(photo credit: Jack Lima Photography)
The Stockton Thunder and the Utah Grizzlies played their first in a series of three meetings at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. The last time the two teams met Thunder netminder Parker Milner netted an impressive shutout performance over the Grizzlies. This time, the game was a physical battle and both goalies, Milner and Bobkov, the February Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Month, had their fair share of saves and it would take a shootout to decide the game. The Grizzlies came out ahead with Jamie MacQueen, David Vallorani and Phil Mangan getting pucks past Milner in his first shootout contest this season for the Thunder, the final score 3-2.
The first period proved to be more about physical play than shots taken on net as both teams racked up the penalty minutes. 40 of the 54 penalty minutes handed out in the game occurred in the first period alone. Stockton got the scoring started early at 4:27 of the first period with Ryan Hayes, his second game back with the team since being sidelined with a shoulder injury for most of the season, made a beauty of a goal, fooling Bobkov as he toe-dragged the puck and then backhanded it in.
“I just tried to hold and be patient with it and found an opportunity to shoot it and just put it up high on him,” said Hayes on the goal.
Grizzlies Danick Paquette and Thunder Alex MacLeod
tussle in the first period
The fireworks then erupted between the two teams as two tough customers Thunder Alex MacLeod and Grizzlies Danick Paquette clashed in Stockton’s offensive zone. Both were sent to the box with seven minutes a piece and the penalty floodgates opened with both teams drawing calls. Thunder Landon Oslanski would get a slashing call putting the Grizzlies on a 4 on 3 powerplay, and Utah would score off the ensuing faceoff, with David Vallorani claiming his 20th goal of the season and tying the game 1-1.
The Thunder began the second period on a penalty kill as Michel Spacek, in the waning moments of the first, got called for high sticking. Utah could not generate any power play offense and so play resumed at 5 aside for most of the second. Stockton Thunder’s line of Corey Trivino, Adam Brace and Ryan Hayes creating multiple rushes up the ice to pressure Bobkov and the Grizzlies defense. It would be another 4 on 3 power play, this time favouring the Thunder to put Stockton ahead 2-1. Defenseman Mike Keenan began the play working the puck along the boards and fed it to Ryan Hayes in the circle, sending to Trivino, who was waiting in the slot to one time it home.
“We had some time to work together in practice so I knew he was going to be up high in the slot,” said Hayes of the power play goal. “They pressured Hunt on the back door so it came to me and I found him (Trivino) right there.”
Thunder Head Coach Kromm praised Mike Keenan’s offensive play. “He has been solid since he came down (from Bridgeport). We know what we are going to get out of him every night, and he’s very good defensively and created some offense for us.”
Stockton would again end the period on the penalty kill with Spacek, this time getting called for cross-checking with 8 seconds left in the frame Coach Kromm supported the defenseman’s transgressions. “I think he did the right thing and stood up for his teammate who got cheapshot and you can’t fault a player for coming to the aid of his teammates. He competed hard tonight.”
Grizzlies Martin Lee collides with Parker Milner in the crease
The final frame gave Utah the tying goal to force overtime. Grizzlies forwards Joey Cramarossa, recently brought down from AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals and Brendan Jamison flew down the right side and into the Thunder zone, a couple nice passes and the puck found the trailer, Danick Paquette who drove it past Milner to tie the game 2-2. Another goal by Paquette late in the third would be ruled a no- goal as Parker Milner was upended in the crease by Grizzlies Martin Lee.
Overtime could not solve the stalemate at two a piece and the game was sent to the shootout with Utah taking the win, 3-2. It marked Thunder netminder Parker Milner’s first shootout loss of the season, that despite his solid play in goal for 65 minutes of action. The game was very physical and both Coach Kromm and forward Corey Trivino described the game as having the feel of playoff hockey.
“It was a physical game and it was kind of like playoff hockey,” said Trivino after the game. “There was a lot of blocked shots and I think our team played well. Some bounces didn’t go our way but sometimes that happens . Personally our line played pretty decent. You are always looking forward to those big physical games that pushes you to your limit and these games are the ones that make you better.”
