More Negative Manitoba Hockey Headlines

I want to bring to light a very disturbing video that made headlines all over the news in Manitoba. Hockey, as I'm sure you're aware, is something about which Manitobans are very passionate. The fact that this made headlines on all of the newscasts in Winnipeg should tell you something about how high Manitobans hold the game. It may also show you an ugly side of the game that we need to be very open about when talking to the next generation of players.

I'll frame the game for you. It's a playoff series in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League between the Portage Terriers of Portage la Prairie and the Swan Valley Stampeders. The Terriers are leading the series by a 3-2 margin, and are up 4-1 late in Game Six. With about 16 seconds to play, we catch up with the video.

This is entirely what hockey needs to eliminate. Players like Jesse Enns, the Stampeder player who skated full-tilt into the corner, need to be removed entirely from the game.

I'm speechless, readers. Enns drilled Terriers' defender Tyler Harland into the boards head-first. It's an absolute miracle that Harland was able to skate off the ice under his own power. I'm stunned that he was even able to get up after a disgusting disregard for human life and safety shown by Enns.

I might be speaking emotionally here, but I feel that Enns should lose all privileges when it comes to playing the game. Ban him for life. Give the kid a lot of time to reflect on the absolute stupidity of his actions, the extremely poor decision he made when he took off from center ice and hurled himself into an unsuspecting player, and the opportunity to see the potential devastation he could have caused to another player, a family, and many lives. I see no other punishment that would fit the crime. And it's not the result that we're talking about here - I want the punishment to fit the crime committed.

MJHL Commissioner Kim Davis will undoubtedly be reviewing not only the hit by Enns on Harland, but the spontaneous fight involving the two coaches on the bench after the officials ended the game. Davis has been an advocate for cleaning up the game from his league's point of view, so I expect harsh penalties for all involved.

I love going to watch MJHL games when I get the opportunity, but this display left a bad taste in my mouth. And if Enns is let off the hook because Harland wasn't seriously hurt, I may just take to the streets and demand justice on this one.

What say you, readers?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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The Trip Of A Lifetime

I was contacted a few weeks back by a lady who had been on the trip of a lifetime with a hockey team that worked their butts off to make it happen. I'm talking about the Petitcodiac/Salisbury Bantam "A" Flyers from New Brunswick who were featured on Hockey Day In Canada on CBC! Miss Michelle Nott wrote me with her story of the trip to Whitehorse that the Flyers experienced, and she also detailed all the cool stuff they did while in Whitehorse! Let me just say that I am jealous of the fun they had! Here is Michelle with the recap of everything that happened on Hockey Day In Canada!

4:30am. Thursday February 10th 2011. It’s finally here. The day I’ve been waiting for since December 7th when I was told I had won the Scotiabank "Big Save Contest". As I walk into the airport, I am greeted by 49 people who are also making the big trip to Whitehorse, Yukon. There are 19 players, 4 coaches, and 27 parents. The energy in the airport is amazing! Everyone is so excited.

It had been 2 months since we first found out that we had won the Scotiabank "Big Save Contest". None other than Ron MacLean had sent us a DVD that was played in our arena, announcing to the boys (and 1 girl) that they would be taking a trip all the way up to northern Canada to celebrate Hockey's birthday in Whitehorse, Yukon. We had been preparing for this day ever since.

Our flight left Moncton at 6am, and we traveled to Toronto, then on to Edmonton. Finally, we landed in Vancouver for the night. It was a ten-hour day, and we still had to travel another four hours on Friday to get to Whitehorse, Yukon.

Friday February 11th, 2011. We left the hotel in Vancouver at 7am to go to the airport. There was a lounge set up for us by Scotiabank for breakfast. Shortly after we finished breakfast, the Vancouver Giants (a WHL team) arrived in the lounge to join us. It was so amazing for the kids to be in the same room as pro hockey players who were not too much older then they were. While we were having that awe-inspiring moment, in walked Pat Quinn (former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach). When the kids noticed him, their jaws dropped. They were so excited and overjoyed and couldn't wait get near him. Mr. Quinn was very generous and gracious, posing so the parents could take pictures of him with each one of our kids. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a smile that has just lit up the room. It is OUR head coach Randy, who is beaming from ear to ear.

The whole time leading up to this trip, all I could think about was what an unparalleled experience this was going to be for our kids. It never dawned on me how incredible this was going to be for our coaches as well. Most of the hockey legends that we were going to be meeting over the weekend, were stars in the days that our coaches were teenagers. This just made me even more excited, realizing that this trip was going to mean at least as much to the coaches as the kids, if not more.

We boarded our Air North charter flight with the Vancouver Giants and Pat Quinn. We made a stop in Kamloops to pick up the Kamloops Blazers (another WHL team) who would be playing on Saturday evening against the Giants. So there we were, onboard a flight with 2 WHL teams and Pat Quinn! How cool is that??

We landed in Whitehorse around 12:30pm and were immediately whisked off to a private reception with both WHL teams, the mayor of Whitehorse, other dignitaries, media, and the Whitehorse Bantam B Mustangs(the team we would be playing on Hockey Day in Canada). From there, we were bused over to the Canada Games Center for a practice. The Flyers and the Whitehorse Mustangs would be practicing together that day.

When the kids got on the ice, they were so excited to see that they were going to be coached by none other than Wendel Clark. I’m sure that all they really wanted to do was just enjoy the absolute glory of the moment.

Just when you think that the practice can’t possibly get any better, Wendel Clark calls all the boys in (from both teams) to gather at center ice. A man with white gloves takes out the Stanley Cup, and proceeds to carry it onto the ice, placing it right in front of the boys. The look on their faces and amazement in their eyes at that moment was indescribable. Here is a piece of hockey history, sitting just a few feet in front of them! The cameras were flashing all around and before long, the man with the white gloves was ready to return Stanley to his safe and cushy box, but not before my two sons & I were asked to go over and have a picture taken with it. I kept nudging my oldest (who is a goalie) to touch it. He kept looking at me with this puzzled look. Not being sure if it was a good idea or not, he reluctantly touched the cup, and then a look of pride came over him. He whispers to me "that was so cool". If only he could understand how cool all of this was for me. I had won the contest, so for me, this was even more amazing. I was getting to see 19 kids’ faces, 4 coaches, 27 parents, and their reactions to how unbelievable this really all was.

After our practice, we were taken upstairs for a pizza party. The Mustangs and their parents joined us. It was a nice way for everyone to get to know the other players and parents, before the game the next day. Pat Quinn even came up to chat with everyone. He signed more autographs and had more pictures taken. What a great guy he is! Once the pizza party was done, the kids were able to go swimming in the Aquatic Center downstairs. They all had a great time just being kids and having fun. At around 8pm, we left on the bus to go to our hotel to finally check in. Since we had traveled all the way across the country in the last 2 days and were anticipating Saturday would be a very busy and full day, we all turned in rather early that evening.

Hockey Day in Canada - Saturday morning. 7am came rather quickly. We all met down in the lobby and walked over to the Catholic church for a pancake breakfast. We were greeted at the door by the mayor of Whitehorse, Honorable Douglas Phillips, and many locals who were very excited to meet us and welcome us to their beautiful city. We were just starting to eat when it was announced that His Excellency, Governor General David Johnston, was arriving to join us for breakfast. He took the time to meet all of us and talk with us before sneaking off with an apron to help flip pancakes in the kitchen.

It was about 9am when we headed back to the hotel to go sightseeing. Because of our large group, we had 2 buses to transport us to wherever we needed to go. Our bus driver was extremely knowledgeable and took us to see all the great sights in Whitehorse. We stopped at Shipyards Park, roasted some marshmallows, and chatted with the locals. Then we went to see Whitehorse’s pride and joy, the SS Klondike. It is a huge sternwheeler that was used to run freight between Whitehorse and Dawson City along the Yukon river between 1921-1950. The ship is not normally open to the public, but we were given an exclusive tour inside the ship by a man who works for Parks and Recreation. Our bus driver told us some great old stories about the area, and took us to a lookout point, where we could see the gorgeous city in all its glory. We only had a little bit of free time for sightseeing, but what we saw, we loved. It was, of course, Hockey Day in Canada. It was going to be a big day for all of us.

