This will be Voracek’s first career all-star appearance. The game will be held in Columbus, where Voracek started his career. He was traded to the Flyers from the Blue Jackets in exchange for Jeff Carter. The winger leads the NHL in total points with 50, and he is also tops in the league with 34 assists. He set career highs in goals (23), assists (34) and points (62) last season, but is on pace for 98 points this year.
Voracek has been very consistent this season for a mediocre team. He has only been held scoreless in back-to-back games once, and that happened against the Nashville Predators and Arizona Coyotes. He has been producing at home (24 points) and on the road (26 points). The fact that he plays on the Flyers’ top line and top power play unit has helped his production this season. It has not mattered which teammate has played on the left side with Voracek and Giroux because they have chemistry and keep producing. The winger has six goals, 10 assists and 16 points on the power play; whereas, at even strength he has 10 goals, 24 assists and 34 points.
Voracek is playing with a lot more speed this season after dropping 10 pounds in the off season. He has been playing a strong game behind the net, and stays on the puck. The winger has taken over games when the Flyers have needed him to this season. The opposing teams shouldn’t give him any space to work with behind the net, because he’ll use it to his advantage with either a pass or a scoring chance. He has played in all 42 games for the Flyers this season and has only been held scoreless in 11 of those games.
This will be Giroux’s third all-star appearance. He has been an all-star in 2011 and 2012. He ranks fourth in the NHL with 46 total points. The center has 14 goals and 32 assists. His 32 assists land him at second in the NHL, just behind teammate, Jake Voracek.
Giroux leads the league in face-offs taken (1,045) and face-offs won (586). The 56.1 face-off percentage is second only to Patrice Bergeron among forwards that have taken over 700 face-offs. He is second among forwards in average time on ice per game at 21:14, which is aided by his play at even strength, power play time and playing shorthanded. He is third in the league with 158 shots behind Alex Ovechkin and Tyler Seguin. Giroux is averaging over a point per game this season.
Giroux has been one of the Flyers’ better players this season. He has only been held scoreless in 10 games, and hasn’t been scoreless in consecutive games yet. Giroux is shooting the puck more instead of making the extra pass. The center is the quarterback of the Flyers first unit power play, where he scores just over 45 percent of his points. He has eight goals, 13 assists, 21 points and averages 3:33 of power play time on ice. At even strength, he has six goals, 19 assists, and 25 points.
It should be interesting to see whether the duo is kept together or has to play on separate teams during All-Star weekend, which takes place on January 24 and 25.
1. a woman who transcends normal hockey mom-dom, a mother AND a fan
It takes a special kind of woman to be both a hockey mom and a fan. The obligation, dedication, utter insanity and sacrifice it takes to get you and your player through each and every hockey season is something to be revered.
Do you qualify?
– You haul around “rink clothes” (hoodies, boots and jeans) in the back of your car, even in 115 degree heat
– Your child doesn’t have a name anymore, you refer to them by position “my goalie”
– As is turns out, YOU don’t have a name anymore either…you are the “goalie’s mom”
– Free time is the hour the team is on the ice practicing
– A missing person’s report has been filed by one or more of your non-hockey friends during the months of August thru March
– You have formed an immunity to frostbite, equipment odor and locker room bathroom humor
– You won’t spend $50 on a purse but will fork over hundreds on goalie pads and skates
– Ushers and security personnel at ANY rink in town know you by first name
– You have the ability to tape a stick, buckle a pad and carry on a conversation with the coach, simultaneously
– The year is blocked out in two distinct seasons, “hockey season” and “pre-season”
– You planned your wedding and honeymoon around tournaments and your favorite NHL team’s schedule
– You may not have driven the zamboni… but you have ridden around on one, during a home opener, in front of thousands of people
I Wanna Ride The Zamboni!
–Date night is nachos and coffee at the concession stand at the rink – Stanley Cup Finals rank as a national holiday in your household (although your boss doesn’t seem to think so)
–All of your new car purchases have been dependent on whether that bag and stick will fit
As with any addiction, admitting that you have a problem is the first step…so before your family and friends stage a hockey intervention, does any of this sound familiar?
