Got My Costume At Goodwill

Hallowe'en - properly spelled with the apostrophe - is always a fun night for kids. For adults, it can be a great time as well if you have a great costume or at a party or both. I'll be spending my evening handing out candy to kids, so I'm hoping that I see one or two hockey-esque costumes. Knowing kids today, there will be a lot of Frozen costumes on girls while boys will vary from the scary to cute. In any case, here are some more musicians who have dressed up in a jersey while visiting hockey cities.

We'll start off with a musician whose hockey roots may not be apparent. DJ and music producer Tiësto hails from Breda, Netherlands, but the Netherlands don't have a deep history of hockey success on any stage. However, it appears that Tiësto has adopted some North American teams as he travels across the globe. He was spotted in Madison Square Garden sporting a Rangers jersey, and here he is on-stage at MTS Centre in Winnipeg sporting his own Winnipeg Jets jersey. Not bad for a kid from Holland, right?

One band that seemingly has transcended time despite writing no new songs is KISS. We saw them at the Stadium Series game in Los Angeles last year, and they were out touring the country once more in their newest iteration without Ace Frehley. I'm not going to get into why Ace isn't touring with the band, but KISS made a stop in Toronto where the entire band received personalized Maple Leafs jerseys! Not surprisingly, Dave Nonis tried to trade Singer twice during the show.

If you haven't heard of Chromeo, that's ok. I hadn't either before I found out they were a Canadian electro-funk/disco duo hailing from Montreal! Comprised of Dave 1 and P-Thugg, they play all over Quebec and have started producing music in English. Dave 1 was born in Montreal while P-Thugg was born in Lebanon and moved to Canada at age 8. Being that they grew up in Montreal, you know who they cheer for in the NHL, and P-Thugg was more than happy to wear the bleu-blanc-et-rouge. Vive les Canadiens!

Twisted Sister was once a highly-followed, hard-rocking hair band from the 1980s. Since that time, the band has seen several reunions happen with great success. Dee Snider is probably the most recognizable member of Twister Sister, and he was recently in Chicago to participate in their intermission puck-shooting promotion. The Blackhawks didn't miss a beat in putting Snider into a Blackhawks jersey! He actually looks pretty good in hockey apparel!

If there is one band who routinely seems to "stick it to the man" and trend away from the established order, Pearl Jam might be it. Pearl Jam emerged during the grunge rock era in the early-1990s, and Eddie Vedder, the group's lead singer, has been extremely influential outside of rock-and-roll as well. As it stands, you'd never expect to see Vedder in an NHL uniform, but he took to the stage in Minnesota recently while clad in Minnesota Wild colors! Great choice, Mr. Vedder!

I have little knowledge in the way of country music or musicians, but Eric Church is apparently a pretty big deal. He won the 2011 American Country Music Award for Top New Solo Vocalist, so the guy probably has a set of chops and can write some music. Again, I know little about the guy. What I do know is that his Outsiders tour took him through St. Louis recently, and Eric received his own personalized Blues jersey!

Kent Nagano might not be a name familiar to you, but he's a pretty big deal in the classical music and opera scenes. He's the music director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and the Bavarian State Opera, so the man knows his music. He was born in Berkeley, California, so you'd think he'd be more of a Kings, Ducks, or Sharks fan, but he's certainly come to enjoy his new adopted city. Mr. Nagano recently took to the stage wearing a Montreal Canadiens jersey! Vive les Canadiens!

Wait a second there, Canadiens. We have an update. Notice the title of this article - "Got My Costume At Goodwill"? Well, we have an update. The Canadiens gave Cee-Lo Green a jersey when he traveled through the city and performed a concert at the Bell Centre. I just assumed that most of these musicians toss the jersey in the back of their closets or give them to charity, but it appears that Cee-Lo doesn't do that. Ready for this shocker?

I received an email from Darren L. about a week ago asking if I was interested in purchasing a XXL Cee-Lo Green Montreal Canadiens jersey as he had seen it on HBIC. Initially, I thought it would be cool, but I declined as I have a Canadiens jersey in my collection. It then dawned on me to ask where Darren acquired this jersey since Cee-Lo Green would be the only person in the world (presumably) that would have a CEELO #1 Canadiens jersey. Darren's response? "Got it at a thrift store by Hollywood hills about 5 miles from his house". Nice, Cee-Lo. At least he didn't eBay it.

So there are your musicians in hockey costumes for Hallowe'en! I'm still shaking my head over the Cee-Lo jersey, but I guess hockey just isn't in Cee-Lo's wardrobe. In any case, I'm always looking for more so if you have a photo or two from a musician wearing a jersey as they perform at your local arena, please send them through! You will be credited for the find! And you want to see the full list, click here to see all the compiled musicians in jerseys!

Until next time, Happy Hallowe'en!

The Hockey Show - Episode 112

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced hockey radio show, is back with a show packed with hockey goodness! We have a ton of stuff to cover tonight, so be prepared as we'll be moving at a solid pace tonight! We even have a listener's email to discuss, and it actually fits quite appropriately with some of the events seen this past week in hockey! Let's get to the details!

First off, we owe a pile of gratitude to everyone who helped out UMFM last week with their pledges as Pledge-O-Rama 2014 was a resounding success! Your pledges helped the station raise $36,155.12, some $8155.12 over our goal of $28,000! That is OUTSTANDING and AMAZING, ladies and gentlemen, and we cannot thank you enough. If you caught the show last week, you know that we broke through the $28,000 goal on The Hockey Show, so it was a big night for us. Again, we couldn't have done that without your support and contributions, and we want to be sure we thank our listeners. Thank you, and know that we appreciate your support of the station that puts our craziness on the air!

Tonight, Beans, Columbus, and myself will talk about the John Scott suspension and the Ducks-Sharks line brawl, the Chris Kreider hit on Jonas Brodin and how he escaped supplemental discipline, the John Moore hit on Erik Haula and how he got five games for his indiscretion, our listener email and how it relates to the suspensions and indiscretions seen, the oh-fer-October put up by the Carolina Hurricanes, the NCAA graduation rates and how it applies to NCAA hockey, the Bisons women's team sending a veteran player to the Universiade Games, the recent games against the Lethbridge Pronghorns and who has stood out for the women, and what to expect for the men's games this coming weekend. In short, we're gonna be busy, so tune in at 5:30pm for all the action!

The phones will be open and live for chatter tonight, so feel free to call at (204) 269-8636! Hit us up on 101.5 UMFM on your radio dial in the Winnipeg region or you can listen live between 5:30pm and 6:30pm CT on your web-enabled device at the UMFM webpage! You can tweet us anytime you like by hitting us up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter. You can also post some stuff to Facebook if you use the "Like" feature, and I always have crazy stuff posted there that doesn't make it to the blog or show.

PODCAST: OCTOBER 30, 2014: Episode 112

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Get A Jump On The Holidays!

If you know anything about me, it's that I happen to really appreciate my headphones. I received a pair of SOL REPUBLIC Master Tracks headphones last year from SOL REPUBLIC, and I'm happy to report that they are still working as they were when I received them. A couple of people I work with asked me about them, tried them out, and they went out and purchased their own thanks to the comfort they provide while wearing them and the sound quality they provide. Needless to say, you can call me a fan, and I've used them to listen to out-of-market hockey games on bot my iPad and my laptop. It's almost like being there live!

Ok, I've gushed enough about my headphones, so let's talk about SOL REPUBLIC's new products. Of course, the holiday season is coming up, and you might be needing an idea or two when it comes to getting a gift. I will fully admit that SOL REPUBLIC products are a great gift, and those that receive them will love them.

First off, SOL REPUBLIC is introducing the Punk Wireless Speaker! This little wireless speaker fits in your hand, and can be used wirelessly as far as sixty feet away! It's water, dust, and shock resistant, making it your perfect speaker to use outdoors when you're sitting on the deck, at the beach, or anywhere else you want to bring some sound. With an eight-hour battery life, you don't have to worry about the speaker cutting out while you're out and about. Lastly, the price is entirely affordable for a wireless speaker at $69.99 (and ships for free!). Pretty awesome, right?

