Fall has officially sprung in New England, that means all of my beloved clothing articles are mixing into the daily rotation. Boots, tights, dresses and scarves, these are among my favorite items. Many game days I head to the rink from home, while a handful of other ones find me rushing to get to the arena from a day chock full of everything and anything. Today was one of those days. Finding an outfit that is cute, yet comfortable to last from 9 a.m. to midnight when you finally get back home can be a tricky thing.
Tights and jersey or sweater dresses have always been my go-to clothing items and for tonight’s contest against the 3-0 Avalanche, I stuck with just that.
Breakdown:
Purple Tights, Target, $4.99
Beige hi-low long sleeved jersey dress, Forever 21, $14.80
Black wedge booties, Marshalls, $24
Black gold studded bag, gift
Tip: Invest in a pair or two of wedges, it will be the best thing you’ll ever do. For those outfits that flats won’t suffice, wedge heels are more comfortable than stilettos and usually power you through a long night at the rink without hurting your feet.
By Jake Shoemaker
The Chicago Blackhawks will not repeat last year’s record unbeaten streak to start this season. In defeating the Blackhawks in regulation, St. Louis did what it took NHL teams 25 games to do in 2013. While most of St. Louis undoubtedly had their eyes on the Cardinals’ playoff baseball game, the Blues continued their winning ways.
In front of an electric crowd that created a playoff-like atmosphere in the third game of the season for both teams, the game started, fittingly, with a fight just a few minutes in. Sheldon Brookbank squared off against St. Louis’ gritty forward, Chris Stewart, in a fight that was a microcosm of the game – a back and forth battle that ultimately ended up with a narrow Blues victory.
St. Louis drew first blood near the end of the first period when Patrick Bergland intercepted a pass at center ice and distributed the puck up to a streaking Vladimir Tarasenko for the goal. Virtually undefended, Tarasenko buried a wrister as Chicago’s defense played the pass instead of shutting down the shooter.
The two teams went on to trade off goals, all on the power play, with St. Louis maintaining its lead for 75 seconds in the first period and just 39 seconds in the second period. Chicago’s quick responses noticeably increased the anti-Blackhawk sentiment in the building, keeping the crowd alive and hungry for more goals. St. Louis eventually netted an even strength game winner with 22 seconds remaining.
Alexander Steen’s game winner came on an odd-man rush, much like St. Louis’ first goal. A quick breakout by Jaw Bouwmeester caught 4 Blackhawks chasing the play, ultimately leading to a 3 on 1. Corey Crawford, yet again, was left out to dry.
The main takeaway from the game is quite simple: Chicago and St. Louis, two of the NHL’s premier teams, are evenly matched and should battle for the Western Conference crown. The fact that St. Louis held a lead for just over two minutes over the course of the entire game, despite winning 3-2, shows the resilient nature of the defending Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks.
St. Louis will look to continue its winning ways at home, Saturday, against the New York Rangers, while the Blackhawks will look to rebound against the New York Islanders back in Chicago on Friday. The Blackhawks and Blues will face each other 4 more times this year, 3 times in Chicago and once in St. Louis.
Have you ever wondered where players in the NHL were before they made it big? The majority of them have probably worked their way up from the CHL (Canadian hockey league). The CHL consists of young men ranging in ages 16 to 20. There are three different leagues in the CHL, the WHL (Western Hockey League), OHL (Ontario Hockey League) and QMJHL (Quebec major junior hockey league).
I personally am biased towards the WHL, but I also enjoy an OHL game every now and then. A lot of people don’t see these games as games worth watching, but I can tell you right now they are the exact opposite. You get games in the WHL that are fast paced, hard hitting and high scoring. The young men on these teams play with the same intensity as the guys in the NHL do. You get The Battle of Alberta on a Junior level, as well as the rivalry between the Spokane Chiefs and Tri City Americans. If you like the physical aspect of the game the WHL is the league for you.
Some WHL alumni include Zdeno Chara and Milan Lucic of the Bruins, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook of the Blackhawks and Cam Ward of the Hurricanes.
In the OHL games are often fast paced games, sometimes higher in scoring. The OHL produces most of today’s NHL stars, some OHL alumni are Bryan Bickell, Daniel Carcillo and Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks, and Drew Doughty of the LA Kings.
If you have CHL team in your hometown, I highly recommend you check out a game, most teams have ticket deals or packages for multiple games and tickets are so inexpensive it’s almost a sin. If you can’t afford NHL tickets, CHL tickets can give you the exact same experience if not more. Who knows you may come out with a new favourite team. Teams sometimes do autograph signings or something along those lines, you can meet players, shake their hands, give them words of encouragement and one day when they are in the NHL you can proudly say “I met him when he played for…”
To me that is one of the most exciting things about the CHL, the ability to discover talent before anyone else does, to see these guys develop into future NHL stars, to see them grow up on and off the ice. Many CHL clubs have huge community involvement and wouldn’t be anywhere without it. So when you get the chance grab a couple of friends and check out a game you won’t regret it.
