Kane and Toews

Here is an interesting interview done with Chicago radio station B96. The future of the Chicago Black Hawks looks pretty promsing and both are very good inteviews.

Hale vs Adams

Craig Adams and former Fighting Sioux David Hale go toe to toe.

Former SCSU Husky Tim Conboy on his first NHL game

This is a funny story about Tim Conboy's first NHL game. This story is like it was straight out of the movie Slap shot. SCSU hockey writer Kevin Allenspach interviews Tim Conboy on his first NHL game.

On his first time on NHL ice: "It was during a TV timeout that they first sent me out there," Conboy said. "There was a faceoff in our zone and so I skate down and take my position. (Colorado enforcer) Scott Parker looks over at me and he says 'Conboy, we're gonna go.' I'm like, 'No, I'm not going to fight you. This is my first NHL game.' He's like 'It doesn't matter, we're gonna go.' He even moved over to where he was lined up next to me and said 'We're gonna go, whether you like it or not.' We were winning 1-0 but they were out shooting us pretty bad at that point. It actually helped (having the fight) because I got five minutes in the box to settle down my nerves. I re-cooped a bit and was fine after that."

On the fight: "I didn't do too bad, but he clearly won," Conboy said. "I got a few licks in, but all I can say is I'm alive to talk about it and I don't have any broken bones. The rest of the game went pretty well, but it was bittersweet. I'd have given up anything I did for a win."

On where he goes from here: "It's out of my hands whether they'll bring me back soon or ever, but I'm going to use this experience as something to strive for," Conboy said.

Kessel in the shoot out

Wow, Phil Kessel in the open one on one with the goalie, my money is on Phil Kessel. Check out Chara's impersonation of Brian Rolston.

Burish vs Laperriere

Here is a pretty decent fight between Former Badger Adam Burish vs Av's goon Ian Laperriere. This fight took place in the game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Colorado Avalanche on Jan 18, 2008.

Over on Hockeyfights.com I scored the fight as a slight edge to Laperriere. On could say that the former Wisconsin Badger Adam Burish has been racking up the penalty minutes, Burish has been in an impressive 8 fights and is leading his team in penalty minutes with 120.

Matt Greene Activated from IR

Good to see that Former Sioux Matt Greene will be back soon and playing in the NHL after recovering from a broken leg he suffered in a game on October 30th.

The Edmonton Oilers have activated defenceman Matt Greene from the NHL Injured Reserve list and assigned him to the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League on a conditioning assignment.

Greene has missed the Oilers last 34 games (November 2nd to January 15th) after suffering a fractured left fibula and ligament damage in his left ankle on October 30th in a game versus the Detroit Red Wings at Rexall Place. The 6'3", 223 pound defenceman had scored one assist with 11 penalty minutes in 13 games for the Oilers this season prior to the injury.

Adam Burish and Keith Ballard

A person from Sioux sports game me a heads up on couple of great fights. First one is Adam Burish as he comes to the aid of former and current teammate Jack Skille, you have got to love it a Badger kicking the snot out of a Gopher, I would have paid money to watch that one. All I can say to Ballard you live by the sword you die by the sword, Ballard got his ass kicked.

Here is a great fight between James Wisniewski and Jordin Tootoo I have to say that I enjoyed watching Tootoo getting his ass kicked.

Four seconds into the game Ryan Hollweg vs Mike Brown

Fomer WCHA players Stuart and Commodore toss them

Fomer C.C. Tiger Mark Stuart took on former Fighting Sioux Mike Commodore after he smoked P.J. Axelson with a big hit. Here is the hit as Mike Commodore Smokes P.J. Axelson. Ouch

Kessel score 10th goal of the season: Sophmore slump?

This year there has been a lot of discussion about Phil Kessel being a bust and not playing that well. I am not sure what or whos standards we are messuring him by. some have actually suggested that the 20 year old is having a sophmore slump. Today Kessel actually scored his 11th goal of the season equaling last season goal total in 38 games.

Danny Heatley Makes the Hockey Dirt Hall of Shame

I was kind of shocked by this selection. Former Badger Danny Heatly makes the Hockey Dirt Hall of Shame. This is the response that I posted on this subject at the Hockey Dirt web page:

I am not so sure I would put Danny Heatly on the list.

