The Minnesota Wild have not performed up to their expectations this season. With a final regular season record of 43-27-12, and a run to the second round of the playoffs in 2013-14; they were expected to do well again this season. Many people assumed that with their young guns such as Jason Zucker, Erik Haula, Mikael Granlund, and many other good young players, they would only be getting better.
Now, the Wild are 48 games into the season with a record of 23-20-6, which is twelfth in the Western Conference. They are 5 points away from the eighth spot, which is where they need to be in order to make the playoffs.
So what do they need to do in order to make the playoffs again this year? A major problem for the Wild is their lack of goal tending. Niklas Backstrom, their former starting goalie, was injured last season, and has not been able to be a stellar choice since coming back. It seems that Backstrom may be past his prime, as he is now 36 years old. At the beginning of the season, Josh Harding was expected to be the starting goalie, but he broke his foot in an off-ice activity. The Wild then looked to Darcy Kuemper to be their number one goaltender, but he was not doing as well as they had hoped. Finally, they traded for Devan Dubnyk.
Though many think he is not capable of being a number one goaltender, he may have what it takes to bring the Wild out of their slump, and clinch the eighth spot in the playoffs. Dubnyk has had a few big games, one of his biggest was against the Calgary Flames, where he got his second shutout with the Wild, and made thirty saves. If he keeps playing well for the Wild, he could be a huge key for them to make the playoffs.
Another key thing that the Wild need is for their coach, Mike Yeo, to be able to bring them together and motivate them. It has seemed that this season the Wild have not been able to connect as well as they did last year, and just don’t have chemistry. They have been making many mistakes out on the ice, and that has cost them. If Yeo wants his team to make the playoffs, he needs to figure out how to get the spark back, and inspire his team to win.
Whatever the Wild do, they must make some changes if they want to see the playoffs again this year. Even though it has been a tough season for them, it is very possible to make a comeback, but their time to do it must be now.
In the off-season, the Philadelphia Flyers signed veteran defenseman, Nick Schultz to a one-year, $1.25 million contract. Schultz wasn’t expected to be seeing too much ice time since he was signed to be the Flyers extra defenseman. He didn’t have to wait long to get his shot, however, because fellow defenseman, Braydon Coburn broke his foot during the first game of the season for the Flyers. While Coby was out, Andrew MacDonald also broke his foot while blocking a shot, and the minutes starting increasing for Schultz. Craig Berube even used him on the second power play unit for a few shifts. He also took Coby’s spot on the penalty kill.
Schultz wound up playing so well that he forced Berube to leave him in the lineup once the defense was healthy again. He has been the Flyers’ most consistent defenseman, and has only missed two games this season. The first game of the season he was a healthy scratch, and then he sat out a game due to injury. After Nicklas Grossmann and Coby went out with injuries, Berube paired Schultz with Mark Streit on the top defense pairing.
In 49 games played this season, Schultz has one goal, 10 assists, and 11 points. He is also a plus six, which is the best among Flyers defensemen. He also has one game winning goal, even though he is known more for his defensive skills. He averages about 19:01 in ice time per game, and is used at even strength and on the penalty kill. Schultz doesn’t have a short-handed point, but he does play about 2:41 short-handed minutes per game.
One reason that he plays on the penalty kill is that he’s not afraid to block shots (95). The defenseman will get his stick into the passing or shooting lanes, and either break up a play or deflect a shot out of play. He is usually in good position to make or break up a play. When watching games, his name is rarely heard for making a bad play or decision with the puck. He will turn the puck over some, but he can usually get back into a good defensive position.
Schultz may be known more for his defensive skills, but lately he has been joining the play in the offensive zone. He’ll pinch in from the point to try to keep a play alive. He’s been deep in the offensive zone, and come back to join the rush. In a game against the Winnipeg Jets, he came in front the point to put a loose rebound past Michael Hutchinson. He’ll take some chances offensively, but he will make sure that someone has rotated back to cover his spot before he takes those chances.
Schultz is an unrestricted free agent after the season, and it should be interesting to see if the Flyers let him go or sign him to another contract.
It’s another reality show coming our way, but this time the aim is us –Hockey lovers, old and young, female or male, bored or not!
