Drew Stafford with a pretty goal...

Former Fighting Sioux and current Buffalo Sabres forward Drew Stafford with a beautiful highlight goal against the Philadelphia Flyers... The Flyers won the game 4-2 and lead the series two games to one.

Chris Kunitz elbow on Simon Gagne

I saw the TV angle of the Chris Kunitz elbow of Simon Gagne and in my opinion this blatant vicious elbow that warrants at least a game suspension maybe a two game suspension. Of course with the Raffie Torres ruling today, who the heck knows where the Colin Campbell Wheel of Justice will land.

Rink and Run nugget...

I like this idea and yes please... If true this would be a counter weight/punch to the Big Ten Hockey Conference farce.

Rink and Run --- As noted in a comment to a Rink and Run post, there was a buzz at the Frozen Four in St. Paul about the future of Division I hockey, considering the formation of the Big Ten league in 2013-14.

Talk centered on more possible fracturing of the WCHA and the CCHA, with speculation on the formation of another six-team league with Notre Dame, North Dakota, Nebraska-Omaha, Denver, Colorado College and Miami of Ohio.

It’s expected that Notre Dame will soon announce intentions to leave the CCHA, without having a spot in another league, yet. WCHA officials did meet with Notre Dame at the Frozen Four.

Jeff Carter goal on Ryan Miller.

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

Edit - What a goal scorers move by Flyers forward Jeff Carter, as he makes one of the best goaltenders in the NHL look human as he used the defenseman's stick in front of him to deflect the puck past Miller...

Vancouver Canucks forward Raffi Torres gets off Scott free... No suspension coming...

The NHL has decided that it will not suspend Raffi Torres for this hit on Brent Seabrook, of course the Vancouver Canucks fans are happy with this ruling. I think this was a dangerous hit and that some kind of a fine or suspension was warranted. What do you think?

TSN.CA STAFF --- Vancouver Canucks forward Raffi Torres will have no further discipline assessed following his hit on Blackhawks' defenceman Brent Seabrook during Game 3 of their series on Sunday night.

There was no scheduled hearing with the league on Monday. The NHL's Hockey Operations department said that the rule did not violate Rule 48, which provides an interpretation that the area behind the net is designated as a "hitting area".

Torres caught Seabrook with a shoulder to the head during a collision behind Chicago's net midway through the second period. The Vancouver player was given an interference penalty on the play.

More on the canceled 22 April meeting with the NCAA.

Listen to Scott Hennen's of Common Sense Club 1100 A.M. the Flag as he discussed the NCAA backing out of the meeting that was supposed to take place on the 22nd of April 2011...There are some really good points that haven’t been taken into account. [Click to listen]

Cool NCAA Frozen Four Video.

Dell offered a contract by the Habs.

Scout.com

According to the David Marcoux, Aaron Dell was offered a contract by the Montreal Canadians. The Fighting Sioux are also waiting for word from other players whether or not they are going to return for their senior season. There is a chance that the Fighting might not have many seniors on next season's Fighting Sioux hockey team, if Ben Blood, Jason Gregiore and Brett Hextall sign professional deals.

Brad Schlossman, Grand Forks Herald ---- As UND waits for decisions on whether several drafted players will turn pro or return to school, there is an undrafted player who is attracting NHL attention, according to one person.

Sophomore goalie Aaron Dell, who went undrafted, has received a two-year contract offer from the Montreal Canadiens, according to goalie coach David Marcoux, who is based out of Dell’s home providence of Alberta. That’s not to say that Dell will definitely sign that contract, but add Dell to the long list of players to watch this offseason.

Dell had an outstanding season, finishing first nationally in goals-against average, wins and shutouts. He was named the INCH national goaltender of the year and a second-team All-American.

Raffi Torres Hit On Brent Seabrook

Raffi Torres just got back from a four game suspension and he goes out and does this hit on Brent Seabrook, I predict there is going to be another call from the NHL and possibly another unpaid vacation from the NHL for Raffi Torres.

REDWING77 Playoff Update

So far so good!

My Wings are up 2-0 over the 'Yotes and my only regret is that my Wings will knock off a great coach in Dave Tippett. Get rid of Tippett and Phoenix can rot for all I care.

This game, however, was a bit closer than Game 1 in my opinion. We barely hung on to our lead and Datsyuk was lights out with 1 goal and 3 assists.. Yup. He figured in on ALL of Detroit's points last night. That brings me to my claim:

If this is what Detroit looks like day in and day out in the playoffs.... Detroit won't win the Cup. Deep teams that play a well rounded game AND get the best of what they're given win championships. Teams that have it, but only have 1 line that can reliably "bring it" will find the road to the Cup almost impassible. This is what Detroit is doing right now.

