Arnie's National Hockey League Blog

NHL News Coming

2010-10-10T23:10:00.001-07:00

This blog will become NHL News Blog within two months. Stay tuned.

Vancouver Signs Sundin

2008-12-21T09:55:00.000-08:00

Let me first apologize for my "posting" mistakes. While I view myself as a competent writer, I am not quite as capable when it comes to my computer skills. So, that being said, I'll do my best to improve where I need to. Speaking of improving, the Vancouver Canucks just did! By acquiring future Hall of Fame center Mats Sundin. They made another tangible step toward not only making the playoffs, they should now have enough fire power to win the Pacific Division with relative ease. This is a franchise that had the guts and intelligence to reward Roberto Luongo with the "C" that no other NHL goalkeeper has EVER had the responsibility of wearing. Even with the addition of Sundin, Luongo remains the heart and soul of this up and coming team. I still can't understand what Mike Milbury was thinking when he traded Luongo to Vancouver. This is in my mind, as bad a trade as the Boston Bruins made when they dealt league MVP Joe Thorton to the San Jose Sharks. Well, as Forest Gump might say, "stupid is, as stupid does". Sundin could have ended up a Ranger, but as we all understand money talks and you know what walks! Sundin will be paid handsomely for his services. He is to receive a prorated ten million dollar contract. The Canucks' actual offer sheet was a whopping two year deal for twenty million, which was initially put on the table this past August. Either way, Vancouver had the cap space to sign Sundin and the Rangers will have to do without. Whether the addition of Sundin will be the missing ingredient to Vancouver's' cup hopes only time will tell.

Falling Stars

2008-12-10T17:18:00.000-08:00

Like most knowledgeable hockey writers, I looked at the preseason rosters and made my predictions. I would be telling a bold face lie if I didn't come clean about where I had pick the Dallas Stars to finish in the Pacific division. That would be first or certainly at worst second and certainly a strong contender for the Stanley Cup. The 2008-2009 Stars seemed to have all the requisite pieces in place to make a cup run. They had acquired Sean Avery to add snarl, speed and offense to an all ready strong skating team. They had reacquired Serge Zubov. Zubov would once again provide not only solid defense, great speed and passing, he would also be the power play "quarterback" that all successful man advantage situations require. That was then. This is now. The wheels have fallen off and the once promising season is now in a state of chaos! First, team captain Brendan Marrow went down with a season-ending knee injury, then Sean Avery opened his big mouth and brought about his banishment, and if that's not enough, Zubov will no longer be available as he will undergo what is sure to be season-ending hip surgery. Woe are the Dallas Stars. They don't deserve this fate. Well, as they say, good luck next year!

Hello Kansas City?

2008-11-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

The last time Kansas City had a NHL team, their name was the Scouts and I was quite a bit younger. So, it comes to me, based on information that I have acquired, that the state of Missouri will once again be the proud home of not just one promising NHL franchise, but two! Nassau County Executive, Tom Suozzi and company have made little effort to "make nice" with New York Islanders' principal owner, Computer Associates CEO, Charles Wang. The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a decaying disgrace. The Islanders are an elite franchise if history serves. Not yet forty years old, the Isles have won four Stanley Cups. That stacks up favorably against nearly everyother NHL team with the obvious exceptions (Montreal and Detroit). The NHL will once again be adding two new franchises in the near future, logically one to a former home of a WHL/NHL frnanchise, Winnepeg and the other in all likelyhood Kansas City. Charles Wang is a visionary and an astute bussinessman. He Knows that the economic climate is not conducive to a taxpayer funded arena in the near future. He has all ready sold all but one percent of his share of the AFL New York Dragons, Who play their home games where the Islanders do. Kansas City has a brand-spanking new state of the art arena. The only thing missing is a NHL franchise. Kansas City has a group of investors eager to purchase the Islanders and relocate them. If you were Charles Wang and you knew all these things, what would you do? One last thing, unlike the other three major sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL) the NHL does not have a major television contract. This necessitates, that each franchise must draw well at the gate. The Islanders attendance has been anemic to say the least. You can weigh the facts for yourself, and when you do, I think you'll see my point.

