More Negative Manitoba Hockey Headlines

I want to bring to light a very disturbing video that made headlines all over the news in Manitoba. Hockey, as I'm sure you're aware, is something about which Manitobans are very passionate. The fact that this made headlines on all of the newscasts in Winnipeg should tell you something about how high Manitobans hold the game. It may also show you an ugly side of the game that we need to be very open about when talking to the next generation of players.

I'll frame the game for you. It's a playoff series in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League between the Portage Terriers of Portage la Prairie and the Swan Valley Stampeders. The Terriers are leading the series by a 3-2 margin, and are up 4-1 late in Game Six. With about 16 seconds to play, we catch up with the video.

This is entirely what hockey needs to eliminate. Players like Jesse Enns, the Stampeder player who skated full-tilt into the corner, need to be removed entirely from the game.

I'm speechless, readers. Enns drilled Terriers' defender Tyler Harland into the boards head-first. It's an absolute miracle that Harland was able to skate off the ice under his own power. I'm stunned that he was even able to get up after a disgusting disregard for human life and safety shown by Enns.

I might be speaking emotionally here, but I feel that Enns should lose all privileges when it comes to playing the game. Ban him for life. Give the kid a lot of time to reflect on the absolute stupidity of his actions, the extremely poor decision he made when he took off from center ice and hurled himself into an unsuspecting player, and the opportunity to see the potential devastation he could have caused to another player, a family, and many lives. I see no other punishment that would fit the crime. And it's not the result that we're talking about here - I want the punishment to fit the crime committed.

MJHL Commissioner Kim Davis will undoubtedly be reviewing not only the hit by Enns on Harland, but the spontaneous fight involving the two coaches on the bench after the officials ended the game. Davis has been an advocate for cleaning up the game from his league's point of view, so I expect harsh penalties for all involved.

I love going to watch MJHL games when I get the opportunity, but this display left a bad taste in my mouth. And if Enns is let off the hook because Harland wasn't seriously hurt, I may just take to the streets and demand justice on this one.

What say you, readers?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Return Of Classic Auctions

There is no quantitative limit with regards to the respect and admiration I have for hockey history. There are so many great stories and so much fascinating imagery from the game that it should be celebrated as often as possible. Thankfully, Classic Auctions is holding another one of its fabulous sports memorabilia auctions, so I think it's time we revisit some of the great history seen in the game of hockey and some of the associated stories that have come along with these small glimpses into the annals of the game. Let's take a look at some of the more interesting pieces up for auction this time.

