The 2014-2015 New York Islanders are a force to be reckoned with. The Islanders returned from the All-Star break to take on division rivals, the New York Rangers. It was announced after the All-Star break that the team’s top 6 power forward, Kyle Okposo would be placed on IR with an “upper body injury.” Okposo is one of the team’s anchor players, the forward, who has 44 points in 46 games played, is a key ingredient to the Islanders’ success. However, amidst the after-math of a blizzard, the Nassau Coliseum was abuzz as the game went on as scheduled, with the third place Rangers visiting the first place Islanders.
With All-Star goalie, Jaroslav Halak in net, the team played strong, even with Okposo missing from the line up. The team instead placed off-season acquisition, Mikhail Grabovski on the first line to play as John Tavares’ winger. Grabovski currently has 14 points in 38 games played, however, he has proven to play a style of hockey that fits very well into the form of this new and improved Islanders team. His vision and passing on the ice is excellent, even scoring a game in last night’s match against the Rangers.
Ultimately the Islanders defense was on point, bringing the team to a near shut out, the only Rangers goal coming from Carl Hagelin with just 9 seconds left in the game. The Islanders brought down the Rangers at Nassau Coliseum winning 4-1, with goals from Grabovski, Martin, Strome, and a power play goal from Tavares. This is the third of five match-ups between the two teams this season, and thus far, the Islanders have earned the W at each meeting.
The team takes on the Boston Bruins in their next game on January 29th at Nassau Coliseum, the next series of games will be extremely important to the team. Losing such a prominent on and off-ice figure from the line up can prove to be detrimental to any team. The Islanders must win the majority of their next few games, to keep themselves from losing confidence. This will give the team a chance to see if they rely too heavily on a few star players, something that I don’t think this particular squad does. However, it remains to be seen how much of an impact this Okposo injury will have on the them. As of now, the team released a statement indicating that Okposo is expected to return in 6-8 weeks.
The National Hockey League’s winningest goaltender Martin Brodeur has decided to retire.
St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced that Brodeur, who has three Stanley Cups, will announce his retirement on Thursday. Brodeur will stay in St. Louis in a management position with the team. A press conference will be held at 10:30 a.m.
The long-time New Jersey Devil finishes his 22-year NHL career in St. Louis after joining the Blues as a free agent on Dec. 2. He accumulated a 3-3-0 record, which included his final NHL win, a 3-0 shutout against Colorado on Dec. 29.
Before finishing his career with the Blues, Brodeur spent 21 seasons in New Jersey.
The Devils drafted him with first pick in 1990 (20th overall). He spent the majority of his first two seasons with the Devils’ AHL team, The Utica Devils. During his NHL debut, he got his first win against the Boston Bruins by a score of 4-2.
For the 1993-1994 season, Brodeur returned to the NHL permanently and won the Calder Trophy for best rookie of the year.
Brodeur spent 21 of his 22 seasons in New Jersey before deciding to test the market. He became a free agent at the end of the 2013-2014 season and the Devils turned to Cory Schneider as their starting goalie.
Since entering the league, Brodeur has broken multiple records and won numerous awards. Most notably, he is currently the league’s winningest goalie.
The future Hall-of-Famer has compiled a 691-397-176 record. He has also notched a 2.24 goals against average and a .912 save percentage.
He holds regular season NHL goaltending records for shutouts (125), games played (1,266) and minutes played (74,438). As far as the postseason goes, he ranks first in starts (204) and shutouts (24) and second in wins (113).
Brodeur appeared in 10 All-Star Games and has a long list of awards won. After winning the Calder Trophy his rookie year, he then went on to win the Vezina Trophy four times: 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008.
Brodeur won all three of his Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils in 1995, 2000 and 2003.
On top of Marty’s NHL success, he is also a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist with Team Canada, which he won in 2002 and 2010.
His success is also not limited to goaltending. Brodeur has scored three goals in his NHL career (the only goalie to do so).
Devils’ General Manager Lou Lamoriello told NJ.com that he expects Brodeur to end up back in New Jersey eventually.
“Marty and I have been in constant contact,” Lamoriello said. “I certainly understand what he is doing…I support this and understand it.”
“He could have come here if he wanted,” Lamoriello said. “I don’t think this is a case of him choosing (between the two organizations). He’s been there with the players. The (Blues) players and administration asked him to stay. He had an impact in that dressing room…He’s doing this because he made that commitment there this year. There is no disrespect (to the Devils) whatsoever.”
Photo courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/cubesbyamanda/
“When I came out on stage there was a huge gasp in the audience, which was awesome. That was a surreal moment for me. ”
This was Miss Canada, Chanel Beckenlehner’s reaction after she walked out in this extravagant, homage-to-hockey getup at the “National Costume” portion of the 63rd annual Miss Universe Competition.
