Gabe's Daily News

Alright fans, I haven't been updating as much as I probably should be, but here's something that might you may be interested in. Also, keep an eye on the sidebar <<<<<

The Rise of Garon; Matty G!

Needless to say, Mathieu Garon has been absolutely huge for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the last three games. After the Lightning lost by five goals to the San Jose Sharks, Garon has stepped up and delivered three consecutive quality games. His only real mistake was the overtime goal to Duchene on the 23rd. Outside of that, Garon has been great for the Bolts, earning him the nickname ‘Matty G’ from Lightning fans throughout Twitter... more.

Via Bolts by the Bay: Lightning Look To End Avs’ Home Streak

The Tampa Bay Lightning face off tonight against the Colorado Avalanche. Game time tonight is 9 pm EST, so it will be another late night for most of our fans. Hopefully, we will be staying up to see a quality game played by the Lightning...more.

Via Bolts by the Bay: Stamkos Showing Not Just His Hockey Skills

Throughout most of this season, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been struggling to find consistency. However, Lightning center Steven Stamkos has been a pretty consistent offensive and defensive player all year...more.

Sid's Injury is Becoming a Major Headache..

Sidney Crosby will remain off the ice once again. Once again, it is due to concussion-like symptoms. There was a collision between Crosby and Kejci during the Pens' game against the Boston Bruins, but Sid says he felt fine after the impact. Crosby's head did appear to move a little violently, but nothing out of the ordinary, as it was a hockey play and Krejci was not suspended, fined, or penalized for the hit. For more details, visit NHL.com

Gabriel's Take on the NHL Realignment

When the NHL’s Board of Governors announced the realignment set up, I was originally very excited. However, after looking at the divisional set ups, I must say I feel very dissappointed. The NHL seems to have dropped the geographical aspect of the divisions in order to allow a league designed to do one thing: make money...more.

NHL Realignment

Alright, I don't want to spend much time on this, but here we go..

The NHL Board of Governors have agreed on a realignment plan that ill include 4 divisions, 2 per East and West. The plan will be put in place once the NHL Players Association agrees with the new format. Playoff formatting will involve the top 4 teams in each division. For details, visit NHL.com.

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Lightning Coach Guy Boucher -- Post Practice 12/2/11

Via Bolts by the Bay: Defense First Boys

The Tampa Bay Lightning have lost two in a row this week, after winning two consecutive games from the Panthers last weekend. As the Lightning come back home for one game Saturday night against the New York Rangers, they hope to fix their defensive struggles. This week, the Lightning played against the Wild and then the Red Wings. In both games, the Lightning showed some defensive breakdowns that proved costly during the game. If the Lightning have any hope of winning consistently, they need to fix the defensive end of their game...more

NHL Penguins at Rangers Quick Preview

The Pittsburgh Penguins face off tonight on Versus against the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden. This is the first of 6 meetings between the two teams this year. The Rangers won last season's series 4-2. Both teams are coming off of wins, as the Penguins beat the Canadiens 4-3 in overtime while the Rangers defeated the Flyers by a score of 2-0. Both teams look to continue their momentum tonight, in hopes of remaining at the top of the Eastern Conference. The Rangers are 6th, but are only five points behind the 1st placed Penguins. James Neal has been hot for the Penguins this year, with 23 points in as many games despite a -2 rating. Marian Gaborik, the Rangers' leading scorer, has 10 goals and 7 assists this year. Sidney Crosby has been solid since returning for the Penguins. He has 2 goals and 7 assists in his 4 games, showing viewers that he has not lost his great vision of the ice. However, Sid and the Pens may have trouble scoring tonight against Rangers' netminder Henrik Lundqvist; he has wins in seven of his last eight starts. Game will be shown on Versus tonight at 7:30. I will more than likely be commenting on the game via Twitter. Twitter Handle: @Gabriel0430

Vote Lightning Players to All-Star Game!

Via Bolts by the Bay: Lightning at Wild 7:30 pm EST

The Tampa Bay Lightning head into Minnesota tonight to play a top team in the Western conference. The Wild and the Lightning face off tonight in what should be a very interesting game. The Lightning, after a couple of disappointing losses, including a 7-1 beating at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs, have won two games in a row against the rival Florida Panthers. In both games, the Lightning look to have regained its form... more.

Gabe's Music Corner!

Alright alright, so as you may have noticed, I got rid of the music player on the left bar. If you want to hear music, I have a new blog called Gabe's Music Corner. The way that blog works is pretty simple: I listen to music throughout the day, and I post them on the site by embeding Youtube videos onto my posts. Have a song you want to see on my site? Shoot me a request!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving day!

Take a moment today and think about what you should be thankful for. Count your blessings, think of all the positives in your life. In fact, make it a habit: be thankful for every day from now on.

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Crosby's 4 Point Night Leads the Penguins Past the Islanders

When Penguins' Center Sidney Crosby scored in the first period of Monday night's game, the croud went nuts as expected. Even I must admit, Crosby's goal was very impressive, and would have been so on any other night. Crosby scored 2 goals and added 2 assists in a 5-0 win against the Islanders in Pittsburgh. As I said on Twitter, I'm very excited to see the Penguins play against another top team in the NHL. Despite Crosby's return, the game became pretty boring after the midway point of the 2nd period. The Islanders failed to show any sign of competitiveness Monday night, and I found myself watching the Patriots beat up on the Chiefs instead. Congrats to Sid on the great return.

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Sidney Crosby Returns Monday Night vs. Isles

Pittsburgh Penguins' center Sidney Crosby is finally set to return to the ice. He will play Monday night in Pittsburgh vs. the New York Islanders. I called him the Justin Bieber of hockey last week, and the hype lived up to it once again. The mere announcement of his return had my Twitter feed clogged up with words like 'Sid' and 'finally' and 'returns'.

I'll start off by saying I am glad to hear that Crosby is cleared to play. I don't wish for any player to be sidelined due to injury, so I'm glad for him. We all know he's pretty much a lock for the All-Star game, so hopefully he does really well in order to keep us fans (or at least me) happy with his ASG appearance.

