Gameday: Rangers Look to Bounce Back Against Caps

Tonights game consists of two teams who have built a credible rivary over the past few years. This game means more than just sticking it to the enemy.

For the Rangers, a team with such high expectations entering the season, tonight is their first game on the east coast. Coming off a disastrous west coast trip that saw them practically blown out in 4 out of 5 games while losing their best goal scorer at the same time, the Rangers look to build on whatever momentum they had gained in their St Louis game (a game that can be blamed on Marty Biron - who is no longer with the team.

As for the Capital's, they haven't exactly played lights out either. With only two wins and four losses, they're lucky Ovechkin and Backstrom are in top form. Coming off a win in Edmonton that saw them score four goals in a matter of seconds, the Caps are hoping to win at home against an opponent they are very familiar with.

Join me after the jump to see my players to watch as well as a prediction.

Hockey Is Upon Us

I cannot believe I am saying finally able to say this, but Happy October 1st! Today marks the beginning of the 2013-2014 NHL Season. Because the best sports season is upon us, my blogging senses are tingling and I have no choice but to write about the coolest sport in the world.

Without getting into specifics just yet and without completely understanding the new playoff format, follow me after the jump for a quick prediction using the 'ole "Top-8" format.

Confederations Cup Predictions

The 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup is set to begin today in a match between Brazil and Japan. The host Brazil will be looking to use this tournament as a warm-up before next years World Cup.

After the jump, I will share my predictions and thoughts.

Editors Note: Back in Action!

To my readers,

My last post came on the last day of April, which was one day before the start of the NHL Playoffs. For anyone who lives and breathes sports (better yet hockey) this was the perfect time to write posts and share opinions on the most intense period of the season. However, school interfered with my leasurily blogging time and so I have been M.I.A. for more than a month.

Fortunately, I am now finally done with school and have recovered that desire to start up writing about my favorite hobby (sports) once again. So to the couple hundred of you random readers (I love how Blogger keeps these statistics), I am officially back and will be covering the rest of the NHL Playoffs, the NBA Finals, the Fifa Confederations Cup, and much more.

Stick around and leave comments if you'd like because interaction with other sports fans is what makes me share my opinion the most.

Best,

Buncol

Reviewing My Playoff Predictions

On January 18th, 2013, in anticipation of the NHL lockout ending and the regular season starting, I did what any other fan would do...I predicted the final standings by the end of the season. Like any blogger would have it, I wrote it up and have proof of what I thought then and what is actually happening now.

Having done this for the first time - you know, where I actually write it down instead of just discussing it with people at the end of the year and then forgetting what I initially thought of a certain teams potential - I was surprised by some of the outcomes.

Have a look at how correct/wrong I was and at some of my analysis after the jump.

Captain Callahan Sends Rangers Into Playoffs

Ryan Callahan celebrates with Anton Stralman after scoring in Overtime

Maybe it was a snipe that Dan Ellis should not have let past him. Maybe he did commit to the short post too much. Maybe it was bad positioning by the back-up goaltender for Carolina who has been the teams starting goalie ever since Cam Ward went down with a season ending injury.

Still, even if your going to blame Ellis for his poor positioning, you still have to give Ryan Callahan credit for the ridiculously insane and well-placed snipe into the top right corner of the goal. And what a snipe it was! Coming down the left boards in overtime, knowing one more goal would send the Rangers into the final 16, Captain Cally seized the day and with a Messier-like-leg-pump, he placed a perfect shot over Ellis' shoulder that bounced off the far post and into the net - the shot that was 'heard round the tri-state area'.

As soon as the puck was across the goal line, an ecstatic Callahan turned around the net, sprinted along the boards to center ice, and celebrated as if he won the Stanley Cup (a sign of things to come?). Like I said on Twitter, definetely one of my favorite celebrations and Rangers moments of all time.

And just like that, finally, the New York Rangers clinched a playoff berth and enter the playoffs as an unexpected underdog. Nevertheless, whoever they play in the first round, whether it be the Penguins, Bruins, Caps, or Habs, the opponent realizes that the Rangers are not your typical low seed. They were a team that was expected to cruise through the season and make the playoffs without a problem. However, by letting key players such as Brandon Prust, Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky, and Ruslan Fedotenko leave NY, the Rangers had an identity crisis all season.

