I was thinking about how UND usually is at the top of the league for penalty minutes but this year UND is taking less penalties than the opposition. The numbers are the break downs of the numbers of penalties taken by each team for each series.
BU and UND 9-7
UMass and UND 6-4
MSU-M and UND 31-23
UW and UND 15-12
C.C. and UND 16-16
UAA and UND 23-17
UMD and UND 29-24
Cornell and UND 15-8
Harvard and UND 19-18
SCSU and UND 09-10
UND is also ranked 10th nationally on the Power play 26/132.
Here is the top penalized teams in NCAA Division one hockey.
1.Ferris State 183-for-482 24.10
2 Wisconsin 180-for-409 22.72
3 Rensselaer 154-for-378 22.24
4 Yale 90-for-218 21.80
5 Alaska-Anchorage 145-for-328 20.50
6 Minnesota State 167-for-359 19.94
7 Michigan 138-for-358 19.89
8 Northeastern 138-for-317 19.81
9 Mercyhurst 144-for-355 19.72
10 Miami 161-for-354 19.67
11 Quinnipiac 116-for-267 19.07
12 Minnesota-Duluth 143-for-343 19.06
13 New Hampshire 137-for-320 18.82
14 Harvard 98-for-220 18.33
15 Ohio State 149-for-328 18.22
16 Brown 95-for-198 18.00
17 RIT 146-for-319 17.72
18 Minnesota 135-for-281 17.56
North Dakota 139-for-316 17.56
20 Boston University 125-for-280 17.50
In years past UND would have been in the top 3 for penalty minutes.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Sean Avery not going back to the Stars.
Super punk and bad boy Sean Avery will not be back with the Dallas Stars, probably not ever. Wow! How is that off season move working for you now Dallas Stars? Remember folks the comment about sloppy seconds got Avery suspended for 6 games that will probably turn into the remainder of the season.
Dallas today said that Avery and will not be back with the Stars ever. Remember this is the hockey league that you can chop an opposition player head long into the boards cause a serious head injury to him, causing the end of his season because of a serious concussion and you only get supsended for two games. Add to the equation, no one in the league office is offended by this cheap and guttless move, however, you better not make a tasteless comments about a woman you once dated. Where the hell do these people get off? What the hell is wrong with this country? Lets not forget Avery's comments were classless but the best punishment would have been for him to meet Dion Phaneuf on the ice. Make him pay for his comments.
My first question I would ask the Dallas Stars is; why the hell did you sign this clown to a 4 year contract? You knew before hand what you were getting. So now after an unknown epiffany the Dallas Stars are looking for ways to get out of the deal. I think they should have to pay him his full 4 year deal.
Scores from Saturday night.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Atlantic Hockey
Mercyhurst 3 at RIT 5
Analysis
Yawn! Boring, I would rather watch paint dry.
CCHA
Bowling Green 3 at Notre Dame 4
Nebraska-Omaha 2 at Lake Superior 1
Analysis
Since going 9-2-1 the UNO Mavericks are 2-2-2. Back to reality folks, UNO is a middle of the road team. Notre Dame has not lost a game in two months and is unbeaten in 14 straight games. That is 12 wins and two shootout wins. 14-0-2
CHA
Robert Morris 0 at Niagara 3
WCHA
St. Cloud State 4 at North Dakota 7
Colorado College 1 at Minnesota 4
Michigan Tech 1 at Minnesota-Duluth 1 ot
Denver 5 at Minnesota State 2
Analysis
MTU with a tie the Huskies are 2-14-2. With the tie against the Huskies, Minnesota Duluth now has 5 ties this season in league play and 6 overall. Can we say time for a shootout in Division one hockey. Minnesota also has 5 ties over-all as well. Denver University is 9-4-1 and sitting in first place in the WCHA and has an over-all record of 13-5-1.
Non-Conference
Alabama-Huntsville 2 at Ferris State 5
Vermont 3 at St. Lawrence 4
Union 1 at Maine 5
Rensselaer 1 at Miami 3
Bentley 2 at Ohio State 3 ot
Exhibition
US Under-18 Team 2 at Northern Michigan 6
Atlantic Hockey
Mercyhurst 3 at RIT 5
Analysis
Yawn! Boring, I would rather watch paint dry.
CCHA
Bowling Green 3 at Notre Dame 4
Nebraska-Omaha 2 at Lake Superior 1
Analysis
Since going 9-2-1 the UNO Mavericks are 2-2-2. Back to reality folks, UNO is a middle of the road team. Notre Dame has not lost a game in two months and is unbeaten in 14 straight games. That is 12 wins and two shootout wins. 14-0-2
CHA
Robert Morris 0 at Niagara 3
WCHA
St. Cloud State 4 at North Dakota 7
Colorado College 1 at Minnesota 4
Michigan Tech 1 at Minnesota-Duluth 1 ot
Denver 5 at Minnesota State 2
Analysis
MTU with a tie the Huskies are 2-14-2. With the tie against the Huskies, Minnesota Duluth now has 5 ties this season in league play and 6 overall. Can we say time for a shootout in Division one hockey. Minnesota also has 5 ties over-all as well. Denver University is 9-4-1 and sitting in first place in the WCHA and has an over-all record of 13-5-1.
Non-Conference
Alabama-Huntsville 2 at Ferris State 5
Vermont 3 at St. Lawrence 4
Union 1 at Maine 5
Rensselaer 1 at Miami 3
Bentley 2 at Ohio State 3 ot
Exhibition
US Under-18 Team 2 at Northern Michigan 6
With a winning record Sioux move up.
The Fighting Sioux are sitting in 18th place of the pair wise rankings. Here is the top 20.
|KRACH| RPI | Adjusted |PWR | Win % |
1 Northeastern 1 1 1 5
2 Boston University 2 4 5 7
3 Princeton 3 2 2 2
4 Cornell 4 3 3 3
5 Vermont 5 6 6 12
6 Miami 6 5 4 6
7 Denver 7 9 9 8
8 Minnesota 8 8 7 10
9 Notre Dame 9 7 8 4
10 Boston College 10 12 12 15
11 Maine 11 11 11 13
12 Air Force 12 10 10 1
13 Wisconsin 13 16 16 23
14 New Hampshire 14 15 15 22
15 Michigan 15 13 13 17
16 Alaska 16 14 14 16
17 Minnesota-Duluth 17 18 18 18
18 North Dakota 18 21 21 29
19 Ohio State 19 19 19 14
20 St Cloud St 20 23 23 24
|KRACH| RPI | Adjusted |PWR | Win % |
1 Northeastern 1 1 1 5
2 Boston University 2 4 5 7
3 Princeton 3 2 2 2
4 Cornell 4 3 3 3
5 Vermont 5 6 6 12
6 Miami 6 5 4 6
7 Denver 7 9 9 8
8 Minnesota 8 8 7 10
9 Notre Dame 9 7 8 4
10 Boston College 10 12 12 15
11 Maine 11 11 11 13
12 Air Force 12 10 10 1
13 Wisconsin 13 16 16 23
14 New Hampshire 14 15 15 22
15 Michigan 15 13 13 17
16 Alaska 16 14 14 16
17 Minnesota-Duluth 17 18 18 18
18 North Dakota 18 21 21 29
19 Ohio State 19 19 19 14
20 St Cloud St 20 23 23 24
Sunday Linkorama
Former Golden Gopher and current Boston Bruins star Phil Kessel is on a roll right now.
The Boston Bruins are going to have cap issues in 2010-2011.
The Minnesota Wild are having scoring issues. The Wild have scored two goals in the last three games. Make that 3 goals in the last four games after they lost to the lowly LA Kings.
Wild superstar Marian Gaborik is skating with the team but not ready to play just yet.
Sounds like Marian Gaborik should have taken the Wild's offer when he had the chance. From the looks of it Marian is going to be hard pressed to get the 8 million the Wild offered him earlier this fall.
Sean Avery decision coming on Sunday? It appears that Avery is probably going be done in Dallas.
Phil Kessel had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to 15 games -- the best in the NHL this season -- and Michael Ryder scored two goals Saturday night to lead the Boston Bruins to a 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers.
The Boston Bruins are going to have cap issues in 2010-2011.
The Minnesota Wild are having scoring issues. The Wild have scored two goals in the last three games. Make that 3 goals in the last four games after they lost to the lowly LA Kings.
Wild superstar Marian Gaborik is skating with the team but not ready to play just yet.
Sounds like Marian Gaborik should have taken the Wild's offer when he had the chance. From the looks of it Marian is going to be hard pressed to get the 8 million the Wild offered him earlier this fall.
Sean Avery decision coming on Sunday? It appears that Avery is probably going be done in Dallas.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
We did it! Sioux sweep Huskies. 7-4
First off my daughter likes Dora and I was watching the show with her the other day so I haven't gone soft or lost my mind. Life is all about our kids.
I suppose the guys I sit with at the games aren't going to let me go anymore. I figure because the Sioux swept and I wasn't there the guy that sits two seats over is going to make a ruling that I am no longer allowed to go to the games. Nah, it isn't going to happen.
Oh well, one must count there blessing. Life isn't too bad I was able to watch the sun set on the Atlantic ocean. Then go back to my room and watch the games on the Sioux Extra. After looking at the weather forecast back home southern Georgia looks pretty good. It just doesn't feel like the Christmas season though, I went into a store and there was Christmas music but it feels like May or early June. I made the snide comment that it doesn't feel like Christmas without snow. This brought the stare of some snotty rich high society woman. This is coming from a guy wearing shorts when some were wearing parkas. I kid you not; on Jeykll Island today a young woman was wearing a parka. It's was 55 degrees out people. We drove by a golf course and there was no out there.
Lastly, how many of our friends in North Dakota were able to eat fresh craw fish, shrimp and crab legs preceded by raw oysters?
Game analysis
I am surprised to see Jase Weslosky give up as many goals as he did this weekend. I wonder if Weslosky is injured or just having a rough spot in his season? The Sioux have lost to Huskies once in the last 11 games and are 6-1-4 against them during that period.
The Brad Eidsness line 16 games played, record 9-5-1 GAA 2.72 SV% .909. Eidsness was ok this weekend but a little sloppy tonight after playing good last night. Eidsness needs to be sharper on his angles control his rebounds. In Brad's defense SCSU has a pretty dynamic line that can score at any moment. Ryan Lasch (3-13-16) and Garrett Roe (9-16-25) had one point between the both of them for the weekend. How do you like the Sioux defense now?
UND is 5-1-0 in the last six games and have beaten some decent hockey teams. If it wasn't for a bad call by an official UND could be unbeaten in 6 games. Will they finally crack the top 20 in USCHO and the INCH power rankings?
Offensive Sioux
The Fighting Sioux are starting to crank up the offense they have scored 24 goals during the month of December that is an average of 6 goals per game. The Sioux have scored 32 goals during their 5-1-0 run. That is an average of just over 5 goals per game. Sounds better than the 1.8 goals per game average.
Three Stars of the game
1.) Brad Miller 0-3-3 1/+1 (top scorer on the team)
2.) Brett Hextall 1-1-2 4/E (gritty, smart forward)
3.) Jake Marto 1-1-2 2/+1 (four points in the last four games)
Goals Scoring/Penalties Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK 1 - 0 6x6 Ryan Duncan (7) (Andrew Kozek, Chay Genoway) 1:08
NDK (+): 16,10,5,3,29,G31 STC (-): 19,9,11,18,3,G33
STC 1 - 1 6x6 Garrett Raboin (6) (John Swanson, Aaron Marvin) 3:05
STC (+): 7,26,17,12,5,G33 NDK (-): 8,20,3,5,11,G31
NDK 2 - 1 6x6 LL Jake Marto (1) (Brett Hextall, Brad Malone) 3:57
NDK (+): 25,26,16,22,9,G31 STC (-): 2,19,9,11,6,G33
STC-1 Nick Oslund (2-Tripping) NDK 1x1 4:47
NDK 3 - 1 6x5 PP Chris VandeVelde (4) (Jake Marto, Brad Miller) 5:00
NDK: 29,25,14,26,16,G31 STC: 12,17,18,7,G33
NDK-1 Darcy Zajac (2-High-Sticking) STC 0x1 8:28
NDK 4 - 1 6x6 Darcy Zajac (2) (Matt Watkins, Ryan Martens) 11:33
NDK (+): 11,20,8,14,24,G31 STC (-): 18,21,22,3,8,G33
NDK-2 Andrew Kozek (2-Elbowing) STC 0x2 13:41
STC 2 - 4 6x6 Travis Novak (3) (Aaron Marvin) 17:08
STC (+): 12,17,18,3,26,G33 NDK (-): 22,9,14,26,24,G31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK-3 Matt Frattin (2-Hooking) STC 0x3 3:27
STC-2 Garrett Roe (2-High-Sticking) NDK 1x2 4:31
STC-3 Nicholas Rioux (2-Hooking) NDK 1x3 8:53
STC 3 - 4 6x6 Brent Borgen (2) (Michael Olson, Sam Zabkowicz) 15:51
STC (+): 22,8,21,3,7,G41 NDK (-): 8,11,5,20,3,G31
STC-4 Nicholas Rioux (2-Holding) NDK 2x4 18:21
STC-5 Garrett Raboin (2-Hooking) NDK 2x5 18:56
NDK 5 - 3 6x4 PP GW Brett Hextall (6) (Chay Genoway, Brad Miller) 19:55
NDK: 26,5,14,16,29,G31 STC: 6,18,26,G41
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK-4 Chris VandeVelde (2-Hooking) STC 1x4 4:12
STC 4 - 5 6x5 PP Ryan Lasch (3) (John Swanson, Garrett Raboin) 5:17
STC: 19,26,7,11,9,G41 NDK: 25,6,16,22,G31
NDK 6 - 4 6x6 David Toews (3) (Jason Gregoire, Brad Miller) 5:59
NDK (+): 18,17,21,24,14,G31 STC (-): 21,5,18,8,22,G41
STC-6 Nicholas Rioux (2-Hooking) NDK 2x6 9:25
NDK-5 Mario Lamoureux (2-Cross-Checking) STC 1x5 13:10
NDK-6 Jason Gregoire (2-Interference) STC 1x6 15:43
NDK 7 - 4 6x6 EN Derrick LaPoint (1) (unassisted) 19:59
NDK (+): 29,3,16,10,5,G31 STC (-): 9,18,5,17,8,19
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Game
Sioux are positively going in the right direction.
I didn't cover the positives last night because my fellow classmates and I were having a party and its tough to write after a few margaritas. I think there is much to be positive about. Here are a few of the postive points as I see it.
~Since starting out the season 0-3 the Sioux are 8-5-1.
~Mario Lamoureux scored his first goal as a Fighting Sioux.
~Ryan Martens career points total before this season was 4-15-19 this season he is 7-6-13 already. Martens has 8 points in his last three games (4-4-8). Can we say on fire.
~A win against a tough WCHA opponent and the Sioux get their WCHA season record to 5-5-1.
~With the Win last night Brad Eidsness is now 8-5-1 GAA 3.63 and SV% .913.
~The Sioux are now 4-3-0 at home.
~Since starting out the season 0-3 the Sioux are 8-5-1.
~Mario Lamoureux scored his first goal as a Fighting Sioux.
