Continuing the painstaking, time consuming analisys of the Anaheim Ducks. Be warned, it will blow your mind. If you are not up to reading this sort of in depth analysis, with pithy insights, perhaps you should look away, and maybe even turn on the CBC. Just warning you now.

Creating confusion and havoc with speed and hard work…

Lead to a bad line change for the opposing team, and too many men on the ice.

More work along the boards.

Now, watch this. Keep an eye on the defenseman on the outside..

He cuts off the top man, and gets in for a near perfect pinch down low. Just brilliant. You can’t trade players to Edmonton for that kind of skill.

Staying tight to his man, the D doesn’t let him get a pass off.

And don’t forget, they have some serious talent in the system, lots of young prospects waiting in the wings (HA!!)

Well, that’s all I have for now, but you can be assured that if the Ducks start changing systems or tactics, you can read about it here.

Technorati : Aneheim, Ducks, Hockey, NHL

There is so much to read these days, I missed this from a few days ago. From The Denver Post:

The Avalanche organization is continuing negotiations that could lead to Colorado supplying talent for a new American Hockey League franchise in Cleveland.

Cleveland. Whoopie.

Quicken Loans chairman Dan Gilbert, who also owns downtown Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena and the Cleveland Cavaliers, also will own the hockey AHL franchise.

As far as I can tell, that’s pretty much the only way it’s going to work in Cleveland. A major reason the San Jose Sharks moved the Cleveland Barons to Worcester was because they had an unfavorable lease deal (high rent). If the guy who owns the arena owns the team, there is no such thing. The question will be about attracting fans, which was the other problem for the Barons. They weren’t doing so well in that regard of late. But there’s nothing like taking hockey away to make fans come back, right lockout sufferers?

Still, Cleveland. I would rather see the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL be moved to an AHL level team, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the Cyclones.

Technorati : AHL, Avalanche, Avs, Cleveland, NHL, hockey

I gotta say, those Dancing Hockey Cats are worth their weight in posts. Yesterday, someone who stumbled across the hockey cats posts put it up on the Official Washington Capitals Message Board. Well, the results were amazing. I know these are small beans numbers compared to places like the Battle of Alberta, or Kuklas, but for me, this is huge. I get more hits from google search pages than from people. I’m OK with that, but some days it sure is nice to get a big day out of the JAHL. They say write for yourself, and that’s what I do, some days that seems like all I do. So, here was what I got at 11:59 PM:

By comparison, this is what the average day and week looks like around here:

Of course, I was just waiting to see if I got that nice round number of 250. And really, I’m fine with that, but then I refreshed the thing just after midnight. Guess what:

One person logged on right after midnight, and who would that fateful person who made it by JAHL at 12:00:12 AM? Earl Sleek from the Battle of California. Such is life.

Thanks to all the Caps fans, and the Habs fans who saw the forum post someone put up at the Official Montreal Canadiens Message Board. Thanks for stopping by, and making this the MOST VISITED DAY EVER.

Now, back to the stuff.

There is so much to read these days, I missed this from a few days ago. From The Denver Post:

The Avalanche organization is continuing negotiations that could lead to Colorado supplying talent for a new American Hockey League franchise in Cleveland.

Cleveland. Whoopie.

Quicken Loans chairman Dan Gilbert, who also owns downtown Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena and the Cleveland Cavaliers, also will own the hockey AHL franchise.

As far as I can tell, that’s pretty much the only way it’s going to work in Cleveland. A major reason the San Jose Sharks moved the Cleveland Barons to Worcester was because they had an unfavorable lease deal (high rent). If the guy who owns the arena owns the team, there is no such thing. The question will be about attracting fans, which was the other problem for the Barons. They weren’t doing so well in that regard of late. But there’s nothing like taking hockey away to make fans come back, right lockout sufferers?

Still, Cleveland. I would rather see the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL be moved to an AHL level team, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the Cyclones.

Technorati : AHL, Avalanche, Avs, Cleveland, NHL, hockey

The Ducks are first in the NHL right now, but they have the rare night off. Who couldn’t use more Ducks? Maybe the LA Kings. Or the Coyotes. I haven’t seen very many Ducks games this season, but I thought I would throw in my two cents as to why they are doing so well. This is the kind of hard hitting analysis you have come to expect around here from JAHL. This is the kind of work that would kill a weaker man. But I aim to please.

This is classic Ducks. On this breakout, see how the duck at the bottom of the picture is driving hard to the blue line, making the defender give chase. Great speed, and a confidence his teammates along the boards will get the puck to him.

Hard backchecking. These guys don’t give up.

Three Ducks lined up at the red line, but this is not the trap. Nope, not a trap. Really. We mean it.

Good work along the boards.

There are five players covering four Ducks. Where is the fifth Duck?

There he is, on the breakaway. Such calm and poise. It can only be Teemu

Now that’s serious puck support!

It’s pretty obvious, from the photographic evidence, what the Ducks are doing right. They are the best team for a reason, and here at JAHL, we tell the tail. (HA!) But that’s only part of the story. More Ducks analysis soon.

Technorati : Anaheim, Ducks, Hockey, NHL

Still Life From Last Night
Originally uploaded by Tapeleg.

I’ll tell you right now, I was reading the book on the left a hell of a lot more than the one on the right. The puck is from Monday’s game. It’s the same one I gave to the Acidqueen at the game.

Right on the heals of the Biggest Blogging Announcement Ever!!!! (yes, even bigger than The Battle of California actually being a battle), I took the plunge a week or so ago, dropped the spare change, and now,

JERSEYS AND HOCKEY LOVE IS MOVING!!!!

