« January 2007 |
Main
| March 2007 »
 New York Islanders
It's hard to argue that this was the stunner of the day. Although, speculation that Smyth might be moved if a new deal could not be agreed upon prior to the deadline with the Oilers, I think where he wound up was really a surprise. The Islanders had been rumored to be looking to move forward Jason Blake, for the same reasons that Edmonton decided to trade Ryan Smyth. The Islanders sent forwards Robert Nilsson, and Ryan Omarra, and a 1st round pick in this years NHL Entry Draft to the Oilers in exchange for Smyth. Blake will become a UFA this summer, and rather than move there strongest player, the Islanders became a much stronger team. Ryan Smyth reminds me a lot of Jason Blake, and both are having amazing seasons. Ted Nolan has got to be salivating right now. I love what the Islanders did.
Playoff Beard Grade: Full Beard
Pittsburgh Penguins
When's the last time you can remember a Penguins team not dumping players and salary at the trade deadline? It's been a while. The Pittsburgh Penguins who even though they fell to the Devils this evening 1-0, are challenging New Jersey for control of the Atlantic Division, and are starting to look like a team that could challenge some more during the playoffs. So why not get better? The Penguins started early, by acquiring forward Gary Roberts from the Florida Panthers for defenseman Noah Welch. Later in the day they went to Phoenix to acquire enforcer and forward Georges Laraque and sent forward Dan Carcillo, and a 3rd rounder in 2008. Roberts will certainly bring toughness, leadership, and playoff experience to this young team, and Laraque.....don't mess with Sid. I'm excited for these guys,.... this is certainly a right of passage for this club and city that has endured many bad seasons of playoff-less hockey, and this should be an exciting year for the Penguins.
Playoff Beard Grade: Goatee, with side burns
 San Jose Sharks
The St. Louis Blues traded both of their big guns as expected. Sending Tkachuk East, and yesterday, Bill Guerin West to the San Jose Sharks. San Jose sent forward Ville Nieminen, forward Jay Barriball, and a 1st rounder in this year's NHL Entry Draft (not quite as much as you paid for Tkachuk Donnie!). Guerin is expected to join Joe Thornton, and Jonathan Cheechoo on the top line for the Sharks, and I would expect that move to pay immediate dividends. Guerin should provide a really nice second option for Thornton (which they've been unable to find....Mark Bell is shining skates in the locker room right now), and also bring some added playoff experience.
Playoff Beard Grade: Handle Bar Moustache
 Detroit Red Wings
The shocker award has to goto the Red Wings for pulling the trigger on this deal. The Red Wings sent forward Shawn Matthias and a conditional pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for power forward Todd Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi was another name expected to be dealt, if a suitor was willing to take a gamble on a player that has been restricted to just 7 games this season due to back surgery and the complications that come with that. The Red Wings decided that the big guy is worth the risk. There was a brief period of time this afternoon when the Red Wings were conducting physicals of some sort, to make sure Bertuzzi would be able to perform this year, but once the green light was given, the trade was done. If he is 100% healthy and can get a few weeks under the belt prior to the playoffs, the Red Wings will be a tough team to play in the post season.
Playoff Beard Grade: Soup Catcher
Buffalo Sabres
Martin Biron was finally dealt. How many years has this poor guy been rumored to be on the block? Well it was finally done, but I think for what they received in return for him, it may have been better to hold onto him. The Buffalo Sabres sent Biron to the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2nd round pick in this year's draft. The big hole to fill in Buffalo is on forward where injuries have taken out Maxim Afinogenov, Chris Drury, and Paul Gaustad. I think they would have at least looked to pick up a player in return for Biron. They also lose a solid back up goaltender, and replaced him by acquiring Ty Conklin from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 5th round pick. The Sabres are going to regret this trade big time if Ryan Miller goes down. Later on the Sabres also traded forward Jiri Novotny, and a 2007 1st rounder in exchange for forward Dainuis Zubrus, and defenceman Timo Helbling. Zubrus does address some of the injury issues for the Sabres, but all in all, I feel they fell short, and may regret not doing more.
Playoff Beard Grade: Sparce Stubble
Yeah there were a few more deals, but none really as big as the ones mentioned above. Most teams seemed to be acquiring consolation players later in the day, as the Leafs picked up Yanic Perreault, and the Senators got Oleg Sapriykin, when both were really after Gary Roberts. I wonder if Ken Holland really wanted one of the Blues wingers and settled on Bertuzzi? The big loser this trade deadline has to be GM Don Waddell of the Atlanta Thrashers. I think he gave up way too much for Tkachuk (but now that I've said that watch them win the cup.....however now that I've said that, watch them not make the playoffs).
Game of the Night:
Nashville at San Jose 10:30 PM
Light night following the deadline, but hopefully this will be a full dress rehearsal for the playoffs, and all the pieces will be in place. Both teams made monster splashes in the trade pool, and now its time to see who can make the biggest bubbles. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Thanks to my heterosexual lifemate Stache for pointing this out to me.
Apparently, GM of the New York Rangers Glen Sather is now fielding offers for Rangers forward and captain Jaromir Jagr. Huge news out of New York.
Jagr has really drawn fire recently (including the radio guys on the FAN) for not wanting to participate during shootouts, most recently against cross river rivals New Jersey Devils. For full details, check out the NY Post article.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Today is the day folks. We find out if St. Louis Blues forward, Bill Guerin will remain in the same zip code or be moved for 35 first round draft picks and a moderately priced third liner (no offense Waddell).
In all seriousness, Guerin is having a terrific bounce back season for the Blues, following a dreadful campaign with the Dallas Stars last year. He has re-emerged as an effective power forward, and in 61 games this season has potted 47 points (28 goals, 19 assists) and is a +8 rating.
Gary Roberts has reportedly waived his no-trade clause with the Florida Panthers and has accepted a trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins have sent defenceman Noah Welch to the Panthers in exchange for Roberts. The Florida Panthers look to be sellers today and will try and move veteran forwards Martin Gelinas and Todd Bertuzzi....both of which have rumors swirling around them. The Panthers really took a bath on that Luongo trade..... 7 games out of Bertuzzi? What a waste.
TSN.ca is also reporting the Oilers forward Ryan Smyth may be moved. As an unrestricted agent this summer, Smyth may leave the Oilers with nothing in return, and judging by their own position in the standings (9 points out), GM Kevin Lowe may pursue a trade for the left winger.
The Phoenix Coyotes who made a mid-season go of it, but have recently fallen off the post season could also be sellers today. Veterans Jeremy Roenick (although I can't imagine any team wanting or needing him), Yanic Perreault (who's had a great year), Owen Nolan, and goaltender Curtis Joseph.
The New York Islanders may deal forward Jason Blake today, but I still say that would be a huge mistake. Blake has been a big part of the Islanders season, and has them flirting with the post season position right now. Take the risk and try and sign him in the summer, don't deal him, or you may regret it.
