Official NHL Hockey Thread

[Art Vandelay]

Pittsburgh Possible Host For 2011 Winter Classic
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―

The plans have been in the works for months now, but it looks like the NHL may finally be ready to announce next year's winter classic: the Penguins and Capitals at Heinz Field on New Year's Day 2011.

And all the pieces are in place.

The Steelers play their last regular season game Jan. 2 on the road, freeing up Heinz Field to become an outdoor rink on New Year's Day.

While the Penguins were in Montreal for Round 2 of the playoffs, NHL officials were in Pittsburgh photographing and measuring Heinz Field, figuring out where to put an NHL-sized sheet of ice.

Earlier this spring, Reebok paid Heinz Field a visit to discuss sponsorship and just last week the first round of ticketing talks took place.

So when can we expect the official announcement?

Sources say the league had hoped to break the news while either the Penguins or the Capitals were in the midst of battling through the playoffs.

But with the Montreal Canadiens eliminating both teams this postseason, it looks like the news may just come in the form of a press release in the next few weeks.

While Heinz Field will be hosting hockey this winter, there's one event it looks like it won't be home to this summer – Paul McCartney.

Sources say McCartney was considering two concert dates at Heinz Field this August, but now it looks like McCartney is favoring the Consol Energy Center.

Sources say McCartney prefers the new arena because it's indoors and he would receive a greater percentage of the ticket sales.

There's no word on when he may come to town or if McCartney might be the one to officially open the Consol Energy Center.

[battle?]

Originally Posted by Tecknowledgist

hahahahaha boston with the biggest NHL bed-shitting of all time

they have been shitting the bed all year long..
just took the playoffs too show everyone..
unless u had thomas in ur fantasy..
..
art..
i think u can almost book heinz field for the newyear classic coming up
vs the caps wud be the smart choice..

[kurupt_kw]

How about those Blackhawks?

That would be crazy if both Philly and the Hawks could sweep the conference finals.

[check two]

--Kings assistant Mark Hardy arrested for alleged sexual abuse against his own daugther.


Crazy, developing story out of Washington D.C. today. Former NHL defenseman and current Los Angeles Kings assistant coach Mark Hardy was arrested this morning for allegedly sexually abusing a woman in her 20's at the Mayflower Hotel. TMZ is reporting that the woman who issued the complaint is Hardy's 21-year old daughter.

Hardy will face a judge later today on the charge of misdemeanor sexual abuse.

Pressed for comment, the Kings released the following statement on the matter:

“We are aware of the charge. Due to the legal nature of this matter, we will not have any additional comments at this time."

A 15-year NHL veteran, Hardy played with the Kings, Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers and has been an assistant coach with the team since the 1999-00 season with a stop in Chicago in between.

We'll update this post as more information becomes available.

-sports.yahoo.com

[Sense-A]

Who do you guys see winning the Stanley Cup this year?

And how do you think the BlackHawks match up against the Flyers?

[Art Vandelay]

it's funny, but even though the flyers are coming out of the east as a #7, i think they have a good chance. the flyers are used to playing against offensive teams (penguins in their division and the caps in their conference) but the hawks don't ever have to play such a brusing team as the capitals. it will be an interesting match up.

and yes, i'm counting the habs out.

[Art Vandelay]

Who spilled the sand?
MONTRÉAL – There is not a beach within 180 miles of Montreal.

But during the second period of Saturday’s 3-0 shutout of the Montreal Canadiens, NBC’s Pierre McGuire reported during the national broadcast that “sand or some other foreign substance” had been spilled in the hallway leading from the Flyers’ locker room to the Bell Centre ice.

Sand can wreak havoc on the edges of hockey skates, causing players to slip and fall unexpectedly. It could be an explanation as to why an inordinate number of players were forced to leave the game for periods of time to have their skates re-sharpened.

No player or coach would confirm the incident post-game – or even suggest malice was intended – but by the third period, the Flyers laid down towels in the hallway to prevent the reoccurrence.

“We had skate issues, that’s for sure,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “You know, we lost [Mike] Richards three times, Kimmo [Timonen] two times, and I don’t know.

