Sidney Crosby Is Talented

Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby gets a lot of flack from the mainstream media and bloggers a like.

Some accuse him of being a whiner, a cheap shot artist, and a bit over hyped. However there is no denying that The Kid's got the skills to pay the bills, and those skills were on display Wednesday night in a game against the New York Rangers.

With the Pens up 5-2 late in the third period, Crosby netted himself an impressive, amazing, stupendous (enough adjectives?) no look, top shelf, backhanded goal. This after having to skip out on the All-Star weekend festivities due to an injury.

Some were outraged that Crosby was "too injured" to take part in the All-Star weekend and thought that his injury wasn't serious enough and he could've played. And I now agree. Too hurt for the all-star weekend, but after seven days of rest and just three days after the ASG itself he's able to score a highlight reel goal of the year candidate? How dare he.

Maybe the NHL should've forced him to play on the weekend just to make it fair and level out the playing field for everyone else. Actually that's not a bad idea. If you'll excuse me, I have to go give Gary Bettman a call and mention that to him. I also want to talk to him about my glow in the dark/cosmic bowling like idea for hockey games. I think it will really catch on.

Lights Out Lang

During Wednesday night's Canadiens vs. Rangers game, Habs veteran Robert Lang scored a beauty of a goal which might be a goal of the year candidate but I'm not entirely sure. It could be a candidate but there have been so many more spectcular goals which would easily beat it. So why just nominate it for the sake of being nominated. That's like when actors say it's just an honour to be nominated for an award. It's a complete lie.

More about the goal, Lang takes the puck in over the Blueshirts' blueline and then dekes the pants off Rangers d-man Marc Staal. [ed. note: His pants actually stayed on. It's just a saying.] Lang then puts the puck past Henrik Lundqvist top shelf - or 'Roof Daddy' as Pierre McGuire would say - for his second goal of the game. Lang would later go on to score on an empty net late in the third for his second career hat trick.

You know what's amazing about this goal? That Lang is 39 years old and is still able to pull off moves like this. When I'm 39, I bet I'm going to be so stiff and out of shape that getting out of a chair too fast will make me sore. Who am I kidding? I'm only 24 and I'm already kind of like that.

Alex The Amazing

Alex Ovechkin scored an amazing goal against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night. But you know what, it was Boxing Day and you might have missed it. Because instead of being a good hockey fan and watching the game, you were probably out waiting in line to get a great deal on that toaster you've had your eye on. And you know what, I don't blame you. It toasts 8 slices of bread at once! Technology is a beautiful thing.

So for those of you who did miss it, or for those of you who want to see it again, I bring you Ovie's goal of the year candidate against the Sabres.

Let me tee it up for you. Ovechkin intercepts a pass in the Caps defensive zone and then rushes up the ice where he pulls off a sweet deke on Henrik Tallinder. Then while Ovechkin is falling to the ice, he still manages to find a way to put the puck past Sabres netminder Patrick Lalime. Followed closely by himself as he too slides into the back of the net, past Lalime.

When asked about how the goal came together, Ovechkin said, "I was tired and I just fell, and I shoot. It was in, so that's pretty cool ... You always want to do some crazy things."

Notable Quotable of the Day

''I was just trying to put the puck in the net and I felt that was the right thing to do.''

- John Tavares giving very detailed insight on how he scored a very impressive highlight reel goal in Team Canada's 7-0 exhibition victory over Slovakia on Tuesday night.

Now with video update!

Wow Wheeler!

The term "best ever" gets thrown around a lot these days. Especially by bloggers who think anything special they just saw was the best thing ever. That's what happens when you spend all day in your mother's basement.

But seriously guys, this goal by Boston Bruins rookie Blake Wheeler against the St. Louis Blues from Sunday night definitely qualifies as a 'Goal of the Year' candidate.

Wheeler must have been watching some football from earlier in the day, because he bounces off a defender like a running back off a lineman, then dekes around the Blues defense like they're human pylons and pops it in past a sprawling Manny Legace for a stunning short-handed goal. For some reason, despite all the sweet moves the announcers seem not as impressed as I am. Which is odd because it was carried by NESN who are usually the biggest homers in the business.

So again, I don't want to fall into the blogger trap of calling every thing I see the best thing ever, but I feel comfortable calling this a 'Goal of the Year' candidate. However the one thing I do feel comfortable calling the best thing ever is this french toast I'm eating. Both delicious and filling.