When they shocked the hockey world and traded Marian Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets for three players at the trade deadline, some people were left confused and wondering whether it was the right move. Based on their record and overall play since the deadline, the move seems like it was the right one for both teams. And with one more game left on the season against the golf-course-bound New Jersey Devils, the Rangers are only playing for seeding, something that I'm sure their opponents are more worried about then the Rangers themselves.

For those who missed it, check the video after the jump.

Champions League: Bayern Munich Destroy Barcelona

Bayern Munich players celebrating in front of their fans

In what was heating up to be a classic quickly turned into a game of men against boys. Bayern Munich were expected to put on a quality show for their fans and head to Camp Nou with a chance at an upset. However, nobody in the world expected them to absolutely rip Barcelona apart.

Bayern Munich, who easily secured the Bundesliga Title with a magical season, scored four goals to dethrone the current futbol dynasty. Regardless of how well Messi and Co. play in the 2nd leg, it is hard to imagine them pulling off a comeback and making it to the final.

"Oh, but they did it against AC Milan"is what you may say. But let me tell you this: AC Milan is no Bayern Munich. And there were no handballs in Bayern's favor that resulted in goals (maybe an offside and a basketball pick though). And Milan wasn't even the best team in their own country. Instead, Juventus had been the class of Serie A all season long and even they had no chance against Bayern. 

When you look at Bayern, you see a team that has steamrolled through all their competition in both league and European play. They have the right mix of players who are looking at a bright future and the scary part is that Pep Guardiola, the former genius behind Barcelona's glory, is not even behind the bench yet. 

Which, like I shared on Twitter during the game, means only one thing...

Why the Rangers Are Still Going to Make the Playoffs

With 7 games to go on the season and sitting in 8th place, the NY Rangers had a chance to stay on pace with the teams around them and get closer to securing a playoff berth.

Instead, they came into Philadelphia and gave one of the most dissapointing efforts of the season. Granted, Steve Mason played lights out when he had to and finished the night with 40 saves. However, I would blame the Rangers for the lose more than I would give the Flyers credit for the win. Sure, I may be biased, but this was not the same team that we have seen since the trade deadline.

As proven by their 4-1-1 record since the trade deadline, the Rangers are better than what they showed yesterday and with a few bounces going their way (especially on the Schenn goal) we could have seen a totally different outcome last night. Regardless of what could have been, it is important to take the positives out of this game as a Ranger fan and look at how this lose could actually end up being a good thing for the team moving forward.

Follow me after the jump.

NHL Trade Deadline: Acquisitions Worth Mentioning.

Today, the NHL Trade Deadline ended at 3PM Eastern Time.

In anticipation of it, there were a decent amount of trades that took place over the last week or so.

Follow me after the jump to read about some of the trades that I would like to chime in on:

Should John Tortorella Be Fired?

Due to the inconsistency that has plagued the New York Rangers this season, the fanbase seems to be split on the idea of letting Head Coach John Tortorella go. Since the day he took over for Tom Renney, Tortorella has turned the Rangers into contenders and in my honest opinion, has saved Glen Sather from getting fired. I believe that Torts has been the one making the key decisions when it came to signing and trading for certain players.

However, now when it seems like the coach finally got the line-up he has wanted all along, the Rangers are not playing to their full potential. You would think that with players such as Nash, Gaborik, Richards, Callahan, Hagelin, Stepan, Kredier, Miller, McDonough, Staal, Girardi, and Del Zotto, the coach would find a way to utilize his players to the best of their abilities. Instead, it seems like the team is out of sync at times and that they're holding their sticks tight.

Even if the belief that Tortorella is holding his players back from playing the way they know how to may ring true right now, I still believe that he is the man to get it done.

Join me after the jump for more.

The Battle of the Streaks: Miami Heat vs Chicago Blackhawks

In what is my first basketball related post, let me just remind you that I am a Knicks guy...but in no way am I as passionate about the basketball as I am about hockey.

