NHL team players won’t be the only ones battling this All-Star weekend in Nashville. As part of Fan Fair festivities, the teams fuzzy favorites, their mascots, are facing off as well. Hockey fans young and old are sure to enjoy the over-the-top activities.
Friday, Jan. 29: 6 p.m. 3-Legged Race, Wheel Barrow, Leap Frog, Balloon Relay and Tug of War 2016 NHL Fan Fair™ presented by Bridgestone at Music City Center
Saturday, Jan. 30: 2 p.m. Broomball and Dodgeball matches 2016 NHL Fan Fair™ presented by Bridgestone at Music City Center
4:30 p.m. Prior to the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition™, the NHL Mascots™ will face-off in two 8-minute periods of their own NHL® All-Star Game, live streamed on NHL.com Bridgestone Arena
Sunday, Jan. 31: 1 p.m. Dance Competition, the winner of which will be determined by audience applause, followed by the presentation of the NHL Mascot Showdown Trophy to the Captain of the winning team and the Most Valuable Mascot award. 2016 NHL Fan Fair™ presented by Bridgestone at Music City Center
NHL Mascot Clubhouse inside NHL Fan Fair ™ presented by Bridgestone
Fans will be able to meet their favorite mascots for photos and autographs at the NHL Mascot Clubhouse inside NHL Fan Fair™. The Clubhouse will serve as the central location for all mascot appearances and exclusive merchandise from the NHL Mascot collection, including mini-sticks, pucks, pennants, hats, t-shirts, cozy fleece blankets, pillow pets, and children’s books.
Hockey fans can follow all of the live action from the NHL Mascot Showdown™ on Snapchat and Twitter and access a handy list of NHL Mascot Twitter handles. The NHL’s Facebook page will include an album with photos, bios and Twitter handles for each NHL Mascot. To join the conversation, fans should use the official hashtags #NHLAllStar or #NHLFanFair.
NHL Fan Fair
The Fan Fair
This is Nashville’s first time hosting the All-Star activities and they have four days of activities planned for visitors with their 2016 NHL Fan Fair.
The Music City Center is being transformed into 250,000 square feet of interactive hockey fun sponsored by Bridgestone, according to an NHL press release.
From 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. CT Thursday, Jan. 28 and Friday, Jan. 29 and from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, an NHL fan pass allows access to:
NHL Mascots
A photo with the Stanley Cup
An NHL Trophy Showcase, including the Hart, Vezina, Norris, and others
Meet-and-greet past and present hockey legends
NHL player Q&A at the NHL Fan Fair Theater
Visit the “Hockey in the State of Tennessee” Hall of Fame exhibit
Test shooting accuracy in the Bridgestone Shootout
Live country music performances nightly–including Dierks Bentley, Lonestar, Big&Rich, and more
Create-your-own Upper Deck trading card
Test your hockey skills in the Honda All-Star skills zone
Price (Single Day)
$20 Adult
$15 Children (Ages 3 to 12)
$15 Seniors (Ages 65 and over)
$15 College/Military (must show ID at entrance)
Children 2 and under: Free Four Day Mobile Pass
$60 (Good for One Entry Each Day of Operation)
Ovechkin blames a lingering lower body injury that has plagued him since November.
Toews left Tuesday’s game against the Hurricanes early due to an illness he tried battling through for the game and has been fighting a while, Coach Joel Quenneville told press after the game. Quenneville described Toews as “pretty run down.”
Fellow Blackhawks winger Jiri Sekac didn’t travel to that same game due to illness. Reporters also noted Toews was the first to leave the ice during Tuesday’s morning skate.
Jonathan Toews first off the ice. I guess that means he’s your starting goaltender tonight?
Per League rules, a player who is named to the NHL All-Star Game and does not participate shall be suspended for one regular-season game – either the game immediately preceding or following the NHL All-Star Game. Ovechkin will miss the Capitals’ Feb. 2 game against the Florida Panthers, while Toews will miss the Blackhawks’ Feb. 2 game at the Colorado Avalanche.