Ryan Hayes is revealing how much the Thunder have missed his creative play and has slid in nicely with Trivino and Brace. When asked how he was holding up his second game back especially after a very heavy hitting game, Hayes remarked, “I feel great. I feel more secure out there when I get hit a lot so it feels good but it would have been a lot better with a win.”
The Utah Grizzlies and Stockton Thunder will finish their three-game series next Friday and Saturday March 14th and 15th at Stockton Arena for the “Covanta Easy Being Green” weekend, before they take on the Las Vegas Wranglers for a Sunday late afternoon matinee.
Photo: foodmatters.tv
It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, at some point in your life, dry skin will be an issue. It’s a problem that everyone faces, especially when the rink and cold are your best friends for over half the year.
Lately, I’ve been hearing quite a bit of hype over coconut oil. Sure, I’ve used it for baking on many occasions, for example, our Coconut “Klondike” Bars use coconut oil as a prime ingredient. If you haven’t made them, they’re heaven.
Thinking to transition its use from the kitchen to part of a beauty regime has never skated through my mind. But the more I see it mentioned throughout frequently visited websites, aka Twitter and Pinterest the greater my curiosity grew.
With a vast majority of my time spent bouncing in and out of a rink, the consistently freezing New England temperatures and routinely dry skin during the winter months, I figured giving coconut oil a try couldn’t exactly hurt.
But where to begin? After a little reading across beauty boards on the web, the consensus became clear, organic or bust. $7.99 at Whole Foods for a container the size of peanut butter seemed a little pricey. Especially when I was slated to slather it on my face, body and use it in my hair as a leave-in conditioning treatment on a daily basis. What, it would last a week right? Wrong. A little bit goes a long way, about half a tablespoon solidified will moisturize your face, body and leave enough to rub into the ends of your hair and scalp. That $7.99 container lasted a little over a month, roughly speaking it cost me about 3-4 cents a day.
My greatest concern was putting oil on my face, who wouldn’t be concerned about that! Most people are trying to combat oily skin, not give it the green light. The oily look and feel will last about 10 minutes, it’s absorbed quickly and will leave your skin smooth and moisturized. I’ve been lucky enough to never fully experience acne or bad breakouts, but I’m not immune, I do have “problem” areas like everyone else. That being said, since I’ve started using coconut oil as a face moisturizer, I haven’t been the subject of these issues in quite some time.
It’s a light consistency with minimal scent and all the benefits. The Huffington Post has a great article with some pointers on using it as part of your routine.
If you suffer from dry skin or you’re looking for a change, I would highly suggest giving coconut oil a go. Everyone deserves beautiful skin and that’s exactly the benefit you might encounter!
Tip: I keep a mini mason jar of it in my hockey bag, I throw some on after my shower and revitalize my skin after a hard skate!
By Hayley Musashi
With the help of two late-game empty-net goals, the Ontario Reign finally return home to southern California with a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Eagles, Saturday night at Budweiser Events Center.
Forward Kevin Ulanski and center Riley Nelson paired up to put up the first goal of the game for the Eagles, credited to Ulanski. The goal came off the Eagles’ first shot at the 2:53 mark in the first period.
Back-to-back Pacific Division Champions, the Reign saw their first goal of the evening at 12:41 off a shot from Steven Tarasuk, his first goal of the season. Tarasuk rocketed the puck past an out-of-reach Mark Cheverie to tie the score.
Tarasuk led the ice with 4 shots for the evening, as the Reign out-shot the Eagles 29 to 26.
Maxim Kitsyn gave the Reign the go-ahead goal with a rocket from the right circle. Matt White and Matt Register both earned credits with the second goal of the night.
Seeking the tying point, the Eagles pulled Cheverie for an extra attacker in the final moments of the third period. Taking advantage of the open net, Sebastian Stalberg sent a shot into the open cage to put the visitors up 3-1. The Eagles’ extra attacker was of no use as the Reign’s Everett Sheen put away another to finalize the score at 4-1.
Olkinuora picked up the win with 25 saves; Cheverie took the loss also with 25 saves.
Five players saw time in the penalty box; three from the Eagles, and two from the visitors.
