tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44043903078790979332012-02-02T04:42:12.606-08:00A Comprehensive NHL OfferingMGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.comBlogger3581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-77706413875388356612012-01-31T00:01:00.000-08:002012-01-31T10:40:45.074-08:00

On January 31st in 1970, broadcaster John Shorthouse was born in Vancouver, BC. Best known as the voice of the Vancouver Canucks and for leading the charge to the in-flight buffet, Shorty collected his first play-by-play payday calling a Canucks game in March 1998.In September 1999, Shorthouse inherited the full-time radio role from Gemini Award winner Jim Hughson, working alongside color-man Tom

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On January 28th in 1937, Montreal Canadiens superstar Howie Morenz fractured his leg in four places when he crashed awkwardly into the corner boards and Chicago Blackhawks blueliner Earl Seibert landed on top of him.The three-time Stanley Cup (1924, 1930, 1931) and Hart trophy winner (1928, 1931, 1932), who led the NHL in points twice (1928, 1931), goals once (1928), and the Canadiens in both

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On January 27th in 2010, the Vancouver Canucks set out on the longest road trip in NHL history. The 46 day sojourn sent them to 13 cities (Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, Tampa, Sunrise, St. Paul, Columbus, Detroit, Chicago, Nashville, Denver, Phoenix) for 14 games.The hellish trip was required to accommodate the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, marking the first time since NHL players were

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On January 26th in 2001, Steve Sullivan of the Chicago Blackhawks was belittled by an out-spoken Avalanche fan as the forward left the ice upon having his nose bloodied by an Alex Tanguay highstick, resulting in a dozen stitches.Sullivan returned to score two shorthanded goals and see the same fan struck by an errant puck from a Patrick Roy clearing attempt. Revenge was sweet for Sullivan who

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On January 26th in 2009, Down Goes Brown blogger Sean McIndoe opened a Twitter account in the name of Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke and proceeded to parody a witty fictional inner-monologue of the brash bossman.What started as a one-off joke evolved into 95 tweets over 63 days. A selection of Sean's tweets are posted below with an entire archive here:In the press box in Minnesota. Just noticed that

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On January 26th in 2011, the top pick from the 2006 NHL Draft, St Louis Blues blueliner Erik Johnson, scored an own goal firing a rebound past backstop Ty Conklin on a failed clearing attempt five minutes into the opening frame. The miscue was credited to Calgary Flames forward David Moss.Moss would add another goal leading his team to a 4-1 victory, marking the Flames fourth straight win and the

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On January 25th in 2004, Washington Capitals owner and AOL executive Ted Leonsis attacked season ticket holder Jason Hammer, grabbing his neck and throwing him to the ground, in response to the fan's game long heckling and insulting sign "Caps Hockey; AOL Stock -- See a Pattern?".Embarrassed by the outburst Leonsis apologized to Hammer the next day and the pair agreed to move past the melee.

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On January 22nd in 2008, the blistering slapshot of Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf shattered two separate panes of glass behind Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding six minutes apart during the first period of play.Phaneuf's first blast was fired from the Minnesota Wild blueline with the second emanating 120 feet away inside the Flames own end at the buzzer. Calgary beat Minnesota that

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On January 20th in 2011, Phoenix Coyotes 6'5" forward Martin Hanzal used his stick to strike a puck floating at face level of 6'3" defenseman Matt Greene into the Los Angeles Kings net, violating Rule 78.5(vi).Incorrectly ruled a goal by on-ice official Justin St. Pierre, NHL SVP of hockey operations Mike Murphy upheld the absurd call after a lengthy video review claiming there was no conclusive

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On January 18th in 1958, Willie O'Ree dressed for the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens becoming the first black person to play in the NHL. The Fredericton native skated in 45 NHL games, collecting four goals and ten assists, before leaving the league in 1961.O'Ree went on to play for 13 years in the WHL, primarily with the Los Angeles Blades and San Diego Gulls, winning two league

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-7022761048314999912012-01-18T00:01:00.001-08:002012-01-18T13:15:03.915-08:00

On January 18th in 1997, San Jose Sharks forward Owen Nolan called his shot and scored on a breakaway against Buffalo Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek with 2 minutes left in the 47th NHL All-Star Game in San Jose, completing the hat trick and sending hometown fans into a frenzy.Hasek's Eastern Team defeated Nolan's Western Squad 11-7 with MVP honors going to Mark Recchi who hat tricked for the winning

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On January 17th in 1999, Vancouver Canucks superstar Pavel Bure was traded to the Florida Panthers along with Bret Hedican, Brad Ference, and a third round pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft (Robert Fried) in exchange for Ed Jovanovski, Dave Gagner, Mike Brown, Kevin Weekes, and a first round pick in 2000 (Nathan Smith).The seeds of the trade were sewn on July 5, 1998 when Bure demanded a trade for

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With all teams having completed precisely one-half of the 2012 NHL 82 game regular season, playoff projections predicated on midpoint performance are posited below. .nobrtable br { display: noneProjected 2012 NHL Playoff Picture At 41 GamesEASTWESTTeamW Pts Pace TeamW Pts Pace 1. NYR27581.411. SJS25551.342. BOS28571.392. DET26531.293. PHI25541.323. VAN25531.294. NJD23481.174. STL24531.295.

