Last night we had a rare occurance in the Preds/Wings game -- Marian Hossa in a fight! That's probably music to the ears of Pens' fans who want to see him take a lick or two. Hossa fought Suter and while he didn't do badly, it wound up how you might have imagined it. If you're into imagining things like that.
Forechecker -- the internet authority on the Predators -- brings us this gem of an advertisement from the team. Two words: Taylor Swift.
Does this satisfy my ice girl posting requirements for the week?
I don't really have a whole lot to say about this commercial. I'm kind of stunned that Taylor Swift just said RAWR not only on my laptop, but on -- of all things -- a commercial for the Nashville Predators. The Predators are not only hip, they are hip and with it.
No matter who you are planning on voting for this November, I think we can all agree there has been enough talk about [name censored] dropping the puck at the Flyers game on Saturday. It's done, [name censored] more or less got booed, let's move on.
And move on, we will. There were plenty of other great videos from the first real week of the NHL season. Here's a look at the top plays from the last seven days, the [name censored] edition.
5. Jarome Iginla Knocks Down Willie Mitchell
There's nothing more gratifying to fight fans than watching a big knockout. I don't think Willie Mitchell ever loses consciousness, but he took a heck of a shot from Jarome Iginla. That leads Kent of Five Hole Fanatics to wonder who, exactly, is the Flames enforcer.
"Also, does anyone get the feeling that Iginla is a better scrapper than our current "enforcer" (although Roy now has more goals than Iginla, so...)?"
4. Nashville Area Woman gives Sean Avery the business.
Man, this lady has some guts. Avery is the biggest mouth in the NHL and he looks, well, stunned when some random lady sitting next to the penalty box goes off on him. +5 to her, wherever she is. You have to fast forward to the last 15 seconds of the video to catch it, but the rest of it is entertaining, too.
3. Zach Parise Beats the Penguins
If you're a Pens fan, this is going to bring up some bad memories. Saturday night the Pens surrendered a 1-0 third period lead, as Patrick Elias banked a shot off of Hal Gill and past Marc-Andre Fleury. In overtime, Travis Zajac threw a ridiculous lob pass to Zach Parise who ended the game.
2. Jordin Tootoo vs. Boris Valabik
It's quite possibly the most mismatched fight you will ever see, at least in terms of the fighters' size. Valabik is 6'7" and Tootoo is 5'9" but as you probably know, Tootoo is a pretty good fighter and also apparently isn't afraid of anyone. Just make sure you turn off you speakers, the audio on this video is ridiculously loud.
1. Def Leppard Does Not Understand the Stanley Cup
You've likely seen this video by now, but if you haven't, you'll be left dumbfounded. I didn't realize that the Stanley Cup needed an instruction manual on how to handle it. Now I know.
Contrary to popular belief, there are teams in the central that are not named the Detroit Red Wings. I know that it sounds like an abstract concept really, but it's the truth. But hey, I can't tell you what to believe.
Anyway, here's #4 in our NHL season preview that we are obligated to do for all of you lovely folks out there. If you missed any previous editions, please check them out by clicking here.
Chicago Blackhawks
Whoa! Hey, look at that! It's not the Red Wings!
And look at all that I just wrote. How many Hawks fans do you think I was able to piss off in a mere three paragraphs of writing? The over/under is about 52. Yes it's a rejuvenated fanbase, but that doesn't mean the United Center is bursting at the seams.
Anyway, if you're looking for trivia points, the young child pictured above who looks like he wants to punch the cameraman is actually Logan Couture (via Sharkspage). He has nothing to do with the Hawks, it's just a neat photo.
But yes, we are here to talk about the Hawks. They have got to be the feel good story in hockey right now. This franchise seems to have done a complete 180 in the last year and is heading in the right direction. They missed out on the playoffs last year by a mere three points and still have three of the best kids in the game -- Jon Toews, Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane. Given these kids a few more years and this team is going to be sick. The Hawks should sneak into the playoffs this season especially with the edition of Cristobal Huet. Oh and they're no slouches on defense either, what with Seabrook, Keith and a host of others.
What's New: Cristobal Huet is in and the Bulin Wall is out. Added Brian Campbell through free agency. Scotty Bowman joins the front office.
