12/31/14

Best Penguins Games I Went to in 2014

With 2014 coming to an end, I would like to look back at the three best Penguins games that I attended. The best game that I went to in 2014 was the game on my birthday. The Penguins faced off against the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was a great day, as I turned 20 and I was attending a game between my two favorite teams. This was a very close and exciting game. The Penguins jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one period of play. The Maple Leafs exploded with three goals in the second period to force a 3-3 tie through two periods of play. Since the game remained tied through regulation, the game would be decided in overtime. The thing that made this really special was the Penguins won and Blake Comeau scored the game-winning goal to cap off a hat trick. The second best game that I attended was the game on April 9 against the Detroit Red Wings. This was a very exciting game as well. The game was decided in a shootout. The Penguins won the game on a very bizarre shootout goal scored by Jussi Jokinen. For all Red Wings fans out there, this was a good day for you guys too. The Red Wings clinched a playoff spot even though they lost in a shootout. The third best game I went to was Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets were playing in their first playoff game since the 2008-09 season and were looking to prove they belonged in the playoffs. They jumped out to a 3-1 lead early in the second period. What made this game great was that the Penguins came back to tie the game a 3 courtesy of two goals scored by Matt Niskanen. The best part was that Brandon Sutter, my favorite player on the Penguins, scored the game-winning goal. The honorable mention was tonight's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. It was a goaltenders' duel. Both Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Ward played brilliantly. Even though Cam Ward faced more shots, he still allowed the game-winning goal to Brandon Sutter at 18:18 of the third period to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead and ultimately a 2-1 win. These were my favorite games this year. What were yours?

12/31/14

Bennett's Return Keys Penguins' Victory

The Pittsburgh Penguins had some good new going into their final game of 2014. Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff and forwards Beau Bennett and Craig Adams were all given the go to return to the Penguins' lineup. The Penguins faced off against the Carolina Hurricanes at Consol Energy Center. The Penguins, looking to snap a (0-3-1) streak, gave Marc-Andre Fleury the nod between the pipes. Cam Ward opposed him for the Hurricanes. At 9:12 of the first period, the Hurricanes drew first blood when Elias Lindholm found Eric Staal, who fired the puck past Fleury to give the Hurricanes a 1-0. The score remained the same until late in the period. With 22 seconds left, Beau Bennett found Chris Kunitz in front of the net, who fired the puck past Ward's glove to tie the game at 1-1. After one period of play, the score was tied at 1. The Penguins were out on a mission in the second period of play. They had a total of 17 shots on goal and had two power plays in the period. Even though this was a strong effort, the score remained a 1-1 deadlock after two periods of play. The Hurricanes went on the power play at 0:51 of the third period when Penguins' defenseman Christian Ehrhoff was called for a two-minute boarding penalty. The Hurricanes were unable to capitalize. The Hurricanes went on the power play again at 6:33 when Penguins' forward Chris Kunitz was assessed a two-minute slashing penalty. The Hurricanes were again unable to capitalize. At 18:18, Penguins' forward Brandon Sutter haunted his former team when he fired a shot past Ward to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead. The score held true and the Penguins won 2-1.

12/31/14

Joe Thornton Injured

San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton left tonight's game against the Anaheim Ducks after he was hit by Ducks' defenseman Clayton Stoner. Thornton, 35, has nine goals, 23 assists, and 32 points in 37 games this season.

12/31/14

Blue Jackets Extend Nick Foligno

The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Nick Foligno to a six-year contract extension through the 2020-21 NHL season. The extension is worth $33 million. Foligno, 27, has 17 goals, 15 assists, and 32 points in 34 games this season.

12/31/14

Jannik Hansen Fined

Vancouver Canucks forward Jannik Hansen was fined $5,000 by the National Hockey League Department of Player Safety. Hansen was assessed a two-minute illegal hit to the head penalty at 0:59 of the second period in yesterday's game between the Canucks and the San Jose Sharks.

12/31/14

Penguins Send Down Two

The Pittsburgh Penguins sent forward Dominik Uher and defenseman Brian Dumoulin down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Uher, 22, has no goals, assists, or points in two games this season. Dumoulin, 23, has one goal, no assists, and one point in eight games this season.

12/31/14

Panthers, Bjugstad Agree to Six-Year Extension

The Florida Panthers signed forward Nick Bjugstad to a six-year contract extension in which he will make $4.1 million per season. Bjugstad, 22, has 13 goals, eight assists, and 21 points in 34 games this season.

12/30/14

Red Wings Place Kindl on Injured Reserve, Call up Ouellet

The Detroit Red Wings placed defenseman Jakub Kindl on the injured reserve with an elbow injury. Kindl, 27, has two goals, seven assists, and nine points in 28 games this season. Due to the injury, the Red Wings called up defenseman Xavier Ouellet from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League. Ouellet, 21, has one goal, one assist, and two points in nine games this season.

