A Cool Melbourne Moment

If you're not aware of Sunrise on Channel 7, that's ok because it likely means you don't live in Australia. Sunrise on Channel 7 is like most basic morning variety shows where news, weather, and sports have topics of local interest between the news breaks, so it's not like they're doing anything groundbreaking with their morning shows in the Land Down Under. One of things we featured nearly all winter on The Hockey Show was a segment called "The Melbourne Moment" where we gave listeners some sort of funny or goofy news from Australia, and I'm proud to say that HBIC will feature a "Melbourne Moment" today thanks to some questionable puns and a connection to Winnipeg!

Tuesday morning in Australia is actually closer to dinner time in my part of North America, so I wasn't watching this clip from Sunrise on Channel 7, but the morning show sent weather specialist Katie Brown down to the O'Brien Icehouse where she interviewed Melbourne Ice head coach Kerry Goulet after reading the weather where the hockey puns were on full display from the blond meteorologist.
Officially, I wasn't counting, but Katie Brown may have used somewhere between "stop using them" and "enough already" in the number of puns she squeezed into that thirty-second clip alongside Goulet. When the camera flashed back to hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington eight seconds into the interview, it was pretty clear that they had no clue that Brown was trying to set a Guiness record for puns in an interview. Goulet, to his credit, played along well.

There was a second clip with Goulet, and I have that as well. This one, however, featured Brown in a new role where she continues to toss around hockey puns in between screams of terror.
The fact that Brown watched the 2010 Vancouver Olympic hockey final is pretty impressive, but a couple of those glove saves she made seemed like the shooters were aiming for the trapper. I'll give Brown credit for being a good sport, though, as it does take some courage to jump into the goalie gear and try to stop pucks!

How this comes full circle is that Kerry Goulet is a former player who grew up in Winnipeg and now lives in Toronto. The 65 year-old Goulet actually celebrates his birthday today - happy 65th birthday, Kerry! - but he made his name in hockey playing in Germany where he bounced between teams in the Oberliga, the third-highest division, and the Regionalliga, the fourth-highest division. You might think that's not much of an accomplishment, but we haven't mentioned what he did in those leagues because he dominated to say the least.

Goulet twice broke the 200-point mark as he reached 221 points - 89 goals and 132 assists - in just 43 games in 1992-93 for ETC Timmendorfer Strand in the Oberliga before breaking that mark once more in 1997-98 for EC Timmendorfer Strand when he scored 236 points - 99 goals and 137 assists - in 53 games in the Regionalliga! In ten seasons in the Oberliga, Goulet amassed 1067 points - 386 goals and 681 assists - in just 352 games, and he added 484 points - 199 goals and 285 assists - in 137 games in five seasons in the Regionalliga. #29 now hangs from the rafters for the Timmendorfer Eisbars who retired his jersey after he scored his 2000th point in German hockey at the age of 52!

In a rather cool twist, Goulet played alongside former Manitoba Bisons standout Mark MacKay in Germany who was inducted into the Bisons Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020! I had the honour of emceeing that event, and it was a pretty cool evening in meeting MacKay who was the only man in the room that had scored on Martin Brodeur! In any case, MacKay's jersey was also retired by the Eisbars as two Manitoba kids lit up the German leagues!

Back to Goulet, for a kid who played MJHL hockey in Canada with the Assiniboine Park Monarchs who became the Winnipeg Monarchs before being traded to the St. Boniface Saints, it was hard to imagine that Kerry Goulet would become a scoring sensation in Germany. His last season in the MJHL in 1977-78 saw him score 45 points in 39 games, but it was nothing like what he did when he decided to resume his career in 1988-89 with EC Eschweiler in the Regionalliga. That season saw Goulet score 42 goals and 62 assists in just 20 games!

You may ask what he did for those ten years in between his ice hockey seasons, and you should know that Goulet didn't put the stick down because he became one of Canada's best ball hockey players! Playing for the Winnipeg Grasshoppers, they represented Manitoba in eight national ball hockey championships, winning the championship in 1985! His work in ball hockey earned him an induction into the Canadian Ball Hockey Association's Hall of Fame in 2006.

Today, Goulet is one of the founders of StopConcussions, along with former Philadelphia Flyers captain Keith Primeau, as well as being co-chairmen of the Shoot For A Cure campaign. His love of hockey never faded, though, and he founded the Australian Ice Hockey Classic that features international teams playing hockey in Australia in support of Stopconcussions and Shoot For a Cure.

With his work in Australia bringing him some notoriety, the Melbourne Ice made the decision to hire Goulet as their head coach in 2023 on a multi-year deal, and that's how Goulet found himself on Sunrise on Channel 7 this morning, being peppered with Katie Brown's hockey puns as he answered questions.

Whatever Goulet is doing this season with the Ice seems to working. They are the only undefeated team in the AIHL right now at 6-0-0, and they've outscored their opponents in those six games by a combined 41-10 score! The Ice visit the 1-6-0 Canberra Brave this weekend for a pair of games, and they could easily be 8-0-0 if they continue to play at the high level they've shown so far. Clearly, Goulet's got his team rolling early in this 2024 AIHL season!

It's pretty cool that a morning show in Australia resulted in an actual "Melbourne Moment" featuring hockey, and the person being interviewed is a Winnipeg-born former hockey player who now coaches in Australia in their highest professional league. You never know where hockey may take you, and Kerry Goulet is a fantastic example of that fact!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Poor Choice Of Words

I have a lot of respect for Jon Cooper as a coach. He's led his team to a couple of Stanley Cup victories, he's always found a way to keep the Lightning competitive despite losing some key players, and he seems to understand his players in helping them be successful individually. As always, though, teams will go through cycles where they go from contenders to also-rans, and it seems the Lightning are moving into the latter's space after winning in 2020 and 2021. Nevertheless, the Lightning played well enough this season to make some believe they could shake things up in the playoffs, and Jon Cooper was a large reason why they were successful. As stated, I respect Jon Cooper.

Tonight, Cooper had every reason to be frustrated following a 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers that ended Tampa Bay's playoff run. During the game, the officials disallowed two goals scored by Tampa Bay due to goaltender interference that were, at best, wishy-washy. Yes, there was some contact between players and goalies, but, as you'll hear below, Cooper shares the same belief that I do in that the battles in front of the net will result in some incidental contact.

However, I feel Cooper may have stated something he didn't intend when discussing the calls from the 2:10 to 2:12 mark of the video. I'll explain why below, but the imagery he used about how goalies are seemingly handled with white gloves missed the mark entirely.
I'm not here to let Jon Cooper off the hook for his imagery of goalies in skirts, but he needed to choose his words better there. Tampa Bay has hosted a number of women's hockey events over the last few years, and I'm quite certain that Cooper is aware of that fact. I get that he's speaking out of frustration at the results of the game and those two plays, but immediately going to "skirts" isn't the description that he should be using here in any fashion.

Again, I'm not letting Cooper off the hook for what he said, but I will defend that he likely chose those words poorly in his moment of frustration. Cooper, for those who don't know, has two twin girls, Josie and Julia, who are 16, and he is intensely proud of his daughters as much as he is for his hockey-playing son, 14 year-old Jonny. Julia and Josie were born the day before Jon's St. Louis Gamblers won the 2008 North American Hockey League championship, so the playoffs are always a special time around the Cooper household with birthdays to celebrate.

