Showing posts with label National Hockey League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Hockey League. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 01, 2015

Jets Dustin Byfuglien to Have Hearing for Dirty Cross-Check on J.T. Miller



Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien has a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety for his dirty cross-check on the Rangers J.T. Miller. There was no penalty called on the play.

First, there's no way you can defend a dirty hit like this. There are players that play hard-nosed hockey, but this is down right bush-league. Byfuglien's hearing in a phone hearing, so his suspension won't be more than five games.



Thursday, March 19, 2015

Dumba's Dirty Goal



What a blast by the youngster. I like this kid's game. Matt Dumba seems to do everything at a high rate of speed.

And from the big story of the day, yesterday.
From Michael Russo, - Uh, uh, uh, well, lots of Wild fans asked me on Twitter what Zach Parise chirped at Shea Weber after Matt Dumba’s OT winner Tuesday. Said Parise with a big laugh: “Nothing you want to write. We were just going after each other all game. You reach your boiling point. I think he reached his, too.”

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Alex Ovechkin Hits, Slashes Kris Letang, Scrums Develop



Exciting game in Pittsburgh tonight. Washington Capitals forward slashed Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang on the back of the legs and then Letang blew a tire. It was kind of an odd the way that things transpired. Letang has returned to the game.

Should there have been a penalty on Ovie?

Thursday, February 12, 2015

UND set to Take on Pioneers

Gwozdecky is gone, rivalry is not

While you’re checking out some of those YouTube videos, you’ll probably find a video of head coach George Gwozdecky walking across the ice after getting kicked out of a game.
While coach Gwozdecky is no longer at Denver, he wasn’t re-signed after the 2012-13 season. The rivalry hasn’t cooled off in his absence.
If you look over the record books, you will see that there’s a lot of history between the two teams. In their last 15 games against the Pioneers, UND has a 9-5-1 record. Four of those games have been in the playoffs. UND won all four games.
Historically, the games have been entertaining and full of drama. The players from both teams love playing in the series. It’s one of those series that the UND players look forward to playing in.
“I think it’s such a great rivalry between two programs,” sophomore defenseman Troy Stecher said. “It’s an up paced game. Their D-Core is pretty offensive. We like to think that our D-Core can jump up in the play as well. I think it’s going to be a weekend of chances going back and forth.”
“It’s a tradition I think or a history thing,” senior caption Steph Pattyn said. “It’s definitely a rivalry. Something that has always been. A lot of it has to do with the history of the two programs. Denver is a good program. The coaches definitely instill in us to go hard this weekend.”



Thursday, February 05, 2015

Grand Forks has been named America's #1 Hockey Town.



Here's a new article that came out this week. I am sure the other 58 teams in college hockey will probably offer some argument to why this article is flawed. It looks like they might have a solid method of analyzing the different schools.
Data & Methodology

While the NHL is the premier hockey league in the U.S., there are several others with significant fan bases. In addition to all U.S. NHL towns, we considered every U.S. town or city with a team competing in America’s top two minor leagues (the American Hockey League (AHL) and the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL)) or in Division I NCAA hockey. That brought the total of towns in our study to 129.2 For each of those 129 towns we first looked at the overall quality of life enjoyed by residents. Specifically, to develop our Quality of Life Score we looked at the following five factors:

Violent Crimes per 100,000 people.

Property Crimes per 100,000 people.

Disposable Income (median income minus median housing costs).

Dining and Entertainment Establishments per 10,000 residents.

Unemployment Rate.3


Is Evander Kane on Trading Block?

It appears so, check out what's making its way around the blogosphere today. I can think of a couple of teams that he would look good on. You have to wonder if Kane could use a fresh start?



Winnipeg Free Press: Healthy scratch could be turning point in Kane saga



This is a story that has garnered a lot of attention the last few days. To me, it seems a little excessive, but team rules are team rules. Right? On the surface it appears minor, Kane wore sweats to a team meeting.

Here's what at stake, Kane broke team rules and if the coach hadn't disciplined him, it would appear that the coach has two sets of rules. One set of rules for star players and rules for the rest of the team.
Gary Lawless, Winnipeg Free Press --- Kane’s transgression on Tuesday, as it turns out, was fairly was minor. He broke dress code, arriving at the rink for a midday team meeting in sweats, instead of a suit. By gametime, Kane wasn’t a player.

Jets coach Paul Maurice scratched Kane from the lineup and after the game called it a coach’s decision. This is the second time Maurice has made Kane a healthy scratch for disciplinary reasons. The coach has rules and he expects his players to follow them and there are few exceptions. The margin of error for a repeat offender such as Kane is thin. So he got benched.

Wednesday, February 04, 2015

P.K. Subban Fined for Diving



It was only a matter of time before P.K. Subban was fined by the National Hockey League for embellishment. Now with the fine, Subban is now a documented diver. It will be interesting to see if Subban cleans up his act.
NHL.COM -- Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban has been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the National Hockey League announced today.

Revised for the 2014-15 season following offseason approval by the League's Board of Governors and the National Hockey League Players' Association, NHL Rule 64 is designed to bring attention to and more seriously penalize players (and teams) who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties. Fines are assessed to players and head coaches on a graduated scale outlined below:

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Minnesota Wild: Zach Parise Takes A Puck To Mouth In Edmontonb (Video & Vine)



The life of a hockey players is tough. It looks like Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise lost some teeth in this incident because he bends over to pick them up off of the ice. My mouth hurts watching this. Check out the vine embedded below, it illustrates this really well.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Philadelphia Flyers: Zac Rinaldo has been suspended for eight games



Zac Rinaldo is a reckless player and I was hoping that his suspension was going to be longer than eight games. To be honest with you, I was hoping that Rinaldo was going to be suspended for 10 games.