• We'll start this look into hockey history with a glimpse back at a jersey from an all-star. Vaclav Nedomansky was chosen as a WHA All-Star in 1976, and he played on Team Canada for the game in Cleveland, Ohio despite being from Czechoslovakia! The reason for this is that the WHA chose players for their all-star teams based upon where they played rather than where they were born! The Canadian-based WHA teams sent players as part of the Canada All-Stars and the American-based WHA teams sent players as the United States All-Stars. In 1976, Toronto Toros' star Nedomansky and the Canadian WHA All-Stars beat the US WHA All-Stars by a 6-1 score on January 13 at Richfield Coliseum!
• We move on to an Original Six team. I have to say that I am a huge fan of this Blackhawks sweater from the 1950s. The colours, the stripes, the logo, the font... it truly is a thing of beauty! If there was ever an opportunity to bring back a different alternate jersey for the Blackhawks, this one gets my vote.
• Strangely enough, the Blackhawks have worn this look closer to the future. In 1991-92, the NHL had the Original Six teams wear a throwback jersey, and the Blackhawks decided on a jersey that looked remarkably like their sweaters from the 1950s. Two things I don't like: the rear font they decided on, and the name on the back. The font is just too skinny, and if you're going to throwback to a previous incarnation, go all the way or don't go at all.
• This is a rare find, but I'm always intrigued when I come upon a number that I've never seen a player wear. Ethan Moreau apparently wore #65 during the 1994 preseason! If you're a Moreau fan, this number is one of those rare finds - much like Joe Sakic's #88 jersey when he played with the Nordiques!
• When you think of the Vancouver Canucks, does anyone else miss this look? I'm sorry, but as good as the current look is, there is still something about the skate logo that I truly miss about the Canucks. Maybe we'll see these beauties come back as an alternate one day? No one did yellow-orange-black like the Canucks did.
• As much as I hated them as a Penguins fan, there is something magical about the red-white-and blue of the Capitals. But I do have one question about this Doug Jarvis jersey from the early-1980s: why are the hem stripes so huge? They literally go right to the logo which is mid-torso! That's a little crazy.
• Just because there aren't enough Sutters in Calgary, here is more proof that the Sutter bloodline runs through the Flames. That's Shaun Sutter's jersey from the 1999-2000 season. Shaun is the son of Brian Sutter, and was drafted by the Flames when his dad coached there. Currently, Shaun serves as an assistant coach with the WHL's Regina Pats.
• I've looked at this before, but there was something going on with the Philadelphia Flyers in the late-1970s and early-1980s. Check out the location of the captain's "C" on Bob Clarke's jersey from 1976-77. It's nearly in the middle of his chest! And it's still pretty close to his mid-line in 1980-81! What gives? Why is it so close to the middle of his chest?
• We move to the international scene. There's a big story surrounding the 1988 Canada Olympic jerseys that I wasn't aware of before reading the story on the Classic Auctions site. This is Ken Yaremchuk's jersey, and he played alongside NHL players like Sean Burke and Andy Moog as they prepared to represent Canada at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary. Here's the kicker: "An embroidered CCM crest on the rear hem has been covered with a patch of red tackle twill, obviously to comply with advertising guidelines. Canada received a fine of $100,000 for refusing to wear uniforms made by Tackla at the Games". I never knew that! Corporate America already had a hold on the Olympic Games back then! How cool is that little gem of hockey history? I'm hoping your answer was "very".
• Here's a number that wasn't seen on the ice at the 1991 Canada Cup, but Vincent Damphousse played during the selection camp. He wore #50 through the camp as he worked to play his way onto the team, but he was cut days before the Canada Cup started. It's another one of those number cameos by a player who never wore #50 again. We'll see more of Damphousse later in this article as he has another jersey in this exposé.
• We mentioned a couple of Sutters already, so let's bring a couple more onboard in this article. We get a good look at Duane Sutter's jersey with the Islanders from '81-82, and I'm always a fan of the first initial on a jersey. However, as we look at this photo with both Duane and Brent Sutter in it, does anyone see a major difference in the lettering? Duane's appears as single-colour font while Brent's font is double-coloured. It appears this was corrected as of 1981-82.
• With the Lightning changing their jerseys next season, it's always interesting to look back at some of their previous jerseys. Their inaugural jersey was interesting. Steve Kasper's jersey has that ridiculous font on it. I'm quite happy that it went the way of the dodo and was never seen again.
• I have to say that I always loved the colours of the Minnesota North Stars. We get to see that gorgeous green colour of the North Stars jersey here on Basil McRae's uniform from the 1987-88 season. This is what Minnesota hockey looks like. Bring back the green!
• Bob Rouse's jersey from his stint with the North Stars shows the addition of black to the colour scheme. This is how I think most people remember the North Stars. There were so many great memories of that Stanley Cup run in 1991 that ended at the hands of Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the final, but these great uniforms will stand out vividly in my mind.
• The jerseys that the North Stars wore in 1991-92 really took leaps and bounds in the wrong directions with their "re-design". Nothing about that design even comes close to giving off that great North Star vibe, and it feels pretty bland as a hockey jersey. Little did the hockey world know that the "north" part would soon be a thing of the past.
• By 1993-94, the Stars would be playing in Dallas, and they would be wearing uniforms that seemed to have a lot in common with the earlier re-design. Note to self, fans: if your team suddenly begins to remove the parts of the uniform that make you distinctly unique like, say, part of the team name, I'd be suspicious.
• Even the officials got in the act with some distinct designs. We've seen this image of Ron Ego calling a penalty in the WHA and discussed his red-striped officials jersey. I never scoured the internet for a picture with much intent because the referees seem to get lost in the shuffle of history. However, Wayne Mundey's referee sweater is a joy to behold!
• The NHL officials showed that they wore the NHL colours for a long time as this official's sweater from the 1970s has orange numbering to match the NHL shield on the front! Wasn't it nice when NHL All-Star teams and NHL employees all represented the league by wearing the league's colours? The "good ol' days", I suppose.
• The California Golden Seals seemed to miss the boat in the 1970s when they went pastel instead of staying true to their gorgeous green looks as the Oakland Seals. Bob Girard's uniform looks great, but it just doesn't have the same "pop" as the Oakland jersey does.
• The 1975-76 Kansas City Scouts jersey is a nice blend of colours, but that logo really draws the eyes to it. That logo features chain-stitching, a favorite of Mr. Paul Lukas over on Uni Watch Blog. I'm not saying the colours should return in the same fashion, but I really think someone needs to come up with a new "Scouts" ensemble. Any takers?
• Check out the logo on Nelson Pyatt's Colorado Rockies jersey from 1976-77. It looks a little off, doesn't it? That's because the Rockies didn't have their jerseys ready when the season started in 1976. The Kansas City Scouts had moved in the off-season before the 1976 season started to Denver, but they didn't have their jerseys ready in time for the start of the season. Thus the Rockies began the 1976-77 season with an odd-looking Rockies logo instead of their normal logos.
• Speaking of another jersey that just doesn't seem right, here is a Penguins jersey from the late-1960s. The stripes being light blue just don't seem right after having seen them in yellow-and-black for so many years. Another of the jerseys lost in the annals of history, I suppose.
  
