you to take it into PARF with all the other delusional people!

Brian 162 · 12-29-2009, 05:29 PM

Christien, if I was delusional I would have said they will make the second round.

1990C4S · 12-29-2009, 07:25 PM

The probability of the Leafs making the playoffs is presently 4.6%.

Toronto Maple Leafs Playoff Chances - Sports Club Stats

It would be charitable to call you delusional.

Vonzipper · 12-29-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian 162

Christien, if I was delusional I would have said they will make the second round.

This made me laugh, Tell me Phoenix isn't getting any help from the ref's to make it in

Fritter · 12-30-2009, 12:29 AM

Can't wait to watch this game. But too bad my blackhawks can't have a rematch this year against the crapwings!

DavidB911 · 12-30-2009, 07:34 AM

The first WC game was played in Edmonton like 6 years ago in the snow. It was a really cool game to watch.

I think Boston will win.

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vonzipper

Any team that can trade Joe Thornton deserves to loose

The curse of Thornton? Actually they traded Big Joe because the had Chara. Know what I mean?
The WC in Buffalo was in a snow storm and it just added to the game. In reference to the Flyers as goons, I am old enough to remember when we called them the "Broad Street Bullies". Having said that, the B's aren't shrinking violets either. The fun part for the goalies is that long shots on the ice will bump and bounce around (think of it like a baseball with a "bad hop"). Although I am a Bruins fan, I have to admit that I like the Flyer jerseys better but hey, it ain't no fashion show. Let the demolition derby begin!

1990C4S · 05:49 AM

If you can't remember Bobby Clark and Fred Shero then you have no idea what goon hockey is. None.

And if you can recall those teams but think the current format of the game permits 'goon hockey' then you have fallen victim to the pansification of the game. There are tough and rough teams, there are teams that hit more, that play the man at every opportunity, there are very very few goons in the game. Goons simply can not keep up with the play, they are a liability on the ice.

In the 70's there was (by todays definition) a goon on the ice at all times. Now there are teams that don't even dress a guy that fights.

For the purists that would decry this 'violence' and yearn for a less violent game: It doesn't exist and never really did in any sustainable and ongoing format or league.

1990C4S · 12-31-2009, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m21sniper

As a Philadlephia sports nut i will respond with a rousing, "Who cares?"

Apparently a lot of people do care:

A Turnkey sports poll taken in December showed the Winter Classic is in the top five of the events more than 1,100 senior executives in the sports industry are looking forward to seeing. The game placed fifth behind the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics, soccer’s World Cup and the U.S. NCAA men’s basketball Final Four.

The game, which was the most-anticipated event by 7 per cent of those surveyed, finished ahead of the World Series, the Masters and the NBA finals, which finished seventh through ninth, respectively.

The Stanley Cup final was a distant 12th, with only 1.56 per cent of the executives saying it was their most-anticipated event.