Moose Put Best Skills Forward

I had the privilege tonight of attending MTS Centre for the second annual Manitoba Moose Super Skills Challenge, and I was quite impressed with the skills set that the 2010-11 AHL squad has assembled. Like the NHL Skills Competition, there were four skills that were tested: fastest skater, shooting accuracy, hardest shot, and the breakaway. Much like last year's event, the main goal was to have fun and to give the fans some excellent player interaction, and that goal was met and exceeded once again. However, let's take a look at how the players fared in each of the categories.

Fastest Skater

Times will be listed per player as they skate one lap of the rink from the center ice line.

Team Green: Jordan Schroeder, Bill Sweatt, and Kevin Clark.
Team White: Shawn Weller, Chris Tanev, and Yann Sauvé.

Schroeder - 14.48 seconds.
Weller - 14.53 seconds.
Sweatt - 14.16 seconds.
Tanev - 14.72 seconds.
Clark - 14.57 seconds.
Sauvé - 14.56 seconds.

Team Green picks up the five points on Bill Sweatt's lap around the rink in 14.16 seconds. There were no false starts this year as the technology seemed to work much better, so that's a nod to the Moose for improving upon last year where there was at least one false start. None of last season's participants in the fastest skater event competed this season.

Accuracy Shooting

The Moose change it up a little this year by only having the targets in each of the corners of the net. Players will shoot from the high slot once again while receiving passes from two teammates.

Team Green: Joel Perrault, Sergei Shirokov, and Nolan Baumgartner.
Team White: Marco Rosa, Cody Hodgson, and Jonas Andersson.

Perreault - 3/9 in 20 seconds.
Rosa - 4/6 in 16.9 seconds.
Shirokov - 4/5 in 12.4 seconds.
Hodgson - 4/5 in 10.8 seconds.
Baumgartner - 4/6 in 13.8 seconds.
Andersson - 4/7 in 16.7 seconds.

Thanks to Cody Hodgson's quick and accurate shooting, Team White picks up the five points for the win in the accuracy shooting event. Shirokov was just as accurate as Hodgson, but Hodgson's faster time gave his team the victory. Both Rosa and Shirokov participated last year, and both went 5/9 last season.

Hardest Shot

Players tee off from high slot area just between the top of the faceoff circles. Each player will have three attempts to blow away the radar gun whereas they only had two attempts last season. The bolded speed represents the player's hardest shot.

Team Green: Travis Ramsey, Lee Sweatt, and Kevin Connauton.
Team White: Victor Oreskovich, Ryan McGinnis, and Aaron Volpatti.

Oreskovich - 89 mph, 94 mph, and 95 mph.
Ramsey - 90 mph, 98 mph, and 94 mph.
McGinnis - 90 mph, 90 mph, and 91 mph.
Sweatt - 92 mph, 95 mph, and 94 mph.
Volpatti - 94 mph, 93 mph, and 93 mph.
Connauton - 96 mph, 95 mph, and 97 mph.

Travis Ramsey successfully defends his Super Skills win from last season as he records the hardest shot for the second straight year. With the win in this event, Team Green improves to a 10-5 score on Ramsey's 98-mph bullet, and he improves upon his 97-mph blast from last season.

Breakaway Relay

The two teams squared off in a one-on-goalie competition where all of the Moose skaters attempted a breakaway on the opposing team's goaltender. Eddie Lack dressed for Team Green while Team White had Tyler Weiman in net. All of the players will be listed as to how they fared. An "X" represents a stop while an "O" represents a goal.

Team Green: Nolan Baumgartner, Lee Sweatt, Travis Ramsey, Kevin Connauton, Jordan Schroeder, Joel Perrault, Evan Oberg, Kevin Clark, Bill Sweatt, Stefan Schneider, and Sergei Shirokov.
Goaltender: Eddie Lack.
Team White: Jeff Tambellini, Cody Hodgson, Aaron Volpatti, Marco Rosa, Victor Oreskovich, Jason Pitton, Shawn Weller, Ryan McGinnis, Chris Tanev, Yann Sauvé, and Jonas Andersson.
Goaltender: Tyler Weiman.

Perrault - O. Perrault puts a sick move on Weiman.
Weller - X.
Baumgartner - X.
Hodgson - X.
Oberg - X.
Tanev - X.
Lee Sweatt - X.
Volpatti - X.
Schroeder - X.
Rosa - O. Rosa finds room behind Lack with a wrist shot.
Ramsey - X.
Tambellini - X.
Connauton - O. The defenceman slips the backhander behind Weiman.
Oreskovich - X.
Clark - X. The hometown boy's lacrosse-style shot went high.
McGinnis - X.
Bill Sweatt - X.
Jason Pitton - O. The recent ECHL call-up scores on a backhander.
Shirokov - X.
Sauvé - X.
Schneider - X.
Andersson - X.

With the shootout tied at 2-2, sudden-death was needed to determine which goaltender picked up the five points for his team, as well as finding out who would score the all-important competition-winning goal.

Perrault - X. His five-hole attempt was stopped by Weiman.
Tambellini - O. Tambellini wristed a shot cleanly past Lack.

With Team White's Tyler Weiman winning the shootout, the two teams were tied at 10-10, but Tambellini's shootout winner earned the 3-2 shootout win for Team White game them the 13-12 victory in the 2010 Manitoba Moose Super Skills Challenge! After celebrating the victory and mobbing Tambellini, Team White posed with the trophy at center ice.

Another fun-filled evening at MTS Centre was enjoyed by the fans who made their way downtown. There was lots of stuff to see and do along the concourse, but most everyone enjoyed the interaction with the players. The players themselves have some bragging rights now and Team White has a victory to defend next season, but there's no doubt that the Moose are doing the right thing in keeping a pulse on the fanbase. It also helps when the fans show up to meet the players of the local team, especially the little ones who love an autograph from their favorite players.

Kudos to the Manitoba Moose for a great evening of fun, laughter, and some pond hockey skills!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Great Manitoban Story

There have been a great number of excellent hockey players that have come out of the province of Manitoba. Legends such as Terry Sawchuk, Bobby Clarke, Turk Broda, and Billy Mosienko are some of the men who have made the province proud with their long careers and many successes in the NHL. Others such as Jonathan Toews, Nigel Dawes, Eric Fehr, and Duncan Keith are still writing chapters into their own histories that will one day make Manitobans proud of their achievements. The stories that are rarely talked about, however, are those of the career minor-league players who have given their lives to various cities around the globe with little or no fanfare outside of those cities. Credit goes to Mr. Bob McKenzie of TSN.ca who wrote an excellent article about one of these men, and a native Manitoban.

It all started with the Chill in Columbus, but it wasn't long before he was a Riverfrog in Louisville and then an Icecap in Raleigh. Twice.

He was an Admiral in Milwaukee, a Riverman in Peoria. Twice. A Viper in Detroit, a Griffin in Grand Rapids. Twice, in two different leagues. A K-Wing in Kalamazoo. Four times, in four different leagues. A Giant in Belfast. Twice. A Bandit in Jackson, a Fury in Muskegon and a Jackalope in Odessa.

By our count, it's been 12 cities, six leagues (American, International, East Coast, United, Central and British), 904 regular-season minor pro games and counting and more bus miles than you could possibly imagine in the 16th pro season for 38-year old Kory Karlander, the oldest active player in the ECHL.

"The years kind of creep up on you and that's true for me," the Kalamazoo K-Wing centre from Melita, Man., says. "It's my 16th pro season and if anyone asks why I still do it, I guess the answer is pretty obvious...I love what I do. It's never stopped being fun for me."

If the name sounds vaguely familiar, it should. Kory's uncle, Al Karlander, played 212 NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings in the early 1970s, after being drafted out of Michigan Tech by the Wings in the second round of the 1967 amateur draft and added another 269 games in the WHA with the New England Whalers and Indianapolis Racers.

Kory's dad Ken, along with Al, came from Lac La Hache in the Cariboo region of British Columbia though they attended and played hockey at the famed Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Sask.

"My dad and my uncle used to hitch-hike all the way (1,600 kilometres) from Lac La Hache to Wilcox at the beginning of every school year," Kory says of a story he likes to regale his younger teammates with each season. "When my Uncle Al went to Michigan Tech for his first year of college, he was hitch-hiking from Lac La Hache to Houghton, Mich., and he phoned then to say he was on his way and they told him he was already a week and a half late, that he should have been there already. I guess he was having a tough time getting a ride."

With bloodlines like that, we shouldn't be too surprised that Kory Karlander is still grinding it out in a minor pro hockey odyssey as he heads towards age 40.

