Kukla's Korner Hockey

Ducks Continue To Win

by Paul on 02/09/12 at 12:42 PM ET
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from Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

Burnside: Greetings, my friend. Well, every day it seems the playoff picture in both conferences becomes murkier and murkier. And the Anaheim Ducks are doing little to clarify the situation by continuing to collect points at an alarming rate. Wednesday they knocked off Carolina in overtime, two days after besting Calgary in a shootout. In their past 15 games, the Ducks are 11-2-2 and, while they remain in 13th place in the Western Conference, they have pulled to within eight points of the eighth and final playoff spot….

LeBrun: I had a chance to catch up with Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau before the team departed for Detroit this morning. There’s definitely a buzz in the Ducks’ dressing room that something special could be happening, despite the long odds.

“There’s a sense of optimism, for sure,” Boudreau told ESPN.com.

“The guys are believing that it’s possible. If we ever get to within six or four points, it’ll be a real race.”

more plus some Phoenix, Calgary, Washington and Winnipeg talk…

Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Caps’ Backstrom Hopes To Be Ready For The Playoffs

by Paul on 02/09/12 at 12:11 PM ET
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from J.P. of Japers’ Rink,

[Recently Caps centerman Nicklas Backstrom spoke with Swedish outlet Gefle Dagblad about his recovery from the concussion that has sidelined him since January 3. A translation of the resulting article appears below, courtesy of our good friend Malin.]

“I don’t know when I will be able to play again, but I hope I will be ready for the playoffs.”

It was in the game against Calgary on January 3 that Rene Bourque delivered an elbow to the head of Nicklas Bäckström. The elbowing happened in the neutral zone.

“It was an unnecessary hit. I feel like he could have just skated by me instead.”

Bourque was suspended five games for that cowardly cheap shot. Since then Bourque has changed teams and he is now playing for the Montreal Canadiens where he is free to play without any restraints or problems.

Bäckström himself on the other hand has yet to play in a single game since he got hurt. He has now missed 15 games and it is still unclear when he will be able to return to the ice.

“I’m getting better, but it takes time,” he says.

continued

Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Nicklas+Backstrom,

2013 Winter Classic Announcement

by Paul on 02/09/12 at 10:11 AM ET
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If available, I will post a stream of the announcement which is scheduled for 10:30am ET.

Streaming should be from both Comerica Park at 10:30am followed by a conference at 11:15am from The Big House.

Stream can be watched below when available…

added 10:26am, Stream is now live below…

Continue Reading »

Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Winter+Classic+2013,

The Rangers Could Own The City

by Paul on 02/09/12 at 09:03 AM ET
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from Larry Brooks of the NY Post,

The Rangers may skate under the radar through most of the calendar, but they have the pedigree that grants them the ability to own this city the way they did when they won it all in 1994 and even when they went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1979.

The way they have a chance to own this city this spring.

Look, this is not a powerhouse team. This is not a group glittering with stars like the one featuring Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Mike Richter and Adam Graves that put an end to the 54-year Stanley Cup drought by looking history in the eye until it blinked.

But it is a team that is greater than the sum of its parts operating in a sport that rewards fabric more than any other. There are talents who do get their name above the title on the marquee, specifically Henrik Lundqvist and Marian Gaborik, and that is required of teams that go all the way, but more than the commitment to grind on every shift, to block every shot and to finish and play through every check, there is the commitment to one another.

All In, on the field.

All In, on the ice.

more

Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Kiprusoff Wins Game #300 With Saves Like This

by Paul on 02/09/12 at 08:37 AM ET
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from Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun,

Kiprusoff shone brightest in the final minutes of his 34-save outing, which included a highlight-reel stop in which he was on his stomach but able to catch a puck with his feet after it rolled down his back.

Talk about a great way to reach a milestone.

“It’s nice. I try not to think about it too much, but it’s there now. And that was a huge win for us,” he said. “It’s not the easiest building to win in, but it’s not a big thing for me it’s against San Jose.”

more on the win last night…

Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Miikka+Kiprusoff,

Crosby’s Injury Has No Easy Diagnosis

by Paul on 02/09/12 at 12:55 AM ET
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from Stephania Bell of ESPN,

So why is this injury, which sounds at once benign (soft tissue) and sinister (neck), so difficult to grasp? And why, if it isn’t particularly serious, is it proving to be such a hurdle for Crosby to overcome? The answers are simultaneously straightforward and complex.

