There is no “I” in team and that sentiment is one being felt wholly by the Boston Bruins, who have shown themselves to be an offensive powerhouse, scoring 23 goals in their last five contests combined. While individual players find themselves on hot streaks, the success has come at the gloves of all four lines.
“It’s huge because it doesn’t put so much emphasis on one guy scoring all the goals. We’ve never been a team with a 50-point goal scorer or anything like that,” said Bruins Lucic, who scored two goals in last nights win. “We’ve always had success by having different guys stepping up at different times, and our team play is what has given us the most success. It seems like the lines are clicking and the line combos that are together right now I think that’s why like you said eight guys have been able to hit that double-digits in goals. But in saying that, we want to keep pushing for more. I think it’s great that it almost seems like we’re pushing each other to want more, and I think that’s a good thing to have in this room.”
The chemistry being felt throughout the team has pushed the Bruins to score 6 goals per game in their last three contests alone.
“We play strong from our own end through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone; I think that’s the key,” said Bruins Soderberg. “We don’t give up too many chances and then we create some offense as well.”
Offensively sound, it appears that the Bruins are doing everything right as of late.
“Yeah, we score five, six goals a game you kind of expect to win,” said Bruins Rask. “I know it’s not going to happen every game but It’s good to have that offense going like that. We’ve been scoring goals because we play our system not because we’re trying to do too much out there and that’s a great sign.”
While the netminder is quick to put the success on the skate blades of him teammates, Rask himself has been solid between the pipes for the vast majority of the season. But the team as a whole has upped their game, with an Olympic break steadily approaching.
“I think we’ve been playing pretty good the last six games,” said Bruins Krejci. “Not only one line but all four lines are putting the puck in the net, so that’s good to see, but we would like to continue playing like that. So like I said before, we have five games left before the Olympic break and try to play the same way and I guess get as many points as we get.”
It was a homecoming of sorts for former Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas, laced with an unfavorable outcome for the Stanley Cup champion. While Boston fans greeted the Michigan native with cheers at games start, they ushered him out with jeers by the closing horn.
“They’re a good team,” said Panthers Thomas. “They made the Finals last year for a reason and they played a good game against us tonight, combined with us not playing our best game, myself included. They took advantage of it. They just kept coming at us. They rarely let up. When they did, we scored a couple of goals and then they turned it back up.”
With five games left to play before the Olympic break, the Bruins will play host to rival Montreal on Thursday night. Perhaps the meeting between the two garners an overly elevated amount of hype. But with the Canadiens and their fans arriving in Boston, the game plan for the Bruins remains the same.
“I think right now it’s really important that we continue to look at our game. Our game’s been good, but it’s always a good game against the Montreal Canadiens, and it’s always been a great rivalry,” said Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien. “But let’s not look at it so much as a rivalry more than we need to continue bringing our game to the table every night that we’re playing this week, and finish it off on a good note here with five games left before the Olympic break. And that’s where our whole focus is, and you’ve got to try to not get dragged into this big build-up that we have every time we play them.”
Can Boston add another 6 to their goal count? The Original Six rivalry hits the ice at 7 pm tomorrow at TD Garden.
CBJ lost their third in a row tonight, falling 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators at home after a heartbreaker of a game-cincher by Sens captain Jason Spezza with just five minutes to go. It marks a sharp downturn from their franchise record breaking eight game winning streak. In the span of just a few games, they’ve fallen from third place in the Metropolitan Division to fifth, the Washington Capitols nipping at their heels.
Basically, CBJ is Robb Stark and a three-game slump sounds a lot like the opening strains of “Rains of Castamere.”
Still: nobody panic. I’m not saying any of this is good news, but it’s not nearly as dire as your aching heart wants you to believe.
The thing about the Metropolitan division is that it’s anyone’s game. The gap between second place and fifth is just three points. That requires a few big wins, yes, but it’s not impossible. It’s not even necessarily improbable.
