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 NHL
QUICK SHOTS:
A fast glance at the league
SEE ALSO: OCT 13 -
CURB YOUR
CYNICISM
OCT 26 - A TALE OF TWO (SOCAL) CITIES, CHAPTER ONE
NOV 10 - THE WAY THE WINGS
HAVE WON
NOV 29 - WINGS
REMIND KINGS THAT TALK IS CHEAP
DEC 11-13 - ISLES LEGIT DUE TO HUNTER, 2ND LINE
 HOCKEYTALK
RAWDIO!
Jan 5 - LAKings 4, Phoenix 0
click the blue name link to listen
Jan 5 2005 --
Wayne
Gretzky
talks about a full-team effort and how the Coyotes' inconsistency up and down
the lineup is tripping them up this season.
 JANUARY 7-10 QUICK SHOTS
By Josh Brewster
COLUMBUS COMING BACK?
Is it possible that the Jackets are resurgent?
Before you think I'm hallucinating, take note that
last weekend, on Saturday they picked up a point in Colorado from a shootout
loss. Sunday saw the Jackets make the most of their recent hard work, as
they topped the Phoenix Coyotes in Glendale, AZ, 5-2.
The key to their recent good luck has a lot to do
with the return of RICK NASH (14GP/9-3-12) , who's on a hot streak with six
goals in five games.
BRYAN BERARD is also a welcome returnee.
Berard missed the last seven games due to a lower back injury. On
Sunday night, his hat trick buried the 'Yotes, 5-2.
Berard (35GP/9-15-24) signed a
two-year contract with the Jackets in August.
Another Columbus D-Man,
captain
ADAM FOOTE, was placed on the injured reserve list
retroactive to Dec. 28, when he was hurt in a 1-0 win against Anaheim.
SABRES SHOULD STAND PAT IN NET
If the Buffalo Sabres are smart, they'll hang on to both MARTIN BIRON and RYAN
MILLER.
While the rumor mill works overtime on this case, it says here that when your "mojo"
is working, as it is in the Sabres' net this season, you don't mess with it.
Current rumors involve the Colorado Avalanche, but
unless the names offered in return for Biron or Miller are Hejduk or Tanguay,
Buffalo should stand pat. The rumored deals for Ian Laperriere and/or
Antii Laaksonen just don't seem worthwhile in light of the fact that both
goalies are number one caliber.
DUBIELEWICZ HAS A GREAT WEEK AND MONTH
Not a bad holiday season for Isles goaltender Wade Dublewicz. He wins
player of the week with Bridgeport in the AHL, then
fills in nicely on the Island a week later. Isles may be up and down, but
Wade's focused and doing well in the A and the N. 1-2, but just 6 goals
allowed in 3 games. Nice!
KOVALCHUK UPSTAGES CROSBY; CHERRY'S IRE RAISED
OVER FINGER-POINTING
From TSN: "I've seen a lot of things in my life
but I've never seen a guy pointing to a guy in the penalty box," Cherry said.
"Someone should've broken his (Kovalchuk's) arm but they didn't."
During the segment, Cherry also showed film
clips of Crosby having to fend for himself against a lot of extra attention from
the Thrashers.
"I'm starting to like Crosby more and more
because he doesn't back down," Cherry said. "They (Pittsburgh) absolutely have
to get somebody to ride shotgun with him.
Hockeytalk's take:
This underscores another issue. Forget the stupid
instigator rule. Too many Penguins don't stand up for each other.
This is a trend we're seeing more often. Stand up for your guys,
Pittsburgh. Cherry is right!
NOTHING ANTI-CANADIAN ABOUT IT
Looks like some people got a bit miffed at me for blasting the morons who booed
the U.S. junior club consistently, and vehemently at the World Junior
Championship. My post was on Eklund's blog.
This isn't about whether you can boo the
U.S. You can. But anyone with two eyes and ears could see that the
level of vehemence in the booing of our kids was purely
politically motivated. Keep your friggin' politics out of
hockey and don't tell me that that level of booing was normal.
If any of you anti-Bush types want to bitch and
complain, then take it to the White House or write a letter to the New York
Times. Our hockey juniors didn't deserve your stupid filibuster.
'Nuff said, and there's NOTHING ANTI-CANADIAN about it, eh!?
I know Americans can be slobs, but that doesn't reflect on all Americans.
Well, I know all Canadians don't share the views of the boo-birds. So
that's that. Send comments, love and hate mail to
info@hockeytalk.biz.
from the league:
NHL POSTS BEST-EVER DECEMBER ATTENDANCE
Third Consecutive Record-Setting Month
NEW YORK (January 3, 2006) -- The National Hockey League posted the
best December attendance in its 88-year history, attracting 3,382,628 fans to 200 total games and setting an attendance record for the third consecutive month. The December average of 16,913 per game was 91.7% of capacity and two percent above the previous December high of 16,578, set in 2001.
Twenty-four of the 30 NHL clubs are even with or ahead of their
2003-04 performance. The top gainers are the Pittsburgh Penguins (+36%), Tampa Bay Lightning (+24%), Calgary Flames (+21%), Boston Bruins (+21%), Carolina Hurricanes (+19%), Nashville Predators (+14%), Ottawa Senators
(+13%), San Jose Sharks (+10%) and Florida Panthers (+9%).
NHL DECEMBER ATTENDANCE SINCE 1987
Year GP Avg. % Increase *
2005 200 16,913 ----
2003 209 16,312 +3.7%
2002 207 16,101 +5.0%
2001 211 16,578 +2.0%
2000 203 16,456 +2.8%
1999 184 16,254 +4.1%
1998 175 16,212 +4.3%
1997 177 15,954 +6.0%
1996 172 16,401 +3.1%
1995 180 15,511 +9.0%
1993 173 15,212 +11.2%
1992 163 14,737 +14.8%
1991 143 14,911 +13.4%
1990 149 15,294 +10.6%
1989 143 15,725 +7.6%
1988 145 15,280 +10.7%
1987 146 15,138 +11.7%
* Percentage increase of the December, 2005 attendance figure over prior
December figures.
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