Kukla's Korner

Penguins bounce back with 3-2 win over Thrashers

Blog: The Confluence By Tony

11/21/09 at 10:31 PM ET | Comments (2)

Two days after a 6-2 lackluster effort in Ottawa, the Penguins got another healthy body back in the lineup and started to regain some of their form tonight with a 3-2 win over the Thrashers at Philips Arena.

That ultra-sniper Martin Skoula scored twice for the Penguins (sarcasm), while Evgeni Malkin had the other tally.  Chris Thorburn and Maxim Afinogenov scored for Atlanta.

The Pens welcomed back defenseman Brooks Oprik back to the ice, while Pens’ announcer Paul Steigerwald mentioned that Tyler Kennedy practiced with the team with contact and might be back in the lineup Monday night at Florida.

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Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
  Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,

Leafs Can Improve During Free Agency Period

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

11/21/09 at 10:27 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Darren Dreger of TSN,

On July 1st, the Toronto Maple Leafs may have as many as 17 free agents to contend with, and 11 of those players will be unrestricted.

For many teams this would be considered a horrendous challenge.

The Leafs look at it as a great opportunity.

The corps of the 11 unrestricted free agents includes Alexei Ponikarovsky, Lee Stempniak, Matt Stajan, Vesa Toskala, Garnet Exelby, Wayne Primeau and Mike Van Ryn.

Matt Stajan is believed to be a prime trade target and isn’t likely to be back.

Ponikarovsky is valued and will likely be offered an extension, however after that the interest in those remaining is quickly fading.

continued

Filed in: NHL Teams, Toronto Maple Leafs | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Early Options For NHL Teams Traveling To Europe Next season

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

11/21/09 at 10:00 PM ET | Comments (1)

from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

If anyone thought the NHL’s regular-season games in Europe were a short-term experiment, guess again.

The league wants to expand to six teams next fall, up from four, and have approached the following clubs to gauge their interest: Minnesota, Carolina, Boston, Columbus, Phoenix and San Jose. Sources from all six teams confirmed as much but also stressed that it doesn’t mean for sure they are going over. It remains early in the planning stages.

continued with more topics- basically a recap of the Hot Stove on HNIC tonight.

Filed in: NHL Teams | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Legace and the Finns win again.

Blog: Red and Black Hockey By David Lee

11/21/09 at 09:57 PM ET | Comments (0)

Carolina extended their streak of earning points to five games with an impressive 3-1 win over the visiting Bolts.  It was only the second regulation win of the season for Carolina and it snapped a streak of four straight overtime games and three straight shootouts. 

Brandon Sutter had a four game point streak snapped, but still played a good game.  Jussi Jokinen extended his points streak to four games with the game-winning goal.  In the past four games he has three goals and an assist. 

Manny Legace played with confidence, played well, and had the guys in front of him play well.  It was probably the most complete game this team has played all season. 

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Filed in: | Red and Black Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Carolina+Hurricanes, Chad+LaRose, Jussi+Jokinen, Manny+Legace, Tampa+Bay+Lightning, Tuomo+Ruutu,

Niklas Kronwall Out After Knee On Knee Hit By Laraque

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

11/21/09 at 07:51 PM ET | Comments (15)

Wings announced Kronwall will not return to the game after taking a knee on knee hit from Laraque.  Earlier on the same play, Laraque high-sticked Darren Helm so Laraque received 4 for high sticking and 2 for tripping.

added 8:15pm, video of the hit…

added 10:10pm, Mike Babcock on the Wings post-game show said Kronwall injury is not pretty and will wait until Detroit doctors look at him.  Babcock said the hit by Laraque is unacceptable in the game of hockey.

added 10:53pm, Scott Morrison on the iDesk (HNIC) said the Wings fear Kronwall has MCL damage.  Will know more tomorrow.

added 10:59pm, from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

The Red Wings anticipate being without top-four defenseman Niklas Kronwall for a minimum of two weeks after he was injured Saturday in what general manager Ken Holland flat-out called a dirty hit.

Kronwall, 29, suffered what Holland said early examination revealed to be a second-degree, possibly third-degree MCL sprain to his left knee. In 2005, he needed that knee operated on after tearing his ACL, and ended up missing 52 games.