They have great depth and veteran leadership. They are dynamic and fun to watch. However... Howard is still relatively inexperienced against playoff caliber opposition in the playoffs and, though he's more than capable of shutting down opponents, he's not done so consistently in the playoffs. And it's mainly been one line that has taken charge. This means, thus far, the Wings aren't blowing anyone away, so the Wings are making Howard work for the win.

The Wings SHOULDN'T have any trouble with Phoenix, but (though the Wings ARE winning) they aren't shutting them down. This does not bode well.

On a separate Detroit note:

As Goon pointed out, the NHL has banned the tossing of octopi onto the ice pregame. I think this was a marvelous move by the NHL. It turns the league into what Bettman truly wishes the league could be: The NBA on ice skates.

Truth be told, traditions are under attack. UND's traditions are under attack and now this tradition is under attack. Next up is the hats.

In fact, I remember the WCHA or NCAA briefly tried to ban throwing hats on the ice after hat tricks stating that the officials first warn the crowd and then assess the home team a 2 minute minor for delay of game. To this day, I can't understand why opposing fans didn't throw stuff on the ice just to get their team up a man.

This ban is all about image, but I wonder: If Bettman's beloved Penguins had a tradition that had people throwing something onto the ice during the pregame or after the first Pittsburgh goal, would this rule still come about? I'm truly not taking a jab at the Penguins as much as I'm pointing at Bettman's hypocrisy and inept incompetence when it comes to consistency.

In other news:

Chicago and Boston are done. Boston has NEVER, not in 26 tries, overcame a 2-0 deficit in the playoffs. In Chicago, Crawford isn't stealing games like Niemi did last year. Crawford isn't bad, but he's not the netminder du jour.

As for Boston, it pisses me off to see 2-0 and 3-1 defeats because it makes Carey Price look good. The guy is a dunderhead and, though he's doing extremely well this year, I can't stand the guy. Like I said, I hope he gets an extension after this season ala Dipietro and proceeds to pull a Huet-job on the Habs. I just pray that the Habs dont' win the Cup or Price will NEVER fade away.

Pittsburgh vs. Tampa:

COMON TAMPA!!!!! Seriously, 3 reasons why Tampa NEEDS to win:

1. Fleury's a sieve... look at game 2.
2. It would stop NHL Network's persistent whining about how Crosby isn't playing.
3. Matt Cooke needs his season to end and the only two ways that happens is if the Pens are eliminated after the first round or he injures another player. I don't want to see any more injuries so... GO TAMPA!!!

Caps vs. Rangers:

Rangers need someone to show up... SOMEONE! Caps are going to sweep at this pace.

That's allll folks!

Crosby to return to the Penguins lineup?

Sidney Crosby was injured on Wednesday January 5th by this hit from behind by Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman and Crosby hasn't played since the questionable hit. At the time of his concussion Crosby had (32g-34a-66 pts)in 41 games. The face of the NHL "could" make his return to the ice in the near future, Gary Bettman is probably having kitten hoping Crosby plays and the Penguins' make it more than one round.

PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby still isn’t ready to return to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup, playoffs or not.

Crosby skated on a fifth line with Mike Comrie and Eric Godard during the Penguins’ morning skate in advance of Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series against Tampa Bay on Friday. But the Penguins’ captain is not ready to take part in any drills with contact.

Crosby, out since Jan. 6 with a concussion, can’t begin thinking about returning to the Penguins’ top line until he first can absorb contact in practice. Even after he does that, he must be cleared by his doctors to play.

The Penguins have not speculated when that might be, and they have given no sign that he will play at any point during the Tampa Bay series.

Coach Dan Bylsma doesn’t believe Crosby is pressuring himself to return sooner than he should.

Crosby wore a headset during Game 1 while sitting in the press box with assistant to the general manager Tom Fitzgerald and goalies coach Gilles Meloche.

“I have not sensed any kind of pressure on Sid that he feels, based on the fact it’s playoffs or that it’s this time of the year, to get back earlier,” Bylsma said. “Actually he’s more in tune with watching the games and what we can do and what adjustments are they making and those types of things. I haven’t sensed anything to do with Sid trying to get back earlier, feeling that pressure, not one bit.”

No Horseplay League; NHL no more octopi to be thrown on the ice.

