Showing posts with label Calgary Flames. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calgary Flames. Show all posts

Sunday, February 20, 2011

What a Great Roll for Hockey! Heritage Classic Caps Off a Fab Mid Season Filled With Hockey Magic

If it says it on a pen, it must be true by Lisa Ovens


by Lisa Ovens

If you look back on the last two months, hockey fans everywhere have had more than a few reasons to celebrate this great game at the community level all the way up to the big league.

First the HBO 24/7 four part documentary leading up to the NHL's Winter Classic in Pittsburgh on Jan 1st, 2011. Then we had a re-vamped NHL All Star Weekend in North Carolina at January's end. A little while later and it was Hockey Day in Canada which has become a most beloved marathon of hockey's goodness. An then this weekend it was the still establishing its roots, Hockey Day in America and then finally  we saw the big league return to its outdoor hockey roots in Canada for the Heritage Classic at  Cagary's McMahon Stadium featuring the Calgary Flames and the Montreal Canadiens.

All I can say is GO HOCKEY GO!!

These events set plenty of things in motion from every person assigned to work on the spectacles, to fans at home planning a day of spectating. If anything, we can call this time The Mid Season Hockey Festival...Season? A time where hockey turns up the marketing heat and entire communities of people put on a show.

The Calgary Flames and the NHL scored a touchdown for presenting a fabulous event and McMahon Football Stadium. Too bad the Montreal Canadiens went scoreless in this 4-O chilly, outdoor affair. Maybe coach, Jacques Martin should have sported a hat today (putting a hat on a coach just adds a serious touch to the look that this hat lover approves!).

And Flames fans prove yet again they are the Kings of Seas, as the forty thousand member crowd showed off the RED.  Though I was impressed to catch one dude in a Canucks jersey during one of the many crowd shots...sweet!

Now the Mid Season Hockey Festival Season is over. The hockey world turns towards one thing...the race to the Playoffs and the fight to qualify. Things are going to get Gritty with a capital G. Are you ready for that, everybody?

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Eat Pray Love Hockey: Part One

She was sick. It came on when she was at the Calgary Flames/ Canucks game with Michelle. It was the first Canuck home game of this new year and it was swell of Michelle to treat her to a hockey game. She put on a brave face. Surely the hockey would help.
Michelle, a Flames fan was sympathetic. Nice of her considering the Canucks easily beat her Flames 4-1, and somewhat embarrassing them in the process. 

Lisa: I’m so sick.
Michelle: I know you are.
Lisa: But the Canucks sure look like winners…for now.
Michelle: it’s not easy being a Flames fan right now, with all the Oli Jokinen joke photos and gifs out there. He’s my fave, you know. Did you say something?
Lisa: Oli “Joke” inen. Haha.


photo below from HF Boards



She made her way home on the bus. The Triple O burger weighed her down. He body resonated with every movement. A fever was coming on. Feed a cold, starve a fever? As full as she was, with the burger and yet another convincing Canuck win, she never felt emptier.

The weekend came and she was bedridden. But at least she made it to the doctor. The huge pills ( take two, with food, by mouth, once per day until finished) left a horrible metallic taste in her mouth.

She set up her netbook attached to a large monitor on the coffee table so she could watch the Canucks/ Red Wings game while curled up on the sofa. This was good. At least she got out of bed for Hockey Night in Canada.

As sick as she was she enjoyed the Elliot Friedman piece on Red Wings head coach, Mike Babcock. She always liked Babcock and thought his voice and manner of speaking was so unique, just like her voice and manner of speaking.

Lisa: Wow, Babcock and I should be hosting a show together – our voices together, alone, would kill!

As it turned out, she watched the Babcock segment several times over the next week, only because it was a great moment in sandwich…and it lifted her spirits from the sad place that was her soul...

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Still Kickin'



2009 Hockeyandhighheels.com Swag Off!!!

The Quarter Finals: The following teams are still duking it out in round one, leaving semi final bound fans guessing, speculating, calculating, imagining, and salivating over which team their boys will do battle with next.

