Ohio Jones
Game on...
All 30 teams in the HFNHL were in action last night, which makes for a busy round of recaps:
Thrashers 1 at Bruins 2
The Thrashers started well, taking the lead on a PP goal by surprise rookie Wade Brookbank (3), but came quickly back down to earth thanks to the M&M show, with Brendan Morrison assisting on Alyn Macauley's first and second goals of the season. Bruin goalie Marty Turco earned a star with his 23-save performance, but his opposite number Robert Esche deserves credit for a strong 34-save game. The loss moves the Thrashers back below .500, while the Bruins remain tied with the Devils, one point back of the East-leading Senators with a game in hand.
Hurricanes 1 at Leafs 2
A miserable 10062 showed up to watch their home side come out the victor in this battle of the basement-dwellers. Once again, a dynamic duo carried the day, with Randy Robitaille (2) and Filip Kuba (1) tallying a goal and an assist each. Standing tall was Tomas Vokoun with 25 saves, only beaten by Scott Young (3) on one of the 'Canes two powerplays. Although happy with the win, Toronto has to be concerned with their special teams, after going 0-for-6 with the man advantage.
Panthers 3 at Devils 4
A good night for home teams, it seems. The league's most dynamic line (Kovalchuk-Drury-Gaborik) got on the board for one goal, but Mats Sundin and Alexandre Daigle outshone them in a losing cause. The Devils' other lines came to the rescue as the teams traded scoring, and they were able to gradually edge out the Panthers in both shots and hits for the full 60 minutes. Despite the loss, the surprising Panthers are still above .500, while as mentioned the Devils keep pace with Boston one point behind Ottawa.
Capitals 6 at Flyers 4
Finally, a Visiting team earns a win! A pity only 13,301 showed up to witness this exciting match that saw two lead changes and both teams scoring in bunches. Visitor Alexander Mogilny stole the show, chasing Flyers' starter Dominik Hasek with his second goal of the night (5) in the closing seconds of the 2nd period, and tallying an assist as well to earn the game's first star. Cajanek and Koivu had two point nights for the Caps, while Jason Arnott and Mike Grier each had a goal and an assist in the Flyers' losing effort, despite having been the more disciplined of the two teams. Philly management is likely disappointed that they aren't playing better than .500, while Washington made ground on the 4th-place Isles.
Lightning 3 at Penguins 2
Brad Richards earned the first star in a losing effort as his Penguins were downed 3-2 by the surprising Tampa Bay Lightning, who held on to 8th in the East with the win. Although the shots were close, Tampa played with much more intensity, clearly doing what they had to for the win (and out-hitting Pittsburgh 2-1 in the process). One wonders how long the Penguins will stick with their current roster before their .250 winning percentage prompts changes. The 9,035 announced attendance felt more like 6,000 - Pittsburgh may not survive without a new rink deal to replace the aging Mellon Arena. Portland, Huston, San Antonio and Winnipeg are said to be interested in acquiring an HFNHL franchise.
Red Wings 5 at Kings 3
At least hockey fans in LA like to come out for games. Over 17,000 saw LA starter Mikka Noronen leave the game late in the second after a save on a Gary Roberts slapper injured his wrist. "These new equipment rules blow", an obviously frustrated Noronen said afterwards. "That wouldn't have happened with my old glove". The Red Wings took quick advantage of backup Curtis Sanford to break a 2-2 deadlock, scoring 3 goals in under 5 minutes of game time to salt away the victory. In all, the Wings scored all their goals consecutively, with the Kinds starting and ending the scoring on the night - too little, too late. Glen Murray was the lone bright spot for LA, scoring twice on 6 shots, and adding an assist on the Kings' third goal. Noronen is day-to-day, with Sanford expected to get the start tonight in San Jose.
