For the Four people that haven't seen this goal.

Wow, I actually just watched that goal again for like the second time. Seems like the more you watch the play the more you think: Wow, that is one hell of an awesome move. When Toews first announced that he was going to the NHL I thought ok, he will probably be on the third line and play 10-15 minutes a game. After after watching a few of the Black Hawks games, I believe that JT and Pat Kane are the face and future of the Chicago Black Hawk's. That being said I don't think the Hawks make the playoff this season, the west is too loaded, but the future looks bright.

Tale of the Tape for the Young Rookies

Pat Kane 8gp 1g - 8a for 9 points leads the team.
Jon Toews 6gp 2g -4a for 6 points fourth on the team.

More on Bochenski

Found this in the: Boston Globe Newspaper

Staying prepared

Neither Brandon Bochenski nor Jeremy Reich have suited up yet for a regular-season game. ‘’I’ve talked to those guys,’’ said head coach Claude Julien. ‘’I’ve told them to stay ready.’’ During today’s workout, Bochenski and Reich both work as extras on a line that is comprised of P.J. Axelssson, Thornton and Metropolit.

In everything that I have read this season makes me believe that Bruins Coach Claude Julien has penciled Bochenski in as being a fourth line player. Which is puzzling in my opinion? I am also going to go on record as saying that I am not a fan of Julien one bit, there is a reason he has been fired from all of these places he has coached. First off; what the heck is he doing Phil Kessel; Phil is not a third line player. I also don’t get the reasoning of having Bochenski and his $600,000.00 sitting out for every game. If Bochenski is a extra piece trade him away for a player to be name later and give this kid a chance to play on someone else’s team.

WILMINGTON — The Black & Gold returned to full-squad workouts here today after wrapping up their 3-2 road trip over the weekend.

The lines looked familiar, picking up from where they left off in San Jose:
Marco Sturm-Patrice Bergeron-Glen Murray
Peter Schaefer-Marc Savard-Chuck Kobasew
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Phil Kessel
P.J. Axelsson-Glen Metropolot-Shawn Thornton
Extras, also in uniform: Jeremy Reich and Brandon Bochenski

The D’ pairings:

Andrew Alberts-Andrew Ference (the Two Drews)
Mark Stuart-Dennis Wideman
Zdeno Chara-Aaron Ward
Extra man: Bobby Allen
Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez were the goalies

Also it is puzzling that the Bruins wouldn’t play Manny Fernandez more? While Manny had a couple of games that were very Manny like he is still a top line goalie in my opinion. While I believe that Tim Thomas is a decent back up goalie he has proved the last two seasons he is nothing more than a mediocre starting goalie. Manny needs to play on a regular basis or he isn’t going to be very happy and could end up being a distraction to the Bruins

Where are they Now: Winchester mixing it up in the NHL

I found this clip on YouTube, seems as if Brad Winchester has found a calling in the NHL. I am sure that Sioux fans will remember the former Badger player that got into trouble in February 2003 for allegedly punched Madison Police Officer Caleb Bedford several times in the nose at 2:20 a.m., leaving Bedford with a bloody nose, after Bedford physically restrained Winchester. Officers arrived at 2:20 a.m. to 529 N. Lake St. to break up a fight involving between eight and 10 people outside the Kollege Klub, in Madison Wisconsin. Now Winchester is getting paid handsomely to hit people and seems as if he is pretty good at it as well.

I remember when Winchester was playing with the Badgers and saying this guy is nothing more than a goon or a heathen; yep these clips prove it; Brad Winchester is a goon, and a pretty good one at that. Here is a good fight against Bruins new comer and punching bag Milan Lucic seems this is one of reasons that keeping Brandon Bochenski in the stands wearing a suit and out of the line up for the Boston Bruins. Maybe Bochenski should go out and beat someone up as soon as he cracks the Boston Line up.

Here is a classy move by Winchester, this a fight from game on March 12th 2007 when Winchester was with the Edmonton Oilers in this fight Winchester he jumps LA Kings tough guy Raitis Ivanans.
This is from the same March 12th 2007 game, another great short fight from the same game from last season Thornton and Winchester I have to give it to Winchester he is sure stacking up the fights on YouTube.

