December not kind to bad boy Berube

It will go into his personal playing history as the lost month of Craig Berube. Berube, the Flames’ enforcer, was suspended twice in a 10day span by the NHL for a total of eight games. His latest trip onto the NHL carpet came following a crosscheck to the throat of the St. Louis Blues’ center Doug Weight. The hit cost Berube five games on the sidelines, making him eligible to return to for Calgary’s Dec. 31 date with the Edmonton Oilers. Previously, Berube received a three-game sentence for instigating a fight with the Mighty Ducks’ Jeff Friesen during a Dec. 8 brawl. In handing down his verdict, the NHL’s chief disciplinarian Colin Campbell indicated Berube is now considered a “repeat offender” and thus could expect ever-increasing penalties should he operate outside the league’s…

Separated at Birth

Have you ever spotted these two personalities in the same room at the same time? They say it’s your birthday! Hockey players celebrating birthdays.…

ELSTON

Young Tigres winning while earning stripes

The Victoriaville Tigres have declared themselves contenders by default. Not expected to make much noise after going for it last year, the Tigres are emerging as a threat in the weak Lebel Conference. Aided mostly by a strong start, the youthful Tigres were in second place in late December behind the high-flying Shawinigan Cataractes - the only other Lebel team with an above-.500 record. “I think with the team we have, the experts didn’t expect us to start as well as we did,” said captain Carl Mallette. “And now I think (management) wants to go all the way, so I think they’ll make some moves to help us get even better.” The most promising sign of all is the Tigres have held the fort without their best player. Center Antoine Vermette hasn’t played…