How The West Was Won -- Iginla the BAMF

TIC TAC TOE. Tape to Tape.There are some clubs in the league that are fun to watch because of the team's style of play. Calgary is not such a club.In some ways, Calgary reminds me a skosh of the Caps of the late 90s: A hardworking, blue-collar team with a rockstar goalie and a singular premier offensive talent. I doubt there are many fans in the league besides the Washington faithful who watched those Caps because of their style.Calgary is much the same. Iginla, Phaneuf, Kipper -- all of these guys are great to watch as individuals.I would do terrible, terrible things to get Iginla in a Caps sweater. Terrible things. He's easily the most intriguing player in the not named "Alex Ovechkin." He can score the goals, drop the gloves, and forecheck the bejesus out of his opponents. With all of the raw talent in the, players who can do it all -- which includes the dirty work -- tend to fall by the wayside.It's a crime.Source

Caps PP Marathon

It's true that the Thrashers haven't scored a power-play goal since openingnight, but it could be worse. The Capitals had a nine-minute power play lastnight against Calgary and only got three shots off, none of which went in. Andit wasn't some weird string of consecutive penalties that overlapped or rantogether. Rene Bourque of the Flames was assessed19 minutes inpenalties for an altercation and nine of those minutes gave Washington anuninterrupted nine-minute man advantage. I would like to think that with ninestraight minutes of PP time the Thrashers would end their power outage.In another story from yesterday,a sportscollectible show was charging fans in Edmonton $25 for Sam Gagner and AndrewCogliano autographs. I have my share of sports keepsakes but I've never been abig autograph guy except when the piece has some sort of meaning to me. In my 3+seasons with the Thrashers I've gotten one thing signed- the jersey I wore whenGarnet Exelby took shots on me while I was in full goalie gear. I actually triedto get a puck singed by Mark Recchi but our PR guy lost it. It was the puck thatRex hit me with at the morning skate one day. So maybe somebody that is amemorabilia collector can enlighten me on why people would shell out $50 for apair of Oilers autographs. Regardless, it makes you grateful for the access thatour fans have to players at practices and other events, doesn't it?Funny side story, or at least funny to me. Without fail, every time I go onthe road with the team I get asked to sign at least one autograph on the wayfrom the hotel to the team bus, or going into the arena. So I get to be the jerkthat doesn't sign autographs. I wonder who they think I am.Source

Maple Leafs Come to Town on Hockey Fights Cancer Night

If Thursday night's game between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs heads to a shootout, all bets are off. The Bruins currently holds a two-point lead on the Maple Leafs through six games, but the glaring statistic is the lack of success in the shootout. Boston's shooters have gone 2-for-13, while Toronto's goaltenders have stopped just one of seven attempts. This has led to an 0-3 record for both teams when penalty shots are used to decide the outcome.The 2008-09 Toronto Maple Leafs have been a bit of a mystery in the early part of the season. With veterans such as Mats Sundin and Bryan McCabe moving on, and ten new faces on the roster, the original thought was that this would be a rebuilding team. The Maple Leafs started out well by winning on opening night against Detroit, but has gone winless in five straight. However, Toronto has picked up a point in three of those five games.In goal, the Maple Leafs have two familiar faces. Vesa Toskala returns for his second tour of duty in Toronto, following a 33-25-6 season a year ago. So far this season, Toskala has posted a 1-1-2 record with a 2.85 goals against average, and will be expected to carry the load between the pipes once again. With Andrew Raycroft moving on to Colorado, the Leafs needed a replacement, so they called on old friend Curtis Joseph. Joseph spent four seasons in Toronto from 1998-2002, before moving on to the Detroit Red Wings. Last season, the 41-year old signed on with the Calgary Flames in mid-January, and went 3-2 in nine regular season appearances. This season, Joseph is 0-1-1 in three games.On defense, Toronto returns their top two scorers from a year ago in Tomas Kaberle and Pavel Kubina. Each player has a goal and an assist so far, trailing newcomer Mike Van Ryn, who leads the blueliners with three assists. The most anticipated defenseman for the Maple Leafs is Luke Schenn. Toronto took Schenn with the fifth overall pick in this summer's Entry Draft. The 18-year old has yet to record a point, but they're hoping that will change. Another new face on the blueline is Jonas Frogren. Frogren signed on with the Leafs after spending his entire career in his native country of Sweden. He has one assist in five games. Rounding out the defense, are Carlo Colaiacovo and Anton Stralman.Up front, the Maple Leafs did lose the likes of Mats Sundin and Darcy Tucker, but were able to retain a few of their other top offensive players. Nik Antropov is Toronto's leading scorer with three goals and two assists, while linemate Andrei Ponikarovsky is right behind him with one goal and three assists. Jason Blake is tied for third on the team in scoring with one goal and two assists. Perhaps the biggest surprise for the Leafs has been rookie Nikolai Kulemin. As Joe Beninati said on Boston's opening night broadcast in Colorado, "Five dollars to anyone who knew that name prior to tonight." Kulemin has two goals so far, putting him in second place behind Antropov in that category.Face-off for Thursday night's game between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs takes place at 7:00 from the TD Banknorth Garden. Thursday will be a big night in Boston, as the Bruins will also be holding Hockey Fights Cancer Night.Source