 OLN reported that the Anaheim Ducks may look to move backup goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov today. Bryzgalov looked pretty sharp in their 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks last night. I wonder if he was being showcased last night? We'll see.
Game of the Night:
Montreal at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
This is really it for both teams. If the Rangers don't recover soon, they are done. The Habs had a big win over the Leafs last night but still find themselves barely holding on to their playoff spot. This should be a big game. Enjoy!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Keith Tkachuk waived his no-trade clause yesterday and became an Atlanta Thrasher upon that decision.
The Atlanta Thrashers acquired the big winger for a collection of draft picks that included a 1st and 3rd rounder in this years NHL Entry Draft, and a 2nd rounder in the 2008 draft. The Thrashers also sent center Glen Metropolit. Furthermore, conditions attached to the trade are that if Tkachuk decides to sign with the Thrashers following the season, the St. Louis Blues will also receive a first round pick in 2008.
First thoughts on the deal. Outstanding move for the St. Louis Blues. Outstanding. Three high draft picks, with the possibility of a 4th? I would have jumped on that. Throw in forward Glen Metropolit, who is having a respectable year with 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) and a +9 in 57 games played this year, I would say the Blues are the clear winners of this trade.
Tkachuk in 61 games this season has 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) and is a +3. Thrashers GM Don Waddell is already on the defensive about the deal as quoted in TSN.ca saying "Some people are going to say it's too much,'' ''You know what? Talk to me at the end of the year about it.''
I do think the Thrashers gave up too much for Tkachuk, but I smell desperation in this move. Earlier in the season, the Thrashers were boasting one of the best records in the Eastern Conference, now they are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether. Two points is all that separates them from the post season, and playing golf in April once again. Atlanta holds the 6th spot in the East with 72 points.
I now wonder what the St. Louis Blues will get in exchange for Bill Guerin. We'll know by tomorrow.
Game of the Night:
Atlanta at Boston 7:00 PM
Toronto at Montreal 7:30 PM
Anaheim at San Jose 10:00 PM
Light night, but good night. The Toronto / Habs game should be excellent. We should also witness the debut of Tkachuk with Atlanta, and the the late game between the West's big guns should be fun too! Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Remember last season, when the Oilers made it into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season? While they've claimed to be in playoff mode since the All Star Break, they look as though they are actually beginning to walk the walk now.
Last night the Oilers defeated the Detroit Red Wings in the shootout 4-3, on the lone score from forward Ryan Smyth. Smyth also scored during regulation for the Oilers, who have now won two in a row, and as noted, look like they are beginning their climb to the post season. This time it may be a bit more difficult. I read in the Hockey News that the Oilers final 6 games of the season will be on the road since the city of Edmonton is hosting the World Curling Championships. Tough break..... but curling is pretty cool.
The loss was the first for the Red Wings at home in 13 games. Henrik Zetterberg did score, and appears curse free boys.
The Oilers sit in 9th place in the Western Conference, just 5 points behind the Calgary Flames who sit in 8th. In reality if the Oilers can string a few wins together, they could challenge Vancouver for first place in the Northwest, and the current third seed in the West. The Northwest is anyones to win right now. Vancouver (76 points) holds a narrow 3 point lead over the Minnesota Wild (73 points), and the Calgary Flames (71 points), and Edmonton Oilers (66 points) are trailing closely behind. It's a longshot but even the Colorado Avalanche (62 points) can pull off a shocker.
Quick Shave:
The Boston Bruins made a pretty big statement last night. Their win over the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 not only brought them 5 points out of a playoff spot, but may keep their current roster in tact. The Bruins tied with the New York Rangers now, are one of 8 teams battling for 4 spots. The Eastern Conference is going to be like the West was last season right down to the wire. If the Dallas Stars begin to collapse in the playoffs because of Marty Turco's play, how quick to you think Coach Tippett will yank him in favor of rookie Mike Smith? Smith made 24 saves last night to help take down the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 last night and helped bring the Stars within 5 points of the Atlantic Division leading Ducks. Smith started his 3rd in 7 games, and has won 4 out of his last 5. Tippett claims to be playing Smith more to keep Turco fresh for the playoffs, but I see a hidden agenda. Turco has never been stellar in the post season, actually he's been terrible. Maybe Tippett is trying to get Smith as much experience as possible leading up to the playoffs, in case Turco falls apart again? We'll see.
Game of the Night:
Buffalo at Ottawa 7:00 PM
Carolina at Atlanta 7:00 PM
Detroit at Nashville 8:00 PM
San Jose at Calgary 10:00 PM
My buddy Jeff is coming over tonight, and here's what we'll be watching. Everyone one of these games looks great, and after a few brews, I'm sure they will look that much better. Enjoy the games my friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Anson Carter is changing zip codes once again!
The Carolina Hurricanes have acquired the winger from the Columbus Blue Jackest for a fifth round draft pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. In 53 games with the Blue Jackets, Carter has scored 10 goals and 17 assists.
While Carter isn't having the year he would have liked following his productive 2004-2005 campaign riding alongside the Sedin twins in Vancouver, he is still a decent pickup for the Canes, and especially at that price. His price tag is considerably lower than what St. Louis will be asking for if they trade Bill Guerin and Keith Tkachuk. The Hurricanes were probably looking to plug the hole left by recently injured Erik Cole.
Game of the Night:
Edmonton at Detroit 7:30 PM
Boston at Tampa Bay 8:00 PM
Anaheim at Dallas 8:30 PM
Light night in the NHL, but as we wind things down in the regular season, more and more of these games will become very important....thus Games of the Night...in my opinion. The most important one, is probably the Boston vs. Tampa game. A loss or win, could determine whether the Bruins clean house or stay put prior to Tuesday's trade deadline. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Is there a hotter player in the NHL right now than Henrik Zetterberg? I think not. Within the last month HZ has 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) is a +10 rating, and 6 of his goals are game winners!
While his stats aren't at the top of the NHL yet, his reunion with Pavel Datsyuk has been a huge success. Zetterberg may not contend for league MVP, but he is clearly the Detroit Red Wings best player, especially in 2007. In 61 games this season, he has 66 points (32 goals, 34 assists), and is a + 28 rating.
Last night, Zetterberg continued his dominant performance by scoring a pair of goals in the third period to lift the Detroit Red Wings over the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 last night. Datsyuk also scored and setup Zetterberg's game winner.
Quick Shave:
The San Jose Sharks finally won a game last night! Barely. The Sharks managed to escape with a 3-2 shootout win over the Washington Capitals. The victory was their first in three games, and will perhaps help them right the ship for their post season run.
Game of the Night:
New Jersey at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Ottawa at Buffalo 7:30 PM
Toronto at NY Islanders 7:30 PM
Montreal at Nashville 8:00 PM
Playoffs! Playoffs! Playoffs! Playoffs! Playoffs! Playoffs! Wow are these games serious or what!?!? Enjoy the games my friends!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Big blow for the Montreal Canadiens playoff hopes yesterday.....or is it?
