Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: Miikka+Kiprusoff
Comparing Kiprusoff and Toskala
by Alanah McGinley on 11/10/08 at 02:02 PM ET
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From Eric Duhatschek at the Globe & Mail,
It figures to be an interesting goaltending match-up Tuesday night when the Toronto Maple Leafs open their western Canadian trip in Calgary to play the Flames. Not only do the Flames’ Miikka Kiprusoff and the Leafs’ Vesa Toskala both hail from Finland, they were both groomed in the San Jose Sharks’ organization and both traded away so that Evgeni Nabokov would be that organization’s clear-cut No. 1 netminder.
Kiprusoff and Toskala are considered among the NHL’s goaltending elite, but their numbers don’t reflect that at the moment…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: miikka+kiprusoff, vesa+toskala,
Hot Flame
by Paul on 10/31/08 at 12:46 PM ET
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from Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun,
Kiprusoff, whose big contract and big early-season goals-against-average had all kinds of critics questioning his abilities, continues to be a key cog in the club’s winning spree.
While the offensive heroes keep changing, he continues to be the constant, shining between the pipes night after night.
During Calgary’s winning streak, Kiprusoff has posted a sparkling 1.40 goals-against-average and .952 save percentage.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Kiprusoff Just Worried About Winning
by Paul on 10/23/08 at 10:58 AM ET
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from Vicki Hall of the Calgary Herald,
Too old, too slow, too nonchalant—the Flames goalie lets it all whistle by him like a rising slapshot over the net.
“I’m kind of used to it,” Kiprusoff said Wednesday as the Flames packed their bags for tonight’s game in Nashville against the Predators. “That’s how it is to be a player, a goalie in the NHL.
“First, you’re young and not experienced. Then, you’re old. It’s always something.”
And it’s something Kiprusoff chooses not to concern himself with.
“I have worries to be able to help this team win games here,” the Finn said. “And take care of my body and keep in good shape.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Did Keenan Do The Right Thing?
by Paul on 04/23/08 at 06:21 PM ET
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from Eric Francis at Best of Seven,
Several players were furious but couldn’t say anything for obvious reasons.
Team members watching from the press box also lost their minds.
Miikka Kiprusoff bit his tongue.
Even the San Jose Sharks players were so surprised by the minor league move, they side-stepped the controversy altogether.
One day after Mike Keenan scuttled any chance of a comeback in Game 7 by pulling Miikka Kiprusoff late in the second period of a 4-2 game, the debate rages on over Captain Hook’s panic move.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Flames Need ‘Kipper’ Tonight
by Paul on 04/20/08 at 12:17 PM ET
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from Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun,
Miikka Kiprusoff’s lucrative contract extension doesn’t kick in until next season.
The Calgary Flames could sure use an advance performance worthy of that salary.
As in tonight.
Or else this season is kaput.
Trailing three games to two, the Flames are down to their last life as they head into tonight’s Game 6 in their best-of-seven series with the San Jose Sharks.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Flames Must Play Kiprusoff
by Paul on 04/14/08 at 01:03 PM ET
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from Eric Francis at Best of Seven,
First question I had for the coach after the game was who his starting goaltender would be Game 4.
“I thought you might ask to start a controversy,” was his opener.
“We’ll have to wait and see.”
Guess who is starting a controversy Mikey? You and only you.
If indeed there is a one in a million chance you’re actually thinking about starting Game 3 replacement Curtis Joseph instead of Miikka Kiprusoff I assure you you are the only one in North America who thinks it would be wise.
The correct answer would have been: Miikka.Instead, you risk further infuriating one of the game’s premiere netminders who is the only reason the Flames have a shot at pulling off an upset over San Jose.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Kipper Comes Through
by Paul on 01/19/08 at 11:20 AM ET
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from Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun,
Eleven minutes to go in a 6-1 game and the crowd was on its feet.
Not because of Daymond Langkow’s hat-trick minutes earlier or because the Flames turned in the type of beat-down fans have expected to see more of all year.
This time, it was for Miikka Kiprusoff.
Yep—the guy relegated to backup status if only in the sports pages as the collective hearts of the city were aflutter over the signing of Curtis Joseph this week.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Do The Mind Games Start
by Paul on 01/17/08 at 04:45 PM ET
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from George Johnson at ESPN,
The joker in the deck, however, is how incumbent Miikka Kiprusoff, the silent Finn, will react to the support (threat?) posed by a goalie who, although 40 and well past his peak, has still won 446 regular-season NHL games and himself been feted as a Vezina Trophy finalist.