For a man so deeply dedicated to his family - they had daily calls and he sent them postcards during the pandemic playoff bubble - I don't think he intentionally played the misogyny card during his monologue on goalie interference. Yes, it was a misstep, but this is one where the flaming torches, spears, and pitchforks can probably be left at home by the mob. At no point that I can recall has Jon Cooper ever spoke poorly of women in hockey, and he's been quite supportive of Caley Chelios, the Lightning radio analyst.

"She is as knowledgeable as anyone I talk to in the game," Cooper said to USA Today's Kevin Allen, "and it comes natural to her."

Cooper was also a fan of Anne Schleper joining the Lightning for practice in 2014, stating, "I was really impressed with her. She spoke a lot on the ice. You could really distinguish her voice. She was really active, saying all the right things, calling for the puck. I think she got better as the practice went on" before adding, "For her to come out here and be with our guys, I'm sure, it was fun for our guys and I'm sure it was a ton of fun for her. But if we can build the sport in any way and if that helps ten little girls to play hockey, then it's paid off."

A lot of people will point out that I actually am defending Cooper, but I'll stress that he doesn't get a pass from me for the language he used in a moment of frustration. That will never fly with me for anyone who wants to use a sexist remark, so I still expect that Jon Cooper will apologize for his remarks in the coming days in order to clear this up - sooner would be better.

What I am trying to show, though, is that Cooper's remarks aren't a trend or a pattern of sexism or misogyny in any way, and that he's supported women in hockey when he's been asked while being a family man who cherishes his wife and kids. Did he mess up using the term he did? Absolutely, and I - fan, supporter, and devoted follower of the women's game - would hope he realizes he chose his words poorly tonight. But should one misstep in a moment of frustration be the reason he's facing the social media guillotine today?

Did Jon Cooper screw up? Heck yes. Does he deserve a chance to apologize? I'd also say yes. You're welcome to debate this in the comments below, but I'm sticking with my belief that Jon Cooper is a good coach and a better person despite his misstep tonight during a frustrating ending to his team's season.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Capitals Punishment

If there was one team out of the sixteen that made the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs that seemed to have the most Herculean task of winning a game, the Washington Capitals were likely everyone's pick. Facing the President's Trophy-winning New York Rangers, the Capitals needed all 82 games to secure a playoff spot, and having them win four of seven games against the Blueshirts was going to be nothing short of a monumental upset. The fun part about the playoffs, though, is that anything can happen in these series, so there was certainly a chance that an upset could occur. The reality of this series was that one team simply was overwhelmed by the other, and 2018 Stanley Cup champions are officially the first team to be excused from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

You know things didn't go well for the Capitals when defender Martin Fehervary lead the team in both goals and points, but that's the reality of the 2024 Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin failed to record a point in the four games against the Rangers, and TJ Oshie had just one helper. John Carlson had two points, but Max Pacioretty and Sonny Milano combined for the same total as Ovechkin and Oshie. Needless to say, the Capitals didn't get much from their stars.

I'm neither a Capitals nor a Rangers fan by any means, but the Rangers looked like a well-oiled machine against Washington as Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trochek went bananas with seven and six points, respectively, while have Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider chip in three points apiece. If you're doing the math, the four Rangers forwards scored 19 points to the four Capitals forwards' two points. The best team in the NHL made a statement in the four games they played, and they'll now have some extra time to rest and prepare as they await the winner of the Carolina-New York Islanders series.

If you're keeping up with the Survivor: NHL Playoffs contest, there have been four challenge prizes that have been won. They include:

• First hat trick recorded in the playoffs - won by Jared!
• First goalie point recorded in the playoffs - won by Elliot!
• First team eliminated from the playoffs - won by Skippy!
• First team to score seven goals in one game - won by Barry!

We could have another winner on Tuesday if Colorado can close out their series against Winnipeg as that would be the first upset of the playoffs, but we'll have to see if the Jets can figure out how to dig themselves out after being snowed over by the Avalanche. Strangely, there has yet to be a shutout in these playoffs, so that one's still up for grabs at any time! The only person who can't win that challenge prize as of right now is Skippy, but he will get one for being first out!

It's hard to say if the Capitals will make the playoffs next season based on how they barely made it this year, but the rebuild in DC should begin with Ovechkin's career nearly finished, Carlson's effectiveness beginning to fade, and the teams around them getting younger and better before they are. If tonight was Ovechkin's last playoff game, it certainly didn't end with a bang, but that ending should signal that the Capitals are going to start moving in a new direction this offseason.

It was another capital "L" for the Capitals tonight just as it was in previous three games they played, and the New York Rangers swept Washington into their summer plans.

Until next time, keep tyour sticks on the ice!

The Break-Up?

There is no doubt that the three men to the left have been blessed with an incredible wealth of hockey talent. That talent has seen all three men rewarded handsomely for their regular season successes, but they have yet to find any team success in the playoffs as members of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The annual disappointment that Leafs fans feel likely requires something to change, but the Leafs have put all their eggs in a handful of baskets - three of those being the baskets belonging to these men. Tonight, though, the frustration from the Leafs' highest-paid players bubbled over on the bench, and it may force the Leafs to make changes in the offseason to find postseason success.

Trailing 2-1 in the series, the Leafs needed a win to turn the series into a best-of-three, but a loss would put them on the brink of elimination. Clearly, they needed a big effort, but the Bruins jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Leafs found twine at 5:43 of the third period when Mitch Marner finally scored. Earlier in the game, however, emotions seemed to boil over for the Leafs' superstars.
Some on social media think that Nylander was chirping Marner, but it seems pretty clear that Marner is bewildered by whatever Matthews said based on his reaction, and it appears that Nylander is looking past Marner when he responds with his comments. Neither were speaking to Tyler Bertuzzi who was leaning back between Matthews and Marner, so this appears to be a Matthews and Nylander squabble based on eye position and reactions from those on the bench.

Whatever the case may be, it seems that the 3-1 loss tonight to Boston to put Toronto in a 3-1 hole in the series has everyone a little frustrated with each other. That tends to happen when teams can't find answers to their offesnive woes, and there's no denying the Leafs are in the thick of this goal-scoring anemia. Something has to change if the Leafs are going to extend the series, let alone winning it.

Let's go to head coach Sheldon Keefe's thoughts on the exchange in the video above between his superstar players. Is he concerned?
Hold the phone - he "didn't sense any frustration"? William Nylander channeled his inner Phil Kessel in responding to your wunderkind goal-scorer, and Keefe didn't sense frustration? I'm not sure if he's simply not paying attention or no longer cares, but how does that exchange between his two stars not show frustration?

Look, I respect the fact that defended his team's effort in this game, but that's doing nothing to help them score goals on the ice. This comes to down to the coaching staff spending a lot of time watching video and looking for ways to breakdown the Bruins' defensive structure, but I'm not sure they have that much time with Game Five set for Tuesday in Boston. There might be a more simple answer, but the way the Leafs have been stymied by the Bruins indicates to me that this is a bigger than swapping a few players around in the lineup.

A lot of people have speculated that Sheldon Keefe will be fired if the Leafs lose this series, and I completely understand why that may happen. Frankly, I don't think Keefe's systems were built for playoff success because of how the game changes in the postseason, but I'm not here for the whiteboard chatter. What seems clear is that the coaching staff for the Leafs doesn't seem to have a Plan-B for the Leafs when their normal systems fail. That should have everyone in the front office concerned.

It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting to see different results. It's becoming very clear that the Leafs are testing that theory with their repeated early exits in the playoffs while maintaining the same core group of players. While no one is suggesting a complete tear-down and rebuild, the Leafs may be forced to part with pieces who seemed like good long-term investments in this offseason if they want their fortunes to change.

