Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli addressed the media on Thursday afternoon following a hectic Wednesday; filled with speculation and the ultimately disappointing outcome, regarding the Iginla trade rumors. The former Calgary Flames captain is heading to Pittsburgh as another key player in their ever growing NHL army. In a somewhat uncharacteristic move with the trade deadline approaching on April 3rd, Chiarelli fielded a variety of questions and cleared the air on the events leading up to the Iginla trade.
“Boston was informed around noon that we won the sweepstakes,” commented Chiarelli. “They [Calgary] made moves in scratching Jerome and we made moves scratching Bartkowski and Kokolachev.”
But in what could have been viewed as a mortal lock at noontime, turned into second guessing as the hours drew to a close. With the clock nearing midnight, Boston was informed that their triumph was now a failure as Iginla chose the opportunity to play with Sidney Crosby and Evengi Malkin in Pittsburgh over the spoked “B” of Boston.
“It’s a disappointment,” said Chiarelli. “But you get back on your horse and you go out and try to find more players.”
Actively looking with a few options on the board, Chiarelli stressed that he’s open to all avenues to improve the team. At the end of the day it’s a business and players, whether they choose to admit it or not are aware that they could be on the trading block. While Chiarelli has done a superb job of keeping the band together over past seasons, the winds of change may be approaching and fast. With the need for both a forward and a defenceman at the forefront of Boston’s issues, one must wonder if the necessity of one is valued over another.
“I’d like to add one of both,” said Chiarelli. “And that’s kind of been my position from the beginning.”
With the days dwindling fast, Boston’s faithful will be looking to the Bruins GM for a miracle and another chance to make a serious run for Lord Stanley. Despite the rough patch that Boston has currently been skating, the organization still has faith in the team, their GM included.
“If the ultimate goal is winning the cup, I still feel we’re a serious contender,” said Chiarelli. “I think we can win with our team, but I think we have to be improved.”
Photo: NHL
Rivalry at its best, Montreal hit the ice in Boston for a must win to top the conference. After struggling as of late, the Bruins finally nabbed a win on Monday night against Toronto. It was a much needed win in terms of points but more so mentality. It’s no secret that the rivalry match up has garnered a certain level of physicality over the years.
“We expect our team to be a physical team every night that we play,” said Bruins head coach Claude Julien. “Whether it happens or not.”
The expectations going into every game are high, but key match ups such as the Canadiens hold a certain level of grit and determination that others do not. With Carey Price between the pipes for Montreal, Tuukka Rask got the start for Boston.
With a slow start to the period it was Montreal who struck first with a goal at 4:15 from former Bruin Michael Ryder (assists, Plekanec and Gionta). With pushes and shoves aplenty Bruins Gregory Campbell and Canadiens Travis Moen dropped the gloves at 11:38. In true Original Six fashion, the period found itself skating towards a much more physical period resulting in limited seating in the Bruins penalty box and a Montreal power play. Boston was granted a power play from a hooking call on Alex Galchenyuk (14:23), although the power play was short lived as Bruins Brad Marchand was called on high sticking at 14:46.
It was a tough beginning to the second as PK Subban (Assists Galchenyuk and Lars Eller) put Montreal up 2-0 at 2:53. But it was a continued drive to the net at 3:32 by Dougie Hamilton to make the score 2-1, (assists Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron). The period continued at a chippy pace, with shoves and pushes decorating the ice on every shift. Marchand evened the score for Boston at 7:23 (assists Seguin and Bergeron). Marchand’s goal not only lit the lamp, but ignited a more urgent style of play in his teammates. Carey Price didnt stand a chance when the Bruins went on the PP and Patrice Bergeron made it 3-2 ( 17:01, assists Peverley and Krug). The goals kept coming as Boston finally found their stride and Nathan Horton scored at 17:46 with David Krejci tallying the assist. As the period wound down, taunting fans cheered “Carey” as the Montreal goaltender relatively fell apart during the second period, allowing 4 goals.
The third period began with a change in goal for Montreal as Peter Budaj replaced Price. Michael Ryder netted his second of the game to put Montreal only one behind Boston at 3:58. Bruins fans needn’t have worried, Tyler Seguin made it 5-3 with his 11th of the season at 11:50 (assists Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron). The assist put all three players at a multi point night. The two goal lead was short lived as Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher got a quick goal at 12:18, (assists Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais), effectively putting his team within one. With Zdeno Chara in the box for elbowing at 15:11, Montreal gave a serious push to tie the game.With mere seconds left in the game, Andre Markov tied the game at 5-5, sending emotions over the edge for Boston and the game into overtime. No overtime score led to a shootout and Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher was the unsung hero of the night, beating Rask and scoring the game winner in the 6th round.
