mwade

Why thanks - are you a Gopher fan too? :-). While I was technically neutral, I'm a BC fan with Minnesota coming second, but I did want you to win the Final. And the photos which I'm working on right now from the UND/BC game suck not because Schneider was a freaking sieve and should have been pulled before I even made it there from Amherst, but because my arm/self was too tired - that was my first time shooting 3 "real" games in one day. Thanks to everyone for all the i.d.s, I'm going to try to get it all up tonight.

Okay this is really delayed esp. since I don't have the Worcester Regionals finished, but I had a lot of computer issues and am lazy :-). Anyway, if any of you are really bored, I finally have all the F4 pictures online including the following that involve the Sioux: Final North Dakota vs. Minnesota North Dakota practice The new, improved Player Index is also online although it only features players/images from the above games. If you can identify the ?s or correct me where I'm wrong (I tend to go back and forth between guessing wildly and putting ?s wherever I have the slightest doubt), please email me. Unidentified Sioux -Melissa

They are referring to the actual Award dinner which may, I don't know, be when the winner is officially given the Award as opposed to being announced as winner. FYI, your family was visible on the broadcast which is available on hobeybaker.com.

JK - That was me. Thanks for letting me cut in on the computer/printer. I hope I wasn't too grouchy. I know this will sound strange, but I haven't had time to really look at the pictures - I edit them in clumps - so I'm not sure if it got weighted one way or another. I did have Mannino at the closer end (spot was the ADA section above the Denver bench) so there is more of him than Parise, plus didn't get Parise with his face visible much. Porter might have been one of the ones I was missing a solo, safety shot of before the game. Mostly though I end with more of whatever player skates on the opposite side of the ice and whose face comes through easily (even when I over/under expose). Thanks to Jim, I'll be able to add captions tonight which will give me an opportunity to actually look them as a whole. Love the blow-up.

I was going to wait to post here until I had the Semi & practice up so I wouldn't be super obnoxious with multiple posts. Sorry about your loss. After the Sioux beat BC (my favorite team) in Worcester and then Minnesota (my second favorite), I was really hoping that you'd at least beat Denver. Hmm, maybe I should apologize to you for disliking Denver thus causing your loss. -Melissa

While I can't say I was listening that closely, the question by a Lowell player was more about BS calls when a guy turns at the last second than it was about adding more enforcement. The reply was pretty much along the lines of it not always being easy for the official to judge that depending on his positioning. There was more to it than that, but it didn't have anything to do with the Bina hit. People were clapping for Bina when he arrived later. I was up front at that point and couldn't see who had arrived. (Okay, I'll admit some Eastern bias, I assumed it was Roy and when I couldn't see, I didn't bother trying to move to another spot where I could. It's probably my surprise of the tournament that he hasn't popped up somewhere - if that makes me sound like a rude BC bitch, sorry, but it's got nothing to do with the BC/BU rivalry.) There were nice cheers with they got to the Hrkac Circus part of the HB video as well. -Melissa

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp...wsdate=1/9/2005 ...Notes: Defenseman David Hale, out 22 games with a kidney ailment, is going home to Colorado Springs to recuperate. ...

Unfortunately, Hale's "flu" is related to his illness. He isn't expected back anytime soon. -Melissa

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story...date=11/19/2004 "...Ftorek said Hale was "pretty much just run down and feverish and flu-like symptoms but I don't think it's the flu." ..." Hopefully this isn't his illness flaring up again. The AHL life is probably a lot tougher on keeping that in check than the NHL. -Melissa

I'm slow, but I've finally gotten pictures up from the game - http://devsrule.com/2004_10/2004_10_29_P1.html (through page 26). If anyone can identify a ? or correct a misidentification, please email me - devsrule@nyc.rr.com. I'll be going to Albany at Lowell tomorrow and I'll try to get some pictures of the former Sioux on ice against each other. thanks, -Melissa