At noon, we all headed over to the Canada Games Center to get ready for the big game: the Petitcodiac/Salisbury Flyers vs. the Whitehorse Mustangs. While they were in the dressing room, they received a few special visitors: Lanny MacDonald and Mark Napier, 2 NHL alumni. I was later told by Mark Napier himself that he was very impressed by our boys (and girl). He said they were very polite, friendly, and intelligent kids. He stayed to watch the whole game.

Puck drop was at 1pm. As the kids took to the ice, the carpet was rolled out for a very special someone to come on the ice to drop the puck. It was none other than Governor General David Johnston. Once the ceremonial puck drop was complete, he took a seat up in the stands and watched the entire 2hr game, cheering the kids on, and getting to know the parents of those kids. Our team had our coaches on the bench, and they were told that Wendel Clark would be helping coach the game. The Mustangs were going to be coached by Trevor Linden. Later on, it dawned on me that for the coaches, it would have been a true honor to have such accomplished professional hockey players helping them coach the kids. It must have been a very surreal experience for them, a dream come true. Not just anyone can say they’ve coached a hockey game WITH Wendel Clark or Trevor Linden!

Although Ron MacLean reported on TV that day that we were losing the game at one point by 3-1, we were in fact winning the game and won it 5-1. The class, the composure, the dignity and the sportsmanship that our Flyers displayed during that game filled us all up with such pride! They played a true good hockey game, and would have made every New Brunswicker extremely proud. When I saw our coach, Randy, I was busting at the seams. I asked him, "Are you as proud of the kids as I am? Weren’t they amazing?" Answering me with a huge lump in his throat (from pride), he said: "They were great. They were all so great." The kids had classroom sessions for about 7 weeks, where our coach (Norm) taught and stressed to them that they were all ambassadors for New Brunswick, Petitcodiac and Salisbury, and they needed to represent themselves with class, dignity, and distinction. This was a friendship game. Thank you Norm, you taught them well. They were excellent ambassadors, and each and every one of us could not have been more proud.

Ron MacLean was just outside the Canada Games Center broadcasting live all afternoon. Although the boys had hoped he might pop in and catch some of their game, he did not. This was a huge disappointment for our kids, seeing as they all thought they would get to meet him. Especially since it was Ron MacLean himself who had announced to them in the first place that they were going to be coming to Whitehorse.

Once the kids were finished the game, they made a mad dash to get dressed and we all went over to the Tikhini arena to watch the WHL matchup between the Vancouver Giants and the Kamloops Blazers. When we arrived, we noticed our seats were already cornered off for us to sit and enjoy. A huge carpet was rolled out on the ice and both the Blazers and the Giants were all lined up. It was obvious someone pretty special was going to be coming in on that ice. Moments later, Don Cherry himself entered the rink, and went on the ice for the puck drop. Don Cherry and Ron MacLean then walked off the ice to head to their booth where they would be broadcasting Coaches Corner that evening.

A few minutes into the game, the first fight of the night happened. I watched an entire section of kids (our kids) all stand up with their cell phones, each one trying to take pictures of the big fight. The mom in me was thinking, "Oh yeah, this is just great for them to see after the outstanding game they had played half an hour earlier." Just then, an overwhelming feeling came over me of "We’re Here! We’re in Whitehorse, Yukon!!!" How cool is that?!?

During the first intermission, 4 of our boys, our girl, plus 5 Mustang hockey players took to the ice for a shootout competition. That was very exciting for them. During the second intermission, the mascots took to the ice. There was Carlton the Bear, Harvey the Hound, Peter Puck, and the Scotiabank Bear and they put on the funniest show ever. They were, by far, the best entertainment you could have asked for, especially Harvey the Hound.

The game was a great game to watch. We heard that the Giants were 1st in the division, and the Blazers were last. The Blazers came out strong and hard, and it was a very close game, going from 1-1 to 2-2 with the Giants getting the very important final goal to win the game 3-2.

When the game was over, we all piled onto the buses, and headed out for a quick bite to eat. The boys (and girl) were going to head back over to the Canada Games Center for a family skate with NHL alumni for a couple of hours. They were a bit disappointed that no NHL alumni actually showed up for the skate, but they soon found their own fun by playing hockey on the outdoor pond at the arena. It was the perfect setting. It was dark. The spotlights were on the rink and the snow was lightly falling. It was chilly, and with the absolutely breathtaking scenery that is Whitehorse, it looked like the perfect way to end a perfect, amazing and unbelievable Hockey Day in Canada: playing hockey.

We left Whitehorse the next day. We flew all the way back across the country to get home.

Looking back on the experience, there are no better words to describe our trip other than to say it truly was The Trip Of A Lifetime. Whitehorse is a beautiful city, filled with wonderful, warm, hospitable and generous people. You could not ask for a more beautiful city to host Hockey Day in Canada. In fact, it is so incredible there, that I personally believe Hockey Day in Canada should be held there every year. To me, Whitehorse represents the perfect setting for Hockey Day In Canada. It’s snowy and cold, yet so cozy and warm. Our trip was too short, and I most definitely hope to get back there as soon as possible so I can have the time to explore it more. We were so busy when we were there that I didn’t get to see even close to everything I had wanted to see. For me, the Yukon is one of the most beautiful, yet under-acknowledged, parts of Canada. It is a breathtaking city with a marvelous vista of lakes and mountains. It is majestic. A true hidden gem with so much to discover. Such an extraordinary place just waiting for you to have extraordinary experiences. I would suggest to anyone reading this to make a point to visit the Yukon. Especially Whitehorse. I promise it will be even more then you can imagine.

Thank you, Scotiabank, for everything. It was truly was amazing. The warmth, hospitality, and attention that was given to us by every employee that represents you was outstanding. Thank you for The Trip of a Lifetime. It was all that, and so much more.

WOW! Thank you, Michelle, for this incredible recap on all the stuff that you and the kids and the coaches and the parents did while in Whitehorse! This is simply amazing! And thank you for the pictures as well!

I admit it: I am very jealous, and I really want to visit Whitehorse now that I've read all that you did and how great the city and people sound. While the weather might be cold, I believe you accurately captured the true warmth of the people of Whitehorse and northern Canada perfectly, and this is one of the major reasons I'm planning on visiting there in the future!

Thank you to Scotiabank for running this contest as well! There wouldn't be a great story like Michelle's story had it not been for Scotiabank running their contest! Thank you, Scotiabank, for allowing this story to be written through your generous contest!

This is a fabulous story, and I, Teebz, am very jealous that these kids got to do something as cool as this. I'm quite certain that each and every member of the Petitcodiac/Salisbury Bantam "A" Flyers will never forget this experience. So allow me to say it: HOW COOL IS THAT?!?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

***All images, unless otherwise noted, as property of Michelle Nott and used with permission by HBIC. Please do not copy or use these photos without the consent of Michelle Nott. Thank you!***

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Mario Under The Microscope

We've got a very special post from a writer who has put himself first in line for a guest post! Today, I want to feature a great article from Mr. Tim Ambler. Tim is the owner of MightyPromos, is an avid hockey fan, and an all-around sports enthusiast. MightyPromos provides promotional hockey products such as promotional hockey pucks that can be printed with a logo or message of your choosing. tim wanted to talk about the Mario Lemieux comments following the debacle that was the Penguins-Islanders game a few weeks ago. Here is Tim's piece, and I'll have my commentary below.

Mario Lemieux may be a hockey legend, but his management skills leave a lot to be desired. Lemieux has recently come under severe criticism for blasting NHL with regard to the handling of the fights between the Penguins and New York Islanders. Many people feel that he is all words and no actions. His main criticism, of the suspension of Eric Godard for ten games, was quite unnecessary according to many fans and served only to highlight his incompetence despite being a star player and Hall of Fame inductee. Godard received a ten-game suspension for leaving the bench to join the brawl. This compared to the nine-game suspension of Trevor Gillies who elbowed Pittsburgh's blue-chipper Eric Tangradi and continued to hit him while he was down. Many fans agree with Lemieux, owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, that a nine-game suspension might be too lenient for the obvious disrespect to the rules of the game and the authorities represented by Gillies.