Predators 0 at Blackhawks 4
Chicago continues to surprise atop the Western conference, this night easily dominating a talent-poor Preds squad. Hawks goalie Jocelyn Thibault was perfect in limited action, but with his team outshooting the visiting Predators 31-21, it was likely the easiest shutout of his career. The Clymer - Stajan - Chimera line was the goat 5-on-5 for Nashville, while David Vyborny edged Thibault's shutout for 1st star honours with a 4-point night including two goals (2, 3). The Preds are tied with Carolina for futility thus far in the season, both teams boasting 1-8-0 records. It's a little early for fans in either city to be ordering their Kessel jerseys, but it sure isn't pretty.
Stars 0 at Blues 0
The Blues came out flat in front of their home crowd, and although they picked up their game in the second and third periods, they weren't able to solve the Stars' Mikka Kiprusoff any more than the Stars were able to solve Nikolai Khabibulin. Aside from Alexei Yashin's 6 shots, it could be said that the Stars were playing for the tie, as they played a very conservative game, carrying the play through the first and limiting the Blues' chances throughout. St. Louis GM Nick Quain has to be frustrated, as a win against what is on paper a far inferior team would have brought his Blues into a tie for first with Chicago. Worse, the Blues lost center Joe Thornton in the closing moments of the first period with an undisclosed injury, although it is hoped Big Joe will be in the lineup for tonight's second part of the home-and-home in Dallas.
Sharks 0 at Ducks 3
The hometown Ducks continued their strong play, moving to 6-3-0 with a win last night over the Sharks, who are struggling through a 3-game losing streak and now slide to .500 on the season. The Ducks managed to make it interesting, though, as midway through the third fans thought they might be witnessing (what our dim memories tell us is) an HFNHL first - two scoreless ties on the same night. However, in the closing 10 minutes the Ducks came alive, putting two quick goals past the Shars' Jose Theodore, and then adding another in the final minute of play. Zigmund Palffy and Brian Rolston each had three-point nights; Sean Burke made 21 saves for the shutout. Despite the late scoring, however, the outcome was never really in doubt, as the Ducks physically dominated the Sharks all night long, with a nearly 3-1 edge in recorded hits. The Ducks' chippy play came back to haunt them, though. Within seconds of Ducks defenceman Kurt Sauer leaving the penalty box late in the second period after being called for a charge against the Sharks' Adam Hall, Hall raced across the ice and delivered a two-handed axe blow to Sauer's head with his stick. Sauer was forced to leave with a neck injury and is considered day-to-day; Hall was ejected and could face supplementary disciplinary review. In the third, Sharks winger Petr Sykora was also forced to leave with an undisclosed injury; there was no penalty call.
Avalanche 3 at Flames 3
Flames goalie Andrew Raycroft inexplicably received the night's 2nd star, blowing a 2-goal lead late in the third as his Flames settled for a tie to keep the struggling Avs one game behind them in the standings. Michael Ryder for Calgary and Tyler Arnason for Colorado each had a goal and an assist on the night. Barely 10,000 people showed up, leaving observers to wonder how long it will be before fans forgive the Flames for losing Luongo and Kovalchuk...
Canucks 1 at Jackets 1
Yet again the Jackets outwork their opponent for an entire game, and yet come away with only one point to show for it. 5 of the Jackets' 9 games this season have earned them a single point in the standings, including 4 ties and an OT loss. The Jackets outshot and out-hit the visiting Canucks nearly 2-1, and yet could not score. Slava Kozlov continued his magical run, assisting on Mark Bell's second of the season to put the Jackets ahead, and they continued their onslaught throughout the entire 60 minutes, and into the extra frame, despite losing top pivot Mike Modano with a lower-body injury in the first period. Kudos to Vancouver's Manny Legace for keeping the lead down to one, giving mike Sillinger the chance to score his second of the season at 14:34 of the third period to earn the tie. It was only the Canucks' sixth shot since the second period, and observers wondered if Jackets goalie Martin Brodeur might have been a little cold on the play, as many big-game goaltenders tend to lose focus when they aren't kept busy stopping shots. The two teams have a day off, then meet again to close out the home-and-home Saturday night in Vancouver. Modano is expected to be a game-time decision.