~Ryan Martens career points total before this season was 4-15-19 this season he is 7-6-13 already. Martens has 8 points in his last three games (4-4-8). Can we say on fire.
~A win against a tough WCHA opponent and the Sioux get their WCHA season record to 5-5-1.
~With the Win last night Brad Eidsness is now 8-5-1 GAA 3.63 and SV% .913.
~The Sioux are now 4-3-0 at home.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Sioux 3 Huskies 2 (three wins in a row)
The Sioux beat the Huskies 3-2. It would be interesting to see if the SCSU radio announcers are still excited about playing the Sioux after this game. Solid effort by the Sioux, Ryan Martens continues to play at a very high rate. Martens has 8 points in the last three games (4-4-8). That is three wins in a row for the Fighting Sioux. Brad Eidsness continues to play great in net; 8-5-1 Gaa 2.63 and a SV% of .913.
als Scoring/Penalties Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK-1 Brad Malone (2-Tripping) STC 0x1 1:36
NDK 1 - 0 6x6 Ryan Martens (6) (Darcy Zajac) 5:04
NDK (+): 8,11,6,20,25,G31 STC (-): 16,11,6,26,25,G33
STC-1 Chris Hepp (2-Cross-Checking) NDK 0x1 6:39
NDK-2 Matt Watkins (2-Holding) STC 0x2 10:17
STC 1 - 1 6x6 Jared Festler (6) (Sam Zabkowicz, Jordy Christian) 12:40
STC (+): 11,26,21,5,7,G33 NDK (-): 16,29,10,14,24,G31
NDK-3 Andrew Kozek (2-Boarding) STC 0x3 18:54
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK-4 Matt Watkins (2-Interference) STC 0x4 5:13
STC-2 John Swanson (2-Interference) NDK 0x2 5:27
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STC-3 Nick Oslund (2-CONTACT TO THE HEAD) NDK 0x3 2:06
NDK 2 - 1 6x6 LL Ryan Martens (7) (Darcy Zajac) 5:25
NDK (+): 8,11,20,5,3,G31 STC (-): 25,5,13,3,19,G33
NDK 3 - 1 6x6 GW Mario Lamoureux (1) (Brett Hextall, Brad Malone) 12:35
NDK (+): 9,26,22,24,14,G31 STC (-): 6,17,25,26,12,G33
STC 2 - 3 6x6 EA Sam Zabkowicz (1) (Garrett Raboin) 19:59
STC (+): 3,6,11,7,12,16 NDK (-): 11,20,29,5,25,G31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Game
als Scoring/Penalties Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK-1 Brad Malone (2-Tripping) STC 0x1 1:36
NDK 1 - 0 6x6 Ryan Martens (6) (Darcy Zajac) 5:04
NDK (+): 8,11,6,20,25,G31 STC (-): 16,11,6,26,25,G33
STC-1 Chris Hepp (2-Cross-Checking) NDK 0x1 6:39
NDK-2 Matt Watkins (2-Holding) STC 0x2 10:17
STC 1 - 1 6x6 Jared Festler (6) (Sam Zabkowicz, Jordy Christian) 12:40
STC (+): 11,26,21,5,7,G33 NDK (-): 16,29,10,14,24,G31
NDK-3 Andrew Kozek (2-Boarding) STC 0x3 18:54
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK-4 Matt Watkins (2-Interference) STC 0x4 5:13
STC-2 John Swanson (2-Interference) NDK 0x2 5:27
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STC-3 Nick Oslund (2-CONTACT TO THE HEAD) NDK 0x3 2:06
NDK 2 - 1 6x6 LL Ryan Martens (7) (Darcy Zajac) 5:25
NDK (+): 8,11,20,5,3,G31 STC (-): 25,5,13,3,19,G33
NDK 3 - 1 6x6 GW Mario Lamoureux (1) (Brett Hextall, Brad Malone) 12:35
NDK (+): 9,26,22,24,14,G31 STC (-): 6,17,25,26,12,G33
STC 2 - 3 6x6 EA Sam Zabkowicz (1) (Garrett Raboin) 19:59
STC (+): 3,6,11,7,12,16 NDK (-): 11,20,29,5,25,G31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Game
Caps dress Web site producer as backup goalie
You can't make this story up. This is one of these nice stories, but you can't phantom it happening in today's NHL.
By NHL.com Staff --- The Washington Capitals dressed a 6-foot-7 producer for their Web site as their backup goaltender for the start of Friday's game against the Ottawa Senators because of an injury to Jose Theodore.
Brett Leonhardt, who played Division III hockey in college and has dressed for practices when the Caps needed an extra goalie, signed an amateur tryout contract before the game. He took part in the pregame warmup and was on the bench when the game began at the Verizon Center.
Friday Afternoon Linkorama.
*Former Black Maine Bear Ben Bishop has been recalled by Peoria to fill in for the the injury of Manny Legace.
*Former Sioux hockey players T.J. Oshie didn't make the Blues latest western road trip.
*Canucks all-world goalie Roberto Luongo is not ready to return to the line up yet.
*All world hack and punk Steve Downie has been sent back to the minors.
*The following former college hockey players are listed as the top rookies on TSN; 5. Blake Wheeler, RW, Boston, 8. Matt Hunwick, D, Boston, 10. Alex Goligoski, D, Pittsburgh, 16. Kevin Porter, RW, Phoenix, 27. T.J. Oshie, C, St. Louis, 31. Ryan Jones, LW, Nashville, 33. Kyle Okposo, RW, N.Y. Islanders, 34. Kyle Turris, C, Phoenix, 37. Jesse Winchester, RW, Ottawa, 47. Andreas Nodl, RW, Philadelphia.
Here are some interesting trade rumors involving a few ex-college hockey players.
*Former Fighting Sioux Jason Blake is currently on fire with 6 points in his last 3 games.
*Former Sioux hockey players T.J. Oshie didn't make the Blues latest western road trip.
*Canucks all-world goalie Roberto Luongo is not ready to return to the line up yet.
*All world hack and punk Steve Downie has been sent back to the minors.
*The following former college hockey players are listed as the top rookies on TSN; 5. Blake Wheeler, RW, Boston, 8. Matt Hunwick, D, Boston, 10. Alex Goligoski, D, Pittsburgh, 16. Kevin Porter, RW, Phoenix, 27. T.J. Oshie, C, St. Louis, 31. Ryan Jones, LW, Nashville, 33. Kyle Okposo, RW, N.Y. Islanders, 34. Kyle Turris, C, Phoenix, 37. Jesse Winchester, RW, Ottawa, 47. Andreas Nodl, RW, Philadelphia.
Here are some interesting trade rumors involving a few ex-college hockey players.
TRADE RUMOURS -- The Ottawa Sun dredges up more Ilya Kovalchuk trade rumours, which prompted an immediate and vehement denial from Thrashers GM Don Waddell. The Edmonton Journal chimed in, though, wondering if the Oilers would give up Shawn Horcoff, Tom Gilbert, Andrew Cogliano and a first-round pick to get him. Wouldn't the Thrashers at least consider that?
*Former Fighting Sioux Jason Blake is currently on fire with 6 points in his last 3 games.
Will the Leafs trade Tomas Kaberle?
Before the skates were even sharpened for the pre-season, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson, intentionally, sold his team short.
In his daily media scrums, the Windsor, Ont. born coach stuck to the Maple Leafs party line. He was convinced, or so he said, that his hockey club was at their most distressing point in recent history.
In an effort to quell the thirst of 41 years of futility, Wilson made a brilliant P.R. move with the Toronto media.
He used the dreaded word no fan wants to hear, whether it's true or not.
Rebuild.
That word sent ice through the veins of an impatient, yet loyal, fan base.
Former general manager Cliff Fletcher was even piling heaps of misery on the club he assembled. Fletcher went out of his way to say that his team had one top six player in the line-up.
Following a opening night 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings, all those carefully prepared doom and gloom speeches by Wilson set the ground work for a team that isn't as bad as advertised.
Today, that presents an interesting quandary for the Leafs.
After 29 games played, the Leafs are 11th in the Eastern Conference, five points behind eighth place Buffalo and 11th in the NHL in scoring with 83 goals, one behind ninth place Calgary.
They are neither good or bad and you can't say they are clearly out of the play-off race.
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) hired Wilson and Burke on the proviso that they were going to strip the team down and build it back up into a contender.
So what does new GM Brian Burke do with this team?
Does he stand pat or does he trade away assets in return for valuable draft picks?
Although there are four or five movable assets on the Leafs, Tomas Kaberle is clearly the diamond in the coal mine.
The Czech is a rarity in the league: a highly skilled, puck moving defenceman. No doubt several teams, who fancy themselves as Cup contenders, are salivating at the chance to grasp Kaberle from the hands of a new GM looking to make a early splash.
However, it's not going to be easy to move the defenceman. He has a three year no-trade clause that won't expire until July 1 of 2009.
The upside of moving him would be worth the effort.
Since the lockout he has led NHL defenceman in scoring with 49 goals and 169 assists, 30 points more than Sharks defenceman Dan Boyle.
Kaberle's $4.5 million (US) salary is a bargain considering Boyle earns $6.6 million (US) with San Jose.
According to Toronto Sun columnist Steve Simmons, Kaberle has been looking over NHL rosters to see where his style of play best fits in.
Simmons also says that one possible rumour has Kaberle going to Washington for Karl Alzner and a first and second round pick.
The draft is a crap shoot but given Burke's track record and the Leafs need to acquire assets, the risk may be worth the reward.
Kaberle has a reasonable salary and is young enough to play for three to five more years. If he waives his no-trade clause, he may find himself with a chance to win now and Burke gets what he needs for later.
In his daily media scrums, the Windsor, Ont. born coach stuck to the Maple Leafs party line. He was convinced, or so he said, that his hockey club was at their most distressing point in recent history.
In an effort to quell the thirst of 41 years of futility, Wilson made a brilliant P.R. move with the Toronto media.
He used the dreaded word no fan wants to hear, whether it's true or not.
Rebuild.
That word sent ice through the veins of an impatient, yet loyal, fan base.
Former general manager Cliff Fletcher was even piling heaps of misery on the club he assembled. Fletcher went out of his way to say that his team had one top six player in the line-up.
Following a opening night 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings, all those carefully prepared doom and gloom speeches by Wilson set the ground work for a team that isn't as bad as advertised.
Today, that presents an interesting quandary for the Leafs.
After 29 games played, the Leafs are 11th in the Eastern Conference, five points behind eighth place Buffalo and 11th in the NHL in scoring with 83 goals, one behind ninth place Calgary.
They are neither good or bad and you can't say they are clearly out of the play-off race.
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) hired Wilson and Burke on the proviso that they were going to strip the team down and build it back up into a contender.
So what does new GM Brian Burke do with this team?
Does he stand pat or does he trade away assets in return for valuable draft picks?
Although there are four or five movable assets on the Leafs, Tomas Kaberle is clearly the diamond in the coal mine.
The Czech is a rarity in the league: a highly skilled, puck moving defenceman. No doubt several teams, who fancy themselves as Cup contenders, are salivating at the chance to grasp Kaberle from the hands of a new GM looking to make a early splash.
However, it's not going to be easy to move the defenceman. He has a three year no-trade clause that won't expire until July 1 of 2009.
The upside of moving him would be worth the effort.
Since the lockout he has led NHL defenceman in scoring with 49 goals and 169 assists, 30 points more than Sharks defenceman Dan Boyle.
Kaberle's $4.5 million (US) salary is a bargain considering Boyle earns $6.6 million (US) with San Jose.
According to Toronto Sun columnist Steve Simmons, Kaberle has been looking over NHL rosters to see where his style of play best fits in.
Simmons also says that one possible rumour has Kaberle going to Washington for Karl Alzner and a first and second round pick.
The draft is a crap shoot but given Burke's track record and the Leafs need to acquire assets, the risk may be worth the reward.
Kaberle has a reasonable salary and is young enough to play for three to five more years. If he waives his no-trade clause, he may find himself with a chance to win now and Burke gets what he needs for later.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Sioux coaches show. (12-01-2008)
Check out the latest edition of the coaches show. For the listening to the Fighting Sioux coaches show on itunes.
Check out this blog post.
Check out this great post by BrettB of St Louis Simply Put. Yep the NCAA is a horrible way to develop talent for the NHL ranks. You would have to be an idiot to infer something as outrageous and ridiculous as this person claimed that the NCAA is bad at developing NHL talent.
So the NCAA isn't a place to develop into the Pro's?
In lieu of some idiot that told me the NCAA isn't the best place for future NHL players, and then for the sole argument of which school has developed more players into the NHL? I decided to compile some stuff. Now keep in mind this list is of NCAA Schools that had the most players who played in the NHL in 07-08, which by the total of players is 253! 253 players, meaning I could field 11 and half teams in the NHL with former NCAA players :
16(North Dakota) Drew Stafford,David Hale,Ryan Bayda, Jonathan Toews, Matt Greene, Brady Murray, Brandon Bochenski, Zach Parise, Travis Zajac, Jason Blake, Matt Smaby, Ryan Johnson, Matt Jones, Brian Lee, Mike Commodore(Shocked at the low count, but understandable they rebuilt from their last championship, and 11 of them joined the NHL within the past 4 years. I'll go with 7 Great NHL'ers in this crowd)
Weekend Match-Ups (Sioux 7)
Well, my predictions last week were absolutely atrocious, but like they say that's why they play the games. Last week saw mostly sweeps, with SCSU sweeping MSUM, UW sweeping UAA, DU crushing MTU twice, UND sweeping Harvard, and UMD taking 3pts from CC.
It's a tight league race, 7-points separate 1st from 9th, and teams 2-9 have 2 or 4 games in hand on the 1st place team. Or think of it this way a five-hundred record puts you in 7-8th place, WOW. With that in mind lets look at this weeks tilts.
#17 St. Cloud State(5-5-0) at North Dakota(4-5-1)
Both teams are coming off of sweeps, both are basically looking to start a streak and make a push towards the top of the WCHA standings. SCSU is 2-3 on the road and UND is 3-3 at home. After last weekend it looks is if the Sioux might have found their scoring touch, 22-goals in the last 4 games, and Eidsness is continuing his good play and getting better every week. SCSU has scored 11 goals and given up 10 in their last 4 games. I'm going with the home team here, Sioux sweep. Oh, and by the way the weather might strand the Huskies in GF longer than they want :)
#6 Denver(7-4-1) at #14 Minnesota State(5-5-2)
The Mavericks have only 1 win in their last 4 games (1-2-1) have the purple people eaters gone on a holiday diet? They need some wins to keep pace and stay in contention for home ice in March. Mean while, DU is wanting to get some points to help solidify their spot in the top of the WCHA. Last season each team sweep the other, "there is no place like home" for these to foe's. With taking history into account, which is dangerous, I'm taking the Purple over the Red, 3-pts for the Mavericks.
Michigan Tech(1-10-1) at Minnesota-Duluth(4-4-4)
Oh, woe is me, or woe is Tech. Their last win was on Halloween night, maybe they should only play on holidays?? The Bulldogs have been on a roll, a 5game unbeaten streak (3-0-2). Lets see, Tech 10 losses in 12 games, only 28 league games, outlook = bad. UMD call them even after 12 games, outlook optomistic. Especially if they sweep the Huskies. So, I'm picking the Bulldogs in this dog fight, sweep for UMD.