Boston Bruins vs. Ottawa Senators, 10-28-06 - Video

2006-11-23T19:45:00.000-08:00

These are video highlights of the Boston Bruins vs. Ottawa Senators on 10-28-06..

Hockey Fight Video - Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals

2006-11-23T19:41:00.000-08:00

This brawl occured during the Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals contest:

Boston Bruins Video Tribute

2006-11-23T19:38:00.000-08:00

This is a video salute to the Boston Bruins.

San Jose Sharks October 2006 Video Highlights

2006-11-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

This is cool video of the San Jose Sharks highlights for October 2006.

FSN - San Jose Sharks Introduction By Fox Sports Net Bay Area

2006-11-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

This is the video introduction of the 2006-2007 San Jose Sharks by Fox Sports Net Bay Area.

San Jose Sharks v. Nashville Predators Oct 23, 2006 - Video Of Action

2006-11-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

This is a highlight video of the San Jose Sharks game against the Nashville Predators.

New York Rangers Win 3-2 Over New Jersey Devils - NHL.com

2006-11-14T23:10:00.000-08:00

November 15, 2006

Rangers score three goals early in third to rally to 3-2 win over Devils
Canadian Press Nov 15, 2006, 12:05 AM EST

NEW YORK (AP) - Tom Renney's breaking point came 40 minutes into a sluggish game against the New Jersey Devils.

The coach of the New York Rangers had seen enough, and he let his team know it in-between periods. "Well, it wasn't musical," Renney said after New York turned a two-goal deficit into a 3-2 victory over the Devils on Tuesday night. "This year, that was maybe as passionate as I've been."

Jaromir Jagr scored two goals 26 seconds apart early in the third period and Brendan Shanahan finished off a most improbable rally just over a minute later to help the Rangers snap the Devils' season-high, four-game winning streak.

"Everyone knew we didn't play well," Jagr said of the first two periods. "Speeches are useless unless you go out and do it."

This rousing rant did the trick.

A 2-0 Devils lead was erased in a 1:30 span, leaving goalie Martin Brodeur hanging his head and Rangers fans derisively chanting "Mar-ty Mar-ty."

Henrik Lundqvist withstood New Jersey's late pressure and finished with 20 saves to give the Rangers their first home victory since defeating the Devils on Oct. 16. They are 5-1-1 in their last seven overall.

The Rangers, who blew the Atlantic Division title to New Jersey on the final day of last season, moved into a first-place tie with the Devils.

"There comes a time as a coach where you've got to conjure up the proper emotion to go out there and tackle the task at hand," Renney said. "We weren't being proactive with respect to putting them on their heels. We proposed that they may want to do that.

"I think it's a turning point in our season."

Jagr tied it 26 seconds after his first tally with arguably the ugliest of his 598 career goals. Jagr wound up from near the right-wing boards but shanked a shot high into the air. It floated and fluttered toward the goal and eluded a leaping Brodeur, who had both arms in the air.

Rangers forward Jason Ward was stationed at the left post and had his stick ready to tip the shot as it fell past the crossbar. He didn't make contact, and the puck dropped in.

"I saw it the whole way. It's a tough feeling. I thought for sure it was going over the net," Brodeur said. "We outplayed them. ... We had our chances, but just a span of three minutes or so cost us the game."

Shanahan finished the spurt at 3:35 on the Rangers' fifth shot of the period when he beat diving Devils defenceman Johnny Oduya to Michal Rozsival's long lead pass and netted his 14th of the season.

Jamie Langenbrunner and Brian Gionta each scored, with assists from defenceman Brian Rafalski, but the Devils went only 1-for-6 on the power play - including three penalties against Jagr. New Jersey had won six of seven.