Questions That Need Answering: Really, the biggest question is 'how much are these guys going to improve?' We know they have tons of talent and now they just need to go out there and show everyone how far they can go with it. Other questions are as follows; with the Hawks having only 4 players on the roster born in the 1970s, is it more like sleep away camp than an NHL team? Does Patrick Kane have a fake ID? If so, shouldn't he be able to get into any Chicago bars he wants anyway?
Detroit Red Wings
Oh, hey. There they are. This part of the preview should basically write itself... Wings won the Cup last year... Favored to win it again... Seven division titles in a row... Something about Marian Hossa... Yawn. Damn team is so repetitive and boring.
But honestly, there's not a whole lot to say about these guys that you don't already know. You know about Hossa. Last year in the playoffs we saw a really scary side of Johan Franzen that probably even he didn't know he had. We also saw the Red Wings do whatever the hell they wanted during the playoffs, save for a couple of games. The addition of Hossa makes them downright frightening. Honestly, just skip the horror movie antics and start running for your lives right now. It's reached that point.
What's New: Ty Conklin is in for the retired Dominik Hasek. Marian Hossa, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Questions That Need Answering: How much does it hurt to get in the way of a speeding freight train? Is there an NHL team out there that cares to find out? How badly would you (or I) like to be Mike Babcock right now?
Columbus Blue Jackets
So we are now seven years into the Blue Jackets' existence and they still have not seen the promised land. Seven years is a long playoff drought and it may feel even longer if you've never tasted them. But here we are and Scott Howson has done a nice job retooling the team to try and turn things around this year. Probably the biggest hurdle facing them is that they're in a good division in an even better conference. In the East, you could make the argument that they might be in the mix for the eighth spot. Not so in the West.
Nonetheless, the team made some nice acquisitions over the summer and hopefully for them they will pay off. Huselius is a good addition, as he once again escapes the jaws of Mike Keenan. Also in the mix are RJ Umberger and a cluster of less-impactful players. Pascal Leclaire, who laid his life on the line for Canada last year, is back with a nice three-year deal. The Blue Jackets don't have a lineup that looks very intimidating on paper, but aren't going to be push overs either.
What's New: Christian Backman, Fedor Tyutin, Raffi Torres (who just hurt his shoulder), RJ Umberger, Mike Commodore, Kristian Huselius.
Questions That Need Answering: Why doesn't this team actually wear blue jackets instead of jerseys? I could see it now... Mid 90s denim jackets from Calvin Klein with each players' name sequined on the back. Simply FABulous!
(Poor attempt at Predator humor that has already been done a million times.)
Nashville Predators
Is there a more frustrated fanbase in all of hockey? They pack the arena, but are still in danger of losing the franchise. A ticket drive helps and gets the team through the season, a season in which they arguably overachieved on the ice, and yet here we are again with rumors of Jim Basillie buying the team and moving them to wherever he pleases.
(Warning! Tangent! Warning!)
By the way, can we just go ahead and blame America's economic problems on Boots Del Biaggio? Apparently he owes lenders about $170 million. I mean shit, that's gotta count for something.
(Train veers back on track)
So we were talking about the Predators. They did squat in the off-season in terms of bringing in people. They shipped out a few players, but kept the roster basically the same. At this point, if I'm a Preds fan, I would be happy this year if my team stayed put and made the playoffs. Sometimes it's the simpler things in life. Trust me, I know. I'm an Islander fan.
What's New: Who's Gone: Marek Zidlicky, Chris Mason (sucked anyway), Jan Hlavac, Martin Gelinas.
Questions That Need Answering: Who gets Del Biaggio's stake in the team? Mmm... Can I have some steak myself?
St. Louis Blues
It's been tough times in St. Louis in recent years. They haven't been to the playoffs or had a winning record since before the lockout. And now there is a serious injury with highly touted #1 pick Erik Johnson suffered while golfing. To pile on, their biggest off-season addition was Mike Weaver. Hoo boy. It might be another long season in St. Louis. The folks there might be, ha, singing the blues!!! hahahahahaha GET IT?!!?1!
