Atlanta Thrashers Will Likely Be Sold For $110 Million

For 110.00 million you can be a proud owner of an NHL franchise…

blogs.forbes.com --- The group that owns the Atlanta Thrashers is looking for $110 million for the NHL club from investors that include former Atlanta Braves pitcher Tom Glavine.

We valued the money-losing Thrashers at $135 million in December. The Thrashers have made the playoffs only once in their 11 seasons and averaged just 13,403 at Philips Arena this past season, 27th in the league. The attraction for a buyer is that the NBA’s Hawks, who share Philips Arena with the Thrashers, are responsible for the arena’s bond payments. The hockey team is debt-free and under the terms currently being discussed would pay a flat rent that would net the team about $7 million in non-ticket revenue while the owners of the basketball team ran the arena.

New rule on head shots getting results?

Here is an article by C.C. Tigers beat writer Joe Pasley of the Colorado Spring Gazette that was in yeterday's Gatette; the newspaper article has some interesting tidbits that you might want to take a look at. Personally, I found some of the comments by Greg Shepherd and Bruce McLeod to be interesting as well. While there were only 27 five-minute majors for contact to the head were recorded, how many of them were missed?

Gazette.com --- Only 27 five-minute majors for contact to the head were recorded this past season, though it seemed like far more were called.

“The perception is there were a lot more,” said Greg Shepherd, the league’s head of officials. “We did a good job making sure the coaches and players were aware, especially during the first month.”

Tigers coach Scott Owens knew the problem had to be addressed and was happy with the new rule and how it was handled.

“It’s had a positive impact,” he said. “The officials spent time explaining it to (the coaches) and we passed it on to the players. They made a lot of calls early. It’s definitely a problem. When you look at the (NHL Channel news) ticker, at least a third of it deals with concussions.”

Here something else from the article that I found interesting.

The severity of the five-minute major, which included either a game misconduct or game suspension, proved an effective, immediate deterrent that also made things easier for the league office. Whether a player missed the rest of the game or the rest of that game and the next was up to the on-ice official, which is how the league wanted it.

Pekka Rinne's amazing save in O.T.

This is one of the reasons why Pekka Rinne's is a finalists for the Vezina Trophy this season. Check out this amazing game saving stop in overtime of last night's game with the Vancouver Canucks. The Predators won the game 2-1 in double overtime. The Vancouver Canucks' fan base is now in full meltdown mode.

Yahoo.com --- Roberto Luongo led the Canucks to the league’s best record and the lowest team goals-against average (2.20). Luongo was 38-15-7 in 60 appearances, and his goals against average was 2.11.

Pekka Rinne was 33-22-9 with a 2.12 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and six shutouts.

Tim Thomas rebounded from offseason hip surgery, and the ’09 Vezina winner was 35-11-9, with a .938 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average. He had nine shutouts.

Having a bad day?

Here is Carl Pavano's meltdown in case you have seen it. Pavano takes out his frustrations with a baseball bat on a garbage can. Pavano has been unimpressive this season going 2-2 and has a ERA of 5.12. Maybe Carl Pavano should concentrate on pitching better and getting the W's so he won't have to take out his frustrations on the garbage cans in the Twins dugout.

David Krejci scores for the Boston Bruins... Bruins win 7-3

David Krejci got the first goal and the Bruins never looked back winning the first game of the best of seven Eastern Conference semifinals between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers 7-3. David Krejci was nothing short of amazing as he paced the Boston Bruins with 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points. Krejci was also a plus 3 as well. Also having big game for the Boston Bruins were Patrice Bergeron 3 assists and Nathan Horton with 1 goal, 1 assist for two points.

Flyers goaltending is brutal...

The Flyers got what I would classify as brutal goaltending from Brian Boucher 5 goals on 23 shots and rookie goalie Philadelphia Flyers Sergei Bobrovsky 2 goals on 10 shots. I just don't think there is any other way of saying this, the Flyers goaltenders were just horrible, on the shot clock this was a close game but the Bruins' goaltender Tim Thomas (2 goals against on 33 shots) was heads and tails above the Flyers two sieves goalies and if it wasn't for Thomas the game could have had a different outcome.

Chris Pronger slash

Watch this two handed slash from Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger as he hacks Boston Bruins forward Daniel Paille. In looking at the video I thought that warranted more than a two minute penalty.

Remaking the image of Matt Cooke...

Does anyone believe him? Color me cynical and forgive me if I don't believe him. What is with the media trying to remake the image of Mat Cooke, his image is what it is... Matt Cooke is one of the dirtiest and most despised players in the NHL. Does anyone think that Matt Cooke will no longer be a head hunter on the ice looking to take out another opponent with a dirty hit? I will be the first one to applaud him if he can change.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ---- Penguins general manager Ray Shero made it clear Friday that left wing Matt Cooke will remain with the team next season.

Cooke made it clear he is a new man and will become a new player.

A week away from the team — which Cooke requested when his 17-game suspension for elbowing New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh was announced — was apparently an eye-opening experience for the NHL`s reigning poster child for dirty play.

Although Cooke did not offer specifics regarding his time away from the team, he requested help of some nature.

"It`s something I did on my own," said Cooke, who talked publicly for the first time since March 21. "After it happened, I asked Ray and ownership if I could leave for a little while. They were OK with it. Everyone has times in their lives when you need help or you need to talk to somebody. I`ve had the chance to work with some people. I spent a week specifically dealing with those things."

Cooke, who has two years remaining on his contract, vows that his days of being suspended are over.

Tim Thomas is consistently inconsistent?

hockeyindependent.com

Check out this scouting report on Tim Thomas by Philly.com . I tell you one thing that the Boston Bruins have a huge edge on the Flyers in net, it's not even close. The Flyers have a stable of horrid goalies, the Boston Bruins have a Vezina Trophy winner in Tim Thomas and an awesome back up in Tuukka Rask as well. 

GOALTENDING

Flyers: When Peter Laviolette drew up his game plan for Buffalo back on April 14, do you think he really included starting three different goaltenders? Despite the circus, Brian Boucher did not have an awful series for the Flyers. He gave up 10 goals in more than 14 periods worth of work, including two brutal goals in a span of 3 minutes. Erase those goals - scored from the corner and behind the net - and his goals against-average is under 2.00 and his save percentage jumps to 94.7 percent. You can't argue with those numbers. Boucher, a New England native, is now Laviolette's guy unless he proves otherwise.

Bruins: Tim Thomas is consistently inconsistent. He is easily the NHL's most unorthodox goaltender, making saves in a variety of ways that make coaches and players scratch their heads. Thomas, who has again reinvented himself after a mediocre season last year following his 2008-09 Vezina Trophy-winning campaign, somehow finds a way for the puck to hit him. There is little technical work involved. The knock on him, though, is that teams can figure out a way to beat him when steadily facing his tendencies throughout a series.

EDGE: Bruins

Scott Hannan finishes his check on Simon Gagne

Hockey if a physical game and injuries will happen on the ice in the NHL, or any hockey league that has contact, sometimes injuries just happen. Let's hope that Simon Gagne is going to be OK and he doesn't have another concussion.

Update from the American Hockey Coaches Association meeting

H/T to ExileOnDaytonStreet for posting a link to this article on his blog.

NAPLES — While most of the convention attendees agreed that the popularity of the sport is on the upswing, some said one of the best ways to maintain the momentum is to keep the players healthy. Just like their professional counterparts, college hockey officials are trying to reduce the number of concussions and other serious injuries through rule changes and stiffer penalties for multiple offenders.

ECAC Director of Officials and former NHL player and referee Paul Stewart said the topic of hits to the head has been at the forefront of the convention.

“It’s the No. 1 topic for everyone at all levels of hockey,” Stewart said. “Player safety is a very important part of the game and through rules, coaching and punishment I think it’s something that can be improved.”