The ECHL is no longer the dead-end loop it used to be. It's two rungs below the NHL, one below the well-respected American Hockey League and there's a fair bit of traffic between the AHL and ECHL. It's not unheard of for ECHL grads - Chad Larose and Alex Burrows come immediately to mind - to make it to the NHL. That said, there are three types of players in the ECHL. A limited number on the way up, many who think they still have a chance to be on the way up and those just marking time, collecting somewhere between the league minimum of $410 per week ($370 for rookies) and the $850 weekly that the veteran Karlander gets from the K-Wings, as well as a housing allowance that helps take care of Karlander's mortgage on his permanent residence in Grand Rapids, Mich., about an hour from the rink in Kalamazoo.

"I obviously haven't gotten rich playing hockey but I've done well enough to help support my family," Karlander says. "I've got a lot of memories. I wouldn't trade any of it for anything. I love playing the game."

Karlander is married. His wife Shelly is a registered nurse who works in Grand Rapids and that obviously helps the family's financial picture. Kory and Shelly have a three-year-old son, Karsten, and Shelly has two sons of her own, 15-year old Ethan and 23-year old D.J., who attends Ferris State University. Karlander admits it takes a very understanding wife to allow him to follow his hockey-playing dreams and he couldn't do it without Shelly's support.

It is not lost on Karlander that he has a 23-year-old stepson who is older than many of his K-Wing teammates.

"That's pretty funny when you think about it," Karlander says.

The average age in the ECHL this season is 24.4. There are 18 players age 30 or older in the league, so it's not as if Karlander is the only thirty-something still kicking around.

In fact, K-Wing teammate Sam Ftorek, the son of former NHL coach and WHA scoring star Robbie Ftorek, is 36 and the second oldest player in the league.

"It's nice to have some company my own age," Karlander says of Ftorek.

Mind you, age is a matter of perspective. Karlander played the last two seasons before this one in Odessa in the Central Hockey League and he was a veritable kid compared to the elder statesman in the CHL.

Jeff Christian, a former London Knight who was a second-rounder of the New Jersey Devils in 1988, is 40 and still playing in the CHL with the Mississippi River Kings, having logged 1,259 regular season games and counting as a pro, including 18 games in the NHL. Ex-Hull Olympique defenceman Guy Dupuis, a Detroit Red Wing third-rounder in the 1988 draft, is also 40 and a fixture with the CHL's Fort Wayne Komets, with 1,379 regular season games and still counting.

Small wonder then that Karlander still feels like a kid, who has no plans to hang 'em up just yet.

"As long as I've got a place to play, why not?" he says. "I've always thought to get to 1,000 (regular season) games would be special. If I stay healthy and I am able to play next season, I'll hit it. That's a goal, for sure."

He hasn't given any thought to playing into his 40s but he's not ruling it out either.

It's been years now since he's thought about playing a game in the NHL, the dream that keeps many in the minors going. It was probably about five years ago, while playing for Grand Rapids in the American League, that his hopes were raised to a realistic level only to come up short and realize that if it didn't happen then, it wasn't going to happen.

"It was my second tour of duty in Grand Rapids and, like it is now, that was Detroit's affiliate," Karlander recalls. "Detroit ran into a real rash of injuries and a lot of guys were getting called up. I was off to a real good start that year, a point a game, and I really thought there was a chance I might get up for a game but it never happened. That was the closest I ever got. Once that moment passed, I knew that was it for me (as far playing a game in the NHL). Having played more than 300 pro games, I had to get veteran status in the AHL and with no NHL experience, I knew the writing was on the wall for me (playing in the AHL regularly) and that's probably when the (NHL) dream died."

But he still enjoyed playing the game for the game's sake. He won a UHL, aka U-Haul, championship in 2006 with Kalamazoo, one of two championships (the other was in Belfast with the Giants) on his resume.

Karlander plays the game now the way you would expect a 38-year-old to play it. Wisely. He moves well for a senior hockey citizen but is usually on the right side of the puck and uses his guile and experience to read plays both offensively and defensively. I watched him in a pair of games recently against the Florida Everblades and he won just about every face-off he took. He's always been good on the draw and killing penalties.

"You know why he wins so many face-offs, don't you?" my (then injured ECHL player) son told me as we watched the game together. "Because he's probably taken more faceoffs than any man in all of professional hockey. Think about it, 16 pro seasons, playing mostly in leagues where they only have three lines. I bet you he has the unofficial world record for most face-offs taken by a still active player."

Karlander laughs at the recounting of that story and doesn't disagree.

"I have taken an awful lot of face-offs and if you talk to me, I'm not sure I'd ever admit to losing one," he says, laughing. "I actually became a lot more valuable player when they changed the rules to put all the face-offs in the offensive zone after a penalty. Face-offs have become a lot more important so I find myself on the ice taking them a lot more. It's been great."

Being around the kids has helped keep Karlander young, too.

He says he gets a hybrid of respect, reverence and ridicule for being 38 and still playing a young man's game.

"The kids are really great, for the most part," he says. "They'll ask me a lot of questions about the game or what it was like and they're genuinely interested. And they're really respectful when it comes to things like taking a seat in the bus. They're always saying, 'I'm not in your seat, am I?' But they also like to have some fun at my expense and that's fine and I kind of contribute to it. I should know better. They were talking about XBox 360 the other day and I mentioned that I was underprivileged as a kid because my parents wouldn't buy me an Atari or Nintendo, the best we had was a Commodore Vic 20 and they really had a good laugh at that. My idea of video games is Space Invaders and Asteroids.

"One guy said to me, 'Hey, you've been around so long you have the seen the entire evolution of the hockey stick.' Stuff like that is pretty funny."

One can only imagine the stories Karlander has from 16 years in the low minors.

"Yeah, you could say I'm like Reg Dunlop I (of Slap Shot fame)," he says. "Lots of stories, not many you can print."

He remembers playing for Raleigh in the old ECHL in a game in Las Vegas, which was the first arena he'd ever played at where they had a video scoreboard. As he was being introduced skating onto the ice as part of the starting lineup, he looked up to see himself on the scoreboard screen. He was so mesmerized by the technology and seeing his visage on the scoreboard that he took a header over the red carpet that was laid out for the anthem singer.

"Definitely the most embarrassing moment," he says.

Great memories, for sure. He no doubt knows where a lot of minor league bodies are buried, but also where to find a lost pay cheque or two, notably in the Kalamazoo dressing room he now calls home. He's played more games in Kalamazoo than any other city and knows every nook and cranny of the room.

"They have the benches in the dressing room bolted to the wall and the seats flip up to store your stuff underneath," Karlander says. "There's a space though between the wall and the bench and I can't tell you how many times I've dropped my pay cheque down that crack. Once it goes in, there's no getting it back, so you have to get another cheque issued. I played with Marty Turco in Kalamazoo way back when. I know exactly where Marty sat and I know he lost at least one of his pay cheques down there the same as I did. I've often thought about getting the benches unbolted from the wall and getting that Marty Turco pay cheque out of there. I could get him to sign it. They wouldn't cash it now but it would be pretty good hockey memorabilia."

Karlander has played with plenty of guys who gone on to play in 'The Show', including Turco. When Karlander was in Grand Rapids five years ago, he played with Jiri Hudler, Tomas Kopecky, Joey MacDonald and even Curtis Joseph for a couple of games. In Belfast, he had ex-NHLers Paul Kruse and Dennis Vial on his team.

He cites Mark Reeds (now with Owen Sound in the OHL), with whom he won a championship in Kalamazoo, as the best coach he ever played for, but has a special place in his heart for his first pro coach, Moe Mantha, with the Columbus Chill in 1995-96. It was Mantha who may have had the most profound impact on a young kid fresh out of Northern Michigan University.

"Moe inspired me and taught me what it was to be a pro hockey player," Karlander recalls. "Moe said just because you're getting a pay cheque to play hockey doesn't make you a pro hockey player. He said being a pro was about accountability and playing the game the right way. He gave us a motivational booklet to start the playoffs and there was a quote on one page that is something to the effect of, it's easy to work hard and do your job when you hear of the roar of the crowd but it's a lot more difficult to do the hard work when there's no one there to see you or cheer you on. That's always stuck with me. I had that page laminated and I hang it somewhere I can always see it. In the summer, it's on the squat rack when I'm working out.

"I guess, if anything, that's the message I try to pass along to the kids I play with now. Be a pro. Respect the game. Our captain (24 year old) Wes O'Neill noticed that (36 year old) Sam (Ftorek) was unloading the bus and Wes apologized to me and said he'll make sure that never happens again, but you know what, if Sam or me unloading the bus makes some kid think twice before he complains about getting stuck with the job next time, well, that's a good lesson for that guy to learn. For me, playing the game now is all about how you conduct yourself. Being the age I am, you're going to get a certain amount of unconditional respect just for being old, but I still want to earn it."

