Kukla's Korner Hockey

“Ferocious Hockey” Being Played In The Western Conference

by Paul on 05/25/13 at 06:55 AM ET
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from Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch,

(John) Forslund is one of NBC’s play-by-play announcers during the NHL playoffs. He was dispatched to southern California on April 29, and he is still there. His is an interesting perch. After an entire (half) season of calling Eastern Conference games as the voice of the Carolina Hurricanes, he is getting an in-your-face view of the West.

“There is a level of playoff hockey being played in the West that is different from the East,” Forslund said. “I’ve been saying that for years, but this year it is more pronounced. That first-round series, St. Louis against LA — it started as soon as the puck dropped. Seeing it live is something else — but it comes across on TV, too, and if you can see it on TV you know it’s unbelievable.”

Forslund has done four Ducks-Red Wings games, two Sharks-Canucks games, three Blues-Kings games and five Sharks-Kings games — 14 in 20 days, live and in color. He has seen the West at its best.

“It’s ferocious hockey,” Forslund said. “There is more structure, more balance and there is depth throughout the lineups. The West has morphed into a bigger, stronger and, at many times, faster conference. These teams have all evolved as they’ve tried to keep up with one another.”

read on

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Coach’s Corner Last Night Plus Senators/Penguins

by Paul on 05/25/13 at 06:47 AM ET
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After the 1st period of last night's Pens/Sens game, Don Cherry and Ron MacLean discussed the Morrow goal, how to defend 2-on-1 breaks, Daniel Alfredsson, what the Blackhawks need to start doing and a few other topics.

 

 

Also, if you missed the end of the game last night, watch below the last minute of play, the handshakes and a Crosby interview.

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Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL Media, Hockey Broadcasting, CBC HNIC, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl In Amish Country

by Paul on 05/25/13 at 06:27 AM ET
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from Elizabeth Merrill of ESPN,

A trip to the rural corners of Lancaster County is like being locked inside a Cracker Barrel. The houses smell like freshly baked bread. There are rocking chairs everywhere, sort of a reminder to slow down and take everything in. Cruise down Route 72, through the rolling hills, and occasionally a horse and buggy will snarl traffic. But that's OK; there's no hurry. Unless, of course, you're chasing something big.

For weeks, the locals had no idea that a Russian hockey team was living among them, running stadium steps, riding a mechanical bull and yelling, "Yeah baby!" after intense workouts. In their Under Armour shirts and Hollister shorts, the players look like average American teenagers. They're not.

This story started two years ago, nearly 5,000 miles away, when a Russian plane crashed and the entire Lokomotiv Yaroslavl professional hockey team perished. The world is a great big place, but the hockey world is small. Everyone in the sport was affected that September day in 2011. Players from all over Russia signed up to be part of a new Lokomotiv team in honor of their former teammates, friends and opponents. An American, Tom Rowe, moved to Russia to coach them, even though he didn't speak a lick of the language.

continued

Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: lokomotiv+yaroslavl

Paul MacLean wisely suggests that his Senators can learn from Penguins’ ‘clinic’

by George Malik on 05/25/13 at 12:09 AM ET
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I believe that this is an auto-play video, but Ottawa Senators coach Paul MacLean put things particularly eloquently after his team's series-ending 6-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, ending the teams' second-round series in 5 games.

MacLean's bottom line on the series, as he told Sportsnet? "I hope they don't charge us for the clinic," he said, referring to the example the Penguins set for Ottawa's younger players as to how a team must continually improve its play to persist in the second, third and fourth rounds:

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Penguins Advance To Eastern Conference Finals

by Paul on 05/24/13 at 10:20 PM ET
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With a 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, the Pittsburgh Penguins move on to the Eastern Conference Finals. 

The Senators had a tough time finding any momentum and now many will ask if Daniel Alfredsson has played his last NHL game. 

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Video- Brenden Morrow Goal Tonight - Kicked Or Not?

by Paul on 05/24/13 at 08:09 PM ET
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Good goal according to on-ice officials and Toronto.

 

added 8:26pm, NBCSN call is below...

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  Tags: brenden+morrow

Only One Playoff Game Tonight

by Paul on 05/24/13 at 07:15 PM ET
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The Ottawa Senators face a win or go home scenario tonight when they play the Penguins in Pittsburgh.

Puck drops around 7:38pm ET and can be viewed on NBCSN, CBC or RDS.

Feel free to comment on the game as it plays out or anything playoff related.

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Avs Need To Find A “Vezina-Worthy Goalie”

by Paul on 05/24/13 at 06:55 PM ET
Comments (5)

from Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post,

Hiring Roy was an inspired idea. Kudos to Avs president Josh Kroenke for a bold stroke to change the culture of a slumbering franchise.

The only way this move could have been better is if Roy could lose 40 pounds, shed 15 years and get back to work between the pipes, instead of on the bench for Colorado.

His first job as coach should be to find the Avs a top-notch, stand-on-the-head, Vezina-worthy goalie the team has lacked since some guy named Roy left the building in 2003....

Everything about Varlamov, from his goals-against average to his save percentage, shouts: Average. Pedestrian. Ho-hum.

We've seen Saint Patrick, and Varly is no Saint Patrick.

Nobody in sports during the past 30 years, from Tiger Woods to Lance Armstrong to Michael Jordan, is a more passionate, demanding winner than Roy.

more

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Phoenix GM Don Maloney Signs Extension

by Paul on 05/24/13 at 04:56 PM ET
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GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- The Phoenix Coyotes announced today that Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Maloney has signed a long-term contract extension. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"We are very pleased that Don has agreed to sign a long-term contract extension with the Coyotes," said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. "Since joining the team in 2007, Don has done an outstanding job managing his team and building a competitive roster that has produced on the ice, even given less than ideal circumstances off the ice. The NHL remains committed to securing the Coyotes' future in Glendale under new ownership, and we believe Don's long-term agreement evidences that he is equally committed."

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  Tags: don+maloney

Video-Talking Roy And Two Playoff Series

by Paul on 05/24/13 at 03:57 PM ET
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Mark Osbourne and Rob Pizzo of Hockey Night Online discuss the Patrick Roy hiring, Senators/Penguins and Wings/Blackhawks.

Watch the discussion below...

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Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

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