With tonight’s result, the Reign sit comfortably in first in the Pacific Division, eighteen points ahead of the Stockton Thunder. The Eagles sit in second position in the Mountain Division, trailing the Alaska Aces by ten points.
The Reign now return home after their three-game road series to face the Idaho Steelheads at 7 p.m.
(AP Photo/Chris Schneider)
The St. Louis Blues narrowly escaped with a win against the Colorado Avalanche 2 to 1 Saturday night. The Blues are now on a four game win streak, and Ryan Miller is still undefeated since his trade from Buffalo.
The Blues gained momentum after dominating their own defensive zone and killing off the Avalanche’s power play in the second period. TJ Oshie carried the puck into the offensive zone and slid the puck across to David Backes who was back door and put it right into the net. The Blues held a lead going into the third period one to nothing.
At 3:53 into the third period, the Blues increased their lead to two when Patrik Berglund pulled a spin-o-rama and put it past Avalanche goaltender, Semyon Varlamov’s glove. The Colorado Avalanche split the lead in half when PA Parenteau picked up a rebound and slipped it past Miller. With that goal the Avalanche showed the tenacity that has allowed them to score a goal in every game they have played this season. It was a hard fought battle right up until the end of the game, when the Avalanche pulled their goalie to try to tie the game and send it to overtime. Despite that effort, the Blues held on to win the game 2 to 1 to extend their lead over the Chicago Blackhawks for the top spot in the Central Division. The Blues are one point behind Anaheim for first place in Western Conference, and first place in the NHL.
The Blues next take on the Minnesota Wild Sunday, March 9th, at 7PM (CST).
Sometimes a little hockey flair can go a long way. Birthday party, game viewing party, or a get together with friends, you can never have enough serving plates. Whether you make this as a gift for a friend or to use yourself, our Rink Serving Plate is a fairly easy, extremely affordable DIY.
Here we go…
Supplies
Mod Podge
Small head artist paintbrush
Medium head artist paintbrush
Acrylic paint, in red, blue and black
White ceramic plate or platter (We found our oversized square one at the Dollar Tree Store)
Ruler
Piece of scrap paper folded in half to use as a line guide
Dry erase marker
Bottle cap and soda can
Ice rink diagram for reference
Directions
1. Take your dry erase marker and ruler, measure your plate/platter and draw a line down the center of the plate. Then continuing the measurements and following the diagram, mark the rest of your lines. Chances are good that your plate will have some curvature to it, if that’s the case, after marking each end of your line with the ruler, use the scrap paper to draw your line since it has flexibility.
2.Continuing with your dry erase marker, while referencing the rink diagram, trace around the bottle cap for your face off circles. Then using the ruler or scrap paper, sketch in your hash marks.
3. Next, use the bottom of your circle to trace center ice, still using the dry erase marker.
4. Draw in your goal on both ends. We chose not to use the trapezoid, but certainly pop that in if you’d like.
5. Dip the butt end of your paintbrush into the red paint and slowly start tracing over your red lines. Then your face off circles and your hash marks. Essentially all the parts of the ice that need to be red, including the points. The dry erase marker should rub off as you go over it with paint.
6. Wipe the end of your brush clean and do the same thing with the areas of the ice that need to be blue.
7. Using black paint, and the end of the brush, go over your net and goal posts. We made little “x” marks for our netting to add a little dynamic.
8. Leave center ice blank or paint in a saying, your team name, Team “Last Name” would be great also if you want to make sure you get your plate back after a big party. We enjoy food and we enjoy hockey so that’s what we painted in there using the butt end of the paint brush.
9. Allow the plate to dry. Acrylic usually dries fairly quickly, so after 15-20 minutes using a piece of tissue gently wipe away any leftover dry erase marks.
10. Make sure the paint is dry, then using the medium head brush, evenly coat the surface with mod podge. Allow it to dry and add a second coat.
11. Enjoy your new serving plate! **HAND WASH ONLY**, we can’t stress this point enough!
Welcome to the March edition of Collector’s Corner. Hopefully you’ve had fun meeting some players and getting their autographs. March is providing us with a couple unique autograph opportunities.