Sure he was the driver in an accident that killed team mate Dan Snyder, the Snyder family forgave Heatly and to include him in the same list as a bunch of criminals is a disservice.

*I am not for putting Former WCHA hockey player Danny Heatley on this list that includes criminals and thugs. If people disagree with this they should go to this web-page and sound off at the Hockey Dirt site.

Building the NHL Hall of Shame

While the NHL badly trails the NFL, NBA and MLB when it comes to producing and harboring disreputable characters, the passing of Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz is a reminder that the NHL has had and its share of crooks. Anyone unfamiliar with the Wirtz story might want to get their hands on Mark Weinberg's biography: Career Misconduct.

Wirtz, like fellow felon Harold Ballard, is among the (dis-)Honoured Members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Another of hockey's most disreputable figures, Alan Eagleson, has thankfully been expelled from the Hall.

Hockeydirt proposes that Wirtz, Ballard and Eagleson be nominated as the founding members of the NHL Hall of Shame.

Who else "deserves" to be recognized as hockey's most infamous characters? We're looking for idea. Here are a few possibilities:

Todd Bertuzzi

Dino Ciccarelli

Mike Danton

Dany Heatley

Wayne Maki

Marty McSorley

Dan Quinn

Who else deserves consideration?

I can see Danton, Bertuzzi, McSorley all three are thugs, but some of the other ones, well its up for discussion...

Wayne Maki, In a preseason game on September 21, 1969, Maki and Boston Bruins defensemen "Terrible" Ted Green engaged in a bloody, violent stick-swinging fight; Green was hit in the head and suffered a fractured skull and a brain injury. Maki was eventually sent down to the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL. Later commentators have rated Maki's attack as one of the most vicious attacks in league history.

Mike Danton, In spring 2004, two days after the Blues were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, Danton was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. On July 16, 2004, he pled guilty to attempting to hire a hitman, who was actually a police dispatcher, to murder David Frost, his agent. To this day, however, Frost denies that he was the target.

Dino Ciccarelli's, career featured several controversial moments, both on and off the ice. In 1987 he pleaded guilty to indecent exposure and received probation. Then on January 6, 1988, in a game played at Maple Leaf Gardens, Ciccarelli attacked Maple Leafs defenceman Luke Richardson with his stick. As a result of this incident, Ciccarelli was convicted of assault, fined $1000, and sentenced to one day in jail.

After retiring, Ciccarelli allegedly had several physical altercations with members of the media. Some have criticized the Hockey Hall of Fame for focusing on issues other than hockey for his exclusion, but others point out that the induction committee has maintained such integrity in order to avoid tarnishing such an honour.

Dan Quinn, was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 1990, and that started a period where Quinn played for 7 teams in 5 years. In the middle of it, in 1992, Quinn was alleged to have raped a woman at a party. He was released by the Minnesota North Stars, the team he was playing for at the time. The police did not decide to press charges, and Quinn was back in the NHL the next season.

Former Badger Adam Burish vs Byron Ritchie

This is a great fight that I first saw this morning over on the NHL network. I didn't realize that Burish was that great of a fighter, but he can hold his own...

A few things

First off; why are the Minnesota State University Mavericks always the recipient of a high light goal from the leagues opposing teams? This is the goal that everyone is talking about from this past weekend.

It's too bad that college hockey games are not more available in your cable packages like NHL Center ice is, I really believe that there needs to be a nationwide NCAA Hockey Center ice. Last season there were a few of Denver University and Univesity of Wisconsin games on FCS but I have yet to see one because of all the College football games that are on fox sports net on Saturday nights.


Kessel=Money

Former Gopher and current Boston Bruins forward Phil Kessel has scored 7 goals all were scored during Bruins wins.

Who said Gopher hockey players can't read: Kessel reads to the kids.

I couldn't help my self on this one. LoL, who said that Gopher hockey player can't read? I might get a bunch of flack for this. But I couldn't resist after the University of Minnesota got into trouble with their basketball team not doing their own home work. I know. wrong sport. Honestly, this is one of those nice feel good stories. All joking aside it is nice to see these professional athlete giving something back to the community.

Charlestown, MA -- Boston Bruins leading goal scorer Phil Kessel launched ReadBoston's Reading Trail Program on Monday, November 5 at the John F. Kennedy Family Service Center in Charlestown.

"I enjoyed it," said Kessel after meeting the children. "I had a lot of fun."