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On January 16th in 2010, Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins shoved defenseman Willie Mitchell head first into the boards with his team trailing by four goals with 7 minutes to play.Mitchell sustained a concussion on the play forcing him to miss the remaining 105 days (46 games) of the Vancouver Canucks season and jeopardizing his off-season free agent value. Malkin, meanwhile, received a

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On January 16th in 2010, Dallas Stars forward Steve Ott was stopped on his first ever shootout attempt by Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard. Despite an emphatic no goal call by perfectly positioned referee Rob Martell, the ruling was reversed by the NHL on video review.Appalled by the call, Red Wings coach Mike Babcock exclaimed "The video replay showed the puck didn't go in the net, I

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-5569032129910449242012-01-15T00:01:00.001-08:002012-01-14T22:24:58.108-08:00

On January 15th in 1998, Gino Odjick hit Buffalo Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek in response to a Jay McKee facewash on Vancouver Canucks superstar Pavel Bure during the third period of a lopsided game beyond the reach of a win.Matthew Barnaby returned the favor moments later running Canucks goalie Sean Burke whilst Sabres enforcer Rob Ray paired off and exploited a mismatch with Vancouver captain

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-91000860357718811732012-01-09T00:01:00.000-08:002012-01-14T22:25:59.596-08:00

On January 9th in 2007, the NHL revealed that Vancouver Canucks defenseman Rory Fitzpatrick finished 3rd in fan voting behind Western Conference Norris winners Scott Niedermayer and Nicklas Lidstrom, eliminating him from contention for the All-Star Game.Yearning for an underdog in the asinine exhibition affair, 22 year old Mike Schmid crafted a six-week Vote For Rory write-in campaign complete

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On January 8th in 2010, a circuit breaker malfunction caused a lighting failure during a Lightning date with the Devils resulting in a 102 minute delay before the NHL postponed play at the Prudential Center for another day.The teams met again two days later once radiance had been restored at The Rock, picking up where they left off with the Bolts up 3-0 midway through the middle frame. Tampa Bay

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On January 7th in 2010, FSN Pittsburgh producer Lowell MacDonald Jr. withheld a definitive replay from the NHL during a late second period Simon Gagne goal review. Absent the authoritative angle officials deemed the video evidence inconclusive and ruled no goal.After play resumed, prohibiting a reversal of the incorrect call, the angle was aired making clear that the Philadelphia Flyers should be

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-6605516719676621932012-01-07T00:01:00.002-08:002012-01-07T00:01:00.799-08:00

On January 7th in 2010, notorious cheapshot Ben Eager of the Atlanta Thrashers sucker-punched Toronto Maple Leafs forward Colby Armstrong late in the second period of play with his team trailing by a score of 5-1.After the game, Eager continued his assault on Armstrong accusing him of being "one of the biggest phonies in the league". Sporting a patch over his right eye, Armstrong offered a two

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On January 5th in 2008, Philadelphia Flyers forward Steve Downie sucker-punched the Maple Leafs' Jason Blake as the pair were being restrained by officials following early third period fisticuffs.Already famous for a vicious preseason headshot on Ottawa's Dean McAmmond, earning him a 20 game suspension and criticism from players league-wide (including Blake), the reckless rookie renewed his

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On January 5th in 2011, Viktor Stalberg of the Chicago Blackhawks collected a hat trick of iron ringing the puck off both posts and the crossbar on a failed penalty shot attempt against Kari Lehtonen in the second period of a 2-2 match, extending his scoreless streak to 19 games.In response to the miss the Swede remarked "it's hard to imagine that happening" whilst the Finn backstop conceded "I

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On January 5th in 2011, Tampa Bay Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos lost an edge during a penalty shot attempt against Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins and failed to put the puck on net down 5-0 early in the second period.The miscue comes only six days after the 2010 Rocket Richard co-winner was awarded his first NHL penalty shot which he converted with a nifty spin-o-rama move against

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-23521064161036583272012-01-04T00:03:00.000-08:002012-01-04T02:01:21.967-08:00

On January 4th in 1987, a bench-clearing brawl erupted during the final game of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Piestany, Czechoslovakia between arch rivals Canada and the USSR.With Canada contending for a medal (bronze for a loss, silver for a win, gold for a win by five goals) and the USSR playing for pride, tempers flared at the match's midpoint with Canada leading 4-2.The on-ice

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-39952545559051754132012-01-04T00:02:00.000-08:002012-01-04T01:53:31.593-08:00

On January 4th in 2007, Dallas Stars forward Patrick Stefan famously flubbed an empty net goal with ten seconds left in a 5-4 game against the Edmonton Oilers. Falling after his failing, Edmonton fed Ales Hemsky who scored on Marty Turco to tie the game with two seconds to play.Afterwards, Stefan explained his unfortunate mishap: "It's not like I missed the net, I saw it was bad ice and I had so

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-38920241887442276152012-01-03T00:01:00.001-08:002012-01-04T15:21:21.161-08:00

On January 3rd in 2009, Washington Capitals sniper Alexander Semin found himself in his first ever NHL fight with New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal. Mostly manhandled during the melee, Semin unleashed a late flurry of face-slaps as Staal lay on the ice, violating the Code but bringing great pleasure to both benches.Each combatant received five minutes for fighting with Semin earning an

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-48086354101362957202012-01-02T00:01:00.001-08:002012-01-02T17:09:31.577-08:00

Since the NHL salary cap was introduced in 2005, clubs have kept a close eye on two key player payroll markers - cap hit and salary. Cap hit corresponds to the dollar amount applied towards team salary cap whereas salary connotes a player's actual take home pay.The chart below presents 2012 NHL player cap hit and salary figures for the top ten players in each position as published by NHL Numbers.