Take tonight’s game. It’s not that there weren’t opportunities, not that they didn’t have — and take — great chances to score. We saw a lot of traffic in front of Ottawa’s net; no, not as much as we’d like (is it ever as much as we’d like?), but it was there. The Jackets got themselves, physically, where they needed to be. It’s just that, through glove saves or bad bounces, the scoreboard didn’t reflect that effort. Obviously there were flashes of sloppiness, of waiting just a second too long to take a shot. There was the bewildering moment where RJ Umberger somehow managed not to score on a wide-open net. CBJ mishandled nine giveaways to Ottawa’s just two.
But there were good things, too. CBJ pulled themselves up from a 2-0 deficit and held on until an ill-timed powerplay. They won 43 of 68 faceoffs, outshot the Sens 36-28, and Jack Johnson played for 27.5 minutes (twenty-seven! and a half!). The vaguely alarming 9-2 giveaway ratio is more or less cancelled out by the 8-2 takeaway ratio, this time in CBJ’s favor (not that these are particularly reliable stats, anyway, except to tell us that maybe CBJ was trying to get a little too fancy with the puck).
So, okay. There were good things and bad things in this game. That’s the analytic equivalent of the color beige.
The important thing to look at over the course of the last few games isn’t necessarily what the scoreboard says. The thing to look at is the mental game–at how the Blue Jackets react when things don’t go their way. And what we’ve seen, from the beginning of the streak all the way through tonight’s loss, is a vastly improved mental toughness. The Blue Jackets have always performed best when they stick to their strengths: a structured game which sticks to its system and doesn’t depend on star power. That has tended to fall apart in sticky situations because panic sets in, and suddenly everyone is trying to be Sidney Crosby.
But there’s a reason why the Penguins are constantly playing First Line Winger Roulette, and it’s because guys like Crosby don’t really fit within a system. If you don’t have a Crosby, you have to play like you don’t need one. CBJ did that, during the streak. They played their game, and didn’t let panic run down the clock.
They’ve done that, more or less, in the last three games, too. The losses haven’t been due to a breakdown of the system or anyone getting psyched out. They’ve been due to sloppiness, to bad luck, to missed opportunities.
That sounds like a bad problem to have. Mostly it’s just beautifully, gloriously direct one. Mostly, it’s just a problem that’s totally fixable.
So chin up, Robb Stark. It’s not your wedding day yet.
With Boston temperatures running sub arctic, the idea of getting dressed for press level isn’t a welcomed one — if only yoga pants and boots were an acceptable option, eh? But they aren’t…
Breakdown:
Black pants, Forever 21, $16.80
Periwinkle blue blouse, Kohls, clearance $9.99
Grey ankle boots, Target, clearance $12.99
Media Tip: Pack water! Press level is always filled with goodies, including soda… But more often than not, water is strangely not an option. Throw a bottle in your bag and it can come in handy!
The Utah Grizzlies have been on a hotstreak of late, and a big part of their success comes down to their netminder, Aaron Dell. The Grizzlies goaltender picked up the CCM ECHL Goaltender of the Week for January 20-26 for his stellar performance between the pipes.
A native of Airdrie, Alberta, Dell has appeared in 16 games with Utah this season posting a record of 12-3-0-1 with two shutouts. He has allowed two goals or less in 12 of his 16 starts and is tied for fourth in the league with a 2.10 goals-against average and is tied for sixth with a .921 save percentage.
The 24-year-old went 2-0-0 with a 1.44 goals-against average and a save percentage of .949 in two appearances last week as the Grizzlies improved to an ECHL best 10-2-2-2 since Christmas, in which Dell has gone 8-1-0-1.
Dell stopped 26 shots in a 3-2 win against Bakersfield on Friday then made 30 saves, and stopped all three shootout attempts he faced, in a 2-1 victory over the Condors on Saturday.