• Don Maloney had an interesting career with the New York Rangers. While he wasn't officially the captain, he worked as acting captain whenever the Rangers saw their captain injured. Thus, he routinely is seen with the "C" on his sweater. However, Maloney is probably more well-known for his full name on the back of his sweater. I always thought that was pretty cool.
• How many people remember Guy Lafleur's tenure with the Broadway Blueshirts? The original "Flower" laced up the skates with the Rangers for 67 games in 1988-89, netting 18 goals and adding 27 assists. I don't remember this, but Lafleur wore #44 while with the Rangers.
• I found that the Detroit Red Wings did something as they evolved through the 1980s. In the late 1970s (and probably further back), the Red Wings used to use the wheel as the center point for their logo on their chests. The result? Greg Carroll's jersey looks seriously skewed because of the logo.
• Another gorgeous throwback jersey from the 1991-92 season was worn by the Detroit Red Wings. Doug Crossman played with them that season, and the stripes make this jersey look amazing. This is still one of my favorite hockey jerseys of all-time.
• How cool is this Hockey Night In Canada microphone cover and book? Ok, the book isn't all that important, but how awesome would it be to have that microphone caddy? I might want one of those more than I want a fabled HNIC towel!
• We've seen a number of the NHL Showcase Confrontation jerseys in the past, but there's another one in the auction this time around. Bryan Trottier's jersey is up for grabs this time, and I must admit that I really like the colours on this jersey. I may have to research these Showcase Confrontation games a little more!
• There are lots of people who saw the NHLPA 4-on-4 Challenge from Hamilton, Ontario in 1995, but there seems to be zero tape of these games online anywhere. During the strike, the players got together at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton to play some four-on-four hockey while representing their respective regions: Western Canada, Ontario, Quebec, and the USA. Vincent Damphousse was invited, and he played for Team Quebec at the event in this gorgeous NHLPA jersey. I want it!
• We started with the WHA, so let's end it with a few WHA sweaters as well. The original team with the number on the shoulder was the Chicago Cougars, and Cam Newton's jersey from 1973-74 shows the number clearly. I'm still not a very big fan of having the number on the front of the jersey in hockey, but it seems to have made a comeback with some of the NHL teams today.
• Journeyman defenceman Jerry Zrymiak bounced around the WHA for a while, but he played with the Michigan Stags for a while during the '74-75 season. I'm not sure about you, but the name "Michigan Stags" just sounds like a manly name. The colour is a little less manly, though. I love the Stags' logo, though.
• Les Binkley starred in net for the Toronto Toros in 1975-76. I like the colours of the Toros' jerseys, but the important part is the "Toros" mark on the sleeve stripe. That's a huge detail on these jerseys, especially when you consider that the team moved after the '75-76 season and became the Birmingham Bulls. Why is this important? Check out the similarities in the Bulls' jersey to the Toros' jersey. The only thing missing is the "Toros" wordmark from the sleeve!

