#first direct terrible hockey fandom experience

[rattkachuk]

poor you having anxiety attacks because people don't like the way you're fetishing Matthew's best friend getting possibly concussed as a way to fulfill your fantasy of him and that trash dude he hates fucking

lmao ok i'll publish this since u want the attention, but next time come off anon so i can block you <3

[fleetwooded]

Are you a canucks fan? Could you spare a moment to elaborate on their history/narrative? Or tell me about what makes the team interesting? I’m looking for a playoff team to get invested in now that the pens are out

ABSOLUTELY I CAN!! lets go through these questions one by one

1. are you a canucks fan?

WHAT a question. am i a canucks fan? am i? like, yes, but no, but obviously, but i wish i wasn’t, but i will never quit them. the thing about being part of a hockey family in canada is that you don’t really get a choice about being a fan of your Team, and also no one really considers themselves fans per se. if you are a part of a hockey family, watching hockey is something that is embedded in your blood and your rituals and the legacy of your forefathers... but i feel in a very different way then i’ve seen in american football families or etc?

i don’t know, maybe i’m wrong, but being part of a hockey family is really about solemnly, often miserably, sometimes joyously, watching hockey Together. it’s about false nationalism and having no collective identity as canadians and therefore constructing one around hockey customs and rituals and superstitions and rivalries. at least in my experience, it’s not at all about like... masculinity, or anger, or even really competitiveness. you don’t get mad when your team loses - you grit your teeth and you bear it and you talk about how the coach should be fired and you patiently wait until your team gets good again. and if you haven’t suffered - if your team has not been Terribly, Devastatingly Bad, if you have not Earned It, then you should not win and everyone hates you (hence why no one likes the vegas golden knights).

anyways, if being a fan means knowing everything about a team and feeling passionately when they win and feeling grateful that they give you something to talk about with your dad then yes i am a canucks fan!!!

2. what’s the deal with their history/narrative?

for this bit it is important to keep in mind the Big Hockey Thing i mentioned above, which is that all teams/fans must suffer, and only through suffering can you earn victory. this probably indicates something fucked up about us but that’s another conversation!

so here’s a quick breakdown of the past 10 years of canucks history:

in 2011, the canucks had assembled a Perfect Team. our stars were the sedins, a pair of extremely talented swedish redhead twins who were acquired through some trading magic. we had alex burrows, a talented french-canadian trash talker, ryan kesler, a talented asshole, chris higgins & mason raymond, two talented hot men, and several star defencemen. and in net, roberto luongo, who was a GREAT goalie but would get into his head and absolutely fall apart at a moment’s notice. this Perfect Team dramatically beat our Nemisis the chicago blackhawks in the first round and made it to the stanley cup finals for the first time since 1994... only to come face to face with the boston bruins. the bruins were a huge, mean team, and they beat the canucks to a pulp every game. the entire city was losing it. we were so close to the cup, so close!!! and nothing else matters but that cup!!! and then - game seven - as close as you could possibly be - luongo has a complete breakdown and the bruins win 4-0. every goal worse than the last. the city riots! it was really really bad! all of the grinning and bearing it went out the window. people were devastated.

but the canucks were still good! right! right? well, they were good enough to win the presidents trophy the next season (prize for most regular season wins, no one cares about it) but not good enough to avoid losing the first round in 5 games. and then getting swept the next year. and then not even making the playoff the year after that. the glory days were over.

and then... well. longtime coach alain vigneault gets the chop, and in his place, the canucks decide to hire john tortorella, a man noted for being.... um.... an abusive asshole!! his habits included: incessantly berating his players, both to their faces and to the media. getting into physical fights with other coaches. basing his coaching approach around punishment and cruelty. etc etc etc. he decides he hates roberto luongo (who had already been the victim of several years of vitriol from the entirety of vancouver media). in the 2014 heritage classic, he chooses to start the backup goalie eddie lack - two days later, luongo is traded.

and that’s that. the sedins retire. the playoffs wither into a far off pipe dream. the team cycles through a couple more coaches and management teams, and continues to resist a full rebuild. several prospects who are supposed to revitalize the team end up fading away.

and then! whats that on the horizon! in the 2017 draft, the canucks choose elias pettersson as their fifth overall pick. just a little boy from sweden (continuing the canucks longtime love affair with swedish players) who rocked the world of the U20 SHL with one of the greatest seasons in the history of the league. he’s skinny and tall and sweethearted, and his debut is thrilling. all of a sudden, the canucks are fun to watch again. they have energy! they have speed! they have nifty passes!

the team, which seemed so listless before, lights up around him. bo horvat is the new captain, a boyish but Very Serious little leader. brock boeser is the american hotshot with the prince charming hair and a great shot. jacob markstrom is the new goalie anchoring the team - one of the players the canucks got out of the luongo trade who developed into a MUCH better goalie than anyone thought he would!! and now, a new baby rookie, little quinn hughes, who despite his talent moves through the world with an expression of constant existential horror.

somehow, suddenly, the pieces fall into place!! the team is... fun?!! they hold the leads that they used to inevitably give up! they score the goals that used to miss! they WON A PLAYOFF SERIES!!

