December 6th, 2011
The Lakehead Thunderwolves were trailing the Toronto Red Devils for most of their Week 8 matchup until they got goals from Jaromir Jagr, Luke Adam, and Logan Couture to end the matchup in a tie and remain the only undefeated team in the AFHL.
But it was what was said throughout the matchup between Toronto coach Jordan Carbone and Lakehead coach Jason Briggs that had everyone talking.
Before the matchup even began, emotions were running high as Carbone and Briggs got into a verbal confrontation earlier in the season. A couple of analysts believe the initial confrontation was all about Briggs passing a remark about Carbone’s trade ethic and Carbone firing back at him with some unpleasant profanity.
“There’s animosity created after our verbal exchange, (and) I think that’s going to be in place this week,” Briggs said during a T’wolves team practice shortly before their Week 8 matchup began. “We’re about to load the plane, head up to Toronto and they’re sitting there waiting for us, probably licking their chops, looking to get a piece of us. The rivalry will continue and I wouldn’t be surprised if his players come out trying to fight.”
The rivalry did continue with a fight just after the opening faceoff between Red Devils defenseman Luca Sbisa and Thunderwolves forward David Backes. After landing the first four punches, Backes slipped on the ice and Sbisa began pummeling him on the back of his head.
The Red Devils quickly got some points from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Loui Eriksson, and jumped out to an early lead with stellar goaltending from Jonathan Quick and Semyon Varlamov. After getting the lead, Toronto coach Jordan Carbone began trash talking on his bench loud enough for Leakhead coach Jason Briggs to hear it on his bench.
“My emotions and momentum took over at the beginning of the matchup,” said Carbone after the first night of the matchup. “But I basically told him it was not going to be easy and I was going to deal him his first loss of the season.”
“He also called me ‘Gayson’ and he called my team the ‘Lakehead C*cksuckers’,” Briggs said. “He’s been yapping a lot and so has his players.”
During a scrum in front of the Red Devils net midway through the second night of the matchup, something bizarre happened. Lakehead star forward Steven Stamkos got his glove into the face of Toronto defenseman Michael Del Zotto and then pulled his bare hand out.
“I guess I got close to him and he bit me,” said Stamkos, who wore a splint on the middle finger of his left hand. “I felt pain, I saw blood and then got stitched up and went back out.”
Stamkos scored two goals and an assist after the incident, and said Del Zotto didn’t talk to him.
“I had my finger in his mouth, so I don’t think he could,” Stamkos said.
Del Zotto’s version of the story was different.
“If he’s cut, good. But I didn’t bite him,” Del Zotto said. “I didn’t think anything of it until someone mentioned it to me. He went like that [face wash] right across my face.
“He got his glove on my tooth, almost pulled it out. It’s all sore.”
Carbone announced the signing of enforcer Dan Carcillo on Thursday night and Carcillo made his debut in the rivalry on Friday. The intensity of the matchup escalated in Carcillo’s debut, as Carcillo was doing a lot of on-ice jawing and agitating. Not that it was any surprise.
Midway through Friday’s games, David Backes drilled Carcillo into the boards and Carcillo was upset that a penalty was not called. He decided to let his rage out on Lakehead forward James Neal. Carcillo was pushing and shoving Neal in front of the Lakehead net and eventually knocked Neal down to the ice. Neal got up, threw off his gloves, and the two began trading haymakers.
A scuffle ensued between several players near center ice, mixed with several cheap shots and uncalled penalties, and ultimately led to a major-bench clearing brawl.
“There were five or six fights going at once, so it was definitely intense,” said Lakehead forward Logan Couture. “The fans were getting into it and we could hear their chants on the bench. The Toronto coach was shouting, our coach was shouting. It was crazy.”
Briggs finally retaliated to Carbone’s verbal abuse by calling Carbone a “typical teenage boy” and a “rookie b*tch”. Carbone responded by calling Briggs an “amateur” and telling him to “learn his place”. The players continued to fight on the ice as the coaches yell at each other from their benches.
“You work hard for five nights to take the lead and get ahead of the other team, and then you have to deal with the opposing coach shouting at you and sending out tough guys to hurt your best players,” Briggs said. “Those aren’t things I like to see but that’s part of the emotion, part of the rivalry. I’m going to try to protect my players and my bench, and he’s going to do the same thing with his bench.”
