When I win PowerBall tonight, these are the jerseys I will buy

The Powerball jackpot is over $500 million tonight. That's two A-Rod contracts! I bought one quick-pick ticket and the PowerBall number is 33. Since 33 is one of the most important numbers in Boston sports (right up there with 9, 8, 12, and 6), I'm pretty sure I'll win.

Obviously the first thing I'll do is buy a plane ticket out of this dismal snow entombed part of the world, but after that I will purchase and have made the ultimate collection of sports jerseys:

Bill Belichick, Annapolis High School football
If my memory serves me correctly, in A Football Life, Belichick wore #60 at Annapolis High. Of course I'll have to hire a researcher to verify this. Nothing is worse than a cool jersey ruined by inaccuracies. In Monterrey, California I asked a guy in a band wearing a #12 Michigan football jersey whose jersey he was wearing. He said Tom Brady. I didn't have the heart to tell him that Brady wore 10 at Michigan. If you're going to be obscure, be accurate.

Customized Patriots jersey, Number: 12.5, Name: PSI
Because I have a sense of humor.

Jamie O'Hara, Notre Dame football
Vince Vaughn's character in Rudy. The only way in hell I'd wear a Notre Dame jersey.

Tim Thomas, Jokerit Helsinki
The team Thomas played for during the 2004-05 lockout. It was one of many European stints in Thomas' career. And although not the most meaningful or successful of Thomas' Scandinavian exploits, Jokerit's court jester logo is just too ridiculously awesome.

Roberto Luongo, Quebec Nordiques
Unlike most Nordiques jerseys, this isn't a throwback. This is a throwFORWARD. Luongo is on the Florida Panthers, who might one day move to Quebec. This jersey won't honor the past, it will predict the future.

Julian Washington, Miami Sharks football
LL Cool J's character in Any Given Sunday. A Willie Beamen jersey would also be cool. I was going to have a Luther Lavay (Lawrence Taylor's character) jersey, but I'm seeing that those are available on eBay. When I'm a billionaire, I don't want to be wearing jerseys on the same level as some middle-aged Giants fan in Paramus, NJ.

Wade Boggs, Springfield Nuclear softball team
From The Simpsons episode "Homer at the Bat," which was one of the best Simpsons episodes of all time, one of the best set of sports guest stars on a TV show, and was the first time The Simpsons beat Cosby in the ratings.

Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn, Providence Grays
In 1884 Old Hoss Radbourn had a record of 59-12. He made 73 starts and had 73 complete games. He also had 2 saves. He threw 678.2 innings. He's a Hall of Famer, and currently has one of the funniest Twitter accounts out there. All the pictures I can find of him in a 20 second Google search are him wearing a Boston Beaneaters uniform. But his best year was in Providence for the Grays.

Mo Vaughn, Wareham Gatemen
Cape Cod League baseball has produced a massive amount of baseball talent, including Maurice Vaughn, who was one of the first sports stars in my life as a fan.

Neon Boudeaux, Western University basketball
Shaq's character in Blue Chips. They gave him a Lexus, he didn't want it.

Jackmerius Tacktheratrix, Michigan State football
Hingle McCringleberry, Penn State football
Mergatroid Skittle, Louisville football
The player formerly known as Mousecop, Missouri football
My favorite players from the Key and Peele football name skits. Obviously the name on the back of Mousecop's jersey would be the symbol. And maybe another jersey with "Mousecop" on the back, for the time before he changed his name to the symbol.

And there would be many, many more. Mostly obscure Red Sox players from the late 90s and early 00s. Butch Huskey. Morgan Burkhart, Pete Schourek, Rico Brogna, Hipolito Pichardo. I'd get each of Michael Bishop's CFL jerseys, and all of Rohan Davey's NFL Europe and Arena football jerseys. A Tom Glavine LA Kings jersey. All the Brady 6 quarterbacks. I'd probably squander all $500 million on sports jerseys.

Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo Endure Painful Separation

Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo were teammates for mere hours, but I don't think either will forget the experience. Thomas was traded to the Dallas Stars just before the NHL Trade Deadline on Wednesday. Thomas will backup Kari Lehtonen as the Stars push to make the playoffs. Dallas currently has the 8th best record in the West.

Thomas and Luongo were teammates for less than a day, although Luongo probably flew to southern Florida for the Panthers next game at home against Buffalo. Thomas was up in Boston playing in net for the Panthers, who lost 4-1 to the Bruins. I doubt the two were ever in the same room. However both goalies were able to make light of the situation, and poke fun at the other. Luongo's unverified Twitter account posted this on Tuesday:

And on another note me and Tiny Tim are gonna rip it up the rest of the year!!!!!!! #dreamteam
— Strombone (@strombone1) March 5, 2014

Tim Thomas, after Tuesday night's Bruins-Panthers game, was asked about being teammates with Luongo...

"It looked like [Florida GM Dale Tallon] went kicking some tires and found one that needed to be pumped."

Thomas also seemed to think that his time with the Panthers might be nearing an end, as he continued to say "I don’t know how things are going to work out assuming I stay in Florida, it will be interesting."

Once Thomas was traded, Luongo's Twitter reacted with this:

@TSNBobMcKenzie NOOOO!!!!!!!!
— Strombone (@strombone1) March 5, 2014

So no reality TV show in Sunrise. There will not be a second dream team in South Beach. No Twitter vs. Facebook debates. All of this makes perfect hockey sense, but it is disappointing that there will be no Bobby and Timmy Show.

Roberto Luongo and Tim Thomas To Be Teammates in Florida

Roberto Luongo and Tim Thomas are now reportedly teammates. In the summer of 2013 I wrote a post imagining the hilarious, reality-TV style drama that would ensue if the Vancouver Canucks signed Thomas, making he and Luongo teammates. Now Luongo will be taking his whining and choking to South Beach.