It's been nearly a year since the Penguins have seen Crosby on the ice. The Pens havent played badly though. Despite a round one loss in the playoffs last year to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Penguins have continued to be a top team in the NHL. They are once again competing for a top spot in the Eastern Conference, even without the phenom named Sid. The Penguins hope to have even more success with Crosby's return, but I think there could be a brief negative effect. The Penguins have developed a system, a chemistry, that works without Crosby. After such a long period of time, Crosby's return will be a shock to the team's systems. The Penguins hope it will be a positive shock, a spark if you will. It is possible, however, that an adjustment period could occur where the Penguins play not badly, but with less flow, because of Crosby's lack of playing time in the past months. Of course, that is unlikely, as Crosby is one of the top players in the league. It's possible that Crosby's return could have a very short-term negative effect. Of course, only time will tell.

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Via Bolts by the Bay: Lightning Win, Still Have Some Moderate Issues

The Tampa Bay Lightning came home after two very disappointing road losses to the Blues and the Jets. Before I detail the Bolt’s issues, I’ll explain the positives. Obviously, any time you are able the beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, you should feel very accomplished. The Lightning, despite some inconsistent play lately, beat the Penguins Thursday night by a score of 4-1... more.

Gabe's Stream of Consciousness - More College Abuse

After analyzing the Penn State scandal daily last week, I found myself emotionally drained. I was deeply saddened that people (Sandusky, Paterno, etc.) could have such egregious lapses in judgment. What Sandusky did is obviously much worse than what Paterno did and didn't do, I don't deny that. Recently, Sandusky made a statement during an NBC interview, basically stating that he was innocent and only "horsed around" with the children in the showers. This seemed to inspire not only Sandusky's victims to speak out, but others as well.

As reported by ESPN, 2 alleged victims (former Syracuse University ball boys) of another abuse case have spoken out. Both said Syracuse associate head basketball coach Bernie Fine abused them sexually. I just heard about this story this morning, and I do not know the full story. Therefore, I will not be covering the story in detail. This segment isn't for me to discuss the Syracuse case in detail. I'm set to begin attending the Univerity of South Florida in Tampa next fall, so stories like this are a lot closer to me than you may think. I can't help to think, what if something like this happens at my school? These stories sadden me so much, and I'm not even closely connected with any of these educational institutions. I'm not planning on playing any sports at USF, outside of intramurals. Sadly, I think it may be in my best interest. With two sex abuse scandals rising into the media in the past two weeks, I start to wonder how often this really happens. It's scary quite frankly. I do hope to enjoy my time in college, but it makes me wonder: what goes on behind closed doors? I encourage all of my readers to not hide anything you see. If you see something, or are approached personally in an inappropriate way, tell someone, anyone.

This post has not been edited. Stream of Consciousness posts are typed without revision, apologies for any errors. I understand that these cases are very sensitive. If you have a comment, please let me know civily via Email or twitter. Twitter handle on the left bar.

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11/15: Pittsburgh Penguins 6 Colorado Avalanche 3

The game last night involving the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Colorado Avalanche was a tale of two teams. In the first period, it looked as though the Avs would run right through the Penguins. However, the Penguins showed us why they are competing for a top spot in the Eastern Conference early in the season.

The first period started the way everyone though it would. The Penguins came out skating hard, overwhelming the Avalanche. Varlomov made save after save for the Avs. Asham dropped the gloves with Mcleod and nearly pounded his face in. The Penguins had so much more energy than the Avs. However, the tables turned once the Pens got a two man advantage for 50 seconds. With nearly a minute of 5-on-3 powerplay time, the Penguins could not break through the Avs' netminder Varlomov. The Avalanche continued it's impressive penalty kill on the 5-on-4 chance for the Pens. The penalty kill seemed to energize the Avs. The Avs eventually scored after about 15 minutes had elapsed in the period. Jay McClement stuffed home a rebound right in front of the net to give the Avalanche a one goal lead. About 2 minutes later, the Avs found themselves threatening to score again. With the puck possessed by Stastny in the corner, Duchene found an open lane in the high slot and took it. Stastny found him, and Duchene made a nifty between the legs move to his backhand and flipped it past Fluery for a two goal lead. It looked as if the Avs would run away and earn an easy win. The Penguins responded quickly however. Jordan Staal cut to the low slot from the low corner, receiving a pass from Tyler Kennedy and wristing it past Varlomov to cut the Avs' lead in half. The Avs shot back quickly though. David Jones went right through Pens' defenders Deryk Engelland and Paul Martin and fired a shot past the short side of Fluery to reestablish a 2 goal lead.

The second period was mostly all about the goaltenders through the 11 minutes. Both teams opened up offensively, firing on the opposing goalies. Fluery and Varlomov were right on though, stopping some great scoring chances for their respective teams. The Penguins seemed to be showing frustration as the period went on. They continued to get good scoring chances, but could not solve Varlomov, and faced a two goal deficit. That changed after 11 minutes however. Varlomov made a save on Pens' winger Craig Adams and dove to recover the rebound. He was not aware though that the puck was jarred loose by the following contact. Pascal Dupuis pounced on it and flipped it into an empty net to once again cut the deficit to one goal. After that strange goal, the goaltenders continued to shine for each team. The Avs though held on to a one goal lead.

The third period was all about the Penguins. Pens' defenseman Brooks Orpik scored the tying goal after just 1 minute and 12 seconds in the third period, when he fired a slap shot from the point that deflected off of Jay McClement's right skate. The shot looked to be headed wide of the net, but changed direction and fell into the net. The Penguins continued to pour it on, and then it was Malkin's turn to show some moves. He received a pass from Jordan Staal and tapped the puck between the legs of Gabriel Landeskog of the Avalanche. He skated alone into the low slot and beat Varlomov for the go-ahead goal, giving the Penguins their first lead of the night. The Penguins would not stop there. On the powerplay, James Neal was parked in front of the net and received a cross ice pass from Steve Sullivan for an easy tap in goal, giving the Penguins a 5-3 lead with 12:43 remaining in the period. About three minutes later, Pens' defender Kris Letang skated the puck from center ice, all the way into the low slot and backhanded the puck past Varlomov for the Penguins' sixth goal of the night, nailing down a 6-3 win for the Penguins.