Coyotes 1 at Oilers 4
The Oilers climbed above .500 with a convincing home win over the hapless Phoenix Coyotes. In a show of balanced scoring, only Paul Mara had a multi-point game, as the Oilers find ways to win without top centerman Rob Niedermayer, who is out at least 2 months with a separated shoulder. Evgeni Nabokov stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced for the Oil, while the Yotes' Phillippe Sauve worked the full 60 minutes in the loss. The Coyotes lost Andrew Hutchinson in the second on a low check by the Oilers' Tim Taylor; Taylor was ejected and the play will be reviewed.
Sabres 3 at Wild 2
In the only inter-conference match-up on the night, two teams that have disappointed thus far in the season squared off in a feisty game that ended with a three-point result: the underdog Sabres scored in OT to earn two points, while the Wild earned 1 to stay . It was a costly win, though, as the Sabres lost both Rick Nash and Lee Goren to injury. Greg DeVries was ejected on the Goren hit, and while Nash is expected back in the lineup for the Sabres' next game, Goren will be day-to-day.
Rangers 2 at Canadiens 4
The Rangers scored twice, bookending a four-goal run by the home side. J-S Giguere stood strong in net for Montreal, stopping 33 of 35 shots for first star honours. The Habs' Robert Lang and Freddy Modin rounded out the star voting with a two-point night each. The Habs have underperformed to date, but the win puts them above the .500 mark, temporarily in 6th in the East, but the teams chasing them (including the Rangers) have two games in hand. The Rangers, meanwhile, have come back down to earth after an unlikely start, and have now lost their last three games to sit at .500.
Senators 1 at Islanders 0
The aforementioned Roberto Luongo went a perfect 28 for 28 to show the impressive Islanders how it feels to be on the receiving end of a shutout in this young season. Ed Belfour, who has been impressive for the Isles thus far, stopped 23 of 24 but was somehow neglected from the star balloting. Instead, Jochen Hecht and Viktor Kozlov, who connected on the game's one goal, earned the 2nd and 3rd stars. The Isles will have to console themselves with the hefty gate they earned on over 16,000 attending, while the Sens get to enjoy the view from the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Thrashers 1 at Bruins 2
The Thrashers started well, taking the lead on a PP goal by surprise rookie Wade Brookbank (3), but came quickly back down to earth thanks to the M&M show, with Brendan Morrison assisting on Alyn Macauley's first and second goals of the season. Bruin goalie Marty Turco earned a star with his 23-save performance, but his opposite number Robert Esche deserves credit for a strong 34-save game. The loss moves the Thrashers back below .500, while the Bruins remain tied with the Devils, one point back of the East-leading Senators with a game in hand.
Hurricanes 1 at Leafs 2
A miserable 10062 showed up to watch their home side come out the victor in this battle of the basement-dwellers. Once again, a dynamic duo carried the day, with Randy Robitaille (2) and Filip Kuba (1) tallying a goal and an assist each. Standing tall was Tomas Vokoun with 25 saves, only beaten by Scott Young (3) on one of the 'Canes two powerplays. Although happy with the win, Toronto has to be concerned with their special teams, after going 0-for-6 with the man advantage.
Panthers 3 at Devils 4
A good night for home teams, it seems. The league's most dynamic line (Kovalchuk-Drury-Gaborik) got on the board for one goal, but Mats Sundin and Alexandre Daigle outshone them in a losing cause. The Devils' other lines came to the rescue as the teams traded scoring, and they were able to gradually edge out the Panthers in both shots and hits for the full 60 minutes. Despite the loss, the surprising Panthers are still above .500, while as mentioned the Devils keep pace with Boston one point behind Ottawa.
Capitals 6 at Flyers 4
Finally, a Visiting team earns a win! A pity only 13,301 showed up to witness this exciting match that saw two lead changes and both teams scoring in bunches. Visitor Alexander Mogilny stole the show, chasing Flyers' starter Dominik Hasek with his second goal of the night (5) in the closing seconds of the 2nd period, and tallying an assist as well to earn the game's first star. Cajanek and Koivu had two point nights for the Caps, while Jason Arnott and Mike Grier each had a goal and an assist in the Flyers' losing effort, despite having been the more disciplined of the two teams. Philly management is likely disappointed that they aren't playing better than .500, while Washington made ground on the 4th-place Isles.