Starting on March 18th at 10pm, this mini eight part reality show will air during the regular hockey season. “Hockey Wives” is about the lives of the wives and girlfriends of NHL players across the league.
The wives/girlfriends have already been picked and from reading the roster, most have their own lives and careers. Wendy Tippett who married the Coyotes head coach is a real estate maven. Jenny Scrivens is an athlete and a communications expert, she married Edmonton Oilers goalie Ben Scrivens. Then there is my favorite wife, the former intelligence specialist for the U.S. military Emilie Blum, wife of Minnesota defenceman Jonathon Blum. Why is she one of my favorites? She used to do all the things that make a reality show grow into a smash hit. Spies and secrets in a TV show, never done before! From the lineup, it might be fun to watch this show after all. Some episodes will include the wives of Dustin Brown (Kings Captain), retired player George Parros and the actress wife of the Canucks goalie Ryan Miller.
I am not a reality show watcher at all, but this could be much more than a reality show. Most if not all the featured wives have their own careers. The Canadian Post has called it a “docu-series.” The main idea behind the show is the challenges of all the relationships that live and grow on the front page of the sport section.
Is it a reality show or docu-series? You be the judge and decide for yourself.
The New Jersey Devils will host a weekend of festivities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their first Stanley Cup Championship.
On the weekend of March 7-8, the Devils organization will host a variety of activities to recognize the 1995 Championship team. More than 20 players and coaches will come together for this weekend at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
The festivities will kick off on Saturday afternoon at the AmeriHealth Pavilion with an alumni game. Players from the 1995 Championship team will take the ice together again to raise money for charity. Specific rosters and ticket information will be released soon.
The weekend activities will lead up to the Devils’ rivalry game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, March 8 at 5:00 p.m. Before the game, the Devils will hold a pregame ceremony to honor the 1995 Championship team.
“We are all looking forward to welcoming the coaches, players and staff, as well as their families, from our first championship team back here to New Jersey,” said Devils’ President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello. “That was a team with tremendous character, with great coaches, great players and quality individuals. They set the standard to which all of our other teams have been compared to.”
Fans can find updates and ticket information on the new Devils’ webpage for “Celebrating the ’95 Cup.” Fans can purchase the ’95 Stanley Cup Ticket Pack for the game against the Flyers on March 8, which includes a limited edition t-shirt.
The package also includes tickets for games against all three Eastern Conference teams that the Devils defeated in 1995 to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. These games include the Boston Bruins on Feb 27, Philadelphia Flyers on March 8 and the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 17.
The Los Angeles Kings are kicking off their annual Grammy’s Road Trip this year in Boston before heading over to DC for their first meeting this season with the Washington Capitals. They’ll finish up the five-game road swing in Columbus on February 9, 2015.
And in keeping with tradition, the Los Angeles Kings will be honored by President Obama at the White House for their second championship in three years.
It was another historical run for the Kings – dubbed cockroaches by defenseman Alec Martinez – as they went undefeated in elimination games while playing three Game 7’s on the road and competing in a record 26 games, the most ever since the NHL expanded to a seven-game format in all rounds.
No strangers to sharing the spotlight, the Kings will once again be joined by 5-time MLS Cup Champions LA Galaxy who defeated the New England Revolution 2-1 in extra time on December 7, 2014.
The president will honor his guests on Monday, February 2, 2015 at 2:00 PM (ET). It will be live streamed so be sure to check the LA Kings twitter account (@lakings) and their website for more details as the date approaches.
The San Jose Sharks played their first game since the All-Star break against division rivals Anaheim Ducks at home Thursday night. Commenting earlier this week that his Sharks are a “middle-of-the-pack” team who play up or play down to their opponent, head coach Todd McLellan had to be happy with their performance in this one. Eleven different Sharks got a point, which helped to give San Jose a 4-0-1 record against Anaheim this season.The Sharks outshot the Ducks by 5 and outscored them by 3 to a 6-3 victory.
As expected, the game began with great pace and energy. The Ducks were on the board first early on at 4:57, a wrister by Andrew Cogliano. It was on the first power play of six on the night that the Sharks responded with a goal from none other than Joe Pavelski and his A-team line of Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton with the assists. Things heated up with a fight between Francois Beauchemin and Andrew Desjardins at about the midway point in the first period, matching the pace and tone between these hot rivals.
