Return To Sanity

If there was one travesty that happened when Reebok began outfitting hockey teams across the world, it was the fact that they single-handedly removed the identity of the Ottawa 67's with their EDGE design. Gone were the barber pole jerseys that fans of the 67's loved and held in such high esteem thanks to the legends that had worn it. I, for one, loved the look of these jerseys, but Reebok essentially killed what made the Ottawa 67's so identifiable. While there had been rumours of Ottawa bringing these jerseys back to their uniform set, nothing had materialized. That is, nothing had materialized until Thursday!

In 2009, Jeff Hunt, owner of the OHL club, addressed Ottawa 67's fans through a statement after it was revealed that the 67's would wear black jerseys while on the road despite the popularity of the barber pole jersey thanks to Reebok's new "technology". Mr. Hunt said,

When the 67’s Reebok Edge Jersey was launched this week, longtime fans who had grown to love the traditional barber pole jerseys were upset. Rightly so. As an organization, we should have warned you in advance that in this first edition of the Edge Jersey our traditional look wasn’t possible. At least, that way, it wouldn’t have been a shock when the jersey was unveiled.

The problem is that the engineering of the new, lighter, cooler jerseys is such that only a solid colour is possible on the main front panel. We have maintained as much of the barber pole look as we could (sleeves) and we are working with the manufacturer to overcome the technical problems so that, at some point in the future, we can return to our full barber pole look.

I hope you enjoy the new season.

Jeff Hunt
Owner and Governor
Ottawa 67’s Hockey Club

Needless to say, the demand for the barber pole jerseys didn't go away. In fact, I think a lot of hockey fans in general looked at this move by Reebok as something akin to blasphemy or heresy. With the demand on the rise, I'm sure that Mr. Hunt and his team felt the pressure to bring back the identity of the Ottawa 67's.

I am happy to report that the dream is now reality as of yesterday! We go to the Ottawa 67's page where the news has broken!

"The barber pole jersey is synonymous with 67's hockey," said 67's Owner and Governor Jeff Hunt. "It’s the jersey of Denis Potvin, Doug Wilson and Bobby Smith. It's the jersey of our Memorial Cup winning teams. And it's fantastic to finally be able to return to it and give our fans the look they’ve been asking for."

For the first time, it seems that a team has finally forced Reebok's hand in developing something that they want rather than having it the other way around. I'm glad the the Ottawa 67's are going back to the way they are supposed to look because it just feels right.

Over on the Ottawa 67's Fan Blog, a great site written by Valerie, Sid, and StatsGuy, they have a full picture of the new barber pole jerseys, and I have to say that they look fantastic! I am extremely pleased with this news, and I look forward to seeing the 67's on the ice all season next year!

Finally, it seems some sense is being put back into hockey fashion. Thank you, Ottawa, for bringing back your mojo!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Ontario Rules The Rink

The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge wrapped up this evening in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and there was a ton of sensational hockey seen this week at the tournament. Goals, saves, hits, and drama were all part of the action over the last couple of weeks, and one team reigned supreme as Team Ontario downed Team USA at MTS Centre last night by a 5-3 score. The final was a great battle that saw Ontario jump out a lead and not look back, but the Americans made it interesting before an incredible penalty shot goal sealed the deal for Ontario.

First, we'll go to the goal. Mathew Campagna scored a goal that many Winnipeg Jets fans remember as "the Zhamnov". Of course, most people will associate it with Peter Forsberg, and that's fine too. There were probably players who pulled off this move many times before those two men began using it in the NHL. But Mathew Campagna of the OHL's Sudbury Wolves shows a whole lot of moxie on this penalty shot late in the third period of the gold medal game.

First off, the video is not mine. Someone graciously put it up on YouTube, and they are to thank for the video since TSN apparently won't allow its feed to be embedded on a website.

Secondly, the win by Ontario in a rematch of last year's finalists prevented the Americans from winning their second consecutive gold medal at the World U-17 Championships. Ontario went undefeated through the tournament, and was led by Sean Monahan of the Ottawa 67's. Monahan had two goals against the Americans, and also scored both goals in Team Ontario's 2-1 win over Team Quebec in the semi-final.

Thirdly, huge kudos go out to the 12,060 fans who saw the game at MTS Centre tonight as a new record was set for the gold medal game. This was a definite increase from the old record of 8,896 set at the 2008 World U-17 Challenge in London, Ontario. Winnipeg always seems to support Hockey Canada's endeavours, and this tournament saw Manitobans and Canadians come out in droves to support all of the Canadian teams in this tournament. Well done, Canada and Manitoba!

Most of these young men from across the eight teams will find themselves playing against each other at a higher level soon enough. Canada routinely has these players vying for World Junior Championship roster spots and World U-18 Championship roster spots. And, of course, some of the very good players will find themselves in the NHL one day.

Before that happens, these kids get to play some more hockey. They'll go back to their respective leagues and work towards an ultimate goal. However, Team Ontario can proudly display their gold medals as champions of the World U-17 Hockey Challenge!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Before Legein, There Was Oreskovich

I'm sure we all remember the outrage that some people had over Stefan Legein's decision to quit hockey all of sudden in August 2008. It shocked Blue Jacket fans, and the story was broken by my good friend and colleague Bethany at the time. But before Stefan Legein shocked the new NHL world and the word had spread like wildfire on the Internet, there were others before him who simply walked away from the game at a time that seemed almost too good to be true. One such man will wear the antlers for a portion of the year this season as Victor Oreskovich will start the season with the AHL's Manitoba Moose. And yes, Oreskovich quit hockey shortly after starting his professional career with the Colorado Avalanche with little to no fanfare of his decision.

Oreskovich was a solid player with the OHL's Kitchener Rangers. He had put up decent numbers with the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers in 2003-04 before jumping to the NCAA's Notre Dame Fighting Irish to continue both his education and his hockey career. However, after nine games in 2005-06 with the Fighting Irish, Oreskovich jumped to Kitchener where he could kickstart his career after wallowing at Notre Dame.

He had been noticed, though, by one NHL team. The Colorado Avalanche liked the work he did with the Green Bay Gamblers, and they selected him in the second-round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft at 55th overall. There was hope that the 6'3" winger would develop into a scoring, speedy forward who could boast some size along the boards. The plan got derailed, though, when the Avalanche assigned Oreskovich to the AHL. Oreskovich, however, was finished.

“At the time, I was a little burned out from hockey,” Oreskovich admitted to Jim Bender of The Winnipeg Sun. “I didn’t plan to come back to the game, but I took a step away and it made me realize how much I missed it... I finished all my schooling and it made me realize the importance of hockey in my life.”

Oreskovich had quit the game he grew up playing in the midst of his young career. He went back to South Bend, Indiana to finish his Finance degree at Notre Dame University, turning his back on the game he loved to play. He worked in a mall while working his way through his degree, but began to feel that itch to play again.

Knowing he needed a break, Oreskovich called his former Kitchener Rangers coach Peter DeBoer in 2009. DeBoer, who had been hired to coach the Florida Panthers, went to Randy Sexson to see if his former player could get a shot on a tryout with the Panthers. DeBoer liked what he saw, but assigned the former OHL Ranger to the AHL's Rochester Americans for a little more seasoning. He had, after all, been out of the game for two years.

Oreskovich took the opportunity his former coach had given him and ran with it. He played 34 games with Rochester before being called up to help the Panthers. And he never saw Rochester again last season. Oreskovich spent 50 games with the Panthers, scoring two goals and adding four assists - nothing to be overly optimistic about, but quite an achievement for a man who one year earlier was sitting in a university classroom.

