10/30/11 - Studs & Duds

[metaldude26]

Oh man, a big Sunday night with four games. Lots of ammo for tonight's Studs & Duds.

Studs

3. Stevie Wonder

It's not so much that Columbus Windbreakers netminder had a great night but rather his performance was great relative to everything else. Mason posted the best goaltending stats of the night stopping 19 of 20 shots in a win over the Ducks, which was really a miracle when you consider that Mason has looked more like a blind musician than an NHL goaltender over the last year and a half.

2. Get This Line a Nickname!

Maybe I've just been a total ostrich on this but I swear the Kulemin-Grabovski-MacArthur line does not have a nickname. It definitely needs one because it is one of the most effective lines in the NHL for the second straight season. The line combined for both Leaf goals (both by MacArthur) and all six Leaf points. Each member of the line was also plus-one, with one PPP. You can also credit Kulemin with the best roto-line of the trio adding two PIM and two SOG to his two assists. Leafs Nation, get this line a nickname, or tell this guy what it is, because I don't want to type those names out in succession ever again.

1. Smitty!

As though it wasn't enough of a trip for Oilers fans to have Ryan Smyth back on the team, he has to go out and put up numbers like he always has. Smyth's roto-line of two goals, plus-one, one PPP and five SOG was possibly the best of the night.

Honourable Mentions

Kaspars the Friendly Dog?

Senators forward Kaspars Daugavins recorded his first NHL goal (the eventual game winner) against the Leafs on an absolute cupcake of a shot that somehow eluded Jonas "Monster" Gustavsson. Daugavins finished plus-one, with two SOG and the aforementioned game winning goal for a solid roto-line that I am certain no one got to enjoy.

Time to Take Quincey Seriously?

With two assists on Sunday night (one on the power play, one shorthanded) Avalanche defenseman Kyle Quincey now has eight point in 11 games. Quincey has produced before notching 38 points in 72 games for the Kings back in 2008-09. I really doubt Quincey makes it to 50 points but 40 is more than possible at this rate. Any Avs fans want to chime in on his performance?

Karlsson the Pugilist

Karlsson's one assist, plus-one, one PPP and two SOG was typical production for the league's highest scoring defenseman. His four PIM were a welcome surprise for his owners.

Duds

3. Midget Fight!

I usually like fighting, but this was just sad.

2. What Happened to Doctor Plus/Minus?

Last season Ducks defenseman Toni Lydman was a saviour for poolies, an absolute cure all for fantasy teams with plus/minus issues. Lydman finished second in the league last season with a tremendous plus-32 rating. This season, he is minus-five after going minus-two on Sunday evening. While he did post an assist poolies did not draft him for his ability to put up points, they just wanted the plus/minus boost. Beware poolies, two years ago Capitals defenseman Jeff Schultz was the official Doctor Plus/Minus going a league high plus-50 only to regress to plus-6 last season. Time to find this year's Doctor Plus/Minus, because Lydman will not be repeating.

1. The Halak Attack

Two weeks ago I asked if we could simply pencil Halak into the Duds section. I am official answering that question with a yes. I won't quote his stat line from tonight but suffice to say it was more of his usual garbage. Halak lost again, falling to 1-5 and has yet to post a save percentage above .900% in a single game this season. The Halak Attack was a name once synonymous with the fear some little-known goaltender struck into the high powered teams in the league. Now it is synonymous with the fear some well-known goaltender has struck into poolies for his ability to mutilate their goalie stats.

Dis-Honourable Mentions

Not so Fast... Err... Quick

Honestly, it wasn't the worst showing but when your team only allows 16 shots on goal you need to make some saves. Allowing three goals on those 16 shots in a loss is most certainly worthy of a dishonorable mention.

Cannot-take-faceoffs-ski?

Seriously, I've got nothing when it comes to creativity with this line. Grabovski had a real good night for the Leafs but he went a pathetic 2/16 in the faceoff circle. One can only imagine how many points the line that needs a nickname but might already have one might have had if it's centerman didn't have the faceoff acumen of a five-year-old.

Royal Payne in the Ass

I don't even own Pietrangelo or Shattenkirk but seeing them finish behind La Femme Nikita Nikitin in power play time, night after night, is absolutely infuriating. Seriously, what's the merit to play La Femme on the power play so much? Do you not realize you have the worst power play in the league? Maybe it is time to change things up, like you know giving your best defensemen all the power play time they can handle. This is ridiculous. He is showing such a poor grasp for roster management it is outrageous. He is minimizing his assets at every turn. To say he is jamming square pegs into round holes is downplaying it. It's more like he's completely abandoned the peg-board and has started jamming the pegs into every orifice. Suffice to say he's choking. Time to Heimlich his ass out of there.

[Magicstew]

Nice job Dude, starting to like Quincy a lot.

The "Peanut Butter Line" - because they are so smooth.

[bondon]

I thought they were already called the MGK line? (pronounced "Magic" obviously) Macarthur-Grabo-Kulemin.

Lol, loved the Stevie wonder one. Beauty haha. Hoping that today was the start of Halak turning from a dud to stud though. Nice job Steve!

[metaldude26]

I thought they were already called the MGK line? (pronounced "Magic" obviously) Macarthur-Grabo-Kulemin.

Lol, loved the Stevie wonder one. Beauty haha. Hoping that today was the start of Halak turning from a dud to stud though. Nice job Steve!

MGK? Ugh, barf. If that is honestly what they are called I will gladly jam my head back into the sand and completely forget they even exist.

[Ross The Boss Palmer]

Kule G Mac...


...wiggity wiggity wiggity wack