What better way to celebrate the "Days of Do or Die" with a little Hockeyandhighheels.com Stanley Cup Playoffs Swag Off? Readers who were around last year might remember such famous swag offs like the Save the Predators T-Shirt versus the SteveYzerman Commenorative Sports Illustrated magazine. Or the Colorado Avalanche Mini Stein shot glass vs the Minnesota Wild game program. Which swag items will make it to the Finals this season???


In the West...

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames
Blackhawks lead the series 3-2


Try something new on your next evening out: bring along a functional accessory sporting one of the NHL's hottest logos. Surprise your friends at dinner, or in the lounge. (that's my cousin's lobster in the background. I had a big steak.) I've had this beer cozy stored away in the Hockey Swag box for four years, and finally it comes out to play, just like the Chicago Blackhawks have after a seven year absence from the post season. They are heading back to Calgary one more time to face the Sea of Red, and if the Flames have their way, a refreshed Mikka Kipprosoff and an angry Jerome Iginla. And they won't like it when Jerome's angry.




This stylin' Calgary Flames jersey hand bag screams "I'm a winner!" However, the Flames were definitely looking like losers in game five. The Blackhawks displayed the "win at all costs atittude", making it difficult for the Flames to get shots through to the net. On the downside, Phaneuff left the game. On the upside Jerome said "We will be ready for the next game." The jersey bag hopes so...it'll look smashing in the semi's...


**********


San Jose Sharks vs. Anaheim Ducks

Ducks lead the series 3-2



Since we hear so much about Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, I thought it would be nice to showcase the league's other Evgeni. Evgeni Nabokov would like to play in the semi's too, and he hopes Joe and Patrick want to so bad, they continue to shake the damn choking, floating, long faced looks on the bench style of whatever it is that seems to plague them around this time of year. No time like the present...




The Anaheim Ducks are the team no one wants to play. Period. Who's fault is that anyways? Ah, let's blame Brian Burke...or George Parros' mustache. Or Chris Pronger's elbows. Or the Neidermayers' mom. Or the combination of orange towels and Snoop Dog. Or the fact they are really close to Disneyland, and boy could I use a visit to the happiest place on earth. But this isn't about me, it's about the Ducks, those super confident Ducks, trying to play mind games with the Sharks but the Sharks have been too busy playing mind games with themselves. Lucky Ducks...



*********

In the East...


Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers
New York leads the series 3-2


I am sure there are hockey fans out there that think the Rangers Sean Avery and coach John Tortorella both deserve a good spanking. Well look no further than the above classic wooden Rangers mini stick as the spanking accessory of choice! Just under 2 ft. tall, the mini stick is sure to draw a chuckle from even the surliest Washington Capitals fan sitting behind the bench! Coach Torts has been suspended for one game due to bad behavior, but Ranger fans must be hoping the scratched Sean Avery returns to play in game six: one of these water bottle shooters needs to be present at MSG for game six to make up with everybody and continue the co-dependent thing into the second round.




The sick goal. The sick sick goal. Alexander Ovechkin’s game four highlight reel goal was almost overshadowed by Rangers Coach John Tortorella’s bench boss antics on Friday night. Like their team, The Washington Capital’s Sea of Scarlet (a tribute to Club Scarlet, girls!) is on the brink of elimination, and will have to helplessly watch from home as the Caps try to tie up this series and force a game seven. At least some of the fans will look lovely in Versace dresses.

******


New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes

Devils lead the series 3-2

The most talked about game in this series was game four; with the Hurricanes winning the game thanks to a buzzer beater shot delivered by Jussi Jokinen (can it get more buzzer beater than 0.2 seconds left on the clock?). Cue the stick throwing .Yes, the Devils prefer to make a bigger statement with tossing a stick, rather than water bottles (that’s what the Manhattan hockey players do). All I remember is walking by the TV, highlight package on, and Devils net minder, Martin Brodeur heaving his stick at the boards. Perhaps, long after the game was over, Brodeur had his feet up and enjoyed a different kind of shot from this attractive Devils Shot glass. Coming in at just under five bucks, this little glass can perk up even the most frustrating of days. Use the Devils shot glass responsibly!!

