I am more convinced that the Moose Jaw Warriors (a team that I have previously said will win the East) want nothing to do with the Regina Pats in the first round of the playoffs. They might not have to worry about it.
Playing without Jordan Weal and Martin Marincin and giving Matt Hewitt the night off, the Pats went into Moose Jaw and had another ring a ding dong dandy with the Warriors losing 3-2 in overtime. The point moves Regina into 6th in the East where they are tied with Kootenay with each team having three games left. Saskatoon is one back while Brandon is two behind and like Regina and Kootenay they also have three games left. Here's the breakdown
Regina--home (Prince Albert, Brandon) away (Brandon)
Kootenay--home (Edmonton, Calgary) road (Calgary)
Brandon--home (Moose Jaw, Regina) road (Regina)
Saskatoon --home (Prince Albert, Swift Current) road (Swift Current)
Looking at that sked, I would say Kootenay has the toughest seeing they are playing teams all ahead of them in the standings and that Saskatoon would have the easiest. Get ready for a wild final week.
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Why did the Pats have Weal and Marincin as a healthy scratch last night? I'm not going to question Pat Conacher, but I do wonder why the two star players would be sat when points are at a premium. Did the two misbehave after clinching a playoff spot Friday? If the game didn't mean anything, I can understand it, but it didn't. By the way, when people look back at this team and how they surprised many, they might be able to go right back to night one of the regular season. Many were shocked at the home opener to learn Weal had been scratched. He had missed a team meeting. Conacher sent a message right from day one that no one--even the team's best player--was immune to punishment. Conacher could have dressed Weal for the home opener and had him miss a road game, but he said no and he didn't care about all the fans that were showing up to watch the team for the first time and its best player. That was big.
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I said going into the Brier that it would be Alberta and Ontario in the final and lookie, lookie who is there. Glenn Howard will play Kevin Koe tonight for all the marbles (or should I say all the donuts). Howard has been the best rink all week, but he seemingly stumbles in the big game.
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If Koe wins, the ohhhhhh Pat Simmons won a Brier isn't that nice story will be told. Count me in as one of those who say big deal. That move didn't impress me.
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You had the Brier or Hockey Night in Canada, what did you watch last night?
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When the Brier was over, I switched over to HNIC and I had to ask if CBC was showing Major League Soccer. The Leafs and Flyers were level at nil or tied 0-0 after 65 minutes while it was 1-0 for Montreal over Vancouver. Having no interest in either team, I watched "Two and a Half Men" and called it a night. Yes, what an exciting Saturday night for yours truly.
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I didn't see Coach's Corner and he said last week he would say this week why Saskatoon should be in the NHL. What were his reasons?
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If you are in Saskatchewan and you are saying to yourself, that game starts at Noon today or it starts at 6, remember that the clocks changed overnight so the action begins an hour earlier.
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If this story is true, it may go down as the biggest gaffe in Toronto sports history and no, it doesn't involve Brian Burke. Sportsnet's John Shannon says many years ago, then Raptors GM Glen Grunwald turned down a trade offer that would have seen Vince Carter and Antonio Davis go to Dallas for Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki. WHAAAAAAAATTTT? Why on earth would Grunwald turn that deal down. If that's true, one can only wonder what the Raptors would be like today and how much playoff success they might have had. This deal would have been done before Nash's two MVP seasons and before Dirk's playoff MVP season last year.
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I confess I didn't know who Sarah Burke was before she died and its the same story with Nick Zoricic.
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Former Moose Jaw Warriors play by play man Randy Merkley had the thrill of a lifetime Friday night in Calgary. Merks went up to see his old buddy Brian Munz (Jets play by play man) before the Winnipeg-Calgary tilt. Munzie's regular colour man Shane Hnidy got sick moments before they were to go on air so Brian told Randy to strap on the headphones and do colour with him. That would have been awesome. Congrats Merks and good job Munzie.
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The Toronto Sun's Steve Simmons says it is his understanding that the Jays will bat Brett Lawrie 7th this year. Simmons goes on to say that if that is the case, Lawrie will be the best 7th place hitter in baseball. I agree.
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The Cubs and the Dodgers play exhibition baseball today on WGN. Can't wait.
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The Cougar womens basketball team is off to nationals after beating Brock last night. The team is three wins away from its second national crown. Get it done Dave!
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Why is it we screamed and moaned whenever it was nap time in kindergarten and now we scream and moan because we don't get nap time during the day?
9 comments:
Scheidl also didn't play last night. Those 3 were giving the night off not because of anything they did, but because of the Warriors goon act which they continued last night. But your dead on about the Warriors not wanting to play us in the playoffs. As I was leaving last night 20 MJ fans said to me you guys are in 6th now. Please for the love of god stay there.
FYI: Scheidl was also scratched. I can't see the best four players all violating a team rule so I'm guessing Conacher gave them all a night off. I don't know what's worse. Having to endure the taunts of the toothless mob while on the bench or having to wade through them while wearing suits watching from the box.
No doubt Saskatoon has easiest sked. I say they finish 6th and Regina finishes 7th. Look out Moose Jaw!!!
My Blades definately have the easiest schedule remaining but as usual at this time of year, we are horribly inconsistent. Will be very interesting how it ends up.
MS
I'm cheering against Alberta because of Simmons. I think that was garbage.
I feel terrible for the skiiers from Canada that have died, but why is there no uproar about the safety in those sports? At least no one in the NHL has died, on ice, and all we hear about is how unsafe the NHL is.
Good for Merks. I wonder if he has name in for Pats p x p guy. He'd be great!
Cherry was his usual self, telling people what they want to hear, always backing the underdog. His mini rant was pretty inaccurate population figures, corporate support all he could name was potash and uranium industries, so 2 companies is all you need for corporate support? usual Cherry drivel obviously his money is not involved
You can see his comments here http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockeynightincanada/coach’scorner/video/#id=2208713794
The warriors played 4 games in five night two of them being in alberta so Weal Scheidl, and Marcinun or how ever you spell it is a wash for there tiredness. Don't think for a second that Hewitt/Beukeboom can handle 40 plus shot a night plus MJ physicallity for a series! Then on top of all that MJ is near flawless at home. If I were the Pats I would want to play Edmonton. 4-0 against them this year thinks that would be the better match up for them. But not MJ.
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