But as Brian Burke, GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, commented on Monday with regards to Lemieux's Sunday statement, the penguin's owner will in the future need to go directly to the governors if he wants to implicate change rather than draw emotion from the media. Burke highlighted that the altercation called for swift and immediate response from the NHL. With regard to the severity of the punishments handed out, Burke referred Lemieux to the NHL Rule Book, section 70.10, where players are warned against leaving the bench to join in any action taking place in the field. If a player breaks this rule, they are automatically subjected to a ten-game suspension.

To hockey fans, Mario Lemieux has always been known to apply open criticism without fear. Even as a player, Lemieux always spoke his mind whether in the game or outside it. However, many feel that he needs to exercise precaution as owner and manager of the beloved Pittsburgh Penguins. This comes in the wake of his endorsement for Matt Cooke who has often been blamed for many altercations. It cannot be denied that Cooke's talent in the field may yet to be equaled, but one may wonder if it is worth putting up with his arrogance and ability to draw trouble. Many of his teammates and opponents agree that Cooke could prove to be more of a liability to the team rather than the asset he is meant to be. The 33 year-old is known for taking cheap shots and goading his opponents into dishonorable behavior. Many Penguins fans are beginning to feel that his behavior is now overshadowing his exceptional talent. The player has been in headlines for all the wrong reasons, with many of his opponents complaining about his behavior. It seems that once Cooke steps into the field, he cannot stop the actions that his mouth takes. There is no playing fair when Cooke is in the field. Perhaps, opponents should be handed ear plugs when Cooke comes into the field.

Many feel that Lemieux's statement could be interpreted as a defense of Cooke, his most controversial player. And this is where many feel that the man needs to take more action rather than offer words which may have no impact at all. Before criticizing the NHL management and maybe resorting to calling the organization a "garage league" as he did in 1992, Mario Lemieux needs to streamline his players and curb the rampant Cooke. To many, he is playing double standards by employing one of the worst cheap-shot artists in the history of the game in Cooke. He and his general manager, Ray Shero, have come under fire for criticizing the NHL on one hand, and on the other giving privilege to an addict of cheap shots.

However, whatever his sentiments are, a prize goes to Lemieux for standing up for his players and the game he loves so much. The owner has claimed several times that the Pittsburgh Penguins are not about him, but about the team members themselves. When players step onto the ice and raise their sticks in honor of the fans, they know that injury could always result as a matter of accidents. Hockey is always physical and sometimes emotional; the game, as Lemieux stated, is tough and it should always remain so. However, these players are not in the field to be beaten up and broken by their opponents. Anyone acting in such a way should surely face more than a fine. Players walk a thin line between being irritating, offensive, and illegal. When beloved players goad an opponent into a penalty, they are often applauded by fans. They are paid millions with many clubs fighting to have them on their side. However, when the same player takes just one single step over the blurry line, they are openly criticized.

Mario Lemieux knows personally the price of head shots and this may be why, after a long time, Friday's altercation has brought the owner out of his self-made cocoon. Perhaps, he saw himself in Tangradi, his most promising rookie and the future of the Pittsburgh Penguins. What he saw was an inconsiderate and jealous opponent almost shatters the dreams of not just his star player, but also those of his team. It has often been said that were it not for health problems, Lemieux would have gone on to become one of the most celebrated players in the history of the game with numbers that would not just have been impressive, but perhaps unequaled. All these dreams and aspirations were cut short due to injury, so Lemieux may see things from a different perspective for Tangradi.

Despite all this, it is hard not to see the favoritism of his reaction. Mario Lemieux did nothing and, in fact, said nothing when Cooke head-butted Fedor Tyutin just a few days before the Friday brawl. Maybe this is why many fans feel that Lemieux should do more and speak less.

First off, I want to thank Tim for his contribution here today. He's putting his heart on his sleeve here, and that takes some real moxie. Good on you, Tim, and you're more than welcome to send over other thoughts you may have. However, let's break these thoughts down.

As you may or may not know, I'm a die-hard Penguins fan, and I wanted to play hockey like Mario Lemieux. It crushed me as a kid when he decided to retire the first time, and I really feel like he missed the best parts of his career by taking the time off. I also know that the value of one's health is unequaled when it comes to the overall quality of life that one wants, so I now understand why he did it. So I want to be clear when I say this: I respect Mario Lemieux's opinion on anything hockey.

But I want to put a few things in perspective here. Mario Lemieux does not decide who skates on the ice for the Penguins in any way, shape, or form. Blaming Lemieux for the actions of Matt Cooke is an complete joke. It's apples and oranges, folks. They are not, and never will be, related aside from the fact that Lemieux writes the cheques and Cooke cashes them. It's Ray Shero who decides who skates for the Penguins, and Lemieux has always maintained a hands-off approach to the Penguins because he has hired people like Shero to do that job.

The fact that Lemieux spoke out shows that he still cares about how the game is played. This fact should not be forgotten. Lemieux understands the ten-game suspension that Godard received. He was not commenting on that. What he was commenting on was the sideshow that this game became. Trevor Gillies felling Tangradi with an elbow and then pummeling him while he lied dazed and confused on the ice and then running his mouth from the zamboni gate as Tangradi lie on the ice. That's the sideshow that Lemieux was commenting on.

Or perhaps he was commenting on Haley's actions. Not only was Haley two-hundred feet away from where goaltender Brent Johnson was standing, but Johnson hadn't even made a move down the ice. Instead, Haley broke away from the pack of skaters in the corner of the Islanders' zone, and skated all the way down the ice to go after Brent Johnson. That, kids, is what a sideshow can be defined as. It's 100% true that Godard came off the bench to protect Johnson from Haley, but there was no reason for Haley to be attacking Johnson at that time aside from pure revenge for what Johnson did to DiPietro. Sideshow? Absolutely.

Don't think that Lemieux's words were said for him to be mocked. Instead, know that what he has done is raised the bar indirectly by stating his displeasure with the suspensions and fines handed out for what was clearly an intentional move by several of the Islanders' players. After all, the NHL handed down no punishment for Lemieux's comments to the media despite his disparaging remarks.

"We are entirely comfortable with how Friday night's events were handled," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. "We have no other response to Mr. Lemieux's statement."

I'll ask you, readers, this one question: did you expect the Penguins just to shrug their shoulders and brush this one off? I explained how Gillies and Haley broke the code in my February 11 article, so why are people so up in arms over Lemieux calling a spade "a spade"?

I'm going to side with Lemieux on this one, kids. He's right when he said that the NHL failed to send a message. And I'm betting this won't be the last time we hear the name "Gillies" associated with the word "suspension" over his career.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Antler Banter: Volume 20

It's been an interesting week on Antler Banter as the Moose find themselves stuck in neutral in February. All teams go on streaks, whether they be hot or cold streaks, but the Moose seem to be stuck in these extended streaks that have serious consequences on their overall standing. Going 3-4 so far in March has put a serious halt on the upward movement through the standings that the Moose saw in December and Janaury. Can they break out of this slump against the Toronto Marlies and Lake Erie Monsters? Make sure you stop by the Moose website for all your Manitoba Moose news and information. If you're interested in attending a Manitoba Moose game, please click here for seating information, ticket pricing, and availability. The Moose finish off their six-game homestand with a little Hardcore Hockey!

Scrivens Makes It Two

The Moose dropped the Tuesday night affair to the Marlies by a 2-1 score, so they were looking to bounce back against a feisty Marlies squad. They also needed to see if they could score more than one goal in a game after having only potted one marker in each of four of the last five games. Tyler Weiman got the call for the Moose as he hoped to reverse the Herd's fortunes, and he faced off against Ben Scrivens who was standing 200-feet away.