Three Stars
1) J. Neal
2) E. Malkin
3) K. Letang

Photos by Justin K. Aller and Gregory Shamux (Getty Images)

Penguins: Next game @ Tampa Bay Lightning 11/17 7:30 EST
Avalanche: Next game @ Minnesota Wild 11/17 6:00 EST

Video Highlights

Shameful NHL All-Star Ballot

This may be a bold statement, but the NHL has once again proven to me how shamefully biased they can be. Just look at the NHL All-Star Game Ballot. Why is Sidney Crosby on the ballot? He's played zero games this year, and should not be voted over player who has played more games than Crosby. Unless Crosby decides to score 20 or 30 goals before January, he should be out of the game this year. And it isn't just him either. I also found Rangers Defenseman Marc Staal on the ballot. I said to myself, 'hm, I didn't know he was playing this year.' As it turned out, I was right. I checked on Staal's stats; he has played in zero games. Why is he on the ballot then? Don't accuse me of being biased, being 'anti-Crosby' or any of that other knowledge. You want to know what I am? I'm anti-biased. Crosby and Staal's presence on the ballot makes it obvious that the NHL is biased and plays favorites. Crosby is on the ballot because he's Crosby and has had great years in the past. However, this is an All-Star Game, that involves the best players from the CURRENT year, not the previous year. I don't look at Stamkos and his 95 goals in the past six years when I vote for him. I analyze him and his 10 goals from THIS year. I'm not looking at track records, I vote according to this year. Marc Staal is on the ballot only because his older brother, Eric Staal, has been quietly great in Carolina for the past few years. I mean, even Staal himself isn't on the ballot. Why is his brother on it? If you're telling me that Marc Staal, who has played ZERO games this year, makes the team over Eric, who has worked hard to try to push his Hurricanes team to the next level, you must not have perspective. Any reasonable person would agree that it is unfair that Marc Staal has a spot on the ballot over Eric Staal. The NHL needs to change the All-Star voting because I don't want to see a bunch of celebrities skating on the ice (for that, just lace up Justin Bieber and Wiz Khalifa and throw em on the ice). I want to see the BEST players in the league, not the most popular. I think the league should set up a committee within themselves to vote in the majority of the All-Star teams, giving us the choice to ONLY vote in 6 players. I think that is fair, but the NHL will likely never move to that alternative.

Be sure to vote via vote.nhl.com. Plus, follow me on Twitter for more news: @Gabriel0430

Via Bolts by the Bay: Lightning Look for Thirteenth Straight

And no, we aren’t talking about wins. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in Winnipeg tonight to faceoff against the Jets. With a win tonight, the Lightning will have a 13 game win streak against the Winnipeg/Atlanta franchise. This is the longest active streak of this sort in the league... more

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Via Bolts by the Bay: Down a Few? No Problem

Gabe's post on Bolts by the Bay

At this point, we all know that the Tampa Bay Lightning are not a great 1st period team so far into the season. However, it has not come back to haunt them so far. The Lightning have won 3 straight games, all in overtime, and all while they trailed at some point in the game...more

Gabe's Stream of Consciousness - Penn State

This is the first of what I will call a 'Stream of Consciousness' post. Basically, I will just speak about a certain issue impulsively, depending on what comes off the top of my head at the time. It's not a planned article, it's strictly impulsive. It can be compared to something like a dictionary or journal entry that I want to share with you, the audience. Tonight's topic (a very predictable one)........

Joe Paterno and the Penn State Case

If you've been keeping up with the news lately, you already know what's going on at Pennsylvania State University this week. A sex scandal investigation revealed that assistant coach Sandusky had molested several children (Penn State football players) in the past few years. Now, I do not know all of the facts, and am not here to inform you on the facts of the story either. Rather, I want you all to know how I feel about the situation. Joe Paterno, the head coach of Penn State's football team, has been under heavy scrutiny. Last night, he was fired, after coaching since 1966. Now, my first question is... why do you let someone coach an organization for that long? Does it make sense to have such an elderly coach (Paterno is currently 85) coaching a College Football team? At 85, no one should be coaching any team in any league! And Paterno hasn't even won a championship or competed for one since forever ago.. the 70s or 80s is the last time PSU won a national championship, if I remember correctly. So how did he manage to remain in his position? Simple: we as a society forced a mythology, a deity, onto Paterno. We put so much power and recognition into Paterno that we were blind to anything else. Common sense would tell us that Paterno should have been out way before all of this happened. When we enforce deities on human beings, things can get dangerous, and we've seen an example of that this week.

Now let's focus on the victims, something not many people seem to be doing. How do you think they feel? Hey PSU students, do you think those victims, you PEERS, would want you supporting Paterno? Think about what you are supporting! Paterno didn't do anything illegal, but he didn't know enough to protect the victims of Sandusky. Therefore, why support him? The victims are suffering while thousands of students are protesting Paterno's firing, wishing he would stay back. Well guess what folks: think about what you're supporting. Stop worshipping Paterno, he is only human.

Look for more Stream of Consciousness posts here on Gabe's Take.

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Find My TBLightning Writings on Bolts By The Bay!

Fans, I have been accepted to write on Bolts By The Bay! My policies say that I cannot make Tampa Bay Lightning related posts on any other blogs, including my personal one. Therefore, you will not see any more Lightning posts here. However, I will continue to provide my analysis on other NHL teams, along with other teams in other sports. As always, stay tuned fans!