Hockey Canada has teamed up again with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) for the World Girls’ Hockey Weekend taking place Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, October 11 through October 14, in rinks around the globe. In its third season, the IIHF developed the program with the goal of growing the women’s game at all levels and in all participating countries.
New this year, the event includes the Long Game Initiative featuring four of the longest-running female games ever running from the east to west coast. A total of 1,584 players on 88 teams will play in 44 games across the country, running continuously at the Atom through Midget age levels. Puck will drop at 7am NT in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and the final face-off is at 4pm PT in Parksville, British Columbia. Aside from the bench, 264 officials, countless coaches and volunteers will also be involved across the country. Click here for the full Long Game Initiative schedule, including times and locations in your area. Game updates all weekend can be found at www.hockeycanada.ca/wghw.
“World Girls’ Hockey Weekend continues to get bigger and better every year, and we’re incredibly excited to incorporate the first-ever female long game into this year’s festivities,” said Hockey Canada’s female council chair Joanne Hughes. “From the east coast to the west coast, girls and women of all ages will be lacing up their skates and picking up their sticks this weekend to have fun and help the female game continue to grow both in our own country and around the world.”
In arenas across the country, World Girls’ Hockey Weekend is a great way to introduce girls and women to the game in a positive, safe and supportive environment. Additional activities hosted by female and minor hockey associations include Esso Fun Days, skills sessions, coaching clinics, officiating clinics, and information sessions, bring-a-friend days and many other fun ways to get out onto the ice, and into the great Canadian game.
It’s that time of year again.
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month has us seeing pink–everywhere– and hopefully taking a second to check ourselves and talk to our loved ones about our health.
It’s also the prime-time fundraising month for partner organizations such as Susan G. Komen For the Cure, the Prevent Cancer Foundation, The American Cancer Society, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Medical Women’s Associations, and more.
This is a cause that should be near and dear for all of us– it can affect ourselves, our mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, and even fathers. So, when we see our favorite athletes in shades of pink, it is empowering. And also, it’s a little dreamy seeing our favorite hockey players in pink, or even lavender as they’ve chosen in recent years.
We want to support them supporting our cause.
It’s more than just a color. It’s more than just a hashtag, #HockeyFightsCancer. It’s health. It’s lives. It’s solidarity.
And this year’s NHL #HockeyFightsCancer gear is out.
As you’ll see on its gear pages, the website label promotes as NHL Breast Cancer Awareness Gear.
There’s great merchandise, too, a variety for all the teams, men, women, and children. The merchandise itself all sporting the Hockey Fights Cancer “brand.”
And, the Hockey Fights Cancer page reads that a decent portion of sales goes to the National Hockey League Foundation, which manages the NHL’s charitable happenings. It gets $7.26 for the $75.00 Vineyard Vines tie, $2.24 for the $23.95 Reebok Men’s Player Cap, $2.61 for the $26.95 Ladies’ Charm Bracelet, and $5.27 for the $23.95 Old Time Hockey shirts.
Those portions will be donated to the NHL Foundation’s charitable organizations. What’s interesting is that none these charitable organizations are listed for breast cancer.
The NHL lists its Hockey Fights Cancer partners as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Prostate Cancer Canada, ZERO — the End of Prostate Cancer, the Pancreatic Cancer Network, and Movember.
They are all honorable organizations, and worthy causes. There are no doubts about about their significance whatsoever. Every form of cancer deserves a fight.
But none listed go hand in hand with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So, why is the site labeled “NHL Breast Cancer Awareness Gear”?
I’m awaiting response from the NHL about this. They ask for a 48-hour window of reply.
I’d happily donate to any of the above-mentioned causes, and I am glad that Hockey Fights Cancer partners with them. I’m just unsure about the connection to Breast Cancer Awareness Month made on their gear page.
I think everyone making a charitable donation should know where their support is going.
Since the NHL Foundations is a Private Foundation, it isn’t part of the Charity Navigator rating system’s guide to intelligent giving.
(photo: Getty images)
The New York Rangers in their second game in 2 days could not keep pace with the offensive onslaught of the San Jose Sharks. It was an evening of firsts for the Sharks with Tomas Hertl getting his first NHL career hat trick at the tender age of nineteen and the first Sharks player to net more than 5 goals in the first three games of the season. Rookie Matt Nieto recorded his first NHL goal along with 2 assists before the evening was finished.