Florida is where Luongo wanted to go. He used to play there, still has a house there, and who wouldn't want to spend the winter in Florida?

It also seems like the perfect place for him to avoid pressure. He's going from a hockey obsessed market to southern Florida, where they don't even know they have a team. He's going from a franchise that expects to be in contention for Stanley Cups, to a club that's happy just to qualify for the playoffs. The less pressure there is, the better Luongo plays.

Here was how his unofficial/unconfirmed/but-everyone-knows-it's-him Twitter account announced the news Tuesday afternoon:

The move makes sense for Vancouver. They're reportedly getting goalie prospect Jacob Markstrom in return. They'll shed themselves of most of Luongo's salary cap hit, and all of his drama.

Florida gets an experienced quality goalie. I love Tim Thomas but I think his career as a starter is coming to a close. Luongo is 5 years younger. In the games I've seen this year, Thomas has been sluggish, and easily rattled. Maybe in a backup role Thomas can maintain his quickness, and get less frustrated.

For Bruins fans this is great. Bobby Lu is now in the same division as the B's.

For the record, Luongo did apologize for his criticisms of Thomas after the 2011 Cup Finals. As long as Luongo sticks to Twitter and Thomas to Facebook, things should remain professional in the Florida Panthers locker room. And if two goalies clash, and there's no fans around to care about it, does it make a sound?

Tim Thomas to Vancouver: A Hilarious Theory

Tim Thomas is eyeing a return to the NHL next season. Yesterday his agent tweeted: "Tim Thomas has asked me to explore possible options for next season. We'll have no further comment at this time. Thanks."

The speculation has already begun. Where will Thomas end up? He'll turn 40 in April. In goalie-years he isn't collecting Social Security yet, but he is getting 10% off at IHOP and going to dinner at 5:30pm. So who would want a 1-2 year goalie (whose salary would count against the cap even if he retires) who hasn't played a competitive game since April of 2012. What kind of shape will he be in? Will he be fresher having spent so much time off, or rusty?

One funny theory I had was that Vancouver would sign him. They just traded Cory Schneider, their best goalie, to the Devils. While they're stuck with Roberto Luongo they're in a hazy grey area. Do they need a starter or a backup? Luongo only started 18 games last year. But his cap number is $5.33 million and he's signed until 2022. Vancouver has repeatedly tried and failed to trade him.

The smart thing for the Canucks to do would be to sign/develop young goalies that don't take up much cap space. Then hope Luongo is fine during the regular season, then in an annual tradition in British Columbia, pull him when he shits himself in the playoffs.

Signing Tim Thomas would not be that smart for the Canucks, unless they get him for a bargain basement price. Even then it would introduce more uncertainty and unpredictability. You'd open yourself up for an epic goaltender controversy, which is rare in the NHL. Even when two goalies compete for a spot, the goalies themselves typically get along. That would not be the case with Luongo and Thomas. Luongo publically criticized Thomas's style in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, a cardinal sin in the fraternity of net minders. And Thomas fired back. Luongo has also used his unverified Twitter account to poke fun at the former Bruins goalie's political beliefs.

Some people say 4 more years of Obama. I look at it more like 4 more years of disgruntled goalie politically charged Facebook rants! #I❤TT
— Strombone (@strombone1) November 8, 2012

These two come from completely different hockey backgrounds. Thomas had to bust his ass to get to the NHL, bouncing around the ECHL, the IHL, the AHL, along with leagues in Sweden and Finland. He didn't make his NHL debut until he was 28 years old. Luongo was a star in the Quebec Juniors, and drafted 4th overall by the Islanders, making his NHL debut for them when he was 20. A post I wrote during the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals documents the different paths Thomas and Luongo have traveled.

Watching these two guys compete for ice-time would be a great sideshow. The similarities to Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow are inescapable. Then consider Thomas's proclivity for Facebook rants, and the Twitter account Luongo maintains that isn't officially his so he can retain plausible deniability about it. This rivalry would be fought out on social media, in full view of the public. It would be such a glorious show.

There wouldn't be much sense to Vancouver signing Thomas. But the Canucks often don't allow good sense to be an obstacle when they make moves. So it could happen.

In all seriousness, though, I think the Maple Leafs are a good destination for Thomas. They have talented young goalies, but need more steadiness in that position. They could use a veteran backup who can also take over the starting job when things go wrong. That's what Toronto needs. And that's what Thomas might be able to provide. Reimer is making $1.8 million next year and Bernier is a restricted free agent.

Could you imagine Phil Kessel and Tim Thomas coming to Boston as teammates and divisional rivals? Actually, that kind of scares me a bit.

I Want the Maple Leafs to Get Luongo, So All My Least Favorite Players Are on One Team

It's Deadline Day in the NHL. And I want the Canucks to trade Roberto Luongo to the Toronto Maple Leafs. I hate Luongo. He's an overrated, whiny, douche. He's perfect for the Maple Leafs, who already have two of my least favorite players in the game.

Toronto already has Phil Kessel, who is more popular in Boston as a Maple Leaf than he ever was as a Bruin for three reasons: 1. He's the reason we have Tyler Seguin here, 2. ditto Dougie Hamilton, and 3. he's the reason HE is no longer here. He played his own way, wasn't tough, was an incomplete player, and he was greedy.

And playing for the Leafs' AHL affiliate is Mike Komisarek, former nemesis of Milan Lucic. This guy, when playing in Montreal, epitomized all that is wrong with Canadiens hockey. He would typically only get tough when guys like Lucic were safely restrained on the bench. And when Komisarek did actually grow a pair and throwdown, he'd get thrown down.

So if the Leafs acquire Luongo, it will make it easy and convenient for Bruins fans to find their most hated players all in one place. Then the Leafs can sign Matt Cooke and PK Subban to make the team's douchebaggery complete.

