Author Archive
Toronto Maple Leafs Implement Change, Fingers Starting to Point?
Posted: 13th October 2009 by Mark Ritter in NHL
Destitute. That is the best word to describe where the Toronto Maple Leafs level of play is these days.Last night, the Leafs put together another embarrassing effort, losing a ôcloseö one to the New York Rangers. In case you missed it, the final score was 7-2 and no, the Leafs were never in this game, and for good reason.The finger-pointing started last week when, after a couple of sub-par efforts, ...
Written By: Mark ôThe Hard Hitterö RitterôMediocre.ö ThatÆs how my pickÆs went last night. Heading into last night's action, I ôboastedö a rather porous 20-28 record.Well, guess what folks? Yep, I dropped the ball again last night, going 7 for 13, bringing my record up to 27 and 34.With just two games on the docket today, I canÆt gain much ground, that said, I intend to be perfect this Thanksgiving ...
Leafs Harpooned By Penguins: Play Like a Bunch of ôTurkey’sö
Posted: 11th October 2009 by Mark Ritter in NHL
Written By: Mark ôThe Hard Hitterö RitterTo be fair, outside of a few overzealous fans, friends, and family, nobody really thought the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins last night. That said, you thought at least one or two of the Leafs' players would have bothered to show up, clearly, with a 5-2 loss to show for their ôeffortsö they didnÆt.Leafs' head coach, Ron Wilson, and ...
Ritter’s Rant: Quebec on Radar, Mule Hurt, Quinn Fined, Fleury Abused
Posted: 10th October 2009 by Mark Ritter in NHL
Written By: Mark ôThe Hard Hitterö RitterBuild It, They Will Come:NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, former Quebec Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut, and Quebec CityÆs mayor Regis Labeaume met on Friday in New York to the discuss the possibility of bringing the NHL back to Quebec.Bettman stated that any chance of Quebec landing an NHL team would be contingent on Quebec building a new arena, which has fueled rumors that Quebec ...
Perfection has been elusive for me thus far. Last night, with only two games on the docket I still only managed to go 1-1.There are plenty of games tonight, perhaps enough to get me back over .500?Here are tonightÆs picks:Homeááá áá á á á á á á á Awayááá ááá ááááááááá PickFloridaááá áááááááááááá New Jerseyááá ááá ááá New JerseyBostonááá áááááááááááá NY Islandersááá ááááá BostonTorontoááá ááááááááááá Pittsburghááá ááá áááá PittsburghOttawaááá ááááááááááá ...
The bitterness of yet another poor showing will loom large for me today. This time, it was the STANLEY CUP CHAMPION Pittsburgh Penguins that let me down by getting horse-whipped by the lowly Phoenix Coyotes, 3-0, on HOME ICE no less!!!In the other match, the Vancouver Canucks wiped the floor with the Montreal Canadiens with a 7-1 victory. Roberto Luongo had a strong game and the Sedin twins had seven ...
Monster, Mashed! Gustavsson Out 5-7 Days With Groin Pull
Posted: 8th October 2009 by Mark Ritter in NHL
After a decent effort against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday Night, Jonas ôThe Monsterö Gustavsson has been placed on injured reserve by the Toronto Maple Leafs with a groin pull and, by all accounts, will be sidelined for 5-7 days.Gustavsson, who stopped 24 of 26 shots against the Senators, did not experience any pain during the game, but did feel some pain on Wednesday. After having the groin assessed, it ...
Written By: Mark ôThe Hard Hitterö RitterJust when I thought I was going to gain some much needed ground on the road back to respectability, a couple of overtime games and a shoot out conspired to shoot me in the foot...again!Ok, so maybe my picks havenÆt been ôRed Hotö, quite the contrary. But, I have nowhere to hide and, as I said before, things can only get better for me.Last ...
Toskala Will Ride The Pine, ôMonsterö In The Crease At The ACC Tonight.
Posted: 6th October 2009 by Mark Ritter in NHL
Written By: Mark ôThe Hard Hitterö RitterAfter much debate by Toronto Maple Leaf fans, general manager Brian Burke, and head coach Ron Wilson, it appears as if Jonas ôThe Monsterö Gustavsson will get the nod as the Leafs' starting goaltender this evening against the hated Ottawa Senators.Gustavsson will replace hard-luck starting goaltender Vesa Toskala in between the pipes.á The move hardly comes as a surprise, but there certainly will be ...
Hockey: For What It’s WorthùRitter’s Red Hot NHL Pick’s
Posted: 6th October 2009 by Mark Ritter in NHL
Written BY: Mark ôThe Hard Hitterö RitterOk, so, when it comes to my Red Hot NHL PickÆs, I feel like the cutest guy in prison...I am getting pounded!!!Last night I went a woeful 0-2 and now sit at a less than stellar 10-15 on the season. In a word, I ôStinkö right now...The Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks have accounted for five of my losses and when the Toronto ...