HOCKEY LAST NIGHT: THE GREAT GOALIE SWINDLE

Does anyone realize that "it is what it is" was first spoken in Boogie Nights?

Canucks 4 Panthers 3 (shootout): You shouldn't put it past anyone to argue that Vancouver netminder Roberto Luongo is the NHL's first-half MVP since he's been in goal for all 24 Canucks wins, despite the presence of stronger candidates.

Only one of the three guys ex-Florida GM Mike Keenan got in return for sending Luongo to Vancouver last June actually played last night. Smooth move, Ex-Lax.

Ducks 4 Red Wings 2: Here you thought Bjorn Melin was the name of the keyboard player in Roxette.

Senators 6 Flyers 1: A Martin Gerber special early in the second period where showed some world-class waffling -- starting out of the net to chase a loose puck, then stopping and succeeding only in tipping the puck to Philly's R.J. Umberger, who backhanded it in for a gift goal -- made this interesting, briefly.

Devils 3 Canadiens 0: New NHL, My NHL, my ass -- the Devils are still playing tight defence and letting Marty Brodeur collect near-effortless shutouts. This was his NHL-leading seventh of the season.

NHL Scoreboard

Today's only game: Oilers-Kings, 10:30 p.m.

HOMETOWN BREAKDOWN

Would you believe Canadian world junior hero Ryan Parent rejoined the Guelph Storm in time for today's game against our Kingston Frontenacs and got the first goal -- his first of the OHL season, no less -- in a 4-2 win? Or that Kingston-born Jamie Arniel scored a backbreaking short-handed goal and was +4 in the game? Yes, you would. Arniel, the nephew of former NHLer Scott Arniel, is likely to be taken in the early rounds of this year's NHL draft. Elsewhere, the 67's fell 5-2 to Brampton in a chippy game that had 18 power plays.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.