There are a pile of incredible auction items available through the Classic Auctions website. I really would kill for that HNIC microphone cover or that Detroit TBTC jersey, but, being that I'm a poor college student, these luxuries will have to wait. If you're interested, get over to the Classic Auctions website ASAP!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Return To Sanity

If there was one travesty that happened when Reebok began outfitting hockey teams across the world, it was the fact that they single-handedly removed the identity of the Ottawa 67's with their EDGE design. Gone were the barber pole jerseys that fans of the 67's loved and held in such high esteem thanks to the legends that had worn it. I, for one, loved the look of these jerseys, but Reebok essentially killed what made the Ottawa 67's so identifiable. While there had been rumours of Ottawa bringing these jerseys back to their uniform set, nothing had materialized. That is, nothing had materialized until Thursday!

In 2009, Jeff Hunt, owner of the OHL club, addressed Ottawa 67's fans through a statement after it was revealed that the 67's would wear black jerseys while on the road despite the popularity of the barber pole jersey thanks to Reebok's new "technology". Mr. Hunt said,

When the 67’s Reebok Edge Jersey was launched this week, longtime fans who had grown to love the traditional barber pole jerseys were upset. Rightly so. As an organization, we should have warned you in advance that in this first edition of the Edge Jersey our traditional look wasn’t possible. At least, that way, it wouldn’t have been a shock when the jersey was unveiled.

The problem is that the engineering of the new, lighter, cooler jerseys is such that only a solid colour is possible on the main front panel. We have maintained as much of the barber pole look as we could (sleeves) and we are working with the manufacturer to overcome the technical problems so that, at some point in the future, we can return to our full barber pole look.

I hope you enjoy the new season.

Jeff Hunt
Owner and Governor
Ottawa 67’s Hockey Club

Needless to say, the demand for the barber pole jerseys didn't go away. In fact, I think a lot of hockey fans in general looked at this move by Reebok as something akin to blasphemy or heresy. With the demand on the rise, I'm sure that Mr. Hunt and his team felt the pressure to bring back the identity of the Ottawa 67's.

I am happy to report that the dream is now reality as of yesterday! We go to the Ottawa 67's page where the news has broken!

"The barber pole jersey is synonymous with 67's hockey," said 67's Owner and Governor Jeff Hunt. "It’s the jersey of Denis Potvin, Doug Wilson and Bobby Smith. It's the jersey of our Memorial Cup winning teams. And it's fantastic to finally be able to return to it and give our fans the look they’ve been asking for."

For the first time, it seems that a team has finally forced Reebok's hand in developing something that they want rather than having it the other way around. I'm glad the the Ottawa 67's are going back to the way they are supposed to look because it just feels right.

Over on the Ottawa 67's Fan Blog, a great site written by Valerie, Sid, and StatsGuy, they have a full picture of the new barber pole jerseys, and I have to say that they look fantastic! I am extremely pleased with this news, and I look forward to seeing the 67's on the ice all season next year!