3. what makes the team interesting?

okay, that was all very much a hockey family account of the canucks, and now i will do my very best to think through what makes them fandom interesting.

obviously, the thing at the heart of the team is Baby Boy Elias Pettersson. personally, i love the hockey team dynamic of This Is Our Boy And You’ll Die If You Touch Him. the hockey announcers LOVE talking about how everyone is always after pettersson - i believe a direct quote the other night was “all the big guys love to go after fresh meat, and pettersson is the freshest meat on the ice.” he’s teeny by hockey standards, so the other boys must protect him!!

beyond pettersson, there is just a LOVE that these boys all share with each other!! i think that they all feel acutely the responsibility of all the history above. they just won the first playoff series in like TEN YEARS and they feel the weight of that on their shoulders. but also they’re doing it!! they are the team we’ve been waiting for and they know it and they are so happy to be doing this together!! and the fact that they all share both that responsibility and that pride... ohhh i love it. i love that they probably have so much anxiety right now that must be soothed. i love that they must just all be so grateful for the prodigal son. i love all of it!!

[kinkykinard]

And How You’ll Scream

Fandom: Star Trek AOS. Pairing: Leonard McCoy X Reader. Prompt: “You’re scared of haunted houses and Halloween attractions and i don’t even know you but your friends left you behind (what dicks) so I’m gonna hold your hand and get you through this, alright?” Word Count: 2433. Warnings: Language. Rating: Teen+. Genre: Humor, fluff. Summary: It’s Halloween at Starfleet Academy and your friends have abandoned you inside of a haunted house attraction. Gender neutral. Author’s Note: For @auduna-druitt’s Halloween challenge.  I loved this prompt because I have an honest to goodness phobia where carnival-type haunted houses are concerned.  A bad experience in one as a kid has resulted in me now having full blown panic attacks any time I even try to go into one.  So that experience really fed into this fic.  Happy Halloween, and I hope you guys enjoy!

And How You’ll Scream

“Keep up, Bones!  Don’t think I won’t leave you in here!” The voice that echoes in the room around you amidst the sounds of ghoulish cackling and blood-curdling screaming is coming from where you know the room’s exit is, but you can’t find it in yourself to move.  You’re pressed into a corner of the nearly pitch-black room, trying your best to make yourself as small as possible in hopes that it’ll make the whole nightmarish scenario around you disappear. As you cower in the corner listening to a pair of footsteps approach, you feel a hand graze against you and you shriek, your whole body going rigid.  You shake like a leaf and pull your hands up to cover your face as strong but gentle fingers wrap themselves around your upper arms. “Get away from me!” You scream, trying to pull free from the stranger’s grip. 