March 9th, former Boston Bruins defenseman and 4-time All-star (where he recorded one of the fastest slap shots ever at 105.2 mph) Al Iafrate will be making a rare appearance at the Cardboard Promotions Big Sports Card and Memorabilia Show. It is being held at the Holiday Inn, located at 31 Hampshire Street in Mansfield, MA. He’ll be signing from 10:30am-12:30pm and autographs are $10 for one, $8 for each additional one. Iafrate will sign one free inscription per item. This is definitely worth the visit.
Sunday, March 16th will be a busy day for Bruins fans trying to score some autographed memorabilia. First, two time Stanley Cup winner (1970 and 1972) Don Marcotte will be signing from 10am-12pm at the VB Cardshow which is located at 462 Broadway in Methuen, MA. Tickets are $12 an autograph.
Current Bruins players Brad Marchand, Dougie Hamilton, and Dennis Seidenberg will be signing autographs from 3-5pm at Lombardo’s at 6 Billings Street in Randolph, MA. Marchand is ranging anywhere from $50-$70 depending on the item. Hamilton is $50-$90 depending on what you want signed and Seidenberg is $40-$60 depending on the item. If you want all three players, you can buy either a “Special Regular Offer” for $125 or a “Special Premium Offer” for $200. Usually the lower end priced items are flat objects like an 8×10 photo or a puck and the higher priced or premium price refers to sticks, photos larger than 8×10, helmets, equipment, or any other odd ball item.
Make sure to get a certificate of authenticity with each of your autographs and if the venue is offering a hologram to put on your signed item, that’s a great investment to add that additional authenticity security. Most venues allow you to take a photo with the player, but make sure you ask beforehand. And as always, happy hunting…
Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche overtook one of Gretzky’s records Thursday night against the Detroit Red Wings. Gretzky held the record, along with many other records, for the most consecutive points as an 18 year old.
Gretzky had 12 games with consecutive points. MacKinnon over passed the record when he earned an assist on the game winning goal, scored by Andre Benoit, in overtime against the Red Wings.
MacKinnon now holds the record with 13 consecutive games with at least a point. He leads all rookies with 22 goals and 51 points, with five goals and 18 points in the streak (NHL.com). MacKinnon was the number one pick of the 2013 draft and is proving his position as the best in his class by surpassing the Great One’s record.
Nathan MacKinnon will get the chance to extend the streak at 2 PM (CST), on Saturday March 8th, at home against the St.Louis Blues.
Lets face it, team looks are great. But game days aren’t every day, occasionally the real world gets in the way. On these days, the desire to get dolled up often just isn’t in the cards; but a “to-do” list longer than all the Olympic hockey rosters combined is. For most of us, myself included, running errands is a prime time to pull on the leggings and a sweatshirt and call it a look.
It’s a look alright – but not a pretty one. The days that I choose this perfectly comfortable ensemble are the days that I run into everyone in my Roladex. Seriously, everyone. Ex-Boyfriend, doctor, the mean girl from high school, my 7th grade science teacher, a Boston Bruin, oh the list. That being said, on errand days I make zero effort, and look as though I actually made a conscious decision not to dress like a slob. I challenge you to do the same.
The key to the day is comfort and functionality; you wouldn’t run a marathon in stilettos, so why would you wear them to run errands? Pick a pair of ballet flats, cute sneakers, or a pair of colored Converse are always a good choice. It’s possible to wear comfortable, functional shoes without losing the fashionable aspect.
Skin tight jeans aren’t exactly the most comfortable option in the world. Wearing a pair of the “boyfriend” style and rolling the cuffs is a great alternative. The added pocket space on this style is a nice benefit, they give you some room for lists, your phone, etc.
Many of you probably have hockey t-shirts overflowing your dresser drawers. Who wouldn’t want to own a t-shirt from every team in the league? – It’s actually on my bucket list. But having someplace to wear them isn’t always the easiest problem to solve. Wearing a hockey t-shirt when out and about is a no-brainer. Our Pink Puck “I Prefer the Goalie” shirt is one of my favorites because it’s soft and functional and well, on occasion, I actually do prefer the goalie! Another fun option for the girl who has too many hockey shirts (if there really is such a thing), resurface them. We’ve done two different DIY’s to help you out, here and here.