Roberto Luongo Can't Help But Be a Douchebag

So as we all know, Barack Obama won the Presidential election two days ago. All well and good, until some French-Canadian douchebag decided to chime in and attempt to goad an adversary from spring 2011.

Some people say 4 more years of Obama. I look at it more like 4 more years of disgruntled goalie politically charged Facebook rants! #I❤TT
—Strombone (@strombone1) November 8, 2012

For full disclosure, nobody is 100% certain who runs the Twitter account @stromebone1. It is widely believed to be Roberto Luongo, but it's not verified.

In any case, Tim Thomas was a good goalie, Roberto Luongo is an overrated, washed up, choker. Tim Thomas did his best when it mattered most. For Luongo, the more the game mattered, the worse he played.

Even if @strombone1 is just a Luongo fan, he's seriously misguided.

Thomas has a few things in his impenetrable subterranean bunker that Luongo doesn't have. A Conn Smythe, for instance. As well as a Stanley Cup ring. Although Timmy has probably melted his ring in order to make bullets.

Stanley Cup Preview: Kings vs. Canucks*

Congratulations to the Vancouver Canucks on yet another President's Trophy. We're all very impressed here in Boston.

Anyway, the Canucks bring their same old show to the 2012 Playoffs. Outstanding Power Play, high-flying offense, and goaltending that is good but always a meltdown away from massive controversy.

The Kings will try to keep these games low scoring. Their offense is one of the least potent in the NHL. They do have Vezina candidate and Milford, CT native Jonathan Quick. If Quick can steal a game or two, then the Kings could make this 1vs. 8 matchup very interesting.

In net for Vancouver is Roberto Luongo. For now. Cory Schneider is waiting in the wings. Schneider played in 33 games for the Canucks, including 5 relief appearances. His GAA was 1.97.

This goaltending controversy is actually bad news for the Kings. Because if Luongo melts down, Schneider will be there to pick up the pieces.

The Canucks might be without Daniel Sedin, which is a major blow to their chances. But the Kings might be without Jeff Carter. And the Kings are the team that's in desperate need of offensive production.

LA will make it a tough series, but they won't be able to score that pivotal 3rd goal in tight games, at least not enough to win the series.

Canucks in 6.

Series schedule:
1: Wednesday 4/11 - 10:30pm - LAK @ VAN - NHL Network
2: Friday 4/13 - 10:00pm - LAK @ VAN - NBC Sports
3: Sunday 4/15 - 10:30pm - VAN @ LAK - NBC Sports
4: Wednesday 4/18 - 10:00pm - VAN @ LAK - NBC Sports
5: Sunday 4/22 - tba - LAK @ VAN - tba
6: Tuesday 4/24 - tba - VAN @ LAK - tba
7: Thursday 4/26 - tba - LAK @ VAN - tba

Proud to be a Bruins Fan

Even if the Canucks had won Cup last year, I'd much rather be a Bruins fan than a Canucks fan. I feel kind of bad for the fans of Vancouver, having to root for the likes of Roberto Luongo, Maxim Lapierre, Dale Weise, Alex Burrows, et cetera. A goalie who doesn't want to play in goal. A coward. A guy who skates away from a fight. A fiend. It must kind of suck to have to support the likes of these characters.

There were two games on Saturday afternoon. There was the game when Vancouver was on the Power Play, which the Canucks won 4-0. And there was the game when they weren't. Which the Bruins won 3-0. There were 107 penalty minutes issued and 18 Power Plays for both teams. 13:34 of this game was played with the Canucks having at least one man advantage.

To be fair to the refs, this was a hard game to officiate. These teams do not like each other. And the refs called the game tight for both teams. And the refs did a good job not allowing Dale Weise to get away with goading Shawn Thornton into dropping the gloves then not fighting.

Unfortunately, the refs were a bit inconsistent. Some hits and stickwork was called for 2 minutes. Some wasn't. Some calls confused me. Seguin's tripping call, Krejci's goaltender interference, the 3rd period holding penalty on Alexander Edler. And why was it that Alex Burrows waves the blade of his stick at Thornton's eyes, the lines brawl, and somehow the Bruins emerge down 2 men?

The officials' inconsistency favored both teams at timse. And credit must be given to Vancouver for their special teams' play. Their Power Play won them the game. And the Bruins' lack of a Power Play cost the B's the game. The Bruins had 7 chances with a man advantage. And failed each time.

I actually think the PP slowed down the Bruins' momentum at times. They were attacking in the middle of the 2nd, for instance, then drew a penalty, then played a static, undramatic, uninspired two minutes of 5 on 4, then drifted through the rest of the 2nd.

This game was weird. It was emotional. It was rarely 5 on 5. Vancouver won, fair and square. But if this were Game 1 of a 7 game series, I'd like the Bruins chances to win.

There may be future ramifications for the Bruins. The NHL rescinded Lucic's game misconduct, which was a correct call. Lucic didn't climb over the boards, he was still on the ice in the middle of a line change, as were several Canucks.

Marchand has a hearing with the NHL today. And I don't think he'll just be fined. His clipping penalty was a good call. He's claiming that he was trying to protect himself but it didn't seem that way. The hit was dirty. And unnecessary/stupid. The refs had been calling EVERY infraction up to that point so it was stupid for Marchand to risk giving Vancouver another power play.

Marchand has already been fined this year. He was suspended last season. He has a reputation that's growing more and more infamous. I think he should be suspended, and will be. For 2 games, I'd say.

Vancouver won a game. Good for them. And good luck in the playoffs when half the penalties called on Saturday won't be called. And good luck in the playoffs with a star goalie who doesn't demand to play in big games like this one.