Montreal Canadiens number one goaltender Cristobal Huet will be out for at the very least the remainder of the NHL regular season following surgery to repair his left hamsting. Huet was injured during last weeks game against the New Jersey Devils when he fell akwardly trying to stop a shot. Cristobal Huet hopes to be ready to play for the Habs in the playoffs....if they make it.
In light of his recent injury, backup (or tandem keeper, you decide) David Aebischer was expected to shoulder the load of the starts while receiving support from call up Jaroslav Halak. Well it appears its going to be the other way around.
Halak won his second straight game for the Canadiens last night by helping his club defeat the Washington Capitals 5-3 last night. Coach Carbonneau promised that Halak would be in net for the Habs as they face the Western Conference leading Nashville Predators tomorrow night.
Mr. Huet was a mainstay on two of my Fantasy Rosters so this a big blow to the Bosher. I decided to drop the lad in favor of Nicklas Backstrom of the Minnesota Wild who appears to be having a solid season in relief of Manny Fernandez (he's out with a knee.... if not its' a groin). Hopefully he will bring me good fortune.
Quick Shave:
The New York Rangers can't beat the New Jersey Devils. While the game was spirited (including a little toe to toe action between Sean Avery and Martin Brodeur, I have to face facts. The Devils own the Rangers, and have figured out how to shut them down. Jaromir Jagr was held without a shot last night. If I remember correctly the last time the two teams met, Jagr had one shot late in the third period. The Devils took the game 2-1 on a goal by Zach Parise. Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins shutout the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0 last night. The Bruins are fighting to remain in the playoff hunt, and Thomas 44 save performance helped them close the gap between them and the Leafs by 4 points. The Carolina Hurricanes are on playoff life support right now as well, following their 3-1 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers last night. The Canes have a 1 point lead on the New York Islanders for the 8th and final spot in the East. Will the Stanley Cup Champions not be at the post season dance to defend their title this year? The Ottawa Senators are a team on the rise, and the team they beat last night 4-3 (shootout win), the Edmonton Oilers are a team on the decline. The Oilers have a lot of ground to make up (8 points) to catch the Calgary Flames who hold the final spot in the West. The Western Conference is really opening up, and the only teams now that have a legitimate shot at the playoff in my opinion are the Colorado Avalanche (8 points out), the Oilers (also 8 points out), and the St. Louis Blues (no I'm not kidding, 9 points out). Given their current position perhaps they may not be sellers by next week and try to make the post season?
Game of the Night:
San Jose at Washington 7:00 PM
Chicago at Detroit 7:30 PM
Only two games on the menu tonight, so I give you them both. I'm a little more interested in the Red Wings vs. Blackhawks game because the Sharks and Caps have really been mailing it in lately. Frankly both teams need to find a way to break out of their slumps. Alexander Ovechkin has 1 goal in last 8 games? Come on bro, let's pick it up! Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Peter Forsberg was the biggest name on the board a week ago, but there are still quite a few big names being rumored to be on the move.
Florida Panthers winger Todd Bertuzzi who has been out most of the season (I think he played all of 7 games) is on the cusp of returning following multiple back surgeries. Much like Forsberg, the risk in Bertuzzi is his health, then closely behind that follows his salary, which at $5.3 million a year will be tough for most teams to swallow. Depending on how the Panthers do in the next week (they sit 9 points out of playoff spot), will determine who else gets traded. Olli Jokkinen and Gary Roberts are also rumored to be on the block in Florida.
After Florida, the St. Louis Blues are the largest trade deadline warehouse, as they have a large number of veteran rental players available. Most likely to be traded before next Tuesday, is Keith Tkachuk, Bill Guerin, and possibly Martin Rucinsky. Bill Guerin is playing some of his best hockey in years, and in the last week has scored 5 goals and an assist (tell me he's not looking to move to a contender). Following a dismal year in Dallas, Guerin has put together a comeback year, with 27 goals, and 19 assists. Look for him to be playing elsewhere in the next week....my money is on Detroit or New York. Frankly, whoever doesn't land him, the other will get Tkachuk. So says Bosh.
The Buffalo Sabres have begun to experience the injury bug recently, losing forwards Paul Gaustad, and Maxim Afinogenov, the first for the season, the latter for 6 to 8 weeks. They are now looking to move goaltender Martin Biron (who has been rumored to being trade bait forever) for some forward depth. This year it may actually happen.
The rumors that don't make much sense to me are the New York Islanders moving forward Jason Blake, and the Maple Leafs trading Darcy Tucker. Both teams are tied for the last spot in the East (along with the Habs) and even though Tucker has been out for a while with an injury, he and Blake are integral parts of their teams. Blake is having a career season (contract year go figure), as is Tucker (another contract year), and should be retained for the stretch.
Quick Shave:
The New York Islanders stopped the might Pittsburgh Penguins last night! Islanders forward Mike Sillinger scored on Pens keeper Marc-Andre Fleury with less than a minute to play to give his club the 6-5 win. The Penguins got an HTC visit from Ryan Malone, and teammates Recchi potted two, and Sidney Crosby assisted on everything, including serving beers during the intermission. The Pittsburgh Penguins before last night's loss had collected at least a point in their previous 15 games. Somewhere in the Carolina's Stache is a happy man. The Boston Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 last night, keeping themselves very much in the playoff hunt just 6 points shy of the final spot. Recently acquired Flyer Scotty Upshall has worked out well for Philadelphia scoring in both appearances for his new team. The same cannot be said for Peter Forsberg who has done little for the Nashville Predators since his arrival. The Predators knocked off the Phoenix Coyotes 4-1 last night and regained control of the Western Conference from the Detroit Red Wings.
Game of the Night:
NY Rangers at New Jersey 7:30 PM
Boston at Toronto 7:00 PM
Atlanta at Carolina 7:00 PM
Edmonton at Ottawa 7:30 PM
Florida at Tampa Bay 7:30 PM
Washington at Montreal 7:30 PM
Vancouver at Anaheim 10:00 PM
I pretty much recommended every game on tonight. But it's the playoff run, and all of these games are important, and should have that playoff feel to them. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 New York Rangers forward Brendan Shanahan who was knocked unconcious on Saturday afternoon after a colliding with Flyers forward Mike Knuble dropped by and hour before yesterday's match to wish his teammates well. The brief appearance was not so much to inspire, but as he put it to let them know he was ok, and put their minds' at ease.
The New York Rangers ripped off a 2-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at the Garden yesterday where they have played terribly all season. Unfortunately, the Rangers' best games have come on the road this season, and home, where they should dominate, is a place where they themselves are dominated. The Rangers prepare themselves now for a home and home with the Devils, that starts in New Jersey on Tuesday night.
