November 12

Streaks

There were a few streaks snapped, and started over the weekend.

First off the Pittsburgh Penguins dominated the Philadelphia Flyers last season in the battle of the Keystone State winning all eight games outscoring Bob Clarke's Flyers 40-21. Sid Crosby even recorded his first career hat trick against Philly last season. This year hasn't been as kind to the frozen rodents of Pittsburgh as they lost 5-2 on Saturday and 3-1 Wednesday to Philadelphia to go 0-2 so far in the season series. The Pens have lost 3 straight and are 1-5 this far in November.

The Detroit Red Wings have been one of the hottest teams in the young season, going 13-2-1, and were riding a nine game win streak heading into Sunday. On the other side the Chicago Blackhawks were 4-1 in their last five games, and much improved from last season behind the play of rookie scoring leader Patrick Kane. It was the Wings who ran into "The Bullin Wall" as Chicago beat Detroit 3-2. Sunday was a sort of historic day in Blackhawks hockey as it marked the first of seven home games to be broadcast in Chicagoland as part of a new package with a local cable network. Previous team president William Wirtz, who passed away in September, refused to voluntarily televise regular-season home games, and just a handful of national or league network commitment home games were previously available to Chicago fans.

The Colorado Avalanche improved to 7-1-1 over it's last nine games, and to a league best 9-1 at home, beating the Minnesota Wild 4-2 Sunday. The loss was the Wild's second in Pepsi Center this season and the third straight dating back to last season. Overall Minnesota hasn't faired well in Colorado in the regular season going 4-15-2. Up until last season the Wild only had two wins in Avalanche country.

In the something had to give late game on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday, both the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames had lost four straight, and unlike the NHL of yesteryear, a five game losing skid was going to hit one of Alberta's teams. It was the Flames that got burned losing 4-2 to the Mathieu Garon led Oil. Making a rare start in place of Dwayne Roloson, Garon made 37 saves and snapped Edmonton's four game skid.


Free Agency

The time of the year that is both good and bad for GM's and fans has hit, as the MLB free agent signing period starts tomorrow. Alex Rodriguez is one of the expensive jewels up for grabs (remember a $350 million offer gets you a talk/chance), and one of the early rumors has Torii Hunter possibly going to Chicago as the White Sox have shown some interest. Hunter, as all Twins fans remember, declined a three-year $45 million dollar offer back in August from then Minnesota GM Terry Ryan. With Bill Smith now holding the checkbook so to speak, and the seven-time gold glove winner not ruling out coming back to the Twin Cities, who knows what'll happen, but at least it's looking like a 50-50 chance and not that he's gone for good.