Dumb hockey

It's always about goaltending in the end.  Bottom line.  But it's also about turn-overs -- be they poor stick handling or icing.  You can't win if you keep turning the puck over.  And that's what Montreal is doing this evening. 

Now they are down three-one.  I fear defeat.  The thing that appalls me (one of so many) is the crashing of the net.  This was always verboten.  You could not crash the net.  You could not get in the crease.  There were penalties to pay for that.  Now, why bother painting the blue semi-circle in front of the goal?  Players just jam the net and knock it off its pins with gay abandon.  The only reason Carey Price is injured is because he was crashed.  No goalie should ever be injured.  Ever.  Opponents should never get that close to the goalie to cause injury.  Frankly, I don't get what's going on??

But some goalies have themselves to blame when they pull a "Jacques Plante" and skate half way down the rink and out of the crease.  Then they are asking for it.  But in the crease, no way should they be vulnerable.

I have to tell you, dear readers, that I dated several NHL players back in "the day".  Won't tell you who, except for the late Brian Smith.  He played for the Los Angeles Kings and hideously was murdered in Ottawa by a crazy crazy.  We had so much fun.  They had money and cars.  The players I dated played golf all day while I worked from eight to four at a crappy summer job.  Then we would hit the Hull bars until three!  How in G-d's name did I do that? 

Ah, to be young!