Don't Call It A Comeback: Wait We Did!

LL Cool J said it best......this one is for you man.Dont call it a comebackI been here for yearsRockin my peers and puttin suckas in fearMakin the tears rain down like a mon soonListen to the bass go boomExplosion overpowerinOver the competition Im towerinWreckin shop when I drop these lyrics thatll make you call the copsDont you dare stare, you betta moveDont ever compareMe to the rest thatll all get sliced and dicedCompetitions payin the priceThat of course is from the song "Mama Said Knock You Out", which is one of my favorite rap songs of all time. Sure it may show my age a little bit but it is all good. Tonight there were some nice comebacks indeed though. I counted three of these in one night. Sorry I am not counting Pittsburgh or Phoenix even though they did score all of their goals in the third period.What I am talking about here is snatching victory from a much more certain form of defeat. First up....in Boston....Boston was up 2-0 on Toronto and face it that almost means certain death for Toronto usually...right?? WRONG! Goals from Mike Van Ryn and then Nik Antropov tied it at 2 after 2. Then Anton Stralman of all people nabs the game winner in the third. Niklas Hagman adds the empty netter and you get a 4-2 win for Toronto that was unexpected.Next up....Buffalo Stance! Not many remember Neneh Cherry's powerful anthem but I certainly do and now the Wild will as well. Brent Burns put Minnesota up 3-1 when he tallied on the Power Play but with just a few minutes left...Adam Mair and Thomas "Clutch" Vanek score goals just 46 seconds apart to tie the game and send it to OT. Derek Roy ends the game quick just 44 seconds into the overtime and leaves the Wild crowd stunned (4-3 Buffalo). Ryan Miller held down the fort long enough with 30 saves and that was the difference in the end. Just when you think it is enough...sometimes it really isn't.Flames rally from 3 down in stirring win.Then there was this craziness. The Calgary Flames were down 3-0 to the Nashville Predators and it looked bleak...real bleak. Jason Arnott, back from injury scored the third goal just 8:10 into the second period for Nashville but after that Calgary turned the game. Jarome Iginla would score once later in the frame to make it 3-1. Then Iginla would score again to make it 3-2. After David Moss tied it just 73 seconds later...Michael Cammalleri scores on the PP for the GWG with just 7:29 remaining. Jarome Iginla would complete the hat trick with an empty netter and Calgary truly steals one 5-3 over the Predators.So this was indeed something else tonight. Just imagine what Friday and Saturday have in store for everyone. Get the beer and snacks ready and remember to watch the whole game...because you never know -- you may miss something!!Source

Your Slot Here...

Today we spotlight one of those blogs that really is all about the hockey...jersey that is! Do you ever wonder where we get that analysis on third jerseys and such? Mostly it is through none other than Icethetics...a blog that gets us info on hockey jerseys probably before I would ever read about it anywhere else.Simply they are amazing with the information they come up with. All those third jersey leaks combined with artist renderings and you have substance. They also have a logo tournament that is top notch. Right now their tournament is going on. Rangers and Flyers battling it out....go on and vote if you haven't done so already. I was not surprised by their OHL champion...that is a great logo!Just an example of their fine research...The scoops that Icethetics gets are second to none. I don't know how many stories on jerseys they have broken over the last few months but I probably lost count for a good reason. On the right side of the blog, they have a comprehensive list of third jerseys that have been revealed, ones that haven't, previews, and leaks. I have to admit the leaks so far have been just about dead on to what the actual third jerseys have looked like. These folks know what they are doing. They put the time and effort in and it shows.I particularly enjoyed some of their "concept art" where they let fans send in what they thought their team's third jerseys might look like. It is always great to see a site give back and Icethetics really does reward its readers with high quality and execution. Look at their list of shoutouts on the right....talk about a who's who in the blogging world and more. That is impressive indeed!Finally, for more designs and just some things that are just a bit out there yet quite cool...check out Icethetics' Freak Out Friday. The Detroit Red Wings jersey that looked like it actually had wings was priceless. Add in the Calgary Flames lego guy with an interesting design in front of him and you have something very enjoyable and yet informative in a unique way.So if you are looking for the latest jersey news, some leaks, even some fine artistry at work...then Icethetics is for you. It is the one site I go to for the latest on hockey jersey news and well quite frankly, a whole lot more these days. Go check them out right away...you will not be disappointed.Source