Secondly, I know lots of people who spend countless hours looking for their ear buds. Personally, I know I've had a couple of pairs disappear into thin air on me, so maybe you need to replace yours or replace a pair for someone else. If so, consider the SOL REPUBLIC Relays as your next pair! They have three-button controls and an inline microphone so that they can be used with your iPhone or other Apple devices, and they fit pretty well in my ears. The Relays do come in a one-button version, but it's the same price as the three-button version, so why not tack on the two extra buttons for free? These sell for $79.99 (free shipping!) and are actually less expensive than those sold by Apple!

Ok, so at this point you're probably wondering why I've turned HBIC into the Home Shopping Blog. Well, there's a good reason why. SOL REPUBLIC has graciously and generously allowed me to give away a pair of SOL REPUBLIC Relays to a reader of HBIC! Because the holiday season is approaching, we'll start this contest up in November. It will be a holiday-based contest and contain a social media aspect. I wanted you to be aware of it as I await the arrival of the package containing the SOL REPUBLIC Relays. I can't necessarily give away an item I don't yet have, right? Be ready, though, as the contest will start next week!

If you're looking for the Relays or the Punk wireless speaker for the holiday season, the best place to find them is at Best Buy, and the prices are the same as what you'll find at the SOL REPUBLIC site. Convenient? You betcha.

If you're looking to try to score your own Relays or Punk wireless speaker from SOL REPUBLIC, I highly recommend that you follow them on Twitter at @SOLREPUBLIC, on Instagram at @SOLREPUBLIC, and/or on their Facebook site.

I'll announce the contest details next week, so stay tuned right here on HBIC! It'll be fun, it'll be festive, it'll feature a social media aspect, and someone will come away with a new set of ear buds for their holiday season!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

One Is Better Than The Other?

I'll admit that things have changed. I used to be a fan of Chris Kreider. I like the tenacity he brought to the ice that worked in tandem with his doggedness for the puck and his nose for the net. I lost some respect for Kreider last season when he ran into Carey price in the Eastern Conference Final, and last night might be the straw that broke the camel's back. Kreider's hit from behind on a defenceless Jonas Brodin was cowardly, dangerous, and completely stupid. Following that, John Moore targeted the head of Erik Haula and sent him sprawling. These two Rangers need to sent a message because player safety seems to matter little to them until it happens to them.

Today, Neal is back with his thoughts on these two hits. I'll have more below his thoughts, but let's kick things off with a reaction towards Kreider's and Moore's actions in last night's Wild-Rangers game. Take it away, Neal!

I saw something last night that made me cringe. Anyone who knows me closely knows that I am a devout New York Rangers fan. I grew up as a young kid listening them on the radio as a way to fall asleep. I also remember vividly their magical run in '94 to their last Stanley Cup. As much blue kool aid as GTYC co-writer John says that I have drank, I was absolutely disgusted by the two plays I saw the Rangers players make last night.

Let's talk about Chris Kreider’s hit first on Jonas Brodin. Replays show that Kreider skates full force into Brodin several feet away from the boards from behind driving him head first into the boards. Kreider was given a match penalty and a five-minute major for boarding. There is simply no defending this hit. There was absolutely no reason why this play should have been made. Kreider, who has blazing speed, simply could have gone to the side of Brodin and bumped him off to the side. I'm actually shocked that the intent to injure wasn't called on this play as I feel like this play is more vicious than the John Moore hit. The NY Post has reported it is somewhat unlikely that Kreider will face a suspension given the fact that it was a reckless play. If that is the case, boohoo on the NHL. Kreider should get at least five games for what was a complete dirty play. He may not have "meant it", but, at some point as an NHL player, you have to know that you can't drive someone full-force into the boards from in front of the net. What disappoints me most about Kreider is I feel like he is already gaining a reputation as a dirty player.

Listen, I defended Kreider to the end about the Carey Price hit. To this day I still think he was tripped and sent into Price rather than him just running the goalie. The problem is that for fans of rival teams, this is another thing that adds to the tab of Kreider. It's another notch on the resume that makes him closer to someone like James Neal than he should be. Kreider is someone I expected to come close to thirty goals this season - he's an absolute beast given his size and speed - but he can't score if he's in the press box serving suspensions. While he is part of the future, I hope Kreider realizes that with guys like Anthony Duclair and Kevin Hayes breathing down his neck for playing time, if he becomes a liability based on penalties and suspensions he could become expendable. He simply has to play with an edge, but within control.

John Moore is a different situation. He was ejected last night for a nasty elbow delivered to Erik Haula in the second period. This also was inexcusable and dirty, but I’m not sure he deserved the intent-to-injure ruling. Moore's problem is that he is a repeat offender. A similar elbow happened in the Eastern Conference Final to Dale Weise of the Canadiens. Moore was suspended for that hit. It has been reported that Moore will not be required to have an in person meeting, though he can have one if he would like. This is just unacceptable. If he gets 5 games that is only about 7 percent of the season. Even 10 games this early in the season seem somewhat inconsequential. By January, we will forget that anything will have happened at all. These guys who are repeat offenders need to have some teeth in their discipline, otherwise there won't be a disincentive to the action. If the league office really do care about the safety of the players, 15-20 games should be perhaps a starting point for even a first-time offender on a particularly nasty hit. These players have to get the message that these kind of plays will not be tolerated at all.

I know what I have typed seems extreme, but in an environment where the players are bigger and faster it is absolutely necessary to protect the NHL players from needless injury. I don't want to be someone who is viewed as wanting a soft game - in fact, I love a nice tight checked game. However, the health of its players is vital to the league. For the star players, people pay big money to attend NHL games. You don't want to pay 100 bucks a pop to watch a Pens game while Sidney Crosby is out with a concussion. Whenever dirty plays happen, it hurts the bottom line of the league. For the players who aren't stars, their time in the NHL may be very limited. Not only every season are they fighting for a job, but they often make close to the league minimum. While that salary is a good chunk of change to the average citizen, if they are out of the league in a couple seasons and have trouble finding an outside career due to permanent effects of injury, that player may struggle the rest of his life. While playing in the league is temporary, the symptoms often are not.

As another side note, we all know that the NFL is starting to deal with the issues of lawsuits stemming from concussions and other injuries, it seems only logical that the NHL may face similar issues down the road. Considering sometimes that several franchises are teetering on the brink financially, anything like that that springs up could potentially cripple the league. The league has to be proactive in tougher suspensions for flagrant fouls in order to help some teams to simply survive.

In conclusion, I hope that the NHL brings the hammer down on Kreider and Moore. To me, it was a dark day to be a Rangers fan and overshadowed a tremendous comeback. It was doubly painful knowing this is the exact same thing we have accused other teams of doing. There is simply no other alternative. A light punishment for these two players is a step back in the issue of player safety.

Well said, Neal, and it's nice to hear a fan of the team with the offending players throw down the gauntlet in standing up for the opposition. Sometimes, in our devotion to the team, we can overlook or rationalize the behavior of players when it casts a negative light on the team, but it's refreshing to hear a fan look at this kind of problem objectively. Well done, sir!

First off, Kreider wasn't in Alain Vigneault's good books as it was. Kreider was removed from the Rangers' power-play units after he turned the puck over repeatedly. Adding some additional voluntary time in the press box won't get you out of the coach's doghouse either.

While it was announced earlier that Kreider will escape additional punishment for his hit on Brodin, I fail to see how the Department of Player Safety is looking out for player safety in allowing this kind of hit to pass by any supplemental discipline. Simply put, this is a failure on Stephane Quintal and his department considering the danger that Kreider put Brodin in. Kreider hit Brodin square in the numbers from above the goal line and drove him into the boards. That, readers, is the definition is a flagrant, dirty play. Apologies aren't needed, Chris - use your damned head!

Secondly, John Moore went head-hunting on Erik Haula. Haula fired the puck in on Henrik Lundqvist, and was in a vulnerable position when Moore struck. This hit looked a lot like the Matt Cooke hit on Marc Savard in terms of targeting the head, and the fact that Moore watched Haula cross the blue line, take the drop pass, and then fire the puck only proves that the intent Moore had was something other than "bodycheck". He could have easily bumped Haula with a shoulder-on-shoulder, but he crossed on front of Haula and led with his shoulder and elbow as he caught Haula's head. Simply put, it was a disgusting hit that could have had dire consequences considering that Moore basically blindsided Haula. This kind of crap needs to be cut out of the game, and I agree with Neal that ten games for a hit like this - especially with Moore being a re-offender - is nothing but appropriate.