The Bruins stand up for their teammates. They have goalies who crave big games. They have fighters, not talkers. They didn't get a win on Saturday, but they can and should be happy that they are much better than the Canucks, and not just at hockey.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Why It's Still Easy to Hate the Canucks

There's just nothing to respect about the Vancouver Canucks. The latest news is that their starlet goalie Roberto Luongo will not start in Boston tomorrow. Which is odd because he last played on Wednesday and would apparently have ample rest. Instead, backup goalie and BC alum and Marblehead, MA native Cory Schneider will start. Schneider is 8-5-1 with a very respectable 2.16 GAA.

But shouldn't Luongo want to start? He struggled in the 3 games in Boston during the Stanley Cup Finals, so shouldn't that be his motivation for wanting to play? Nope. He doesn't want a chance to acquire a morsel of peace of mind. He doesn't want a chance to exorcise some demons and, for his own sake, to get past the past.

And that's why he's such a loser. He's always been soft when it matters most. He doesn't do well in challenging situations. He often finds ways to avoid them. He plays the wrong position for that kind of mentality.

Then there's the remarks from Daniel Sedin. When asked about what would happen if Brad Marchand once again used his face as a speedbag, Sedin said:

"I think the referees, I hope, are going to call a penalty and we'll be on the power play,"

Really? That's the best you can do? Hope the refs call a penalty? Not stand up for yourself and try to stop it. Not hope your teammates, your linemates, your own brother doesn't come over and stand up for you?

There's just nothing to respect about the Canucks. There's other teams I hate in the NHL. Montreal, Philly, Pittsburgh, New York. But I have some respect for things they do. Montreal can skate. Pittsburgh's gritty. Et cetera. But the Canucks flop, whine, and turtle.

Sources:
Vancouver Sun
WEEI 850AM

THERE WILL BE SEVEN

I wonder if Roberto Luongo will have any more critiques for Tim Thomas. I have my doubts. The cocksure goaltender didn't even last a period, and I have to say that each goal he allowed was pretty unforgivable for a goalie. You won't hear Thomas say that, because he respects the camaraderie that goalies share. But I don't have such scruples. Luongo sucked, the Bruins took advantage, and now the series is tied 3-3.

Tim Thomas deserves the Conn Smythe right now. Who else could win it?

But that being said, Roberto Luongo has had the biggest impact on this series. When he performs adequately, the Canucks win. When he doesn't, they lose. He's controlled this duel from Game 1, much more than Thomas has, even though Thomas has by far been the better goalie.

I guess what I'm saying is that even if Luongo does well, the Bruins need to find a way to win. They need to get production from the Power Play, they need to take care of the puck. They're going to need to win a close game on the road to bring the Cup where it belongs to Boston. The hockey gods are not pleased with the diving of the Sedins, or the shenanigans of Burrows, or how pillow soft Lapierre is, or the dastardly hit by Rome. The hockey gods want the Cup in Boston. The Bruins need to appease the hockey gods, and win it.

Game 7 Wednesday night and I can't wait.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY

The Bruins have allowed 6 goals in 5 games, they're getting stellar goaltending from Tim Thomas, outstanding defensive play, an unbelievable penalty kill, and they're down 3-2 in this series. Why? The defensive designs of Claude Julien are being executed well by Chara, Seidenberg, Ference and McQuaid. Boychuk's also improved compared to last series. And of course, there's Thomas. These guys are doing exactly what they need to do to put this team in a position to win.

But the offense is missing. The Power Play sucks, only looking good in that 8-1 drubbing that saw the Bruins dominant no matter what the manpower situation was. Kaberle doesn't deserve PP time, let alone the 4:08 he got in Game 5. He has no shooting ability. His passes only compound one of the Bruins' biggest problems on the PP: they pass the puck too much instead of moving bodies.

I'd rather see Boychuk out there (0:00 PP time in Game 5), as he actually has a decent shot that other teams need to respect. He moves his feet, he's physical.

And I'd like to see Bergeron and Recchi playing in the high-slot, almost in between the two defensemen (or even replacing them, especially replacing a pinching Chara). These guys can shoot from up there, they can drive to the net, they can force the Canucks to either defend high or low. Peverley would also be a good guy to have up there. He might be the best net-driver on the team.

And why no Seguin? He's the most offensive-minded player, the most naturally talented shooter on the team, he can pass, he can skate, he's always moving with or without the puck. 0:12 of Power Play time in Game 5. Why? Why doesn't Julien get interrogated for that?

The Bruins had three Power Plays in the 1st period. Those were golden opportunities to get ahead, to instill some doubt in Luongo, and maybe most importantly: to make Vancouver think twice about physical play. The Canucks matched then surpassed the Bruins in physicality Friday night. They out-hit the Bruins 47-27. And in the 1st period, they were a bit too eager to play physical. Torres tripping Campbell, Sedin punching Boychuk in the back, Alberts going after Thornton. These were all stupid penalties, and had the Bruins made them pay for them on the scoreboard, some Canucks might have eased off the physical play for the rest of the game.

But they didn't. They continued the intensity and were the better team. The Bruins hurt their own offense with giveaways. Every time Krejci tries to toy with the puck by the blue-line, I get nervous. He really needs to learn the geography of the ice. You can do that fancy crap deep in the zone, but not by the blue-line. Location, location, location.

Ryder went from having one of his strongest games in Game 4, to one of his weakest. That's been a theme for him in this series, in the postseason, in the regular season, in his career.

Kaberle doesn't deserve to dress. Dress Hnidy, or Kampfer, and play them in an emergency. He's awful. He's a negative influence on all aspects of the game. He was born to be a Maple Leaf.