Ouch - 10-24-08

(Note: Given the recent problems with visiting EN, we suggestyou click on the headline or the permalink at the bottom of today'spost in order to make reading easier. We regret the problem and hope tohave it solved quickly. We also acknowledge that this is a weak temporary solution to the problem, but we're stumped at the moment. Thank you for your patience.)Take a look at what Boston forward MilanLucic did to Maple Leafs defenseman Mike Van Ryn last night:(Please visit the site to view this media) Yeesh. He stuck him through the glass. Thankfully, Van Ryn was alright.Other than being "itchy" he escaped injury. He even scored a goal later in thesame period of a 4-2 win at Boston.The win ended a five-game losing streak for the Maple Leafs.Four spectators in were injuredby the glass and two went to the hospital with some injuries.By the way, that wasn't the onlybig hit in this game. Take a look at what Boston'sDennis Wideman did to Toronto'sMatt Stajan:(Please visit the site to view this media) HEADS UPSpeaking of injured spectators, aPenguins fan who was hit by a puck during the team's home opener wrote in togive us an update on his health:"I read your blog from the opener.I was the guy that was hit with the puck in A 27 Row B at the 3:28 mark of thefirst period. Just to be clear, I WAS paying attention. Have you ever sat downthat low? You can't see a damn thing... those seats actually are terrible. Theplay, if I recall, was in the neutral zone towards the Devils end, where Icould see absolutely nothing.After receiving medical attentionfor my bleeding head, I returned to the game for the second period. In a veryclassy move by the Devils, one of their trainers handed me a Reebok Devils hat,signed by all of the scratched players that evening. He said "Fromthe N.J. Devils. We're glad you're ok and hope you feel bettersoon." Very classy. Anyway, I ended up sustaining aconcussion. I am still suffering from dizziness, light headedness, and someother symptoms. Now a full week later, I have yet to hear from the PittsburghPenguins asking me how I am. Very disappointing to say theleast. Just thought I would share with you."BryanEN-First and foremost, let's all hope for Bryan's quick recovery. Second, we apologizeto Bryan forassuming he wasn't paying attention. We were simply offering some public adviceto anyone sitting down low near the action.EMPTY NETTER ASSISTSPenguins-EN reader Geoff Marton spottedthis absolute gem of a jersey at last night's game; An Esa Tikkanen EdmontonOilers:-That might be hands-down the finest jersey we've ever been made aware of at Mellon Arena.-Dave Molinari's recap from lastnight.-Darryl Sydor. Always ready to go.-What's up with Janne Pesonen?-Paul Bissonnette's fight with Carolina's Dan LaCouturefrom last night:(Please visit the site to view this media)-Eric Godard's tilt with WadeBrookbank:(Please visit the site to view this media)-Why is Michel Therrien touching Evgeni Malkin like this?-Malkin seems to be puzzled by it as well.-Faceoff-Factor scored aninterview with Penguins prospect Joe Vitale.-Changes in travel plansprevented the Staals from being brothers.-Former Penguins forward NathanSmith was cleared of charges of public lewdness in Scranton.Atlantic Division-By the sounds of things, Rangersforward Aaron Voros (right) is a verygrateful, thoughtful individual. He wrote a letter to his former coach, theWild's Jacques Lemaire, and thanked Lemaire for helping him develop into an.nhl-caliber player.-The Rangers want forward NikolaiZherdev to break out this season.-Islanders forward Mike Sillingerand defenseman Andy Sutton are close to returning from injuries.-Will the Flyers returndefenseman Luca Sbisa to his junior team?-Philadelphia's blue line is a mess.-As hard as it might be tobelieve, Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur is off to the best start of hisstoried career.-Devils forward Barry Tallacksontook part in his first practice sinceundergoing heart surgery.-Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo!interviewed filmmaker and noted Devils fan Kevin Smith. Smith takes a shot at"Sudden Death."How dare he!?!Northeast Division-Derek Roy's overtime goal gavethe Sabres a 4-3 win at Minnesota.At 6-0-1, Buffalois still undefeated.-Maple Leafs forward Jason Blake,he of the $5 million-a-year contract, was a healthy scratch last night.-Senators coach Craig Hartsburgis getting impatient with goaltender Martin Gerber.-The Bruins need some help in theshootout.-Canadiens fans, never the lot toput too much pressure on a young player, have given goaltender Carey Price (right) the nickname of "Jesus Price."Southeast Division-The Capitals signed defensemanJohn Erskine to a two-year deal worth $1.25 million each season.On a team a little light on physical play, Erskine is one of the few sources ofnastiness on the Capitals.-The Lightning finally officiallysigned former Rangers defenseman Marek Malik to a one-year deal worth $1.25million.-The Thrashers demoted forwardMike Hoffman to Chicagoof the AHL.-Hurricanes captain RodBrind'Amour said his team was horrible in its 4-1 loss to the Penguins lastnight.Central Division-The Predators activated forwardNick Tarnasky from injured reserve.-The Blue Jackets demotedgoaltender Steve Mason to Syracuseof the AHL.-Columbus forward Mike Peca's five-gamessuspension for abusing an official is over.-Blue Jackets forwards Jared Boll,Rick Nash, Fredrik Modin and Jason Chimera are good people.-Prior to last night's games,94-year-old Blues forward Keith Tkachuk (right)was the league-leader in goals with seven.-Red Wings forward Marian Hossawill face the Thrashers for the first time tomorrow night since being traded tothe Penguins last season.-After having offseason surgery,Red Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom is off to a fast start.Northwest Division-The Flames got a hat trick fromJarome Iginla and came from behind in a 5-3 win at Nashville.-Ian Laperriere had a Gordie Howehat trick for the Avalanche in a 4-1 defeat of the Oilers.Colorado haswon four consecutive games.-Canucks forward Pavol Demitra isdealing with a rib injury.-The Oilers recalled defensemanTheo Peckham from Springfieldof the AHL.Pacific Division-A career-high five points byMike Ribeiro (above) helped the Stars claim a 5-3 win againstthe Islanders.-Mikael Tellqvist made 31 savesfor the Coyotes who edged the Capitals, 2-1.-The Ducks signed former Hurricanesdefenseman Bret Hedican.-Anaheim forward Ryan Getzlaf had surgery foran abscessed tooth.-Sharks forward Joe Thornton isdealing with a groin injury again.Norris Division-The Canadian dollar is reallyunstable right now and that's making things a little difficult for the.nhl'sCanadian teams.-For the second time in.nhlhistory, all 30 teams in the league will be playing on Saturday.(Photos: Therrien-Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press; Voros-Michal Cizek/Getty Images; Tkachuk-Jeff Roberson/Associated Press; Ribeiro-JimMcIssac/Getty Images)Source