You're welcome to sound off in the comments, and I'd like to see what the overall response to these two hits are. Do you defend them as "old-time hockey plays"? Do you want to see both players punished? Was one hit worse than the other? Sound off below, and we can discuss!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Wanna Go To The World Juniors?

I'll be honest in saying that I'd do almost anything to go to the World Junior Championships. ALMOST anything. A lot of people will cite the costs as being a major deterrent from going, and I can understand why. Ticket prices are insane, so there's gotta be a better way, right? And there is! HBIC is proud to present the best way to get to the World Junior Championships with everyone on your hockey team!

TIMBER MART wants to send you and a minor hockey team of your choice to see the World Junior Championships in Montreal this season! All you have to do is break out the camera, and start taking pictures of what hockey means to you! Here's the full information from TIMBER MART's site.

Our love for hockey is as diverse as our great country, and we express it in as many ways as the Great One could put the puck in the net. With the SharpShooter Photo Contest, we want to know what hockey means to you. Is it the competition? The superstition? 5am practices or 2am overtime celebrations? It could be anything, as long as it shows your love for this game.

The top 10 photos will each win a $500 TIMBER MART Gift Card, and if your photo wins the grand prize, the Canadian minor hockey team of your choice will get the trip of a lifetime to this year’s IIHF World Junior Championships in Montreal.

Pretty awesome, right? All you need is a camera, a love of the game of hockey, and a minor hockey team to send to Montreal for some of the best hockey they'll ever see! Great contest, right? I'm down for this. So how do I get started?

Glad you asked, Teebz! The SharpShooter Photo Contest is open from October 15th to November 16th, 2014, so get started! The easiest ways to enter are as follows:

1. Post on Instagram with the #TimberMart tag.
2. Upload it via Facebook.
3. Post on Twitter to @Timbrmart with the #TimberMart tag.
4. Upload it directly on the TIMBER MART Sharp Shooter website.

This contest is only open to Canadian residents, so I apologize to anyone not based in Canada. I didn't organize this contest, but I'm working on details for another one that's available more globally, so stay tuned! As of today, you have 22 days, Canadians, so take those photos and send them in via one of the above methods to get entered!

Before you know it, you and your chosen team of minor hockey players could be on the way to Montreal for a World Junior Championship game courtesy of TIMBER MART!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

California Dust-Up

Another friendly night in California tonight, eh? The Sharks and Ducks got together for a little old-time hockey tonight in Anaheim as they totaled up 165 minutes in penalties, five official fighting majors, and eight game misconducts. John Scott could be suspended for his role in the altercations in the third period, but the main theme of the night was that these two California rivals proved that they don't like one another very much.

Scott came off the bench in the third period and started a fight with Tim Jackman - a definite no-no - in the third period that opened up the can of worms between these two teams. There was always some risk that John Scott could lose his mind at any point, and we've seen him go off before. However, this fight was more him tackling Jackman and pinning him to the ice, causing other players to follow suit in dropping the gloves. But the fact remains true that Scott made a legal line change with the purpose of instigating a fight, and there will most likely be a phone call with the league in the coming days.

However, it was the four-man scrap in the corner that caught the attention of the officials and, ultimately, the cameras covering the game.

All I know is that this felt like a game from the 1970s featuring the Broad Street Bullies. Everyone had everyone else's back. Perry and Getzlaf were each assessed a fighting major and a game misconduct. Ben Lovejoy and Joe Pavelski squared off earlier in the period. Jackman and Scott wrestled for the second time in the game. This was, indeed, an old-time feeling.

In the end, San Jose defeated the Ducks by a 4-1 score, but the carnage on the ice is what will be remembered in the short term. John Scott will most likely have a few more days to reminisce about his actions as he's most likely going to suspended.

Does anyone still think hockey in California is a bad idea?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Live Blog: Central Division War

Since the last live blog between Carolina and Winnipeg was so popular, it's time to diversify and actually watch two good teams play the game of hockey. As you may remember, Chicago ended St. Louis' season last year in the opening round of the playoffs, and I'm sure the Blues want to punish their divisional foes if they can. Kane, Toews, Sharp, Keith, and the rest of the Blackhawks travel to St. Louis for tonight's game against the Blues. Live blogging starts shortly, so stay tuned for another goofy entry with comedy, acerbic commentary, and general laughter as we watch this game in high-definition!

PRE-GAME STUFF

• The WGN pregame show is coming to us from the empty United Center featuring season ticket holders skating in the background. I'm not what the point of having the two talking heads down at ice-level is if the Blackhawks aren't there.
• The two on-air personalities just informed us all that this is the first time the Blackhawks will be at Scottrade Center since last year's playoffs. Amazing how geography works, ain't it? 
• They are showing James Neal's goals against the Blackhawks from the last game. Isn't this a Blackhawks-produced broadcast? 
• Apparently the name of the show is "Blackhawks Extra", and it's sponsored by Buddig lunch meats. At least we know the spread in the media room is good at the United Center. 
• So I'm just finding out that Blackhawks Extra is a thirteen-minute program. I've now watched eight commercials. And it's not done. 
• Chris Miller, vice-president of ticketing and fan relations, is on the program talking about the big day for the season ticket holders. Everyone is gushing over the fans at this point. I'm pretty sure those Stanley Cups are a big reason why a lot of these people ARE season-ticket holders.
• This game is supposed to start at 7pm CT. I'm pretty sure this block of commercials will push that start time back to 10pm. 
• I can't believe that WGN or the Blackhawks need to sell this many commercials to have these two goofs on Blackhawks Extra. 
• Always knew Joel Quenneville was a MENSA participant: "If we wanna win this division, St. Louis is one of those teams we gotta go through." 
• Niklas Hjalmarsson: "There's a nice little rivalry building up there." Hey, Nik, these two teams have hated each other since the Blues were founded. Thanks for paying attention. 
• Patrick Kane: "When you get to the playoffs, it feels like you're battling for the Stanley Cup." Um... isn't that EXACTLY what it is? 
• Talking heads are yapping about how much the Blues are missing Vladimir Sobotka. In other news, no one has mentioned Sobotka since he signed in the KHL. 
• Another block of commericals. This should take us to puck drop. This half-hour program has about six minutes worth of programming.
• They're showing the upcoming games. Ottawa, Anaheim, and Ottawa. That should be two wins and a possible loss for the Blackhawks. Ottawa should just save airfare and mail them the four points.
• Gabriel Colon's story is being shown. Nothing wrong with this. This kid deserves a pile of happiness. Atta boy, Gabe! #75 for the win! 
• Steve Konroyd is giving his keys to the game. Konroyd was a fourth-liner all his life. If he's that good of an analyst, shouldn't HIS game have been better?