12/30/14

Blue Jackets Place Atkinson on Injured Reserve, Call up Collins

The Columbus Blue Jackets placed forward Cam Atkinson on the injured reserve with an upper-body injury. He was injured in Saturday's game against the Boston Bruins. Atkinson, 25, has eight goals, six assists, and 14 points in 33 games this season. Due to the injury, the Blue Jackets called up forward Sean Collins from Springfield of the American Hockey League. Collins, 26, has no goals, assists, or points in two games this season.

12/30/14

Winter Classic: Players to Watch For

The 2015 Winter Classic is just two days away. It will be an exciting game that is sure to draw viewers from all across the United States and Canada. Both the Chicago Blackhawks and the Washington Capitals are teams that are full of superstars and a lot of talent. Even though I would like to mention multiple players on each team, I am going to keep it simple and point out one player from each team to watch during this annual game. For the Chicago Blackhawks, the player that I am singling out is Patrick Kane. Patrick Kane is one of those young players who has terrific stick-handling skills and is a very fast skater. This will also be a big game for Kane because he is an American hockey player and he will be playing an outdoor game in the nation's capitol. If this game goes to a shootout, expect Kane to show off his skills. The player on the Capitals that I am going to single out is Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin is the captain of the Capitals. He is a player who likes to steal the show. Many teams have difficulty playing defense on him because he able to move across the ice so quickly, but he is very sneaky. His amped-up style of play gets his team going. It will be a very exciting game. It will be interesting to see how these two players perform in the Winter Classic.

12/30/14

Blues Activate Elliott, Place Porter on Injured Reserve

The St. Louis Blue activated goaltender Brian Elliott from the injured reserve. He had missed the past 14 games with a lower-body injury. Elliott, 29, has a record of (8-4-1) with one shutout in 14 games this season. The Blues also placed forward Chris Porter on the injured reserve with a leg injury. Porter, 30, has one goal, one assist, and two points in 14 games this season.

12/30/14

Devils Place Two on Injured Reserve

The New Jersey Devils placed forward Jacob Josefson and Stephen Gionta on the injured reserve. Josefson missed last night't 3-1 win against the Penguins with an illness. Josefson, 23, has one goal, two assists, and three points in 26 games this season. Gionta broke his hand in last night's game while blocking a shot. Gionta, 31, has three goals, three assists, and six points in 38 games this season. With the loss of both players, the Devils called up forward Mike Sislo from Albany of the American Hockey League. Sislo, 26, has no goals, one assist, and one point in nine games this season.

12/29/14

Granlund to Miss Four Weeks

Minnesota Wild forward Mikael Granlund will miss four weeks after having surgery to repair a fractured left wrist. He was injured in Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets after he received a hit from Jets' defenseman Dustin Byfuglien. Granlund, 22, has four goals, 11 assists, and 15 points in 32 games this season.

12/29/14

Predators, Oilers Swap Roy, Arcobello

The Edmonton Oilers acquired forward Derek Roy from the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Mark Arcobello. Roy, 31, has one goal, nine assists, and 10 points in 26 games this season. Arcobello, 26, has seven goals, five assists, and 12 points in 36 games this season.

12/29/14

Devils Call Up Two

The New Jersey Devils called up forwards Stefan Matteau and Joe Whitney from Albany of the American Hockey League. Matteau, 20, made his NHL debut with the Devils in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. In 17 career games, he has one goal, two assists, and three points. Whitney, 26, made his NHL debut with the Devils last season. In one career game, he did not register any goals, assists, or points.

12/28/14

Leo Komarov Placed on Injured Reserve

The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Leo Komarov on the seven-day injured reserve with a concussion. Komarov, 27, has four goals, 12 assists, and 16 points in 23 games this season.

12/28/14

Jonathan Bernier Misses Game

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier missed today's 6-4 loss to the Florida Panthers with flu-like symptoms. James Reimer was started the game in his place. Christopher Gibson was called up from the Toronto Marlies to back up Reimer. Bernier, 26, has a record of (14-8-3) with two shutouts in 26 games this season.

12/28/14

Bruins Call up Jordan Caron, Waive Matt Fraser

The Boston Bruins called up forward Jordan Caron from Providence of the American Hockey League. Caron, 24, has no goals, assists, or points in two games this season. To make room on the roster, the Bruins placed forward Matt Fraser on waivers. Fraser, also 24, has three goals, no assists, and three points in 24 games this season.

12/28/14

Predators Place Derek Roy on Waivers

The Nashville Predators placed forward Derek Roy on waivers. Roy, 31, has one goal, nine assists, and 10 points in 26 games this season.

12/28/14

Penguins Send Down Brian Dumoulin

The Pittsburgh Penguins have sent defenseman Brian Dumoulin down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Dumoulin, 23, has one goal, no assists, and one point in seven games this season.

