Hockey Laughs: Game of Thrones
For those of you who love hockey and Game of Thrones…
New England Stars Run Over Maine Wild, 6-2
The New England Stars notched their first win of the season on Saturday, defeating the Maine Wild, 6-2. The Stars special teams came up big, scoring on five of their power play opportunities.
The game kicked off the newest Northern States Junior Hockey League rivalry, as both teams are owned by the same parent company, The Hockey Academy.
Stars Head Coach Darryl Green was happy with the final score, but unhappy with the team’s style of play in the beginning two periods of the game.
“Our first and second periods were sloppy and penalties contributed to that,” he said. “In the third, we had our best period of the game by far and we were rewarded for it.”
Stars forward Ryan Gauvin put the first point on the board, assisted by Steve Upton and Wes Monson, six minutes into the first period. It was the only even-strength goal of the game.
The Stars would capitalize on their first power play when Levi Marden found the back of the net behind Maine Wild netminder Benoit Niclot, assisted by Ricky Mulligan. The Maine Wild answered back with a power play goal from Keith Barnaby, his first goal of the season, assisted by Hunter Lynch and David Wilcox.
The Wild opened the second period with a jump in their step and tallied another power play goal, this time from David Sullivan, after to tie the game up at two-all. The goal was assisted by Barnaby.
However, the Wild struggled again and the Stars broke the tie quickly with a goal netted by Steve Upton two minutes and two seconds later. The goal was assisted by Monson and Gauvin. Nick Bartholomew also registered his first goal of the season on the man advantage, assisted by Cam Webster, to make the score 4-2 in the Stars’ favor.
Green was happy with the way the power play looked in the contest.
“Our defense also did a great job getting shots close to the net,” he said. “We did give up two power play goals though, so that is something we will have to address this week.”
The third period sealed the win for the Stars as Steve Crocker registered two goals, again capitalizing on the power play. The goals are his third and fourth of the season; the first was assisted by Mulligan and Ryan Donohue, the second assisted by Webster and Brian Glover.
Green said Crocker had an outstanding performance on the ice in the match-up.
“Crocker also played very sound defensively,” he said.
Maine Wild Head Coach Mike Tenney said although the team worked hard to get the game tied, momentum died due to taking ill-timed penalties.
“We again spent half the game in the penalty box – 27 minutes of 60. If we hope to be competitive in this league, we have to cut our penalties way down so we are not relying on our penalty kill so much,” he said. “It is a tall task to ask to kill 12 penalties. We have allowed 14 goals in three games and 11 have been on the power play for the other team.”
Tenney said it boils down to a discipline issue for the team.
“It will be addressed,” he said. “We have to get things right in a hurry as we head into our home opening weekend against a very good Fighting Spirit team. I am also looking for a boost being in front of our home crowd next weekend.”
Next weekend, the Maine Wild will host the AHI Fighting Spirit in their home opener on Sept. 28. The Wild, who are 0-3, will look for their first win of the season. The New England Stars are 1-1 and will travel to Wilkes-Barre, Penn., to face off against the Wilkes-Barre Miners.
Canucks’ Kassian Suspended Five Games, Rest of Pre-Season
After a 10-minute phone call with NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan, the NHL has suspended Vancouver Canucks forward Zack Kassian for the rest of the preseason, plus the first five regular-season games, for his high stick that broke Edmonton Oilers’ Sam Gagner on Saturday. Kassian was assessed a double minor in the game at the time. When asked to comment after the game, Kassian hesitated getting into the details, but insistent that the motion was accidental, “I could sit here all day and plead my case. Like I said, it was accidental. In the game of hockey, things happens at a fast speed. I hope Sam Gagner has a full recovery,” added Kassian. “Obviously you never want to see someone get injured and have to miss games but it was a hockey play.”
This suspension is in addition to fellow Canucks winger Dale Weise who has also been suspended for the remainder of the pre-season (3 games) for a hit to the head on Oilers’ forward Taylor Hall. Weise was dealt two minutes for the hit.
The two teams are to meet again in Vancouver on October 5th.
Operation Raindrop: Brandon Bollig vs Patrick Kane
By Megan MacDonald
Earlier this month, Patrick Kane wowed the hockey world with a Bauer ad deemed Operation Vapour featuring some “hidden camera” footage of the Conn Smythe winner’s stick-handling. He made it effortless, but apparently, it’s not as easy as it looked.
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Today, Operation Raindrop was leaked containing “hidden camera” footage of another Chicago Blackhawk, Agent 52 Brandon Bollig and let’s just say…it’s a good thing he has a sense of humour.
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It’s always great to see hockey players poke fun at not only each other, but at themselves. Especially when that player is a Stanley Cup Champion.
NHL Realignment: Who it Helps, Who it Hurts
By Jake Shoemaker
The 2013-2014 NHL schedule will bring about an entirely new dynamic to the league. With many traditional division rivalries disrupted, teams having changed conferences, and teams now prepared to face some foes with more frequency and others with less frequency, NHL fans are in for some changes.