So Karlander will just keep on playing. And when no team in no league will have him any more, only then will he hang 'em up, hopeful that he'll be able to coach at the pro level and impart the wisdom of the ages on more young kids.

"I still like to compete," he says. "I still like to play. I just love this game."

I really appreciate a story like Mr. Karlander's being told. If playing was only about making it to the NHL, there would be a lot of unhappy hockey players across the globe right now. Instead, Mr. Karlander shows that he's happy, doing very well, and still playing the game he loves so dearly.

If there is one thing we can teach children today, it's that you don't have to be rich and famous to enjoy doing the things that you love. Lots of people would like to be rich and famous, but they really only make up about 5% of the world. If given the opportunity to live Mr. Karlander's life, I'd jump at it in a heartbeat because he sounds like he really loves what he does.

What really makes it great is that he is teaching kids and young hockey players about life lessons. One has to work hard, earn other people's respect, and never give up to be successful at anything one does. If one does that, one will be a rich person until the day he or she quits. Those are the lessons that all kids should be taught, and Mr. Karlander lives and breathes those lessons daily on top of doing something that he loves day in and day out.

Wouldn't it be great to find a job like that? It's a great story from a great Manitoban kid who is still living his dream. And that's the lesson that needs to be told to all hockey players regardless of age - never give up on the dream!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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TBC: The Love Of Hockey

Teebz's Book Club returns for a second day with a look at a book filled with facts and fun. There are a lot of stories and fun facts that are missed by a majority of the population, and this could be caused by a number of factors: how widely known these facts are, where they happened, or simply how common they are in the hockey world, for example. There aren't many places, though, that bring them together in one place where you can read about them. However, The Love of Hockey, written by James Duplacey and published by Publications International Limited, brings together a ton of facts, and it was very interesting to read about some of them.

James Duplacey has written over fifty books on various sports. HBIC has featured one of these, Hockey's Book of Firsts. Duplacey is the former Curator of the Hockey Hall of Fame and is the Managing Editor of the Official NHL Guide and Record Book. The 56 year-old graduated from the University of New Brunswick, has done some acting in the past, and is an author for the Armchair Reader series of books. He currently resides in Calgary, Alberta, and occasionally contributes articles about the Calgary Flames to the examiner.com.

It would be tough to describe this book without giving you an example of what is contained within its covers, but I can tell you that this collection of facts and figures is simply astounding, and the pictures that accompany the information are vivid and very appropriate. Mr. Duplacey has broken the book into six chapters, and we'll look at a few facts from the first of these sections.

Chapter One is entitled "Opening Faceoff", and there are all sorts of amazing anecdotes in this section. Some of these include:

• The story of 44 year-old head coach Lester Patrick suiting up for the New York Rangers as their goaltender after Lorne Chabot went down with injury. Next to the story is a picture of "the silver fox" in his Rangers gear - an image rarely seen!
• There's a story about Jim Riley, the only Canadian to suit up in both MLB and the NHL in his sporting career. Riley played with the St. Louis Browns and Washington Nationals during his baseball career, while his hockey career saw him play with the Detroit Cougars and Chicago Black Hawks.
• The's a very interesting story about Mike Smith, a goaltender for the ECHL's Lexington Men O' War. Smith is the only goaltender in hockey history to record his first professional win, his forst professional shutout, and his first professional goal on October 22, 2002. Smith shutout the Dayton Bombers 2-0, and scored into the empty net.

Chapter Two is entitled "Greatest Show on Ice", but the chapter designations really just blend into one another as the chapters all feature stories on amazing players, lesser-known hockey history, anecdotes on arenas, and great moments in hockey. Chapter Three is entitled "Slap Shots"; Chapter Four is called "Power Plays"; Chapter Five is named "Last Line of Defence"; and, Chapter Six is entitled "Back of the Net".

What makes The Love of Hockey a phenomenal book are the images. The stories would be worth the asking price alone, but the images featured on the book's 320 pages are simply magnificent. I have never seen some of the historical photos that Mr. Duplacey has used in this book, but these are the photos that a person like me who loves hockey history would pay serious money to own. Simply put: amazing imagery in this book.

Because of Mr. Duplacey's work in collecting facts and figures and pairing these with the amazing collection of photographs that he has at his disposal makes this book worth the asking price assigned to it. While it really isn't a book that one can use for a trivia challenge, the facts and figures presented by Mr. Duplacey certainly could be used. Needless to say, Mr. Duplacey's The Love of Hockey was a highly enjoyable read, very interesting, and extremely informative. Because of these traits, The Love of Hockey certainly deserves the Teebz's Book Club Seal of Approval, and should be a welcome addition to any library or collection of hockey books that one may have.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Cornucopia Of Hockey Goodness

It's a holiday in Canada thanks to Thanksgiving, so there's a pile of stuff that I need to clean out of the old inbox. I don't have any pumpkin pie or turkey, but I do have some rather cool stuff from readers and some stuff for you to possibly win. It also gives me a chance to say thanks to the readers and the generous people who contribute stuff to contests, so I'll take a little time to do that as well. After all, it is Thanksgiving in Canada, and HBIC is proud of his heritage. Let's get cracking on some of these items in this horn of plenty today.

CHANGING PANTS: I received an email from Brian who read the article on the game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Vancouver Canucks. In that article, I had stated that "the Canucks wore breezers with Bauer on the thigh". While it's true that some of the Canucks did, there were also a number of Canucks who wore the standard Reebok breezers. Brian pointed this out, sent me the linked picture, and has counted a total of eight Canucks in the Reebok breezers from that game.

Now I understand that some players have contracts with equipment manufacturers that override the Reebok contract, but it's hard to believe that fourteen players from the Canucks have equipment deals with Bauer. As JTH stated in the comments from yesterday, perhaps the breezers are a personal preference item like the equipment worn under the uniform. However, I am almost positive that Reebok's contracts states that all visible equipment must be a Reebok-endorsed item unless the player has a contract with another manufacturer. Can anyone elaborate more on this?

Big thanks to Brian and to JTH for their input on this one, and thanks for reading, gentlemen. You guys are awesome!

RED LINE INGENUITY: I got an email from a gentleman by the name of Mackenzie Swartz. For the majority of people in the hockey world, that name doesn't really ring a bell in terms how popular Mr. Swartz is. However, I'm here to tell you that he has done something absolutely incredible in Toledo, Ohio. Here is his email.

My name is Mackenzie Swartz, and a year ago I stumbled into an operations job at the newly-built Huntington Center, which is the home for the ECHL expansion Toledo Walleye. Being the only lifelong hockey geek, my supervisor decided that I'd be the one learning everything I could about running zambonis, building ice, etc.

"The team is now going into their second season, and for this ice build, I was given permission to do whatever I wanted - make it my design. The first thing that came to mind were letter stencils, something that would be different and classy-looking. It was either going to be Toledo Hockey or Walleye Hockey, and I let the team choose that.

"I measured and laid them out on the concrete weeks ago to see how they looked. As for how they came out for real, you can decide. All the feedback I've had here from the team, management, fans, even some officials, has been very positive."

How cool is that design? I'm completely impressed with what Mr. Swartz has done in Toledo, and he should be proud of what he has accomplished in his first season of full creative control.

Big thumbs-up from me, Mr. Swartz. You have essentially gone outside the box in terms of center ice design, and I commend you for it. Thank you for sending in the pictures and the email about your design!

What say you, readers - yay or nay on Mr. Swartz's red line design?

KEEPING IT CLEAN: I've worked with a number of companies to offer up a variety of free stuff for my readers, but this email caught me a little off-guard simply due to what is available for you to win.

"OxiClean’s newly-launched stainbusting site is offering your readers a chance to win a brand new LG Steam Front Load Washer and Dryer! To enter, visit stainbusters.ca, and tell us how with the help of OxiClean, that nasty stain came out. Be sure to include all the messy details!

"Keeping your hockey equipment clean is no easy feat – well, at least your other half thinks so. Maybe it’s time you showed them your gratitude with this brand new prize!"

You read that correctly - a brand-new LG Steam Front Load Washer and Dryer is up for grabs! All you have to do is explain how your stain came out with the help of OxiClean! This prize package is worth a bundle of cash, so get in on it!

Thanks to OxiClean for the heads-up about this contest!