After being traded to the Vancouver Canucks this season, Oreskovich knew that his shot at making the NHL club was long. The Canucks boast talent on all four lines, and head coach Alain Vigneault decided to send Oreskovich to the Moose where he can play with energy and chip in a few goals along the way.

"It was surprising but, at the same time, I was pretty excited," he said of the trade to Vancouver. "Florida’s a good organization and they were great to me, but I think Vancouver is a special spot and Manitoba is one of the best AHL franchises out there. When it happened, I was thrilled, I really was."

Honestly, I'm thrilled to have Victor Oreskovich playing for the Moose this season. The Moose have had some very skilled wingers before in Jason Jaffray, Lee Goren, and Alexandre Burrows, but Oreskovich brings both size and skill to the table. The Moose need a big-bodied winger who can cut to the net hard, and it looks like Oreskovich might be that player.

“He’s had a good camp,” head coach Claude Noel said. “I like the way he works and let’s see how he does here. My understanding is he’s an energy guy who has the size. I watched him in Vancouver and I liked him a lot. He was strong on the puck, reliable defensively, played with some energy, played with some physicality so, is that what we’re going to see?”

I hope so. If Oreskovich can play with the up-tempo, never-say-die attitude he brings to life, he'll be a fan favorite in Manitoba.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Shinny Shootout Goal

For those of you who play hockey - and I'm hoping there are more than a few of you - the end of the game is normally reserved for the shinny shootout. It doesn't matter who wins or loses the game because individual bragging rights are on the line during the shinny shootout. Who had the best move, who had the sickest goal, who got stonewalled... all these questions are answered. There's always something to be said for a player's creativity in this event, though, and it's amazing to see when the professionals pull off some shinny shootout magic.

The AHL still employs the shootout for the fans during their rather meaningless preseason games. There are no points or playoff spots on the line, and the players are really playing for only a roster spot. But whe you factor in how important the shootout is in the overall standings, a shootout whiz can really go a long way in an AHL season. It appears that the Binghamton Senators may have found a shootout magician in Kaspars Daugavins for this upcoming season, almost guaranteeing him another roster spot this season. Here's the trickery he pulled off earlier this afternoon against the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Not bad, eh?

The Riga, Latvia native played his junior hockey in the OHL with the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors, and posted his best season in 2007-08 when he scored 40 goals and added 34 assists. He was drafted in the third round at 91st overall by the Senators in 2006, and has since played in both the AHL and the NHL. His 109 AHL games thus far have seen Kaspars Daugavins score 25 goals and 27 assists, and his lone one-game appearance in the NHL has resulted in no points. Yet.

There's something to be said about being entertaining, but the shootout is the one place that players can really show off their personalities. As long as they score while making some ridiculous move, the fans will remember the move for a long, long time.

Kaspars Daugavins is a name you'll probably hear a few more times this season if his preseason shootout goal is any indication of his talent.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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More Wardrobe Changes

There have been a pile of new uniforms that have been unveiled thus far this off-season, and we're far from being done with all the new threads being worn in this upcoming season. There are Heritage Classic jerseys, Winter Classic jerseys, throwback jerseys, alternate jerseys, and every other imaginable reason for new jerseys causing Reebok much havoc in the design and manufacturing departments. Not that I'm concerned much about Reebok, but they do have the contracts for just about every professional and junior hockey league in North America. We have a bunch of new looks to examine today, so let's get to this as we'll cover several leagues worth of new uniforms.

If you happened to poke through the Sean Avery website that Justin St. Louis brought to our attention the other day, you may have caught this information. If not, the Icethetics blog did. While the page might be dead, Icethetics kept the image alive by capturing Sean Avery in what appears to be the new New York Rangers alternate jersey.

I'm almost 100% certain that the page is dead because the Rangers have yet to show off the new threads, and since Avery's page URL includes "feels nice", one should feel confident that the jersey that Avery is wearing is indeed the new uniform. I'm not sure when the page was taken down, but the Icethetics page is dated September 16, so the picture is fairly recent.

The next jersey comes from the AHL, and is another New York-based hockey team. The Rochester Americans are part of the opening weekend of throwback games, and we're still waiting for these new jerseys to be unveiled. However, they did get the jump on showing off their new alternate jerseys for the 2010-11 season, modeled here by American Spirit Dance Team members Jillian, Allison and Stephanie.

Personally, I don't mind the throwback to the 1960s, but they look a lot like their home uniforms. I much preferred these alternates that the Americans wore, but to each their own, I suppose.

While there was no jersey unveiled, the Hartford AHL franchise announced major changes to their operations yesterday. The Wolf Pack will eventually change its name to "the Whale", but no dates have been set yet as Howard Baldwin takes over.

My take on this is that the name may draw people back to the idea of the Hartford Whalers, but the Connecticut Whale are still the Wolf Pack. I believe William Shakespeare had it correct when he wrote, "What's in a name? that which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet". In other words, it doesn't matter how you dress up the AHL franchise, they are still the same AHL franchise. Unless Baldwin has some sort of magic power that endears the community to the team, he's simply playing on the fans' passion for the Whalers. The name will only carry the team so far.

The WHL's Red Deer Rebels also jumped on the throwback alternate bandwagon today when they introduced their new alternate jerseys for the upcoming season.

From the Rebels' website (along with some grammar and spelling corrections done by me):

The most noticeable change from the previous "R" uniform is the base color. The predominant burgundy has been replaced by a beige color that adds both a retro tone, along with a western feel. The standalone "cow skull" shoulder path, taken from the teams' primary logo, reinforces this western concept. The striping has been moved to the middle of the jersey, and a burgundy shoulder "yolk" added to the top of the sweater.

The most predominant feature of the jersey, the popular "R" logo which the team has worn since 2001, has been madeover. The black fill adds strength to the logo, and compliments the neck collar. The team will wear black pants and black helmets to complete the look. Player socks will be beige with two burgundy stripes through the middle.

Count me as one who likes them. The Rebels look like a collegiate team, but they wear the throwbacks well. These jerseys should be a big seller in the Alberta city!

The OHL's Kingston Frontenacs got into the throwback alternate business today when they debuted their new alternate jerseys for the 2010-11 season.

"We went for a retro look and they turned out better than what we ever imagined," said Jeff Stilwell, Director of Marketing and Communications. I have to agree. I love the yellow jerseys, and the socks are an added bonus with the bold striping. The Frontenacs will look good in their alternates this season!

While it wasn't an announcement about new jerseys, it still was a big announcement for Penn State University as they join NCAA Division One hockey this year! To add to the event, Penn State showed off the uniforms they will be wearing. Unfortunately, they are the same as their non-D1 days, but it's still a big day for the Nittany Lions.

There are some of the major uniform updates through to today. Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the hockey history of Des Moines, Iowa. I happened to stop there for the night, and it was interesting to hear people talk about the Stars, the Chops, and a few other teams that have called the city home.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Quiet Draft Day

The 2010 NHL Entry Draft went tonight in Los Angeles, California. It's the first time the NHL has had a draft hosted in the state of California, and the fans in the City of Angels seemed enthusiastic when it came to supporting the NHL. Commissioner Gary Bettman didn't get the rain of boos that he normally hears in the northern cities, at least not in the length of time that he normally hears them anyway. The city of Edmonton, Alberta was abuzz with anticipation as the Oilers held the first overall pick for the first time in their franchise history. And in the crowd, thirty young men sat waiting for their names to be called to claim the title of "first-round draft pick".