The Flames can argue until they’re blue in the face that Joseph’s arrival means a fresher, more motivated Kipper, that he will embrace the competition and chance to swap stories and secrets with a fellow lodge brother.
Nobody’s trying to turn this into a goaltending controversy, but Kiprusoff could easily interpret the signing as a lack of faith, a kind of betrayal.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Curtis+Joseph, Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Keenan Vs. Kipper
by Paul on 12/28/07 at 09:13 PM ET
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from George Johnson of the Calgary Herald via the National Post,
...All is not daisies and buttercups between Iron Mike and the none-too-chipper Kipper.
The strain, hinted at on a few occasions already as the the halfway point of the NHL season approaches, is showing.
Keenan obviously wants more, and more consistently, from this franchise’s meal-ticket goaltender, who has, it must be said, been sub-par by his own towering standards for much of this season. Kiprusoff, just as obviously, isn’t over the moon about playing monkey to Keenan’s organ grinder - Pinocchio puppet to Iron Mike’s wicked Stromboli.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Miikka+Kiprusoff, Mike+Keenan,
Kiprusoff is a Funny Guy
by Paul on 11/03/07 at 10:48 PM ET
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from the Calgary Herald,
To the ticket-buying public, he’s the saviour. The biggest reason why the Calgary Flames can stake a legitimate (some days more than others) claim to being a Stanley Cup contender.
But behind the mask? Under all those pads? Who is he?
Well, he’s a funny guy. Really. Teammates say so. Coaches say so…
“Miikka,” begins Sportsnet interviewer Jamie Thomas, following Kiprusoff’s brilliant performance against Nashville on Tuesday night, “when we talked in training camp, you said you didn’t want to talk about your contract until it was done. Now that it is, what can you say?”
“Well,” deadpans Kiprusoff, “now that it’s done, I don’t want to talk about it.”.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: calgary+flames, goalies, Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Kiprusoff Will Sign Extension With Flames
by Alanah McGinley on 10/29/07 at 06:25 PM ET
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From TSN,
The Calgary Flames have called a news conference tonight and sources tell TSN it is to announce a long-term contract extension for Calgary netminder Miikka Kiprusoff.
Sources add that the deal is worth approximately $35 million for six years, or an average annual cap hit for the Flames of about $5.8 million per year beyond this season.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: calgary+flames, goalies, Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Flames Talking Contract Extension With Kiprusoff
by Paul on 10/18/07 at 10:34 AM ET
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from the Calgary Herald,
While GM Darryl Sutter was critical of the recent play of his goalie on Wednesday, the Flames still see him as a linchpin in the lineup. And despite the jibes of Sutter and coach Mike Keenan about a slow start, Kiprusoff continues to be bullish on Calgary. (It’s just one Kumbaya short of a love-in.)
As for anything imminent to announce from said discussions, however . . . do not hold your breath. Kiprusoff remains firm about being paid like the top goalie in the NHL-- that would be in the $6.75-million US range being enjoyed by Roberto Luongo in Vancouver. And he’s looking for recognition that he’s equally as important to the Flames as is captain Jarome Iginla. He of the five-year, $7-million-per-year payday.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: calgary+flames, goalies, Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Keenan Comes Down On Kiprusoff
by Paul on 10/11/07 at 08:18 PM ET
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from the Calgary Herald,
After a Thursday afternoon’s practice in Dallas, Keenan managed to smack both his goalie and his struggling team by offering this assessment of the Detroit contest: “You most likely aren’t going to win any road game putting 20 shots on the net unless your goaltender is spectacular. And our goaltender wasn’t spectacular."…
“It’s not our responsibility to get them going,” he said. “It’s their responsibility. Jarome (Iginla) did a lot of work in the off-season to get ready and now he’s got to get his game together. And Kiprusoff, if he has notorious slow starts, that’s his responsibility to contribute to the team as he should be able to on consistent basis once the season does start. So he’s going to have to figure out what he’s going to have to do to make some improvements quickly.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: calgary+flames, goalies, Miikka+Kiprusoff,
Kiprusoff Wants To Stay With Calgary
by Paul on 09/14/07 at 06:49 AM ET
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from the Calgary Sun,
Miikka Kiprusoff has a message for Calgary Flames fans.
His top priority is to re-sign with the club.
Rumours may be swirling the star netminder wants to bolt the Stampede City in favour of a warmer locale or one with less scrutiny, but Kiprusoff said his No.-1 priority is to ink a pact with the Flames.
“That’s my first option, for sure,” he said after going through the paces of fitness testing yesterday at the Saddledome as training camp opened. “I’d love to stay here.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Miikka+Kiprusoff,