I would have guessed that this would be an hot button issue that will get a lot of discussion during the American Hockey Coaches Association meeting... I wonder if college hockey will come up with the rule where a player has to go to "quiet room" for 15 minutes if they receive a shot to the head?

Here we go with expansion again, maybe we should find a home for UAH before we start talking about adding more programs to the college hockey landscape. Seriously, what league would a team like Florida Gulf Coast play in? I would hope the topic of realignment is going to come up this spring. I think that College hockey in general needs to focus on the teams already in college hockey before we go tripping all over ourselves to add more college hockey teams... Do we really need another watered down college hockey conference taking yet another bid away from a team that is worthy of receiving an at large bid.

In addition to coaches from all levels of NCAA hockey, several club coaches are also in attendance at the event. One of the topics is how to turn popular club teams, like the one at Florida Gulf Coast University, into self-sustaining NCAA scholarship teams.

Joe Battista, the associate athletic director at Penn State, is currently overseeing the school’s transition from club to Division I. He said that when he’s asked about the transition, it always comes down to one topic — money.

“There are a lot of challenges when you try to start a program but it’s really hard to do if you don’t have the funding,” said Battista, whose school received an $88 million donation from Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula to revive the hockey program last year. “But it all starts with finding someone who is passionate enough to go out, knock on doors and do whatever it takes to make it happen.”

So is Tim Thomas off the mark when it comes to the Habs' P.K. Subban?

So after reading the quotes from Tim Thomas do you agree or disagree? Like I mentioned earlier that there was going to be some hurt feelings no matter who won this heated series. Looking back just a few days later this was an epic series and an instant classic in my opinion. That being said, there has been a lot of whining and complaining from the press and fans in Montreal (some of it was warrented) most of it has started when Zdeno Chara hit on the Canadiens' Max Pacioretty then it continued when the Boston Bruins brutalized the Canadians in a lopsided game on March 24th 2011 by a 7-0 score; during that game the Bruins beat the Canadians on the scoreboard but also beat the crap out of them on the ice as well.

On to P.K. Subban, like I have said before, P.K. Subban is an amazing talent and I believe he is an up and coming super star in the NHL but he is a bit of a “punk” or some might say a “show boat.” In my opinion someone needs to sit him down and have a serious heart to heart talk with him and remind him to act like you have been there before, not ever goal requires an over the top celebration. I personally don’t have a problem with Tim Thomas’ comments because Thomas is a class act.

Montreal Whine Feast --- In the moments after his team's 4-3 overtime win on Wednesday, and for part of a Boston sports-radio interview on Thursday, Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas did speak gracefully about Canadiens counterpart Carey Price:

"He battled hard from start to finish in that series," Thomas said. "I've got to give him a lot of credit. . He pushed me to be as good as I could be. I kept waiting for him to break and it just never happened. . My hat's off to the kid."

(Price had lauded Thomas the night before: "Timmy played great, he should win the Vézina Trophy in my opinion. . He's the best goalie in the NHL.")

Then the radio hosts got to chuckling as they asked Thomas about Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban, whom they said of a first-period scrum with Boston's Gregory Campbell "falls down like he's had a brick dropped on his chest and clearly he might have been flailing around there a little bit."

The way their question was posed to Thomas wasn't unlike the way Mark Recchi, M.D., was led by a different pair of Boston radio hosts to better diagnose the concussion of the Canadiens' Max Pacioretty.

Thomas, usually one of the more polished pieces of cutlery in the drawer, was all kinds of tarnished in his reply.

"I had respect for the Canadiens and the way they played that series and the way they battled," he began. "But to be completely honest, I don't have respect for actions like that.

"That's a travesty to the game. It's not the way the game is supposed to be played. . It can be infuriating, you know?

Zdeno Chara has a Coke and a smile on the Bruins Bench...

I have never seen anything like that before and I have to wonder if drinking Coke led to his dehydration? As a former athlete I have never seen anyone drink a pop on the bench that was actively in the contest. Chara missed game two against the Montreal Canadians because of a bout with Dehydration.

Why wouldn't a best of three series work in the first round of the NCAA tourney?

Huskier Mike's blog post got me thinking about this subject even more.

Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald threw his support to a switch in the NCAA hockey tournament, making the first round a best-of-three series on the home ice of the higher seed. (H/T: Goon) Looking at the attendance of the regionals, it's obvious the current format isn't working with neutral ice. Take a page from baseball and play it on home ice where the fans can watch. And a best-of-three series lessens the impact of a bogus call in overtime. (Yes, Weasel fan: no matter what you say, those replays were inconclusive.)

With the finality of the one and done NCAA hockey tourney it’s almost a travesty to watch a team that was a number one seed and probably a division winner during the regular season lose their first game of a one and done tourney.

Why not have the first round match up at the home arena of the higher seed? What is the harm, the teams would still be picked from the Pair Wise Rankings. This would alleviate number one seeds having to play a four seed in their home arena. I get the argument that Miami needed to get it done if they wanted to move forward, but maybe they deserved better than the fate they got. Maybe one questionable controversial goal wouldn't be as hard to swallow and said team would live to fight another day. Imagine the boat load of money this format would also make a boat load of money for the NC$$.

Of course you get these kinds of flawed arguments in respond to Brad's proposal.

I agree with the school sites for the higher seed for attendance but a best of three series will pretty much ruin the chance of any small school of winning but it does benefit UND and other super teams. The single game elimination gives any team a chance which may not sell as many tickets at the actual events, but makes it a lot more interesting than having UND, Michigan, one of the Boston teams and Denver every single year in the Frozen Four.

By having to win two out of three games in the first round, that would actually make the team that won in the first round more legit in my mind. I don’t buy this logic of the smaller teams would suffer. Last time I checked the University of Minnesota Duluth was a small school that is division one in college hockey only… Minnesota Duluth’s other sports (football, basketball, golf etc) play in the NSIC which is a division II conference. The fact that UMD won the title this season, proves that the small schools can still win the NCAA title and that they are still relevant, a swing and a miss on that point.

I also think that if Union have had to travel to Duluth to play in the first round of the NCAA tourney we probably still would have had the same results. I don’t by the logic that the NCAA tourney needs to stay in a empty neutral site for the small schools to remain relevant.

Also, in case anyone was keeping track, there was only "one" Big Ten School that made the NCAA playoffs this season. The Frozen Four included two teams that had never won an NCAA title (Notre Dame and UMD). I don’t buy that argument that the same four teams will be in the frozen four every year if we have the first round games in the higher seeds home arena.

Like I said earlier; "If this proposed format would do anything it would probably poke holes in the PWR/RPI rankings and prove that certain teams rankings were way over rated."

Herald; NCAA should consider altering hockey playoff format

Brad Schlossman has an awesome article in today's Grand Forks Herald title; the NCAA should consider altering hockey playoff format. I couldn't agree more with the premise and I hope the NCAA goes that route. One snag that could keep the Fighting Sioux from hosting a best two out of three series is the Fighting Sioux nickname if the NCAA doesn't change it's policy.

Grand Forks Herald --- This afternoon, Division I hockey coaches and administrators will meet in Naples, Fla., to discuss the NCAA tournament, and they should consider a new format that was proposed at last year’s meetings.

At that time, they discussed changing the first round of the tournament to a best-of-three series in the home building of the higher seed. Then, there would be two super regionals at neutral sites (two games at each site) to determine which teams make the Frozen Four.

This is better than the current format for several reasons: It rewards teams for having good regular seasons, the games will be played in better environments and it will be more profitable for the NCAA.

TV Schedule for the Bruins and Flyers...