Quick Shave:
Unfortunately, I was away for a large part of the weekend, but did witness some of the NHL's highlights on Saturday evening, however, I think the email I received from our friend Jeff says it....so I will give him the floor:
"So...Zetterberg gets his first carrer hat trick--and naturally, Datsyuk gets a playmaker. Brodeur gets his 91st shutout, 10th of the season. Why, you ask? Because he's God between the Pipes. Holmstrom resigns with the Wings. Mike Knuble and Brendon Shannahan--both former Red Wings--have inadvertant mid-ice collision that hospitalizes both of them. Knuble has a fractured orbital, and Shanny...well, aparently they're still not sure.
Man, I can only imagine what tommorow will bring, ay?"
Good stuff, for a good man.
Game of the Night:
Phoenix at Nashville 6:00 PM
The debut of Peter Forsberg for Nashville, was less than stellar, as the lad finished with a humble -1 rating and 1 shot on goal. Perhaps tonight will bring better? Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Yet another milestone achieved for the 2006-2007 NHL season.
Joe Sakic became the 17th NHL player to reach the 600th goal mark, and the 3rd player to do it this season. Brendan Shanahan, and Jaromir Jagr scored their 600th goals earlier this season.
Sakic had a 5 point evening, scoring 2 goals, and 3 assists and helped the Colorado Avalanche to a 7-5 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday evening. The Avalanche are sitting 7 points out of a playoff spot, currently in 10th place. They are battling Edmonton, and Minnesota (and Calgary and Dallas), and for the final spot.
Quick Shave:
The Pittsburgh Penguins took a big step towards maturity last night defeating the Atlantic Division New Jersey Devils 5-4 last night. What I found most impressive about this win, is how the Pens responded to the Devils late third period push, and held on to win the game. The Penguins looked like a playoff contender last night. What has happened to the San Jose Sharks? Two games, no goals, and no goaltending! The Sharks were shutout 3-0 by the Columbus Blue Jackets last night. Jackets keeper Fredrik Norrena made 29 saves for the shutout win. The Montreal Canadiens who have been crashing and burning lately received some bad news yesterady as they have lost the services of goaltender Cristobal Huet for an indefinite period after injuring his hamstring during a loss to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. The Habs will be leaning on David Aebischer and call-up Jaroslav Halak till his return. Bill Guerin is scoring like his old self the last few weeks. The St. Louis Blues made his lone goal stand up, and Manny Legace made 19 saves to preserve the 1-0 shutout win over the Nashville Predators. The Predators will debut their newest acquisition Peter Forsberg today at home against the Minnesota Wild.
Game of the Night:
New Jersey at NY Islanders 7:00 PM
Atlanta at Ottawa 7:00 PM
Edmonton at Toronto 7:00 PM
Minnesota at Nashville 8:00 PM
Colorado at Calgary 10:00 PM
Good stuff today, and tonight. Grab a beer, lock the door, turn off the phone, sit back and enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The best just got better.
The Philadelphia Flyers have traded forward Peter Forsberg top the Nashville Predators for winger Scottie Upshall, defenceman Ryan Parent, and a first and third round pick in this years NHL Entry Draft.
Forsberg has been the most talked about player prior to the upcoming trade deadline this season. Forsberg has missed a large part of the season this year due to complications with his foot from summer surgery, but has put decent numbers. In 40 games this year, he has 11 goals, and 29 assists.
While Nashville is already stacked, and currently sitting in first place overall in the Western Conference, adding a Peter Forsberg to a lineup clearly makes you a better team. I think the Predators while clearly trying to make a Stanley Cup run this year, were looking at his post season production (162 points (61 goals, 101 assists) in 139 playoff games) and his playoff experience, but perhaps had another agenda. Consider this. Grabbing Forsberg also prevents them from having to face him if he were to be acquired by the Detroit Red Wings.
My buddy Jeff, who called to tell me about the trade thought it was a great move for Nashville because they've been built through the draft, and can afford to give up some prospects and picks to make a Cup push. Can't argue with that at all. One of the biggest problems in Nashville is the very real fact that they can't sell the game there. They've had much difficulty attracting fans, and getting corporate support, and this is the best team in the NHL! Forsberg brings a huge name and star power to a club that could really use it. Perhaps his arrival will not only bring a championship, but fill some seats. We'll see. Regardless, I love this move, and hope that Forsberg stays healthy just to see how deadly the Predators will become.
Game of the Night:
Nashville at St. Louis 8:00 PM
New look Predators will face off against St. Louis. Hopefully Forsberg will be in the lineup, and we will get a glimpse of what this team will become. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Nashville Predators are the NHL's best. Their 81 points have them sitting not only first place overall in the Western Conference, but a point better than the Eastern Conference leading Buffalo Sabres.
Nashville is keeping pace with the Detroit Red Wings who are also one point behind them with 80, and sit second in the Central Division, but fourth in the Western Conference (that is a buzz kill.....they own a 12 point lead over third place Vancouver too.
The Predators flexed their muscles against the San Jose Sharks last night. Defenceman Shea Weber potted two goals and goaltender Tomas Vokoun stopped all 22 Sharks shots he faced to pummell San Jose 5-0. The shutout was Vokoun's 4th this season, and the 10th for the Predators combined goaltending tandem with Chris Mason.
The Western Conference since the All Star Break seems to be opening up alot. The Minnesota Wild hold the 8th playoff spot with 67 points, and have a 7 point cushion over the 9th place Edmonton Oilers. Aside from the Predators and Red Wings (Zetterberg and Datsyuk did it again last night, and even made ESPN's Top 10 combining for a score in a 3-1 win over Dallas) battling for control of the Central and ultimately the Western Conference, tthe Northwest Division has a tight race between the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Minnesota Wild. Calgary and Vancouver have 68 points, and Minnesota has 67. In the Pacific, the Anaheim Ducks (74 points), San Jose Sharks (73 points), and Dallas Stars (70 points) are all fighting for control of the Division and the second seed in the West. It seems the elite in this Conference have really begun to separate themselves from the also-rans.
 The Eastern Conference is a lot tighter. The Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins (did you guys see Crosby in the overtime last night against the Blackhawks? I thought the puck was glued to his stick), and Ottawa Senators (3rd, 4th, and 5th place teams) all have 69 points. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in 6th with 66 points, the Carolina Hurricanes with 65, and the Habs in the final spot with 64. On the outside looking in, just two points out and tied for 9th, the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs, 5 points out the New York Rangers, and 8 points out the Boston Bruins. The Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals still have a chance being 9 and 10 points out as well. Aside from the Buffalo Sabres, and the New Jersey Devils who at this point are unstoppable, the rest of the Conference is really anybodies to win.
Game of the Night:
NY Rangers at Carolina 7:00 PM
Boston at NY Islanders 7:30 PM
Washington at Tampa Bay 7:30 PM
Six teams jockeying for playoff position. The playoffs have already begun for all of these clubs, so look for most of the games down the stretch to kick it up a notch. Boston is a few wins or losses away from being a buyer or seller at the trade deadline, so these games are very important. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Tonight's Show:
February 14th Show
We won't break your heart by not showing up, we're always here; however-- your favorite team may break your heart. Lyle Richardson from Spector's Hockey will tell us who will be buyers and who will be sellers at the deadline, as well as discuss the deals in the Western Conference. We'll talk about the proposed hockey game that'll make our friends overseas happy, plus talk about which goalies are down, which are out, and which are on the up. All that, plus the regulars on a loving FOHS.
