Frustration is not fun.

If the Boston Bruins lose tonight I might take them out the back and beat them all with a very big stick.

Chances are though if I got close enough to any of them to beat them with a stick I’d start hyperventilating and forget the whole plan.

But seriously?! Let’s talk about hockey teams.

A team playing at their skill level. The Ottawa Senators. Good interesting fast exciting hockey to listen to. (don’t ask me what they’re like to watch). There’s scoring. Which means yelling and happy and cheering that keeps me interested! And dany heatley! Dork parade on tsn! The top line. Not the Dazzle. Not the Cash Line. The Dork line. Heatley’s Gap. Spezza’s.. head. Alfreddson’s hair. It’s like the side show at the circus! Don’t you love them!

A team playing above their skill level. The Carolina Hurricanes are kicking some serious ass. Except for that whole being eaten alive by Ilya Kovalchuk (not to be outdone by best friend El Dorkus!) and the rest of the thrashers 9 - 0 the Canes have had their best start since…. God knows (well Camille knows). And they also get points for having the cutest wall papers!

Also Congratulations to #6 Bret Hedican and wife, Kristi, on the birth of their second daughter, Emma, born Wednesday night! And they also have the best team motto. Here to play. Here to Stay. If that’s not a big screw you to all those who believe southern states shouldn’t have hockey, then I don’t know what is.

And finally, a team that plays below their skill level, and is currently about 10 feet under and pilling on the dirt is my Boston Bruins. Frustration might be too lose a term to describe them at the moment, more like complete confusion about how they’re managing to go downhill so fast? Time to adjust is over.

Joe Thornton needs to be a captain. NOW. It might be time for Patrice Bergeron to be Patrice Bergeron (as Jaci put it). For Hal Gil to hit some people. For Nick Boynton to do the same thing, or if not atleast to do something wickedly defensive to inspire the team. To give Hannu Toivonen the chance he deserves and Raycroft the chance to get his head back to where it needs to be.

In more positive bruins related note the Manchester (something paper. All praise Google Alerts) reports that Jonathan Girard is back from Quebec and skating the P!Bruins. I’m hoping and praying he does come back.

Last weekend was my club’s (Rocky Raider’s For Life. It’s like Rebels for Life but without as many tattoos or Dion Phaneuf) presentation day. We sit around on plastic chairs on a basketball court (or even on the barrier seats) and get awards and eat pizza. Topped out with the best save percentages 65 for seniors and 74 for intermediates for the whole season. Considering I also faced 1400 plus shots for (sorry moment there to be yelled at my mum for not putting a dish away) the season I’m happy. They’ve all been playing longer and I kicked the other goalie’s asses!

Also in a last note Congratulations to the Saint Louis Blues! As someone else put it (in words I can not beat) the redwing’s need STD tests because god knows what the Blues have after having opened their legs so much this season. It’s called Five Hole.

Good night!

Music I’m loving - The new Liz Phair single “Everything to Me“, The Trew’s “Not Ready to Go” and “Defying Gravity” from the musical Wicked.

Oh and in a last note. Sean Avery. SHUT THE FUCK UP BITCH! Serious. Grade A example of someone who’s being hit a few to many times.

My NHL has The Youth Brigade as it's Poster Boys

At 18 most of us are faced with responsibility. Leaving home for the first time, going to college or university, getting full time employment.

If your Sidney Crosby however your job’s a lot easier.

Play hockey a couple of thousand kilometers for home (however getting played a couple of hundred thousand for this), for a team that can’t buy a win and save the NHL while your at it.

Also if it’s possible break the scoring records of the greatest hockey player in the games extensive history.

No pressure man. No pressure.

Sidney Crosby’s arrival in Pittsburgh coincided with the NHL’s attempt at a fan base rebirth after the conclusion of the lockout, the most effective killing of a major league sport ever seen.

What’s better to head this campaign than a good looking 18 year old with mad skills?

Sidney Crosby is a marketing man’s wet dream. Kid’s love him because of his youth . Women love him for his good looks (maybe that s just me). Grandmother’s love him for his charm and mild manners. But of all of this, everyone young and old, male and female, love his amazing skill and passion for the game.