It was a "good, bad, and ugly" evening for the Moose powerplay. The good: Ryan McGinnis scored his first goal of the season with the man-advantage with less than five minutes to play. The bad: the Moose went 1-for-6 on the night, missing several excellent opportunities to put this game away early as Toronto found themselves in penalty trouble. The Moose had a 5-on-3 for a full two minutes and four minutes of total powerplay time, but could not capitalize. The ugly: Tyler Weiman whiffed on what appeared to be a routine glove save, giving up a shorthanded goal early in the second period that really seemed to deflate the squad. Overall, poor marks for the powerplay units on this night for not capitalizing on chances, and Weiman has to be better.

It looked like another night at the office for Sergei Shirokov as he picked up an assist on Guillaume Desbiens' second-period goal, but things went completely off the rails in the third period as Sergei Shirokov had had enough of Nazim Kadri's antics. After Kadri slashed the Russian sniper across the shinpads, Shirokov's soft hands lost the gloves as he and Kadri wrestled their way to the ice along the boards. I'd normally say that your best scorers shouldn't be fighting, but I fully believe that a player should be able to defend himself. Good on Shirokov for dropping the mittens and showing Kadri that he's not going to be pushed around.

It took the Moose nearly 56 minutes to wake up in this game as the Marlies built a 4-1 lead in that time. The Moose stormed back in the final four minutes to make it a 4-3 game, but Ryan Hamilton iced it with 2.2 seconds to play as the Marlies hung on for the 5-3 win. The Moose have now dropped two straight games to the Marlies after winning the first three, and see their record on the season drop to 29-19-6.

Monsters Frighten Moose

The Monsters were nipping at the heels of the Moose as they entered Friday's game, so that meant that the Moose needed to put four points on the board with two wins over a team that looked to overtake them in the standings. Eddie Lack looked to reverse the fortunes of the Moose while Jason Bacashihua got the call for the Monsters.

Kevin Connauton should feel responsible for the opening goal of the game. Connauton got muscled off the puck by Greg Mauldin, and then couldn't recover to chase down Mauldin. Mauldin circled behind the net, and Mark Flood left Ben Walter in front of the net to track down Mauldin. Connauton arrived in front of the net seconds late after Mauldin centered to Walter for the first goal of the game. I'm not sure what Connauton was doing, but he certainly seemed to give up after losing the puck in the corner to Mauldin. The effort shown by Connauton might be a reason why the Moose are on a two-game skid.

The Moose penalty killing units took a hit tonight as well as they gave up two powerplay goals to the Monsters. I'm not going to blame the penalty killing units for the result in this game, but they could use a little help from the other special teams unit. Manitoba's powerplay fired blanks again as they went 0-for-4 on the night, and find themselves ranked as the 25th best powerplay in the league. When the penalty kill has an off-night, it would be nice if the powerplay units brought their lunch pails to work and scored a couple of goals.

Overall, there wasn't much to brag about on the home side as the Moose got walloped by the Monsters in a 5-1 loss. The Moose fired 30 shots on Jason Bacashihua, but there weren't many of the high-quality variety that tested Bacashihua often. With the loss, the Moose drop to 29-20-6, and lose their spot atop the North Division standings as the Monsters leap-frog into first.

Moose Fly Past Monsters

It was a big night for one minor hockey team in Winnipeg as the Gateway Flyers took to the ice for their first AHL game in history! Ok, so they weren't the real Flyers, but the Moose donned the jerseys of the Gateway Flyers for their Saturday clash with the Monsters as part of the Community Jersey Program! It was weird seeing the Moose in black-and-orange for the first time in history, but it was easy to get used to when they began playing like the Flyers - scoring and hitting. Eddie Lack would take to the pipes again for Manitoba. Jason Bacashihua started the game for the Monsters, but he would be relieved by Trevor Cann after the Moose had staked themselves to a sizable lead.

It was another big night for Manitoba's Garth Murray. The scrappy, defensive forward scored a goal, added a helper on Sergei Shirokov's goal, picked up two minutes for tripping, had two shots, and finished the game as a +2! The scorekeepers certainly used a lot of ink on his stats tonight! Murray played really well at both ends of the ice, deserving some kudos despite not earning one of the three stars on the night. He scored, he played physical, and he was responsible in his own zone. That's the kind of effort the Moose need from all 22 players.

Manitoba's best player continues to make great plays as Sergei Shirokov scored a goal, added an assist, had four shots on net, and ended the night as a +2. Shirokov's assist was a gorgeous backhanded no-look pass to Mario Bliznak that seemed to confuse Jason Bacashihua. Shirokov made a move to head behind the net casuing Bacashihua to move off the post, but Shirokov threw the puck out front on the backhand. Bacashihua, realizing he made a mistake, went back to hugging the post, but Bliznak wired it past his right shoulder into the cage before Bacashihua could find the puck again. Great plays like that show you why Sergei Shirokov was an easy choice as Manitoba's AHL all-star representative.

The Moose really played well for 57 minutes before giving up a couple of goals to the Monsters. Despite giving up a pair of goals late, the Moose hung on for the 4-2 victory to jump ahead of the Monsters in the standings once again as they have a better winning percentage. With the win, the Moose snap their three-game losing streak and improve to 30-20-6 on the season.

Gotta Grind Out Some Wins

The Moose hit the road over the next week with games starting tonight against the Rochester Americans. They'll battle the Amerks again on Friday before heading into Toronto for games against the Marlies on Saturday and Sunday. You can catch the Sunday game against the Marlies on CBC as the AHL on CBC comes to the Ricoh Coliseum for the Marlies-Moose tilt.

The Americans come into the games having gone 6-4 over their last ten games. During that stretch, the Americans have beaten the Hamilton Bulldogs twice, the Hershey Bears once, and knocked off the Worcester Sharks. They're led by Tim Kennedy and Clay Wilson offensively as both men are nearing the 40-point mark on the season. Tyler Plante is playing fairly well in net, and is even sporting a blocker with the old-style holes painted on it! Or maybe they're real holes? Either way, that looks cool! The Moose have to keep winning as the Bulldogs and Monsters are breathing down their necks, so two wins over the Americans would help immensely!

The Marlies need no introduction as the Moose re-engage in battle with them. Kadri is becoming a thorn in the side of Moose players, Scrivens and Gustavsson are playing well in net, and the Marlies are closing the gap with each win over the Moose. Again, beating divisional rivals is vital if a team wants to go far in the AHL, so the Moose need to play well against the Marlies this coming weekend after dropping the these last two games at home against Toronto!

Eight points await the Moose if they are hungry enough to get them. Working harder than their opposition is a good way to start, and the talent that the Moose bring should put them over the top in each game if they work hard. Only one thing to say as the Moose head down the stretch: DO IT!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Friday Night's Alright For Fighting

When a soldier falls in war while bravely defending rights, liberties, and freedoms, there's a general sense amongst the troops that he must be remembered and honoured for his sacrifice. However, I'm not here to talk about the brave warriors who have pledged their lives to protecting freedoms and liberties we seemingly take for granted on a daily basis. No, I'm here talking about hockey, and the Islanders and Penguins had themselves a wild night where they went to battle this evening. Bloodshed? Check. Fallen bodies? Check. A response to a fallen comrade? Check, with an asterisk.

Why an asterisk, you ask? I want to make it clear that there are rules of engagement in both battle and in hockey. We reference those rules of engagement in hockey as "the code", and there were a vast number of rules broken by both teams in this brawl-filled game.

The reason that "the code" exists is to ensure that fights in hockey are fair and that no player ends up injured, humiliated, or disrespected. Injuries do happen as a result of the fight, but "the code" is an examination of who the fighters are and how those fighters engage in battle. This is what I think is most important in hockey's "code", and we're going to see why these infractions have me a little steamed about this game as a whole.

First off, here is the penalty summary for the game. Micheal Haley, whose name appears frequently on the summary, was called up on an emergency basis earlier today as the Islanders look to fill spots with bodies.

While the Islanders can certainly use someone who can score, Haley leads the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers in both goals (12) and penalty minutes (144). Considering he was pinned to the bench for most of the game, which number do you think had more influence? If you don't think he was underutilized as a legitimate goal scorer, how many scoring threats play a total of 5:31 in a game? Four shifts in the first period, six in the second, and a whopping one shift in the third period - quite the game for a scorer, no? And his work in the third period on that one shift is quite well-documented on the penalty summary. Nothing like maximizing your opportunities on one shift when you fight with three different guys - Maxime Talbot, Brent Johnson, and Eric Godard. But he was there for his offensive abilities, right?

