Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Kronwall, Sioux Out

Last night in the Wings/Avs preseason game, Dan Hinote hipchecked Niklas Kronwall, and while no official word has come out on his injury yet, Coach/Badass Mike Babcock said that "He looks like he's going to be out for a while". That is very very disappointing, and overshadows another great game in net by Jimmy Howard. Kronwall was the brightest star of training camp and the preseason thusfar, and was looking like he was going to have a breakout year. Don Shane apparently just reported that he'll be out 6+ weeks, which is still promising because the first thing I thought of was "ACL Tear, done til March". Hopefully they'll have him back by the end of November.
UPDATE: According to MLive, who always seems to get the scoop on the Freep and Detroit News, Kronwall has some ACL and MCL damage, and will be re-examined on Friday. The team is hoping that it isn't season-ending. Ugh.

Howard allowed just 2 goals on 32 shots last night against a full-Avs team, despite having only one Detroit regular in the lineup (Niklas Kronwall...go figure. He wasn't even supposed to be playing but Rivers tweaked a groin). He wasn't listed as a star of the game, but by some accounts kept the Wings in it and stood on his head yet again. I've said it before, I'll say it again. He's Detroit's starter next year. He was an absolute steal in the second round.

On NHL.com, they have a link to a preview of NBC's Season Preview Show "Fresh Ice". NBC's coverage for the season will include not a stupid glow puck, but GOALIE CAM!!!! It's friggin sweet. Open the link in Media Player and check it out.

The NCAA announced today that it has denied North Dakota's appeal to be removed from the list of teams who are not allowed to use their Indian-offensive nicknames in postseason play. They did, however, allow North Dakota to still host the NCAA Hockey Tournament west regional without removing the Indian logos. But they will not be selected to host another postseason event, despite the Taj-Mahal they've got in Grand Forks. Ralph Engelstad must be spinning in his grave...unless he's too busy ethnically cleansing the afterlife.

F1 may be on the way outs as a racing series. Chrysler, Renault, BMW, Honda, and Toyota met today and said they're going ahead with plans for a breakaway racing series to start in 2008. They want more equality in a series that has long been dominated by Ferarri and is essentially governed by a dictatorship. FIA President Max Mosley said "'It is becoming in my view, increasingly unlikely that (a new racing series) will happen,''' Mosley said. He suggested the manufacturers and the teams lacked the financial resources to run a new series." according to TSN. Really? Chrysler, BMW, Honda and Toyota don't have enough finances to run a racing series? Methinks he's been into some of this Kool Aid.

The Hockey News put out a list of their top 50 NHL players, and inexplicably Robert Lang is omitted. How? The guy would have led the entire league in scoring in 03-04 but for a late-season abdomen injury. He single-handedly took the Red Wings to the second round of the playoffs, and damn near won them that series, despite a broken hand. The guy may not be as flashy as Kovalchuk or Hedjuk or Sakic or some of those guys, but he always produces, and I'm very excited to have him in the red and white for a full season.

Michigan was ranked #2 in both of the CCHA Preseason Media polls, behind Ohio State in each of them. Gotta say, that's probably right. OSU brought back most of their team, they've got a pretty capable goalie in Caruso, and Michigan has a lot of question marks. I don't agree with UAF being ranked behind UNO. Neither team loses a whole lot offensively, but UNO lost Chris Holt and that's a pretty tough loss to overcome. Especially to leave them at #5 in the preseason poll. UAF could be pretty good this year. If UNO had Holt back, I'd be tempted to put them at #3 but as it is, I think they're going to struggle. That said, I honestly don't know anything about their new goalie so I might be talking out of my ass.

And umm...that's not a typo. As of right now, the Michigan/MSU game from Yost on Oct. 22 is not on TV. And Comcast Local is slated for a MAC Football doubleheader. Might not have any live coverage for that one, folks. A lot of Michigan games on CSTV, which is nice considering our local cable provider still doesn't freaking have the station. It would also be nice to...oh I don't know....be able to see the 4 part special they're airing/going to air? about Jack Johnson. Grr CSTV! Grr Comcast!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't forget WOLV-TV typically broadcasts home games that aren't picked up by the Big 3, so there may be some hope yet for the Michigan vs. Michigan State game to be on the air locally.

Packer487 said...

Also true. I know they're working on it to try and get some major coverage for the game. I'll be there, so it's not that big of a deal to me, but it's kind of sad that Michigan/MSU might not be televised in SE Michigan.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that goalie cam is going to rule! Too bad Al MacInnis retired though, I'd love to see one of his screamers coming towards the lens (right before it goes black).

Packer487 said...

You know what I'm most looking forward to with goalie cam? When someone scores on Osgood and he looks up from the ground at his defensemen and gives them the "What the hell was I supposed to do about THAT one" look that he gives after nearly every goal. Might be fun to see the d-man's expression!

But yeah, I'm very much looking forward to goalie cam :)