FIRST PERIOD

• The broadcast starts with a recap of the playoff series, and how physical this game will be. Let's just get on with it, shall we? 
• Pat Foley and Eddie Olczyk are introducing the game, and they start yapping about Andrew Shaw leading the 'Hawks in both goals and hits. Boys, let's see where he is at the quarter point of the season, alright?  
• Olczyk just called Marian Hossa "Big Hoss". Don't. Ever. Again.
• The above rhymed with "boss" just so we're clear. Ugh.
• Pat Foley wants a prime time Emmy with this game's call. This should be an interesting broadcast. He's into clichés and we haven't even dropped the puck.
• The WGN Morning Show looks at the serial killer in Indiana, how to navigate your daughter's "princess years", and the hosts dress-up pumpkins. Really, Chicago? This is what you deal with on a daily basis? 
• Antti Raanta starts for Chicago while the Blues send Brian Elliott to the blue paint. If I'm looking at goalies alone, I gotta give this game to the Blues.
• 16 seconds in, and Jay Bouwmeester is in the box for hooking. Blackhawks to the power-play. They're 5-for-26 thus far this season. Jay Bouwmeester is a dirty hooker.
• St. Louis is playing stupid hockey. Andrew Shaw threw a big hit behind the net on Barrett Jackman, and Jackman fell on Shaw and held him down. Two of St. Louis' better defencemen in the box - one for being a hooker and the other for smothering. 
• Chicago scores! Hossa to Kane to Sharp, and it's quickly in the back of the net. 1-0 CHICAGO! 
• Joannette and Hebert - The French Connection - are your referees. My boy, Ryan Galloway, is working one of the lines. Atta boy, Ryan!
• Blackhawks working the puck in all sorts of directions on the power-play. That's puck movement, kids. Watch and learn. 
• I totally forgot Kris Versteeg was playing back in Chicago. What the hell happened to his career? Oh, right... Florida.
• I love how the Blues send everyone to the net like it's a gold rush when the puck is shot. I don't know how Raanta saw anything. There were eight players, three fans, an usher, and a hot dog vendor around his crease. 
• Maxim Lapierre is still playing with St. Louis? Are we sure he's not still on a professional tryout contract? 
• Vladimir Tarasenko: fantastic hands, but makes three moves too many. He looks like a young Alex Mogilny. Just needs to shoot like Mogilny. 
• Actually, with all those moves resulting in no shots, he reminds me more of a young Alexei Zhamnov. SHOOT THE DAMNED PUCK! 
• In saying that, Zhamnov is one of two Jets to score five goals in one game. When he shot the puck, he was dynamite. When he didn't, he was Yashin. ZING!
• Trevor Van Riemsdyk called for being a hooker. Two for putting his stick where it shouldn't be. Power-play for the Blues.
• Does anyone feel that Alex Steen's season last year was an aberration in a two-way forward's career? I can't see him scoring 20, let alone 30, this season. Like the elder Steen, he's a serviceable forward, not a scoring whiz. 
• How many gold medalists are involved in this game? Don't forget Kevin Dineen as a coach of the Canadian women's team! 
• Daniel Carcillo has been spotted. He just skated off 40 seconds of his nightly four minutes of ice-time. Well done, CarBomb. 
• St. Louis scores! I have no idea how that got under Raanta, but Jaden Schwartz just shuffleboarded that puck into the net. 1-1 TIE GAME.
• Ever since Schwartz switched to #17, he's played a lot more like his sister. And that's not an insult in any means. RIP Mandi.
• I'm pretty sure there's an entire section of Blackhawk fans in the Scottrade Center. Everyone is wearing red Blackhawks jerseys in that section. ROAD TRIP! 
• CarBomb and Reeves having a discussion. I kinda want Reeves to pulverize Carcillo. 
• Brad Richards looks a lot like he did in New York: pointless. Both on the scoresheet and giving him a contract. 
• Olczyk is now calling Trevor Van Riemsdyk "TVR". Don't. Please... just don't. 
• If Richards was still playing under Torts, he'd be decapitated for that penalty. Richards sit for two or less for interference. 
• There are a lot of Blues alternate jerseys in the crowd. I know people weren't all that excited about them, but it appears the people in St. Louis are. Of course, they were about these too.
• St. Louis' power-play seems to be missing something. It just doesn't look like it did last season. Not sure why. Maybe it's because Steen's on pace for six goals this season.
• End of the first period and it's 1-1. St. Louis outshooting Chicago 16-9.

FIRST INTERMISSION

• Hey, 300 is gonna start on The History Channel. I'll be flipping channels for sure.
• Boston leads over Toronto 2-0. Thankfully, I'm no Leafs fan.
• Damien Cox on Sportsnet says that he thinks Tim Leiweke will be gone from MLSE by the end of the calendar year. Also known as when the Leafs' playoff hopes disappear.
• Buffalo will be sending Sam Reinhart back to junior. Zadorov may end up in Russia. Edmonton will keep Draisaitl. Edmonton is dumb. Buffalo is smart. 
• Hockey Canada gave Steven Stamkos, who was named to the team but couldn't play due to injury, a gold medal ring that the rest of the team got. Classy move. 
• Washroom break while Nick Kypreos yaps about Phil Kessel. Back in a moment.

SECOND PERIOD

• I thought St. Louis would start this period with more jump, but Chicago has them pinned in their own zone. This is like a Chicago-St. Louis game from the mid-1990s. 
• HBIC mascot Meg the cat has decided to take up residence beside me. If you happen to see keystrokes that don't make sense, she's taken over the blog. 
• Major props to Patrick Kane. He put his head down and back-checked harder than I've ever seen him do before. He turned a three-on-two for the Blues into a three-on-three. Wow. 
• Apparently it's another great defensive night for Phaneuf in Toronto. $7 million man? Only in liability costs. 
• Lehtera might be St. Louis's answer to Toronto's Petri Kontiola. Not sure why they signed him if he's not gonna do anything. 
• Barrett Jackman just got away with a clear check from behind on Brad Richards. Jackman won the Calder Trophy. Since then? He's irrelevant. Even on his own team.
• Dear David Backes: shots from 60-feet out on Raanta will rarely beat him. Try doing something. Anything. Be a threat. 
• I think both teams are playing for the tie here. Neither team is giving an inch. 
• Patrick Berglund: keeping the salaries of large-bodied Swedes at an all-time low since 2011! What a waste of a frame. Hit someone! Do something! 
• If you were wondering, Leonidas is addressing his army of 300 in the movie 300. Someone should play this scene before the start of every Jets game to the Jets themselves.
• Duncan Keith is now on the ice with Niklas Hjalmarsson. Not sure what this is about.
• Hjalmarsson will sit for two minutes. He crosschecked Backes in front of the net. No doubt on that one. Stop jawing, Nik. You got caught. 
• Blackhawks appear to be employing the chase-the-puck penalty killing strategy. Backes was wide open, but Raanta made a better save. 
• Jay Bouwmeester is the Canadian version of Toby Enstrom. Great talent, but never shoots. Even when no one is covering him. 
• The Blues' transition game moves at the same speed Morgan Freeman drove Miss Daisy around.
• Ben Bishop is killing my fantasy goaltending stats. And not in a good way. 
• I've never understood people who get their jerseys autographed. You can't wash them after that. Could you not find anything else for the guy to autograph? 
• Ed Olczyk just stated that Patrick Sharp chipping the puck in and not trying to deke around two good players caused the Blues to ice the puck. I'm not making this up. 
• HBIC mascot Meg the cat has officially gone to bed. I watched her walk up the stairs. Unless she's using the bathroom, there's only one other place she's going. 
• Michal Roszival: Chicago's Dion Phaneuf. Brutal turnover, and takes a penalty in trying to save a goal. How did this guy play in the Olympics? 
• Blues want to know if the puck crossed the line. Let me help: NOT EVEN CLOSE. 
• WHAT?!? They called that a goal??? How in the hell...?
• St. Louis scores! Somehow, Toronto's war room saw it go across the line. Not even sure how that's possible. Ryan Reeves scored. 2-1. ST. LOUIS.
•  The look on Ken Hitchcock's face says he didn't think it went in. Wow.
• The Blackhawks are rattled. St. Louis with all sorts of pressure.
• St. Louis scores! Dmitrij Jaskin fires home the rebound for his first goal! 3-1 ST. LOUIS!
• That'll do it for two periods. St. Louis leads 27-14 in shots and 3-1 on the scoreboard!

SECOND INTERMISSION

• I'm channel surfing. Updates on what I'm watching to come. 
• Ottawa and New Jersey tied 2-2 in OT. 4-on-3 for the Devils. 1:20 to play, and Jaromir Jagr ends the game with a wicked wrist shot! WOW!
• Bottom of the fourth inning in San Francisco, and the Royals lead the Giants 4-2.
• Boston beat Toronto 4-1. Ugly. Boston needed that win. Toronto just looked brutal.
• Montreal beat the New York Rangers 3-1. Montreal has been impressive. 
• King Leonidas just forced the Persian army off the cliffs. It's gonna get bloodier. 
• Apparently the puck DID cross the line in St. Louis.
  