The 2016 Honda NHL All-Star celebration will mark the first time Nashville has hosted the NHL All-Star festivities, which will take place at Bridgestone Arena.
All-Star Schedule of Events
The NHL is opening Nashville’s All-Star weekend Friday with a primetime TV special hosted by The Band Perry’s Kimberly Perry and NHL Broadcaster Kathryn Tappen.
This ceremonial puck drop on a weekend of hockey festivities will feature roundtable discussions with NHL All-Star players, country music star performances, and a few surprises.
Hosted by Grammy and CMA Award-winning The Band Perry member Kimberly Perry and NHL broadcaster Kathryn Tappen, the one-hour program will broadcast live from the Honda Stage at Bridgestone’s Winter Park in downtown Nashville at 7 p.m. CT Friday, Jan. 29 on NBCSN in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada.
From 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. CT Thursday, Jan. 28 and Friday, Jan. 29 and from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, an NHL fan pass allows access to:
NHL Mascots
A photo with the Stanley Cup
An NHL Trophy Showcase, including the Hart, Vezina, Norris, and others
Meet-and-greet past and present hockey legends
NHL player Q&A at the NHL Fan Fair Theater
Visit the “Hockey in the State of Tennessee” Hall of Fame exhibit
Test shooting accuracy in the Bridgestone Shootout
Live music performances nightly
Create-your-own Upper Deck trading card
Test your hockey skills in the Honda All-Star skills zone
Price (Single Day)
$20 Adult
$15 Children (Ages 3 to 12)
$15 Seniors (Ages 65 and over)
$15 College/Military (must show ID at entrance)
Children 2 and under: Free Four Day Mobile Pass
$60 (Good for One Entry Each Day of Operation)
Vancouver, BC – The Vancouver Canucks will host their fourth annual Hockey Talks day on February 6, 2016, to encourage a conversation about mental health. The Canucks will dedicate this game night to bringing awareness to mental health and offering fans the opportunity to get involved through social media. The Canucks Hockey Talks event is part of an effort with the other Canadian NHL clubs where each will dedicate one of their game nights from Jan. 26-Feb. 29 to bringing awareness to mental health in an attempt to provide information from experts and alleviate some of the misconceptions and stigma associated with mental illness.
The schedule for Hockey Talks nights by Canadian NHL clubs is as follows:
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#HOCKEYTALKS SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Fans will also have the opportunity to lend their voices through social media by using the hashtag #HockeyTalks. Personal photos can be uploaded on Canucks.com to get a Hockey Talks overlay. Social media messages using the hashtag can appear as part of an online mosaic to showcase a united voice. Further details will be made available shortly on Canucks.com/hockeytalks.
CANUCKS SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES
The Vancouver Canucks will host BC Children’s Hospital’s third annual “Balancing Our Minds”, a free one-day workshop for 1,500 high school aged youth in BC to learn about mental health and engage in fun activities and thoughtful dialogue on Feb. 11, 2016. The team also, in conjunction with Fraser Health and Provincial Health Services Authority, and BC Children’s Hospital, re-launch mindcheck.ca, a website focused on providing free mental health resources for youth, in 2010. Since the re-launch, mindcheck.ca has had over 428,000 visitors and nearly 217,000 people have taken self-assessment quizzes.
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FACTS
In any given year, 1 in 5 Canadians experiences a mental health or addiction problem.(1)
70% of mental health problems have their onset during childhood or adolescence.(2)
Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada.(3, 4, 5)
A growing body of international evidence demonstrates that promotion, prevention, and early intervention initiatives show positive returns on investment in this health sector.(4, 6)
SOURCES
Smetanin et al (2011). The life and economic impact of major mental illnesses in Canada: 2011-2041.
Government of Canada (2006). The human face of mental health and mental illness in Canada.
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2015). Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study, 2013.