What you missed last night while you were at the bar starting your weekend

Maple Leafs beat the Bruins, 4-2: Mike Van Ryn, gets crushed into and breaks the glass and then scores a goal. If he had an assist, this would be called the Van Ryn hat trick. Instead, lets talk about that hit. A similar hit happened in LA, I think, but the glass didn't shatter, it kind of just fell out. Maybe the TD BankNorth Garden is using old school Boston Garden glass. Stars beat the Islanders, 5-3: So I guess this was one of the nights when the "overspeed" system is still being learned. No joke though, it did look like the Isles were doing it early in the game. Anyway, Mike Ribiero made some really good passes. The first goal was a great fake-shot pass. I love those. I got stupidly excited when the Isles scored their 3rd goal... wait there 5 seconds left. Great.Penguins win over the Hurricanes, 4-1: i think whats really interesting about this match up, is that in real life a penguin would never encounter a hurricane. Crosby and Malkin and whoever is always a good line. Maxime Talbots goal was sneaky a great goal. Even thought the caroline dman did as little as possible to stop him, Talbot did make the nice move to go 5-hole on Leighton.Avalanche beat the Oilers, 4-1: Ian Laperriere with the Gordie Howe hat trick and he was the first star of the game (of course!). There was some super sweet passing on Sakics goal.Flames come back to beat the Predators, 5-3: Is Iginla the best captain in the game? Now leadership qualities are obviously subjective, but don't you want in a captain a guy who can lead by example. Well, Iggy can lead by example to show how to score or fight. I would probably run through a brick wall for him.Coy-youngins beat the Capitals, 2-1: Mikkel Boedker is making the strong case to stay up for a full season in Phoenix. The young guns of the Coyotes are really producing and then old beard Jovo hits a few posts but finally scores. Where is Alex Ovechkin?Sabres win in OT, over the Wild, 4-3: Minnesota can't hold a lead? Jaques Lemaire is rolling in his grave, er office. Gaborik is still out with an injury, but they don't miss his scoring or his defense. Is Buffalo still undefeated?Source