There's your cornucopia of hockey goodness on this holiday Thanksgiving Monday. Enjoy!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Back To Phoenix

Some interesting news hit the wires today as the Phoenix Business Journal is reporting that there is a new bid for the Phoenix Coyotes, and the mystery buyer wants to keep the team in the Glendale, Arizona locale! Honestly, between all the Ice Edge Holdings news and the possibility of the team relocating back to its original home of Winnipeg, Manitoba, I have been ready to close the book on this story until something significant happened. With new owners on the horizon and a commitment to keep the team in Arizona, the Coyotes may have received the best news they've heard all summer that hasn't included any player signings.

As the article states, there has been no names mentioned as to who is involved with this possible bid, but it sounds as though Ice Edge may not be fully out of the picture.

"We understand another party that we have become acquainted with is in advanced negotiations with Glendale and an announcement could happen soon. If this occurs, we expect to continue to be involved with the Coyotes as an adviser for the foreseeable future," Ice Edge CEO Keith McCullough said in a statement. Ice Edge is reportedly interested in and committed to founding an ECHL franchise in Thunder Bay, Ontario at this point.

We do know that Jerry Reinsdorf is not involved, and that the purchasing group is not affiliated with True North Sports and Entertainment in Winnipeg. True North has maintained its position as a possible relocation option for an NHL franchise, but they have not ventured forth with a purchase offer at this time, according to several sources.

So who is this mystery buyer? Anyone want to venture a guess?

UPDATE: According to Yahoo!'s Puck Daddy, the mystery buyer is Matthew Hulsizer. Click the link for more details!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Name That Team!

HBIC reader James H. forwarded along a very interesting email to me that I have yet to hear about on other hockey sites. Granted, I may have missed it (very likely) due to how busy I've been over the last three weeks, but I'm surprised that there hasn't been more coverage of this potential story. It seems that in the near future, Chicago will have its third professional hockey team in its third professional league playing in the city or the suburbs. Thanks to James' keen eyes on the Interwebs, there will eventually be a new ECHL expansion team in the Chicagoland area thanks to the efforts of the C&S Family Sports group.

The ECHL plays primarily along the east coast, and it was how the league was originally formed and named: the East Coast Hockey League. However, the league has pushed westward in efforts to expand its presence as the premier AA professional hockey league in North America, and now has teams in Anchorage, Alaska, Las Vegas, Nevada, Ontario, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah. Franchises are becoming more stable as the league picks up steam in terms of being affordable, family-friendly hockey. While it's not the NHL in terms of the caliber of play, the hockey is exciting and the games are filled with all sorts of fun.

In moving to bigger markets, it appears that the ECHL is looking to make a mark in the Windy City area as C&S Family Sports appears to be interested in starting up an ECHL expansion team. The AHL Chicago Wolves play to great crowds, and the NHL Chicago Blackhawks fill the United Center nightly. With hockey in Chicago back in a big way, it makes sense to try to capitalize on the popularity.

And what better way to get fans interested than to hold a "Name The Team" contest?

While I've been meaning to run this for a while, there are still a few days to get a name into the contest. Lots of cool prizes are available to the winner, so put your thinking cap on. If you can't come up with a solid hockey team name, that's ok too. You can still vote for some of the other suggested names!

Chicago's ECHL team is nearly here, and a debut of team colors and logo will be made at a later date! Keep watching HBIC for more details as they are released!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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You're Wearing That? - 2010 Edition

I figured it was time to post one of these articles since I have a pile of random jersey pictures that need to get out there. We've seen a pile of good, not-so-good, and downright insane jersey choices by hockey teams over the past couple of years, and this trend doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon. From the NHL to USHL, there are jerseys that are seemingly inexplicable. However, occasionally there are some that you can really appreciate for their nuances and details. It is with this in mind that HBIC brings you the first You're Wearing That? article of 2010.

We'll start with the AHL's Manitoba Moose. Tomorrow evening, the Moose will be wearing their 2010 version of their military-themed jerseys. The front of the jersey has the Canadian Military Services logo on it in silver as a tribute to the three branches of the Canadian military. The brown on the sleeve stripes and hem stripe has been replaced with silver. The back of the jersey has the standard military-esque font for the name and numbers, but there is an additional logo just underneath the numbers. That logo is the 100th Anniversary logo for the Canadian Navy and Marines. 2010 is the 100th year since their formation, and the Moose will be helping that group of brave men and women celebrate the Navy's 100th anniversary. The yellow ribbon on the hem is there to signify the hope of the safe return of all the Canadian troops serving abroad which, to me, is a very classy move. All in all, I like these jerseys, and it's always a classy move to honour the bravest men and women on the planet!

The AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins held a contest where fans were encouraged to design a jersey that the team would wear later in the season. Chad Oesch's jersey design made its appearance on January 31, and it looks pretty darn good! I like the traditional look of the jersey a lot, and it's clean and simple. The other jersey that Grand Rapids has been wearing this season are their Detroit Red Wings-themed alternates. The logo on the chest is entirely Griffins, but the red-and-white of the jersey is all Detroit. Two great jerseys by the Griffins!

The AHL's Chicago Wolves brought out a special jersey on January 9 and 17 to honour some of the bravest men and women in the Chicago area. Pictured here is Chris Chelios wearing the jersey honouring the Illinois police and fire departments. Proceeds from the auction benefited Wolves Charities as well as police- and firefighting-related charities including the 100 Club of Cook County, Illinois Fire Safety Alliance's Camp I Am Me, and the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation. The sleeve patches were in the shape of police and fire badges on each shoulder. Again, I am a fan of these, especially since a pile of money went to good charities with the sale of these uniforms.

One of the cooler things that the Chicago Wolves did this year is publish all of the promotional jerseys they have ever worn since joining the AHL. It would be amazing if more teams did this, but let's take a quick peek at these jerseys. The first image has three jerseys: 1998's Tie Dye, 1999's Throwback, and 2000's Futuristic jerseys. The second image has three more: 2001's Holiday, 2002's Patriotic, and 2003's College-inspired jerseys. Image three has four jerseys: 2004's Ten-Year Anniversary, 2005's Armed Forces, 2006's Mardi Gras, and 2007's Racing Night jerseys. The fourth image has the last three promotional jerseys: 2008's Patriotic, 2009's Winter Camo, and 2010's Police and Fire Departments jerseys. Again, most of these are pretty decent. The worst of the bunch? The Anniversary jersey again. I cannot fathom why teams insist on putting their birthdays on their jerseys as logos.

The AHL's Albany River Rats donned jerseys for a good cause on February 7 when they dressed up like Ronald McDonald for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region. I'd be all over Albany if they dressed like this normally, but the jerseys were auctioned off after the game to raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region, so that's a good thing. To give you an idea, the Rats raised $23,000 last year, so it appears this jersey auction thing is working out very well for both parties.

The AHL's Milwaukee Admirals were one of a few teams to honour the 1960 USA men's hockey team for their gold medal in Squaw Valley by donning a similar uniform. February 10 saw the Admirals come out with "ADS" across their chest in place of "USA". I don't mind this form of honouring another team. The jerseys still look good.

February 6 saw the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins put on the camouflage as they honoured the American military. Again, I fully support hockey teams honouring the men and women of the Armed Forces as they are the bravest men and women on the planet. This form of thanking them for their commitment is, to me, an excellent way to show that hockey cares and is thinking about the troops.

It was posted over on Uni Watch Blog a while back, but it needs to be posted here. I absolutely love this 1948 NHL All-Star sweater. I've always been big on sleeve stripes, and this sweater makes them look gorgeous. There was some discussion on the colour of the jersey, but I assure you that it looks like this. Yes, the body is red. And it's a stunningly great sweater!

The NHL's San Jose Sharks got in on the charity jersey events by practicing in these holiday-themed practice jerseys before putting them up for auction. I like these themed practice jerseys because it actually makes the practice jerseys unique in terms of their look. And that's good for an auction and any charities that benefit from those auctions!

The NHL's Phoenix Coyotes are also doing the themed practice jersey. The Coyotes will don their St. Patrick's Day-themed jerseys in the days leading up to the Irish event, and I really like these jerseys for all the fun they portray. They have a cool font on the back with the golden number inside the leprechaun's hat, and all the jerseys are green. All proceeds from the jersey auction will benefit Coyotes Charities, "which is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life throughout Arizona communities by supporting non-profit organizations that promote healthcare, education, cultural arts and sports-related programs for children". Well done, Phoenix on a great themed jersey!

The NCAA's Wisconsin Badgers sported some decent alternate jerseys this season. While I'm not a fan of the monochrome look, the red doesn't appear to be too off-putting. I do like the logo with the Badger on it, though. That's cool, and it really gives Wisconsin an identity. Overall, not too bad at all.