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NHL player salaries have seen fantastic fluctuations over the past two decades owing to aggressive player negotiations, reckless owner spending, and the introduction of the NHL salary cap in 2005.The chart below shows the highest paid players in the NHL in terms of annual salary since 1990 and the team responsible for payment.Year: $m -----Player1990: -2 ----'---Lemieux (PIT)1991: -3 ----''---

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On December 31st in 1988, Mario Lemieux collected five goals in a New Year's Eve game against the New Jersey Devils, one in each of the five possible regulation time scoring situations (even strength, shorthanded, powerplay, penalty shot, empty net) in the NHL's pre-shootout era.Bob Sauvé allowed Mario's first three markers (a hat trick in the opening period) with rookie Chris Terreri

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On December 28th in 2011, San Jose Sharks captain Joe Thornton thrice planted his finger firmly into the face of Vancouver Canucks forward Henrik Sedin whilst pleading his club's case before referee Gord Dwyer.Thornton's taunts, reminiscent of the Burrows/Bergeron Stanley Cup Final finger biting episode and aftermath, were neither penalized nor effective as the Canucks Western Conference Final

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On December 26th in 2011, New Jersey Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk fired an errant pass from the Carolina Hurricanes goal line past extra-attacker and intended recipient Adam Henrique and into the Devils empty net for an own goal, down 3-2 with 29 seconds to play.Afterwards, the oft-maligned overpaid winger acknowledged "we were working hard, but a bad decision by me cost us the game."

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-29164731098325925072011-12-23T00:01:00.001-08:002012-01-04T00:04:30.754-08:00

On December 23rd in 2010, Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic delivered a bare-knuckle sucker punch to an unsuspecting Freddy Meyer in response to being up-ended by the Atlanta Thrashers defenseman.Despite cowardly striking a defenseless player, whilst being restrained by a linesman no less, Lucic miraculously escaped suspension for his classless act further fueling speculation of league favoritism

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On December 23rd in 1979, bruising blueliner Mike Milbury of the Boston Bruins followed Terry O'Reilly and others into the MSG stands following a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers engaging fans with fisticuffs. What occured next is best described with moving pictures.O'Reilly received an eight game suspension for leading the charge with Mad Mike collecting a mere pair for beating a fan with

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On December 21st in 2001, Philadelphia Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette shoved Dallas Stars forward Steve Ott aside upon being blocked from exiting the benches through the tunnel after the first period of play at the American Airlines Center.Afterwards, Ott outed Laviolette's actions as arrogant, adding "It's disrespect of our building, just let our team off, it's not that big of a deal."When

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On December 21st in 2011, Vancouver Canucks forward Daniel Sedin deflected a high clearing pass from linemate Alex Burrows past Detroit Red Wings superstar Pavel Datsyuk with his head, utilizing a soccer move rarely employed in ice hockey.Daniel's move decidedly raised the brotherly bar set by a stickless Henrik in last season's playoff against the Nashville Predators, when his fancy footwork

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On December 20th in 2011, Vancouver Canucks aficionado Michael Buble fulfilled a life-long dream of skating with the team during an off-day practice after signing a one-day contract with the club.Donning the never-worn-before number 88, Buble challenged three-time Vezina nominee Roberto Luongo to a shootout, ringing a wrist shot wide stick-side off the left post before catching an edge and

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On December 20th in 2000, Pittsburgh Penguins bruiser Matthew Barnaby exited BankAtlantic Center after an unsuccessful bout with behemoth Pete Worrell when an elderly Florida Panthers fan began hurling obscenities.Rather than ignoring the unpleasantries, Barnaby engaged the senior grabbing his arm and attempting to drag him through the railing. Releasing before the situation escalated, Barnaby

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On December 18th in 2009, the red hot Minnesota Wild fell victim to a truck blaze during an Ottawa road trip incinerating players' bags, including that of goaltenders Backstrom and Harding.Equipment managers were immediately sent home to collect backup gear while players scrambled locally to replace knee braces, skates, and other protective necessities in anticipation of Saturday night's game

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On December 15th in 2007, Chris Simon of the New York Islanders viciously stomped his skate onto the right leg of Pittsburgh Penguins pest Jarkko Ruutu with five minutes remaining in the game, earning the troubled forward a match penalty and his eighth NHL suspension.In light of his prior history and the severity of this indiscretion, Simon received a league-longest 30 game suspension forgoing

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On December 12th in 1933, Boston Bruins blueliner Eddie Shore drilled Toronto Maple Leafs scoring sensation Ace Bailey in response to physical play by penalty killers King Clancy and Red Horner.Horner recalls, "He [Shore] hit Bailey and flipped him in the air, just like a rag doll. Bailey landed on his head just a few feet from where I was standing. Bailey hit the ice and he went into some kind

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On December 12th in 2010, Mikko Koivu of the Minnesota Wild stripped Anaheim Ducks forward Bobby Ryan of his stick without whistle, having lost his own earlier in the play. Unable to recover the lumber, Silver fetched the Finn's abandoned off-handed hardware and scored.In celebration of the Ducks fifth goal, Ryan proudly paraded the borrowed blade to the visiting captain Koivu in recognition of

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With all teams having completed 25 games, equaling roughly 30 percent of the 82 game regular season schedule, the 2012 NHL playoff picture is taking shape. Preliminary postseason projections are posited below. .nobrtable br { display: noneProjected 2011 NHL Playoff Picture At 25 GamesEASTWESTTeamW Pts Pace TeamW Pts Pace 1. BOS17351.401. DET16331.322. NYR15341.362. MIN15331.323. PHI15331.323.

