Kukla's Korner

Is Obstruction Back In Play?

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/10/12 at 10:13 AM ET | Comments (2)

from Josh Yohe of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,

Welcome to the new NHL, which is beginning to resemble the old NHL.

Scoring is down, and obstruction again is becoming a common element of play. Referees, many Penguins said, are allowing the clutching and grabbing that became ingrained in the game a decade ago to resurface.

The Penguins are particularly unsettled by this because special teams have marked a significant part of their success this season. Lately, special teams play has been rare.

“I don’t necessarily think the play has gotten cleaner,” Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. “(But) there are few power-play opportunities out there for every team.”

The Penguins averaged more than four power-play opportunities per game through the end of December. Since Jan. 1, they are averaging 2.76 power-play chances.

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Toronto Needs Goaltending Help

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/10/12 at 10:08 AM ET | Comments (0)

from Mike Brophy of Sportsnet,

So perhaps a No. 1 centre may not be the top priority for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline after all.

On a night when Tyler Bozak, who skates between Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul on Toronto’s top line, scored two goals, the focus moved off him and directly into the goal crease.

Leafs goalie James Reimer entered the night riding a three-game winning streak—two of which were shutouts—but he struggled in a 4-3 loss to the Flyers in Philadelphia. In a game where the Leafs really needed big saves, he didn’t have enough in his arsenal. And as well as his partner, Jonas Gustavsson, has played when given the chance to start, the Leafs goaltending continues to be an area of concern on a nightly basis.

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NHL Sweaters,—Past & Current

Blog: Talk'n Hawks By Vince Maranto

02/10/12 at 10:00 AM ET | Comments (7)

Here’s just a thought that I had. Hearing the GREAT news of the Winter Classic Game being played at “The Big House”, in Ann Arbor—Leafs / Wings, I told my son about it. “We should try and go”, he said. Living in Chicago, the trip is of course, about 4 1/2 hours. This is depending on the weather and how you drive. “We’ll have to get some Leafs jersey’s first”, I said kidding him. “Leafs SUCK”, he said, repeating the chant, from Ottawa, at the All Star Game this year. So it made me think. Every NHL city has at least ONE hated rival, some multiple. Here’s my question to all that read this. Name your city, and the team that you would LEAST wear a jersey of. Then, tell me, both past and present, if you ABSOLUTELY had to, whose jersey would you wear?

I’ll start it off. I live in Chicago, Wearing a WINGS sweater would be torture, to say the least. But, without a doubt, a would wear the # 9, Gordie Howe sweater, in a heart beat. For the current WINGS, no question, Lidstrom. Tell me yours. This is just for fun. I don’t need to hear how you’d rather die than participate. Keep it to yourself, tough guy.

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Ohlund Appears Done For The Season

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/10/12 at 09:59 AM ET | Comments (0)

from Damian Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times,

Nobody is saying it, but it seems clear Mattias Ohlund will not play this season.

The Lightning defenseman has not played a regular-season game because of two bum knees, is not skating, and GM Steve Yzerman acknow­ledged Thursday there is no timetable for him to do so.

Ohlund contributes, though, as an ad hoc assistant coach. Beginning with the Jan. 20-21 road trip to Dallas and Phoenix, Ohlund has watched games from the press box (with a special eye on the defense), taking notes and passing along what he observes to the coaching staff and players.

“He’s a really bright hockey guy and well-respected,” Yzerman said. “He’s got a lot to offer to us in watching the games and watching our defensemen and being able to work with them, particularly the younger guys, about the finer points of playing the position.”

“He’s a good leader,” coach Guy Boucher said. “So having him around is good for him and good for the team.”

Ohlund, 35, who has four years left on a seven-year, $25.25 million contract, had arthroscopic surgery on both knees over the summer to clean out what the team called “loose bodies.” He has not skated since mid November and declined to comment.

continue for more on Tampa Bay…

Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Mattias+Ohlund,

Richards Wins It for the Blueshirts

Blog: Goal Line Report By Patrick Hoffman

02/10/12 at 08:49 AM ET | Comments (1)

When the New York Rangers went out and signed high-priced free agent Brad Richards to a nine year deal during the off-season, it is games like last night that the Blueshirts had envisioned for him.

After Brian Boyle tied the game up at 3-3 in the third period, the Rangers’ assistant captain Richards scored the game winner in overtime off a great feed from Artem Anisimov to give his team a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. For Richards, it was his seventh game winning goal of the season, which is good for second in the NHL.

While Richards may not have the point totals that people expected (17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points), he has certainly come up big when the team has needed him the most. Everyone remembers the goal he scored at the buzzer to defeat the Phoenix Coyotes. Everyone also probably remembers the game tying goal he scored against the Anaheim Ducks over in Sweden at the beginning of the season.

Richards is keeping up his end of the bargain by coming through in the clutch, something he has done throughout his career. Hopefully, he will come up even bigger come playoff time.