Carbone said Briggs and his players got what they deserved and he shouldn’t be at fault for anything.
“All I know is that somehow he seemed to be accusing me of sending someone to do something but it’s certainly not my style, I’ve never done it in my life,” Carbone said. “I brought in Carcillo because he can contribute some offense. Neal speared and elbowed two of our guys earlier, so Carcillo got him to drop the gloves. I know Neal’s not a fighter, but I didn’t stand up on the bench and accuse Briggs of sending Neal to hurt my guys so I think it’s just a matter of, ‘Take care of your own business, and we’ll take care of our own.”
Carcillo went to the dressing room amid a cheer from the sellout crowd of 21,273 when he was summoned from the penalty box after he was given 21 minutes in penalties for roughing, high-sticking, and instigating a fight with Neal.
It took the linesmen approximately 15 minutes to restore order and after the dust settled, these teams were whistled for 82 penalties and 17 were for fighting.
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Toronto forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said after the matchup. “It was pretty exciting for both teams. This was a matchup everyone was pumped up for so it really did live up to the rivalry. “
In the end, the Red Devils set the tone with their aggressive style, but couldn’t match the Thunderwolves’ scoring and had to settle with a tie.
“We should have won but we came up short on offense,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “It’s real easy to get up for these games, it should be an exciting matchup every time we play. It’s a battle and I think it’s something everyone enjoys.”
GM Nellany draws first blood on the eve of the Killers-Chiefs rivalry matchup
December 12th, 2011
“In a rivalry matchup like this, the team that draws first blood normally has an advantage the whole week,” Deer Park GM Mike Nellany told a reporter late last night. “We’re going to draw first blood.”
Nellany did just that on Monday morning when he called Fort Drum GM Steve Stryska a “scrub”.
“I called him a scrub,” said Nellany. “He’s a scrub, plain and simple.”
The Killers-Chiefs rivalry is one of the most storied and well known rivalries ever in the Amazing Fantasy Hockey League. Both GMs have plenty of history to build upon. They experienced two ferociously competitive trash-talking sessions, with each GM claiming victory once. They even, once upon a time, came close to blows in the parking lot, gang style, outside of the John Jay hockey rink in Deer Park.
“There’s just something special in the air when we play against the Killers,” said Chiefs defenseman Andrew Ference. “They don’t like us and we don’t like them.”
The intensity level during this week’s matchup is expected to be very high as both clubs are battling for the top spot in the American Conference.
“All week it’s going to be a slugfest back and forth – figuratively,” Killers forward Chris Neil told reporters after today’s pregame skate. “We’re a couple points out of first place. We’re not going to let them stop us.”
This cross-river battle will likely will be won between the pipes, with Fort Drum goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff and Deer Park counterpart Henrik Lundqvist in the spotlight.
Lundqvist has been sensational this season, posting a 2.08 goals-against average with a .932 SV%, and it appears he’s taken his play to another level.
“To me, why he’s playing well is that he’s in control of his head and his emotions,” said Chiefs forward Scott Hartnell, who will most likely be the centerpiece of the rough stuff against the Killers this week. “Henrik’s very focused. I haven’t seen him get up or down.”
Meanwhile, Kiprusoff has been stellar in Fort Drum, posting 14 wins and two shutouts. Despite his 2.40 GAA, he has single handedly won matchups for Fort Drum this season.
“He’s always at level 10 for matchups vs. the Chiefs”, said Killers forward Chris Stewart. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he outplays Henrik this week.”
Blast from the past:
12/14/2010: Chiefs-Killers up the trash talking
3/7/2011: Chiefs-Killers ready to add another chapter to rivalry
3/10/2011: Chiefs vs. Killers matchup gets ugly
January 2nd, 2012
From top to bottom, every team in the Amazing Fantasy Hockey League has some important decisions to make in the coming months. Some may say that all teams are looking for the same things: a Sidney Crosby-sized forward with an indestructible head, a 25 year old Nicklas Lidstrom and the next coming of Patrick Roy. But since those are more difficult to come by than gold, here are some of the more realistic new year’s resolutions for 2012…
Gabriel Landeskog, F, Goldsboro: I resolve to take my place among the best up-and-coming young forwards in the game.
Joffrey Lupul, F, Toronto: Continue being the AFHL’s most underrated player.
