A catcher might be more important - in a cerebral sorta way. The center in basketball - Russel, Chamberlain, Jabbar, Walton, Shaq, etc..

Oh No! Ph34r teh links! ;)

Your man Hartnell is one of the biggest idiots I have ever seen. Then they go out in overtime and committ two STUPID penalties giving them an unheard of 5 on 3 in overtime. Sure, when they are not being idiots then can make a couple of plays. But idiots can only last so long before their goon play resumes. Penquins in 5 just like last year.

As a life-long hockey fan, I have always said of players who get the "goon" label, "Everyone hates a goon, unless he's your goon".

As long as they don't screw up the sport, there will always be a place for a meathead or goon on every team. Someone has to respond when the other guys take a cheap shot on your goalie or a top scorer.

Of course, some goalies will stand up for themselves!
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1240287070.jpg
I think it was great when Thomas puts Avery in his place. For the record, I think Avery can be an excellent agitator when he stays on the edge. Sometimes he crosses the line... There is a difference between being an agitator or just a goon like that mop-headed, stick throwing Flyer (he's also thrown gloves, and even his helmet!). Ice hockey has always had a place for good hatchet men. Remember Terrible Ted? Lets also remember Mr Hockey himself. Gordy was a rough character!

The ultimate hockey enforcer of all time IMO:

http://www.iplayedthegame.org/images...55_300X236.jpg

The dude standing next to him was one seriously badass SOB too.

Who can hate a guy that throws his glove like he's playing road hockey?

Your Troll Fu is weak...Avid and enthusiastic debate does not translate into anger....fail.

And I already admitted that my boys made poor decisions in game 1 taking too many penalties. Then you go to game 2 and Knuble (not Hartnell) and Giroux and yes, that was undisciplined, but not thuggery. To see thuggery look to Chris Kunitz who hit Timonen with his elbow....and Kunitz has been doing that the whole series.

Ah yes, the Flyers the second most penalized team in the league, the first...the Ducks and they are currently leading the President's Trophy winners the San Jose Sharks 2 games to none.

Playing hard does not mean thuggery, it means you have passion.

Also, regular season Pens took 4 out of 6 games. But when you look at those games they were all close with 2 games going to OT and one to SO. Then when you add up the total scoring, it is Flyers 21 goals, Pens 21 goals.

Cindy C is still a mama's boy...want a real star??? Go see Alex O.

I'm still sticking to my Orange and Black....go FLYERS.

Oh yes, I need to also point this out...if the Flyers suck so bad, and are nothing but goons, and since they are the second most penalized team in the league, then how come they are in the playoffs?

I mean, logic says that they should be at the bottom of the barrel, but no, they defy that by playing through being man down, sometimes scoring on man down, and then are so sucky that they continue to beat their opponents.

I am inserting raised questionable eyebrow....

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1240319162.jpg

And for the record, I may have said "fuk the Pens" but I don't dispute their talent, I just don't like em :-)

This all might be moot anyway as the Wings are again sick awesome... I mean how do you beat a team that has a player they call "The Mule"?

He's prone to concussions. The Flyers know what to to do.

Hockey rocks and I'm loving the playoffs this year.
As an Englishman I often find that people over here want to try to talk to me about soccer (football to me). I've never really been into soccer. My Dad bought me up on Rugby but you struggle to find that shown much over here.
When we moved from England to California in 1999 my step son turned 5 just after we moved. He was having trouble with hand-eye coordination so we tried to find something for him to do that would improve his skills. He took up in-line hockey (this was California don't forget) and immediately found he enjoyed it. We have been hooked on hockey ever since. Now, nearly 15, he plays on the ice in the adult league at our local rink and is currently leading in points despite being predominately a defenseman and is typically one of the first picks at the start of each league season (this usually means he gets put on the worst team as they finished last so get first pick). He wants to try out for AAA next month - I'm very proud of him.