11/6: Tampa Bay Lightning 4 Florida Panthers 3

Once again, the Tampa Bay Lightning had a slow start on the road against the rival Florida Panthers. It looked as if the Panthers would once again dominate the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning have been having trouble playing on the road, as they had a 2-4-2 mark away from home headed into Sunday. It looked like they would add another loss to that record early on in the game. Just 1:49 into the game, the Panthers scored a powerplay goal. The shot came campbell at the low slot and deflected off of Lightning forward Nate Thompson and into the net. Garon had almost no chance to stop this shot. The Panthers continued their dominance against the Lightning and scored a second goal at 13:05 of the first. Skille led the Panthers out of the Lightning zone in transition and earned a 2-on-1 break. Skille made a perfect pass to Kopecky, who one timed it past Garon for the second goal. The Lightning still could not figure out the Panthers. Just over two minutes later, the Panthers had another chance to score. Kulikov intercepted a pass from Lightning center Lecavalier and passed it to Santorelli, who was on the left wing. He skated the puck in and wristed the puck through defender Kubina and over the shoulder of a seemingly unsuspecting Garon for a 3-0 lead. Garon would be pulled and replaced by Roloson. The Panthers would continue to dominate the rest of the period, ending with a 16 to 9 shot advantage. The Lightning would not surrender another goal however.

The Panthers continued to dominate the flow of the game into the second period, but Dwayne Roloson stayed solid with key saves for the Lightning. The Bolts would eventually restructure themselves and finally make a mark on the scoreboard. While on the powerplay, Brewer fired a low wrist shot towards the net. There was traffic in front of Panthers goalie Theodore, including Lightning forwards Steven Stamkos and Ryan Malone. The rebound came off of Theodore and to Malone. Malone handled the puck, and stuffed it into to the net to cut the lead down to 2. About 90 seconds later, the Lightning had another goal, this one a little prettier than the one before it. Lightning defender Gilroy received the puck at the point, with Panthers forward Versteeg chasing him down. Gilroy faked a slapshot and spun around Versteeg. He skated all the way below the goal line and crossed the puck through the crease to an unguarded Stamkos who tapped it in for his league-leading (tied with Toronto's Phil Kessel) 10th goal of the year.

After controlling the end of the second period, the Lightning came out pressing for the tying goal in the third period. They finally got it at the 8:11 mark. Brewer fired a slapshot from the left point that was right on Jose Theodore, who couldn't control the rebound. There was a mad scramble for the puck, and Downie, on his knees, would snap the puck past Theodore hitting the right post. The puck bounced to Purcell however, who barely got it over the goal line for the tying goal. Lightning Coach Guy Boucher continued to be aggressive, sending the big guns Lecavalier, St. Louis, and Stamkos out on the next shift. The three almost combined several times for a go ahead goal, but Theodore was there to save the game multiple times for the Panthers, including an amazing glove save against a backhander by Downie with under a minute left in the 3rd.

Both goalies came out to play in the overtime period. Theodore made several saves against St. Louis and Stamkos, including a semi-breakaway for St. Louis. Roloson made a huge stop with less than seconds left, when a Panthers passing combination managed to get Stephen Weiss loose from the crowd and in alone on Roloson. Rolo stayed with him though, and made a toe save, preserving the game for the Lightning. So, after all of the insanity settled, the two teams would head to a shootout. After three stops by Theodore on Stamkos, Downie, and Purcell, Moore would break through. Roloson made the final save on former Bolt Sean Bergenheim, of all people, and the Lightning managed a come back win against the Florida Panthers.

Gabe's Notes: This was the first win for the Lightning against the Panthers in three tries this year; The Lightning are now 3-4-2 on the road; Stamkos remains hot, as he now has 15 points in 14 games; Campbell and Santorelli both scored their first goals of the season for the Panthers; Roloson was a perfect 27-27 in saves in relief of Garon, who was 9-11; Hedman was out due to an 'upper body injury'; Defenseman Matt Gilroy led the team in ice time with 24:03; Malone left the game with an injury; The Lightning are only two points behind the division leading Capitals.

Upcoming Games

Tampa Bay Lightning (7-5-2, 16 pts): 11/9 vs. Philadelphia Flyers (Versus)
Florida Panthers (6-4-3, 15 pts): 11/8 @ Toronto Maple Leafs

Three Stars

1) Dwayne Roloson (27 for 27 saves)
2) Steven Stamkos (1G, 1A, 6 Shots)
3) Teddy Purcell (1G, 2 Shots)

Video Highlights

Tampa Bay Lightning Marty St. Louis Interivew

Marty St. Louis talks to us about the last game vs. the Chicago Blackhawks. Some great music in the background. I really love listening to Marty, he offers a calming influence.

11/4: Tampa Bay Lightning 5 Chicago Blackhawks 4 F/OT

The Tampa Bay Lightning pulled off a 5-4 overtime win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Stamkos scored a hat trick, Connolly managed to tap in his second career goal, and Lecavalier won the game with a pretty goal in overtime. More details on the Lightning's official site.

Official Recap: http://bit.ly/u4v8em

11/4: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Chicago Blackhawks

The Tampa Bay Lightning are coming off of a 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes that had head coach Guy Boucher very dissatisfied. During an interview yesterday (11/3) Boucher implied that the team didn't battle hard enough, saying that they would "loose to every single team" if they continued to play with the same lack of effort. Guy Boucher said before the game that he had discussed the team's recent slow starts in the days leading up to the game in Carolina. However, the team didn't respond well, giving up 19 shots in the first period alone. The Lightning will look to respond tonight however, when they face the Chicago Blackhawks in Tampa Bay. For more info and a preview of tonight's game, visit the Lightning's official site: http://t.co/n9R65X2Z

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11/1: Carolina Hurricanes 4 Tampa Bay Lightning 2

On the first day of November, the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 4-2. The story of the night for the Lightning was an emphasis on slow defensive starts on the road. As much as Guy Boucher seemed to be concentrating on that issue, the trend continued. The Lightning started off very slowly in the defensive zone, allowing the Hurricanes to push through their offensive zone with multiple sharp passes in the first period. Dwayne Roloson saved the Lightning in the first however, stopping 18 of 19 shots fired on net by the Hurricanes. Purcell was able to score when a shot from Bergeron was fired from the point. The shot was cleared, but right to Purcell and he beat Cam Ward for the first goal of the night. About three minutes later, the 'Canes scored on the powerplay. Chad LaRose put a rebound into the net, after the original shot managed to get through Roloson.