Game 1, at Philadelphia, Sat. April 30, 3 p.m. (NBC)
Game 2, at Philadelphia, Mon., May 2, 7:30 p.m. (VERSUS)
Game 3, at Boston, Wed., May 4, 7 p.m. (VERSUS)
Game 4, at Boston, Fri., May 6, 8 p.m. (VERSUS -- joined in progress)
x-Game 5, at Philadelphia, Sun., May 8, 3 p.m. (NBC)
x-Game 6, at Boston, Tues., May 10, TBD (VERSUS)
x-Game 7, at Philadelphia, Thu., May 12, TBD (VERSUS)
x-if necessary

Andrew Ference will not be suspended by the NHL.

According to John Bishop aka BISH...

Chiarelli on Ference: "No suspension."^BISH

Looks like the matter is closed. The fans in Montreal wont be happy and they will claim their is a conspiracy because Colin Campbell's kid plays for the Boston Bruins. The fact remains that Mike Murphy, senior VP of hockey operations was the one that made the decision; Colin Campbell had to recuse himself from the ruling because of his son playing Boston. I know some fans are going to make comments about crickets chirping in the back ground.

This is what Peter Chiarelli had to say on matter at his morning press conference.

Boston Globe --- Andrew Ference was not suspended for his hit on Jeff Halpern. Ference had a disciplinary hearing this morning with Mike Murphy, senior VP of hockey operations. "I thought it was just incidental contact," Chiarelli said of his first reaction. "When I took a closer look, I saw where the league's concerns lie. When you look at the whole play, we turned the puck over at our blue. When that happens, the D is supposed to close off the rim around the wall. [Ference] was moving that way. What Andy said was that he just saw [Halpern] off his shoulder as he was moving. Looking up as he saw the turnover, his motion and the player's motion ran into each other."

They Said what? A couple of quotes...

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

I think this is a good explanation of how a lot of Bruins fans including me feel about show boat and the ever-so-cocky P.K. Subban. Let me be clear, the kid is an amazing talent that God has blessed with amazing athletic ability, however, it does appear that the good Lord given him a two cent brain... P.K. Subban yaps and runs his mouth all game long and then runs and hides behind the refs and turtles when called to the carpet. My advice to the young man is that not everyone is impressed with your antics, less theatrics and more hockey, lets see more highlight goals like the one above, but act like you been there before.

Montreal Gazette --- Montreal defenceman P.K. Subban, who may be the most disliked man in Boston, sent the game into overtime when he scored a power-play goal at 18:23 of the third period.

Subban, who was described by one Boston writer as “a puck, a whiner and a diver,” scored on a shot from the point after Patrice Bergeron went off for high-sticking James Wisniewski.

Damien Cox from the Star had an interesting perspective of how the Bruins "beat" the Montreal Canadian this season. I would say that his point of view is from a Canadian and not someone covering the Boston Bruins. Reading this you would have thought the Boston Bruins were a bunch of ruffians or goons.

Just a year ago, the Habs were money in seventh games, upsetting Washington and Pittsburgh. But in the same way the Blackhawks tied Game 7 against Vancouver late in regulation but lost in overtime, the Habs forced OT Wednesday on a late goal by P.K. Subban, but were then vanquished in the extra session by Nathan Horton’s slapshot goal that was redirected past Carey Price for a 4-3 Boston win.

This, after everything that happened between the Habs and Bruins in the past two months, will be a bitter pill for the Canadiens and their legions of fans to swallow. Not only were they eliminated by Boston, the Habs were brutalized by the Bruins all season.

It started with the controversial Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty, included one brawl-filled contest, continued into the sixth game of this series with Milan Lucic’s vicious hit on Jaroslav Spacek and in Game 7 included Andrew Ference’s dirty headshot on Jeff Halpern that went unpenalized.

The Bruins did this year what the Caps couldn’t last year, and that was use their superior size to bully the smallish Habs.

montreal canadiens tickets

Jack Edwards post game seven analysis...

I really like this one, I know that there are many people that don't like Jack Edwards but I really like this guy and what he brings to the table, Edwards also adds a lot of color to the Boston Bruins television broadcasts.

The Bruins are moving on. Ference to face spin of the Wheel of Justice

The Boston Bruins closed out the Montreal Canadians last night in overtime of game seven after being down 2-0 to start the series. I felt at times the Bruins were lucky to be in this series as the Speedy Habs were all over the Boston Bruins and beating the Bruins to the puck only to be stoned by the Boston Bruins all-world goalie Tim Thomas. At other times the Bruins looked like they were a much better team. I thought all around this was a sloppy series and the breaks for the most part went Boston's way as the Bruins won three games in overtime. The fact that the Bruins beat the Habs again in the Stanley Cup playoffs makes this win even more special.

Power Play outage

The thing that is hard to phantom is that he Boston Bruins didn’t score a power play goal the whole series against the Canadians and were able to win the series. Also the Bruins gave up a shorthanded goal tonight. The Bruins went 0-21 on the power play against the Canadians.

Andrew Ference to face the Wheel of Justice

Andrew Ference has a conference call with the NHL disciplinarian for this hit on the Habs forward Jeff Halpern during the third period of last night's game. Based on what some players have been allowed to get away with during the first round of the NHL playoffs, it's hard to imagine what kind of a punishment that Andrew Ference would get.

NESN.COM ---- Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference may not be with the Bruins on Saturday afternoon when they open up their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup in Philadelphia against the Flyers.

According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, Ference will have an 11 a.m. phone hearing with the NHL on Thursday to discuss his hit on Montreal's Jeff Halpern. The hit in question took place in the third period of the Bruins' 4-3 win over the Canadiens in Game 7 of their first-round series.

Halpern fell to the ice and eventually had to be helped off after apparently colliding with Ference's shoulder. The hearing will likely center around whether or not Ference leaned into Halpern to deliver the blow.

As McKenzie pointed out in a later tweet, it will be interesting to see what the league does for a guy like Ference who was critical of teammate Daniel Paille after Paille received a four-game suspension February for his hit on Dallas' Raymond Sawada.

Questionable Ference hit on Halpern (by REDWING77)

Viewing this hit, what is surely going to happen in the comments thread of this video is the proverbial splitting of hairs. Halpern and Ference collide. There is DEFINITELY contact to the head on this play.

The hair splitter is whether or not Ference raised his elbow/shoulder. His elbow clearly bends pre-hit, but his shoulder does not rise. Nevertheless, Halpern does something EXTREMELY stupid: Skate at a player with his head down.

I'm not quite certain what Halpern was trying to do here. The puck wasn't near Ference when Halpern swerved to maneuver into contact with Ference and Ference clobbered him... seemingly.

The issue with Ference is that he sees it coming and does nothing to avoid contact. In fact, he slows down before contacting Halpern. This could mean two things (hence another hair splitter):

1. Ference was trying to soften the blow, as skating produces a shifting of the shoulders that could produce an actual elbow or shoulder to the head in so much as seemingly intentional of manner, just as much as the momentum going in the opposite direction of the oncoming Halpern could further cause harm.

2. Ference slowed down to ensure contact with Halpern.

Both are plausible. Also the pretence that Halpern skated in on Ference to level Ference may have been the intent and Halpern just did it wrong.

Either way, no suspension. But Montreal will call for it.

Let the hair splitting commence.

The Good, The Bad, and Cooke's Season's Over (REDWING77)

My Oh My..... Gary Bettman, if you're reading this, don't worry big guy. You're still the boss. And there's always next year. Perhaps at the GM meetings this offseason you can make a new rule that breathing on Crosby will be a 5 minute major and an automatic 3 game suspension.