Brad Treliving went through a handful of rough offseasons with the Calgary Flames before arriving in Toronto, and it seems he'll have a pile of work to do this summer if the Leafs are going to give their fans a reason to believe they can win a Stanley Cup. Or he could do nothing and continue to tinker with the bottom-six players who bust their humps, but are hardly the reason why the Leafs are in the situation they find themselves tonight. Whatever he decides to do, it's clear something has to change in The Big Smoke.

If the Leafs lose on Tuesday, be prepared for months of analysis, discussion, and predictions from pundits on how to fix the Leafs.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

That Deju Vu Feeling

Last season, it was easier to accept the slide that the Jets went on after winning the first game against Vegas. It still hurt to watch them drop a game in overtime where they rallied with three goals in the third period that could have had them up 2-1 rather than down 2-1 in the series, but that's how those games went against a far superior opponent. The Jets showed they could hang, but the Golden Knights knew how to close out games without giving a lot up, and the Jets were nothing more than a footnote in Vegas' Stanley Cup-winning season.

Fast forward to this season, it seemed like Jets had all the accolades and statistics to pose a serious threat to Colorado, yet tonight's game felt a lot like Game Two against Vegas where a 2-2 game after 40 minutes was broken wide open by the Golden Knights for a 5-2 finish. I don't know what it will take for the Jets to put the Avalanche away in a game, let alone the series, but they need to figure it out before Sunday.

The biggest issues I see right now are Hellebuyck being able to see pucks and defending inside the "home plate" danger area. The first is simple because Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen are making life in front of Hellebyuck very difficult, and the Jets are doing little to help their goaltender see pucks coming in from above the face-off circles. Until someone makes life very uncomfortable for those two Avalanche players - who have three goals apiece - the Jets might as well open a campground in front of their crease with how often those two camp there without handing out s'mores.

The second issue is that whole "home plate" danger area where Colorado sends players through from east to west looking for deflections on shots from the top while positioning themselves in open spots once they finish their cuts. It's almost like basketball where the cutting player is looking for that open space at the end of the cut if they don't get the pass in the slot, and the Jets seem to lose checks, forget about players, or collapse in too far to be able to react quick enough to stop the second opportunities. This chaos caused by the Avalanche and their movement has caught a number of Jets too far away from a check to do anything to stop them, and the result is a flashing red light.

With Brendan Dillon's hand putting him in question for Game Four, the Jets aren't exactly built with earth-moving defenders on their blue line. You won't get that kind of play from Josh Morrissey or Neal Pionk. DeMelo and Samberg will give it the ol' college try, but both are going to struggle hard against the 6'4", 210-pound Nichushkin. That kind of size isn't moved very well unless a guy like Logan Stanley is willing to pay the price, and I'm not sure we've seen that mean streak from Stanley in front of the net ever.

Lehkonen will be the easier of the two to move at 5'11" and 179 pounds, but he's also tough as nails when he gets into the dirty areas of the ice. Nearly all of his goals in the regular season came within three feet of the crease, and the vast majority were scored standing at the very top of the crease. In other words, not many defenders moved him when he got in position, and he was highly successful when he got to his spots. That should concern the Jets in a big way.

Both of these would help solve the second problem as well as the Jets are often trying to defend the middle of the ice when a shot gets through to Hellebuyck because of players cutting and the guys who are visiting Camp Goal Crease, and shots hitting Hellbuyck aren't being controlled like they were in the regular season. We've seen pucks bounce out without Hellebuyck knowing where they've gone and he's often frantically searching for pucks that hit bodies in front of him. If he can see the puck, he can freeze the puck.

Right now, though, it's fundamentals on the first save and scrambling on the second and third shots. None of that is how a Vezina-calibre goalie would play throughout the season, but it's been to what Hellebuyck has been reduced thanks to the Avalanche going to the net, putting lots of shots on, and pouncing on rebounds as the Jets flounder. As a result, 17 goals-against in three games should have the Jets in a foul mood if they hope to return home tied 2-2 in the series.

The Jets need to get back to basics when it comes to defence: stand players up at the blue line, protect the middle of the ice, close gaps quickly, and clear the front of the net. As Chris Martin of Coldplay sang in The Scientist, "Nobody said it was easy/No one ever said it would be so hard/I'm going back to the start". That would be a good place for the Jets to go if they're going to climb out of this hole in which they've allowed the Avalanche to put them.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 605

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back tonight with a massive show as our hosts get you into the Pledge-O-Rama version of The Hockey Show! Not only will there be some prizes we're offering for people who pledge to our show during the hour we're on the air, but we're also welcoming a guest whose making history and smashing barriers before she's old enough to legally enjoy an adult beverage! We'll chat with her tonight as the 2024 Pledge-O-Rama version of The Hockey Show gets rolling at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason are proud to welcome the woman to the right that is making waves in the ECHL as we're joined by Fort Wayne Komets Media Assistant Fiona Quinn! Fiona's been keeping stats, helping with broadcasts, and rewriting record books - literally - for the past four years with the Komets, but she made a little history this past season when she stepped into the play-by-play chair to become the first woman to call a Komets game in their 72-year history! We have lots to go over with Fiona as she's seen goalie fights, goalie goals, Kelly Cup celebrations, and Indiana Tech hockey while she works towards her sports management degree at Indiana Tech, and we'll get her thoughts on who may win this year's Kelly Cup, ECHL additions and subtractions, Brett Brochu, the PWHL, future plans, and more! It should be an incredible chat with a woman who is making a name for herself at 19 years-old, and you can hear our interview with Fiona Quinn tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!

If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The new UMFM website's online streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store. It's a solid app.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat with Fiona Quinn, Fort Wayne Komets Media Assistant, about how she got started with the team, some major moments in Komets history, setting her own historic moment, everything else she's involved with in Fort Wayne, a pile of ECHL notes, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: April 25, 2024: Episode 605

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Early To Bed, Early To Pledge

My planned evening of watching hockey was interrupted by my need for sleep as I'm going to have some fun tomorrow morning. As you may know, 101.5 CJUM-FM - where The Hockey Show is aired - is currently running its fundraising telethon until 8pm CT on Friday. The effort is going well as we near the $20,000 mark of the $28,000 goal set by management this year, so thank you to everyone who has donated already and everyone who will be donating to a show that occurs later in the week. The listeners that support UMFM always come through in big ways, and we're so grateful to have your support to make the station better!

All of the details are here for why Pledge-O-Rama is happening, and there's an opportunity to get some great UMFM shwag with your donation. As with any donation, tax receipts are also available if you're looking to one-up the tax man in 2024, so choose wisely when it comes to what you want. In both cases, you're getting something great for helping us out, and we're happy to do that as a show of our appreciation for your support. If you haven't donated or weren't aware you could support the station in this manner, the details are directly above for getting your pledge into the station and where you ask any questions about the nature of Pledge-O-Rama and for what we'll be using the money.

As for me, I'll be up before the sun breaks over the horizon as I'll be working the Wednesday edition of the UMFM Pledge Morning Show from 6-10am, so that means a 4:30am alarm has been set. I'll be playing lots of newer Canadian music along with a few key older Canadian musicians, I'll have some music news to report, and we'll have a blast setting up your Wednesday as you get set in the morning.

Speaking of which, that's coming quickly, so I'm off to bed. See you on the UMFM Pledge Morning Show tomorrow, and thanks for supporting great local radio that's a part of your community!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Nine Seconds

The Metropolitan Division might be the weakest division in hockey this season. Yes, I'm aware the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, but the gap between the second-place Hurricanes and third-place New York Islanders was a 17-point chasm between the two teams. Only the Washington Capitals made the playoffs with less points than the Islanders, yet a few pundits went on record stating that the Islanders had a shot at upsetting the Hurricanes despite that 17-point difference. Clearly, I disagree with these pundits, but tonight may have been the perfect example of why the Metropolitan Division's third-place team had zero chance in winning this series.

