In honor of Ryan Getzlafs’ big on contract extension the team look of the week will be an Anaheim Ducks look. This look can be worn to work, dinner, a bar or the game. Its quite versatile and very stylish.
Just like always if you don’t have something here don’t sweat just use what you have, this look is just a guideline. If you love this look and aren’t an Ducks fan just swap out the Ducks stuff to fit your team colours and logo. Hope you enjoyed it.
Games against the Philadelphia Flyers are never dull. Boston has faced them in regular season and playoff games. It’s no secret that both teams hold a distaste for each other, and a sunny warm Saturday afternoon in Boston was no different.
Despite a stellar performance by Bruins Khudobin during Thursday evenings contest against the Leafs, it was Rask who got the nod for Boston. In net for Philadelphia, the always entertaining off-ice, never know what you’re going to get on-ice, Ilya Bryzgalov.
With nearly half the first period behind them, shots on net remained decidedly low with one for Boston and just three for Philadelphia. Opportunities for both teams were sparse until Boston went on their first power play of the game. Tyler Seguin has been striking almost every game, today’s being no different when he nabbed the first of the game at 11:53; the goal put an added energy in the strides of his teammates. Closely following the Seguin goal and proving that point, Chris Kelly at 13:28 making it 2-0. Not to be forgotten and getting in on the fun at 14:11, Daniel Paille, tallying a point in his 401st NHL game.
Going up 3-0 in the first period was exciting for fans, but with the same scenario happening in Washington just days before, an air of hesitation in the atmosphere was not to be missed. Trying to switch the momentum in the Flyers favor, Zac Rinaldo engaged Bruins resident tough guy Shawn Thornton- despite getting a few punches in, Thornton easily dropped Rinaldo to the ice at 11:05. With the minutes winding down, the Flyers frustrations should have been mounting, but their lack of effort was clearly visible. As Boston tried to make plays that didn’t come. It wasn’t until the remaining seconds of the second period that Philadelphia showed any form of urgency in protecting their own zone.
Trying to keep their 3-0 lead and perhaps turn it into a 4 goal lead, Boston came out strong in the opening minutes of the third. But Bryzgalov shut them down on all attempts, making a few “replay” worthy saves. 6:59 brought a bench minor for Boston with too many men on the ice, despite clinking the post Philadelphia found themselves unable to score. With another power play opportunity on their sticks at 12:00, the Flyers used their time out in hopes of making an attack plan. Needless to say, it didn’t work to their advantage and Boston won 3-0.
March madness skates on as Boston will face back to back game nights. They travel to Ottawa for a game on Monday, followed by a tilt against Pittsburgh on Tuesday- both 7:30 pm puck drops.
By Tina Kolokathis
It was a rivalry back in action last night when the New York Rangers visited the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. It was the third meeting between the two teams during this season so far.
The Broadway Blueshirts had a slow start when Michael Grabner of the Islanders got the puck past Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. But, they brought the score back up to 1-1 in the third period, when center Derek Stepan got a slapshot past Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabakov. Another slapshot by Marian Gaborik in overtime gave the Rangers their fourth consecutive win.
Rangers fans were happy with the win, though it was close. Molly Lelinho, 21, said, “I think they really deserved [this win]. They’re on a four-game winning streak now, which is really great even though they lost Staal.”
Rangers defenseman Marc Staal has been out of the game since Tuesday, when he got a puck to the face during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The injury is putting pressure on the league to make visors mandatory for all NHL players.
Tommy Bentze, 12, was also happy to see Rick Nash in action, who the Rangers acquired this season. He said, “It was a very close game. But, I knew Rick Nash was playing great and he would pull through. It was a great game to decide who is the better team!” Nash was a key player in both goals for the Rangers. On the game-tying goal, the puck was deflected off Nash to make it into the net. Nash also assisted the game-winning goal by Gaborik.
The Rangers will take on the Islanders just once more during this shortened season on Saturday, April 13 at Nassau Coliseum.
Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand, with the help of his line-mates has been finding great success on the ice. Currently riding a four game point streak, four of his last five goals have proven to be game winning tallies. The 5’9″ Halifax, Nova Scotia native has tallied 8 assists and proven his weight in 12 Bruins goals, ranking him 8th in the league.
It’s true that Marchand has developed a sometimes warranted reputation throughout the league as an agitator of epic proportions. While NHL fans far and wide have grown to hate Marchand, in Boston his efforts on the ice haven’t gone unrecognized- especially by his coaches and teammates.
“He [Marchand] probably doesn’t get enough credit because of his, I guess his demeanor on the ice, how he’s a bit of an agitator, and certainly that kind of tarnishes a little bit of the good things he does, but that’s what makes him a great player,” said Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien. “He’s a very emotional guy, likes to get under peoples’ skin sometimes, but as long as it doesn’t interfere with the skill level that he has, and he’s a great player, good passer, great goal scorer and he has a quick release. I think he’s an even better player than what people perceive him to be.”