The Bad

Chicago lost in 7 to Vancouver. Man, I'm bummed about this. But it really comes down to what I thought it wouldn't come down to: Offensive inconsistency. I thought Chicago's weakness was Crawford (well, Turco, but he sucks so bad, he isn't even allowed to carry Crawford's bags... which brings me to this question: Who sucks worse: Turco or Huet? Tough one! Still say Huet. Turco was good for more than one season at one point). I was wrong. Crawford was the bright spot in Game 7. Toews finally showed up offensively. Big drop from Conn Smythe to barely noticeable on the stat sheet. I know, he wasn't bad in this series but... everyone is ruled by the stat sheet.

Anaheim vs. Nashville: I wonder if anyone in Tennessee even knows that the Preds won a series? This series was only slightly more noticeable than the Cubs baseball games in that time period... but alas, Anaheim and Nashville could beat the Cubs... And yeah, at baseball. And yeah, the Cubs are that big of a joke.

The Colin Campbell Wheel of Justice. I understand you want to take a stance that physical play belongs in hockey. I agree with you. But dangerous hits to the head doesn't belong in hockey. Might want to revisit that.

The Good

2/3rds of the Triumverate of Awful are eliminated!!!! (The Avs were eliminated 2 months into the season so I guess that means 3 of 3?) Somewhere Gary Bettman is squeezing the crap out of that stuffed penguin pet he has and crying into his Pens Jammies. His beloved boys are out! Carey Price is OUT! Let me explain:

First, Montreal. You know, I despise Carey Price. Normally, it would end there. I have nothing against any of the other players, coaches, or whatever. However, how come so many of Montreal's web-based fanbase come across as such pompous, arrogant whiners? Uh huh huh, so you can speak two languages! Uh huh huh so you historically root for a team that has won 25 Stanley Cups (probably more). But you haven't won since Patrick Roy was a rookie. Gracious in losing and in everything is what measures a fanbase. And, I admit, I root for two fanbases that have shown their backsides at times, but really... grow up guys.

Second, Pittsburgh. I feel for Crosby. He is an innocent in all of this. But he's also the Messianic message to Pittsburgh fans and the NHL Front Office. After all, no way would TB have won had Crosby been playing. After all, that's what the commentators say every time the Pens lose when Crosby isn't on the ice! In fact, I'm fairly sure that, if Crosby were healthy and the game was called the way it was supposed to be called, Pittsburgh wouldn't have lost a single game since Crosby first suited up for the Pens. He is a God child anyways.

As for Fleury, he played well, but I still think he's an overrated goaltender. Not quite as overrated as Carey Price (who I predict is going to get a nice paycheck to suck for X years for Montreal... Yep, he's the next Jose Theodore for Montreal), but that's not the story. He got outplayed by 41 year old Dwayne Roloson. The neatest Fleury trick though was Moore burned him 2 times in a row... WITH THE SAME DARN PLAY! You'd think, as Crybaby Roenick pointed out, a GREAT team like the Pens would learn. Nope. Fleury first learned that he was scored on when the red light when Moore celebrated coming out from behind the net.

As for Matt Cooke, his suspension ended up being just the right length, which is KARMATIC JUSTICE. He can now stare moodily at the video footage with Byslma 24/7 until training camp starts up without worrying about which playoff team is he going to traumatize with his cheap and illegal antics. SUCK IT COOKE.

The Red Wings: You know what: I think the Red Wings are now more dangerous. They were fairly banged up coming into the playoffs but this sweep of the Yotes may be just what the doctor ordered. In other news, the Yotes might be distracted by wondering where to address their moving boxes.

The Bruins: As Goon48 stated, Julien's job was on the line and Julien made it past the Habs. YAY! Now if the Bruins can just do what no one other than Chicago has been able to do in the last two seasons: Finish off the pesky Flyers. Bad news? Pronger is back so Savard better watch o... oops. Nevermind.

The Lightning takes on the Caps. Bettman's red headed stepchild is still in the hunt so look for the rare Ovechkin Snuggie to make an appearance wherever Bettman watches the games.

Looks like it win or be fired for Claude Julien...

Getty Images

The Boston Bruins looked pretty good winning the Northeast Division Title by 7 points, however since the Stanley Cup Playoffs began the Boston Bruins have looked disorganized and disjointed and are being saved many times by their all world goalie Tim Thomas.

According to KPD of the Boston Globe this could be Claude Julien's last game behind the Boston bench if the Bruins don’t win game seven of their series against the Montreal. Personally, as a Bruins fans I think head coach Claude Julien has been a miserable failure, none of his teams have been able to get out of the second round and last years meltdown during that Stanley Cup playoffs after being up three games to zero against the Flyers clinched it for me. I think if the Bruins’ lose tonight the GM and the head coach of the Boston Bruins should be fired.

Kevin Paul Dupont, Boston Globe --- Time to man up on advantage. The Bruins have at least one more game, tonight, in a win-or-go-home Game 7 matchup with the Canadiens, to figure out how to wring a little cash out of a bankrupt power play. They’ve had two months to figure out those economics, including the first six games of this series, only to be left musing why they can’t get the kind of five-on-three advantages the Habs used last night to score both goals in a 2-1 victory.

“Well, let’s put it this way,’’ said Boston coach Claude Julien, who’ll need to win tonight if he hopes to preserve his job behind the bench beyond his fourth season. “It is struggling. We’ve talked about that. But they scored twice at five on three . . . five on four they weren’t a threat, and neither were we. I thought five on five we controlled the game. I know I would have liked to have a five on three, and maybe our power play would have scored, too.’’

Now, honestly, that’s open to much debate, considering the Bruins stand an eyesore 0 for 19 on the power play through six games. They went 0 for 4 last night, again too often looking hapless, punchless, and shapeless when awarded that little extra elbow room by the referees.

Would a two-man advantage help them? Hey, maybe? It could also double the pain, place a brighter spotlight on the total tonnage of their inefficiency.

Bruins not expecting Lucic to be disciplined.

According to the Boston Globe's Fluto Shinzawa, the Bruins haven't heard from the NHL about Milan Lucic being disciplined for his hit on Jaroslav Spacek. This is going to make the Habs and their fans howl... You will hear a bunch of garbage about the NHL being in bed with Boston because Colin Campbell's son plays for the Bruins.

As of 1:30 a.m., the Bruins had not heard from the league regarding any supplemental discipline for Milan Lucic. They are assuming Lucic will be available for Game 7.

Lucic was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for his second-period boarding penalty on Jaroslav Spacek. After Patrice Bergeron was called for delay of game during the major, the Canadiens scored the game-winning goal during a five-on-three power play.

Mike Murphy, senior vice president of hockey operations, was not available for comment.

Toews scores while falling forward...

Wow! Check out this beautiful goal by former Fighting Sioux and Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews, that was a clutch goal. It’s hard to believe that Toews only scored one goal in a seven game series. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks season ended in overtime with a goal from Vancouver Canucks pest Alexandre Burrows.

Milan Lucic hit on Jaroslav Spacek

First some disclosure I am a Boston Bruins fans, I am in now way condoning what Lucic did tonight, it was a bad hit and would get Lucic a game suspension during the regular season I have not doubt about it… In this case I think the hands of the NHL Disciplinarian(s) are tied; if the NHL didn't suspend Mike Richards for his dangerous hit on Tim Connolly there is no reason to believe that Bruins forward Milan Lucic will be suspended by the NHL for his hit.

If Lucic is suspended by the NHL then I do believe the Boston Bruins would have a legitimate complaint as well. What do you think is going to happen to Lucic? To the person that suggested that this one hit puts Lucic on par with Pen's Hack Matt Cooke, that suggestion is so far off the mark it's silly. Lucic doesn't have a history of making hits like this, Cooke has made a living doing these kinds of things.

American Hockey Coaches Association convention is this week.

It could prove to be an interesting week in college hockey, its sounds like college hockey realignment is going to be one of the more popular discussions… It would be fun to be a fly on the wall and just be able to listen to what these people have to say.