Mental Health Commission of Canada (2014). Why investing in mental health will contribute to Canada’s economic prosperity and to the sustainability of our health care system.
Lim et al (2008). A new population-based measure of the burden of mental illness in Canada.
Canadian Policy Network (2011). Return on investment: Mental health promotion and mental illness prevention.
For the record, I’ve attended four separate NHL All Star games, stressed about what to pack at length for each one, and wound up picking a similar look for each game. Of course, the press level look varies a bit from the fan look, but I usually try to keep it simple when traveling. The NHL All Star weekend showcases fans from across the league, keeping your look basic allows you to add an All Star accessory that shouts out to your favorite team. Plus, it’s Nashville baby and looking cool, while being comfortable, will be a key to surviving the adventure packed weekend ahead.
Jeans and a loose white t-shirt will be welcomed in your overnight bag. But don’t forget to add in a cardigan just in case, the weather lately has been unpredictable. A dark wash jean will pair well with any other shirts you’re packing, I promise. A long necklace makes a statement, pulling together the basics nicely.
If I told you that recently I’ve been obsessed with fringe, it would be an understatement, I literally can’t get enough of it or these grey fringe ankle boots. They’re practical, but anything but ordinary. Be sure to cuff the bottom of your jeans to show off these booties properly.
Neutral colors paired with a pop of color accessory, similar to the tribal print cross-body bag will make your basic outfit stand out in the crowd. You’ll be glad you packed a pair of fun sunglasses while you’re strolling over to the NHL Fan Fair for all the hockey activities you can handle. Don’t forget a jacket to complete the look, I’m all about heavy duty leather jackets in unusual colors, this camel tone is a breathe of fresh air compared to it’s usual black counterpart.
If you’re lucky enough to be attending the NHL All Star weekend, be sure to tweet @ThePinkPuck your photos, fashion choices and all the fun! If you aren’t attending, be sure to follow along, because pssssttt we’ll be there and we promise to bring you fantastic coverage.
SAN MATEO, Calif. / NEW YORK / TORONTO (Jan. 26, 2016) – The National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) today announced a renewal of its partnership with GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOPRO) to deliver hockey fans a behind-the-scenes look at the game. The partnership extension will feature NHL After Dark™, an 11-part series filmed and produced by GoPro that will give hockey fans an immersive look at what happens on the ice during after-hours training sessions.
“Our goal with the NHL After Dark™ series is to transport the hockey fan directly onto the ice with an up-close and personal look at some of the NHL’s most talented players,” said Bill McCullough, executive producer at GoPro. “These world-class athletes invest much of their time honing skills behind the scenes and we’re excited to give hockey fans an exclusive look at the personalities of these players, the fun they bring to the game and their commitment to mastering their craft.”
Each episode of NHL After Dark™ will feature NHL players on the ice in training sessions with hockey luminaries Mike Murphy and Mike Johnson. The debut episode, which will launch on Wednesday, Feb. 3, will feature the dazzling stickhandling skills of Detroit Red Wings forward Tomáš Tatar as he’s put through the paces.
“The speed and skill of the players in the NHL has never been better than it is today,” said Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA Special Assistant to the Executive Director. “Our continued partnership with GoPro provides hockey fans a unique look and perspective into the incredible talent that our athletes possess.”
“We know hockey fans want a more comprehensive, personal understanding of players’ lives and their journey onto the ice each night,” said Keith Wachtel, NHL Executive Vice President of Global Partnerships. “The NHL After Dark™ series delivers not just a unique perspective on the game of hockey, but a new look into the personalities of our players. We are excited to extend the GoPro partnership and give our fans access to places they’ve never been before.”
In addition to Tatar, NHL After Dark™ will feature Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith, Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux, New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider and Vancouver Canucks forwards Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The series will be distributed on the GoPro Channel and the GoPro App, channels owned and powered by the NHL and the NHLPA, including the NHL Network™, and the NHL® App, YouTube, and on the social media channels of GoPro, the NHL and the NHLPA.