It’s been quiet on the transaction front as of late, with the NHL trade deadline approaching on April 3rd the silence may soon be broken. Defencemen Matt Bartowski who was recalled this past weekend to fill the void of Johnny Boychuk was rewarded for his efforts with a one-year, one-way contract extension. The transaction train kept rolling for Boston as Ottawa Senators forward Kaspars Daugavins was claimed off waivers on Wednesday. The 6’0″ Latvian native has registered one goal and two assists in 19 games with Ottawa and will report Boston once his US work visa is secured. An unexpected recall had defencemen Torey Krug being recalled and available to play mere hours before puck drop. Krug has registered 10 goals and 24 assists with the Providence Bruins.
Boston will find themselves with a rare two consecutive non game days on Thursday and Friday. The non game days are short lived as the team will face-off Saturday in Philly before an Easter Sunday contest in Buffalo. Monday April 1st they’ll participate in their annual Cuts for a Cause before hosting Ottawa on Tuesday evening.
Anyone that has been to an AHL hockey game in the northeast either last season or this season has probably noticed Bobby Robins of the Providence Bruins. On the ice, he has made a name for himself as a fighter. Throughout his career, he has always been a tough player. He has prided himself on being the kind of player that other teams would not like to have to play against. But, he has been so much more than just a hockey player. The Pink Puck was lucky enough to catch up with Robins (@bobbyRRRobins) following a recent Providence Bruins practice.
In 2002, the almost twenty-one year old started at UMass-Lowell with their hockey team. He spent a full four seasons playing college hockey and worked towards a journalism degree. While he was a tough player in college, fighting was not really a part of college hockey. In 2006, after finishing his final season of college hockey, he signed with the Ottawa Senators and reported to their AHL team in Binghamton. His first professional fight came before that season ended. He wanted to continue to play the physical game he had played in college.
“I always played a pretty physical game. I wanted to look to finish my checks first. That’s how I played all through college. Once you hit the pro ranks, if you’re going to play like that, then you have to back it up. Usually after a really big hit, you’re going to see a fight,” Robins said. You either make the decision to change the way you play or you handle the business that comes after a hit.”
When it came to that decision, it was clear to Robins what he had to do. He had learned to play the game a certain way. Now that he was going to be playing professionally, he was prepared to take some punches and hopefully land a few himself in the process. Having always been a hockey player, it was not something he was used to. He was willing to fight but he did not have any experience doing so. It was something that he had to train for and continues to include in his offseason training.
“I did some MMA training with a couple good coaches. I learned striking and how to punch correctly. I had never really been trained how to punch before,” Robins said of the role he has come to embrace. “It’s a skill like anything else, like learning how to shoot accurately. It’s just a skill that I had to learn.”
During the 2007-2008 seasons, Robins spent the majority of his season in the ECHL with the Elmira Jackals. He also got the chance to play with three different AHL teams, but never more than a few games. It was a lot of moving around for him and he was having trouble sticking in the AHL. It was a little disheartening for a player who had always dreamed of making it all the way to the NHL. Instead of sticking around in ECHL and AHL, he opted to leave North American hockey behind temporarily.
For the 2008-2009 season, Robins decided to go overseas to play. That season, he played with the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom. The next season, Robins made the choice to remain in Europe and signed with HK Acroni Jesenice in the Austrian Hockey League. Although, he had decent seasons in Europe, it was not a permanent career choice. If he wanted to be serious about making a push for the NHL, he knew that he needed to be back in North America.
Robins had a cancer scare in 2010 and it changed everything in his life and his outlook. It was what motivated him to make the move to bring his career back to playing hockey in North America. That first season back in the US, he landed with the ECHL with the Bakersfield Condors. The 2011-2012 season might have started in the ECHL for him, but it ended with the Providence Bruins. It was a great fit for both him and the organization, which led to him signing an AHL contract with the Bruins for the 2012-2013 season.