So, my opinion may be biased, but then again, so is Stephen A. Smiths. The one difference between myself and Mr. Smith is that I don't like to yell to try and get my point across....UNLESS YOU ATTACK HOCKEY THE WAY YOU DID THE OTHER KNIGHT YOU HOCKEY HATING MAN YOU!!!.

Seriously, though, there are no ties in hockey. And hockey is harder. And faster. And there is without a doubt, 100% certainly more parity in the NHL than the NBA. Still, basketball can be fun to watch and I respect the hell out of players who play the game the right way.

But, back to the main point of this post, I would like to chime in and throw in my two cents on the debate of which streak is more impressive.

And it wont even take that long.  The Miami Heat, defending NBA champions, have won 16 straight games. The Chicago Blackhawks are on a 24 game point streak, losing only three of those games in shootouts. 

Bottom line: The Blackhawks have had more success in more games played, in a season where they had one week of training camp and a tough schedule. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat haven't even had the longest winning streak of the season out of all teams.

Debate over. Call me when they string more wins the the Clippers. 

Marc Staal Eye Injury Fuels Visor Debate

In what was one of the scariest moments that a hockey player could experience on the ice, it is comforting for fans around the league, not only the Ranger faithful, to know that Marc Staal is expected to make a full recovery after taking a puck in the eye the other night.

After seeing him kicking in pain and bleeding all over the ice all while holding his eye, it was fair to assume to worst.

Limited vision.

Loss of sight.

Shattered eyeball.

Career threatening.

You name it and it was possible.

Luckily, after being checked out by two specialists today, it looks like Staal is going to make a full recovery. However, I take that report with a grain of salt due to his previous concussion symptoms. In what is a well known tragedy at this point, Chris Pronger's career is pretty much over due to an eye injury. His vision has not been affected but he started experiencing concussion symptoms after the injury. We can only hope that Staal does not experience the same kind of effects and that he is back relatively soon.

Having said that, one thing still remains uncertain. Will visors finally be mandatory in the NHL and should they be?

Follow me after the jump for my thoughts on this debate.

Champions League: Manchester United Robbed Against Real Madrid

Last night, in the final 16 of the Champions League, we had witnessed what was supposed to be a classic on our hands. Two of the biggest clubs in the world of Futbol squared off to decide who moves onto the final 8 of the biggest club tournament in the world.

For the first hour or so, things seemed to be going Manchester United's way. They were leading 1 - 0 courtesy of Nani's low cross into the box and Sergio Ramos' inadvertent clearance that ended up in his own goal.The Red Devils had victory secured and where well on their way to advancing.

However, one of the most erroneous red cards in Champions League history had changed the whole game.

Follow me after the jump for more.

The New York Rangers Are Without McDonagh

After taking a hit from Max Pacioretty that somehow resulted in no supplementary discipline, Ryan McDonagh is set to sit out his first game tonight with a suspected concussion.

In my eyes, and I'll leave it at this statement, Pacioretty sought revenge on McD after he was "driven" into the boards from behind in front of the Montreal bench. The hit by McD was a hockey play and not malicious at all; the complete opposite of the hit on McD.

Anyways, as the Rangers prepare themselves to be without McD for possibly more than just one game, it is important to understand how important McD has been to the Rangers since his first season in the big leagues. He has been the most consistent on the Rangers, other than Henrik Lundqvist, and I would even say he has been the best player, other than Lundqvist ofcourse.

Both Girardi and Staal are the other cores on defense but McD is the most skilled out of all three. Having said that, it will be important for Girardi and Staal to carry the Rangers D. Especially, Staal, whose place as Girardi's partner was taken last season. Now is his chance to regain his status as the best Rangers defensemen.

Losing McD for any amount of time is critical to the Rangers, but when you see teams like Ottawa losing their top 2 players (on offense and defense) and still winning, you ask yourself "Why can't the Rangers do the same?" They lost their top D and top forward in Nash so the similarities are obvious. What also works in the Rangers favor is that they presumably have more skill than the Senators which might mean that if the Rangers find a way to win without their top 2 guys, imagine how things can pan out when they do finally return.

An important couple of games are coming up for the Rangers and its even more important that they find a way to get points.