PROGRAMMING CALENDAR (episodes will launch at 9 a.m. ET; details and timing are subject to change):
– Tuesday, Jan. 26: NHL After Dark™ Trailer
– Wednesday, Feb. 3: Tomáš Tatar (part 1 of 2)
– Wednesday, Feb.10: Evgeni Malkin (part 1 of 2)
– Wednesday, Feb. 17: Gabriel Landeskog
– Friday, Feb.19: Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin (part 1 of 2)
– Wednesday, Feb. 24: Evgeni Malkin (part 2)
– Wednesday, Mar. 2: Tomáš Tatar (part 2)
– Wednesday, Mar. 9: Duncan Keith
– Wednesday, Mar. 16: Claude Giroux (part 1 of 2)
– Wednesday, Mar. 23: Cory Schneider
– Friday, Mar. 25: Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin (part 2)
– Wednesday, Mar. 30: Claude Giroux (part 2)
For more information on this partnership and to view the trailer for NHL After Dark™, visit the GoPro news blog, The Inside Line.
The NHL is opening Nashville’s All-Star weekend Friday with a primetime TV special hosted by The Band Perry’s Kimberly Perry and NHL Broadcaster Kathryn Tappen.
This ceremonial puck drop on a weekend of hockey festivities will feature roundtable discussions with NHL All-Star players, country music star performances, and a few surprises.
Hosted by Grammy and CMA Award-winning The Band Perry member Kimberly Perry and NHL broadcaster Kathryn Tappen, the one-hour program will broadcast live from the Honda Stage at Bridgestone’s Winter Park in downtown Nashville at 7 p.m. CT Friday, Jan. 29 on NBCSN in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada.
Aaron Lewis, Kristian Bush, Big & Rich, John Hiatt, and Lee Brice will join the NHL takeover of downtown Nashville while All-Stars Matt Duchene, Johnny Gaudreau,Roman Josi, Pekka Rinne, Shea Weber, Brandon Saad, Steven Stamkos, P.K. Subban, and more offer celebrity interviews and celebrity coach/Predators season ticketholder and country music star Vince Gill joins Josi for a tour of the Gibson Guitar Factory.
The program will be produced by IMG, a global leader in sports, fashion, and media, under the direction of Steve Mayer, NHL executive vice president and executive producer of programming and creative development.
NHL Network and NHL.com will provide comprehensive coverage of the festivities. The NHL will also be active on social media platforms with #NHLAllStar and #NHLFanFair.
While much of Saturday’s NHL All-Star Skills Challenge event will be determined by team captains, one portion is back in fans’ hands–the Breakaway Challenge.
For the Breakaway Challenge, each team supplies one goalie. NHL Shootout rules do not apply. As in previous years, participants get two chances each, rotating teams.
As in previous years, shooters are judged on style, creativity, and flair.
As soon as the last shooter finishes, fans in-arena and watching in the U.S. and Canada can begin voting on Twitter using the hashtag of their chosen player, for example, #NHLBreakawayOvechkin, etc.
The shooter with the highest number of fan votes earns one point.
Each of the 44 All-Stars will participate in at least one of the skills competition’s six events:
Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge
Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater
DraftKings NHL Accuracy Shooting
Gatorade NHL Skills Challenge Relay
AMP Energy NHL Hardest Shot
Discover NHL Shootout
For the fastest skater competition, four players for each team will compete in a one-on-one race around the track. The fastest skater of each matchup earns a point and the team with the fastest skater earns a point. A bonus point is awarded to a team if a skater is able to break Fedorov Gartner’s 1996 record of 13.386.
The DraftKings NHL Accuracy Shooting contest has four shooters from each team, plus two designated passers. The goal is for shooters to hit four 15-inch diameter targets at each corner of the net in the fastest time. This is a head-to-head matchup alternating on opposite sides of the rink.