“I’m not familiar with the rumors, but we certainly had some skate issues.”

Scott Hartnell, Darroll Powe and Claude Giroux also missed shifts during the game to have their skates repaired.

“I think it was five times that I had to get my skates sharpened tonight, which is obviously a bit much,” Richards said. “I’m not sure [what happened]. I didn't check the carpet for [sand].”

Richards said Flyers assistant equipment manager Harry Bricker, the man in charge of skate sharpening, said the substance on the floor was “a little too big for being sand pellets.”

One player told the Daily News he had “never seen anything like it,” and confirmed the accuracy of McGuire's report.

Off-ice gamesmanship is nothing new in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for road teams. Players and coaches have long complained about having the hot water turned off for the post-game shower or even about between-period stat sheets not being available. But having an off-ice issue like that turn into an on-ice problem is a rarity.

To the Flyers’ credit, no player or coach was willing to point a finger and say the mystery substance was anything more than a mistake.

It’s just one more thing to watch for on Monday, as the Flyers attempt to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 13 years with a win over the Canadiens in Game 5.

[p-rok73]

Originally Posted by kurupt_kw

How about those Blackhawks?

That would be crazy if both Philly and the Hawks could sweep the conference finals.

Hopefully the Hawks win...I think the last one was during JFK's Presidency. It's been THAT long. GO BLACKHAWKS!

[kurupt_kw]

Originally Posted by p-rok73

Hopefully the Hawks win...I think the last one was during JFK's Presidency. It's been THAT long. GO BLACKHAWKS!

It's weird having my team head to the Stanley Cup finals. I've had to sit and watch some very shitty teams over the years. Last time they made the finals was '92. Being 11 and not as much of a die hard back then, I really don't remember it that much. I really hope they can pull it off!!

I don't really watch a lot of Eastern teams throughout the season so I'm not sure how they match up. I think they will play the way I thought Vancouver would play. Physical/punishing which could potentially be a very tough series for the Hawks.

[p-rok73]

I remember '92...I just read an interview with Mike Keenan & he said the Hawks weren't really ready to beat a team like the Pens. After that season the Wirtz' basically destroyed what was left o that good team. Eventually got rid of Keenan & pretty much started the downfall of a great franchise like the Hawks. I'm glad Rocky Wirtz is much more in tune with today's NHL. For example signing premier free agents, landing the classic game in Wrigley, televising home games, etc.

[Art Vandelay]

i remember '92. game 1 was a crazy comeback. i was on a school bus coming home from my 8th grade trip to geauga lake amusement park in ohio. i was listening to the game on a walkman. haha.

[kurupt_kw]

Being in Canada I rarely got the chance to watch the Blackhawks when I was growing up. It was always the Canadians or Leafs on tv. My Dad groomed me to be a Hawks fan and I was always a fan but back then I was only able to watch them play maybe 5-10 games a year. Every morning I would go and grab the paper to check stats and scores so I could somewhat keep up on what they were doing.

When they did make the finals in '92, from what I remember, I was only able to see one of the games. I remember being absolutely pissed off at my Mom because she wouldn't let me ditch baseball games or practices to watch the Stanley Cup.

We finally got an old C-span satelite dish and that's really when I was able to start following them. After all those years of watching shit Blackhawk teams, it's finally paying off to be a fan.

LOL That's awesome that you listened to it on a walkman.

[V4D3R]

Congrats Chicago - I picked two champions this year Saints and Blackhawks before the season started - made a nice chunk =)

[THE MASON]

big ups to chicago, first time in 49 years!!! lol, im not even a fan, but still thats quite a while.

next are the Leafs!!! LMAO

good game, anyone else think the overtime goal was a little anti climatic? took em a second to realize it was over

[kurupt_kw]

Originally Posted by Bronze Feet

big ups to chicago, first time in 49 years!!! lol, im not even a fan, but still thats quite a while.

next are the Leafs!!! LMAO

good game, anyone else think the overtime goal was a little anti climatic? took em a second to realize it was over

I didn't know what the fuck was going on. ha ha I thought the puck was in Leighton's pads.

I've been all smiles since the win!!!