Avalanche Slide Past Sabres in Shootout, Win 2-1

(AP Photo)Let me get this straight. Two of the highest scoring teams in the league combine to score a grand total of *2* goals? I was wrong on taking the over, I was wrong on either teams streak ending but at least I was right on one thing - it was an exciting game!The first period was one of the best periods of hockey I've watched this year. There was nothing that will make the highlight reel but it was all around good hockey. There were good scoring chances, solid hits and some good defensive play. It was everything hockey should be.The Sabres got on the board first off a Daniel Paille deflection that went into the goal at a speed of approximately 1mm/sec. I waffled all game long on its stoppability. At the time of this writing, I'm giving it a 0.65 (more stoppable than unstoppable).The Avalanche started turning up the heat in the third and were rewarded at the 13:36 mark as Jordan Leopold fired a shot from the point which bounced off two Sabres defenders and past Ryan Miller to tie the game.Ryan Smyth was wreaking havoc in front of the net, causing Jaroslav Spacek to interfere with Miller just as the shot was released. Miller complained to the refs but I don't think a player can get called for interfering with their own goaltender.Neither team could muster up another goal so it was off to overtime for the first time in the Avalanche's season.And what an OT it was! The Avalanche dominated from start to finish and looked to make a case for moving exclusively to 4-on-4 hockey.The Avalanche were very aggressive in the Sabres end and had no trouble clearing the puck out of their own. They had some great end-to-end rushes and were moving the puck around very well in the Sabres end.However they only managed two shots on goal in that time and Ryan Miller was up to the task on both of them so it was off to the shootout.Peter Budaj's shootout non-heroics were going through my mind but I was at peace with it. The Avs had just won four straight and had just grabbed their 9th straight point against one of the league's top teams. But Budaj and the Avs were making no such concessions.Milan Hejduk came out first and made a silky smooth deke around Miller to take the lead. I've often given the "best hands in the.nhl" title to Alexei Kovalev, but Hejduk has some soft, soft hands too.After Kotalik evened it up, Miller and Budaj then made their next two stops on Joe Sakic and Drew Stafford respectively. Sakic needs to find a new shootout move.Then up stepped Wojtek Goalski. Wolski made Hejduk's goal look like your out of shape neighbour grabbing their paper at 6am in their skivvies. I won't even describe it, just watch the game highlights and you'll see what I mean. I want to marry that move.Derek Roy extended the shootout and then Marek Svatos and Tomas Vanek were both foiled. Budaj made a great second effort to keep the Vanek attempt out of the net.Ryan Smyth then went straight in and fired a shot under Miller's armpit and all eyes turned to Budaj. Clarke Macarthur came in, tried to go high glove but even though Budaj had dropped his shoulder, he was able to bring his glove up quick enough to make the save.And so continues the streak.Stastny scorelessOne streak did end tonight and that was Paul Stastny's seven game point streak. Why do they even keep that guy around? Jones graduatesDavid Jones improved as the game went on and found himself playing alongside Sakic during the third period. He was driving the net hard, drawing penalties and making some slick moves. He keeps teasing me with near-breakout performances but this could be the one.Hit me baby, one more timeRyan Miller is a good goalie, no doubt. But tonight the Avs padded his stats by tossing at least a dozen of their 29 shots directly into the Buffaslug.Of course, good positioning has a part to play, but not that big a part.Don't hit me! Don't hit me!What was with the Sabres dodging fights all night long? In the first period, Lapperiere had his gloves off but Patrik Kaleta backed away. Then late in the third, Adam Mair popped Adam Foote square in the jaw and then skated away after Foote dropped his gloves.Man up, guys!LinesCody McCormick watched from the press box tonight as Jones drew into the lineup and Ben Guite stayed in.The lines still have stayed very faithful since the beginning of the year which is a testament to TG not panicking when the team is struggling.With the exception of Jones moving up to Sakic's wing late in the game, the lines were:Wolski-Sakic-TuckerSmyth-Stastny-HejdukJones-Arnason-SvatosMcleod-Guite-LaperriereThe fourth line wasn't a factor in this game and aside from the first period, I barely remember seeing Mcleod on the ice.StatsSakic was the ice-time leader for the Avs with 24:45, followed closely by Clark and Hannan with 24:31 and 24:29 respectively.John-Michael Liles wasn't far behind at 23:37 and had his most physical game of the year with four registered hits, a couple of those being solid shots including a nice stiff arm late in the game.The Avalanche outhit the Sabres by a 31-15 margin led by Liles, Tucker (5) and Mcleod (4).The RTSS guys had itchy trigger fingers tonight on giveaways and takeaways. The Avalanche had 21 giveaways and 24 takeaways while the Sabres registered 8 and 17. Tucker kisses the glassThis is just a hilarious photo.Next gameThe Avalanche are in Cowtown on Tuesday to play the Flames at 9:30 ET, 7:30 MT.OfftopicDid anyone catch the Silva-Cote fight after the game? Cote blew his knee in the third round after going longer than anyone in the UFC had against Silva. Tough luck.Related Links.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=Recap&seas=20082009&gtype=2&gnum=117">ColoradoAvalanche.com RecapSource