Opponents never cease to pick on what they most often see as an easy target; that target wears a #63 on his sweater. In seasons’ past, Marchand may have taken the retaliation route, this year Marchand is skating to a different tune.
“Right now it’s not really on the top of my list to fight,” said Marchand. “I think I’d rather be out there just playing the game”
Finding his stride and developing his game, while redirecting his retaliations into goals has been a welcomed change.
“Yeah, I mean that’s something we’ve talked about this year, that he’s staying more composed but still he plays that game and gets under people’s skin I guess,” said line-mate Patrice Bergeron. “Then responds with offense and I think that’s the best way to answer.”
Although the Marchand, Bergeron and Seguin combination has been the production line as of late, it was a slow start for Seguin in the scoring category. During his ‘slump’, even Seguin managed to find a solution to get the puck in the net.
“I just gave it to March [Brad Marchand],” said Tyler Seguin with a smile. “What else are you going to do, look at the stats?”
Small in stature but never in heart, Bruins fans can rest assured that the ‘Marchand Madness’ will continue all the way until the last puck drops.
It’s tough to be an outdoor hockey lover in a sea [pond] of unfrozen water. Usually fully submerged in pond hockey culture come January, the weather patterns have proven to be unpredictable for New Englanders and Northerners alike, causing pond hockey and outdoor skating to be virtually, a thing of the past. With snow down south and unseasonably warm days in the north, hockey players and fans are truly missing out on the outdoor skating experience.
Speaking from a personal standpoint, any lover of the ice must put skating the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa, Ontario on their ‘bucket list’ and fast. What’s better than skating through downtown Ottawa, pulling off for a hot chocolate and beaver tail then continuing on your way? That’s a almost a perfect day for the books and has been for the past 42-years. Touted as the “largest outdoor rink in the world”, the skateway, checking in at 7.8 kilometers, had to officially close for the season on February 28th. On average, the skateway opens during the first week of January, with skate enthusiasts finally hanging up their skates 1-2 weeks into March. The unseasonably warm weather and ironically, snow (ice’s worst enemy) are to blame for fewer days of acceptable ice.
“The heavy wet snow of the past 24 hours has weakened the ice and with the continuing mild weather forecast it is unrealistic to expect the ice to rebuild to safe conditions and to resume the skating season. Please note that the ice is thinning,” came the announcement on the skateways official website. “The ice surface of the Skateway can be unpredictable and many hazards cannot be seen by untrained eyes. The NCC urges the public to keep personal safety in mind and remain off the Skateway as it is now closed.”
The feelings evoked from the cool crisp winter air and naturally made ice are incomparable. Of course, many fans of the game have never even had the opportunity to hit the outdoor ice; but for those of us who have, the current weather conditions are ones worst nightmare. Pending a move to the northernmost parts of Canada, there is nothing to do but relish the memories we once had on the outdoor ice and save up our pennies to plan a trip far north, where the ice is ready and waiting for lovers of puck.
January, 5 wins, 2 losses.
February, 8 wins, 2 losses.
March, 1 win, 2 losses, 14 games to go. The Boston Bruins played host to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday evening, looking to quickly break the losing cycle that has plagued them over the past two games. On Sunday night Boston fell in regulation to their conference rival Canadiens 4-3, Tuesday night saw the same score after the Capitals skated back with 4 unanswered goals and an OT win in Washington. A multitude of successful games, closely followed by a slump in play- it’s a tune that Bruins faithful have heard many a season before. The only tune Bruins fans were hearing Thursday evening, the goal horn. Boston has found success against Toronto and won the last 7 (and now 8) consecutive games. In what was expected to be a blood bath style game of old time hockey, both teams played aggressive, yet disciplined.
Looking to avail their most recent losses, the Bruins took to the ice with fire in their hearts, while Toronto looked to continue their hot streak. Anton Khudobin got the nod for another home ice start, while Toronto’s Ben Scrivens was between the pipes. With Bruins legend Milt Schmidt dropping the puck in honor of his 95th birthday, the game was underway.
It’s no wonder Patrice Bergeron earned the NHL 2nd star of the week, in a continued drive to the net he finally managed to get it past the pipes at 19:07 of the 1st period.
Canadian country-folk legend Stompin’ Tom Connors died Wednesday at age 77 of natural causes. The Canadian music icon, best known for The Hockey Song, recorded an astounding 61 albums ten of which are yet to be released. He left a final message to all his fans:
Hello friends, I want all my fans, past, present, or future, to know that without you, there would have not been any Stompin’ Tom.
It was a long hard bumpy road, but this great country kept me inspired with its beauty, character, and spirit, driving me to keep marching on and devoted to sing about its people and places that make Canada the greatest country in the world.
I must now pass the torch, to all of you, to help keep the Maple Leaf flying high, and be the Patriot Canada needs now and in the future.
I humbly thank you all, one last time, for allowing me in your homes, I hope I continue to bring a little bit of cheer into your lives from the work I have done.