It was all Sharks in the second period who scored 5 unanswered goals and set a new season record for most goals scored in a single period – the last record was 4 goals against Boston back in December. The first of the five was from Barclay Goodrow. He spent the All-Star break over in Worcester and it seemed time over in Massachusetts did him well. He got his sixth assist later on in the period on James Sheppard’s goal, making this game Goodrow’s second multi-point game this season. In fact, everyone on this line had something to contribute. Each player (Sheppard, Hertl, and Goodrow) notched 2 points for a total of 6 on the night. The other goals in this period from Matt Irwin, Marleau, and Brenden Dillon (a shorty), gave San Jose a healthy 6-1 lead to round out the second.
Ilya Bryzgalov was pulled and Frederik Andersen took his place after Dillon’s goal. It was all Ducks after that in the third with goals from Matt Beleskey and Patrick Maroon, but too little, too late. For the Sharks, they credit a fast start and solid special teams. “The start was there. It could have been a little better at certain times, but special teams got us going. It was good to see. That’s what we need is good special teams down the stretch,” said Pavelski after the game.
Bryzgalov’s teammates, however, stood behind him, regardless of the lopsided score. Cogliano commented in a post-game interview that
“It’s never solely on the goalie. I think we gave away too many odd man rushes. When you give any team eight or nine odd man rushes in a period, even if you don’t score on any of them, you gain momentum. It was a collective effort. I don’t think he played as good as he wanted to and we, obviously, did nothing to help him out. So I think it was a collective effort from everyone tonight.”
The sentiment shared by Cogliano on Bryzgalov is reminiscent of the Sharks’ play in the past, most recently against New Jersey with a 5-2 loss, or in the St. Louis game of 7-2 in early January. Much has to be said for collective efforts in both teams in this one, and for an inconsistent team like the Sharks, this was a good game. So, was McLellan pleased with his club? Absolutely. “A really good way to start the second half [of the season]. We were four lines deep, all six defensemen, solid goaltending, so everyone contributed.” A collective effort makes all the difference – whether good or bad.
Next up, the Sharks face the Chicago Blackhawks for their second meeting of the season on Saturday night.
After the all-star break the NHL season is a sprint to the playoffs; the same goes for fantasy hockey. Some teams have all but clinched a playoff spot, while others battle for positioning. In the fantasy hockey world, now is the time to make moves and fight your way into playoff contention.
In our first edition of line check, we recommended picking up players like Justin Abdelkader, Nick Foligno, Nikita Kucherov and Craig Smith. Some of these players have since taken off and firmly established themselves as fantasy studs. Part of the reason could be their slotting in the lineup, or they’re just really good players. Regardless, being up-to-date on NHL lineups and where players stand is a major key to fantasy hockey success.
At the midway point, with the help again of Brock Seguin and his fantasy hockey encyclopedia of a website in www.dailyfaceoff.com, lets take a look at some players you should target.
ANAHEIM DUCKS:
Patrick Maroon (LW):
A previous suggestion, Maroon is finally starting to take off in Anaheim. A dominating, physical presence with a knack of getting to the net and protecting the puck, Maroon is an imposing power forward in a great position to succeed. Now playing alongside Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry – on both the first line and first power play unit – Maroon is a must own. Having registered seven points in his last six games, his offensive production is picking up while he continues to rack up hits. Grab him while you can.
The youngest player in all of professional hockey, Pastrnak is someone you should take a chance on. Any player who’s skated with David Krejci and Milan Lucic has produced in the past, and Pastrnak is Boston’s best option to play in that spot right now. Though he’s come back down to earth since his four-goals in two-games effort, Pastrnak is still in a great spot to produce and getting power play looks as well. He is an extremely talented rookie and definitely worth picking up.
CALGARY FLAMES:
Sean Monahan (C):
He’s only owned in 35% of Yahoo leagues and I have no idea how. A former 2013 first round pick (drafted 6th overall), Monahan has size, skill, and first line center status on an up-and-coming Calgary team. Playing with dynamic rookie Johnny Gaudreau and a consistent producer in Jiri Hudler, Monahan has 31 points already and could finish with a solid 50-60 point season. He’s centering the first power play unit as well and should be picked up immediately.