  

THIRD PERIOD

• Blackhawks and Blues are both playing cautiously to start this period.
• Chicago scores! Sharp feeds Versteeg after three defencemen follow Richards and Sharp to the left side, and Versteeg buries it. 3-2 ST. LOUIS!
• Looked like the Jets' defensive scheme that the Blues were using on that last play.
• Despite Hjalmarsson being on for all three St. Louis goals, he's still so defensively sound. Great play on Tarasenko there.
• This has nothing to do with this game, but prayers go out to Huntsville Havoc player Justin Cseter of the SPHL. He was cut by a skate tonight and was down on the ice for a while. Lots of blood was on the ice, but Cseter waved as he was carted off by stretcher. Here's hoping he pulls through and is back soon. The Huntsville-Peoria game will be postponed because of the injury. 
• Blackhawks are moving the puck well. This could bode well for them. 
• Steve Ott just trucked over Brad Richards. Richards seems to be ok. Or thinks he's in Dallas as part of the Stars again.
• David Backes with a gorgeous centering pass to Brandon Saad. In front of Brian Elliott. I think Hitchcock is about to have an aneurysm. 
• Lots of cheating happening in the face-offs now. Both teams looking for an advantage.
• Steve Ott is a moron. He's a veteran. He knows the retaliation will always get called. Two for trying to hack Versteeg's leg off, and the 'Hawks have a chance to tie on the power-play.
• Blues killed the penalty that was almost exclusively played in their zone. Great kill! 
• We're under five minutes. Blackhawks are still pushing. Blues are bending, but have yet to break. This should be a good finish. 
• Great one-timer by Versteeg is handled by Elliott with traffic in front. There's 3:22 left. 
• Both teams are giving it everything they have. This is why the Central Division rocks! 
• Oshie and Keith just ran into each other, and Keith got the worst. He's back up, though. 
• Raanta is on the bench. Five forwards and Keith for the 'Hawks with 59.4 remaining. 
• Kevin Dineen drawing up a play on the whiteboard. Think it's the same play he called in Sochi with the Canadian women's team? 
• All sorts of pressure from the 'Hawks, and the Blues ice it with about three seconds to play. One last chance for the Blackhawks with the offensive zone face-off. 
• The horn sounds, and the Blues survive! A 3-2 win for St. Louis!
• This is the second game on WGN that I've watched where the Blackhawks have lost. I'm now calling it the WGN Curse.

That was a solid game. Good end-to-end action. Tomorrow, I may live-blog the Colorado-Winnipeg game. I have lots of Patrick Roy material to use, and the Avalanche get behind, we could have lots of faces I can post from Roy. In any case, St. Louis wins tonight, and the Blackhawks find themselves on a bit of a losing streak.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Jets Are TimBits Hockey

If you're a Tampa Bay Lightning fan, you were probably loving the way that the Lightning played tonight. They were aggressive, fast, and they didn't let up in handing the Winnipeg Jets a 4-2 loss. While there may have been a couple of losses in terms of personnel to injuries, Lightning fans have to be happy with young players like Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov, and Jonathan Drouin. If you're a Jets fan, you have to come away from this game frustrated with your team. Tonight's game featured two teams moving in opposite directions.

Let's be honest when we're talking about the Jets: they're going to miss the playoffs. The only questions are by how much and where will they be drafting. Tonight was a perfect example of a team that is mentally fragile, still learning how to play the game professionally, and figuring out that defence is all about hard work and determination in winning battles. The Jets did some of these things tonight, but there was a lot to be worried about when it came to their overall play.

The Jets outshot the Lightning by a considerable margin, finishing the night with 42 shots to Tampa Bay's 27. There is no remedy for a lack of scoring against a 6'7" Vezina-nominated goalie. The Jets threw a pile of pucks at Ben Bishop, and only found the back of the net twice. They should be happy that they found the net twice since Bishop looked solid all night. But you know coming into the game that you have to limit the Lightning offence to a handful of chances only if you want to win the game. The Jets, however, apparently didn't know this.

Stamkos and Drouin hooked up on the first goal on some nice passing for which Zach Bogosian had the best seat in the house.

Normally on a two-on-one, the rule of thumb is that the goalie has the shooter. In this case, the shooter would be Stamkos, so the best thing to do is force him to pass to a teammate who doesn't have the same sniping ability. Drouin, at that point in the game, had a total of zero goals on the season. But instead of forcing Stamkos to pass and then angling him away from the net, Bogosian allows the pass to get through to the streaking Drouin who has a step on Bogosian, and then he can't recover to stop the cross-crease pass back to Stamkos. In other words, Bogosian misplayed this from the moment Stamkos and Drouin crossed the blue line. The result? 1-0 for Tampa Bay.

These kinds of mental mistakes will kill the Jets this season. But Bogosian wasn't done there, although this next goal was the result of some horrific team defence capped off by another lackadaisical effort by Bogosian in front of his own net.

First, Adam Lowry makes his second mistake of the night that resulted in a goal. Lowry completely lost Tyler Johnson and floated far too high into the zone without noticing Johnson already going the other way behind him. With Toby Enstrom pinching near center ice, the Lightning had an odd-man rush without even doing any work. Both Johnson and Palat were already deeper into the Jets' zone that Enstrom, and he was the second man back. So who was the last man? You know it already: Zach Bogosian.

Again, the goalie has the shooter. This is a simple rule, but Bogosian heads across the ice as fast as he can to try to intercept Johnson only to watch the puck slide past him as Johnson passed across to the unimpeded, uncovered Ondrej Palat. Shot, red light, 4-1 Tampa Bay. And all Bogosian had to do to not be a factor in this goal was stay with Palat because Pavelec has Johnson in the two-on-one. Why do I feel like I'm video coaching a peewee team on this blog?

I know Adam Lowry is a rookie, but he made a rookie mistake that you'd see in junior hockey, not the NHL. This just can't happen in the NHL if you want to be trusted and on the ice in key situations. Here's the video of Jonathan Drouin's first NHL goal.

Did you catch Lowry peel off towards the blue line after he hit Drouin, allowing Drouin to skate off the half-boards directly towards the Jets' net? It happens right at the start of the video, so scroll back and take a look at it. Lowry isn't the only one to take some heat on this one, though. Let's point out where the Jets lose all sanity.

Mark Stuart watched Kucherov over the crossbar behind the net. He has his man covered, although "covered" is a relative term since Kucherov was able to do whatever he pleased with the puck. Jacob Trouba circles with Tyler Johnson and both head to the net, meaning that both Stuart and Trouba are now within feet of each other. Michael Frolik is covering no one and decides to pick up Johnson, causing Trouba to be left in no man's land in front of the net as he now has no check. TJ Galiardi is supposed to be covering the left point, and he's dropped down below the hash marks and is covering no one. Lowry has checked Drouin into the boards, and circled high to cover the point. The problem? He's the centerman on the line, so he should be where Frolik is.

Let's recap.

1. Stuart's coverage on Kucherov is pretty much useless, so he's covering no one.
2. Trouba's pursuit of Johnson is abandoned in front of the net, so he's covering no one.
3. Frolik was covering no one, and instead decided to cover Johnson which resulted in Trouba being left in no man's land.
4. Galiardi is supposed to be covering the point, but he drops down past the hash marks meaning he's covering no one.
5. Lowry checks Drouin, the goal scorer, circles off towards the blue line, allowing Drouin a direct path with no defender straight to the net. Lowry is caught out of position, not covering the point nor Drouin, and the Jets trail 2-0 seconds later on Drouin's first NHL goal.

Honestly, this team is getting worse year after year, and this acceptance of mediocrity has to end. No one in that locker room should be able to stare at himself in the mirror with a sense of pride. NO ONE. This is some of the worst hockey I've seen in my time watching the game, and it's worse than some of the crap we used to see in Atlanta from this squad. At least that team appeared to care about playing the game.

Mark your calendars, kids: the Jets are officially mathematically-eliminated from the playoffs as of tonight. A number of people will say, "Teebz, that's a little harsh considering it's only Game Seven in the season." To that, I say look at the video examples above. This team is horrid, and it's time that everyone in that locker room to start being accountable to the people in the stands that continue to spend their hard-earned money on this "entertainment".

Frankly, I can watch what the Jets do at any minor-hockey game in this city on any night. The only difference is that the kids playing minor-hockey will actually learn something at some point.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 111

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced hockey radio show, is back tonight with a special show! With UMFM's annual pledge drive, Pledge-O-Rama, currently happening, we're trying to raise as much money as we can to keep the radio station running smoothly. Costs are always increasing and revenues don't always increase, so this annual radio telethon keeps the station running and The Hockey Show on the air!

Because UMFM is a campus and community radio station, we don't rely on commercial revenues to make ends meet like most other stations. We serve the community by playing PSAs and commercials from our partners regarding community events, campus-related events, and additional spots for community-based initiatives. We don't sell commercial spots, so we don't generate the same income as most big radio stations. Repairing microphones, computers, soundboards and everything else is expensive. Expanding coverage in our FM frequency is extremely expensive. It's a business, and we appreciate all of your support and assistance in making UMFM awesome. Thank you! We cannot do this without you!