The Reading Trail Program is an early literacy program designed to increase reading at home and in childcare settings. Kessel read to preschool students and passed out a free book (I Stink, the story of the garbage truck) to each child in attendance.

"It was a good time. (The children) behaved themselves well and they listened," said Kessel, who although nervous beforehand, was very, very pleased with the event, afterward.

This year, the Boston Bruins are partnering with ReadBoston and will participate in a number of events throughout the coming months. In addition to Kessel's appearance on Monday, the Bruins will provide Reading Trail Programs with customized "trail guides" to track the number of books each child reads; those children who complete their trail guides will receive a Bruins bookmark.

Asked if he would be volunteering to read again, Phil gave an emphatic shake of the head and a loud "Yes." The children and their teachers appreciated the gesture and he was given the latest (if not the most important) standing "O" of his career and the kids waved their new book and said "Thank you, Phil."

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and other city leaders founded ReadBoston in 1995 with a simple, ambitious mission: to ensure that every child in Boston can read at grade level by the third grade. ReadBoston is making great strides to achieve its goal by forming partnerships with city organizations committed to children's literacy, and by funneling resources, innovative programs, books and best practices into Boston neighborhoods.

Kessel and the 7-5-1 Bruins are in the midst of a nine-game stretch where the Bruins face only their Northeast Division rivals - with three scheduled against the Sabres and two games each against the Maple Leafs, Senators and Canadiens - over the next three weeks.

Here is some Perspective

GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
T. Thomas 5 3 1 .949 1.65
M. Fernandez 2 2 0 .832 3.93
Manny Fernandez was supposed to be the big name starter that was going to give the Bruins some stability in net, instead it has been Tim Thomas so far. While things will probably come around a bit for Manny Fernandez by the second half of the season. The Boston goaltender is currently on he disable list and nursing an knee injury. Actually if you look at Manny's numbers on the season so far they look very AHL like.

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.

Bochenski not cracking the line up in Boston

As a Bruins fan I can not understand why recycled coach Claude Julian isn't playing Former Sioux Brandon Bochenski. Boston Bruins Blogger Gerry Bourdeau weighs in on the matter as well.

As a side note, I am upset that Dennis Wideman and Brandon Bochenski were not in the line-up. I understand there isn’t room for everyone on the roster but I would’ve sat Allen and Kobasew in favour of Bochenski and Wideman. We’re talking potential and offense here. I’m sure coach Julien has his reasons for his decisions and I am anxious to see what the next game’s line-up will look like.

I have to say that I am anxious as well to see if Brandon Bochenski cracks the line up soon or what if anything are the Bruins going to do with the young Bochenski, Brandon is due to make 600,000.00 and that is a lot of cash to be sitting in the press box. The Bruins have played 5 games and he has been a healthy scratch in each game. This is Bochenski's third NHL team and it appears that he has already worn out his welcome in Boston.

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.

Ballard and Backes Part 2.

These two guys are probably not going to be sending each other Christmas Cards or be going out to dinner any time soon. Incidently that was their second fight in two seasons of hockey. Last April Ballard and Backes got into a good tussel stay tuned to see how this match up shakes out.

The Media Experts Predictions on Bochenski and Kessel

I found this on Hockey Buzz a few weeks back and apparently the Ultimate Pool Guide making some predictions about former Fighting Sioux forward Brandon Bochenski might have a off year.



The Hockey News Ultimate Pool Guide 2007-08:

The increase in points for Phil Kessel is the second highest increase projected by the magazine (the first being Scott Gomez). The magazine lists Brandon Bochenski as a candidate to crash and burn this year (the piece is warning poolies about this).

Player projections: (for Kessel and Bochenski)
Kessel, 54 pts, 20 goals (+ 25 pts from last year)
Bochenski, 40 pts, 18 goals (+16 pts from last year)

I think that Bochenski is going to turn some heads with his play for the Bruins this season. I believe All It's going to take is Brandon getting a decent amount of playing time on a line with talented line mates. Last year on the right line Bochenski proved that he could score timely goals.

Jim we hardly knew you. Gophers lose another player to the NHL.