Trailing 1-0 in the series, the New York Islanders jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Game Two this evening before the Hurricanes broke out of their slumber in the second period. In what looked like an all-out commitment to defence, the Islanders seemed to wilt under intense pressure from the Hurricanes as Carolina outshot New York 29-5 through the final two periods. That shot advantage pulled the Hurricanes within one goal at 10:43 of the third period as Teuvo Teravainen and Seth Jarvis cut into the deficit, but the final three minutes were bonkers.

I'm not setting this one up. I'll let the video do all the talking.
Holy chaos, Batman. Sebastian Aho whacked home the puck at 17:45 to make it a 3-3 game off the Andrei Svechnikov partial fan on his one-timer, and Jordan Martinook would capitalize on a mistake by the Islanders' Noah Dobson nine seconds later to put the Hurricanes up 4-3 when he banked the puck in off Semyon Varlamov. Add in an empty-net goal by Jake Guentzel, and the Hurricanes hold a 2-0 series lead after their 5-3 win tonight over the stunned New York Islanders.

According to the NHL statisticians, Carolina sent 110 shot attempts towards Varlamov while the Islanders sent just 28 pucks towards Freddie Andersen. The final tally was a 39-12 shot count in favour of the Hurricanes, but this is the kind of disparity between these two teams that should have been obvious. How anyone believed that the Islanders were going to win four of seven games against the Hurricanes is a mystery, but it was clear tonight that the Islanders are going to have to do a lot more to simply win one game.

Despite it only being Game Two, tonight's game may be the one that broke the Islanders for the remainder of this series. All it took was nine seconds of play and two Hurricanes goals in that span, but the Islanders held a lead for 57:45 of tonight's game before losing by two goals. I'm not sure there's a lot that Patrick Roy can say to his team that will change its fortunes, but the Hurricanes showed everyone tonight that they'll make a team pay if it makes mistakes and takes its foot off the gas pedal.

Usain Bolt ran the 100-metre race in a world record time of 9.63 seconds at the 2012 London Olympic Games. The Carolina Hurricanes may have crushed the New York Islanders' hopes of an upset in about the same span of time this evening.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

An Airstrike Of Goals

Is everyone alright after the explosion we saw in downtown Winnipeg? The video to the left was taken by John Sitarek who was at the game tonight, and the explosion I referenced above was in response to the 13 combined goals that the Jets and Avalanche scored tonight. Only two other Game Ones in the history of the NHL have seen that many goals scored, and you can find which games those were down below. Tonight, though, everyone needs to breathe, smile, and enjoy the moment as the Jets hold a 1-0 lead over the Avalanche after tonight's 7-6 victory. Game Two is just 48 hours away!

Only eight times this season has Winnipeg's opponent scored five-or-more goals on the Jets including tonight, and the Jets had lost each of the previous seven games. Despite finding themselves down 1-0 early, the Jets rode the power of the Whiteout to seven tallies tonight in their victory despite the last couple of minutes being a little tense. Nevertheless, the Jets prevailed, and are 15 wins after from the promised land and three wins from the second round.

Shockingly, defensive hockey was tossed out the window early by both teams as the track meet began in the first period thanks to a few giveaways, some questionable passes, and solid team play. Valeri Nichuskin put the Avalanche up 1-0 just past the six-minute mark, but the roof nearly came off the Canada Life Centre at 8:02 when the Whiteout exploded on Josh Morrissey's marker. Watch and listen to this crowd reaction in Winnipeg as the Jets tie the game!
I'm not saying that the Avalanche need a goalie, but Alexandar Georgiev needed to make a couple of key saves in this game to give his team a chance. Instead, Georgiev's struggles in the last two-and-a-half weeks continued, and his .696 save percentage in this game certainly isn't good enough at any point in the season, but specifically in the postseason. Take nothing away from the Jets, but Georgiev has to be much, much better if the Avalanche are going to have a chance.

A 3-3 game after 20 minutes became a 4-3 game through 40 minutes of play, but the Jets seemingly turned on the afterburners in the third period when Adam Lowry scored his second goal of the game at 3:31 and Kyle Conner ripped a power-play goal home 2:20 later to make it a 6-3 game. Artturi Lehkonen's power-play goal made it 6-4 just 38 seconds after Connor had scored, but Connor would strike again at 8:54 to make it a 7-4 game. The Avs wouldn't go quietly, though, as Cale Makar scored just past the midway point of the period and Casey Mittelstadt made it a one-goal game with 30 seconds to play, but the Jets would lock down the final half-minute to secure the win in front of 15,225 fans.

As I mentioned, NHL.com's game notes stated that "[o]nly two other Game 1s in an opening-round series have combined for at least 13 goals" which is pretty crazy when one thinks of all the Game Ones that have taken place in the NHL's history. According to the history posted, "[t]he Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings combined for 18 in 1982, and the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings scored 14 in 1985," so the Jets and Avalanche still needed a few more goals to reach those lofty scores, but having the third-highest scoring Game One in NHL history is pretty incredible.

I'm sure both coaches will want to tighten things up heading into Game Two, so we'll have to see how the teams respond. Will Jared Bednar go back to Alexandar Georgiev after a rought night, or will Justus Annunen be ready after missing tonight's contest with an illness? Does Rick Bowness look to upgrade his blue line defensively with veterans Colin Miller and/or Nate Schmidt ready to go? Decisions will be made, practices will be skated, and we'll see how things look on Tuesday. I'm almost certain, though, that neither coach wants a second track meet like tonight's contest!

The Whiteout will fill the Canada Life Centre and cover the streets surrounding the arena on Tuesday night, and the Jets will look put the Avalanche in a 2-0 hole in their series. 15,225 people inside the building will be loud as they push the Jets to repeat their seven-goal performance tonight while 20 players in white will try to quiet the crowd. Playoff hockey is alive in Winnipeg once more, and Jets fans are putting the league on notice when it comes to the decibel level inside the barn!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Did The Leafs Win?

One thing you'll find on this blog more than anything as the playoffs roll on is the always-present ABT sentiment that I bring. ABT is, of course, "Anybody But Toronto", but it's something that has lived on this blog for a long time with the heavy influence that the Maple Leafs have on the Toronto-based sports media. I assure you that it has nothing to do with 1967, but that just adds a little fuel to the ABT fire when it comes to playoff hockey.

Jake DeBrusk scored twice in Boston's 5-1 victory over Toronto, so Toronto now trails in the series 1-0. It's far from over, but the Leafs looked dejected after mistakes led to goals while their own frustration in only beating Jeremy Swayman once will likely lead to a complete examination of the team's game in Game One. High-priced Leafs forward William Nylander sat out with an undisclosed injury, but I'm not sure his presence would have helped.

Boston can put Toronto in a serious hole on Monday if they can win Game Two at home, setting up what becomes an unofficial must-win for the Leafs in Game Three. If the Bruins can play as well as they did tonight in capitalizing on Toronto's gaffes along with their solid special teams play, this series may be shorter than what a number of people had predicted. We'll know more after Monday night, but the initial game between these two Original Six foes was decidedly in one team's favour just like the regular season series was.