12/27/14

Penguins Aren't Struggling

The Pittsburgh Penguins were shut out 3-0 tonight by the Washington Capitals at Consol Energy Center. The Penguins have now lost two consecutive games in regulation. Every team goes through a little rut, but many times they come out of it. The problem that I see? Wes Crosby, a writer for NHL.com titled his article "Holtby, Capitals shut out struggling Penguins". This is incorrect. The Penguins are not a struggling team. Prior to losing the games against the Lightning and the Capitals, the Penguins had an eight-game undefeated streak in which they went (5-0-3). My question for Wes Crosby is "how is that struggling?" Ailing would be a more appropriate title. The Penguins have had many players get injured over the past few weeks and some of their players have contracted mumps. Wes Crosby is a writer for a very popular website. It frustrates me when professional writers go and pull something out their butts. My tip to him is to make sure he knows what the heck he is talking about before he goes and puts it online for the whole world to see.

12/27/14

Sergei Bobrovsky to Miss Game

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky will miss tonight's game against the Boston Bruins with a stomach illness. Bobrovsky, 26, has a record of (13-9-2) with one shutout in 24 games this season. Curtis McElhinney will start in Bobrovsky's place. McElhinney, 31, has a record of (1-6-1) in 10 games this season. The Blue Jackets called up goaltender Anton Forsberg to back up McElhinney. Forsberg, 22, has a record of (0-1-0) in two games this season.

12/27/14

Islanders Place Jaroslav Halak on the Injured Reserve

The New York Islanders placed goaltender Jaroslav Halak on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Halak, 29, has a record of (18-6-0) with three shutouts in 24 games this season. Goaltender Kevin Poulin was called up from Bridgeport to take his place. Poulin, 24, has a career record of (18-25-2) in 49 career games for the Islanders.

12/27/14

Michael Ryder Diagnosed With Mumps

New Jersey Devils forward Michael Ryder has been diagnosed with mumps. He is now the fourth Devils player to be diagnosed with this condition. Ryder, 34, has four goals, 10 assists, and 14 points in 34 games this season.

12/27/14

Stevens and Oates Named Co-Coaches

The New Jersey Devils announced that Scott Stevens and Adam Oates (pictured) will serve as co-coaches. Tommy Albelin and Mike Foligno, who served as assistant coaches, will be in the press box to assist Stevens and Oates. Also, assistant coach Dave Barr was relieved of his duties.

12/26/14

Patrik Elias Diagnosed With Mumps

New Jersey Devils forward Patrik Elias was diagnosed with mumps. He is the third Devils player to be diagnosed with mumps. Elias, 38, has four goals, nine assists, and 13 points in 29 games this season. Forward Martin Havlat was also tested for mumps, but his results came back negative.

12/26/14

Pete DeBoer Fired

The New Jersey Devils fired head coach Pete DeBoer. The Devils are currently in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of (12-17-7). DeBoer led the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012, but were defeated by the Los Angeles Kings in six games. The Devils went (114-93-41) under DeBoer.

12/26/14

Two More Penguins Diagnosed With Mumps

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Steve Downie and goaltender Thomas Greiss were diagnosed with mumps. Both players will remain in isolation. Downie, 27, has five goals, 12 assists, and 17 points in 32 games this season. Greiss, 28, has a record of (3-2-2) in seven games this season. Forward Brandon Sutter, who was also sent back to Pittsburgh to be tested for mumps, does not have the condition and will play tomorrow night.

12/26/14

Road to the Winter Classic

The Washington Capitals will host the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationals Park at 1 pm on New Year's Day in the 2015 NHL Winter Classic. This will be the eighth-ever Winter Classic. The Blackhawks participated in the 2009 Winter Classic where they faced off against the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field, the home of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs. The Red Wings played the role of rude house guests and won the game 6-4. The Capitals participated in the 2011 Winter Classic where they clashed with the Pittsburgh Penguins at Heinz Field, the home of the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers. The Capitals won the game 3-1. The Capitals are currently situated in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of (17-11-6). Prior to the Winter Classic, they will travel to Pittsburgh to face off against the Penguins tomorrow and will travel to New York to play the Islanders on Monday. The Blackhawks stand in first place in the Central Division with a record of (23-10-2). Prior to the Winter Classic, the Blackhawks will travel to Colorado to battle the Avalanche tomorrow night and will return to Chicago to host the Nashville Predators on Monday. The Winter Classic is a game that many hockey fans look forward to every year. The games are always fun to watch and are full of action. It will be interesting to see who wins this year's Winter Classic.

12/24/14

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone for reading my blogs. I started blogging because of an assignment for Sport Communication and Technology. Since I was given an assignment to create a blog, I created PiratesFreak94 where I talk exclusively about baseball. I enjoyed it so much that I created NHL Talk and Other Info just two weeks ago. This is my 41st post on NHL Talk and Other Info. So far, I have gotten 113 views. Thank you all very much. I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas!

