Hockeyhead

Sidney Crosby is on fire.  His hat-trick last night puts him on pace for a career high 46 goals.  If you call him a whiner, I’ll punch you in the face.

So the Toronto Maple Leafs win their first game of the Brian Burke (dictatorship) era.  The media loves this guy today , and the fans are planning a parade route for the Stanley Cup parade.  I wish I lived in Phoenix right now.

Steve Mason shut-out the Capitals and Rick Nash had perhaps his best game of the season.  Nash tends to disappear following a good game, so it will be interesting to see which version of himself he brings when Columbus hosts the Vancouver Canucks Monday night.  The Blue Jackets have had a hard time deciding if they are rebuilding or pretending to contend the last few seasons; with Mason’s emergence one has to wonder if Pascal Leclaire will become expendable and possibly shipped for an offensive D-Man or an established center.

The San Jose Sharks just don’t lose and it was Joe Pavelski leading them this time against the Coyotes.  Pavelski now has 20 points in 24 games, and I still have no idea who he is.

The Montreal Canadiens managed to win in regulation vs. Buffalo.  They finally got some production out of someone named Kostitsyn too.

Boston keeps rolling and Lucic didn’t have to bust any heads to defeat Detroit.  Manny Fernandez has looked good when he has played, don’t call it a goalie controversy yet, but Boston has a hell of a 1-2 punch in net.

SL

Stop the world’s news reels.  Well stop Toronto’s at least.

There is only one story today in the hockey center of the world; Brian Burke’s press conference.

Yours truly figured to be in front of the TV all afternoon blogging Burke’s introduction to the Toronto media.

2:06: Burkey (every good hockey guy has a “y” or an “er” added to his last name),  is looking around the room and looks confused by the sheer number of press members in attendance.

2:09: He speaks!  Begins by thanking “Toronto”, calls his new job as GM and VP; “most important job in hockey on the planet”.

2:11:  This is boring and terrible television, I change the channel.

2:12:  Press Conference is on every channel I have, I go make a sandwich and get a coffee.

2:21:  Burke ostensibly tells the room that the Leafs don’t look like the team that fit the profile for Mats Sundin.  Prolonged silence follows, then no one has the “billies” to ask much else.

2:23:  Conference over; I think the front page of the Toronto Sun has its story for the morning.

Detroit and Boston are set to go tonight in Beantown, both teams have 34 points in the standings and it’s going to be match up of skill vs. well, skill and lots of size.  Milan Lucic is the scariest hockey player in the league right now,  although he’ll probably take a night off of breaking  people’s faces.   This Bruins team is looking more and more like the ‘87 Philadelphia Flyers, minus Ron Hextall.

Expect Steve Mason to continue his ascent to the number one goalie spot in Columbus tonight.  Pascal Leclaire took the loss last night and does not look ready to play back-to-back games yet.  Mason and the Blue Jackets will face the red-hot Washington Capitals and Alex Ovechkin, this could get ugly.

Sidney Crosby is scoring more goals early in the season’s second quarter.  Pittsburgh’s potent attack will host the New Jersey Devils tonight; the scoring race could get very interesting as Crosby is gaining on teammate Evgeni Malkin.

SL