CAROLINA HURRICANES:
Jordan Staal (C, LW):
Since returning from a serious leg injury Jordan Staal has been fantastic. He has eight points in 11 games, centering his brother Eric and Jiri Tlusty. Staal is also skating on the top power play unit while registering a number of hits as well. One of the most overlooked fantasy producers around, Staal should continue to have a productive second half of the season. He’s barely owned in fantasy leagues so if you need a center or left-winger, go get him.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS:
Brad Richards (C, LW):
Richards has experienced highest of highs and lowest of lows late in his hockey career. From being scratched in the playoffs while playing for the New York Rangers under coach John Tortorella, to centering Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp on the Blackhawks second line, it’s been a wild ride. Richards has 28 points on the season but that number should improve drastically. The Blackhawks have as much firepower as any team in the league, and playing with Kane and Sharp while seeing power play time will serve Richards very well. He’s playing much better this season and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him surpass the 50-point mark.
COLORADO AVALANCHE:
Alex Tanguay (LW, RW):
Only 23% owned in Yahoo leagues, Tanguay makes for a solid midseason pickup if you’re looking for points. A steady producer all season long, his 33 points rank him right at the top of Colorado scorers. He will be relied on heavily in the second half, and plays the point on their second power play unit. A 50-point season isn’t out of the question for the seasoned vet, something none of us could have predicted before the puck dropped back in early October. If you need offense, give Tanguay a shot.
FLORIDA PANTHERS:
Aleksander Barkov (C):
More of a home run pickup, Barkov is extremely young and has a long way to go with his development. However, having registered nine points in his past 10 games, the second year player is heating up in a top line role for this surprising Florida Panthers team. Barkov has looked terrific centering Jonathan Huberdeau and Brad Boyes, and does a great job quarterbacking the team’s first power play unit – he and Aaron Ekblad make for a deadly combination on the blueline. If you’re in a deeper league and looking for points, take a chance on Barkov.
MINNESOTA WILD:
Mikael Granlund (C):
The supremely talented Granlund caught the hockey world by storm last year, tallying 41 points in 63 games while putting together an impressive playoff performance for a young player. He has incredible hands, vision and should have a productive NHL career. This season has been rough on him as he went down early with a brutal wrist injury; but just this week Granlund was activated from the injured reserve, and claimed the first line center spot between Zach Parise and Thomas Vanek. Obviously, this is a great spot to produce; and if he strings together a solid stretch of games, grab Granlund for a potential second half surge.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS:
Mikhail Grabovski (C, LW, RW):
After making the playoffs for the first time in years, the New York Islanders are off to one of their best starts in franchise history. John Tavares and Kyle Okposo have been outstanding at the top of lineup; scoring a ton of goals while depth, defense and goaltending have all played a role in their impressive start. Recently, Okposo went down with an injury that could very well end his season. Grabovski, one of the streakiest players in the NHL but someone with definite 25-goal talent, is taking his place alongside John Tavares and Josh Bailey. This puts him in a tremendous position to produce, playing for a team and on a line that has all the reason to fight to the finish. Grabovski scored his first of what could be many goals playing with Tavares last night, and shouldn’t remain on the waiver wire much longer.
OTTAWA SENATORS:
Mark Stone (RW):
A former WHL standout, Stone has been one of the few bright spots for a struggling Senators team. Playing top line minutes in the midst of a hot streak (nine points in past 10 games), Stone has settled in as an interchangeable top-six winger for the Sens. He’s been both scoring goals and dishing the puck (26 points through 44 games), and should continue to produce in the second half. The Sens don’t have much for offense behind the Bobby Ryans and Kyle Turris’ of the world; so Stone will be relied on to provide some scoring depth. If you need a right-winger and are short for options, Stone may be a worthy pickup.