When the NHL has players like Sidney Crosby, Patrice Bergeron, Eric Staal, Zach Parise, Dion Phaneuf and Antoine Vermette all young and up and coming and rather yes good looking players why are they reverting to these MY NHL ads which while yes looking sexy aren’t about hockey.

Market. At teenagers. Teenagers are by far the easiest influenced group in today’s society and having now more disposable money than ever before we’ve got money to burn on tickets and team related stuff (unless your me and live no where near anything hockey related).

Teenagers love violence, love speed, love skill and love flash and hockey’s got that all. We love people that are famous or successful that we can associate with. The youth brigade have this. Teenager’s are going to want to go to games and watch them, bring there parents take there friends and the expansion grows.

Hopefully, after one game they’ll be hooked, and the millions of little eteeny boppers will spread the sport. Teens grow up, get married, have kids. Kids love hockey and soooooooooo it evolves!

And now I’m rambling so I’m going to finish up.

Roster Pics of the Day!


Ray Emery - Oh yeah. What you looking at?


That’s not fair. How can anyone have a hot roster pic?

The first.

So last night in that hour and a half gap between crawling into bed and getting to sleep, I kept thinking about hockey (as you do if your me and there's a million hockey pics behind your bed.)

He might not be the next Wayne Gretzky or the next Mario (if i could spell his last name confidently). But There is one thing he and everyone can promise you.

He will be the very first and only Sidney Crosby.


Endnote - Why this sudden Crosby spammage... because i'm reading a hell of a lot on him from friends journals. And he's 18. I'm only 16 and half. Associate. Hell of a player. Cute too!

Sunday Morning

This is how sunday morning's should be for me. Sitting around in the air conditioning, doing my homework, enjoying the sunshine through the window and listening to the Bruins play Ottawa.

This would only be better if I could actually watch the Bruins play Ottawa but hey begger's can't be chosers.

The puck drops now.

Puck drop in T minus 24 minutes.

So in this. The season of the fans.

Let the game begin.

Sasky, who will be in legal class when the puck drops but has managed to skyve out of maths tut to listen to the Bruins/Habs game on the school computer.

Hell hath no fury

They say Hell Hath No Fury like a women scorned

Well, hell I have some fury.

Fox and Espn have decided after a 16 month hiatus from our TV screens the NHL shall not return.

Atleast not in this holiest of months, October, when the ice is layed and once again our heros and the legends cut their tracks on the way to the cup.

Who will win the cup this year?

My bets either the Flyers, the Senators or *prays* maybe the Bruins. I'd love the leafs to but there would have to be some major praying for that to work and i simply don't have that much time.

Who'll be the leading scorer?

Watch out for the likes of Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, on a line these two have proven to be a killer combination so far. Brandon B**ski (hey i can't spell it, can you?) could quite possible be at the front of the running for the Calder Cup, if he keeps on a line with these guys, their playmaking prowess benefitting the youngster.

Another suprise is the flyer's Jon Sim. Sim, a Nova Scotia native, previously won a Cup with Dallas, and has spent some time with both the Stars, the Kings, Nashville and the Penguins. Utah loaned him to the Phantoms at the start of the AHL season where hewas the teams leading scorer and in +/- with a +29. So far this season, Sim has done everything in his power to show the Flyer's that he's a player you want to keep around and with 8 goals in 7 pre season games, more goals then any other season he's played already, he might just be along for the ride.

Top Goalie this year

This one's practically wide open. In my mind Martin Brodeur is the top goalie around but now with the demise of the Devil's stronge defense core, his skills are going to be put to the test. The dominance of the Ottawa Senator's forward pack might far outshine any play of Dominik Hasek. Andrew Raycroft will be looking to up the ante on his Calder Cup winning effort last season, with another year at the elite elvel in the Finnish League. This year's running for the Vezina, seems to be wide open so who ever would like it, step forward and plead your case.

Time to go back to school work.

Sasky.

Drop me a note to say your reading if you are! I love comments

Day 5 of Camp

There are two guarantees at a national tournament.

