We now know the matchups for the four quarterfinal games at the 2013 World Hockey Championships in Stockholm, Sweden on Thursday.
Russia will play the United States, Finland will play Slovakia, the Czech Republic will play Switzerland while Canada will play Sweden in the final game on Thursday (12pm, TSN).
The biggest surprise in the round robin was Switzerland, who went through the full eight game round robin undefeated. It really seems there is significant progress at the moment regarding the level of play in the Swiss League, and that is transcending into success for Swiss hockey at the international stage.
It ha been an excellent tournament to date for Nashville Predators defenceman Roman Josi, who led Switzerland with seven round robin points.
The 2013 World Men’s Hockey Championships will commence this weekend with Canada playing two games in Stockholm. The first will be against Denmark on Saturday (TSN, 8:00 a.m.) and the second will be against Switzerland on Sunday (TSN2, 8:00 a.m.).
There are four Oilers and one Flame on Team Canada. Jordan Eberle, Justin Schultz, Devan Dubnyk and Taylor Hall are the Oilers, while T.J. Brodie is the lone Calgary Flame.
Other notable players representing Team Canada are Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith, Carolina Hurricanes sniper Eric Staal, Florida Panthers defenceman Brian Campbell (defending Lady Byng winner) and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos, who was second in the NHL in scoring with 29 goals and 57 points. (more…)
This week on 15MOF: Sidney Crosby makes his long awaited return to action, Taylor Hall gets belted against the Flames and a couple of Oilers should be up for trophies this off season. As well: a handful of early “March Madness” upsets!
In the GABBYs: Teemu Selanne, Steven Stamkos, Ilya Bryzgalov, soccer fights, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees and Adriano. The Punchline this week is the Orlando Predators!
It continues to get very interesting each and every night in the Western Conference. That is what happens when you have five teams separated by just one point.
On Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, Matt Stajan scored the game winning goal just forty seconds left in the overtime period as the Calgary Flames defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-2. With the win, the Flames move into a four way tie for eighth place, but have the edge over the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche because they have the most combined regulation and overtime wins, and are one point back of the Phoenix Coyotes for seventh place.
It was also an historic night for captain Jarome Iginla, who scored his 30th of the season for the eleventh straight year. The only others to achieve the mark have been Mike Gartner, Jaromir Jagr, Wayne Gretzky, Phil Esposito, Bobby Hull and Marcel Dionne. Gartner and Jagr have the record of 15 years.
The Flames must also be pleased with the progress of rookie Sven Baertschi. The Flames’ first round pick in 2011 now has two goals in his first three games. The Flames next play the Phoenix Coyotes Thursday night.
In other hockey news, Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning became the first player to score 50 goals this season as the Lightning beat the Boston Bruins 6-1.
Things are heating up around the NHL as the trade deadline approaches, but don’t worry folks – I’ve got a No Movement Clause!
This week on the GOTW, we’ve got a beautiful shorthanded goal from one of the Staal brothers, a monumental goal from a long-time Duck, a strangely awesome overtime winner, a last-second GWG and a wicked breakaway goal from one of the league’s rising stars.
Let’s go!
5. Eric Staal
Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric Staal made the Habs look foolish last week with this shorthanded goal around Tomas Kaberle. He drives right around him, cuts to the net and then jams a slow-roller past Carey Price.
The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames both lost Thursday night, but the Flames lost in overtime, meaning they are now tied with the Oilers for 11th place in the Western Conference standings.
Last night in Tampa Bay, 2010 Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner Steven Stamkos scored his 19th goal of the season, just thirty seconds into overtime to give the Lightning a 5-4 win over the Calgary Flames.
The Flames however showed an exemplary effort in mounting a comeback to get themselves a single point. Rene Bourque and Olli Jokinen each scored for the Flames in the third period to tie the game at four, and get themselves a single point out of the contest.
The Oilers meanwhile lost 4-2 to the Phoenix Coyotes. Oliver Ekman-Larsson led Phoenix with a goal and an assist. Devan Dubnyk played well in net, but gave up a weak insurance goal to Ekman-Larsson to put Phoenix up by two late in the third period.
Calgary and Edmonton now have identical 14-14-3 records, and are tied for 11th in the Western Conference, four points back of the San Jose Sharks and Phoenix Coyotes.
Calgary next plays in Florida tonight, while the Oilers are in San Jose tomorrow night.
As we enter the third month of the NHL season, the beauty goals just keep on coming!
This week’s Goals of the Week list features some slick passing plays, a couple of beauty dekes, an unreal second effort and a long distance give-and-go.
Let’s get right to it!
5. Steven Stamkos
The Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t get off to a great start this season, but Steven Stamkos sure did! Check out this killer give-and-go with Matt Gilroy late in the second period of a loss to the Red Wings. What a snipe!
(CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE TOP FIVE AFTER THE JUMP!) (more…)
Another week has come and gone in the world of sports, and lucky for you, you’ve got Kerrzy and Geoff here to help break it all down! This week on 15 Minutes of Fame: Is Chris Osgood a Hall of Fame goalie? Are signing bonuses the new “front-loaded contract” in the NHL? Are the NY Islanders ACTUALLY thinking about bringing Alexei Yashin back? Also: How about those Eskimos!
In the GABBYs: Travis Snider (and his moustache), the Pittsburgh Pirates, Joe Sakic, NCAA and cycling accidents!
He was the hottest restricted free agent on the market, but now Steven Stamkos will be a major part of the Tampa Bay Lightning offense for the next half a decade.