Let's run through the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. I'll include my comments below about the first round, as well as a recap of the few trades that actually did happen this evening. Here are the first thirty men who will hopefully suit up in an NHL uniform one day:

1. Edmonton Oilers - Taylor Hall, Windsor Spitfires (OHL).
2. Boston Bruins via Toronto - Tyler Seguin, Plymouth Whalers (OHL).
3. Florida Panthers - Erik Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL).
4. Columbus Blue Jackets - Ryan Johansen, Portland Winterhawks (WHL).
5. New York Islanders - Nino Niederreiter, Portland Winterhawks (WHL).
6. Tampa Bay Lightning - Brett Connolly, Prince George Cougars (WHL).
7. Carolina Hurricanes - Jeff Skinner, Kitchener Rangers (OHL).
8. Atlanta Thrashers - Alexander Burmistrov, Barrie Colts (OHL).
9. Minnesota Wild - Mikael Granlund, HIFK (Finland's SM-liiga).
10. New York Rangers - Dylan McIlrath , Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL).
11. Dallas Stars - Jack Campbell, USA U-18 (USHL).
12. Anaheim Ducks - Cam Fowler, Windsor Spitfires (OHL).
13. Phoenix Coyotes - Brandon Gormley, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL).
14. St. Louis Blues - Jaden Schwartz, Tri-City Americans (WHL).
15. Los Angeles Kings - Derek Forbort, USA U-18 (USHL).
16. St. Louis Blues - Vladimir Tarasenko, HC Sibir Novosibirsk (KHL).
17. Colorado Avalanche - Joey Hishon, Owen Sound Attack (OHL).
18. Nashville Predators - Austin Watson, Peterborough Petes (OHL).
19. Florida Panthers - Nick Bjugstad, Blaine High School (Minn).
20. Pittsburgh Penguins - Beau Bennett, Penticton Vees (BCHL).
21. Detroit Red Wings - Riley Sheahan, University of Notre Dame (NCAA).
22. Montreal Canadiens - Jarred Tinordi, USA U-18 (USHL).
23. Buffalo Sabres - Mark Pysyk, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL).
24. Chicago Blackhawks - Kevin Hayes, Nobles High School (Mass).
25. Florida Panthers - Quinton Howden, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL).
26. Washington Capitals - Evgeny Kuznetsov, Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL).
27. Phoenix Coyotes - Mark Visentin, Niagara IceDogs (OHL).
28. San Jose Sharks - Charlie Coyle, South Shore Kings (EJHL).
29. Anaheim Ducks - Emerson Etem, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL).
30. New York Islanders - Brock Nelson, Warroad High School (Minn).

I'll admit that I found a few things surprising in this draft class.

First, only one NCAA player was taken in the first round. The Detroit Red Wings went collegiate in selecting Riley Sheahan, and I was surprised that more NCAA players weren't called in the opening round. The NCAA has been producing some excellent players in recent years, and it seems odd that there weren't more players selected from that pool of talent.

Second, I was surprised - no, make that shocked - that the Islanders used the fifth overall pick to select Swiss-born right winger Nino Niederreiter. I get that the Islanders may have been targeting Niederreiter, but why didn't they offer up the pick in a trade to move down a couple of spots? I'm quite certain that Niederreiter would have been there at the eighth or ninth pick.

Third, Cam Fowler drops to the Anaheim Ducks at pick #12, and suddenly the Ducks have a budding young offensive star on their blueline to replace the retired Scott Niedermayer. Not only are they able to select the best offensive defenceman this draft has to offer, but they don't have trade to move up to get him. Why the New York Rangers didn't scoop up Fowler at tenth spot is something that Glen Sather may only be able to answer.

Fourth, the Atlanta Thrashers get Alexander Burmistrov with pick #8, and they may have themselves a new, dynamic scorer much like they had before Ilya Kovalchuk opted to leave. Burmistrov, unlike some of his Russian counterparts, has stated time and time again that he has no interest in playing in the KHL any time soon, and that should be phenomenal news to GM Rick Dudley's ears. I really like this pick, and I think Atlanta may have selected one of top-three players in this year's draft.

Fifth, Minnesota and Washington continued to build with international stars that are close to home. Minnesota went back to Finland to draft Mikael Granlund, while the Capitals continued their Russian roster building with their selection of Evgeny Kuznetsov. Both of these players appear to be highly skilled, and the other countrymen on the two teams' rosters should make these two youngsters a little more comfortable at their respective training camps.

Sixth, Pittsburgh selected Beau Bennett with pick #20, and Bennett became the highest player chosen from the state of California. What is more impressive is that ten Americans were selected in the first round of the draft, including goaltender Jack Campbell who was the highest American-born player selected at pick #11 by Dallas. It just goes to show that the American development system is growing stronger and stronger each year. Take note, Canadian teams.

The one trade that happened that actually involved current NHL players saw the Western Conference welcome back a tenacious defenceman. The Vancouver Canucks sent Steve Bernier, Michael Grabner, and the 25th overall pick to the Florida Panthers for Keith Ballard and Victor Oreskovich. Ballard provides the Canucks with a good puck-moving defenceman who doesn't shy away from the physical side of the game - something they sorely needed against the Blackhawks in last season's playoffs. For as much as they were given opportunities, both Bernier and Grabner appeared to be spare parts for the Canucks, but they will be given bigger opportunities in Florida.

The Penguins decided to relieve Philadelphia of their Dan Hamhuis problem by trading for his rights. Reportedly, Hamhuis has no interest in signing with the Flyers and was prepared to test the free agency market. However, with Pittsburgh and Sergei Gonchar seemingly at odds in their contract negotiations, Hamhuis may get some decent coin to play in Pittsburgh in place of Gonchar.

Hamhuis is reportedly looking for $4 million per season for four seasons, according to his agent Wade Arnott. The Penguins have approximately $11 million in cap space, and still need to sign a few players from last season. Dan Hamhuis, Bill Guerin, Mark Eaton, Alexei Ponikarovsky, and Jordan Leopold should attempt to be signed, especially if Sergei Gonchar doesn't return. And I would rank them in that order of importance in terms of their signings. Otherwise, Ben Lovejoy may have a roster spot next season by default. Lovejoy is no slouch, but the Penguins could upgrade to have Lovejoy as the seventh man.

All in all, it was a rather uneventful draft outside of the Taylor-vs-Tyler debate. As seen above, Taylor Hall went first overall, Dallas took the first goaltender and American in Jack Campbell, and we're on to Round Two of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft tomorrow.

Let's just see if tomorrow remains quiet as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Holiday Monday Musings

Sometimes I wonder what goes through people's minds before they speak. I often wonder if they simply don't think before speaking, resulting in an awkward quote being captured by reporters and fans. Normally, this quote is clarified or explained by the speaker, and everything is fine after the clarification or explanation is given. However, one former NHL player, known for his scoring prowess and his quotes, has made headlines once again by speaking his mind. Whether he thought about his comment beforehand is questionable considering what he said in context of the question. The "he" is Bobby Hull, and the comment is in the first bullet point below. Let's take a look at the stories happening in hockey.