The winner of each matchup wins a point and a bonus point is awarded to the fastest shooter.
The Gatorade Skills Challenge Relay features 14 skaters and two goalies from each team with four relays and five challenges including: one-timers with three shooters and one passer per team; passing, with one passer per team; puck control, with one skater per team; skate handling, with one skater per team; and goalie goals, with one goalie per team.
Each skill must be completed before moving on to the next.
Points are awarded to the team with the fastest score in each heat and the fastest overall score.
The AMP Energy Hardest Shot challenge has four shooters from each team firing their hardest possible slap shots to the net with clocked speeds. The pucks are placed 30 feet from the net and speed is measured in miles per hour (mph).
The winner of each match-up is awarded a point and the team with the hardest shot receives a bonus point.
The Discover NHL Shootout consists of three rounds with 18 skaters and three goaltenders. For each two-minute round, six skaters and one goalie from each team takes the ice with teams alternating after each shot. Players one and three from each team use a special Discover puck worth two points. NHL shootout rules apply to each scoring attempt and shooters have a maximum of 10 seconds to shoot.
Live television coverage of the Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition starts at 6 p.m. CT Saturday, Jan. 30 and the Honda NHL All-Star Tournament starts at 5 p.m. CT Sunday, Jan. 31 on NBCSN in the U.S. and Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada.
In Nashville
The Fan Fair
This is Nashville’s first time hosting the All-Star activities and they have four days of activities planned for visitors with their 2016 NHL Fan Fair.
The Music City Center is being transformed into 250,000 square feet of interactive hockey fun sponsored by Bridgestone, according to an NHL press release.
From 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. CT Thursday, Jan. 28 and Friday, Jan. 29 and from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, an NHL fan pass allows access to:
NHL Mascots
A photo with the Stanley Cup
An NHL Trophy Showcase, including the Hart, Vezina, Norris, and others
Meet-and-greet past and present hockey legends
NHL player Q&A at the NHL Fan Fair Theater
Visit the “Hockey in the State of Tennessee” Hall of Fame exhibit
Test shooting accuracy in the Bridgestone Shootout
Live country music performances nightly–including Dierks Bentley, Lonestar, Big&Rich, and more
Create-your-own Upper Deck trading card
Test your hockey skills in the Honda All-Star skills zone
Price (Single Day)
$20 Adult
$15 Children (Ages 3 to 12)
$15 Seniors (Ages 65 and over)
$15 College/Military (must show ID at entrance)
Children 2 and under: Free Four Day Mobile Pass
$60 (Good for One Entry Each Day of Operation)
The snow had begun to fall about five hours before the puck dropped at TD Garden. For hockey fans in Boston, some snow merely slowed down their arrival, but didn’t prevent them from showing up. It appeared the Boston Bruins were delayed in showing up as well as they hosted the Columbus Blue Jackets. They were standing on the ice as the anthem was sung, but when it came to their play, they didn’t truly show up until 32 seconds into the second period. That’s when Brad Marchand notched the first goal of the game and for the Bruins.
The Bergeron line entered the offensive zone, with Ryan Spooner slotted in at right wing while Brett Connolly sat out as a healthy scratch. Patrice Bergeron skated down the slot and passed the puck to Spooner over at the left circle who dished it to Marchand as he arrived at the crease and he backhanded it in. Three minutes later David Pastrnak would get his fifth goal of the season. This extended his point streak to three games and gives him points in four of the five games he’s played since returning from injury.
For Boston, that would be some of their best hockey of the night. Roughly three and a half minutes later Dalton Prout would score his first of the season and put the Blue Jackets on the score sheet, cutting the Bruins lead in half. As the Blue Jackets got stronger on their play, the Bruins were getting noticeably sloppier.
Three minutes later, as the Blue Jackets continued to impress their will on Boston, Kerby Rychel would tip in his second goal of the season to tie the game. The score would remain knotted there.