So far this season, Robins has registered 32 fights and 277 penalty minutes through 63 games. At 31 years old, these are the highest totals that he has had during his career. He has absolutely accomplished his goal to be a tough opponent for other teams to play against. Every team is aware of him coming into games. He is never afraid to stick up for one of his teammates. Robins even broke his nose not so long ago and returned that same game and have to add a cage to his helmet while he healed. That was not enough to stop him from removing his helmet, cage and all, to fight someone from an opposing team. He has been the embodiment of a tough player in the AHL. He still knows when to drop the gloves and when to hold back, though.
“Settling personal grudges has taken a back burner to just trying to play solid hockey for me. I’m trying to play my game and play physical when it’s needed. I feel like I can offer a lot more to the team than just the one dimension of a fighter,” Robins said as the regular season winds down. “I try to focus on being a hard guy to play against and relentless on the forecheck. I really try to chase the puck down and make the game difficult on the defensemen by finishing checks and getting the puck by them. I want the team to be aware when I’m out there.”
But, Bobby Robins is so much more than just a fighter and a hockey player. Every day, he strives to inspire people to be the best that they can be. You can read all about him and his journey, both on and off the ice, on his website (www.bobbyrobins.com). The site is something that he started because he had always been passionate about writing and figured that it would be the perfect outlet. The site gives fans a rare chance to get to know a player better with both his professional and personal lives. It is not just about a hockey player, it is about a person that wants others to believe they are capable of accomplishing what they set their minds on. It is about believing you are capable of anything and that you cannot just sit around wishing for something. If you want to do something, you have to just take the leap and do it.
“I had always wanted to be a writer. I studied writing in school and it was almost like I was putting it off. Finally over the summer, I decided I could do both play hockey and write. I started to blog to hold myself accountable but also to get my work out there. I want to spread positivity into the world.”
More than just wanting an outlet to write, Robins has been through some experiences that he feels responsible to share. Prior to his cancer scare in 2010, he had a serious nicotine addiction and overused chewing tobacco. He was able to give it up and move past something that was really holding him back. It was not just about getting over an addiction, it was about making a big change in his life. It is something he feels that everyone can relate to because it can be hard to overcome obstacles in your life. Spreading his story and his positive outlook is what he feels like he’s supposed to do now. It feels natural for him. He talks about the feeling that once you get over that hurdle in your life, you can do anything. You can see it on the ice in the way he has recommitted to hockey.
“The single fact of quitting tobacco changed everything in my life. By overcoming that obstacle, my biggest demon, my life took a completely different trajectory and it’s been all for the better in every way, personal and professional,” Robins said. “If I can change one person’s life or their view on things and get them to make a positive change in their life, that’s satisfying for me.”
In terms of a team, Robins could not be happier than he is now. The Providence Bruins have heated up at exactly the right time and are currently atop their division as the season winds down. The playoffs seem to be well within reach for the baby Bruins and that is all that this particular player is concerned about now. He is not thinking past this season and is only focused on helping his team chase the elusive Calder Cup. Even when not fighting, he still contributes to his team and makes his presence known. He is always sure to finish all of his checks and break up any plays he can. He is a dedicated athlete; at a recent practice, he was one of the last players to leave the ice as he continued to work. It will be interesting to see where his career takes his next.
Photo credit: Samantha Boice
Photo: NHL Flames
By Kelsie Plesac
It was all Blackhawks Tuesday night as they took on the Calgary Flames in Chicago. The leaders of the Western Conference ended a two-game losing streak beating the Flames 2-0. In the second of back-to-back games, back-up goalie, Ray Emery, got the call getting the shutout and making 16 saves.
The Blackhawks first struck in the 1st period with defenseman, Nick Leddy, registering his 5th goal of the season at 7:11. Michal Rozsival and Patrick Kane would be credited with assists.The only other goal was tallied by defenseman, Brent Seabrook, at 17:48 in the 2nd period, making it his 6th of the season. Kane also added his 2nd assist of the game on the goal.
The Blackhawks outshot the Flames 16-3 in the second period and 35-16 throughout the game. The win improves the Hawks’ record to 25-4-3 and increases their point lead in the West to 5. Emery’s perfect record was also advanced to 12-0-0 with the win. The Hawks will get two days to rest before taking on the Anaheim Ducks (2nd in the West) on Friday at the United Center. The Hawks could possibly have Marian Hossa back for the match-up but will still be without Patrick Sharp.
Photo via Erie Otters
What a difference a year makes. A lot can change, but the pursuit of an NHL dream continues to stay the same. After being picked second- round, 31st overall during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, goaltender Oscar Dansk (@OscarDansk) can now put Columbus Blue Jacket on his resume. That in and of itself is just one stride closer to the ultimate dream.