• "If they ever invited me to drink out of that Cup, I'd jump through the rim of my own butt and hang myself just to get another drink out of it". - Blackhawks' legend Bobby Hull, answering Dan Rosen of NHL.com, on what he'd do if the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup this season. Wow. That tells you how much respect the former players have for the Stanley Cup, and what they'd do to have one more chance.
• EA Sports has confirmed that NHL '11 will have all 60 junior teams from the CHL included in the game. The "Be A Pro" feature will have your player start in the Memorial Cup as a junior hockey player, experience the draft based upon your Memorial Cup performance, work your way through the AHL, and (hopefully) end up in the NHL as a star. With the realism that EA Sports is putting into their franchise, is there any reason to actually put the skates on anymore? (I kid, I kid!)
  
• Speaking of the CHL and the Memorial Cup, congratulations go out to the OHL's Windsor Spitfires as they captured their second consecutive Memorial Cup with a 9-1 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. There's no doubt that this year's version of the Spitfires will go down in Canadian Hockey League history as one of the most dominant teams ever in junior hockey. Congratulations to the Windsor Spitfires franchise on their two years of success, and their work this year in becoming only the eighth team in CHL history to repeat as MasterCard Memorial Cup Champions!
• Congratulations also goes out to Windsor Spitfire Taylor Hall, who became the first player in CHL history to win the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the Memorial Cup MVP in consecutive years. Hall led the tournament in scoring with five goals and four assists, one point ahead of teammate Adam Henrique. Hall showed some amazing talent this week in Brandon, and should be the first overall selection at the draft this season if scouts were watching Hall display his talents this past week.
  
• Speaking of dominant, the Hershey Bears eliminated the Manchester Monarchs in six games to advance to the AHL Calder Cup Final for the second consecutive season. The defending Calder Cup Champions ran roughshod over the AHL this season, and are continuing that dominance in the playoffs. Hershey awaits the winner of the Western Conference Final between the Hamilton Bulldogs and the Texas Stars. Hamilton leads that series 3-2.
• With the Chicago Blackhawks sweeping the San Jose Sharks out of the playoffs yesterday to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, the running joke of the Curse of Hossa continues. Hossa, as you probably know, is a member of the Chicago Blackhawks this season, having lost in the Stanley Cup Final in the previous two seasons with Detroit and Pittsburgh, respectively. Will it be three-for-three in misses, or is the third time a charm for Hossa?
• Charles Wang's dream of relocating having his New York Islanders travel to China next season has been killed by the NHLPA. While no details are given as to why the China trip was canceled in the report filed by ESPN.com's Scott Burnside, the NHLPA reportedly has angered the Islanders' owner. Honestly, Wang has had himself a rough year: no new arena and retail center, and, now, no China trip. Forget Hossa's curse; the Islanders, as a franchise, appeared to be cursed.
• In the story that just won't die, Winnipeg Free Press scribe Gary Lawless has confirmed that True North Sports and Entertainment is the third, "unnamed" buyer in the mix for the Phoenix Coyotes. I have lots of inside information on this, but I've agreed to keep quiet on this for the good of all involved. I will confirm that Lawless has his facts straight in that TNSE does indeed have its house in order to purchase an NHL franchise should one become available. But I want to make this clear: as of right now, the AHL Manitoba Moose are the primary tenants in the MTS Centre this season, and will remain the primary tenants for the foreseeable future.
• In a massive court ruling that will shape the way that all leagues do business, the US Supreme Court has ruled in favour of American Needle, Inc. in their battle with the NFL over an anti-trust allegation. Because of this, the NHL cannot operate as one business entity representing the thirty NHL franchises if a business wants to deal with one or several teams exclusively. Puck Daddy Greg Wyshynski jokes about how video gamers might be affected, but it could mean that we may see a sequel to Electronic Art's 1993 version of NHL hockey.
• If you missed the play in Game Four of the Montreal-Philly series, Josh Gorges had a strap break on his skate guard that resulted in a Philadelphia goal. Gorges is apparently taking the guards off to ensure that his miscue doesn't happen again, but I have a couple of comments on this. First off, Montreal uses counterfeit skate guards, and not the patented Skate Fender design which limits the amount of strap on the outside of the boot. The inventor of the Skate Fenders, Frank McClelland, is aware of the counterfeit models, and is working to have this patent infringement corrected. Secondly, the guards are used to prevent foot injuries while blocking shots. If Gorges wants to risk a foot injury, that's his choice. I, however, will continue to wear my pair, and I will endorse them for all the good they do despite Gorges' bad press for his counterfeit pair.
• Lastly, I'll close this day's musings with a great article from The Onion where they try to decipher why the shark in the logo of the San Jose Sharks is eating a hockey stick. Good satire, and a nice chuckle to finish off your Monday.

Happy Victoria Day, Canadians! Enjoy your day off! I'm going to get back to the Montreal-Philadelphia game, so take it easy and enjoy the game!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Memorial Cup Time!

The 2010 Memorial Cup sets up shop for the next two weeks in Brandon, Manitoba, and there's a good chance we could see a repeat winner. Last year, the Windsor Spitfires dramatically stole the show in Rimouski, Quebec after going 1-2 in the round-robin to finish fourth out of the four teams before tearing through the semi-final and final games to secure the Memorial Cup. Of course, Windsor is back this year as the OHL Champions, and they are joined by the Calgary Hitmen (WHL), the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL), and Brandon Wheat Kings (host team) as these four teams battle for Canadian Major Junior Hockey's biggest prize.

This won't be a preview of each team as there are a number of excellent reports on the Interwebs already. The Sportsnet reviews done by Patrick King are top-notch, and I definitely recommend clicking that link above. King is one of the best when it comes to covering the CHL, and his reports on each team are excellent.

Last night, the defending Memorial Cup Champions and the host team opened the 2010 Memorial Cup. Windsor came in with the hopes of becoming only the fifth CHL team to repeat as Memorial Cup Champions, and the first team to do so since the 1995 Kamloops Blazers. Brandon, on the other hand, was looking to send a message to the other CHL Champions with an upset of the defending champs.

Let's just say that Brandon looked good on the ice in terms of their uniform choice, but had little else from which to rally. The jerseys, in keeping with the Memorial Cup tradition, saw the host team wear a specially-designed jersey honouring the men and women of the Armed Forces. Brandon has a special link with the Canadian Army as CFB Shilo is a mere 20 minutes away from the Manitoba city.

From the MeiGray site:

"The opening game jerseys were designed by the Canadian Hockey League in conjunction with the Brandon Wheat Kings in honour of the Canadian Army and specifically the men and women, past, present and future of CFB Shilo. CFB Shilo is Manitoba’s only army base and is located approximately 20 minutes from the Keystone Centre where the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup is being held.

The Memorial Cup was originally donated in 1919 by the Ontario Hockey Association as a memorial to those young men and women who had given their lives in the defence of Canada during World War I. The 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup marks the 92nd time that the Memorial Cup will be awarded.

All proceeds from this auction will go towards supporting the Dominion Command Poppy Trust Fund. The poppy fund is designed to support veterans and their families, buy hospital equipment, support cadet groups, and provide student bursaries."

The Wheat Kings looked mighty impressive last night as they skated out in these beauties. I absolutely love Brandon's colour scheme, and, while some will say that this is a copy of the Blackhawks' alternate, the Wheat Kings pull it off extremely well with their colours. Of course, in comparison to previous Memorial Cups, it holds its own with Rimouski's Memorial Cup jersey and Kitchener's Memorial Cup jersey.

