The Official NHL 2007/2008 Thread

[D]

We"Atlanta" are in a dead heat with Carolina. Hopefully we can push through and overtake them and win the division and get into the playoffs. Last I checked, it seems whoever doesn't win the division could be out.

[AxlsMainMan]

Byfuglien nets hat trick as Blackhawks thump Blue Jackets

Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Dustin Byfuglien had a hat trick, and the Chicago Blackhawks scored four first-period goals on their way to blasting the Columbus Blue Jackets, 7-2, at Nationwide Arena.

Brent Seabrook, Martin Havlat, and James Wisniewski each had a goal and an assist for Chicago, which has won two of three. Patrick Kane also tallied, and Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 24 shots in the win.

Dick Tarnstrom and Fredrik Modin scored power play goals for Columbus, which has lost three in a row, and allowed a season-high in goals. Fredrik Norrena allowed six goals on 28 shots, and Pascal Leclaire allowed one goal on three shots -- though Leclaire played just five minutes in relief of Norrena in the first period.

02/13 22:08:18 ET

http://146.145.120.3/default.asp?c=ocregister&page=/nhl/news/ADN4130490.htm

 

[Loaded NightraiN]

Thanks for the Blackhawks updates Stoned....

I'm sure its nice for all the people in Chicago who cant see them on TV 

[AxlsMainMan]

As far as I know, every Blackhawks game is now shown on TV.

[Loaded NightraiN]

Oh ok haha.... I was just bustin your balls

Last time I knew they werent, so very well could be 

[Malcolm]

Lundqvist inks 6-year deal with Rangers

The New York Rangers and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist have agreed on a new six-year contract.

Lundqvist will earn $6.875 million per year for a total of $41.25 million over the six year period with a limited no-trade clause that would commence in the 2009-10 season.

The Rangers and Lundqvist have been working on a deal since the start of 2008 because the goaltender was on a one-year contract. Without a new deal, the 25-year-old would become a restricted free-agent on July 1.

Lundqvist is 24-21-5 with a 2.37 GAA over his 50 games this season. For his NHL career he is 91-55-22 with a 2.32 GAA over 173 games, all with the Rangers.

[Loaded NightraiN]

^ Thats an afwul lot of money for an just above average goaltender.. But who cares it the rangers 

[Shoco]

i just got home from a holiday to canada, we were in vancouver and while there took in the canucks vs blackhawks games, iv never even seen a hockey game before but i have to say i really enjoyed it and thought it was a great game, i really enjoyed the shootout, i met nathan mciver after the game in a club got a pic with him and my ticket signed

id also like to say tickets are a rip off, $95 for the cheapest from a ticket agent and when they hand you the ticket it says $34.98  on it

[Loaded NightraiN]

id also like to say tickets are a rip off, $95 for the cheapest from a ticket agent and when they hand you the ticket it says $34.98  on it

Hey they gotta make their overhead some how... Plus if the game was sold out, its about typical!

[D]

I paid 73 dollars for 2 tickets to the Atlanta game.

Face value they were 10 each.......

Cant complain, Excellent view *Right at Center Ice just high up but u could see great and the game was soldout so......


I bought my next game seats off Ticketmaster for face value this time.

[Shoco]

id also like to say tickets are a rip off, $95 for the cheapest from a ticket agent and when they hand you the ticket it says $34.98  on it

Hey they gotta make their overhead some how... Plus if the game was sold out, its about typical!

they announced at the game that was over the 200th consecutive sell out but there was a shitload of empty seats, i didnt mind paying cos it was a one off but if the ticket was only worth 35, does all star tickets get the other 60?

[AxlsMainMan]

Toews leads Blackhawks to rout of Predators

Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Jonathan Toews scored twice and had an assist, and Patrick Lalime stopped 24 shots, as Chicago rode a three-goal first period en route to a 6-1 thrashing of Nashville at Sommet Center.

Duncan Keith, Rene Bourque, Cam Barker and Patrick Sharp also lit the lamp for the Blackhawks, who followed up a 7-2 road rout of Columbus on Wednesday with another five-goal division road victory.

Jason Arnott provided the only offense for the Predators, whose two-game win streak was snapped.

Starter Chris Mason allowed three goals on only seven shots almost 13 minutes of action. Dan Ellis finished the game by allowing three scores on 13 shots.

Keith opened the scoring at 1:04, then Toews scored twice -- once on a wraparound at 6:22 and again on a wrister from the left circle with 7:18 to go, and the Hawks led 3-0.

Mason was promptly pulled for Ellis, and although he stemmed the tide, Chicago went into the intermission ahead by three.

Things did not get better for Nashville in the second, as Bourque upped the Hawks' bulge to four at 2:28 and Barker pumped a wrister home 42 seconds later for a 5-0 lead.