The NCAA's two Boston teams battled it out on Fenway ice this year after the Winter Classic had taken place, but I need to point out a few things on each team's uniform for this game. Boston College came out with a gorgeous-looking jersey that had all the makings of a throwback. I really like the little ball diamond image just below the Reebok symbol on the back. Boston University went with their red uniforms, but put the Boston Red Sox logo on the white portion of their sleeves. It's these little nuances that make these jerseys special, and I'm really impressed with both institutions in their honouring Fenway Park and the Red Sox. Honestly, this game was a thing of beauty, and the two teams certainly did their part with their gorgeous choices in the uniform department.

The NCAA's University of Miami-Ohio did a throwback jersey this season, and I cannot say enough good things about this look. I love the stripes. I love the radially-arched "Miami" across the chest. I love the colours. This jersey might be my pick as "best in show" on this list today.

Miami-Ohio also showed some real love for one of their own after Brendan Burke was killed in an auto accident. Brendan, son of Brian Burke, had recently informed his family and friends, including the Miami-Ohio hockey team, that he was gay. Again, the courage that Brendan showed, and Miami-Ohio didn't shun him, showing how tight that family is. However, when Brendan was killed, it was announced that the team would wear a memorial patch for Brendan for the rest of the season. You can see that patch in this picture. Despite how happy the team looks in that picture, Brendan will never be forgotten.

Ohio State honoured the men and women of the military during one of their NCAA games this season. Again, a classy move, and the jerseys are always a nice touch. Well done, Ohio State!

If the next jersey seems similar to one we've already seen, it seemed that way to me as well. Apparently Penn State's throwback is remarkably similar to that of Miami-Ohio. Now, obviously the colours are different, but the design is entirely the same. While it's entirely possible that both teams wore the same style of jersey in the past, I'm sure they were not identical. Were they?

The ECHL's Las Vegas Wranglers are on the ice as I write this in this jersey to honour the Girl Scouts of America. I'm serious. The Wranglers have a pretty well-known history of having outrageous promotional jerseys, so I can honestly say that this one is quite tame compared to others. Boy scouts have been honoured in the past by some teams, so it's nice to see the girls get a little recognition. I'm just not sure if I like that look, though.

The ECHL's Bakersfield Condors broke out the candy hearts and red and pink colours for their 2010 Valentine's Day jersey. The words on the candy hearts actually said familiar hockey phrases like "Go To The Net" and "He Shoots He Scores". Perhaps the funniest part are the checkboxes for "single" and "taken". At least Bakersfield knows how to have fun with these jerseys. I'll give this one a thumbs-up due to the great work they did and the fun they had with the jersey. Well done, Condors!

We have a couple of entries by the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads. First, the Steelheads wore some pretty nice throwback jerseys earlier this year. The jerseys were then auctioned off with the proceeds going to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Good jersey, good cause, good results! The second jersey was from the Steelheads' recent "Future Stars" game. In this game, the entire team wore Dallas Stars jerseys. Idaho is the ECHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars, so this is a pretty cool marketing tool for the Steelheads. They auctioned these jerseys off as well with proceeds benefiting the St. Luke's-Elks Children's Rehab Centre in Boise. My only issue is that Dallas has terrible jerseys, so the Steelheads didn't do themselves any favours in the fashion department. However, charities benefit, so I'm all about these promotions!

We saw a team honour Team USA earlier, so now we'll see one honour Team Canada. The ECHL's Victoria Salmon Kings broke out the red jerseys with the maple leaf behind their logo to honour Team Canada. Honestly, I found this jersey to be a little underwhelming in terms of its Canadianness. Personally, I would leave these if I was offered to take it or leave it.

The USHL's Cedar Rapids Roughriders will take to the ice on Saturday night in uniforms that honour former baseball legend Lou Gehrig. Now you might be asking why a hockey team would be wearing a baseball-themed jersey, but there's a very good reason. The Roughriders are holding ALS Awareness Night. ALS, standing for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. The Roughriders will auction off the jerseys after the game with proceeds benefiting ALS research. So while the Yankee pinstripes are a nice touch, I'm happy to see these jerseys being used to help a worthwhile charity. Great job, Cedar Rapids!

The WHL's Calgary Hitmen went with a Christmas theme on their jerseys before the holiday season. Players skated in the game, and helped collect teddy bears for children during the Teddy Bear toss. Again, a great bit of charitable work by the Hitmen, and I don't mind those jerseys at all.

The NHL's Calgary Flames do have a jersey that I absolutely hate. Paul Brandt is the anthem singer in Calgary, and they give him a jersey to wear. Now, I'm not sure who did the customization on his jersey, but his musical note "number" is absolutely embarrassing. I love the throwback jersey, but I can't get over how poorly cut that musical note is. Simply brutal!

I leave you with that final image of a poorly designed musical note in your head. As more teams roll out jerseys for promotions and one-time wears, I'll try to get you a good look at how they looked. For the most part, though, it seems that this batch were pretty good. And that's a good sign for hockey!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Antler Banter: Volume 19

Antler Banter returns to its usual Wednesday spot this week, and there are some personnel changes to highlight thanks to the NHL trade deadline occurring just one week before the AHL roster deadline was set. Three games highlighted the schedule from last week as Worcester Sharks and Grand Rapids Griffins were the Moose's opponents. We'll also look forward to this week's games as the Moose start the stretch run to the Calder Cup Playoffs. Don't forget to get all of your Manitoba Moose news and information on the Moose website. If you're interested in attending a Manitoba Moose game, please click here for seating information, ticket pricing, and availability. Here is this week's edition of Hardcore Hockey!

We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat

After handing the Sharks a 3-1 loss on Tuesday night at MTS Centre, the Moose and Sharks hooked up again for Game Two of the two-game set in Winnipeg on Wednesday. Honestly, the Tuesday night game was one of the best games that I've seen this season by the Moose, so there was hope for another solid 60 minutes on Wednesday. Alex Stalock was back in the water for the Sharks, while Daren Machesney was sent out to the nets for the Moose.

Before the ice was dry, the Moose were on the board. Just 29 seconds into the first period, Matt Pettinger fired a low shot from the left half-boards that Stalock kicked out into the slot area. The problem with Stalock's rebound is that it found the stick of Marty Murray. Murray snapped the puck into the open side of the net, and the Moose were out to the 1-0 lead on Murray's tenth goal of the season.

The rest of the first period was a collection of penalties on both teams, highlighted by a scrap between Worcester's Brett Westgarth and Manitoba's Dusty Collins. The Moose finished the period trailing in shots by an 11-9 margin, but they held the lead on the scoreboard with a 1-0 advantage.

Mario Bliznak took a goaltender interference penalty at the 4:25 mark of the second period, and that sent the Sharks to the man-advantage. 29 seconds after Bliznak sat down in the box, he was released. Steven Zalewski carried the puck down the left wing, and found the trailer, Dwight Helminen, in the slot. Helminen made no mistake as he buried his 11th goal of the season high over Machesney's glove, and the powerplay marker even the game at 1-1 just 5:14 into the middle frame.

Just 2:20 later, the Sharks struck again. Winnipegger Frazer McLaren's initial shot was stopped by Machesney, but defenceman Nathan McIver fell over top of Machesney as the rebound went out to Machesney's left side. With the interference, Machesney didn't have time to recover as McLaren jumped on the rebound. McLaren slid the puck along the ice into the crease, and Matt Jones banged home the loose puck. Jones' fifth goal of the season at 7:34 put the Sharks ahead by a 2-1 score.

To say the Moose didn't play well in the second period would be a huge understatement. The Sharks outshot Manitoba 22-6 in the period to lead 31-17 after two periods! Had it not been for Daren Machesney, the game could have been out-of-hand with the amount of shots that Manitoba saw in that period.

The Sharks added to their lead just 1:30 into the third period. With Logan Couture standing squarely in front of Machesney, TJ Trevelyan fired a puck under Machesney's glove that found the back of the net. Machesney had little chance of making the save with Couture being a perfect screen, and the Sharks had the 3-1 lead on Trevelyan's 18th goal of the season.

4:16 later, a two-on-one developed as Worcester's Ryan Vesce and Trevelyan broke in against Nathan McIver. With McIver giving Vesce the shot, Vesce broke on in the left side and fired a low wrist shot towards the right post and into the back of the net. Machesney should have had that shot from Vesce, but it dented the twine. Vesce's 11th goal of the season put the Sharks up 4-1 at 5:46.

2:12 after that goal, the Sharks had another. Evan Oberg turned the puck over in the right corner after falling, and Dan DaSilva picked up the loose puck. Manitoba's Jeff Waugh and Worcester's John McCarthy were all over the blue paint around Machesney as DaSilva pulled the puck out front to his backhand, and DaSilva buried the backhander past both Waugh and Machesney. Again, another goal that Machesney had little to no chance of saving, and Manitoba's bad game continued. DaSilva's 14th of the season gave the Sharks a 5-1 lead at the 7:58 mark.