Hockey News Photo

This one is for my buddy Redwing77, the NHL has decided after all of these years that rules, regulations and laws are more important than traditions. Wait a minute did I just say that? Well you know what I mean, they have been throwing Octopi on the ice for a very long time in Detroit and now the NHL has decided that they no longer feel that this is acceptable. Personally, it sounds like a bunch of crap to me but that's life.

DETROIT -- The NHL apparently is trying to put an end to Detroit playoff tradition that dates back to the early 1950s -- tossing an octopus onto the ice.

The Detroit Red Wings today released the following statement:

"The throwing of objects onto the ice surface is prohibited by the National Hockey League and persons caught doing so may be subject to prosecution for violating local and state laws.''


A fan reportedly was arrested and fined $500 for throwing an octopus onto the ice just before the opening faceoff in Game 1.

“I don't know anything about it,'' Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "I like calamari as much as they next guy, I don't like batter on it, but I like it spicy and cooked. It's part of the tradition here. I just hope the guys that come on to scrape it off aren't digging up the ice. I want it to be smooth.''

A couple of Phoenix players, including goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, said they're not upset when an octopus lands onto the ice in their zone after the national anthem.

NCAA Cancels Meeting With North Dakota Officials About Fighting Sioux Nickname & Logo

Fighting Sioux forever...

Looks like the NCAA doesn't like transparency; I still want the NCAA to look they Spirit Lake Tribe members that voted 67% in favor of UND keeping the Fighting Sioux nickname in the eye and then tell them that the Fighting Sioux nickname is hostile and abusive and that UND can’t keep the name.

Victor Meza, WDAZ --- The NCAA has canceled a meeting with UND and state officials regarding the Fighting Sioux Nickname and Logo.

The NCAA declined to attend because state officials wanted to host an open meeting according to Grant Shaft, a State Board of Higher Education member.

Shaft said just shortly after University of North Dakota's President Robert Kelly informed the NCAA of the changes to the meeting, the NCAA decided to decline the invitation to the April 22 meeting in Bismarck.

The silly season is in full swing. Justin Faulk leaves Duluth

"To the victor go the spoils." Justin Faulk is gone at UMD... While no one wants to see players leave early, this is the reality when you recruit blue chip players, sometimes these players develop quickly or these players are already great studs when they show up at prospective teams. I still think you have to recruit these types of players if you can get them, even if they are only going to stay 1-3 seasons. With how successful the WCHA has been this season, I think we all know that there could be a lot of early departures this season.

RALEIGH, NC – Jason Karmanos, Vice President and Assistant General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Justin Faulk on a three-year, entry-level contract. Beginning with the 2011-12 season, the contract will pay Faulk an average of $750,000 per season at the NHL level or $67,500 per season at the minor-league level. Faulk will receive a $270,000 signing bonus as a part of the contract, and will immediately join the Hurricanes’ top minor-league affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL), for the Calder Cup playoffs.

Denver Post - Goon's Moron of the year...

North Dakota's Brad Malone checks Colorado College left wing Andrew Hamburg into the boards in a game on Jan. 28. Malone was charged with boarding (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)

Wow! All I can say this that whoever wrote this from the Denver Post is my nominee for Moron of the Year. This is what I consider to be drive by gutter journalism, frankly it’s also unacceptable. That is why I like the beat writer that the Fighting Sioux have, you would never see him write a disgusting piece like this.

Seriously! The Denver Post can’t be hurting that much for readership that they needed to piss off Sioux fans and get everyone riled up among the DU and UND fans bases so they would come to the Denver Post site. The bush league aspect of this article is that the author doesn’t even include his/her name, which in my opinion is very classless... Everything written on my blog has a name to it and we take ownership for it.

My first guess was that article was written by the buffoonish Michael Chambers who is the beat writer for the DU Hockey team because its his modus operandi and it would have been my first selection when trying to put a name to this gem, however, that appears to not be the case because a readers posted on the blog that Chambers is on vacation. If it's not Chambers who is notorious for this kind of moronic journalism, then who wrote the piece of S_____? At least be man enough to stand up and put your game to it. Was it Kizla? Adrian Dater? Terry Frei?

I wonder if the Denver Post when referring to Brad Malone is going to mention that he broke Jesse Martin’s neck during a hockey play in every article that they write from here on out… If Malone makes the Avalanche are they going to write Brad Malone who broke Jesse Martin’s neck scored his first professional goal of his career for Colorado.