Sharp added to his career-high with his 27th goal of the season, which put Chicago up by six at 3:47 of the third.

Arnott broke the shutout at 6:12 with a power-play goal, giving him 20 goals for the ninth consecutive season, but the Preds were powerless to beat Lalime for the remainder of the contest.

Game Notes

The Hawks have won the last four meetings, all this season...J.P. Dumont had a secondary assist on Arnott's goal, giving him points in 21 of his last 23 games.

02/14 22:51:46 ET

http://146.145.120.3/default.asp?c=ocregister&page=/nhl/news/ADN4130843.htm

 

[AxlsMainMan]

Havlat, Blackhawks edge Avs

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Martin Havlat scored the eventual game-winning goal with 2:53 gone in the second period and the Chicago Blackhawks held on to defeat the Colorado Avalanche, 2-1, at United Center.

Dustin Byfuglien added a goal, while James Wisniewski chipped in with a pair of assists for Chicago, which has won three straight and four of its last five games.

Patrick Lalime was stellar between the pipes for the Blackhawks, stopping 21- of-22 shots. Chicago, which ended a seven-game road trip with a 6-1 win at Nashville on February 14, had dropped five of its previous six home games coming into the contest.

Jaroslav Hlinka accounted for the lone Colorado goal. The Avalanche have lost three in a row and four of their last six. Jose Theodore made 25 saves in defeat.

With the Blackhawks holding a 2-0 lead after two periods of play, neither team could mount many quality scoring chances for most of the third. But Colorado was able to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 2:25 left. Hlinka, standing in the goal mouth, took a pass from Cody McLeod, who was standing behind the net and shoveled the puck under Lalime's pad.

Colorado then had a golden opportunity to tie the contest when it got a power play chance with 2:03 left after Byfuglien was whistled for a tripping penalty. The Avs pulled the goaltender setting up a 6-on-4 situation, but despite heavy offensive pressure, couldn't get the equalizer.

"All the hard work, getting through the injuries, now we have a lot of energy and things are good," Wisniewski said. "But we have a long way to go and we have to play every game with a sense of desperation."

Chicago got on the board 4:48 into the contest while on the power play. With John-Michael Liles in the box serving a hooking infraction, Wisniewski's one timer from the mid point off a feed from Patrick Kane was tipped in by Byfuglien, giving the Blackhawks the early lead

After Chicago rose to the forefront, killing off three consecutive minor penalties, Havlat put the home team up 2-0 2:53 into the second stanza. With the Blackhawks sustaining the offensive pressure, Wisniewski's shot from the left point was stopped by Theodore, but the rebound couldn't be handled and Havlat put home the rebound with a wrist shot from the low right circle.

The Blackhawks outshot the Avs 10-3 in the second frame and took a 2-0 lead into the intermission.

Game Notes

Attendance was 21,715...Chicago will play at St. Louis on Tuesday night, while Colorado will host Detroit on Monday...The Blackhawks finished 3-1 against the Avalanche this season...Chicago finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while Colorado was 0-for-7.

02/17 16:29:17 ET

 

[Malcolm]

NHL considering one-minute OT penalties

NAPLES, Fla. - One-minute penalties for overtime during the regular season?That was one of the many issues discussed Monday as the NHL's 30 GMs broke out into four different groups to tackle a number of subjects.Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke is keen on the idea of one-minute penalties in overtime instead of two. The thinking is that 4-on-3 power plays in overtime take up 40 per cent of the entire five-minute period and more than often end the game."One-minute penalties in overtime just makes so much sense," Burke said Monday after the first day of meetings.Any idea that has enough support from the GMs at the conclusion of the meetings Wednesday must then be approved by the board of governors.

Kings trade Modry to Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Flyers have acquired defenceman Jaroslav Modry from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2008. Already without defencemen Derian Hatcher (knee), Rory Fitzpatrick (sports hernia) and Mike Rathje (back), Modry should add a boost to the blueline.

[tim_m]

I'm not so sure about that one minute penalty idea.

[russkwtx]

Saw the Stars beat the Red Wings on Sunday, 1-0. Best hockey game I have ever seen. Period. Turco was spectacular, fantastic, stupendous. Whatever superlative you want to use. The Red Wings are so tough, I was so impressed with them. They come at you and just don't stop. Big, well-coached, hard hitting, energetic, just a great team. But the Stars stepped up and showed a lot of internal fortitude. If the two teams meet again in the finals it is going to be one hell of a series, I guarantee that.

[AxlsMainMan]

Khabibulin, Blackhawks blank Wild

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Dave Bolland scored twice and Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 38 shots to record his first shutout of the season to send Chicago past Minnesota, 3-0, at United Center.