TONIGHT AT 9PM EST!!
Click here to listen.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 What a night for goaltenders!
The New York Islanders appear to be in playoff mode already, and Rick DiPietro is without a doubt a in post-season mode. DiPietro stopped 39 shots last night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, including 16 in the third period. The Islanders only managed one shot on Raycroft in the third. I don't think I've ever seen the Islanders keeper more in the zone than he was last night. His hightlight reel save came early in the third (check the highlights for this one) off a Mats Sundin rebound that floated to Tomas Kaberle who had most of the net to shoot on.....DiPietro snatched the puck out of the air from near point blank range. His confidence was also high, as he began moving out of the crease challenging shooters (something Theodore doesn't do anymore) and severely cutting off their angles. The Islanders went on to take the game 3-2 in the shootout. The Islanders and Leafs are tied for 9th place in the East, just 2 points out of the 8th spot currently held by the struggling Habs.
If DiPietro can keep his play at this level, and the Islanders get into the playoffs, they are going to be dangerous....especially if they face the New Jersey Devils who have been owned by the New York club for the past two seasons.
Quick Shave:
Florida Panthers goaltender Ed Belfour made 24 saves against the Montreal Canadiens and made defenceman Jay Bouwmeester's lone goal stand for the 1-0 win. The victory was Belfour's 76th shutout of his NHL career. Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas made 32 saves to blank the Edmonton Oilers 3-0 last night. The win was Thomas' second by shutout this season. Recently acquired forward Brandon Bochenski (formerly of the Ottawa Senators, and Chicago Blackhawks....I think Don Cherry even annointed him as a possible Calder Trophy winner prior to last season) scored his 4th goal in 4 games with the B's. Colorado Avalanche goaltender Peter Budaj had an excellent rebound game last night against the Anaheim Ducks (who last night I found out, have the second worst record in the NHL since late December....how scary is that?). Budaj who was lit up for 4 goals against the Dallas Stars the other night responded by blanking the Ducks 2-0 for his second shutout win of the season. St. Louis Blues forward Bill Guerin joined the HTC last night in a 6-5 losing effort to the San Jose Sharks. Stache mentioned there are rumors swirling about him joining the Carolina Hurricanes..... which couldn't be too far from the truth as the Blues are stacked with plenty of veteran playoff rentals including him, Tkachuk, Weight, Rucinsky, and Dvorak. Don't be surprised if any or all of these guys are playing elsewhere next week. For more on rumors drop by Spector's Hockey, he covers all trade rumors.
Quick Shave:
Montreal at New Jersey 7:30 PM
San Jose at Nashville 8:00 PM
Detroit at Dallas 8:30 PM
Since we are coming down to the wire, more and more of these games are becoming very important. The Habs have been on quite a slide lately, and now find themselves barely holding on to the last playoff spot in the East. It's definitely desperation time in Montreal. The other two games are clearly pre-playoff matchups, and should be outstanding matches. Look for Detroit to come out hard after their recent thumping at the hands of the Flyers. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
I have to apologize to everyone in Detroit. The Red Wings lost last night because of the Captain's Curse. We made light of it, and joked about it, but I think now we all realize that Bosh is a bad luck charm, and one that should not be trifled with.
The Philadelphia Flyers pounded the Detroit Red Wings last night 6-1. Let me say that again. The Philadelphia Flyers pounded the Detroit Red Wings last night 6-1. Former Flyers Captain Keith Primeau who was forced to retire due to post concussion symptom (which could be beneficial since he may not remember much of this season) was honored last night during the pre-game, and then honored again by his former team mates as they put on a performance most have not seen since last season. Peter Forsberg scored the game winner late in the game, and the flood gates opened as the Flyers scored 4 more unanswered goals to rout the visiting Red Wings. The Flyers also scored two short handed goals, one of which included R.J. Umberger beating Lidstrom.....if that's not a curse...I don't know what is.
Quick Shave:
With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, we are seeing more and more deals come across the table, and the names involved in those transactions are also becoming bigger, more well known players. Yesterday, the Phoenix Coyotes traded forward Ladislav Nagy to the Dallas Stars for a first round pick, and forward Mathias Tjarnqvist. Philadelphia Flyers forward Peter Forsberg and owner Ed Snider have met to discuss his future with the club, and the NHL. Results of their meeting on Sunday have not been disclosed, but Forsberg is currently very sought after right now. Scouts from 8 different clubs were in attendance at tonight's game.
Game of the Night:
NY Islanders at Toronto 7:30 PM
This one probably would have been a lot more interesting if Peca wasn't out for the season.... but there has always been some bad blood between these two teams. Now they are both fighting for the same playoff spot in the East, so this game should be extra nasty. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Is there any doubt now?
Just days after talking about the greatness that is Martin Brodeur, the eventual Vezina Trophy winner delivered perhaps his worst performance since the last time I called him out for being an amazing keeper!
The Tampa Bay Lightning lit up the New Jersey Devils mainstay between the pipes 4-1 last night, including 2 goals in less than a minute by Nick Tarnasky (who apparently never scores), and Vincent Lecavalier. Martin Broduer even stated that 'they didn't play that bad' after allowing 4 goals on 27 shots.....and also was quoted that 'the bounces didn't go our way'.....I wonder why that is. Could it be the curse Marty? I think so brother.
Quick Shave:
The Detroit Red Wings played adequately last night and defeated the Calgary Flames 7-4 last night. At the request of my boys from Hockey Town, I won't elaborate more than that.....as no one on the Red Wings had a standout performance. The Edmonton Oilers destroyed the Atlanta Thrashers 5-1 last night. Petr Sykora of the Oilers assisted on just about every goal. Atlanta's Johan Hedberg got his first start in about a month, and looked a touch rusty. The Dallas Stars had themselves and old fashioned shootout with the Colorado Avalanche last night. The Stars took the game 7-5, on a night where neither teams goaltenders showed up to play. How bad is Jose Theodore? What the heck happened to this guy? Someone should look into whether or not he is intentionally throwing games. Dan Cloutier is making fun of him at this point.
Game of the Night:
Detroit at Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Only game on the card tonight. This could be one of the last times we see Forsberg in a Flyers uniform as the trade deadline is rapidly approaching......and playing Detroit, one of the many teams rumored to be seeking to rent the often injured forward for a playoff run. Look for the Red Wings to play ok tonight.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The New York Rangers need wins, desperately. The Rangers are at their best when Jaromir Jagr is leading them, and last night he did just that. Jagr not only set up 3 goals to lift the Rangers over the Capitals 5-2, and bring them within 3 points of the final playoff spot in the East, but his production also helped him pass yet another milestone in his Hall of Fame career.
Jaromir Jagr became the 12th player in NHL history tor reach 1,500 points last night. In 1,165 professsional games, Jagr has 612 goals, and 889 assists.