The 'Canes came out aggressively to start the 2nd period. Within 22 seconds, the 'Canes had the go ahead goal. As the puck was dumped into the Lightning defensive zone, the Hurricanes swarmed in on the fore check, eventually forcing a turnover. Skinner took the puck, skated through the stick checking of Victor Hedman, into to the slot, and fired a shot that beat Roloson to break the tie. Boucher was not happy afterwards. About 5 minutes into the period, the Lightning were on a 2 minute 5-on-3 powerplay. This was a perfect time for the Bolts to tie it, but they could not get the equalizer. However, it was not for lack of effort. Cam Ward made several key stops, including a huge slap shot from Vincent Lecavalier from the high slot. The Lightning seemed to have found their offensive rhythm, as the pelted Cam Ward with shots after the powerplay was over. Then, the Lightning caught a bad break. With the team applying continuous pressure in the offensive zone, Brewer broke his stick while attempting a slap shot. Jokinen picked up the loose puck and moved up the ice with Jeff Skinner. Brewer was back without a stick, and put a hip check into Skinner. The NHL sophomore showed off his figure skating skills, maintaining his balance and passing the puck back to Jokinen. Skinner continued to the net and eventually received a pass for an easy tap in goal to beat Roloson. With about three minutes remaining in the 2nd, Eric Brewer managed to find Lecavalier for a semi-breakaway. Vinny had some space and fired a wicked slap shot on Cam Ward. The shot beat Cam but hit the post and the score remained 3-1 in favor of the 'Canes.

The Lightning, down 2 goals in the 3rd period, made every effort to erase the deficit. The Bolts got the puck on net 13 times during the 3rd, compared to the 'Canes' 4. As the period came closer to ending, the Lightning became more desperate. Then, Martin St. Louis brought the puck with him to the front of the net. Marty's shot was saved and he was dumped onto the ice, but Brett Connolly was there for the rebound goal. This was the first NHL goal for the rookie. The goal lifted the spirits of the Lightning, as they were now back within one goal with over five minutes remaining. About a minute later though, a turnover in the offensive zone sparked a 2-on-1 for the 'Canes into their offensive zone. Tlusty skated the puck in and passed it to LaRose. LaRose was not able to get a solid shot on net, but still managed to get it through a lagging Roloson for a 2nd goal, 4th for the 'Canes on the night. The 'Canes would hang on and close the game by a final score of  4-2.

Lecavalier celebrates Connolly's first goal.

Team Records

Lightning: 5-5-2, 12 pts (next 11/4 vs. Chicago Blackhawks)
Hurricanes: 5-4-3, 13 pts (next 11/4 vs. Washington Capitals)

Three Stars
1st Star: Jeff Skinner
2nd Star: Chad LaRose
3rd Star: Cam Ward

Official Stat Sheet: http://bit.ly/rNoSYi
Images Via Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes team site photo galleries.

Video Highlights

11/1/11 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Carolina Hurricanes

After a solid 1-0 win against Winnipeg (the 12th in a row against the Winnipeg/Atlanta franchise for the Bolts), the Tampa Bay Lightning travel to Raleigh to face the Carolina Hurricanes. After a lackluster start to the season, Dwayne Roloson started for the first time since a 7-4 loss to the Panthers. Roloson was brilliant Saturday night against the Jets, stopping all 28 shots for the Lightning. Vincent Lecavalier had the lone goal for the Lightning, while Stamkos and Brewer had the assists. With the assist, Stamkos is now on a 6-game point streak. For a preview of the Tampa Bay Lightning's game against the Hurricanes tonight, visit the team's official site here: http://bit.ly/sUauvG

Edit: Fixed the link. The above link is a link to the boxscore of the last game. Preview tonight's game here: http://bit.ly/sJCOwP

10/29: Tampa Bay Lightning 1 Winnipeg Jets 0

The Lightning continued it's dominance over the Atlanta-Winnipeg franchise Saturday night with a 1-0 win. Roloson, who had been questioned since his last start (a 7-4 loss to the Panthers), was phenomenal last night making 28 saves to earn him the shutout. Lecavalier scored the game winner when he picked up a rebound on a powerplay and snuck it past an unsuspecting Ondrej Pavelec. Pavelec was also great in his net, stopping 26 of 27 shots for the Jets. Stamkos had the primary assist on Vinny's goal, giving Stammer points in his last 6 games. Recap link is below, along with video highlights if you're more into watching than reading.

Recap link: http://bit.ly/rt3k0V

World Series Champs St. Louis Cardinals

I havent forgotten about baseball.. the St. Louis Cardinals and their unlikely run has finally ended, and it ended exactly how everyone in St. Louis wanted: with a World Series Championship. The Cardinals beat the Phillies, Brewers, and then the Rangers to win the 11th championship in franchise history. The team faced unfavorable odds throughout their entire run. As they were down a multitude of games to the Braves with just a month or so remaining in the season, most people wrote off the Cardinals. However, the remained tough and made the postseason. They were underdogs against all 3 teams they played in the playoffs, and faced some tough off the field issues in the mean time. The story of the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals is an inspiring story for not only baseball fans, but also people in general.

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10/29 Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Winnipeg Jets

Tonight at 7:00 PM EST a pair of teams of which are very familiar with each other meet once again. Except this time, one of the teams has a brand new look. The Winnipeg Jets pay their first visit to the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight. However the teams are very familiar with each other. The Jets, formerly the Thrashers, have struggled lately against the Lightning. After a solid start last season, the Thrashers lost several times to the Lightning. The Thrashers, eventually, would fall out of contention. More info on tonight's game can be found via the preview link.