Do you think Rinaldo's suspension is long enough, or would you like it to be longers, too?

The Department of Players Safety has levied some stiff penalties in the last week. Chicago Blackhawks forward Daniel Carcillo was given a six-game suspension for cross-checking Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault. Both players are repeat offenders. No this 8 game suspension for Rinaldo.





Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Minnesota Wild to get an Outdoor Game



It appears that the Minnesota Wild are finally getting an outdoor game next winter. This is good news for Minnesota Wild fans. First thing that popped into my head: is there's going to be a college hockey outdoor game as well? I am hoping.




Tuesday, January 13, 2015

(Video & Vine) Wild Defenseman Ryan Suter Elbows Pengiuns Forward Steve Downie



There used to be a theory that if a star player like Ryan Suter committed an egregious act on the ice against a player with a reputation like Steve Downie, he wouldn’t get suspended.

I believe this dirty, questionable hit is going to test that theory. I don’t like optics of this hit, either. I predict that this hit should get a look from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. Downie was also hurt on the play. I am a Wild fan, but I can't defend this hit. Do you think this hit deserves a suspension? Thoughts?

Friday, January 09, 2015

Wild Struggles Calls for Change



After a December to forget, the Minnesota Wild still are carrying their struggles into the new year after two more losses to San Jose and Chicago. One may think it is time to make some kind of change, but where that is the question?

You can first point the finger at the goaltending as of late. Between Darcy Kuemper and Niklas Backstrom, the two have combined for the second worst save percentage in the entire NHL. Whether they find a goalie through free agency, or they make a trade for one, and hopefully soon, the goalies need to step up, or step back for some new blood in the line up. What they are doing now does not seem to be working too well.

What options are available you might ask? Two goalies come to mind right away for me. James Reimer out of Toronto and Cam Ward out of Carolina. Both of these goalies are proven number one goalies and both would not be that expensive to get either. Also don't forget that Cam Ward is a Stanley Cup winner as well.

One can not forget about Anti Raanta in Chicago either. Corey Crawford is the solid number one there and Raanta is nearing the end of his contract. His .944 save percentage might just be what the Minnesota Wild need in the blue paint to make that push for the playoffs.

A big defenseman is also something that needs to be looked at in the Wild line-up as well. This is a team that lacks grit and a physical presence throughout the line-up, but who to get, that's the other question?

Both Mike Greene out of Washington and Paul Martin out of Pittsburgh are UFA's at the end of the upcoming season and both would be a solid veteran presence on the blue line for the stretch run. Aside from that, there really is not much to expect from a possible trade stand point as of right now to address the lack of veteran presence on the blue line for the Wild.

Finally, the lack of chemistry throughout the forward line-up seems to be a big issue as well. Thomas Vanek can not seem to click with anyone, making his signing seem like one that was wasted by the franchise. Also Jason Pominville can not seem to get going this season either. Now I don't know what happened, but for as talented as the forward roster is, you would think goals would be coming a bit easier than what they are getting right now.

Something needs to change, and very fast for this struggling Minnesota Wild team, or it is gonna leave many experts, and fans alike frustrated, and scratching their heads because this is a team that should easily make the playoffs this season, but are a team that probably will not as of right now.

Wednesday, January 07, 2015

Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron's Controversial Game-Winning Goal (Video)



I think that the on-ice officials made the right call in this situation. I think Patrice Bergeron's stick was below the cross bar when the puck touched his stick. Nonetheless, this was a hard all to make and I am glad that I am not the official that had to make this call tonight. As you can see in another blog post, the refs blew the call earlier in the night on Craig McAdam's no-goal.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Boston Bruins: Riley Smith Disallowed Goal (Video)



Doesn't take many views of this video to conclude that this was a blown call. There's no reason that Boston Bruins forward Riley Smith's goal shouldn't have counted. There was no interference with the Buffalo Sabres goalie.

Friday, December 19, 2014

(Video) Clayton Stoner Hit On Max Pacioretty



I was watching the video on this play and I am still wondering why Anaheim Ducks defenseman Clayton Stoner wasn't given a major penalty for this hit on Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty? You can break a guys neck with a hit like this. Should this have been a major penalty?

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

(Video) Ryan Getzlaf Embelishment Penalty



This is totally unacceptable. Again, I am all for fining, punishing and suspending players that embellish to draw penalties. In my humble opinion, diving cheapens the game of hockey and is bad sportsmanship. In this case, you could probably stop some of the embellishment if you just penalized the player diving.

What I don't understand is why the officials don't just take one player? Is it necessary to penalize Dion Phaneuf? Why not just penalize Ryan Getzlaf in this instance?

02:10 TOR Dion Phaneuf Tripping against Ryan Getzlaf
02:10 ANA Ryan Getzlaf Embellishment against Dion Phaneuf

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Nick Bjugstad's Sick Shootout Goal


Former Minnesota Golden Gopher Nick Bjugstad scores a sick game-wining shootout goal for the Florida Panthers against the Washington Capitals. The shootout in question went 20 rounds before the Panthers ended up winning the game.


Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Wild Defenseman Marco Scandella Has Hearing for Hit on Brock Nelson



I said this last night (See Below) that Minnesota Wild defenseman Marco Scandella did learn much from being fined. I think that Scandella will end up being suspended for his hit on Brock Nelson. Apparently, he has a thing for former UND hockey players.