A Letter From Buncol

Dear Readers, Loners, Fans, Reader; 

Due to the excessive amount of school-work I have been dealing with this semester, it has been difficult to consistently post and update this blog. Even though I have been dealing with little time to write about  anything sports related, I have still had time to watch games and stay up-to-date with most stories. I am not writing up this post to notify you that I am 'quitting' this blog, I am instead writing up this post to let you know, the reader, that I intend to organize my schedule a little better to make time for at least weekly posts. 

Trying to balance 19.5 credits, two jobs, volunteer work, personal life, and things like that can be difficult. Trying to fit in 'blogging' into all of that (two blogs at that) can be even more difficult (unfortunately) but I intend on making more time for that. As of today, it has been exactly 19 days since I last posted anything. My new goal is to never ever again go 19 days without posting here. Bold, I know.

Thanks for reading and remember, if you enjoy my content, share the blog. If you don't, let me know in the comments or send me an email at micpociask@hotmail.com with some criticism, advice, or tips. 

Sincerely,

Buncol

Controversial Hits Surround Two Western Conference Games

Last night, the top two teams in the Western Conference faced off.

The San Jose Sharks hosted the Chicago Blackhawks in what ended up being a wild game that ended with the Blackhawks winning 5 - 3.

In other action, the defending champions, Los Angeles Kings, visited the Columbus Blue Jackets who have three former Rangers on their team. The Kings squeezed out a 4 - 2 victory with Mike Richards recording a Gordie Howe Hat-trick.

Both games, however, were mired with some controversy. In both games, there were game misconducts with Andrew Desjardins and Brandon Dubinsky getting ejected for dangerous and "illegal" hits.

Follow me after the jump for videos and my opinion on the incidents.

Period By Period Analysis: New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils

This will be a regular feature and it will include me analyzing the particular game period by period, while updating it, period by period. I will comment on the overall gameplay, the refs, obviously the score, and anything else that might be of particular importance. 

Welcome to the Hudson rivalry!

Tonight, straight from the pebble Rock in Newark, NJ, we have one of the fiercest rivalries meeting for the first time this season.

The Rangers, a team who has slowly started finding its groove after a disappointing first few games of the season, will be the look for revenge against the team who knocked them out of the playoffs last season.

The Devils will be looking to gain some room on the team who won the Division and the Conference last season. So far this season, they have looked solid and so far proved the pundits, including myself, that this is not a one man team (they lost Parise).

Key Notes:

- Dan Girardi is not in the line up to do "maintenance"
- Chris Kreider returns to the lineup
- JT Miller will make his Ranger debut

Follow me after the jump for my period by period analysis.

New York Rangers Recall 2011 1st Round Pick, J.T. Miller

After learning that the New York Rangers recalled (finally called up) J.T. Miller, their 2011 1st-round-pick and 15th overall, it seems like the pieces are all falling into place for a team who about three seasons ago was in rebuilding mode.

Miller, who was selected for the AHL All-Star game this season, has the potential to be a big time player in the NHL. He plays a very similar style to Ryan Callahan and that is the type of player NY fans have learned to love.

His future is undoubtedly bright, but what should be expected of him in the near future?

Follow me after the jump for my expectations.

Rangers Get Shut Out By Vokoun and the Penguins

Coming home winning 3 out of their last 4 games, the New York Rangers were looking to get some revenge on the Pittsburgh Penguins, whom they lost to in their home opener by a score of 6 - 3. Instead, they showed how much they're really going to miss their captain, Ryan Callahan.

In the first period, they did not get the start they wanted by giving up a goal to Evengy Malkin in the first 2 minutes of the game. Even though they kept pushing after that they never managed to shake Tomas Vokoun, who played exceptionally well and faced shots with barely any bodies in front of him.

In the 3rd period, the Penguins potted 2 goals that solidified their lead. They killed off the last 12 minutes or so of the game and cruised to their second win of the season against the Rangers.

Follow me after the jump for some notes on the game.

Ryan Callahan Injured

Last night, the New York Rangers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 2 - 1 in a classic Atlantic Division matchup.

Ryan Callahan, captain of the New York Rangers, scored the eventual game winner on a nice POWERPLAY! goal. On the goal, he also earned his 200th NHL point.

