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February 7, 2006
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.
Tough skedding
The Boston Bruins may have rebounded a bit from their post-Joe Thornton trade swoon, but they still have tough times ahead. If the Bruins are to make a legitimate push for the playoffs through the stretch drive, they will have to do it while facing one of the NHL’s toughest post-Olympic schedules. In the NHL’s new “no-tie, winnerevery-night” world of two points for a win and one for an overtime or shootout loss, teams are averaging 1.11 points per game (PPG). The 11 teams the Bruins will play after the Olympics have an average PPG of 1.18, the highest such figure confronting any team in the league. Also working against the Bruins is the fact that Boston has just four of 24 post-Olympic games against Atlanta, Tampa Bay and New Jersey, the…
Letters
SAUCY SNIPERS FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE Thank you, Adam Proteau. Satisfying indeed. Ilya Kovalchuk and Alex Ovechkin have not only buried the stereotypical "sullen" Russian trait, they are leading the way in rink-rousing flash, dash and showy displays of bravado. Russians? Why not? They've always been the trailblazers to a new and exciting NHL. This typically North American trait should be welcomed even if embodied by a nation whose hockey stars many love to hate. My favorite Ovechkin display came at the 2003 World Junior Championship when, following a sweet goal, he gazed into the stands while pointing to his name on the back of his jersey. Bring on the swaggering Russians. Rod Minns, Combermere, Ont. HANDS OFF, DON I don’t think Ilya Kovalchuk realized what a can of worms he opened up, but I wish more…
Czech under Crunch
The last time Martin Prusek was an everyday player in the American League, he made goaltending look easy for the Grand Rapids Griffins. Prusek went 18-8-5 with a 1.83 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in 2001-02, his first season in North America. He earned first-team all-star honors and won the Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s best goalie. “I recall him as a dominant, really great goaltender,” said Syracuse Crunch coach Gary Agnew. The entire Columbus Blue Jackets organization is hoping Prusek remembers, too. After losing the right (to Pascal Leclaire) to back up Columbus starter Mark Denis in December, Prusek is trying to become a dominant goalie again with the Crunch. The process started slowly. Prusek, 30, was sidelined by a hip ailment in mid-December. Once he was healthy, he allowed four…
NHL Team Reports
Every statistic tells a story. Here’s 30 stories STAT SHOT Sports and statistics go together like Mario Lemieux and highlight-reel goals (and while we’re on the subject: thanks for the memories, No. 66). But sometimes, it’s tough to make any sense out of the avalanche of statistics. So, for this issue, we asked our NHL correspondents to select one statistic that speaks to the performance of the team this season – and explain that statistic to the rest of us. It’s no surprise, for example, to find out the struggling Chicago Blackhawks, as of Jan. 25, were 5-18-4 this season when their opponent scores first. But did you know the Dallas Stars are 13-9-1 when their opponent scores first? Or that the Ottawa Senators were 27-0-2 when leading after two periods? One-goal games single…
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