Beckenlehner also told CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) the original story of her plans and what she wanted to accomplish, “I approached Alex [Kavanagh] about five months ago in the beginning stages of the design progress. I contacted her because she was a specialist in her field, which is costume design for film and television. For Miss Universe, you need something that needs to be grand, have a large stage presence, and really catch the eye, but I wanted to take it into a new direction. A lot of the costumes year after year are based on feathers and are very large in scale, but I wanted to do something with a light element that would really put Canada on the map and then take it in a different direction.”
Alex Kavanagh, a TV and film costume designer who has worked on movies such as Saw II, Saw III, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, and The Vow, was the designer of this one-of-a-kind dress. The dress included: ten hockey sticks in the form of wings, a working scoreboard, a skirt made from a hockey net, knee-high ice skates, and a Stanley Cup tiara on top of a Marie Antoinette style wig. Kavanagh said, “I wanted to help her make a splash on the stage. Indeed, the 11 kg costume made a splash on stage and also on Twitter.”
According to Beckenlehner, the dress took a total of five months to create and takes about 40 minutes to put on. She also told Sportsnet.ca, “The whole costume weighs about 20 pounds, and what’s really neat and what people didn’t get to see — because it’s underneath and I’m corseted in — is that I had a custom molding made of my back in order to support the scoreboard.” Many fans were impressed by her neck and core muscles ability to support both the wig and the scoreboard.
There were many mixed feelings and reactions to her outfit. Some felt that her costume was too stereotypically Canadian, while others loved the fact that she thought out-of-the-box and asked for something different from the typical Miss Universe outfit. Although her costume received some backlash, Beckenlehner states, “Canada is so multicultural; so coming up with one specific identity or one theme is extremely difficult, just because we have the world in one country. So we have to go with a theme that most people would understand on the world stage that: hockey is Canada. Like it or not, basically, at the end of the day, I love it, and that’s what counts. Quite honestly, it’s received so much exposure which is exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to get noticed with this costume and I have achieved that.”
It is also difficult to think about a theme that would be attractive to both the judges in the audience when you live in such a frigid climate. “There is no one thing we wear, other than a puffy parka, that would be considered a Canadian costume; so instead we honed in on what is the biggest part of the national spirit: hockey.” While many picture toothless men with helmet hair and black eyes when they think of hockey, Beckenlehner and Kavanagh were able to take some of the sports elements and turn them into something beautiful. “I wanted to present that and showcase that we can make it glamorous and pageant-friendly and beautiful at the same time, showing how dedicated we are to that sport,” Beckenlehner told Sportsnet.ca.
Whether or not fans love or hate her dress, Beckenlehner is proud of the promotion and publicity her dress has given both her designer and her country. By the end of the night, photos of her posing on stage in her out-of-this-world costume accumulated all over social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. “Whether that’s good reviews or bad reviews, we’re still getting talked about,” Miss Canada said. “At the end of the day, mission accomplished.”
Beckenlehner made it into the top five finalists by the end of the night and then the final decision went to fans on Twitter. Unfortunately for Miss Canada, Miss Indonesia (Elvira Devinamira) beat her out for best costume by the end of the competition, but Beckenlehner continues to receive plenty of publicity for her striking outfit.
“Some people really, really hate it and others really, really love it – but everyone has noticed it, that’s for sure.”
Ultimately if you’re working within sports, you’re no stranger to travel days. Packing becomes second nature and you always have a go-to outfit to get you from point A to point B, before you can get game time ready. If I had to pick three things in my wardrobe to wear for the rest of my life, it would probably be this combination.
There is no denying, looking stylish while remaining comfortable at 5 am is a challenge. Picking neutral colors and adding some simple jewelry is a fantastic way to succeed in the airport outfit game.
Breakdown:
Oversized cream sweater, TJMaxx The Rack, $49.99 — I would suggest a piece like this to anyone as a staple in their closet. It’s versatile, comfortable and by now, the price has more than paid for itself 4- years later.
Black skinny jeans, Forever 21, $9.90 — yes, these were purchased for less than $10 and they’ve lasted me quite awhile, they have just a bit of stretch to the material, so they still provide comfort while I’m sitting in precarious positions just to remain comfortable on the flight.
Black racerback tank, Kohls, $14.99 — black tank tops are a staple, but one in a size bigger than you need is key for travel, a size bigger makes for a flowy but not oversized look and provides added comfort.
Necklace, Target, clearance, $4.50 — any bold necklace variety works wonders for this outfit and pulls the look together. Wear what you’re comfortable with, but statement pieces are a must. Tip: Make sure its a necklace that’s easy to remove for the security line.
