NHL Fun Fact

This was the fun fact for my NHL daily desk calendar today:

To say things got a little choppy at the end of the March 5, 2004, game between the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers would be an understatement. Five brawls broke out in the final two minutes, leading to a record 409 penalty minutes for the period.

Fun times, indeed.

Friday Puckpourri: Trailers, teddy bears... oh, and The Hanson Brothers! Plus: a salute to law enforcment

(Note: This post was written on Friday, January 28. There was a hiccup in posting. Sorry for the dated info, but I wanted to leave it all in, especially about the fundraisers. Because even though the game itself may be over, the need is not and you can still donate. ~ Su)

Rockin' the 70's

Three words evoke memories of what many agree is the greatest hockey movie ever made. And tonight, anyone who considers him/herself a "Slap Shot" fan needs to be at Rexall Place in Edmonton, because the Oil Kings are rolling out the red carpet for Jeff, Steve and Jack, otherwise known as The Hanson Brothers. They're the highlight of tonight's "70's Night" promotion, as Edmonton welcomes the Red Deer Rebels. The Hansons will take part in some in-game activities, sign autographs and hang out with fans. The fun continues after the game at a special "after-party" at the pint. I'm not sure whether any foil will be involved, but if you live within 60 miles of Edmonton and want to check things out, click here for more info (and tickets). Bust out the polyester, platform shoes and your best Elton John sunglasses.

Trailer Raffle
It's the middle of winter - a perfect time to start thinking about summer vacation. The Swift Current Broncos want you to think about hitting the open road, in a new trailer. They're raffling off a 2009 Fleetwood Mallard 24HB. Second prize is $3000 cash and third prize is a Molson bar fridge (not sure if it's stocked or not). Fans who go to tomorrow night's game against the Saskatoon Blades can enter an early drawing for $3000 cash. Click here for more information.

Salute to Law Enforcement
The Everett Silvertips welcome I-5 rival Seattle Thunderbirds to Comcast Arena, but the biggest winners tonight could be the men and women in blue who protect and serve throughout Snohomish County, Washington.The 'Tips are hosing their second annual Snohomish County Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation fundraiser tonight. It benefits families of officers killed in the line of duty. Last year, Silvertips fans donated more than $5,000 for the fund. This year, they hope to surpass that amount, through special ticket sales, as well as sales of $15 commemorative pucks. For $30, fans can buy commemorative pucks autographed by a number of Everett players. Click here for more information, to buy special tickets or order commemorative pucks.

Teddy Bears
The Seattle Thunderbirds are showing their softer side, by asking all fans to bring teddy bears to Saturday night's game against the Portland Winterhawks. By the time the game is over, those plush toys will be on their way to the trunks of police cars, fire trucks and emergency vehicles across the greater Seattle area. The T-Birds have teamed up with Seattle radio station WARM 106.9 for their annual Teddy Bear Toss. Police officers, deputies and emergency crews offer the toys to children in times of crisis or emergencies. Fans will toss the teddy bears onto the ice after the T-Birds score their first goal. Last year, fans tossed 4,000 plush toys onto the ice. In 2009, they donated 2,000.

Sandusky Radio, which owns and operates WARM 106.9, is proud to team up with the T-Birds. The event is an emotional one for General Manager Marc Kaye, who told me, "Each time I see the thousands of teddy bears thrown onto the ice at the annual Teddy bear Toss at The Thunderbirds game it brings tears to my eyes.  For every bear that lies there, a child’s life will be positively affected."

The T-Birds are also excited about the yearly event. Ian Henry, the team's Director of Media and Public Relations, says players are looking forward to the "Teddy Bear" game, and a little competition gets going behind the scenes. "Leading up to the game there is always talk among the guys about who is going to score the Teddy Bear Goal," he said. "It’s quite a scene when that goal goes in and the bears start reigning down on to the ice."

If you've never experienced this for yourself, it's worth it to check it out. And even though the Portland Winterhawks are one of the WHL's top teams, standings go right out the window when they meet the T-Birds for one of the longest rivalries in the league. Click here for more information.

League Leaders
Here's a quick look at the WHL's brightest stars so far:

Points Leaders
1. Linden Vey, Moose Jaw Warriors. 82 points in 46 games (33G, 49A)
(Note: last season, he had 75 points in 72 games)

2. Tyler Johnson, Spokane Chiefs. 80 points in 47 games (36G, 44A)
(Note: last season, he had 71 points in 64 games)

3. Brendan Ranford, Kamloops Blazers. 72 points in 50 games (32G, 40A)
(Note: last season, he had 65 points in 72 games)

GAA Leaders
1. Darcey Kuemper, Red Deer Rebels. 1.84 GAA. He also has 9 shutouts and a 31-8-1-2 record in 42 games
2. James Reid, Spokane Chiefs. 2.48 GAA. He also has 4 shutouts and a 29-8-2 record in 42 games
3. Tyler Bunz. Medicine Hat tigers. 2.58 GAA. He also has 2 shutouts and a 24-10-2 record in 36 games.