You’re afraid to look at what sort of a horrible, macabre mask he’s got on, feeling certain that he’s one of the haunted house actors.  If it’s anything like some of the others you’ve seen, you know it’ll only scare you even more.  As it is you’re already so afraid you can barely stand up straight, let alone move. Your heart’s rattling around in your chest like a small, agitated bird in a cage. “Calm down, sugar, I’ve got you,” a man’s voice says softly.  “I’m going to get you out of here.” You shake your head, tugging out of his grip and pressing yourself further into the corner.  The room’s occasionally strobing lights light up your vision even through the barrier of your eyelids and you gasp as the scent of the theater fog in the air makes you feel a bit like you’re choking.  It’s so much, it’s too much. “Just leave me alone,” you sob, afraid that behind the gentleness there’s some sort of a trick to get you even more worked up. Just as the stranger’s grip loosens a little, another presence surrounds you and you know you’ve been joined by someone else.  That someone’s hands are suddenly on your hips, grasping, clawing at you.  You scream shrilly and nearly collapse.  The only thing holding you up is the first man’s hands still encircling your biceps. Laughter rings through the air. “Jesus, Y/N,” a familiar voice – your partner’s – says with a laugh.  “You weren’t kidding.  You really are freaked.  Come on, I’ll take you home and make it up to you.” “Step off, asshole,” the strange man interjects. “Who the hell are you?”  Your significant other asks. “A good Samaritan trying to help someone out,” the stranger says sourly.  “And who the hell are you?” “None of your business,” your partner snaps, reaching out to tug on your arm.  “Come on, Y/N.” You’re shaking like a leaf and your feet don’t want to move.  All you can do is shake your head.  You’re upset, angry even, and you don’t intend on going anywhere with your partner again any time soon.  The only problem is that without them, you’re stuck where you are – too afraid to try to navigate your way out of the maze alone. You inhale sharply as you feel the grip on your arms loosen and hear a scuffle break out.  Finally opening your eyes, you glance back and forth between your significant other and the kind stranger who had first found you.  Your partner’s got him by the lapels and looks like he’s ready for a fight, but the stranger isn’t aggressing in return.  Stepping in, hoping to stop the fists flying before they start, you put a hand on your partner’s chest. “Knock it off,” you breathe, your voice still reedy with anxiety.  “Leave me alone.  I’m not going anywhere with you.” “Y/N, baby,” they slur a little in an attempt at smoothing things over, the alcohol they’d had earlier clearly impairing their cognition.  “Don’t be like that.  It was all just a bit of fun.” “Your definition of fun and mine are vastly different,” you say shakily. They reach out and grab you by the lapels of your jacket, yanking you closer, eliciting a yelp. “No!”  You cry, tears immediately prickling at your eyes again. “Back off, pal,” the stranger says firmly, stepping in and removing your partner’s hand. “Stay out of this, asshole, this ain’t your problem,” your partner snaps, pulling back and swinging at the man’s face. “The hell it’s not,” the stranger spits, easily catching your partner’s clumsy fist and throwing a punch of his own. You watch as your partner goes sprawling to the ground and you nearly lunge after them, but a hand on your shoulder stops you.  You jump a little, startled, and turn to find another stranger standing at your side. His blond hair and blue eyes give him a sort of boy next door look and you feel at ease as he smiles. “You alright?”  He asks. You nod. “That asshole was getting a little handsy,” the first stranger explains. “I gathered,” the blond murmurs.  “I’ll take care of them, Bones, and you can lead the cadet out of here.” The dark-haired man beside you nods and ever-so-gently puts a hand on your back, steering you toward the room’s far end and exit.  You take a tentative step forward but immediately flinch away as the sound of a chainsaw roars in the room next door and is followed by the shrieks and screams of other people touring through the place.  You stumble back a step and nearly trip over our own shoes, pressing your back to your savior’s chest. “Not so good in haunted houses?”  He murmurs softly. You shake your head. “It’s alright,” he assures you.  “I’m right here, and I won’t let anything bad happen to you, okay?” You nod and try your best to be brave, but you’re feeling far too claustrophobic for comfort.  Swallowing thickly, you slowly put one foot in front of the other, creeping your way through the room with the man following right behind you.  You ball your fists so tightly that you can feel your nails gouging into the skin of your palms and you take sharp, small breaths in an attempt to keep from breaking into sobs. The two of you slowly make it out of the room uneventfully and cross the threshold into the next hallway.  You’re just beginning to think you’re in the clear when nothing immediately springs to life when a shadow moves across the blacklight filtering in from the chamber beyond.  As you take another step forward, a very tall person in a bloodied hockey mask steps into your path, chainsaw roaring in their hands.