#9 Colorado College(6-4-2) at #2 Minnesota(6-1-3)
OOOHHH, a match-up of top ten teams (sat/sun series). CC started they year winning, but since the calendar hit November the Tigers have been mediocre. The question in C. Springs is what will happen this weekend, a sweep and all is forgive, get swept and we can say the wheels are coming off. The Gophers are also in the same boat as the Tigers, UM is 1-2-1 in their last four games, winless in the last 3. I think both teams are feeling the pressure to win. I'm going call this series a SPLIT, but who wins what nights, thats a toss-up.
Bye weeks - Wisconsin(7-5-2) and Alaska-Anchorage(4-6-2)
It's a tight league race, 7-points separate 1st from 9th, and teams 2-9 have 2 or 4 games in hand on the 1st place team. Or think of it this way a five-hundred record puts you in 7-8th place, WOW. With that in mind lets look at this weeks tilts.
#17 St. Cloud State(5-5-0) at North Dakota(4-5-1)
Both teams are coming off of sweeps, both are basically looking to start a streak and make a push towards the top of the WCHA standings. SCSU is 2-3 on the road and UND is 3-3 at home. After last weekend it looks is if the Sioux might have found their scoring touch, 22-goals in the last 4 games, and Eidsness is continuing his good play and getting better every week. SCSU has scored 11 goals and given up 10 in their last 4 games. I'm going with the home team here, Sioux sweep. Oh, and by the way the weather might strand the Huskies in GF longer than they want :)
#6 Denver(7-4-1) at #14 Minnesota State(5-5-2)
The Mavericks have only 1 win in their last 4 games (1-2-1) have the purple people eaters gone on a holiday diet? They need some wins to keep pace and stay in contention for home ice in March. Mean while, DU is wanting to get some points to help solidify their spot in the top of the WCHA. Last season each team sweep the other, "there is no place like home" for these to foe's. With taking history into account, which is dangerous, I'm taking the Purple over the Red, 3-pts for the Mavericks.
Michigan Tech(1-10-1) at Minnesota-Duluth(4-4-4)
Oh, woe is me, or woe is Tech. Their last win was on Halloween night, maybe they should only play on holidays?? The Bulldogs have been on a roll, a 5game unbeaten streak (3-0-2). Lets see, Tech 10 losses in 12 games, only 28 league games, outlook = bad. UMD call them even after 12 games, outlook optomistic. Especially if they sweep the Huskies. So, I'm picking the Bulldogs in this dog fight, sweep for UMD.
#9 Colorado College(6-4-2) at #2 Minnesota(6-1-3)
OOOHHH, a match-up of top ten teams (sat/sun series). CC started they year winning, but since the calendar hit November the Tigers have been mediocre. The question in C. Springs is what will happen this weekend, a sweep and all is forgive, get swept and we can say the wheels are coming off. The Gophers are also in the same boat as the Tigers, UM is 1-2-1 in their last four games, winless in the last 3. I think both teams are feeling the pressure to win. I'm going call this series a SPLIT, but who wins what nights, thats a toss-up.
Bye weeks - Wisconsin(7-5-2) and Alaska-Anchorage(4-6-2)
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
THN ranks the best bargins.
Former Fighting Sioux hockey player Zach Parise made the top ten top bargins.
THN.com Top 10: Best bargains
8. Mike Komisarek, Defenseman, Montreal - $1.7 million
Komisarek isn’t flashy (or healthy at the moment), but he’s quickly becoming one of the better shutdown defenders in the league. He hits, fights and is a top-three blueliner making the salary of a fifth or sixth guy.
3. Zach Parise, Left Wing, New Jersey – $3.125 million
The most expensive player on the list is a bargain nonetheless. Parise has exploded this season and currently sits tied for 15th in league scoring. His 15 goals, 28 points, plus-12 rating, four power play goals and two overtime goals all lead the Devils. With numbers like that and having just the seventh-highest salary on the team, Parise is a bargain.
1. Tim Thomas, Goaltender, Boston – $1.1 million
The quarter-mark favorite for the Vezina Trophy ranks first on this list because he’s first in the league in GAA (1.90), second in SP (.940) and is the No. 1 tender on the No. 1 team in the East.
Joe Sakic hurts hand blowing snow.
You would think that Joe Sakic could afford to pay someone to blow snow out of his drive way, now he is going to be out for another three months because he injured his hand trying to unclog his snow blower.
TSN.CA STAFF: Sakic is actually fortunate that the injury was not worse. Reportedly the future Hall of Famer was attempting to dislodge some wet snow from around the blades. While the blower was off, when the snow was cleared the torque from the blades jammed his hand.
Sakic suffered five broken bones in his hand and required pins in all three injured fingers.
Gaborik ready to play soon.
If you read the Star and Tribune today you will see that Marian Gaborik skated with the team for the first time since October 30th. Here is the video. Lets hope that the often injured super star can get himself in game shape soon so he can join Wild line up. The Wild are in dire need of his offense skills soon, and he could add a spark to the line up. Lets hope Gabby can stay healthy so the Wild can either sign him to a contract or get something of value in return for him. It will be interesting to see what the Wild can get via a trade if Gaborik decided that he wants to test the free agent market.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Goon goes five hole 12-09-2008 (NCAA round up)
Here is the latest article that I wrote for Sean Leahy's Going Five Hole.
Out of Pocket
Due to the fact that I am in Georgia for Training and the limited schedule for this weekend I won’t review any of the upcoming matchups. In my opinion there really isn’t any that are very intriguing.
Air Force comes back to earth
I didn't think Air Force would go through the rest of their conference games without losing in their conference schedule, I don’t care what the hockey pundits say. This is why the RPI, PWR and KRACH don't mean much till after the first of the year and probably later into February and March. The Numbers change all of the time and mean little until you have played about 2/3 of your schedule. Even then, the numbers can change drastically each week with a bad loss or a quality win. Air Force losing to RIT this past weekend would be considered a bad loss. Again nothing is won till ALL the games have been played out and the Brackets have been set. There is no award for winning the most games at the half way point of the season.
Goon’s Weekly top ten
1.)Notre Dame
2.)Minnesota
3.)Miami
4.)BU
5.)B.C
6.)DU
7.)Northeastern
8.) C.C.
9.)Vermont
10.) Michigan
Out of Pocket
Due to the fact that I am in Georgia for Training and the limited schedule for this weekend I won’t review any of the upcoming matchups. In my opinion there really isn’t any that are very intriguing.
Air Force comes back to earth
I didn't think Air Force would go through the rest of their conference games without losing in their conference schedule, I don’t care what the hockey pundits say. This is why the RPI, PWR and KRACH don't mean much till after the first of the year and probably later into February and March. The Numbers change all of the time and mean little until you have played about 2/3 of your schedule. Even then, the numbers can change drastically each week with a bad loss or a quality win. Air Force losing to RIT this past weekend would be considered a bad loss. Again nothing is won till ALL the games have been played out and the Brackets have been set. There is no award for winning the most games at the half way point of the season.
Goon’s Weekly top ten
1.)Notre Dame
2.)Minnesota
3.)Miami
4.)BU
5.)B.C
6.)DU
7.)Northeastern
8.) C.C.
9.)Vermont
10.) Michigan
NDSU Hockey.
Someone posted this article by Jess Meyers over on Sioux Sports.
I guess maybe Jess is trying to inflame the masses at UND again, any thing to take a shot at UND right Jess? The article has one thing right NDSU isn't interested in having hockey and it doesn't take much to know that NDSU isn't interested in starting a Division one program. It isn't going to happen. Jess would know that if he read the Fargo Forum and listened to the people in the know at NDSU.
Seriously, NDSU doesn't have the stomach or the patience to start a division one hockey and the hopes of having a division one hockey program went out with their former athletic director in a park in Nebraska. I am not sure why you would even write this article? Sigh. If NDSU wants to start a hockey program come on in the water is warm.
I guess maybe Jess is trying to inflame the masses at UND again, any thing to take a shot at UND right Jess? The article has one thing right NDSU isn't interested in having hockey and it doesn't take much to know that NDSU isn't interested in starting a Division one program. It isn't going to happen. Jess would know that if he read the Fargo Forum and listened to the people in the know at NDSU.
Seriously, NDSU doesn't have the stomach or the patience to start a division one hockey and the hopes of having a division one hockey program went out with their former athletic director in a park in Nebraska. I am not sure why you would even write this article? Sigh. If NDSU wants to start a hockey program come on in the water is warm.
Sioux fans may cringe just a tiny bit if boasting but their hockey program’s seven national championships, as Bison backers can note that their hockey team has eight national titles to its credit. Of course, the titles won by NDSU have been at the college club level, not in the varsity realm.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Poll Monday.
USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I Men's Poll
December 8, 2008
Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll
1 Notre Dame (41) 12-3-2 976 1
2 Minnesota ( 3) 7-2-5 918 3
3 Miami ( 3) 10-3-3 873 4
4 Boston University 10-4-1 805 7
5 Northeastern 11-3-2 759 6
6 Denver ( 1) 11-5-1 731 8
7 Boston College 9-5-2 723 2
8 Princeton ( 2) 10-2-0 678 9
9 Colorado College 9-5-4 570 5
10 Cornell 7-1-2 544 13
11 Vermont 9-3-2 507 12
12 Air Force 14-2-0 445 10
13 Michigan 11-7-0 438 14
14 Minnesota State 8-5-3 272 11
15 New Hampshire 7-6-3 214 19
16 Wisconsin 9-7-2 183 NR
17 St. Cloud State 10-6-0 169 NR
18 Dartmouth 6-4-0 163 16
19 Nebraska-Omaha 9-4-3 156 18
20 Alaska 8-4-4 86 20
Others Receiving Votes: Minnesota-Duluth 47, Alaska-Anchorage 45, North Dakota 44, Mass.-Lowell 40, Ohio State 39, Maine 35, Massachusetts 23, Yale 14, Niagara 2, Quinnipiac 1
USA TODAY/USA Hockey men's poll
Dec. 8, 2008
Rank School (first-place votes) Record Points Last week
1 Notre Dame (30) 12-3-2 504 1
2 Minnesota (2) 7-2-5 459 2
3 Miami (Ohio) (2) 10-3-3 443 4
4 Boston University 10-4-1 380 5
5 Denver 11-5-1 347 7
6 Northeastern 11-3-2 337 8
7 Princeton 10-2-0 307 9
8 Boston College 9-5-2 279 3
9 Cornell 7-1-2 220 13
10 Colorado College 9-5-4 212 6
11 Vermont 9-3-2 192 12
12 Michigan 11-7-0 126 14
13 Air Force 14-2-0 120 10
14 Minnesota State 8-5-3 46 11
15 New Hampshire 7-6-3 33 15
Others receiving votes: Dartmouth 16, Wisconsin 16, Nebraska Omaha 13, St. Cloud State 9, Maine 6, Yale 6, Alaska 4, Ohio State 4, Massachusetts Lowell 1.
***
INCH Power Rankings1. Notre Dame
2. Minnesota
3. Denver
4. Boston University
5. Princeton
6. Miami
7. Northeastern
8. Vermont
9. Boston College
10. Cornell
11. Air Force
12. Michigan
13. Colorado College
14. Minnesota State
15. Dartmouth
16. Wisconsin
17. Ohio State
T-18. Alaska and Nebraska Omaha
20. Minnesota Duluth
Dropped out: UMass Lowell
Bubble-licious: New Hampshire, St. Cloud State
Analysis
I am surprised the C.C. stay so high in the rankings after being tied and beaten by UMD this past weekend. Air Force stay in the top 15 even with their loss to RIT.
To the guys at INCH just pick one team to be 18 and one to be 19 it really isn't that big of a deal.
December 8, 2008
Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll
1 Notre Dame (41) 12-3-2 976 1
2 Minnesota ( 3) 7-2-5 918 3
3 Miami ( 3) 10-3-3 873 4
4 Boston University 10-4-1 805 7
5 Northeastern 11-3-2 759 6
6 Denver ( 1) 11-5-1 731 8
7 Boston College 9-5-2 723 2
8 Princeton ( 2) 10-2-0 678 9
9 Colorado College 9-5-4 570 5
10 Cornell 7-1-2 544 13
11 Vermont 9-3-2 507 12
12 Air Force 14-2-0 445 10
13 Michigan 11-7-0 438 14
14 Minnesota State 8-5-3 272 11
15 New Hampshire 7-6-3 214 19
16 Wisconsin 9-7-2 183 NR
17 St. Cloud State 10-6-0 169 NR
18 Dartmouth 6-4-0 163 16
19 Nebraska-Omaha 9-4-3 156 18
20 Alaska 8-4-4 86 20
Others Receiving Votes: Minnesota-Duluth 47, Alaska-Anchorage 45, North Dakota 44, Mass.-Lowell 40, Ohio State 39, Maine 35, Massachusetts 23, Yale 14, Niagara 2, Quinnipiac 1
USA TODAY/USA Hockey men's poll
Dec. 8, 2008
Rank School (first-place votes) Record Points Last week
1 Notre Dame (30) 12-3-2 504 1
2 Minnesota (2) 7-2-5 459 2
3 Miami (Ohio) (2) 10-3-3 443 4
4 Boston University 10-4-1 380 5
5 Denver 11-5-1 347 7
6 Northeastern 11-3-2 337 8
7 Princeton 10-2-0 307 9
8 Boston College 9-5-2 279 3
9 Cornell 7-1-2 220 13
10 Colorado College 9-5-4 212 6
11 Vermont 9-3-2 192 12
12 Michigan 11-7-0 126 14
13 Air Force 14-2-0 120 10
14 Minnesota State 8-5-3 46 11
15 New Hampshire 7-6-3 33 15
Others receiving votes: Dartmouth 16, Wisconsin 16, Nebraska Omaha 13, St. Cloud State 9, Maine 6, Yale 6, Alaska 4, Ohio State 4, Massachusetts Lowell 1.
***
INCH Power Rankings1. Notre Dame
2. Minnesota
3. Denver
4. Boston University
5. Princeton
6. Miami
7. Northeastern
8. Vermont
9. Boston College
10. Cornell
11. Air Force
12. Michigan
13. Colorado College
14. Minnesota State
15. Dartmouth
16. Wisconsin
17. Ohio State
T-18. Alaska and Nebraska Omaha
20. Minnesota Duluth
Dropped out: UMass Lowell
Bubble-licious: New Hampshire, St. Cloud State
Analysis
I am surprised the C.C. stay so high in the rankings after being tied and beaten by UMD this past weekend. Air Force stay in the top 15 even with their loss to RIT.
To the guys at INCH just pick one team to be 18 and one to be 19 it really isn't that big of a deal.
Sabres for Sale?
Buffalo Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn denied a report that the western New York hockey club is for sale.
In an article to be released later this week, Western New York Hockey magazine writer Jim Kelley reports that Quinn is looking for a buyer for the Sabres and that he reportedly approached Research in Motion co-founder Jim Balsillie with an offer.
Quinn released a statement on Dec. 8 denying the Sabres are for sale. “Absolutely not,” Quinn told TSN.ca. “We’re not selling the team, we’re not moving the team to Hamilton, there is absolutely nothing going on.”