However, midway through the third period, a scrum broke out to the side of the Rangers net and Max Talbot dropped the gloves with Ryan Callahan. At first, it seemed idiotic for the Rangers - especially a key player - to drop the gloves and possibly give the away team some momentum. The fight lasted only a few seconds as both players fell to the ice and immediately something was wrong. The aftermath of the fight proved that it was idiotic and consequential.

To his credit, Talbot did not throw any punches when he saw that Callahan was defenseless on the ice and clearly in pain - but no point of glorifying the man since he is the one that actually started the melee. If you look at replays, you can see him throw his gloves off first and start throwing his signature punch.

From the looks of it, it seems like the injury is shoulder related. Based on my initial observations and no doctor expertise whatsoever, I will take a guess and assume that his shoulder popped out. By doing some simple research on Google, I learned that these kinds of injuries take anywhere from 2 - 6 weeks to heal. And by heal I mean that he'll be able to use his arm and function like a regular person.

The problem is Callahan is not a regular person. He is the heart and soul of the New York Rangers, he hits anything and anyone that he can, and he blocks every single shot that he is in front of. Callahan is the type of player every team would love to have. And now the only team he plays for might be missing him for a while.

Bad, bad news - even more so in a shortened season.

Lets hope for a quick recovery.

One Week Into the Season

After having the NHL season delayed for a little over four months, it is refreshing to be in this position right now where we realize that we are already one week into the season. There have been some surprises so far, some disapointments, and a few shockers here and there.

Just how different is this first week of the shortened season compared to a regular 82-game schedule?

Follow me after the jump for some bulletpoints

New York Rangers Powerplay Disappoints

What has been a major problem for the last few seasons, seems to still be an issue now.

The Rangers powerplay, one that was put into the arguably "best in the league" discussion before this 48-game-season started, has so far failed them.

In their first game of the season, they failed to convert against the Bruins. Against Pittsburgh the next night, they failed again. And then against Boston, same story.

In Philly on Thursday night, the Rangers found themselves down by one goal with a little over 10 minutes remaining. First they get a 4 minute Powerplay due to a high stick on Michael Del Zotto, and seconds later Gaborik gets hooked and they are gifted a 5-on-3. They managed what looked like one shot - a shot taken by Nash that was gloved by Bryzgalov. A whole 4-minutes later they had nothing to show for.

Even though I failed to mention that they had scored their first goal on the Powerplay, I believe a good Powerplay unit is one that can take advantage of the other team. In the Rangers case, they failed to take advantage of the Flyers two penalties that could, and should, have cost them the game - or at least the lead.

My solution? How about this, Coach Tortorella....

Nash-Richards-Pyatt
Staal-Stepan

AND

Gaborik-Stepan-Boyle
Del Zotto-McDonaugh

Just a suggestion....

Day 2 of Opening Weekend: Predictions

And just like that the first day of the season is already in the back of everyone's minds. Today, we get to watch 6 more games, in which some teams find themselves opening up, while others find themselves playing the 2nd of back to backs.

Here is your Sunday schedule:

- Philadelphia v Buffalo
- San Jose v Calgary
- Pittsburgh v NY Rangers
- Dallas v Minnesota
- Edmonton v Vancouver
- Chicago v Phoenix

Follow me after the jump for my predictions

How Did Early Stanley Cup Favorites, the NY Rangers, Play in their First Game?

How did the NY Rangers look in their first game of the season - a season that was so hyped ever since they acquired Rick Nash?

Horrible. Terrible. Disgusting. Unorganized. Effortless. Lazy. Embarrassing.

...are all fair adjectives to describe the performance of the Blueshirts. After so much anticipation and excitement that has surrounded this team and its fans, this first game was not what was expected, not even close.

From lazy penalties, to being out of position, to plain old looking like they were lost out there. Every player - except for the King - looked out of place and every player lacked the energy and touch needed to get some kind of consistency.

Well, let me correct myself there. The Rangers did show some consistency - in giving up the puck, taking stupid offensive zone penalties, showing no chemistry at all, and like I already said, looking plain lost.

If this team wants to make this season special, it will have to find a way to make it work, and quick. When the 48 games of this shortened season are up, this needs to be regarded as the worst performance of the season, because theres not much else that can go wrong - except for Hank not being Hank.