Teams that will benefit from realignment:
New York Islanders:
A fringe playoff team in 2013, the Islanders are likely salivating at their 2013-2014 schedule. The Islanders dominated play against the Southeast Division last year and their new schedule has them playing two former Southeastern teams with more frequency. Additionally, the addition of the Columbus Blue Jackets who, although a decent team in 2013, have been a historically unsuccessful franchise, will soften New York’s schedule even further. And, to top it off, the Islanders landed in what looks to be the weaker of the two eastern divisions, making a wildcard spot more attainable for the young, talented squad. My prediction for the Islanders: 3rd in the Metropolitan, 7th in the East. Good enough for a first round upset against the Capitals.
Winnipeg Jets:
A move to the Western Conference should undoubtedly aid the Jets for the simple fact that they will not have to travel nearly as much for away contests. To add to their cause, the Jets also are moving to the smaller of the two conferences which simply increases their playoff odds. The Jets will face the challenge of playing two powerhouse teams in the Blackhawks and the Blues with a new regularity, but the newly aligned Central Division appears to be one with a lot of question-marks. Will Minnesota gel in year two of the Parise-Suter era? Can Tyler Seguin emerge as the superstar and leader that the Stars were hoping for? Will the Predators bounce back to form after a shockingly disappointing 2013 season? Will a young Colorado group find its groove and compete for a playoff spot for the first time in 4 years? Winnipeg has to like its odds at competing for the third automatic spot in the Central. My prediction for the Jets: 3rd in the Central, 7th in the West. Good enough for a first round exit courtesy of Chicago.
Teams that will suffer as a result of realignment:
Florida Panthers:
How can a team that finished last in its conference suffer from realignment? Replace the Capitals and Hurricanes with the entire Northeast Division – one in which 4 teams made the playoffs – plus the Detroit Red Wings, a team that nearly upset the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, and it is easy to see why the NHL’s worst team in 2013 may try Tim Thomas between the pipes with hopes that the former Vezina Trophy winner can be the team’s savior in 2013-2014. If Thomas proves not to be the answer, the Panthers will hope that young goalie Jacob Markstrom can turn in a Sergi Bobrovsky-esque season and that Jonathan Huberdeau can develop into a bonafide superstar, one capable of carrying his team, in his sophomore campaign. The Panthers can’t like their odds…but then again, who saw their 2012-2013 season coming? My prediction for the Panthers: Last in the Atlantic, 14th in the East. Good enough for yet another quality draft pick.
Phoenix Coyotes:
The Coyotes, a franchise with an inconsistent fan-base that matches its team’s inconsistent performances, will face a tougher schedule in the upcoming season than they did in the strike shortened 2013 campaign. With the Oilers on the rise, the Ducks coming off an incredible 2013, and the Sharks, Kings and Canucks all seemingly consistent contenders, it appears that the Coyotes could be the first team “out”, even if the Pacific Division earns both wildcard spots. Their playoff fate lies in the hands of the newly contracted Mike Smith, whose 2013 season left much to be desired after his breakthrough season the year before. My call for the Coyotes: 6th in the Pacific, 11th in the West. Quite simply not good enough.
Edmonton Oilers:
The Edmonton Oilers have been waiting for this year for quite some time now. The franchise, which seemingly has been on a downward slide since its improbable Stanley Cup appearance in 2005, looks poised to make its first playoff appearance since the Finals loss to the Hurricanes. With Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle leading an exciting offense, the newly signed Andrew Ference solidifying the defense, and young netminder Devan Dubnyk playing with yet another year of experience, the Oilers, on paper, appear like a potential breakout team. Standing in their way: a division loaded with talent. The Oilers will have to upstage playoff mainstays with significantly more experience. Can they do it? I say yes, but the young squad can’t waste any games. My call for the Oilers: 3rd in the Pacific, 5th in the West. Good enough for a first round exit courtesy of Anaheim.
St. Louis Signs Veteran Morrow at Bargain Price
By Jake Shoemaker
The St. Louis Blues announced Monday that they have signed veteran winger Brenden Morrow to a one-year contract worth $1.5 Million. The former Dallas Stars Captain should provide scoring depth, toughness and leadership to an already formidable St. Louis team.
Pittsburgh acquired Morrow at last year’s trade deadline with hopes that the he would help bring the Stanley Cup back to the Steel City. Morrow will now reunite with his former coach, Ken Hitchcock, and join a St. Louis team that has bowed out in both of the past two playoffs to the Los Angeles Kings.
At 34, Morrow’s most productive years are likely in the rear-view mirror, but the Blues hope that Morrow will boost his contributions as he plays for a serious contender. Last year, Morrow produced only 11 points in 29 games for the loley Stars before increasing his production to 14 points in 15 games for the Penguins.
Leafs-Sabres Preseason Gets Crazy in Toronto
Preseason got feisty in Toronto last night when the Leafs and Sabres hit the ice, we’re talking full line brawl. Resident Buffalo tough guy John Scott who rings in at 6’8 dropped his gloves looking to engage Leafs not so tough guy Phil Kessel. The insanity just kept coming, including a not so often seen goalie fight.