Now, the schedule:
Tonight (Friday, January 28
Regina @ Moose Jaw
Swift Current @ Saskatoon
Brandon @ Calgary
Kootenay @ Lethbridge
Edmonton @ Red Deer
Chilliwack @ Spokane
Prince George @ Kelowna
Portland @ Tri City
Kamloops @ Vancouver
Seattle @ Everett

Saturday, January 29
Moose Jaw @ Regina
Saskatoon @ Swift Current
Price Albert @ Edmonton
Lethbridge @ Kootenay
Brandon @ Medicine Hat
Calgary @ Red Deer
Kamloops @ Chilliwack
Tri City @ Spokane
Prince George @ Everett
Vancouver @ Kelowna
Portland @ Seattle

Sunday, January 30
Prince Albert @ Calgary
Everett @ Seattle

THE school for anyone interested in video games or animation!

I seem to be straying more from hockey at this blog. To those of you who come here just to read or be directed to my hockey stories, I apologize. Hockey writing shall recommence very shortly. Today, I want to spotlight the place where I work part-time. DigiPen Institute of Technology is a wonderful land where students young and old are encouraged to CREATE - everything from amazing animations to awesome video/computer games. In the 5 short months I've been here, I've met some truly unique students, professors and staffers and am constantly amazed at the level of dedication they bring to their classes. I've also learned that several students are responsible for one of the most popular computer games out there - PORTAL, and that they're working on PORTAL 2, using elements from another game (Tag: The Power of Paint) developed by DigiPen students. Click here for an interview with these creative guys to see how the game came about.

A group of current students learned that their game, SOLACE, won the Student Showcase Award at the Independent Games Festival, beating out 280 other entries. You can read more about that honor here.

From my perch at the front desk, I can see the lobby, where a giant TV plays a reel of animations created by students past and present. A helpful student told me all of the animations, as well as other projects, can be found at DigiPen's website. Here's the link to that page. Make sure you check out my favorite clip, "Time to Harvest, about a man-eating pear! (BTW - professors include giants in the video game industry, as well as animators who worked on some illustrious films, including "Lilo & Stitch" and other Disney classics).

Now that I've hopefully piqued your interest about the world of teaching students the art of video game design, production and animation, you may be interested to check things out a little more closely. Those of you who live within driving distance of Redmond, Washington, can do that THIS SATURDAY! The school is hosting an Information Session on campus, with everyone from professors, to students, to DigiPen's founder and president, Claude Comair, on hand to answer your questions or help you decide your child's (or your own!) course of action! Claude's name may not be familiar to many of you, but at least one of his games will be. His many credits include: LEGEND OF ZELDA, POKEMON PUZZLE LEAGUE, MARIO vs. DONKEY KONG and RIDGE RACER.Claude's other passion is food, especially creating culinary masterpieces. This love shines through in the amazing cafe he has built at the new campus. Headed by a chef, it features a menu that's a multi-cultural tour as diverse as the student and teaching population. (And the authentic brick oven makes some truly tremendous pizza!).

Now that I've whetted your appetite, here's more info about the Info Session:


WHEN: Saturday, January 22 from 1pm - 4pm (Check-in begins at 12:30pm)

WHERE: DigiPen Institute of Technology
               9931 Willows Road NE
               Redmond, WA 98052

WHAT TO EXPECT:

• Mix and mingle with current students and faculty
• Degree program information
• Admissions 101 overview
• Campus Tour (WELL WORTH IT)
• "Meet the President" - Claude Comair
• DigiPen gear prize raffle

If you're even REMOTELY interested in checking things out, I highly suggest you REGISTER NOW. It's so easy - just go to www.digipen.edu/infosessions or call our friendly Admissions office: 425.629.5001 or 866.478.5236, ext. 5001. You can even email them! admissions@digipen.edu

If you can't make it this Saturday, they have info sessions planned for March 5 and May 14.
If you need to know something that's not listed here, just let me know. If I can't answering, I know someone who can!

Remembering Maru

This post is slightly hockey-related. It's related in the fact that it's about a hockey fan. If you're looking for a strictly hockey story, I suggest you stop reading now. 

