Down to Bizness

Another Monday, which means another look back at this weekend's games in Hockey East. There have been a number of returns from last week, and some that might surprise you, but sit back and enjoy this week's edition of "The Good, the Bad, and the NO WAY!" THE GOOD: UNIVERSITY OF MAINE BLACK BEARS --The tweets were remarkable Friday night as the score between Maine and North Dakota climbed and climbed until finally it rested at 7-3. And yes, Maine did win. Now, we knew this team was good, but that good? The Black Bears finished their weekend with a sweep against NoDak, winning again on Saturday 4-2. They now are outscoring their opponents 28-17--that’s averaging almost five goals per game. WHO’S HOT : Well, truth be told, the entire team. There are only THREE members on the entire roster that have a minus rating on the ice. Three. That puts the team at a remarkable +28 overall. To put that in perspective, the undefeated Boston University Terriers only have a team total

Now that college hockey season is in full swing, I've decided to do a weekly version of what's been happening around Hockey East. Agree with me, disagree with me, it's all good! Let me know either way! So, without further adieu, here's this week's edition of "The Good, the Bad and the NO WAY!!!" THE GOOD: BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES --They are just good. I don’t care that they are No. 1 in the nation or that it was expected of them. We have seen teams in the past who won a national championship and then completely lost themselves the following year. The Eagles came out this weekend and swept No. 6 Denver with a 6-2 win on Friday and 3-0 win on Saturday. WHO’S HOT : Cam Atkinson is once again leading the way with points for BC, tallying four points this weekend against Denver (2g, 2a). Defenseman Tommy Cross also has made this week’s list with two goals himself, including the game winning goal on Saturday. Expect this kid to continue this kind of production, b

For the sake of PR, the Bruins players and Claude Julien didn’t want to make excuses for the Bruins’ poor performance in last night’s 4-1 Capitals schlacking. And really, no one could cover the fact that the team had one foot on the plane already to Belfast-- a 12 day stint across seas is something that tends to overwhelm anyone. So should fans, then, be upset about this game and performance showcased last night? Nahhh. Folks, it’s preseason. Yes, they should be working hard and blah blah blah, but this is the time where players learn about each other and their respective techniques and game styles. You can’t expect them to go out on the ice and instantly gel and become the top lines in the NHL. It’s just unrealistic and quite frankly isn’t going to happen. They have to go out in a game situation and experiment and find what does and doesn’t work, and that sometimes includes failing. So if your expecting smooth sailing and brilliant games through preseason, just don‘t watch. Now, frust

I find it funny that my last couple of entries have been all about lamenting or cursing and even a rare complaint (HA!). And while that fuels the passion for my writing, I feel like I should try and lean towards the lighter side of life. But that ain’t happening today. Sike! Instead, today I would like to talk about how to tell the difference between a sports fan and someone who watches sports. It might sound very simple: for example, some might believe a sports fan is one who watches every game, keeps track of stats and may even throw in a chest bump or two following an impossible catch out in center field. On the other hand, someone who watches sports is the person who just watches for the social aspect of sports, doesn’t know a touchdown from a free throw or why people laugh when talking about Plaxico Burress and the gun safety class he facilitates for community service. And while those are all good and valid points, both types of spectators have their weak links, or those people

In the recent turn of hockey events, I have pondered and reflected on my life in sports and what has transpired so far in my life. And as I pondered, the fun little statistic flashed across the television and read that only four sports teams EVER have blown a 3-0 series lead in a 7-game series. FOUR. You’ve got the Maple Leafs in 1942 when they won four against the Red Wings to capture the Stanley Cup. Then the Islanders put it to the Penguins in 1975 in the Quarterfinals after trailing 3-0, and of course in 2004, after the Yankees pulled out a 3-0 lead, the Red Sox miraculously took the next four and eventually won the World Series. But while some folks have experienced the heartbreak here and there, and the emotions coming off such a high to stumbling to the lowest of low, there are few (remember, only FOUR TIMES IN HISTORY) that have been unfortunate to feel it more than once. Aren’t I a lucky winner? That’s right folks, while I might not have been around to see Toronto steal the cu

Wow, it's been more than a month since my last post. After UNH fell out of the NCAA tournament, it took me this long to recover. Right. Unfortunately it has become a comfortable reality here in NH to expect losing in the first round after winning the regular season. So really, it didn't take very long to get over. There was some residual sting however after watching Boston College take the cake though. Ok, less “sting” more “slap in the face.” But, like I said, I'm over it. Honestly. Speaking of UNH hockey, the Wildcats finished off their season officially with their end of the year banquet where they eat well, hand out awards and announce the captain for next year. After a break out year for former UNH captain Bobby Butler (who signed with the Ottawa Senators soon after the NCAA exit), next year the Wildcats will boast the leadership of Superior, Wisconsin's finest, Mike Sislo. Also, Matt Campanale was named the Alternative captain for the Wildcats and both wil

Seriously. Let’s talk about this past week in college hockey. Hockey East hockey. The surprises, the disappointments, the expected and the cluster puck that was the league going into playoffs. Going into the last weekend of the regular season, there were so many different potential outcomes, no one could have predicted what was going to happen. The only assured thing was that BC and UNH would finish one-two, but that was even up in the air. But, as it went, teams battled it out and ultimately it was decided. That leads me to surprise #1. NORTHEASTERN HUSKIES ELIMINATED By one point, the Huskies were booted from the tournament and after quite the season comeback. But as things always go in Hockey East, it wasn’t just a clean and painless exit. No way. Northeastern was cut out not just by losing their game and Vermont winning theirs, but because Vermont managed to come out with a tie (not a win), giving them the one point they needed to move on. That’s just the way things happen in Hocke

Ahhh, yes. The ever important first post to a new blog. Break out the champagne and the noise makers, because this is truly a day for the history books. No, but seriously. To give you all a little bit of background information (nevermind the section to the right that says "About Me." Forget about it, this is more important). I'm 23 years old and have a passion for sports. Oh, I'm supposed to write more? Well I reckon you'll learn about me as the days, weeks, months and years go by, so no point in wasting space now! (Maybe you will want to look at that About Me section after all...) Oh and thanks to Tim Rosenthal over at Rosie's Hockey for helping me with the new blog name. Catchy, no? Anyway, you ready? Let's get Down to Bizness. CHEERS AND JEERS OF THE OLYMPICS Overall these Olympics were pretty grand. I found myself watching everything from the nordic combined, to curling and of course, the creme de la creme, hockey. But not all was fine and dandy. Let