Some athletic injuries are just easy to comprehend. Take, for instance, the hamstring strain. This is a classic example of a soft-tissue injury (a term typically used to refer to injury of a muscle, tendon or ligament). Hamstring strains can be mild or severe. At best, an athlete might describe nothing more than “tightness” or “pulling,” and would recover in a matter of days. In more serious cases, the athlete might feel a “pop” or experience a “tearing” sensation while collapsing in obvious pain. If the athlete was unable to return to play for multiple weeks—even months—after such an injury, it might be frustrating but most would understand. And it would not surprise anyone if the biggest concern was whether returning too soon could lead to reinjury.

But when the injury feels less familiar (as is the case with Crosby’s) and the soft-tissue injury is located in that no-man’s land of the neck (where there are very important things like the spinal cord, discs, nerves and vertebrae), it somehow casts a shadow of a far more serious condition.

The reality is that there are very reasonable comparisons between soft-tissue injuries in any part of the body. Just as a hamstring injury is a soft tissue injury of the thigh, an injury to the muscles, tendons or ligaments of the cervical spine is a soft tissue injury of the neck. Soft tissue, when damaged, bleeds to varying degrees, resulting in pain and inflammation in the injured area, whether it’s the thigh or the neck.

more

Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Sidney+Crosby,

Video- Ducks And Canes Should Still Be Playing

by Paul on 02/09/12 at 12:40 AM ET
Comments (2)

Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Corey+Perry,

The Schenn Brothers Together In Philadelphia?

by Paul on 02/08/12 at 11:06 PM ET
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from Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun,

Luke Schenn has a natural inclination to watch out for his kid brother Brayden.

And while that task would be a lot easier if both were on the same bench for the Philadelphia Flyers, that’s not quite the close proximity that Luke is thinking of right now. While gainfully employed by the Maple Leafs, there continues to be speculation Luke will somehow join Brayden in orange and black by the Feb. 27 trade deadline, if not elsewhere.

Something with the Leafs and Flyers was cooking a few weeks ago for forward James van Riemsdyk, before the Flyer winger suffered a concussion. He remains out of their lineup, while Philly is still looking for depth on defence after losing Chris Pronger.

For Thursday at least, the Schenns will be on opposite sides of the Wells Fargo Center. The six-foot, 200-pound Brayden’s place on the Flyers was unclear in the first meeting back in November.

“Knock on wood, he’s playing (regularly) there now and he’s healthy,” Luke said. “That’s good to see. I’m excited to be going down there and looking forward to having dinner with him (Wednesday night).”

continued

note 11:55pm, The original title was a human error by me, I had Toronto instead of Philadelphia.  Sorry for getting Leafs fans excited.

Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Brayden+Schenn, Luke+Schenn,

Doan’s Future Is Murky

by Paul on 02/08/12 at 06:24 PM ET
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from the CP at TSN,

The thought has at least crossed Shane Doan’s mind.

With the Phoenix Coyotes’ ownership situation still in limbo and unrestricted free agency staring him in the face, the veteran forward could be playing out his final season in the desert.

“Obviously, I’d be pretty naive to not think that way,” Doan said in a recent interview. “At the same time, everything is kind of focused on waiting to see how our team’s doing and what we’re doing and what’s going on with the ownership and different things. (I’ll) make a decision then I guess.

“But yeah, I’d be stupid not to be looking at (my options) and thinking about everything else.”

It’s the last place the 35-year-old wants to find himself in the twilight of his career.

continued

Filed in: NHL Teams, Phoenix Coyotes | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Shane+Doan,

Vancouver Waits For Results On Henrik Sedin’s Ankle

by Paul on 02/08/12 at 05:29 PM ET
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via TSN,

The Vancouver Canucks’ current ironman could see his streak come to an end.

Captain Henrik Sedin was not at the Exel Energy Center in Minnesota for Wednesday’s practice and was seen at the team’s hotel limping around in a large walking boot.

Sports writer Jason Botchford from the Vancouver Province tweeted that Sedin will have a CT scan done on the injured ankle in the Minnesota area this afternoon.

Sedin was injured in Tuesday’s win over the Nashville Predators, when a point shot by defenceman Kevin Klein struck him in the right ankle early in the first period.

Sedin dropped to the ice and had to be helped to the dressing room.

Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Henrik+Sedin,

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