Goalies Gone Wild

You may not recognize this guy, but I'd say he's a pretty fierce competitor. He's the kind of guy that will kill you if you don't kill him first as far as I can tell from what I've seen and heard. So while he's probably a pretty good teammate, I'd imagine he'd be a pain in the rear to play against. The man we're talking about here is Ottawa Senators goaltender Robin Lehner. And Lehner seems to have the psychological aspect of the game of hockey down to a science. He showed it last night against the New York Islanders, and he's shown it in the past as well.

Let's go back to this year's World Junior Championship where Lehner was the starting goaltender for Team Sweden. I'll let the video do the explaining, but watch until the end of the clip where Lehner goes off on the officials during an interview.

Wow. Do you really think that the goal that put Russia up 2-0 was the deciding factor? And I'm sure that the officials base their calls on who is playing in the game. C'mon.

Anyway, we can see that Lehner is a little intense when he plays the game. However, last night saw Lehner take things to a whole new level as the end of the second period became bigger than the game.

Now, considering yesterday's post, I'm quite certain that the Islanders' goaltenders were told not to throw down the cheeseboard and glove for some old-fashioned disagreement-settling. Kevin Poulin wisely keeps his gear on, but what was Lehner thinking with the forearm shiver he delivered?

If Lehner was trying to get into Poulin's head, it really backfired as the Islanders won the game in the third period on the ensuing powerplay that resulted from Lehner's indiscretion at center ice. Rob Schremp scored the game-winning goal at 1:39 of the third period, and the Islanders skated to the 5-3 victory. So while it appeared Lehner was trying to get Poulin off his game, it appeared to fire Poulin up as he shut the door in the third period.

I like Lehner's tenacity and intensity, and his personality will certainly keep him as a fan favorite if he continues to push the envelope. I was thinking, though, that maybe Lehner was keeping an Ottawa goaltending tradition alive?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Where It Hurts

There's nothing worse for a male than taking one to the berries. Getting kicked in the grapes is an age-old trick that can reduce a male to a puddle in mere seconds, and too often it happens to men when they are least expecting it. You've probably seen it a thousand times on video replay shows and "America's Funniest Videos", but when it happens to you, it is less than funny. In fact, if hit hard enough, you feel like you want to vomit. Thanks to the Canadian boys' spectacular collapse at the World Junior Hockey Championships, I believe that all Canadian hockey fans have the same feeling that many men have had after taking a swift kick to the gonads. And this pain will be felt for some time. We're talking swollen and bruised after this latest heartbreak.

Up 3-0 heading into the third period, Canada was twenty minutes away from their sixteenth gold medal. Russia, looking like a team that had been battered and bruised, suddenly turned the tables on Canada with speed, skill, and a swagger not seen since the days of the Soviet Union.

They deked. They juked. They shot. They scored. And they absolutely destroyed a country's confidence in their selected heroes. And it hurt. It hurt bad.

However, Canadians shouldn't be surprised by this. After all, the majority of these Russians came over to play during the recent CHL Subway Series, and won four of six games against the Canadian Hockey League. It's the first time that the Russians took the series, and they literally shocked a number of CHL All-Star teams with their skill and tenacity. The Canadian World Junior squad - those same players who played in the CHL Subway Series - should have known that this Russian squad was more than what it appeared on paper.

Instead, Canada took its foot off the gas pedal when it had built a comfortable lead through 40 minutes. In other tournaments, this might have been acceptable as the Russians may have decided to fight another day, but these Russians decided to push back. Just as they did during the CHL Subway Series. And no one, according to all the reports filed by news media, saw this coming.

Russia was down late against Finland. Russia won.
Russia was down late against Sweden. Russia won.
Russia was down late against Canada. Russia won.

Anyone see a trend there?

These Russian kids aren't that bad. In fact, despite their poor showing through the round-robin, they actually got better as the tournament progressed. The one thing that this Russian team did better than anyone else in the latter stages of this tournament is that they outworked their opponents.

That last statement feels really weird to write because the Russians haven't outworked anyone since players like Federov, Bure, and Mogilny were junior players. In recent history, players like Yashin, Afinogenov, and Kovalchuk thought that they could win games based on talent alone. They got steamrolled by Canada at the Olympics when the "best of the best" Russian players were on the ice because they didn't put the work in to get the results.

This Canadian loss will sting for a while. And not because we lost. That happens to all teams, and I accept that. No, this one will sting because we got outworked by a team that traditionally relies far too heavily on talent and not heavily enough on hard work. We got beat by a better team... for the second year in a row.

The Canadian identity of hard work over talent was lost in the last 20 minutes of the World Junior Championship gold medal game. And it will take at least a year to earn that credence back for Hockey Canada's Under-20 team. That, readers, is what hurts.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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With Authority!

This is probably going to be one of the most ballsy articles I have ever written on this blog. I have a great amount of respect for the work that the USA Hockey has done in getting their programs up to a world-class standard, and I am humbled by the American teams that show hustle, determination, and a doggedness in pursuing a win from the opening whistle to the final horn. American hockey, in the last decade, has come a long, long way, baby.

That being said, Team Canada put on a display unlike anything I've seen over the last few tournaments in their domination of their arch-rivals tonight at the World Junior Championships. I've never seen the outright punishment that Canada delivered to the Americans accepted so easily, and - it hurts me to say this - how quickly the American speed and skill folded under this intense pressure brought by Canada in the game.

I want to be clear: I still hold the Americans in high regard. Their program has not only made the Canadian program better, but the Americans are putting the world on notice that, like their Canadian counterparts, only gold is acceptable in this tournament. That standard is making their program better and, thus, the programs of other countries around the world need to step up to match it. Good on USA Hockey for that, and I commend them for their efforts in turning a good program into an elite program. Americans should be proud of what USA Hockey has done in a very short time.

However, what Canada did tonight in front of a very large pro-Canada crowd was, in essence, like sacking the White House. Canada - both the players and the fans that flocked south to Buffalo - came into the HSBC Arena, knocked around the heavily-favoured American team, and left with a convincing victory over what some, including yours truly, had deemed the best team in the tournament. That, readers, is domination. With authority.

With the 4-1 win over Team USA tonight, Canada has a date set with another old foe as Russia defeated Sweden in a shootout to advance to the gold medal final. If Canada can play another full sixty minutes of hockey against Russia in similar fashion to what they did against Team USA, Canada will most likely start another gold medal run in the World Junior Championships. GO CANADA GO!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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HBIC YIR - Part One

Time certainly has flown this year as we're two days away from recycling those 2010 calendars hanging on walls and posted on desks. Hockey has seen some great things this year, and we've also lost some icons that made the sport much better with their presence. We've seen players emerge as superstars and we've seen superstars fall to below-average play. All of this is actually a statement about the game - it's fluid, and it's constantly changing and evolving through each shift, each game, and each season. Today, HBIC looks back on the first six months of the year, and the important stories that came from January to the end of June.

January Highlights

• January 1: We start every year off right with the NHL's Winter Classic, and the January 1, 2010 game was certainly memorable as the Philadelphia Flyers visited the Boston Bruins in historic Fenway Park. What a great day of hockey!
• January 2: Switzerland's World Junior Championship team pulls off a massive upset as they defeated Russia 3-2 to beat the Russians for the first time in history at the WJC.
• January 5: The 2010 World Junior Championship is decided in overtime as American John Carlson ends Canada's streak with his goal to give Team USA the gold medal. Great game, and a very impressive showing by America's best young hockey talent.
• January 21: If you've been following this blog, you know I'm a big fan of Frank McClelland's newest equipment invention. January 21 was the first time I was lucky enough to speak to Frank and bring to light what would eventually be his Skate Fenders product. A very interesting story to see how the plastic skate guards got started!
• January 23: I arrive in Minneapolis for the US Pond Hockey Championships, and the weather was very un-winter for the tournament. Strange weather is nothing new on the prairies, but January is rarely a month known for rain. Great uniforms seen at the tournament, and a few great stories!
• January 25: I express my disappointment with the NHL's stance on protecting its players after a major incident in the QMJHL.
• January 29: I bring to light the story of Alton White, the first professional black hockey player to record 20 or more goals in a season as well as the first professional black hockey player to record a hat trick in a professional game. Since it happened in the WHA, no one seems to care that he doesn't get this recognition. But I do.

