From: kim@guppy.uucp (Isaac Kim)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey
Subject: Re: Sharks lose to Canadiens 4-1
Date: 6 Jan 1993 23:23:37 GMT
Organization: UC San Diego
NNTP-Posting-Host: guppy.ucsd.edu

In article <1993Jan6.032531.12983@CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU> nlu@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Nelson Lu) writes:
>In article <1iddroINNa6r@network.ucsd.edu> kim@guppy.uucp (Isaac Kim) writes:
>
>>Heaven forbid that the Sharks were FORCED to do all of that skating.  What
>>do they think they are, a hockey team?  Montreal is one of the faster teams
>>in the NHL, but Vancouver, Calgary or Winnipeg can be just as fast.
>>Did the Sharks wear down because they are used to the puny Cow Palace ice
>>surface, or do you think this is a conditioning problem?
>
>I think both.  The Sharks are not particularly fast skaters, and putting in
>guys like David Maley and Robin Bawa kind of compounded the problem.  However,
>the biggest key, I think, is that the Canadiens practiced that same morning
>at Arco Arena (which has a standard size arena) while the Sharks practiced at
>the Cow Palace, which probably made them less accustomed to play a game that
>same night on the bigger ice surface.

Not only did the Canadiens get to practice on the larger ice surface, but
I sure they got a chance to learn about some of the tricky bounces off the 
boards and glass which are unique to each hockey arena.  I remember when the 
Flames first started play in the beautiful but quaint Stampede Corral.  Not 
only was the ice surface shorter than the standard NHL rink, but the end boards 
were some of the most lively I have ever seen.  A standard Calgary play in
the early days of the Corral was to come in on a one-on-one break and as soon
as you crossed the blue line, just shoot the puck hard against the end boards.  
The defenseman would instinctively turn to go chase the puck.  The puck would
generally bounce hard and wiz passed the surprised defenseman right back to the
forward for an uncontested shot.  The other teams learned quickly though.

>(BTW, Isaac, I think Robitaille has avoided my .sig jinxing thus far; but a
>couple guys on the Sharks mailing list and Glenn Chin have suggested that I
>started putting... (I am still pondering))

Boy, it's nice to know I have all of these enemies throughout r.s.h. land :-)
 
>===============================================================================
>GO CALGARY FLAMES!  Mike Vernon for Vezina!  Gary Roberts for Hart and Selke!
>===============================================================================

I LIKE IT.  In fact I dare you to use this as your .sig as long as Calgary is
in first or second place in the Smythe.  Realistically, no matter how well
Mikey plays for the rest of the season, as long as Roy doesn't get hurt,
the sports writers will vote him the Vezina.  As long as Mario stays
healthy, he is a shoe-in for the Hart and Ross.  I think the only 
Flames that have a chance at individual trophies are C.J. Young for the
Calder and Gary Roberts for the Lady Byng (although Roberts might get some
competition from Kevin Stevens).

>
>(Well, Al MacInnis has already been gone without my jinxing anyway, but...)

Nelson, it's not nice to make fun of players who are injured.

>
>===============================================================================
>[Under construction; I have to think about who to jinx next; I have already
>jinxed Gretzky, Hackett, and Ozolinsh]
>===============================================================================
>Nelson Lu (claudius@leland.stanford.edu)
>rec.sport.hockey contact for the San Jose Sharks

Isaac (kim@bull.ucsd.edu)