To show our appreciation, The Hockey Show will be offering up a draw for a pair of tickets to the November 6 show at Rumor's Comedy Club featuring Broken Lizard's Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme! Anyone who donates $25 or more will be entered into the draw! Tickets are $20 each, so two for $25 is a helluva deal! We're also offering up some additional incentives in addition to the draw for Heffernan and Lemme tickets, and the UMFM incentives will also be applied to any donation that meets an incentive goal! Your pledge goes a long way in helping UMFM and getting you a pile of gear from UMFM!

If you'd like to donate, you can call us at 204-474-6610 to make a donation. You can hit us via email and we'll call you back. Finally, you can always donate online as well. Again, we truly appreciate any and all support you can provide, and you'll get something in return for making a pledge to our little ol' radio station!

Tonight's hockey talk will include the tragedy in Ottawa and the postponing of the Toronto-Ottawa game, the Jets and their struggles against the NHL teams with wins on the season, Charlie Coyle signing a five-year contract extension with the Wild, the Pink in the Rink campaign that the University of Manitoba Bisons women's team is running this weekend, the Bisons men's and women's seasons thus far, and more! Again, we'll set you up with a pile of incentives if you donate on our show tonight, and we'll even try to get a few of you on the radio with us to talk some hockey!

It's the Pledge-O-Rama version of The Hockey Show! We're on the air at 5:30pm so tune in for all the action! We're on 101.5 UMFM on your radio dial in the Winnipeg region or you can listen live between 5:30pm and 6:30pm CT on your web-enabled device at the UMFM webpage! You can tweet us anytime you like by hitting us up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter. You can also post some stuff to Facebook if you use the "Like" feature, and I always have crazy stuff posted there that doesn't make it to the blog or show.

Don't forget to call at 204-474-6610 to donate, hit us via email, or head over to the UMFM website to donate! Help us reach our goal of $28,000 today - we're not far away from breaking through that number!

PODCAST: OCTOBER 23, 2014: Episode 111

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Unthinkable

I don't like writing about senseless loss, but it happened today. The man to the left is Corporal Nathan Cirillo, and he was gunned down in Ottawa today in what seems to be a random act of violence. Cpl. Cirillo was a reservist serving in Hamilton from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada regiment. He was just 24 when he met his ultimate fate today when a lunatic - yes, I'll use that term - walked up to him, put a rifle into his chest, and pulled the trigger at close range. This was a man who was dedicating his life to keeping those who live in our borders safe, and it was a man from within our border who took his life. He was far too young, and this act of violence is grotesque and senseless. It has left me quite angry.

I will not identify the gunman. He deserves neither recognition nor infamy for the choice he made today, but he is dead as well. The House of Commons sergeant-at-arms and RCMP officers shot him to death at the Parliament Buildings after he took Cpl. Cirillo's life. Again, he will not be recognized by me other than referring to him as the lunatic.

The tragedy in Ottawa today saw the NHL cancel the game in Ottawa between the Senators and the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. No one will fault the NHL or teams for that decision. This is a day of tragedy, and I feel for all of those whose lives were touched by Cpl. Cirillo, especially his family and friends. Nathan is a hero, and we should honour him as such.

In an act of true awesomeness, the Pittsburgh Penguins played the Canadian anthem to honour Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and as a show of support to the city of Ottawa and all of Canada. Here's Jeff Jimmerson singing both anthems tonight. Very classy, Pittsburgh.

Rest in peace, Cpl. Cirillo. You were taken far too early from us by a lunatic who didn't deserve the protection you provided him. You're a hero, and you'll always be a hero for all eternity. While the grief and loss will always be present for your family and friends, your legacy will live on.

Until next time, raise your sticks high in honour of Cpl. Cirillo!

Live Blog: Connor McDavid Watch

Boy, he looks excited, doesn't he? That's Connor McDavid of the OHL's Erie Otters, and I'll be live-blogging tonight's battle between two bottom-feeders in the NHL in the Carolina Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets. Both teams enter the game tonight on four-game losing streaks so someone will come away with two points, but this game could be tough to watch. Carolina is missing both Staals and a pile of other guys, and Evander Kane is still out for the Jets. Grant Clitsome will play his first game for the Jets, though, so there's that. Let's start up McDavid Watch here on HBIC with tonight's first battle between two teams that simply don't score goals!

FIRST PERIOD

• Anton Khudobin draws the assignment against the Jets while Ondrej Pavelec will suit up for the Jets in tonight's game. The funny thing is that these guys used to square off against one another nearly a decade ago in the AHL. And neither is truly a starter in the NHL yet. Go figure.
• Stacey Nattress has been the best member of the Jets franchise to wear the jersey this season. Consistent, solid effort every night. Always gives 110%. And now she's retired. Just sayin'.
• Matt Halischuk draws in for Anthony Peluso tonight. Less fights, more hits. Seems like a smart move.
• Doc Walker lights up the anthems. Get them a contract. More energy than Byfuglien's last game.
• Pavelec is a career 7-7-2 against Carolina. Makes you wonder how the Jets survived in the Southeast Division with an in-division record like that.
• Hey, Jeff Skinner is back! Only 36 hours until he's concussed again!
• "Remember when we had Ron Hainsey?" said no Jets fan. Wait, maybe that guy in Section 213 with the Hainsey jersey, but that's it.
• I'm not calling out the coaching staff here, but when you have a centerman of Perreault's abilities, putting him on the wing is just dumb.
• Jets send sixteen guys into the crease. Looks like a good goal. You can hear Maurice telling the bench, "Next shift, everyone on again!" I like this strategy. 
• This review of the Jets' goal may be longer than Carolina's offensive zone time in tonight's game. 
• JETS SCORE! Andrew Ladd gets his first of the season. 1-0 WINNIPEG! 
• JETS SCORE AGAIN! Adam Lowry gets his first of the season. 2-0 WINNIPEG!
• Good call by Maurice in putting Clitsome in the lineup. His shot was deflected by Lowry. See? This is why he drops F-bombs in press conferences. He's the MAN!
• Did you know that Jim Slater was a first-round draft pick? Seriously! I'm not sure how that happened with his NHL stats. 
• Jacob Trouba almost concussed Jeff Skinner with that hit. Then again, the stiff breeze in Winnipeg almost concussed Skinner this afternoon. 
• Jets are penalty-killing. Again. Ladd with a boneheaded penalty. BE A CAPTAIN! 
• The best part of the Jets' penalty-killing is how much of a mess the Hurricanes' power-play is. Are the Hurricanes playing in the TimBits Hockey during the first intermission?
• Stuart got a penalty for that? Throw the challenge flag, Maurice! 
• Jiri Tlusty apparently scores on the power-play, but they'll review it. Looks like it went off his hand. How can this be inconclusive?
• HURRICANES SCORE! Jiri Tlusty scores on the power-play. 2-1 WINNIPEG.
• Tlusty apparently got his stick on it before the puck crossed the line. So much for that power-play being a mess. 
• Jets fans can boo all they like, but that was a perfect hip-check by Tim Gleason to disrupt Lowry. Learn the game, Jets fans. Hip-checks are sexy. 
• If there's a positive, the Jets have now equaled their total scoring in their previous four games. In this one period. Against a winless Carolina team. The only other team they've beaten so far? A winless Arizona team in the first game of the season. Coincidence? 
• I don't know if Maurice got a new haircut, but you can see a lot of scalp on him tonight. Was his hair this thin when he took over last season? (Answer: NO) 
• I'm pretty sure the Hurricanes are triple-shifting Jiri Tlusty now. They need the offence. 
• Dennis Beyak just said Zach Bogosian made a "head-fake" when he nearly lost the puck. Dennis Beyak is trying to win a Gemini Award with this broadcast.
• If you're lucky enough to get TSN3 for a Jets broadcast, just remember that TSN has about six commercials they play throughout the game. Six total. All game. 
• If Clitsome had hit Skinner like that instead of Boychuk, Skinner's season may have been over. Great hit from the veteran! 
• I saw enough of those glove saves when Khudobin was a member of the Houston Aeros when he played against the Moose. Let's not make him look better than he is. 
• Looks like Trouba and Clitsome are having some sort of personal competition on how many Hurricanes can be laid out on the ice tonight. I have Trouba leading by one. 
• That'll do it for the first period. WINNIPEG LEADS 2-1. 
• During the first intermission, I'll be doing dishes. Get yourself a beverage, check some other scores online, or whatever. I'll be back in fifteen minutes.