This was a great opportunity to win the series. Had the Bruins won out there, I have no doubt that they'd win the Cup. Now, the task in front of them is pretty tough. They had Luongo on the ropes, but allowed him to build confidence in that 1st period, and now the overrated, greasy, Quebecois prima donna is feeling cocky. Here's what he said about the goal Thomas allowed:

"It's an easy save for me, but if you're wandering out and aggressive like he does, that's going to happen. He might make some saves that I won't, but in a case like that, we want to take advantage of a bounce like that and make sure we're in a good position to bury those."

Wow. A goalie criticizing another goalie. Goalies are in a unique brotherhood, they're all comrades out there, even on different teams. You remember that farcical "fight" between Thomas and Price? Thomas and Rask, despite being in direct competition with each other, are buddies. But Luongo's arrogance goes beyond the Fraternal Order of Goaltenders.

And who is he to criticize Thomas' style? Thomas has stopped 102 of the last 104 shots he's faced. The goal was perhaps a result of Thomas' aggressiveness, but the 165 shots he's stopped in this series weren't goals because of his aggressiveness. Luongo has stopped 141 of 155.

Luongo tried to qualify his remarks the next day:

"I said he might make some saves that I don't. I was just saying, on that particular play, I would have played it different. That's the difference between me and him. I have been pumping his tires ever since the series started. I haven't heard one nice thing he had to say about me. That's the way it is."

So has Roberto been spending his off-days scouring the media for Tim Thomas saying nice things about him? Thomas' response to this sums up how much more character, quiet confidence, and sheer dignity the Bruins goalie has compared to his counterpart:

"I guess I didn't realize it was my job to pump his tires. I guess I have to apologize for that. I still think I'm the goaltender on the union side and I stick with all the other goalies. In being one and knowing what it takes to perform at this level and with this amount of pressure, I understand to a certain extent what every other goaltender is going through. I guess that's that."

There's just so much not to like about the Canucks. I didn't hate them before this series, but I guess that's because I didn't know them. Burrows' biting, then his trying to draw a call by stepping on Lucic's stick. The Aaron Rome hit on Horton. The Sedin twins falling down with ease. Maxim Lapierre's taunting. Pretty much everything Lapierre did in Game 5. His dive was vintage Canadien. Once a Hab, always a Hab.

It's gone beyond wanting to see the Bruins win. An extra incentive would be to rob these Canucks of glory. Game 6 tonight in Boston.

Photo Credits:
AP Photo

A TALE OF TWO GOALIES

Timothy James Thomas Jr. And Roberto Luongo. Even the way their names sound suggests a difference in background, a difference in character. These two goalies have taken very different paths to be in the Stanley Cup Finals, with different results. And I think their different backgrounds can help explain why one is doing so well, and the other isn't.

Thomas was born in Davison, Michigan. Luongo in Montreal, Quebec. Davison is a suburb of Flint. Montreal is Montreal.

Luongo was a highly touted goalie as a youth, drafted 2nd overall into Quebec Juniors by the Val-d'Or Foreurs as a 16 year old. He won the Mike Bossey Award which is given to the best pro prospect in the QMJHL. When he was 18, the Islanders drafted him 4th overall amid comparisons to Ken Dryden. Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Olli Jokinen were the players taken before him. At the time, Luongo was the highest drafted goalie in NHL history.

Thomas, like most American players, played for his school. As a high school freshman, he started off as a forward and defenseman, before eventually replacing the senior goalie who had told his coach "This kid's better than me." Thomas was respected in Michigan high school hockey, partially due to a 62 save, 6OT 3-2 playoff win. But the publicity, attention, and glory was nothing like the aura surrounding Luongo. Thomas was awarded a hockey scholarship at Vermont, becoming the first member of his family to attend college, and earning a chance to avoid working (or trying to work) in the collapsing auto industry in Flint.

Vermont was a mediocre program when Thomas arrived. They finished 7th in the ECAC the year before he got there. Hardly the center of the college hockey universe.

Luongo remained in Juniors, setting records, not being able to come to terms with the Islanders on a contract, winning two QMJHL Championships. He also started for Canada in the 1999 World Junior Championship, going 4-2-1 with a 1.93 GAA, and helping Canada win Gold.

Thomas started as a freshman for the Vermont Catamounts. He was good enough to impress the Quebec Nordiques, who drafted him 217th overall. Thomas improved each season at Vermont and so did the Catamounts. Having a teammate like Martin St. Louis helped. Thomas led the Catamounts to the NCAA tournament as a junior, and took them to their first Frozen Four as a senior. He was All-ECAC twice, and an NCAA East All American twice. After he graduated, he entered the pro ranks.

Luongo started his pro career in Lowell, MA, playing for the Lock Monsters, the Islanders' AHL affiliate. He was almost instantly called up to the Islanders, making his NHL debut as a 20 year old, beating the Bruins in a 2-1 game. He quickly surpassed Felix Potvin as the starting goalie, and the Islanders soon traded Potvin to the Canucks.

Thomas' path to the NHL was much less direct. His first year in the professional ranks started in the ECHL, playing 6 games for the Birmingham Bulls. Then he played 1 game for the Houston Aeros of the now defunct IHL. Then 18 games for HIFK Helsinki of the SM-liiga. So from Vermont to Alabama to Texas to Finland, all in one year.

Thomas helped HIFK win the Finnish Championship (the Kanada-malja trophy), then signed with the Edmonton Oilers in the off-season, once again attempting a traditional route to the NHL by playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL. It didn't go too well so Thomas was once again transferred to HIFK.

In the 1999-2000 season, Thomas finally got to play for just one team in a season: the Detroit Vipers of the IHL. His 3.56 GAA and .892 SV% didn't impress. The 26 year old Thomas started the next year in Europe, with AIK, in Stockholm, Sweden. And it was seeming like his career was going to be spent as a journeyman. AIK was his 6th team, in the 5th different league, in the 4th different country, in 4 years since he graduated Vermont.