Woooo. I just love a good pun.
Sorry, I'll stop.
What's New: Not a whole lot. Lots of key young players got re-signed (Jackman, Oshie, Eller) so it's apparent things are heading in the right direction. It might just take some time. Doug Weight has departed along with Jamal Mayers and Martin Rucinsky.
Questions That Need Answering: Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do ya?
Read all about it. That's the topic of my latest over at FanHouse.
Predators Suspend Radulov, Posturing Reaches Critical Mass
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On April 9th, I said the following about the Bruins/Habs series in my Playoff Preview:
can we give Montreal a bye here? The Bruins offense is horrible, the Habs offense is outstanding and if they play any defense this series will be over by Friday.
I also said the following, less offensive, sentence about the Wings and Predators first round matchup:
Detroit in four. Moving on...
On April 14th, I got the following email from reader Jon H.
Kevin,First of all. You do a hell of a job. My friends are I love your blog, keep up the great work.Secondly, you called for the Bruins to basically be giving a bye to the Habs! I agree that Montreal has killed us all season, but man, we outplayed and outclasses them [in Game Two], and beat them [in Game Three]. The arena hasn't been that electric in a LONG time. There is NOTHING like playoff hockey. Take notice man, this B's team isn't flashy, hell they can be downright boring. However, they are tough, and if they work hard can play with anyone. This is exactly the kind of team Boston fans love. If we win tomorrow, things could get very very interesting. Then I'll expect an apology!Seriously though, keep up the great work, love your work.Go B's!Jon
Last night, April 16th, the Predators won to tie the first round series at two games a piece.
Tonight, April 17th, the Bruins won with their backs up against the wall. In Montreal. By a large margin. The game ended 5-1 and sent the series back to Boston, giving the Bruins an opportunity to tie the series up.
I figured I'd mention this, as I'm really impressed with how both of these teams are playing right now. They've proven me wrong and more power to 'em. That's why they play the games. That's also why I don't get paid to predict the future. Now if only I could get my crystal ball tuned up.Last year I wrote the Daily Sniper each day, which covered all the games from the night before. It took up all too much time and wasn't really that fun. But because it's playoff time and there are uber games to keep up with, I'm going to give it another shot. Hopefully this goes better than Van Wilder 2... It might be semi-daily, but it'll be around for a bit.
Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images/Yahoo Sports |
Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa, Game Four (PIT 3, OTT 1)
How sweep it is. See what I did there? Get it?!?
To complete a collapse that can only be described as "shamu-like," the Penguins finally put the Senators out of their misery. In one of the worst falls from grace in recent memory, the Sens went from first place in the Eastern Conference on February 23rd and dropped to seventh, only to be swept in the first round. To make matters worse, or maybe raise the demand for anti-depressants in Southern Ontario, the Sens lost their final game on home ice. And boy, does the irony run deep there.
Prior to the game, the team placed a poster of two teams shaking hands after last year's series (which the Sens won) outside the Pens dressing room. Wow, does that look like a poor decision now. I don't mean to get into politics, but I think that decision makes President Bush look like Albert Einstein right about now. Last night a new photo was taken, and I think it's safe to say that the Pens may post it outside of their locker room. And they'll have about a week to do it, as the sit back, relax and get healthy while the competition beats each others' heads in. Congrats to Pittsburgh and the folks over at Pensblog, may you annihilate the Rangers in the next round (Woo I can say that! I don't have to worry about journalistic standards!).
Detroit vs. Nashville, Game Four (NSH 3, DET 2)
I may owe Tennessee some apologies.
NHL Tournament of Logos |
Last night, the Nashville Predators finally broke though and got a win against the Detroit Red Wings in their first round series. The Wings still lead 2-1, with Game Four taking place on Wednesday night in Nashville.
An interesting storyline to the series is the undead's support of the Predators -- not to be confused with the Grateful dead. I don't know a lot about this team, but I can tell you that zombies absolutely love them. They're practically the reason that the team is still in Nashville right now and not playing somewhere more, how do I say, Canadian. Zombies vowed to dismember and eat the team's front office staff if the team moved this season, giving way to the Preds staying put in Nashville. There's no telling what will happen once the season is over, but for now, zombie nation still has hope.