February Highlights

• February 5: The hockey world stops for a few moments to grieve the loss of Brendan Burke, Brian Burke's son. Brendan worked as student manager for the hockey team while attending the University of Miami (Ohio), but made headlines when he announced to the world that he was a gay man. And I still believe in my words: "Being gay doesn't change who he is or how much respect I have for him. Nor should it change you."
• February 13: Phil Hecken of Uni Watch Blog and I take a look at what each team will be wearing at the Olympics. Some uniforms are good. Others are not.
• February 14: I discuss some of the ways that women's hockey at the Olympics can fix blowouts between the elite teams and the rest of the field. I still feel that getting more women involved from the other countries will make the game stronger.
• February 21: Team USA plays a much more complete game in the round-robin at the Olympics and beats Canada soundly. I'm hard on Canada and praise the Americans. And this will only set up the inevitable.
• February 28: The Goal. Need I say anything more? I take a look at the 2010 Winter Olympics as a whole, and celebrate "The Goal.

March Highlights

• March 4: Frank McClelland returns with some updates on his Skate Fenders. I'm truly a fan of Mr. McClelland's and LSSU's work, and this product is something that players should really look into for their own health.
• March 11: HBIC renews its commitment to the Vancouver Olympics by giving the sport of sledge hockey as much coverage as possible. I really like this sport, and there have been some excellent games as of late as a number of countries have improved in this sport.
• March 18: One of the countries that has improved? Japan. They defeated the heavily-favoured Canadian squad by a 3-1 score in the semi-final to earn a berth in the gold medal final. If you haven't seen a game of sledge hockey in your life, you're missing out.
• March 21: The 2010 Women's Frozen Four wrapped up in style as there were some incredible games played by the NCAA women. Congratulations go out to the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs who captured their fifth NCAA Championship!
• March 30: The 2010 CIS Men's Hockey Championship wrapped up, and the Canadian collegiate champions are the Saint Mary's Huskies! Canadian collegiate hockey, while not as prolific as NCAA hockey, is certainly one of the places where NHL teams can find some hidden talent. There are lots of good players studying across Canada!

April Highlights

• April 4: The Alberta Pandas, the women's CIS hockey team, pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in the history of the CIS as they defeated the McGill Marlets in the CIS Championship game to be called "Canada's best".
• April 5: Columbus Blue Jackets' forward RJ Umberger calls out the Washington Capitals, and makes a prediction for the playoffs about the Capitals' chances of going all the way. A number of people wrote Umberger off, but read his comments. Hockey players know hockey.
• April 10: The Boston College Eagles defeat the Wisconsin Badgers and capture the 2010 NCAA Men's Hockey Championship. The win was a great effort for a team that many didn't pick to win the championship, but the Eagles captured their fourth championship!
• April 18: I'm fairly harsh towards Hockey Canada and the effort put forth at the World U-18 Championships. I like Canadian hockey, but I hate lack of effort.
• April 27: The NHLPA decides to change the Lester B. Pearson Award to the Ted Lindsay Trophy. More hockey history is being killed, and I'm not happy about it.
• April 30: In the same fashion I criticized Hockey Canada's efforts in the U-18 Tournament, I rip the Washington Capitals for their lack of hard work. Another exit far too early in the playoffs, and the Capitals spend more time on the golf course.

May Highlights

• May 3: The KHL crowns a champion as Ak Bars Kazan won their second KHL Championship in consecutive seasons. While there are still major differences between the NHL and KHL, it appears that Kazan is becoming the "Detroit Red Wings" of the KHL.
• May 7: I found a great article in Popular Science from 1935 about the game of hockey! It's a very good read with lots of pictures, but it goes to show that some magazines were covering hockey before it was popular!
• May 14: A reader by the name of Chelsea sent me a great email about head trauma suffered by hockey players. She makes some excellent points in her email, and there are several NHL players who echo her sentiments.
• May 23: The Czech Republic snaps the Russian's 27-game winning streak at the World Championships, and captured the World Championship title! Jaromir Jagr's reason for winning? "They had stars and we had guys who play in the Czech Republic, but this shows that talent doesn't matter - you have to work hard." Hard work, kids. I can't say it enough.
• May 25: I still have no clue as to what happened to the Charlie Conacher Memorial Trophy that was awarded annually to an NHL player. Any ideas?
• May 28: Damian Cox goes absolutely loopy with his suggestion that the Chicago Blackhawks change their logo because it's offensive. Cox stirring the pot? Nothing new.

June Highlights

• June 1: A fabulous video from the National Film Board of Canada shows off a ton of Quebec Nordiques history. This video is amazing!
• June 7: More videos are posted, this time of the WHA in all its spectacular glory. I really wish I had more WHA video. Note this foreshadowing. It will come in handy next week.
• June 9: The Chicago Blackhawks are your 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Champions. They dispatched the Philadelphia Flyers in six games to capture their first Stanley Cup in 49 years. To the victors go the spoils!
• June 14: The AHL's Hershey Bears stand atop the pile of AHL teams as they capture the 2010 Calder Cup as AHL Champions! The Bears defeated the Texas Stars in six games to capture their second consecutive Calder Cup. Well done, Bears!
• June 22: In what seems like a crime against humanity, the Hockey Hall of Fame finally allowed women to be eligible to be voted into the Hall of Fame. Women's hockey has its detractors, but the pioneers of the sport deserve their kudos as much as the men.
• June 28: More amazing hockey video is found through the National Film Board of Canada's website as we see the UBC Thunderbirds heading to China to help grow the game in the Communist country. This is another amazing video that shows how significantly-different cultures can work together to grow the game.

So there are the highlights from the first six months of HBIC's 2010. I really had a great time writing this year, and the interactions with you, the readers, are what makes this so rewarding. I love reading other opinions and ideas, and I encourage you to continue to email, comment, friend me on Facebook, and whatever else you to do to send me your hockey thoughts.

More tomorrow as we review the year that was from July to December!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Double Dose Of Red And White

Team Canada got off to a great start in both tournaments as the U-20 team scored a solid 6-3 victory over Russia on Sunday, while the Spengler Cup Canadians thumped Dominik Hasek and Spartak Moscow, another Russian squad, by a 6-1 score. Rarely do you see Dominik Hasek give up six goals in a game, but the 73 year-old looked fallible against Canada as six different Canadian players scored on Hasek. Thumbs-up, Dominik. Well done.

We move on to today where Teams Canada are back in action. We'll start with the junior men as they have a battle against Hasek's countrymen in the Czech Republic at 4:00 ET today in Buffalo.

The Czech Republic opened their 2011 World Junior Championship with a 2-0 victory over Norway. It was thought that the Czechs might have scored a few more goals against the plucky Norwegians, but the 2-0 shutout victory was more than enough to get the Czechs off on the right foot.

Goals by Antonin Honejsek and Tomas Rachunek, both undrafted players, put the Czechs up by the two goals as goaltender Marek Mazanec stopped all 21 shots he faced. The Czechs didn't look particularly interested in this game, to be honest, as they seemed to go through the motions at times, but their 38 shots say that they can generate offence when needed.

Canada will need to play in the same fashion that they did against the Russians in order to put the Czechs away early. There is absolutely no reason to go easy on the Czech Republic, and Canada needs to keep its foot on the gas as they prepare for a showdown against Sweden for top spot in the pool on New Year's Eve. Hit hard, aggressively forecheck, close off the blueline, and stay disciplined - the mantra for this Canadian team will be the difference as Canada should skate to another win.