Photo via Blue Jackets
“It feels pretty surreal, I guess it’s a kids dream, but now you really want to play to sign and hopefully someday pretty soon join the organization, whether it’s the AHL or the NHL,” said Dansk. “But obviously, the end goal is to make the NHL team. It’s pretty cool, but you want to prove more now to the team, that you’re good enough to sign.”
For players and fans alike, the process to the actual draft day is a long one filled with a variety of emotions. Before even hitting the draft floor in June, players partake in the combine and a multitude of media interviews, preparing them for what’s to come. Having gone through the process and surviving it successfully, Dansk found himself able to lend advice to teammates.
“I haven’t really talked a lot with guys heading into the draft this year,” said Dansk. “But I talked a little bit with some of the guys on our team who were asking about the combine and stuff. I just told them that it was a fun experience being at the combine, you hear a lot about the pressures of being at the combine, but overall it’s just a fun experience.”
Like many NHL stars that grace the ice today, Dansk spent his post draft season perfecting his skills in the Ontario Hockey League, while protecting the crease for the Erie Otters. The expectations of life in the OHL can vary, but it’s all in what you make of the experience.
“It was a tough schedule and that’s what I wanted,” said Dansk. “But I wasn’t really sure what to expect, I had a kind of picture of what it would be. It was a little different than what I thought, different in a good way and I had fun playing in the OHL and living in Erie.”
At 6-foot-3, 196 lbs the Swedish native leaves little room for his opponents to put the puck between the pipes. Albeit an on and off season of struggle with Erie, thanks in part to a lackluster defensive unit, Dansks’ spirits remained high and his continued pursuit of success on the ice never diminished. With a long off-season ahead, the hard work won’t stop for the 19-year old goaltender. Dansk will head to Columbus in July as part of their development camp.
“I’ll train with a trainer at a facility back home,” said Dansk of his off-season training regime. “Then I’ll be in Minnesota for a part of the summer before development camp to train there as well.”
Despite having off-season training on the brain, players usually take a post season break before getting back to the daily grind. While the process remains different for everyone, for Dansk it’s about spending time with family and friends back home in Sweden, while taking a much needed break from hockey.
“You just kind of stay away from the ice and hockey in general,” said Dansk with a laugh. “You just get away from it all, relax and do whatever you feel is your way of relaxing.”
Photo via @OscarDansk
With a focused mentality on the ice, it’s easy to wonder what Dansk is like off of it. Almost a year since we first had the pleasure of interviewing Dansk, the answer to the personality question remains the same. The goaltender is still an easy going, friendly guy in the eyes of the hockey world. Although Dansk perceives himself in a slightly different manner, both on and off the ice.
“I’d say that I’m serious both on and off the ice. Whatever I do, I’m pretty serious about it- especially on the ice. I can have fun, but fun in a serious way,” said Dansk. “I think on the ice, I try to compete a lot everyday through practice and games. Off the ice, I’d like to think I’m a pretty good guy. Pretty laid back, boring in fact.”
Demeanor aside, no matter where the Blue Jackets prospect lands during the upcoming season, fans and teammates alike will be glad to see his name on their roster sheet.
There has been a lot of recent discussion about making two major changes to NHLer’s equipment. One: mandatory visors. Two: smaller goalie pads. Like all big alterations, there are pros and cons to each side, so let’s break some of them down.
Mandatory Visors
After the Marc Staal incident on March 5, the talks about mandatory visors heated up. For those of you who haven’t seen this gruesome injury, the New York Rangers alternate captain took a puck to the eye in front of his own net. If he had been wearing a visor, chances are this injury would not have happened. Whenever these types of incidents happen, it’s definitely one more reason to consider mandating visors.
USA Today
On the other hand, though, there are times where visors could actually be unsafe. One of the most significant is during fights. Naturally, you can’t have a fight with guys wearing visors, which would mean they would have to remove their helmets entirely. This makes the players’ heads vulnerable if they fall.
Another argument made against visors is that players are used to not wearing them. And that forcing them to start can mess with their vision. They’re used to seeing the game a certain way and putting anything in front of their eyes will take some adjusting. When put in perspective, though, it seems like an inadequate argument. If it’s a matter of getting used to a shield or risking your eyesight, it is a relatively easy decision.
