The Official NHL Thread

[Va Beach VH Fan]

USA/Canada in the World Junior Champs game last night....

http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/news_story/?ID=148998&hubname=world_jrs

VANCOUVER (CP) - American defenceman Jack Johnson will receive no further discipline from the International Ice Hockey Federation for elbowing Steve Downie in the head after Canada scored the winning goal in Saturday's 3-2 win over the U.S. at the world junior hockey championships.

Johnson, the third overall pick in this year's NHL draft by the Carolina Hurricanes, blind-sided Downie with an elbow to the jaw after Canadian captain Kyle Chipchura scored the winner into an empty-net at 19:27 of the third period. Downie, who assisted on the goal, spent a few minutes laying on the ice while he was treated by the team trainer.

''It was kind of a dirty play, I suppose,'' Chipchura said. ''Downie is a big part of our team. He plays on the edge and I know Jack and I know he's a competitive guy. He's a nice guy and maybe it wasn't the best move.''

Johnson, who plays for the University of Michigan, received a five-minute major and a game misconduct. Only a match penalty imposes an automatic one-game suspension, so Johnson will be able to play in the U.S. quarter-final game Monday.

A IIHF spokesman said tournament chairman Frank Gonzalez watched tape of the hit following Saturday's game and there will be no further review of the incident.

Hockey Canada can ask the IIHF for a review but indicated late Saturday it would not pursue the issue.

Downie, who had two assists in the game, was being evaluated by doctors after Saturday's game, but Hockey Canada personnel said the first-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers was not seriously injured.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Originally posted by Va Beach VH Fan
Downie, who had two assists in the game, was being evaluated by doctors after Saturday's game, but Hockey Canada personnel said the first-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers was not seriously injured.

How appropriate that the Flyers pick the best Canadian goon for their #1 draft pick....

[Nickdfresh]

Thanks VA...

[Romeo Delight]

Canada knows better than to ask for appeal...it's a part of hockey.

[Nickdfresh]

I don't think a "blind-side elbow" should be a part of hockey...

[Matt White]

Another example of why FIGHTING is needed in hockey...

They have to drop the instigator rule...

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
I don't think a "blind-side elbow" should be a part of hockey...

No Canadian team is going to take the pussy route and have officials decide games through penalties or suspensions.

The chop block is a part of football, whether we like it or not. Those who practice it are eventually taken care of.

Matt is so fucking right on. The instigator rule is another Bettman fuckover of a once great game.

Those who cheap shot someone should have to take their licks like a man and not hide behind some rule a lawyer made up in a New York boardroom so that he could try to sell his game to Nashville, for example. His preoccupation with catering to the networks has fucked the game over, and had the opposite results, until the recent player-selected reforms.

So, this elbow cheap-shot, while not cool, must be taken into context of dude's play. Players know when guys make a bad judgement and won't take revenge too far. But if a guy is a no-talent hack or cheap-shots all the time, the instigator rule would take care of him.

[Romeo Delight]

I mean the removal of the instigator rule

[Nickdfresh]

Actually, I think they should remove the instigator rule...

But there has to be law and order in the game as well...

[Romeo Delight]

Yeah...right now euro-fags can still get away with stickwork in scrums, like a butt-end to the kidney, or just high sticks in general.

Never saw that before in NHL. No one wants to see players in stands like in Philly heydays, but there was a good balance of letting the players policing themselves other that that craziness

[Take 'Em]

Hell yeah man!
How many seasons did Gretsky play together with Mcsorley? Yzerman with Probert? They need to let the guys play the damn game the way God intended. With goal scorers and tough guys..

[Romeo Delight]

Therrien - what if...

Pittsburgh would have been in great shape had Therrien had the opportunity to start the year. Olczyk was a poor choice, questioned by many.

Now Crosby has opportunities in 2nd and third periods to to make a contribution where the Pens were usually down by 3 or more.

Hard to believe there isn't room for Crosby on Canadian team, but it is important to have good team chemistry and a balanced team with role players.

He is looking determined...probably best thing to happen to him, not being selected...

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Have to agree, it's a night and day difference how they're playing....

Defense is playing much, much better....

Just LOVED hearing the Habs fans' jeer Theodore last night....

As for Sid, I've run out of adjectives, it's just a treat watching him every game...

And the thing is, I think eventually he's going to be even more agressive with his shot-taking....

Even if this year only turns out so-so, next year brings Malkin as another Center to go along with Crosby.....

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Just another indication that Theirren isn't fucking around....

Ham-n-eggers will not be tolerated !! Being from Pittsburgh probably won't save him....