The 2006-2007 season has been loaded with milestone achievements all season. Honestly I can't remember a time when so many players have hit career bench marks in one season. This could be one fore the books. Since the start of the year, Jaromir Jagr, and Brendan Shanahan, both reached 600 goals, Teemu Selanne, Mats Sundin, and Peter Bondra passed the 500 goal mark, and if I remember correctly, on the same evening Bobby Holik got his 300th, Patrick Marleau his 200th, and Ian Laperriere his 100th. Not a bad year for NHL players, and for us as fans.
Game of the Night:
Calgary at Detroit 6:00 PM
This should be a goody. Although, Detroit may not have Dominik Hasek in net due to a wrist injury (he deserves the break anyway, and if you Wings fans want a lenghty playoff run, this should serve as a warning not to overwork this guy) this should still be a great matchup. Zetterberg and Datsyuk have been on fire for the Wings lately, and should be quite a test for Kiiprusoff and Flames. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur was at it again last night. Brodeur stopped all 25 shots the New York Islanders threw at him last night and recorded his 10th win by shutout this season. The 2-1 shutout win was also the 90th of his career.
Martin Brodeur aside from having a Vezina Trophy calibre season, is now 13 shutouts away from tying the legendary Terry Sawchuk's record. Thanks in large part to his play, the New Jersey Devils are now just 4 points behind the Buffalo Sabres, whose command of the Eastern Conference's top seed is currently in danger.
The last time I celebrated Brodeur's accomplishments, he and the Devils took a 3 game nose dive...... so I apologize in advance to all of you Devils fans out there.
Quick Shave:
Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby finally got a shootout goal last night! Crosby scored for the first time this season in the shootout to lift the Penguins over the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 last night. The Flyers have now lost 13 straight games..... man it must suck to be Flyers fan right now. The Penguins are now sitting pretty in 4th place overall in the Eastern Conference. Not bad for a team, no one aside from myself would do much this year. The Nashville Predators dropped the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 last night effectively ending their winning streak. The Ottawa Senators hammered the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 last night, thanks to a productive evening from forwards Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley. The Detroit Red Wings were shutout by the St. Louis Blues 1-0 last night. Blues goaltenders Manny Legace, and Curtis Sanford combined for the shutout win (Legace left the game with concussion like symptoms after being hit by Tomas Holstrom). In fairness, the Red Wings have played 9 games in the last 3 nights.....
Game of the Night:
Tampa Bay at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
If the Rangers don't start collecting some victories it is going to be a very long summer. The Rangers are well out of the playoff race sitting in 11th in the East. Tampa Bay has the 8th and final spot in the conference. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Two games against the Anaheim Ducks, and San Jose forward Jonathan Cheechoo scored 4 goals. Unfortunately, San Jose dropped the first of the home and home with Anaheim 7-4 on Tuesday night despite Cheechoo's production. Last night the San Jose Sharks took the second meeting 3-2, thanks to a late power play goal by Milan Michalek.
Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle was quoted saying "He's been a thorn in our side..." (pulled from TSN.ca). He really has. The broadcasters were melting over Cheechoo last night and continued to ladel his stats on me all night. During Cheechoo's Rocket Richard winning season last year, he had 5 hat tricks. The first player to record that many hat tricks in a season in 10 years (the last being Mario Lemieux). To come full circle to Carlyle's quote.... three of Cheechoo's hat tricks last season were against the Anaheim Ducks (then Mighty).
Altough he only has 20 goals on the season, he appears to finding the form that carried him to the goal scoring lead last season. If the last two games are any indication, I would look for Jonathan Cheechoo to have an impressive second half of the season. Although now that I've said that, look for him to never score a goal again.
Quick Shave:
Henrik Zetterberg is the man. Nobody, not even Cujo can stop this kid. Zetterberg recorded the 100th goal of his career last night, (as well as the 99th), in a two goal evening that helped lift the Detroit Red Wings over the Phoenix Coyotes 4-2. Zetterberg's 100th was also the game winner, and the Red Wings have now recorded 5 straight victories. Patrick Lalime returned to action last night (remember the former displaced Ottawa keeper?) as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, and you would have to say it was a successful debut. Lalime made 34 saves to blank the Vancouver Canucks 3-0, one of the hottest teams in the league. It was Lalime's 34th career win by shutout. Speaking of shutouts.....Rick DiPietro of the New York Islanders made 27 saves to shutdown, and shutout the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0. This is interesting..... according to rumors there are apparently several teams interested in acquiring defenceman Derian Hatcher from the Flyers. I can't imagine how he would improve a lineup or what the Flyers would recieve in exchange for him......I guess we'll see. Look for the Flyers to begin dumping salaries like the L.A. Kings have begun to do already. The Buffalo Sabres finally solved the Ottawa Senators, who have been one of the few teams able to consistentely defeat the Eastern Conference's top seed. The Sabres got a pair of goals from forward Thomas Vanek and went on to defeat the Sens 3-2.
Game of the Night:
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Toronto at Nashville 8:00 PM
I know, it's kind of like staring at a car accident on the side of the road..... but everytime Crosby and the Pens head to Philadelphia, we get highlight reel goals. Tonight should be no different. The Toronto Maple Leafs have strung together a few wins so of course every one in Toronto is convinced they will be winning the Stanley Cup this season. In fairness they have played some great hockey of late, so lets see how they fare against an elite team in the Nashville Predators (the team everyone in Toronto expects them to face in the finals). Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 I guess it's fair to say now that the chemistry and success of the Sedin twins and Anson Carter last year, was due largely in part to the pair of Swedes. Carter who has struggled to find the same production he did last season in Vancouver, has posted 24 points (9 goals, 15 assists) in 46 games played this year. The Sedins in 53 games this season have scored 99 points (27 goals, 72 assists) collectively for the Canucks.
The Sedin's put on an offensive clinic last night in Edmonton, exploding for 9 points (as the title of this article clearly states!). Daniel Sedin joined the NHL Hat Trick Club and also added a pair of assists. Henrik Sedin set up a pair of brother Daniels goals, along with one by Naslund, and the game winner by linemate Taylor Pyatt. The Canucks dismantled the Oilers 5-2 last night, who gave away multiple power play opportunities to their opponents. Raffi Torres (who I'm sure will be sitting in MacT's dog house today) received an unsportsmanlike conduct in the second to give the Canucks a 5 on 3 man advantage....which Naslund buried (Naslund is really starting to put the lotion in the basket again....nice!).
Oilers goaltender Dwayne Roloson had a sweet save last night on a Jan Bulis breakaway during the second (pretty sure it was the second), and helped keep his team in the game till the wheels finally came off in the third.