Secondly, what is up with Trevor Gillies? Fu manchu aside, his blatantly obvious check to Eric Tangredi's head was something out of Slap Shot. To make matters worse, though, he then decides to pummel the fallen Tangredi as he lay on the ice. Just to add a little insult to injury, Gillies then taunted and yelled at the fallen Tangredi as he stood off the ice in the zamboni runway. Really, Gillies, was all of this necessary?

For a guy who saw less ice-time than the Ice Girls, you really shouldn't be running your mouth or taunting a fallen player. He spent all of 1:40 on the ice in tonight's game! Should you really be running your mouth when you played three shifts in the first period, two in the second period, and all of one shift in the third period? If you want to brawl, get it over and done with, shut your mouth, and move on. There was nothing honourable about what Gillies did in any way, shape, or form.

The code ensures some basic fundamentals in fighting:

1. All fights are fair. No fighter creates an unfair advantage for himself. Gillies' elbow on Tangredi and Haley's sucker-punch on Talbot created unfair advantages, and both men continued to assault their opponents after they created the unfair advantage. STRIKE ONE.
2. The rules of "Fight Club" apply. If someone says "stop", goes limp, or taps out, the fight is over. Both Talbot and Tangredi went down after Haley and Gillies delivered their cheap shots, and both were dazed and confused. While Talbot got up and continued the scrap after regaining his senses, there was no reason for either Gillies or Haley to continue to pummel their respective opponents as they lay on the ice. STRIKE TWO.
3. You do not embarrass your opponent. In both cases, Haley and Gillies broke this rule in spades. Haley dropped Talbot with a cheap shot, scrapped with him, and then went for broke by skating down the ice to fight Penguins' goaltender Brent Johnson. The Haley-Johnson fight was clearly a mismatch, so Eric Godard came off the bench to protect his goalie. In Gillies' case, he dropped Tangredi with an elbow, pummeled Tangredi while he laid on the ice, and then trash-talked Tangredi as he stood in the zamboni runway. STRIKE THREE.

Neither men should be proud of what they did simply because they went outside the realm of acceptable protocols during a fight. I expect major suspensions and fines to be handed down in this one - Godard will most definitely be suspended for leaving the bench during the melee - but this kind of stuff isn't what you expect from professional hockey players. I'm all for retribution for the injury to DiPietro, but this was a little over the top from the Islanders as a team.

The case now rests in the hands of the NHL. What retribution they bring with regards to the carnival that went on tonight is anyone's guess. The asterisk on getting retribution is that you can't act like a savage in doing so when you're a professional.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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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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A Recurring Theme

How many times do you have to get hurt doing something before you stop doing it? If you've been following Rick DiPietro's career since being drafted first overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, you know the guy is one knee twist, one fall down, or one over-stretch away from the intensive care ward. Honestly, the guy is a skating medical textbook with all the injuries he's had. Wednesday night, DiPietro added another chapter to DeePee's Anatomy when he suffered facial fractures and knee swelling after getting himself into a tussle with the Pittsburgh Penguins' Brent Johnson. So let's just run this down objectively to see where we're at in DiPietro's career.

I'm going on record as a fan of goalie fights. Normally, the two most-protected skaters on the ice rarely engage in fisticuffs due to the 200-feet of ice between them and the fact that they don't want to hurt themselves when chucking fists at the other's padded body. When it does happen, though, it's usually a pretty good bout.

Tonight's heavyweight scrap looked like a pretty even scrap as the two men - DiPietro and Johnson - decided to "git it on" in the Islanders' zone. Johnson stands 6'3" and weighs in at 200 lbs. DiPietro is 6'1" tall and weighs in at 190 lbs. Johnson has a slight advantage, but it's not like we're talking Chara-Rolston differences here.

Let's go to the video to see how this one played out as Brent Johnson skates 150-feet to engage the feisty Rick DiPietro.

And BOOM goes the dynamite. Johnson unloads a massive left-handed haymaker that wipes the smile off the face of DiPietro. Notice how Johnson is preparing to unleash hell in that image as DiPietro thinks this is going to be some sort of slap-fight? The result was a crumpled heap of Islanders humanity lying on the ice. Yet again. How many times have Islanders fans see this now?

If you don't think Johnson threw everything he had behind that punch, check out this animation and watch DiPietro's hair when he gets punched. Johnson devastated DiPietro with that punch! That, readers, is why this fight only went one punch long. When a goalie is throwing haymakers like that, get him out of the pads and onto the fourth line for some intimidation! By the way, this is DiPietro after the game. Do you think Johnson opened up a can of whoop-butt on him?

So now we find DiPietro on the injured list again, out 4-6 weeks with facial fractures and a knee tweak. Shall we look at the man-games lost by one player on the Islanders at this point? (The answer is yes.)

• Missed 60 games due to knee surgery.
• Missed 41 games due to a swollen knee.
• Missed 36 games (and counting) due to various knee injuries.
• Missed 13 games due to groin injuries.
• Missed nine games due to hip surgery.
• Missed eight games due to headaches.
• Missed three games due to personal reasons.
• Missed two games due to neck injuries.
• Missed two games due to illnesses.
• Missed one game due to a "lower body injury".
• Missed one game due to a concussion.

If you're doing the math, that 176 man-games (and counting) lost on Rick DiPietro's resumé. Putting that in perspective, that's two full seasons plus another 12 games (and counting) of time missed. Is there any wonder why this Islanders team finds itself at the bottom of the standings year after year when their designated starting goaltender is continually watching from the treatment room?

Look, there's no doubt that DiPietro is a world-class talent when he's healthy. It's that little part at the end, though, that makes it hard to put DiPietro in the upper echelon of goalies because he never plays long enough in a season to show off just how good he is. The Islanders need to find a way to keep DiPietro on the ice somehow, some way if they ever want to return to the playoffs.

DiPietro is good, but he's nothing to the Islanders if he's not on the ice.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Antler Banter: Volume 16

We're back for another week of Antler Banter, and we have a full schedule of stuff to report. Thanks to a morning game, we also get a Wednesday game update on a Wednesday! The Moose finished off their set against the Marlies, and we have a couple of games against the Abbotsford Heat to look at before the Moose take their show to Hamilton on the start of a seven-game road trip that sees them travel to Ontario, New York, and Pennsylvania. The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Moose as they work their way into February! Head over to the Moose website for all your Manitoba Moose news and information. If you're interested in attending a Manitoba Moose game, please click here for seating information, ticket pricing, and availability. It's an all-Canadian week in this week's Hardcore Hockey!

No Grief With The Baby Leafs

The Marlies and Moose finished their two-game set from last week on Wednesday night, and there was certainly some animosity between these two teams. The Marlies dropped a 4-2 decision on Tuesday, and desperately needed to beta Manitoba to keep pace. Manitoba, for their efforts, would put some distance between themselves and the Marlies, so the two points are big for both teams. Tyler Weiman got the call for the Moose while the Marlies sent James Reimer back to the paint.

Bill Sweatt showed that he's willing to step in in the absence of a number of Moose scoring threats. Sweatt potted a couple of goals on the night, and finished with a +2 rating and a game-high six shots on net. Sweatt showed great jump on a shorthanded two-on-one with Marco Rosa, and his toe-drag around the sprawled Marlies defender opened up James Reimer just enough for the puck to get through the goaltender. Sweatt also showed some elusiveness as he escaped coverage to chip home a rebound off Kevin Connauton's point shot. Keith Aulie was nowhere to be found as Sweatt burst past him and netted his second of the night. An excellent showing on this night by the younger Sweatt brother!

The top-rated penalty killing unit in the AHL had themselves another strong showing in keeping the Marlies at bay with the man-advantage. Manitoba went four-for-four in killing off man-advantages, and have not allowed a powerplay goal in the last 16 man-advantage situations. January 7 was the last day the Moose gave up a powerplay goal, and the Hershey Bears recorded two that day. Well done to the Moose PK units for their stingy play!