As for the men playing in Switzerland, there is a considerable challenge standing before them as Team Canada plays the hosts in HC Davos today. Davos beat Spartak Moscow on Sunday by a 4-2 score, and they boast former NHL players Petr Sykora, Reto Van Arx, Josef Marha, Peter Sejna and Jaroslav Bednar in their lineup. History says that Canada should have the advantage against their hosts after having gone 22-8 all-time against Davos, but this Davos team is second-place in the Swiss Elite League and they always tough against Canada.

I took a quick look through the HC Davos roster, and I noticed a few irregularities on their roster. Now, I'm not saying they're cheating in any way as they clearly are doing well in the Swiss Elite League, but it seems that their rookies might be a little young, doesn't it? Of course, I jest as Kutlak was born in 1980, Von Arx was born in 1976, and Wieser was born in 1989 (two years after brother and teammate Marc), but the errors found on the Hockey Canada roster page are pretty funny when you consider how dramatically the birth years could affect a player if listed as "official".

The game today between Davos and Canada will determine the winner of the Cattini Pool with a 2-0 record, and give that team an automatic berth in the semi-finals on Thursday. A day off during a tournament is always a luxury, and there will probably be talk of it before the game in each dressing room. That should make for a spirited battle between these two teams! The game can be seen live on TSN2 at 5:00 ET!

Both Canadian teams need to bring that gritty, hard-nosed effort seen in their opening games to their respective games tonight. If they continue down that path, the road to victory should open for them once again. I'll be watching the World Junior Championship this evening, but I'll be switching over to the Spengler Cup game during breaks and intermissions. GO CANADA GO!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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The Tradition Continues

With the Christmas season, there's another tradition, at least in my house, that we partake in on an annual basis. The 2011 World Junior Championships start today with four games, and we'll get to see both of last year's finalists play today. There are a lot of reasons to watch this tournament, but there's no doubt that the number one reason to watch is for that one player or that moment that will simply go down in hockey history. There are a number of them that have happened so far, and there's a pretty good chance that we'll see one again in this year's tournament in Buffalo, New York. The Americans are the reigning champions so you know the people in Buffalo will be pushing the American boys hard, but the Canadians want supremacy back and the Canadian fans aren't afraid to make the trek south for one of the longest traditions in Canadian hockey history. Let's take a look at some of the greatest moments in Canadian international junior hockey history.

Best Canadian World Junior Goals

Gretzky wearing Canadian blue? Canada in Cooperalls? It happened!

2007 World Junior Shooutout - Canada vs. USA
Jonathan Toews becomes a household name in both countries.

Jordan Eberle's goal against Russia in 2009

Canada wins this game in the shootout. Spectacular goal!

John Carlson's gold medal goal in 2010

And the rivalry becomes even more intense between these two countries.

The tournament starts today with Germany against Switzerland, Canada plays Russia in the afternoon game, Sweden battles Norway in a Scandinavian evening matchup, and Team USA takes the ice in the primetime game tonight against the Finns. I am excited for these games, and I'm looking forward to another magical World Junior Tournament this year!

Just as an aside, the Spengler Cup - a third tradition in this house - starts today as well, but Canada doesn't have their first game until tomorrow. Canada battles the KHL's Spartak Moscow and the Swiss Elite League's HC Davos in their pool. We'll have more on the Spengler Cup tomorrow as Canada looks to capture another title during the holiday season!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Building Great Talent

With the emerging trends in the NHL of teams keeping and developing their good, young talent on a regular basis, Hockey Canada is beginning to find itself in a quandary, albeit a very good one. The World Junior Championships are a hallmark event for the Canadian hockey body in which they have seen unparalleled success from the rest of the world. A lot of this has to do with the excellent development programs in the Canadian Hockey League, but this is leading NHL teams to keep their high draft picks on their rosters in order to develop that talent at a faster rate. Because of this, the Canadian World Junior team sees its roster missing a lot of its top-tier talent every Christmas.

While this may sound like a complaint, it's not. It's great to see players such as Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, and Jeff Skinner suiting up for Canada, but the NHL is a business and the teams need to continue to develop their talent if they wish to remain competitive. While sending young players to the World Junior Championships would be a nice luxury for some teams, reality sometimes limits what teams can do.

The luxury that Hockey Canada has in this country is that Canada is deep in hockey talent thanks to a phenomenal major junior system and a passion for the game. Canada will have some solid returning players to man their blueline as Ryan Ellis, Calvin de Haan, and Jared Cowen will return for Canada. Up front, there is only one returnees, but there is some significant talent, and Team Canada's strength will be depth.

The return of Brayden Schenn to the Brandon Wheat Kings yesterday opens all sorts of doors for Hockey Canada. Schenn had spent considerable time with the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and the AHL's Manchester Monarchs before being returned to the Wheat Kings before his 10-game option ran out. This, of course, gives Team Canada a big boost as Schenn will be the lone returnee, but the Los Angeles Kings feel this is the best way for Schenn to develop as they have the talent to compete without keeping Schenn in their lineup.

"My candid opinion would be sure, that would be a great thing to be able to go play for Canada in the world juniors like that," Kings' GM Terry Murray told the Times. "It’s great competition and valuable experience."

Add in other notable draft picks such as Erik Gudbranson (Florida), Ryan Johansen (Columbus), Brett Connolly (Tampa Bay), and Zack Kassian (Buffalo, 2009) shows that Canada will have some solid talent assembled in Buffalo. For Kassian, it's a chance to show the team that drafted him that he's ready to make the jump from Windsor in the OHL to the bright lights of the NHL. So while the blue-chip names like Hall, Seguin, and Skinner remain with their NHL clubs, Team Canada still has themselves a very competitive roster.

Canada's major test will most likely come from the Americans once again. Team USA had nine players returning from their gold medal team one year ago for their evaluation camp, including goaltender Jack Campbell, defensemen Cam Fowler and John Ramage, and forwards Ryan Bourque, Jerry D'Amigo, Chris Kreider, Jeremy Morin, Kyle Palmieri and Jason Zucker. Fowler, though, appears to be staying with the NHL's Anaheim Ducks, but the other eight men have every opportunity to make the team and defend their gold medal.

It's a credit to the NCAA and the USHL for helping to develop young men in America into solid hockey players in the same way that the CHL does in Canada. These two developmental leagues are putting America on the map as a World Junior Championship power when they weren't even considered an also-ran as recently as a decade ago. Because of their work, there are a lot of excellent American-born players in the NHL, and that trend should continue with the work these two leagues are doing.

It should be an interesting camp in Toronto, Ontario for the Canadians as they prepare for the 2011 World Junior Championships. While the star power may not be there, Canada has a number of top-tier players who should provide a lot of exciting moments during the holiday season!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Two Major Stars From The Lone Star State

In spending time examining the hockey history of Houston, I began to wonder why there aren't more hockey players from Texas. Of course, they have a burning passion for football, both NCAA and NFL, and they love their Rockets and Astros like any fans should. However, I've only seen one rink oustide the Toyota Center since arriving here, and that might be part of the reason. There have been a couple of high-profile players who have made their mark on the NHL, and these two men, besides both being from Texas, are also world-class defencemen. While Texas may not produce many NHL-caliber players, there have definitely been two that should make the state proud.

The one man that stood out as one of the best defencemen ever born in the United States is Brian Leetch. Leetch was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, and starred mostly with the New York Rangers as an offensive threat from the blueline. Leetch was the first American-born player named as the Conn Smythe Trophy winner when the Rangers captured the Stanley Cup in 1994, and he represented the USA internationally on a number of occasions. Leetch also captured two Norris Trophies as the best defenceman during his career, and was the NHL's top rookie in 1988.