Hall is the OHL Player of the Week

Boston Pizza OHL Player of the WeekThe Ontario Hockey League today announced that Taylor Hall of the Windsor Spitfires is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 26. Hall led the top ranked Spitfires to three wins this week scoring four goals and adding five assists for nine points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-4.Hall had his best game of the week on Thursday night recording a point in each of the five Spitfires’ goals as they defeated the Guelph Storm 5-3. Hall opened the scoring in the contest in the first minute of play and would add an insurance marker late in the third period to secure the win. Those two goals combined with his three assists earned him second star of the game honours. On Saturday night Hall scored the lone goal of the game on the power play in the second period and was the game’s third star as the Spitfires beat the Plymouth Whalers 1-0. In the rematch Sunday, Hall scored one goal and two assists in a 9-4 home win over the Whalers.Hall, a 16-year-old from Kingston, ON currently leads the OHL in scoring with 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points in 16 games. Hall is in his second season with the Spitfires and was the recipient of the Emms Family Award as OHL Rookie of the Year last season.Also considered for the award this week was Adam Henrique of the Windsor Spitfires who scored four goals and four assists for eight points in three games including a five-point night against the Plymouth Whalers where he scored his first OHL career hat-trick. Bryan Cameron of the Belleville Bulls had four goals and two assists for six points in three games. Goaltender Jason Guy of the London Knights went 2-0 this week with a shutout and a 1.50 goals-against-average and a .952 save percentage.2008-09 Boston Pizza OHL Players of the Week Oct. 27 – Taylor Hall, Windsor SpitfiresOct. 20 – Brandon Foote, Brampton BattalionOct. 13 – Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia StingOct. 6 – Stefan Della Rovere, Barrie ColtsSept. 29 – Luke Pither, Guelph StormSept. 22 – Matt Lyall, Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsBoston Pizza WHL Player of the WeekCALGARY, AB. - The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Jamie Benn of the Kelowna Rockets.Benn picked up nine points, scoring five goals and four assists to go with a +1 rating, in three games over the past week, helping the Rockets post a 2-1 record in that span.On Wednesday, October 22nd, the Rockets travelled to Chilliwack to face the Bruins at Prospera Centre. Benn netted two goals and two assists as the Rockets downed the Bruins 5-0. He was also named the games 1st star. Two days later, Friday, October 24th, the two teams met again in the latter half of the home-and-home series at Prospera Place in Kelowna. Benn had another two goal performance and added an assist as the Rockets defeated the Bruins 6-0. He was also named the games 3rd Star.The next evening, Saturday, October 25th, at Prospera Place in Kelowna, the Rockets hosted the Brandon Wheat Kings. Benn scored one goal and one assist in the tightly contested match-up between the Clubs with the Wheat Kings eventually edging out the Rockets 3-2.With the two victories this past week the Kelowna Rockets find themselves in second place of the WHL B.C. Division, behind the Vancouver Giants, with a 9-7-0-0 record.Benn, a 19 year old product of Victoria, British, Columbia, is in second season with the Kelowna Rockets. At the 2007 Entry Draft Benn was selected in the 5th round by the Dallas Stars.The WHL has also nominated Adam Brown of the Kelowna Rockets for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Brown posted a 2-0-0-0 record this past week with two shut-outs, stopping all 29 shots for a 0.000 goals-against average and a 1.000 save percentage.Brown, a 17-year-old from Yorba Linda, California, is in his rookie season with the Kelowna Rockets. He spent last season playing midget ‘AAA’ hockey for the Dallas Stars posting a 2.53 goals-against average and six shut-outs in 43 games played.Boston Pizza WHL Player of the WeekSept. 18 – Sept. 21: Jordan Weal, Regina PatsSept. 22 – Sept. 28: Joel Broda, Moose Jaw WarriorsSept. 29 – Oct. 5: Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Vancouver GiantsOct. 6 – Oct. 12: Evander Kane, Vancouver GiantsOct. 13 – Oct. 19: Jay Fehr, Brandon Wheat KingsOct. 20 – Oct. 26: Jamie Benn, Kelowna RocketsTELUS Players of the WeekBOUCHERVILLE, Monday, October 27, 2008 – P.E.I. Rocket forward Chris Doyle and Moncton Wildcats netminder Nicola Riopel today were named the TELUS offensive and defensive players of the week for the period extending from October 20 to 26.Doyle helped the Rocket win two out of four games on the road by scoring two goals, including a game-winner, and adding six assists. Furthermore, he maintained a +1 rating. The New York Rangers’ fifth round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft was a beast in the face-off circle, winning 67.9% of his draws. Doyle is currently eleventh in the QMJHL scoring standings with 22 points.Yannick Riendeau (Voltigeurs), Sasha Famin (Wildcats) and Matthew Pistilli (Cataractes) were also considered.The defensive player of the week is Nicola Riopel. It is already the second time this season that the Moncton goaltender is honoured. In three wins, the backstop allowed only three goals despite 102 shots directed his way. He registered a 1.00 goals-against-average and .971 save percentage while also posting a shutout. The Wildcats have yet to lose a game in regulation so far this season and are currently on a seven-game winning streak.Brandon Gormley (Wildcats), Charles-Olivier Roussel (Cataractes) and Vincent Bourgeois (Juniors) were also strong candidates.(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)Source