Andy Baggot, Madison.com --- American Hockey Coaches Association convention is staged Wednesday to Sunday in Naples, Fla. Coaches and administrators from every affiliation will be on hand to ostensibly map out the future of NCAA Division I men's hockey.

For the first time, the six members of the newly proposed Big Ten Conference will get together at the AHCA convention to devise strategy and policy for their debut in 2013-14. That includes the University of Wisconsin, which will send its men's and women's coaching and support staffs as well as three administrators: UW senior associate athletic director Sean Frazier, athletic board chair Walter Dickey and athletic board member Sheila McGuirk.

Those meetings will take place under the same roof of the five established leagues -- Atlantic Hockey, Central Collegiate Hockey Association, Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference, Hockey East Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association -- whose futures are tied in various ways to the Big Ten.

Most affected are the CCHA, which is losing Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State, and WCHA, which is losing Minnesota and UW.

There has been a lot of talk recently of mergers and acquisitions, most centering on CCHA resident Notre Dame, which reportedly has had talks with WCHA officials.

Is a WCHA/CCHA super league in the offing? What will become of independent Alabama-Huntsville? Is there another Big Ten program on the drawing board?

Perhaps most important, who will dictate and oversee the changes? Will they be on the same page or will there be rogue entities?

One thing seems certain: the AHCA meetings will be anything but dull.

Joe Thornton OT winner

Joe Thornton has had a reputation for choking during the playoffs, if you don't believe me all you have to do is go to http://www.google.com and type Joe Thornton and Choke. I think last night Joe Thornton exercised some playoff demons.

Vancouver GM Mike Gillis whining about the officiating.

Talk about whining, holy cow... So how does Vancouver GM Mike Gillis get away about complaining about the refs and not get fined by the NHL? Also, if you're unhappy with the number of penalties your team has taken, tell your players to stop taking ill advised penalties. Basically this guy is begging the refs to not call penalties on his players. I think this press conference could back fire on him. As hockey fans, I am guilty, I complain about the officials as well, I admit it, but I am not a general manager of an NHL franchise. There are always 6-7 calls that could go your way in any game, that don't go your way. That's hockey.

The Chris Conner Kerfuffle

I actually feel bad for this kid, on the big stage in the big game... Former Michigan Tech University Husky and current Pittsburgh Penguins forward Chris Conner loses the handle on the puck during a penalty shot during tonight's game. Unfortunately for Chris Conner his is going to be on all of the highlights tonight.

But of course; Flyers SBN blogger didn't think Richards hit warranted a suspension

They don't call the Flyers the Broad Street Bullies for nothing. I find this blog post and the comments to be remotely entertaining, I thought I would share them with you... The sad part is that Karma has a way of evening things out. Eventually Mike Richards is going be on the receiving end of one of these hits... It will be interesting to see if the Flyers fans will say the same things they are now. There was no malicious intent, players shouldn't have put himself in that position, blah, blah, blah.

Broad Street Hockey ---- I base my opinion off of a few things. For starters, I don't believe there's any malicious intent from Richards, and it does sound horrible and you feel bad saying it, but there's definitely some onus on Connolly to not put himself in that kind of position. The rulebook even says that.

But for the most part, I think the lack of suspension is the right call based solely on the precedent we've seen in these playoffs so far. Jarret Stoll sat one game for direct contact to the head of Ian White, as did Chris Kunitz for his elbow to the head of Simon Gagne. Those are much more egregious hits than Richards', considering the whole contact-to-the-head factor.

Richards isn't innocent in the slightest bit, and honestly, I'd be surprised if this wasn't a suspension in the regular season. Now, though, this isn't suspension worthy in the playoffs, as the NHL has held a pretty strong line on not enforcing this hit-from-behind stuff. That should change, but for now, the Flyers have their captain in Game 7.

Michael Frolik penalty shot...

I have never seen a goalie get hurt on a penalty shot before. I hope that Canucks goalie Cory Schneider is ok. Schneider was playing well until he was pulled from the game due to this injury.

Bryan Bickell smokes Canucks "bleep" Kevin Bieksa...

First off I can't stand Kevin Bieksa, he has been running around all over the ice acting like a "Bush League" hack... My question is to you is, do you think this is the same kind of hit as the Raffi Torres hit on Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook? I think their different hits, in my opinion Brent Seabrook never touched the puck behind the Hawks net, but Kevin Bieksa did have possession of the puck. I want to know what you think, is this the same kind of hit?

Vancouver Sun --- Bieksa didn't see him approaching, was vulnerable, and Bickell lowered his shoulder and drilled the defenceman in the head, sending him flying, a tremendous collision of the type that is certain to make the next Rock'em Sock'em collection.

It was a virtually identical hit to the one with which Vancouver's Raffi Torres flattened the vulnerable Blackhawks defenceman Brent Seabrook, concussing him, in Game 3. The only difference was that Bieksa had the puck, Seabrook did not, so where Torres was handed a minor penalty for interference, Bickell was entirely unpenalized.

We don't yet know what the effect on Bieksa's brain will be. Seabrook's symptoms didn't appear until a day later.

Both hits were, in exactly the same way, deplorable: blindside hits targeting the head of an unsuspecting opponent, the kinds of hits the NHL ought to want to be rid of, but seems instead to make every possible excuse for, even to encourage.

Another perspective on the Fighting Sioux nickname and the NCAA...

I really like what this guys says and it would appear that there is a growing dislike for how the NCAA has handled this situation.

David Coulson, Executive Editor/Managing Partner College Sporting News --- Emmert was a breath of fresh air that afternoon as he outlined his plans for a more forthright NCAA. The one-time Montana State administrator even stayed around to watch Eastern Washington beat Delaware in the championship game.

But after reading about how the NCAA is treating the University of North Dakota, it looks like things are pretty much status quo for this most frustrating of organizations.

Let me get this straight, the NCAA cannot find a way to stand up to Cam Newton as his father tries to sell him off to the highest bidder, but it thinks it is important to bother UND about its supposedly politically insensitive nickname of the Fighting Sioux.

Nothing bothers me much more than hypocrisy and no organization epitomizes that term more than the NCAA, just as it has since the days of its first president, Walter Byers.

Its previous leader, the late Miles Brand, might have accomplished a lot during his tenure, particularly in the area of academic reform, but one of the biggest wastes of time during those years was the NCAA's attack on Native American nicknames.

And it appears this Gestapo-like siege isn't going to change under Emmert, the organization's fifth executive director.

Some petty, dipstick of a bureaucrat named Bernard Franklin — officially an "executive vice president" with the NCAA — announced this week that it didn't matter that the state of North Dakota had passed legislation requiring North Dakota to use its historical nickname of the Fighting Sioux, because the NCAA was ready to penalized UND anyway.

First off, as a means of full disclosure, I have some Cherokee blood running through my veins, so I know from history what it means to have a Native American group face discrimination.

If a team in North Carolina, or some other state with historical status wants to honor my Cherokee roots with a team moniker, I have zero problem with it, just as I don't mind Notre Dame honoring some of my other ancestors by calling themselves the Fighting Irish.

Awesome BSU Hockey video

Beaver Hockey from Beaver Hockey on Vimeo.

Here is a promotional Video for BSU hockey that Troy Mills had posted on his facebook page. Troy is the owner the BSU Hockey message board, the Beaver Pond. My friend Scott Williams with the call on the goals from Lakeland Public Television.

Ex-Eagle Ben Smith forces game 7 for the Blackhawks...

There was a story line that I didn't think about, two Boston College Eagles played a big hand in tonight's game between the Blackhawks and the Canucks. First Cory Schneider played hockey with Ben Smith at Boston College and now were facing each other in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Obviously, Cory Schneider was the Vancouver Canucks goalie, albeit before he left the game because of an injury that he suffered on the penalty shot goal by Blackhawks forward Michael Frolik.