Yes, that’s right, in a few weeks, I will take all the limited talent I have produced on blogger, and move to it’s own separate site. I should be ready to take the plunge in a week or so, and I will be moving all of the content over to a WordPress blog, so things will be interesting for me shortly.

I also have a few other projects in mind for the site, nothing to big or shocking, but stay with me on this, I think it’s going to be fun.

As for Alanah at VCOE, I wish her well on the move of her site, even though I’m kind of sad she is shutting down the old dog. VCOE was one of the reasons I started blogging in the first place.

I will let you know when the date is near for the inevitable screwup I will make in transferring sites. Thanks for sticking around.

Technorati : Hockey, JAHL, Jerseys, VCOE

Still Life Before the Game
Originally uploaded by Tapeleg.

I wasn’t around a network to send this earlier. Yes, that is a Stella. Yes, Stella is hockey beer.

First period
Why is Hejduk a scratch? Or Svatos? Why is Grahame in goal for the Canes? Smells like a low importance game.
GOOOOOAAALLL!!!!!! Arnason gets his own rebound.
You can always tell Laperierre, not by his sze, but by his expressions. He gestures like a french canadian.
Clark breaks up a pass, but puts it right on his own net. Nerve wracking.
Skrastins for hooking. I hate when he takes a penalty, since he’s one of our best PKers.
Puck goes out of play, and the Avs catch a break. It looked cleanly out, but it’s hard to tell from this angle.
Leopold makes a few nice moves, which are promptly nuetralized by Vaanenen. You have all the vowels, Ossi. Isn’t that enough?
Turgeon for hooking: the Canes get in ckose to Budaj, but get nothing. Commodore gets the between the legs of an Av, but there is no call. The penalty is killed, but that’s two against the Avs, and none against the Canes. That’s living dangerously if it keeps going.
Third penalty in a row for the Avs (Sakic for hooking). It’s because the Avs aren’t coming out of their zone well. The Canes are getting past them too much on the way to the goal.

2nd period
Clark is in the penalty box for holding. I missed the call because I went to visit the Acidqueen. More on that later.
Richardson for hooking makes for a long 5-3 (1:31)
The 5-3 kill was working so well. A Canes fan will tell you it was tic-tac-goal, but it was a little more sloppy than that.Williams from Stillman and Staal. That ain’t no way to
live. 1-1
Finally, a hard check from the Avs. And a Canes penalty. Puck out of play for the Delay of game.
The powerplay falls apart, and a couple chances get turned into a chase.
Canes #25 gets stuck in the glass. Jersey pinched in the glass. That isn’t in the rule book.
Canes for holding the stick. Yeah, at home. Alone. Like he does.
HELL of a shot sequence there. Avs take advantage of the broken stick. Commodore bodyslams an Av in the crease. I don’t think Lappy will be tangling with him tonight.
Turgeon is looking at is feet way too much. He isn’t making quck plays, and it’s leading to turnovers.
Wolski with Brunette and Sakic. Good combo.
Cotton-Eyed Joe. Hick meets techno. Perfect Colorado song.
Period ends 1-1. I’m off to see the Acidqueen.

3rd period
And just as I get back. Canes score. As I was waiting to get back to my seat, I wondered why Leopold would let the man he’s checking make any lind of pass. I was thinking, “finish that check.” And now it’s 2-1. Crap.and right away, holding on Brisebois. The experiment is almost over.
Budaj with the HUGE 2 on 1 save.
Klee with the 2 on 1 save.
But things are not clicking enough for the Avs. The quick passing and creativity we saw at the beginning of the season isn’t happening like it was. Hejduk out, Svatos out, none of it is helping
GOOOOOAAALLL Brunette putting in his own rebound. Is that the Sakic-Wolski-Brunette line? You freaking bet!
Avs on the PP. And a…
GOOOOOAAALLL!!!!!! Liles jumps up in the play and slaps it home. Brunette and Sakic with the assists. 3-2 Avs. Hope springs in turtles.
I’m starting to think that if there was a stat for softest checks, the Avs would lead.
Whitney for tripping’ but the crowd didn’t realize because it was called by the back official.
GOOOOOAAALLL !!! Brunette feeds Sakic, who slaps it in.
Next play, Sakic on the rush fires up the crowd. Nothing like having a late lead to get the crowd behind you.
Is it REALLY fun to stay at the YMCA? I doubt it.
With less than 5 minutes left, Canes take a hooking penalty. Not the way to get back into the game. Grahame makes the slidibg kick save. But then
GOOOOOAAALLL!!!!!! No one sees it go in, and even Turgeon dost know what happened. Under review… I’m going to watch this one on tape.
IT’S GOOOD!!!! 5-2 Avs.
Budaj is seeing everything at this point.
Clark goes in the box for a hook, but it doesn’t help the Canes at all.
Avs win it 5-3.

Postgame
The fact that Rod Brind’amour was out with a groin injury helped the Avs, but the game looked like the Avs played 2 periods, the Canes played about 1 and a half, and Peter Budaj played all three. He is working hard for the top job in net.

Now, beer me. I’m off for a beer with the Acidqueen. Blogger beer summit!

If you are going to the game, BURN THIS JERSEY INTO YOUR BRAIN: And if you see it, say hello. I go to games by myself, so it would be fun to talk hockey with someone. Or know that someone is seeing this thing. I will be hanging out at Brooklyn’s (right outside the main entrance to the Pepsi Center) before the game, most likely in the upper bar, and probably for a little bit afterwords to catch whatever late hockey action they are showing (Coyotes vs Sharks final period?). I have no idea where I’m going to be sitting, as I will buy a ticket when I get there. And I will have a small preview of the game tomorrow.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Canes, Carolina, Hockey, Hurricanes, NHL