The scream that leaves your throat is one of terror and desperation.  You shrink back against the man behind you and feel tears beginning to stream down your cheeks.  The assault on your senses only lasts a moment though, and out of the corner of your eye you see the man flash some sort of ID badge at the person in the costume and then it’s over. “I need to get this cadet out of here,” the man says firmly, loudly enough for the costumed actor to hear. The actor steps out of your way and gestures to the side of the room.  The man you’re with starts leading you in that direction and as you come closer to the wall, you can see the faint outline of a door there through your tears. A moment later, the door opens and fresh evening air hits your skin, immediately bringing you back to your senses a little bit. You stumble forward awkwardly and you’re grateful when you feel the man behind you catch you around the waist to help support you. “Whoa, I’ve got you,” he says softly. “Come on, let’s go and sit you down.” He half-leads, half-carries you over to a nearby bench and you collapse onto it, straightening out the wrinkles in your costume.  The man takes a seat beside you and angles himself so he can see you, reaching out to put a gentle hand on your knee. “Deep breaths, cadet,” he says softly. “You’re safe.” You nod, still somewhat numb from how overwhelmed you’d been just moments ago, and look up at him for the first time. He’s handsome, you note quickly, and wearing a kind expression. “Who are you?”  You ask quietly, running a hand over your face. “Leonard McCoy,” the man replies.  “And what’s your name?” “Y/N,” you reply. “Well, Y/N, you look like you could use a cup of coffee,” Leonard says warmly.  “Why don’t we go and get you warmed up?” You’re not sure you’re feeling coffee, but the thought of a warm drink of some sort in pleasant company sounds like a much better alternative to sitting there in the cold under the constant threat of your now-ex partner potentially finding you and so you nod.  Leonard stands and holds out a hand which you take so you can pull yourself to your feet.   Like a perfect gentleman, he escorts you through the quad and off campus, to a small but popular coffee shop.  It’s bustling with students and officers alike when you step inside but there’s a single table available toward the back that you immediately head off to grab.  At the same time, Leonard orders a coffee for himself and your favorite drink for you and indicates your table to the barista before coming to join you. As he sits down opposite you, you realize you’ve come to your senses enough to recognize what his costume is supposed to be. As you take in the black body suit, the tail pinned to his lower back, the headband with the ears, and the terrible whisker makeup job, you stifle a giggle.  Leonard looks down at himself, rolls his eyes, and sits down opposite you. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” he says wryly. “I lost a bet, so my roommate got to pick my costume.” You smile briefly and glance up at the barista in silent thanks as she brings your drinks over before turning back to Leonard. “At least you’re wearing a costume,” you say, gesturing at your cadet reds.  “I’ve been so swamped with assignments this term that I didn’t even have time to put anything together.  I kind of wish I’d just kept my head down this evening, too, instead of letting Jesse drag me out to that stupid haunted house.”

You pick up your mug, closing your eyes and inhaling the scent rising from it in steamy curlicues, slowly taking a long draught of the drink. “Your friend’s kind of an asshole, just leaving you there,” Leonard says lightly. You shrug. “I kind of already knew that,” you admit. ��“This just proves it once and for all.  We’re done.” Leonard nods in sympathy.  You regard him over the lip of your mug as you bring it to your lips again and think back to the events inside of the haunted house, even though it makes your heart flutter uncomfortably. “You must have some kind of clout around here,” you offer, changing the subject to get your mind off of your ex lover.  “You got that guy in the mask to back down pretty quick when you flashed your ID.” “I’m just a cadet like you,” Leonard says with a laugh. “Bullshit,” you argue, a smile tugging at the corner of your mouth. “Medical,” he relents.  “Senior year.” You’re somewhat surprised that he’s medical stream and not command given how he stepped in and took charge of the situation when you needed a hand, but at the same time you can understand where the compassion comes from with a medical background.  Nodding, you drain the last of the drink in your mug and set it down on the table. “I haven’t properly thanked you, yet,” you murmur.  “So… Thank you.” His smile makes your heart flutter again but in a whole different way this time. “No need to thank me,” he assures you.  “I’m sure you’d have done the same.” “Maybe not in a haunted house,” you say with a chuckle.  “But yes.” The two of you sit and chat for a while longer, until the last of Leonard’s coffee is gone, too.  You glance at your watch and sigh, realizing you won’t have any more time to study tonight, and regretfully you look up to meet Leonard’s gaze. “Well, it’s been a lovely evening – mostly – but I should head off,” you say softly. Leonard nods. “Why don’t I walk you back to your dorm?” He suggests.  “I’m sure Jim’s taken care of your friend, but if it makes you feel safer, I’m happy to do it.” You consider his offer for a moment and nod, feeling your face heat up a bit. “I’d really appreciate it,” you say gratefully. “Thank you.” “Of course,” he replies. You watch him as he gets to his feet, his costume drawing several curious glances from those at nearby tables.  He’s only got eyes for you, though, and you allow him to pull you to a standing position with a proffered hand.  As you come to your feet, he gestures toward the door. “Lead the way,” he says. You step ahead of him and wind your way out of the café between tables and chairs, avoiding other patrons as best you can in the packed space.  Once you’re outside, Leonard falls into step beside you and rests a gentle hand at the small of your back, leading you back onto campus and through the quad toward the dormitories.   The two of you engage in small talk all the way, discussing your classes, your aspirations, and the things you might have dressed up for Halloween as if you’d had the time.  Before long, you find yourselves in front of your door.  You scan your ID badge against the security panel and the door slides open.  Stepping into the doorway, you turn to look at Leonard and smile. “Why don’t you come in?”  You ask.  “I’ll pour us a nightcap.  It’s the least I can do after you’ve been so gentlemanly all evening.” Leonard grins and the painted-on whiskers on his cheeks twitch with the sentiment. “I’d like that,” he replies with a nod. You take two steps back to grant him access to your quarters, and as the door swishes shut behind him you strike up a conversation all over again, the horrors of earlier in the evening long forgotten as Leonard’s laughter rings in the air, blanketing you in a feeling of contentment.