Avalanche signs Brad Malone, whose hit broke the neck of DU's Martin

The Avalanche on Wednesday signed an entry-level contract with college forward Brad Malone, the player whose on-ice hit broke the neck of Denver's Jesse Martin in a game last season.

Malone will report to the minor-league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters, the Avs said, for the beginning of the American Hockey League playoffs.

The 21-year-old Malone finished his senior season at North Dakota, helping them to the NCAA Frozen Four. His 40 points (16 goals and 24 assists) ranked fourth on the team. He led the Sioux with 108 penalty minutes in 43 games.

Malone was a fourth-round pick of Colorado's in the 2007 NHL draft.

"Brad just finished a strong four-year college career and we look forward to him beginning his pro career with Lake Erie," Avs general manager Greg Sherman said in a release.

In a game on Oct. 30, Martin took an open-ice check from Malone in a game at Grand Forks, N.D. The hit caused a concussion, multiple neck fractures and trauma to Martin's spinal cord.

Martin underwent major surgery and has since regained some use of his legs and arms.

Lastly, I don’t know a Sioux fan out there that isn’t pulling for Jesse Martin and cheering on his recovery, but also Sioux fans hope that Jesse is able to be able to once again play hockey for the Denver Pioneers. However, that being said the Denver Post has done nothing but try to stir up animosity between the two programs for some time now.

The Pipeline Show on the Fans at the Frozen Four...

 Guy Flaming from the Pipeline Show had this to say about the fans at last week's Frozen Four. Guy and Dean get it and they are both great hockey minds.

At the arena I saw people wearing sweaters or t-shirts or hats representing just about every NCAA team there is. All 3 games were complete sellouts with attendance surpassing the final game of the NHL regular season on Sunday (Dallas in town to play the Wild). The fans were loud, especially the North Dakota horde who dominated the stands during Thursday's semi-finals. The best way for Canadian fans to get a feel for Sioux Nation is to think of the CFL's Saskatchewan Rough Riders and the way their fans are everywhere - it's the same thing. I'm told that Denver's only guaranteed sell out of the year is when UND comes to town and it's because the rink is half full of green jerseys. Maybe it's the colour... but Saskatchewan fans are the same way.

Are the Jets coming back to Winnipeg? - Coyotes deal on last leg, True North ready

All I can say is yes please!!! I am seeing a lot of things on the internet that seem to be pointing in that direction. Also, Nick Kypreos and Doug MacLean were discussing this very subject on 590 A.M. out of Toronto on how they've heard from multiple sources that the Phoenix Coyotes will relocate to Winnipeg as soon as they're been eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, that would be awesome true. [Click to listen] I guess I am going to have to be a Redwings fan as well.

The NHL is preparing to hold a gun to the City of Glendale’s head and is again planning to use Winnipeg as the bullet.

Reports that Matthew Hulsizer’s $170-million bid to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes is dead may be premature but it appears there is only one chapter left to be played out in this saga.

Expect the next move to be the NHL’s. It will involve positioning the city of Winnipeg against Phoenix in a manner reminiscent of last spring’s leverage play by commissioner Gary Bettman.

Sports radio talk in Toronto on Wednesday had the deal in the desert near or at the end of the line and the Free Press has a Glendale source stating Hulsizer has pulled any concessions he’s made off the table and reverted to his original agreement with the NHL and City of Glendale.

The next move will be Bettman’s and it will likely come in the next five to 10 days. He'll need Winnipeg's help again and it's quite possible that talks between the league and True North have begun anew.

The NHL has painted itself into a bit of a corner by waiting this long to resolve the sale and now runs the risk of having to announce relocation of the franchise during a playoff run. It would be bad enough to make such an announcement in the first round but even worse to make it in the Stanley Cup final.

It’s unlikely Bettman will wait that long to pull the trigger. Expect the commissioner to get in front of this one in the latter stages of the opening round. Bettman will give Hulsizer and the City of Glendale one final crack at closing a deal.

Mark Chipman and his partner David Thomson are still interested in an NHL franchise they would bring to Winnipeg and operate out of the MTS Centre.

Playing stalking horse for the NHL a second time will, however, come with some strings says a U.S.-based attorney with experience in sports franchise transfer-of-ownership deals.

The lawyer, who has been involved in NBA and NHL relocations deals, demanded anonymity but said the next few steps will be common practice in terms of the league’s arrangement with True North.

