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March 4, 2013
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.


MINOR LEAGUE MILESTONE
HE’S THE MOST HATED MAN ON the ice many nights, yet it’s hard to imagine anyone who enjoys his job more than Steve Cruickshank. The veteran referee was scheduled to officiate his 1,000th minor league game Feb. 23 when the Central League’s Missouri Mavericks took on the Wichita Thunder in Independence, Mo. That’s tops in league history. “I’m so thankful for my bosses that they have given me the opportunity to do this for as long as I have,” Cruickshank said. “My knuckles are sore from knocking on wood, I’m so lucky.” His bosses consider themselves fortunate to have had an official who’s worked for as many years while consistently being considered one of the league’s best. According to CHL commissioner Duane Lewis, Cruickshank’s reputation is rock solid even with the people…


BLAST FROM THE PAST
EVERYTHING LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING Kevin Shattenkirk’s way. He had put up back-to-back seasons of nine goals and 43 points and was part of a St. Louis Blues squad that secured the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference for last season’s playoffs. But Shattenkirk’s first taste of the post-season was less than satisfying, with just two points and a minus-3 in nine games. Worse than those totals, he looked worn down and his confidence seemed shot. Then in the off-season, Shattenkirk got together with Al MacInnis, now senior advisor to GM Doug Armstrong. The Hall of Famer famous for his booming shot gave his 24-year-old defenseman some advice on how to deal with adversity. “To hear it from a guy like him – some of the struggles he went…


OPENING FACEOFF
A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE? Vancouver’s Zack Kassian and Chicago’s Corey Crawford could be staring down another epic playoff matchup this spring.…


DEGREES OF SEPARATION
THE STANLEY CUP HAS BEEN TO RON GRAHAME’S HOME IN DENVER on numerous occasions, but he has always stuck to tradition – if you haven’t earned it, don’t touch it. And in the Grahame household, the winners are his wife, Charlotte, an executive with the Colorado Avalanche since their inception in 1995, and their son John, who was the backup to Nikolai Khabibulin when the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Cup in 2004. “I’ve never touched it,” Grahame says. “I don’t know that I’ll ever be in a position where I would be contributing to the success of winning it, but I’m not going to jinx it by touching it.” In a very roundabout way, however, Grahame did actually contribute to one of those Cup victories. In 1978, the Boston Bruins…