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On December 8th in 1987, Philadelphia Flyers netminder Ron Hextall fired a puck the length of the ice into an empty Boston Bruins net becoming the first goalie to score a goal in a NHL game.Though New York Islanders backstop Billy Smith had been credited with a goal eight years earlier, it was Colorado Rockies defenceman Rob Ramage who in fact last touched the puck. Thus, Hextall was the

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-73894538106479153122011-12-06T00:01:00.000-08:002011-12-11T18:55:24.915-08:00

On December 6th in 1995, the Montreal Canadiens traded Patrick Roy and team captain Mike Keane to the Colorado Avalanche for Jocelyn Thibault, Martin Rucinsky and Andrei Kovalenko in what remains one of the most lopsided exchanges in league history.The seeds of the move were sewn on December 2, 1995 during a franchise worst 11-1 home loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Allowing five goals in the first

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-46082397344353367082011-12-05T00:01:00.000-08:002011-12-05T13:04:34.655-08:00

On December 5th in 2009, Philadelphia Flyers goon Daniel Carcillo sucker punched Matt Bradley of the Washington Capitals with five minutes remaining in the first period and the teams tied 1-1.Carcillo received 29 minutes in penalties on the play (Bradley drew nothing) with the NHL adding a four game suspension, forcing the Flyer to forgo $43,597 in pay. Washington scored three times on the

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-66328803635342620992011-11-30T00:01:00.002-08:002011-12-07T23:50:22.222-08:00

On November 30th in 2005, Boston Bruins GM Mike O'Connell traded the jewel of the 1997 Draft to Doug Wilson's San Jose Sharks for first rounders Wayne Primeau (17th in 1994), Marco Sturm (21st in 1996), and Brad Stuart (3rd in 1998), stunning pundits from coast to coast.Blindsided by the deal, Joe Thornton went on to win the Art Ross and Hart trophies in his west coast debut, cinching the Rocket

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-37368660363460377052011-11-30T00:01:00.001-08:002011-11-30T22:53:05.665-08:00

On November 30th in 2009, Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Ballard bloodied teammate Tomas Vokoun with a vicious slash to the head after Atlanta Thrashers star Ilya Kovalchuk scored halfway through the first period.Vokoun exited on a stretcher after a 10 minute delay and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The Czech netminder escaped serious injury, needing only 10 stitches to

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-78325232284958318032011-11-28T00:01:00.000-08:002011-12-07T23:39:22.059-08:00

On November 28, 1979, New York Islanders netminder Billy Smith became the first goaltender to be credited with a goal in a NHL game.Blindly playing the puck to the blueline, Colorado Rockies defenceman Rob Ramage watched his pass slide the length of the ice into his now empty thanks to an astute move by his goalie on a delayed penalty. Smith, being the last offensive player to touch, was

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-35592937671882925952011-11-26T00:01:00.000-08:002011-11-30T22:51:26.911-08:00

On November 26th in 2005, New York Rangers defenceman Marek Malik scored on Olaf Kölzig of the Washington Capitals ending the longest overtime shootout in NHL history.The memorable marker, Malik's first in 21 months, came in the 15th round of the encore, giving New York a 3-2 win over Washington.That's today in NHL history.

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-43862543143752729452011-11-21T00:01:00.001-08:002011-11-21T14:06:43.816-08:00

On November 21st in 2005, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer collapsed on the players bench after suffering a heart attack 12 minutes into a match against the Nashville Predators causing play to be whistled as medical staff sprang into action to save the Czech's life.Unconscious for six minutes, team doctors eventually resuscitated Fischer employing a combination of CPR and the use of an

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-56767592735750811352011-11-21T00:00:00.000-08:002011-11-21T18:47:56.478-08:00

On November 21st in 2010, Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry scored an own goal when his offensive zone centering pass traveled the length of the ice into Jonas Hiller's empty net with 16 seconds to play.Perry's own goal, credited to Tom Gilbert of the Edmonton Oilers, was met with laughs from the last place visitors and some taunting from rookie Taylor Hall. Perry made up for the miscue by

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-37823252836192719632011-11-18T00:01:00.001-08:002011-11-20T03:04:48.311-08:00

On November 18th in 2009, Detroit Red Wings bruiser Brad May scored what would have been the lone goal of his final NHL season and last of his career. Unfortunately, it was wrongfully disallowed by referees Dennis LaRue and Stephane Augier.Relying on Rule 31.2, LaRue exacerbated his oversight claiming he intended to blow the whistle prior to the puck entering the net, thus removing the play from

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-15112349365281054232011-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:002011-11-18T04:20:44.148-08:00

On November 18th in 2010, Tampa Bay Lightning blueliner Brett Clark fired a slapshot past Philadelphia Flyers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky and through the back of net, narrowing the Flyers lead to 5-4 in a wild first period of play.Better known for blocking shots than scoring goals, the blast marked Brett's first time scoring in consecutive regular season starts. Tampa Bay came back to beat

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-63530499047225549592011-11-10T00:02:00.000-08:002011-11-23T16:57:23.337-08:00

On November 10th in 1996, Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers skated the length of the ice to engage netminder Felix Potvin when a melee broke out at the end of a match against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Hextall was met with a willing and able opponent who quickly bloodied the Flyer backstop with a serious of blows to the left eye. Not surprisingly, the Philadelphia feed (below) hailed Hextall's