Change is in the air for minor league hockey. What started as rumblings, then rumors, has now emerged as a truth. The AHL, the top development league for the NHL, is taking their covered wagons and heading west. Truly west, to form a real Western Conference for the 2015-2016 season. Spearheading the drive into the western frontier are the California hockey powerhouses, the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and the San Jose Sharks, all of whom currently have AHL Franchises east of the Mississippi; the Norfolk Admirals, Manchester Monarchs and the Worcester Sharks respectively. For obvious reasons, they want their top prospects close at hand so that when the hockey injury ninjas strike, a callup is only a short flight or bus ride away.
At a press conference held at SAP Center in San Jose, California on Thursday, the president of the AHL David Andrews was joined by five NHL teams to announce that the AHL Board of Governors has formally approved the steps necessary to form a Pacific Division beginning next season.
“Relocating five teams is a complex process, and we are very excited to have brought this initiative to a successful outcome,” said Andrews. “The Western-based NHL clubs have been in dialogue with our league for almost three years, and today’s announcement launches a new era for the American Hockey League and for professional hockey in California.”
As part of the approval, the Anaheim Ducks are in the process of purchasing the Norfolk Admirals with relocation to San Diego, CA. The Calgary Flames will move their AHL Adirondack Flames franchise from Glens Falls, NY to Stockton, CA and the Edmonton Oilers will relocate their team in Oklahoma City, OK to Bakersfield, CA. The Los Angeles Kings will send their AHL Manchester Monarchs to Ontario, CA and the San Jose Sharks will bring the AHL Worcester Sharks to San Jose.
The ECHL has had the corner on the minor league hockey market in California, with three teams firmly established, the Bakersfield Condors, Stockton Thunder and the Ontario Reign. These teams, however made it that much easier for the AHL to move to the West Coast, especially since the ECHL extended its affiliation with the CHL at the beginning of this season, bringing more teams into the fold. All three of these teams have solid fan bases with strong attendance records, lending more support for their ability to translate to the AHL. A key piece is that all three are owned by NHL franchises.
You could say the AHL westward movement began back in 2008 when AEG, the ownership group of the Los Angeles Kings secured part-ownership of the Ontario Reign. It seemed to be a test of the waters for the Kings affiliate, but there is no doubt that the Reign have proven successful in the Inland Empire, boasting some of the highest consistent attendance records in the ECHL. AEG also owns the Manchester Monarchs, so the teams will flip-flop leagues come next season, with Manchester joining the ECHL as a Kings affiliate.
Last January, the Edmonton Oilers purchased the Bakersfield Condors to create “a deeper pool of player talent and access to the expertise of the Edmonton Oilers business operations, while also ensuring what makes the team so special – its strong roots in Bakersfield and local management will remain intact,” stated Oilers COO Patrick LaForge in a press release following the deal. The purchase gave Edmonton an “in” into the AHL West movement and was a stepping stone to suspending operations with their affiliate OKC Barons, which will happen at the end of this season.
At the press conference held on Thursday Oilers President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe said, “We want to thank and congratulate the AHL, NHL and our fellow member clubs in making the Pacific Division a reality through hard work and collaboration. The Edmonton Oilers are extremely excited about this new opportunity to enhance our development system and help grow the game of hockey in California.”
“We couldn’t be more pleased in our partnership with Bakersfield over the last year and I can’t say enough good things about the fans and the city of Bakersfield.”
“This is a huge step for Bakersfield and this organization,” said Matt Riley, Bakersfield AHL Affiliate President. “We want to thank our fans, the city, our ECHL colleagues and the Oilers for taking us under their wing and enabling us to be a part of this. We’re excited to take an increased role in the growth of the game in California.”
Another piece to the AHL moving west came together when the Stockton Thunder owner Brad Rowbotham announced the sale of the organization at the end of last year. Here was a team with ten years of hockey that had a world class arena consistently filled on game nights. It was an attractive hockey market to secure for a push into the AHL west.After numerous discussions, including offers from another franchise, the sale of the team to the Calgary Flames came to completion over the past weekend.
Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva, Flames General Manager Brad Treliving and Stockton Thunder President Dave Piecuch photo credit: Asvitt Photography
The Calgary Flames held an additional press conference in Stockton, CA to formally announce the sale of the team and the move to the AHL. In attendance were Calgary Flames General Manager Brad Treliving, Stockton Thunder President Dave Piecuch, Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva, Stockton Vice Mayor Christina Fugazi, and Stockton City Councilmembers.