***

Her name was Marushka. Well, that's the name she chose to use. I knew her real name once upon a time, but cannot recall it now. I met her at a fan board online at NHL.com about three years ago. I had joined NHL Connect looking for like-minded hockey fans after the Pens lost the Red Wings in the 2008 SCF. I joined an awesome little group of friends whose hockey allegiances ran wide and deep. Maru (known as "True Fan" at Connect) lived in San Antonio and loved the Dallas Stars. She was young, a college student and I grew to think of her by her avatar, a cute anime girl's face. A few girls in the group and I exchanged personal email addresses and cell phone numbers. Maru would text cute or inspirational messages, or just text to say "Hi, I hope you're having an awesome day!" We talked on the phone a few times, when she was facing a breast cancer scare. Her voice sounded like a young girl's and in some way, fit perfectly to the avatar she used as her profile picture.

Our happy little NHL Connect group splintered after more than a year spent in playful trash talk, epic blog posts, hockey limericks and one fantasy hockey league. When the break came, I found myself on one side of the disagreement, Maru ended up on the other side. She sent me a few emails after that but I did not respond, as I disagreed with her argument. And so, I released her and our budding friendship. 

This morning, I received a message from another Connect friend, telling me that Maruschka had passed away. Not from breast cancer, but from a car accident in Italy over the weekend. My mind immediately flew back to those happy Connect days; to banter, laughter and silly limericks. And to a baby-voiced Stars fan from San Antonio who called herself Marushka. At this point, I can hear some of you wondering what disagreement could splinter a group that got along so well? I won't rehash the ugliness; it's in the past. All I can do is hope that Maru did not suffer... and pray that she's at peace.

Tuesday Puckpourri: Catching up + World Juniors

I can't believe I haven't posted here since December 1. But I've been a busy bee over at From the Rink.
Here are links to a month's worth of posts, for those of you who haven't been venturing over there too often.

1. (posted Dec. 3)  Hockey Canada invites 39 players to WJC selection camp, including 17 WHL'ers

2. (posted Dec 10) WHL: Team USA, Schenn's back, teddy bears and outdoor action
3. (posted Dec 17) WHL: Oh, Canada! Plus, an inside look at Schenn; teams that give back and one coach, many moves
3. (posted Dec 24)  WHL at the World Juniors, plus predictions
4. (posted Dec 27)  WJC: Day One recap: There's no such thing as a "sure thing" in this tournament
5. (posted Dec 31)  WJC: Steamrollers, head shots and one bad break
6. (posted  WJC: Canada & Russia going for gold; USA to play Sweden for bronze

Speaking of World Juniors... I've predicted Canada getting the gold since before the tournament began.  Here's hoping my prediction mojo holds out. (Note to sports fans: I predicted that the University of Washington Huskies would beat the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Holiday Bowl, even though the Huskers thrashed the Dawgs 56-21 in regular season play. Turns out, I was right.... so... let's see if my luck holds out.)

Wednesday Puckpourri - Flames should be burning with embarassment; 17 WHL players invited to Team Canada WJC selection camp

The Canucks/Flames game just ended and all I can say is WOW. To quote my friend Shawn, who described another game the same way - the Canucks scored a touchdown, while the Flames scored a safety. A 7-2 loss is more than embarrassing. I'd say it's downright humiliating. And we all sat here watching the Flames falter and fall apart, kind of like a train wreck. Kind of? Let me amend that. The Calgary Flames WERE a train wreck in motion.

Mason Raymond scored his second career hat trick, with one goal in the first and two in the third. He also assisted on the Canucks' second goal, by Jeff Tambellini. Raymond sure had a lot of accuracy tonight, considering he fired just four shots on net. Daniel Sedin, Alex Burrows and Dan Hamhuis also scored for Vancouver. Tim Jackman and Alex Tanguay tried to keep the Flames in the fight, then the Canucks blew things wide open in the third, turning the Scotiabank Saddledome into their own personal shooting gallery.

I'm sure bigger Calgary and Vancouver fans than I will post their own, more colorful blogs about tonights fiasco game. When I see their posts, I'll link them here.

I'm excited that 17 WHL players have been asked to attend Team Canada's WJC selection camp, including Everett Silvertips d-man Ryan Murray and Seattle Thunderbirds goalie Calvin Pickard. I wrote up a brief story for the KING5.com site and listed all 39 players invited to attend. You can read it by clicking here.

Friday Puckpourri - New stuff for From the Rink & Hockey Recon

Spent some time this week writing up quarter-mark reviews for the Penguins and Blues for Hockey Recon. The Pens one was kind of easy, while the Blues review was a little more difficult, as I haven't seen many St. Louis games this season (I'm kind of glad I didn't - because I would not have wanted to see TJ Oshie break his ankle.

My co-bloggers at Hockey Recon took on a number of other teams. You can read all of our reviews - and chime in with your own, by clicking here.

My weekly WHL offering for SB Nation's "From the Rink" focuses on the US Division, as kind of a quasi-tribute to Thanksgiving. I like how it turned out - it features different things about each team, and includes a brief interview with Tri City Americans Head Coach Jim Hiller. You can check it out by clicking here.