Islanders' head coach Mike Milbury didn't like Luongo. After his rookie season, the Islanders drafted Rick DiPietro 1st overall, and haven't looked back since. They traded Luongo to the Florida Panthers. Playing half of Florida's games, Luongo set a franchise record with 5 shutouts. His 2.44 GAA and .920 SV% were more than respectable for a 22 year old.

As the Panthers struggled, Luongo improved. He was nominated for a Vezina in 2004, leading the NHL in save percentage and recording 7 shutouts. A year after the lockout, Luongo was a soon-to-be free agent. He'd proven himself as one of the better goalies in the league, winning 35 games in his final year with the subpar Panthers. There were rumors that apart from a significant amount of money (which he deserved) he demanded that the Panthers retain goalie Jamie McLennan as the backup, and hire a new goalie coach.

With his contract looming, the Panthers traded Luongo to Vancouver, in exchange for Todd Bertuzzi, Alex Auld, and Bryan Allen.

The Bruins decided to sign Tim Thomas as a free agent, but also allowed him to remain in Europe. He joined the Finnish team Kärpät. A year later, he found himself in Providence of the AHL. Even though he still had John Grahame, Andrew Raycroft, and Steve Shields ahead of him on the Bruins' depth chart, Thomas made his NHL debut on October 19, 2002. He was 28 years old. 8 years older than when Luongo made his debut.

Luongo was welcomed to Vancouver as a conquering hero. A hockey-mad city finally had a legitimate goalie. The Canucks' own GM had once described the team as a "goalie graveyard." Luongo didn't let them down. In his first season as a Canuck, he tallied 47 wins, a 2.29 GAA, and a .921 SV%. He was nominated for the Vezina and Hart trophies, but lost out to Martin Brodeur and Sidney Crosby, respectively.

Thomas, like most players, spent the lockout playing in Europe. But this was familiar territory for the American goalie. He joined Jokerit in Finland, registering a 1.58 GAA in 54 games with a .946 SV%. He won awards for the best player in the league.

In 2005, it seemed as though Thomas was going to settle down as a European hockey player. He signed a deal with Jokerit, that included an NHL option. He was now a European player with the potential to transfer to North America, not the other way around.

The day before the Finnish season began, the Bruins signed Thomas. He was sent to Providence, but eventually found his way to Boston when Andrew Raycroft and Hannu Toivonen both got hurt. He played 38 games, and after the Bruins traded Raycroft to Toronto, they needed Thomas as a back-up and signed him to a 3 year deal.

While Luongo was having regular season success in Vancouver, the Canucks were struggling to get to that next level. They were consistently surpassing 100 points, yet were annually getting knocked out of the playoffs in the Conference Semis. Luongo was getting most of the blame.

He was great in the '07 playoffs, but allowed a series-ending OT goal when he literally looked at a ref for a penalty instead of watching the puck. In the '09 playoffs, he allowed 7 goals in a series-deciding Game 6 loss to Chicago. The Canucks then signed him to a 12 year, $64 million contract.

Tim Thomas finally became a true NHL goalie when the Bruins signed him to a 3 year deal. Although there always seemed to be someone in his way, preventing him from starting. Hannu Toivonen had the job in 2006, and Thomas wound up starting anyway. In 2007, the B's signed Manny Fernandez, and Thomas was once again relegated to the backup role. Fernandez got hurt, Thomas stepped up, and even made the All-Star Game. In 2008, Thomas was the clear-cut, 1A starter, with Fernandez in a 1B role. Thomas won the Vezina. In 2009, Thomas was again the starter, but he was sluggish on the ice. 22 year old Tuukka Rask won the starting job, along with the affections of countless Boston fans, spawning phrases such as "Tuukka Time."

Luongo replaced Martin Brodeur as Team Canada's goalie in the middle of the 2010 Olympics. He won four straight elimination games, and the Canadians won their first Gold since 2002. But he struggled in the NHL playoffs, posting a 3.22 GAA and .895 SV%. He also stepped down as the Canucks' Captain, yielding the position to Henrik Sedin.

Before the 2010-11 season, the Bruins tried trading Thomas. But teams found his long-term contract to be a bit too hefty to swallow. The Bruins kept Thomas, starting the season with Rask in net. Rask's 1.97 GAA the year before had earned him the spot. And once again, Thomas entered a year as a backup.

But Rask lost 7 of his first 8 starts. Thomas won his first 7 straight. By December, he was the starter, Rask was the back-up. By January, Thomas was an All-Star. By March, he was a Vezina nominee. By June, he was a Conn Smythe contender.

Luongo's career also seemed to be rejuvenated. A new goalie coach in Vancouver produced a more conservative approach from Luongo. He set a career low with a 2.11 GAA, and his 2nd best SV% ever at .928. He struggled in the opening round of the playoffs, but wound up a Game 7 hero against Chicago.

These goalies have now met in the Finals, and after 4 games, one has allowed 5 goals against the best offensive team in the NHL, the other has surrendered 14. That's more goals than Luongo allowed in the previous two series. Tim Thomas has been the Bruins' answer, while nothing but question marks surround Luongo.

When Tim Thomas struggles, he summons an excellent game the next time out. He thrives in adversity. You can see it when he willingly enters the fray in front of the net. But Luongo often finds himself in quicksand. He makes his struggles worse. He presses, he pushes. He tries too hard to win the game on his own. We saw him push too hard in Game 4, abandoning the conservative approach that made him a Vezina nominee. And nobody in Vancouver knows exactly what version of Luongo will play in Game 5, if he plays in Game 5.

And maybe the reason Thomas handles adversity, handles tough losses like Games 1 and 2, is because he's accustomed to the struggle. He's battled and earned every second of ice time he's ever played, from a high school freshman to Finland to Sweden to the Bruins. Luongo, on the other hand, has always been the star. Since he was a 16 year old drafted into the QMJHL, since he was selected by the Islanders, then eventually traded to Vancouver. He started as the top dog at every level of play. He didn't have to climb the mountain, he was born at the top. He's been able to rely on just his talent, and perhaps that's why his character has never fully developed.

