Hockey

Two teams who have been sitting outside of the Stanley Cup Finals for quite some time finally get the chance to win Lord Stanley’s Cup.  Boston has not seen the Finals since 1990 when they lost to the Edmonton Oilers in five games.  The Vancouver Canucks are well-documented in their last Stanley Cup Final appearance, when they lost in that memorable seven-game series to the New York Rangers in 1994. 

Continue reading "Stanley Cup Finals Preview: Boston ..."

Over and over again, we have seen penalties hurt a team’s chance of winning games in the 2010-11 NHL Playoffs.  These penalties have been turning into power-play goals with one flick of the wrist or one wind-up from the point.  How important is it to be that guy that gets the all-important power-play goal to give his team a mental edge?

Continue reading "Behind the Numbers: Does the Power-Play ..."

The point is getting pretty clear right about now.

The New York Islanders turned some heads in late-January when they claimed former NHL all-star Evgeni Nabokov off waivers.  That is not what the media is talking about though; after all, NHL followers are used to players getting claimed off waivers after playing in Europe, getting a contract from an NHL team then having to go through the NHL’s questionable waiver process.  Just ask the St. Louis Blues.

Continue reading "“Wow, what’s the point?”"

What else can go wrong for Craig Anderson?

After suffering a freak knee-injury in warm-ups on October 26, Anderson was the victim of a groin injury Wednesday against Vancouver.  The knee injury came when Anderson was doing a routine wrap-up in warm-ups that consists of all of the Avalanche skaters converging on Anderson in the crease, trying to shove a puck past him.  But Anderson came out of the shuffle with a knee injury that sidelined him ten games, in which the Avalanche went 6-3-1 and outscored their opponents 38-27 during his absence.  Anderson came back with a swift punch to the New York Rangers, stopping 25 out of 26 shots, including a fantastic sprawling save on Marc Staal in the slot.  The Avalanche went on to demolish the Rangers 5-1.  Things were looking very bright in Denver, as the Avalanche played brilliantly without Anderson, and then the star goalie makes a return in a convincing win.  Things sure can change in just a few short days.

Continue reading "Colorado May Struggle Without Anderson"

what will happen until July hits and the players jump into the open market.  Stay tuned to NHL Hockey Online for analysis of each move, as well as my twitter @jponder94 for the breaking ev

Continue reading "Free Agency Spoilers"

y the rules are now, if Byfuglien goes to the front of the net, Pronger can't touch him,” NBC Hockey analyst Mike Milbury said.  “He can have action when the puck's around the crease, but if Byfuglien wants to go to the front of the net, all he has to do is stand there.

Continue reading "Pronger – Byfuglien Battle Takes Center Stage"

Andy Strickland of HockeyBuzz.com wrote this piece shortly after the deadline:

“The easiest way to end a conversation with Blues management is to ask for Oshie who is one of the few Blues players considered untouchable.”

Continue reading "Is Oshie Truly 'Untouchable'?"

thought may lead to the key for the Blues to be more of a playoff-contender next season.

Hockey Buzz's Andy Strickland eluded to this in a recent article as well.

“It is a major concern though that Alex Steen is the Blues leading goal scorer,” Strickland wrote last week.  “How nice would it have been if this guy had his 20 plus snipes and a few others had performed to their abilities as well? “

Continue reading "Steen Should be Top-Priority"

Tippett does not get a nomination for the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year, the Professional Hockey Writers' Association will be making a huge mistake.  Tippett has done everything

Continue reading "Tippett is Clear-Cut Best Coach"

It seems that Leafs' GM Brian Burke has not needed sleep this weekend.

Burke announced on Sunday morning that the team had made two blockbuster moves that will see all-star defenseman Dion Phaneuf and all-star goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere in Maple Leaf jerseys.  Burke shipped forwards Jamal Mayers, Matt Stajan, and Nick Hagman with defenseman Ian White to the Flames for Phaneuf, forward Fredrik Sjostrom and prospect Keith Aulie.  The second trade involved Giguere heading to Toronto from Anaheim for forward Jason Blake and goaltender Vesa Toskala.

Continue reading "Maple Leafs Make Some Big Moves"

” stated Doug Stolhand of PuckPodcast.com during his weekly podcast.  Andy Strickland of HockeyBuzz.com also feels confident about this team: “Offensively this team can score. All four lines can play in the offensive end. They forecheck and apply pressure on the puck.”

Continue reading "Blues-Canucks Series Preview"

With injuries to NHL-regular forwards Paul Kariya, Andy McDonald, T.J. Oshie and Dan Hinote, the St. Louis Blues have had to mix and match players throughout the entire season.  Blues fans have seen the likes of Rivermen Cam Paddock, Brad Winchester, Steve Regier and Chris Porter so far in 2008, not to mention the waiver wire going directly through the Blues, as tough guys David Koci and B.J. Crombeen were picked up at different points (Koci has since been dropped).  With all of these players bouncing around between Peoria and St. Louis, why have there not been any Lemtyugov sightings for Blues fans?

Continue reading "Let's See Lemtyugov!"

They say that of the few industries that benefit from a rocky, let’s face it – horrifying, economy is the alcohol business. Indirectly, there is another industry related to booze consumption, and that’s sports. You guessed it.

Continue reading "Sports + Booze = History"