Invariably there will be drama, often caused by conflicting personalities and the impact of being stuck together for prolonged amounts of time. Girls will be girls and girls in team situations always seem to end up messy. So far this week (Day 5 of a 10 day trip) there have been 3 screaming bitch fights, 2 crying episodes, 3 injuries and through all of this I have chosen to be Swiss. That’s right. Neutral. The advantage of staying with my mother is that I am never there when the situation explodes within their room, instead I can watch from across the hotel, through the glass window. Good quality entertainment though.

The second guarantee is that Queensland will also invariably suck. Look at our geographic location. Now pause and reflect on the size of all other states. Wa does not have a problem as all clubs are situated in the one city; all other states actually have team training sessions on a regular basis prior to actually coming to compete. We however do not have that luxury.

Currently I am playing for a women’s team and until I arrived at the competition I had not actually met four of my team members, including the goalkeeper I am backing up. It’s frustrating to say the least, and when our teams get as trounced as we do it’s hard not to be disheartened when you put so much effort in for no returns.

In other news one of my team mates (Queensland team not Girls team) bought a Dallas stars jersey (odd since I though the store only sold leafs ones, using the assumption that everyone is a Maple leafs fan) and I chased him around suggesting he find a better team. I don’t actually know how the stars are doing in pre-season having not seen any of their scores.

In other news…. Of a more NHL variety.

Congratulations go to Sidney Crosby for scoring his first NHL Point! Vs the bruins.

I’d also like to extend the congratulations to his World Junior teammate Patrice Bergeron who scored two goals in the game and still managed to be completely ignored. Good work kid.

Also… Dear the Mike’s of Bruins Brass.

Boston Bruins – Nick Boynton = ARE YOU STUPID? Or do I have to draw you a picture?

Hm.. What else.

Kudo’s to the Blue Jackets for beating Detroit in over time the other day. I like Detroit but it’s good to see the jackets get the win. I’ve got hope for these guys this year if all goes well!
Any way.. I better go. I have cookies to bake… and Under 14’s to deliver them to in my crusade to make everyone happier after their losses.

Sasky.

P.S. My boyfriend’s captaining the Senior Men and the under 20’s teams here at nationals and Him and his brother are scoring some awesome highlight reel goals. Pity however the refs here suck and he’s forver arguing with them.

P.P.S. I saw the most perfect Sidney Crosby – Wolverine hockey lacrosse esque goal the other day. PERFECT. Got disallowed though. No one’s exactly sure why but it looked like totally legit. Wasn’t in the crease. Wasn’t above shoulder goal height. Absolutely amazing though.

For real. Later.

Sasky!

Oh! One last thing I managed to make the guy at the hockey store here think I’m a hockey nerd after out facting one of the boys in an argument over Sidney Crosby’s RBK deal and Sherwood sticks. The guy’s like Woah… and Vinnie pipes up that no one’s ever out nerded me here for hockey facts. It’s awesome.

Final Note. If you’re in Melbourne, Until Saturday get out to the Springers Leisure Centre in Keysborough for some awesome inline actions! GO THE MAROONS

Tomorrow, really needs to just be over.

Tomorrow i leave for National Competition for Inline Hockey. To keep this coherent i'll explain ni point form why i'm kinda dreading it.

1. I've only played 2 games in my leg pads.
2. I won't have played for over a week and a half when i first do.
3. I'm playing up a division from last year.
4. My team sucks.
5. I'm going to kill my dumb bitch of a team mate if she doesn't stop her also hockey playing boyfriend from interferring with the team's business in which he doesn't happen to be involved.
6. I'm 5 foot tall. Everyone else.. isn't.
7. BY NO STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.

I guess you know. Go out. Play your best. Give it all you got.
I guess i get small comfort from knowing Mark say's he's nervous to I'm not nervous though. I"M DOWN RIGHT PETRIFIED.

And onto NHL hockey.

Andy Raycroft was at his first day of camp the other day. About time Sir Andrew of Raycroft, got on his horse back to town, love the guy and i still reckon the Bruins probably are underpaying him, but atleast that set of anxious nerves are out of the way. If only they'd sign Boynton now I'd be a LOT LESS ANXIOUS.