Maybe I'm psychoanalyzing too much here, but these two goalies are completely different types of people. And that matters, especially in such a unique position as goaltending, it's not just about strength, speed, vision, or flexibility. The so-called intangibles have a huge impact on how well a goalie performs. And in that category, Tim Thomas is much more qualified. And it's because he's had to build character to get to where he's gotten.

Sources:
Canada.com
ECAC Hockey
MLive.com

PAINCOUVER

It's still annoying. I'll start my post with how I'll conclude my first set of thoughts. Alexandre Burrows was a major factor in all three Vancouver goals. After his bizarre biting incident in Game 1, he didn't deserve to be on the ice in Game 2. At the same time, he is a member of the Vancouver Canucks, and this series is between the Canucks and the Bruins. He and his team won Game 2 fair and square, even if I think his team should have been deprived of his services. But it's still annoying.

It's also aggravating to see guys like Maxim Lapierre getting cute by sticking their fingers in Bergeron's face. It's all a joke for the Canucks. And why not laugh? They're up 2-0.

And they deserve to be. As pissed as I am about Burrows' 3 point night, did the Bruins play their best game? Did they take care of the puck? Were they aggressive at the right times and careful at the right times? Nope.

Giveaways. Turnovers. Failing to get the puck deep into the zone. It's the same fundamental struggles that have been plaguing this team all year long. The Bruins are keeping themselves in these games, then pushing themselves out with these bush league mistakes.

Even when a giveaway doesn't lead to a goal, it's still extra time chasing the puck, it's still extra work for the defensemen. The Bruins rely on their defensemen not only to keep guys like the Sedins from scoring, but they're also a huge part of the offense. And if Chara and Seidenberg are gassed because David Krejci or Gregory Campbell makes a dumb pass in the neutral zone, you can't expect the big men to pinch from the point and contribute on offense.

But the defensemen are hardly innocent bystanders. They didn't take care of the puck either. In Game 1, an intercepted Boychuk pass led to Vancouver's late game-winner. In Game 2, Ference failed to clear the puck out of the zone, and Vancouver scored a Power Play goal. Then Chara was unable to find the puck, and Vancouver tied things up in the 3rd. And Burrows' OT goal came thanks to a Ference pass that went astray in the neutral zone.

The goal itself saw Thomas and Chara screw up. Thomas was too aggressive, Chara wasn't aggressive enough. Thomas should probably stay at home a bit more often, especially when there's traffic. It's a good way to get lost. All game, he was getting into hogpiles 5 feet from the crease and was bailed out by his teammates.

Chara had a mediocre game in general. He struggled to make plays to get the puck out of the zone. Most of the Bruins struggled with that.

The Bruins aren't going to be able to push around the Canucks, like they pushed around the Habs and Lightning. The Bruins aren't going to be able to abuse Luongo like they abused Philly's goalies. They MUST execute these fundamental plays. Get the puck out of the zone with a purpose, don't just clear it. Get the puck in deep either by carrying it or dumping it. Make Vancouver earn possession, and don't just surrender the neutral zone to them.

Johnny Boychuk is looking more like Mark Stuart every game. He's playing a hard physical game, and screwing up on the fundamentals. The Bruins need him at his best as a defenseman, not just a hitter.

Michael Ryder had his strongest game since the outset of the Tampa series. If that continues, the Bruins' PP gets better, the 3rd line becomes a factor.

It's not a coincidence that when Chara moved back to the point on the Power Play (and Seguin was on the ice), the Bruins scored. Chara is infinitely useful on the point. His slapshot, his passing, his ability to sneak up to the dots, his wingspan preventing opponents from clearing, et cetera.

Lucic showed up in Game 2. He was physical, he was skating, he was strong. His rebound goal was the type of stuff he's done all year to reach 30 regular season goals. But guys like Horton, Bergeron, and Marchand need to score. Not only that, they need to shoot. These three scored the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th most goals for the Bruins this year. They combined for 3 shots on goal in Game 2.

Meanwhile, Krejci, Seidenberg, and Boychuk combined for 11 shots. These guys were 8th, 13th, and 17th in goals scored this year.

Horton had his worst game of the playoffs. His success against Montreal, Philly, and Tampa Bay helped carry the Bruins this far. They need him now more than ever. He registered 1 forgettable shot, and that was on a play that he should have passed to an open Lucic, who would've had half the net to shoot at.

These Bruins are so close. But with a 2-0 deficit, they need to take 4 of 5 from the best team in the NHL. They need to play as close to perfect as humanly possible. They need to execute the fundamentals, then take it from there. If they play their absolute best then lose, well that's life sometimes. But how they've lost Games 1 and 2 is inexcusable and embarrassing.

Game 3 tonight in Boston on Versus.

Photo Credits:
AP Photo

SO CLOSE, BUT STILL SO FAR AWAY

As heart wrenching as last night's loss was, I'm actually fairly optimistic. The Bruins went toe to toe with their opponent, and barely lost. The one goal they allowed was barely onside. Defensively, you can't expect much better from the Bruins.

The offense, on the other hand...

Let's start with the power play. I'm not a big fan of Chara playing in the crease. Even when a puck comes his way, the simple physics of his large stick make it difficult for him to get to it. A forward who's accustomed to playing down low, who has a shorter, quicker stick, would be better suited for that role.

Plus, Chara wins the hardest shot competition every year. Why are we waisting that rocket slapshot? He scored 14 goals this year, 8 on the PP, and all of those came from the point or when he'd rotate down from the point. Not from inside the crease.