I'm going to try to catch a T-Birds or Silvertips game tomorrow night. We'll see. I might end up listening to the game on the radio.

What games have you been to lately????

Thursday Puckpourri: The meaning of Gratitude, via Adam Proteau

I'm sitting in my kitchen, trying to warm up while more snow falls outside, trying to make a list of everything that I'm grateful for this year. As usual, I was procrastinating and distracting myself by checking out Twitter, Facebook and an old episode of "Law & Order" (the one loosely based on Michael Jackson's obsession with kids).

I was just making my third round of Tweets when one caught my eye. It was from The Hockey News and read: "In his blog, THN's Adam Proteau - @ProteauType - offers holiday thanks to the real heroes of the hockey world." The tweet came with this link: http://ow.ly/3fvjb

Being the curious person that I am (and always looking for another distraction); and having liked other blogs by Adam, I clicked on the link and for once, I am happy that I procrastinated. This is the most eloquent, thoughtful story I've read in a long time and really illustrates the true meaning of gratitude. 


I'm thankful for people like Adam, to look past the obvious, to find gems that shine more brightly from the inside.

Thursday puck-pourri: Hockey Recon and an earth-shaking shave

Some old NHL Connect buddies and I started a blog called Hockey Recon. We wanted to call  it NHL Reconnect because that's basically what we did: reconnected. But.. you apparently can't use "NHL" in a blog title unless the NHL starts the blog.

Anyway.

We created a blog called "Hockey Recon" - which sounds cooler than "Hockey Reconnect" because the wider world wouldn't really get it. (not that we ever cared, but...). The blog went live last week and there's already a bunch of hockey goodness posted there. I like Hockey Recon because it lets me show a side of myself I can't show anywhere else. The stuff I write for KING 5, From the Rink and Hockey Independent are more serious, fact-based and more MSM. The stuff I write for Hockey Recon lets me express opinions, no matter how off the mark or silly, because they're MY opinions and thoughts.

My first "official" post for Hockey Recon concerns what I perceive to be a disservice that the NHL perpetrated on Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. You can read about it by clicking here.

Earth recently tilted on its axis a little and I now know why: GEORGE PARROS SHAVED HIS PORN-STACHE. I have to thank the Puck Daddy blog for showing the video of George doing the dirty deed and explaining why he chose to part with his most identifying feature (yes, even more so than this Anaheim Ducks uniform), and the reason is pretty heart-warming. He decided to shave his mustache and regrow it for "Movember" - a mustache-growing fundraiser that raises money and awareness of cancers that affect men. You can read more about it on Puck Daddy by clicking here.

That's all I've got for now. To those of you who are a little frustrated because all you see when you come here are links to stories I've written elsewhere, I apologize. I'm writing in so many places right now, there's nothing left for me to post here. Or at least that's how I feel right now.

Here's where you can find my stuff:

From the Rink - an SB Nation blog (I have a Friday column that covers the WHL)
Hockey Independent (I cover a variety of features and sometimes the Los Angeles Kings)
KING 5 Sports (I cover the WHL's US Division, mostly the Seattle Thunderbirds & Everett Silvertips)
Hockey Recon (I write about whatever strikes my fancy, hockey-wise)
CCPT Hockey (the blog for the radio show I co-host with my friend Cassie McClellan from Raw Charge and From the Rink)

If I pop up anywhere else, I'll be sure to post a link. In the meantime, thanks for being interested enough to stop by. I can tell by the StatCounter info that you come from all over and it warms my heart to know that you've stopped by, even if only for a few seconds.

Slapshot Striptease - Just because.

Where does the time go?

Seriously, where does the time go? It's already Saturday, October 30 and I haven't bought Halloween candy or even put up any decorations. Well, I hardly put up decorations anyway so that's no big thing. What I *have* been able to do, however, is write. Just not for this blog!

Here's a link to a story I wrote for Hockey Independent, about Hockey Fights Cancer and the first ever #Hashtag battle between two NHL teams to raise money for charity: "Fighting Cancer, one hashtag, auction and game at a time." -> http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/motleysu/25004/

I also completed my third colum for From the Rink.
http://www.fromtherink.com/2010/10/29/1781030/whl-el-nino-pink-the-rink-grow-vember-tv-hockey-jobs

I just joined another blog- but this one is very dear to my heart, as it's comprised of some of my closest hockey friends. We met nearly three years ago on NHL Connect, back when it was a FUN place to hang out. I remained friends with a couple of people but reconnected with the rest on Facebook. We just decided to form our own blog to continue the fun we had at NHL Connect. Here's the link if you're interested in following our shenanigans: http://hockeyrecon.blogspot.com/

I have some good features in the works and can't wait to share them with you. In the meantime, tell me which WHL teams are surprising you right now, whether for good or bad.

Also... GO UAH CHARGERS!!!!!