If Detroit holds on and wins this series, well, I think it's safe to say the city would need a New Orleans-esque evacuation. Just imagine 10,000 zombies descending on the Detroit Metro area. Not a pretty thought. But thus is the price of success.
For any readers currently residing in Michigan, remember that it is always best to remove the head or destroy the brain.
Paul Nicholson on Flickr |
Both images (C) Nashville Predators
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This is getting really tiring. This is at least the third time I've had to post about how the NHL folks over at SI FanNation have totally dropped the ball on their NHL coverage.
I know, I know. People make mistakes. But they mess up like it's their damn job. At least it's pretty funny this time.
But maybe, just maybe it's not an error at all. Could it be a conspiracy? Is FanNation out to get Nashville's Steve Sullivan? I guess it is possible. After all, they made him look like he aged pretty horribly over the summer.
Let's review.
This is Steve Sullivan as a healthy, strong and virile young man in his days with the Blackhawks, somewhere between 1999 and 2004. That puts him between the ages of 25 and 30. This is before he started aging horrifically, or so FanNation would have you believe.
This is Steve last season, while playing for the Predators back in February of this year. He's a 32-year old veteran of the NHL at this point. He's still got plenty of spring in his step, which is shown by the 60 points he scored in 57 games for Nashville.
Saturday, word broke that Sullivan could miss the first three months of the season with back problems. He's been out since February 22nd due to this, and it's apparently taken a toll on him; witness FanNation's post about him yesterday. He must of aged about 30 years since we saw him in February.
Get well soon, Steve. Please, get well.
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Robin: Jumpin' Jehovah's Witnesses Batman! Kevin is doing actual analysis!
Batman: Yes, Robin. Even mindless trolls can debate the merits of NHL teams. Why, just look at Larry Brooks!
Believe it or not, we are just about halfway through the off-season already. It was about six weeks ago that the Ducks captured their first Stanley Cup, and in six more, the NHL's 32 teams will be heading to camp. To keep some sanity, here's a look at the teams that have had the worst off-seasons so far. (Bonus points to anyone who can name the movie that the picture caption is from.)
5. Dallas Stars - Sometimes no news is good news. This is not one of those times. The team finished 6th out west last year, but there are some serious questions that still need to be answered. Time is running out on the current incarnation of the Stars to make a serious post season run, as their average age is pushing 30. Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen aren't getting any younger, and although the team has some nice young players, they can't wait years for them to develop. In my opinion, the team needs to win now and build through free agency, or face rebuilding. The draft didn't help their situation, as the Stars' first selection was the 50th pick. This summer, there was the hope that the team would make a big splash in the free agent market, but that has yet to happen. Adding Todd Fedoruk, is not a franchise altering move. Granted, the Stars aren't far removed from where they were in May. The problem for them is that they haven't made any serious improvements. You got me, though. The Stars are much better off than the four teams that are coming up.
4. Boston Bruins - Things have never looked worse in Boston. It's been eight years since the team has won a playoff series, and 15 since they made it past the second round. While they won the Northeast division in 2004, that still feels like a very distant memory. Kudos to the team for hiring Claude Julien and not alumnus Mike Milbury. The team instantly has some credit, but that is probably due more to the fact that they fired Dave Lewis. Anyone is an upgrade over Lewis. The problem with the Bruins off-season so far, is that they haven't done enough to upgrade the on ice product. Getting Zach Hamill at the eighth spot in the draft was nice, and they've also added Manny Fernandez and Shawn Thornton. The point is; all of that is a far cry compared to how the rest of the Eastern Conference cellar did. Philadelphia and Washington, who finished 15th and 14th in the East respectively, made major upgrades and are now playoff caliber teams. Even perennial loser Florida made some nice additions, but the Bruins have failed to follow suit... For those of you who were not watching close enough, the Bruins made a change to their logo. No really, it's different. Swear.