Did the Leafs win? Let's go to Ryan Reynolds for the answer.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Sixteen Are Registered

We already knew there were sixteen teams preparing for the opening round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs tomorrow, but The Hockey Show was busy last night getting sixteen people registered for Survivor: NHL Playoffs! If you called in, both Jason and I want to thank for registering for the contest. We filled all sixteen spots in approximately 40 minutes, so we had an incredible response to the contest being run this year. If you missed out on the opportunity, you'll unfortunately have to wait until next season for the contest to return, but that's what fourteen NHL teams are doing right now as they watch their peers compete for the hardest trophy to win in all of sports! Who got which team? Who is against whom in the opening round tomorrow? Let's find out!

We'll start in the Eastern Conference since they have the only games scheduled tomorrow as the New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes kick things off followed by the Original Six battle between Toronto and Boston. Here are the matchups for Round One!

It should be noted that last year's champion, Mike, and last year's finalist, Wayne, are both in the same conference this year. That means only one of them have a shot at one of the two grand prizes this year, so there's a little bit of a bonus for the other fourteen entrants! There should be some solid series in the East, and I'm already pumped for a few of them!

The Western Conference gets its side of the playoffs going on Sunday when the Winnipeg Jets host the Colorado Avalanche while Nashville Predators fans are going to have to stay up late to see them battle the Vancouver Canucks. Here are the matchups in the wild West!

Tom's a previous two-time winner of the contest, and he'll see his Kings having their hands full with Jared's Oilers. That dogfight in the Central Division featuring late entry Vegas will only see one of Dallas, Winnipeg, Colorado, or Vegas advance to the conference final as three of the heavyweights out west will be gone before the final. The West can literally be won by any of the eight teams, so get yourself settled in for what appears to be high drama in Western Conference!

As stated, sixteen people are now competing for the grand prizes in the Survivor: NHL Playoffs contest on UMFM, and we'll have updates on the show this week. The good news is that none of the series are scheduled to play Game Four before Thursday next week, so everyone has a week to relax before exit interviews start! Enjoy the hockey, folks, and good luck to the sixteen teams and the sixteen individuals looking for playoff success!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 604

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, has one purpose today when it comes to hockey: getting you entered into the greatest hockey radio contest on the face of the planet! Tonight is all about getting sixteen people registered and entered into the 2024 edition of Survivor: NHL Playoffs, and that means you need your phone handy between 5:30 and 6:30pm CT so you can call the show at 204-269-8636 to enter! You can't win prizes if you're not entered, and we have some solid prizing that's on its way to the station. We'll discuss some of that tonight between calls as we kick off Survivor: NHL Playoffs tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

For those of you who don't read the blog regularly, the rules for the Survivor: NHL Playoffs contest can be found here. Beginning slightly after 5:30pm CT, the phone lines will be opened, Teebz and Jason will begin taking calls, and we'll get sixteen people setup on Survivor: NHL Playoffs island where their teams will compete until only one is left standing. If you want to be that final survivor in the NHL Playoffs, you have to call us tonight at 204-269-8636 to get entered into the contest so you can potentially win some awesome prizes! Jason is already a little envious of those grand prizes, but we'll discuss that all tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!

I have had a few questions about Survivor: NHL Playoffs, and I want to stress that this contest is available to all listeners inside and outside of Winnipeg as we do use the mail to send prizes to winners, so make sure you're tuned in if you're listening outside of Winnipeg! You're more than welcome to participate in the contest! In saying that, I should note that we do have a few people who reached out via social media or email to inform us that they'll be travelling in places where cell phone usage in a car could cause legal problems, so we've granted them the option of texting us with the number they wish to choose. These texts will be added in the order they are received tonight, so don't think there's some advantage in that strategy.

If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The new UMFM website's online streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store. It's a solid app.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason find out who the sixteen people are for the 2024 edition of Survivor: NHL Playoffs, and we want to wish everyone the best of luck in choosing a number with a random team. May the odds be forever in your favour tonight exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: April 18, 2024: Episode 604

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Third Night Of Being Out

Once again, I am on the road tonight as I am scheduled to be at a league meeting for the upcoming slo-pitch season. Generally, these meetings are pretty easy-going, and the guys and gals running the league are fantastic in their preparation for what may come during the season. In short, it's always a good time at these meetings as the other eleven team representatives get along fairly well despite the competitive nature of some. We don't usually have to worry about a Mr. Burns-type person stacking a team with MLB all-stars for this league, so the discussions are pretty tame with most of the league directors updating everyone from last season. Easy-peasy for a Wednesday eve.

Because of this get-together, my normal opportunities to watch hockey will be curtailed until later in the evening depending on what time the meeting adjourns. For those wondering, "Homer at the Bat" was the name of The Simpsons episode that first aired on February 20, 1992. Among the players chosen for the episode, pitched Roger Clemens, infielders Wade Boggs, Steve Sax, Ozzie Smith, Don Mattingly, catcher Mike Scioscia, and outfielders Ken Griffey Jr., Jose Canseco, and Darryl Strawberry all voiced themselves on the show. For those not aware, Homer Simpson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum on May 25, 2017 thanks to this episode.

Here is Terry Cashman singing "Talkin' Softball", a modified version of his song "Talkin' Baseball", for this memorable episode.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Some Birthday Banter

The blog is closed tonight because I'm off to do something that I only get to do once per year: celebrate my Dad's birthday. There's no denying that Dad's getting older, so every chance I get to spend a birthday with him and the family is important to me. One of the things Dad loves is barbecuing that comes along with summer, and his birthday today is kind of the official kick-off to that season. Tonight, we share in one of his favorite meals as my brother is grilling up hot dogs on the barbecue, and it'll feel like sitting at the game with a hot dog and a beverage as we watch the Jets and Kraken battle on the big-screen TV!

My Dad and I share a love of hockey despite him being a Bruins fan forever - judge accordingly - but he's been following the game closer thanks to this radio thing I do. Because of me exposing him to the women's game more, he's now a deeply-invested fan of the women's game, talking about how he enjoys the women's game as much as the men's game with their emphasis on speed, skill, and checking with purpose as opposed to making a highlight reel.

Dad was my co-pilot on the way to Saskatoon for the 2024 U SPORTS National Women's Championship, and there was lots of banter about the teams and players there. My Dad met Laurier Golden Hawks and Markham Thunder legend Liz Knox at the tournament and had a great discussion with her. He's been a regular watcher of PWHL games, and we have regular discussions about those games, the players and coaches, and where the next expansion teams may land in order to open more opportunities for more women. Needless to say, it makes me smile knowing Dad can chat a little hockey with Liz Knox... even if he didn't know who she was other than "the goalie coach for Toronto". Yes, I informed him of her legend status.

Because it's Dad's big day, I'm closing down the blog for the night so I can grab a hot dog and a beverage with the family, watch the Jets and Kraken play, and chat some puck with them. Happy birthday, Dad, and here's to more conversations about hockey and more chats with hockey legends without knowing it!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

A Night Out

I had mentioned to few people that my hours at home were involved in a project I had been asked to do, and tonight was the night where that project was revealed. I was invited to be a guest at the St. Mary's Academy Flames' season-ending banquet by head coach Larry Bumstead as we collaborated on creating tribute videos for the graduating players who were moving off to new opportunities at a number of places. I won't be posting very much about the banquet here mainly because it's something for Flames and not the public, but I did want to thank them again for having this goofy media guy at their year-end party where I seemingly don't fit.