The Moose won by three goals on Tuesday night, and they pulled off the same trick on Wednesday night as they downed the Marlies by a 5-2 score. Tyler Weiman was solid in the net all night, and really gave the Moose a boost of confidence with his great play. With the win, the Moose improve to 24-12-5 on the season!

Where There's Smoke...

The Moose and Abbotsford Heat got themselves reacquainted at MTS Centre this past week as the Heat visited the Moose on a three-night, two-game stay. It's the first visit to Winnipeg for the Heat as all four games between these two teams have happened in Abbotsford thus far. Manitoba has won three of four games this season against the Heat, and look to improve on that record. The Moose sent Eddie Lack to the crease while the Heat responded with Leland Irving in this Thursday night tilt.

It's good to see Jordan Schroeder back on the ice for the Moose, and Schroeder wasted no time in re-introducing himself to the Moose faithful. Schroeder scored the game's opening goal on the powerplay with his only shot on net during the evening, and looked at home on the man-advantage. He seemed to be a little out of sync after missing 16 games and that's to be expected, but scoring a goal after that kind of layoff certainly bodes well for the young Moose forward.

I'll come out and say this right now: Eddie Lack played well, but could have been better. In the first period, he gave Chris Cunning a freebie. Cunning's shot from the neutral zone was gloved by Lack easily, but Lack misplayed the puck as he attempted to sweep it behind the net for his defencemen, and the puck slid slowly across the goal line for Cunning's eighth goal of the season. Penalty shots also hurt Lack as he was beaten once in regulation time on a nice move by Chris Cunning, and then twice in the shootout. Had Lack not donated the first-period goal to the Heat, the Moose would be two points better than Abbotsford on this night.

This tightly-contested match came down to the shootout as the Moose and Heat found themselves deadlocked at 2-2 after 60 minutes and an extra frame of overtime. Kevin Clark found the net behind Leland Irving, but Greg Nemisz and Jon Rheault beat Lack in the breakaway contest to lead the Heat to the 3-2 shootout victory. With the shootout loss, the Moose fall to 24-12-6 on the season.

See-Bee-Seeing Wins And Bobbleheads

The Moose had special guests at MTS Centre on Sunday as the Moose hosted the AHL on CBC on Sunday! The Moose also gave away Nolan Baumgartner bobbleheads to the first 5000 fans through the doors, so there was definitely a charge in the air as the Moose and Heat resumed battled. The Moose wanted a win on national TV and needed the two points to keep pace with Hamilton, and the Heat wanted to capture four points. The stakes were high, so you knew this was going to be a great game! Leland Irivng was back in the nets for Abbotsford, but the Moose opted to go with Tyler Weiman in the rematch.

It was a big day for Garth Murray as the tough-as-nails Moose forward was an assist away from the "Gordie Howe hat trick" in the first period! Murray scored his first goal of the season on national TV, and put the Moose up 1-0 just 4:46 into the game. Murray took a great pass from Bill Sweatt as he gained a step on the Abbotsford blueliners, and his backhander got through Irving as he drove the net. Later in the period, Murray destroyed Matt Keith with a textbook open-ice hit, and then scrapped with Stefan Meyer as Meyer tried to defend his teammate's honour. I'm calling the scrap a draw simply due to the fact that Meyer tied up Murray and wouldn't let him throw haymakers. This is the kind of swagger Murray needs to bring every night!

The second period belonged to Mario Bliznak as the shifty centerman picked up a couple of helpers by being aware of where his teammates were. First, he found Mark Flood on the blueline from the corner, and Flood blasted the puck home on the powerplay for his fifth of the season. Just 1:16 later, Bliznak's wrap-around attempt was less wrap-around and more pass. Irving slid across to block the wrap-around, but the puck went cross-ice to a wide-open Shawn Weller, and Weller had his eighth of the season. Bliznak's solid second period put the Moose up 3-2 with one period to play.

The third period was all about Desbiens. Guillaume Desbiens hasn't found the scoresheet often since being returned to the Moose by the Vancouver Canucks, but sometimes all you need to do is knock the gorilla off your back to get your confidence going. Desbiens started the period with a bit of luck as his cross-crease pass pinballed its way off a couple of Abbotsford players and past Irving. Desbiens wasn't done there, though, as the gritty forward closed out the game with an empty-netter for his third goal of the season. Desbiens played hard in this game, and he was finally rewarded with a bit of luck.

The two teams battled back and forth on Sunday afternoon, and the Moose had earned themselves a 5-3 victory after the dust settled. The CBC has to be happy with this game as both teams put on a good show. Thankfully, the hometown fans get to go home happy with their Nolan Baumgartner bobbleheads as the Moose improve to 25-12-6 on the season with the win!

Not A Morning Team

The Moose visited the Hamilton Bulldogs today for a very rare morning game as the Bulldogs hosted their first-ever "School Day" where youngsters from Hamilton could attend an AHL game! The 10:30am start is a bit of a shock to the system for players used to playing in the afternoon or night, so you do what you have to do. Tyler Weiman, having won his last six starts, got the nod for Manitoba while the Bulldogs sent former Moose netminder Curtis Sanford to the nets.

One player showed up for this game ready to play as Winnipeg-born Dustin Boyd put the screws to his former team. Boyd scored once in the second period and twice in the third period to record the hat trick as he now has 14 goals on the season. Having spent time with the Flames, Predators, and Canadiens, Boyd knows how to prepare for games, and he certainly looked good on this morning.

The penalty kill, which gave up two goals to the Abbotsford Heat on Sunday, responded by closing the door on Hamilton's powerplay. The Moose went four-for-four in killing off penalties, and the detail this unit is showing in doing the little things right has certainly been paying off. Well done to head coach Claude Noel and the coaching staff for improving this area of the Herd's repertoire this season!

Tyler Weiman was solid in only allowing two goals, but Curtis Sanford was better as the Bulldogs shutdown the Moose in front of their biggest crowd of the season. 10270 fans came out to see the Bulldogs shutout the Moose by a 3-0 score as Dustin Boyd recorded all three goals in the victory. Sergei Shirokov's point streak also came to an end in this game, and the Moose fall to 25-13-6 on the season with the loss.

One Up, One Down

I'm glad I posted this article late on Wednesday because we got to see another Moose player achieve a first in the NHL. After seeing Sergei Shirokov score his first NHL goal last week, Lee Sweatt made his debut with the Vancouver Canucks tonight, and he followed in Shirokov's footsteps.

#57 scores his first NHL goal, and it was the game-winner no less! Congratulations go out to Lee Sweatt for making the most of his call-up! Keep it up!

Time Waits For No Team

The Moose have a busy weekend as they play Friday in Rochester against the Americans, and then travel to Toronto on Saturday for a game against the Marlies. Two divisional games to finish off the week before the AHL All-Star Game should make for interesting times depending on the outcomes of these games.

Rochester is currently sitting in last-place in the North Division with a 19-23-5 record for 43 points. They come into the game 3-6-1 in their last ten games. Michal Repik leads the team in scoring by a large margin with 7 goals and 31 assists. Winger Michael Duco leads the teams in goals with 13 while both Scott Timmins and Kenndal McArdle have ten goals apiece. Neither Jakob Markstrom nor Tyler Plante are having particularly strong seasons thus far, but both have the talent to beat any team on any given night.

After having seen Toronto last week, the Moose are quite aware of what Toronto brings to the table. Toronto is now in fourth-place in the North Division, five points behind the Moose. They are 5-4-1 in their last ten games with two of those losses coming at the hands of the Moose. Toronto will be hungry in their barn, so the Moose will have to come out ready to play in this one.

The Moose will say goodbye to Sergei Shirokov after the Toronto game as Shirokov will make his way to Hershey, Pennsylvania for the 2011 AHL All-Star Game. Shirokov is the only Moose representative on the team this year, and this will be his second AHL All-Star Game appearance. I wish Shirokov all the best in this game, and I'll be watching the speedy Russian show off his skills on Sunday and Monday!