– The hockey game on TV qualifies as a “date”
– You spend most of said game wishing your date would shut up and keep his hands to himself
– There’s an Arizona Coyotes (or other NHL team) bobblehead on your desk..and you talk to it
– Your kid does the goalie stretch in the dirt at t-ball because she thinks that’s what doing “warm ups” means
– The team sent you a holiday card in a HAND addressed envelope
– There is a “proper” way to bang the glass and you’ve shown others how to do it
– You chant and cheer in your living room…alone
– You are seriously considering naming your next child, boy or girl, Radim, Crosby or Tuukka (wouldn’t a goalie daughter make a beautiful Tuukka?)
– You’ve determined that one team isn’t enough and you start watching any game on (does that make the Coyotes a gateway drug?)
– You are THOROUGHLY convinced that your team didn’t win because you wore the wrong shirt or because you weren’t at the game
– Family vacations are planned around which arenas you haven’t seen a game in…YET
– You talk about players as though they were part of your family
– The ushers at the arena treat you as a part of the family
– 1/3 of your wardrobe has a howling Coyote or Shark or Penguin etc. on it, seek extra help if your underwear does. Not that I know anything about that..AHEM
Other symptoms may include night sweats, headaches and feelings of anxiety when you haven’t seen a live game in two weeks.
Users may also experience great bouts of euphoria on a winning streak and depression over a shootout loss.
Don’t discontinue use, just get two tickets and call me in morning.
The Coyotes have yet again come out of a game on a bad note. Their 5-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday was another notch on their “games they want to forget about” list.
Coyotes’ fluctuating play is making everyone dizzy
Consistency is the key component to any competitors game. That is one of the only things the Coyotes have continually not had. One game, you have a stunning goaltending performance, the next it’s mediocre and the goals against is higher than anyone would want to admit.
It seems like the same things are being talked about, and yet those elements are still lacking. Every game we hear about more “inconsistency” in the way that they play.
Forward Mikkel Boedker who leads the team in goals, started off the scoring for the second game in a row. He’s tallied three goals and four points in the last two games. He only had one shot the entire game last night: his goal three minutes into the first. Their win against the Winnipeg Jets in which he had three points was a similar situation, he had two shots, both of which were on his goals.
“Up’s and down’s; Up’s and down’s. So far we’ve been really, really inconsistent. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Coyotes that inconsistent. I mean, that’s the tough part.” said Boedker on the teams iffy game “I don’t know why or where, but we’ve got to figure it out in here as a unit and we’ve got to be more consistent in every single position, every guy to a man has to take it upon himself to be more consistent. That goes for everybody”
One thing that has been established is that Mike Smith, even if he does need to clean up his save percentage, is not entirely at fault for the high amount of goals being let in. Defense is an issue that has been going on since the beginning of the season, and yet again it is a continued issue. At the end of the day, in order for them to get better, they need to have a better defense.
“We’re not a very good defending team right now. We push and prod and whether we aught to try some younger players.” Said head coach Dave Tippett after the loss. “We just need to be a better defending team if we’re going to be competitive night in and night out. You can’t loose by four.”
The thing is, everyone on the team is struggling in some way or another. Tippett doesn’t attribute the erratic team to any one group of players, saying that its both veterans and young guys who are inconsistent.
OEL, OTL, AS-OEL
He’s heard it all: OEL, Over-time Larsson, and now you can add All-Star Larsson to the list of potential nicknames. Oliver Ekman-Larsson was announced as the Coyotes player selected to play in the 2015 All-Star Game in Columbus, Ohio.
This is his first time partaking in the All-Star games, and there is no other player on that team right now that is more deserving. He is second in scoring with 11 goals, and he has a total of 19 points. The defenseman leads the league’s defenseman in power-play goals with eight and is number one in the NHL for game winning goals with six.
After a tough start to the season +/- wise, he’s really been an all around constituent member of the Coyotes squad. The 23 year old Karlskrona, Sweden native has proven himself worthy of playing with the big dogs of the league. Though he is still young, he flaunts an impressive resume including 298 career games with the coyotes, the 2011 Young Stars Game and even a silver medal from Sweden’s victory in the Sochi Olympics.