In the overtime Blackhawks forward Ben Smith was able to get the upper hand on his former teammate by ending the game with his goal at the 15:30 mark of overtime, forcing a game seven. The final twist is; Apparently the Canucks have two goalies that are both banged up, Roberto Luongo was hurt in game four and Schneider was hurt in tonight's game.

Mike Richards pastes Tim Connolly

Another night, another dangerous hit. The Buffalo Sabres are not happy with Mike Richards hit on Tim Connolly. Sabres All World goalie Ryan Miller had this to say on the hit, "If Mike Richards thinks we're getting away with murder I don't know what he just got away with. Mass murder? Are we stepping up a notch? Unbelievable." This could be a rough game seven if either team gets a big lead. If you see a players rear numbers you can not drive them face first into the boards.

PSU to hire Guy Gadowsky as head coach

Interesting! While many said that Scott Sandelin was the front runner for the PSU head coaching position the PSU Nittany Lions select Princeton head hockey coach Guy Gadowsky as their guy.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curley has announced the hiring of Guy Gadowsky, formerly of Princeton University, as the first head coach of the men's ice hockey program. The 2008 Inside College Hockey National Coach of the Year, Gadowsky brings 15 years of head coaching experience to lead the Nittany Lions into NCAA Division I competition starting in 2012-13.

Gadowsky has spent the past seven years leading Princeton's resurgence, which includes NCAA Championship berths in 2008 and '09 and the 2008 ECAC Hockey Championship. A native of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, he was head coach at Alaska-Fairbanks for five years prior to taking the reins of the Princeton program and has earned league coach of the year honors at each of his three head coaching posts.

"Guy is the perfect choice for Penn State," said Penn State President Graham Spanier. "He has been immensely successful, is a great motivator, knows how to build programs, and has strong academic values."

"Pursuing success with honor. Building tradition. Achieving excellence. As we launch our hockey program at the Division I level, these are the on and off-ice expectations, and Guy Gadowsky has successfully accomplished these goals and more throughout his career. We welcome Guy and his family to Hockey Valley," said Curley.

"I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to lead Penn State hockey during this transitional period and into Division I," Gadowsky said. "I am truly honored to join Penn State and the spirit, pride, passion, class and professionalism found within its students, staff and alumni. I am humbled by the tremendous gift by the Pegula family and the commitment by Penn State. This is a very exciting time for college hockey and Penn State and our family is thrilled to be joining the Penn State family."

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany on the B1G Hockey Farce

This article was in the Omaha.com newspaper on Friday. Its the same stuff again, we (Big Ten) are trying to do what's best for college hockey, we are trying to be sensitive. Which is basically a load of crap, B1G is just  trying to maximize their profits with their television network and they could care less about the have-nots of college hockey, BGSU, FSU, LSSU, NMU and WMU of college hockey. Personally, I think the WCHA and the CCHA should tell the Big Ten, good luck and don't let the door hit you in the @$$ on the way out. Pardon me if I am not enthusiastic about the Big Ten Hockey Conference. You can call me a hater, whatever, I don't care...

Omaha.com --- Prompted by Penn State's decision to launch a program, the move was long rumored, but that didn't make it any more popular in some hockey hotbeds around the Midwest.

UNO coach Dean Blais voiced his opposition, saying the move could potentially ruin college hockey, dismantling old rivalries and hurting low-budget programs. What's Jim Delany's response?

Jim Delany: “I don't think anybody has been more sensitive or hands-off on college hockey than the athletic directors and coaches at Big Ten universities for the last 20 years. We had five institutions that played. They did everything they could to help hockey maintain itself. It's not a sport that's widely sponsored outside of certain regions of the country. And every time the issue came up, they said we need to do what's in the best long-term interest for hockey.

“Before Penn State announced its (hockey) membership, it really talked to the conference athletic directors and presidents about forming a hockey league if we got to the minimum of six institutions. We had a good discussion about that and decided that if we had six members, we would want a Big Ten hockey league, as we do in every sport that has six members. There were things about that that would be good for Big Ten hockey and there would be things that would help grow hockey. We may ultimately end up with more than six members doing hockey.

“But before we announced it, at least a year ago, we went to the commissioners of both hockey leagues (WCHA and CCHA). We told them we wanted to be thorough, respectful and we wanted to communicate with all the hockey schools. In fact, we spent a lot of time talking with the two commissioners about how we could put our schedules together in a way that served other hockey-member-playing institutions. We wanted to commit to them those nonconference games ... They continued to say, ‘You need to let us know what you're going to do, so we can make plans. We then said, ‘Well, give us numbers of every athletic director in every hockey school in your conference.' We wanted to communicate directly with them to see how best we could serve. They preferred that we not. I don't know why. But we had offered to do that, to work with them, to sync up schedules.

More Colin Campbell....

Time to strike while the iron is hot, the time has come for Colin Campbell to move on, I believe that Campbell usefulness has come to and end... I can see why people are becoming unhappy with the status quo in the NHL. after listening to this podcast. I have to admit that I had not heard the postcast in question till this morning, this man sounds like a bumbling buffoon.

PITTSBURGH - The NHL hockey operations department has endured a difficult season, and apparently it's far from over.

But perhaps it's time for NHL head disciplinarian Colin Campbell to step down from his role and hand it off to somebody else. Campbell has taken a large amount of criticism this season for his decisions, whether it was from suspensions handed down or plays in which it was deemed a suspension was not worthy.

Campbell is no doubt in a difficult spot, having to answer to the 30 general managers while dealing with plenty of backlash from fans and media for his decisions. And this playoff season has particularly been tough on Campbell as there have been five suspensions already handed out in the first round — there were four all of last postseason — on top of suspensions to Vancouver's Raffi Torres and Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke that carried into the playoffs.

But Campbell is starting to show the strain of the decisions he makes and all but snapped during a radio interview with TSN Radio, based out of Toronto, with James Cybulski and Dave Feschuk. Campbell accused the hosts at one point of having an agenda and not watching hockey.

"Thankless job? Yeah, it's thankless," he said. "Especially at this time of year when there's so much at play here with the playoffs and cities are involved. When you rule on certain situations, all of a sudden you become public enemy No. 1. ... Am I (ticked) off right now? Yeah I'm (ticked) off.''

Time for Colin Campbell to step aside.

I couldn't agree more... To be honest with you I don't know a lot of people that like Colin Campbell and I can't imagine him leaving would have a negative affect on the NHL. All I see is a positive.

Steve Simmons, Toronto Sun --- The time has come for Gary Bettman to take Colin Campbell aside, hand him a nice going-away cheque, and say thanks.

The time is relatively soon — at the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Campbell has been on the job as chief NHL disciplinarian for too long. He has become too erratic, too emotional, too exposed to be of real internal or external value to the league any longer. His explosive interview on TSN Radio this week was both telling and startling: There was a Howard Beale element to it all: Campbell may not be mad as hell — in most cases, I’ve found him to be rather sane, terribly human and always approachable — but he doesn’t seem to be willing to take it anymore.

The job of patrolling the out-of-control state of the NHL borders on the impossible. Campbell has had a long run and mostly a good run as sheriff. It’s time for someone else to find out just how impossible this position happens to be.

Sunday Links....

Redwing77's favorite TV Sports personality, NESN play by play announcer Jack Edwards with the call of the Boston Bruins game winning goal by Nathan Horton against the Habs in the second over time.