The Wings are hoping it won’t be nearly as long this time, but won’t know for sure until Kronwall undergoes further testing today (Sunday).

continued

Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Georges+Laraque, Niklas+Kronwall,

Brian Mullen’s Heart Still With The Rangers

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

11/21/09 at 06:07 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Matt Caputo of the NY Daily News,

Sixteen years after his NHL career was cut short by a stroke, Brian Mullen is still on the ice.

Much of his life has revolved around Madison Square Garden, but on this day, the former Ranger and Islander is standing on the practice rink at the Prudential Center in Newark, coaching the New Jersey Rockets junior hockey team.

“Coaching these guys is a lot of fun. They soak everything up,” says Mullen, pointing out his 19-year-old son, Chris, warming up before a game. “I loved broadcasting and working for the NHL, and it’s good to be around the game again. If something like an NHL coaching job happened, I’d jump at it.”

Since his playing days came to an end in 1993, when he was 31, Mullen has worked for the Islanders, the Rangers and the NHL.

These days his office is about a mile north of the Garden at the CBS’ “The Early Show” where he is a stagehand for the popular morning program.

continued

Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Brian+Mullen,

Create Your Own Headline For The Wings/Habs Live Blog

Blog: Abel to Yzerman By IwoCPO

11/21/09 at 06:00 PM ET | Comments (562)

Bill asked me (Paul) to put up a post for the game tonight.

He called me from Ann Arbor at about 3:45pm today, sounded depressed, wonder why?

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Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
 

Atlanta Is A Sleeper Team

Blog: The Puck Stops Here By PuckStopsHere

11/21/09 at 12:32 PM ET | Comments (2)

Last year, the Atlanta Thrashers finished with the fourth worst record in the NHL.  Nobody thought too highly of the team that went through the 2008/09 season with 35 wins and 47 losses.  This year (so far) has gone much better, though the Thrashers have not received much notice yet in part because the Thrashers have played a league least 18 games so far.  Through that, they have a 10-8 record (with two regulation tie points), which has the team in 22nd when the standings are sorted by points.  If you sort the standings in terms of points per game, Atlanta is 11th (11 positions better than their total points spot).  Faux rumors shows this with their projected final standings (which has Atlanta on pace to get 100 points this year).  That would make this the best season in Atlanta Thrasher history.

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Filed in: | The Puck Stops Here | Permalink
  Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Ilya+Kovalchuk, Maxim+Afinogenov, Nik+Antropov, Rich+Peverley,

Dealing With A Make-Shift Lineup

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

11/21/09 at 11:23 AM ET | Comments (7)

from Ted Leonis of Ted’s Take,

We lost by one goal. We lost yet another player to injury.

Last year, we were fourth in man games lost to injury. We are giving it a good run again this season to be a leader in man games lost.

Tom Poti was hurt in the first period. Hence we didn’t have Poti, Jurcina and Morrisonn on D in the lineup. We didn’t have Semin, Knuble, Gordon, Laing and Nylander in the lineup front. We didn’t have Theodore either in goal. That is goofy, huh? $25 million in payroll NOT playing.

We still could have won that game but missing this many players does scramble the game plan and the rhythm of the team. No one feels sorry for us. We can’t use injuries as an excuse. We just have to tough it out.

more…

Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Sutter Trying To Find The Fire In The Flames

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

11/21/09 at 10:28 AM ET | Comments (0)

from Vicki Hall of the Calgary Herald,

So Brent Sutter finds the corporate culture inside the Calgary Flames locker-room too casual for his liking.

Craig Conroy respectfully takes exception with that contention.

“I have a big problem with that,” the Flames alternate captain told reporters Friday before the team boarded a charter flight for Los Angeles to prepare for an afternoon clash today with the Kings.

“I’d like to know what people want us to do inside that locker-room. We’re trying to lead the best we can and do it and be positive.

“It’s not always positive. There are times when there’s yelling, and guys are on each other.”

Maybe so, but the new sheriff behind the Calgary bench wants his charges to show more outward disgust and loathing in the aftermath of a National Hockey League defeat as humiliating as the 7-1 spanking administered by the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

continued

Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

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