While Leetch was born in Corpus Christi, his training came elsewhere. Leetch's father was a flight instructor, and the Leetch family moved to Cheshire, Connecticut when Brian was just three months old. Brian's father would continue the flight instructor business, but also managed an ice rink when the winter rolled around, giving Brian unrestricted access to skating opportunities.

While Brian grew up playing and excelling in both baseball and hockey, he truly shone in the sport of hockey. He earned All-State honours while in high school, putting up ridiculous numbers as a defenceman. At Avon Old Farms, Leetch scored an incredible 70 goals and added 90 assists in a mere 54 games!

In 1986, the New York Rangers, impressed by his remarkable scoring ability, chose Leetch ninth overall. However, Leetch followed the footsteps of his dad by enrolling at Boston College where he would be an All-American in 1987. He would only spend one year with the Eagles, though, as he jumped at an opportunity to play with Team USA in 1988.

On February 29, 1988, Leetch made his debut with the New York Rangers in St. Louis. He would record his first point that night, drawing an assist on a Kelly Kisio goal. While playing in only 17 games, Leetch looked right at home as he recorded 14 points. One year later, Leetch captured the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie after scoring 73 points in the 1987-88 season.

Leetch would continue to impress the hockey world with his abilities. In 1992, he became the first American-born defenceman and only the fifth NHL defenceman to record 100 points in a season. His 100-point season prompted the NHL to award him his first Norris Trophy as the league's most outstanding defenceman. Leetch's 100-point season is the last time that an NHL defenceman has reached that pinnacle to date.

Leetch's 1994 season saw the Rangers captured the President's Trophy as the NHL's top regular-season team, the Stanley Cup, and he was named as the first American-born player to receive the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup Playoff MVP. He is still the only American to have won the award.

After Mark Messier left the team, Leetch was named as the captain of the Rangers in 1997. He would carry that honour until he handed the captaincy back to Messier in 2000 once he returned to the Rangers. But along with the captaincy, Leetch earned his second Norris Trophy in 1997 as the league's top defender.

While Leetch bounced around the NHL in the twilight years of his career, he formally announced that he was retiring from the NHL on May 24, 2007. That September, Leetch was one of four recipients of the 2007 Lester Patrick Trophy for his contributions to the US hockey program. January 24, 2008 saw the New York Rangers retire Leetch's #2 to the rafters of Madison Square Garden alongside the other legends. In October 2008, both Leetch and former Rangers teammate Mike Richter were inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame in Denver, Colorado. In November of 2009, Leetch was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario to sit alongside the game's greatest names.

Brian Leetch, in my estimation, might be the greates hockey player to have been born in Texas. His resume of work is second-to-none, but there is one young man who broke into the game in Texas after having been born in Houston.

Tyler Myers was born in Katy, Texas just outside Houston, and lived in the city until he was ten years-old. Myers moved to Calgary, Alberta at that point with his father and stepmother. However, Myers became smitten with hockey after attending Houston Aeros games as a child with his father when he was six. Moving to Calgary allowed Myers to pick up the game he watched in Houston.

Myers played minor hockey at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, and followed an outstanding period there by jumping to the WHL's Kelowna Rockets. Myers was a towering defenceman in the league, standing at 6'7" tall, and routinely delivered bone-crushing hits while playing excellent defence.

Myers was just coming into his own when the Buffalo Sabres came calling in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. With the 12th overall pick, the Sabres added Myers to their team, and both GM Darcy Regier and head coach Lindy Ruff were excited to get Myers.

"There are two oddities to Tyler," Regier told USA Today. "One is size, and one is that he is a right-handed defenseman. (Coach) Lindy (Ruff) says find us a right-handed defenseman. But when I call up the rosters and look at every team's right-handed defensemen, there aren't many out there."

While the Sabres returned Myers to Kelowna, Myers stirred up a little controversy by choosing to play with Team Canada instead of Team USA in 2009. Hockey Canada began the controversy by naming Myers to their U20 team, and Myers' decision to accept the invitation was a slight role reversal in terms of Canada grabbing talent from the US Hockey Program.

"It was tough, I was born in the States," Myers told The Hockey News in 2010. "I based my decision on, if I hadn't of moved to Canada, I probably wouldn't be where I am today. I don't even think I'd be playing hockey right now.

"I just feel I owe Canada a lot and it feels good to put on the red and white."

The 2009 Team Canada World Junior team went on to capture the gold medal in Ottawa, and Myers was on the lists of many NHL scouts. That same year, the Kelowna Rockets went on to capture the 2009 Ed Chynoweth Cup as the WHL Champions, and he was named as the WHL Playoff MVP after scoring 20 points. Both tournaments allowed Myers to grow and mature as a player, and the Sabres were anxious to bring the young man back to training camp.

May 11, 2009 saw Myers sign a three-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres, and it was apparent through training camp that the young man was light years ahead of the Sabres' development plans. Because of his impressive camp, the Sabres chose to keep Myers with the club for the entire 2009-10 season. And what a season it was for Myers!

Myers recorded his first NHL point with an assist against the Phoenix Coyotes on October 8, 2009. His first NHL goal came eight days later as a Myers' blast found its way behind Dwayne Roloson of the New York Islanders on October 16. Myers hit another first eight days after his first goal by netting his first shootout goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 24. Myers recorded his first multi-goal game on January 8, 2010 against the Toronto Maple Leafs when he scored a pair of powerplay goals.

What made the transition of Myers from junior player to NHL player impressive was his growth as a top player. He logged the most ice time of all NHL rookies last season, and played on Buffalo's top pairing on the blueline for the majority of the season. He finished third in rookie scoring last season, and his incredible play earned him the 2010 Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.

Myers looks to have a long and successful career ahead of him, and he got his start by watching the IHL Aeros in Houston! While he has chosen to play for Canada, he is still one of the two best Texans to come out of the Lone Star State to play in the NHL.

With Leetch and Myers, Texas is beginning to produce quality hockey players despite not having a lot of places to play!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Some Americana To Ponder

HBIC is always tries to remain aware of holidays and observances that affect the readers, and today is one of those days. July 4 is a big day south of the Canadian border as the citizens of the United States of America celebrate the anniversary of the biggest day in their country's existence: Independence Day. After defeating the British and gaining their independence, the colonies began organizing themselves into the red-white-and-blue, patriotic country it is today. It's with great enthusiasm that I wish all the best to my American readers on this Independence Day, and I hope your celebrations are fun, and with family and friends.

If I may, however, I would like to create a little topic of discussion if you'll permit. With the idea of great Americans on my mind, it has become a much more difficult decision as to who the greatest American-born hockey players are. There are so many excellent American-born players in the NHL, and we've seen some spectacular performances in international play.

In thinking about this, there are a large number of American players that need to be considered. I'll arrange this discussion by creating two lines of American-born players throughout the annals of time. There will also be one line for the best international players as well. Let's take a look at who I chose as being the best American hockey players.

Forward: Mike Modano
Forward: Joe Mullen
Forward: Brett Hull
Defence: Brian Leetch
Defence: Chris Chelios
Goaltender: Mike Richter

Mike Modano is the leading scorer in terms of American-born players in the history of the NHL. His inclusion is almost elementary with the number of international appearances he has made for USA. Add in the 1999 Stanley Cup ring into the mix, and Modano is a highly-decorated American hockey player.

Joe Mullen has to be included as he was the first American-born player to score 500 goals in the NHL, a benchmark used for Hall of Fame credentials. Mullen also won three Stanley Cups as a member of the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins, and he was a major goal-scoring threat right through to the end of his illustrious career.

While there are always critics of Brett Hull's personality, there was no denying that he was the most lethal sniper in the NHL for the better part of four seasons. While Hull never won a Stanley Cup while scoring hundreds of goals in the early-1990s, the transformation of his game into a two-way forward in Dallas brought him a Stanley Cup ring in 1999, and he added another with Detroit in 2002.