Newest Leaf David Clarkson managed to leave the bench in an attempt to aid Kessel. While the gesture was to assist a teammate, it’s a big no-no in the NHL (just look at Coyotes’ Paul Bissonnette’s mistake last week). Clarkson will be looking at a 10 game regular-season suspension. Not the best way to start a season for the widely discussed free-agent summer signing.
It’s only preseason, so we can only imagine what type of antics will hit the ice when these two teams face each other in the coming months.
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Hockey Laughs
Columbus Continues Preseason Domination with Win Against Pittsburgh
Guys, I don’t know what kind of Super Wheaties nutrition plan the Blue Jackets has put all their players on, but it’s working. Last night’s game against the Penguins ended in a 5-3 win for Columbus, with goals by Brandon Dubinsky, Cam Atkinson, Derek MacKenzie, and two for Boone Jenner.
The win puts the CBJ record at 4-1-0 for the preseason. It’s hard to get attached to victories considering all the tinkering that gets done during the exhibition games, but such an outstanding record does say a lot about how well the team has gelled during training camp. We’ve seen some real stars emerge, chief among them Ryan Murray and Boone Jenner, who have made some truly spectacular moves over the course of the preseason game. Dubinsky and Atkinson’s continued excellence is no surprise, given how key both players were to the CBJ roster last season.
On the other hand, a worrying trend has shown its face during these exhibition games: the Blue Jackets kick off to a strong start, earning a lead in the first period, but come out in the second period with their pants around their ankles. We saw this against Carolina and the first Pittsburgh game as well; despite a great start, everything seems to fall apart for at least the first half of the second period. Passing gets rushed and panicky, offense-defense transition (or maybe just communication) breaks down, and way too much dependence is placed on the goalie.
So far, CBJ has been able to pull it together in time to regain traction over the course of the second period and into the third, but that kind of leeway won’t be available during the regular season. The Blue Jackets are arguably a more competitive team right now than they’ve ever been, and they can’t afford to have an “off” period.
That being said, some really exciting line combos have been showing their stuff this preseason, and the Jenner-Gaborik-Dubinsky combo is definitely at the top of that list. Jenner has far and away been the superstar of CBJ’s preseason, despite close competition from Dubinsky and Murray, and he showed us why in last night’s game.
(Plus, he looks like an adorable platypus, which is unrelated to his notable hockey skills but should probably get mentioned somewhere at least once. I mean:
Don’t you just want to bake him something? Okay, back to hockey.)
Dubinsky’s game is also worth an individual mention; he got his first goal and is currently leading the team for total points thanks to his six assists. Both Marian Gaborik and Jack Johnson had two assists this game to Dubinsky’s three.
On the Penguins’ side, Jussi Jokinen skated on the Evgeni Malkin-James Neal line and absolutely tore up the ice with a natural hat trick in the second period.
The Pens really seemed to find their rhythm in the last fifteen minutes of the game, and even took Fleury out for the man-advantage. It was a move that unfortunately for Pittsburgh resulted in a goal by Derek MacKenzie, but gave fans some fun hockey to watch. Malkin even managed to keep himself out of the penalty box without necessarily lessening the physicality of his game. Malkin, inarguably one of the best players in the league, is always a pleasure to watch on the ice; he plays the kind of all-around game that not many can match, as he’s both incredibly physical and dexterous. The Jokinen-Malkin-Neal combo showed off all three players’ talents, though ultimately it wasn’t enough for the win.
The Pens have history with using their preseason less to create momentum than to experiment with lines and combinations, so their less-than-stellar record likely doesn’t forebode the upcoming season. In the meantime, everybody cross their fingers for the fast recovery of backup goalie Tomas Vokoun, who was hospitalized with blood clots on Saturday. Reports from the organization seem positive — the clots were dissolved and he’s on the road to recovery. In the meantime, Jeff Zatkoff will get the opportunity to show what he’s made of in Wednesday’s game against Detroit.
Worcester Sharks Set to Open Camp
With the second cut coming out of San Jose Sharks training camp, the Worcester Sharks are ready to open up their training camp for the 2013-2014 season. Camp opens on Monday, September 23rd with team meetings. The players will then hit the ice on Tuesday, September 24th. The current roster stands at 34 players with more to come when San Jose makes additional cuts.
Worcester’s current training camp roster, which can be found here, features 21 forwards, 10 defensemen, and 3 goaltenders. They added 11 players on professional tryout agreements to the 7 players on AHL contracts and 16 players assigned by San Jose. Sharks fans can expect to see a lot of returning faces this season.
The Sharks play in 3 preseason games as part of training camp. Worcester heads down to face off against the Hartford Wolfpack on Wednesday, September 24th. Then, they have their lone “home” game when they host the Providence Bruins at New England Sports Center in Marlboro, MA on Friday, September 27th. They then head down to Providence for a final game on Saturday, September 28th. Catch the full schedule for camp here.
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