Quick Hits and A Couple of Firsts!

Frozen Vulcanized Rubber
All I can say about this story/video from Puck Daddy is that I'm glad Greg Zanon doesn't have to block this kid's shots! 

What Are They Up To Now?
Dwayne Roloson is making news in Tampa Bay with the Lightning after winning in his first game in net for them Tuesday night.  Roloson, now the oldest goalie in the league, helped Tampa tie for first place in the Eastern Conference along side Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.  

Brian Rolston is making news in New Jersey for being waived, re-entering and now rejoining the Devils on the ice without so much as even a 'wrong number' phone call from other teams interested in picking him up.  Russo wrote a couple of great articles about Brian and how the Free Agency machine currently works.  While Michael brings up very valid points about a flawed system, I don't have any sympathy for Brian's situation considering he's still making over $5 million dollars this season.   

Wild at New Jersey
I got all sentimental Tuesday night watching Jacques behind the bench.  I miss JL and his gum chewing.  I miss his wonderful quotes in the post game pressers.  I miss his John Wayne approach to the game.  No mamby pamby, let's-not-make-the-kids-cry crap.  Just plain old 'get your shit together or go play somewhere else' kind of approach.  I loved the fact that while he was plainly peeved about having to give an in-game interview Tuesday night, he didn't miss the opportunity to point out what his team was doing wrong in the first period.  Like, right there - in front of his team - just putting it out there for them to hear it through a microphone.  The Wild's coach on the other hand...I was half expecting him to say "we'll have to look at the tape" when he was interviewed since that's all Todd really knows how to say.  

Anyway - the Wild pulled off it's first win playing in New Jersey on Tuesday night! 
A good strong first period by the Wild with a goal from Clutterbuck, followed by a weak-assed second period, ending with a strong third period where Clayton Stoner's first NHL goal (and the game winning goal) which will very likely end up on a highlight reel for the flukiest goal in the NHL's history.



I gave Jose the number 1 star of the game for bailing out his team, YET AGAIN, in the second period where he faced 14 shots and saved 13 of them.  
Clayton gets the second star and a permanent place in the Wild's history book. 
The third star is Kyle Brodziak who needed six stitches on the right side of his nose and five under his right eye because he stopped a puck with his face.  But that's not the reason he gets the third star.  Kyle not only rejoined the game after getting sutures, he dived to block yet another puck while killing a Devils power play on his very first shift back. 
Honorable Mention goes to Jared Spurgeon for blocking a Brian Rolston slap shot and finishing his shift to tell about it on the bench afterwards. 

Bullshit Call Of The Game - giving Greg Zanon a diving penalty.  C'mon, who are you trying to kid, Devorski?  You're starting to ref like MaGoo (McGeough) used to and we really don't need another one of him in this league EVER. AGAIN.  

Players Who Need A Kick In The Pants - Patrick O'Sullivan, Eric Nystrom for obvious reasons.  

And now we're moving on to Boston to take on the Bruins.  A team steeped in hockey history and players: Gary Aldcorn, Ray Bourque, Phil Esposito, Bill Goldsworthy, Al Iafrate, Cam Neely, Wes Walz - just to name a few...