To summarize this game in one sentence, all that needs to be understood is that it looked like the first game of training camp...

Tomorrow, they play their home opener against the other division heavyweights. If they bring the same effort as they displayed today, the MSG boo birds will have to clear their throats for some late early season singing.

Period by Period Analysis: NY Rangers v Boston Bruins

vs

This will be a regular feature and it will include me analyzing the particular game period by period, while updating it, period by period. I will comment on the overall gameplay, the refs, obviously the score, and anything else that might be of particular importance. 

Both, the Rangers and Bruins, play their first game of the season tonight. Opening up at home, the Bruins look to get a win against they only team they finished behind last season. As for the Rangers, they play their first game with Rick Nash and without Dubinsky and Anisimov. These two teams are considered heavyweights in the Eastern Conference so it will be important for both to get off to a good start and steal some points for one another. 

Prediction: Rangers ( 3 - 2 )

Join me after the jump for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd period analysis of this game.

EPL: Liverpool Thrash Norwich City; Man City Wins;

See that Liverpool game? Woah...

Im all about Man United but I appreciate a good game when I see one. Thats exactly what was on display today at Anfield. Liverpool destroyed Norwich City and looked like the team from just a few years ago where these type of wins were routine. Everything clicked, including Suarez and that boy Gerrard.

I'd discuss and analyze every goal but they were all peaches (even the own goal)...why waste you time. Have a look at the highlights...

Follow me after the jump for more scores

Free Agents: Alexei Kovalev Signs in Florida

He's back...for better or worse. According to ESPN, Alexei Kovalev inked a one-year deal, $1,000,000, deal with the Florida Panthers.

This comes as a big shock to me because I did not believe the old man could come back to the NHL...especially after after the less than average season he had last year two years ago. Still it is nice to see the Russian and his always fresh skates back on North American ice.

He was once my favorite player and is one of the first Russians to raise the cup (did I mention he did it with the NY Rangers?). Hopefully, he has a decent season and makes a name for himself down in Florida.

My guess: He is no Jagr and this is unfortunately his last stint in the NHL.

Still, I will always remember this...

Do Yourself a Favor and Don't Let the Legend of Lance Armstrong Die

He was regarded as the best best cyclist ever.

He was anointed as one of the best athletes the world has ever seen.

He was Lance Armstrong, a man who started up the Livestrong Foundation for cancer awareness and who was an inspiration to people all over the world.

Now, he is known as Lance Armstrong, the fraud.

Right?

The other day, Lance Armstrong confessed to Oprah Winfrey (nice marketing stunt guys) that he had used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career. He admitted that he had started in the mid 1990's, even before he was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer. This confession comes after years of him vehemently denying what we know now to be the cold truth.

Over the years, he was called out on it by former teammates and by the U.S. Anti Doping Agency. Even before his official confession, he was already banned from all competition. Thats how sure everyone was that Armstrong was not honest and that in reality, he had used drugs to help him win his seven historic Tour de France titles. However, he fought hard to the very last minute in denying to have cheated and even had his kids believing it.

Apparently the peak point of his lying was reached when he realized what his lies were doing to his family. In his interview with Oprah, he states that there were two low-points in this whole ordeal that really made him want to come clean. The first one was when he had decided to leave the Livestrong Foundation because of the negative attention his situation was bringing to it and the second one was when he realized how hard his 13-year-old son was defending his father - a father who even has his own son convinced that he had achieved everything without any extra illegal supplements.

Now, just a few days after finally learning what was already suspected by so many people, Lance Armstrong has become the new Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, etc. of his sport. Except, Armstrong was even bigger than those guys. He competed internationally and individually (yes, biking is regarded as a "team sport", but really when you look at it, its just you, the bike, and the mountain, nothing else) and became a household name for not only sports fanatics, but for people struggling with sicknesses and disease, not just cancer.

So, does this mean that Armstrong should be banned for life from ever competing again and be demonized for the rest of his life by fans and newscasters around the world? I, for one, think he deserves another chance.

Follow me after the jump for my reasoning.