Quick Shave:
General Mess? No pun intended, but that's the way things are in New York right now. The New York Rangers dropped another game last night in a shootout to the New Jersey Devils 3-2. The blue shirts have shown little ability to close out games lately, and are slowly but suring falling out of the playoff picture. Mark Messier announced his desire to one day succeed Glen Sather as the GM of the New York Rangers upon his retirement. Messier stated that he plans on speaking to Sather about that soon. Ummmm, wouldn't it have been a good idea to talk to Sather before announcing it to the press? Just a thought. The Anaheim Ducks pounded the San Jose Sharks 7-4 last night. The Ducks opened the game up in the second and made it 6-1 at one point, before the Sharks fought back in the third to make it somewhat interesting. The two teams will face each other again tonight. Check out the Sharks Parker.......Playoff Beard of the Month potential there or what? Phoenix Coyotes Curtis Joseph made 28 saves to record his 50th career shutout last night in a 3-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to show they are for real. Last night taking down the West's best in the Nashville Predators 4-1.
The Carolina Hurricanes finally won a game. They narrowly defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 last night. Sergei Samsonov of the Habs, who has been the poster boy for BUST this season was put on waivers yesterday. Martin Havlat of the Chicago Blackhawks scored two late goals in the third to force overtime against the Calgary Flames. The Hawks went on to take the shootout win 3-2.
Game of the Night:
Ottawa at Buffalo 7:00 PM
Phoenix at Detroit 7:30 PM
San Jose at Anaheim 10:00 PM
Pretty good lineup tonight huh? I think all of these games are worthy of your attention. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Congratulations Jeff and Paul. The Red Wings are superior.
Yet again, another New York team surrenders a multi-goal lead in the third period to the Detroit Red Wings, and ultimately blows an easy two points. Last week the Red Wings entered the third period down by 3 goals to the New York Islanders.....and well they blew their DiPietro's off and took the game by scoring 65 goals in 3 seconds. I exaggerate slightly. The point is, the Isles were lax, and their complacent play led to a quick turn around by the Wings and an eventual win.
Did the Rangers learn anything from this? Of course not. They carried a very similiar 3-1 lead over the Red Wings into the third, and pretty much followed the Islanders script to the letter. Once Jiri Hudler scored to draw the Red Wings within a goal I knew the game was lost. Hudler hustled to block a clearing attempt by Henrik Lundqvist behind the net, and scored an akward wrap-around goal (wasn't this goal eerily similiar to the one Brind'Amour scored on Ty Conklin and the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the finals?). Robert Lang tied the match midway through the third, and Henrik Zetterberg potted the game winner roughly two minutes later......and the Red Wings left New York victorious 4-3.
Prior to the game, the Rangers made a deal with the Los Angeles Kings (who are selling everything right now) to acquire forward Sean Avery, and John Seymour for forward Jason Ward and prospects Marc-Andre Cliche, and Jan Marek. I doubt Avery is solution to the center issues the Rangers are trying to solve, and perhaps thought they needed some more enthusiasm.....which I'm sure he will provide. Avery is having a decent season offensively collecting 28 points this season through 55 games.
Game of the Night:
Buffalo at Atlanta 7:00 PM
Anaheim at San Jose 10:30 PM
Clash of the Titans tonight eh? The Best of East meet, and the Best of the West face off tonight. How cool is that? The correct answer is very cool. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 When the hate you in Montreal.....they really hate you. Sidney Crosby is the newest player to wear the scarlet letter in the Bell Centre as the Canadiens crowd verbally assaulted him for most of the game.....their is but one way to silence them Sid...but coughing up the puck in overtime is not the way to do it.
Tomas Plekanec stole the puck from Sidney Crosby and set up Habs defenceman Sheldon Souray for the game winning score midway through the overtime period and give the Canadiens the 4-3 win. It was Souray's 5th game winning goal of the season, and his 44th point (18 goals, 26 assists). Souray leads the Montreal Canadiens in points and goals.
David Aebischer made 31 saves to preserve the victory for the Canadiens. Aebischer has been playing alot more lately, and I believe yesterday was his third start in four games. I wonder if Carbonneau is showcasing him prior to the trade deadline? Aebischer could be an affordable playoff rental for a team that is lacking confidence in their goaltending..... Tampa Bay perhaps?
Quick Shave:
The Washington Capitals dispatched the New York Islanders in a tight affair yesterday. The only other game on the pre Super Bowl schedule. Capitals forward Alexander Semin scored the only goal in the shootout to give his club the 2-1 win over the Islanders. Ovechkin was shutdown for most of the game and held to a single shot on net.
Game of the Night:
Detroit at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Only one game on the evening, but it should be a pretty good one. New York Rangers forward Brendan Shanahan welcomes his old team the Detroit Red Wings to his new home. The Red Wings as usual have taken care of business this season, while the New York Rangers have been given the business, and sit outside the playoff bubble. Tonight's match should be emotionally charged, and perhaps Shanny will give his old mates some chin music. Enjoy the game!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Just about everyone will be watching the Colts and Bears kick it off this evening.....but the elite will be enjoying a rematch of Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens as they do battle for the second time this week.
The Penguins came away with the 5-4 shootout victory after blowing a 2 goal lead in the third to the Montreal Canadiens days ago in Pittsburgh. Their last meeting had fights, hits, and scoring galore, followed by Coaches slinging verbal assaults at each other and the referees. Today the Penguins travel North to the Bell Centre in Montreal to face their rivals today at 2:00 PM EST. Crack those brews open early kids and enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Much like the NHL, the Dragons revealed their new look jerseys last night, and for the first time ever actually looked like a team (normally we are a mixture of NHL, practice, and beer league jerseys). 60% of the time, we play like a team every time. That makes no sense.
The Dragons unveiled their new look against the Coyotes last night and took it to their opponents quickly with two first period goals, and never looked back. Dragons keeper Jose 'My slacks are goalie cut' Alicea closed the doors on the 'Yotes to preserve the 5-1 victory. The Dragons got a big night from power forward Bob Marrone who had a two point evening (1 goal, 1 assist) for his club. Defenseman Bill Ecklyn was solid on the blueline last night breaking up multiple odd man opportunities including a beautiful Van Damme split at center rink to prevent a breakaway (Bill is icing down his marbles as you read this). The Dragons face off against their rivals the Wolfpack next Friday at 10.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Calgary Flames welcomed back their star forward Jarome Iginla last night and were rewarded. Iginla had missed the Flames last 11 matches due to a knee injury returned last night to face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets and scored a goal and two assists.
The Flames hammered the Blue Jackets 6-2 last night handing them their second loss in a row following a confidence building 4 game winning streak. Craig Conroy recently acquired from the Los Angeles Kings, was reunited with his old linemate and setup Iginla's score in the first period. This is most certainly a taste of things to come as these two are likely to rediscover the chemisty that helped them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2004. If Conroy is available in your leagues, you may want to consider picking him up, as he is certainly going to be picking up quite a few assists riding shotgun with Iginla. I've already seen him snatched up in two of my leagues.