Brian Leetch's inclusion was made easy by his amazing career in New York City. He was part of the 1994 Stanley Cup victory by the Rangers, and became the only American-born Conn Smythe winner that year. He has twice won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenceman, and has inspired a large number of young hockey players with his play and his leadership.

There isn't much that needs to be said about Chris Chelios, but I'll try. 1983 NCAA Champion with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, played in four Winter Olympic Games, played in three Canada Cups, played in one World Cup, played in twelve NHL All-Star Games, and has won three Stanley Cups and three Norris Trophies. He's currently the oldest player still active in the NHL, has played the most games by an American player, and has suited up for three of the Original Six teams. Pretty impressive for the veteran of approximately 72 seasons.

Mike Richter did the one thing that Tom Barrasso, another American-born goaltender, could not. With Richter backstopping the 1994 New York Rangers, the goaltender became an icon in North America's largest market thanks to his performance in helping the Rangers capture the Stanley Cup. Richter was a household name in the USA while Barrasso was not. Because of his influence, Richter deserves the start.

What may be more important about all of these men is that they played in markets where hockey is taken very seriously. Modano started in Minnesota, and moved onto Dallas. Mullen played some of his best hockey in Pittsburgh. Hull put St. Louis into a higher echelon before joining Modano in Dallas, followed by a successful run in Detroit. Leetch and Richter were icons in New York during their careers. And Chelios has played in Detroit and Chicago where hockey can be life or death.

The second line of the NHL Americans are as follows:

Forward: Jeremy Roenick
Forward: Pat Lafontaine
Forward: Neal Broten
Defence: Phil Housley
Defence: Ken Morrow
Goaltender: Frank Brimsek

JR is the stuff of video gaming legend, and his real-life personality was pretty awesome as well. Not only could he score, but he could hit, skate, and was a leader for the Blackhawks. While he never captured a Stanley Cup, Roenick piled up the points during his career, and was always a fan favorite.

Pat Lafontaine never got the major chatter like some of his peers did, but he does have the highest point-per-game average of all American-born players in the history of the NHL. Lafontaine totaled up 1013 points in 865 games, averaging 1.171 points-per-game. Not bad at all, if you ask me. If it weren't for a spectacular run by Mario Lemieux, Lafontaine would have won one Art Ross Trophy.

Neal Broten will probably be questioned by a few people, but his inclusion is for what he did in the NHL. He was the first American-born player to record 100 points in a season, and he scored the game-winning goal that clinched the Stanley Cup in 1995 for the New Jersey Devils. He was the 1998 winner of the Lester Patrick Award for his contributions to hockey in the United States. Add on the fact that he was voted as the greatest hockey player from Minnesota, and he comes across as a pretty important player in the annals of American hockey greats.

Phil Housley is still the highest-scoring American-born defenceman in NHL history, and he's second all-time in scoring by American players. Having seen him play, he was one of the best skaters I've ever seen on NHL ice. Housley holds the record of being the player who has played the most games without winning the Stanley Cup - an unappreciated record to be sure. He played in seven NHL All-Star Games, and represented Team USA five teams.

Some may argue that other defencemen should be here in Ken Morrow's place, but there is no American-born player who has had the success that Morrow had at such a young age. By age 23, he had an Olympic gold medal and a Stanley Cup Championship to his name. Morrow would go on to win three more Stanley Cups during the Islanders' dynasty. Morrow didn't score a ton of points, but he was one of the best defensive defencemen to suit up during the early-1980s. In 1996, he won the Lester Patrick Award for his contributions to hockey in the United States.

The choice of Frank Brimsek over players such as John Vanbiesbrouck, Tom Barrasso, or Mike Karakas might come as a surprise, but you don't earn the nickname of "Mr. Zero" without being pretty good. He was the first American-born goaltender inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and won two Stanley Cups which has him tied for the most amongst American-born goaltenders. His forty shutouts are the most by an American-born goalie with six of his forty blankings coming in his first eight NHL games, and he has two Vezina Trophies to his name.

Still with me? Those twelve men would be a pretty amazing all-time fantasy team, and every American should be proud of these men for their accomplishments. However, we're also going to take a look at the best international players that the United States has produced.

Forward: Jordan Schroeder
Forward: Cammi Granato
Forward: Mike Eruzione
Defence: Bill Baker
Defence: John Mayasich
Goaltender: Jim Craig

Jordan Schroeder, who is just beginning his pro career, eclipsed the 25-point Team USA all-time scoring record set by Jeremy Roenick at the World Junior Championships this past year. Schroeder has played in three WJCs, scoring 27 points with a Team USA-record 20 assists. Schroeder won a gold medal at the 2010 WJC. With his pro career just starting, it appears that Schroeder has a long career of international appears ahead of him.

Cammi Granato's influence on the women's game has been instrumental in making the US Women's Hockey Program into an international power. She still leads Team USA in scoring, and has won an Olympic gold medal, an Olympic silver medal, one World Championship gold medal, and eight World Championship silver medals. She is the recipient of the 2007 Lester Patrick Award for her contributions to hockey in the United States, and will be one of the first two women to be inducted as players into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.

Mike Eruzione needs no introduction. His name is as big in the United States as Paul Henderson's is in Canada. Eruzione played in the 1975 and 1976 World Championships, but his big moment came during the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Games. Eruzione scored the game-winning goal against the Soviet Union in the "Miracle on Ice" game that made him the most famous American hockey player for a long time.

Bill Baker is probably best known as the extra attacker who scored the tying goal against Sweden in 1980 at the Lake Placid Olympic Games. Baker's goal proved vitally important as the 2-2 tie against Sweden allowed Team USA to advance to the medal round where they would pull off the biggest victory in US Hockey history. Baker's Team USA jersey is currently displayed at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. Baker also played at the 1981 World Championships and the 1981 Canada Cup.

John Mayasich was a sensational scorer at the international level for Team USA. In 1956, Mayasich scored a hat trick as a forward to lead Team USA over Canada by a 4-1 score, and capture the silver medal. Before the 1960 Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, Mayasich developed a slapshot that would have made Bobby Hull proud. In an exhibition game against Japan, Mayasich fired a slapshot from center that beat the Japanese goalie cleanly! With his return to the Olympics in 1960, Mayasich was shifted to defence so that Team USA could take advantage of his slapshot. Team USA defeated Canada, the Soviet Union, and Czechoslovakia on their way to the 1960 Olympic gold medal! Mayasich played in five World Championships, earning a bronze medal and an All-Star team berth at the 1962 tournament.

The goaltending choice came down to Jack McCartan's 1960 gold medal performance and Jim Craig's "Miracle on Ice" Olympics. However, the most memorable win in USA's history can't go unheralded. Craig went 6-0-1 in the 1980 Winter Olympics, including that historical win over the Soviet Union where he posted 39 saves in the 4-3 "Miracle" win. While his NHL GAA ballooned to 3.77 after leaving the US National Team, he posted an amazing 2.14 GAA in the 1980 Winter Olympics to lead Team USA to the gold medal!

There are my picks for the best American players in the NHL and at the international level. Again, I'll probably stir up more discussion than settle any debates, but that's what this exercise is all about. After all, nationwide celebrations bring people together, and that's what I'm celebrating here: the best American-born hockey players to ever suit up in the NHL and in a Team USA uniform!

Happy Independence Day, my American neighbours, and be safe on this Fourth of July!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Antler Banter: Volume 11

Antler Banter is back this week with a look at the Moose's battles with the best team in the AHL. The Moose welcomed the defending Calder Cup champions in the Hershey Bears back to MTS Centre in a two-game series this past weekend. As you know, these two teams tangled in last season's Calder Cup Final, but the Moose have undergone vast changes. This series would be a good measuring stick to see how they stack up against the AHL's elite. The Moose also visited Abbotsford, so we'll update that series. Of course, player moves, injury reports, and the future games will be examined today. For 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. On to the Hardcore Hockey!