Two big games against divisional rivals, so you know those four points are important. After the lacklustre loss to the Bulldogs, the Moose need to bear down and DO IT!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Where's Teebz?

I spent my Sunday out in the awesome town of Rosenort, Manitoba for a friend's birthday. Before the celebrations began, I was lucky enough to take in a game between the Red River Wild and the Niverville Clippers of the Carillon Senior Hockey League. The game was a spirited battle as the hometown Wild gave everything they had against the league-leading Clippers, but the Wild eventually fell 3-1 after a couple of fights broke out in the third period. While there were no bench-clearing brawls, there were some spirited line brawls, and that got me to thinking about the days of yore where bench-clearing brawls were common.

Today is simply a day where HBIC throws caution to the wind and opens both doors on the bench to let the players out. HBIC looks back at a few memorable bench-clearing brawls from the NHL as I celebrate a good friend's birthday.

Calgary's Tim Hunter loses his mind against the Winnipeg Jets.


Buffalo and Los Angeles gang-warred in 1985.


Chicago and St. Louis in the St. Patrick's Day Massacre.


The Good Friday Brawl in La Belle Province.


Philly and Jersey for Patrick Division supremacy.

Wow. Some good brawls there, and we didn't even go back into the 1970s with the Big Bad Bruins and the Broad Street Bullies! A good hockey fight always gets the blood going, and it's fun to watch these old videos. I'm not condoning any sort of bench-clearing brawl in today's game, but this was when the NHL was more like the wild, wild west.

Happy birthday, Brendan, and congratulations on the six PIMs you earned today!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Knowing The Code

I've never been an enforcer or a fighter in the NHL, but some say that the willingness to drop the gloves night-in and night-out is written into some players' genetic codes. It takes an incredible amount of courage and intestinal fortitude to lose the mitts and chuck knuckles at another guy while absorbing the rain of blows he is unleashing upon you. However, as you're aware, I fully endorse those men that stand for and honour "the Code" in hockey, and it's always nice to see two men who know how "the Code" works. In most cases, both players leave enough sense in their heads to pat each other on the back as warriors before they head to the penalty box thanks to "the Code" ensuring that the fight was fair.

Tonight, the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings got to see what a time-honoured tradition looks like as Aaron Voros of Anaheim and Kyle Clifford of the Kings showed what "the Code" is all about. Check this fight out:

Let's go through this to examine why this fight was a prime example of two players living by the words of "the Code".

1. Players fight within their weight classes. Aaron Voros stands 6'2" tall, and weighs in at 210 lbs. Kyle Clifford measures in at 6'2", and tips the scales at 207 lbs. Clearly, there isn't much difference between the height, weight, and, by extrapolation, the reach that these two men have. Because of these factors, this fight should be fair on paper and neither man will be embarrassed based on size and weight.
2. Fights are mutually agreed upon. It appears that both men were willing to engage in this battle of fisticuffs, so I see no issues here.
3. Always fight fresh, and never fight tired. It appears, from the video, that Voros is coming from the bench while Clifford is still fairly fresh as he turns up ice while taking a pass. Again, I see no issues here as both men appear to be fresh off the bench, and certainly aren't that tired.
4. Fight fair. This is a big one, and I'm very impressed by both men in this fight with their willingness to keep things fair. At the :08 mark, you can see that Voros' helmet pops off, leaving his head exposed. After a few more punches from both men, Clifford asks Voros to wait as he unbuckles his chin strap and removes his helmet at the :18 mark. This, kids, is the definition of fighting fair. Voros could easily break a hand on Clifford's helmet, so Clifford has an unfair advantage in this fight. However, Clifford recognizes this and corrects it with Voros' approval. Once done, the fight can continue as both men are on equal footing again. I am very impressed with Kyle Clifford's honouring of "the Code", and Voros deserves some kudos for giving the kid time to square up the fight. Well done, men!

The entire set of unwritten rules about "the Code" comes down to one thing: respect. Players who follow "the Code" have respect for their opponents, the game, and the integrity of the fight, and it is clearly evident that Kyle Clifford learned this either in the OHL with the Barrie Colts or the AHL with the Manchester Monarchs. He saw that Voros was at a disadvantage, asked Voros if he could remove the helmet, and did so without hesitation once Voros gave the go-ahead. That, kids, is respect to the highest degree shown by Clifford, and I am very impressed with the youngster's knowledge of "the Code".

Clifford may not be setting the world on fire on the scoresheet, but the young man definitely has shown the proper respect for the game of hockey in his short time in the NHL. And that has to count for something. If you ask me, I respect the kid for doing the right thing.

And sometimes, the right thing is the hardest thing to do.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Par For The Course

I had serious reservations about posting this tonight, but I think we need to look at the event that occurred at Madison Square Garden between the New York Rangers and the Edmonton Oilers yesterday. The man to the left, Sean Avery, played a big role in the fiasco that erupted on Sunday afternoon, and there are a number of factors that contributed to the insanity that erupted after Avery set the fireworks off. Sean Avery has always played on the edge, repeatedly pushing the envelope in terms of what is acceptable on and off the ice. His run-in with Ladislav Smid on Sunday afternoon is entirely why Sean Avery gets little to no respect from his peers and the NHL fans.

Let's start with the video of what happened.

Oi vay. Let's break this down as easily as we can.

1. THE HIT: Avery's hit on Colin Fraser was completely clean, and there was no need for Ladislav Smid to challenge Fraser at first appearance. However, the Oilers trailed 5-2 at that point in the game, and Smid may have been looking to give his team a spark. A little retribution for a hit on Fraser doesn't hurt either, but the hit was clean.
2. THE CODE: Smid openly challenges Avery to a fight, and Avery stands there with no reaction to the challenge. Smid, seeing the play continue, has to remain aware of where the puck is as he still has a job to do as a defenceman. Avery, after five seconds of standing with his hands at his side, drops the gloves without letting Smid square up. That, readers, goes against the "code" in the NHL. I'll talk a little about this below.
3. THE PUNCH: Avery caught Smid square on the jaw with a thundering right fist before Smid had a chance to square up and get his hands up. This, in any other instance, is a sucker-punch. If you saw someone at a bar or on the street get popped like that, you'd call it a sucker-punch. Avery could have said "no" to Smid's challenge - something that the "code" states is allowed - but he instead waited until he had an unfair advantage as Smid had half-turned away from him.
4. THE AFTERMATH: Kudos to the officials for getting Avery off the ice as quickly as they did. It could have been a bloodbath had Avery been allowed to remain on the ice, and the officials deserve credit. As for all the other players, the brouhaha is all about respect and pride, and they did what they had to do. But it wouldn't have gotten as serious as it did had it not been for Sean Avery's actions.

Ok, let's go back to "the code". I want to make this clear for all of those who think that hockey fights are barbaric and idiotic: I do not condone fighting, but fights happen in a game where emotions and violence line-up alongside one another. I'm not advocating fighting in hockey in any way, but they occasionally happen. The problem is that fighting in hockey could be controlled if it was left up to the players.

In any case, the "code" states that:

• ... players fight within their weight class. I'd say that Avery and Smid are fairly decent middleweights. No mismatch here, so this should be a fair fight.
  
• ... players challenged have the right of refusal. The challenged player must have a good reason to refuse the fight, or additional verbal abuse may be issued. From the way the video showed it, Avery just stood on the ice. He didn't accept nor refuse when Smid asked. He just stood there. Make a decision, Avery, and make it fast.
• ... players fight fair. You do not embarrass, humiliate, or exploit an advantage to gain an edge in a fight. EVER. If you gain a reputation for that, chances are that someone will do the same to you. Avery, unfortunately, has that reputation, and he is only cementing this further with his actions on Sunday.

Add in a little bad blood due to how poorly the Oilers have been playing, and Avery was the spark needed to set off this powder keg. Had he simply refused the challenge from Smid or accepted and engaged immediately, none of the aftermath would have happened.

I do agree with John Mackinnon of the Edmonton Journal who said, "The brawl was merely the logical conclusion of one team overreacting to a normal body check. Avery is an easy and convenient target, owing to his long rap sheet. But, in this case, I blame Smid for the whole brawling mess."