Finally, it seems some sense is being put back into hockey fashion. Thank you, Ottawa, for bringing back your mojo!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Backstop From Behind The Bench

I've told the story of Lester Patrick's goaltending heroics for the New York Rangers on HBIC before, but it's still a story that deserves to be told a thousand times again simply for the amazing tale of a man who was the epitome of putting the team first. Thankfully, pictures are worth a thousand words, so I'm told, so I'm always grateful when great artists contact me with their works about hockey. Artist extraordinaire Rob Ullman sent me his newest comic strip about Lester Patrick's tale, and it is a fantastic representation of the hockey legend's tale when Patrick went from coach to goaltender for the New York Rangers. Here is Rob's latest work, The Backstop From Behind The Bench. Enjoy!

Part One of The Backstop From Behind The Bench. As always, you can click the image to blow it up larger for easier reading.

Part Two of The Backstop From Behind The Bench.

Part Three of The Backstop From Behind The Bench.

Rob outdid himself on this one as he really did a great job in capturing the story in both words and images. I can't say enough about how good Rob's work is, and you can find a ton of excellent stuff over on his site, Atom-Bomb Bikini. There is some excellent artwork over there, so make sure you stop by his store and score yourself something great!

If nothing else, check out Rob in the Ginger Classic wearing the old-school Quebec Nordiques jersey! He looks like a young Peter Stastny out there! Well done on your jersey choice, Rob! Congrats on your success in the tournament, and thanks for sending me over these great pieces of artwork!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Antler Banter: Volume 22

The Moose face a big test as they tackle four teams from the Western Conference that are fighting for supremacy in that division. Games against the Peoria Rivermen, Milwaukee Admirals, Chicago Wolves, and the Oklahoma City Barons on the road is no easy task, so the Moose would have to be at their best as they worked through this tough stretch of road games. Make sure you visit the Moose website for all your Manitoba Moose news and information. If you're interested in attending a Manitoba Moose game, please click here for seating information, ticket pricing, and availability. The Moose take to the road through the West Division in this week's Hardcore Hockey!

Rivermen Without A Paddle

The Moose have had pretty good success against the Rivermen thus far with three wins to their credit. Peoria is missing Ben Bishop from their nets as he's playing in St. Louis, so this was a perfect opportunity for the Moose to capitalize. Eddie Lack got the start for Manitoba while Peoria called upon Jake Allen to guard their nets.

Big night for a brand-new Moose player as Keith Seabrook, on loan from the Abbotsford Heat, notched his first goal as a member of the Herd. Seabrook's fifth goal of the season came midway through the second period, and #22 celebrated his first goal in antlers. Seabrook ended the night with a goal, three shots, and a +1 rating - pretty good for his first action on a brand-new team. He and Yann Sauvé played a pretty solid game together as a pairing. There will be more about how Seabrook got to Winnipeg below.

Special teams need to be better for the Moose as I continue to preach on this aspect of their game. The powerplay unit gave up a shorthanded marker when a turnover in their own zone resulted in a Dave Spina goal. To make matters worse, the Moose penalty kill was victimized in the second period when they gave up a goal as well. I'm not going to harp on the penalty kill units as they have been a strength all season long, but these powerplay woes the Moose are experiencing will catch up to them in the playoffs. This must be fixed sooner than later.

It wasn't a stand-out game for the Moose as they built a 3-1 lead before surrending a single point to Peoria, but the Moose responded in the shootout as Bill Sweatt put this game to bed in the breakaway content. Two points are two points, and those points are important on this road trip. With the win, the Moose improve to 33-22-6 on the season.

Admirals Find No Safe Port

The Moose haven't been welcomed very well in past games to the Bradley Center, so the game against the Admirals would be a tell-tale sign of how the Moose are evolving this season. The first-place Admirals have been playing pretty good hockey as they battled their way to the top of the West Division standings, so the Moose needed to see if they could pass this test. Veteran Tyler Weiman was given the nod for the Moose while the Admirals went with Mark Dekanich as their goaltender.