“To be honest with you, we kind of gave them those two goals. If you watch the plays it was just turnovers and odd-man rushes, and they’re a team that we talked about before the game that will make you pay when you do that,” Nick Foligno said after the game. “So we got back to our game and found some nice big goals. [Prout] scores a great goal for us, and then [Kerby] Rychel had a really nice tip and got the guys going and then just we started to kind of take over that game.
Ryan Spooner
As the clock began to tick down the last minute of regulation, Dennis Seidenberg was whistled for a slashing with six seconds remaining in the third. The Blue Jackets wouldn’t be able to capitalize in those waning seconds in regulation.
Three-on-three overtime is all about puck possession and as the horn signaled the end of regulation, it was clear that the first 1:54 of the five-minute extra inning would be a 4-on-3 power play for Columbus. Somehow the Bruins made the kill and then were rewarded with their own power play in OT as the Blue Jackets were caught with too many men on the ice. However, even the five-minute overtime would not be enough to determine a victor.
As the shootout began, Spooner was tapped first for the Bruins. His wrist shot got past Joonas Korpisalo. Jonas Gustavsson, who found out when he arrived before the game that he was playing, stoned Boston College alum Cam Atkinson. Bergeron was denied at the other end as was Brandon Dubinsky for Columbus. As Torey Krug started his approach, he could win the game and get the Bruins two important points. His wrist shot found the back of the net and the Bruins had stolen a game.
“Yeah, I think the two points is really important at this time of the year when you look at the standings. It’s not so much the two goals that we gave up, it’s the way we played again tonight,” head coach Claude Julien said after the game. “We need to be better. I thought our intensity was good but not good enough and we need to be better with—when I say intensity, when you’re a little bit more intense so is your execution. And, again, our execution was, you know, average tonight; easy passes that should be tape-to-tape.”
And despite his impressive goal, Krug admitted that he had not played well. He commented a couple of times that Gustavsson had bailed him out during a number of plays.
“Hell of a job by Gus. He won the game for us tonight. He bailed us out numerous times, me specifically many times tonight,” Krug said. “So I was lucky that he was back there for us, and he’s always prepared. It’s what makes him a great backup in this league and we’re lucky he’s on our side.”
So the struggles on home ice continue, despite getting the win. The Bruins travel to Pennsylvania, where they will play the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, before returning to Boston to take on the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday to close out their most recent three games in four nights.
The Dallas Stars got off to a quick start and were one of the NHL’s surprises in the first half of the season. They have come back to reality since the Christmas break.
In 12 games since the break, they have a 3-6-3 record and have only accumulated nine total points. The Stars had a 26-7-2 record, 54 points and a 10-point lead over the Chicago Blackhawks in the Central Division. The Blackhawks have gone on a 12-0-0 run since then and have taken over the Central Division lead by five points. Despite the slump, the Stars are still in good position to make the playoffs. They have a nine point lead over the Minnesota Wild, who sit fourth in the division, and first in the wild card standings.
A major reason for the Stars slump is its play away from home. In the 12 games since the break, they are 0-5-3 on the road. They have only scored 21 goals while allowing 35 goals against. In those eight road games, they have allowed six goals three times and four goals twice. The power play has only put the puck in the net twice on 22 opportunities. The penalty kill hasn’t been much better allowing eight power play goals in 27 opportunities. The Stars have also given up two shorthanded goals while on the man advantage away from home.
Another reason for the poor play has been the tough schedule and the level of competition. The Stars have played 11 teams that are in the playoff hunt since the Christmas break. The team has lost six one goal games during the 12-game stretch. When facing better competition, it’s harder to come from behind after allowing the first goal, which they’ve done seven times in the last 12 games. The team is 1-4-2 when allowing the first goal during the mini slump.
The team has gotten off to slow starts, and is giving up too many goals. They are losing board battles, which is allowing teams to stay in the offensive zone longer and create more chances. It seems like opposing players are being given a lot of time and space to shoot the puck. The Stars are turning the puck over too much, and need to play better team defense to try and turn things around.