SECOND PERIOD

• This farce with Evander Kane in the broadcast booth is foreshadowing of his future. Like all good color commentators, he's a middling player right now. In saying that, the Jets could definitely use his services right now.
• Interference call as Adam Lowry is taken down. Jets to the power-play.
• Hey, Toby Enstrom... how about taking a shot? The entire arena knows you're teeing up Byfuglien, so change it up once in a while! 
• I think Malone just left half his locker on the ice as Ladd tackled him. Hey, maybe the Bombers could use Ladd! He's made more tackles than the Bombers' defence already! 
• I'm pretty sure Swiss Chalet is the worst Ontario import Manitoba has made since we brought in Kerwin Bell to be the Bombers' quarterback. 
• Ondrej Pavelec showing some excellent lateral movement on that save on Semin! But the Jets will play shorthanded once more as Stuart sits for two minutes or less. 
• I like TJ Galiardi. Essentially, we traded Setoguchi for Galiardi. And honestly, no one can be worse than "Press Box" Setoguchi.
• Hey, who's the dude with the Eric Fehr Jets jersey? Fehr did a 35-game cameo with the Jets where he scored two goals and added one helper. Not really worth the $200 for that jersey, was it? 
• Jets had about 13 players on the ice on that change. Refs were more concerned with Byfuglien poke-check then rag-dolling Harrison to count players, though.
• Evander Kane as a coach? THAT is something I want to see. I can't imagine how that will go.
• Jacob Trouba was pulled away from Jeff Skinner by the linesman pretty quickly. The linesman must know Skinner's concussion history since Trouba wasn't allowed to breathe near him. 
• Skinner is in the penalty box. "Is this the quiet room? Where am I?" 
• I wouldn't even have a player on Enstrom if he was at the point on the power-play. He's not even a threat to shoot at this point in his career. What a waste. 
• Zach Bogosian: "My favorite player growing up was Jacob Trouba." 
• JETS SCORE! Byfuglien with a burst of speed and the goal! 3-1 WINNIPEG!
• Just wanna point this out: Justin Faulk was a defenceman for Team USA at the Sochi Olympics while Byfuglien stayed home. Just making that point here. 
• Tim Gleason's career outside of Carolina has been abysmal. But he looks like an NHL defenceman in Hurricanes' colors. Strange. 
• Hurricanes are the top face-off team in the NHL this season. Mainly because they keep fishing the puck out of the back of their net. 
• Dear Mark Scheifele: look forward once in a while. You might find out that you have no one between you and the goalie. Kthxbye! 
• Ok, that was dirty. Skinner just laid the Sherwood across Trouba's cheekbone. Skinner must be angry that Trouba keeps asking him if he rides the short bus yet. 
• That'll do it for 40 minutes. WINNIPEG LEADS 3-1! 
• I'll be honest: I don't watch the second intermission due to my hatred of the "Lawless & Order" segment. Gary Lawless is a great newspaper reporter, but he shouldn't be on TV talking about sports for any reason.
• I am now channel-surfing. It's either Chopped on The Food Network or Alien 3 on MovieTime. I'm almost considering Lawless right now.

THIRD PERIOD

• Good energy in this first minute on the power-play by the Jets.
• Hey, Toby Enstrom shot the puck! Now, let's double that shot total, Toby!
• Sekera is being sent off for sinning. Shame him, Jets. And score a damn power-play goal. This is getting to be a problem.
• The oh-fer-power-play continues. Oi vay. 
• I really want to see Matt Halischuk remain in the lineup. He brings so much more than either Peluso or Thorburn. Figure this out, Jets. 
• Jets appear to be playing prevent defence now. Not a fan. Stay aggressive, boys.
• I want to point something out: this is Blake Wheeler's team. If a team comes calling at the deadline for Andrew Ladd, it might be time to consider it.
• Had Galiardi converted that off-the-bench-between-the-legs attempt, I would have bought a Galiardi jersey tomorrow. No questions asked. 
• I wonder if the Jets can go oh-fer on the power-play for the season. Seems like it could happen at this rate. 
• Carolina is pretty terrible. Might be a long season in BBQ country. 
• Brian Little looked like he was trying to prevent Semin from being invisible. At least we know that Semin dressed for tonight's game, right? 
• I'll admit that I'm embarrassed right now. I had suggested that the Jets trade Pavelec and Kane in the off-season to Carolina for Ward and Skinner. I'm pretty sure I was drunk when I suggested that. For nearly two days. What a bender!
• I'm not suggesting anything, but maybe people in Raleigh aren't aware that these are regular season games yet. I wouldn't pay to watch the Hurricanes 41 times this season if they play like this. Hell, I'd go support Florida. They have more to be excited about. 
• Grant Clitsome should focus on each night if he plays this well. Don't worry about the next game until game night. Unless you're back in the press box. 
• HBIC mascot Meg the kitty has been asleep since midway through the second period. The bright side? She lasted half a period longer than the Hurricanes. 
• I'm telling you: if the Jets play like this after Maurice drops an F-bomb in a press conference, I say MORE F-BOMBS! It only makes total sense! 
• Khudobin heads to the bench. He got tired of watching Cam Ward eat hot dogs while laughing and pointing at him. 
• Y'know, if you re-arrange the letters in Alex Semin's name, I'm sure you can spell Alexei Yashin. I don't do spelling so good. Or something. 
• Well, that'll end the four-game losing streak for the Jets. WINNIPEG WINS 3-1!
• One of Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel should probably start looking for apartments in Carolina. Or simply apply to be Jeff Skinner's live-in support worker. CONCUSSION WATCH continues!

I'll be honest: this wasn't a great game whatsoever. Both of these teams will be in the cellars of their respective divisions, so this wasn't pretty by any means. However, the Jets needed to win before Paul Maurice started killing players, so there's a silver lining on this win.

For Carolina, however, this nightmare season continues, and they're only five games into it.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

A Little Animated

Paul Maurice is usually pretty reserved. He doesn't get too high nor does he get too low when it comes to his emotions surrounding the game of hockey. He's a very thoughtful coach in terms of not showing his hand or his emotions in front of the press very often. The fact that the Winnipeg Jets have played very poorly thus far into the season have a few cracks showing in Maurice, though, and he let off some steam yesterday at a reporter in Winnipeg after he ran the players through a rather uneventful practice.

When asked about the leadership on the team, Maurice bristled at the question, stating that he was to whom the players are accountable. When pressed for more, Maurice responded that the players were also accountable to the leadership in this Jets group. However, when pressed further about being accountable to the fans, Maurice responded with a statement that had not yet been seen in Winnipeg.

"It's not the players' job to tell YOU about it," he said. "I don't have to open this book up to you and tell you everything that goes on in the room. I can make you cry in the [expletive] room. Listen, I understand you have to work with what you're given and I appreciate that. But the accountability in the room is fine. We deal with our problems directly."

Wow. I guess Maurice answered the question of who the players are accountable to in the previous questions enough for his liking.

There's no denying that the Jets have played some uninspired hockey thus far. They don't score goals, they don't seem to understand where the offensive zone is for the most part, and the opposing goal is treated like an egg in that the Jets simply don't want to direct pucks in that direction. Maurice can coach the team to shoot at every opportunity, but the players still have to do their jobs on the ice.

While everyone around the Jets franchise has yet to hit the panic button, a loss to the lowly Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow night might be the spark that sets off the powder keg in Winnipeg. Paul Maurice's influence on this team is seen every now and then, but he may have a direct influence on who stays ad goes if the Jets lay another egg against Carolina like they did against Calgary.

Frustration is growing amongst the fans, and now the cracks are showing on the franchise's happy face. Changes may be inevitable if the Jets don't change their ways.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

HBIC's Official Mascot

It has been beyond crazy today, and the little critter to the left has been a big part of that. I was in class today, and then I decided to add the furball you see to the household. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to introduce you to Meg, HBIC's official mascot! Meg has kept me on my toes all night as she explores every region of the house while being naturally inquisitive. Needless to say, she's going to fit in quite nicely around here as her and I get accustomed to one another.

