Monday Moaning

 

Well that looks tasty!

It's a beautiful Monday...Today I start a week of vacation from work...No real plans, just getting stuff done that needs to get done, and I had to use the time before I lost it...Also, today is Mrs. Beeze and my 14 year anniversary...We've made it 14 years and she hasn't killed me yet...I most be doing something right! I know she hasn't stuck around for all my riches, because I'm fucking broke!

-As I predicted two weeks ago, the NCAA Hockey Championship came down to an all New England showdown, as Providence took on Boston University at the TD Garden in Boston...A month ago I wrote about talented BU freshman, Jack Eichel, who won the Hobey Baker, (Hockey Heisman) and how he'll be the number two player taken in the NHL draft this year...and how no one should be upset about landing this kid...In every game of the tourney, the 18 year old Eichel was the best player on the ice...

But Saturday night, as the championship game moved through the third period, BU leading 3-2, it became the tale of two goalies...Boston U.'s Matt O'Connor, and Providence's John Gillies...Gillies the top U.S. Goaltending prospect, drafted by the Calgary Flames has been college hockey's elite goalie...O'Connor has been solid, and a workhorse for BU, but it was seen more then once in the tourney that O'Connor had issues when handling the puck...He let in a fluke goal in the semifinal after mishandling the puck behind the goal...And Saturday, another fluke play turned the tide in the championship...

O'Connor had caught a shot in his glove, and was looking to drop it at the side of the goal for a defenseman, and lost it too soon, and the puck bounced between his legs, and into the goal...3-3 tie...And the kid was visibly shaken...

Barry Melrose sat in the booth suggesting the Friars just keep throwing the puck on net, or dumping it in, and make the shaken goalie handle it...It didn't take long for Providence long to ride the momentum, and go ahead 4-3...From there, the Friars kept grinding and gaining confidence, as Gillies made save after save...BU had a huge advantage winning face-offs, but late in the third period, Providence took control of that as well...And Gillies and his 49 saves bested O'Connor and his 39 saves leading the Providence Friars to the NCAA title...

Talent-wise, I would take BU any day, but a little momentum and a great goalie go a long way...I felt terrible for O'Connor...I hope the kid can get past this...Fucking nightmares!

Now I'm wondering will Eichel stick around with his young, talented Terrier teammates, or will he dash for the NHL?


-In NHL news, the Buffalo Sabres who have a great shot at landing Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel, fired head coach Ted Nolan...AGAIN...Yes, they have fired Nolan before...The first time it was an unjust firing, and while they sucked this year, and actually looked like they were tanking late in the year, I can't blame that all on the coach...Maybe look at the GM who gave him a pile of shit for a team...Some bad contracts, traded away their franchise goalie last year, and brought in 4 different teams backups to try and be the guy...3rd liners and a couple 20 year olds who you haven't even let  hit their full potential yet, aren't going to get it done...If you're rebuilding, rebuild...Give the guy time to get them there...If you're rebuilding, keeping a consistent coaching staff should be a key starting point...The Buffalo Sabres, are the Cleveland Browns of Hockey!

-Since its all been hockey so far, I thought I'd share this funny bit Jimmy Fallon did this week...





-Baseball season has started...And Friday was the Home Opener here in Cleveland...It's become an unofficial holiday here, just like I'm sure it is in many other cities...With every opening day comes in Cleveland comes a handful of protesters...LITERALLY  a  HANDFUL...Protesting the partially the Indians name, but mostly, the Chief Wahoo logo...Now while the organization says they won't get rid of the Chief, (because they know how many fans will be pissed) they have been slowly scaling him back...First with a script I and now the block C...Chief Wahoo is awesome...If they cave I'll be pissed...My wife is one of the most liberal human beings alive, and she doesn't get why this handful of people have an issue with the Chief...

But if it's that big of deal, feel free to not offend me by making a smiling white guy the new logo...The Cleveland Caucasians!

Go White Boys!


Have a week!

Second Place in the McDavid Sweepstakes Will be a Winner

(Freshman) Jack Eichel of Boston University is the leading candidate to be the #2 pick in the 2015 NHL entry draft...And while some would feel let down by not landing Erie Otters center, Connor McDavid...

They shouldn't...

Yes, McDavid is the most hyped guy since Crosby...The hype around him is reminiscent of when Eric Lindros was coming up...McDavid while averaging 2.56 points per game, also has a physical edge to his game, which did cost him some games this season after getting injured during a fight...

Eichel is basically a high school senior (due to his birthdate) playing against 21-24 year olds in Hockey East, and is averaging 1.79 points per game...And when you watch his game, and demeanor on the ice, he reminds me of  Jonathan Toews...That's a comparison I'd gladly take over being the "next Crosby," or "next Lindros"...

The cellar dweller teams are already considering their best possible trade offers to jump up to the #1 slot, to get McDavid...Buffalo's GM has already admitted to this as well as rumbling coming from the Coyotes...If I'm the guy sitting at 2, I'm not going to overpay, or sacrifice other future pick/prospects/key players for McDavid, when I can get a high quality player (Toews-like) at 2...

Some may think you gotta go for the "Can't Miss" guy like McDavid, but starting at 1980 and running through 2009, 13 of the 30 #2 picks had better careers, or are having better careers actively...