Quick Shave:
The only other game on the night (and game of the night) saw the Detroit Red Wings defeat the St. Louis Blues 5-3. Henrik Zetterberg had a fantasy owner's dream evening scoring a goal and three assists, as did Niklas Lidstrom who had three helpers. Dominik Hasek made 24 saves on the night for the win. Rumors are abound in St. Louis, and it appears the Keith Tkachuk may be on the New York Rangers wish list. There are quite a few players in St. Louis who could be wearing the 'rent-a-player' tag if the Blues don't inch closer to the playoffs by the trade deadline at the end of February. Don't be surprised to see Bill Guerin and Martin Rucinsky added to playoff bound rosters.
Game of the Night:
Buffalo at New Jersey 7:30 PM
I'm curious to see how the Devils will defend a team as well balanced as the Buffalo Sabres. They seem to always have the answer for one line teams (like the Rangers), but how will they play against the best team in the East? Tune in to find out! Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Two nights ago, I turned off the New York Islanders vs. Detroit Red Wings game too early. The Islanders had a healthy 3 goal lead on the Wings entering the third and for the most part looked like this was the Islanders game to blow. And blow it they did.
Last night, the Penguins had a 3-1 lead on the Habs, and I did the same thing.....however the force called me back, and I turned the game on late in the third to find the score 4-4. What I witnessed from that point forward was some of the best hockey I've seen this season. First off, you have to watch the highlights of this game (you can find them here) which from the start was deemed 'playoff' style hockey by Pierre McGuire (who sounded less angry than usual last night...perhaps they expanded his mini-sin bin?). The opening face off began with a Maxim Lapierre butt end to Sidney Crosby's ribs which dropped him to the ice (I think he over exaggerated the fall a bit, but he did take the hit)....the tone of the game was more or less set from that point forward. The Penguins as I said took a 2 goal lead, and that is when the Bosher decided to move on to more zambonied pastures.....much to my misfortune.
Colby Armstrong took a run at Canadiens captain Saku Koivu and smeared him across the end boards......which Habs defenceman took exception to, and smeared Armstrong's face all over the ice by essentially beating the stuffing out of him. Souray was given the door, and ejected from the game. By the time I returned the Habs had tied the game up, and Pierre McGuire was preaching about how this game should be bottled and marketed by the NHL to the world. Corny expressions aside, the man was right. Intense, exciting, and passionate play was certainly on display.
I think NHL Center Ice needs to have a 'Red Zone' style channel similiar to NFL Ticket, that automatically switches your screen to the game that is most exciting (jumping between a night where 11 games are playing can be difficult.....thus my missing portions of this one).
Overtime was outstanding. How great is 4 on 4 hockey? Almost as good as 3 on 3, which part of the overtime consisted of, and that had to be the coolest thing I've seen. The big difference in this game, was Marc Andre Fleury, especially in overtime. He stopped several golden opportunities, and was solid in the shootout. Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Evgeni Malking scored the eventual game winner during the shootout. Sidney Crosby still hasn't potted one yet, missing again last night, going 0-7 on the season.....but let's be honest.....you don't throw away a Ferrari because it has a scratch on it. This kid is incredible, and finished the evening with 3 assists.
How's this for a pre-Superbowl appetizer? The Penguins visit the Habs Sunday at 2:00 PM. Talk about game of the night (day)!
 Quick Shave:
I'm not going to curse this guy with my praise, but you have to give it up for Yanic Perreault. The Phoenix Coyotes forward who has become Captain Clutch this season, scored another game winner (he now has 5 on the season) late in the third, to help his team beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 last night. Huge win for the Coyotes. Their confidence has to be riding an all time high right now, and deservedly so. If Perreault is available in your leagues, grab him (I own him in two now). Vancouver Canucks forward Markus Naslund put the finishing touch on a 5-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers last night. Naslund's game winning goal was his 4th tally in 9 games and is showing signs of breaking out of his goal scoring slump (which is awesome since he is also on my roster). The Dallas Stars swept the home and home series with the San Jose Sharks by taking the second meeting 4-2 last night. What's going on with the Carolina Hurricanes? They can't seem to buy a win lately. Last night they were shutout by the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0. Lightning goaltender Johan Holmqvist made 31 saves for his first ever NHL shutout. The Buffalo Sabres beat up on the Boston Bruins again last night (doesn't seem like these two teams have played each other 20 times this season) 3-1. Chris Drury of the Sabres had two goals on the evening, and backup keeper Martin Biron made 33 save to complete the win. Recently traded Jamie Lundmark scored his first goal of the season last night for the Los Angeles Kings. Unfortunately the goal came in a losing effort to the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime.
Game of the Night:
St. Louis at Detroit 7:30 PM
Columbus at Calgary 9:00 PM
Only two games on the card for tonight, but both look good to me. Two upstarts versus two powerhouses. Columbus and St. Louis have both been climbing and stringing victories together, but both are clearly under-dogs in these matches. Manny Legace will try to outduel his old team in Detroit, and Craig Conroy will try and make his reunion in Calgary continue in style. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 All it too was one turnover, and Mats Sundin on a breakaway to end the Rangers winning streak.
Tied at 1 goal a peice in the third, Sundin took a pass from Ian White and scored on the breakaway beating countryman Henrik Lundqvist, to give the Leafs the eventual 2-1 win last night at the Garden. The Leafs have now won 5 of their last 6 games and are now tied with the Rangers for 9tth place in the Eastern Conference.
Brendan Shanahan ripped into the referees last night for the lack of calls on the liberties taken on Jaromir Jagr. His response to said action was very passionate, as well as lengthy, and you can read it here. I can't recall anything blatant last night, but from Shanahan's view point, he may see things we don't. Jagr for some reason is hated around the league, at least by the fans, and is booed no matter where he goes. That makes no sense to me, but hey it's your dollar. I'm not sure if the referees have an agenda against him, but there will obviously be a closer watch on the officiating during the next Rangers game.
Quick Shave:
The Phoenix Coyotes almost pulled it off last night, largely in part to their goaltender Curtis Joseph. Cujo kept the Anaheim Ducks off the board till they finally broke through midway through the third period. Moen and McDonald scored two goals less than 2 minutes apart to take the win 2-1. The Coyotes are for real. Yeah, they lost, but they did hang tough with one of the best in the league last night.....and now that I've celebrated their greatness expect them to go on a 9 game losing streak. The Edmonton Oilers stopped the Columbus Blue Jackets winning streak at 4 games last night. The Oilers defeated the Jackets 5-2 last night.
Game of the Night:
Nashville at Phoenix 9:00 PM
Dallas at San Jose 10:30 PM
Go West my friends! Yeah I wanna watch Phoenix do battle again, against the best. This time its' the Western Conference Leading Nashville Predators. The second game is the rematch of the Home and Home between Dallas and San Jose. Dallas stole the game from the Sharks Wednesday night, so look for some retribution from San Jose. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Guide to Grading the Playoff Beard | About the Beard | Beard of the Month
Fantasy Hockey | The Face Off Hockey Show | The Dragons | Contact | Home
Copyright © 2006 Playoff Beard .com. All rights reserved.
|