Having to take off a giant winter parka is always such a process, and then finding somewhere to put it while you’re shopping is also an issue. Avoid it. Choose a lightweight cargo jacket, it’ll look cute and effortless while keeping your body temperature in check while you wait to check-out.
My favorite piece of the errand day outfit is a baseball cap. It covers up whatever type of hair I’m rocking and semi shields my face. This means 9 times out of 10 I can get away with a little blush and mascara instead of my usual makeup routine. My skin enjoys the breather and I enjoy the minimal amount of time it takes to get ready.
Lastly, if you’re heading out to run errands, you’ll probably need a set of keys. Why not spice up your keys with a fun keychain? We chose “What the Puck,” because generally that’s my attitude towards the rest of the consumer base. Marketplaces like Etsy have a wide variety of non-traditional chains to help showcase your hockey love on the run.
Be creative, sometimes the simplistic effortless look is just what the doctor ordered.
Loktionov
The twenty-three year old Loktionov, joined the team on Thursday for practice and was put in the fourth line, flanked by Manny Malhotra and Drayson Bowman.
“For us, he brings a different dimension. He’s a good half-wall guy on the power play, and he makes plays,” head coach Kirk Muller said. “We’ll start him off probably on the fourth line at center and see what chemistry he has with different guys and just move along as we get to know him better.”
In 135 career NHL games, Loktionov has recorded 19 goals and 19 assists (38 points). A fifth-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Loktionov made his NHL debut in the 2009-10 season and was a member of the Kings’ Stanley Cup Championship team in 2011-12.
Loktionov’s first NHL game actually came against the Hurricanes in Los Angeles on October 20, 2010 in his fourth-career game. Ironically enough, it was in this game that Jeff Skinner scored his first of 31 goals in his rookie season that won him the Calder Trophy.
“I was driving over here, and I heard (about the trade) on NHL SiriusXM. I remembered he scored on me,” said Peters, who returned to Raleigh yesterday after a two-week conditioning stint with Charlotte. “It went off my stick. I know that. I don’t know if it just went in directly off my stick. I guess they all count.”
In six career games versus Carolina, Loktionov has scored three times, his most against any team in the league.“It’s my lucky team,” he said with a smile.
Trading Ruutu
Ruutu leaves the Hurricanes after seven seasons with the team. He’s joining that team that happened to be his first opponent in the NHL, a landmark game that endeared him in the heart of Caniacs everywhere.
So far his time as a Devil has been riddled by the devil, himself. His flight was delayed and he arrived at the arena, with police escort, ten minutes prior to face-off. In the third period he suffered an injury that required 40 stitches to repair deep cuts above his left eye and spanned down his nose.
Though Ruutu struggled statistically on the ice this season, his game showed signs of improvement, especially in the 2014 Winter Olympics as he helped Team Finland capture a bronze medal, his 11th medal in 11 major international tournaments.
(photo credit: AP/Karl B DeBlaker)
Carolina Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford announced on Wednesday that Justin Peters was being recalled from the AHL Charlotte Checkers after being placed there for a conditioning stint.
Peters was assigned to Charlotte for a conditioning stint on Feb. 19 where he was 3-1-1 during the assignment. He has spent the majority of the 2013-14 season with Carolina, posting a 7-9-4 record, 2.50 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in 21 NHL games.
Selected by Carolina in the second round, 38th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Peters (6’1”, 210 lbs.) has a career NHL record of 22-31-8, with a 3.05 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage in 68 career games.
On Thursday Rutherford made another announcement, that he would be recalling Justin Peters and Ryan Murphy from Charlotte.
The move was necessary after it was confirmed that Justin Faulk, who sustained an upper-body injury in Sunday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, would miss at least one week. Faulk was placed on Injured Reserve.
Twenty-year-old Murphy has produced 17 assists and 18 points in 16 games with the Checkers since being assigned to the team on Jan. 24. In 39 NHL games with the Hurricanes this season, he has two goals and 11 points. Murphy was selected by the Hurricanes in the first round (No. 12) of the 2011 NHL Draft.
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