There is no question that Capitals Defenseman Mike Green is tough, all I can say is ouch, check out the video of Green taking a puck to the head/face vs the Rangers... You can see pieces of his helmet exploding. [Click to view]

The CBC Hockey Night in Canada Hot Stove; the The panel discusses the possible relocation of the Phoenix Coyotes. Screw the players that don't want to play in Winnipeg. [Click to watch]

Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien says that Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas deserves to win the Vezina trophy, I agree, without a great season from Tim Thomas the Boston Bruins would have been a middle of the road team in the North East Division... I have heard all of the arguments about all of the various goalies around the NHL that played well this season but Thomas has a very, very good season... Do you think the Chicago Blackhawks are impressed with Roberto Luongo right now? Who would you rather have back stopping your team right now?[Click to view]


Last night former Fighting Sioux and current Anaheim Ducks forward Jason Blake scored two hard working goals against the Nashville Predators. Jason Blake's two goals last night brought back memories of Jason Blake and his days with the Sioux. Jason Blake was a work horse when he was with the Sioux, he was compared to the Energizer Bunny because he never quit working hard and he never game up around the net. [goal number two]

Brooksie and Torts at it again...

While this is a little old, I found this video to be amusing. If you haven't seen this video John Tortorella and Larry Brooks have a long history and they get into it once again last week.

Seriously, I wonder why Torts even takes questions from Larry Brooks anymore, it's obvious that Brooks and Torts can't play nice together. You can also bet that these two guys aren't going to go out for coffee and discuss the weather or anything for that matter. You have to wonder if John Tortorella is going to be around much longer in New York if he Rangers are bounced from the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Washington Capitals.

The two faces of Pen's Hack Matt Cooke

For some reason the Globe and Mail from Toronto wants to remake the image of Matt Cooke the player. I could care less if Matt Cooke donated some hockey equipment to a junior team in Canada. As a Boston Bruins fan I am still disgusted that Matt Cooke got away "scott-free" with dirty hit on Marc Savard where Cooke tried to dislodge Savard's head from the rest of his body.

Globe and Mail --- Matt Cooke is spending part of his days as a suspended NHL player in front of a video screen, with Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma or one of his assistants, Tony Granato or Todd Reirden.

There, Cooke sits and watches the dirty hits that brought the outrage of the hockey world down on him last month.

The idea, Penguins general manager Ray Shero said, is to bring back a changed man when Cooke returns from his latest suspension that covered the final 10 games of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs. Pittsburgh leads the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first-round series three games to one, with a chance to close it out Saturday (CBC, noon ET). If the Pens advance, he could be back in action as early as next week.

“The coaches say [to Cooke] you have to be careful with this, be more conscious of this,” Shero said. “I think he wants to change the way things happen for him.”

Shortly after NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell announced the fifth suspension of Cooke's career for a hit to the head of New York Rangers defenceman Ryan McDonagh on March 20, Cooke said, “I realize and understand more so now than ever that I need to change.”

The million-dollar question is, can he change? Is the 32-year-old forward afflicted with an internal trigger that sets off uncontrollable, violent behaviour? Or is his intimidating, injurious style of play really a cold, contrived strategy designed to keep him playing in the NHL as long as possible?

Color me skeptical and while you can’t see me, please note that I am rolling my eyes… I don’t see how a player that has played the game the way Matt Cooke does for so long is now somehow going to change the way he plays and now we are to believe that Cooke is a reformed player that is going to play the game within the confines of the rules. Yeah; and I have some beach front property in Florida that I would like to sell you, real cheap too. I will believe it when I see it. I think the next time this ruffian (or insert your own adjective_________ to describe Matt Cooke) screws up the NHL should really throw the book at him. I am all for bone crushing checks and good fights between heavy weights but the stuff Cooke doesn’t isn’t good hockey.

Bobby Ryan's skate down the ice - Awesome goal...

Wow! That was an amazing effort for a beautiful goal by the Anaheim Ducks forward Bobby Ryan, this is one of those highlight goals that should be on an NHL promotion... Bobby Ryan had just returned from a two game suspension; Ryan was suspended for games three and four after stomping on the skate of Nashville defenseman Jonathon Blum in Game 2 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.

Former ND AG Alen Olson tees off on NCAA...

It’s about time someone with some political clout said something in response to the NCAA. So kudos to former ND Governor and Attorney General Allen Olson for taking the NCAA to task.

Grand Forks Herald --- Allen Olson served two terms as North Dakota attorney general before he was elected governor in 1980. In the early 1990s, former UND President Charles Kupchella asked him to serve on an advisory committee concerning the nickname, and last year Kelley named Olson to his nickname “transition cabinet,” to help guide a respectful retirement of the popular name and logo.

“What bothers me the most about this … I see the politics of it,” Olson said.

“Setting aside the emotions of the Native American and non-native relationships of this issue, it was an easy way for the NCAA to offset the legitimate criticisms they had received for years about the extraordinary amounts of money involved in collegiate sports,” he said. “It seemed to me it was an easy way for the NCAA to use a serious and significant issue that deserved serious attention but turn it to their advantage and use their monopoly power” to force a change.

“I wish I had more respect for the NCAA,” Olson said. “It is a flawed organization.”

Citing NCAA controversies over money in collegiate sports and other matters, Olson said the association “certainly (has) been humbled. In the past few years, they’ve been forced to feel the heat over some irrational policies.

“My sense is (the campaign against member schools’ use of American Indian names and logos) was a way to respond to the academic intelligentsia critics on NCAA member campuses where they were under continuous criticism,” he said. “It was a convenient and easy way for them to claim credibility.”

NCAA officials, provided a synopsis of Olson’s comments, responded tersely.

“Mr. Olson is entitled to his opinions,” Bob Williams, NCAA vice president of communications, wrote in an email, “but they have no basis in fact.”

Hextall signs with the Coyotes.

I hope Brett Hextall likes Winnipeg... The Twitter World just exploded with this breaking news, it's what some of us have feared for a while, Brett Hextall signed an entry level deal with the Winnipeg Jets Phoenix Coyotes.

AZcentral.com --- The Phoenix Coyotes have signed forward Brett Hextall to an entry-level contract.

Hextall, 23, scored 13 goals and 16 assists in 39 games at the University of North Dakota. He led his team to two  one Frozen Four appearances in three seasons.

Hextall, the son of former goaltender Ron Hextall, was drafted in the sixth round, 159th overall, by the Coyotes in the 2008 Entry Draft. Ron Hextall played 13 seasons in the NHL.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Think there will be any hurt feelings when this series is done.

This series has turned into a really good hockey series. I think I am going to have to tune in and watch game 6.

They lived up to that reputation on all accounts Thursday night at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, when the Blackhawks scored early and often and blew out the Canucks 5-0 in their own building — which was absolutely silent when the great Vancouver fans weren’t booing their own team.

Raffi Torres got in another cheap shot when he went leg to leg with Ben Smith, Alex Burrows slashed Patrick Kane, Dan Hamhuis tried to end Dave Bolland’s season with a hit to the head and Alex Edler finished the second period with an elbow to Troy Brouwer’s head.

All the game was missing was Kevin Bieksa jumping someone from behind, though he didn’t get the chance and didn’t seem to like it much when Brouwer dropped the gloves and hit back.

So let’s see what the geniuses from the NHL offices decide to do about those two hits to the head, but don’t hold your breath expecting justice from Colin Campbell and Co.

Meanwhile, the Canucks are now officially terrified of the Hawks again, having twice failed to close out the series as the teams head back to Chicago for Game 6, with Vancouver knowing goalie Roberto Luongo is in full-blown meltdown and pondering three straight years of Chicago misery.

Think the $10 million goalie gets another chance to start Sunday in Chicago on a short leash? Can’t wait to find out. [Read the whole article]

Andrew Ference waves with one finger now $2500.00 lighter in the wallet

This is bad, you can not do that. When asked about the incident Ference said, “I apologize. That is not part of my repertoire. My glove got caught up there.” I think Ference would be better off just saying I am sorry and leaving it at that...

