Tuesday Puck Talk: Chargers, 'Tips, buzz cuts, Bertuzzday Award... and Tokarski

Chargers Wait

The UAH Chargers are waiting to hear where they'll head to kick off the NCAA Division I hockey tournament, after beating the Niagara Purple Eagles 3-2 in overtime in the final championship game of the CHA division, which is now no more. The Chargers could play in Albany, NY, St. Paul, MN, Fort Wayne, IN or Worcester, MA. I know I'm not the only UAH fan who hopes the Chargers meet a CCHA team in the first round-- and just creams them! Eh. I know it's sour grapes at this point to still be upset that the CCHA denied UAH's application to join the division, but it still rankles to feel like the odd man out, after Niagara and Robert Morris went to the Atlantic Division and the WCHA took in Bemidji. It's not even that the CCHA had no room - it DID, because UNO decided to move from the CCHA to the WCHA. Again, it's water under the bridge, but still. GO CHARGERS! Follow the NCAA tourney by clicking here. Follow the Chargers and re-live all the goals from the CHA Championship on SAVE UAH Hockey's website. Just click here. In the meantime, here's a great shot of a victorious Chargers team posing again with the CHA trophy back home in Huntsville.

                                 Chargers Victorious! (Photo: UAH Chargers)

BTW, I wrote a passionate (well, I think so, anyway!) blog about the Chargers' cloudy future back in August, when news broke of CCHA's rejection of UAH. It mentions a bit of history, especially during my years at UAH. If you want to check it out, click here.

Silvertips prepare.

                                            Silvertips (photo: Su Ring)

The Everett Silvertips are preparing for a playoff run that many hope will end with the boys bringing the Memorial Cup home to Western Washington. Everett goes into the playoff with a 46-21-3-2 record; Kelowna has a 35-31-2-4 record. But when it comes to playoffs, records really don't matter, do they? Who's gonna have the heart and drive to make it to the next round? The Silvertips have played the entire season with lots of heart and great teamwork. Throw in Shane Harper's 42 goals and 38 assists, along with great work by Kellan Tochkin (28G/48A), Tyler Maxwell (33G/36A), Byron Froese (29G/32A), some great defense by Radko Gudas and company, and steller netminding from Kent Simpson and San Jose prospect Thomas Heemskerk. Kelowna will bring power from the likes of Brandon McMillan (25G/42A), Tyson Barrie (19G/53A), Shane McColgan (25G/44A) and goaltender Adam Brown.  If you're anywhere within driving distance of either city, I suggest you take in a game (or 3). You won't be disappointed. You can follow all the WHL playoff action by clicking here. And if you have any doubt as to who I'm cheering for in the Memorial Cup run: GO 'TIPS GO!

'Tips ready to bare... their heads

Speaking of playoff runs, the Silvertips are shaving their heads to prepare for the post-season. In fact, a few will get buzzcuts LIVE, tonight during the Silvertips weekly radio show on KRKO NorthSound 1380. Among those getting shorn are play by play guys Jon Rosen & Al Kinisky, and LW Scott MacDonald. Wanna watch? Go to Sporty's Beef & Brew in Everett tonight before 6:05 (that's what time the show starts). Click here for more info.

Bertuzzday Award!

In my last post, I lashed out at the Penguins' Matt Cooke over his nasty hit on Marc Savard last week. By now, we've all heard the rant by Don Cherry (see my last post if you haven't). Now, the good folks at NBC's Pro Hockey Talk have named Cooke as the recipient of its first ever "Bertuzzday Award."  Good stuff. You can read more by clicking here. Many kudos to writer James O'Brien. If his name sounds familiar, you may know him from his other blog, "Cycle Like Sedins." He's over on my blogroll so check him out!

Tokarski talks!

                                 Dustin Tokarski (Photo: Mike Carlson-AP)

I don't know if I'm saving the best for last, or if this is just how it turned out, but my good friend Cassie McClellan from "Raw Charge" just interviewed Norfolk Admirals (former Spokane Chiefs) goalie Dustin Tokarski. If you follow the WHL at all, you know the name. In addition to helping lead Spokane to the Memorial Cup in 2008, he also backstopped Team Canada to its 5th straight gold medal in the World Juniors last year. (Another WHL star, Thomas Hickey [Seattle T-Birds/Manchester Monarchs] was Captain of that glorious team!). 

Anyway-- here's a link to Cassie's interview with awesome Tampa Bay prospect Dustin. Awesome stuff.

Weekend Puck-Pourri: UAH, Silvertips, T-Birds & ONE BAD COOKIE

Three cheers go out this weekend-- and one very loud, resounding BOO.

