The Final Showdown - USA vs CAN

*(This was Arena Hostess Dina's view when she attended one of the Team USA Olympic games.)

While the Islanders are on the ice this morning for practice, they are still without their coach. He is otherwise occupied preparing for today's Gold Medal game with Team Canada. I'm sure that assistant coaches Scott Allen and Dean (can I buy a vowel) Chynoweth don't really mind. As long as he's back in time for Tuesday's first game back at the Coliseum, everything will be fine.

Some thoughts on the very fuzzy hockey border here at HB.

Good Luck Team USA, but no matter what, you've made us proud.

(*And this is the power of the big cookie. That one was peanut butter. Today's will be chocolate chip. So far, they've worked.)

I Hear Crickets....

I got nothing.

We've beaten the John Tortorella saga to death and I really don't want to get ripped again for it.

I could say how happy I was that Jason Blake had a two point game in Switzerland this morning, but I've already had my say over at Leafspace.

I could also say how happy I am for Scott Gordon for his second win of the tournament.

Should I mention the six game suspension to Donald Brashear for his hit on Rangers penalty kill machine Betts? Should I really open that can of worms? No.

I can tell you that I get more information off Twitter than I ever imagined possible and it's pretty damn well addicting.

I have no news on the Lighthouse LI Project to discuss, so that's out, and I'm to a point where I don't even really care any more whose name Garth Snow announces at the podium on June 26th. Just get it over with so we don't have to wonder any more.

Tomorrow is the big night of Game Sevens. It's going to be a big night. So I won't waste your time.

Or mine..... I do enough of that all damn day.

Night.

The Tortorella Rule?

So it turns out the NHL does have balls when it comes to the NY Rangers after all. Yesterday when Steve Zipay had interviewed John Tortorella after practice, it seemed as if the whole ugly display would just disappear as the Rangers chose to just sweep it under the locker room, logo rug.

"I've been asked, as far as that situation, not to comment on that." Torts told the media. He was told to say that by his boss, the NY Rangers (who are owned by Cablevisoin, which also owns Newsday... and News 12.... and TV station MSG and MSGPlus... and any other media outlet you can find on Long Island. I'm really getting tired of seeing that disclaimer in every hockey article I read in Newsday. I KNOW WHAT THE HELL THEY OWN!!! 90% OF MY MEDIA COVERAGE!... but I digress....)

The whole scene was caught on video from various angles and replayed on Youtube over and over again.

It shouldn't have happened, but John Tortorella is a passionate man in a passionate sport coaching a team that fans are passionate about. They are passionately loved and passionately HATED. But he is the Coach, he is supposed to know better.

In Larry Brook's NY Post article this morning he stated that there is actually a memo from September of 2008 that states there should be no contact with fans and specifically indicates the spraying of water. Hmmmm.... Ladies and Gentlemen, first the League gave us the "Avery Rule" and now we have the "John Tortorella Rule."

Thou shalt not spray water upon fans in the arena. Will they elaborate on that memo and continue "thou shalt not brandish hockey sticks in a threatening manner or poke them through the seams of the glass"?

He let the fans get the best of him. It was disappointing considering he is a quality coach. As my husband said to me this morning, if he felt the situation was out of hand he should have walked the team off the ice until the arena security could get it under control.

I liked that idea. It would have been classy. However, it also may have started a riot. But Tortorella should not have become so angry as to need to be restrained. Did he seriously think he was going to jump into the stands and take on the heckler Mano y Mano? Who does he think he is? Mike Milbury? What kind of shoes you wearing John? If they have laces, it doesn't work.

The Rangers will hit the ice at 2 pm today on their own turf. The Ranger fans do not have the greatest reputation for crowd control. I wish Coach Boudreau luck this afternoon. He just may need it.

Rockin' the Red.... all day long! Go Caps, Go Devils!

*photo from the National Post.