Shoes, TJMaxx, $32.99 — A pair of comfortable flats are perfect for travel, slip them off for long flights! No one wants to be trekking across an airport in stilettos, although plenty of girls seem to try.
Travel Tip: Make sure your devices are fully charged before you hit the airport, because as I write this, I’m realizing at 39%, I may have forgotten to heed my own advice.
Friday night, January 23, saw the Northeastern University Huskies host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first of back-to-back games at Matthews Arena. This is the first time the Huskies have hosted the Fighting Irish since 2001. However it was the 11th time that the two teams have met in competition with the Huskies holding a 6-3-1 lead in those games.
This is the second season for Notre Dame as part of Hockey East, so tonight’s points were important in the Hockey East conference, especially given that the Huskies trail Notre Dame in the Hockey East standings. The Fighting Irish also have played three less conference games to date.
Cal Petersen
The game started off with a strong effort from the Huskies, who outshot the Fighting Irish 16-5 in the first period. It was clear that freshman goaltender Cal Petersen was keeping the Irish alive as the horn sounded on that first period to keep the Huskies off the scoreboard and the score knotted at zero.
“[Petersen] was outstanding. He did what he had to do,” Notre Dame head coach Jeffrey L. Jackson said. “I challenged him this morning because he is slowly taking over our number one job. That’s what he’s capable of. It’s just a matter of him being able to do that on a nightly basis.”
Matt Benning (Photo: Rhonda R. McClure)
The Huskies opened the second a man down when Michael Szmatula was called for elbowing just 19 seconds before the end of the first period. The Huskies stood tall and continued to dominate, scoring their first goal by Junior Kevin Roy (assisted by Dustin Darou and Matt Benning) on the evening just 2:36 into the frame, and just after successfully making the kill on Szmatula’s penalty.
Northeastern would take two more penalties in the first half of the second, however, they would continue to limit Notre Dame’s chances to fire pucks at Derick Roy, who started in net for the Huskies. Going into the second intermission the Huskies would be up by a pair—Dalen Hedges having capitalized just 13 seconds into their first power play (with assists by Mike McMurtry and Kevin Roy). The team would also find themselves entering the third down a man again.
Though the Huskies would kill off that opening penalty, they would find themselves almost immediately back on the penalty kill when they were called for a Team penalty for delay of game. The Fighting Irish capitalized on this one, just 16 seconds into the power play, when Mario Lucia would score his 16th of the season assisted by Justin Gross and Vince Hinostroza.
That goal by the Fighting Irish seemed to spark the team, who began to control the pace of the game.
Anders Bjork watching the game. (Photo: Rhonda R. McClure)
“I think in the third period, we came out and played hockey,” Jackson told The Pink Puck. “We put ourselves in a hole. We can say whatever we want about what happened at the end of the game, you know. We put ourselves in a two goal hole. And I thought in the third period we started to play.”
Jackson’s reference to the end of the game was an uncalled slash by Kevin Roy who was able to then dish the puck to McMurtry who tossed it to Hedges. Hedges was able to get it past Petersen for his second goal of the game with just 90 seconds remaining in regulation.
After the game, Huskies head coach Jim Madigan spoke highly of his team’s efforts in the first forty minutes and admitted that they were playing on their heels in the third, as Notre Dame outshot them 13-8.
Dalen Hedges
Hedges was understandably pleased with his efforts on the night, having gotten two goals. And he talked about the confidence the team has, even on the bench when the game became tied with 6:45 remaining in the third. However, there is no worry that they will become too confident.
“No, no. I think the whole staff, the coaches, the captains, the players, I think we’re all staying level headed,” Hedges told The Pink Puck. “So, it’s working out for us right now.”
“When you’re sub .500, it’s still easy to be balanced and neutral,” Coach Madigan added. “We’re still trying to climb out of a hole.”
Two points to the Huskies in the first of the doubleheader, but it is clear that the Fighting Irish will bring hunger and determination as the teams take to the ice again on Saturday night with another two points on the line.
On Friday, January 23, just as the All-Star weekend gets underway Florida Panthers rookie Aaron Ekblad found out that he has been named to the roster for the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Game. The game itself will take place at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, home to the Columbus Blue Jackets, on Sunday, January 25th.
The first overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft by Florida currently leads all rookie defensemen and Panthers defensemen with 25 points (six goals and 19 points). He is also tied for fourth in scoring among rookies. The 18-year-old has exceeded the Panthers’ franchise in assists, previously at 13, and overall point scoring, previously at 21, set by a rookie defenseman in a single season and the season is only half over.
