Kukla's Korner

Video-Shane Lehman, Always A Hockey Player

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/11/12 at 06:10 PM ET | Comments (0)

Kelly Hrudey during Hockey Day In Canada with a feature on Shane Lehman, who is waiting for a heart transplant but still playing the game of hockey.

Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Shane+Lehman,

Pens Thrash Jets 8-5

Blog: Benny and the Jets By BMS

02/11/12 at 05:15 PM ET | Comments (1)

Tim Stapleton, Kyle Wellwood, and the Penguins’ Jordan Staal all drew back in to their respective lineups on Saturday afternoon, and each factored into the scoresheet. Having said that, it wasn’t hard to pick up a goal or assist in this game, as the Winnipeg Jets fell 8-5 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Consol Energy Center.

Evgeni Malkin had five points as Ondrej Pavelec had one of his trademark stinker games – these types of performances by him are less frequent as of late but clearly still lurk in the shadows. Granted, he faced 39 shots, but he probably should have been pulled at the end of the second period at the latest, when the Jets were down 5-3.

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Filed in: Winnipeg Jets | Benny and the Jets | Permalink
  Tags: Florida+Panthers, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Islanders, Pittsburgh+Penguins,

Pääjärvi Scores!

Blog: Oil Patch By Lisa McRitchie

02/11/12 at 05:15 PM ET | Comments (0)

Oilers beat Senators 4-3 in Overtime
Finally. That has to be what was on Magnus Pääjärvi’s mind as he looked to the sky, his shoulders finally relaxed. It took 35 NHL games, but Paajarvi has scored his first NHL goal of the season and hopefully now, more will follow. You never know what will spark offensive offence or strings of goals, just ask Edmonton Oiler Sam Gagner.

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Filed in: Edmonton Oilers, Ales Hemsky, Ben Eager, Magnus Pääjärvi, Shawn Horcoff | Oil Patch | Permalink
 

All Joel Quenneville

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/11/12 at 04:52 PM ET | Comments (1)

from Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune,

In the midst of the Blackhawks’ current nine-game road trip, during which they lost five consecutive games (dropping seven straight overall), the Tribune sat down with coach Joel Quenneville for a exclusive interview touching on subjects ranging from the team’s recent poor play to the current state of the roster, the pressure to win, his health, the goaltending and individual players.

Do you have the goaltending to win the Cup?

Absolutely. I like our goaltending. (Corey) Crawford last year had a special year. This year, his sophomore year, he hasn’t been as consistent or at that level but he has played some strong games for us. His goaltending hasn’t been the problem.

Ray (Emery), every game he has given us a chance. He has done a good job.

How’s the morale in the room?

Nobody’s happy. Angry sometimes could be the word. Frustrated, disappointed and sometimes quiet. Whether your heads are down or up there has to be some confidence quietly inside us all that we want to be out there and doing the right things. We want to be put in situations where you can excel. We want to encourage offensive plays and doing the right things.

Managing the puck in the right areas is what we want to continue to do. We were going along very confidently at times thinking everything was good. This should definitely get our attention to play the right way, which we have to do.

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Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Joel+Quenneville,

Rangers’ Best Players Come Through in Win Over the Flyers

Blog: Goal Line Report By Patrick Hoffman

02/11/12 at 03:41 PM ET | Comments (0)

When it comes to any professional sport, you always want the best players on your team to play like the best and come up big when they need to.

This happened for the New York Rangers this afternoon in their 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center. For the Rangers, it was their fifth straight victory over the Flyers this season.

The reason why the Rangers came away with the victory this afternoon is because their big-time players came through. For starters, the team captain, Ryan Callahan, scored a hat trick. Callahan now has 21 goals on the season.

Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards also had big games for the Blueshirts. Marian Gaborik picked-up a goal and three assists for four points while Richards also had three assists in the game.

Other forwards that came up big for the Rangers were Derek Stepan (2 assists) and Artem Anisimov (1 goal). Anisimov has really picked-up his game since being reunited with Stepan and Gaborik and now has 5 points (1 goal and 4 assists) in his last four games.

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Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
  Tags: Artem+Anisimov, Brad+Richards, Derek+Stepan, Detroit+Red+Wings, Henrik+Lundqvist, Marian+Gaborik, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan, Washington+Capitals,

Columbus Activates Wisniewski

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/11/12 at 03:32 PM ET | Comments (0)

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated defenseman James Wisniewski off injured reserve, club Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson announced today. Wisniewski missed the last 17 games due to an ankle injury suffered at Dallas on December 29.

Wisniewski has collected two goals and 15 assists for 17 points with 25 penalty minutes in 29 games this season, ranking third among club defensemen in scoring. He has also logged a team-leading 24:48 average time on ice, which ranks 15th among all NHL players.

Filed in: NHL Teams, Columbus Blue Jackets | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: James+Wisniewski,

DESPERATE For A POINT!!