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-50722339577677568712011-11-10T00:01:00.001-08:002011-11-23T16:59:46.235-08:00

On November 10th in 1985, Flyers goalie Pelle Lindbergh crashed his Porsche into a wall at 5:37am returning from an evening of team celebration with a blood alcohol level of .24%. The 26 year-old Vezina winner never regained consciousness and was removed from life support the next day upon his father's arrival from Sweden.Despite his death, the popular Swede topped fan voting for the 1986 NHL

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-64740468840462206202011-11-10T00:00:00.001-08:002011-11-18T14:14:11.654-08:00

On November 10th in 2010, New Jersey Devils star forward Ilya Kovalchuk fabulously flubbed a fourth round shootout attempt against Jhonas Enroth giving the Buffalo Sabres a 5-4 victory in Lindy Ruff's 1,000th game behind the Buffalo bench.The $100 million dollar man's miscue sealed his squad's fate as the league's worst through the first fifth of the NHL's 93rd offering, with only 4 wins and 10

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-38843794583504176022011-11-10T00:00:00.000-08:002011-11-10T14:40:05.775-08:00

On November 10th in 2001, the Vancouver Canucks acquired former captain Trevor Linden and a second round draft pick (Denis Grot) in exchange for a first round pick in 2002 (Boyd Gordon) and a third rounder in 2003.Linden would skate for six more seasons with the team that took him second overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft surpassing several franchise milestones before announcing his retirement

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-53222098319659683592011-11-05T00:01:00.000-07:002011-11-09T14:19:08.706-08:00

On November 5th in 2005, Vancouver Canucks resident pest Jarkko Ruutu punked Calgary Flames rookie defenseman Dion Phaneuf, flirting with fisticuffs then falling the 2003 first round draft pick with his stick. Adding injury to insult, Phaneuf was assessed a two minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the play.Calgary survived the ensuing 5-on-3 powerplay, four minutes into the final frame, and

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-56855220673867476722011-11-05T00:00:00.000-07:002011-11-09T14:23:17.045-08:00

On November 5th in 1955, Jean Béliveau scored three powerplay goals in 44 seconds against Boston Bruins netminder Terry Sawchuck collecting the fastest hat trick in Montreal Canadiens club history.Trailing 2-0 in the second period, the Montreal unit of Doug Harvey, Tom Johnson, Jean Béliveau, Maurice Richard, and Bert Olmstead dominated Boston with a two-man advantage as sin-binners Cal Gardner

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-30369604515779085802011-11-01T00:01:00.002-07:002011-11-23T17:00:24.506-08:00

On November 1st in 1959, Jacques Plante took a wrist shot in the face from Hart winner Andy Bathgate. Seven stitches and 21 minutes later, Plante returned wearing a mask to the chagrin of Canadiens coach Toe Blake, forever changing the face of NHL goaltending.The seven-time Vezina recipient and six-time Stanley Cup champion maintained the mask long after his injury healed, abandoning it only

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-48517869367702551682011-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:002011-10-31T00:01:02.495-07:00

On October 31st in 2010, Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm dressed up as his locker room stallmate and sometimes linemate Todd Bertuzzi, complete with matching fake tattoos courtesy of Jeff Shea at Wholeshot Tattoo and favorite pieces from the veteran's wardrobe.Triple-taken by the sight of Helm when arriving at the team's Halloween party, Bertuzzi described the costume and ensuing

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-15991038226662614012011-10-30T00:01:00.001-07:002011-10-30T00:01:01.186-07:00

On October 30th in 1997, New York Rangers forward Wayne Gretzky skated in a game against cross-river rival New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum with his name mispelled "Gretkzy" on the back of his jersey.Far from an isolated incident in the world of sport with typos and misspellings abound, rarely does it involve the sports greatest player of all time skating for one of the league's highest

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-18992123229756104172011-10-28T00:01:00.000-07:002011-10-28T00:01:00.429-07:00

On October 28th in 2010, Dallas Stars forward Brad Richards fired a blistering center ice slapshot over Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick and through the glass with three minutes remaining in the final frame.The Kings topped the Stars that night 5-2 before the then-smallest crowd in Dallas Stars history, announced as 11.306 but closer to 5,000, owing in part to fans staying home to

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-69254489625525464992011-10-24T00:01:00.001-07:002011-10-25T22:24:18.736-07:00

On October 24th in 2009, Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards blindsided winger David Booth with a vicious hit to the head rendering the Florida Panthers forward bloodied and unconscious.Booth left on a stretcher and missed the next 45 games owing to a concussion incurred on the play. Richards received a five minute major and ten minute game misconduct but was not subsequently fined or

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-12172613384597137892011-10-23T00:01:00.000-07:002011-10-23T11:00:47.407-07:00

On October 23rd in 2008, Boston Bruins power forward Milan Lucic delivered a crushing check against Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mike Van Ryn shattering the TD Garden glass early in the second period of play.Neither player was injured during the incident though a few front row fans were cut by glass. Toronto beat Boston that night by a score of 4-2.That's today in NHL history.