Saturday puckpourri: Giving from the heart; learning curve and UAH on TV

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a sucker for a "feel good" story. And nothing is more "feel good" than learning about players and teams who give from the heart. I know pretty much every team out there gets in the act during October, which is "Hockey Fights Cancer" month, but one NHL agent has launched a movement to get players and fans alike to think about giving

From the Rink

This is just a short update to talk about a weekly column I'm writing for the website FROM THE RINK. FTR is part of SB Nation and staffed by some amazing hockey writers and an awesome editor, Mike Chen. I'm very honored to join their ranks. I'm covering the WHL for them right now. We'll see how things go.

Anyway, here's my latest offering for them:
http://www.fromtherink.com/2010/10/8/1739455/whl-wins-losses-and-leaders-so-far

Check it out, leave a comment and let me know if I'm on the right path.
Thanks!

Homage to anthem singers - courtesy of the Hanson Brothers

Monday Puckpourri: WHL season underway; CCPT Hockey expands to 2 HOURS LIVE; new hope for UAH and one more thing!

The WHL season started over the weekend, which means I am in hockey heaven right now! Having two teams within (relatively quick) driving distance isn't bad, either. The Everett Silvertips are starting things off with an 8-GAME HOME STAND. You can't get any better than that! Two games ar already in the books for the 'Tips - both wins (They beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 Friday night and the Vancouver Giants 5-2 Saturday night. This Friday, they welcome the Kamloops Blazers to Comcast Arena, followed by the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Saturday. For game times and tickets, click here.

The Seattle Thunderbirds rebounded from their last-second loss to the 'Tips by handily thrashing the Portland Winterhawks Saturday night at ShoWare Center. Before dropping the puck on their home opener, the team and fans paid tribute to Glen Goodall, the most prolific scorer in T-Birds history. To take a look at his numbers, check out his profile at HockeyDB.com. I couldn't believe some of the numbers I saw! For example: during his final year in Seattle (89-90), Goodall had 76 goals and 87 assists for 163 points. Does that look like a typo or what?? Anyway, the crowd welcomed him back in high style and his 16 year old daughter thrilled everyone with her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Then, the T-Birds showed what they learned over the summer, beating the Winterhawks 4-1. After the game, I conducted my very first post-game interviews, with Head Coach Rob Sumner and T-Birds d-man Brenden Dillon. You can read my entire wrap up, plus interviews on the KING 5 Sports site. Or just click here.

My friend Tyler Hunnex is one of the finest T-Birds hockey minds I know - and is busy adding to his popular blog, "Let's Go Birds." You can check out his wrap-up of opening weekend, plus a player-by-player overview for the season. Just click here.

I guess this is also a good place to remind you to read my WHL stuff over at "From the Rink."

My friend Cassie McClellan and I are having a blast co-hosting the CCPT Hockey show over on BlogTalkRadio.com.  We've garnered a faithful following who tunes in at 3pm Pacific/6pm Eastern/11pm UK every Sunday to listen to us banter with each other and a myriad of guests for an hour live and even longer on the archive podcast. This past Sunday, the show expanded to TWO HOURS live, plus longer in the archive podcast. We had a lively conversation with 5 guests: Eric Naughton, a Pens fan and cancer survivor, who's chronicling his post-cancer quest to learn how to play hockey with a documentary called "Life, Cancer and the Pursuit of Hockey," Matt Wagner, Columbus Blue Jackets blogger, Anthony Curatolo, co-founder of The Hockey Guys, writers for The Fourth Period, Hockey Independent and a bunch of other sites, as well as co-host of his own BTR show called The Hockey Guys. He's also a diehard Flyers fan; Marilyn aka "Macksayev" - a good friend of ours from our NHL Connect days and very knowledgeable about the Buffalo Sabres and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League; and "Super" Dave Block, a Leafs fan who works the NHL Rookie Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan every year (and knows about the Red Wings by osmosis, as he lives in Michigan). Not only did we fill the entire LIVE two-hour block, our podcast portion ran almost an extra hour! You can check out that show and all our other shows by clicking here. We also have a show blog: http://ccpthockey.blogspot.com.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am extremely passionate about my would-be alma mater, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and its hockey program. The Chargers have withstood so much adversity, only to thrive and produce some top-notch human beings who also happen to play hockey. So far, only one Charger has cracked an NHL lineup (Jared Ross, first with the Philadelphia Flyers last year; now, with the Atlanta Thrashers), but that doesn't change the fact that the guys are first-rate. Last year, when the CHA dissolved, all of the teams found new homes within the WCHA and CCHA. EXCEPT the Chargers. UAH is playing as an independent program this year (they're no stranger to that!) but after that, the future is a little cloudy for the Chargers. I firmly believe that recent news that Penn State wants to start a Division I hockey program (men's and women's) may breathe a little life and hope into the Chargers. My friend Derek Zona (from "Copper and Blue" and "From the Rink") wrote up a very nice outline of just how the NCAA hockey landscape could change once Penn State hits the ice. As of right now, I'm saying, "Come on, Big 10 - get going so UAH can join the CCHA or WCHA and stay alive!"  To read Derek's story and comment on it, just click here.