Tony Furino, GM, Manhattan: Take my free-falling team on a trip to Oz to get some courage.
Matt Dwyer, GM, Goldsboro: I resolve to take the Rebels to the next level that includes making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
Mike Phelan, GM, Boston: Express the unique personality that I have and show that I want to stay in the league by acknowledging the AFHL’s rule on participation.
Ryan Armstrong, GM, Ottawa: See above.
Ryan Malone, F, Detroit: Get a new cyborg body.
Scott Hartnell, F, Deer Park: I resolve to waiting until my opponent is looking before I throw the first punch.
Nicklas Lidstrom, D, Hamilton: Keep on playing like a Norris Trophy candidate until the day I finally hang ’em up.
Marian Hossa, F, Buffalo: I will never again show up drunk to practice.
Pat McKenna, GM, Comox Valley: I resolve to continue building from within and icing a club that excites and entertains our fans.
Henrik Zetterberg, F, Hamilton: Try to shoot the puck more often.
Kyle Kebert, GM, Pittsburgh: Give up on the Steve Mason experiment before he ruins the season for the Heroes.
Steven Stamkos, F, Lakehead: I resolve to thank the Lord every day that Martin St. Louis is my linemate.
Mike Nellany, GM, Deer Park: Lead the Chiefs to the Stanley Cup Finals while being the super pest of the league and a thorn in my opponent’s side.
Daryn Beckman, GM, Buffalo: See if Dr. Frankenstein can build a goalie for my team by spring time.
Valtteri Filppula, F, Fort Drum: I resolve to keep playing great hockey for the Killers even if I don’t get the credit I deserve.
Phil Kessel, F, Victoria: Continue to be the AFHL’s most improved player.
Rick DiPietro, G, Manhattan: Retire.
Mike Brunetta, GM, North Bay: I resolve to get my struggling superstars, such as Alex Ovechkin, Eric Staal, and Ryan Getzlaf, motivated and back to playing their game.
Evgeni Malkin, F, Boston: Keep piling up the points and win the Art Ross trophy!
Zach Parise, F, Oshawa City: Start laughing when I hear a funny joke instead of saying the letters “LOL”.
Devin Setoguchi, F, Deer Park: I resolve to breaking out and living up to my potential as a star forward.
Chris Hartley, GM, Victoria: Acquire some leadership for my otherwise Stanley Cup-contending team.
Evgeni Nabokov, G, Manhattan: Stop breaking sticks over the crossbar when I give up a goal because it’s not my fault that my team blows!
Jason Briggs, GM, Lakehead: I resolve to find that missing piece so the T’wolves can be contenders to win the Stanley Cup.
Steve Downie, F, Oshawa City: Fight less, score more.
Tyler Kennedy, Comox Valley: I will stop boring my coach with the same old excuses and I will think of some new excuses instead.
Anze Kopitar, F, Victoria: I resolve to playing like I’m proud to be one of the faces of the Vipers franchise.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, F, Toronto: Continue to silence the naysayers.
Steven Stryska, GM, Fort Drum: Not talk on my cell phone while in the bathroom unleashing the chocolate terrorist.
Phil Svoboda, GM, Twin City: I resolve to continue churning out some really talented youngsters and draft smart in the offseason.
Matt Plachta, GM, London: Get my team to play hungry and disciplined hockey so we can make a run at another Cup!
Keith Cancilla, GM, Montreal: I resolve to FAIL FOR NAIL!
Earl McNeill, GM, Oshawa City: Make some good trades at the trade deadline for the sake of the franchise’s future.
Gates Imbeau, GM, Hamilton: Get my name engraved on the AFHL Stanley Cup.
Ilya Kovalchuk, F, Toronto: Stop watching cute and cuddly kitten videos on Youtube.
Jordan Carbone, GM, Toronto: I resolve to win the Jack Adams trophy as GM of the Year.
Ryan Miller, G, Pittsburgh: Re-establish myself as the most reliable stopper in hockey.
Patrick Kane, F, Victoria: Never again take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
Tony Furino, AFHL Commissioner: I resolve to continue stockpiling ideas for the AFHL to remain the Roman Empire of the fantasy hockey world.
Kyle Turris, F, Montreal: Work as hard as possible during practices.
Martin Brodeur, G, London: Help kids stay safe by not texting on my cell phone while eating Taco Bell and speeding on a highway with a frost covered windshield.