The magazine also stated that part of the purchase bid would require that the Sabres play some of their home games out of Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ont. Quinn stated that the hockey club would “never entertain discussions to move the team out of Buffalo.”
Richard Rodier, Balsillie’s lawyer, issued a statement, via e –mail, on behalf of Balsillie.
“From time to time reports surface quoting anonymous sources claiming a club is for sale, or that Jim is doing this or that with respect to a particular club. These reports have generally been inaccurate,” Rodier said. “More importantly, these reports unfairly put the incumbent owners in the uncomfortable and potentially destabilizing situation of having to comment on these inaccurate reports. As such we have no comment beyond referring you to the statement made by Larry Quinn, the Managing Partner of the Sabres.
Earlier this year the Toronto Star reported that Balsillie approached Sabres owner Tom Golisano in 2007 about a potential sale. Galisano rejected Balsillie’s offer in December of that year saying that he would never move the team out of Buffalo.
This marks the third time Balsillie has tried to buy a hockey club.
In 2007 Balsillie made a $220 million (US) offer for the Nashville Predators. Balsillie went a step further by offering season tickets to hopeful hockey fans in Hamilton. The deal for the Penguins went sour after NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told Balsillie that the NHL would restrict his control of the team.
This news comes as the Board of Governors hold their annual meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. The crumbling economy is expected to be at the top of the discussions.
With files from TSN and Rogers Sportsnet
In an article to be released later this week, Western New York Hockey magazine writer Jim Kelley reports that Quinn is looking for a buyer for the Sabres and that he reportedly approached Research in Motion co-founder Jim Balsillie with an offer.
Quinn released a statement on Dec. 8 denying the Sabres are for sale. “Absolutely not,” Quinn told TSN.ca. “We’re not selling the team, we’re not moving the team to Hamilton, there is absolutely nothing going on.”
The magazine also stated that part of the purchase bid would require that the Sabres play some of their home games out of Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ont. Quinn stated that the hockey club would “never entertain discussions to move the team out of Buffalo.”
Richard Rodier, Balsillie’s lawyer, issued a statement, via e –mail, on behalf of Balsillie.
“From time to time reports surface quoting anonymous sources claiming a club is for sale, or that Jim is doing this or that with respect to a particular club. These reports have generally been inaccurate,” Rodier said. “More importantly, these reports unfairly put the incumbent owners in the uncomfortable and potentially destabilizing situation of having to comment on these inaccurate reports. As such we have no comment beyond referring you to the statement made by Larry Quinn, the Managing Partner of the Sabres.
Earlier this year the Toronto Star reported that Balsillie approached Sabres owner Tom Golisano in 2007 about a potential sale. Galisano rejected Balsillie’s offer in December of that year saying that he would never move the team out of Buffalo.
This marks the third time Balsillie has tried to buy a hockey club.
In 2007 Balsillie made a $220 million (US) offer for the Nashville Predators. Balsillie went a step further by offering season tickets to hopeful hockey fans in Hamilton. The deal for the Penguins went sour after NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told Balsillie that the NHL would restrict his control of the team.
This news comes as the Board of Governors hold their annual meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. The crumbling economy is expected to be at the top of the discussions.
With files from TSN and Rogers Sportsnet
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Whats out of wack here?
Tip of the hat to the Illegal Curve. This hit last season on Patrice Bergeron by Randy Jones got him a two game suspension. This just seems out of wack to me.
Check out this quote: Bettman was out to protect the integrity and dignity of his sport. I get that. Bravo, I say. But there have been more important events on Bettman's watch that have gone far less punished. He's making his stand now, here, around Sean Avery? This can only mean, after all these years, John Ziegler must still be phoning in the plays (from Switzerland, of course).
For instance, Randy Jones came close to killing Patrice Bergeron a little over a year ago, and the Flyer defenseman received only a two-game suspension. Well, if that's all it's worth, fine. But in one instance a guy attempted to take another guy's head off, and then Avery, standing in a locker room in Calgary, shot off his mouth, making himself look far more vulgar and idiotic than anyone he was attempting to smear. Two games for the former, six for the latter. Huh?
This is the comments that the NHL has determined to be more offensive than Randy Jone's dirty hit on Patrice Bergeron.
Scores from 12-06-2008.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Atlantic Hockey
Army 0 at Canisius 2
Mercyhurst 11 at American Int'l 1
Bentley 2 at Holy Cross 3
RIT 3 at Air Force 2 ot
Analysis
Air Force suffers their first conference loss of the season. With the loss it drops Air Force from 1 to 11 in the KRACH rankings.
CCHA
Miami 4 at Western Michigan 2
Northern Michigan 2 at Lake Superior 2 ot: NMU wins shootout
Michigan 5 at Michigan State 3
Notre Dame 1 at Ferris State 0
Alaska 1 at Nebraska-Omaha 1 ot: Alaska wins shootout
Analysis
Miami stays hot. Michigan pastes Michigan State this weekend hanging 11 goals on the Michigan State goaltenders. All-American goalie Jeff Lerg lets in nine goals on the weekend. UNO comes back to earth.
CHA
Alabama-Huntsville 2 at Bemidji State 4
Analysis
Bemidji sweeps their hated rival Huntville.
EZAC
St. Lawrence 0 at Cornell 1
Union 5 at Yale 2
Clarkson 3 at Colgate 3 ot
Rensselaer 7 at Brown 2
Analysis
Cornell keeps winning, in typical boring Cornell fashion. I can't believe fans like to watch that kind of hockey. Boring! RPI wins in a more exciting fashion.
Hockey East
Boston University 3 at Boston College 1
Mass.-Lowell 2 at New Hampshire 3
Analysis
Boston University takes 3 points on the weekend.
WCHA
Minnesota State 2 at St. Cloud State 6
Minnesota-Duluth 7 at Colorado College 4
Denver 6 at Michigan Tech 1
Alaska-Anchorage 2 at Wisconsin 7
Analysis
The BADgers sweep the Seawolves. With the win the BADgers take over first place in the WCHA with a 7-5-2 record. Note; the Badgers have played 14 games in league play the most in the WCHA. All other WCHA teams have either played 12 or 10 games. UMD Bulldogs takes three of four point from the C.C. Tigers. The Purple cows from MSU-M are swept by the SCSU Hussies. DU takes it to the "Real Huskies". Minnesota play the dreaded "Bye" team.
Non-Conference
Robert Morris 4 vs. Ohio State 7
North Dakota 4 at Harvard 3
Analysis
UND beats the guys from Harvard.
Atlantic Hockey
Army 0 at Canisius 2
Mercyhurst 11 at American Int'l 1
Bentley 2 at Holy Cross 3
RIT 3 at Air Force 2 ot
Analysis
Air Force suffers their first conference loss of the season. With the loss it drops Air Force from 1 to 11 in the KRACH rankings.
CCHA
Miami 4 at Western Michigan 2
Northern Michigan 2 at Lake Superior 2 ot: NMU wins shootout
Michigan 5 at Michigan State 3
Notre Dame 1 at Ferris State 0
Alaska 1 at Nebraska-Omaha 1 ot: Alaska wins shootout
Analysis
Miami stays hot. Michigan pastes Michigan State this weekend hanging 11 goals on the Michigan State goaltenders. All-American goalie Jeff Lerg lets in nine goals on the weekend. UNO comes back to earth.
CHA
Alabama-Huntsville 2 at Bemidji State 4
Analysis
Bemidji sweeps their hated rival Huntville.
EZAC
St. Lawrence 0 at Cornell 1
Union 5 at Yale 2
Clarkson 3 at Colgate 3 ot
Rensselaer 7 at Brown 2
Analysis
Cornell keeps winning, in typical boring Cornell fashion. I can't believe fans like to watch that kind of hockey. Boring! RPI wins in a more exciting fashion.
Hockey East
Boston University 3 at Boston College 1
Mass.-Lowell 2 at New Hampshire 3
Analysis
Boston University takes 3 points on the weekend.
WCHA
Minnesota State 2 at St. Cloud State 6
Minnesota-Duluth 7 at Colorado College 4
Denver 6 at Michigan Tech 1
Alaska-Anchorage 2 at Wisconsin 7
Analysis
The BADgers sweep the Seawolves. With the win the BADgers take over first place in the WCHA with a 7-5-2 record. Note; the Badgers have played 14 games in league play the most in the WCHA. All other WCHA teams have either played 12 or 10 games. UMD Bulldogs takes three of four point from the C.C. Tigers. The Purple cows from MSU-M are swept by the SCSU Hussies. DU takes it to the "Real Huskies". Minnesota play the dreaded "Bye" team.
Non-Conference
Robert Morris 4 vs. Ohio State 7
North Dakota 4 at Harvard 3
Analysis
UND beats the guys from Harvard.
Falcons fall and so do their numbers.
I didn't think Air Force would go through the rest of their conference games without losing. This is why the RPI, PWR and KRACH don't mean much till after the first of the year and probably later into February and March. The Numbers change all of the time and mean little until you have played about 2/3 of your schedule. Even then the numbers can change drastically with a bad loss or a quality win. Losing to RIT would be considered a bad loss. Again nothing is won till ALL the game have been played out and the Brackets have been set. There is no award for winning the most games at the beginning of the season.
CHN: RIT forward Andrew Favot scored with 38 seconds left in overtime to lift RIT. Air Force suffered its first home loss and first conference loss of the season. The Falcons fell to 14-2 overall this season and 11-1 in the AHA. The win for RIT marked the highest ranked team the Tigers have ever defeated. The Falcons immediately dropped from No. 1 to No. 11 in KRACH, most likely a more reasonable assessment anyhow. “This was a gut-wrenching loss,” head coach Frank Serratore said. “The story of the game was our inability to score on the power play and our 5-on-3’s in the game. When you let a team hang around like we did, it is going to come back to haunt you. We played a lot better than we did last night, but our inability to convert on the power play cost us. The only thing you learn from losing is losing.”
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Yikes Oshie leaves the game tonight.
I found this over on Andy Strickland's blog. That would not be good if Oshie got hurt again, I have only been able to see him play in one game so far this season.
Update- Oshie returned at the beginning of the third period after leaving in the second.
Blues rookie center T.J Oshie limped of the ice during the second period after appearing to have re-injured his ankle. Oshie was taken hard into the boards by Coyotes D-man Kurt Sauer and was unable to leave the ice on his own. This was Oshie's second game back in the lineup after missing several weeks with a high ankle sprain. Obviously I'll know more after the game.
Sioux sweep Harvard 4-3.
The Fighting Sioux finally get their first series sweep of the season against the Harvard Crimson.
First off this game was tough to watch. The two people calling the game for the Harvard broadcast were absolutely horrible. These two Skippy’s need to go to back and take remedial hockey 101 classes. These two guys in question were messing up basic hockey knowledge facts and it takes away from the hockey broadcast. Case in point, just because a player hits someone into the end boards, or side boards, as long as it isn’t result of a player taking more than three steps, or if the opposition player doesn’t chop his opponent face first into the boards, it is not a penalty. End of story. You can’t make up penalties (unless you are Don Adam) just because it was hard check. Now if the opposition player is checking a person that isn’t the puck carrier that is interference.
Second the officials for tonight’s game aren’t even to WCHA standards so they are God awful. To call a player for goalie interference that player would actually have to interfere with the goalie. Standing in front of him without making contact is not interference. That was a brutal call.
Positives from tonight's game
~Jake Marto was a +1 for the night and +2 on the weekend.
~David Toews had three points on the weekend and is now (2-3-5)on the season.
~Ryan Duncan had two points tonight (1-1-2) that makes three points on the weekend and (6-8-14) for the season.
~Senior Ryan Martens was solid all weekend and got another assist tonight to go along with six points last night. That gives Ryan Martens (5-6-11) points on the season eclipsing last season (1-9-10) point total.
~For the Brad Eidsness doubters; Brad Eidsness is now 7-5-1, has a GAA of 2.67 and a SV% of .911. I think we can say without a doubt that Eidsness is the starter. Eidsness is becoming the starter we thought he would be.
~Since losing the first three games of the season the Sioux are 7-5-1.
Box score
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK-1 Chris VandeVelde (2-Tripping) HAR 1x1 0:33
NDK-2 Brad Malone (2-Hitting from Behind) HAR 1x2 1:50
HAR 1 - 0 6x4 PP Alex Killorn (3) (Michael Biega, Alex Biega) 2:07
HAR: 21,23,27,15,3,G34 NDK: 3,20,5,G31
HAR-1 Doug Rogers (2-Boarding) NDK 1x1 5:08
HAR-2 Pier-Olivier Michaud (2-High-Sticking) NDK 1x2 5:53
NDK 1 - 1 6x4 PP Ryan Duncan (6) (Brad Miller) 6:59
NDK: 16,14,29,26,5,G31 HAR: 9,7,28,G34
HAR-3 Chad Morin (2-Hooking) NDK 2x3 7:37
NDK 2 - 1 6x5 PP Chay Genoway (2) (Ryan Duncan, Chris VandeVelde) 7:53
NDK: 5,16,26,14,29,G31
NDK-3 Corey Fienhage (2-Hitting from Behind) HAR 1x3 9:21
NDK-4 Brad Malone (2-HITTING AFTER WHISTLE) HAR 1x4 11:38
NDK-5 Chris VandeVelde (10-Game Misconduct) 13:15
NDK-6 Chris VandeVelde (5-Hitting from Behind) (Served by Brent Davidson) HAR 1x5 13:15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAR-4 Alex Killorn (2-High-Sticking) NDK 2x4 2:24
HAR 2 - 2 6x6 Michael Del Mauro (2) (Chad Morin, Daniel Moriarty) 9:54
HAR (+): 7,11,27,28,13,G34 NDK (-): 16,26,10,14,6,G31
NDK-7 Brett Hextall (2-Interference) HAR 1x6 16:01
Timeout - Harvard 16:01
NDK-8 Brett Hextall (2-CONTACT TO THE HEAD) HAR 2x7 19:52
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAR 3 - 2 6x5 PP Daniel Moriarty (2) (Pier-Olivier Michaud, Michael Biega) 0:08
HAR: 11,39,27,15,3,G34 NDK: 5,11,3,20,G31
NDK-9 BENCH (2-TOO MANY PLAYERS ON ICE) (Served by David Toews) HAR 2x8 1:20
HAR-5 Jimmy Fraser (2-Boarding) NDK 3x5 5:44
NDK 3 - 3 6x5 PP David Toews (2) (Ryan Martens, Jake Marto) 6:03
NDK: 18,8,25,20,21,G31 HAR: 28,7,12,39,G34
NDK 4 - 3 6x6 GW LL Matt Frattin (7) (Brad Malone, David Toews) 7:33
NDK (+): 21,25,18,4,22,G31 HAR (-): 7,11,13,27,28,G34
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Game
First off this game was tough to watch. The two people calling the game for the Harvard broadcast were absolutely horrible. These two Skippy’s need to go to back and take remedial hockey 101 classes. These two guys in question were messing up basic hockey knowledge facts and it takes away from the hockey broadcast. Case in point, just because a player hits someone into the end boards, or side boards, as long as it isn’t result of a player taking more than three steps, or if the opposition player doesn’t chop his opponent face first into the boards, it is not a penalty. End of story. You can’t make up penalties (unless you are Don Adam) just because it was hard check. Now if the opposition player is checking a person that isn’t the puck carrier that is interference.