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[thosepeskysens]

Ottawa Senators Week in review: Feb. 1- Feb. 7 Keep moving forward.

Just a note on what these reviews are kind of going to look like, as I’m hoping to do these for at least the rest of the season. I’m basically doing this because I can’t really watch games because with my schedule it doesn’t make sense to get an NHL.tv subscription, but there’s really no other way to watch games since I live in the US, since I don’t have cable. So I listen on the radio when I can, but otherwise this is just a way for me to keep track of what is happening on the team, and a way to hopefully engage with other Sens fans!

*Game Recaps*

2/2 @ Edmonton 4-2 L

So this game was one I wasn’t able to listen to most of because of work, but it doesn’t sound like it was a real fun one to watch anyways. Edmonton scores 3 goals in the first period. Has Ottawa scored first in a single game this season? I honestly don’t know. 

In the second period, Cedric Paquette gets the Sens on the board with assists from Thomas Chabot and Tim Stützle.

 Stützle picks up the lone goal in the third period, but in the end the Sens fall 4-2. Despite Paquette getting one of the Sens’ two goals of the game, he and most of the other vets continue to not play well. Certainly not well enough to justify keeping them on the team over young players who need the experience. TAKEAWAYS: If you’re going to suck either way, I say just play the kids. 

2/4 @ Montreal 3-2 W

I actually managed to listen to this entire game! Hooray! And, we actually managed to win! Holy shit!! 

Thankfully, it seemed that DJ Smith finally got with the program and switched out vets like Coburn and Paquette with younger players like Erik Brännström and Artyom Zub. Alex Galchenyuk was also in the line up, as was Colin White for the second game in a row, after being a healthy scratch for a while. It’s not totally clear why these players weren’t in the lineup from the beginning, though rumor has it that DJ just straight up didn’t like Brännström’s playing last year. But whatever the reasons, they definitely proved that they should have a spot on the team. Both Zub and Brännström played very solidly all night, and the defense was a completely different story compared to the rest of the season so far. White also seemed very competent; it’s nice to see him getting time in the top 6. 

Montreal started the scoring (of course) with Gallagher, which was a very unfortunate goal that definitely was not Matt Murray’s fault. Derek Stepan lost his man in front of the net, causing Montreal to go up 1-0. In the same period, thanks to a beautiful pass from Stützle to Tierney to Chabot, Chabot gets a goal and it’s tied 1-1. Then, on the PP, Stützle, finally getting some time on the first power play unit, gets a goal to get the Sens up 2-1 with just twenty seconds left in the first period.

In the second period, Connor Brown scores with Brännström and Stützle both getting an assist, which gives Stützle three points on the night, and Brännström’s first of the season! However, it is pretty quickly followed up by Brown taking a very, very stupid penalty for holding the puck, but thankfully the PK holds it together. Which is good, because the Sens spent a lot of time on the PK this game. 

In the third, Brady Tkachuk takes a stick to the face and Ottawa goes to the PP, only for Montreal to score short handed, shortening Ottawa’s lead to 3-2. In the last minutes of the game, Ottawa is on the PP, 5 on 3, and DJ calls a late timeout, which I think was totally valid, considering we had just given up a shorthanded goal. In the end, we managed to hold on to the lead and win our first game since opening night. While the Sens definitely did not play complicated hockey, they did play competent hockey, which sometimes is all you can ask for. TAKEAWAY: the kids are alright. 

2/6 vs. Montreal 2-1 L

I was able to listen to the first two periods of this game, both of which seemed fairly promising for then Sens, but I wasn’t able to watch the final period, which I think means the loss was on me this time guys. My bad. 

The first period wasn’t awesome for the Sens. Montreal had a lot of momentum that the Sens weren’t able to really match. A Brännström penalty (which people mostly seemed to agree was a bad call) led to a Montreal goal. The Sens really need to learn how to start scoring first, guys. Colin White manages to tie it up on the PP. The Sens were outshot 19-8 in this period, so all in all, not bad results. Murray continues to look much better. 