Another problem is Kaberle. He's simply not contributing to the Power Play. His passes are bland. He's not a shooter. And when he does get clever, it's too clever, and often results in a turnover.

In the 1st period, the Bruins' Power Play was able to get shots on Luongo. But all the shots came from Kaberle, Seidenberg, and Krejci. These guys are not scorers. 23 total goals scored by this trio. A shot on goal is never a bad play, but these guys simply aren't going to score. Yet all of them are on the ice at the same time, and they're the only ones getting shots on net.

And when you put Chara in the crease, that's 3 defensemen on the ice, one of them never scores (Kaberle) plus a forward who only scores when he's set up by other forwards (Krejci), it's not an equation that will result in many goals.

The Bruins beat the Lightning by grinding for 60 minutes, and waiting for Tampa Bay to make a mistake. The Canucks aren't going to make mistakes. The B's are going to have to make their own luck against them.

But I'm optimistic. The Bruins have recovered well from tough losses in this postseason. Thomas gets an extra day off to recuperate from his stellar performance. The NHL gets an extra day to decide if Alexandre Burrows is a zombie or a vampire.

I think it takes a lot to be suspended in the Stanley Cup Finals, but grabbing hold of an opponents arm, jamming their finger in your mouth, then chomping down warrants at least a 1 game suspension. It's just too weird.

And I wasn't crying over Dan Hamhuis not being able to return to the game. His hit on Lucic was within the rules, but a hipcheck to the knee area is kind of sketchy. I was glad to see Krejci stick up for his teammate.

I'm also sick of the Roberto Luongo talk. He hasn't gotten the respect that other goalies get because of an inconsistent playoff record, because he whines if he doesn't get to start 70+ games, because he's a prima donna and a baby. He's a Quebecois goalie that plays for a team north of the border, he gets plenty of respect already.

Game 2 Saturday night. I like our chances.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

STANLEY CUP FINALS PREVIEW

It's June. The weather is beautiful. And there's a Bruins game on tonight. What a great way to start the summer.

The Canucks are the best team - on paper and on the ice - that the Bruins will face this postseason. They have fast forwards like Tampa, but their forwards are also strong. They have stalwart defensemen like Montreal. They have a Vezina nominee in net.

It's nice to see two traditional hockey markets in the Finals again. Last year saw Chicago vs. Philadelphia, which was a refreshing break from the streak of southern and Californian teams that just don't seem to belong in the sport. And in case you were wondering, Vancouver is as hockey-obsessed as Montreal and Toronto, as this video of the Vancouver skyline reacting to their OT win over San Jose demonstrates:

Frankly, I think Roberto Luongo is a bit overrated. He's Canadian born, plays on a Canadian team, and that's a formula for the hockey media to give him more praise and credit than he's due. But he's still very good. He does tend to get overly aggressive at times. And unlike Tim Thomas, he's sometimes not able to recover and make the save. He's also susceptible to being rattled.

I lost all respect for Luongo's character in the opening round of the playoffs. He was pulled twice, and in Game 6 the Canucks started backup Cory Schneider. Luongo didn't even sit on the bench with his teammates. He watched the game on TV from the locker room. Thanks to a Schneider injury, he found his way back between the pipes.

The strength of the Canucks is their top two lines. The Sedin twins will likely win back-to-back Hart (MVP) Trophies. Only five players scored 40+ goals this season, and two of them play for Vancouver: Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler. The Canucks can get offense from beyond their top 2 lines, but these units have to be the focus of the Bruins defensemen. Not only do Chara and Seidenberg have to continue their epic level of play, Boychuk and Ference need to be almost as good. Boychuk was hit-or-miss against the Lightning. He's capable of so much better.

The Canucks' defensemen also contribute to the offense. Kevin Bieksa's 5 playoff goals are 4th on the team. Christian Ehrhoff is also a weapon, and should be healthy enough to start Game 1 tonight. Their defensemen also play some pretty solid defense. The grinding battles between forechecking Bruins' forwards and the Vancouver d-men will be very fun to watch, and will determine who wins these games.

The numbers are all on Vancouver's side. #1 in goals scored, #1 in goals allowed, #1 power play, #3 penalty kill. So what do the Bruins have?

Tim Thomas. He's the key. If he plays at his best, the Bruins have a good chance to win this series. He can keep them in every game.

Also, neither team has much Stanley Cup Finals experience. So as talented as Vancouver is, they're just as likely to succumb to nerves as the Bruins are.

For the Bruins to win, they need guys like Thomas, Chara, Seidenberg, Bergeron, Horton, and Krejci to continue playing at the level they've been playing at. They need contributions from Seguin, Paille, Peverley, and McQuaid. They need Michael Ryder to step up for more than two games per series. Mark Recchi also needs to show up and make an imprint on the game. Tomas Kaberle needs to be benched.

The power play MUST be productive. I'm not a huge fan of Chara playing in the crease, because it takes away his fearsome slapshot, and also his ability to sneak in to the faceoff dots from the backdoor. I don't mind if he rotates to the crease once and awhile, but don't like him starting there.

Horton should be the distributor on the halfwall, not Krejci. Although Krejci is a better passer, the threat of Horton shooting is much more imminent. Opposing penalty killers must respect that shot, which will open up space for the forwards down low.

I like the idea of rotating a forward into the very high slot, essentially at the blue-line. This is a good place to put Bergeron or Peverley. Vancouver will either have to stretch themselves to defend against it, or leave the points ample space to shoot.

The key to a successful power play is to make the opposing team work their asses off. Don't make it easy with perimeter passes. Don't make it easy with giveaways, forced passes, or low quality entries. Move bodies, not just the puck. These are simple concepts.

I think the Bruins will win this. I think Luongo will have a flustered game at some point. I think Thomas will steal a game. Bruins in 6.