Ode to the Bruins and Kessel with a hat trick

Former Gophers star/player Phil Kessel scoring a hat trick against the LA Kings. One could say that Kessel's hat trick is very good news since the Boston Bruins haven't really been scoring a lot of goals to start the season. However, there is hope in Boston as the Bruins recently went 3-2 in a western road trip. Incidently the Bruins will not leave the eastern time zone the rest of the season.

A weak attempt at Humor

Lastly, some fans think they are so funny (especially New Jersey Devils Fans), first off even though two former Sioux hockey players play on the Devils I am not a fan of their team; not to mention I think the Devils are going to be a punching bag in the east and have a down season. Sioux7 sent me this poem about the Boston Bruins.

Ode to the Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins,
Their Stanley Cup dreams are in ruins.
One cup in thirty-five years,
Has caused many tears,
Fans drown their sorrows in beers
As the players get jeers,
And the cup still avoids them.

Their players are all washed-up jocks,
They're even worse than the sox!
In the playoffs they choke,
And all their fans' hearts are broke.
Half the team is on coke,
The franchise is a joke.
So the cup still avoids them.

Each year the results are the same,
And Peter Chiarelli is the person to blame.
There are thirty-five more
Years of failure in store.
They can't even score,
From the cup they won't pour.
'Cause the cup still avoids them.

Classic Commodore fights

This afternoon I was on line and I came across a bunch of Mike Commodore fights that are posted on You Tube. This first video is a pretty good fight between Brendan Witt and Commie. As I think to the days of Mike Commodore I will never forget the fight that Commie had with Alex Brooks, now that was a pretty one sided fight. Commie ended up re-arranging Brooks nose.

Commodore and Eager

Commie works Hollweg

I can't stand Janssen

Thorburn vs Commodore (great fight)

Commie Smokes Cheecho train

Commie can score too

Rick Jeanerette describes Commie's goal against Buffalo

Commie smacks Ovechkin

Hot stove league: Phil the thrill Kessel highlights

I was on youtube tonight looking around and I didn't realize how many high light goals that Phil Kessel had in his short hockey career. It is amazing some of the goals this kid has scored and the impact he has had on the game of hockey. Love him or hate him he is an amazing talent. Now that he is a Boston Bruins I can dig his work. The first one is a goal where Phil picks the pocket of a Sabres defender and makes Ryan Miller look sick.

In this clip Kessel wins a shoot out earlier during last season ending three games on three chance in the shootout. Check it out

This one is a thing of beauty Kessel from behind the net against Ole the Goalie

The goal in question. I kind of wonder many hockey message avatars ended up with the picture of Phil Kessel cupping his ear after scoring a goal in madtown.

First NHL goal for Kessel against the Sabres

Jason Blake Photo

Waiting for Stanley had this Blake Picture I must agree with what he had to say. While Blake brings offense to the Maple Leafs in the end it will not translate into the Leafs getting into the playoffs.

Ooo, look at Jason Blake posing in front of a collage of Leaf greats. Toronto sure has a grandiose way of introducing players. Too bad that doesn't translate into playoff success.

It's Official Canucks sign Cory Schneider

The early signing continue and this one I don't feel so bad about: Sioux fans will not have to watch Cory Schneider give up 4+ goals again the Fighting Sioux and still beat the Fighting Sioux. Hopefully there will be a some good carma when the Sioux play the Eagles in the future.

Cool Clip that I found on Waiting for Stanley: Johnson (aka JMFJ) nearly decapitates the BC goalie

The list is growing for early signings:

