5+Game with Danny Boome 01 /12/09
5+ Game with Danny Boome is the new Article and Blog for Powerplay magazine. The article will cover the 5 main events of the week – games, trades, players, coaches – and anything else that affects the NHL community.
5+Game 15th Edition
Danny Boome 01/12/09
Hossa charges back into the league, the Leafs may get a parade this season (but not the kind you’re thinking), yet another former all-star comes out of retirement to help Modo, officiating problems continue, and Nashville (yes, Nashville) are in the league’s top 10? All in this weeks 5+Game.
Hossa recharges Chicago: The highly anticipated debut of Marian Hossa was not a disappointment for the Blackhawks and their fans. Their 7-2 rout of the San Jose Sharks included three consecutive shorthanded goals chasing Evgeni Nabokov after the second period. Hossa scored twice and it was the second time in a week that Chicago scored seven goals in a game. The question remains: is Hossa the missing link?
He’s Baaaack!
Brian Burke Rainbow Warrior: The king of truculence and testosterone faces a new challenge as his son, Brendan Burke, who came out as a gay many to his father two years ago, has suddenly become the talk of the hockey world this week. The story is buzz-worthy because it reignites the hot-button issue of gays in professional sports and because it’s instantly transformed Burke into a de facto gay icon.
From Damien Cox in the Toronto Star: “Burke believes there will be those who won’t embrace the family love inherent in his acceptance of his son’s orientation or of Brendan’s decision to go public with his sexuality. Burke remembered that when he was in California in November to vote in the U.S. presidential election – he voted for Barack Obama – he was aggressively confronted by anti-gay activists protesting a same-sex marriage proposition on the California ballot.
“I told them to (expletive) get lost,” said Burke, who also voted for the proposition. “But over the next two weeks, yeah, I expect to get some hate mail over today’s story. There is going to be a backlash. All I care about is if Brendan is prepared for it. It takes jam to do what he’s done.” (See the full interview in John Buccigross’s ESPN.com column on Brendan Burke, some very interesting points)
Hot Topic.
Modo gain yet another All-star! Another former NHL super star, Markus Naslund, has come out of retirement to play with childhood friend Peter Forsberg for hometown team Modo. On Saturday, the pair teamed up in a 4-1 win over Rogle in the Swedish league. Naslund set up Forsberg to make it 1-0 in the first period as the two former NHL All-Stars needed little time to get reacquainted on the ice. “I felt quite all right,” Naslund said. “I haven’t really practiced since were eliminated from the playoffs [with the New York Rangers] last season, so it’s not that strange that I feel a bit tired.” Forsberg added an assist, and has seven goals and seven assists in seven games for Modo this season. The two plan to continue playing for the club for the rest of the season. Forsberg said. “He looked really good considering he’s only been on ice for 10 days.”
Double standards or no standards? Since the start of the season we’ve seen bone-crunching hits and anomalous incidents that have made everyone sit up and take notice. We’ve been forced to question the intent of players’ actions and the league’s “even hand of justice.” Even more concerning is the perception that star players receive lighter penalties. The NY Post summed it up, “It’s not that there’s a double standard when it comes to NHL supplementary discipline, it’s that there is no standard whatsoever. To wit: Georges Laraque sticks out his leg in a reflex reaction, injures Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall with a knee-on-knee, and receives a five-game suspension for an unintentional but reckless play. Curtis Glencross on the other hand, intentionally delivers a forearm to Chris Drury’s chin, thus concussing the Rangers center though he was nowhere near the puck, and receives a three-game suspension for his intentional and flagrant foul. Knee injury, five games; brain injury, three games.”
Heads Up, Just isn’t good enough!
Game
Game On: Nashville has become the dark horse of the league. While everyone has been focused on Colorado, Phoenix, NYI, Tampa and LA, the Predators have risen from obscurity to 9th in the league overall.
Who’s Got Game? Marian Hossa is back and looking every bit worth his controversial $40 million contract. Sid Crosby is also back in fine form, scoring his second hat-trick of the season against NY Rangers. Sid had a 5-point night with 3+2, capping a big week as he also got the OT winner and 3 assists in the Pen’s win over Florida.
Hot Shot!
Who’s not got game? Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke has been suspended for two games, without pay, as the result of a deliberate check to the head area of New York Rangers forward Artem Anisimov.
Ouch!
Game of the week: Seeing last season’s bottom team beat the defending Stanley Cup champions was a strange and fascinating sight. In a game billed as the battle of Sid vs. the new Kid (John Tavares), JT showed what new blood can do, getting 1+1 in the 3-2 win!
JT Is the new kid on the block!
What Game are you playing @? The league needs to get a grip on what punishment it serves for intentional injury hits. Remember the infamous Todd Bertuzzi blindside punch that ended the career of Colorado Avalanche winger Steve Moore? He was the last great villain and the game hasn’t made any changes since 2004!
The game some times brings the worst out in you.