The Sharks began the first period on rough ice as Brad Stuart, in his first game back, was called for an elbowing penalty on Rick Nash. Nash eventually left the game with an undisclosed injury and Stuart became a marked man for the rest of the game. The Sharks then went down another man for too many men and the Rangers picked up the 2-man advantage, quickly capitalizing on the power play. Ryan Callahan set up a nice screen in front of Niemi and Brad Richards tipped it in off a feed from Derick Brassard to put the Rangers up a goal. The Sharks quickly answered back with a blast by Marc-Eduard Vlasic on a set-up by Pavelski and Marleau. The Sharks turned on the jets and didn’t look back. Dan Boyle would send another one by Henrik Lundquist from a slick pass from Matt Nieto, his first NHL point of his career and Logan Couture nearly netted another on a shorthanded breakaway attempt that the King neatly stuffed. San Jose closed the first period, outshooting the Rangers 15-7 and up 2 goals to 1.
The second period began on a penalty kill for the Sharks but the Rangers couldn’t get anything rolling. San Jose rolled all four lines and the third line of Wingels-Pavelski-Nieto would open the period with a neat tic-tac-toe to give Nieto his first NHL goal of his career. The Sharks were far from done as the rookie Hertl put it past Lundquist from a feed by Andrew Desjardins to send the King packing for the evening. The Rangers put in Biron for relief but the Rangers wouldn’t find it as Couture slapped the puck in on a bounce from behind the net 20 seconds after Hertl’s and the first shot Biron faced in net. Tomas Hertl closed out the second period with another goal, with Desjardins, again assisting with the rookie’s net theatrics and the score favoring San Jose 6-1.
New York’s Derek Dorsett took advantage of a broken play by Sharks defenceman Matt Irwin and slipped one by Niemi to give the Blue Shirts another goal early in the third. New York would try to make a go of it in the third period but ultimately it would be “too many Hertl’s for the Rangers to overcome”.
Tomas Hertl with the Hat Trick
Ranger’s Brian Boyle, who had been after San Jose’s Stuart all night, got called on a double minor to put the Sharks on the man advantage for four minutes, and netted Hertl the Hat Trick. Tomas would score another baffling goal, one that must be seen to truly appreciate the skill this young man has. You can watch the between the legs goal here.
Justin Braun would close out the scoring for the Sharks, a player who struggled last year and netted his second goal of the season with a wrist shot in from a pass from Nieto. The Rangers were outplayed in every zone and the Sharks outshot New York 46-19. The final score 9-2.
The Sharks fly to Vancouver to face the Canucks at Rogers Arena on Thursday and will return home Saturday to face the Ottawa Senators.
By Megan MacDonald
In recent years, games between the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins have become fan favourites, and Tuesday night’s 5-2 effort was no exception.
Letting in only three goals in three games, Marc-Andre Fleury held the Canes at bay while Jussi Jokinen lit up former teammate Cam Ward with his second career hat trick. The evening also saw goals by Paul Martin and Tanner Glass for the Pens and Eric Staal and Nathan Gerbe for the Canes. It was also a big night for Pens rookie Olli Maatta – who notched his first two career NHL points with assists on two of Jussi Jokinen’s goals.
Pittsburgh are now 3-0-0 as they get ready for their first road trip of the 2013-14 campaign. On Friday they head to Florida to take on the Panthers.
October comes with a ton of great things. Of course, everyone’s favorite: the start of the NHL season. But then there’s Halloween, pumpkin-flavored everything, sweater weather, and Breast Cancer Awareness month. Since this is a “pink” website, we could all take a few minutes to appreciate the “pink” month.
Just to throw out a few quick stats about breast cancer, according to nationalbreastcancer.org:
- 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life.
- Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women.
- Each year it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die.
One of the most important things for women of any age is to perform monthly self-exams. It’s never too early to start! There are a bunch of helpful resources online, but this one has a ton of great tips on how to do a self-exam and what to expect from clinical exams (which all girls should start at 20-years-old).
If it’s any incentive to do monthly self-exams, there’s this shirtless-man-filled app called “Rethink Breast Cancer”, which all girls should definitely download ASAP. Every so often (you can set the reminders for weekly, monthly, or surprise) a half naked guy will remind you when it’s time to do an exam. And here’s a video to prove it. Seriously, it’s worth a watch. Or six.
And if you’re not into the whole naked-guy thing, there’s a more conventional app called “Early Detection Plan”, which is essentially the same concept but with more info and less abs. Or for the even more traditional, you can always just write it down in a calendar every month. Or put it in your phone calendar. Or take turns with friends reminding each other (sorta like a Save the Tatas Club). Whichever method you chose, it’s time to get down to business and start protecting the girls.
Some warning signs to look for (Susan G. Koman):
- A lump, hard knot or thickening
- Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening
- Change in breast size or shape
- Dimpling or puckering of the skin
- Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
- Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
- Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
- New pain in one spot
If you happen to find any of these signs (or anything else you think is a little funky), get to a doctor and have them check it out. It can’t hurt to be safe.
So, use the remainder of October to pink-out everything to support breast cancer and girls everywhere!
Photo courtesy of http://uafcornerstone.net/perfect-present
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