Last season, Dell was named Central Hockey League Goaltender of the Year with Allen after going 22-11-6 with three shutouts, a 2.30 goals-against average, a save percentage of .916, and also won the CHL Championship. Prior to turning pro, he played three seasons at the University of North Dakota where he posted a career record of 48-20-5 with nine shutouts, a 2.15 goals-against average and a save percentage of .912.
The Grizzlies go for team history Wednesday night at Maverik Center when they host Las Vegas at 7 p.m. A standings point would make them unbeaten in 11-straight home games and shatter a 19-year old record set when the team went unbeaten in 10-straight games at home in Denver in 1994-95.
That’s right, just 10 days. Ten days till the Opening Ceremonies, that is! In this installment of our countdown series, I would like to talk a little bit about Team USA’s look for the Opening Ceremony Parade of Nations. In case you haven’t seen them, the outfits for the parade have been released – modeled by none other than USA Hockey’s own Zach Parise and Julie Chu!
Zach Parise modeling Team USA’s Opening Ceremony look, photo: Ralph Lauren
Julie Chu rocking Team USA’s Opening Ceremony outfit, photo: Ralph Lauren
I’m pretty excited that these two in particular were chosen to show off these threads. It underscores that hockey – USA Hockey – has a place in the Olympic Winter Games and all of this exposure is incredible for growing our sport here. Now on that sweater… I personally love it, but I’m a nut when it comes to anything Team USA. While Parise’s photoshoot was the subject of some good-natured pranking in the locker room, I think Julie pulls off the look incredibly well.
Unfortunately, if you want to sport these outfits like your favorite players, you’re going to have to shell out a good amount of cash. The entire ensemble is by Ralph Lauren; and between the $598 knit cardigan, the $245 turtleneck sweater, the $165 “Team USA” slim white pants, the $395 black leather boots with red laces, and the $95 beanie, even this USA crazed super fan won’t bite. It must be said, however, that the entire look is made in the USA, down to the wool in the jacket, and 100% of the proceeds of the cardigan support the U.S. Olympic Committee.
I decided to throw together a look inspired by this ensemble, and if I can find all the pieces you can bet I’ll be rocking the rink decked out in all my Team USA glory. Don’t judge.
I had to go for a crazy USA flag knit sweater, albeit not quite as crazy as the official one. I liked the cream turtleneck and white pants of the RL outfit, so I kept them. The beanie I could take or leave, but rinks are cold, even here in Florida so it would be nice to have. The boots from the original look are plainer than the options I have here, but I like the continuation of the stars and stripes everywhere. The scarf is overkill, I can admit it. But it’s a nice option to have in lieu of a flag cardigan.
Whether I’m wearing a $1000+ Olympic ensemble, or some USA Hockey pajamas, I will definitely be watching the Opening Ceremonies in 10 days’ time. My patriotism aside, the Olympic Games are not about the borders that define us as nations, but the unity we share as humankind. The Opening Ceremonies are a microcosm of that idea. The IOC even states that “No single country must receive greater attention than any other,” and we see that whether a nation brought with them 1 athlete or 100, each one is recognized and applauded as honored representatives in an event steeped with tradition. If the Opening Ceremonies don’t get you ready for the Olympic Games, nothing will.
With the NHL Stadium Series in full swing, players are stepping up to the plate for the outdoor game. While the contest between the Anaheim Ducks and LA Kings had fans taking in the game under fairly warm conditions, over on the east coast the games are being played under a slightly lower temperature.
The New York Islanders will hit the ice at Yankee Stadium for the second of two games to be played in the Bronx. The New York Rangers dominated the New Jersey Devils in a commanding 7-3 win on Sunday. Will they garner the same results when they face off against the Islanders on Wednesday? Only time will tell, but with temperatures predicted in the high teens, fans catching the game may want to bundle up for the conditions.
Layers and winter apparel are obviously key, but the desire to not look like you rolled off the set of a Christmas Story is usually a reasonable one as well.