Now, for that ONE MORE THING.

I want to make the ULTIMATE hockey playlist, but I need your help! Share your favorite songs heard at hockey games. Once I get enough submissions, I'll create a playlist to share. It can be as obvious as Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll, Part 2" - to the opening strains of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck."  But try to be obvious and give me something that might not have been played to death already (hint: think Europe. Yep, I know that keyboard intro is playing in your head right now!)

That's it for tonight. If I forgot something, I'll post another blog.
Happy Hockey, everyone!!

Sunday puckpourri: Hockey, music and dropping the pen when players drop the gloves

T

The 2010/2011 WHL season is officially underway, with 8 games already in the books. Here's a look at last night's scores:

Brandon 5, Regina 4
Lethbridge 5, Calgary 3
Red Deer 4, Edmonton 1
Swift Current 4, Moose Jaw 1
Saskatoon 3, Prince Albert 2

Kamloops 5, Prince George 2
Vancouver 9, Chilliwack 4
Everett 4, Seattle 3

Folks who attended the Vancouver-Chilliwack game last night got quite a show. 7 different players scored for the Giants, while Brenden Gallagher and Marek Tvrdon scored TWICE in what can only be described as a ROUT. Here's a list of Giants who scored: James Henry, Dalton Sward,Jordan Martinook, Matt MacKay and Captain Craig Cunningham. Gotta give props to Bruins LW Ryan Howse, who had a had a hat trick in Chilliwack's losing effort. Jamie Crooks also scored.

The big season opener here, of course, took place up at Comcast Arena in Everett, as the Silvertips faced the Seattle Thunderbirds in an exciting showdown. The T-Birds hit the scoreboard 2:50 into the first period on a goal by German player Marcel Noebels. Luke Lockhard put Seattle up 2-0 with a power play goal at the 13:54 mark. Everett cut the lead by one less than 30 seconds later, with a goal by Campbell Elyniuk.  Kellan Tochkin tied things up for the Tips on a power play 3/4ths of the way into the 2nd period, but Burke Gallimore scored a power play goal two minutes later to put Seattle on top again 3-2. Tyler Maxwell scored on a power play early in the third, then sealed the game for the Silvertips with 38 seconds left on the clock.  Final score: Everett 3, Seattle 2.

Saturday Puck-pourri: A new column, Super-Sized Sunday and an awesome dinner/T-Birds game deal

Now that we're on the brink of a new hockey season, I need to knuckle down to some serious writing, especially as I've added a new column to my repertoire. The nice Mike Chen at FROM THE RINK has invited me to cover the WHL for them and I've said yes. However, I will NOT be doing a WHL blog for SB Nation this season. Since I've rejoined the ranks of the employed, my writing time has been severely cut and I need to focus the majority of my attention on writing my second novel and promoting the first. There IS time for hockey, but not to the extent that I would have had to commit myself.

Anyway, back to FROM THE RINK. I posted my first blog for them on Friday (my regular posting day)- a little blip about the WHL's pre-season action that's already under way. If you want to check it out, just click here.

Many of you know that I co-host a hockey show on Sundays with my friend Cassie McClellan. Some of our friends also have shows on Sundays. Tomorrow, three shows are joining forces for one SUPER-SIZED SUNDAY HOCKEY EXTRAVAGANZA. The Hockey Guys, The Program and CCPT Hockey will air as one mondo show starting at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern. We've never done anything like this before. It should be pretty interesting, to say the least.

The Seattle Thunderbirds are going to be fun to watch this season. Last year was the beginning of a time of rebuilding for the team. This year, the 16 year olds are older and wiser, and goaltender Calvin Pickard is on tap to have a hell of a season. There are many critics writing off the T-Birds, but I think we're in for a few surprises. To make things even better, Salty's Seafood is teaming up with the T-Birds to offer its "dinner and a game" special again. $55 gets you a 3 course meal, transportation to and from ShoWare Center and a ticket to the game. Right now, the offer is for the home opener on Saturday, September 25 against the Portland Winterhawks and the game on Friday, November 19 against the Spokane Chiefs, but expect to see that list expand as the season goes on. To check out the menu and other details, click here.

Here's a look at some of the features I'm working on right now to post in the coming days and weeks: A piece about some of the more amazing women of hockey's blogosphere; a story about the WHL's awesome scholarship program, featuring interviews with several players who have benefited from being able to go to school after aging out of the league; and a chat with the play-by-play guys of the WHL's US Division.