“We are excited for this transition and are looking forward to this new partnership,” Mayor Silva said. “We here in Stockton are establishing ourselves as a minor league sports city and the entire City Council is here in attendance to support what we see as yet another step forward in Stockton sports.”
Mayor Silva was not the only member on the podium that was excited about the new partnership with Calgary.
Flames General Manager Brad Treliving spoke to the importance of having an AHL team located on the West Coast, and his own excitement about having a franchise in Stockton.
“To use a baseball analogy, this will be our top ‘Triple-A’ affiliate,” Treliving said. “This move is significant to our development of a Stanley Cup champion in Calgary for multiple reasons. First off, Stockton Arena is a world-class facility that is the envy of not just ECHL teams, but AHL teams as well. Having our players play at a top-notch facility was paramount. Also, the fans pack the house here every night; we look forward to that same support for the new team.”
The San Jose Sharks made the last move and opted to bring their AHL Worcester Sharks to the same arena as the big club, at least for the 2015-2016 season. Having players ready to bring up to the NHL level literally a few steps away as opposed to a 6-hour plane ride is a huge bonus, particularly in practice days lost due to travel time.
“This is an exciting day for the San Jose Sharks organization and for hockey fans throughout the state of California,” said Sharks COO John Tortora. “Having our AHL club playing in close proximity to our NHL club has innumerable benefits for the development of our young players and prospects. It also provides an opportunity for the Sharks organization to grow Sharks Territory and enhance our footprint into what is an already hockey-crazy market.”
Several cities will lose their AHL teams, but will receive an ECHL franchise. The Bakersfield Condors will be relocated to Norfolk, VA when Anaheim moves its AHL affiliate to San Diego. The Stockton Thunder will head to Glens Falls, as Calgary shuffles their franchises and the Ontario Reign will swap with the Manchester Monarchs. Worcester is the odd city out but will more than likely pick up a team in the ECHL once the zamboni ice has set.
Team names and colors for the five new AHL franchises will be decided in the next couple weeks. The ECHL will hold a separate press conference on Friday to address the shifting of teams into the ECHL and the relocation of teams.
This is just the first big step for the AHL to truly be coast to coast. Other teams such as the Vancouver Canucks and Arizona Coyotes may want in on the western movement after this first test season. One thing is certain, the landscape of minor league hockey has shifted and there can be no doubt, California is on the hockey map. Move over Minnesota, California is the new “State of AHL Hockey”.
Lightning fast down the wing, you might just miss the newest Stockton Thunder forward if you glance away from the game. Vinny Scarsella isn’t a big body on the ice but he’s an impact player, working hard every shift. He spent a year and a half with the Utah Grizzlies, racking up 20 goals and 34 assists in that time before being acquired by the Thunder in exchange for forward Ryan Hayes. According to Thunder Head Coach Rich Kromm, Scarsella came as advertised and does “pretty much what we expected of him… Vinny plays a pretty complete game all the time and skates really well.”
The diminutive forward does skate like a dream, weaving around the bigger bodies on the ice and turning on the jets to make a quick zone entry. The Thunder are stacked with smaller forwards, 5’8″ the average height, and there is an advantage to being undersized. A lower center of gravity allows you to transfer more of your energy into a skating stride and a smaller frame gives you quickness and sharpness in tight turns and direction changes, desirable skills if you want to shake an attacker. Scarsella knows though that being one of the smaller guys means you have to work twice as hard out there on the ice against the bigger players.
“I’m a small speedy guy,” said Scarsella when asked what he brings to the game. “I give a little edge in the offensive zone, help keep pucks in, and get the cycle going.”
The Grizzlies, Scarsella’s former team, is loaded with forwards who are on average 6′ so it was a change of pace for him to be surrounded by so many players who matched both his height and knack for speed.
“Just knowing how I play and seeing the smaller guys on this team, it’s been nice to see guys kinda my height. It’s fun, its a skilled team, a fast team, and I think I could help contribute a lot to this team.”
Despite the disparity in height between the teams, Scarsella says the transition was an easy one to make given the similarity in playing style both teams have. A combination of mobile forwards and heavy-hitting, bigger bodied defensemen are characteristics the Grizzlies and Thunder share.
