November 24, 2003
NHL Roundup: Magic In Edmonton
Their were 21 games played in the NHL this weekend, but did any of them matter as much as Montreal's 4-3 win over the Oilers in Edmonton on Saturday night? For all the talk of labor woes, empty arenas and anemic television ratings, it was heartening to see that hockey is alive and well -- even if it can't budge the Nielsen meter South of the border in the lower 48.
The touque was a nice touch for Theodore.
And that ought to be the lesson everyone takes away from Saturday night's game -- that no matter what, hockey is going to survive. Will it come to command revenue anywhere near the other major North American sports? No, but since when did that matter when it comes to whether or not the fans will continue to enjoy the game? I know it won't make a difference to me, that's for sure.
For a look at ESPN.com's coverage, click here. You can find coverage from the Canadian Broadcasting Company, here. When it comes to putting the whole weekend together, the hockey world owes a debt of gratitude to the Edmonton Oilers org-an-i-sa-tion, and their official Web site has been all over the weekend's events. Start here, and follow the links.
As long as fans are willing to do this, hockey will survive.
POSTSCRIPT: I agree with the consensus over at Sportsfilter: ESPN's new "Hockey Made In America" ad campaign has got to be the worst effort from the network that I've ever seen. Just who they're targeting with this campaign, I can't say.
UPDATE: Newsday's Johnette Howard echoes the complaints of many others that the game wasn't readily available in the U.S.
One jersey from every player who participated in the oldtimers game on Saturday will be auctioned off for charity. Keep your eyes peeled on Ebay for details.
Apparently, a couple of Mark Messier's Ranger teammates were upset that he played in Saturday's oldtimers game. Thanks to Steve Ovadia for the link. Before the weekend, Tom Benjamin took a closer look at Messier's play of late, and has found him wanting.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Mario Lemieux's hip injury isn't getting any better, so the Penguins announced that he'll be out indefinitely. Jeremy Roenick, bothered by a bad back for the better part of a week since taking a shot from Atlanta's Robert Petrovicky, had an MRI today. He may sit out a few games.
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Tracked on November 25, 2003 11:58 AM
A brewpub nearby was carrying the French-Canadian feed on one of our local channels. It was fun to watch, and even more amazing to see the number of people there.
ESPN's ad really is horrid. I saw it last night for the first time and immediately agreed with all of the bad sentiment it has received on the web.
I think if only one other game were to matter from this weekend, it would be the Battle of Underachievers from last night. Ottawa, coming off a 2-1 loss to the Penguins, lost 6-2 to the Rangers. How?
Posted by:
at November 24, 2003 09:49 AM
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