Best of the Best

Friday night saw the return of the AHL-leading and Calder Cup-defending Hershey Bears to Winnipeg with the Bears bringin a ten-game winning streak to the game. Hershey is certainly one of the elite teams in the AHL, and that's reflected in both their play on the ice and the way the franchise runs their operation. This looked to be a big test for the Moose, but to be the best, you have to beat the best. Cory Schneider drew the assignment for the Moose while Braden Holtby took to the blue ice in the Hershey zone. Due to call-ups and player releases, the Moose only dressed five defencemen tonight, but the blueliners performed admirably.

As it seems with the majority of the games that the Moose play this season, the first period against teams that the Moose haven't seen this season are a feeling-out period. Such was the case against the Bears as neither team budged against the other. In fact, it took nearly seven minutes for the first shot to be registered as Hershey's Chris Bourque put the puck on net.

Moose call-up Taylor Ellington was whistled for the first penalty on a high-sticking call, but the Bears couldn't solve Schneider. I found it quite funny that Bears defenceman John Carlson was booed mercilessly by the Moose fans every time he touched the puck. Of course, Carlson was part of the gold-medal winning USA team at this year World Junior Championship, and the Moose fans reminded him he was on Canadian soil every chance they got. After one period, the Bears had outshot the Moose by an 8-6 total, however neither team could break the scoreless tie in front of 7779 fans at MTS Centre.

It took only 13 seconds into the second period for the scoreless draw to be broken. Andrew Gordon took a lovely cross-ice pass from Alexandre Giroux, and one-timed the puck past Schneider for his 17th goal of the season on the two-on-one. Keith Aucoin also drew an assist after winning a puck battle at the Moose blueline against Nolan Baumgartner, and his initial pass to Giroux started the play to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.

The battles continued in the second period as neither team gave the other any significant scoring chances without paying a price for them. However, the Moose drew even at 16:52. Matt Pope poked a puck between Patrick McNeill and Bryan Helmer where Matt Pettinger picked it up in full stride. Pettinger gained a step on Helmer as he broke in on the right side and pulled the puck to his backhand, forcing Holtby to slide across the crease. As Holtby opened up the five-hole as he slid across, Pettinger ticked his seventh goal of the season through the five-hole, and the Moose were even again. Honestly, Pettinger showed the Manitoba crowd a big-league, NHL-style goal with his speed and move.

A great goal had the crowd buzzing for the remainder of the period, but both teams went into the second intermission deadlocked at 1-1. In showing that they could skate with the Bears, the shots were even in that period at 14 apiece.

The third period remained the same as the tight-checking affair continued. Both Keith Aucoin and Guillaume Desbiens were sent off midway through the third period after some rough play for the only penalties of the period, so neither team had an opportunity to play with the man-advantage. With neither team giving the other many opportunities, the 1-1 game moved into an extra frame.

Overtime was just as fruitless as the third period, so a shootout was required to solve this game. The Moose took a perfect 6-0 record into the shootout. Marco Rosa and Kyle Wilson both scored in the opening round of the shootout. Michael Grabner put the home squad up with the next shot, but Alexandre Giroux tied it up with Hershey's third shot. Sergei Shirokov and François Bouchard exchanged goals in the fourth round to make it 3-3 in the shootout. It would take another three shooters for either side before Andrew Gordon beat Cory Schneider to give Hershey the win.

Despite dropping the 2-1 game in the shootout, the Moose looked impressive against the Bears. Schneider was exceptional in the Moose nets again, and the Moose played very well against the best team in the AHL. With the shootout loss, the Moose fall to 21-14-4-1 on the season. Just as a roster note, Mathieu Schneider wore #24 in his first game for Manitoba Moose this season.

Almost, But Not Quite

After an exciting game in which the Moose dropped their first shootout loss the night before, the Moose looked for revenge on Saturday night against the Bears. 7784 fans turned out to see the second game of the two-game series against the defending Calder Cup Champions, so another solid crowd was on-hand for the Moose. Cory Schneider got the call for the Moose for the second night in a row, and the Bears responded by sending Braden Holtby back to the nets.

Hershey looked strong in the first period, hemming Manitoba in their own zone while on a powerplay. The Bears used an effective forecheck all night to keep the Moose off-balance. The first goal of the game went to the Bears, and the Aucoin-Giroux-Gordon combo was back on the scoresheet. Giroux chipped the puck into the Moose zone, and Mathieu Schneider couldn't corral it before the fleet-footed Andrew Gordon streaking down the right side got to the loose puck. With a step on Schneider, Gordon wired a wrist shot for his 18th goal of the season past Cory Schneider to give the Bears a 1-0 lead at 9:56 of the first period.

Similar to the night before, the two teams began to settle down on the defensive side of the puck, and the Bears took a 1-0 lead into the intermission. Shots were even at 10-10 after one period, but Holtby kept the Moose off the scoreboard.

The second period started with the Moose on the powerplay, but the Herd couldn't solve Holtby. Two consecutive penalties to Sergei Shirokov and Michael Grabner just 27 seconds apart gave the Bears a five-on-three opportunity for over a minute and a half. Schneider made some key saves to keep the deficit to one goal, and the Moose were rewarded for killing off the penalties.

Shirokov emerged from the penalty box and rejoined the play in the Moose zone, but he didn't stay long. Mike Keane picked up a loose puck and banked it off the left boards out into the neutral zone where the speedy Shirokov gained control. Breaking in all alone from the left wing, Shirokov went forehand-backhand on the deke and found an opening through Holtby's five-hole to score the shorthanded goal. Shirokov's 13th goal of the season pulled Manitoba even at 1-1 at the 5:14 mark of the second period.

Manitoba poured on the pressure after the momentum swing, and Holtby began to see shots regularly. The pressure finally got to Hershey at 15:24 of the second period. With Guillaume Desbiens coming down the left wing against Hershey's Chris Bourque, Desbiens leaned in and threw the puck from the corner to the front of the net with one hand on his stick as Bourque finished his check. Marco Rosa had a step on John Carlson, and the Moose centerman made no mistake as he tipped the centering pass just past Holtby at the right post. Rosa's eighth goal of the season put the home side up 2-1. With twenty minutes to play, the Moose needed a big effort against the league's top team.

Hershey used the intermission time to refocus, and they came out flying. Just 1:20 in, the tied the game up. Mathieu Perreault won a puck battle against Brian Salcido in the right corner and skated out towards Schneider. With both the goaltender and defenceman Travis Ramsey watching Perreault, no one picked up Chris Bourque sneaking in on the backdoor. Perreault flipped the puck to the Hershey sniper, and Bourque buried it over a sprawling Schneider for his ninth of the season and a 2-2 game.

Both teams picked up the pace again as they looked for the win. It took over fifteen minutes, but Hershey finally pulled ahead. Boyd Kane feathered a pass over to Kyle Wilson as Wilson crossed into the Moose zone. A stumble by defenceman Nolan Baumgartner allowed Wilson to gain a step on the Moose rearguard, and Wilson drove the net hard. Wilson roofed the puck from in close as Schneider went down, and the Bears jumped out to a 3-2 lead on Wilson's 11th goal of the season.

Shortly afterwards, the Hershey bench was assessed a bench minor, and Boyd Kane was given a ten-minute misconduct and tossed from the game under Rules 75.4 and 75.5. According to the rulebook, Rule 75.4 states that a misconduct is given when any player or goalkeeper persists in using obscene, profane or abusive language directed towards any person after being assessed a minor or bench minor penalty. Rule 75.5 states that a game misconduct is given when "a player or goalkeeper persists in any course of conduct for which he was previously assessed a misconduct penalty". I'm not sure what Kane was unhappy about, but he didn't do any favors for referee Kyle Rehman.