3. New York Islanders - No team has had their roster blown apart quite like the Islanders. First, they bought out Alexei Yashin. Then, they managed to lose three more of their top six scorers (that doesn't include Ryan Smyth) on the first day of free agency. Luckily, the other guys were still under contract (Miro Satan, Mike Sillinger). The team did make a nice comeback in the free agent market by signing Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie and Ruslan Fedotenko. The point is, it's hard to imagine those guys filling the shoes of Yashin, Blake, Smyth, Kozlov and Poti. Guerin is old, and not the player he once was. Comrie and Fedotenko are not first line players, and the team is seriously lacking a threatening first line. Satan-Sillinger-Guerin? That's not terrible, but that's not going to get you very far. The team hasn't won a playoff series since 1993, and somehow, you know in the back of your mind that they're going to fuck it up this season, no matter what.
2. Buffalo Sabres - There's nothing worse than losing the heart and soul of your team (actually, there is, but I'll get to that next). That's what Chris Drury and Daniel "Dollar Bill" Briere were for the Sabres, and as soon as the free agent market opened on July 1st, both bolted for Eastern Conference rivals. Briere signed a monster deal in Philadelphia, while Drury will be playing on Manhattan Island this winter. To add to that, owner Tom Golisano has balked at increasing the payroll, and is actually crying poor. The good news to come out of Buffalo in the wake of this mess is that Thomas Vanek will be a Sabre for the next seven years. The team matched an offer sheet to the RFA after Edmonton made a monster contract offer. Keep your head up, Buffalo. It could be worse. You could live in Nashville.
1. Nashville Predators - What's worse than losing your two best players? Losing your team altogether. That's what Predator fans are facing in Nashville, and thus, they are undoubtedly having the worst off-season of any NHL team. The team has been stripped of it's star players (see: Paul Kariya, Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell, Tomas Vokoun, Vitaly Vishnevski), and have received draft picks or, as in the case of their UFAs, nothing in return. Peter Forsberg has yet to sign elsewhere, but it is almost certain that he will not re-sign in the Music City. The team has added Jed Ortmeyer, Radek Bonk and Greg de Vries, but that's little consolation. The only consolation for all of this will be a high lottery pick next June. But that means nothing if the team packs up and moves to another city.
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Well, time is quickly running out before the free agent market opens tomorrow. Due to some pretty poor planning, I won't be able to chronicle all of the remaining top tier free agents in their own posts. For the sake of making sure they are all given their due before July 1st, I've got a big, huge, monster post for you today, which dissects the rest of the top tier players.
Teemu Selanne - RW - Anaheim Ducks
Fresh off a Stanley Cup victory, Selanne is one of the biggest names on the market this July, and rightfully so. He scored 98 points during the regular season, his highest total in almost a decade, and the Finnish Flash's 15 post season points were a career high. What's most interesting to note is that Selanne picked up some of the Ducks' style of play, notching 82 PIM. That's a total that almost doubles high previous career high. Apparently, the Ducks' physical play was emphasized up and down the lineup.
Prediction: Selanne has said himself that he would love to retire on top. After winning the Stanley Cup this season, I believe he has two options. He turns 37 on July third, and can either try and cash in one last time (both in $ and championship terms) with the Ducks, or pull a Bourque and call it a career. My guess is that he'll hang up the skates... All that being said, there will be a long list of suitors for Selanne's services, but few, if any, offering a long term lease.
Paul Kariya - LW - Nashville Predators
Kariya played alongside Selanne for many years in Anaheim, but unlike the Finn, has the potential to suit up for many more years in the NHL. At 32 years of age, Kariya scored 76 points this season, leading the Predators to a 110 point season. All signs point to Kariya leaving the Predators, and the firesale/potential move of the team are the main catalysts on that front. There's almost no way Kariya, and fellow UFA/teammate Peter Forsberg re-sign in Nashville. Or in Hamilton. Or in Kansas City.
Prediction: It's tough to say where Kariya will end up. There are a number of teams who would love to have his services, but the rumor from has been eerily quiet. One thing is for sure, Kariya won't be back in Music City.
