NHL Hockey thread

[Barrister]

The CBCs ranting about the Ontario-content of the Leafs is hillarious.  It really reminds me of the crybaby shit that Montreal was doing about the inability of the coach (or Saku Koivu, back in the day) to speak French.

Media's Toronto-centric ranting is always amusing / infuriating.  Doesn't matter is it's CBC, TSN, or Sportsnet - it's all Leafs all the time.  Hell because I tend to tune in to more national broadcasts I probably know more about what is happening with the Leafs than I do my 'hometown' *cough* Oilers.

But more about the team that actually matters - the Winnipeg Jets.  Still in 8th place after handily defeating the Sabers. Man I love these guys.  And I love that I'll finally get to see them this Friday in Calgary in what will be a very meaningful game.   

I susbscribed to Sportnets, figuring I could watch some other teams, from time to time.
Whenever the Jets are playing, or the Flames, or the Canucks, I get a message saying it can't be shown on my location... I can only watch the games with the Senators and the Canadiens.  Yuck.

Yeah - Sportsnet only has "regional" rights to hockey, so their games can only be shown in their specific region.  So there's almost no reason to subscribe to the other Sportsnet channels.  If you want to see out or market games you have to subscribe to NHL Centre Ice, which is expensive since it gives you EVERY game.  It really only makes sense if you are a serious hockey nut, or if you're a fan of a team not in your region.

Ed - sounds like fun.     In fact, let me know how it goes.  I've wondered when would be the right age to take the little guy to a hockey game.  Hell I can still remember my first NHL game in the very early 80s - Winnipeg Jets vs Edmonton Oilers (in Edmonton), and getting Gretzky's autograph in the lockerroom while he was wearing a towel.

Unfortunately my dad's buddy covered the Oilers, not the Jets, so I missed my opportunity to get Howerchuk's autograph.   

[viper37]

Yeah - Sportsnet only has "regional" rights to hockey, so their games can only be shown in their specific region.  So there's almost no reason to subscribe to the other Sportsnet channels.  If you want to see out or market games you have to subscribe to NHL Centre Ice, which is expensive since it gives you EVERY game.  It really only makes sense if you are a serious hockey nut, or if you're a fan of a team not in your region.

I'm not a serious hockey nut    I like the sports, I watch at least 3/4 of the playoff games, but I can't care enough about october and november games to pay a special subscription.  I just like to watch and hear about different teams.  Here, it's only the Canadians.  They talk about the other teams when they visit the Habs, and there's the talk about the occasional vicious hit.

[Barrister]

Yeah - Sportsnet only has "regional" rights to hockey, so their games can only be shown in their specific region.  So there's almost no reason to subscribe to the other Sportsnet channels.  If you want to see out or market games you have to subscribe to NHL Centre Ice, which is expensive since it gives you EVERY game.  It really only makes sense if you are a serious hockey nut, or if you're a fan of a team not in your region.

I'm not a serious hockey nut    I like the sports, I watch at least 3/4 of the playoff games, but I can't care enough about october and november games to pay a special subscription.  I just like to watch and hear about different teams.  Here, it's only the Canadians.  They talk about the other teams when they visit the Habs, and there's the talk about the occasional vicious hit.

I know all about that, being an our-of-market fan.  Local sports media is all-Oilers, all the time (with a smattering of Flames).

When the Oilers went to Winnipeg I was hoping to finally hear something about the Jets - except the game was the day of the trade deadline, so it was all talking about trades that day.

[Barrister]

PRC, crazy canuck - it's Jets and Canucks tonight.   

[Jacob]

PRC, crazy canuck - it's Jets and Canucks tonight.   

What do you reckon?

[crazy canuck]

PRC, crazy canuck - it's Jets and Canucks tonight.   

With the Canucks in a slump and playing out the season and the Jets fighting for their playoff lives I predict the game will go to overtime.

[HVC]

Well at least ron can be smug for the rest of the season "See, it wasn't me", etc. Well, at least the leafs beat montreal.

[Barrister]

PRC, crazy canuck - it's Jets and Canucks tonight.   

What do you reckon?

I reckon much yawning in my house - I'm not used to watching 8pm starts!  I've spent the season watching all these eastern conference games.

Jets are on a roll, so thinking good thoughts, but the Nucks are a talented team.

[PRC]

Canucks are slumping and have been playing sloppy... but they've been getting hammered by the press about it so hopefully they come out firing on all cylinders.  Winnipeg needs the points badly so hopefully they come out wanting it.  Should be a good game.

[PRC]

Sorry Beeb.

[Barrister]

Sorry Beeb.

It was a good game at least, and entertaining.

Her's hopingfor tomorrow...

[Barrister]

I did love how many Jets fans were out at the game - they even shouted out "True North" as if the game was in the MTS Centre! 

I predict even more Jets fans tonight in Calgary - of course I can guarantee at least one will be there.

[crazy canuck]

I did love how many Jets fans were out at the game - they even shouted out "True North" as if the game was in the MTS Centre! 

I predict even more Jets fans tonight in Calgary - of course I can guarantee at least one will be there.

By all accounts the a good time was had by all.  Somebody described the atmosphere as being like one of the original six had come to town.

[Barrister]

So I went to the Winnipeg - Calgary game on Friday night.  What a hoot!

Now at the outset - on-ice result was obviously disappointing.  The guys really needed to pick up at least a couple of points between this game and the Vancouver game.  Now they go five days without playing, and Washington has leapfrogged them in the standings.

The atmosphere however...

Going to the game on the train I start noticing a LOT of Jets jersies.  Once at the arena I notice even more.  I'm going to say one person in ten was wearing either new or old Jets gear.  And despite being only 10% of the audience, we made a HELL of  alot of noise.  The Calgary fans were pretty passive, but every few minutes the chant of "Go Jets Go" would go up.  Calgary fans would then (and only then) by poked out of their lethargy to try a counter "Go Flames Go", but even then it sound like half Flames / half Jets.  And there was a hell of a "True North" chant during the anthem.

And of course it was my first Jets game in maybe 18 years (to my regret I never saw a game during the final season).

It was a good night.  Maybe in time I won't be happy with just "a good time", but last Friday I was.

[Jacob]

Hope you guys make it