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-52658990256774537362011-10-22T00:01:00.000-07:002011-10-24T10:34:20.406-07:00

On October 22nd in 1997, Wayne Gretzky's wife Janet Jones was bloodied and knocked unconscious when a heavy hit by New York Rangers defenseman Ulf Samuelsson on Chicago Blackhawks forward Sergei Krivokrasov dislodged a large pane of plexi-glass striking the 36 year old actress.Jones was treated by team doctors before being carried out of Madison Square Garden on a stretcher and transported by

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-74271346674899851922011-10-21T00:01:00.000-07:002011-10-21T01:05:46.566-07:00

On October 21st in 2010, the Detroit Red Wings honored the recent passing of 38 year season ticket holder and super-fan Kenneth Rucker, a retired Chrysler forklift driver who suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 63.Recognized by the Joe Louis Arena faithful simply as the "Orange Hat Guy", Rucker was often featured on the scoreboard screen during Red Wings home games accompanied by R.E.M.

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-74037092807404928812011-10-20T00:01:00.000-07:002011-10-20T01:09:18.270-07:00

On October 20th in 2005, Vancouver Canucks voices John Shorthouse and Tom Larscheid won $20,000 in the 50/50 draw benefiting local charities for children during a home game against the Phoenix Coyotes.Having played the popular lottery at every Canucks home game since they began working together in 1998, the giddy pair celebrated their first ever 50/50 win with four minutes remaining in the third

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-22407490239387257562011-10-19T00:01:00.001-07:002011-10-20T09:32:03.612-07:00

Having been held off the scoresheet in a recent 4-0 loss to the New York Rangers, the time is right to reflect on the Vancouver Canucks 2011 goal scoring frenzy, combining for 316 goals in 107 regular season and playoff games.Despite falling short of franchise (346 in 1993) and league (446 in 1984) records, no team topped the Canucks 258 regular season goals in 2011 and only the Boston Bruins

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-46506477134990286962011-10-15T22:00:00.000-07:002011-10-25T22:13:25.225-07:00

On October 15, 2011, Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was credited with his first NHL hat trick despite video evidence to the contrary, showing the third goal belonging to linemate Taylor Hall.Too good a story to pass up for the top pick of the 2011 Draft in just his third NHL game, the hometown scoring decision stood. In the end, the oldest player on the ice spoiled it for the

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-37047343572929878992011-10-10T00:01:00.001-07:002011-10-25T20:50:41.201-07:00

On October 10th in 2007, Jesse Boulerice added another chapter to his checkered past and the violent history of the Philadelphia Flyers when he blindsided Ryan Kesler with a vicious cross-check, breaking his stick across the forward's face.Boulerice was assessed a 10 minute match penalty on the play to which the NHL tacked on a 25 game suspension, then tied for the longest suspension in league

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-27937358012555013122011-09-29T00:01:00.000-07:002011-09-28T23:02:08.444-07:00

On September 29th in 2003, Dany Heatley wrecked his Ferrari 360 Modena into a wall ejecting himself and passenger teammate Dan Snyder in the process.Heatley escaped with a broken jaw, bruised lung and kidney, minor concussion, and torn ligaments in his right knee, returning to post 25 points in 31 games that season. Snyder suffered a severe skull fracture, never regained consciousness, and died

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-59194871193919946962011-09-25T00:01:00.000-07:002011-09-26T01:35:48.513-07:00

On September 25th in 2007, the Philadelphia Flyers reckless rookie Steve Downie delivered a vicious headshot to Dean McAmmond rendering the Ottawa Senators unfortunate forward unconscious.Downie received a match penalty and 20 game suspension for the second period preseason cheapshot, the fourth longest in NHL history, surrendering $63,101.60 in salary. McAmmond missed 10 games owing to injuries

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-41605317002023539432011-09-23T00:01:00.000-07:002011-09-26T01:43:15.390-07:00

On September 23rd in 1992, Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play in a NHL game. The appearance came in a preseason affair for the Tampa Bay Lighting against the St. Louis Blues. Wearing number 33 in honor of her idol Patrick Roy, Rhéaume stopped 7 of 9 shots in her one period of play before being pulled.Winning Olympic silver (1998) and World Championship gold (1992, 1994) with the

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-10532769758890417472011-09-16T00:01:00.000-07:002011-09-16T22:59:46.588-07:00

On September 16th in 2004, Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the 2004-2005 season would not proceed as scheduled owing to a deadlock in Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. What would have been the NHL's 88th offering was officially canceled on February 16, 2005. The dispute was ultimately resolved on July 22, 2005.At the heart of the 310 day 2004 NHL Lockout was an owner proposed

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-84890794278884227092011-09-07T00:01:00.000-07:002012-01-14T22:55:49.703-08:00

On September 7th in 1970, Wayne Gino Odjick was born in Maniwaki, Quebec. Fighting heavyweights Dave Manson and Stu Grimson in his NHL debut, the Algonquin Enforcer earned the game's first star establishing himself as a fan favorite and formidable foe.Taken 86th overall by the Canucks in the 1990 NHL Draft, Odjick played in 605 games over twelve seasons with four teams (VAN: 444, NYI: 82, PHI:

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-51097504253960095292011-07-26T00:01:00.000-07:002012-01-02T09:42:45.594-08:00

Last month we caught up with Art Ross and Ted Lindsay winner Daniel Sedin at the 2011 NHL Awards to discuss the playoffs, pregame soccer and fellow redheaded Vancouver Canucks. These are his stories.Q: Is it difficult to enjoy the Awards given the outcome of the Finals?A: I think you have to. This was a good night for us as an organization and as a team. We know we're going to have a good team

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-62463704540191245712011-07-25T00:01:00.001-07:002011-09-05T20:13:22.064-07:00

