The Hockey Show Radio Recap

I’ve written a half-dozen or so pieces about the New England Hockey Journal Radio Show (R.I.P.) but not about the new kid in town. Well, newer anyway: The AT&T Hockey Show on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

I, “Jimmy from Maynard,” was a regular caller into the program that Mick Colageo, Matt Kalman, and Kevin Paul Dupont hosted, and I’m using the same handle on the radio show that Ryan Johnston conducts with Bruins’ announcers Dave “Left to Right Across Your Radio” Goucher and Bob Beers. The show airs from 9:00 –11:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings.

Saturday March 2, 2013

“Fred from New Hampshire”

What a godsend, with his gratitude flowing for a long history of stellar Boston Bruins defensemen. Zdeno Chara, for example.

The big man performs the little things consistently: his positioning in the non–Euclidian corners, extending his circus stick at just the right instant to poke a puck of an opponent’s stick, and putting more pucks on net (I think Big Z has been taking lessons from Dougie Hamilton).

“How special...,” said Fred, to witness that twirl inside the blueline, the giant strides and the backhand shot, short side, shot to score against the Florida Panthers. The play (and maybe Jack Edwards’s call) reminded Fred of Julie Andrews. A Sound-of-Music, “Climb-Every-Mountain” kind of goal.

The Bruins’ Penalty Kill

“I can’t remember seeing anything like it,” Johnston said.

So well-positioned yet so aggressive. Face-off wins are key, too, and the Bruins are among the NHL’s elite. Too bad faceoff.com is already a registered domain, otherwise you might say the Bruins own it.

Beers said the Bruins are a net –2 on the year, explaining that opponents have scored only four power play goals and the Bruins have posted two shorties.

“Paul in the Car”

The moniker sounded familiar. Another NEHJ Radio Show remnant?

Paul said the Chicago Blackhawks, who have yet to lose a game in regulation, are over-rated, that if they had to play in the Eastern Conference, they wouldn’t fare so well against teams like the Bruins and Flyers.

Maybe not, countered our hosts. But anytime a team has earned 37 of 40 possible points, let’s give them credit.

Hockey Music

“…speaking of Julie Andrews,” I said. I asked the fellas what they’re favorite hockey music is, not necessarily songs played during games. Maybe a movie soundtrack?

The question caught them off guard, humored them. “I don’t know” was the initial consensus.

“Maybe something from Slap Shot?” someone said. “Maxine Nightingale?”

A wily producer found the music: "Right Back Where We Started From"

“Something form the Miracle soundtrack?...’Brass Bonanza’?”

“Brass Bonanza” is a song the NEHJ Radio Show folks loved to play. Miracle’s soundtrack was less memorable except for “Dream On” in the closing credits. And for what it’s worth, I find Ms. Nightingale’s love song to be, well, lovely—if not ironic for the backdrop of excessive violence. I am no longer drawn to the movie per se, but I won’t apologize for the soundtrack because “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word.”

So there you have it, Bruins fans, from the old to the new and back again, from Julie Andrews to Elton John.

AMHL Friday: Mike "The Gambler" Tavis

March 26, 2010
Concord, MA

“…It’s not necessarily about success for me. It’s not about being the biggest star in the world…” –Kenny Rogers

On a cold spring morning, I meet up with Mike “the Gambler” Tavis, who has just decided to forego his familiar duties as a skating-out Star in favor of a first-time foray between the pipes.

Neither of the regular goalies—P.J. “King of Clubs” Mann and Kate “Queen of Hearts” Fallon—can play this morning, so Tavis straps on the pads in a locker room fronting Rink Two, as the Stars and Whalers start the game.

“It’d be nice to have a chance to warm up, though,” Tavis says, and wonders if he’s correctly attaching himself to the black Bauer leg pads. “I didn’t put these on backwards, did I?”

Tavis has dressed his son, netminder Nick, so many times, but now Mike needs help from this reporter and Paul “Jack of Diamonds” Anastas, who has scrambled to find pads, glove, blocker, and mask for the newbie netminder.