The Devils, who average fewer than three goals per game, relied on their trademark defensive style and were playing it well until the Rangers rallied for their third victory when trailing after two periods. Through its winning streak, New Jersey hit the three-goal mark twice and outscored opponents only 9-6.

Brodeur had little action in the opening period when New York recorded three shots. The first didn't come until nearly 10 minutes elapsed, and the last was a long buzzer-beating drive.

Langenbrunner one-timed a pass from Zach Parise from above the right circle and put it between Lundqvist's pads at 9:05 of the opening period. Lundqvist wasn't screened and stared down at his clenched pads still in the butterfly position after the goal.

Gionta's goal - his first in nine games - made it 2-0 with 4:26 left in the second period.

Just 13 seconds into Shanahan's goalie interference penalty that cut short the Rangers' third power play, New York forward Blair Betts mistakenly shot the puck in the crowd and was sent off for delay of game.

It took only 38 seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage for the Devils to make the Rangers pay as Gionta got the blade of his stick on Patrik Elias' drive and deflected it past Lundqvist for his eighth of the season and fourth on the power play.

"We've been paying attention to detail, and for two periods tonight we were," Gionta said. "It was just a couple-of-minute letdown in the third that hurt us. We had plenty of goals to win the game."

Johan Franzen Paces Detroit Red Wings' 3-2 win over Canucks

2006-11-14T22:43:00.000-08:00

Franzen scores short-handed goal to give Detroit 3-2 win over Canucks
Canadian Press Nov 15, 2006, 1:05 AM EST

FRANZEN

COULOMBE
VANCOUVER (CP) - Johan Franzen scored a short-handed goal at 6:19 of the third period for a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night that gave the Detroit Red Wings their ninth consecutive victory, tying a franchise record.

Franzen fired a low shot that went through the legs of rookie Canuck defenceman Patrick Coulombe and the five-hole of goaltender Roberto Luongo. Luongo, who had made some great saves to keep Vancouver in the game, hung his head afterwards.

Valtteri Filppula and Henrik Zetterberg scored for Detroit (12-4-1), who last lost Oct. 21 in Edmonton.

It's the fifth time in Detroit history that the Red Wings have won nine consecutive games. The last streak was from Oct. 13 to Nov. 1 last season.

Henrik Sedin, on a power play, and Kevin Bieksa scored for the Canucks. Trevor Linden also earned his 400th assist and 700th point as a Canuck.

The Canucks (8-10-1) have lost three games in a row.

Detroit goalie Dominik Hasek came into the game having posted back-to-back shutouts. Sedin's second-period goal broke his streak after 181 minutes, 17 seconds.

The Canucks thought they had tied the game 3-3 at 9:20 of the third period when Alex Burrows scored. But referee Bill McCreary called off the goal because he had called Jan Bulis for interference.

Vancouver was lucky to be tied 1-1 heading into the third period after being outshot 24-10 through the first 40 minutes.

The Canucks were badly outplayed the first period, managing just one shot on goal during three power plays. If it wasn't for Luongo, Vancouver never would have been in the game.

Filppula finally got a puck behind Luongo early in the second period. The Canuck goalie first lost his stick, then lost sight of the puck as Filppula flipped a shot that went over his shoulder.

Vancouver showed some life when Detroit was called for too many men on the ice.

Markus Naslund fired a shot that Hasek stopped. Hasek tried to control the rebound but Daniel Sedin managed to poke the puck over to his brother Henrik, who put it between the post and goaltender.

The teams exchanged goals 30 seconds apart early in the third.

Zetterberg scored on a backhand after getting in behind the Canuck defence. Bieksa got the Canucks back in the game by taking a pass from Linden and blowing it past Hasek.

Luongo was called upon to make some big saves. He stopped Franzen on a deflection right at the goal mouth, then managed to track a Chris Chelios shot from just inside the blue-line that changed direction.

NHL Business Blog - First Post

2006-11-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the NHL Business Blog. We're going to cover the NHL here.