Sincerely,
Your Friend always,
Stompin’ Tom Connors
[tubepress video=”UxJvrD80nJ4″]
To those who pay close attention to the NHL, it probably seems a little early to start seriously considering how the playoffs will look. But, the AHL, having had the benefit of a full 76 game season, is now 75% of the way over. The teams have anywhere from 17 to 23 games remaining on their schedules and each game is starting to count more and more. Tensions start to boil over and rivalries get even worse.
The AHL is split into two conferences, each of which contains three divisions of five teams. For the second straight season, the AHL has two full conferences and all thirty franchises are active. For that reason, the playoffs in the AHL look like they used to in the NHL before the realignment. The top team in each of the six divisions automatically gets into the playoff. They are seeded 1, 2, or 3 in either the east or west conference based on whoever has the most points. Then, the remaining seeds of 4 through 8 are taken from the five teams in the conference with the most points.
It’s still much too early to count any team completely in or completely out of the playoffs. However, there are definitely teams worth mentioning. In the East, the Syracuse Crunch and the Springfield Falcons have been dominate and have spent most of the season battling for the top spot in the conference. The Crunch, AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning, won the Calder Cup last season when the prospects were playing for the Norfolk Admirals. Lately, the Providence Bruins have been on a hot streak, going 7-1-0-2 in their past 10 games. Nobody can be counted out of the East, though, with only 6 points currently separating 6th place in the conference from 11th place.
In the West, there has been a struggle between two teams in the same division, not just the same conference. The Texas Stars and the Charlotte Checkers, both part of the South division, are currently first and second in points in the conference. Texas has been struggling a little, being held without a win in their last four, while Charlotte has gone 7-3 in their last ten. Only one can earn top honors, though, and the other will hope to get one of the at-large playoff spots as a team that did not win their division. Similar to the East, the West is a tight race with only 7 points separating 5th place and 12th place.
The AHL season ends on Sunday, April 21st. Although that might still seem far off, all the players, coaches, and teams know exactly how many games they have left. They know their positions in relation to the teams that they play going into each game. Every team, even those at the bottom of the conference, hopes that they might get a chance for some postseason hockey. In the coming weeks, it will start to get clearer about who has guaranteed a spot and who will not be lucky enough to play after April 21st.
In devastating news, a Swiss League player was rendered a paraplegic after a hit during a playoff game this week. Ronny Keller, a 33-year-old defenceman, was hit from behind by Stephan Schnyder. While Keller’s status will be better known in the coming weeks, the chief physician at the Swiss Parapalegic Centre in Notwill released the following statement after evaluating Keller:
“Following the serious injury of the fourth thoracic vertebra, Ronny Keller will be a permanent paraplegic. There is neither head nor brain injuries.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with Keller and his family during this trying time and the months ahead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EYcvkybOzbw
By Katie Joly
Most collegiate and high-school hockey seasons are winding down, if not already over which means (sadly) that the off-season has begun. As a former player, I always found off-season training to be difficult because I preferred to run for long distances which didn’t give me any edge or benefit for the next season. In college, I started interval running; I would jog for one minute and sprint for thirty seconds for about 25 minutes. It wasn’t until my junior year of college that I was introduced to High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and I immediately saw how this new training routine would benefit anybody who used but more specifically, athletes that encountered quick, hard sprints during their sport.
The basic concept of HIIT was initially developed by a physiologist in Japan named Tabata. Leaving out all the physiology jargon, Tabata realized that people who intensly exercised for 20 seconds (full out effort) followed by a 10 second rest and repeated it eight times for a total of four minutes, showed greater improvements in their anaerobic and aerobic power than people who did moderate cardio for 60 minutes.
Instead of working out for a certain amount of time or duration like many people do, HIIT forces you to work at high intensity for a small amount of time, working as hard as you can, then rest and repeat. The WORK phase (20 seconds) can be most any exercise but should be one that requires intensity. For example, burpees or box jumps are great WORK exercises whereas calf raises or crunches would not be.
For ice hockey players, who experience short, hard sprints followed by a rest, using HIIT is a great offseason training tactic. Conditioning the legs is extremely important so using burpees, box jumps, squat jumps or jumping lunges as the WORK exercises would be most beneficial during offseason training. This type of training mimics quick, hard sprints to get the puck or that added burst of speed you need to blow by your defender.
My personal experience with HIIT has been varied and you can vary your training to fit your needs. Some trainers just use one exercise (as I described above) as the WORK but I’ve had experience where there are eight different exercises for twenty seconds each. Choose whichever method works best for you and your needs. HIIT is a great way to have an extremely intense workout in a short period of time. However, it is important to remember to continually challenge yourself if certain exercises become too easy. Ways to do this include increasing the work phase to thirty or forty seconds or adding weight to your exercises. So, as the offseason begins, instead of plodding along on the treadmill for an hour, take a few minutes and try high intensity interval training a few times per week to get a jump in your skates for next season!
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