The Instigator

BEHIND the Paint

WHEN YOUR NAME IS NOTORIOUS, sometimes you just have to embrace it. That’s what Dallas Stars goaltender Richard Bachman did with his new mask. Trading off the fact his handle is the same one author Stephen King used as a pen name, the real Bachman had famous mask artist Dave Gunnarsson – who called it the scariest mask he’s ever created – design him a new cage based on the film version of The Shining starring Jack Nicholson. It has an eerie feel and if you look closely at the star you’ll find the same carpet design found in the Overlook Hotel.…

Willing Warrior

It was late August and Dan Girardi was batting attempted dump-ins out of the air in an empty rink with long-time skills coach Darryl Belfry. As if the Rangers defenseman needed to get better at thwarting enemy attacks. But putting in the work is one reason he’s become a surprising weapon in coach John Tortorella’s arsenal, especially considering Girardi wasn’t even drafted. A late bloomer, Girardi played five seasons in the Ontario League with several teams before getting a chance in the pros with ECHL Charlotte and the Hartford of the American League, where the Wolf Pack’s coach saw something in him. “Jim Schoenfeld liked the way I played,” said Girardi, 28. “Just smart hockey, work hard, be consistent every shift. He’s the one that gave me a shot.” Now the sturdy…

Big Man, Bigger Game

Tyler Hill is an imposing athlete. At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, he can dunk a basketball on a regulation NBA hoop, but saves his best work for the ice. Perhaps that’s why the Ontario League’s Ottawa 67’s and United States League’s Muskegon Lumberjacks were after him this summer. In the end, Hill went with his loyal heart and chose to stay at Hotchkiss prep school in Connecticut before deciding on whether he would head to the NCAA. “The academics were really rigorous,” he said. “I really enjoyed being able to go out every day and train. Over the year I worked on a lot of personal aspects – just growing as a person, getting up and working out every day, doing homework. I really learned to be self-motivated.” Hotchkiss is a heavy…