It took almost seven minutes for the Moose to respond, but they did add to their total. Travis Ramsey's slapshot from the right point found a seam through Alex Stalock, and Ramsey's second goal of the season made it a 5-2 Sharks lead.

However, time was the enemy, and there wasn't enough time for the Moose to get any closer. The final total in shots was a ridiculous 43-29 for Worcester - a perfect example of why this game went poorly for the Moose. I can't fault Machesney as he did all he could in stopping 38 shots, but the Moose still take the loss. Their record falls to 31-27-5-1.

Griffins Are Mythical Creatures, After All

It has taken a long time for the Moose to meet up with their former IHL rivals, but the Moose and Griffins battled for the first time this season on Friday night. It's hard to believe that divisional teams haven't faced each other by this point in the season, but such is the case in the AHL. Daniel Larsson got the start for the Griffins against Manitoba's Cory Schneider at Van Andel Arena.

Hard-working teams can't take penalties when they struggle to score, and the Moose displayed perfect examples of this in the first period. Manitoba opened the game with five minor penalties, and the Griffins capitalized.

Newcomer Yan Stastny was sent off for hooking at 3:12, and the Griffins opened the scoring 49 seconds later. Doug Janik fed Jeremy Williams with a pass, and Williams roofed a wrist shot over Schneider on the left side. Just 4:01 in, and Williams had his 22nd goal of the season with the powerplay marker, and the Griffins had a 1-0 lead.

Geoff Waugh earned two minor penalties at 7:18, and the extra unsportmanlike conduct penalty he earned after the hugging match against Justin Abdelkader put the Griffins back on the powerplay. At 8:26, Jeremy Williams struck again after Patrick Rissmiller made a gorgeous cross-ice pass to the sniper. Williams had no trouble finding the back of the net as Schneider couldn't get across, and Grand Rapids had a 2-0 lead on Williams' 23rd goal and second powerplay marker on the night.

The second period looked much like how the first ended: tighter checking and more disciplined play. However, the stalemate in the second would be broken at the 18:18 mark. Manitoba's Lawrence Nycholat fired a shot from the point that found its way through a maze of players in front of Larsson, and the puck found the twine past Larsson's glove. Nycholat's third goal of the season cut the Griffins' lead to 2-1.

However, just 45 seconds later, the Griffins restored the two-goal lead. Logan Pyatt was in the right place at the right time as Schneider made the stop on Justin Abdelkader, but couldn't hold on to the rebound. Pyatt poked the puck across the line for his ninth goal of the season, and the Griffins led 3-1 with just 56.1 seconds left in the second period.

In what seems like a recurring theme this season, the Moose trailed 25-15 in shots by the second intermission. Honestly, Schneider and Machesney have seen more vulcanized rubber this year than Goodyear and Bridgestone combined. If there's any wonder why this team continues to struggle to put together strings of wins, it might have something to do with being outshot in every game. And, in most cases, by large margins.

The third period seemed to be fairly uneventful outside of a Guillaume Desbiens-Jamie Tardif scrap. Desbiens picked up the victory in the bout of fisticuffs, but the Moose couldn't manage any other offence against the Griffins. With Schneider on the bench for the extra attacker, Patrick Rissmiller scored his 17th goal into the empty net, and the Griffins secured the 4-1 win.

Full credit to the Griffins for playing a very balanced and thorough game in earning the win. With the loss, the Moose drop to 31-28-5-1, and really need to pick up two points against the Griffins in Saturday's game.

Slaying The Beast

Saturday night saw the Moose and Griffins battle again at Van Andel Arena. The Moose need to get back on-track against a lower-ranked team, and start winning games they are supposed to win. A sellout of 10,834 fans were on-hand for the game as Daniel Larsson and Cory Schneider took to the nets for the second night in a row.

Both teams limited chances early on as each team seemed a little more defensive than the night before. However, the Moose got on the board just past the halfway point of the first period. Sergei Shirokov ripped a shot past Larsson from the right circle at the 10:55 mark for his 20th goal of the season, and the Moose were out in front by a 1-0 score.

Neither team dented the twine before the horn sounded, giving Manitoba the 1-0 lead as the intermission began. Grand Rapids had a modest 9-8 lead on the shot clock, but the Moose seemed to be matching their opponents shot for shot for the first time in a long time.

But then the second period started. Cory Schneider, proving that he is Manitoba's MVP this season, stopped all 15 shots that he faced in the second period. Grand Rapids' Daniel Larsson, on the other hand, stopped all five shots he faced. After two periods, Grand Rapids had the 24-13 lead on the shot clock, but still trailed 1-0 due to Schneider's incredible goaltending.

However, the 25th shot of the game for Grand Rapids found its way past Schneider. Justin Abdelkader streaked down the left wing and found a hole with his wrist shot between Schneider's pad and the left post. Abdelkader's seventh goal of the season came just 20 seconds into the third frame.

The Moose didn't fold after Abdelkader's goal. The stingy defensive play by both teams continued despite Grand Rapids' growing shot total. Larsson and Schneider stood tall, and neither team could solve the tie in 60 minutes. Off to overtime!

Both teams had chances, but it was Manitoba's third shot of the extra period that ended the game. Logan Pyatt had the puck take a bad bounce in front of him in the high slot, and the puck found its way behind the Griffins' defender. Mario Bliznak picked up the loose puck, and he stuffed it through Larsson's five-hole for the game-winning goal. Bliznak's seventh goal of the season gave Manitoba the 2-1 overtime victory, and a great celebration for Bliznak as he scored on his birthday!

Despite Manitoba's win, they were badly outshot again. Grand Rapids ended the game with a 43-26 lead in shots. However, I'm not looking in the mouths of any horses. A win is a win is a win. With the victory, Manitoba improves to 32-28-5-1.

Controlling Your Own Destiny

It's safe to say that Manitoba would like to avoid a first-round series with division-leading Hamilton, so it's time for Manitoba to buckle down and start grinding out some wins. As it stands, Manitoba is fourth-place in the North Division. They trail third-place Abbotsford by four points and second-place Rochester by six points. The good news is that the Moose have a game in-hand on the Heat, but the Americans have a game in-hand on Manitoba.

With two more games against last-place Grand Rapids, two against the Heat, two against the Marlies, and four against the Hamilton Bulldogs before the end of the season, the divisional games become paramount in terms of their importance. Each one of those games essentially can be a four-point swing, so winning the divisional games is the only option for the Moose at this point.

If they want to avoid Hamilton in the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, the Moose need to beat teams within their own division. It's that simple.

Taking Attendance Is Mandatory

After the NHL trade deadline and the AHL roster freeze deadlines passed, the roster of the Manitoba Moose looks significantly different. I'll run down these moves on a per-player basis.

• Mathieu Schneider - traded by Vancouver to Phoenix. It was a well-known fact that Schneider's stay with the Moose would be temporary. And it was.
  
• Nick Boynton - traded by Anaheim to Chicago. Boynton adds depth for Chicago's playoff run in the NHL, but he'll be back in Manitoba this week. Boynton was assigned to the Rockford IceHogs by the Blackhawks.
• Pierre-Cedric Labrie - traded by Vancouver to St. Louis. Labrie was a rugged competitor who performed fairly well before the trade in a checking role. However, his choppy skating style may have limited his development, and it appears that Vancouver wanted a change.
  
• Marty Murray - loaned by Manitoba to Milwaukee. Murray was disappointed about leaving his home province, but he'll be a good veteran presence on a young Milwaukee team.
• Brad Lukowich - re-assigned by Vancouver. Lukowich, who had been playing with the Texas Stars for most of the season in order to be closer to his family, was scheduled to be in Manitoba for this weekend's games against the IceHogs. However, the veteran defenceman opted for shoulder surgery to cure a wonky shoulder, and will not play again this season.
• Nolan Baumgartner - recalled by Vancouver. Baumgartner is back up with the big club, but the impending return of Kevin Bieksa should mean that Baumgartner will return soon.
• Peter Olvecky - loaned by Milwaukee to Manitoba. Olvecky, a Slovakian, is a big body who isn't afraid to get dirty in the corners. He has a great shot, and will most likely play on a line with former teammate Marco Rosa and Matt Pettinger this weekend against the IceHogs.
• Yan Stastny - traded by St. Louis to Vancouver. Stastny is a decent scoring forward who should help the Moose with his speed and hands. He was a scoring threat in Peoria, and has NHL experience. Stastny will be relied on to generate offence in Manitoba.
• Andy Brandt - signed to PTO. Brandt, a 22 year-old forward, had been playing with the ECHL's Victoria Salmon Kings before the Moose came calling. Brandt had a few good shifts in his debut against the Griffins, and is looking to continue his strong play as he works to earn a spot with the Moose.
  

