Today, I am sorry to say that I witnessed a real life version of that kind of crazed behavior. Steve MacIntyre of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins singlehandedly earned the title “Biggest Piece of Trash to Play The Game In the Past 40 Years”. The behemoth degenerate, all 6’5″ of him, when he couldn’t thug it up with an obviously more intelligent Falcon, decided it was his best possible career move to attack 5’10” goalie Paul Dainton. Dainton’s teammates were not amused and predictably, all hell broke loose for several minutes at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. More after the jump:
Before I continue this rant, I can tell you that MacIntyre has actually played in 89 career NHL games. Played is somewhat of an overstatement, as his average ice time with the otherwise well schooled
averaged about two minutes a game through the middle part of the current season. Mac the Thug was waived into the AHL in January, where presumably, it’s just a matter of time before some other club waits for the goon-for-hire clause in his contract to point him somewhere else. Since his first pro season in ’03-’04, MacIntyre has played a total of 452 regular season games. In that time, goalies have contemplated ending it all 12 times after surrendering goals to him. Combined with 21 assists for 33 career pro points, one needn’t worry about any scoring titles for the hulking winger. No, on the other hand in those 452 contests, he has amassed 1577 penalty minutes. Way to go, bud!
The recap from the official score sheet doesn’t read like a penalty summary. It’s more like a rap sheet on this lowlife:
Minor: Cross-checking
Major: Elbowing
Match: Attempt/Deliberate Injury
This was bad. Maybe this talentless creep was auditioning for “Goon 2”. In any event, there is absolutely no room for an unskilled, overaggresive, penalty machine like him in the game in this day and age. Don’t just suspend this piece of trash. Ban him. Better yet, send him to the KHL, he’ll fit right in over there.
Other than the circus act that is Steve MacIntyre, there was a hockey game this afternoon at The Nest. And a damn good one too, other than the nonsense that put a black mark all over it. The Falcons garnered a point, taking the Pens to a shootout, falling 4-3 in front of a nice matinee crowd.
The Falcons dug an early hole at 1:56 of the opening frame, when Alexandre Picard scored his fifth of the season. Twenty seconds later, Nate Longpre pulled the Falcons even. Longpre took a
pass in front of the Penguins net and put a phenomenal deke on
for the tying goal. Just returned
picked up the secondary assist.
Former Falcon
gave the Pens their second lead of the day at the 3:37 mark, and at this point you could only wonder if this was going to turn into a 9-7 barnburner. Things did settle down and the rest of the period was scoreless.
started and finished the middle stanza in style. Giroux notched his 22nd goal of the season on the power play at 1:57 of the second when he unleashed a blast from his customary, top of the face off circle spot.
and
picked up the assists on the goal. Giroux finished off the period with his 23rd of the season, also on the power play when on a 5 on 3, he was all alone in the slot and one timed a beauty that was set up by
and St. Pierre, giving the Falcons a 3-2 lead.
MacIntyre’s antics occurred just after the next faceoff, and it was obvious that this was nothing but an intentional assault. The Falcons though, despite an 8 minute power play, were unable to do anything with the extra man.
Ryan Garlock was serving an unsportsmanlike conduct minor when
tied the game with 5:07 remaining in regulation time. The teams traded scoring opportunities during the five minute overtime period, but neither team could capitalize, which brought us to the shootout where another former Falcon,
scored what proved to be the game winner.
1 – Alexandre Giroux
2 – Ryan Craig
3 – Martin St. Pierre
As far as the game itself, this was a good hockey game. The nonsense by MacIntyre was enough to honestly leave me sick to my stomach during and after the game. As I put together this recap, about seven hours after the incident, and watched it a couple of times since, all I can say is: I can’t believe what I saw. The assault was so unprovoked, and all too real. Mr MacIntyre, in closing I will say in all seriousness that you are a talentless piece of garbage. Any general manager that ever signs you to another contract should immediately be fired and disqualified from ever again serving in any capacity of relevance for any team, in any league. You sir, as a hockey player and as a human being, suck. Go away. Far away. Vityaz Chekhov sounds about right.
The Falcons return to action next Friday night when the Portland Pirates come to town. Faceoff time is 7:30PM.