As you wait for the WHL's season to fully kick off (yes, I'm mixing sports), here's a list of websites you might want to bookmark or keep in a handy place:

The WHL

US Division Teams
Everett Silvertips
Seattle Thunderbirds
Portland Winterhawks
Spokane Chiefs
Tri City Americans

Other Western Conference Teams
Chilliwack Bruins
Kamloops Blazers
Kelowna Rockets
Prince George Cougars
Vancouver Giants

Eastern Conference Teams

Brandon Wheat Kings
Calgary Hitmen
Edmonton Oil Kings
Kootenay Ice
Lethbridge Hurricanes
Medicine Hat Tigers
Moose Jaw Warriors
Prince Albert Raiders
Red Deer Rebels
Regina Pats
Saskatoon Blades
Swift Current Broncos

Silvertips, T-Birds open training camp

The Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds are ready to start the new season. Both teams are holding training camp this week. The ‘Tips started things off today by holding weigh-ins. On-ice sessions begin tomorrow at Lynnwood Ice Center (19803 68^th Avenue W, Lynnwood) and culminate with the annual Green-Grey Game at 12:30pm on Sunday, August 29. The game, as well as the on-ice sessions, are open to the public and free, but fans are encouraged to donate $5 to the American Red Cross during Sunday’s scrimmage. All proceeds will benefit families who were displaced by the fire at Lynnview Apartments on Monday, August 9^th.  The following weekend (September 4, 5, 6), the ‘Tips will host the 7^th Annual Holiday Inn Preseason Classic tournament at Comcast Arena, featuring the ‘Tips, Seattle Thunderbirds, Portland Winterhawks, Spokane Chiefs, Tri City Americans and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds from the OHL. (Note: Silvertips Head Coach Craig Hartsburg played his junior hockey at Sault Ste. Marie, where one of his teammates was the “Great One” himself, Wayne Gretzky). You can find more information about Silvertips’ training camp and the preseason tournament by clicking here.

The Seattle Thunderbirds will hold Prospect Camp tomorrow through Saturday (August 26-28). The prospects will take part in their first scrimmage tomorrow from 5–7pm at ShoWare Center in Kent. They’ll take part in two scrimmages on Friday: 8-10am at ShoWare Center, and 4:30-6:30pm at Kent Valley Ice Centre (6015 S. 240^th St., Kent); and one on Saturday: 10am-Noon at ShoWare Center.

The main training camp for returning players gets underway on Saturday, August 28. Players will take part in 2 practice sessions and 3 scrimmages at ShoWare Center:  6-8:30pm Saturday, Sunday and Monday. All scrimmages and on-ice sessions for prospect and main camp are open to the public. Fans attending sessions at ShoWare Center should enter from the east side of the building. The Hockey Store will also be open during all scrimmages. For more information about the Seattle Thunderbirds' training camp, click here.

Single game tickets for the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds are now on sale, but if you’ve been thinking about treating yourself to season tickets, there are plenty available. You can find more information at each team’s website. Just click on the links above.

Thurdsday Puckpourri: Kent Simpson's Draft, Zack Dailey's college ambitions

Monday Puckpourri: Golfing w/ TJ Oshie, Dancing w/ Radko Gudas & Thomas Hickey's rehab

Cassie and I had kind of a fun show yesterday. Well, we had fun once things got into place! Our special guest, Timothy Oshie (Coach Osh) was driving through the Badlands of North Dakota and his call kept dropping. Before he joined us, I lost my focus and completely blanked out. However, Cassie, our first guest Ola and our friend and frequent guest Meg picked up the slack while I regained control and went hunting for Coach Osh. Once he was locked in, we had a great chat about he and TJ's upcoming charity golf tournament/auction/benefit on July 28 and 29 in Grand Forks, ND. He also talked about TJ's hockey beginnings and the battle over UND's "Fighting Sioux" name. If you missed the CCPT Hockey show, click here to get to the podcast. If you're interested in taking part in TJ Oshie's golf tournament, click here for more info.

Everett Silvertips fans are lamenting the fact that defensive star Radko Gudas isn't returning to the Cable Box. He turned 20 years old in early June, then a couple of weeks later, the Tampa Bay Lightning selected him in the NHL Entry Draft. Radko and I had a great chat about the next step in his career, life in the Czech Republic, hockey fans and his special hobby: ballroom dancing. If you want to read about it, click here.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have been a huge fan of former Seattle Thunderbirds d-man Thomas Hickey for years. Since he left the T-Birds to join the Manchester Monarchs and try to crack the LA Kings lineup, he's had to battle more than other prospects vying for the same position. He's recovering from shoulder surgery and a high ankle sprain that pretty much sent last season down the drain. My friends over at Frozen Royalty caught up with Thomas at prospect camp and talked to him about rehab and what he's focusing on in his quest to make the team in the new season. Thomas was his usual honest self and I know I'm not the only one who's cheering for him to find the success he richly deserves. Click here to read more about Thomas.