“I think it’s a huge honor for him. The amount that he does for our group offensively, and plays all situations, he’s certainly the one guy who’s deserving on our team. He scores big goals. It’s a great honor for a young player.” Tippett says. “I hope he goes and has a real fun weekend and gets around top players and really has a great learning experience that weekend.”
Even after the loss, Ekman-Larsson was ecstatic about the honor of being chosen to take part in such a unique experience.
“Obviously that is a big honor for me, to go there and be around the best players in the league. I’m just going to have fun and enjoy it.”
Things to know:
Martin Hanzal and Zbynek Michalek both sat out of Saturday nights game again. Both are day-to-day with upper body injuries. It has not been announced when they will return.
Michael Stone and Zbynek Michalek both have brothers that played as opposition for the Ottawa Senators in Saturday’s game. Michalek’s brother Milan scored a power play goal and Stone’s brother Mark had an assist.
Coyotes play the San Jose Sharks on the fifth game of their longest home-stand of the season on Tuesday, January 13th.
You know when you have the perfect outfit in your head, but when you put it on it’s just the most mediocre thing you’ve ever seen? Well that was definitely what it was like for the Senators game. I had a flawless vision of navy and white, and my first try was most definitely not happening.
I thought that I would try something different after my first try was unsuccessful and throwing on a jumpsuit was definitely that change that I was looking for.
White blazers are all the rage right now, and the mix of white and navy together is one of the cleanest color combinations. A crisp white blazer can transform any outfit into something simple and complete. It is a versatile piece that anyone working in a professional field should add to their arsenal.
A blazer and a jumpsuit might sound like an odd combination, but for some reason it just works.
The final votes are in and the verdict is out. Along with the 6 players announced last week for the 2015 NHL All-Star Fan Vote presented by SiriusXM™ (Zemgus Girgensons of the Buffalo Sabres and Corey Crawford, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks) the other 36 players and 6 rookies were announced January 10th.
The 2015 All-Star Game will take place in Columbus, Ohio at Nationwide Arena on January 25, 2015 (5:00 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports). On January 24, the 42 All-Stars, along with the 6 rookies will partake in the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition™ (7:00 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports). The festivities will start off on January 23 with the 2015 NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft™ presented by DraftKings (8:00 p.m. ET, NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports) to split up the teams. The two team captains will be announced next week.
One team coach will be selected from the coach who have the highest points percentage (points earned divided by total possible points) through the games on January 10. The other All-Star coach will be defending head coach Darryl Sutter of the Los Angeles Kings.
In a collaboration between the two, they’ve created an innovative jersey that both sides will don. This supposedly “cutting-edge” jersey will feature some of the most technologically advanced materials that there is to offer.
“Reebok is constantly focused on new product innovation, and we are excited to again team up with the NHL to outfit the All-Stars with these modern, high-tech uniforms for the 2015 Honda NHL® All-Star Game,” says Keith Leach, Go To Market Director for Reebok. “The new jerseys are designed to provide a high level performance for the players on the ice, and are sure to generate buzz off-the-ice with their eye-catching, original design.”
Each jersey will feature the NHL’s emblem and the player’s home team logo. The “home team” will sport the black version, and the “visiting team” will dress in white.
“We are proud to again partner with Reebok, and the design of the 2015 Honda® NHL All-Star Game jerseys was a truly collaborative effort,” Brian Jennings, NHL Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, said. “Not only are the jerseys modern and cutting-edge, but it marks a shift from the more traditional colors typically seen in past NHL All-Star Game jerseys. We’re confident the jerseys will be popular among the players for its performance innovation and among fans for its unique colors and style.”
What does everyone think? We’d love to hear your opinions!
Tune in to All-Star weekend starting on January 23th with the 2015 NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft™ presented by DraftKings (8:00 p.m. ET, NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports). The festivities officially begin on January 24th with the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition™(7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports) . The actual 2015 Honda® NHL All-Star Game will take place on January 25th (5 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).
For the first time since Game 6 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, the New York Rangers (23-11-4) and the Los Angeles Kings (19-13-9) took to the ice for an East Coast-West Coast, Broadway-Hollywood showdown.