Second the officials for tonight’s game aren’t even to WCHA standards so they are God awful. To call a player for goalie interference that player would actually have to interfere with the goalie. Standing in front of him without making contact is not interference. That was a brutal call.
Positives from tonight's game
~Jake Marto was a +1 for the night and +2 on the weekend.
~David Toews had three points on the weekend and is now (2-3-5)on the season.
~Ryan Duncan had two points tonight (1-1-2) that makes three points on the weekend and (6-8-14) for the season.
~Senior Ryan Martens was solid all weekend and got another assist tonight to go along with six points last night. That gives Ryan Martens (5-6-11) points on the season eclipsing last season (1-9-10) point total.
~For the Brad Eidsness doubters; Brad Eidsness is now 7-5-1, has a GAA of 2.67 and a SV% of .911. I think we can say without a doubt that Eidsness is the starter. Eidsness is becoming the starter we thought he would be.
~Since losing the first three games of the season the Sioux are 7-5-1.
Box score
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK-1 Chris VandeVelde (2-Tripping) HAR 1x1 0:33
NDK-2 Brad Malone (2-Hitting from Behind) HAR 1x2 1:50
HAR 1 - 0 6x4 PP Alex Killorn (3) (Michael Biega, Alex Biega) 2:07
HAR: 21,23,27,15,3,G34 NDK: 3,20,5,G31
HAR-1 Doug Rogers (2-Boarding) NDK 1x1 5:08
HAR-2 Pier-Olivier Michaud (2-High-Sticking) NDK 1x2 5:53
NDK 1 - 1 6x4 PP Ryan Duncan (6) (Brad Miller) 6:59
NDK: 16,14,29,26,5,G31 HAR: 9,7,28,G34
HAR-3 Chad Morin (2-Hooking) NDK 2x3 7:37
NDK 2 - 1 6x5 PP Chay Genoway (2) (Ryan Duncan, Chris VandeVelde) 7:53
NDK: 5,16,26,14,29,G31
NDK-3 Corey Fienhage (2-Hitting from Behind) HAR 1x3 9:21
NDK-4 Brad Malone (2-HITTING AFTER WHISTLE) HAR 1x4 11:38
NDK-5 Chris VandeVelde (10-Game Misconduct) 13:15
NDK-6 Chris VandeVelde (5-Hitting from Behind) (Served by Brent Davidson) HAR 1x5 13:15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAR-4 Alex Killorn (2-High-Sticking) NDK 2x4 2:24
HAR 2 - 2 6x6 Michael Del Mauro (2) (Chad Morin, Daniel Moriarty) 9:54
HAR (+): 7,11,27,28,13,G34 NDK (-): 16,26,10,14,6,G31
NDK-7 Brett Hextall (2-Interference) HAR 1x6 16:01
Timeout - Harvard 16:01
NDK-8 Brett Hextall (2-CONTACT TO THE HEAD) HAR 2x7 19:52
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAR 3 - 2 6x5 PP Daniel Moriarty (2) (Pier-Olivier Michaud, Michael Biega) 0:08
HAR: 11,39,27,15,3,G34 NDK: 5,11,3,20,G31
NDK-9 BENCH (2-TOO MANY PLAYERS ON ICE) (Served by David Toews) HAR 2x8 1:20
HAR-5 Jimmy Fraser (2-Boarding) NDK 3x5 5:44
NDK 3 - 3 6x5 PP David Toews (2) (Ryan Martens, Jake Marto) 6:03
NDK: 18,8,25,20,21,G31 HAR: 28,7,12,39,G34
NDK 4 - 3 6x6 GW LL Matt Frattin (7) (Brad Malone, David Toews) 7:33
NDK (+): 21,25,18,4,22,G31 HAR (-): 7,11,13,27,28,G34
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Game
A few things...(ex college hockey players)
[...]Former B.C. Eagle and mighty mouse Nathan Gerbe has been called up to the Sabres. It would be cool to see him skating with Drew Stafford.
[...]Former UMD Bulldog Brent Hull feels responsible that Sean Avery is a member of the Dallas Stars. I would be willing to bet that he is not getting any of Avery's sloppy seconds.
[...]This was the first Boston Bruins game that I ever went to. It was a fight filled game between the Bruins and the Minnesota North Stars.
[...]Gary Betteman said that Sean Avery had been warned last spring about crossing the line. I think the sun glasses that Avery wore to his hearing were God awful. Can we suspend have Gary Betteman him for his sun glasses selection?
[...]Former Gophers Phil Kessel scored his 16th goal of the season for the Boston Bruins. In the same game Joe Finley's favorite dance partner Blake Wheeler has his 9th goal of the season and an assist as well. That gives Blake Wheeler 15 points on the season.
[...]Speaking of big Joe Finley it was announced during Sioux Harvard broadcast by Tim Hennesey that Finley was skating this week and could be back for the GLI or the BSU series. I can't imagine what a shot in the arm it would be if UND was able to have big Joe back for the GLI. I think I cried tears of joy. Mascots especially Goldy and Bucky Badger beware. He, he, he...
[...]Former Sioux player Jonathan Toewsscored his 6th and 7th goals of the season tonight against the hated Redwings. After starting slow the Blackhawks star is really starting to rack up the points. Jonathan Toews now has 20 points in 24 games.
[...]Former Sioux Drew Stafford scored his 4th goal of the season for the Buffalo Sabres and former Gopher Thomas Vanek scored his 19th goal of the season against Matt Smaby's Tampa Bay Lightning, unfortunately for Matt he was on the ice for the Vanek goal.
[...]Former UMD Bulldog Brent Hull feels responsible that Sean Avery is a member of the Dallas Stars. I would be willing to bet that he is not getting any of Avery's sloppy seconds.
[...]This was the first Boston Bruins game that I ever went to. It was a fight filled game between the Bruins and the Minnesota North Stars.
[...]Gary Betteman said that Sean Avery had been warned last spring about crossing the line. I think the sun glasses that Avery wore to his hearing were God awful. Can we suspend have Gary Betteman him for his sun glasses selection?
[...]Former Gophers Phil Kessel scored his 16th goal of the season for the Boston Bruins. In the same game Joe Finley's favorite dance partner Blake Wheeler has his 9th goal of the season and an assist as well. That gives Blake Wheeler 15 points on the season.
[...]Speaking of big Joe Finley it was announced during Sioux Harvard broadcast by Tim Hennesey that Finley was skating this week and could be back for the GLI or the BSU series. I can't imagine what a shot in the arm it would be if UND was able to have big Joe back for the GLI. I think I cried tears of joy. Mascots especially Goldy and Bucky Badger beware. He, he, he...
[...]Former Sioux player Jonathan Toewsscored his 6th and 7th goals of the season tonight against the hated Redwings. After starting slow the Blackhawks star is really starting to rack up the points. Jonathan Toews now has 20 points in 24 games.
[...]Former Sioux Drew Stafford scored his 4th goal of the season for the Buffalo Sabres and former Gopher Thomas Vanek scored his 19th goal of the season against Matt Smaby's Tampa Bay Lightning, unfortunately for Matt he was on the ice for the Vanek goal.
Lines for tonight's game. 12-06-2008
Brad Elliott Schlossman has posted the lines for tonight's game. No changes from last night's game. I do think Blood is the better of the two freshman defenders. It is also good to see Fienhage in the line up as well because he will be a full time player next season with the Sioux and he can't learn sitting in the stands.
UND's lines
16 Ryan Duncan(5-7-12)--29 Chris VandeVelde(3-6-9)--10 Andrew Kozek--(3-3-6)
20 Matt Watkins(3-3-6)--11 Darcy Zajac(1-4-5)--8 Ryan Martens--(5-5-10)
17 Jason Gregoire(4-5-9)--18 David Toews (1-2-3)--21 Matt Frattin--(6-3-9)
15 Brent Davidson (1-0-1)--22 Brad Malone(2-0-2)--26 Brett Hextall--(5-2-7)
3 Derrick LaPoint(0-1-1)--5 Chay Genoway--(1-14-15)
6 Zach Jones(1-0-1)--14 Brad Miller--(4-10-14)
25 Jake Marto(0-1-1)--4 Corey Fienhage--(0-1-1)
31 Brad Eidsness 6-5-1 GAA 2.65 SV% .910
30 Aaron Walski 0-3-0 GAA 3.99 Sv% .796
Scratches on trip: Mario Lamoureux, Ben Blood
UND's lines
16 Ryan Duncan(5-7-12)--29 Chris VandeVelde(3-6-9)--10 Andrew Kozek--(3-3-6)
20 Matt Watkins(3-3-6)--11 Darcy Zajac(1-4-5)--8 Ryan Martens--(5-5-10)
17 Jason Gregoire(4-5-9)--18 David Toews (1-2-3)--21 Matt Frattin--(6-3-9)
15 Brent Davidson (1-0-1)--22 Brad Malone(2-0-2)--26 Brett Hextall--(5-2-7)
3 Derrick LaPoint(0-1-1)--5 Chay Genoway--(1-14-15)
6 Zach Jones(1-0-1)--14 Brad Miller--(4-10-14)
25 Jake Marto(0-1-1)--4 Corey Fienhage--(0-1-1)
31 Brad Eidsness 6-5-1 GAA 2.65 SV% .910
30 Aaron Walski 0-3-0 GAA 3.99 Sv% .796
Scratches on trip: Mario Lamoureux, Ben Blood
Funny Toews commercial.
I found this over on Puck Daddy, and I always wondered the same things as well how do you get Taves out Toews?
Scores from 12-05-2008. (Linkorama)
Friday, December 5, 2008
Atlantic Hockey
RIT 0 at Air Force 2
Mercyhurst 6 at American Int'l 3
Holy Cross 1 at Bentley 4
Analysis
Yawn! We have addressed the strength of schedule in this cupcake league so we won't beat a dead horse any more. Air Force is the only legit team in this horrible league the rest of the teams are God awful. That being said; all college hockey fans can do is hope that Air Force wins the league championship and the playoff championship so there won't have to be a discussion about two AHA teams getting into the tourney. There is no way this league deserves two NCAA bids.
CCHA
Notre Dame 3 at Ferris State 1
Alaska 0 at Nebraska-Omaha 0 ot UNO Wins Shootout
Michigan State 1 at Michigan 6
Northern Michigan 1 at Lake Superior 1 ot: NMU Wins Shootout
Analysis
NMU finally wins in a shootout. Michigan beats MSU and beats them up as well. It was a great game to watch lots of rough stuff. Notre Dame just keeps winning.
CHA
Niagara 4 at Robert Morris 2
Alabama-Huntsville 1 at Bemidji State 3
Analysis
BSU beats their hated rival Huntsville. Who hates Huntsville? We hate Huntsville.
ECAC
St. Lawrence 5 at Colgate 2
Union 4 at Brown 5
Clarkson 1 at Cornell 4
Rensselaer 3 at Yale 7
Analysis
Clarkson is having a tough go of it right now as they are 0-7-1 in their last 8 games. Surprisingly five ECAC teams actually score four or more goals in last nights games. There will be group therapy for the ECAC fans. Expect a bunch of boring 1-0, 2-1, 2-0 games tonight.
Hockey East
Maine 2 at Northeastern 3 ot
New Hampshire 2 at Mass.-Lowell 0
Boston College 1 at Boston University 1 ot
Analysis
Hockey East reminds me of the WCHA last season, they are kicking snot out of each other a nightly basis. Right now If I had to rank the leagues I would rank them in this order. 1.) HE 2.) WCHA 3.) CCHA 4.) EZAC 5.) CHA 6.) AHA.
WCHA
Denver 6 at Michigan Tech 0
Alaska-Anchorage 2 at Wisconsin 3
St. Cloud State 4 at Minnesota State 2
Minnesota-Duluth 1 at Colorado College 1 ot
Analysis
Denver pastes MTU, there is a suicide watch for MTU fans in Houghton, Michigan. I repeat do not jump off that bridge. The real Huskies have had a tough go of it this season going 2-12-1. What the heck happened to the Mavericks last night, there must be some reason the pretend Huskies beat the purple cows. Wisconsin beat UAA, is this the beginning of the yearly UAA tumble? I watch a good share of the game and the Seawolves actually caried the play when they were killing penalties. C.C. manages not to lose a game on Friday night as they are now have a record of 2-4-3 on Friday night.
Non-Conference
Providence 2 at Quinnipiac 5
North Dakota 10 at Harvard 1
Connecticut 1 at Massachusetts 5
Analysis
North Dakota has scored 17 goals the last two Fridays against the ECAC. UMass keeps rolling on.
Exhibition
US Under-18 Team 4 at Vermont 6
Hockey Show
Here is the link to the latest Hockey Show. If you have iTunes you can (click here).
A few items of interest from the hockey show.
1.) @9.20 left in the broadcast. The Coach of Huntsville talks about the shot count conspiracy in the various rinks they play in. College shots clocks are the dumbest thing in I have seen in hockey. The coach counts shots and he thinks the numbers they put up are ridiculous. The stats should be more serious. The Huntsville coach wouldn't name specific rinks.
2.) @6.00 34 Division one teams that are scoring less than 3 goals per game including Michigan, UND, C.C. and UNH. Yikes that is not good.
Coyotes face potential disaster
I saw this over on the illegal curve and it appears that the Coyotes are broke or in Dire straights. If Phoenix can't make the Coyotes work how about moving them back to Winnipeg? I know there are quite a few of us that would go to game in the Peg. That was my second sadest day after the Stars leaving Minnesota was the Jets leaving Winnipeg. I also cried that day as well.
For the Eidsness haters
Dave Berger brings up a really good stat. If you look at the numbers you will see that B.E. is getting it done in the net for the fighting Sioux. Sure there will be a few people that will call for Walski to start but Brad gives the Sioux the best chance to win.
Atlantic Hockey
RIT 0 at Air Force 2
Mercyhurst 6 at American Int'l 3
Holy Cross 1 at Bentley 4
Analysis
Yawn! We have addressed the strength of schedule in this cupcake league so we won't beat a dead horse any more. Air Force is the only legit team in this horrible league the rest of the teams are God awful. That being said; all college hockey fans can do is hope that Air Force wins the league championship and the playoff championship so there won't have to be a discussion about two AHA teams getting into the tourney. There is no way this league deserves two NCAA bids.
CCHA
Notre Dame 3 at Ferris State 1
Alaska 0 at Nebraska-Omaha 0 ot UNO Wins Shootout
Michigan State 1 at Michigan 6
Northern Michigan 1 at Lake Superior 1 ot: NMU Wins Shootout
Analysis
NMU finally wins in a shootout. Michigan beats MSU and beats them up as well. It was a great game to watch lots of rough stuff. Notre Dame just keeps winning.
CHA
Niagara 4 at Robert Morris 2
Alabama-Huntsville 1 at Bemidji State 3
Analysis
BSU beats their hated rival Huntsville. Who hates Huntsville? We hate Huntsville.