It was Bolland's first career multi-goal game, as well as Khabibulin's 37th career whitewash.

Patrick Kane also hit the net and Rene Bourque added a pair of assists for the Blackhawks, who snapped a nine-game losing skid to Minnesota dating back to October 2005.

"It's good that we won a game," Khabibulin noted. "Whether it's Minnesota or whoever, we need points."

Josh Harding made 27 stops in defeat for the Wild, who have lost two straight.

Kane scored his 14th goal of the season 3:49 into the game, as he followed up a one-timer by Robert Lang by potting the rebound from the top of the crease.

With just over four minutes left in the second and the Wild on the power play, Brent Burns rang a wrister off the left post, and the game remained close.

The missed chance proved to be costly, as the Hawks took a two-goal edge when Bolland pumped a shot past Harding with 20 seconds left in the period to put the home team up by two.

"I took the pass from Bourque, and two guys came at me, so I shot the puck and it went in," Bolland said about the sequence which led to the score.

Bolland netted his second of the night for a 3-0 Chicago lead at the 5:24 mark of the third. Duncan Keith unloaded a blistering slapper from the point which ticked off Harding's pad and knocked the netminder on his backside. Bolland was left alone to shovel the rebound under Harding and into the open net.

The shutout was still intact on another Minnesota man advantage, as Brian Rolston clanged a big slap shot off the crossbar with 4:25 left in the contest.

Harding wasn't allowed to get to the bench until 11 seconds remained, and by then the Wild could not set up in the Chicago zone with the extra attacker.

"We had opportunities, just no luck," Rolston said. "We played hard but we gave them some goals. It was just one of those nights."

Game Notes

Bolland had only scored one goal in 23 previous NHL contests...It was the first time the Hawks blanked an opponent this season, while the Wild failed to score for the fourth time this season and second time in February...Only two of Khabibulin's 37 career shutouts have come with Chicago...Minnesota forward Matt Foy suffered a cut above his right eye when hit with a carom of a shot with 7:45 left in the contest...Neither team scored in five combined power- play chances.

02/20 23:35:41 ET

http://146.145.120.3/default.asp?c=ocregister&page=/nhl/news/ADN4132391.htm

 

[Loaded NightraiN]

Miller stops 34 shots as Sabres shut down Leafs

TORONTO (AP) -The Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs used to be in the same place - far out of the playoff picture.

Not anymore.

Ales Kotalik scored two goals to help Buffalo win for the 10th time in 14 games, beating Toronto 5-1 Thursday night and showing the Leafs what could have been.

"It was a put-up or shut-up situation and we stepped up and rose to the occasion," Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller explained. "It doesn't mean we're in the playoffs yet but it means we're in position to make it now.

Brian Campbell, Jaroslav Spacek and Derek Roy also scored for the Sabres, who are on a 10-2-2 run and moved into a tie with the New York Rangers for sixth place in the East.

"We've got to keep winning games," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "When you're playing games against teams you're right there with, you're going to have to win the majority of them to stay ahead of them."

Pavel Kubina scored for the Leafs, who are eight points out of a playoff spot and seem unlikely to qualify. A month ago, the two teams were at the same place in the standings but now the Sabres now are nine points clear of the Leafs.

Ryan Miller stopped 34 shots for Buffalo.

Campbell scored 2:36 into the game with a waist-high slap shot from the blue line that appeared to catch Vesa Toskala off guard.

The Sabres then took three penalties in a row, but the fifth-best penalty kill in the league trumped Toronto's power play.

"We created a lot of scoring chances but we just couldn't score the goals," said Toskala.

Spacek made it 2-0 at the 59-second mark of the second period with another slapper from the blue line on the power play.

Kubina got Toronto on the board when he teamed up with Tomas Kaberle for a rare Leafs power-play goal. Kaberle fed his defense mate a breakaway pass and Kubina, who had sneaked behind Nolan Pratt, made quick moves that baffled Miller. Kubina tucked the puck into the open side of the net at 2:48 with Miller sprawled on the ice and Henrik Tallinder serving a hooking penalty.

Kotalik made it 3-1 at 8:59 when he got a pass from Vanek and took a wrist shot from the circle to Toskala's right. The puck struck the side of the goalie's glove and dribbled into the net. It was Kotalik's first goal in 16 games since Jan. 18.

"I shot a lot of those the last couple of games and they didn't go in," Kotalik said. His second goal was an empty-netter with 52 seconds left.

Roy made it 4-1 at 14:49 with Buffalo's second power-play goal, on Vanek's second assist.

Thousands among the announced Air Canada Centre crowd of 19,467 booed as the Leafs left the ice for the second intermission.