Aaron Ekblad
The Belle River, Ontario native will be joining goalie and teammate Roberto Luongo as the two Florida players named to the NHL All-Star Roster. Ekblad is one of just two rookies selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game. He is joined by Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg.
This is the first All-Star game since 2000 when Pavel Bure, Viktor Kozloz, and Ray Whitney went, that the Florida Panthers have multiple players in the event.
Recently interviewed, Ekblad spoke of how he really enjoys playing in Florida, He spoke highly of his teammates, especially Willie Mitchell and Brian Campbell. While he has been phenomenal in the first half of the season, the rookie carries himself with maturity and humility. He’s become aware of how much he has to do to keep in shape and be ready for each game at the NHL level. His progression is certainly something to keep an eye on, as is the impressive growth of the Florida Panthers who, going into the All-Star break, sit in fifth place in the Atlantic Division and ninth in the Eastern Conference.
As many of you probably know, it has been a rough season for the Minnesota Wild this year. In the month of January, they have played a total of eleven games, and have only won three. They are ranked twelfth in the Western Conference, with 46 points, and a record of 20-20-6.
Tonight they face the Edmonton Oilers, who are fourteenth in the Western Conference, with 33 points, and a record of 12-26-9. The Wild are coming into the game with a current losing streak of one, and the Oilers are coming into the game with a two-game winning streak. The game is at the Rexall Place in Edmonton.
The Wild desperately need to beat the Oilers, as they are over halfway done with the season, and need every point they can get to have a chance for a spot in the playoffs. Even though the Oilers are second to last place in the NHL, the Wild cannot come out slow, as the Oilers still have many good players such as Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who are all tied for team-leader in points with 29 on the season.
The Wild will have Devan Dubnyk in net, their newly acquired goalie, who previously played for the Arizona Coyotes. In this game, they will need great goaltending, and many times in the past, that has been a struggle for the Wild.
They also need to be able to score, and that has been a problem this season; many times they outshoot their opponents, but still end up losing the game. Fans can expect points from Jason Pominville, the Wild’s leading scorer with 38 points. They also should watch out for Zach Parise and Jason Zucker, as those two have been great scorers as of late.
The Wild hope that they are getting their young star, Mikael Granlund back; he is on injured reserve with a fractured wrist right now because of a hit by Dustin Byfuglien. If he is back for the game versus Edmonton, that will be helpful for the Wild because he sets up critical plays, and is a good scorer for their team.
The Wild will be missing Keith Ballard and Justin Falk due to injuries. The game should be an exciting one, as the Wild are looking to turn their losing record around, and the Oilers will want to continue their two-game winning streak.
GoPro, a small high-quality, mounted camera setup is forming its first professional sports partnership with the NHL in North America.
“As part of this unprecedented partnership, the NHL will use GoPro’s innovative equipment and expertise to deliver hockey fans never-before-seen perspectives of the game and the talents of the top players in high-definition video content during national and regional game broadcasts and across the digital and social media platforms of the NHL, NHLPA, and GoPro,” according to an NHL press release.
This includes NHL.com, Twitter, Vine, Facebook, Instagram, and GoPro’s youtube channel.
“The use of GoPro cameras will give fans a new perspective of the extraordinary speed and skill of today’s NHL players,” said Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA Special Assistant to the Executive Director. “We are excited to have GoPro working with us and the NHL to show the great athleticism of our players.”
By teaming up with Visilink, GoPro’s new audiovisual experience shows fans what players see on the ice. And it’s pretty exciting.
“This partnership marks a significant first step for GoPro into team sports, made possible because of NHL and NHLPA’s progressive thinking,” said Todd Ballard, Senior Director of Lifestyle Marketing at GoPro. “Together we will push the boundaries of video content production in hockey and provide fans of the sport with unique, immersive perspectives of the game that they’ve never seen before, from players and officials to in-goal and rink side.”
Here’s a preview:
“GoPro is the perfect partner for us in our ongoing commitment to bring hockey fans closer to the game,” said Bob Chesterman, NHL Senior Vice President of Programming and Production. “As the preeminent leader in adaptable cameras, only GoPro has the technology to help us and our media partners showcase the beauty and intensity of hockey in new and deeper ways. Our partnership with GoPro will be a big win for both new and lifelong hockey fans.”
Players donned GoPro cameras for real-time HD content and multiple angles and views for close-up on-ice action for 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition Saturday.
Additional GoPro views are planned for the live broadcast of the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Game 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT Sunday, Jan. 25 NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).
Officials, as well as players, will be included in this GoPro-NHL relationship, providing never before seen points-of-view.
Here’s hoping the partnership includes plenty of future hockey events.
Prev