Bergeron's reported to have put on about 11 pounds since last season, so i'm looking forward to hearing how he goes when they start preseason on Tuesday (wednesday mornign here) against.. Pittsburgh? And why don't the bruins have training camp photos! But yeah. I'm all of the firm belief if Pat, keeps on working hard, like he has.. he could very well end up.. a Thornton -esque player... It seems entirely possible to me (but hey then what do I KNOW) after watching him playing wjc.. the.. skills make me go WOAH.

BTW, Sir Andrew of Raycroft I know Koho is now owned by RBK but could you please wear the RBK pads so i can feel slightly awesoem cause our's look the same. Thank you? or are you and they just aren't showing the new pictures on the bruins site. *Goes to track down*

OH LOOK HE DOES! thank youv ery much... to Jaci's site (which is here ) Which happened to have a nice shiny photo of Rayray in his nice new RBK gear which looks exactly like my leg pads (mine were just a LOT CHEAPER even if they did cost me 750 Aus).

Further Notes from Bruins Stuff from what i've heard and seen.

-Brad Boyes looks positivly pinchable.. those cheeks god damn kewpie doll i swear!
-Jonathan Girard - Le Miracule... from what they say. I know i'll cheer for him. We all will.
-Oh look Brown has pretty RBK"S tooo... can we tell i'm so in love with the gear?
-The rbk helmets aren't so pretty they loko... lumpish. (oh must rememer to find my jack stickers for our helmets)
- The siglet's confuse me!

What else.. hmm... Does anyknow have more photos of Alex Bourret in pink? cause i hear there's another one of him around here somewhere winning an award in another pink shirt. possibly the same as the draft.

And now.. I go. The odd thing is flying to a tournament. This is weird for me. Also funny is that my brother (also competing) and i have 5 bags two suitcases and a lap top and my parents ahve a suitcase each. Ha forhockey gear!

First - Always the best place to be.

Well. I'm Sasky and this is my first entry in my hockey-based blogspot/column thingie.

I'm a 16 year old hockey fan, possessor of Australia's largest hockey photo wall (feel free to dispute this claim but photographic evidence must be supplied). I reside in Rockhampton, The Beef Capital of Australia (lots of cow statues), in Centeral Queensland, Australia.

I get will once the season starts get probably 1 or 2 ice hockey games a month. Oh the joy! If it's a good month this might increase to 3 or 4! Can you tell the sarcasm? If you would like to complain about coverage i would suggest you do it elsewhere as the mere thought of getting the same amount of games could cause possile hyperventilation and then there is the messy medical processes after that.

I"m prone to rambling about hockey, both Ice and anything to do with inline i've played that week. I'm an avid inline player, a goalkeeper for the district 16's team, and also starting goalie for the State Senior Women's team at the Nationals titles, next week! I play 2 or 3 games a week and train twice. .. spending about 9 hours a week in skates. I also coach peewees (the whole 3 we have!).

I play in 2005 Nike Hi-Ho Silver's, my dream skates and 32" RBK Senior Pads in Raycroft colours (yes a major reason why I am relieved he has signed) which are my dream pads.

Hmm.. What else.. well.... physically, i'm 5 foot tall, and rather tiny-ish, hence forth the tendancy to get bowled over in games.

On hockey loyalties? I have none! No home team. No enemy team. I pretty much like everyone. I'm a player person. I follow players not teams and am partial to the young guys being young myself. Not getting to see them play i'm also easily swayed by articles, other people's opinions or their.... physical appearence.

My favourite player is Patrice Bergeron. yes I actually have seen him play. WJC gold medal game. Formally known as my happy tape. I watch it when ever I'm sad. Just the joy these guys have in the game makes me happy.

The first hockey game I ever saw, i stumbled upon on Austrr (paytv) on Wednesday, I believe June 4 (my birthday) and was game 3 or 4 of the Ducks Vs Devils Series... I fell for the game so hard that day.

Any way... I may not be accurate, I may not be right, but i'll be funny and honest.