Well, it's been awhile since I've live blogged a game, and I've never done one for two teams I have *zero* vested interest in. So why not start with the Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins at the fourth annual Winter Classic? Personally, I'm rooting for the meteor in this game. I don't really have anything major against either team, but I'm sick of the NHL and their marketing partners continually shoving Sid and Ovi down our throats. I had to LOL at all of the weather reports out of Pittsburgh this week, and had a moment of schadenfreude when they announced the game was getting pushed back to 8PM EST. But hey, maybe hockey in prime time would be a good thing for the league? I guess the ratings will tell.
Here's hoping I get the last loads of laundry folded and dinner consumed before the game starts!
Pregame:
- OK, Terrible Towels are great - for STEELERS GAMES.
- Obligatory polished opening vignette. Featuring....wait for it....Sid & Ovi. SNOOZE.
- The Drum Line as the teams come out of the tunnel is pretty sweet. No bias, being a former percussionist of course ;)
- Do they only sell Crosby jerseys in Pittsburgh? All those little kids behind Bob Costas & Mike Milbury are wearing Sid's sweater.
- Mario Lemieux - repect him for being one of the all time greats. Don't care too much for him - see 1992 Stanley Cup Finals.
- "Gentlemen remove your caps?" FUCK YOU, GIRLS WEAR HATS TOO! What is this, 1934?
- Nice they played "Oh, Canada." Too bad the NHL/NBC would never consider a Canadian team to play in the WC.
- Nice voice, but that girl singing the Star Spangled Banner is a tad creepy.
GAME ON!
Period One:
- The ice doesn't look too hot. It'll be interesting to see waht it looks like in the third.
- The camera work on this game is gonna make me sea-sick. You'd think NBC would have that under control. FAIL
- Pierre McGuire: Looking like a penis with a little NHL cap on.
- The one guy fixing the glass just flashed a little plumber's crack on national TV. Such a nice touch.
- I feel like I need to use binoculars to watch this game on the TV. Where are the damn cameras - on the roof?
- And now they've cut to the blimp shot during a fucking Caps power play? What the hell is the NBC production team doing?
- They have reams of fluffy white cloth to simulate snow on the infield. Lame.
- Always a smart move to hook Crosby when he has a clear break to the net. Let's see how this Pens power play goes.
- The red helmets the Caps are wearing amuses me greatly.
- Ugh, I should watch this game on mute.
- FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Rupp looks like he gave up there in the end.
- Poor Dan Bylsma - looked like McGuire was trying to cuddle up to him there. Like the fedora.
- POST!
- PING x2!
- I don't know how anyone can see the ice from the upper decks. I guess you'd just go for the experience. Or something.
- LOL AT OVECHKIN BITING IT WHILE WINDING UP FOR A SHOT!
- A little chippy at the end there. Pretty good game thus far. Great goaltending from both ends.
- McGuire interviews Crosby. SLURP SLURP SLURP.
- Did you know there are 20 players on a hockey team? Watching NBC, you'd think there was just one per team.
- The intermission panel: two short bald men & one giant windbag. Jee-bus.
Period Two:
- Kinda lame that the Winter Classic patch is on the shoulder of the Caps jerseys.
- Rained for a little bit there. Mother Nature has a sense of humor.
- Thanks for that informative explanation of hand warmers Pierre McGuire. As if you can't go to Walgreen's and buy a box.
- Ugly Face scores first for the Pens. OOPS, I mean Malkin.
- Kinda a BS call on Laich for goalie interference.
- Sneaky, sneaky five-hole power play goal by Knuble to tie the game up. You can really tell the puck was bouncing all over the place.
- OH NO LETANG! I CAN HEAR THE KEENING OF YOUNG WOMEN ACROSS NORTH AMERICA!
- Playing this NHL Twitter Trivia Contest is rather distracting. Oh Well.
- Fleury got REALLY lucky there. Caps missed an open net *twice*
- Really loud at Heinz Field right now. Which is fine because it drowns out Doc & Pierre.
- REALLY NICE WE COULD SEE THAT CAPS GOAL NBC. YOU SUCK!
- Seriously though, Fleury's been living on the edge this period - finally caught up to him.
- Oh Crosby got away with a slash? COLOR ME SURPRISED!
- Goal wiped out for Pens - goalie interference. Looks like the right call.
- They have the Geico Caveman "refereeing" the game on the kiddie rink. All of the kids have on either Crosby or Ovechkin jerseys /facepalm
- OH NOES - CROSBY IS HURT! CANCEL THE GAME!
- Yes, I do like to use Caps Lock for shits and giggles. Thank You.
- That was a very exciting period - lots of action end-to-end.
- Holy awkward interviews before this puck shooting contest w/Harris & Bettis.
- Can these guys shoot the puck any slower? SHUT UP PIERRE AND MILBURY!
- I'd rather watch NBC's Prime Time Lineup than this shitty intermission shootout.
Period Three:
- Hockey Day in America hosted in Millennium Park? TELL ME MOAR PLZ!
- If the winds continue, they'll change sides halfway through the third. I think they did the same thing at Wrigley two years ago, but my memory's a bit fuzzy.
- Looks a little froggy in the stadium from that damn blimp-cam
- WOAH - excellent saves there by Varly!
- Can't they get the guys with the squeegees who try to clean your windshield to help out with the water on the ice?
- The rain's been coming down for awhile - ice looks awful. EEP.
- HEY NBC - JUST BECAUSE THE GAME'S IN A FOOTBALL STADIUM DOESN'T MEAN THE SAME CRAZY CAMERA ANGLES WORK FOR HOCKEY! Sheesh.
- Well, if this ends in a shootout, they won't need to bring the Zambonis back out.
- WOW - Fehr gets behind the D and beats Fleury - 3-1 Caps with 8 minutes left in regulation.
- TROLOLOLOL - Ovechkin's goal waved off after he hugged Fleury behind the net.
- See now this is why I don't like Ovi - 10 seconds left and he's raising his arms up at Centre Ice like he just won the Stanley Cup. Asshat.
- LET THEM FIGHT! WOOOOO!
- No shaking of hands. Stay classy Pittsburgh. If the Wings and Hawks can do it, you can do it too.
Welp, that was entertaining for sure. Too bad about the shitty conditions, but they toughed it out. Bets on next year's classic? I heard a rumor the NHL is thinking about Blackhawks-Canucks, but I doubt they'd have the Hawks in it twice. Then again, it didn't stop the Penguins :P Personally, I'd bet it'll be in New York next year - perhaps NY Rangers vs. Leafs/Habs for a O6 matchup? Let's just hope the weather's a bit more wintry!
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