"I just don't think we showed enough urgency with the puck," Leafs coach Paul Maurice said. "We had a 3-on-1 and went offside and you can't do that in a game like this."

Notes: Buffalo was 2-for-5 and Toronto was 1-for-5 on power plays ... Leafs C Boyd Devereaux, who injured the medial collateral ligament in his right knee late in the 3-1 win over Columbus on Tuesday, will be out for four to six weeks. ... Buffalo RW Drew Stafford missed a seventh straight game while recovering from a sprained right ankle, and Buffalo RW Maxim Afinogenov missed a 23rd consecutive game since suffering a groin injury Jan. 1 ... Leafs RW Wade Belak and Sabres C Tim Connolly were scratched. ... After a home game Saturday against Atlanta, Toronto plays in Ottawa on Monday and flies south for games against Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington.


 

[Malcolm]

Islanders sign Hunter to five-year deal

The New York Islanders and forward Trent Hunter have agreed to a five-year extension worth $10 million.The 27-year-old right winger has eight goals and 32 points this season with the Islanders and 20 goals and 35 points last in 2006-07.Last season, Hunter's fourth in the NHL - all with New York - he ranked fifth in the league with 246 hits while picking up only 20 penalty minutes. In 306 career games, Hunter scored 69 goals and 157 points.

Wild, Schultz agree to contract extension

Sources tell TSN the Minnesota Wild and defenceman Nick Schultz have agreed to a 6-year contract extension, totaling $21 million.The contract breaks down as follows; $3.2 million (2008-09), $3.4M (2009-10) and $3.6M in each of the following four seasons.

Leafs secure Steen with two-year deal

The Toronto Maple Leafs and forward Alex Steen have agreed to a two-year contract extension believed to pay Steen $1.7 million per year. The 23-year-old Steen has 10 goals and 26 points in 56 games for the Maple Leafs this season.

[AxlsMainMan]

Sharp's OT tally lifts 'Hawks, negates furious LA rally

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Patrick Sharp's second goal of the game, coming with 3:12 left in overtime, clipped a late Kings rally and sent Chicago over Los Angeles, 6-5, at Staples Center.

Jonathan Toews and Martin Havlat had a goal and assist each for the Blackhawks, who blew a four-goal lead but recovered to win for the fifth time in six games.

Andrei Zyuzin and Jason Williams also hit the net and Patrick Lalime hung on for the win by making 34 saves.

"When they tied it up, you're back on your heels," Toews admitted. "They had the momentum, but we weathered their storm and did what we had to do to get two points."

Anze Kopitar and Mike Cammalleri picked up a goal and two helpers apiece for the Kings, who have dropped three of four. Peter Harrold, Patrick O'Sullivan and Tom Preissing also scored in a tough loss.

Starter Dan Cloutier was pulled after allowing five goals on only 17 shots through less than half of regulation. Erik Ersberg took the loss in his NHL debut, despite allowing just the game-winning goal on 19 shots.

Down by four, the Kings mounted a major charge in the third period. Cammalleri potted a rebound at 9:06, then Preissing ripped one past Lalime at 12:41 to make it a two-goal game.

Ersberg kept the momentum going under a minute later, stoning Sharp on a breakaway by making a pad stop.

The Kings brought out the extra attacker with 2:17 left in regulation, and drew within a goal when O'Sullivan kept digging for a loose puck in the crease and poked it through with 1:07 left. The comeback was complete when Kopitar entered a scramble in front of Lalime and popped home the tying goal with under 15 seconds to play.

"This was as good an overtime loss as you're going to see," said Kings head coach Marc Crawford. "All 20 guys played hard in the third period. We didn't stray from what we had to do. There was a lot of blood and guts there to come back like we did."

Harrold notched his first NHL goal by blasting a slapshot through Lalime's pads 5:23 into the game, then Sharp equalized on the power play at 9:32 for Chicago.

The Hawks used an early second-period blitz to temporarily assume control of the contest.

Havlat finished off a nice play from Patrick Kane at 4:11 to take the lead, and 15 seconds later Zyuzin ripped one past Cloutier for a 3-1 advantage. Toews followed at 7:07 with his 18th of the season and Williams put Chicago up 5-1 at 8:17.

Game Notes

The Kings had won the last two games against the Blackhawks this season by a combined 12-4 count, including a 9-2 blowout in LA on January 1...Harrold was a standout defenseman for the Boston College Eagles from 2002-2006, and Jeff Giuliano, who also played for Jerry York at BC from 1998-2002, assisted on his goal...Los Angeles outshot Chicago 19-11 in the third period...Eight of the last 11 games between the clubs have been decided by one goal.

http://146.145.120.3/default.asp?c=ocregister&page=/nhl/news/ADN4133243.htm