As much as I appreciate the comment about the random aspect of the game, it is the skill of the players reactions at being able to change their play at the drop of a hat that makes the random events interesting. To me it is a fast paced, intelligent, physical, and skillful team game and reminds me very much of rugby. I don't want a game with lots of scoring, I want a battle of skill, strength, and technique. That, to me, is what hockey is about.

Now, I've had a little experience of playing goalie but my youngest son is 8 and he's way better than me. He has been goalie for our travel team against kids one and a half times his age. I would be very reluctant to say that a good goalie is essential, but I will say that a good goalie is what stops the other team walking all over you when your team screws up or gets tired. Consider my son, at his age his head just about reaches the cross bar. I think he is amazing and he kept our team in touch in several games last season with athletic dives and a super quick glove. On several ocassions he made the difference between a close game and a sound thrashing. He frequently got praise not only from our parents and coaches, but from the opposing team as well. A good goalie can cover up for a lot of errors but he can't win the game without a strong offence. Likewise a strong defence can cover up for a mediocre goalie. It takes a complete team who can play well together to be the best.


Anyway, you can talk all you like about Roy and Brodeur, but here is my favorite goalie...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1240372509.jpg

I'd post a picture of my step son playing, but he moves too fast even in D.

SmileWavySmileWavy

I enjoyed the comment about goons being OK when they're your own - how true.

bye bye STL

Since this topic has meandered around the cup, Goalies, and the Pens-Flyers, how about Fleury?? You could just FEEL the frustration of the Flyer goons last night. He is clearly the better goalie then Biron and it was the difference last night. Once again, the team in complaining about bad calls and puck bounces in their loss. How about 45 saves? Are they going to even travel to Pittsburgh or just call it in? Game 5 Pens 6, Flyers 2.

Bad calls aside like sliding into the goal and obviously obstructing the goalie, and also the quick whistle, there is ZERO excuse for not getting at least one goal when you have the man advantage for 16 minutes.

Fleury is a damn brick wall...

Hate the Penguins...

Too bad. They deserved to win last night. Really weak goal in O.T. And too bad for Mason, he must feel awful today....

45 saves pretty much makes my point.

If your defense gives up 45 shots you have no right to win at all. You should get blown out if you give up that many shots.

"No way," says the red-hot goaler. The most important position in team sports. ;)

Batsmen are more important than goalies. Donald Bradman had a lifetime avg. of 99.94 and would routinely win 5D tests by himself. ;)

I guess you can get caught up in the numbers also. 45 saves, but I bet a small percentage of these were legitimate goal scoring shots. Having skill on your side certainly helps. The Pens are generally outshot by other teams, but it you posses pure scorers like Crosby and Malkin, they will make you pay. You can argue all you want about the ref's but they were seriously trying to let the Flyers back in this game. As soon as the Pens went on the attack, they called a penalty, forcing them to play the defensive game at the end.

Fleury was awesome last night. My guys however.....well they staged a brilliant comeback from being down by 3 only to let it slip away with 0.2 seconds left!!!!!!!!

The flyers have several legitimate scorers.

45 saves is lights out goaltending.

The following are the 10 top paid NHL players for the 2008-09 season. It doesn't include players signed to contract extensions that don't kick until the 2009-10 season (Lacavalier, Eric Staal). The cap hit is indicated in brackets.

1. Dany Heatley $10.0 (7.0)
2. Alex Ovechkin $9.0 ($9,538)
__Sidney Crosby $9.0 ($8.7)
4. Timmo Timonem $8.0 ($6.333)
__Daniel Briere $8.0 ($6.5)
__Tomas Vanek $8.0 ($7.143)
__Jason Spezza $8.0 ($7.0)
__Scott Gomez $8.0 ($7.357)
9. Brad Richards $7.8 ($7.8)
10. Henrik Lundqvist $7.75 ($6.875)

Only one goalie in the top ten and he's not even the highest on his team. The market has spoken and it says, "Goalies are not the most important position". :D