UFC 104 Tonight!

Lets be honest.. this fight card is relatively awful! The only decent fight is the main event, featuring Machida vs Shogun.. but even then, that fight could be a bust depending on the "type" of fighters that show up. Hopefully the Shogun that shows up will be like the one against Liddell, and not the one against Forrest, or it will be a long night for him. I'm still on the fence as to whether I even like Machida or not. His early fights in the UFC were nothing but an awkward fight style, usually ending in a very boring decision, to which he would squeeze out the victory. However, he has improved grealty and his knockout win to gain the title over Rashad Evans was pretty unreal. With that said, I'm still routing for Shogun, I think it's time for Machida's "0" to go! The UFC is also showing some of the Pre-lims on spike tonight. It is a good plan in theory, the audience gets to see some free fights, which is always appreciated, and if they are good, I am sure it entices a larger audience to pay the $49.95 for the pay-per-view. I think with this fight card, there was no other opption, they had to find some way for people to buy this brutal fight card. But hey, often it's the fighters and fights that you never think will be exciting, end up having something to prove, and can potentially result in some entertaining fights. Cross your fingers that that's what will happen tonight! ps. Go Shogun!

Pats lose in ToonTown

The Regina Pats opened the scoring on Wednesday night against the Blades with Brett Leffler putting a beauty past Saskatoons goalie. But, the Blades came back in the first to even the score two minutes later. The second saw quite scrambly hockey with goals from Weal of the pats and Elliott and Toomey for the blades. The Pats went into the third down 3-2. Toomey got his second goal of the night for the blades, putting them up 4-2. Jordan Eberle replied for the Pats, but it was too late. As a result, the Regina Pats lose with a final score of 4-3 in regulation. Possibly the greatest loss for the Pats came early in the first period when Matt Strueby took a hard check from behind, resulting in him getting a concussion and cuts on his face, but none that required stitches. Strubes left the game and did not return. When I asked him how he was feeling today he said he, has "a little headache but I'll be fine. Face is sore though." Hopefully Struebs will be back in the lineup as soon as possible! The Pats take on the Swift Current Broncos in a home-and-home Saturday and Sunday night this weekend. The Pats will play at the Brandt Centre on Sunday with the puck dropping at 6:00pm!

Question.

How do the Regina Pats go from dominating the Prince Albert Raiders to a 9-3 victory one game, only to lose 3-2 against them in the next meeting? The anwer: that's just hockey I suppose. But still, it's rather annoying, especially when the Pats yet again outplayed the other team but let that extra point slip away in OT. Jordan Eberle opened scoring for the Pats on a dish from Weal, but the Raiders Hickmott replied after the Pats turned the puck over in their own end. Things were all tied up as the boys headed into the second, and a point shot from Colten Teubert managed to get by the Raiders goalie, thus putting the Pats up by 1. The third saw its fair share of scrambling hockey, and resulted in McCallum finding the net in the Pats end. Score 2-2. The Pats drew some penalities in the third but were unable to register another goal, so once again the Pats are going to overtime. Overtime has not been the Pats best friend lately, and tonight was no different. After taking a slashing penalty the Pats were forced to play a little 3 on 4 hockey, a scenario in which 80% of teams score. As a result, Revenko scored the OT winner for the P.A. Raiders and stole the extra point from the Pats. Their consolation prize was about a 2 hour bus ride to Saskatoon, directly after the game. I would imagine that was a silent group. Still, the Pats have the opportunity to redeam themselves tonight against the Saskatoon Blades. It's not an easy task, but one that can still be achieved. Don't forget, the Pats have beaten the Blades this season, while Jordan Eberle was still in Edmonton non-the-less, so this could develope into a very interesting game. Good luck tonight boys!

Pats Back on the Winning Track

The Regina Pats put in a full 60 minute effort on both ends of the ice and it showed. For their efforts, the Pats were rewarded with a "W" and more importantly 2 points. The Pats beat former goalie, Linden Rowat and his new team in the Lethbridge Hurricanes by a score of 4-1. Scoring for the Regina Pats were: Jordan Eberle (2), Matt Strueby and Colten Teubert. While Mestery got the lone goal for the Canes. The Pats now play three away games in a row before returning to the Brandt Centre on Sunday to face the Swift Current Broncos.

Oilers get the "W"

It was a great night yesterday for the Oilers, who got the win and didn't even have to go to the shootout to get it. The Oilers beat former Oiler, Kyle Brodziak and his new team the Minnesota Wild by a score of 5-2. It was a great team effort by the Oilers, who really had to play together with first line, right winger-Hemsky out of the lineup. Scoring for the Oilers in the win were: Comrie, Penner(2), and Brule (2). Scoring for the Wild were: Pouliot and Brunette. May I just say that I am exteremily impressed with the way Gilbert Brule has been playing since earning a spot on the Oilers roster. Brule has 7 points in as many games, coming from 4 goals and 3 assists. It has been a tough road to get here for Brule, but his hard work is finally paying off. The Oilers next action is Monday as they take on the Vancouver Cannucks.

Close but No Cigar...

That was the story for the Pats last night against the number 5 team in the country, the Kamloops Blazers. Kamloops Shattock opened the scoring, but the one goal lead didn't last long as Hood replied about a minute later for the pats. The Pats went into the second period on a one goal lead coming late in the first courtesy of Matt Strueby. However, The Pats quickley found themselves down one as the second period was coming to a close but a goal from Brett Leffler pulled them into a tie going into the break. Colten Teubert scored for the Pats in the third but the defense couldn't hold off the Blazers and they scored nearly two minutes later to tie the game once again. As the regulation buzzer sounded, the Pats were heading into overtime. It didn't last long, and on one of the luckiest, ugliest, and flukiest goals the Blazers stole the W right from under the Pats feet. It was a tough loss in a game where the Pats clearly deserved the win after playing a hard game, but thats just hockey. Scoring for the Pats in the loss were: Hood, Strueby, Leffler and Teubert
Scoring for the Blazers were: Shattock, Willick, Stretch, and Stebner (OT). The Pats are back in action tonight at the Brandt Centre as they take on Lindon Rowat and the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

$10,000

That's the amount of money in which Pat Quinn was fined after "speaking his mind" on the Iginla-Souray hit on Thursday.  "I don't understand the players of today," Quinn said on Thursday. "If that had happened in the old days he would have got hit over the head with a stick right after. It was a pretty dirty play in my opinion. He poked his feet out and then piled on top of him. Somehow they never deal with that crap and they won't let the vigilante stuff happen to deal with it. It's disappointing." (TSN.ca) Could the NHL be blowing this comment out of proportion? This blogger thinks so.  I believe the reporters happened to catch Quinn at a very vulnerable moment when he made this comment.  His adrenalin was still pumping from the game, his team just lost a nail-biter in the shootout, and one of his key defensive players now has a concussion because of questionable play.  I believe Quinn got caught up in the moment when he said those comments, which also combined with people taking them too seriously.  I didn't take them seriously when I first heard them, if anything I found them kind of funny.  It's not like Quinn said, "One of our guys should have hit him on the head with a stick." He said that that's "what would have happened in the old days."  But, either way, what's done is done. Say goodbye to 10K Quinner.