How many did you need? I have one spare. I have a feeling it is a bit crappy in section I, but just wanted to make sure I had a ticket before I drove up. Face is $18. The only criteria is that I get to sit in the seat that is best for taking pictures (hopefully I'll be able to stand behind the wheelchair area, but, just in case). My home email is devsrule@nyc.rr.com if you are interested. FYI, the Red Sox parade is on Saturday. That means I'm not staying for the Northeastern game, but should be fun for anyone visiting from ND. -Melissa

FYI, just got some pictures online from the preseason game between the Albany River Rats and Worcester Ice Cats. Hale and Parise both played for Albany; didn't see Notermann on Worcester's roster although it definitely contained a few mistakes. http://devsrule.com/2004_10/2004_10_09_P1.html (through page 21) I'm sure I'll make a few more Rats games during the lockout. I'm looking to buy a ticket for the October 29 game at Boston College. If anyone has any tips on where I could get one in advance, please let me know (devsrule@nyc.rr.com). I'm in NYC so I don't want to take time off work to drive up to Boston without knowing if I'll be able to get in. Won't lie - I'm a BC fan, but I'll be taking pictures of both teams. thanks for any help, -Melissa

Hale is next up for the Devils' website feature 20 questions - you can submit questions now - http://newjerseydevils.com/2004/html/fanzone/20q.php

FYI, Hale is FINALLY playing. I guess watching Giroux get pushed several feet across the ice by Primeau multiple times was finally too much for Burns to take. Now, if he'd just replace Albelin with DeMarchi, I'd feel much better. The game is on ABC (you can check Center Ice if you don't get this game); the time for tomorrow's game won't be announced til after this one :-). -Melissa

Parise was at the game (watched first period from the halo with Rafalski and Friesen). from today's Post: "...Zach Parise, the Devils' June first-rounder signed Monday, said he might not have turned pro if his University of North Dakota had not been upset in NCAA tourney Saturday. "If we'd still been playing, there would have been two weeks left in the [collegiate] season, and the [stanley Cup] playoffs would have started. It kind of worked out for the best," the 19-year-old center said. He said he expected to move into team hotel today and may begin practice with the Devils tomorrow ..." Star Ledger: http://www.nj.com/devils/ledger/index.ssf?...07183877390.xml -melissa

Couldn't see it very well - noticed Gionta wanting to fight someone on the opposite side of the ice first. Hale ended up taking Clymer down, but I had forgotten that this year they've been leaving the fights on the jumbotron (in the past it went straight to a logo screen) so I had a pretty bad view. Got one (bad) picture - http://devsrule.com/2003_10/031018-61.jpg Hale actually started the game. A lot of articles seem to make it sound like he got in because Nieder went out, but I'm pretty sure he was playing and Martin was the one added as Martin left warmups earlier than normal. Hale still needs to get more physical (actually I'm not entirely sure his play deserves the "more" - I guess he had a couple of shifts that qualified as physical, plus the fight). I didn't see Hale in the halo on Thursday night so hopefully he got the opportunity to watch with Robinson (during pre-season I sat downstairs and got to see Martin get that opportunity). I try to get pictures up within a couple of days of the game - they aren't great, but will probably include some of Hale if he plays. still unhappy that Albelin was signed and even more unhappy that he wore an A, -Melissa

FYI, Hale and Martin are definitely (well, unless they fall down the bus steps) playing tonight - 8 p.m. EST - against the Bruins. The Wild game is one of the alternative ESPN broadcasts so you may need to go to a bar or check out your Center Ice channels to see Hale's pro debut. -melissa

DeMarchi was sent down earlier without getting a chance in a pre-season game :-(. He wasn't playing "his game" during the first few days of training camp that I was able to watch and there were just too many new players going for the openings. I think if he can show a bit of a nasty streak in Albany and Hale doesn't, that we could see a switch. The Devils do have more invested in Hale, both in contract $s and a higher pick. -Melissa