Last month we caught up with Vancouver Canucks Selke winner Ryan Kesler at the 2011 NHL Awards in Las Vegas to discuss hip hop, stick flex, weight loss, and interview bombing. These are his stories.Q: I understand you’re responsible for some of the music during the Canucks pregame warmup skate?A: Yeah, that’s true.Q: Did you select the track that starts it off every night, Jay-Z’s "Public Service

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-46912312956998229702011-07-24T00:01:00.000-07:002012-01-02T10:48:56.551-08:00

Last month we caught up with Vancouver Canucks three-time Vezina, two-time Pearson and one-time Hart finalist, and 2011 Jennings winner Roberto Luongo at the 2011 NHL Awards in Las Vegas to discuss pregame preparation, teammate Cory Schneider and the Boston Bruins backstop Tim Thomas. These are his stories.Q: What goes through your head during the singing of the anthems while you’re rocking back

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-31186851405086003032011-07-21T00:01:00.000-07:002011-09-05T20:08:48.355-07:00

Last month we spoke with Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis at the 2011 NHL Awards about chirping officials, management philosophy, the season that was, and preparing for the season-to-be. These are his stories.Q: In the first round against the Chicago Blackhawks you made a statement about the officiating.A: Yes.Q: With the benefit of hindsight do you regret making that statement?A: No. I made

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-14088042500065596372011-07-19T00:01:00.000-07:002011-09-05T19:24:09.525-07:00

Last month we caught up with Vancouver Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault at the 2011 NHL Awards to discuss beating the Blackhawks, losing to the Bruins, and the struggles of Keith Ballard. These are his stories.Q: Describe the feeling of beating the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime of Game 7 after meeting them in the playoffs for the third year in a row. Was it just a relief? Did you think your

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-75184976823732525332011-07-18T00:01:00.003-07:002011-07-18T22:29:07.557-07:00

Last month we spoke with the Nashville Predators' first and only head coach Barry Trotz at the 2011 NHL Awards about his playoff series against Vancouver, home ice, diving and realignment. These are his stories.Q: Talk about your second round series against the Canucks, specifically the challenges of matching up against the league’s top offensive and defensive team.A: I just thought there were

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-45662542716517449762011-07-01T00:01:00.002-07:002011-07-16T20:33:53.819-07:00

Since its inaugural season in 1917, the NHL has blessed the relocation of 13 teams. Only twice has a team name (Flames, Stars) traveled to their new town. A complete list of relocated clubs lies below.1920: Quebec Bulldogs => Hamilton Tigers1925: Hamilton Tigers => New York Americans1930: Pittsburgh Pirates => Philadelphia Quakers1934: Ottawa Senators => St. Louis Eagles1976: California Golden

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-64493887894302132252011-06-30T00:01:00.002-07:002011-07-04T09:58:33.801-07:00

On June 30th in 1992, Quebec Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut and GM Pierre Page traded 1991 draft day holdout Eric Lindros to Philadelphia.Amidst confusion among two competing bids, arbitrator Larry Bertuzzi selected Flyers GM Russ Farwell's proposal over New York Rangers GM Neil Smith's package of Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, John Vanbiesbrouck, three first round draft picks, and $12

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-72062409693348490712011-06-24T00:01:00.000-07:002011-11-23T18:58:20.469-08:00

On June 24th in 2000, New York Islanders GM Mike Milbury traded Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen to the Florida Panthers for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha. The 2000 NHL Entry Draft day play saw the Isles select goalie Rick DiPietro first overall ahead of Dany Heatley (2nd) and Marian Gaborik (3rd).In response to the move Milbury surmised, "In the end, we thought the quality that DiPietro will

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-42863352065274084372011-06-23T00:01:00.004-07:002011-07-04T10:00:17.566-07:00

On June 23rd in 2006, Florida Panthers' GM Mike Keenan traded Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek, and a 6th round pick (Sergei Shirokov) in the next day's 2006 NHL Entry Draft to the host city's Vancouver Canucks for Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen, and Alex Auld.Both Bertuzzi (7 games) and Auld (27 games) enjoyed limited play during their one season down south while Allen (284 game) was a fixture for

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-71606275387374049362011-06-22T20:00:00.000-07:002011-06-22T21:25:54.265-07:00

When it comes to the NHL Awards, a handful are earned on statistical achievement with the rest won through votes. The list below itemizes trophy winners for the 2011 NHL season.CONN SMYTHE: ThomasART ROSS: D. SedinROCKET RICHARD: PerryPLUS-MINUS: CharaHART: PerryTED LINDSAY: D. SedinSELKE: KeslerNORRIS: LidstromVEZINA: ThomasJENNINGS: Luongo & SchneiderCROZIER: Thomas CALDER: SkinnerJACK ADAMS:

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-2063862861291782812011-06-22T00:02:00.001-07:002011-06-22T21:24:53.039-07:00

With only five trophies awarded for statistical achievement alone (Art Ross, Rocket Richard, Plus-Minus, Jennings, Crozier) there are plenty of accomplishments that escape recognition at the NHL Awards. The list below provides a complete picture of the 2011 NHL individual leaders in a variety of pertinent regular season statistical categories.SKATERSPoints: D. Sedin (104)Points/G: Crosby (1.61)

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-32758416157997558012011-06-22T00:01:00.000-07:002011-06-22T21:22:26.398-07:00

With only four trophies awarded to NHL clubs (Presidents', Clarence Campbell, Prince of Wales, Stanley Cup), plenty of team accomplishments go undetected. Listed below are the best and worst teams in a variety of statistically measured categories from the 2011 NHL season.Wins: VAN (54) - EDM (25)Losses: EDM (45) - VAN (19)OT Wins: BUF/ATL/PIT (15) - BOS (3)OT Losses: NYI/CLB/PHO (13) - ANA/NYR/

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-16723714068533486942011-06-20T00:01:00.001-07:002011-06-21T07:56:21.793-07:00

On June 20th in 1995, New Jersey Devils defenseman Scott Stevens dealt a devastating blow to Detroit Red Wings forward Vyacheslav Kozlov in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, turning the tide of the game and series.The 2nd period collision sparked the Devils, turning a 1-1 tie into a 4-2 win and eventually sweeping the series 4-0 to clinch their first Cup.That's today in NHL history.