The healing begins; Goon's in studio on 1310 KNOX - Thursday from 4:30 – 5:00 PM

Listen to the Goon live at 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm on 1310 AM KNOX on Thursday April 14th, 2011. R.J. Richards and the Goon will be talking about the Frozen Four that took place last weekend. We will probably break down the debacle that was the Fighting Sioux versus Michigan... If you live out of town you can listen live by clicking on this web link... [Click to Listen]

Call in 701-775-5559, 1-866-KNOX-1310, email: Live@KNOXRADIO.com

TSN's McKenzie: We should get answers to our Coyotes question soon.

Yes Please...

Bob McKenzie, TSN --- Where will the Phoenix Coyotes be playing next season?

Well, since you asked, I will say it's more likely to be Winnipeg than Phoenix. That's my opinion.

I say probably, and qualify it as my "opinion," because all the factual information I can find says to me very clearly that no final or irrevocable decision on the future home of the Coyotes has yet been made by any of the three vested parties - the NHL, the City of Glendale and would-be (under the right circumstances) owner Matthew Hulsizer.

And if we have learned anything in this long and winding Coyotes' saga in Phoenix it is that it ain't over until one of three parties pulls out and says it's dead.

Could that happen? Sure, it could.

When might it happen? I don't know, it could be days or maybe a week or two or three. Months is certainly not a viable answer because if the Coyotes are going to relocate to Winnipeg or anywhere else, there is much that needs to be done to facilitate it both within the league and the new market as well.

A couple of things on hump day...

If you haven't heard it, I suggest you listen to the call of UMD's game winning goal by Bulldogs forward Kyle Schmidt. Click on the link provided, the game winning goal is at the 20:19 mark. If not listen to this week in hockey podcast. The voice of the UMD Bulldogs, Bruce Ciskie with the call of the game winning goal!!! [Click to listen]

Down goes Brown has his preview for the Bruins and Habs, this is good stuff.

#6 Canadiens vs. #3 Bruins

The matchup: Montreal coach Jacques Martin might have trouble with the Bruins, since he historically struggles in the playoffs when faced with good teams built by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The view from Montreal: The Canadiens would love to get some payback against Zdeno Chara if they weren't being held back by arbitrary rules, like the instigator penalty and also the basic laws of physics.

The view from Boston: Tim Thomas set a league record for save percentage this season, although that number drops significantly if you factor in the ability to save his own dignity in fights against Carey Price.

Player to watch: Dr. Mark Recchi, who has kindly agreed to signal from the bench to let us know whether players being scraped off the ice onto a stretcher are actually injured or not.

Prediction: The Canadiens lose the series, but finally get their revenge on Chara at the end of game four when they all squeeze his hand really hard during the post-game handshakes.

Looks like former UND Fighting Sioux forward Chris Porter has played himself into a job in St. Louis...

Q: There’s a lot of talk about top-six forwards, defensemen and goaltending. But what about the third- and fourth-line forwards? How can you build them up and make the team better?

A: "That gets into the depth of your team, that NHL depth. I’d like to publicly say it, the person who took the greatest advantage of his opportunity was (Chris) Porter. He came in and he really stepped up. In his role, he was the most effective of the call-up players in my opinion. He was the one guy that came in and really said that he wants to position himself to be on the cups of being an everyday NHL player.

"(Ryan) Reaves came up and played well, too, but no one was more consistent at that than Porter. So I want to give that accolade to him. A lot of players are going to have to fight and earn that spot. If we have the depth and these players don’t earn that right, then they have to start in Peoria. I’m excited about what Porter did, I’m excited about what Reaves did, I’m excited (Vladimir) Sobotka back again, (B.J.) Crombeen … I think there’s good depth there."

Apparently the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, Red Berenson, wasn't happy with the officiating after the final game of the Frozen Four. Yeah, ok! To some this might sound like sour grapes, but to others he has a point.

“You can’t kill nine penalties,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “Like we said before the game, if they get three, if we can kill three penalties, that should be it. We’re not out there to take penalties.”

But that wasn’t all Berenson had to say.

“Every time a player falls down, it shouldn’t be a penalty, not in NCAA championship game hockey.”

This is where I would like to see a national standard in college hockey as far as how the game is called; the games were/are called differently from league to league. As most of us know; the WCHA is more lenient and lets more of the obstruction go than other leauges like Hockey East and CCHA officials call the most. In my opinion, there needs to be a happy medium but also there needs to be a set standard. In watching the NCAA hockey this spring I saw a lot of inconsistencies on how the game was called by the on ice officials, even during the Frozen Four. You never knew what was going to be called from game to game. What was a penalty in the first semi final game of the Frozen Four wasn’t a penalty during the second semi final game.