ECAC
St. Lawrence 5 at Colgate 2
Union 4 at Brown 5
Clarkson 1 at Cornell 4
Rensselaer 3 at Yale 7
Analysis
Clarkson is having a tough go of it right now as they are 0-7-1 in their last 8 games. Surprisingly five ECAC teams actually score four or more goals in last nights games. There will be group therapy for the ECAC fans. Expect a bunch of boring 1-0, 2-1, 2-0 games tonight.
Hockey East
Maine 2 at Northeastern 3 ot
New Hampshire 2 at Mass.-Lowell 0
Boston College 1 at Boston University 1 ot
Analysis
Hockey East reminds me of the WCHA last season, they are kicking snot out of each other a nightly basis. Right now If I had to rank the leagues I would rank them in this order. 1.) HE 2.) WCHA 3.) CCHA 4.) EZAC 5.) CHA 6.) AHA.
WCHA
Denver 6 at Michigan Tech 0
Alaska-Anchorage 2 at Wisconsin 3
St. Cloud State 4 at Minnesota State 2
Minnesota-Duluth 1 at Colorado College 1 ot
Analysis
Denver pastes MTU, there is a suicide watch for MTU fans in Houghton, Michigan. I repeat do not jump off that bridge. The real Huskies have had a tough go of it this season going 2-12-1. What the heck happened to the Mavericks last night, there must be some reason the pretend Huskies beat the purple cows. Wisconsin beat UAA, is this the beginning of the yearly UAA tumble? I watch a good share of the game and the Seawolves actually caried the play when they were killing penalties. C.C. manages not to lose a game on Friday night as they are now have a record of 2-4-3 on Friday night.
Non-Conference
Providence 2 at Quinnipiac 5
North Dakota 10 at Harvard 1
Connecticut 1 at Massachusetts 5
Analysis
North Dakota has scored 17 goals the last two Fridays against the ECAC. UMass keeps rolling on.
Exhibition
US Under-18 Team 4 at Vermont 6
Hockey Show
Here is the link to the latest Hockey Show. If you have iTunes you can (click here).
A few items of interest from the hockey show.
1.) @9.20 left in the broadcast. The Coach of Huntsville talks about the shot count conspiracy in the various rinks they play in. College shots clocks are the dumbest thing in I have seen in hockey. The coach counts shots and he thinks the numbers they put up are ridiculous. The stats should be more serious. The Huntsville coach wouldn't name specific rinks.
2.) @6.00 34 Division one teams that are scoring less than 3 goals per game including Michigan, UND, C.C. and UNH. Yikes that is not good.
Coyotes face potential disaster
I saw this over on the illegal curve and it appears that the Coyotes are broke or in Dire straights. If Phoenix can't make the Coyotes work how about moving them back to Winnipeg? I know there are quite a few of us that would go to game in the Peg. That was my second sadest day after the Stars leaving Minnesota was the Jets leaving Winnipeg. I also cried that day as well.
For the Eidsness haters
Dave Berger brings up a really good stat. If you look at the numbers you will see that B.E. is getting it done in the net for the fighting Sioux. Sure there will be a few people that will call for Walski to start but Brad gives the Sioux the best chance to win.
With the impressive victory, Eidsness saw his season goals-against average drop to 2.65 and his save percentage rise to .910. Since taking over for Aaron Walski midway through the November 14th game versus Alaska-Anchorage, the freshman netminder has posted a record of 3-2-1 with a goals-against average of 1.85 and a save percentage of .936.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Sioux blasts Havard 10-1
The Fighting Sioux have scored 18 goals in three games and appear to be awaking from their offensive slumber as they hang ten on the Crimson tonight. No folks that is not a misprint, that actually happened.
A trio of seniors came up big tonight; Matt Watkins and Ryan Martens both had four point nights (2-2-4) and Andrew Kozek chipped in three points (1-2-3) and the Fighting Sioux sent the home town Harvard fans to the exits early.
Positives from the evening.
~Sioux score 4 goals on the power play.
~Sioux give up one goal on the evening.
~Sioux fans favorite whipping boys Jake Marto +4 and Derrick LaPoint +1 were a combined +5 tonight.
~A defenseman other than Miller or Genoway recorded points on the blue line tonight. Jones scored his first career goal in 142 games and Corey Fienhage recorded an assist tonight.
~Watkins and Kozek doubled their season point totals tonight.
~Brad Eidsness continues to show he is the man between the pipes as he improved his season line to: 6-5-1 GAA 2.65 SV% .910. Yet there will be a few fans that will want Walksi to play.
~Brad Miller has quietly climbed to second in points on the Sioux roster 4-9-13.
Goals Scoring/Penalties Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAR-1 Michael Biega (2-Hooking) NDK 0x1 2:28
NDK 1 - 0 6x6 LL Brad Malone (2) (unassisted) 7:15
NDK (+): 25,5,26,22,15,G31 HAR (-): 9,6,7,15,23,G34
NDK 2 - 0 6x6 GW Brad Miller (4) (Matt Watkins, Darcy Zajac) 8:17
NDK (+): 20,11,6,14,8,G31 HAR (-): 21,15,19,2,39,G34
NDK-1 Brad Malone (2-Holding) HAR 0x1 11:46
HAR-2 Nick Coskren (2-Interference) NDK 0x2 18:31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK 3 - 0 6x6 Matt Watkins (2) (Ryan Martens) 1:21
NDK (+): 20,8,14,25,11,G31 HAR (-): 23,8,3,15,16,G34
NDK 4 - 0 6x6 Andrew Kozek (3) (Brad Miller, Ryan Duncan) 3:23
NDK (+): 10,14,16,29,25,G31 HAR (-): 12,3,16,22,2,G34
HAR 1 - 4 6x6 Chris Huxley (1) (Michael Biega, Michael Del Mauro) 5:05
HAR (+): 28,27,13,2,11,G34 NDK (-): 8,17,21,6,14,G31
NDK-2 Brad Malone (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) HAR 0x2 5:35
NDK-3 Corey Fienhage (2-Roughing) HAR 0x3 5:35
NDK 5 - 1 6x6 David Toews (1) (Ryan Martens, Andrew Kozek) 9:39
NDK (+): 18,8,10,25,5,G31 HAR (-): 15,8,3,9,23,G34
HAR-3 Steve Rolecek (2-Interference) NDK 1x3 17:36
NDK 6 - 1 6x5 PP Matt Watkins (3) (Brad Miller, Chay Genoway) 19:33
NDK: 20,14,5,26,29,G31 HAR: 6,13,7,9,G34
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK-4 Brad Miller (2-Tripping) HAR 0x4 3:51
NDK 7 - 1 6x6 Ryan Martens (4) (Darcy Zajac) 9:24
NDK (+): 8,11,20,5,3,G31 HAR (-): 8,9,7,15,23,G35
HAR-4 BENCH (2-TOO MANY PLAYERS ON ICE) (Served by Michael Biega) NDK 1x4 10:09
HAR-5 Daniel Moriarty (10-Misconduct) 10:09
HAR-6 Pier-Olivier Michaud (2-Boarding) NDK 2x5 13:15
HAR-7 Chris Huxley (2-Roughing) NDK 3x6 14:06
NDK 8 - 1 6x4 PP Matt Frattin (6) (Andrew Kozek) 14:26
NDK: 25,21,8,18,10,G31 HAR: 7,3,8,G35
HAR-8 Jimmy Fraser (2-Slashing) NDK 4x7 14:53
HAR-9 Chad Morin (2-CTH ELBOWING) NDK 4x8 14:53
NDK 9 - 1 6x4 PP Ryan Martens (5) (Corey Fienhage, Matt Watkins) 15:32
NDK: 8,4,20,16,15,G31 HAR: 12,3,8,G35
NDK 10 - 1 6x4 PP Zach Jones (1) (unassisted) 16:13
NDK: 6,3,18,20,11,G31 HAR: 19,2,28,G1
NDK-5 Corey Fienhage (10-Misconduct) 16:31
NDK-6 Brent Davidson (10-Misconduct) 16:31
NDK-7 Corey Fienhage (2-Roughing) 16:31
NDK-8 Brad Malone (2-Cross-Checking) 16:31
HAR-10 Chad Morin (2-High-Sticking) 16:31
HAR-11 Chad Morin (2-Roughing) 16:31
HAR-12 Chad Morin (10-Misconduct) 16:31
HAR-13 Doug Rogers (10-Misconduct) 16:31
HAR-14 Alex Biega (2-Boarding) NDK 4x9 16:51
NDK-9 Zach Jones (2-Interference) HAR 0x5 19:43
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End of Game
A trio of seniors came up big tonight; Matt Watkins and Ryan Martens both had four point nights (2-2-4) and Andrew Kozek chipped in three points (1-2-3) and the Fighting Sioux sent the home town Harvard fans to the exits early.
Positives from the evening.
~Sioux score 4 goals on the power play.
~Sioux give up one goal on the evening.
~Sioux fans favorite whipping boys Jake Marto +4 and Derrick LaPoint +1 were a combined +5 tonight.
~A defenseman other than Miller or Genoway recorded points on the blue line tonight. Jones scored his first career goal in 142 games and Corey Fienhage recorded an assist tonight.
~Watkins and Kozek doubled their season point totals tonight.
~Brad Eidsness continues to show he is the man between the pipes as he improved his season line to: 6-5-1 GAA 2.65 SV% .910. Yet there will be a few fans that will want Walksi to play.
~Brad Miller has quietly climbed to second in points on the Sioux roster 4-9-13.
Goals Scoring/Penalties Time
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1st Period (20:00)
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HAR-1 Michael Biega (2-Hooking) NDK 0x1 2:28
NDK 1 - 0 6x6 LL Brad Malone (2) (unassisted) 7:15
NDK (+): 25,5,26,22,15,G31 HAR (-): 9,6,7,15,23,G34
NDK 2 - 0 6x6 GW Brad Miller (4) (Matt Watkins, Darcy Zajac) 8:17
NDK (+): 20,11,6,14,8,G31 HAR (-): 21,15,19,2,39,G34
NDK-1 Brad Malone (2-Holding) HAR 0x1 11:46
HAR-2 Nick Coskren (2-Interference) NDK 0x2 18:31
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2nd Period (20:00)
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NDK 3 - 0 6x6 Matt Watkins (2) (Ryan Martens) 1:21
NDK (+): 20,8,14,25,11,G31 HAR (-): 23,8,3,15,16,G34
NDK 4 - 0 6x6 Andrew Kozek (3) (Brad Miller, Ryan Duncan) 3:23
NDK (+): 10,14,16,29,25,G31 HAR (-): 12,3,16,22,2,G34
HAR 1 - 4 6x6 Chris Huxley (1) (Michael Biega, Michael Del Mauro) 5:05
HAR (+): 28,27,13,2,11,G34 NDK (-): 8,17,21,6,14,G31
NDK-2 Brad Malone (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) HAR 0x2 5:35
NDK-3 Corey Fienhage (2-Roughing) HAR 0x3 5:35
NDK 5 - 1 6x6 David Toews (1) (Ryan Martens, Andrew Kozek) 9:39
NDK (+): 18,8,10,25,5,G31 HAR (-): 15,8,3,9,23,G34
HAR-3 Steve Rolecek (2-Interference) NDK 1x3 17:36
NDK 6 - 1 6x5 PP Matt Watkins (3) (Brad Miller, Chay Genoway) 19:33
NDK: 20,14,5,26,29,G31 HAR: 6,13,7,9,G34
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3rd Period (20:00)
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NDK-4 Brad Miller (2-Tripping) HAR 0x4 3:51
NDK 7 - 1 6x6 Ryan Martens (4) (Darcy Zajac) 9:24
NDK (+): 8,11,20,5,3,G31 HAR (-): 8,9,7,15,23,G35
HAR-4 BENCH (2-TOO MANY PLAYERS ON ICE) (Served by Michael Biega) NDK 1x4 10:09
HAR-5 Daniel Moriarty (10-Misconduct) 10:09
HAR-6 Pier-Olivier Michaud (2-Boarding) NDK 2x5 13:15
HAR-7 Chris Huxley (2-Roughing) NDK 3x6 14:06
NDK 8 - 1 6x4 PP Matt Frattin (6) (Andrew Kozek) 14:26
NDK: 25,21,8,18,10,G31 HAR: 7,3,8,G35
HAR-8 Jimmy Fraser (2-Slashing) NDK 4x7 14:53
HAR-9 Chad Morin (2-CTH ELBOWING) NDK 4x8 14:53
NDK 9 - 1 6x4 PP Ryan Martens (5) (Corey Fienhage, Matt Watkins) 15:32
NDK: 8,4,20,16,15,G31 HAR: 12,3,8,G35
NDK 10 - 1 6x4 PP Zach Jones (1) (unassisted) 16:13
NDK: 6,3,18,20,11,G31 HAR: 19,2,28,G1
NDK-5 Corey Fienhage (10-Misconduct) 16:31
NDK-6 Brent Davidson (10-Misconduct) 16:31
NDK-7 Corey Fienhage (2-Roughing) 16:31
NDK-8 Brad Malone (2-Cross-Checking) 16:31
HAR-10 Chad Morin (2-High-Sticking) 16:31
HAR-11 Chad Morin (2-Roughing) 16:31
HAR-12 Chad Morin (10-Misconduct) 16:31
HAR-13 Doug Rogers (10-Misconduct) 16:31
HAR-14 Alex Biega (2-Boarding) NDK 4x9 16:51
NDK-9 Zach Jones (2-Interference) HAR 0x5 19:43
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End of Game
Lines for tonight's game. 12-05-2008 (Rant)
The lines are provided by Brad Elliot Schlossman who incidently is live bloging from his home because of budget constraints and did not make the trip. Come on, that has to be one of the silliest things, I heard, you want to provide a service to your readers but your too cheap to send your hockey beat writer along with the team. Brad does a great job and he should be there covering the game. This is why subscribers to the Grand Forks Herald cancel their subscriptions.
UND's lines
16 Ryan Duncan (5-6-11)--29 Chris VandeVelde (3-6-9)--10 Andrew Kozek (2-1-3)
20 Matt Watkins (1-2-3)--11 Darcy Zajac (1-2-3)--8 Ryan Martens (3-2-5)
17 Jason Gregoire (4-5-9)--18 David Toews (0-2-2)--21 Matt Frattin (5-3-8)
15 Brent Davidson (1-0-1)--22 Brad Malone (1-0-1)--26 Brett Hextall (5-2-7)
3 Derrick LaPoint (0-0-0)--5 Chay Genoway (1-12-13)
6 Zach Jones (0-0-0)--14 Brad Miller (3-7-10)
25 Jake Marto(0-0-0)--4 Corey Fienhage(0-0-0)
31 Brad Eidsness 5-5-1 2.79 .902
30 Aaron Walski 0-3-0 3.99 7.96
Scratches on trip: Mario Lamoureux, Ben Blood
With Evan Trupp out of the line up Brent Davidson is now inserted in the line up. That move give UND some size up front. I am not fond of Hakstol's idea of taking Ben Blood out of the line up since I feel he has been one of the bright spots on this years defensive corp. More of the same for the Sioux Harvard plays a 1-2-2, translation boring hockey.