Yes, I will admit...this is an old bag of chips. But, it was the last bag I found after the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in 2006, and it was a keeper. Look at Rod Brind’amour - That’s a happy guy. And these Caniac chips are a tasty side kick for the Devils shot glass- talk about a perfect match. And the series has proven to be a good match, too: four out of five games were one goal games. Devils win, Canes win, Devils win, Canes win, Devils win,....the big question today is do the Chips win another day on the shelf??? The Hurricanes have been an elusive team for me, so if it seems like I am focusing on the chips too much, it’s because game six will be the first game of this series I will actually see. And I have a hankering for some chips...Go Canes! It’s your turn to win. The sequence says so ;o)


Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Two Nothing


Two Nothing
(originally published April. 18th, 2009)



By Lisa Ovens

Well it’s Day Five of Round One and we are swimming in a sea of Two Nothing. It’s like a thick soup of twos and zeros. If your series has ones in it, sorry but you do not count in this particular column...



Vancouver Canucks vs. St. Louis Blues


Series: Canucks 2 Blues 0


Vancouver now leads the series, 2-0. It might have been tied, if the Blues, Andy McDonald’s potted the four shots that rang off the posts during the extra chippy Game Two. This can mean only one thing: Eventually they are going to start going in for MacDonald. Be aware Canucks...

New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals

Series: Rangers 2 Capitals 0

I don’t know, but if I were the Washington Capitals coach, I would have kept Jose Theodore in net for game two. If memory serves me correctly, When the Avalanche stuck it out with Theodore between the pipes last playoffs, he held his own in round one. I’m just sayin...

Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens

Series: Bruins 2 Canadiens 0

Well, who here got a kick out of the male Bruins fan trying to steal Kovalev’s stick through the camera lens hole in the glass in Game one? What really surprises me is they let the idiot back for game two. I’m sorry, but a woman would never do that...teehee :o)

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames

Series: Blackhawks 2 Flames 0

Ooh my, the Flames need to resolve the fact they are missing Robyn Regehr and Rhett Warrener. Perhaps the return home to Calgary, and reuniting with the Sea of Red, and the Red Mile will help the Flames take a game or two.
BTW, I couldn’t help but notice all of the Blackhawks bandwagonners in Chi Town...could you? I kid, I kid.

Detroit Red Wings vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets

Series: Wings 2 Blue Jackets 0

Heck, any team would have trouble trying to solve the mighty Red Wings in Round One. Let me put it this way: The problems the Red Wings have would be considered blessings anywhere else. The Blue Jackets are stuck with them, but for now, let’s be happy for Columbus hockey fans: the Stanley Cup Playoff Show is rolling into town and everyone is invited!

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Series: Penguins 2 Flyers 0

The Penguins are hot and fun to watch. I still have a problem with teams wearing lots of orange, as the Flyers do. Therefore, the Penguins must win this series. If they don’t they won’t be able to meet the Vancouver Canucks in the Finals. Oh what? You haven’t heard of this possible match up for Round Four?

Think about it: back in November, the Canucks are in the Igloo, and Roberto Luongo hurts his groin. Then it’s like a roller coaster ride begins for both the Pens and the Canucks. It gets bad enough in Pittsburgh, that the coach is fired. It gets bad enough in Vancouver the majority of the city wants the coach fired. But he stays. Both teams are like, in tenth and eleventh place in their conferences. And then, both teams claw their way back up the standings, often in the same spot, with the same number of wins. At regular season’s end the Canucks finish in 3rd place, 45 wins and 100 points, and the Penguins finish in 4th place, with 45 wins and 99 points.

But wait...there's more

Hockeyandhighheels.com columnist Jan Snyder covers all things Pittsburgh Penguins, and Hockeyandhighheels.com publisher/ columnist, Lisa Ovens covers all things Vancouver Canucks.


Jan Snyder has visited Vancouver and attended a Canucks game with Lisa Ovens.


Lisa Ovens visited Pittsburgh and attended a Penguins game with Jan Snyder.







Lisa Ovens likes to take pictures of bobbleheads. Jan Snyder’s daughter, Jen also likes to take pictures of bobbleheads. Jan Snyder and Lisa Ovens are friends, and were chatting on the telephone as they watched the game when Luongo was injured....uncanny isn’t it? I’ll leave out the part that has Jan living in Houston, Texas. But she is a born and raised Pittsburgher...


Stayed tuned for Game Three and Game Four Canucks report...