Preview link: http://bit.ly/vkZPlE

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Lightning vs. Predators Game Recap Link

The Tampa Bay Lightning had ther 3 game winning streak halted Thursday night in Nashville. The Predators scored three goals in the second to pull away from the Lightning. More details via link:

Lightning vs. Predators - 10/27/2011 - Tampa Bay Lightning - Recap - http://bit.ly/vrGPYV 

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Cards, Rangers, Game 7

The Cardinals and Rangers tonight will finish what has been an epic World Series. With three comebacks last night, and finally a walk-off hit by David Freese, the Cardinals have guaranteed that the last game of the MLB season will be played tonight. Pujols has not been given a chance to beat the Rangers since game 3, but guys like Lance Berkman and David Freese have picked it up in support of Pujols. Chris Carpenter will get the nod tonight on three days rest, and will most likely be the biggest key to a Cardinals victory tonight. The Rangers will look to pitch better tonight as well in order to clinch the first World Series for the Rangers. Tonight's game 7 is, as I said on twitter, a MUST watch.

Reminder: Game 7 tonight is at 8:00 PM EST on Fox

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10/25: Tampa Bay Lightning 4 Buffalo Sabres 3

The game Tuesday night between the Sabres and the Lightning was fast paced right from the get go. Less than 2 minutes into the game, Vanek took advantage of a bad bounce that Lightning defenseman Brewer couldn't handle and put a backhander through Garon to make it one nothing. Just 35 seconds later, it was 2-0 after a giveaway in the corner by the Lightning. The puck was thrown out in front of the net and Boyes was there to backhand the puck past Garon. It looked as if the Lightning were in for a beating, as their play to begin the game was just terrible.



However, the Bolts weathered the storm, and established a forecheck. Eventually, the Lightning's aggressive forecheck paid off. With the puck deep in the Buffalo zone, Lightning forward Connolly pressured a Buffalo defender and forced a turnover. St. Louis picked up the change, and threw the puck out front for a point blank one timer from center Lecavalier. Vinny's first shot was stopped, but he followed up on the rebound and made it a 1 goal game. The Lightning were sparked, and managed to tie the game with less than a minute remaining in the period. Once again, the Bolts manufactured a scoring opportunity through aggressive forechecking. Thompson flew into the zone and caused a turnover on the half boards. He brought the puck behind the net, and threw a puck into the goal crease that went off a defender's skate in through Miller for the tie.


On to the second period we go. The Lightning came out, with a less aggressive forecheck to start the period. In fact, there was no forecheck at all; it was the 1-3-1 scheme that Lightning Coach Boucher likes to employ in certain situations to slow down the game. The Sabres struggled a bit to establish any real offensive pressure in the Lightning zone. Eventually, Stamkos won a clean faceoff from Gaustad to Gilroy. Gilroy fired a shot that bounced off a Sabres defender, off of Stamkos, and through Miller's legs for the go-ahead goal. The rest of the period continued, with both the Lightning and Sabres showing surges, including several huge breakaway stops by Garon on Vanek. There was no more scoring in the second however.



The third period began with the Lightning back on their heels in the defensive zone as the Sabres desperately tried to even up the game. The Lightning and Garon came up big defensively, stopping the Sabres onslaught, while also killing several penalties. Once again, as the Sabres surged towards the end of the game, Lightning defenseman Clark makes a great block that bounces all the way to Malone in the neutral zone. Malone skates in all alone against Ryan Miller and scores on the breakaway to make it 4-2. Shortly after, Malone's goal is even more important, as Sabres' Gerbe scores from the point to once again make it a one goal game with 50 seconds left. The Sabres would continue to put the pressure on the Lightning defense, but the Lightning would prevail by a score of 4-3.

Three Stars
1st Star: Mathieu Garon
2nd Star: Thomas Vanek
3rd Star: Steven Stamkos

Official Stat Sheet: http://bit.ly/ut9tnq
Images Via Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres team site photo galleries.

Video Highlights



Boucher: We Gotta Be Relentless

Lightning vs. Sabres 7:30 PM EST on Versus

The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres wrap up a home-and-home series tonight at 7:30 EST. The game will be televised nationally on Versus. For the Lightning, this is already their second appearance on Versus this season. Much can be said about the Lightning's start to the season. After eight games, the Bolts are 3-3-2. After winning the season opener in Carolina, the Lightning went on to lose the next five games before winning twice in a row against the Islanders and the Sabres. As bad as the 5-game skid was, the Lightning sit at 8th in the Eastern Conference with 8 points. 8 points in 8 games is never a bad thing, so the Lightning's start isn't as disappointing as it could have been.

'Pivotal' World Series Game 5 Tonight

The World Series between the Cardinals and Rangers is now tied at 2 wins each. Tonight's game will be 'Pivotal', as you all know. However, my point is the fact that EVERY game in any playoff series in any league is pivotal and important and any related adjective. Just something I wanted to say. The main reason such adjectives are used is to sell it. After all, networks like ESPN, MLB Network, and other related networks are, in fact, a business. They have marketing strategies like any other business would.

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Chime.In: A New Social Media Site

So I came across this new website called Chime.In. It's basically a cross between Twitter and Facebook, along with being what essentially is a blogging site with a different format. There are notifications, much like Facebook, followers/following, like Twitter, and of course status updates like both Twitter and Facebook. However, the status updates have a little bit of a different format. You can use it much like you would a blog post. There is a text box where your 'headline' were to go, and then of course you type in the body of your update in the box underneath it. I won't spoil all of the features here, go check it out here: http://chime.in/user/gabriel0430

Of course, if you decide you want to use Chime.In, also be sure to follow me!

Tampa Bay Lightning 3 Buffalo Sabres 0

Another Pic

Shadow Squadron Paint Scheme

I've joined a group of players called the Shadow Squadron. The colors for the squad are red black and yellow sooooo  here's my F-15C with Shadow Squad colors..

Assault Horizon!

Just a teaser for now, my custom F-15.

Closer look at the 'Galm' emblem.

Reminder Fans...