Blog: Talk'n Hawks By Vince Maranto

02/11/12 at 03:00 PM ET | Comments (0)

These games are really frustrating to watch, and even more difficult to write about. The Hawks lose again, on the road, 5 - 3 to San Jose, Friday night. The fact that it was more of the same thing that I have been talking about for the last 4 weeks (or more) makes me dread writing this. Defense, goaltending, lack of Penalty Kill, missed opportunities. I have run out of ways to say the same thing.

As if there weren’t enough problems defensively, both Montador & Hjalmarsson were sent home due to injuries. Sammy Lepisto (remember him) and Rockford call up Dylan Olsen were the replacements. They were the 3rd pairing.
Line wise, it was 1) Hossa, Toews, Frolik 2) Kane, Sharp, Kruger 3) Shaw, Bolland, Bickell 4) Mayers, Brunette, Stalberg.  Crawford (18-13-5) was in net against former Hawk Cup hoister, Niemi (22-12-5).

The sad part was not even registering a point, with what was a determined team effort all game. But no matter how hard you try, you are not going to get any where by shooting yourself in the foot and giving away goals.

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Filed in: | Talk'n Hawks | Permalink
 

Happy Hockey Day in Canada

Blog: The Upper Canadien By The Upper Canadien

02/11/12 at 01:35 PM ET | Comments (0)

Let’s hope it’s a good one. As for the Habs, can they make it four in a row? That would tie their season high, and if it comes to pass it will likely be due to the play of two Habs: Max Pacioretty and Carey Price. Pacioretty is now 5th in even strength scoring in the NHL - pretty impressive for a guy coming off a broken neck. Price, meanwhile, has been lights out the last week, making many a highlight reel save as the Canadiens have their backs against the playoff wall.

The Leafs, meanwhile, have looked good lately as well, led by the red hot play of former Hab Mikhail Grabovski, and the terrible two: Phil Kesel and Joffrey Lupul. Kessel and Lupul have been lights out all year, and if the Canadiens have any chance of winning, they’ll need to keep both lines in check.

7 pm. James Reimer is in - or so we’re told by Ron Wilson. PK Subban returns home. Lots of plot lines. Points at stake. Should be great.

Filed in: | The Upper Canadien | Permalink
  Tags: Carey+Price, Max+Pacioretty,

If Only They Had Goaltending

Blog: The Puck Stops Here By PuckStopsHere

02/11/12 at 12:49 PM ET | Comments (0)

Every season I pick a team that could be a much better Stanley Cup contender if they added a top goalie.  My choice last year was the Tampa Bay Lightning.  It proved to be a pretty good selection as they added Dwayne Roloson in a trade and then went to the semi-finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs.  Tampa has not maintained that level of play as Roloson has struggled this season.  Given his age (42) it is likely a final age related decline that will end his career.  While Tampa Bay again needs a goalie, I think there is a better candidate for a team that would significantly improve their Stanley Cup chances by adding a goalie.  They are the Chicago Blackhawks.

Chicago is the probable playoff team with the worst goaltending this season.  Corey Crawford has been their starting goalie and he is posting a .898 saves percentage and a 2.99 GAA.  Ray Emery, their backup, has a .901 saves percentage and a 2.80 GAA.  Neither has been very good.

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Filed in: | The Puck Stops Here | Permalink
  Tags: Antti+Niemi, Chicago+Blackhawks, Corey+Crawford, Cristobal+Huet, Ray+Emery,

Making Peace At The Winter Classic

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

02/11/12 at 12:06 PM ET | Comments (1)

from Jeff Marek of Sportsnet,

And it got me thinking: wouldn’t it be great if every year each team involved in the game made some peace with their past? After all, the Classic is supposed to be about the roots of hockey where the game is pure; back to a simpler time when it was just about the joy of playing and nothing else.

In that spirit I submit two names, one from the Leafs and Wings I’d like to see get the Lindros treatment from their former franchises.

Dave Keon: This story is well told already. The animosity goes back to the Harold Ballard era and the hatred between the infamous Maple Leafs owner and Keon predates the Leaf player bolting the franchise for the WHA, to the moment Ballard nixed a trade Keon and his agent had worked out that would have sent him to the New York Islanders for a Stanley Cup run….

Larry Aurie: Detroit’s first true superstar player, Aurie flirted with scoring crowns, led the Wings to two Stanley Cups (1936, 1937) after never having qualified for the playoffs before he arrived. Aurie was nicknamed “Little Dempsey” because of his likeness to former boxing champ Jack Dempsey (to say nothing of his own fighting prowess) and “Rags,” due to his uncanny ability to rag the puck while killing penalties.

Aurie was a favourite of former Wings owner James Norris, who immediately retired Aurie’s No. 6 after he hung up the blades. However, after Mike Ilitch bought the Wings he un-retired the number, although it still remains out of circulation.

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Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: Dave+Keon, Larry+Aurie,

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