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March 4, 2013

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.

DEPARTMENTS

CAPTAIN SERIOUS EXPECTATIONS

FROM THE MOMENT BOTH ENTERED THE NHL and began blossoming eight years ago, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have been engaged in the league’s most marketed rivalry. But after a couple seasons when their careers were on similar skyrocketing trajectories, Crosby and Ovechkin have gone in different directions. The former has overcome concussion challenges to retain his current consensus status as the planet’s best player and member of a Stanley Cup championship team. The latter, on the other hand, has had the bloom come off his rose. Despite a rotating cast of players and coaches around him in Washington, Ovechkin no longer is electrifying on the ice and gregarious off of it. And it isn’t fair anymore to compare him with the far more accomplished Crosby. In fact, the NHL’s marquee…

IN THIS ISSUE

PLUS MINUS

+PLUS COLORADO HIGH Milan Hejduk, 34, becomes the only player in franchise history to play 1,000 games in an Avalanche sweater. –MINUS COYOTE UGLY After selling out its home opener, Phoenix averages fewer than 12,000 fans per game. +PLUS DYNAMIC DUO Zach Parise scores career goal 200, making he and dad J-P the NHL’s second father-son duo (behind Bobby and Brett Hull) to notch 200 each. –MINUS PHIL IS EMPTY Toronto’s Phil Kessel starts season on a nine-game goalless streak.…

FEATURES

UP TO THE TEST

IN THE DEAD OF SUMMER, before all that lockout stuff ruined our fall and early winter, a group of cur rent and former NHLers gathered in Toronto to support charities involved with head injuries. The event, put on by Dominic Moore and the NHL Players’ Association, was called Smashfest and saw hockey stars battle each other at the Ping-Pong table. Many players in attendance were affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning, from current stars Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier to former Bolts Moore and Zenon Konopka. Others in the house were Eric Lindros, Wojtek Wolski and Joel Ward. But as the friendly competition got down to business and the players took to the tables, another star walked into the room, flanked by a few buddies. It was Claude Giroux, future captain…

IN THIS ISSUE

30,000 & Counting…

In early February, Martin Brodeur became the first goalie to face 30,000 shots. Of all the rubber flung at him over his 20 seasons, the 40-year-old has stopped 27,463 shots for a .913 save percentage. Patrick Roy (28,349 shots; 25,803 saves; .910 SP) and Curtis Joseph (26,795; 24,279; .906) round out the top three. Nikolai Khabibulin and Roberto Luongo rank No. 2 and 3 among active leaders with nearly 22,000 shots faced each.…