With the Moose on the powerplay to finish the game, they had several good opportunities, but Braden Holtby was equal to the task. When the final horn sounded, the Bears took the victory by the 3-2 score. With the loss in regulation, the Moose drop to 21-15-4-1 on the season.

Back to the Drawing Board

For the first time in the regular season, the Moose headed west to British Columbia to face the Abbotsford Heat on Tuesday night as part of a two-game set against their division rivals. Having only collected one point on the weekend, the Moose needed to pick up a few points against the Heat while stopping the Heat's four-game winning streak. A full house of 7046 was out in Abbotsford to see the Herd play the Heat with the crowd split between Heat supporters and Canuck fans. Cory Schneider got the start for the Moose while Matt Keetley was between the pipes for the Heat.

Listening to this game on CJOB with Moose play-by-play man Brian Munz, it sounded like the game started with opportunities at both ends of the ice - a sign that both teams are playing with confidence. Neither side could find the twine early on, but this game had all the signs of a "last goal wins" game. I apologize for the lack of details on this game, but I didn't have a video feed last night nor was I able to travel to Abbotsford for the game. I know - weak effort on my part.

David Van Der Gulik ripped home a slapshot at 12:56 to give Abbotsford a 1-0 lead midway through the first. JD Watt made it 2-0 four minutes later when he opted to keep on a two-on-one and fired it low blocker-side on Schneider. Despite the chances that the Moose had, Keetley kept the Herd off the scoreboard after one period of play.

The second period saw the Moose powerplay come to life. Eric Walsky netted his second goal of the season off his own rebound at 5:01 with the man-advantage, and the Moose were within one goal at 2-1.

Guillaume Desbiens and JD Watt decided to settle their differences the old-fashioned way just ten seconds after the face-off, and the two men were sent to the penalty box with major penalties.

Less than two minutes later, Marco Rosa banged in his ninth goal of the season. Lawrence Nycholat drew the assist as his shot rattled off the end boards, and Rosa slapped the rebound over Keetley's leg. The Moose drew even at 2-2. For some bizarre reason, Leland Irving replaced Matt Keetley in the Abbotsford net after Rosa's goal. Personally, it sounded like Keetley was doing a good job in holding the Moose off the board, so I'm not sure why the change was made.

Former Moose Jason Jaffray continued to haunt his former team. At the 16:29 mark, Jaffray beat Schneider through the five-hole for his 15th goal of the season after making his way to the front of the net. Abbotsford was back on top with a 3-2 lead, and they carried that lead into the second intermission.

The third period saw more hitting as the two teams looked to put more pucks in the net. However, the rough stuff caught up to Abbotsford at the 9:25 mark when they were whistled for an extra roughing penalty. Brian Salcido was sent off for the Moose, but both Cam Cunning and JD Watt were given roughing minors for Abbotsford.

On the powerplay, Mathieu Schneider fed a great pass to Marco Rosa who was open in the slot. The Moose centerman made no mistake as he wired his tenth goal of the season over Irving on the powerplay, and the Moose tied the game at 3-3. The crashing and banging being done by both teams carried right through the rest of the third period, but neither team could muster the winning goal. The final horn after sixty minutes with a 3-3 tie meant we had extra time!

The extra time didn't last long. Lawrence Nycholat's blast from the top of the face-off circle just 39 seconds into overtime gave the Moose the two points they needed. With the overtime victory, the Moose push their record to 22-15-4-1.

Wrapping Up the Week

The Moose lost two close games to Hershey, but there is no reason to suggest that they can't run with the big dogs in the AHL. What may have hurt the Moose in the second game of the series with Hershey is their wanting to sit on a lead. No lead is safe against the AHL's highest-scoring and top-defensive team, so the Moose should have taken it right to the Bears in the third period of Saturday's game.

The game against Abbotsford was a good rebound for the squad. Again, and I can't stress this enough, games against divisional opponents are must-win games. By winning last night's game, Manitoba opened a three-point cushion on the Heat and leap-frogged the idle Rochester Americans. If the Moose can pick up another two points tonight in BC, it will go a long way in putting them back into the upper echelon of AHL teams.

One Man Goes Down, Another Man Is Lost

It was a tough week for one Moose defender, while a Moose regular moved into the injury bay with a new injury.

• Daren Machesney - knee injury. Machesney tweaked his knee during practice, but shouldn't be out long. He's hopeful for next weekend's clash with the Milwaukee Admirals.
• Michael Funk - concussion. As I had suggested last week, Funk's symptoms were not diminishing, so it may be time to shut down his season to be safe. And that's exactly what the Moose blueliner did on Thursday. Honestly, there's no reason to gamble with his life at age 23. Hopefully, he'll return next season as he really began to shine in his 19 games.

Musical Locker Room Stalls

The Moose welcomed a number of players this week, and then said good-bye to a few of them as the revolving door on the locker room continued to spin.

• Jimmy Sharrow - signed and released from PTO. Sharrow was brought in on an emergency basis when the Moose were down to five rearguards. Sharrow has played parts of seasons with the Moose before, and will head back to the ECHL's Victoria Salmon Kings.
• Stefan Drew - signed to Amateur Tryout contract. Drew was picked up from the Springfield 98s of the Manitoba East Hockey League where he had been plying his trade. The 24 year-old had been in Moose training camp earlier this season, so he is on the radar. Once Machesney is back from his injury, Drew will most likely be released.
• Evan Oberg - recalled and re-assigned by the Canucks. Oberg's call-up left the Moose slightly shorthanded for their game with Hershey, but he was returned to the Herd on Sunday.
• Taylor Ellington - recalled from Victoria. Ellington has spent a few games with Manitoba, and appears that he could be a very serviceable seventh defenceman if the Moose decide to keep him around.

Like a Moose in a Chat Room

Nolan Baumgartner was the featured guest on Monday in the AHL Chat Room. He spoke about his time in Portland, Maine, why he came back to Manitoba, why he likes playing here, the impact that Mike Keane has had on him, and how Sergei Shirokov is adapting to North American life. You can read the full transcript here of his time in the chat room.

Personally, I appreciate when a player says that the fans and organization are the reasons for him choosing to play in a city. It speaks volumes about the franchise and its fans, and Baumgartner really said some nice things about the Moose in his chat.

Always Wanting More

The Moose battle the Heat again tonight in Abbotsford, and it goes without saying about the importance of a victory tonight. Manitoba is one point ahead of third-place Rochester, but the Amerks have a couple of games in hand. Hamilton has opened a nine-point lead over Manitoba, but the Moose need only to worry about themselves right now.

The upcoming weekend has the Milwaukee Admirals visiting the Moose at MTS Centre. Milwaukee is currently tied for the lead in the West Division with a 22-13-1-5 record. Cal O'Reilly, currently with the NHL's Nashville Predators, leads the team in scoring with nine goals and 26 assists. Mark Dekanich and Chet Pickard are solid goaltenders, but haven't been outstanding. However, the Admirals can score in bunches, so the Moose will have to be defensively solid again.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!s

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The Better Team Won

Congratulations to Team USA. This was a victory celebration that they should have had on December 31, but I believe the wait until today is well worth the heartbreak felt during their last game of 2009. John Carlson's goal in overtime gave the Americans a 6-5 victory over the Canadians after the Canadians had mounted a furious comeback to tie the game in the third period. Throughout this tournament, however, it has been evident that Team USA has been gaining momentum, and it culminated in the biggest of prizes tonight.

Let me say this once more: the better team won tonight.

If it wasn't obvious in the New Year's Eve game, Canada simply cannot match speed with the Americans. Given their knack for sniping goals as well, the Americans posed a major threat to Canada in the round-robin, and followed that effort up by upsetting the favored Swedes in the semi-finals before knocking the Canadians off their pedestals. Throughout it all, they got timely goaltending, superb defensive play, showed off an excellent transition game, and racked up goals in taking down the two favorites in the tournament in successive games.