This time, New York came out on top. The Rangers netted four consecutive goals and came back from an early deficit to defeat the Kings, 4-3, on Thursday night at Staples Center.
After two quick goals by the Kings in the opening minutes of the first period, the Rangers rallied and put in four unanswered goals of their own to build a 4-2 lead going into the third. Dan Boyle started off the scoring for New York with a power play goal midway through the first. The Rangers have now scored with the man advantage in six of their last seven games–something that has greatly contributed to their recent success. Boyle’s shot was a long drive from just inside the blue line, and the puck a fortunate bounce to get past Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick and cut the lead in half.
The second period began with a 2-1 Kings lead, but the Rangers retained their momentum from the end of the first and scored two goals in 19 seconds in the early part of the period. Kevin Klein netted his eighth of the season at 2:31, putting the puck through a mass of black and white jerseys from the blue line, and Lee Stempniak put in the go-ahead goal seconds later from the slot. The Rangers’ speed and playmaking in front of the net were key factors in this sustained offensive attack.
When 2014 Stanley Cup Final hero Alec Martinez was whistled for hooking a few minutes later, the Rangers returned to the power play, and Martin St. Louis found the back of the net on a rebound for New York’s second PPG of the game at 8:17. The remainder of the period continued with some of the best hockey the Rangers have played all season, winning streaks notwithstanding. New York was solid on the penalty kill and made the most of their speed to outrace the Kings as time wound down.
The Kings, being the LA Kings, looked to start a comeback late in the third period after Justin Williams‘s second goal of the game, which cut the Rangers’ lead to 4-3 with four minutes to play. A tripping call on Rick Nash with under a minute remaining, coupled with Quick being pulled for the extra skater, forced the Rangers to defend their one-goal lead with a 6-on-4 disadvantage. But the Rangers remained solid and fought off the Kings’ offense effectively. Cam Talbot, who had not played since December 21, had 28 saves for the Rangers in his fourth win of the season. This was Talbot’s first win that did not also come with a shutout.
The Rangers have now won 4 games in a row and 12 of their last 13. They look to be a much more confident team in all three zones lately, and this confidence is extending to individual players as well. Boyle looks to be finding his game again after a slow start and an early injury; he has two goals and three assists in his last five games. Chris Kreider has also been contributing all-around solid games over the past few weeks, using his size and speed to create opportunities and playing better than his numbers may indicate. J.T. Miller and Jesper Fast have proven that they belong on the Rangers’ roster as full-time players as well and have been putting in strong showings with their respective lines. And whereas the beginning of this season saw most of the team’s points coming from a select few players, the scoring and points production is now spreading out more.
The Rangers will wrap up their tour of California with a game against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night. If they keep playing with the skill and confidence they’ve been showing lately, there is no doubt that the Rangers can sweep this road trip, keep their winning streak alive, and silence those who think their success is coming solely from playing Eastern Conference teams.
A 6-0 loss on Tuesday night by the Coyotes meant that their Thursday night game was going to be played with a vengeance, and that is exactly what they did.
When the game starts and within three minutes the ‘Yotes are leading 2-0, it looks like a whole different team than what fans previously witnessed two days before. Two power play goals in the first alone against a team that they have previously lost 6-2 to on home ice, showed that the team was making strides in the right direction.
Penalty kill on point
Last game I was writing about how their penalty kill destroyed them from the inside out. After last night’s game, they looked like an entirely different team.
At the end of the first period, an unfortunate three penalties were dealt to them within a three minute span of time. Some different defensive matchup’s due to injuries were playing and the teams special teams dominated the Winnipeg Jets.
Two five-on-three’s within the three various penalties in the first, really showed the urgency that they had to help their goalie out. Winnipeg is 0-10 on five-on-three’s this season, and the Coyotes strong effort had a huge part in making the statistic even more dramatic. That is exactly what the team needed to do to redeem themselves to head coach Dave Tippett after he deemed their play not acceptable on Tuesday night.
Seven penalties for the Coyotes in the game and seven times they stopped the Jet’s from getting any sort of lead on them. Big improvement there.