Windsor, not to be outdone, decided to shine on the ice. At 2:01, Windsor went up 1-0 on Kenny Ryan's first of the tournament. That was followed up by Scott Timmins' first goal of the tournament at 3:25. 1:02 later, Adam Henrique had the Spitfires out to a 3-0 lead. 18 seconds later, Taylor Hall had his first of the tournament to put Windsor up 4-0. Just 4:45 in, and the Spitfires were up 4-0. Wow.

And just for good measure, the Spitfires took a 5-0 lead into the dressing room after twenty minutes when Taylor Hall notched his second of the game and tournament on the powerplay at 18:23. The Spitfires showed Brandon why they had swept three of their four OHL playoff series, and had rallied back from a 3-0 deficit in their series against Plymouth. This Spitfires team is a well-oiled scoring machine.

There was a scary moment in the first period as Brandon defenceman Travis Hamonic lined up Windsor's Taylor Hall and drilled him into the end-boards face-first just 39 seconds into the game. Hall laid in a crumpled heap of humanity for a few minutes before skating off under his own power, but it seemed that was all Brandon could muster in terms of dominating the play in the first period.

Adam Henrique would score his second of the game and tournament just 1:15 into the second period to put Windsor up 6-0. The bleeding didn't stop for Brandon as Timmins had his second of the game and tournament at 6:47 for a 7-0 Spitfires lead. Dale Mitchell jumped in on the scoring with his first at 14:49 to pace Windsor to an 8-0 lead. Thankfully, Aaron Lewadniuk broke the goose egg for the Wheat Kings with his first goal of the tournament at 14:57 of the second period to close the gap to 8-1. However, Zack Kassian restored the eight-goal cushion on the powerplay at 16:21 with his first of the tournament. The Spitfires took a 9-1 lead into the intermission.

Brnadon's Matt Calvert scored his first of the tournament just 35 seconds into the third period to make it 9-2. Jay Fehr made it 9-3 at the 13:28 mark, but it was clear that Windsor was coasting in an effort to not suffer any injuries. When the final horn sounded, the 5381 fans saw the dominant Windsor Spitfires open the 2010 Memorial Cup with 9-3 victory, running over the hometown Wheat Kings.

The Calgary Hitmen will play the Moncton Wildcats at 3PM ET today, and you can catch the action on Rogers' Sportsnet in Canada, and on the NHL Network in the USA. While no expects a blow-out in today's game, anything can happen at the Memorial Cup!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Rounding Up Sunday

You might be wondering what cowboys and cats have to do with today's round-up. There is a link between the image to the left and hockey, but I'll explain that below. Round Two of the NHL Playoffs are underway, and we had a champion crowned in the KHL. More on the Russian champions tomorrow as we wrap up that season, but we have lots to cover here today. Let's not waste any time. Here we go.

• The Bruins welcomed back Marc Savard yesterday only to see another major piece of their forward unit go down. Marco Sturm's season is over tearing both his ACL and MCL in a freak play yesterday. It didn't appear that Sturm did anything unusual in finishing his check on Philly's Matt Carle, but he crumpled to the ice on his first shift of the game. Knee injuries are always scary because they could spell the end of a player's career, and it would be tough to see the 31 year-old not return. Best of luck, Marco, and a speedy recovery!
• The game in Pittsburgh today looked a little different with neither Andrei Markov or Jordan Staal on the ice for the teams. The Penguins could have used Staal's face-off prowess and defensive abilities, while Montreal always looks a little off on the powerplay without Markov. There times in today's game where Pittsburgh dominated down low, but a credit goes out to the Canadiens' lineup that bent but didn't break. Much like the Washington-Montreal series, it looks like this one might be a long one.
• News out of Minnesota today stating that the Wild will wear a tenth anniversary patch for the entire season with the exception of two games. The only games that won't feature the patch on the Wild's jerseys will be their opening games in Europe for the NHL Premiere games. If you found it in that article, the Wild will don the Roman number "X" on the patch.
• Also in that article above, the Wild are apparently getting good feedback from the NHL about hosting the 2012 Winter Classic, and it appears the venue will either be brand-new Target Field or TCF Bank Stadium if Minnesota is selected. The first holds just under 40,000 people while the latter holds 50,000. I'll tell you this right now: I'm there if they get the 2012 game.
• How much time off is bad for hockey players? That's a question that the Hershey Bears must ask as they will have at least a week off after eliminating the Albany River Rats in four straight games. The Atlantic Division Final is tied at two games apiece, so the earliest that that series will be decided on is May 7. Will the week off hurt Hershey? Only time will tell, I suppose. As cryptic as that last line may be.
• Thanks to Washington's early exit, the Hershey Bears will become extremely scary now. The Capitals re-assigned defencemen Karl Alzner and John Carlson to the Bears, and both men are NHL-seasoned. I'm not crowning the Bears as Calder Cup Champions just yet, but gaining these two men as they enter the Eastern Conference Final makes them that much more dangerous. Yowza.
• The OHL Championship has nearly been decided, and the defending Memorial Cup Champion Windsor Spitfires lead the Barrie Colts by a 3-0 lead in their series. Taylor Hall and his Spitfires can book a ticket to Brandon, Manitoba if they are able to win on home ice on Tuesday night. Windsor has been surgical in dismantling teams along the way to the Championship, including rallying from a 3-1 deficit against the Plymouth Whalers. Could Windsor repeat? The odds look good right now.
• Great article penned by Jeff B. over on his site, Third String Goalie, about the demise of the Winnipeg Jets. He has linked up just about every video available online about the death of Winnipeg's NHL team, and the article he wrote is extremely well-written. While the videos could occupy you for the next 48 hours or so, the article itself should be read. Well done, Jeff!

The image above? It comes from an EDS commercial that was played at a number of the Manitoba Moose games this season. Honestly, I think it's one of the greatest commercials I've seen at a hockey game, and it's certainly better than some of the lame ones to which we're normally subjected.

While I wasn't rounding up cats, there's your quick Sunday round-up for this week. KHL news tomorrow, so join us to see who took home the Gagarin Cup!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Antler Banter: See You In September

Well, Moose fans, the season is over. The Hamilton Bulldogs retired the Moose in overtime in Game Six of their series, and won the series by a 4-2 margin. Honestly, I'm a little disappointed because I would have liked to have seen the Moose advance to at least the second round of the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs, but it wasn't to be. That's the trouble with professional sports: there has to be a winner and a loser. Unfortunately, the Moose were the latter in that equation, and everyone might speak of how the Moose season ended because of Grant Stevenson's skate. I'm here to talk about the positives we saw this season, and what I want to see going forward with the AHL's best franchise. Sit back, relax, and let's take a look at a few of the highlights that stood out in my mind.

Best Of The Best

First off, Cory Schneider may just be the best goaltender on the planet who isn't playing in the NHL right now. Yes, he's been called up to the Canucks and is sitting in the press box right now, but what he did this season in leading the Moose to another 40-win season was simply outstanding. I'll even go on record right here in saying that he might be the best goaltender to have ever laced up the skates for a Winnipeg-based professional hockey team.

Schneider was clearly the most valuable player on the Moose roster this year, and his statistics reflected how important he was to the Herd. His 35 wins were the second-most in the AHL. He played the most minutes between the pipes in the AHL this season. He saw more vulcanized rubber than a Goodyear factory this season, and still was near the top in almost every goaltending category.