The second period is scoreless, but the Sens definitely dominate this period. Unfortunately, they aren’t able to get anything past Jake Allen, who started in goal for Montreal. The Sens outshoot Montreal 13-7. 

In the final period, Montreal’s Josh Anderson gets the GWG on the third attempt. Murray is able to make the save, then saves the rebound, but isn’t able to make that third save, which is honestly more on his teammates than on him. Sens lose, but honestly they played well, and weren’t blown out. They continued to play competent hockey, the kids continued to be alright, and we managed to spend way less time on the PK. TAKEAWAYS: I think the Sens are finally heading in the right direction; they just need to keep building on what they have. 

*Lineup Changes*

2/1 Abramov sent to Belleville 

2/2 Hogberg gets the start in goal, Chabot still injured (day to day), Wolanin still injured, not skating today.

2/3 Jonathan Aspirot sent down from the taxi squad to the B Sens. Erik Brännström has been recalled from B Sens to the taxi squad. 

2/4 White is still in the lineup, Brannstrom is HERE, Galchenyuk is back, and so is Chabot (thank god). Paquette is out (thank god), Coburn is assigned to the taxi squad.

Line in practice: 

Tkachuk - Norris - Dadonov

Paul - White - Batherson

Stützle - Stepan - C. Brown

Galchenyuk- Tierney - Watson

Paquette - Anisimov - Haley

Chabot -Zaitsev

Reilly- Zub

Brannstrom - Gubranson

Coburn- J. Brown

2/5 Derek Stepan changes numbers from 15 to 21 for some reason. Logan Brown gets changed to 27. Which is weird because he specifically said when he got here that LB should keep it????? Wtf??

2/6- no line up changes going into the game 

2/7- Filip Chlapik and Matthew Peca moved from the taxi squad to the B Sens. Logan Brown is moved up from the B Sens to the taxi squad. HALLELUJAH 

*Highs of the weeks*

-Not claiming Tony DeAngleo off waivers. Thank god. As always, there was some chatter about it on twitter, but thankfully nothing came of it. 

-Thomas Chabot shows up to optional skate and gives hugs. This team just has such a fun vibe; I just love it. 

-Tim’s 3 point game!!! Amazing! And his 3 game point streak!!! 

-Winning a goddamn game. I was so happy I was literally floating through work the next day. Is it bad to have your emotions so dependent on a hockey team? Asking for me. 

*What is going on?*

In the Sens fandom:

I would say that right now, Sens Twitter’s favorite players are Stützle, Brännström, and Zub, all with good reasons. They had a good week, and we only hope they continue to be utilized. DJ Smith did talk about how much Brännström has improved from last year, so fingers crossed. 

The mood on twitter after winning Thursday’s game was absolutely euphoric. You’d have thought we clinched a playoff spot. And honestly, even after losing on Saturday, the general consensus was that the Sens hadn’t played terribly, and that they continue to improve with every game.

In the rest of the hockey world:

The main things that happened this week were a) the Tony DeAngelo drama and b) the NWHL cancelling the rest of their playoffs. 

If you weren’t following it, Tony DeAngelo is a fairly infamously racist player on the NYR who has been spouting MAGA bullshit like crazy this year. This past week, after a loss to the Penguins, he blew up on his own goalie, who is very vocally anti-racist, and then he got punched by Chris Kreider. He was then put on waivers, and subsequently cleared waivers. It looks like he has *finally* played his last game as a Ranger, and now we can only hope that no one trades for him. The whole situation was sad, because it took this for the Rangers to actually do something about him, and hilarious, because, well, the man got punched and then basically fired for it. And he deserved it. 

If you haven’t been following the NWHL, they had been playing a shortened “bubble” season/playoffs, which was very unfortunately cancelled this week after players on basically every team tested positive for covid. It’s pretty unfortunate that this amazing group of players weren’t able to finish their season, but in my opinion, it’s even more unfortunate that the health and safety of these players was put at risk without adequate compensation. 

*Looking  forward:*

-2/8 vs. Edmonton

-2/9 vs. Edmonton

-2/11 @ Winnipeg

-2/13 @ Winnipeg

Frankly, with two games against Edmonton on consecutive nights, with only one day’s break before travelling to Winnipeg, I’m not feeling *super* optimistic about the week, but hey as long as the kids keep getting ice time I’ll be happy. Here’s to hoping we get to see some of the Paul-Brown-Batherson line that worked so well in the AHL. 

Go Sens go!