“There are a lot of skilled forwards and a lot of good D on the back end. We like to get the pucks deep and grind in the corners, so yeah there are a lot of similarities. Coming over actually hasn’t been that big of an adjustment.”
Scarsella has played his first few games with linemates Jack MacLellan and Tyler Shattock, a nice combination of speed, power in the corners and vision in front of the net between the three.
“Once we get our chemistry down I think we are going to be a really productive line,” said Scarsella after his first game with the duo. “They both work really hard, both got really good hands, good vision, so I’m excited to see what will come out of that line.”
Their third game together seemed to be the charm with Scarsella breaking through the slot from a feed from MacLellan and Shattock for a third period goal. Then MacLellan chipped the puck over the goalie’s glove after being set up by Scarsella and Shattock late in the game.
“[Tyler Shattock] made a nice play on the boards and Jack [MacLellan] make a really nice play along the wall walking the defenseman and then made a great pass to me and I did the easy part,” said Scarsella about his first goal with the Thunder. “Those guys made the nice plays on that one and I was fortunate to be at the end of it.”
Not only is Scarsella a playmaker at even strength, he feels where he can really contribute is on the power play. Special teams are crucial to the success of a team and getting a goal on the man advantage can change the momentum and the tide of the game. He prides himself of being that guy that can come through and contribute on the scoresheet on the power play. Getting that kind of a goal once a game, says Scarsella, boosts your chances of winning and at this point in the season, the Thunder can use all the Ws they can get.
With a few more games behind him with the team, expect to hear Scarsella chirping on the bench, getting the guys fired up. “Once I get more comfortable with the guys, I’ll be a little bit more vocal on the bench, you know just be a good team guy all around, that’s what I bring.”
The new year has not been ideal for the Blackhawks, who have lost five of their last 10 games. The last two, however, sent them into the All-Star break with some upward momentum before a grueling six-games-in-10-days road trip.
Blackhawks vs. Penguins, Jan. 21
Most recently, the Blackhawks edged past the Penguins with a 3-2 shootout win.
After a scoreless third period and overtime, the game went to a shootout with David Perron, Toews, Captain Sidney Crosby, and Kane.
“We played smart tonight,” Toews said. “We played an offensive team that knows how to create chances, and for the most part we were pretty good in our own end and the penalty kill was good too. It’s a good road win, especially with the games we’ve played in the last five to six days.
“I think it always comes down to one break. If it’s a shootout, we have great confidence we have a goaltender that can make stops. We have shooters that want to be in that situation. So, I just think we like our odds given the circumstance. We just feel like we’re going to be more desperate, we’re going to get that extra point.”
Blackhawks vs. Coyotes Jan. 20
Chicago took a commanding 6-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes following two tough losses. They led in shots 51-36 and spent only four minutes on the penalty kill versus the Coyotes’ 10 minutes.
It also served as a momentous occasion for Kane and Coach Joel Quenneville. While Quenneville coached his 500th game, Kane scored his 200th goal.
Chicago fell 3-2 in the outdoor game, with former Blackhawk Troy Brouwer scoring the game-winner for the Capitals.
Eric Fehr and Alex Ovechkin gave the Caps a two-goal lead early, but Chicago caught up thanks to goals by Sharp and Saad.
Upcoming Games
Kris Versteeg has been placed on the long-term injured reserve following his injury during the Winter Classic and Daniel Carcillo is serving a suspension so the Blackhawks recalled forward Dennis Rasmussen from the Rockford IceHogs.
Sitting at third in the Central Division, the Blackhawks (30-15-2) play the L.A. Kings at 9:30 p.m. CT Jan. 28, then the Anaheim Ducks at 9:00 p.m. CT Friday, Jan. 30 before heading to San Jose to battle the Sharks at 9:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Jan. 31.
The road trip comes to a close with matchups against the Minnesota Wild at 7:00 p.m. CT Tuesday, Feb. 3, then the Winnipeg Jets at 7:00 p.m. CT Friday, Feb. 6, and, finally, the St. Louis Blues at 11:00 a.m. CT Sunday, Feb. 8.
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