The only thing that bothers me about Cory Schneider this year is the fact that he may not be back next year. Schneider played out his contract this season after spending four seasons tending to the Manitoba nets, and he has gone on record that he is interested in competing for an NHL job. He didn't quite close the book on the Moose just yet, but it appears that he'll be willing to listen to offers once July 1 rolls around.

Personally, I can't fault Schneider for looking to move up the food chain. Vancouver has a pretty good guy looking after their goaltending duties right now, so a starting job may not be in the cards for Schneider just yet. However, if Vancouver GM Mike Gillis offered Schneider a competitive contract to be Luongo's back-up, Vancouver would suddenly have two outstanding goaltenders at their disposal. And if, for some reason, Schneider needs a little seasoning, he would be welcomed back with open arms to the Moose.

Don't get me wrong - Schneider has put his time in with the Moose in spades. He has done some exceptional things in Manitoba, played some of the most memorable hockey this city has ever seen, and deserves a shot at the bright lights of the NHL. If he leaves, I'll be happy for him. But I won't be very happy if he returns to Manitoba wearing a different uniform.

The Kids Are Alright

I'll be honest when I say that a youth movement for the Moose next season would certainly be welcomed if the kids play like they did over the last twenty games of this season. No less than four rookies were in the lineup at the end of the season for the Moose, and all brought intangibles that the Moose needed.

We'll start with the season-long rookie campaign for Russian sniper Sergei Shirokov. Shirokov came in with high expectations, and he certainly lived up to his billing as he finished the campaign ninth in rookie scoring. While certainly a streaky scorer, Shirokov was always dangerous when on the ice thanks to his blazing speed and hockey sense. What impressed me the most was the evolution of his defensive game towards the end of the year. Full marks should be given to head coach Scott Arniel and his staff for making Shirokov into a solid two-way player rather than just a one-zone scoring threat.

With the University of Minnesota's season at an end, the Canucks wasted no time in trying to get Jordan Schroeder signed to a pro contract. Schroeder inked his first contract and was assigned to the Moose for the stretch run where he looked the part of an NHL first-round pick. Schroeder had seven goals and eight assists in 17 total games this year with the Moose, including six points in six Calder Cup Playoff games. Schroeder found chemistry with Yan Stastny and Guillaume Desbiens to form a high-scoring, hard-working second line - something the Moose were desperately needing in the playoffs. I'm not sure how long Schroeder will be in Manitoba for, but get down to MTS Centre to see him play before he's with the Canucks.

The Moose went out and signed another collegiate player in Kevin Clark. Clark played with the University of Alaska-Anchorage, and scored 51 goals and 57 assists in 141 games with UAA over four seasons. He was a rugged power forward who didn't shy away from high-traffic areas. The Moose put this to good use as Winnipeg-born Clark scored three goals and two assists in 13 games. More impressively, he showed some solid defensive play and excelled in his defensive role as a shutdown forward. Clark would be a welcome addition next season as the Moose searched for some sandpaper all season long after releasing Darryl Bootland.

Perhaps my favorite signing came courtesy of Brown University as the Canucks inked senior Aaron Volpatti and assigned him to the Moose. Volpatti didn't set the world on fire with his scoring, but he was the grinding, agitating, sandpaperish player that the Moose desperately needed all season long. He came in as a player who didn't mind mixing it up, so his hard-nosed approach won him over fans early as he was willing to drop the gloves if the situation called for it. In his 13 games with the Moose, Volpatti scored two goals and one assist, but his 38 PIMs showed he would stand and deliver when necessary.

Ryan McGinnis, Matt Clark, Geoff Waugh, and Taylor Ellington were solid defensive additions when the Moose came calling as well. For a revolving door at the blueline with the amount of call-ups that the Canucks made this season, it's a surprise that these youngsters stepped in and played as well as they could with little to no AHL experience, but the kids proved they were alright. I'd offer up spots in training camp to all of them as they proved they could compete at the AHL level this season.

We didn't get to see highly-touted pick Cody Hodgson this season in a Moose uniform due to injuries that kept him out of the lineup, but Hodgson's past performance with the Moose shows that his potential is limitless, and we should expect Hodgson in Manitoba next season for at least a few weeks. Needless to say, the young man would be a huge help down the middle for the Moose, and his solid two-way play have earned his rave reviews in the OHL. Hodgson should be another solid addition to the Moose next season providing that he doesn't crack the Canucks' lineup.

The Grizzled Veterans

I'm anxious to see who returns from the current corps of forwards that suited up for the Moose this season. Players who should find a locker next season, if I were in charge, would be Moose captain Mike Keane, Marco Rosa, Yan Stastny, Mario Bliznak, Guillaume Desbiens, Peter Olvecky, and, if he returns, Matt Pettinger. Their leadership, experience, and scoring are needed, and the Moose relied upon these men this season. If Michael Grabner is back, that would also be a solid scoring addition to the Moose lineup as well.

On the blueline, I'd like to see Nolan Baumgartner, Evan Oberg, Tom Galvin, Travis Ramsey, and Lawrence Nycholat come together as a group again. Again, the revolving door that seemed to be spinning all season long for the Moose as players were shuffled between Winnipeg and Vancouver was ridiculous, but necessary for the NHL club. The problem, though, is that the Moose suffered due to the inconsistent lineup they iced night in and night out. While this is life in the AHL, the Canucks may want to look at bolstering their depth on the blueline so that the Moose aren't playing games with five defencemen as they did a couple of times this season.

Of course, both Dan Sexton and Brian Salcido will most likely be playing for the Syracuse Crunch next season as the Anaheim Ducks have partnered with them as an AHL affiliate. Sexton was everything and more while he was here in terms of meeting the expectations placed upon him, and I truly think he'll have a spot with the Ducks next season. Salcido, for some of his defensive lapses, will probably play for Syracuse next season, and the offensive defenceman will be looking to improve upon his 18-point season with the Moose this past year.

Daren Machesney would certainly be welcomed back, despite his numbers being nowhere near what was expected this season. Machesney, in his defence, played behind a potent offence in Hershey the last few years, so allowing three goals normally got him a win. With the Moose this season, three goals-against would be a difficult task to overcome for the scoring-challenged Moose, but Machesney played well enough to warrant another shot at tending the Moose nets.

The Man At The Top

Head coach Scott Arniel has put together some of the best seasons of hockey that this city has seen, and it appears he will be rewarded with multiple NHL interviews for head coaching vacancies. Atlanta and Columbus have been granted permission to speak with Arniel, and you'd have to think there's a good chance he'll get hired after stringing together four seasons of 40-win hockey, and an overall record of 181-106-33 over those four seasons. The Moose have seen Randy Carlyle and Alain Vigneault take the next step to the NHL level and show that the lessons they learned as a coach in the AHL readied them for the NHL bench job. Arniel certainly has a great shot at being the next man in line to earn an NHL job after spending time as the Moose's head man.

In Conclusion

I'm not going to lie. I wanted more Moose hockey this season. Another run at the Calder Cup would have been a perfect ending to the season, but the Herd came up a little short.

However, full marks to the team for banding together, rallying to make the playoffs, and sending some pangs of fear through the Hamilton Bulldogs in their series. There were a lot of solid efforts this season, and I really liked the additions the Moose made at the end of the season with the kids they brought in.

I'm already looking forward to next season, and I'm excited for more Hardcore Hockey! Antler Banter is calling it a season, but we'll be back soon to look at the Moose as they take on the AHL in the 2010-11 season!

Have a great summer, and keep your sticks on the ice!