Avalanche @ Flames, Game 9 Preview

Tonight, two gladiators meet in the center of the arena to decide once and for all who is *dramatic pause* the best in the business.After suffering three devastating losses to start their season, the Avalanche have turned their fortunes around and delivered five straight stunning knockouts, including one against top contender *dramatic pause* the Buffalo Sabres.Following their first three losses, the Avalanche changed up their training regimen and looked to backup Andrew Raycroft for success.Despite two straight wins from Raycroft, the Avalanche went back to their bread and butter in Peter Budaj, a true warrior who never gave up hope.And Budaj hasn't looked back since reeling off three straight wins including a last second TKO of the Buffalo Sabres.Tonight, the Calgary Flames will try to end their fortunes in devastating fashion. Calgary doesn't like to beat opponents *dramatic pause* they like to destroy them.With heavy hitters like Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr in the lineup, the Flames are always one mistake away from delivering a knockout blow.They Flames are on a streak of their own having racked up three straight wins including a beatdown of the Phoenix Coyotes on Super Saturday.Which team will keep their streak going and which one will head home with their head in their hands?We'll find out tonight!Ok, the above preview was done in my best imitation of Mike Goldberg's voice when hyping an upcoming UFC matchup.That probably needs a bit more explanation, lest you think I'm off my rocker. Which I probably am.I was about to start writing a quick preview when I began to wonder what it would be like if.nhl matchups were decided not by a predefined schedule but by a "matchmaker" like Joe Silva in the UFC.There would be some basic rules like each team playing three times a week with a limited amout of back-to-back games allowed. The rest would be in the hands of the matchmaker.Are two teams on huge winning streaks? Pit them against each other and see which team blinks.Did two teams shed some blood against each other last night? Pit them against each other for the rubber match the following night.Got a slumping team? Stack them against a team on a long winning streak and see if the underdog can prevail.Sure, the logistics of arena and travel bookings would never work but it would damn sure be fun.Game timeThe game starts at 9:30 ET, 7:30 MT and should be a great matchup so no excuses for not watching/listening!Related LinksPractice Report: Off to CalgarySource

