Random Thoughts VI

Raycroft wins 2nd straight:

The Dallas Stars faced the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday afternoon, in a game that wasn't televised in my area, but I'd found out Avalanche head coach Tony Granato was starting Andrew Raycroft...for the second straight game!!

For Maple Leaf and Bruins fans, you all know about Raycroft. The guy has been on the decline since his 2004 rookie season... yikes. Yet, when he's in goal for the Avalanche, they can't lose.

Raycroft is now 2-0-0, while Peter Budaj is 0-3-0. Well, it's still early for a goaltending controversy, and for all we know, Raycroft could go 0-10-0 in his next appearances.

I recall in the New York Rangers' 1994 championship season, No. 1 goalie Mike Richter started the year 0-4-0 and backup Glenn Healy was 4-0-0. So what? Richter was the main man during the season and Stanley Cup playoff run.

And we all know about Raycroft's 2-0 start in the 2004 playoffs. Nope, the Bruins didn't win that series.

I admit I was a bit excited when I saw the score on The NHL Network ticker: Colorado 5, Dallas 5, third period. I'd known that the Avalanche had taken a 5-2 lead after two periods, and that meant Raycroft had surrendered three goals in the third. Just like his meltdowns in Toronto last season, when he would allow last-minute or very-late goals to lose games for the Leafs.

But nope... the score reverted to Colorado 5, Dallas 4 later on that ticker, and I couldn't believe it. Nope, The NHL Network didn't have a glitch the way TBS did later in the evening (not showing Game Six of the ALCS for the opening 20 minutes), but it turned out the Stars' tying goal was disallowed.

So, Raycroft hung on, and is perfect this season.

Well, it's early. I'm sure the Raycroft of the last couple seasons will show his true form soon enough.

Wayne Gretzky ad:

That TV commercial showing Wayne Gretzky and Maurice "The Rocket" Richard advertising how the best investment firms working together bring awesome results... just plain dumb. I can't stand that commercial.

There's one poll on Bleacher bio here when every writer can weigh in: Orr or Gretzky? Nope, I've never seen Orr play live, but I've seen enough documentaries and game films, and stories and interviews from the Scotty Bowmans, the Bobby Clarkes, and other Hall of Famers, to determine Orr was greater than The Great One. Sorry, but #4 > #99.

And haha! Checking my own poll question from earlier this week, it appears no one is giving Gretzky any respect either. In my unofficial poll, all five respondents have picked Wayne Gretzky thus far (as "sucking" more as a head coach than the recently fired Denis Savard)...

That's a perfect 100%!! Yes, a small sample size, but you can't argue with 100%! (Yup. I know. Some people will see this and start voting the other way... but for now, 100%!!)

Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays:


HAHA! Going to Game 7! As I said in my article, THAT wasn't supposed to be an obituary... and the Kings of Comebacks!

But truth be told, I was pretty upset about that Aaron Boone thing and was devastated when they let Kevin Brown off the hook in Game 3 in 2004 (and lost 19-8 despite hanging in there early, tied 6-6 at one point)... but honestly this year, I couldn't care less.

Hmm.. maybe I will blame the TBS coverage for this lack of interest. Brutal coverage.