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Antler Banter: Volume 23

This will be the last regular season edition of Antler Banter as the Manitoba Moose only have two games remaining on their schedule. We'll take a look at whether the Moose were able to gain a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs, and some player movement that could potentially cripple the team in their last two regular season games, and further if the team has made the playoffs. All in all, this is the "make or break" edition of Antler Banter, so let's get to it! All of your current Manitoba Moose news and information is avaliable 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 the last regular season edition of Hardcore Hockey!

The Marlies And The Playoffs

With the Marlies breathing down the Herd's necks, the Moose had to put together a solid series against Toronto if they wanted to make the playoffs and continue their pursuit of Abbotsford. Friday night saw Cory Schneider in the Moose nets while Toronto countered with James Reimer.

Kevin Clark continued his impressive debut with the Moose when he gave the visitors the early lead. Clark notched his second goal of the season when he wired home a wrist shot over a sprawled Reimer, and the Moose had the 1-0 lead at 17:16 of the first period.

Another rookie made an impact just a few minutes before the opening goal. Aaron Volpatti dropped the mitts with Phil Oreskovic, and showed why he led Brown University in penalty minutes during his career. After Oreskovic landed one solid punch, the larger Oreskovic essentially threw Volpatti to the ice before the fight even started, so we'll call this one a draw. Volpatti, however, showed that size doesn't matter when it comes to a good, old-fashioned brouhaha.

After one period of play, the Moose had the 1-0 lead, and led in shots with a 12-9 advantage.

Mario Bliznak added to the Moose lead 9:31 into the second period. Bliznak fired a quick shot on net that was stopped by Reimer, but the plucky centerman picked up the rebound and fired it past Reimer to make it 2-0. Bliznak's tenth goal of the season was the only goal of the period, and the Moose went into the second intermission with a two-goal lead. Bliznak, playing on the fourth line, really added a big goal in that second period, and we'd hear from him again shortly.

2:24 into the third period, "Super" Mario notched his second goal of the game. With Bliznak standing on the doorstep, he found the puck and popped the puck into the back of the net. Bliznak had his 11th goal of the season, and the Moose had the 3-0 lead.

With six minutes to play, Toronto head coach Dallas Eakins yanked Reimer for an extra attacker. With the man-advantage, Ben Ondrus ended Cory Schneider's shutout bid with a goal 4:05 to play. Ondrus' seventh of the season made it 3-1 in favour of the Moose.

With the net empty, the Moose couldn't muster another goal, but it didn't matter as they held the fort. At the final horn, Manitoba had secured the 3-1 victory. Manitoba improved to 37-32-5-1 on the season with the win.

On The Brink

Toronto's playoff lives rested on this game as Manitoba had opened up a sizable lead on the Marlies in the race for the final playoff spot in the North Division. Toronto basically had to win out and hope that Manitoba recorded no points in their remaining games. Cory Schneider went back to the nets for Manitoba, and Toronto went with James Reimer once again.

Manitoba struck first again in this game. Yan Stastny fed Jordan Schroeder in the slot, but his wrist shot was blocked by Toronto's Alex Foster. The puck flipped over top of Foster and landed in the slot area where Guillaume Desbiens swooped in. His backhander found its way through Reimer, and Manitoba was out to the 1-0 lead 11:39 into the game on Desbiens' 18th goal of the season.

There was no scoring through the second period, so we move to third period where a brutal defensive gaffe put Toronto on the board. A puck cleared from the Toronto zone ended up rolling past Brian Salcido as he backed up to center ice. I'm not sure if he was tired or if he simply assumed that Tim Brent wouldn't challenge as quickly as he did, but Salcido's lackluster defensive effort resulted in a Tim Brent breakaway on Schenider. Brent slid a low shot between Schneider's pads, and the Marlies tied the game at 1-1 on Brent's 11th goal of the season at 11:23.

Both Reimer and Schneider were unbeatable for the remainder of the third period and through overtime, so a shootout would decide this game.

Tim Brent would outduel Schneider, and Reimer solved Rosa's deke, so Toronto led 1-0 in the shootout after one round. Josh Engel scored for Toronto, while Jordan Schroeder put the puck high and wide on Reimer's glove side, and Toronto was out to a 2-0 lead. Greg Scott couldn't put the puck past Schneider, while Mike Keane ripped a wrist shot just under the crossbar for Manitoba, cutting Toronto's lead to 2-1. However, Josh Hamilton scored the winner in the fourth-round as his deke beat Schneider on the glove side, and Guillaume Desbiens couldn't solve Reimer.

Toronto captures the extra point in the 2-1 shootout win, but loses the battle for the playoffs. With the point, the Moose officially clinch a playoff spot. However, the shootout loss sends the team back to a 37-32-5-2 record.

Those Angry, Vicious Dogs

The Moose rolled down the highway to Hamilton for two games against the North Division-leading Bulldogs. This game would end the three-games-in-three-days run that the Moose were on, so it goes without saying that they were ripe for the picking. And they got picked off in a bad way. Daren Machesney took to the nets for Manitoba while Hamilton responded with Cedric Desjardins. This could be a potential first-round matchup in the Calder Cup Playoffs, so there was a lot of posturing to be done.

Andrew Conboy put the home team up by a goal midway through the first period. Conboy let a strong wrist shot go as he weaved through two Moose defenders at the left circle, and his shot found the far post past Machesney's glove, and the Bulldogs were out to the 1-0 lead 10:50 into the first period on Conboy's eighth goal of the season.

Both goalies held strong after that, and Hamilton went into the break up by one goal. Manitoba and Hamilton tied in shots at nine apiece, and it was good reflection of how evenly-matched these two teams were through the opening twenty minutes. The second period? Oi vay.

Blake Trotter added to Hamilton's lead in the second period. His 36th goal of the season at 5:33 made it 2-0 for Hamilton.

Tommy Maxwell got one back for Manitoba. Peter Olvecky raced in from the right point with the puck, and shoveled it across the crease where Maxwell met the puck. His quick shot beat Desjardins as he slid across the crease. Maxwell's second goal of the season cut the deficit to 2-1 at 6:32.

Once again, I'm not sure what Brian Salcido was thinking, but his play cost Manitoba another goal. Mike Glumac went outside on Salcido with the puck, and all Salcido had to do was angle Glumac towards the corner to break up the scoring chance. Instead, it appears that he tried to hip-check Glumac off the puck, and Glumac avoided the hit easily as Salcido put little effort into it. That mistake opened up a lane, and Glumac's backhanded pass was chipped past Machesney by David Desharnais who was standing on the doorstep. Desharnais' 27th goal of the season put Hamilton up 3-1 at 11:02.

Hamilton would add another goal at 15:40. The puck bounced behind the Moose net following a mad scramble in front of Machesney, and Dany Masse fed Desharnais along the right wing boards. Desharnais spotted Yannick Weber in the high slot, and hit him with a good pass that Weber one-timed to the back of the net. Weber's sixth of the season put Hamilton up 4-1.

46 seconds after that saw the Bulldogs add another goal. Shawn Belle raced down the right wing and got away a wrist shot that Machesney bobbled. The puck landed in front of him, and Hunter Bishop whacked the loose puck by the Moose goaltender for his first goal of the season. Hamilton had a 5-1 lead with 3:34 to play in the second.