The better TEAM won tonight.

Look, there's no secret that Canada's junior hockey system produces some of the finest players on the planet. We have this extensive junior hockey program that stretches from coast to coast to coast, and the World Junior Championship is the biggest stage for the all-stars of that league to come out represent the Canadian Hockey League. When they pull on that Hockey Canada logo, the expectation is a gold medal and nothing less.

I'm ok with having high expectations. After all, why play the games if you're not trying to win, right? The problem is that this tournament has become a joke in terms of Canada vs. everyone else.

With the win by the Americans tonight, it's time that this country faces one cold, hard fact. We, as Canadians, think our players can skate with swagger just because of their pedigree. We think that they have an automatic berth in the gold medal game due to their nationality. We think that they will cruise through the teams that other countries send because they are the best of the best.

That one cold, hard fact? Despite all the skill that we assemble on paper, it's the best TEAM that wins.

Canada could go up and down their roster throwing names and numbers at you in terms of matching player for player in this tournament. There is no question that Canada's depth would allow them to field two or three teams for this tournament if they really wanted. The problem is that the best players from this country do not always make the best team. We saw that at the 2006 Winter Olympics when Canada finished seventh, and we saw it in Saskatoon tonight when Carlson ended the game with a wrist shot past Martin Jones.

The same pinching Canadian defensemen allowed the same speedy American attack to get past them, turning plays into odd-man rushes as the Americans blazed down the ice. Once they hit the Canadian blue line, the skill of the Americans was put on display, and they finished at a high rate of success. If this sounds like déja vu from the New Year's Eve game, it felt like Groundhog Day watching this game.

I do want to point out that the Canadians could have simply folded their tents after falling behind 5-3 with thirteen minutes to play. Instead, Canada seemingly willed their way back into this game, led by Saskatchewan-born Jordan Eberle's two goals late in the third period to tie the game.

I cannot fault the Canadian players for making mistakes. That will happen. But it just felt like they made the same mistakes over and over again, and were not learning from them. The Americans, on the other hand, adapted to changes and played as a cohesive unit when faced with mounting pressure. That is the sign of a close-knit team, and it shows that every player on the American roster has an immense amount of trust and respect for his teammates.

"I said 'If you guys were to tell me at the beginning of the tournament that we'd be here right now going into overtime right now for the gold medal, anyone in the locker-room would have taken it,'" Carlson said to TSN's Ryan Rishaug about the pep talk he gave to his teammates. "So I think the camaraderie really helped and we really pulled together there and squeaked out a win."

Isn't that what a team essentially is - a camaraderie?

If I'm Hockey Canada, I start looking for a full-time head coach and coaching staff like they had when Pat Quinn wasn't coaching in the NHL. This staff would be able to scout players as part of their jobs all season long in the CHL, NCAA, and other leagues before making decisions on who should be on the roster. This isn't to say that Willie Desjardins didn't do a good job. But if Hockey Canada wants to establish dominance at this tournament and distance itself from Hockey USA's advancing program, it needs someone at the helm to steer this ship for 365 days every year.

Secondly, the emphasis on speed and skill - in that order - should be paramount. Far too often, it appeared that Canada simply couldn't open the floodgates and score at will. They struggled against the American collapsing defensive system, and didn't have the speed to catch the Americans when a turnover occurred. If Canada wants to skate with Sweden and the USA, they need to be in the race. Canada's level of skill is unquestionably one of the best in the world, but skating needs to be emphasized as much as skill like it was in the early-1980s when the USSR skated circles around NHL players and international squads. How did we catch the Soviets? We started to play more like them, creating a hybrid of speed, skill, and hitting that changed hockey in the 1980s.

Isn't that what Canadian hockey is best known for - speed, skill, and physical play? When asked tonight what the difference between this USA squad and other American teams that had more talent, head coach Dean Blais had a short, but poignant, response: "We played Canadian hockey". And that's a compliment to how we go about selecting our players and having them bond into a team.

I want to say that I am extremely proud of the juniors on the Canadian team. They provided some excellent hockey highlights over the last couple of weeks, and they literally came up a goal short in their quest for six gold medals. In no uncertain terms am I going to fault the Canadians when they came so close and made everyone in Canada hold their collective breath for the last five minutes of the third period and into overtime. They played hard and they played well, but they were beaten by a better team tonight.

But I do want to congratulate Team USA, the best TEAM at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship. They played relentless, aggressive hockey, battled hard in their own zone, and got outstanding goaltending down the stretch. The gold medal is certainly earned, and you deserve the honour for you efforts.

Buffalo, New York may become an honourary Canadian city for three weeks next year. However, I'm sure that the defending champions in Team USA will have something to say about that. May the best team win!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Battlelines Are Drawn

There's only one game remaining for several teams at the 2010 World Junior Championship in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and that means that we're about to see some hardware handed out. Canada defeated Switzerland earlier today by a 6-1 score, giving Canada one of the two spots in the gold medal game. Tonight, the Americans eliminated the Swedes by defeating them in the semi-final by a 5-2 score, and that gives us an all-North American final. The bronze medal game will see Sweden battle Switzerland. And just for kicks, both Austria and Latvia cannot catch either the Czech Republic or Slovakia, so they will be relegated for next year's tournament.

Canada looked much better in the third period tonight after head coach Willie Desjardins blasted the leadership group for their undisciplined play. Canada responded with three workman-like goals on their way to the 6-1 win. It is this kind of quiet efficiency and teamwork that will help Canada in the gold medal game on Tuesday night. A sixth gold medal is not out of the question whatsoever.

However, the upstart Americans have everything to play for.

The 2011 World Junior Championship will be held in Buffalo, New York, and this gives Hockey USA a glorious opportunity to build some momentum for the upcoming tournament. Even if the Americans come out on the wrong side of the score, they can use the result as fodder for next year.

They will play the "underdog" role as well as anyone. It's no secret that Canada is favoured to win the tournament on home soil after having won the last five World Junior Championships. The Americans were said to be young and inexperienced, but this is a team that has bonded extremely well. They proved that in the New Year's Eve game against Canada when the heavily-favoured Canadians needed a shootout to down the Americans.

Full credit has to be given to USA head coach Dean Blais and his staff for preparing this young squad for the challenges they faced. Blais has had a pile of success at the NCAA level, giving him the opportunity to become an associate coach with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets. He decided to take the General Manager and Head Coach position with the USHL's Fargo Force in 2007, allowing him to see some of the best young players that the country offered. Clearly, Mr. Blais is the right man for the job when you consider his resumé and this year's results.

It should be a great game on Tuesday between these two North American rivals. I'm already looking forward to it.

As for the relegation, Austria and Latvia will be replaced by Germany and Denmark in Buffalo next year. Germany went undefeated in the Division 1A Under-20 Championships while Denmark's only blemish came at the hands of the Germans.

While things may change between now and next year's tournament, Germany's Tobias Rieder might be the player to watch coming out of Germany. The 16 year-old from EV Landshut scored four goals and added two assists in five games, recorded a +7, and scored a game-winner in the Division 1A tournament. He might be a player to keep an eye on at next year's tournament for the Germans due to his age and draft eligibility.

The schedule for the remaining games at the 2010 World Junior Championship is as follows:

• 5th-place game @ 9PM EST on Monday - Russia vs. Finland.
  
• Bronze-medal game @ 4PM EST on Tuesday - Sweden vs. Switzerland.
• Gold-medal game @ 8PM EST on Tuesday - Canada vs. USA.

I'll be tuning in on Tuesday night. And I'll even go on record as saying that this game is one that shouldn't be missed. Canada's playing for an unprecedented sixth-straight gold medal while the Americans want to defend a gold medal on their soil next year. It should be a beauty!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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