Just a reminder, I am still accepting requests for either music or topics on the page. If you have something you want to read about, or something you want to listen to, contact me.

Twitter: @Gabriel0430
Email: Gmoreta12@yahoo.com subject: Music Request or Topic Request
Facebook: Personal basis only

The Twitterverse

Okay so a few days ago, I posted an article about Facebook and a few tips on how to make your Facebook experience more enjoyable. For the past week, I've been trying to convert some Twitter 'non-believers' into Twitter nerds (like myself). Most of the time, when someone tells me "I don't like twitter!" or "Twitter is the butt hole of the Internet!" I simply reply with, "You only think that because you don't actually know how to use it." Most people who dislike twitter also do not know how to use it. I rarely run into a person who knows everything about twitter and dislikes it. Here are some tips/pointers for those who are new to Twitter, or even those who are Twitter veterans.

Mentions and Hashtags...

Every day, I see people misuse mentions and hashtags. It kinda makes me a bit sick, because it really isn't that complicated. Some people misuse mentions and hashtags by NOT using them. One way to create connections between yourself and others on Twitter is through mentions. Mentions are pretty self-explanatory: they are used to literally "mention" a person in your tweet. It is very similar to tagging someone in a Facebook post. If you want to get the direct attention of someone, or simply have a conversation with someone, use a mention. A mention, much like tagging on Facebook, includes the '@' symbol, along with the person's user name. For example, if I wanted to tweet my twitter crush, I wouldn't just type in her user name in my tweet. It might work effectively on Facebook, but with the large amount of information flowing through Twitter, it is nearly required for you to use a mention to get some one's attention. Incorrect tweet: "Angel, meet me at 3 today." A tweet like that would simply get sucked up into the Twitter universe, and won't likely be seen by the intended recipient unless she happens to stumble it. So, the correct tweet would be "@AngelRexasarous, meet me at 3 today."

Hashtags are a fuzzy issue, and even I have problems figuring out how to use them effectively. The way I understand hashtags, they are basically exactly like mentions, except they are used to 'mention' or 'tag' a certain topic or word in your post. If you were speaking of something specific, such as concerts, you may want to end your tweet with the hashtag #concerts. Now, this may be simple.. and it actually is. However, sending a tweet with 5 or 6 different hashtags becomes obnoxious, and therefore ineffective. Sometimes it is neccessary to send a multitude of hashtags into the twitterverse at once (I've done it before) just be sure not to make it a habit. Remember, you want people to enjoy following you and enjoy what you tweet.

Anatomy of the Twitterverse

One of the most important things on Twitter is accepting that you are not the center of the universe. On Facebook, you might be the center of everything (although I seriously doubt it) but on Twitter, even the celebrities aren't revolved around completely. Twitter is like a universe.. if you haven't noticed by my use of the coined term 'twitterverse' in the previous paragraph. However, it is an extremely unique universe. There are many objects floating around through the universe, like stars and planets. These stars and planets will be, metaphorically, the users of twitter like you and I. There are no solar systems in the twitterverse; as I said before, no one revolves around one person. Instead, stars and planets revolve around each other. Stars and planets will not grow and become more influential unless their followers grow along with them. In the twitterverse, stars and planets feed off of each other.

Alright, so enough astronomy for one day. My point is, Twitter is a social media site where everyone is successful only if everyone is successful. You as a Twitter user won't be successful if everyone around you isn't successful. The best way to use Twitter is to use what you are good at, something you consider yourself an expert at, and pass it on to someone else while, at the same time, absorbing the insights of others. Forget self-promotion: promote others, help others. Remember, in the twitterverse, everyone feeds off each other. Without the success of everyone, everyone fails.

Finding Your Niche

Finding your niche on Twitter is one of the most important factors to success on Twitter. Of course, a niche is a persons position in society; a role that a person fills with high effectiveness. My niche on twitter is sports; since I consider myself an expert on sports, I tweet about sports. You like concerts? Music? Video Games? Go ahead and tweet it. Try to dedicate yourself to one specific topic; one specific niche. Follow people who are related to your interest, make connections with those people. It is so much more entertaining to talk with a large group of people who actually like the exact same thing you do. Of course, it's also fun to speak to those with varying opinions on the same topic. To accomplish this variable sameness, you must seek out your niche, something you feel that you know everything about, and attach yourself to it. You may not see the effects right away, but becoming influential on Twitter takes time. Share your knowledge on your topic of expertise, while also being open to other opinions and information. There is a large amount of information on Twitter for you to explore; explore it with a generous, open mind.

Use Scheduled Tweeting

When you send out a tweet, it honestly doesn't last too long. The average tweet will only be seen by a few people. With all of the information flowing through Twitter, your tweet will show up on some one's timeline and quickly drop to the bottom. And of course, not all of your intended targets are on Twitter at the time that you tweet. Twitter, like everything else on the Internet, is a worldwide interface; therefore, you must consider time zone differences, along with the variety of personal schedules that every tweep runs on. The times that you are most actively tweeting may not correspond with my schedule. Therefore, if you want me to read something, I may not see it. However, using browser apps such as Twuffer, Buffer App, and When To Tweet can help you spread your tweets. This will help to maximize the exposure of your tweets, which is something that every twitter user wants to accomplish. Don't be afraid to send a tweet more than once throughout the day. Schedule a tweet to be sent at multiple times, especially during prime time (for sports, and most other niches: 5 pm - 9/10 pm Eastern Standard Time) when most people are tweeting. Of course, be sure to not spread your tweets to thinly or too tightly; sending the same tweet out in close proximity with each other can be redundant, while making the time that it is sent too broad can quickly out date your tweet, thus minimizing exposure. You want to find the right balance, in accordance to your audience.

While this isn't all you can do to maximize your effectiveness in the twitterverse, these tips are definitely a great way to start.

Twitter Scheduling

www.twuffer.com

www.bufferapp.com

www.whentotweet.com

Edit: When To Tweet website does not function, at least not for me.