Several Moose players put up multi-point nights in this game. Cody Hodgson, Sergei Shirokov, and Guillaume Desbiens all recorded a goal and an assist each. Getting contributions from your main cogs like this will go a long way in giving the Moose a great chance to secure top spot in the North Division. It's always nice to see Hodgson picking up points after he seemed to be stuck in a mini-slump.

The addition of Keith Seabrook into the Moose line-up is looking like one of the best moves this squad has seen in a long time. Seabrook had a pair of helpers on the evening, and he earned an assist on Yann Sauvé's first goal of the season, a powerplay marker midway through the second period. Sauvé and Seabrook could be the steadying pair that the Moose blueline needed for a while, and the offence being produced by the two rearguards is very impressive.

The Moose put three pucks past Dekanich, and Cody Hodgson iced it in the final minute as the Moose downed the Admirals by a 4-2 score on Saturday night. Weiman played well in his first start in two weeks, and the addition of Seabrook is paying off in spades. With the win, the Moose improve to 34-22-6 on the season, and move into sole possession of first-place in the North Division.

Wolves Take Bite Out Of Moose

Another weekend of hockey meant another three-games-in-three-days for the Moose. This time, they rolled into Chicago to play their longtime rivals in the Chicago Wolves. And this game felt like an old IHL game as there were lots of shots in a game of wide-open hockey. Eddie Lack squared off against Edward Pasquale as the two netminders took to the ice.

Kudos to Yann Sauvé who wanted more than just his first goal one night earlier. Sauvé, paired with Travis Ramsey on this evening, turned in another great performance as he scored his second goal of the season, had a team-high four shots, and ended the night with a +2 rating. Sauvé is quietly becoming one of the Herd's most reliable defencemen, and it is extremely encouraging to see him becoming one of its most productive as well. Well done, and keep it up!

How important has Garth Murray been to the Manitoba Moose this year? Not only has the tough-as-nails winger been an important leader on this team, but his work on the penalty kill is the kind of stuff that makes men into local folk heroes. Murray poke-checked a Wolves defender, sprinted down the ice on a breakaway, and scored his fifth goal of the season - and third shorthanded goal of the season - to give the Moose some life at the end of the second after trailing 3-0. I'd take a team of Garth Murrays in terms of his efforts on the ice.

While fatigue may have been a factor, it took Manitoba over 39 minutes to finally cash in a goal, and it was too little, too late as the Wolves had already jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Manitoba fought valiantly to try and tie the game, but the final horn sounded on a 3-2 Wolves victory. With the loss, the Moose fall to 34-23-6 on the season.

Oil Well Runs Dry

The Moose and Oklahoma City Barons got to renew acquaintances on Tuesday night as the two teams met in Oklahoma City. The Herd had been playing some pretty solid hockey over their last three games despite falling to Chicago on Sunday, so there was hope that they could continue playing well as the road trip progressed. Tyler Weiman earned the start after his solid performance against Milwaukee on Saturday, and Oklahoma City responded by sending former NHL netminder Martin Gerber to the nets.

After being hard on the powerplay for their poor play over the last few weeks, the powerplay units came to play tonight. Manitoba scored two powerplay markers thanks to a couple of players who started their seasons in Vancouver. Guillaume Desbiens redirected a beautiful slap-pass from Sergei Shirokov past Gerber midway through the second period, and Alexandre Bolduc tapped in a gift from Desbiens midway through the third period. Manitoba finished the night 2-for-6 on the powerplay, and really controlled the puck well while having the extra man on the ice.

Desbiens really had himself a solid game as he a goal and two assists on the night. The veteran is expected to contribute, and tonight was a very good night on the scoresheet as Desbiens also had two shots and ended the night with a +2 rating. This kind of leadership shown by example will certainly get the rest of the line-up involved.