UND's lines
16 Ryan Duncan (5-6-11)--29 Chris VandeVelde (3-6-9)--10 Andrew Kozek (2-1-3)
20 Matt Watkins (1-2-3)--11 Darcy Zajac (1-2-3)--8 Ryan Martens (3-2-5)
17 Jason Gregoire (4-5-9)--18 David Toews (0-2-2)--21 Matt Frattin (5-3-8)
15 Brent Davidson (1-0-1)--22 Brad Malone (1-0-1)--26 Brett Hextall (5-2-7)
3 Derrick LaPoint (0-0-0)--5 Chay Genoway (1-12-13)
6 Zach Jones (0-0-0)--14 Brad Miller (3-7-10)
25 Jake Marto(0-0-0)--4 Corey Fienhage(0-0-0)
31 Brad Eidsness 5-5-1 2.79 .902
30 Aaron Walski 0-3-0 3.99 7.96
Scratches on trip: Mario Lamoureux, Ben Blood
With Evan Trupp out of the line up Brent Davidson is now inserted in the line up. That move give UND some size up front. I am not fond of Hakstol's idea of taking Ben Blood out of the line up since I feel he has been one of the bright spots on this years defensive corp. More of the same for the Sioux Harvard plays a 1-2-2, translation boring hockey.
Links to tonights game.
The Tale of the Tape for tonight's game. Sioux 5-8-1 versus Harvard 4-4-2
Recent matchups since 2002-2003 UND's record against Harvard is 1-1 in 2005.
Official Web page for the ECAC.
The Sioux invade Bright.
NOTEBOOK: Power-Play Efforts Can’t Stop Eagles.
Recent matchups since 2002-2003 UND's record against Harvard is 1-1 in 2005.
Official Web page for the ECAC.
The Sioux invade Bright.
For the Harvard men’s hockey team, returning to the Bright Hockey Center this weekend after four straight road games without a win means that there’s no better place than home. Yet, facing off against the Crimson (4-4-2, 4-3-1 ECAC) on both Friday and Saturday nights is none another than North Dakota (5-8-1, 4-5-1 WCHA), a team that is much stronger than its losing record suggest. The Fighting Sioux began the season ranked No. 5 in the nation, garnering a first-place vote.
NOTEBOOK: Power-Play Efforts Can’t Stop Eagles.
Avery gets 6 games for comments.
Here is the latest in the Avery soap opera. The league office has ruled and Avery will be suspended for 4 more games. To take a quote from Barack Obama, words matter". It will be interesting to see if Avery is welcomed back to Dallas Stars or will they eat his big salary and buy him out. I read on line that it would cost the Stars something like 1.33 million each year of his contract if they buy him out.
NEW YORK -- The verdict is in, and Dallas Stars forward Sean Avery will be sitting out a little while longer for the inappropriate comments he made earlier this week.
The National Hockey League announced Friday morning that Avery has been suspended for six games without pay, retroactive to Tuesday's game in Calgary, as a result of the comments he made Tuesday morning after the his team’s morning skate at the Pengrowth Saddledome.
Avery also agreed to seek professional anger-management evaluation and, if necessary, structured counseling in light of his pattern of behavior, which the NHL has deemed unacceptable and antisocial.
Avery will not be eligible to play again for the Stars until Dec. 16, when Dallas hosts the Phoenix Coyotes. He already has served two games of the suspension, Tuesday’s game against Calgary and Wednesday’s game against Edmonton.
Habs in Need
Expectations in Montreal always run high.
With the Habs in their centenary year and hosting the All-Star game in late January of 2009, the rabid fans and media, in La Belle Province, think it’s their divine right for a possible return to the Stanley Cup finals, their first since beating the Kings in five in 1993.
With a surprising first place finish in the Eastern Conference last year, the Canadiens felt they were a couple of players away from taking the next step towards their 25th Stanley Cup.
Habs GM Bob Gainey made two key additions in hopes of a parade down Rue St. Catherine. Gainey picked up Alex Tanguay and Robert Lang, via trade, and added them to a team that was second in the league with 257 goals, one behind the Ottawa Senators.
Last year the Habs’ power play was first in the NHL. They clicked at a robust 24.1 per cent with 90 goals in 374 chances. In the play-offs their power play ended up at a dismal 14.6 per cent and that was a key reason they lost to the Flyers in the second round.
In the post season the game becomes a five-on-five battle with mistakes and chances at a minimum. The man advantage separates the winners from the losers.
Signing Tanguay and Lang garnered big headlines in Montreal but the loss of UFA Mark Streit to the Islanders and the loss of Sheldon Souray to the Oilers, the year before, are more damaging than any transactions the Habs have made.
They simply haven’t replaced the points that Souray and Streit provided.
Without Souray and Streit the Habs power play has become a major concern for Les Glorieux. Currently, the Habs are 24th in the league at just under 15 per cent.
Included in that was a less than glorious 1-33 between Nov. 8 and Nov 18 and a woeful 6 for 55 at home so far this year.
Every team goes through ups and downs during a season but the style of the game today places so much emphasis on special teams.
Sometimes you’ve got to give the opposition credit but the Habs simply must do better.
Lately the Habs have been using Lang on the point along with Andrei Markov. Lang and Markov both lack the big shot that Streit and Souray possessed. Without the big shot, from the point, teams have been collapsing down low and taking away the slot and the two-on-one play by the net.
Judging by the nightly chorus of boos at the Bell Centre the results have been evident. Too many passes around the perimeter and a lot of hesitant and individual play by the power play units.
The most ironic thing is that Montreal has six more points than they did last year, at this point, when their power play led the league.
If the Habs want to make a run deep into June then Gainey has to find a way to pick up a mobile defenceman with a big shot. Easier said than done. There aren’t a lot of guys like that and the teams that have them aren’t giving them away for free.
Maybe Gainey will wait until the trade deadline to see which teams have fallen by the wayside.
If not, then the Habs may have to wait for another year and in the pressurized and over anxious atmosphere that is Montreal, another year could feel like a hundred of them.
With the Habs in their centenary year and hosting the All-Star game in late January of 2009, the rabid fans and media, in La Belle Province, think it’s their divine right for a possible return to the Stanley Cup finals, their first since beating the Kings in five in 1993.
With a surprising first place finish in the Eastern Conference last year, the Canadiens felt they were a couple of players away from taking the next step towards their 25th Stanley Cup.
Habs GM Bob Gainey made two key additions in hopes of a parade down Rue St. Catherine. Gainey picked up Alex Tanguay and Robert Lang, via trade, and added them to a team that was second in the league with 257 goals, one behind the Ottawa Senators.
Last year the Habs’ power play was first in the NHL. They clicked at a robust 24.1 per cent with 90 goals in 374 chances. In the play-offs their power play ended up at a dismal 14.6 per cent and that was a key reason they lost to the Flyers in the second round.
In the post season the game becomes a five-on-five battle with mistakes and chances at a minimum. The man advantage separates the winners from the losers.
Signing Tanguay and Lang garnered big headlines in Montreal but the loss of UFA Mark Streit to the Islanders and the loss of Sheldon Souray to the Oilers, the year before, are more damaging than any transactions the Habs have made.
They simply haven’t replaced the points that Souray and Streit provided.
Without Souray and Streit the Habs power play has become a major concern for Les Glorieux. Currently, the Habs are 24th in the league at just under 15 per cent.
Included in that was a less than glorious 1-33 between Nov. 8 and Nov 18 and a woeful 6 for 55 at home so far this year.
Every team goes through ups and downs during a season but the style of the game today places so much emphasis on special teams.
Sometimes you’ve got to give the opposition credit but the Habs simply must do better.
Lately the Habs have been using Lang on the point along with Andrei Markov. Lang and Markov both lack the big shot that Streit and Souray possessed. Without the big shot, from the point, teams have been collapsing down low and taking away the slot and the two-on-one play by the net.
Judging by the nightly chorus of boos at the Bell Centre the results have been evident. Too many passes around the perimeter and a lot of hesitant and individual play by the power play units.
The most ironic thing is that Montreal has six more points than they did last year, at this point, when their power play led the league.
If the Habs want to make a run deep into June then Gainey has to find a way to pick up a mobile defenceman with a big shot. Easier said than done. There aren’t a lot of guys like that and the teams that have them aren’t giving them away for free.
Maybe Gainey will wait until the trade deadline to see which teams have fallen by the wayside.
If not, then the Habs may have to wait for another year and in the pressurized and over anxious atmosphere that is Montreal, another year could feel like a hundred of them.
Bruins on a roll. (Former NCAA players)
As a Bruins fan I haven't been this excited about my favorite hockey team since the early 1990's. I remember some clown/back bencher from the USA Today saying the Bruins would be a mediocre team that would finish out of the playoff race. While the season is far from over, the Bruins keep rolling a long as they beat the hapless Bolts 3-1.
Former Golden Gopher Phil Kessel gets his 14th and 15th goals of the year. Last season Phil had 19 goals so he is 4 goals away from his career high and he has only played 24 games.
Former Gopher Blake Wheeler has points in his last three games added an assist on the on the David Krejci's 8th goal of the year.
Former Michigan Wolverine Matt Hunwick continues his torrid pace as he collected his 6th assist of the year. Hunwick has played in 13 games and has and impressive point total of (3-6-9).
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Moose not interested in Sean Avery.
I looks as if former Sioux goalie Karl Goehring doesn't have to worry about Avery being a team mate of his. Sounds like Goehring is doing well and got the shootout win today against the Wild top farm club the Houston Aeros.
Karl Goehring teammate former Boston College Eagle and Sioux killer Cory Schneider is having a pretty good season for the Moose after starting out a little shaky last year.
Manitoba- The Stars have a partial affiliation with the Manitoba Moose and currently have five Dallas players on their AHL roster; however the Moose have made it clear they are not interested in providing a place for Avery to play.
Moose owner Mark Chipman tells TSN, ''We wouldn't take him under any circumstance.''
Karl Goehring teammate former Boston College Eagle and Sioux killer Cory Schneider is having a pretty good season for the Moose after starting out a little shaky last year.
Adjusting to the game at the professional level could be Schneider’s toughest task if he does get to play during this stint with the Canucks, as was the case when he jumped from the NCAA to the AHL.
After a stellar three-year career at Boston College, Schneider was with the Moose for the 2007-08 season and it took him a few games to find his footing. He was 5-7-0 after 12 starts with a 3.21 GAA and .882 save percentage before discovering his comfort zone in going 16-5-2 over his last 23 appearances.
“That’s kind of how the progression has worked for me, first college then the American League and hopefully now here,” said Schneider.
“It took a little while in the American League, obviously I had a rough start last year, but it’s part of the game and your mental makeup is how well you adjust to adversity so hopefully it won’t take too long until I’m up to speed here.”
Goon's dad likes Air Force.
My father can't get his google account to work but wanted to post this on Air Force.
You would have swore he has been reading LGM's posts.
You would have swore he has been reading LGM's posts.
Goonster: Of course the Air Force Falcons are good as they have two Baudette hockey players on their roster, Brett Nylander and Brent Olson. Brent's brother Derek also played four years for Air Force. I thought Derek was a better hockey player in high school.
They hale from the same high school that Keith Ballard played for, who just signed a big new contract this fall with the Florida Panthers
INCH chat
Here is yet another interesting chat from the boys at INCH. Not anything that I would consider red meat or controversial. I don't think Toews left to early and I agree that Finley would have made some kind of an impact whether he played in the AHL or in the NHL. Same old crap about Air Force everyone thinks they are impressive. blah, blah, blah...
Tom (Dollar Bay, Mich.): With four mediocre teams headed to the Joe, this will be the least-interesting GLI ever!
Joe Gladziszewski: I'll disagree with this opinion. The lack of a proven national power might make it more interesting. Any of the four teams could win, despite the struggles of Michigan State and Michigan Tech, and less than stellar starts from North Dakota and Michigan. The Wolverines will be without forwards Matt Rust and Aaron Palushaj due to World Juniors. Hard to pick a favorite right now for the Great Lakes Invitational.
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Jim (Starkweather, ND): Some people argue that Toews left Grand Forks a year too early. Did Finley and Duncan stay a year too late?
Jess Myers: I would never argue that a player should leave college early. Selfishly, college hockey people like watching them play for four years, and it's fun to see what an upperclassmen-dominated team with skill can do. With that said, his nagging injury notwithstanding, Finley probably could have made an impact in the AHL or even the NHL this season, with his blessings of size and skill. Duncan is a dynamic player and the success of people like Brian Gionta, Martin St. Louis and Nathan Gerbe has shown that smaller college guys can make a living in this game. But not having Toews and Oshie around him may be hurting the perception of Duncan's offensive potential.
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William (Atlanta): Two part question, first off I was able to catch the CC AF game last weekend along with the AF DU game. Were you guys as impressed with the academy as I was and do you see them making a slash in the tourny this year? Part two: The Sioux travel to Harvard this week, do you guys see a strong weekend out of them b/c to me they seem like the Gophers of last year, good overall talent, poor results...
Joe Gladziszewski: Personally, I am impressed with what Air Force has done. They've taken care of business in Atlantic Hockey and got a good win over Colorado College and played Denver tough. It used to be considered a "bye" to the second round when you drew the Atlantic Hockey rep in the NCAA bracket, but I don't think there's a single team in the nation that'll want to match up against the Falcons and that high-scoring offense in this year's NCAAs.
Joe Gladziszewski: ... second part of the question - North Dakota does have some talent. Not so sure about their goaltending, and seemed to get a spark from its offense with seven goals last weekend against Cornell. But then, just one goal the next night. For North Dakota to have success in the standings, they've got to be more consistent.
Weekend Series (Sioux 7)
I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving last week. I know I ate my fair share of food, and some teams got a helping of humble pie. Now on to this weeks match-ups.
Minnesota-Duluth (3-4-3) at #5 Colorado College (6-3-1)
The Tigers are looking continue a strong first half of the season. However, CC has cooled off going just 3-3 in their last 6 games, so they would like a sweep to get things headed in the right direction before Christmas. The Bulldogs have one two in row now, could we call them butter, since they be on a roll, lol. Unfortunately Tigers like buttered rolls, so much for the left-overs, the Tiger gobble them up, sweep.
#8 Denver (5-4-1) at Michigan Tech (1-8-1)
The boys from Houghton went the month of November without winning a game. Obviously, they were REALLY in the giving season. If the Huskies want to move out of the doghouse, a sweep at home against the Pioneers would help. DU is currently on a 3 game winning streak, but they were on a 3 game losing skid before that. Being a length trip from Denver to Houghton, I will use that as my excuse for picking a split.
#15 Alaska-Anchorage (4-4-2) at Wisconsin (5-5-2)
The Badgers are 7-1-1 in their last 9 games, if that isn't gobbling up the points, I don't know what is. In that span, they have had shut-out 3 teams and held 2 other teams to only 1 goal, reminds me of the Elliot days, UGH. The Seawolves have to be the biggest happy suprise of the season, being at .500 in December. The UAA fella's have proved that they can play some hockey this year with the "big" teams. I think these teams will still be at .500 after this weekend. SPLIT.
St. Cloud State (3-5-0) away/home #11 Minnesota State (5-3-2)
The Mavericks are on a 4-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) and look to continue their stampede through the league. The Huskies are on a 2 game skid, but won 5 in a row before that. This is another battle for, dare I say, "outstate Minnesota" their I said it. SCSU as you can see has 4 games in hand on MSUM, so if the Huskies sweep they can be in good shape in the league, but if they get swept, they can still come back. I say the home teams win, SPLITSVILLE.