To Larry, Rob, Terry, Kennedy, and Carol-Ann, thank you so much for everything you do for the team and for the girls, but thank you for allowing me the honour of capturing the spirit of the four graduating players in the tribute videos. I'll fully admit that I don't know the girls as well as these five people do in any capacity, but, after having conversations with Larry about the four graduates, my hope was that the tribute videos captured both their love of playing for all five of you and for St. Mary's Academy along with the spirit of each of the girls. Thank you for this opportunity, and I appreciate all the compliments received about the videos.

To all the parents, thank you again for letting me into the St. Mary's Academy world and treating me as if I belonged there despite me knowing how much of an outsider I actually am. I know Larry didn't let anyone know about the tribute videos so my presence there may have been a surprise, but it felt like being back at the Female World Sport School Challenge with how welcoming and inviting you all were. Thank you again for being one of the best groups I've worked with and alongside this year and every year.

To the players who are returning to the Flames next season, I have no idea what Bummer has planned, but you've seen the mad genius at work with his idea for the four videos done for Quinn, Chiara, Addison, and Mia. While I helped bring those videos to life, Bummer's already looking to do some more fun stuff for next season. Be prepared for another fun-filled Flames season in 2024-25, and congratulations on all your successes on the ice and in the classrooms this season! You hold the torch high, ladies!

To Quinn, Chiara, Addison, and Mia, the future is bright with you walking towards it. Each of you has a story you're writing that I am confident will end in nothing but good things. Quinn's adventures in Regina will be incredible to watch, Chiara's work at the University of Manitoba will be unparalleled, Addison's already scored a hole-in-one with her efforts in golf and she'll shine brightly at Bowling Green, and Mia's passion and dedication to the game will make the Saint Mary's Huskies that much better next season. Thank you for allowing me to capture your personalities and spirits in these videos you didn't know were coming. I admittedly don't know each of you beyond a professional level, but it's not hard to see why Bummer was so excited about his leadership group this year. Well done, ladies, and I know you're going to do well at your respective next stops!

My thanks also go out to Chef Sergei and his staff at The Press Box restaurant for the incredible meal they served for this evening, and one really should check out the amazing menu he's prepared if one visits the Hockey For All Centre in Winnipeg. It's delicious, modern dining with a fantastic bar that offers all your standard adult beverages plus some local craft offerings. Personally, I'm a big fan of the Cajun chicken sandwich they serve there, but the menu has lots of delicious food to experience!

In summary, I had an incredible night of amazing food, seeing people I admire and respect, and watching the next generation of great leaders take those steps with their final Flames gathering. Thank you to all who appreciated the videos I made, and I truly hope it captured the spirit and the personalities of the four graduating players. I am humbled by all the kind words, and I hope you'll allow me back into the Flames family next season if I'm invited.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Excuse My Grogginess

You're going to have to cut me some slack today because I normally don't make it habit to see the other side of midnight. If you noticed the 10:30pm time on the Denver Pioneers article yesterday, that's because I was up late to watch the only AIHL team that I'll cheer for in the Melbourne Mustangs. While the game had a 2pm start in the Victoria capital, it had an 11pm start time on Saturday night for those of us in the middle of North America. I was writing yesterday's article as I waited for the Mustangs to take the ice for the first time in 2024, and the end result was a lot of fun for the home side as they began their Goodall Cup defence!

The Mustangs hosted the 1-2-0 Brisbane Lightning on Sunday after the Lightning fell to the Melbourne Ice by a 5-2 score on Saturday. Former Bisons head coach Mike Sirant's new team was looking to bounce back by taking down the defending champions, but they'd need a big effort from the squad as they played their second game in as many nights. Former Bisons defender Mitchell Dyck was making a big impact in his AIHL rookie campaign with a strong start statistically, but the Lightning needed a sixty-minute effort from the entire roster.

The champs got on the board early when Chris Lawrence struck at 4:59 to record the Mustangs' first goal of the season, and this one might have been a little sweeter for the 37 year-old because it's the first goal he's scored as a dad! Congratulations, Chris, but I'm going to warn everyone that we're not done with Lawrence just yet. As it stood, the Mustangs took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission in a game where mistakes were leading to chances.

The second period saw the teams alternate in terms of who scored. Melbourne's Thomas Flack made it 2-0 at the 5:11 mark before Brisbane's Anthony Barnes scored his first of the season on the power-play to cut the deficit in half at 8:57. The Mustangs would restore the two-goal cushion with Chris Lawrence's second goal of the game - this one while shorthanded - at 10:10, but the Lightning would respond with a Mitchell Dyck's third goal of the season at 16:32 to make it 3-2. Lawrence, though, was en fuego in this game as he buried his hat trick goal at 19:29 to make it 4-2 for the Mustangs after 40 minutes!

Before we get to the third period, I have a question: is throwing one's hat onto the ice surface following a hat trick being scored just a North American thing in ice hockey? I didn't see one hat hit the ice for Lawrence's hatty on early Sunday morning, so maybe they don't do that in Australia? If someone has answers, let me know!

Melbourne might have salted this one away early as Dean Klomp added a power-play goal just 63 seconds into the final frame, and Matt Knox made it a 6-2 game at 1:48 when he scored his first AIHL goal in his career. Knox would add his second AIHL goal at 10:56 to make it a 7-2 game, but the Lightning's Sam Hodic chipped away with his power-play goal at 12:08 to make it 7-3. Anthony Barnes added his second goal of the game with 3:19 to play, but it was too little and too late as the Mustangs opened their Goodall Cup defence with a 7-4 win over the Brisbane Lightning! Sebastian Woodlands picked up the win with 11 saves on 15 shots while Nicholas Novysedlak suffered the loss after stopped 32 of 39 shots he faced.

Was this the kind of game that will make coaches happy? No, but there are enough things that the Mustangs did right that they should be able to build off this win heading into next Saturday's clash with the Perth Thunder (5pm Aussie time/2am CT). Getting a big game out of Lawrence, Scott Timmins, Dean Klomp, and Ty Wishart is a good sign for the top players skating for Melbourne this season as the foursome combined for four goals and seven assists. The Mustangs will need that production if they hope to repeat as champions.

Brisbane will return home after taking two beatings from the Melbourne AIHL squads. Being outscored 12-4 in the two games played at the O'Brien Icehouse means there's lots of video for the coaches to review, but it's never good starting the season 1-3-0 while allowing five-or-more goals in all four games.

It was a good first game for the Melbourne Mustangs skating as AIHL champions for the first time since 2015, and we'll see if they can send the fans home in Melbourne with back-to-back wins next weekend when they host the 3-1-0 Perth Thunder in what should be an intense, uptempo game between two solid teams! Will I be awake for it? It's not looking good, but I'll have to see if I can sneak in a nap on Friday or something to make that work!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Mile High Championship

I'll be honest in telling you that I didn't think the University of Denver was going to be victorious. I knew a little bit about the Pioneers' roster based on the fact that they have ten Canadians, four Californians, and two Europeans skating for them this season, but they didn't have the big names that the other three schools seemed to boast as they entered the Frozen Four weekend. Perhaps, though, that was their strength because this Denver team played four lines with the same consistent effort and had a goaltender who simply went supernova while making stops in his crease. In the end, the Pioneers showed that it didn't really matter what names were on the roster as long as the school's name appeared on the trophy.

Calgary-born netminder Matt Davis might have rewrote the NCAA Frozen Four goaltending books with his performance. The former Edge School and AJHL's Spruce Grove Saints netminder spent one season with the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL before landing in Denver where he's been nothing short of spectacular statistically with a 34-7-3 record over three seasons with a 2.19 GAA and a .919 save percentage. In his first full season as a start this year, the junior goaltender went 23-5-3 with a 2.34 GAA and a .917 save percentage.