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-21839641546701885162011-06-19T00:01:00.000-07:002011-06-19T08:32:36.410-07:00

On June 19th in 1999, Brett Hull scored 5 minutes and 9 seconds into the third overtime period of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals giving the Dallas Stars a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres and their first (and only) Stanley Cup.The goal remains the most controversial in NHL history due to a now defunct rule banning a player's skate from entering the crease before the puck as it appears Hull's did

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-70056582677565845562011-06-16T00:01:00.004-07:002012-01-22T16:52:37.761-08:00

After Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final between the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins, we spoke with captain Henrik Sedin about the series and his post-game conversation with the officials. These are his stories.Q: How disappointed were you on a personal level not to contribute more during the Stanley Cup Final?A: Yeah. It’s our job to score. It’s our job to step up and we didn’t do it. So

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-80437321602488506312011-06-16T00:01:00.003-07:002012-01-22T16:35:07.117-08:00

After Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final between the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins, we caught up with the oft-injured veteran blueliner Sami Salo to discuss his health and hockey future. These are his stories.Q: Was that your last game playing for the Vancouver Canucks?A: I don’t know.Q: Do you think you’ll be back next year or are you planning to retire?A: No, I’m not going to retire. I

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-4157482487923922662011-06-16T00:01:00.002-07:002011-09-28T22:56:32.652-07:00

Of the over 15,000 World Championship participants seeking gold since 1930, 9,000 that have skated for the Stanley Cup since 1893, and 4,000 that have competed for Olympic Gold since 1920, only 25 players and one coach have won all three titles. These accomplished 26 are recognized with membership in hockey's most exclusive association, the IIHF's Triple Gold Club.The club includes individuals

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-84710923629127435732011-06-16T00:01:00.001-07:002012-01-16T14:20:59.081-08:00

Last night the Boston Bruins erased their 39 year Stanley Cup drought with a Game 7 win over the Vancouver Canucks while the NHL's other 29 teams extended their respective droughts by another year. The chart below describes, in descending order, the years each team has gone without a Stanley Cup, showing the last year they hoisted the hardware. Where no year appears, that team has NEVER won.TOR:

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-42361811758346307912011-06-15T21:00:00.000-07:002011-06-19T09:22:02.500-07:00

Moments before each Stanley Cup crowning the Conn Smythe Trophy is bestowed upon the Hockey Writers' selection of the post season's best. First presented to Jean Beliveau in 1965, the honor dedicated to the Leaf legend has been handed out 46 times to 40 different players.Typically finding a Stanley Cup champion (39 times) who is Canadian (41 times), the trophy has only six Finals losers (Roger

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-50680378122287532162011-06-14T00:01:00.001-07:002011-06-19T08:59:28.076-07:00

For the 16th time in NHL history the Stanley Cup Finals have reached an all-deciding Game 7. Tonight's contest has the Boston Bruins playing the Vancouver Canucks, promising the Cup's first hoist in Vancouver.Year: Teams (Winners in Bold)1942: DET at TOR1945: TOR at DET1950: NYR at DET1954: MTL at DET1955: MTL at DET1964: DET at TOR1965: CHI at MTL1971: MTL at CHI1987: PHI at EDM1994: VAN at

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-56621271667658655432011-06-13T00:01:00.001-07:002011-06-21T08:15:33.134-07:00

On June 13th in 1997, heartbreak hit Hockeytown when a limousine carrying two members of the Russian Five and the Red Wings' masseuse struck a tree six days after their first Cup win in 42 years.The crash left Vladimir Konstantinov and Sergei Mnatsakanov in a coma with severe head injuries. Both eventually awoke, Konstantinov suffering extensive brain and bodily damage and Mnatsakanov paralyzed

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-43977540167650856132011-06-13T00:01:00.000-07:002011-06-15T13:03:21.502-07:00

On June 13th in 2009, the Bowmanville Zoo's primate prophet Maggie the Monkey, technically a Crab-eating Macaque, made her last Stanley Cup Playoff pick at the ripe age of 18, leaving the stage to the paid pundits she's owned in the past.Selecting the underdog Ducks to swim away with it all in 2003, Maggie tamed TSN's braintrust and was invited back for five more seasons.Year: Record2003: 8-7 (

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4404390307879097933.post-4319463598015426712011-06-11T00:01:00.002-07:002012-01-22T15:56:33.607-08:00

After Game 5 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final between the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins we caught up with Jennings winning backup goaltender Cory Schneider to discuss the club's statistical anomaly and not-so-secret weapon, red headed players. These are his stories.Q: Have you ever played with so many redheads on the same team?A: No I haven’t. Yeah, it’s been pointed out a few times. We’

MGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11801962517790142321noreply@blogger.com0