As for the teams looking to make that big deal to get McDavid, they may want to check their NHL history books...Eric Lindros refused to play for Quebec, and Philadelphia made one of the biggest deals in NHL history to get the future superstar...Quebec would move to Colorado and win two Stanley cups with a team built out of the Lindros deal...The Flyers and Lindros got a lot of headaches!

(yes, concussion joke!)

This kid has all the potential to be the face of a franchise...

The Beeze.

Monday Moaning

Well I hope everyone had a good Easter...It was a good one here at the Beeze household...After working a double Saturday night at the Fish House...I stopped a dive bar...Had a quick burger and a beer...Then I realized it would be an early wake up call with lots of sugar involved....So I headed home and started playing Easter Bunny...Which surprisingly...I'm not talking about anything Sexual...

I cracked open a Heineken...Turned on the NCAA Hockey National Championship game that I DVRed...And started hiding Easter Eggs...And stuffing jellybeans in my gob....About that hockey game...Miami (Ohio) took on Boston University...It was a great match up...Both teams are talented, and play a physical style of hockey...But looking at the talent...I thought BU would take it...At work I brought this up...One guy said..."Who the f*ck are you talking to?" Me being the only person they know who actually follows College Hockey...

During the evening the one manager and one of the servers were giving me updates...That wasn't gonna stop me from watching it though...Late in the game I was told Miami was 3-1 with 5 minutes to go...One of the guys in the kitchen...Who doesn't know a thing about hockey said..."It's over!"

A little while later, as we were breaking down the kitchen...The manager came back said..." I'm not gonna tell you what happens...Just watch the whole game." My first thought was...'Oh shit!'

With less then 2 minutes left BU scored and made it 3-2...Then with about 17 seconds left....BU tied it up...Overtime baby! Now it was late while I was watching this...And I had a few beers in me...But Somewhere around 12 minutes into the overtime The Terriers of Boston University scored the game winner on one of the flukiest goals I've seen...The puck was shot from the point...deflected...and flutter gently over the Miami Goaltender's (who was screened) shoulder...Poor kid didn't even see it...Congrats to both teams on great seasons...Congrats to BU's Matt Gilroy on winning the Hobey Baker Award (Hockey's Heisman)...And Congrats to the Terriers for winning it all!

It was a great game!

In other College Hockey news...And Notre Dame news...Fighting Irish goalie Jordan Pearce (yes The Hockey News that is how you spell his name...f*cking dolts)...Signed a two year NHL entry level contract with the Detroit Red Wings on Friday...Pearce made his professional debut Saturday for the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins...Pearce and the Griffins lost 5-2...He made 33 saves in the game...Two of the Peoria goals were scored by former Golden Domer Yan Stastny...Best of Luck to Jordan PEARCE...

Next let's move to the NHL...the playoff match-ups are set...

Here's what they look like....

In the Eastern Conference...#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers

#3 New JerseyDevils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers

In the Western Conference...San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks

#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues

#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames

As most people know...I'm a New York Rangers fan...Unfortunately I don't see them going all the way...They have been too inconsistent all year...And Goalie Henrik Lundqvist can only carry them so far...Somebody has to score goals for the guy...I think the Boston Bruins will take the East...They have been solid all year...They have great goaltending in Tim Thomas...And they have a great mix of skill players, and grinders...

In the West...I'm rooting for the Columbus Blue Jackets...Can rookie Goalie Steve Mason continue to do what he's done all season...I'm not sure...But I hope he can...His ability to take over a game has been amazing... I'll also be interested in seeing how Blue Jackets star Rick Nash does in his crack at the playoffs...

Unfortunately for the Jackets...They open with the Detroit Red Wings...That's a hell of a test for your first time in the playoffs...

My pick to win the West...The San Jose Sharks...In the past they have faltered in the playoffs...But I think all the pieces are there now...the most important piece they have...Evgeni Nabokov...

So you heard it here first...the Stanley Cup Final will be Boston vs San Jose...What a bitch that travel schedule will be!

Moving on...Did ya hear...Baseball Season started...The Cleveland Indians didn't get the message until Sunday...When their 5th starter was the first one to give the team 6 innings...Hell he was the first to give them 5...Oh...and he helped them gt their first win...Way to go Tribe...I was starting to worry you would go 0 for April...

So I took little Beeze to the a park today...That seems to be our thing...Checkout a new park and see how many "in the way people" we can find...http://thebeezewax.blogspot.com/2009/04/fck-your-dogyoure-ahole.html

...Mrs. Beeze and our daughter were going to the Hannah Montana movie...There was no way I was putting up with that shit...http://thebeezewax.blogspot.com/2009/04/spongebob-vs-hannah-montana.html

So we're at this park...It was a nice...Very nice Neighborhood...But then I saw them...This couple...Two Dolts for the price of one...Both of them with that totally lost look in their eyes...Like walking and talking at the same time was a real bitch for them...I don't want to attack there kid...It's not his fault...This is just a public service message...If you know your spouse is one of those "in the way people"...and you think you may suffer from the same problem...Don't have kids...They're just starting out with two strikes against them...Much like the Cleveland Indians!

In closing, I'd like to say...Happy Anniversary to my Beautiful, Smart, Sexy, Amazing, Wife...8 Years ago...On Good Friday...April 13th...We were married in a Chapel at Niagra Falls....It was the smartest thing I ever did...And I am truly a lucky man...I don't know what she saw in me...And I don't know how she puts up with me...But thank God she does...I love you Mrs. Beeze!

Have a great week...

Later, The Beeze.