Lightning 3 at Penguins 2
Brad Richards earned the first star in a losing effort as his Penguins were downed 3-2 by the surprising Tampa Bay Lightning, who held on to 8th in the East with the win. Although the shots were close, Tampa played with much more intensity, clearly doing what they had to for the win (and out-hitting Pittsburgh 2-1 in the process). One wonders how long the Penguins will stick with their current roster before their .250 winning percentage prompts changes. The 9,035 announced attendance felt more like 6,000 - Pittsburgh may not survive without a new rink deal to replace the aging Mellon Arena. Portland, Huston, San Antonio and Winnipeg are said to be interested in acquiring an HFNHL franchise.
Red Wings 5 at Kings 3
At least hockey fans in LA like to come out for games. Over 17,000 saw LA starter Mikka Noronen leave the game late in the second after a save on a Gary Roberts slapper injured his wrist. "These new equipment rules blow", an obviously frustrated Noronen said afterwards. "That wouldn't have happened with my old glove". The Red Wings took quick advantage of backup Curtis Sanford to break a 2-2 deadlock, scoring 3 goals in under 5 minutes of game time to salt away the victory. In all, the Wings scored all their goals consecutively, with the Kinds starting and ending the scoring on the night - too little, too late. Glen Murray was the lone bright spot for LA, scoring twice on 6 shots, and adding an assist on the Kings' third goal. Noronen is day-to-day, with Sanford expected to get the start tonight in San Jose.
Predators 0 at Blackhawks 4
Chicago continues to surprise atop the Western conference, this night easily dominating a talent-poor Preds squad. Hawks goalie Jocelyn Thibault was perfect in limited action, but with his team outshooting the visiting Predators 31-21, it was likely the easiest shutout of his career. The Clymer - Stajan - Chimera line was the goat 5-on-5 for Nashville, while David Vyborny edged Thibault's shutout for 1st star honours with a 4-point night including two goals (2, 3). The Preds are tied with Carolina for futility thus far in the season, both teams boasting 1-8-0 records. It's a little early for fans in either city to be ordering their Kessel jerseys, but it sure isn't pretty.
Stars 0 at Blues 0
The Blues came out flat in front of their home crowd, and although they picked up their game in the second and third periods, they weren't able to solve the Stars' Mikka Kiprusoff any more than the Stars were able to solve Nikolai Khabibulin. Aside from Alexei Yashin's 6 shots, it could be said that the Stars were playing for the tie, as they played a very conservative game, carrying the play through the first and limiting the Blues' chances throughout. St. Louis GM Nick Quain has to be frustrated, as a win against what is on paper a far inferior team would have brought his Blues into a tie for first with Chicago. Worse, the Blues lost center Joe Thornton in the closing moments of the first period with an undisclosed injury, although it is hoped Big Joe will be in the lineup for tonight's second part of the home-and-home in Dallas.
Sharks 0 at Ducks 3
The hometown Ducks continued their strong play, moving to 6-3-0 with a win last night over the Sharks, who are struggling through a 3-game losing streak and now slide to .500 on the season. The Ducks managed to make it interesting, though, as midway through the third fans thought they might be witnessing (what our dim memories tell us is) an HFNHL first - two scoreless ties on the same night. However, in the closing 10 minutes the Ducks came alive, putting two quick goals past the Shars' Jose Theodore, and then adding another in the final minute of play. Zigmund Palffy and Brian Rolston each had three-point nights; Sean Burke made 21 saves for the shutout. Despite the late scoring, however, the outcome was never really in doubt, as the Ducks physically dominated the Sharks all night long, with a nearly 3-1 edge in recorded hits. The Ducks' chippy play came back to haunt them, though. Within seconds of Ducks defenceman Kurt Sauer leaving the penalty box late in the second period after being called for a charge against the Sharks' Adam Hall, Hall raced across the ice and delivered a two-handed axe blow to Sauer's head with his stick. Sauer was forced to leave with a neck injury and is considered day-to-day; Hall was ejected and could face supplementary disciplinary review. In the third, Sharks winger Petr Sykora was also forced to leave with an undisclosed injury; there was no penalty call.