In saying that, another mascot was officially decommissioned mere days after it was introduced.

The AHL's Adirondack Flames decided that they needed a mascot, and introduced a fireball - as opposed to a furball like HBIC - named "Scorch". According to his story, Scorch is "the lone surviving flame from the fire that destroyed much of Glens Falls in 1864". He was a smoldering ember in Bride and Gown which sits upon he site of Calvin Robbin's blacksmith shop, one of the few buildings in the Glens Falls business district to survive the fire in 1864. Scorch reportedly overpowered a firefighter, showing his strength, as he associated himself with the AHL franchise.

Anyone else see a problem with "overpowering a firefighter"? Yeah, so did a pile a of other people who called the Flames out for this idea. The Flames, realizing their idea might be in poor taste, released a statement of apology despite the association with the Glens Falls Fire Department.

"Earlier today we unveiled our new mascot Scorch. In an attempt to provide background material for the character who will be the face of our team, particularly with young fans, we crafted a story that Scorch was the remaining ember from the tragic fire that destroyed much of Glens Falls in 1864.

We also crafted a skit that helped to launch the new mascot – with the help of the Glens Falls Fire Department. While it seemed in good taste when it was on the drawing board, it is evident now that it was in poor taste.

On behalf of our entire organization we want to apologize for our thoughtlessness today. We have obviously turned something good, the launch of a mascot which we will use to entertain and encourage young fans, into something that is in poor taste. That was not our intention and again we apologize.

We would like to emphasize that we as an organization take seriously the dangers associated with fire, understand its potentially devastating effects and acknowledge that those in our nation who are called upon to face and fight fires on a daily basis are truly heroes.

We apologize." – Brian Petrovek, President, Adirondack Flames.

Yeah, it's probably not a great idea to have your brand-new mascot take down a firefighter, someone who is an actual hero to many kids and should be recognized as such. Thankfully, Scorch did not appear at the Flames' home opener at the Glens Falls Civic Center last Saturday, and the team is working on a better mascot already in order to appease the masses who want a mascot that isn't going to overpower those who actually save lives.

Scorch may officially be the shortest-lived mascot in sports history. I am proud to say that Meg's legacy here at HBIC will going for much, much longer!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Rock Out Kevin-Style!

Normally, when I attend a live hockey game, there someone who decides that dancing is acceptable entertainment at the game. Usually, it's a cheerleader or some sort of scantily-clad female, but occasionally it's a guy who has had had a little too much to drink. Rarely, it's a guy who actually can dance. In any case, it's rarely a larger fellow who decides that it is he who should him that engages in the celebratory dance. However, I don't live in Columbus, Ohio.

This is against Pittsburgh. Apparently, his name is Kevin.

Kevin has a pile of videos on YouTube uploaded by the Blue Jackets. I'm not sure it's what I want to be known for, but Kevin's got the moves!

Well done, Kevin!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

TBC: Tryout Trouble

Thanks to how busy things have been today, this review will probably be posted late. However, I am still pushing hard to make sure that I read as often as I can, so today will feature another great book in Irene Punt's series. I have reviewed a number of her stories already, so let's continue today as Teebz's Book Club is proud to review Tryout Trouble, written by Irene Punt, illustrated by Ramon Perez, and published by Scholastic Canada. Once again, the boys are deep into hockey in this story as they have advanced a grade in school and there are new tryouts for the Glenlake Hawks! Like Miss Punt's other stories, there is a great lesson in this book, and I hope that I've convinced you to get your young hockey-loving readers into these books!

Irene Punt is a former teacher who has transformed her energy in the classroom into an unbridled passion for her subjects on paper. She received a Bachelor of General Studies degree from Simon Fraser University, and took up teaching as a way to give back. She studied children's literature at S.F.U. under David Booth, and developed a passion for writing from Mr. Booth's teachings. Her move to Calgary from Vancouver prompted her to begin writing children's books, and has scribed picture books, novels, TV scripts, and stage scripts. Her other Scholastic hockey books include The Rink Rats, The Funny Faceoff, and Hockey Rules!.

Miss Punt puts us back into Thomas Hiller's life as he and his friends and teammates - Mark, Stuart, and Jordan - are preparing for another school year after a summer of street hockey. The boys know that hockey tryouts aren't far off, and they have spent all summer working on their skills and improving. Mr. Watson, Stuart's neighbour, calls them over for a mid-game slushy drink, and informs them that he's moving to Florida! He also tells the boys that the new family has a hockey-loving son who is moving in, and this gets the boys excited!

The boys meet up at the school's playground on the first day of school, and they're all excited. However, Tom recognizes a red-haired boy from across the playground. It's Harty from the Northland Bulldogs! What was he doing at Tom's school? Well, Harty's family bought Mr. Watson's house! Tom immediately introduces Harty to Mark, Stuart, and Jordan before they head off to class.

As the days roll along, Harty begins to become better friends with Tom's friends. Tom, sensing his popularity amongst his friends diminishing, becomes jealous of Harty's successful friendships. With hockey tryouts starting, Tom was suddenly not as enthusiastic about Harty being his teammate because of what was happening off the ice. What would happen between Tom and Harty? Would they be teammates? What if Harty made the team and Tom didn't? Could they be friends? Would Tom re-establish his old friendships? How would this be resolved? Miss Punt teaches an excellent lesson in this book about how friendships work, and how one should often try to see the other side the coin before doing something rash.

Tryout Trouble is another well-written book by Miss Punt, and the lesson about friendship written into the 81-page story is all too familiar to anyone trying out for a team with friends. Moreover, Miss Punt really isolates the story of the new kid at a new school and all the changes that he has to make in Harty rejoining the story. However, Tom's conflict with Harty is an excellent lesson, and it's one that Miss Punt has woven through the minor stories well. Tryout Trouble is another excellent book in the series, and absolutely deserves the Teebz's Book Club Seal of Approval!

You can find Tryout Trouble at your local library or bookstore. The book is listed for just $5.99 in Canada, meaning that it won't dent your wallet too much in order to get your young reader into this story. Pick up this book for your young hockey star to read!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 110

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced hockey radio show, is back tonight with a special guest... maybe? We're still trying to nail down a phone number on where to reach this gentleman, but he's a guy we're thrilled to have on the show. He played in the WHL, the NHL, the AHL, and has returned to the WHL for some work behind the bench. Oh, and he won a couple of Stanley Cups while he played in the NHL. We'll also have friend of the show Jeremie Gauvin in-studio with us as Columbus as the night off for school-related activities.

The man wearing #37 for the Tampa Bay Lightning is defenceman Brad Lukowich, and he'll be on the show for the first-half of the hour! Brad won the Stanley Cup with both Dallas and Tampa Bay, and suited up for the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, and Vancouver Canucks during his NHL career as well. His hockey stops also included the CHL's Fort Worth Brahmas, the IHL's Michigan K-Wings, and the AHL's Texas Stars! He played 658 regular-season NHL games, amassing 23 goals and 90 assists, and added one goal and five assists in 71 NHL playoff games. As seen in the picture, he was part of the handshake line that saw the Calgary Flames on the wrong side of the ledger in 2004! We'll talk to him about his career in 30-minutes-or-less as he has a class he needs to be at in Lethbridge for 5pm MT or 6pm CT!

We'll also have Jeremie in as we talk about officiating once more. Clearly, there are some new rules and some news stories we'll go over with him, and we'll talk to him about his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs, where they'll finish, what to do about this perceived goaltending controversy, and much more! It'll be a busy night on The Hockey Show, and we'll even work in some chatter about Pledge-O-Rama as well as it kicks off tomorrow night!

The phone lines will be closed with Mr. Lukowich appearing on the show tonight. However, we're on the air at 5:30pm so tune in for all the action! We're on 101.5 UMFM on your radio dial in the Winnipeg region or you can listen live between 5:30pm and 6:30pm CT on your web-enabled device at the UMFM webpage! You can tweet us anytime you like by hitting us up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter. You can also post some stuff to Facebook if you use the "Like" feature, and I always have crazy stuff posted there that doesn't make it to the blog or show.

PODCAST: OCTOBER 16, 2014: Episode 110

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!