As you may have heard once or twice, it takes two to tango, and Smid was certainly instigating the scrap when he went over to Avery and challenged him to a fight. Smid is not a fighter, and Colin Fraser had no problem with the hit as it appeared. The check was legal, and Smid did something that is becoming all too prevalent in the NHL today: he challenged the hitter after a clean, big hit was thrown. Smid isn't known for his pugilistic skills, so Smid canot be absolved of all the blame in this instance.

However, where it gets murky for Avery's credibility is in his refusal to initially fight Smid, allowing Smid to back off before attacking him. That's Strike Two when it comes to the "code" as illustrated above. If you say "no", the engagement is over. There are no second thoughts or regrets; you either engage or not. Avery said "no", and Smid backed off. Case closed, according to the "code", and the game continues.

Except this happened. Look at that series of pictures again, and look at Smid's legs. He isn't squared up to Avery until his chin is taking the full force of Avery's punch. Avery has a distinct advantage in that the best punch that Smid could throw as he's leaning back is a left-handed roundhouse. Otherwise, it would be a left jab, and that's going to do nothing as he is leaving his face exposed to Avery's right hand by standing open. Smid wasn't ready for the fight, and Avery took advantage of an unfair opportunity. He broke the "code", and his time might be coming sooner rather than later if the Oilers have something to say about it.

This isn't the first time I've gone on in length about how Avery flirts with the wrong side of the law, and it probably won't be the last time either. Ladislav Smid is now sidelined with a concussion from the punch-and-fall combo, and that leaves a gaping hole on an already-depleted Oilers blueline. As for Sean Avery, he's still playing for the Rangers having apparently escaped any further discipline.

I'm not sure what one can do about Avery's antics, but this is seemingly par for the course for the NHL's bad boy in a career filled with childish behavior and questionable, dangerous hockey.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Why, Rick, Why?

There are a few absolute truths in this world, but none that seem to be bigger than the adage of "Never bite the hand that feeds you". If you're a dog and bite the hand that feeds you, chances are that the person feeding you may not want to do that again, and you might be given away to another family. In hockey, there is no excuse for a player engaging into any sort of scuffle with a fan. I don't care if the fan is the rudest, meanest jerk on this side of Jerkville, players simply cannot be unprofessional and allow their emotions to run wild.

Tuesday night, however, saw Rick Rypien go wild at the XCel Energy Center against a fan of the Minnesota Wild. Take a look:

While there was no serious damage done to the fan except an elevated heartbeat and a stunned look on his face, Rypien made a serious error in judgment.

I've always like Rick Rypien. He was a solid player while with the Manitoba Moose, and he was a fine player with the Vancouver Canucks. I've never seen this side of him before, so it's not like the man has a history of doing stuff like this.

However, I see a lengthy suspension on this one. If there is one thing that Gary Bettman has made clear, it's that the NHL will be as fan-friendly as possible. Or, in this case, the absolute opposite of what Rypien did.

No word on when the hearing is yet, but this one could be a long time-out for Rypien. And it should serve notice to any other player that this type of behavior from a player will be harshly punished.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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How I Spent My Wednesday

If you're reading this, I am going on record in saying that it was written late on Wednesday night in a somewhar drunken stupor. Ok, maybe I wasn't that bad since I have to work tomorrow, but I definitely had a number of wobbly-pops tonight as I was out celebrating. Celebrating what, I hear you ask. Well, readers, Tuesday was my birthday. While the number of candles on the cake shall remain a mystery, I can tell you that I had a very good time chatting with friends about hockey over some ice-cold brews. Here are a few things that I think will happen this season, and a few things I'd like to see this season, from teams and players in the NHL.

1. All six Canadian teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Will it happen? Probably not. Vancouver is almost a lock for the playoffs, but it gets murky after that. Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa all have their problems in the East, while Calgary has retooled and tinkered as much as anyone can in the West. Edmonton is knee-deep in a youth movement, and I'm sure they'll have enough in the tank for 82 games. The last time that happened? 1986. The team that won the Stanley Cup that year? The Montreal Canadiens.
2. More fights that follow "The Code". Honestly, can we not have the scrums that result in four roughing penalties? Can we not have the charity fights after someone throws a crushing, clean check? I want to see a return of the enforcers - the men who knew how to police the game properly. RIP, Mr. Bob Probert... your kind of scoring and toughness will most likely never be seen again.
3. A relatively-forgotten player who puts up insane point totals. I want to see one of those players who makes every team who wrote him off come back to haunt those teams. There are a few players who have that opportunity: Brendan Morrison of the Flames, Mike Comrie of the Penguins, and Patrick O'Sullivan of the Coyotes could be your under-the-radar veterans this season. Then again, my fantasy team didn't finish well last season, so maybe don't listen to me.
4. Taylor Hall will be good, but MPS will be better. Don't get me wrong - Hall will have a good season with the Oilers. But the bigger, stronger Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson will have a better rookie campaign in my view. If you put these two on a line together? There may be some magic in Edmonton.
5. Thanks to Scott Arniel, the Blue Jackets surprise everyone. I've seen Scott Arniel coach very good teams to the AHL's Calder Cup Final. I've seen Scott Arniel coach very average teams to 40+ wins. I've seen Scott Arniel coach very offensiely-anemic teams to 40 wins and a playoff spot. If there is one guy besides Barry Trotz who will have his team outworking everyone, it will be Scott Arniel's Columbus Blue Jackets. And there might be a Jack Adams Trophy at the end of the tunnel if the Blue Jackets can make the playoffs.

Will any of this actually happen? I'll guarantee you this: all of these predictions are free, or you can collect a full refund at the end of the season. Would I like to see these happen? Sure, it would be nice. But there are 82 games for 30 NHL teams that have to be played first.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Talbot Stirs The Pot

There's a lot to be said about intense rivalries in the NHL. The battle of Alberta, the battle of Ontario, the battle of California, and the crosstown rivalry in New York City are all based upon proximity and familiarity. Familiarity, as they say, can breed contempt, and it sounds like this year's Winter Classic at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh might be the first outdoor game to resemble a classic game of hockey from yesteryear, complete with brawls. You see, the man in the upper left posing like a superstar has turned the heat up between the two teams by calling out one of the game's most dangerous scoring threats.

In promoting the upcoming 2011 Winter Classic in Pittsburgh, Talbot decided to tee off on Alexander Ovechkin during an interview for radio station 105.9 The X, using a few choice words to describe the flamboyant Capitals superstar while telling the world just how much he dislikes The Great Eight.

"I just hate the guy," Talbot informed The X in the interview. "I can't lie. Sorry. Even more so for a guy like Ovechkin. Like, seriously, okay...yeah. I don't like him."

You would think that he might be done there, right? Nope. He continues with some venom towards Ovechkin.

"The first time I met him, actually, when I met him off the ice," Talbot continued. "You hear a lot of stories about a guy, but sometimes they're not true. You hear of guys who are not good guys, and you're like, 'Yeah, okay, I'll give the guy a shot.' The first time I met him, let's say he didn't give the best impression to me, so better reason to hate him even more."

Wow. Yet Talbot continues to hammer away on Ovechkin's character, bringing another encounter into play.

"I was actually at the NHL Awards last summer with Malkin, and we brought the Stanley Cup over there after the season," Talbot recalled. "Malkin knew Ovechkin, and introduced me to him, and the first impression wasn't great. I'm not really gonna say what happened, but I'm like, 'Ok, this guy is a real (expletive deleted).'"

That "expletive deleted"? The word "douche". Not a good description by Talbot of Ovechkin's character, and normally you never hear players talking trash about other players. That's just not kosher when it comes to the unwritten Code in the NHL.

The Capitals and Penguins already have a serious dislike for one another, and the amount of disrespect these teams are showing one another harkens back to the days of the Bruins and Flyers in the 1970s when lots of words were said in the heat of the moment. Of course, they normally dropped the gloves moments later, but it remains to be seen if Talbot's outburst will prove to be a catalyst for a dominant season by Ovechkin.

Sometimes, it's better to not light a fire under a player who needs a little motivation to do spectacular things.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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