About 73 percent of players currently wear visors voluntarily—so the change would not impact the majority of players. If they decide to grandfather the rule, it would also only affect the players coming into the league after it is implemented.
Verdict: Thumbs up on the visors. Save the eyes!
Smaller Goalie Pads
The second alteration that has been discussed is making the size of goalie pads smaller. The main change would be about two inches off the height of the pads. As of now, the pads are allowed to take up 55 percent of the goalie’s leg. Their aim is to try to find a lower percentage that still provides enough protection.
In short, the debate is between maintaining goalie safety and wanting more scoring in the game.
For the past 60 years the average number of goals scored in a game has fluctuated between 5 and 8. Quanthockey.com has a great graph showing the average number of goals scored since the very beginning. The size of goalie pads has been increasing throughout the years, which is most likely the reason for the slight decrease since the 80’s. Maybe it’s time to simply keep the pads at the size they are now. Stop increasing their size, and don’t begin to decrease them either.
While it’s true that goalies are getting bigger and, in turn, getting bigger pads, players are also getting more offensively skilled and finding more ways to score. Sure, the most common reason that non-hockey fans give for not watching the game is that there isn’t enough scoring. But why should we alter the rules of the game just to gain more fans? Especially if it puts the safety of our goalies at risk. Hockey isn’t about high scoring games. Everyone’s used to the game ending somewhere around 3-2, and for most true hockey fans this isn’t an issue and never will be.
Verdict: At least not yet. There are more important changes to worry about. (ie: realignment, iffy suspensions and non-suspensions, icing rules)
After spending the last five years covering hockey and traveling all over the world to cover the NHL, I always see women asking the same question over and over again: “What do I wear to a hockey game?” Not too many women are asking what to wear and pack when they’re traveling to see a hockey game, but I know these women exist. How? I ran into a slew of Chicago Blackhawks fans in my last visit to Dallas, Texas to cover the Dallas Stars. So here are my tips for those who road trip to see hockey.
First, you’ll need the right bag.
Lacoste has one of the biggest tote bags I’ve been able to find that is perfect for travel. 
You can fit all of your clothes and shoes for a long weekend, along with your laptop and reading device…and still have plenty of room to throw more stuff in. You don’t have to check it in. It fits easily in the overhead compartment.
I like to travel light on a 4 day trip to Dallas, so I only pack lightweight clothing that can be layered for the freezing temps inside the rink, to the shedding of layers outside in the 70+ degree temps. If I bring jeans, they’re worn onto the plane and back. It’s always wise to pack clothes that can do double duty, like double as something you can sleep in.
For this last trip to see the Stars, I committed to a color scheme: shades of green mixed with black. Everything from my coat to small purse and carry-on bag were in shades of green. Black pants are always a sure bet, especially since you can wear them to look professional, and for when you go out later when paired with a nice top.
Leave your workout gear at home. Trust me, your workout will happen while you are walking around, exploring the city you are visiting. You won’t have time (or the energy) to log in a few miles on the treadmill. Besides, why would you want to lug around those sweaty clothes onto the airplane with you?
I usually pack a pair of sandals to wear around the hotel room, a pair of sneakers and a pair of fancy flats (optional for when you know you are going out). The less you pack, the less you have to carry with you.
As for what I wear to the game, it’s simple:
First, everyone always wants to know about the bag. I keep it simple and small. For this trip, I decided to bring my Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C. in mint. I fell in love with it when I was in Dallas back in February shopping in the West Village. I waited until I could get it on sale at Bloomingdales before purchasing it. This size bag is ideal for travel. It will fit your phone, wallet, and room card. You really don’t need anything else when you’re off to a game. And for those who are photographers, most phones now come equipped with a great camera, so no need to bring a camera with you. Remember: Most Items Can Do Double Duty.
As for this outfit, the green sweater is from Ann Taylor (Winter 2012/2013 collection). The black and white tee underneath is from Ann Taylor Loft. The necklace came courtesy of the PopSugar Must Have Box: the Heather Belle Signature Tassel Necklace. The bracelets are from Bauble Bar (Enamel Stud Bangle in cream and a gray chain wrap (similar in black)).
Many of the ladies at the Stars game that were not dressed in team gear were wearing various shades of green at the game. After all, shades of green is the IT color this year, and Dallas is green, black, white and gold.
Now, I’m a minimalist when it comes to hair and makeup. Over the years, I’ve learned various ways to minimize traveling with the essentials. In Canada, they make you use their plastic bags for toiletries. If you’re a frequent traveler, make sure to pick up a few of these. They come in handy whenever you travel internationally.