On Tuesday, the Lightning signed Stamkos to a five year deal worth $37.5 million. Since the start of the 2009-10 National Hockey League regular season, Stamkos has the most goals with 96.
After being tied with Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the most goals during the 2009-10 regular season with 51, Stamkos was second to only Hart Trophy Winner Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks in 2010-11 with 45 goals.
Stamkos was also fifth in 2010-11 in points with 91.
A centerman from Markham, Ontario, Stamkos was the first overall pick in the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft.
It looks like once again, he will share a significant amount of the Lightning’s offensive duties with Vincent LeCavalier and Martin St. Louis this season.
It will be interesting to see however how much the Lightning offense suffers with the loss of Simon Gagne to the Los Angeles Kings and Sean Bergenheim to the Florida Panthers.
Steve Downie (Jim Cristantiello, Wikimedia Commons)
The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins will play Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final Friday night (CBC, 6pm).
Wednesday evening Martin St. Louis and Teddy Purcell each scored twice as the Lightning defeated the Bruins 5-4.
St. Louis also notched an assist for a three point evening. Steven Stamkos also had a goal and two assists. Steve Downie and Vincent LeCavalier had two assists each.
Downie is starting to become a very reliable forward for Lightning head coach Guy Boucher. Early on in his hockey career Downie was suspended for a hard hit on Dean McAmmond in the PRESEASON, and later was suspended twenty games for slashing a linesman in the American Hockey League. But Downie’s attitude on the ice has been more positive under Boucher’s tutelage and in the postseason has been put in very important situations for Tampa Bay. Early on in his career, coaches held their breath hoping Downie would not take a stupid penalty that would cost the team. I haven’t seen that lately from Boucher.
On the Bruins’ side Wednesday, David Krejci recorded a hat trick. I felt Boston generated momentum heading into game 7 because they outplayed Tampa in the game’s final five minutes.
After the first round where I was red hot at 7-1, let’s see how things transpire in the Conference Semi-Finals.
WEST
(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (5) Nashville Predators–The Vancouver Canucks are coming off an emotionally draining series where they knocked off their top nemesis, the Chicago Blackhawks. Will they have enough in the tank? I’m saying yes. But only if the Sedins show up. Daniel and Henrik Sedin were basically absent in the final four games in the Western Conference Quarterfinal, and will need a much better showing in round two. The issue with Nashville is they have an outstanding defense corps led by Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, but do they have a forward that can play the shut down defensive role like Dave Bolland did so effectively with the Blackhawks? I don’t think so, therefore Vancouver has the edge. On offense, the Canucks are also at an advantage. Don’t forget Nashville’s top scorer was Sergei Kostitsyn with 50 points. That’s right, the same Sergei Kostitsyn who lost his way, and could not get out of his brother’s shadow in Montreal. The Canucks take this one in five.
Last night in Anaheim, Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks scored the goal of the playoffs.
He literally went right through David Legwand of the Nashville Predators twice en route to putting the puck past Pekka Rinne. The goal at the time put the Ducks up 2-1, but they ended up losing the contest 4-3 when Jerred Smithson scored his second career Stanley Cup Playoff goal.
So does the Ryan goal lack significance because the Anaheim Ducks lost? I think it does a little bit. The two greatest goals scored in the Stanley Cup Playoffs came by Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins in 1970 and Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991. Orr and Lemieux won a Stanley Cup that year, so their outstanding goals take on a heightened significance.
The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs opens this evening. Right now I’m being quite conservative with my predictions. The only lower seeded team that I think will make it to round two is the fifth seeded Tampa Bay Lightning.
Dan Bylsma has done an outstanding job coaching the Penguins, but I feel the Lightning have too much fire power. Steven Stamkos, Vincent LeCavalier and Martin St. Louis are playing hockey at a very high level. I know Stamkos only scored two goals and three assists in his last 13 games, but you still cannot ignore the 91 points he posted throughout the entire season. Another reason I like the Lightning is their checking depth. The combination of Ryan Malone, Steve Downie and Dominic Moore provide a solid foundation of grit. The fact that Malone was with the Penguins when they went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2008, should be very valuable. The Penguins will miss Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin greatly. Lightning in 6.
With the NFL season now officially over, this is the time where I watch a whole bunch of sports on the weekend.
This weekend alone I plan to watch speed skating, lacrosse, golf, basketball and hockey. I literally watch any sport, any time.
Here is my weekend schedule folks:
Saturday–12:30pm–World Allround Speed Skating Championships–I will be at the Olympic Oval in Calgary tomorrow to file a report for anysportanytime. What speed skating fans need to keep in mind is that in the World Allround Speed Skating Championships, it’s more of a marathon than a sprint, as the 500m, 1500m, 3000m (for women), 5000m, and 10000m (for men) races all count in determining the champion at the end of the weekend. On November 17, 2007, I had the honour of watching Holland’s Sven Kramer set a World Record at a World Cup in the men’s 5000m, by posting a time of 6:03.32 that remains today. The top athletes to watch out for on the men’s side include Bob de Jong of Holland (gold medallist at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino in the 10000m), Ivan Skobrev of Russia (2011 European Allround Champion), Havard Bokko of Norway (bronze medallist at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver in the 1500m) and Jonathan Kuck, a rising American speed skating star with great promise. On the women’s side, Canada’s hopes will lie with Brittany Schussler of Winnipeg, who is currently ranked fourth in the world in the Women’s 3000m. Her main competitors will be German Stephanie Beckert, who won three medals at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic, who won the women’s 3000m and 5000m at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.
Things are heating up around the NHL as the trade deadline approaches, but don’t worry folks – I’ve got a No Movement Clause!
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