Mikkel Boedker said “the key to the game” was their penalty kill. “A lot of penalties against and a couple for, and we capitalized on the ones for. That was really important. … Power play was really good, but I think it was overshadowed by the PK and obviously your goalie has to be your best penalty killer and tonight he was.”
Taking the game offensively
Three power play goals on the night. Three huge steps in the right direction for their offense (and defense in Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s case).
It’s not often that the Coyotes have a pretty good lead on a team, because offensively they lack. They don’t have a specific player that is up in the leader boards in points. Last night, it was a team effort and they executed wonderfully on the power plays they were given to extend their lead. They were 3-for-5 on their PP chances and they were able to yield three of their four this way.
Ekman-Larsson, a defenseman, has been outstanding offensively thus far, scoring eleven goals in forty games. He leads the NHL defensemen in power play goals with eight. He also leads the NHL in game winning goals with seven, narrowly beating out Chicago Blackhawks power forward Patrick Kane, who has six.
Captain Shane Doan had a multi-point night. He boasted three points on a goal and two assists.
“Yeah obviously the last time we played them they embarrassed us, and we were also embarrassed in our last game.” said Doan. “It was big for us to get the lead, play with the lead, add to it, and keep going.”
Boedker, the teams leading forward, boasts eleven goals so far. He notched two last night, helping the Coyotes keep their pace and their lead in the game. He started off the scoring with the first power play goal 1:10 into the first, and ended the game with a skillful even strength goal in the third.
Making the lead 3-0, and executing the plays was vital to their game and Boedker was very satisfied with the momentum that the team created.
“It was very big, it was really important for us to gain momentum and just know that we were capable of playing with the lead. I think it gave Smith a little help out there, that he wasn’t on the edge, and he could relax and make the big saves he made. He was really strong for us tonight.”
Smith feeling more in his place
Mike Smith looked completely different in goal last night. After a 6-0 loss, it may have come as a shock that they would play him against a team to whom they have previously lost. Smith said that even letting six goals in the other night, he felt good about his game. Having that confidence in himself and his skill was exactly what he needed, due to his lack in his self-assurance after some big losses.
Post-game Smitty was on top of the world. That win on his part was very deserving. Smith feels that he’s “turned a corner” in his game and has gotten some “swagger back.”
His goaltending coach, Sean Burke, has been up with Team Canada at the World Juniors Championship 2015 since before Christmas, and Smith joked before that he has been fine without him. When asked if he liked having him back he got a laugh out of everyone by commenting “somewhat”and that he’s “been okay without him”.
Smith, a former Olympian with Team Canada quipped that his gold medal was a “little bit bigger” but they “did about the same amount of work” due to the fact that neither saw ice time.
“Our penalty kill did a good job for the most part letting me see shots and not letting them get to too many rebounds,” said Smith. “I think that recipe is successful.”
Things to know
Forward Martin Hanzal is out day-to-day with an upper body injury. He isn’t ruled out for Saturday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators. He is a key piece to their offense, and they obviously struggled on the offense without him against the St. Louis Blues.
Defenseman Zbynek Michalek was out day-to-day last night with an upper body injury. His return is not known. Saturday morning skate should be the deciding factor.
Two days later, I have another game to attend and I still have yet to unpack my suitcases from my winter vacation. So I yet again had limited options when it came to choosing an outfit for last night’s game.
As always, when in a pinch, I reach for a black blazer. Professionalism and warmth is about all that I need in a piece for hockey games so my blazer never fails me.
As I was rushing around trying to find an outfit (and crying to my roommates about how I don’t have any clothing) my roommate reminded me that I’m Allison and wearing black is what I do best. Thanks, Shannon.
When I have an idea of what shoes I want to wear, it always makes the shirt picking difficult. I tend to buy a lot of randomly printed tops, which limit the outfit opportunities. J.Crew popover button-downs are always so easy to throw on and make things more classy. So that’s what I tossed on as I was running out the door (like physically running because of how little time I have between class and games).
A long home-stand is always a bit difficult to plan so many different outfits, but I like a bit of a challenge. Stay tuned on Saturday for another Press Level look!
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