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20060105_143019_3900

Penguins shopping Malone

Sportsnet.ca-- After scoring 22 goals in 2003-2004 and being named to the NHL's All-Rookie team, Pittsburgh Penguins winger Ryan Malone has struggled to return to form this season. In fact, the 26-year old Pittsburgh native has had a hard time holding a regular spot in the lineup. As a result, general manager Craig Patrick is putting out feelers to see if there's any interest in the young forward.

Sources tell Sportsnet Malone's availability has been announced via email. A move that isn't entirely surprising based on the fact he's been a healthy scratch in three of Pittsburgh's last five games and has scored just six times in 35 games played this season.

Malone, still considered a marketable talent, will surely lure offers as he's also in the final year of a contract that pays him $750,000 this season.

The Penguins have struggled in the standings. Despite winning three of the last four games, Pittsburgh sits second from the bottom in the Eastern Conference with a 11-19-9 record for 31 points.

[Romeo Delight]

http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/news_story/?ID=149555&hubname=world_jrs

Canada wins 2006 World Junior title

VANCOUVER (CP) - Canada's relentless defence and the superior coaching of Brent Sutter was no match for Russia in the final of the world junior hockey championship as Canada defended its gold medal with a 5-0 victory on Thursday.

Sutter has now coached Canada to back-to-back world junior titles. Canada had not accomplished that feat since 1996 and 1997 when the country completed a run of five straight. It was Canada's 12th world junior title.

Sutter, the coach, general manager and owner of the Red Deer Rebels, is 12-0 in the world junior championship and is the winningest Canadian coach in the history of this tournament.

Michael Blunden of the Erie Otters scored two power-play goals for his first two of the tournament, and Blake Comeau of the Kelowna Rockets, Steve Downie of the Peterborough Petes and Kyle Chipchura also scored for Canada in front of a full house at GM Place. Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Cam Barker had two assists.

Canadian goaltender Justin Pogge collected his third shutout of the tournament. The Calgary Hitmen netminder stopped 35 shots and helped hold off Russia in the first period when Canada was getting outshot 15-3 at one point.

Pogge tipped his new world junior champion baseball cap to the crowd during the post-game celebration to acknowledge the regular chanting of this name throughout the game and the tournament.

"We came out and played our game," Pogge told TSN. "We're in Canada, the gold stays here in Canada."

Sutter's philosophy of an aggressive defence, hard work and attention to detail has proven successful with both the star-studded team that won the 2005 championship in Grand Forks, N.D., and this squad, which was considered an underdog in this tournament because it was younger, more inexperienced and had less talent at the forward position.

Canada allowed only six goals in six games and only one of them was an even-strength goal.

"I really felt comfortable with the team that we had," Sutter told TSN. "They stuck together as a team, played hard, competed and stayed with the program. Tonight showed their commitment.

"A lot of people underestimated the skill we had on this team."

Russia did not get good goaltending out of Anton Khudobin as he showed poor technique on Canada's first two goals of the game.

Canada worked harder and was more willing to pay the physical price around the Russian net than the Russians were in defending it.

And Canada's special teams were better with two goals on seven power-play chances while holding Russia scoreless on six opportunities.

Russia outshot Canada 15-8 in the opening 20 minutes, but the Canadians emerged with a 2-0 lead on goals by Comeau and Downie. They were also buoyed by the defensive effort of Eric Staal, who shut down Russian star Evgeni Malkin, and Pogge, who made some tricky saves during three Russian power plays.

Television replays in the opening minutes of the second period showed the puck getting across the goal-line behind Pogge. The Russians had a long discussion with American referee Brian Thul, but the score remained 2-0.

Blunden shovelled a loose puck that squirted loose in a goal-mouth scramble over Khudobin at 14:44 of the second period. He pounced on a rebound on a Cam Barker shot from the blue-line at 12:02.

The Russians began to show their frustration at that point with roughing and tripping penalties in the second period, which didn't help their cause. Canada carried the play outshooting them 19-9 in the second frame.

Chipchura made it 5-0 with less than three minutes to play in the third period when he beat Khudobin on the short side.

The Canadians were outshot by a large margin in the first period, but kept a lot of those shots to the outside.

Pogge made two tough saves on off-speed and deflected shots in on Alexei Yemelin and Vyacheslav Buravchikov during a penalty kill.

Staal found Comeau near the faceoff circle as he drove the net and banged in his own rebound when Khudobin lifted his right pad at 18:56.

Downie wheeled out in front of the net and somehow got the puck under Khudobin's pad at 17:13.

Alexander Radulov of the Quebec Remparts rang a shot off the crossbar during Russia's third man advantage of the game.

Canada had lost to Russia on home soil by one goal in the final of the 1999 tournament in Winnipeg and the 2003 final Halifax. The last Canada had won gold as the host team was in 1995 in Red Deer.