I usually try to bring as many beauty samples from magazines, Sephora, subscription box services, etc. as I can find. They’re flat and can fit easily into that plastic bag without filling up the bag. For one long weekend, all you need is 1 package of shampoo/conditioner, 1-2 lotion(s), and 1 moisturizer sample. Remember: samples are your friend.
Buy a travel sized bottle for hairspray and pour enough for a weekend into the spray bottle to take with you. If you have must have products for your daily regimine, check with your store’s beauty counters to see if they can give you free samples with your purchase. Or, if you’re like me, you can try out different products on road trips. A favorite subscription service that delivers various samples to me every month is Birchbox. They will send you different sample products to try out for $10/month based on your skin type (this is the only company I’ve found that takes into special consideration skin sensitivities). Their samples are small enough to fit into those plastic bags.
Keep in mind that all makeup liquid products must go into this plastic bag, so scale back on how many lipsticks, mascaras, etc. you bring. They all have to fit in this little plastic bag.
If your plastic bag is starting to overflow, make sure you only have liquid items in that bag. You can have a makeup bag where you keep your contacts case, medications, powdered makeup and brushes. You’re wasting valuable real estate in that plastic bag if you put non-liquids in there.
A little trick I picked up from The Pink Puck’s Editor-in-Chief Winter Adams while we were in Ottawa covering the NHL All-Stars is to keep all cords (phone charger, laptop cord, etc.) in a small cosmetic bag. It makes it so much easier to find what you’re looking for (and you don’t have a jumbled mess of cords in your bag). You’ll find that the more organized your carryon is, the more room you’ll have in your bag.
If you plan on doing touristy stuff, make sure you pack comfortable clothing and shoes. This isn’t the time to break in a new pair of shoes. Make sure you have comfy shoes, because you’ll be walking several miles in them.
If you’re heading to Dallas in 2013, make sure to do the JFK tour. Buy your tickets ahead of time to The Sixth Floor Museum (aka the Book Depository), because those lines can be an hour long to get tickets. 2013 also marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK, so make sure to pay your respects while you’re there.
Other places of interest: The Perot Museum of Nature and Science (the building is unique and great if you have kids with you…you can even watch a tornado touching down inside the museum) and The Dallas Zoo. Maybe you’ll find Jaromir Jagr’s teammates (the camels) that he posted a pic of on his Facebook page. All of the animals are very friendly there and love to have their picture taken. Make sure to tweet @DallasZoo while you’re there. They always love tweeting back their visitors.
WARNING: Don’t go shopping in Dallas. Sales tax is 8.25%.
What to enjoy: The southern hospitality and the southern cuisine. One of the things I love about Dallas: they ask, “Do you want gravy with your biscuits?” Why can’t all places ask that?
Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports
By Kelsie Plesac
The Blackhawks fell to the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Los Angeles Kings, 5-4 Monday night at the United Center. The 1st place Blackhawks and the 6th place Kings faced off for the third time this season, with the Blackhawks topping the Kings in their previous two meetings.
After 5:58 in the 1st period Michael Frolik tallied his first goal since the Blackhawks’ season opener in January to put the Blackhawks up 1-0, which remained the score for the rest of the first. But at 4:21 of the 2nd period Anze Kopitar tied up the score, registering his 10th goal of the season. The Kings would take the lead in the period with 7:25 after a short-handed goal by Jarret Stoll. At 14:31 Frolik answered with his 2nd goal of the game and 3rd of the season. The goal was assisted by Duncan Keith and the captain, Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks then took the lead at 19:20 with a Patrick Kane goal. The Blackhawks would not have much time to celebrate, however. In the final second of the period Dwight King registered his 4th goal of the season, giving the Kings a lead heading into the 3rd period.
After 3:51 in the 3rd period Toews put the Blackhawks ahead with his 16th goal of the season. The goal was assisted by Keith and Frolik. The Kings would tie the game at 8:06 before taking the lead and the game with Dustin Brown’s go-ahead goal with 1:27 remaining.
The Blackhawks are still without Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa and will be without the two for Tuesday night’s game against the Calgary Flames at the United Center.
Staying adequately hydrated during sport and exercise is necessary to optimize performance, prolong fatigue and protect health. Sports drinks are often promoted as a necessity after a workout. However, few people realize that sports drinks can provide more harm than benefit. Sports drinks can certainly hydrate you and replenish your body from lost electrolytes, which include potassium and sodium. These minerals carry a charge and help keep the body functioning properly. Sports drinks can also be high in sugar and calories.