Hale and Martin stay up! Giroux got sent down and Tommy Albelin remains unsigned. Hooray!! -Melissa

FYI, Hale looked good in Friday night's pre-season game and it sounded (just listened to webcast) like he played well Saturday night on the Island. He (like DeMarchi) still isn't showing his physical side and backed off immediately when he had a couple of chances to show that he could fight or at least rough it up (I'm not a fighting fan, but pre-season is the time for babies to show that they can, if necessary). He needs to get that edge - Burns even had a complaint that none of the D other than Stevens is showing it (Brown has been in several fights, but hasn't necessarily been hitting hard - of course, I mostly saw Stevens MISS hits). Pictures are all now up from training camp and pre-season games; I hope to have the player index (Devils only - way behind on others) updated by the first home game and then stay current for Devils' players within a couple of games. Hale played in the home games vs. the Islanders and the Rangers. - http://devsrule.com Lamoriello made some comments to the media about not having to sign Tommy Albelin until DECEMBER 1 (to be eligible for playoff play) and that Tommy could skate as a coach in practice. Hopefully this is a good sign for Martin and Hale although there is still Sean Brown in their way of being partners (for the most part they've looked good together - in the Rangers games which only featured one, they paired Martin with Niedermayer and Hale with Stevens, a bit odd doing like with like - Giroux also got Rafalski, another like with like) and Giroux has the seniority, did fine last year in a call-up in his favor, but the upside for the other 2 is soooo much greater. Anyway, the teams have to be pared down to 23 by Tuesday. -melissa

Another article on the 3: http://www.nj.com/devils/ledger/index.ssf?...57013110130.xml ..."I had a pretty good college career, but the college game is not my style," Hale said. "In college there are a lot of small, speedy guys. The pro game is more box and positioning. ... "I like them," the captain said. "They're ahead of their time for their first training camp. They're very smart positionally." ... Day 2 pics are up now and I should have Day 3 up sometime tonight. No home pre-season game until Wednesday. -Melissa

Nice article on Hale, DeMarchi & Martin - http://www.bergenrecord.com/page.php?qstr=...2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2 I've uploaded pictures from Day 1 (on ice) of Devils training camp - the third group which included the 3 starts on http://devsrule.com/2003_09/12/2003_09_12_P19.html and runs through page 27. I should get Day 2 pictures up tomorrow night and Day 3 before the weekend. -Melissa

I don't know how old this is - my apologies if it's been pointed out before. The PHPA website features a couple of pages from Rick Zombo's coloring book: http://phpa.com/grow/color_me2.asp -melissa

Daneyko was the best DEFENSEman on the team. No one got to hang out in Brodeur's crease when Daneyko was on the ice - he even kicked Marty in the head once when Marty ventured out too far (and Brodeur admitted he was the one that messed up, a rare occurence). Scoring wasn't his responsibility although he got his two goals last season before a couple of other D got their first. This is a VERY sad day. As far as who would get a chance because of this, DeMarchi or Hale NOT Paul Martin. They've hyped Hale a bit more (to the extent the Devils ever hype anyone) which may mean he has a slight edge, but I wouldn't consider his signing or leaving early to mean that much. The Devils like to be in control of their players when it comes to injury/illness and signed Adrian Foster after drafting when he had a groin injury so they could control things rather than having his WHL team deal with it. I really think it will all depend on who looks best in camp. The first day may give an indication though as that loser Burns likes to divide the camp into Devils, Rats and infants. There were a couple of migrations from Devils to Rats and Rats to infants and vice versa, but not much. If one of them is in the Devils group and the other isn't, it will be a big disadvantage to the second guy. Giroux is a capable defenseman that you don't have to worry about when he's on the ice, but doesn't bring the physical edge. -Melissa

Thanks for the suggestions. Another incentive to finally get my driver's license this off-season. -Melissa