Hockey Den: The Premier Hockey Card and Memorabilia Destination
Visit us at www.hockeyden.net and watch as we attempt the “Ultimate Set Build”, a collection featuring one card from every set ever released!
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Here Comes the Pain 09-10: Prelim Round 1, Semi-Finals
Welcome Hockeybuzzards to my season-long attempt to crown that one hit, scrap, or all-around physical play that at the end of the 2010 playoffs we can deem the “Welcome To Next Week” moment of the year!!
What we’ll be doing is throughout the 09-10 season I’ll present 16 eight-clip mini tournaments pitting some of the greatest physical plays in hockey, past and present. You, the Hockeybuzzards, will vote for your fav from each matchup through the comments section. Voting will last for three days after which the leader in each match will move on to meet another winner, until only one clip remains. By the beginning of the 2010 NHL playoffs we’ll have 16 clips that we’ll then seed into a format mirroring that of the Stanley Cup playoffs. At the end of each NHL round I’ll tabulate votes and cut down the crowd into the next round, culminating in a champ being crowned during the Stanley Cup finals.
Our first Round of 8 is ready to be pared down to the “FINAL 4”, so here we go with how the voting played out:
Match 1
Scott Stevens on Tie Domi
VS
Wendel Clark on Bruce Bell
The Winner is…..TIED!!!!! I guess this is where I have to make a judgement call, and based on the pure “run into a brick wall” nature of the hit, as well as the inability of the recipient to just bounce up I’m giving this one to Wendel. Don’t worry Stevens fans! I’m sure he’ll be making more appearances!
WINNER = Wendel Clark on Bruce Bell
Match 2
Brian Campbell on RJ Umberger (2006 Playoffs)
VS
Darcy Tucker on Sami Kappinen (2004 Playoffs)
WINNER = Tucker on Kappinen by a hair. Personally, this one could have gone either way. The Campbell hit was more ferocious but the punch drunk reaction by Kappinen after the Tucker hit certainly makes up for the actual hit that caused it. Slightly scrambled after that one he was! Glad to see him make it back though.
Match 3
Mike Weaver on Darren Haydar (2007 AHL Regular Season)
VS
Niklas Kronwall on Martin Havlat (2009 Playoffs)
WINNER = Kronwall on Havlat. I think the Weaver hit was a victim of its matchup to be honest. Had it not been up against the Kronwall hit I think it would have done much better. Maybe Series 16 needs to be a second chance tournament giving one clip from each of the previous tournaments another chance to make it into the finals? I think we may need to do so! At any rate, Kronwall is a deserving winner as he lowers the boom on an unsuspecting Havlat.
Match 4
Milan Lucic on Mike Van Ryn (2008-09 Regular Season)
VS
Pavel Bure on Shane Churla (1994 Playoffs)
WINNER = Lucic on Van Ryn in a landslide. A nasty hit plus shattering glass equals pure awesomeness and an easy move into the semis for Milan!
Now how do these winners match up in the semis? Here’s who’s getting who:
Match 1
Wendel Clark on Bruce Bell (1986-87 Regular Season)
VS
Darcy Tucker on Sami Kappinen (2004 Playoffs)
Match 2
Niklas Kronwall on Martin Havlat (2009 Playoffs)
VS
Milan Lucic on Mike Van Ryn (2008-09 Regular Season)
Two great match-ups heading into the finals for the first of 16 rounds. Remember, you determine who will be around in the 16 clip finals in April so vote in the comments section and have your say!
Shawn Gates
Remember to visit www.hockeyden.net and watch as we attempt the “Ultimate Set Build”, a collection featuring one card from every set ever released!
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