Mercifully, the period ended, but Manitoba had been hurt in that period by some sloppy play. I'm not one to criticize players for their work, but can someone tell me why Brian Salcido is on the ice in critical situations? He carries a -13 rating. Sure, he brings a ton of offensive talent, but he needs to step up the defensive side of his game. Especially if Hamilton and Manitoba meet in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Just 1:36 into the third, and we had ourselves some rough stuff. Aaron Volpatti absolutely destroyed Yannick Weber with a monsterous hit along the end boards, and Weber appeared to be hurt as he laid on the ice. Mike Vernace jumped Volpatti from behind and began raining blows on the surprised Moose scrapper. However, Volpatti got himself together quickly, and threw a pile of punches that landed squarely in Vernace's mush. Vernace went down faster than a cold beer on a hot day from the barrage of rights that Volpatti landed, and the scrappy Volpatti earned a solid victory in this tilt.

The Moose notched another goal midway through the third period. With Trotter off for tripping, Yan Stastny raced down the right wing and got off a backhander that Desjardins handled. However, the rebound landed out in the slot where Guillaume Desbiens was standing, and the Moose forward chipped home a backhander that found the twine. Desbiens' powerplay marker made the game 5-2 at 10:40, and was his 19th goal of the season.

However, 22 seconds later saw the Bulldogs erase that goal. Trotter fed a streaking Yannick Weber down the right side. Weber looked to be in too deep to get away a good shot, but his high wrist shot from below the face-off dot found enough room on the short side over Machesney's shoulder, and the Bulldogs increased their lead to 6-2. Weber's seventh goal of the season came at 11:02.

The horn at the end of regulation had the Bulldogs up by that same 6-2 score. Again, it was the Moose's third game in three days, so fatigue could have been a factor in their effort, but every game counts against potential playoff opponents. The Moose would have to lick their wounds and get ready for a rematch on Tuesday. With the Sunday loss, the Moose dropped to 37-33-5-2 on the season.

A Win Is A Win Is A Win

The Moose needed two points to win the season points total against the Bulldogs. Again, this could be a first-round matchup, so there was everything to play for in this game for both teams. Cory Schneider took his usual spot on the ice for the Moose, while Hamilton sent out their star goalie in Cedric Desjardins.

Hamilton opened the scoring in the first period. Ryan White picked up the puck just inside the Moose blueline on the right wing, and three Moose players converged as the Bulldogs entered the zone. Mario Bliznak and Tommy Maxwell had White covered fairly well, so I'm not sure why Brian Salcido felt he had to close on White as well when two Bulldogs were skating through the slot area. White fed the puck across to Maxime Lacroix who had a ton of room thanks to Evan Oberg having to watch Andrew Conboy due to Salcido's play on White. Oberg closed on Lacroix as he got away a laser of a shot, but couldn't block it. Lacroix's shot eluded Schneider, and Hamilton had the 1-0 lead on Lacroix's first goal of the season at 5:32.

It took nearly forty minutes for another goal to be scored, but the visitors were able to tie the game up early in the third period. Grant Stevenson was sent to the penalty box for holding, and the Moose powerplay took to the ice. Sergei Shirokov and Evan Oberg played catch before Shirokov fed Oberg in the high slot, and Oberg's one-timer beat Desjardins. Oberg's powerplay goal tied the game at 1-1, and his third goal of the season came at 3:13 of the third period.

The Moose struck again at the 7:00 mark. Tom Galvin threw a great stretch pass up to Kevin Clark as he cross the blue line on the left wing. As the Bulldogs converged on him, Clark threw a backhanded pass across the ice that a sprawling Shirokov couldn't corral, but Marco Rosa did on the right wing. Rosa's shot, however, was blocked by Frederic St. Denis. Shirokov was in the right place at the right time thanks to his earlier sprawl, and the puck landed on the blade of his stick. He tucked the puck underneath Desjardins, and the Russian sniper put the Moose ahead 2-1 with his 22nd goal of the season.

With Desjardins on the bench late in the game, there were a couple of mad scrambles in and around the Moose net, but the puck never made it past the goal line. The Moose survived the onslaught as the final buzzer sounded, and earned the 2-1 victory. With the win, the Moose improve to 38-33-5-2 on the season with two games remaining.

Losing Some Heart And Soul

With Ryan Johnson injured in Vancouver, you knew that the NHL club would come calling for some help. Johnson is out for approximately one month with a broken foot, and the Canucks need someone to fill the hole in their lineup.

Yesterday, the Canucks recalled Moose assistant captain and sixth-leading scorer in Matt Pettinger. Pettinger was a major part of the Moose line-up this season, providing scoring for an offensively-anemic club, and providing solid leadership. Pettinger will probably not be returned with the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on the horizon, meaning the Moose will lose another major player on their team for at least one round. Pettinger is the third call-up from the Moose, and joins Nolan Baumgartner and Michael Grabner on the Canucks' roster. None are expected back unless the Canucks are eliminated in a first-round upset.

The Moose may get some help, however. It is expected that Luca Sbisa may join the club once his WHL season is over. Currently, Sbisa is playing with the Portland Winter Hawks in the second round of the WHL Playoffs against the Vancouver Giants. The Giants lead that series by a 2-0 lead, and reports suggest that the Ducks will assign the big defenceman to Manitoba once Portland has been eliminated. Sbisa would be a nice fit in Manitoba, and his big shot would be a huge upgrade for the Moose powerplay.

Dan Sexton is expected to return to the Moose once the Anaheim Ducks finish their season. The Ducks are officially eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, so Sexton will play out the remaining games before returning to the Moose for their Calder Cup Playoff run. Sexton will be a huge help for the Moose after losing Pettinger for at least one month.

According to Moose GM Craig Heisinger, it sounds as if Cody Hodgson will not join the Moose this season. The Brampton Battalions' centerman saw his team fall to the Barrie Colts tonight to lose the series in a four-game sweep, meaning his OHL season is over. It was expected that Hodgson would be assigned to the Moose, but Heisinger stated this week on a radio sport show that he expects Hodgson to focus on recovering from his myriad of injuries this season rather than pushing for more hockey. As much as I'd like to see Hodgson suit up for the Moose again, I'm quite certain that Vancouver will want to protect their investment. Don't expect to see Hodgson playing in the Calder Cup Playoffs unless he has a sudden turn of heart.

Playoff Scheduling

MTS Centre will play host to at least two AHL Calder Cup games this spring. The Moose will face either the Hamilton Bulldogs (very likely) or the Rochester Americans (highly unlikely) in the first round, so it's time to plan your springtime hockey watching.

Game 1 - Thursday, April 15 Manitoba Moose at TBD
Game 2 - Saturday, April 17 Manitoba Moose at TBD
Game 3 - Monday, April 19: TBD at Manitoba Moose
Game 4 - Wednesday, April 21: TBD at Manitoba Moose
Game 5 - Friday, April 23*: TBD at Manitoba Moose
Game 6 - Sunday, April 25* Manitoba Moose at TBD
Game 7 - Tuesday, April 27* Manitoba Moose at TBD

All games in Manitoba will begin at 7:30 CDT, so plan accordingly. Tickets are not yet on sale as seedings are still being determined, but once Manitoba's opponent is known, playoff tickets will most likely go on sale.

Two games remain this weekend as the Peoria Rivermen visit MTS Centre. If the Moose can win both, they'll post a respectable 40-win season, and that's pretty darn good considering the trouble they had all season scoring goals. The games against Peoria will see Pierre-Cedric Labrie return to Manitoba, and Yan Stastny will square off against his old team.

Two wins would go a long way in putting pressure on Abbotsford. DO IT!

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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