Avalanche 3 at Flames 3
Flames goalie Andrew Raycroft inexplicably received the night's 2nd star, blowing a 2-goal lead late in the third as his Flames settled for a tie to keep the struggling Avs one game behind them in the standings. Michael Ryder for Calgary and Tyler Arnason for Colorado each had a goal and an assist on the night. Barely 10,000 people showed up, leaving observers to wonder how long it will be before fans forgive the Flames for losing Luongo and Kovalchuk...
Canucks 1 at Jackets 1
Yet again the Jackets outwork their opponent for an entire game, and yet come away with only one point to show for it. 5 of the Jackets' 9 games this season have earned them a single point in the standings, including 4 ties and an OT loss. The Jackets outshot and out-hit the visiting Canucks nearly 2-1, and yet could not score. Slava Kozlov continued his magical run, assisting on Mark Bell's second of the season to put the Jackets ahead, and they continued their onslaught throughout the entire 60 minutes, and into the extra frame, despite losing top pivot Mike Modano with a lower-body injury in the first period. Kudos to Vancouver's Manny Legace for keeping the lead down to one, giving mike Sillinger the chance to score his second of the season at 14:34 of the third period to earn the tie. It was only the Canucks' sixth shot since the second period, and observers wondered if Jackets goalie Martin Brodeur might have been a little cold on the play, as many big-game goaltenders tend to lose focus when they aren't kept busy stopping shots. The two teams have a day off, then meet again to close out the home-and-home Saturday night in Vancouver. Modano is expected to be a game-time decision.
Coyotes 1 at Oilers 4
The Oilers climbed above .500 with a convincing home win over the hapless Phoenix Coyotes. In a show of balanced scoring, only Paul Mara had a multi-point game, as the Oilers find ways to win without top centerman Rob Niedermayer, who is out at least 2 months with a separated shoulder. Evgeni Nabokov stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced for the Oil, while the Yotes' Phillippe Sauve worked the full 60 minutes in the loss. The Coyotes lost Andrew Hutchinson in the second on a low check by the Oilers' Tim Taylor; Taylor was ejected and the play will be reviewed.
Sabres 3 at Wild 2
In the only inter-conference match-up on the night, two teams that have disappointed thus far in the season squared off in a feisty game that ended with a three-point result: the underdog Sabres scored in OT to earn two points, while the Wild earned 1 to stay . It was a costly win, though, as the Sabres lost both Rick Nash and Lee Goren to injury. Greg DeVries was ejected on the Goren hit, and while Nash is expected back in the lineup for the Sabres' next game, Goren will be day-to-day.
Rangers 2 at Canadiens 4
The Rangers scored twice, bookending a four-goal run by the home side. J-S Giguere stood strong in net for Montreal, stopping 33 of 35 shots for first star honours. The Habs' Robert Lang and Freddy Modin rounded out the star voting with a two-point night each. The Habs have underperformed to date, but the win puts them above the .500 mark, temporarily in 6th in the East, but the teams chasing them (including the Rangers) have two games in hand. The Rangers, meanwhile, have come back down to earth after an unlikely start, and have now lost their last three games to sit at .500.
Senators 1 at Islanders 0
The aforementioned Roberto Luongo went a perfect 28 for 28 to show the impressive Islanders how it feels to be on the receiving end of a shutout in this young season. Ed Belfour, who has been impressive for the Isles thus far, stopped 23 of 24 but was somehow neglected from the star balloting. Instead, Jochen Hecht and Viktor Kozlov, who connected on the game's one goal, earned the 2nd and 3rd stars. The Isles will have to console themselves with the hefty gate they earned on over 16,000 attending, while the Sens get to enjoy the view from the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