NON-CONFERENCE
North Dakota (4-5-1) at Harvard
The Sioux are playing what some are calling madly inconsistent, which I would agree, they are 2-2-1 in their last 5 games, and so it goes. If they are depending on their past success in the second half, they are playing with fire, one of these years they are going to get burned. The Crimson have a 4-4-2 overall record, but are win-less in their last 4 games (0-2-2). Harvard has not lost at home and have not won on the road this season. I don't know what to think of this series, so I'll save my own bacon and call it a SPLIT.
#3 Minnesota (6-1-3) is off this weekend.
Minnesota-Duluth (3-4-3) at #5 Colorado College (6-3-1)
The Tigers are looking continue a strong first half of the season. However, CC has cooled off going just 3-3 in their last 6 games, so they would like a sweep to get things headed in the right direction before Christmas. The Bulldogs have one two in row now, could we call them butter, since they be on a roll, lol. Unfortunately Tigers like buttered rolls, so much for the left-overs, the Tiger gobble them up, sweep.
#8 Denver (5-4-1) at Michigan Tech (1-8-1)
The boys from Houghton went the month of November without winning a game. Obviously, they were REALLY in the giving season. If the Huskies want to move out of the doghouse, a sweep at home against the Pioneers would help. DU is currently on a 3 game winning streak, but they were on a 3 game losing skid before that. Being a length trip from Denver to Houghton, I will use that as my excuse for picking a split.
#15 Alaska-Anchorage (4-4-2) at Wisconsin (5-5-2)
The Badgers are 7-1-1 in their last 9 games, if that isn't gobbling up the points, I don't know what is. In that span, they have had shut-out 3 teams and held 2 other teams to only 1 goal, reminds me of the Elliot days, UGH. The Seawolves have to be the biggest happy suprise of the season, being at .500 in December. The UAA fella's have proved that they can play some hockey this year with the "big" teams. I think these teams will still be at .500 after this weekend. SPLIT.
St. Cloud State (3-5-0) away/home #11 Minnesota State (5-3-2)
The Mavericks are on a 4-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) and look to continue their stampede through the league. The Huskies are on a 2 game skid, but won 5 in a row before that. This is another battle for, dare I say, "outstate Minnesota" their I said it. SCSU as you can see has 4 games in hand on MSUM, so if the Huskies sweep they can be in good shape in the league, but if they get swept, they can still come back. I say the home teams win, SPLITSVILLE.
NON-CONFERENCE
North Dakota (4-5-1) at Harvard
The Sioux are playing what some are calling madly inconsistent, which I would agree, they are 2-2-1 in their last 5 games, and so it goes. If they are depending on their past success in the second half, they are playing with fire, one of these years they are going to get burned. The Crimson have a 4-4-2 overall record, but are win-less in their last 4 games (0-2-2). Harvard has not lost at home and have not won on the road this season. I don't know what to think of this series, so I'll save my own bacon and call it a SPLIT.
#3 Minnesota (6-1-3) is off this weekend.
Canada WJC roster.
Team Canada December Camp Roster (Click here)
These are the players with college hockey links (4X)on the roster that will try out to make the Canadian WJC team.
Cody Goloubef 6'1 194 11/30/89 Oakville, ON Wisconsin (WCHA) CBJ
Brendan Smith 6'1 181 02/08/89 Mimico, ON Wisconsin (WCHA) DET
Patrick Wiercioh 6'4 185 09/12/90 Maple Ridge, BC Denver (WCHA) OTT
Riley Nash 6'0 176 05/09/89 Kamloops, BC Cornell (ECAC) EDM
These are the players with college hockey links (4X)on the roster that will try out to make the Canadian WJC team.
Cody Goloubef 6'1 194 11/30/89 Oakville, ON Wisconsin (WCHA) CBJ
Brendan Smith 6'1 181 02/08/89 Mimico, ON Wisconsin (WCHA) DET
Patrick Wiercioh 6'4 185 09/12/90 Maple Ridge, BC Denver (WCHA) OTT
Riley Nash 6'0 176 05/09/89 Kamloops, BC Cornell (ECAC) EDM
Toews goes duck hunting.
Jonathan Toews scored late goal propels the Blackhawks past the Ducks of Anaheim. Former Fighting Sioux Jonathan Toews had started the season slow but with his two points last night has gotten his season point total up to 5 goals 13 assist for 18 points and is a plus 1 in 23 games.
A couple of things.
Here is an interesting piece that I found in the Bleacher Report. While Avery is an ass people are probably interested in what he is doing.
Brian Burke was asked about the Sean Avery saga.
So now we are to believe that Sean Avery is sorry for his objectionable comments. Hey Sean, it is probably a little to late for that. Talk about open mouth insert foot.
Avery right about the NHL: Let me make something clear: I would have NO interest in watching the basement-dwelling Stars play against a team located in a desolate place like Calgary. But you better believe that I will check out this matchup the next time it happens, as I want to see Dion Phaneuf beat the daylights out of Avery. Or vice-versa, I don't really care. I want a fight. I want to tell my friends about it the next day at work.
The Sharks have the cup wrapped up, so please give me some other reason to watch this sport! A flat-faced Sean Avery would be delightful, thank you.
I hope that the next time a team owner or NHL official uses the word "integrity" to describe their goals, they think about the cost of that very concept. Integrity is swell. But not at the cost of millions, perhaps billions, in future revenue.
Sean Avery will be famous, and therefore rich, well after his undistinguished career reaches its conclusion.
I can't wait to see what other stunts NHL players pull when they realize this truth.
Brian Burke was asked about the Sean Avery saga.
Suspension is not surprising: "I will say this, as a generic overview, this type of commentary has never been acceptable in our League and I'm not surprised Sean Avery was suspended and I don't think it should be acceptable. I found it personally offensive and since he was immediately suspended doesn't surprise me one bit and I'll be surprised if they don't take this very seriously at the League level and that will be reflected in what happened.
So now we are to believe that Sean Avery is sorry for his objectionable comments. Hey Sean, it is probably a little to late for that. Talk about open mouth insert foot.
Avery: "I would like to sincerely apologize for my off-color remarks to the press yesterday from Calgary," Avery said in a statement before leaving for New York and a hearing with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman that's scheduled for Thursday.
"I should not have made those comments and I recognize that they were inappropriate. It was a bad attempt to build excitement for the game, but I am now acutely aware of how hurtful my actions were. I caused unnecessary embarrassment to my peers as well as people I have been close with in the past.
"I apologize for offending the great fans of the NHL, the commissioner, my teammates, my coaching staff and the Dallas Stars management and ownership. As many of you know, I like to mix it up on and off the ice from time to time, but understand that this time I took it too far."
Pictures from last Saturday night's game.
Marty's wife Garlynn took some pictures from last Saturday's game when she was sitting in the elite seats. Although its not the stalker-razzi camera they are pretty good.
Sioux coaches show.
Here is the link to the Sioux coaches show. For the people with iPods here is the link for itunes.
Hockey is the first part of the coaches show with Dave Hakstol.
~Coach Hakstol discusses this past weekend's series with Cornell.
~Discussed the goal that was waved off. Coach Hakstol basically side stepped whether the refs made the wrong call or not. (Hak let me help you out, the refs blew it).
~Saturday nights loss was not a step back.
~Joe Finley's physical play is missed at the blue line. Fighting Sioux also miss Finley's pressence and performance level.
~On the officiating; Haks is worried the refs are backing off the standards a little bit at times. If the league is going to do this we need to do this all the way through, and set the standard and hold the bar. The guys are adjusting to the new rules.
Hockey is the first part of the coaches show with Dave Hakstol.
~Coach Hakstol discusses this past weekend's series with Cornell.
~Discussed the goal that was waved off. Coach Hakstol basically side stepped whether the refs made the wrong call or not. (Hak let me help you out, the refs blew it).
~Saturday nights loss was not a step back.
~Joe Finley's physical play is missed at the blue line. Fighting Sioux also miss Finley's pressence and performance level.
~On the officiating; Haks is worried the refs are backing off the standards a little bit at times. If the league is going to do this we need to do this all the way through, and set the standard and hold the bar. The guys are adjusting to the new rules.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Avery Fire storm.
Wow Sean Avery really has started a firestorm with his stupid comments about Flames star Dion Phaneuf. It's like a train wreck you want to see what is going to happen next. I wonder if any teams will be interested in picking him up?
~Avery's crude comments puts his relationship with Dallas Stars on the rocks.
~Top Shelf: Avery’s act finally played out.
~Avery outrage is bass ackwards.
~Isolated incident? No, Avery's career has been defined by indiscretions.
~Wild tough guy Derek Boogaard said the league should let Dion Phaneuf hand out the punishment.
~MCKENZIE: Avery's Future with Stars in doubt. (Heads up from illegal curve)
~Star's Avery to meet with the NHL on Thursday.
(The comments that got him in trouble) "I'm really happy to be back in Calgary. I love Canada," the Stars forward said. "I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds.
~Avery's crude comments puts his relationship with Dallas Stars on the rocks.
~Top Shelf: Avery’s act finally played out.
~Avery outrage is bass ackwards.
~Isolated incident? No, Avery's career has been defined by indiscretions.
Sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday that, a month ago, when the Stars were involved in an ugly loss in Boston, Avery was involved in an ugly incident with a Bruins fan. According to the source, Avery was being heckled by the fan, and as he exited the ice, he stopped and yelled up a string of obscenities at the fan, including comments directed at the fan's female companion. The profane exchange was heard by many in attendance, including a police officer, and prompted complaints to the league. A report was filed to the NHL, but Avery avoided suspension.
~Wild tough guy Derek Boogaard said the league should let Dion Phaneuf hand out the punishment.
~MCKENZIE: Avery's Future with Stars in doubt. (Heads up from illegal curve)
~Star's Avery to meet with the NHL on Thursday.
USA WJC roster released.
Brad Elliott Schlossman has the team USA WJC roster listed on his blog and you can see that Sioux recruit 18 Danny Kristo, made the team. Looking at the roster you will see a lot of Major Junior players from the OHL and WHL and there seems to be less college hockey players on the roster this season. (Offical Roster Page)
Goalies (2)
30 Thomas McCollum, Guelph (OHL)
1 Josh Unice, Kitchener (OHL)
Defensemen (7)
24 Jonathon Blum, Vancouver (WHL)
28 Ian Cole, Notre Dame
4 Cade Fairchild, Minnesota
20 Blake Kessel, New Hampshire
17 Ryan McDonagh, Wisconsin
5 Teddy Ruth, Notre Dame
8 Kevin Shattenkirk, Boston University
Forwards (13)
27 Drayson Bowman, Spokane (WHL)
12 Jimmy Hayes, Boston College
11 Mike Hoeffel, Minnesota
10 Tyler Johnson, Spokane (WHL)
18 Danny Kristo, UND recruit
15 Jim O'Brien, Seattle (WHL) and former Gopher
9 Matt Rust, Michigan
19 Jordan Schroeder, Minnesota
22 Eric Tangradi, Belleville (OHL)
21 James vanRiemsdyk, New Hampshire
14 Mitch Wahl, Spokane (WHL)
33 Colin Wilson, Boston University
Roster break down
5 WHL
3 OHL
14 NCAA and or NCAA recruit
Goalies (2)
30 Thomas McCollum, Guelph (OHL)
1 Josh Unice, Kitchener (OHL)
Defensemen (7)
24 Jonathon Blum, Vancouver (WHL)
28 Ian Cole, Notre Dame
4 Cade Fairchild, Minnesota
20 Blake Kessel, New Hampshire
17 Ryan McDonagh, Wisconsin
5 Teddy Ruth, Notre Dame
8 Kevin Shattenkirk, Boston University
Forwards (13)
27 Drayson Bowman, Spokane (WHL)
12 Jimmy Hayes, Boston College
11 Mike Hoeffel, Minnesota
10 Tyler Johnson, Spokane (WHL)
18 Danny Kristo, UND recruit
15 Jim O'Brien, Seattle (WHL) and former Gopher
9 Matt Rust, Michigan
19 Jordan Schroeder, Minnesota
22 Eric Tangradi, Belleville (OHL)
21 James vanRiemsdyk, New Hampshire
14 Mitch Wahl, Spokane (WHL)
33 Colin Wilson, Boston University
Roster break down
5 WHL
3 OHL
14 NCAA and or NCAA recruit
More on Air Force.
Chris Dilks from western college hockey wrote on the Air Force rankings and their strength of schedule. Or should we say lack of a strength of schedule. I have also heard you can't fault Air Force because they are playing the schedule they were given, however, Air Force was in a better conference before they decided to moved to move to the AHA.
Dilks on Air Force: Who is going to be taking them lightly? The biggest game on the rest of Air Force's schedule is a potential match-up with KRACH #31 Merrimack, the second worst team in Hockey East. Over half of their remaining games are against the 7 worst teams in the country. I'm pretty sure Connecticut isn't overlooking anyone.
And herein lies the problem. Air Force's strength of schedule is rated 46th best in the country, and presumably, that's as high as it is going to get, once the CC/DU games get more diluted by the rest of the Atlantic Hockey league schedule.
------snip------
As a result, Air Force may end up doing the impossible: getting people to care about the Atlantic Hockey tournament. Air Force may be dominant over their league, but winning two single elimination games against anybody is a risky proposition. That means we'll likely be a couple weird bounces away from two Atlantic Hockey teams playing in the NCAA tournament. Air Force is a great story, but personally, I'd rather see a more battle-tested mid-pack WCHA or CCHA team make the tournament than a team that played two decent teams all year.
Video of the Avery Comments.
You have to watch it to appreciate it. You can't make this stuff up.
~Jarome Iginla on Avery.
~Stars win without loud mouth Avery.
~Dallas Stars wing Sean Avery suspended indefinitely by NHL (Dallas newspaper).
~Avery-less Dallas Stars cap weird day with 3-1 win (Dallas newspaper).
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
More on Avery.
Calgary Herald PictureAfter the latest outburst by Sean Avery you wonder if Avery will be able to last the whole season in Dallas, or will he be shown the door? While Avery is a good hockey player, its incidents like this that make me come to the conclusion that Sean Avery is a world class jerk. Why the heck would he need to say something like this? Yet we will still watch because you know there could be a Avery train wreck right around the corner.
Didn't Avery know that he was going to get burned by making these types of statements? Now the jerk has been suspended indefinitely pending a hearing with the league commissioner Colin Campbell. You can bet he is going to get an unpaid vacation for this latest gaff.
You have to wonder why Avery would make such an objectionable statement? If didn't think Avery was a jerk before this incident you probably going to think it now. Heck, if you want to get under Dion Phaneu's skin go out and check him or challenge him to a fight, I am sure he won't back down from you.
After reading further into this story I realized that Elisha Cuthbert was the woman that played Kimberly Bauer in the first couple of seasons of the Fox television series "24".
CALGARY -"Uh, I'm really happy to be back in Calgary. I love Canada.
"And I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about.
"Enjoy the game tonight."
The jab, of course, is directed at Calgary Flames defenceman Dion Phaneuf, who is dating Avery's ex-girlfriend, Elisha Cuthbert. The actress, reportedly, also dated Mike Komisarek of the Montreal Canadiens.
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