Hat, gloves and a jacket are a no-brainer but just because they are necessary, doesn’t mean you can’t pick ones that showcase your love of the team and are still stylish. We love the mittens, especially because they hold hand warmers comfortably. You can thank us later, but the handwarmers which can be picked up at any outdoor store or places like Target, Walmart and Home Depot are a must.
Of course, no one will see what’s under the jacket while you’re at the stadium, but if you pre-game the game or meet up with friends and family afterwards, you’re going to want to be prepared. Represent in Islanders colors with a thermal, cardigan and fun scarf – we loved the star gazer pattern.
Fleece lined leggings will keep you warm at the game and picking a boyfriend style jean is comfortable, will fit the leggings under nicely while still keeping you stylish for puck drop.
Warm boots, no heel will help with whatever the elements are throwing your way in the stands, and warm socks will keep you toasty too.
Finally to combat the crowds, we chose a cross body bag in a hue of Islanders orange to use at the game.
Layers, layers, layers = fun, fun, fun!
Remember, if you don’t root for the Islanders you can implement the same theory into a Rangers color scheme.
After a week of negotiations with a potential new owner’s group and ECHL league meetings all last week, The San Francisco Bulls, ECHL affiliate of the the San Jose Sharks, announced today that they would cease operations. In a letter addressed to season ticket holders, Head Coach and General Manager Pat Curcio said “the team was hoping to secure new ownership, however the terms of an updated deal were unable to be finalized, cancelling the remainder of the season.”
Curcio went on to say, “We had a great opportunity come to us that would’ve kept the Bulls in San Francisco at least through the end of the 2014 season, with potential for future seasons, but we ran out of time to complete all ends of the deal. At this point, the best thing to do financially is to reluctantly end the season. We will miss playing here, miss our fans, and miss the city.”
Last week, in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, it was revealed that the team was in financial trouble, with losses reaching over 2 million dollars. A variety of factors contributed to the financial woes, including difficulties with the Cow Palace management, low attendance, the high cost of San Francisco and costly renovations that were needed to the Cow Palace arena.
The hope was for the team to finish out the season at the Cow Palace with a new ownership group, or move to Oakland or Fresno. The ECHL Western Conference is already a small pool with only 9 teams in the entire Conference. The loss of the Bulls is greater than just to the fans, it is a loss for the entire hockey community.
While the Seahawks and Broncos are getting ready to face a possible Super Bowl in a snowstorm, Dodger Stadium was a warm 62 degrees as the sun went down last night over Los Angeles. Over 50,000 fans (and lots of celebrities!) flooded the stadium last night for what was possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience what normally only East Coast fans get to experience; an outdoor hockey game. The NHL played this one well, scheduling the series on the tail of the always popular Winter Classic on New Years Day. Following the game, there are 2 games at Yankee stadium within the next week to capitalize on the momentum of the Super Bowl, taking place in New York next Sunday. It also boosts interest in the upcoming Winter Olympic games, where rivalries run hot in both male and female hockey.
Prepping for an outdoor game in Southern California where “winter” is just a dream, was definitely a challenge. With temps in the 80’s during the day, keeping the ice the correct temp was not easy. “We’re hoping for a 55-degree night when we drop the puck,” said Dan Craig, senior director of facilities operations for the NHL. It had been an around the clock operation, shielding the ice with heat-reflecting Mylar blankets while the sun was out, and performing maintenance at night. Prep for this historic event included Craig studying 15 years worth of weather patterns. Even still, it ended up being about 20 degrees hotter than historical numbers showed. Even with unexpected setbacks, which included a critical missing part for the cooling pump, come time for Friday nights practice, the ice was the standard 22 degrees. The Ducks used that 45 minutes to acclimate to the new venue. “It certainly took some getting used to, but the whole experience is going to be great,” said Ducks Cam Fowler. “It’s such a great atmosphere, and something we’re definitely looking forward to.”