Coming Up Next

The Moose have a weekend set against the Rockford IceHogs on Friday and Saturday. Rockford currently sits in second-place in the West Division with a 38-24-3-3 record for 82 points, so the Moose will need to play well in both games to have a chance at earning some points.

Bracken Kearns leads the team with 47 points, two better than Mark Cullen. Kyle Greentree leads the team in goal-scoring with 22 goals on the season. Jack Skille is the next highest goal-scorer with 20 markers. The IceHogs upgraded their goaltending at the NHL trade deadline when they acquired Hannu Toivonen. Along with Corey Crawford, the IceHogs boast a fairly good tandem in the nets. With both goaltenders have fairly unimpressive records, Crawford's 2.79 GAA and Toivonen's 2.72 GAA indicate that Rockford's goaltending has been steady all season long. The Moose will need to score more often than they have in their recent games if they hope to down the IceHogs.

Antler Branches

There have been a few interesting notes from the Herd that need to be brought to light.

• Sergei Shirokov will miss the Friday game of the Rockford series after he was suspended by the AHL after kneeing Ole-Kristian Tollefsen of Grand Rapids. The AHL announced the suspension today.
• Head coach Scott Arniel confirmed today that he has asked the Anaheim Ducks about Luca Sbisa. Sbisa is currently playing for the WHL's Portland Winter Hawks. When the season ends for Portland, Arniel is hoping that Anaheim will assign the big defenceman to Manitoba for the Moose's playoff run. Getting a player like Sbisa would be huge for the Moose. Sbisa, as you may know, suited up for Switzerland at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and he would bring a big shot to Manitoba's blueline. Stick tap to Joshua for catching my error on Sbisa's WHL team!
• Both Dan Sexton and Nolan Baumgartner were placed on "paper waivers" today by the Ducks and Canucks, respectively. This allows Manitoba to include the two players on their 22-man roster for the Calder Cup Playoffs. Both men will be vital in Manitoba's quest for the Calder Cup this season.
• Cody Hodgson, who played for the Moose in last season's Calder Cup Playoffs, suffered a hairline fracture when he blocked a shot last week for the Brampton Battalion. It is expected that Hodgson will be out until the OHL Playoffs start, but the Moose have expressed an interest in bringing Hodgson back when Brampton's season comes to an end. Honestly, his offensive abilities will be more than welcomed in the Moose dressing room.
• Saturday night's game against the Rockford IceHogs will be a special night. The Manitoba Moose are honouring the three divisions of the Canadian military on Military Salute night. The Moose will wear these beautiful uniforms in honour of the men and women who bravely put their lives on the line for all Canadians. This should be a great evening of hockey for the bravest men and women in the world!
  

There's your Moose update for this week. With all the changes that happened last week, there's hope that everything will settle for the Moose, especially with their roster. As it stands, 50 players have worn the Moose uniform this season, and the opening night roster hasn't been together since opening night.

Rockford invades MTS Centre this weekend, so get your tickets and get downtown to cheer on the Moose as they begin the stretch run to the Calder Cup Playoffs!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Busy Day On Tuesday

This isn't going to be a very deep posting today simply because I've had little time for anything over the last 48 hours. Of those 48 hours, 27 of them have been spent at my workplace, so that should give you an idea of what's been going on. While I'm not complaining about all the extra time I've been racking up, it does affect other things in my life that I'd rather be doing. Like watching hockey. Or playing hockey. Or writing about hockey. In any case, I'll be home late tonight, so this is going to be short. And not very interesting unless you like some generic fun.

• I don't know if you've caught the trailers for She's Out Of My League, starring Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, and TJ Miller, but it appears the movie is set in Pittsburgh. How do I know this? Promotional photos have the stars of the movie at a Pittsburgh Penguins game. Here are Jay Baruchel and TJ Miller, with Miller rocking the old-school Penguins jersey; Baruchel and Alice Eve in another scene; and, Baruchel and Krysten Ritter in yet another scene at a hockey game. Always nice to see the movies bringing hockey into the fold despite Jay Baruchel not holding a candle to Elizabeth Banks' appearance in the Penguins' alternate jersey in Zach And Miri Make A Porno.
• Cool little article on jersey numbers from the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads. You have to wonder if goaltender Richard Bachman will stay as #31 after posting that shutout in his "new" number. I just wish the article had more of these types of stories in it. It's interesting to hear jersey number stories from players in terms of superstitions and traditions.
• I always like seeing images of the Detroit Red Wings' "Buy War Bonds" patch during the Second World War, but this image of the patch is amazing for a few reasons. First, this picture really shows that the NHL sweaters looked like when they were true sweaters. It legitimately looks like a sweatshirt! Secondly, looks at that stitching on the Winged Wheel. That is hand-made craftsmanship that you just don't see today. These are just a couple of reasons why I love historical hockey pictures. And that patch is an absolute thing of beauty!

That's all for today. Our company is having a huge party tonight, so I'm going to get my drink on and my eats on, and have a great time. Remember to enter the HBIC "Bring Home The Cup" Contest for your chance to win a $75 gift certificate to the NHL.com store courtesy of Pepsi/Frito-Lay/Gatorade! Get your entries in today!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Antler Banter: Volume 15

Antler Banter returns today with a look back on this past week's events with the Manitoba Moose. The Moose welcomed the San Antonio Rampage to MTS Centre for a pair of games last weekend with the Moose needing to get back on some sort of winning streak after limping through Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. There have been a few player moves that have affected the Moose as well, so we'll look at who went where and who is new in town. Lastly, we'll look ahead as the Moose welcome a North Division rival to MTS Centre this upcoming weekend. Of course, you can always find all of your Manitoba Moose news and information, don't forget to check out the Moose website. If you're interested in attending a Manitoba Moose game, please click here for seating information, ticket pricing, and availability. It's time for some Hardcore Hockey!

Next Goal Wins!

The San Antonio Rampage rolled into Winnipeg for a two-game set on Friday and Saturday night last weekend. The Rampage are sitting in last place in the tightly-contested West Division, so the Moose were looking to stop the Rampage in their tracks. Cory Schneider got the call for the Moose in the crease while the Rampage sent Josh Tordjman out to their net.

Just 2:44 in saw the game's first goal. San Antonio's Gavin Morgan put a shot into traffic in front of Schneider that just squeaked through his pads to sit behind the Moose goalie. However, Francis Lessard was there to poke the loose puck in on the right side of the net for his first of the season, and San Antonio was out to the 1-0 lead.

The Moose evened the game up after controlling the play midway through the period. With Kyle Turris sent off for interference at the 10:04 mark, the Herd's powerplay went to work. Brian Salcido's blast from just above the high slot area went into traffic where Dan Sexton tipped the puck past Tordjman from the right side of the crease. Sexton's second goal of the season came on a powerplay at 10:49, and the Moose were squared up at 1-1.

The first period - and an entertaining period at that - drew to a close with the teams tied at 1-1, while San Antonio had the slight edge in shots at 10-9.

The second period saw chances on both sides, but only San Antonio capitalized. Matt Watkins broke hard down the left wing and gained a step on Brian Salcido, but Salcido forced him deep enough that Watkins had to head behind the net. Thanks to the speed he had built up, he was able to circle the net quickly and slide home a wraparound goal before Schneider could go post-to-post to make the save. With Watkins' sixth goal of the year, the Rampage took a 2-1 lead at the 11:57 mark of the middle frame.

Honestly, Watkins' goal is not going to make Cory Schneider's highlight reel. It was a weaker goal than what I've seen Schneider normally allow, but the Moose netminder is human. Mistakes happen, and the Moose needed to rally yet again. However, there were no more goals in the second period, and San Antonio led on the shot clock by a 21-15 margin.

The third period saw the Moose pull even. Michael Grabner broke down the right wing into the Rampage zone, and put on the brakes as the Moose flooded the zone. Grabner threaded a pass through to Marco Rosa cutting down the slot, but Tordjman got enough of it to keep the puck out. However, his rebound hit the hash marks where Dan Sexton was lurking, and Sexton wristed home his third goal of the year. Just 5:06 in, and the Moose tied the game at 2-2.

Three minutes later, and the Rampage claimed the lead for the third time over the course of the evening. Mikkel Boedker took a pass just over the red line and cruised into the Moose zone on the right side. Boedker teed up the puck from just above the face-off dot, and hammered the puck inside the left post just above Schneider's right leg. With Boedker's fifth of the season, the Rampage were back on top at 3-2.