Those who only exercise once per day can easily replenish with normal fluid and mealtime intake. However, those who train more than once a day or sweat throughout the day will need more aggressive fluid replacement as well as adequate salt intake. For individuals who engage in vigorous physical activity daily fluid and electrolyte needs can be significantly higher. In order to figure out just how much fluid you need to stay adequately hydrated it is best to weigh yourself before and after exercise. This will help you determine how much fluid weight your body lost during exercise. With this in mind, it is recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’s sports nutrition practice manual to drink 24 fl oz for every pound of fluid lost.
To determine if extra fluids from sports drinks is required examine the duration of exercise and the intensity level. Those who exercise more than one hour/day and or at high intensity or those who participate in vigorous physical activity multiple times in a day may benefit from sports drinks. Research has found that those who exercise over an hour will have a depletion of electrolyte and glycogen stores. Glycogen stores fuel the body during endurance exercise. Those who exercise in extreme heat also have increased fluid and electrolyte needs. With summer coming and warm weather quickly approaching, it is important to stay hydrated and avoid heat-related conditions that can hinder performance. These conditions include muscle cramping, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
If you feel sports drinks taste too sweet, you can easily get all the electrolytes lost during exercise from a banana and some raisins; just be sure to drink plenty of water too. You can also consider chocolate milk for some extra protein.
Friday Night, the Springfield Falcons hosted the Worcester Sharks for the last time of the season out in Springfield. Despite the Falcons having a much better record, they knew that it would not be an easy game. The Sharks were fighting for points and a playoff spot. But, there would be no points for the Sharks as goaltender Curtis McElhinney and his Falcons.
Just thirteen seconds into the first period, the Falcons struck first. The refs questionably waived off an icing call and the Sharks let up as they did not seem to realize. Recent Springfield addition Spencer Machacek got the puck from behind the net and fed it to Sean Collins, who was right in front of the goalie. He easily beat Sharks goaltender, Harri Sateri, to put the Falcons up 1-0. It was the 8th goal of the season for the rookie who left for Columbus immediately following the game.
In the second frame, the Falcons took a 2-0 lead as defenseman Nick Holden got in close to the net and capitalized on a pass from Ryan Craig for his fifth goal of the season. Sean Collins also had an assist on the goal. Sateri just did not seem to be able to get a good sight line on the puck. It was the only power play strike of the game as Sharks defenseman Sena Acolatse served a cross-checking penalty.
“We just kind of had a good break in on the power play,” Holden said of his goal. “It was right up to Craig and he got it over to me and I got a lucky shot off. There was a good screen.”
The second period also featured a fight between Falcons rookie Dalton Smith and Matt Pelech of the Sharks. It was the second fight between the two this season. Smith said Pelech had asked him to fight immediately following the Collins goal but Smith did not feel the timing was right. Later, during the second, Pelech hit Vogelhuber and that was enough to convince Smith to fight. Smith landed a lot of good punches without many returned from Pelech and the officials eventually stepped in to break it up. Nathan Moon from the falcons and Nick Petrecki from the Sharks also got roughing minors. The fight was the twelfth of the season for Smith, who has been fighting more as the season has continued.
“It’s taken me a little while to adapt. But you have to have little advantages over guys to get into the lineup,” Smith said of his role as a fighter. “This is something that I have that will keep me in the lineup.
Although the Sharks cut the lead to 2-1 halfway through the third period, that was as close as it would get. Adam Comrie got one by Curtis McElhinney with assists coming from Yanni Gourde and James Livingston. McElhinney made a lot of impressive saves throughout the game and really kept his team on top. The Sharks pulled Sateri for the extra attacker towards the end of the game, but it did not end up helping. The Falcons nearly scored a first time on the empty net, but the Sharks kept it out of the net and earned a hooking penalty in the process. While the Sharks were able to pull Sateri again, it was the Falcons that nearly scored. Once again, they missed the empty net and the game would end 2-1.
The Falcons now have a two game winning streak under their belts. They had not won back-to-back games since the first weekend of the month. That weekend they came away with a rare 8 points after having to complete a suspended game before playing their three regularly scheduled games. Curtis McElhinney was definitely a big part of the win as the Sharks outshot the Falcons in their loss.
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