“The Great One” did the ceremonial puck drop while the Ducks and Kings, in their new Stadium Series jerseys , looked on with a “we’re not worthy” attitude. When Wayne Gretzky participates in the opening ceremonies, you know this is serious NHL business. “This is a wonderful night, a spectacular event, only a positive for hockey and a positive for sports in California,” Gretzky said. “It’s an opportunity, too, to show people how great a hockey city this is.” Gretzky, who spent 8 seasons with the Kings (1988-1996), was undoubtedly there to cheer on his former team. Unfortunately for him and tens of thousands of other Kings fans, last night wasn’t a fun one.
The Kings were looking to take down the Ducks after losing to them two nights prior, 1-2. However, the Ducks came out strong and scored 2 goals within the first 10 minutes of the first, for which the Kings never answered back. “In a game like this, when there’s so much build up to it, when you come out and get two early goals, it’s beneficial,” said Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler. “It took the excitement out of the LA fans and we drowned them out a bit. You have to tip your cap to that team. They played really hard and they threw everything at us.” Pulling Kings goalie Jonathan Quick at the end of the 3rd caused an empty net goal to bring the final score to 3-0. Most Ducks tipped their hats to goalie Jonas Hiller, who had an impressive 36 saves, including a penalty shot. This marked the Kings 5th straight loss. The Ducks are now 7 points ahead of the Blackhawks and remain in first place, the Kings trailing 19 points behind them.
Even though the Kings suffered an embarrassing loss, both teams participated in the first ever outdoor game west of the Rockies, and that counts for something. “These games are so much fun to be a part of, but they’re not easy to get ready for,” said Ducks Saku Koivu. “But when you win, it’s an amazing experience. Every couple years would be fun to be a part of it. I don’t know how much they can do it better here. It was just a fantastic experience for fans, media and the players. When you come up with two points, you can smile after the game. It’s great.”
3 Stadium Series games remain. The New Jersey Devils versus the New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium on January 26; the New York Islanders versus the Rangers at Yankee Stadium on January 29; and the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Chicago Blackhawks at Soldier Field on March 1.
Hey gang, we’re back! After a longer than anticipated break, the Learning the game segment is back and ready for action. This time, we’re taking on a much loved topic –Infractions & Penalties. For those pink puck-ers who have missed this segment and want to learn more about hockey, we’ve also discussed topics such as: the rink, the net, the puck, and team positions. Since I’m still newer to hockey, we’re learning together!
As always, we’re going to use our handy-dandy “A to Z Guide to Hockey Terms” by Tim Moshansky to help us learn about penalties and infractions.
Penalty – When rules are broken, which are determined by a referee, and lead to a set time off the ice. The time served for the infraction is determined by the penalty type.
Major Penalty – A major penalty is a penalty that is served for five-minutes long. Even if the other team scores the player must stay in the box for the full five-minutes.
Bench Minor – This is a penalty against the coach or a player who isn’t on the ice.
Boarding – As with many terms in hockey, boarding is much like its name suggests. It is when one player body-checks another player and they are thrown against the boards. This is a minor penalty.
Butt-ending – This term sounds funnier than it really is and does not have anything to do with a butt at all. In fact, it has to do with the last three inches of the stick. When this is jabbed into another player it’s called “butt-ending” and is either a double minor penalty or a major penalty.
Charging – This is when a player either takes three strides or leaves their feet to hit an opposing player, which is considered a minor penalty.
Cross-checking – Considered a minor penalty, cross-checking is when a player holds their stick across their checks, pushes out, and strikes another player with the stick shaft.
Clipping – To make this super simple–this is when one player trips another.
Delay of Game – When a player intentionally causes the game to stop play, for example, knocking the net over. This is considered a minor penalty.
Delayed penalty – This is when a referee signals a penalty, but play is not stopped until either a goal is scored or the offending team touches the puck. If a goal is scored by the non-offending team, the penalty is waived.