12/24/14

Lightning Send Down Andrei Vasilevskiy

The Tampa Bay Lightning sent down goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League. Vasilevskiy, 20, has a record of (2-1-0) in three games this season.

12/24/14

Sabres Send Down Four

The Buffalo Sabres sent down defenseman Mark Pysyk and forwards Mikhail Grigorenko, Joel Armia, and Tim Schaller. Pysyk, 22, has no goals, assists, or points in two games this season. Grigorenko, 20, has no goals, one assist, and one point in four games this season. Armia, 21, has no goals, assists, or points in one game this season. Schaller, 24, has one goal, no assists, and one point in four games this season.

12/24/14

John Scott Suspended

San Jose Sharks forward John Scott was suspended for four games for punching and injuring Anaheim Ducks forward Tim Jackman at 8:18 of the second period in Monday's game. He will forfeit $34, 146.36 total for the games that he will miss. Scott, 32, has one goal, one assist, and two points in 15 games this season.

12/24/14

Maple Leafs Shut Out Stars To End Skid

The Toronto Maple Leafs faced off against the Dallas Stars last night in hopes to end their three-game losing streak prior to the break. Jonathan Bernier got the start in goal for the Leafs and Kari Lehtonen was in goal for the Stars. The Maple Leafs took an early 1-0 lead when Nazem Kadri scored at 0:55 of the first period. The Maple Leafs held onto this lead through the remainder of the period. The Maple Leafs entered the second period looking to expand their lead. They did just that when James van Riemsdyk scored at 6:21 of the second period to expand the Maple Leafs' lead to 2-0. At 9:20, Stars' forward Ryan Garbutt was called for a two-minute hooking penalty. The Leafs took advantage when Tyler Bozak scored at 10:30 to boost the Leafs' lead to 3-0. The Maple Leafs ended the scoring when Mike Santorelli scored at 16:09 of the third period to increase the Leafs' lead to 4-0. The score held true and the Maple Leafs won 4-0.

12/24/14

Rangers' Win Streak Extends to Seven

The New York Rangers put their six-game win streak on the line, as they faced the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden last night. Henrik Lundqvist got the start for the blue shirts and Braden Holtby was in net for the Caps. The Rangers drew first blood when forward Rick Nash scored at 3:32 of the first period. At 17:47, Capitals' defenseman Brooks Orpik was assessed a two-minute cross checking penalty to put the Rangers on the power play. The Rangers were unable to capitalize. After one period of play, the Rangers held a 1-0 lead. Just 27 seconds into the second period, Capitals' captain Alex Ovechkin was called for a boarding penalty. The Rangers capitalized on this advantage when Martin St. Louis scored at 1:08 to expand the Rangers lead to 2-0. The score remained the same through the rest of the period and the Rangers looked to keep their lead heading into the locker room. Rick Nash pushed the Rangers' lead to 3-0 with his second goal of the game at 5:12 of the third period. The Capitals responded when Evgeny Kuznetsov scored at 5:53 to cut the Rangers' lead to 3-1. At 9:29, Rangers' defenseman Matt Hunwick was assessed a two-minute hooking penalty. The Capitals took advantage, as Alex Ovechkin scored at 10:58 to cut the Rangers' lead to 3-2. At 14:35, Capitals' forward Nicklas Backstrom was assessed a four-minute high sticking penalty and another penalty was assessed for a face off violation. The Rangers capitalized on the power play when Martin St. Louis scored his second goal of the game at 16:12 to increase the Rangers' lead to 4-2. The score held true and the Rangers won the game 4-2 to extend their winning streak to seven games.

12/23/14

Niklas Backstrom Misses Game

Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom was scratched from tonight's game against the Philadelphia Flyers with an illness. Backstrom, 36, has a record of (5-3-3) in 14 games this season. Darcy Kuemper will start in his place. The Wild also called up goaltender John Curry to back up Kuemper.

12/23/14

Penguins Place Blake Comeau on the Injured Reserve

The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Blake Comeau on the injured reserve with a wrist injury. Comeau, 28, was injured in last night's 4-3 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers. He has 11 goals, eight assists, and 19 points in 32 games this season. To take his place, the Penguins called up forward Dominik Uher from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

12/22/14

Penguins Call Up Jeff Zatkoff

The Pittsburgh Penguins called up goaltender Jeff Zatkoff from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Zatkoff, 27, compiled a record of (12-6-2) with one shutout in 20 games for the Penguins last season. He was called up to replace Thomas Greiss, who was sent back to Pittsburgh to be tested for mumps. Zatkoff was called up prior to Thursday's 1-0 overtime win against the Colorado Avalanche, as Greiss was also being tested for mumps.