Bruins Look for Perfect Trip Through Western Canada

Despite only scoring a total of two goals so far this week, one has to be very thrilled about the fact that the Boston Bruins have picked up all four possible points to begin their three-game road trip. The only thing that would make it any sweeter would be a win in Calgary, to make it a perfect 3-for-3. Similar to the Oilers and Canucks, the Calgary Flames are an unfamiliar foe to those watching in New England. The Bruins and Flames haven't played each other since Boston's 2006-07 home opener, back on October 19, 2006. That game resulted in a 3-2 win for the Black and Gold, backstopped by Hannu Toivonen.The Calgary Flames enter Thursday's game with Boston on a hot streak. After starting the year 1-3-1, the Flames have now rattled off four consecutive wins, moving up to second place in the Northwest Division with 11 points. Similar to the Bruins, Calgary's last game also ended in a shutout, as Miikka Kiprusoff turned aside 22 shots in a 3-0 blanking of the Colorado Avalanche. Needless to say, something will have to give one way or another on Thursday.Calgary's preview is going to start with offense for one reason, Jarome Iginla. The Flames' captain has registered 50 goals in a season twice, and is one of the elite players in the National Hockey League. That being said, it should come as no surprise that Iginla leads the team in scoring with six goals and four assists for ten points. Second place on the Flames belongs to 5-foot-9, Mike Cammalleri. Cammalleri came to the Flames in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings this past summer, and has settled in nicely with three goals and six assists. Next up for the forwards is another offseason acquisition, Todd Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi has six goals (four on the power play) in nine games, but his minus-5 is a bit concerning. Daymond Langkow and newly acquired Rene Bourque are tied with Bertuzzi at six points each, rounding out the top five forwards.Similar to the offense, the Flames also have one of the best defensemen in the league. That is 23-year old Dion Phaneuf. Phaneuf leads all Calgary blueliners with six assists and seven points, but is also known for his ability to throw huge hits at oncoming forwards. The Richter Scale might be needed if he and Milan Lucic collide. Joining Phaneuf on the offensive side of things are Mark Giordano and Robyn Regehr. Giordano started with the Flames, went to Russia for a year, and has now come back with three assists in nine games. Regehr has two assists in eight games. Adrian Aucoin has produced points for most of his career, but is off to a slow start with one goal in nine games. To make matters worse, Aucoin's plus/minus currently sits at minus-4. Cory Sarich, Jim Vandermeer, and Adam Pardy finish off the Calgary defense.The trend continues in goal for the Calgary Flames, as they have one of the best there, too. After being a backup goalie for the San Jose Sharks, Miikka Kiprusoff has become the backbone for the Flames. Kiprusoff's last three seasons have seen him put up win totals of 42, 40, and 39, while only sitting out 22 of 246 regular season games. So far this season, the Turku, Finland native is 5-3-1 with a 2.99 goals against average, .897 save percentage, and one shutout. Kiprusoff should be the starter on Thursday, while Tim Thomas would be the smart guess following his two performances this week. If Kiprusoff doesn't go, the backup is 25-year old Curtis McElhinney. McElhinney played in five games a year ago, posting an 0-2 record and a 2.00 goals against average. The majority of his time last season came with the AHL's Quad City Flames, where he went 20-18-2 with a 2.28 goals against average.Taking a look at the American Hockey League, the Providence Bruins suffered their first regulation loss of the season. Chalk this one up to a rough night at the office, as the Baby B's fell 6-0 to the defending Calder Cup Champion Chicago Wolves. Chicago got things going right away, as Colin Stuart (Mark's older brother) tallied a shorthanded goal 1:09 into the contest. Junior Lessard and Joe Motzko followed that up, giving the Wolves a 3-0 lead after one, knocking Tuukka Rask out of the game. Kevin Regan kept the home team off the board in the second, but was beaten by Motzko, Matt Anderson, and Boris Valabik in the third period for the 6-0 final. Even though he had plenty of offensive support, Ondrej Pavelec was still extremely sharp in net for the Wolves, stopping all 35 shots he faced. Rask and Regan each made 15 saves on 18 shots for Providence.Face-off between the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames takes place at 9:00 from the Pengrowth Saddledome for those viewing from the East Coast. Following this game, Boston will have just four road games remaining outside of the Eastern Conference. All four are against teams from the Central Division. The Providence Bruins get to use Thursday as a travel day, as they head from Illinois to Texas. The P-Bruins play the Houston Aeros on Friday, before visiting the San Antonio Rampage on Saturday.Source

Flyers get Gratton from Nashville

The Philadelphia Flyers acquired 6’2”, 215-pound forward Josh Gratton from the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Tim Ramholt Thursday and assigned him to the Phantoms. Gratton, 26, recorded two goals and three assists for five points and 10 penalty minutes in seven games for the Predators’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, this season. He was signed as a free agent by Nashville on July 9, 2008. He split the 2007-08 season between the Phoenix Coyotes, San Antonio Rampage ( Phoenix ’s AHL affiliate) and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. He was scoreless in one regular season game for the Coyotes. In 58 AHL regular season games, Gratton registered 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points and 196 penalty minutes. In 67 career regular season games over parts of three seasons with the Flyers (2005-06) and Phoenix (2005-06 through 2007-08), Gratton posted three points (2G,1A) and 237 penalty minutes. He was scoreless in three regular season games for the Flyers during the 2005-06 season. He was traded by the Flyers, along with Florida ’s second round pick in the 2006 Entry Draft and Tampa Bay ’s second round pick in the 2006 Entry Draft, to Phoenix in exchange for Denis Gauthier on March 9, 2006. He was originally signed as a free agent by the Flyers on July 27, 2004. Ramholt, 23, was scoreless in seven games for the Phantoms this season. He was acquired by the Flyers from the Calgary Flames in exchange for Kyle Greentree on June 30, 2008. Source