What he did in the Frozen Four makes those stats look like a lazy beer league game. In four games, Davis stopped 139 of 142 shots he faced for a .979 save percentage, and was the first goaltender to shut out Boston College this season with Denver's magical 2-0 win today. And he showed off some of that magic with saves like this.
ESPN's John Buccigross may have said it best when he exclaimed that "Matt Davis is out of his mind" after watching him deny Ryan Leonard of what looked like a guaranteed power-play goal. That was a ridiculous save, and it's one of the reasons that the Denver Pioneers are the NCAA Men's Hockey Champions today.

In the four games that Denver played in the NCAA Tournament, they never scored more than two goals in any game. Tristan Broz was the hero in the 2-1 overtime win over Massachusetts, Sam Harris scored the game-winner in Denver's 2-1 win over Cornell, Broz was once again the hero as he scored his second overtime winner in Denver's 2-1 overtime win over Boston University, and Jared Wright had the opening goal and game-winner for Denver in their 2-0 win over Boston College in the championship final. In total, 13 players recorded points on the eight goals the Pioneers scored.

Head coach David Carle built his team well, and he'll only lose forward Connor Caponi and defence McKade Webster, Denver's captain, through graduation this year. With virtually his entire roster returning for next season assuming there are no players who transfer out, there's a strong belief that Denver may be poised for back-to-back championships following their NCAA-record tenth national championship. Freshman defender Zeev Buium will be drafted in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft this season, but it seems almost assured that he'll return for one more season with the Pioneers.

Take nothing away from Boston College's run to the final as they beat some very good teams to reach the final game. Sometimes, good teams run into hot goaltenders, and it was pretty clear from the stats and the highlight above that the Eagles run into a goalie who was on a completely different level in this tournament. With the likes of Will Smith, Cutter Gauthier, and the aforementioned Leonard looking at NHL careers once they leave Boston College, there will be other big games in which they'll play. Today, though, the Pioneers were the better team for sixty minutes when it mattered.

Congratulations go out to the Denver Pioneers on their incredible run to the NCAA National Men's Hockey Championship! While there may be a target on your backs next year after winning this title, everyone wants a shot at the champs. That's part of being the best, and to the victors, go the spoils!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

A Doming-goal In Hartford

If there's one thing I never tire of seeing, it's goals scored by guys who usually prevent them. We were treated to another goaltender goal tonight in the AHL, marking the fourth time it's happened this season. We'll get to those three other netminders who have done it, but tonight's goal happened in Hartford where the Springfield Falcons and the Hartford Wolf Pack were both fighting for their playoff lives. Neither of those teams has clinched a spot in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, but Hartford's Louis Domingue helped his team in a big way tonight.

Domingue is a 32 year-old journeyman goaltender who was drafted in the fifth-round at 138th-overall in 2010 by the Arizona Coyotes. Since making his debut in 2014-15 with the Coyotes, Domingue has made appearances for six other NHL teams while spending most of last three seasons in the AHL. That's not to say that Domingue hasn't played meaningful games as he searched for opportunities. One may remember his play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs a few years ago when the Pittsburgh Penguins ran into goalie injury trouble.

In July 2022, Domingue signed with the New York Rangers where he was the main goaltender for Hartford as he awaited opportunities behind Igor Shesterkin and Jaroslav Halak. Shesterkin wasn't going anywhere in the offseason in 2023, but the Rangers acquired Jonathan Quick who made Domingue's path to the NHL a little more difficult once again. As such, Domingue has played one game in two seasons for the Blueshirts, but he made the most of it as he won the game over the Wild, has a 1.00 GAA, and a .962 save percentage after stopping 25 of 26 shots he faced in his Rangers era thus far.

The good news is that Domingue has been solid for the Wolf Pack at the AHL level where he's 36-20-12 in 71 games over two seasons, and his 14-8-4 record this season should likely have earned him more starts. He did get the start tonight, though, and the Wolf Pack and their fans were likely happy about that after he went and did this.
As I mentioned above, Domingue helped his team in a big way tonight as that insurance marker that he scored gave the Wolf Pack the 5-3 victory over the Thunderbirds, clinching a playoff spot for Hartford with the victory! For those asking, this is just the second time since 2014-15 that the Wolf Pack have qualified for the playoffs, so it was a rather big night for the AHL franchise this evening!

Domingue joins the likes of Strauss Mann, Alex Nedeljkovic, and Jaxson Stauber as the fourth goaltender to score in the AHL this season, and one has to wonder if there's something in the water at the AHL level. We know Domingue enjoys spicy pork and broccoli before starts as his pregame meal which the other three netminders don't share, so four goals in one season at the AHL level is a pretty incredible feat! Well done, AHL netminders!

Once more, here's the updated list of AHL goalies scorers.

• Darcy Wakaluk, Rochester – Dec. 5, 1987 at Utica
• Paul Cohen, Springfield – Mar. 28, 1992 vs. Rochester
• Robb Stauber, Rochester – Oct. 9, 1995 at Prince Edward Island
• Christian Bronsard, Syracuse – Oct. 30, 1999 at Rochester
• Jean-Francois Labbe, Hartford – Feb. 5, 2000 at Quebec
• Chris Mason, Milwaukee – Oct. 15, 2001 at Utah
• Antero Niittymaki, Philadelphia – Apr. 11, 2004 at Hershey*
• Seamus Kotyk, Milwaukee – Apr. 17, 2005 at San Antonio
• Drew MacIntyre, Manitoba – Feb. 20, 2008 at Chicago*
• Chris Holt, Binghamton – Mar. 19, 2010 vs. Rochester
• Reto Berra, Lake Erie – Jan. 16, 2015 at Chicago
• Jonas Gustavsson, Bakersfield – Mar. 24, 2017 vs. San Diego
• Alex Nedeljkovic, Charlotte – Mar. 10, 2018 vs. Hartford
• Tristan Jarry, W-B/Scranton – Nov. 14, 2018 at Springfield
• Maxime Lagace, Chicago - May 25, 2019 at San Diego**
• Collin Delia, Rockford - Dec. 17, 2021 at Texas
• Lukas Dostal, San Diego - Mar. 2, 2022 at Colorado
• Jesper Wallstedt, Iowa - Nov. 12, 2022 at Chicago
• Pyotr Kochetkov, Chicago - Feb. 3, 2023 vs. Manitoba
• Strauss Mann, Laval - Oct. 18, 2023 vs. Rochester
• Alex Nedeljkovic, W-B/Scranton – Nov. 17, 2023 at Providence
• Jaxson Stauber, Rockford - Feb. 16, 2024 vs. Chicago
• Louis Domingue, Hartford - April 12, 2024 vs. Springfield
NOTE: asterisked goals are OT goals. Double-asterisked goal is a playoff goal.

23 men have their names in the AHL record book for recording a goal while stopping pucks, and it's pretty crazy that more than a third of those names have been added since late-2021. As we know, goalies are improving their stickhandling skills every year, though, so maybe we shouldn't be so surprised. What once was an outlier for goalie skills is now a required necessity to play the game!

Congratulations to Louis Domingue on the goal and the win tonight, and to the Wolf Pack for finding their way back to the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs after missing out far too often considering the history of the franchise! Maybe Domingue can notch a playoff goal too?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 603

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, has a busy show planned for tonight as we get you set for the greatest contest on radio today. Before we get to those details, though, there are a few hockey stories that our hosts will work through as there are details and information that require discussion, and there's a kickoff for the AIHL defending champions this weekend as the Melbourne Mustangs host the Brisbane Lightning in their first action of the season. We'll get into that before diving into all the necessary details for Survivor: NHL Playoffs tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

We can't really avoid talking about the story, so Teebz and Jason will look at the current Arizona Coyotes situation, how it relates to Salt Lake City, whether they move to Utah or not, and all the other details that need to be considered before the end of the season. As stated above, they'll preview the season opener for the Melbourne Mustangs on April 14 as the defending AIHL champions face Mike Sirant and the Brisbane Lightning, and the final half-hour will be entirely about everything you need to know to participate in Survivor: NHL Playoffs next Thursday! It's an episode that big on details and information tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!