First Cheer: University of Alabama Huntsville Chargers hockey team

                                Your 2010 CHA Champs: UAH Chargers (Photo: UAH)

UAH beat Niagara last night 3-2 in overtime to claim the CHA Championship crown and a berth in the NCAA Division I hockey tournament. This is the second CHA trophy for the team from Huntsville and an amazing way to cap a season that began under a cloud of uncertainty. The CHA was dissolving and other divisions were absorbing teams into their folds. UAH requested to join the CCHA, which had an opening, but the CCHA declined, leaving UAH with two options at the end of the season: continue as an independent or fold. We still don't know exactly what's going to happen, but the group SAVE UAH HOCKEY has been working hard all season to keep us updated and also offer up ways to support the team and the program that made UAH the "Hockey Capital of the South" for a more than a quarter of a century. Click here to catch up on SAVE UAH HOCKEY's great works. And: GO CHARGERS GO!!!!

Second Cheer: Everett Silvertips (WHL)

                                Everett Silvertips (Photo: Frank Deines III/Everett Silvertips)
                   
The Silvertips are one win away from claiming the US Division and Western Conference championships, after shutting out the Chilliwack Bruins 5-0 in their last home game of the regular season last night. Shane Harper opened the scoring in the first, with his 41st goal. I lost count, but I think this is also something like the 20th game in which he's scored the first goal. Harper scored again in the third, notching his 100th career goal. Chris Langkow, Byron Froese and Captain Zack Dailey also scored, while goalie (and San Jose signee) Thomas Heemskerk stopped all 25 Chilliwack shots for the shutout. For a more complete play by play, click here for an "official" recap. I don't know who wrote it, but they did a very thorough job. The Silvertips could clinch the abovementioned championships with a win tonight in Spokane. 'Tips fans should also thank the Chiefs, because Spokane knocked off Tri City 5-4 last night, thus toppling the mighty Americans out of the top spot and opening the door for Everett to sneak through.  You can listen to the game on the radio at KRKO-AM, NorthSound 1380.  Jon Rosen is sure to provide the exciting play by play. If you're a Chiefs fan, you will no doubt tune in to Mike Boyle on Sports Radio 1510 KGA.

Third Cheer: Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

                                Seattle Thunderbirds (Photo: Mick White/Kent Valley Sports)

The Seattle Thunderbirds deserve a big cheer for pushing through a very tough season. They'll close out the season tonight against the Vancouver Giants and salute their supporters with Fan Appreciation Night.  As of right now, the T-Birds' record is: 18-41-7-5 and 41 points. The team is heavy on youngsters, including about half a dozen 16-year-olds.  Star Goalie Calvin Pickard is 17 years old. Anyone who's been to even a handful of games knows how heartbreakingly close some of the losses were and should be confident that the team can only go up from here. Think about all those youngsters who now have a full season under their belts; a full season of life away from home, a grueling 72 games, travel and personal growth. Things can only look up for this young team! Want to cheer them on tonight? The game starts at 5:05pm at ShoWare Center in Kent. Click here to access the T-Birds' website and buy a ticket! This may be your last chance to see veterans Prab Rai, Jeremy Schappert and Lindsay Nielsen on the ice. To re-live the high points of the season through photos, click here to check out Mick White/Kent Valley Sports' amazing photo galleries!

Now, to the resounding BOO.

It pains me to criticize any player from one of my favorite teams, but I cannot be a good hockey fan if I don't. I'm talking about that vicious hit by Penguins' Matt Cooke that knocked Boston's Marc Savard out indefinitely with a serious concussion. If that wasn't bad enough, the NHL decided NOT TO PUNISH HIM FOR IT. I've been a Pens fan since the late 80's, but I wholeheartedly disagree with this. Matt Cooke should have been suspended and for more than a few games. The league needs to crack down on this kind of viciousness or someone is going to get killed. That sounds dramatic, but it's true. And in case you missed it, Don Cherry tackled the subject (and showed the hit) last night on HNIC. Here's the video. Go ahead and watch it, I'll wait.



The part that really gets me is that Cooke doesn't seem to care. That makes him more than a dirty player. It makes him downright dangerous. Even his own teammate Bill Guerin thinks he should have been suspended. Click here to read the story.

The thing that bothers me even more is the chatter that flooded Twitter after the NHL decided not to punish Cooke. A good number of people think a fitting retaliation is to have teams try to take Sidney Crosby out; in short, to hurt a player who had NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ORIGINAL HIT. How is that fitting retribution? What is this, the code of Hammurabi, hockey-style? (A star for a star, instead of an eye for an eye?).

Just as I said I would not be a good hockey fan if I didn't call out crappy & dangerous plays by members of a team I love, I say this:  Anyone who thinks hurting Crosby would make up for Cooke not being punished, DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE A HOCKEY FAN. You are stupid and ignorant if you believe this is a good idea, and even if you are my best friend, I do not want to know you.

Please - place the blame where blame truly goes: to Matt Cooke for being a dangerous punk and to the NHL for not being strong enough to stand up and do what's right.

That's all for this week. As always, I welcome your comments.