First Post: Friday, January 19, 2018

Peng-a-win

Lopsided contest last night at the downtown arena. Class would out, and that meant the home side, your La-La Land Kings, were in deep trouble. Final reckoning: 3-1 to the visitors.

Class would out, and you don’t get much classier than seeing Messrs. Crosby (Cindy!), Malkin & Kessel skating on the same shift. Their movement away from the puck was orderly, systematized and altogether mesmerizing; even when not on the man-advantage, the three of them glided and, if necessary, grinded ceaselessly to try to create an opening or a closer opportunity or both. Throw-in the supporting cast, up-and-comers like Hornqvist and Guentzel, and you understand why they have two consecutive Stanley Cups to their credit.

On the other hoof, the locals appeared dull and leaden, with their lone goal the result of a turnover, and entirely against the run of play. They were bereft of any bright ideas offensively, such that they handed the opposing goalie an easy victory in his first NHL start.

Class will out, and class is permanent. Dips in form-and-condition necessarily occur, but the Pgh. Penna. big-league ice-hockey club is composed of nothing but class. When something’s good, it’s never gone.

Fleet Frontrunners
Aqueduct 4, 9

Reliable Ralliers
Gulf 5, 10

Favorable Faves^*
Chas. Town 7
Fair Grounds^† 1, 3
Golden Gate^† 5
Los Alamitos^† 4
PennNat 2, 8
Turfway 2

Freakazoid Factories
Aqueduct 4, 6
Delta 6
Golden Gate^† 6
Gulf 8
PennNat 4
Santa Anita 7
Turfway 9

^*-morning-line faves only; adjusted for inflation
^†-raceday scratches unavailable at press-time; sedan model shown

YESTERDAY’s Fine Finishes^‡
Gulf 2
Turfway 2, 6
^‡-High-Octane Chancers doin’ it exclusively with All-In-One V6 and its LifeLiner Speed Column analysis and LifeLiner Spread Column analysis, without regard to operational definitions of faves or freakazoids; thank you!

Skate safely.