I have had a few questions about Survivor: NHL Playoffs, and I want to stress that this contest is available to all listeners inside and outside of Winnipeg as we do use the mail to send prizes to winners, so make sure you're tuned in if you're listening outside of Winnipeg! You're more than welcome to participate in the contest!

If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The new UMFM website's online streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store. It's a solid app.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason discuss relocating franchises, kicking off a new season, every last detail about a contest, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: April 11, 2024: Episode 603

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Annual Contest

It's that magical time of year once again. It's when the grass starts to turn green, the leaves start budding on trees, the ice and snow recede to places no one needs to think about until October, and the NHL begins its annual 16-team battle to determine which team will be crowned as the Stanley Cup champion. With the latter event about to settle into life for the next two months, The Hockey Show is preparing for another postseason of fun where 16 listeners get a shot at claiming the title of "champion"!

I've already received a few questions about whether or not Survivor: NHL Playoffs will return this season, and this post is a flag on the beach that says Survivor's NHL Island is open for business once again this year! As you may have heard on the radio show over the last couple of weeks, our take on a Survivor contest is returning to the airwaves again as we look to crown a winner, award prizes to worthy competitors, and bestow fame and glory on the final entrant standing as The Hockey Show's 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs survivor!

In reality, there's no island in a tropical climate nor a boat that will get you there, and our annual show budget of $0.00 says Jason and I will never broadcast from an island in the south Pacific. However, if you're aware of the Survivor pools that are run between friends or at the office, ours is based on the same idea where you pick a random name of one of the contestants, and that person on Survivor is your person for the run of the show. If he or she is voted off the island, the game for you is over. In our contest, though, we put our own twist on the game so it becomes much more hockey-centric.

This is where you come in as Jason and I will be seeking sixteen people to call The Hockey Show on April 18, 2024 where each of those callers will choose a number from 1 to 16. Each of those sixteen numbers will have a corresponding playoff team assigned to it randomly. Whatever number you've chosen will reveal your team for the playoffs, and that team becomes YOUR team in a similar random fashion to Survivor pools. All you have to do is be near your phone that evening between 5:30pm and 6:30pm Central Time, call us, and choose one of the numbers on the board to find out what playoff team you'll be rooting for this year!

If you need a real-world example of how this works, let's say that Jason were to call in and choose #6. We flip that card over to reveal that #6 has the New York Rangers under it. Officially, Jason's team is the Rangers until they're eliminated or they win, and card #6 is no longer available as a choice for the next callers. Jason will be cheering as a Rangers fan this spring until they're done playing.

Following Jason's call, let's say that I call in next and select #13 as my number, revealing the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas would become my team until they're eliminated or they win, and card #13 is no longer available as a choice for the next callers. Wash, rinse, repeat until there are no numbers and teams remaining.

If you think you're up for this, you'll need to have your radio tuned to The Hockey Show on April 18 and have your phone close to you. Before you commit, though, what we haven't told you yet is that there's a twist in all of this radio fun. And this twist is where things get crazy fun for everyone involved.

Just when you think you're out, you're still in the contest until "Tribal Council". You may be wondering how a radio show does "Tribal Council", but we already know your team was eliminated so you've technically been voted off Survivor's NHL Island. However, every episode of Survivor ends with the contestant voted off doing their exit interview, and that's precisely what you will do: you'll deliver an exit interview for your team! We'll call you, set up the quick two- or three-minute chat about your team, and then you're officially done with the contest. Easy-peasy, right?

Some of you may worry about being heard on the radio, but I assure you it's just like talking on the phone. In other words, don't think we're going to make it sound weird or anything. But knowing that this is going to happen, what might you say? You're free to talk about how you're disappointed that a specific player didn't show up in the playoffs or how you never thought there would be an upset this early or how you're just lucky that your chosen team made the playoffs. Or you can be like Jacob and talk about your team embarrassed you.


While the CBS version of Survivor promises a big cash prize and whole bunch of prizes from sponsors - both of which The Hockey Show doesn't have - we will be offering up some prizing that aligns with our lack of budget. There will be some smaller prizes handed out as "challenge prizes" much like the network reality show does, and those challenges are as follows:

• First shutout recorded in the playoffs.
• First hat trick recorded in the playoffs.
• First goaltender point recorded in the playoffs.
• First team eliminated from the playoffs.
• First to advance from the second round to the third round.
• First team to score seven goals in one game in the playoffs.
• First upset of the playoffs.

The first team that accomplishes any of these challenge goals will earn their Survivor player a corresponding prize! The prizes have yet to be collected, but we've done hockey books, gift cards, and other assorted smaller prizes in the past, so expect much of the same this year. Any prizes earned through challenges will be handed out while supplies and challenges last and in the order they were completed! Needless to say, teams can earn more than one prize in this challenge part of the contest, so choose wisely when it comes to the randomly-distributed teams! Or just choose your favorite number. Either works!

Just like the TV show, we do offer prizes for the finalists! The grand prize winner who captures the Survivor crown will take home their choice of an NHL jersey plus a few additional prizes! The finalist will get jersey not chosen by the winner as a runner-up prize, so you're going home with a prize as long as your team makes it through three rounds which is pretty awesome when all you had to do is call us!

As a new wrinkle to this year's contest, The Hockey Show will also be asking if you plan on supporting UMFM's Pledge-O-Rama event that runs between April 19th at 6:30pm until 8:00pm on April 26th. For anyone who enters the Survivor: NHL Playoffs contest AND donates to Pledge-O-Rama, we'll put you into an additional draw for even more prizes! You help us, we'll reward you - it's that simple. Read the linked article above about all the Pledge-O-Rama details and get your pledge into UMFM for a chance to win even more shwag!

I should also be upfront and inform you that we have some requirements that need to be met before you can participate. The good news is we won't need a medical team available like CBS does for their version of Survivor, but we do have a few must-have REQUIREMENTS for anyone to participate. They include:

1. You must call into the show on Thursday, April 18 between 5:30pm and whenever we fill all the spots in the contest. If all 16 spots aren't filled within the hour, Jason and I will get creative to fill the empty spots. Don't complain - you had an hour to make one phone call!
2. You must have a phone number and an email address. If you're calling us, I'm pretty sure you have at least one of these already. If you have neither, are you even alive?
3. A desire to watch your chosen team's progress in the NHL Playoffs. You don't need to follow them religiously, but it's better to know something if/when your team is eliminated.

Beyond that, this is a fun contest meant for laughter with a few rewards for those who get lucky. It's not to be taken seriously in any way, and it's a nice way for us to reward our loyal listeners with some free gear. If this has enticed you to listen for the first time or come back to the show after not listening, welcome to the show and here's hoping you get into the contest! Just remember, though, that if your team gets bounced, we're calling you for that exit interview. If that scares you in any way, work through that fear!

Be ready, folks, because this contest always is fun for everyone involved. Like CBS' Survivor, only one person can be crowned as "survivor" in this contest, and we're ready to kick things off on April 18! Here's hoping you'll call in for the best radio contest in hockey!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!