Predicting the 2012-2013 Playoffs a.k.a the Stanley Cup Champions

Based on my previous predictions regarding the 2012-2013 regular season, I was able to arrange the match ups for the playoffs as well.

Because I am an absolute hockey genius and I know everything, these match ups must be the real deal, along with the standings and so on.

So, spoiler alert, if you want to know who wins each round and eventually the big silver cup that has been around for 100 years or so, follow me after the jump.

If you don't want me to spoil it for you, than I encourage you to move on...because I am 100% accurate in my predictions.

Predicting the 2012-2013 NHL Season

Does it seem odd that I decided to predict the winners on opening day yet I never predicted who finishes where in the conference?

No?

Well, it seemed weird to me. So I will give it my best shot and include a few bold (or just obvious) statements about certain teams.

Follow me after the jump.

Free Agents: Wade Redden Signed; Scott Gomez Next?

It has been reported that Wade Redden inked a 1 year, $800,000, contract with the St. Louis Blues. Seeing how his career spiraled out of control when the New York Rangers offered him that ridiculously long and expensive contract in 2010, it's nice to see him get another shot. The Blues look like they're contending this year (they already played the part last year) and adding a veteran D who was once considered one of the best at his position and whose spent the last two seasons riding buses to games is a nice addition to an already balanced team. Good for him.

As for Scott Gomez, Pierre LeBrun reports that Scott Gomez will probably be signed in the next few days...if not hours. Since he is not being paid like a superstar anymore (one that he never really was), and since he realizes this will probably be his last shot at proving he's still too good for the KHL AHL, teams will be willing to take a risk on him. Really though, what is the risk? $500,000? $1,000,000?! But just who will that be?

Follow me after the jump to get my input.

Full NHL Schedule for 2012-2013 Season

Hockey starting in January instead of October. Not quite my cup of tea - but at least it's starting

I have linked the full NHL schedule here so check it. In addition to my excitement for opening day, I will attempt to do my best to predict who wins opening day.

Join me after the jump for my predictions for the first day of the season.

What and Whom I Will Write About

Since I described myself as such a huge sports fanatic in my first post, I guess it is time to tell you which teams I root for, which teams I follow, and which teams you will probably be seeing me discuss the most.

Join me after the jump for my list.

Welcome To Buncol's Sports Banter

Welcome to my new blog!

This is my first shot at blogging about sports and I am excited to see how it goes. My blogging experience is sometimes even difficult for me to describe because I do not want to give myself too much credit, but at the same time I do not want to look like a rookie.

Over the past year, I have kept my own blog called The One With the ACL Surgery where I wrote about my recovery from ACL surgery. Almost one year later, I had proved to myself that I can update a blog frequently and not lose interest in it. If I was able to consistently write about my knee pains and progression, I believe I will be able to stay on track in writing about sports, specifically, but not limited to, hockey and soccer. Additionally, I find myself following other bloggers (especially on SBNation) more than mainstream websites (ESPN, I am talking to you).

Having said that, I guess it's a good time to give you a quick, brief, and "in-as-few-sentences-as-possible" introduction. Without trying to get too personal, my father introduced me to both hockey and soccer at a very young age. My passion grew for both sports and even more so after he passed away to cancer before I was even a teenager. Everything I have in life so far has been mostly based around sports. 

I think it is fair to say that 90% of the friends I have made has been through sports in one way or another, whether it has been through club teams we played on or just a similar interest in athletics and different teams. And even though I did not meet my wonderful girlfriend through sports, I still tell her (or have tried to) to this day that if she wasn't a NY Rangers fan, then I am not so sure we would be an item (hopefully that doesn't get me in trouble). But sports has become such a big part of me that at this moment I am preparing for my spring semester of my senior year at Rutgers University and am majoring in Exercise Science and Sports Studies. 

Whether this ends up being my last semester is yet to be determined, but I know that sports has always been my passion and regardless of where my career may take me, it's obvious that sports will always be there for me to participate in, to celebrate in, and to use as an escape from any negative personal matters such as the death of a close one, or just a bad grade on an exam.

Having said that ("in-as-few-sentences-as-possible"), I am looking forward to writing about the thing I am most passionate about and giving my view on different matters. Thanks for reading!

- Buncol