Back came the Herd as the back-and-forth scoring continued. Matt Pettinger nearly replicated Boedker's goal as he took a pass in flight from Salcido as he crossed the Rampage blueline on the right side. Pettinger made a cut towards the middle, put the brakes on, and wired a wrist shot from the face-off dot over Tordjman's blocker just inside the left post. Pettinger's 11th of the season put the Moose back on even terms at 3-3 with 4:11 to play.

And the pattern continued. The Rampage went back to the powerplay at 17:34 of the third period when Lawrence Nycholat was sent to sin bin for delay of game. Off the draw, Sean Sullivan's centering attempt deflected off Chad Kolarik's skate into the slot. San Antonio's Kevin Porter ripped a low shot that deflected off Jeff Hoggan's shin, and found its way to the back of the Manitoba net. Hoggan's powerplay goal, his eighth of the season, made it 4-3 for the Rampage with 2:26 to play.

The Moose didn't go away. With the extra attacker on the ice, Evan Oberg's pass from the right face-off dot found Marty Murray in the slot. Murray deflected the pass up high towards the net where a number of players were battling, and the puck found its way over Tordjman, who had dropped to the ice, and into the net. At 19:39, Murray's ninth goal of the season drew the Moose even at 4-4, and overtime looked inevitable.

The extra frame didn't last long, however. Mikkel Boedker took a pass down the right wing from Shaun Heshka, and carried the puck into the Moose zone. His pass from the top of the face-off circle was intended for Kevin Porter who was streaking into the slot, but the puck deflected off Evan Oberg who had good position on Porter. Unfortunately, the deflected puck went straight back and into the Moose net. Boedker's sixth goal of the season sealed the win for the Rampage just 45 seconds into overtime.

With the 5-4 overtime loss, the Moose's record drops to 24-22-5-1 on the season. The Moose really picked up the pace in the third period as they outshot the Rampage 15-9, but the Rampage still won the battle on the shot clock by a 32-30 margin. It seems like it has been weeks since the Moose outshot anyone.

Staring Down A Moose

With the Moose having lost after rallying four times to tie the game the night before, you know head coach Scott Arniel wanted more from his players. Like the first goal. And a lead. Either way, the Moose and Rampage tangled again on Saturday night with both teams looking for the two points. Cory Schneider got the call for the Moose again, but the Rampage responded with Justin Pogge in between the pipes.

The action was fat and furious in the early going. Both goalies had to be sharp as the teams were flying around the ice. Jannik Hansen nearly had his first goal of the season for the Moose, but the puck rattled off both posts as it danced along the goal line.

However, one of the Moose newcomers got the home squad on the board. Russian speedster Nikita Kashirsky caught the Rampage defencemen flat-footed at the Moose blueline, and he broke away down the right side with the Rampage in pursuit. On the breakaway, Kashirsky went from right to left, and showed a nice deke from the backhand to the forehand before sliding the puck through Pogge's five-hole. Kashirsky's third goal of the season came unassisted at 10:56 of the first, and the Moose were out to a 1-0 lead.

The Moose couldn't celebrate long, however. Mike Keane took a hooking penalty at 11:14, and the Rampage went to work on the powerplay. A turnover in front of the Moose net found its way into the back of the net. Rampage forward Chad Kolarik picked Brian Salcido's pocket in the slot, and fired a wrist shot high stick-side that Schneider couldn't stop. Kolarik's 16th of the season while on the powerplay tied the game at 1-1 at the 12:13 mark.

The Moose should consider themselves lucky that they found themselves tied with the Rampage after being outshot 8-4 in the first period and, by my count, outchanced at least 5-2. However, a 1-1 score after one period of play was where the game stood.

It appeared that the wake-up call was sounded in the Moose dressing room between the periods. 52 seconds in, Guillaume Desbiens tipped a Travis Ramsey shot from the point past Pogge, and the Moose regained the lead. Desbiens' 11th goal of the season put the Moose back on top at 2-1.

4:02 later, however, the Rampage pulled even again, and in a gorgeous way. Kyle Turris showed NHL talent as he walked around Michael Grabner like he wasn't even there. With Ryan Weston off for hooking, Kyle Turris broke down the left wing on Grabner. As Grabner attempted the poke-check on Turris, Turris pulled the puck between his legs from back to front, and avoided both the poke-check and the bodycheck from Grabner. As Turris brought the puck from left to right as he crossed the crease, Schneider went down, Turris slid the puck under his left leg, and Turris might have scored the prettiest goal at MTS Centre this season. With Turris' marvelous shorthanded effort and 11th of the season, the Rampage tied the game up at 2-2.

Mario Bliznak was sent off for hooking at 17:39, and the Rampage powerplay was back on the scene. Mikkel Boedker started off the tic-tac-toe scoring play as he dished the puck to Matt Watkins along the right half-boards who one-timed a pass to Brett MacLean cruising into the slot. No one picked up Watkins as he headed to the net, and MacLean returned a pass to Watkins on the backdoor for the easy tap-in goal. Watkins' seventh goal on the powerplay gave the Rampage their first lead of the night at 3-2 with only 35 seconds remaining in the second period.

The third period saw the two teams settle down defensively, but one lost check changed the fortunes for the Moose. Tom Galvin's point shot was deflected on net by Mike Keane, but Pogge was there for the save. However, Pogge's kick-out went right on to the stick of the unchecked Guillaume Desbiens on the left side of the crease, and Desbiens had no trouble sliding the puck behind Pogge. Desbiens' 12th of the season at 13:53 tied the game at 3-3.

The third period drew to a close, and the Rampage only had a one-shot lead on the shot clock as overtime approached. With the 26-25 advantage, it seemed as though the Rampage had carried the play more often, but the Moose hung around long enough to salvage at least one point.

Overtime saw the Moose put three more shots on Pogge, but the Rampage didn't manage a shot. However, nothing was decided, so a shootout would decide this game. Boedker was stopped, but Rosa scored in the first round. Kyle Turris put one past Schneider, but Dan Sexton responded to keep Manitoba ahead 2-1 in the shootout. Chad Kolarik was stopped by Schneider, while Michael Grabner beat Pogge to give Manitoba a 3-1 lead. With Schneider stopping David Schlemko on the fourth shot, no more shots were needed, and the Moose earned a 4-3 shootout victory.

With the win, the Moose improve to 25-22-5-1, keeping them in third place in the North Division as of today. They are two points ahead of the Lake Erie Monsters and Abbotsford Heat, and trail the second-place Rochester Americans by six points.

This Isn't A Super Bowl Halftime Show

The Who sang "Who Are You" during the Super Bowl halftime show this past weekend, and the Moose should look at buying rights to that song. The amount of turnover on their roster is bordering on ridiculous.

• Nick Boynton - recalled by Anaheim. The Ducks didn't give Manitoba anytime to get acquainted with the defenceman. Just days after assigning Boynton to the Moose, they recalled him on re-entry waivers hours before Friday's game. However, after he cleared waivers again, the Ducks re-assigned him to the Moose, and he should be in uniform for this weekend's games.
  
• Jannik Hansen - recalled by Vancouver. The reconditioning assignment for Hansen came to an end quickly as the Canucks recalled the speedy forward on Monday.
• Evan Rankin - released from PTO. Rankin played well while in Manitoba, but simply didn't fit into Manitoba's long-term plans. Rankin scored one goal in four games before his release.
• Taylor Ellington - re-assigned to Victoria. Ellington is caught in the numbers game again, but he showed he isn't out of place on the Moose blueline. Ellington will most likely be back sooner than later.

Coming Up: North Division Rivals

The Moose have a couple of games on Friday and Saturday against a division rival in the Toronto Marlies. As I have repeatedly stated on this blog, divisional games mean everything in the grand scheme of things, so the Moose should be gunning for four points over the weekend.

Tough guy Andre Deveaux has proven his hands are more than just fists as he leads the Marlies in scoring with 14 goals and 32 points. With several of Toronto's better players currently playing for the Maple Leafs, the Moose need to capitalize. There's a good chance that Joey MacDonald will play one of the games against the Moose, and his stats are rather unspectacular. MacDonald enters the weekend with an 8-15-3 record and a 3.33 GAA. James Reimer has been much better in his limited action, posting a record of 6-1-1 with a 2.29 GAA. Reimer would be my choice, but it appears MacDonald has been shouldering the workload.

Four points or bust this weekend for the Moose. The Marlies are 19-24-5-5 and sit eight points back of the Moose. The mantra of this writer remains the same: beat teams that are lower than you in the standings, and always win divisional games. We'll see what happens when we reconvene next week.

Until then, keep your sticks on the ice!

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