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McDavid & Manning Have Serious Beef |
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Don't let his baby face and and peach fuzz 'stache fool you.
Connor McDavid is a badass. McDavid also owns a black hat, too.
McDavid, the Toronto kid with the "Richie Cunningham" dimples and grin, isn't going to be the crash test dummy that opponents wish him to be.
McDavid has a dark side and a mean streak. We got a glimpse of it on Thursday night.
If you watch and listen to McDavid closely enough you will detect his saltiness.
McDavid, the NHL's leading scorer potted his first power play goal of the season after which he made a bee line to Flyers D-man Brandon Manning. On January 3, 2016, it was Manning who sent McDavid to the long term injured list with a jacked up collarbone
McDavid missed 37 games due to the collision with Manning.
The way that McDavid beaked Manning and the Flyers suggests to me that McDavid is still harboring ill will against the Fly Boys.
Thanks, CSN Philly
Was the Manning hit on McDavid an intent to injury?
Some say no. Some say yes.
The Oilers led 2-0 but then gave up three goals in a span of 1:13. The Oilers blew third period leads in Buffalo and Philly this week. Oilers lost 6-5 to the Flyers, who have now won 7 straight games.
After the loss, McDavid blasted Manning with both barrels.
Manning chirped McDavid in the winner's locker room
McDavid was asked in his postgame scrum about the Manning Feud. McDavid said that Manning confimred to him that the questionable contact and broken collarbone he suffered last January, was the result of a deliberate act of aggression.
"You know what, I did all I could defending him last year in the media," McDavid said via the Edmonton Oilers Facebook page. "Everyone wanted to make it a big deal, say he did it on purpose. He wanted to say some comments today about what went on last year. I thought it was one of the (most) classless things I've ever seen on the ice. He said some things, and our guys responded accordingly.
"But I guess we can put the whole 'if he did it on purpose' thing to rest, because what he said out there confirmed that. It shows what kind of guy he is when he doesn't step up and fight some of our guys."
The rematch between McDavid and Manning will be must see TV!
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The Buffalo Sabres might get two injured defenseman back in their lineup on Friday night when Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals visit Buffalo.
Josh Gorges is a fast healer. A realllllly fast healer. That's how they grow 'en in Kelowna. Tough as nails, eh?
Just when Sabres fans were coming to grips with Gorges being out for "weeks" with a non-displaced fracture in his foot, the veteran rear guard was back on the ice skating on Thursday.
Dmitry Kulikov, he off the wonky lower back, also skated in another team practice session. Kulikov began skating two weeks ago and is inching closer to better health with each passing day.
Does this mean that Dan Bylsma will be breaking up a winning lineup that has gone 5-2-2 in the past 9 games?
Bylsma said after Thursday's practice that Gorges and Kulikov are both "possibilities" to play against the Capitals.
Gorges expressed optimism when asked about playing on Friday.
When asked if he feels good enough to resume playing in games, Gorges said that he feels like he could play Friday night.
Gorges played 21 minutes TOI versus Boston last Saturday. He blocked a shot with his foot at the end of the game and was forced to sit out the Washington and Edmonton games.
Bylsma said that Gorges will have to endure pain when he plays. Only the player knows his own pain threshold.
As a tell that one of Kulikov or Gorges will be playing on Friday night, the Sabres announced the team has assigned defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer to the Rochester Americans. Earlier this week, Burgdoerfer played the first two games of his NHL career against Washington and Edmonton.
If Gorges and Kulikov make their return to the lineup on Friday night, rookie Brendan Guhle will be sent back to his junior team in Prince George. Last Friday after it was learned that defenseman Taylor Fedun was injured, Guhle was dispatched to Buffalo on an emergency call up basis.
Guhle's time in Buffalo truly is a day to day affair.
I am not in favor of sending Guhle back to juniors after he has been lights out in his first three games in the NHL. I am fully aware of the rules that prohibit emergency call ups from juniors sticking with their NHL clubs after the injury crisis has been averted. I get it. I don't like the idea but I understand the rules.
I grade Guhle as an A+ is his first three NHL games. He skated like the wind, back skates better than most NHL forward skates, plays exact angles, passes like a forward and is fearless in in joining the rush as the fourth man.
Guhle has averaged 16:21 TOI, has 8 hits, 4 shots on goal against tough opponents in Boston, Washington and Edmonton. Guhle more than held his own against NHL offensive stars Alex Ovechkin, Nik Backstrom, Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.
For Guhle's sake, I would love to see Bylsma hold Gorges out of the lineup until Monday so to reward Guhle for his tremendous contributions to the Buffalo success in the past week. Some would argue that Gorges is a liability on the ice if he plays with a cracked bone in his foot. Why not let the 31 year old rest his paw a little bit longer while giving the kid more an cockpit time?
Guhle at 100% is a helluva lot better than Gorges at 75-80%.
I can empathize with Gorges because I have been hobbling around on a stress fracture in my left foot. A month ago, I blocked a slap shot with the laces of my left skate. I've skated since injuring my hoof and the pain/swelling has been brutal at times. I'm not an NHL D-man nor do I play one on the internet. My orthopedic doctor told me to ice and elevate it and sty off the ice or else it won't heal timely. I urge Gorges to do the same.
Full disclosure:
I haven't listened to my doctor and continue to skate on my bum foot. Skating actually helps my foot to feel better. Getting my skate off is an adventure when my foot is swollen like a loaf of Costanzo's bread though. I keep telling myself that pain is just weakness leaving the body. And no. I will not flamingo on a point shot attempt. Like Gorges, I will continue to stand in the shot lane and take bullets for my boys.
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Energy forward Nic Deslauriers also practiced for the first time since sustaining a serious knee injury that has sidelined him for 19 games dating back to October 30th.
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