Silvertips Snippets: Simpson, Gudas, Theriau drafted, Street Hockey challenge and pre-season tourney

The Everett Silvertips are celebrating a trifecta. Three 'Tips were taken in the NHL Entry Draft last weekend in Los Angeles. Goaltender Kent Simpson was taken #58 by the Chicago Blackhawks, while defensemen Radko Gudas and Alex Theriau went #66 and #109 to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars, respectively. I'll be posting interviews with Kent and Radko up at the KING 5 sports site before the weekend is out. Unfortunately, I was not able to get in touch with Alex but I'm sure he's excited to be affiliated with the Stars. The Silvertips website has a number of stories about the three. You can find them by clicking HERE.  I did a post-Combine/pre-Draft interview that does not appear on the Silvertips website. However, it IS over at the KING 5 site so click HERE to read it.

                                                     Kent Simpson - now a Blackhawks prospect

                                                       Alex Theriau - now a Stars prospect

                                                      Radko Gudas - now a Lightning prospect

 The Silvertips are hosting a street hockey tournament on Saturday, July 17th. The action will feature 4-on-4 teams, with lots of prizes. Each entrant also receives a free ticket to the Silvertips' home opener against the Vancouver Giants on Saturday, September 25th. For more information about the street hockey tournament, click HERE.

Everett is also hosting a pre-season tournament September 3-5 at Comcast Arena. In addition to the Silvertips, Seattle Thunderbirds, Tri City Americans, Spokane Chiefs and Portland Winterhawks, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL will take part in the tournament. Why Sault Ste. Marie? That was Head Coach Craig Hartsburg's junior hockey team. He also coached them, and very successfully, too. You can get the complete pre-season schedule by going to the Silvertips' website. Just click HERE.

T-Birds Tidbits: Calvin is an Av, Fan Photo Contest, and the LeBron sweepstakes

The Seattle Thunderbirds are pretty busy this off-season. First, they see star goaltender Calvin Pickard selected 49th overall by the Colorado Avalanche at the NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles. (Link to my Calvin story at the KING 5 sports page here).

 L-R: Russ Farwell/T-Birds GM, Calvin, Rob Sumner/T-Birds Head Coach  (Photo: Su Ring)

Having an NHL prospect just doesn't seem to be enough for our T-Birds friends. They've also decided to throw themselves into the free agent frenzy surrounding NBA phenom LeBron James.On their Facebook page, the Birds offer King James all sorts of perks, including (but not limited to):

*Grand Marshall of the Kent Cornucopia Parade
*Friendly billet families that will welcome LeBron into the Kent community.
*Free Preferred Parking at ShoWare Center
*Two free tickets to Opening Night of the 2010-11 season against the Portland Winterhawks in addition to a 24-Flex Ticket Package.
*Lunch with Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke (pending Mayor’s schedule) and Cool Bird.
*Use of both Allied Waste Zambonis for personal recreation.
*James St. leading to ShoWare Center will be renamed LeBron James St.
*A suite at ShoWare Center to watch the Backstreet Boys on August 5
*Entry fee will be waived for participation in the ShoWare Shootout 3-on-3 basketball tournament on August 6 and 7.
*Discounts at the Hockey Store in ShoWare Center

This fun promotion has been lauded and panned by fans and media alike. I look at it and see it for what it is: a bit of comic relief to help ease the summer doldrums. It's actually quite witty, if you think about it, especially the photo-shopped pic of King James in T-Birds gear.

LeBron James, new T-Bird? (Photo: Seattle Thunderbirds)

On a more serious, yet no less fun note, our friends in Kent have also launched a fan photo contest. They're looking for pix from all over the globe, featuring fans wearing T-Birds clothing. This contest kinda makes me wish I had planned a trip to Siberia or Antarctica. Click HERE for a link to the contest and let me see your best T-Birds fan pix!

The puck drops on pre-season play in early September (Sept. 5, to be exact), when the Birds take part in a tournament up I-5 at Comcast Arena, hosted by the Everett Silvertips. In addition to the T-Birds, 'Tips and tournament regulars Tri City Americans, Spokane Chiefs and Portland Winterhawks, expect to see the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (Silvertips Head Coach Craig Hartsburg's junior team). You can find the schedule and ticket info by clicking HERE.

NHL Draft Stories at KING 5

Posted several hockey stories over at the KING 5 site.

NHL Draft Wrap Up (focusing on WHL players taken in the draft)

First Round Wrap Up

NHL Draft Prospect: Calvin Pickard Interview

NHL Draft Prospect: Kent Simpson Interview