NEW YORK -- The NHL fined Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference US$2,500 on Friday for making an obscene gesture during a playoff game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Ference was fined for giving Canadiens fans the finger after a goal in the second period during Boston's 5-4 overtime win over Montreal on Thursday night at the Bell Centre.

Ference apologized later and said his finger got stuck in his glove.
No penalty was assessed for the incident.

Edler's elbow smash to-the-head of Brouwer

Another game, another dirty head shot, seems like the players are not getting the message one bit, it also looks like the Colin Campbell Wheel of Justice will be spinning again today. What the hell is wrong with Alex Edler, who basically started a line brawl at the end of the second period with a dirty unneeded elbow to the face of Troy Brouwer’s... Come on! There is no excuse for that hit, it's unacceptable and there is no way anyone can defend that dirty hit, even the Canucks fans… Whatever happened to playing the game straight up and taking a number?

Are the Canucks gutless?

Here is an interesting article that I found in a Chicago newspaper the Daily Herald, to be honest with you, this is how I have felt for a very long time when it comes to the new NHL. I blame the instigator penalty for much of this.

The crap that goes unanswered today is ridiculous, in the old days if you ran hit someone with a questionable hit you had to answer for it, for example Matt Cooke’s hit on Marc Savard would have caused a bench clearing brawl in the 1970’s, now the refs go out of their way protect the agitators and the punks that skate up and down the ice taking liberties that many times go unanswered...

Daily Herald --- The Vancouver Canucks have long been known as a team that will crack under the strain, succumb to the pressure and ultimately choke away a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

But now they've shown the entire NHL they're gutless, too. Raffi Torres tops the list and Kevin Bieksa isn't far behind.

They're both fairly typical of the “new” NHL, which has created an environment where players aren't held accountable.

The players used to police these matters and settle scores — think Darren McCarty-Claude Lemieux and Dirk Graham-Vlad Konstantinov — and the game was safer because of it, but now the league would rather have Torres running around trying to end careers and never force him to answer for it.

John Scott had every intention of putting Torres in his place Tuesday night late in the game, but as he engaged Torres at the faceoff circle, referee Dan O'Rourke tossed them both, robbing the Hawks of a chance to set things straight.

That's maddening enough — and you wonder why Scott didn't wait until the puck dropped — but then Bieksa suddenly became a tough guy with Scott gone for the night.

He jumped legendary enforcer Viktor Stalberg and began throwing punches before Stalberg even knew he was in a fight.

Wow, Bieksa is some brave man. Does he kick kittens, too?

About 10 minutes earlier, Tanner Glass refused to fight Scott, and when he couldn't get Glass involved, Scott waited too long to have a conversation with Bieksa, who feigned hearing loss and wouldn't even look at Scott — the equivalent of going into the turtle.

Ryder's game winning goal against the Habs'

For the whinny Habs fans and the Montreal media that said the Boston Bruins game winning goal was offsides at the blue line, I watched the video about 10 times and I say not a chance was that goal offsides, take off the red goggles and go back and watch the video again, that was a good call at the blue line and a good goal.

Andrew Ference gives 20,000 whinny Hab's fans the bird.

So you know this obscene gesture is going to cost Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference some cash... I hear that 2,500.00 is the going rate for such an act, I am sure that Ference can afford it. As a Bruins fans I really can't blame Ference for giving the Habs fans the bird, historically Habs fans are some biggest whiners in the NHL and they remind me of a fan base 350 miles to the south and east of us here in Grand Forks, ND... I mean seriously the Habs fans and booed Zedeno Chara every time he touched the puck, let it go already.

Ducks' hack Ruutu suspended for one game - edit Erat to miss game 5

Jarkko Ruutu’s hit on Martin Erat will cost him a one game suspension, Ruutu has been suspended by the NHL and he will miss torrow night's game five between the Ducks and the Predators.

Edit: If you want to read an interesting perspective about the hit click on the link to the Duck's Blog at the Orange County Register, some of the comments are interesting. If you go and a read NHL rule 48 it appears that the hit by Ruutu is a textbook example of a violation of that rule. The rule is pretty straight forward. If the Ruutu hit on Erat was as soft as some Ducks fan s have claimed, then why is Erat going to miss game five? According to the Tennessean Martin Erat will not make the trip to Anaheim for Friday’s Game 5 and is being listed with an upper-body injury. So much for the Theory that Erat took a dive and it was a soft hit. Game, set and match.

TORONTO – Anaheim Ducks forward Jarkko Ruutu has been suspended for one game for delivering a late hit to Nashville Predators forward Martin Erat in Game Four of their Western Conference quarterfinal last night, the National Hockey League announced today.

The incident occurred 4:00 into the second period and Ruutu was assessed a minor penalty for interference on the play.

Ruutu's suspension will be served tomorrow night (April 22) when the Ducks host the Predators in Game Five of the series.

What's wrong with the Denver Post?

Denver Post's Picture

My question made Adrian Dater recent Av's Mail Bag at the Denver Post Av's blog. I don’t know Adrian Dater from Adam and let me be clear; it’s not just Adrian Dater either, for whatever reason it seem to be the modus operandi of the Denver Post to make objectionable headlines and blog post articles to stir up the masses, especially Fighting Sioux fans. Seems like the only time the focus is on the Denver Pioneers is when the Sioux and Pioneers play and the Sioux fans help sell out DU’s arena. But I digress.

This isn’t about DU and UND… It’s about the lack of class in performing drive-by-journalism to bring attention to certain major metropolitan newspaper. I guess the Denver Post is struggling for readers and visitors to their Denver Post on line site as well? I guess people would rather look at the Rocky Mountains than read their newspaper? You don’t see Brad Schlossman or Michael Russo doing this kind of stuff in their work. Maybe the Denver Post could learn from these two individuals.

So why the questionable articles and titles to online posts, there is a documented history; the Denver Post sports writer Mark Kiszla did the same thing during the Wild and Avalanche Stanley Cup playoffs series three seasons ago. Adrian Dater was complaining about Wild forward Cal Cluterbuck earlier this season, he took issue with Cal's hits, but also said, Clutterbuck was running around the ice clucking and turtling from fights after Cal Clutterbuck ate the Av’s lunch during a hockey game.

Mike Chambers did it with his ridiculous Sioux fighter’s comments, and then the unnecessary blog post whining about the treatment a FSN Rocky Mountain reporter Alanna Rizzo got at the REA during a January 2009 series between the Sioux and Pioneers. Finally, the hit piece about Jesse Martin feeling snubbed by Brad Malone during the NCAA regionals.

Can the Post just write articles without having to insult a specific fan base? There was no need to write the title to the Brad Malone signing, none! It was unnecessary and I hope the that University of North Dakota thinks twice before they make their players and coaching staff available to the Denver Post again… I can't see George Gwozdecky being treated like that in the Grand Forks Herald.

Why would The Denver Post try to stir up discontent with Fighting Sioux fans with their latest title: "Avalanche signs Brad Malone, whose hit broke the neck of DU's Martin." Is that really necessary?
---Eric B, Grand Forks, N.D.

Yeah, there were a few complaints about that headline. I think I can speak for The Denver Post here and say there was never any goal to "stir up discontent." But it's a bit of a tricky line here. It shouldn't define his whole life, but the fact is Malone was the guy involved in a very high-profile story here. You have to mention it.

Maybe it didn't have to be so blatantly displayed in the headline, and saved instead for the body of the story, but this was also the Internet version of the story. There tend to be longer and more subject-heavy headlines now on the 'Net, because of search engines and rankings on them.

The fact is, though, there was nothing untruthful in the headline. It's a fact. Let's hope Malone creates better things in his biography around here, to change the headlines.