Earlier this week there was an article posted in a Ottawa Citizen that stated that Gopher Forward Jim O'Brien was going to forgo his last three years of college eligibility and sign a professional contract with the Ottawa Senators. Gopher coach Don Lucia even went on record and said that There is nothing to that story," Lucia said. "Everybody else is coming back Well I guess even the head coach was in the dark: its official, Senators Sign 2007 First-Round Pick Jim O'Brien

OTTAWA - Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray announced today that the club has signed centre Jim O’Brien to an entry-level contract. He will be at the Senators training camp, starting on Sept. 13.

O’Brien, who recently attended the Senators’ development camp in late June and early July, was the club’s first pick, 29th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in Columbus, Ohio. He was still recovering from April 30 surgery to fix an injury to his left shoulder and was unable to take part in any on-ice sessions during the camp.

In his freshman year with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in 2006-07, the 18-year-old was the youngest player in all of Division I college hockey. After scoring seven goals and adding eight assists in 43 games with the Golden Gophers, O’Brien then added seven points (three goals and four assists) in seven games as the United States captured the silver medal at the 2007 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in April. Team USA lost 6-5 in the final to Team Russia.

Minnesota took the 2006-07 WCHA regular-season conference title with 18 wins, seven losses and three ties. After defeating the North Dakota Fighting Sioux 3-2 for the WCHA Broadmoor Trophy Championship on March 17, Minnesota would eventually go on to lose 3-2 in overtime to the Fighting Sioux in the NCAA West regional final on March 25.

Prior to joining the Golden Gophers, O’Brien spent two seasons with the U.S. national team development program in Ann Arbor, Mich. In 2005-06, he recorded 17 goals, 24 assists and 76 penalty minutes in 51 games with the under-18 squad. O’Brien had three goals and one assists in six games as Team USA beat Finland 3-1 for the gold medal at the 2006 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. In 2004-05, O’Brien suited up with the under-17 team, posting 34 points (16-18) and 51 penalty minutes in 54 games.

Bochenski selling Women's Cloths.

I found this story on the Cardinal's WCHA Blog and when I first read the story I thought you have to be kidding. Former Fighting Sioux Brandon "Bucks" Bochenski who now is a member of the rough and tumble Boston Bruin's owns a store for high end women's clothing with his fiancé Jen. Yeah, OK... I got to thinking why not? Good luck to Bochenski and his wife on their business venture.

Bochenski is owner of women’s clothing boutique.

Brandon, who will be tying-the-knot early this month to Jen, his fiancé, has had his hands full with wedding planning. And the young winger is still boarding flights back to the Hub of Hockey to run children’s street hockey clinics, and making calls to season ticket holders. He even appeared as a special guest at the Bruins recent Launch Party.

And when Brandon is back home in the suburb of Woodbury, Minnesota - a short ride from Minneapolis and St. Paul - this big-bad Bruin is the proud owner of Elodie (pronounced: el-o-DEE), a designer women’s clothing boutique.

Yes you read that correctly.

“It was originally Jen’s idea, obviously, to do designer women’s fashion,” Bochenski chuckled.

However, Jen didn’t have to twist Brandon’s arm to get him in on the deal. Bockenski, who studied business while playing hockey at the University of North Dakota, has always wanted to start a company of his own.

“I always enjoyed business in school," said Bo. "I thought that being an entrepreneur and starting something from scratch like this would be fun.

"I obviously had other envisions of what the company would be (laughs), but I get the same basic structure here, so it’s fun.”

The future Mr. and Mrs. Bochenski are no slouches when it comes to running a business either; they both did their homework before starting up. They knew the competition they would get from other popular female clothing stores in the area would be stiff, so they intentionally tailored their shop to high-end designer fashion - a true niche market -- just like you learn about in Intro to Business.

Brandon also understood the importance of both timing and location.

The 1,200 square foot shop only took a month to really take-off, as Brandon and Jen officially opened the door in mid-November of 2006 - just in time for the holiday rush. And now with the summer and warmer weather, Elodie is reaping the benefit of its location in an outdoor mall (similar to those prominent to Florida, Phoenix, and California).

The name on the other hand, wasn’t as strategically picked.

“Well, Jen originally wanted a name that had meaning, but it ended up with no meaning,” explained Brandon. “It just sounds nice and memorable. She found the word on the internet actually.

"It is a French name, and we figured it kind of went along with that high-end, New York style of the store.

"So it sounded fancy and it wasn’t taken,” joked Brandon.