Cue “Pipe Dreams” (the yet-to-be mixed Kenny Rogers version of the Yaku Boyz classic) as possibly the first-ever goalie to wear #14 steps on the ice, his Stars trailing, 0–1.

Tavis stands (note to Nick: Dad’s legs are a bit too far apart) in the crease, poker face masking his fear, and sticks aside the first shot.

The Stars have difficulty mounting an attack, so Tavis must play with the hand he’s been dealt. Whaler forward Marc “Le Sept de Pique” Vallee zips across the blueline and to the circle to Tavis’s left. Valle flings a zinger past the would-be puckstopper.

But the Gambler shows no sign of anger.

He makes a pair of stick saves and then watches his team advance the puck. When the Stars score on Mitch “Through the Years” Weiss, Tavis slaps the white-taped blade of his borrowed Koho against the ice.

Vallee attacks again, skating down his right wing. A left-handed shooter, he has a good angle—and a clear shooting lane—and snaps a shot high glove-side. Tavis snares the black disk like it’s the last poker chip.

You never count your money...’til the dealin’s done.

Still in the first period, the Whalers are all over the Stars. Ding, the puck pings of the pipe to Tavis’s right. The referees, however, rule that the puck crossed the goal line.

“No way!” yells this reporter. “That hit the post.”

But Tavis just shrugs his shoulders, knowing that bemoaning the blown call is a waste of energy.

You gotta know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em. And Tavis is no quitter.

In the second period, the Stars trail 2–3. Anastas beats Weiss with a wrist shot, but then the Stars fade, on a train bound for nowhere.

When all the dealing is done, it is time for counting: Stars, 4; Whalers, 9.

Yet Mike Tavis is a winner, or at least the Gambler, he breaks even. Plus, he has a couple aces in the hole: a greater appreciation for his own goalies and knowing that he’ll be even a better coach for his son.

AMHL Friday Firsts

From the first Friday to the finale, I present a few fond memories of the first-ever AMHL Friday season:

First games
September 11, 2009: Stars 8, Hawks 6; Kings 7, Whalers 2

First hat trick(s)
September 11, 2009: Steve Nicolle (Kings) Jonathon Corke (Stars)

First goalie to record an assist
September 11, 2009: Chris Bade (Stars)

First time two sets of brothers and two sets of fathers/sons have played in the same division
Paul (Stars) and Gene (Kings) Costanza; Dev and Bill Barron (Hawks); Randy and Jonathon Corke (Stars); Kevin and Brendan Lyons (Whalers)

First time (to this reporter’s knowledge) anyone has ever worn Khakis instead of hockey pants
December 4, 2009: Mike Osofsky (Stars)

First time the “Forever .500s” (Kevin Paul Dupont’s sobriquet for the Hartford Whalers) had a .500 record
October 9, 2009: The AMHL Whale had lost the first three games but then won the next three.

First points leader (regular season)
Jonathon Corke (Stars): 25G + 17A= 42

First Playoff series and results (courtesy of the Friday Ticker)
December 11, 2009

Round 1 Playoff Results: The Barron Brothers were too much for the first place Stars, Dev’s 2-2 and Bill’s 2-1 play. Despite being spotted one goal to start the game and scoring in the first minute of play, the Stars couldn’t hold off the Hawks and lost 5–4. In Rink 2, Backed by solid goaltending by Mitch-the-Commish, the Whalers knocked off the Kings by the score of 6–3. Kevin Lyons had a pair of goals and Gene Costanza a pair for the Kings. Next up, Hawks and Whalers play for the Cup and the Stars and the Kings will battle for 3rd place.

First Championship
December 18, 2009

The Red Barrons (Bill and Dev) each scored a goal, and the Grecian Formula (Paul Anastas and Peter Kokas) combined for three goals to lead the Hawks to a 7–6 victory over the Whalers. John Arathuzik’s empty-netter proved to be the game-winner. Despite yielding six goals, Hawk goalie Bobby Kilkenny earned First Star of the Game honors. Kilkenny, who made a few routine saves look difficult and several difficult saves routine, won his first AMHL championship as a goalie.