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Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
  Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Artem+Anisimov, Brad+Richards, Brian+Boyle, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Phoenix+Coyotes, Tampa+Bay+Lightning,

GDT - Game #56:  Red Wings host Ducks (7:30)

Blog: Abel to Yzerman By Jeff OKWingnut

02/10/12 at 07:43 AM ET | Comments (8)

DET (36-17-2) will try to extend their home win streak to 19 games tonight when they host ANA (21-24-8).  The Wings are 21-2-1 at JLA, and have not lost at home since November 3.  Jimmy Howard is on the shelf, so look for Joey MacDonald in net tonight (the Conk is for dire straights only, his .878 save percentage is the league’s worst among goalies with at least 10 appearances).  Danny Cleary is also out, no word yet if it’ll be the Rifleman or Mursak taking the roster spot. 

Things look pretty bleak for the Ducks, 12 in conference, they are 10 points out of the 8 spot, and would have to climb over 4 teams to get in.  They are on a bit of a roll lately, 11-3-2 in last 16. 

LGRW

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Garth Snow Has No Intention Of Moving Nabokov

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/10/12 at 06:11 AM ET | Comments (3)

from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

“Yeah, we have a lot of belief in that locker room,” Isles GM Garth Snow told ESPN.com Wednesday. “Within the last few weeks, we’ve really turned it up a notch as a team. Our specialty teams have improved. We’re just looking forward to the next game.”

Veteran netminder Evgeni Nabokov has been lights-out of late. He’s slated for unrestricted free agency July 1, which is why his name is often floated in trade rumors, but that’s not what Snow has in mind at this point.

“We have no intention of moving Evgeni,” Snow said. “He’s been great for us. His performance speaks for itself.”

There haven’t been any contract talks between the Islanders and Nabokov’s camp, but it’s not out of the question down the road.

“Yeah, we’d consider all options, we’re just not at that point yet,” said Snow. “We just finished [signing] Frans [Nielsen] and we obviously have a few other players who are unrestricted free agents in July, so we’ll just chip away at them.”

more of the latest trade talk around the league…

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  Tags: Evgeni+Nabokov,

Bringing Up The Old-School Stories

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/10/12 at 05:59 AM ET | Comments (3)

from Mike Brudenelli of the Detroit Free Press,

“When Bill (Ezinicki) turned pro, it started all over again,” Lindsay said. “He was traded to Boston, and one night we were playing in Detroit and he hit me over the brow with his stick, and there was blood all over the place. We didn’t have helmets or face masks then.

“Anyway, I thought I can’t let the guy get away with it, so I took my stick and whacked him where he whacked me. He drops his gloves and stick, and I thought, ‘Lindsay, you’ve created a mess for yourself now.’

“Well, we got going, and I don’t know where Bill’s mind was that night ... but I knocked two of his teeth out and put 22 stitches in him. The officials separated us. Bill was bleeding, and I was happy.”

Ezinicki broke away from a linesman and the battled started again.

“I jumped on him and straddled him ... and started punching,” Lindsay said. “Gordie (Howe) says, ‘Ted, he’s out.’ I said, ‘I’m going to kill the SOB.’

“After taking a shower, I headed into the first-aid room. I poked my head in and said, ‘You all right, Izzy?’

“He replied: ‘I’ll get you, you SOB.’ “

read on for Mickey Redmond’s reaction to the Winter Classic…

Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, NHL Talk, Old School | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Ted+Lindsay,

Video- Did The Blues Get A Break?

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/10/12 at 03:06 AM ET | Comments (5)

Sometimes there is no conclusive video evidence to reverse the on-ice call.

from Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice,

Hedberg said he stood up on the Polak shot because it appeared to be going high.

“It’s deflected and it goes in and my initial reaction was that I thought it was a high stick, but I guess it wasn’t,” Hedberg said.

The officials on the ice called it a good goal, which meant that when it went to the video review in the NHL Situation Room in Toronto, there had to be conclusive video evidence that Berglund deflected the puck above the cross bar for the goal to be disallowed.

The official ruling from the NHL Situation Room was that there was no such clear video evidence of a high stick.

more

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My Own Personal Hockey Nightmare

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/10/12 at 02:50 AM ET | Comments (3)

My team, playing at home, scores two goals early in the 3rd period to go up 2-0.  Then the home team gets a 4 minute power play and does nothing with it (sorry, they did score a goal), knowing if the do score, the game is basically over.

Then it happens, home team takes a 2 minute penalty and just over a minute later, a player on the home team plays the puck with a broken stick and is caught.

Now down 3 to 5, but still with a 2 goal lead, you think, ok, kill the 5 on 3 and your team is still good.

But the visiting team scores on the 2 man advantage and 12 seconds later, ties the score on a weird goal.

Of course, the nightmare ends when the visiting team wins in the shootout.

It happened tonight, Winnipeg visiting Washington.  Nightmare video below…

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