Keith Tkachuk - C/LW - Atlanta Thrashers/St. Louis Blues
Tkachuk is one of the premier power forwards in the game today, and that was again the case for Tkachuk during the 2006-07 season. The winger has seen his numbers decline in recent years, but he is still a serious asset to any team that needs a big body up front. Prior to the trade deadline, Tkachuk was traded from St. Louis to Atlanta, to help with the Thrasher's playoff push. They were ousted in the first round by the Rangers, but he managed to put up 18 points in 22 games during his short stay in Atlanta (including playoffs). Earlier this week, his rights were traded back to St. Louis... The Blues are reportedly offering 2 years in the neighborhood of $3.5 mil.
Prediction: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution thinks that by trading Tkachuk back to Missouri, the chances of him re-signing in Atlanta have been increased. While I believe there are only two front runners for his services (St. Louis and Atlanta), I also think that this trade is an indicator that he will re-sign with, and may finish his career in St. Louis.
Jason Blake - LW - New York Islanders
Oh, Jason Blake. How you pull at my heart strings. You've had your best seasons on Long Island, and were continually given a shot by a last place team that decided to keep you around after you put up 18 points in 82 games during the 2001-02 season on the basis of your work ethic. All that hard work has paid off, and now you're a top free agent looking for a big pay day. After the Islanders decided to hold onto you at the trade deadline, you gushed about how much you always wanted to be on Long Island. Rumors say that the Islanders offered you $10 mil over three years, and you declined to test the open waters. Good luck on the high seas Jason, as all signs point to the Islanders shifting their sights to Ryan Smyth.
Prediction: Minnesota and Detroit have been reported to make a push at Blake, and my feelings are that Blake would love to return home to Minnesota... Assuming the price is right.
Sheldon Souray - D - Montreal Canadiens
Souray is by far the #1 blue liner on the market this off season. It seems as if he's been rumored to go to every NHL city, and there's no reason to think half of those rumors don't have a slice of truth in them. He would fit nicely in almost any lineup and is a sure fire way for a team to bolster it's defensive corps, while providing a boost to the power play. Souray had a whopping 64 points last season, huge numbers for a defenseman, but they come at the price of a -28 +/- rating. To his credit, Souray's prior career low plus-minus was -11.
Prediction: Spector suggests that Souray will sign with a Californian team, and I tend to agree. While I find it hard to believe Souray would like to play for the Kings, if either San Jose or Anaheim can find the money for him, it would be a great fit. I'm going with San Jose on this one, but it's a pure guess.
Dominik Hasek - G - Detroit Red Wings
If you're looking for a bad group of free agents this season, which is really pretty hard to find, then you've come to the right place. J.S. Giguere has already re-signed in Anaheim, and unless you think Ed Belfour is the answer to your team's goaltending woes, the only serious starting net minder on the market is The Dominator. He made less than one million last season in Detroit, while proving he is still a stellar #1 net minder... While his resume does include a .913 save percentage in 06-07, there are other, more impressive numbers. Hasek turned 42 (yes, forty fucking two) in January and notched 38 wins (T-6th NHL), 8 shutouts (2nd NHL), a 2.05 GAA (2nd NHL) this past season. In the playoffs, his GAA was a minuscule 1.79 over an 18 game span, which trailed only Roberto Luongo (1.75 in 12 games) and Marty Turco (1.30 in 7 games).
Prediction: The Wings are certainly interested in re-signing Hasek, and I think that the interest is mutual. Hasek would probably love nothing more than to stay in Detroit, get a nice pay day and have a shot at winning another Cup.
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There's already a lot of news breaking leading up to the start of the draft on this beautiful Friday afternoon (if you're in the NYC area, anyway). Let's recap...
Where have all the cowboys hockey games gone?
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It's been a long, busy Tuesday afternoon in June, and there's a lot of NHL news to catch up on. Seriously. How crazy is that? A busy news day in June. It's almost as if the off-season doesn't exist anymore, which depending on your point of view could be a great thing.
"The Anaheim Ducks knew they might lose veteran winger Teemu Selanne if they won the Stanley Cup. But losing superstar defenceman Scott Niedermayer was never in the cards.
Until now."
Slow news day... Slower than Derian Hatcher...
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Here at BMR, we hate Mondays. So, to try and ease everyone back into the work week, we present to you a weekly installment of nonsense and (hopefully) laughter. Without further ado, here is your Monday morning night ice breaker...
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