Diving –This qualifies as “unsportsmanlike conduct,” which we will discuss a little later, but diving is when a player makes contact with another player and then exaggerates the movement to look like a penalty has been committed. It is considered a minor penalty.
Double Minor – Essentially, when a player is called for two two-minute penalties at the same exact time.
Draw a penalty – I think Moshansky’s words are best to describe this, saying, “When a players speed, agility, or power causes an opposing player to commit a foul against that player in an attempt to check him.”
Elbowing – As the name implies, elbowing is when players jab or throw their elbows into their opponent. If seen, this can result in a two-minute penalty.
Falling on the Puck – This is when a player uses his or her body to deliberately cover the puck.
Fighting – In most cultures, you get past the age of four and know what this means. When it pertains to hockey, it means when a player engages in “fisticuffs” or “boxing.” For both players involved this can result in a five-minute penalty.
Game Misconduct – When a player commits an outrageous and offensive act, typically with the intent to injure an opposing player or official, they are sent to their locker room and removed from the game.
Goaltender Interference – Honestly, I’m going to throw the definition of this one off the professionals. It gets complicated so, you can read all about it here on the NHL Website.
High Sticking – This is when a player touches the puck or another player by swinging their stick above their shoulders. Often, if there is visible blood or damage on a player than there will be a double minor issued.
Holding –If one player grabs another and doesn’t let go within three seconds, this is considered holding and a minor penalty.
Interference – Essentially, this is when one player impedes an opposing player who does not have possession of the puck. This is considered a minor penalty.
Kneeing – Like elbowing, the name refers to the action. This is when one player hits another with their knee.
Major Penalty – A five minute penalty issued to a player where they have to say in the box for this amount of time. There are several assorted major penalties, you can find more information listed here.
Match Penalty – From my eyes, this is pretty bad penalty. It’s when a player commits an infraction that is very vindictive or malicious. A player is thrown out of the game and another from their team is chosen to serve a five-minute penalty in the box.
Minor Penalty – Simply put, a two minute long penalty.
Obstruction – This is when one player hinders an opposing player by slashing, holding, elbowing, hooking, etc. It’s considered a minor penalty.
Playing with a Broken Stick – Another more obvious term, this is when a player plays with a broken stick and in turn creates a dangerous situation for other players. it is considered a minor penalty.
Roughing – This is when one player manhandles or gets in a fight with another player. It’s considered a minor penalty.
Slashing – When one player swings their stick at another player, they’ll usually get a minor penalty.
Spearing – So, this is when one player jabs the blade of their stick into another player and can be considered a major or a minor penalty, depending on the action.
Third Man In – When two players on opposing teams are fighting and another player steps in to help their teammate, this is called a third man in and is considered a minor penalty.
Too Many Men – I thought this one would have to do with “third man in,” but I was wrong. It actually is when one team has too many players on the ice with possession of the puck. It’s considered a minor penalty.
Tripping – This is when one player used either his stick or body to knock the legs of an opposing player typically resulting in a fall or “tripping.” It is considered a minor penalty.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct – There are several instances when a referee determines Unsportsmanlike Conduct. The first is if they use swear or use abusive language towards other players or a referee. The second is when a player throws equipment outside of the rink or knocks the puck away from a ref. Lastly, is when a player challenges or argues a referee’s call or decision. All of these result in a two-minute penalty.
If you’re looking for more information regarding penalties and infractions feel free to skate on over to the NHL Website for more details. I’ve just provided the basics to Infractions & Penalties here, but there really is so much more to it. Once again, thank you Pink Puck-ers for your continued support. I’m looking forward to spreading more hockey terms and knowledge!
Note: Hey guys, since I’m just learning, if you think I’ve missed something give me a shout out! Or, if you want to know more term information and think I should write an article about it–let me know. I’ve provided a way to get in contact with me above and would love to hear from you. Thanks so much for your support.
References:
Moshansky, T. (2010). A to z guide to hockey terms (2nd ed.). Vancouver, BC: First Wave Publishing.
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