Here are the significant departures so far this offseason
MSU Jim McKenzie Jr. Signed with Senators (NHL)
Boston College Cory Schneider Jr. Signed with Vancover (NHL)
Northern Michigan Mike Santorelli Jr. Signed with Nashville (NHL)
Dartmouth David Jones Jr. Signed with Colorado (NHL)
Michigan Andrew Cogliano So. Signed with Edmonton (NHL)
Maine Teddy Purcell Fr. Signed with Los Angeles (NHL)
Minnesota Erik Johnson Fr. Signed with St. Louis (NHL)
New Hampshire Trevor Smith So. Signed with Islanders (NHL)
Alaska Fairbanks Darcy Campbell Jr. Signed with Columbus (NHL)
Massachusetts Jonathan Quick So. Signed with Los Angeles (NHL)
Clarkson Shawn Weller Jr. Signed with Ottawa (NHL)
SCSU Andrew Gordan Jr. Signed with the Washington (NHL)
Michigan Jack Johnson So. Signed with Los Angeles (NHL)
Alaska-Anchorage Jay Beagle So. Signed with Idaho (ECHL)
Denver Ryan Dingle Jr. Signed with Anaheim (NHL)
Wisconsin Joe Piskula Jr. Signed with Los Angeles (NHL)
Minnesota St. Steve Wagner So. Signed with St. Louis (NHL)
Wisconsin Jack Skille So. Signed with Chicago (NHL)
Vermont Torrey Mitchell So. Signed with San Jose (NHL)
Western Mich. Mark Letestu Signed with Pittsburgh (NHL)
Alaska Fairbanks Kyle Greentree So. Signed with Philadelphia (NHL)
Minn.-Duluth Matt Niskanen So. Signed with Dallas (NHL)
Minn.-Duluth Mason Raymond So. Signed with Vancouver (NHL)
BGSU Jonathan Matsumoto So. Signed with Philadelphia (NHL)
Union T.J. Fox So. Signed with San Jose (NHL)
UND Jonathan Toews So. Signed with Chicago (NHL)
UND Brian Lee So. Signed with the Senators (NHL)

A couple of rumors.

The New England Sports Network reported during the Boston Red Sox pre-game show last night that Boston College Eagles goalie and Sioux Nemesis Corey Schneider is going to sign with the Vancover Canucks. I guess the Fighting Sioux won't have Corey Schneider around to score on anymore.

Ecklund from HockeyBuzz.com is reporting that Willie Mitchell is headed back to Minnesota. Although a lot of what Ecklund reports doesn't come true this is a free agent pick up that I would really applaud and hope happens.

More College Connections in the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Here is an interesting story that I found over on the UNH hockey blog. Actually I am surprised it hasn't come up until now; but hey! you have to give credit where credit is due. So in the leadership of the two teams we have a BADger, Spartan, Fryer and a Saint (I am not sure the name saint works with either of these two teams) P.S. since there is no way to post a link to this blog post I quoted him.

Cup Coaching and Staff - Did They Go To College?

UNH Hockey Blogger said:

Since I brought it up and no one else has done it, here it goes... still no 'Cats, oh well... great, now I'll have to do a feature on coaching 'Cats!

ANAHEIM

GM - Brian Burke - Providence (hometown boy backstory with Providence)

Asst. GM - David McNab - Wisconsin (championship goaltender)

Asst. Coach - Newell Brown - Mich. State (became Asst. at Mich. State after just three years out from playing - story for the Mich. State blogger?)


OTTAWA

Asst. Coach - Greg Carvel - St. Lawrence (No joke - was and Asst. at Anaheim in 03-04!hmm... his backstory, like Burke's is a hometown boy, would probably make for a good post for the St. Lawrence blogger if there is one...)

The College Hockey Players in the Stanley Cup

I looking at the rosters it appears that we missed quite a few of the college hockey players that are playing in the finals. Actually there are a few that I didn't know about. George Paros an Ivy League player, yikes. UNH Hockey Blog names a couple that we forgot.

ANAHEIM

Andy McDonald - Colgate

Chris Kunitz - Ferris State (hurt)

Dustin Penner - Maine

Todd Marchant - Clarkson

Kent Huskins - Clarkson

Mark Hartigan - St. Cloud

Drew Miller - Mich. St.

Bemidji Minnesota's Joe Motzko - St. Cloud

Ryan Carter - Mankato

George Parros - Princeton

*Brian Salcido - Colorado College

Ryan Shannon - BC

Joe DiPenta - BU

Mike Hoffman - Univ. of Connecticut

OTTAWA SENATORS

Dany Heatley - Wisconsin BADgers

Joe Corvo - Western Mich.

Tom Preissing - Colorado College

Mike Comrie - Michigan

Patrick Eaves - BC