The goaltenders haven’t been playing their best, but in their defense the Stars have been leaving them out to dry and not giving them a lot of help. Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen are a combined 3-6-3 with a .905 save percentage during the slump. They have allowed 37 goals, 26 of them have come at even strength, eight on the power play and two shorthanded. The goalies have had some pucks go in off of deflections in front. There have been too many rebound opportunities and loose pucks in the crease area that haven’t been covered or found by the Stars. The goalies have also let in some goals when a save should have been made.
There has been nothing special about the Stars‘ power play and penalty kill lately. They have only scored five power play goals in 30 opportunities (16.7 PP%) and have allowed two shorthanded goals. The penalty kill hasn’t exactly been on fire itself for the past 12 games. The Stars have allowed eight power play goals against in 33 opportunities (75.6 PK%), but they have scored one shorthanded goal.
The Stars have continued to produce during the slump. They have scored 32 goals in 12 games and are averaging about 2.67 goals for per game. They have 24 even strength goals, five power play goals, one empty net goal and one shorthanded goal. The top scorers on the team have continued to produce and rack up the points.
If the Stars want to turn things around and not be in a dogfight for playoff positioning down the stretch, they’ll need to find a way to win games on the road and straighten out the power play.
For the Boston Bruins, Thursday night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks was reminiscent of too many of their home games to start the season with their overall play lacking a level of intensity that they need in order to succeed. Despite the Bruins having controlled the play in the offensive zone for almost three and a half minutes after the puck dropped to start the game, Canucks Sven Baertschi would score on a partial breakaway, going five-hole on Tuukka Rask at 3:27 of the first period and the Bruins would find themselves playing from behind for the entire game.
It took Boston almost two full periods to tie the game, when Jimmy Hayes finally got a wrist shot past Jacob Markstrom at 19:08 for his 11th goal of the season with assists from David Pastrnak and Ryan Spooner. Going into that second intermission it looked like perhaps the Bruins had figured out what they were doing wrong and were turning things around.
Unfortunately the Canucks would come out in the third and pick up where they left off before the horn signaled the end of the second—outshooting the Bruins—and just 1:49 into that final frame, Alexandre Burrows put Vancouver back on top. Resilience would show with Boston as Brad Marchand tied the game just a little more than two minutes later at 4:15 with the lone assist on the sheet going to Patrice Bergeron.
While it looked like perhaps the Bruins could pull something from an otherwise lackluster game, the need to play catch-up hockey coupled with a lot of sloppy play saw Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin getting what became the game-winning goal less than three minutes later. The score stuck at 3-2 until Sedin stabbed in the final dagger, scoring the empty netter with just 23 seconds remaining in the game for a final score of 4-2.
One of the things that was most noticeable throughout the game was how both teams seemed to struggle with the puck. By the end of the game Vancouver had a combined 20 giveaways throughout the three periods while Boston had 23.
“Yeah, the ice wasn’t great,” Spooner said afterwards. “I mean, at the end of the game there just the pass to the top and it was bouncing. And both teams have to deal with that so it’s fair, but it’s just one of those games where it turned out like that so, again it was just kind of a bummer.”
It was fair as Spooner alluded. However, it was the Bruins’ sloppy play that would be their undoing in what was Rask’s 300th career NHL game—a milestone he would have preferred to recognize with a win.
While both David Krejci and Landon Ferraro returned to the ice—Krejci’s last game having been the Bruins’ loss at Ottawa on December 27—it wasn’t just a little rust in Krejci’s game but an overall failure in puck management among the entire team that forced head coach Claude Julien to do some juggling of his lines as the game went on.
Ferraro pretty much summed up the game when he described their inability to tie the game for the third time.
“It’s just when you play a sloppy game, it’s going to bite you.” — Landon Ferraro
And that’s just what happened.
For the locker room postgame interviews, see the video below:
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