Other Twitter Apps

http://www.squidoo.com/twitterapps

Montreal vs. Winnipeg Preview Plus the Rest of Sunday's Action

Season Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

Season Preview: Vancouver Canucks

Season Preview: Boston Bruins

Season Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins

Season Preview: Winnipeg Jets

Season Preview: Washington Capitals

Friday!

Today is Friday, and i hope everyone has had a fantastic week! Concentrate on what is positive in your life, don't dwell on the negative. Keep your spirits up, and live your life as happy as possible. You won't regret it!

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Buffer App!

Great site that has me excited: www.bufferapp.com

This is the perfect app for those who tweet.

Check it out

Malone Not Suspended: Shanahan's Explanation

In case you missed it, Ryan Malone made a questionable hit during the final preseason game for the Lightning this past weekend. Brendan Shanahan offers his explanation for why Malone was not suspended in this video.

Social Networking: 5 Facbook Tips

Alright, so I myself am not a Facebook nerd (I'm a Twitter nerd). I do use Facebook frequently though, as I have the android app.. which, to be honest, sucks. Most people think automatically of "Drama" when they think of Facebook. I have experienced drama through Facebook, and it is not fun. However, I've learned a few tricks in avoiding Facebook drama, while also just making your Facebook experience as much fun as possible.

You Don't Need Hundreds of Friends

Okay, so why do some people think it is necessary to have hundreds and hundreds of friends on Facebook? Chances are, most of your friends on Facebook you actually talk to very rarely. I doubt we all have personal conversations with more than 10 or 15 people for day. Even casual conversations don't happen with more than 100 people per day. So why have so many friends on Facebook? Why do some people feel that it is necessary to have 600, 700, or even over 1000 friends? It doesn't make much sense to me, and of course, it would be hard to manage your news feed with hundreds of people updating their statuses. So, be conservative with your Facebook friends. You want hundreds of 'friends', get on Twitter.

Don't Use EVERY Facebook App!

Many Facebook apps seem very attractive and very entertaining. Some of them really are. I personally like to see who likes/comments on my statuses the most. I like to pass my time playing certain games on Facebook. However, don't use every Facebook app you run into! A lot of Facebook apps ask to post on your wall for you. Sometimes you'll see one of your friends update a status with "Look what this father did to his daughter after this this and that happened!" and you wonder... what the h***, that's a dumb looking status. Well, it is dumb, and half the time the link doesn't lead you to anything but marketing campaigns that are trying to steal your money. Of course, these are automated posts, where a Facebook app acquires access to your account (via your permission) and just posts the stupidest things. Facebook apps, while they can be entertaining, can clog up your wall with dumb, minimally productive items that can cause unwanted headaches.

You Post It, You Deal With It

I absolutely hate when people complain about the attention they get on Facebook. Sure, sometimes you'll have that one person who is CONSTANTLY trying to get your attention via chat or inbox messages or even wall posts. But some people decide that having people asking them questions on their statuses is annoying. Well, if you post something on your status, chances are, if others see it as interesting, you'll get a reply! Usually, the personal problems that you are dealing with are interesting to others. It creates a sort of 'spice' in another person's life. People like gossip, whether you're male or female. Therefore, if you have something to say, but don't want to deal with others' comments, don't post it.

Personalize Your Profile As Much As Possible

One thing I do like about Facebook is the ability to give out as much information about you as you can possibly manage. Of course, too much of anything is a bad thing, but if you manage yourself the right way, personalizing your Facebook profile can be very entertaining. One thing I do recommend, however; do NOT put your address on your profile unless your page is business related. If your Facebook page is a personal one that is all about you (which most are) then don't place your address on your profile where your hundreds of friends (if you didn't listen to the first tip) can see it. Phone numbers are acceptable, as long as you are okay with receiving random calls/texts from random people at random times. And of course, there's your relationship status. This could be complicated, as everyone can see it. If you're okay with that, then go ahead and customize it! There is so much you can share about yourself on Facebook, just be sure that you actually want everyone to see the information you share.

Be Yourself!

The last tip: Be Yourself! There's nothing that a person doesn't dislike more than a fake person. This applies to social networking the same way it applies to the real world. Don't pretend to be someone else, because that could get you into legal problems, etc., which is another completely different issue. Don't try to change your personality, because it will be more stress than it is worth. Just be yourself! Don't be so hung up on trying to get others to like you. If they don't like you for who you are, then they probably aren't worth a lot of your attention.

Be sure to #Staytuned for more updates. I will be typing up an article soon on Twitter usage with the same format of this one. Of course, that one will likely be more in-depth than this one, as I am a Twitter-freak. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!

Preseason: Canucks 4 Oilers 1

Preseason: Wings 4 Leafs 2

Returning Shortly

I will make an attempt to return to regular blogging tommorrow, beginning with a weekly review. I was originally going to post a review last week, but that didn't work out mentally for me. I will be back this week, I just need to figure out whether I'm in the right mindset to manage a weekly review or not. #StayTuned

Time Off

Hello folks, I am planning to take some time away from the blog. I am not sure for how long, as I have some personal issues to attend to. Updates will not cease, but they will be very minimal. #StayTuned..

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Red Sox Get A Big Win vs. Yankees Last Night

Those of you who decided to stay up until just before midnight last night to watch the Red Sox game know exactly what I am talking about... If you're a Red Sox fan, you may have let out a sigh of relief along with an instant serving of bodily chills. When Jacoby Ellsbury hit a one out, three run homer to right center in the top of the 14th inning, I was EXTREMELY happy, not only because I could go to sleep, but simply because the Sox were able to beat the Yankees in a huge game. Well, it was huge for the Red Sox anyways. In a game where the Red Sox FINALLY got a DECENT outing from John Lackey, plus a bunch of innings (6 and 2/3 innings if my memory serves me well) from the bullpen, this was definetely a game in which the Red Sox felt they NEEDED to win. This win against the Yankees will be, in my opinion, enough to push the Red Sox into the playoffs. My prediction a few weeks ago that included the Red Sox falling out and the Rays getting in may turn out to be completely wrong.