Kudos goes out to Alex Bolduc as well as he not only scored a powerplay goal in the third period, but he scored a shorthanded marker early in the second period and assisted on Desbiens' powerplay goal! Bolduc's offensive outburst in this game gives him four goals on the season, but the scrappy forward has been so muhc more important than just his offensive output. Bolduc eats up minutes on the penalty kill and wins a ton of key face-offs - two things the Moose will certainly be able to use as they make their way into the playoffs. Well done on a great night, Alex!

The Moose really played a sound game in this one, controlling the puck and not giving the Barons many good scoring chances on Weiman. More importantly, the Moose showed a total teal game - an even-strength goal, a shorthanded marker, and two powerplay goals for a 4-1 win. This is the kind of game that the coaching staff should send to all the players as an example of a total team game. With the win, the Moose improve to 35-23-6 on the season!

More Bodies In Camp

As stated above, the Moose got themselves some serious help on the blueline from Keith Seabrook. With the Heat having a plethora of defencemen and needing forwards, they went searching for options. Manitoba had a pile of forwards, and needed a defenceman. The two teams came to an agreement as the Heat received recently-acquired MacGregor Sharp on loan from the Moose for Seabrook. Both teams had a need, and both had that need filled.

Heat head coach Jim Playfair had made Keith Seabrook a healthy scratch a number of times this season, calling into question his play on several occasions as well. Playfair stated that he wasn't very excited to letting Seabrook leave to play for a division rival, but they needed a body up front and the Moose demanded Seabrook in return. Well done on GM Craig Heisinger's part for making the play to get Seabrook, and I doubt I'm not the only person who isn't complaining with Seabrook's excellent play so far in his Moose debut.

The Moose also got a huge shot in the arm from the Vancouver Canucks as they allowed the Moose to place fan favorite Rick Rypien on their reserve list. Rypien, who had been out of hockey for personal reasons since November, should give the Moose a huge boost if there are a number of recalls by the Canucks.

AHL rules state that Rypien and the other seven players on the reserve list may only play when three or more regular-roster players are injured, suspended or recalled. As it stands, the Moose are sitting with six players in those three categories. I'm not wishing harm on anyone as I like the make-up of the Moose roster right now, but if another player goes down or gets recalled, the Moose can replace that player with an NHL-ready player. This is not something of which most AHL teams have the luxury, especially heading into the playoffs.

More importantly, it's just great to see Rick Rypien back in hockey. Welcome back, Rick!

Finish The West, Start With The East

The Moose continue their road trip this week as they swing through the state of Texas for three games before returning home by the middle of next week. They'll see the Houston Aeros on Friday and Sunday, the San Antonio Rampage on Saturday, and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

The Aeros have three players with 40+ points on the season, but play very good defensive hockey. They don't take many risks, but have scoring threats that can make undisciplined teams pay. They have decent goaltending in Matt Hackett and Josh Tordjman, so the Aeros aren't pushovers and are challenging for first-place in the constantly-changing West Division. The Moose will have to bring their A-game to start off and finish this Texas road swing.

The San Antonio Rampage pose a different sort of problem for the Moose. They are missing a few players who have been recalled to the NHL, so they aren't as solid as they normally are, but that doesn't mean there should be any let-up for the Moose. Matt Climie is a very good goaltender who can shut down any offence, so the Moose will still need to play well to get by the Rampage. Although they sit sixth-place in the West Division, they only trail first-place by six points.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is still the toast of the league as they boast a 45-18-0 record for first overall in the AHL. Brett Sterling and Ryan Craig are having great seasons for the Penguins, and the goaltending tandem of Brad Thiessen and John Curry has been outstanding. If the Moose are looking for a test, they need look no further than Tuesday and Wednesday at MTS Centre when the Penguins visit.

With those five games on-tap, the Moose will need to be at the top of their game if they hope to take down the rest of the West before tackling the best team in the AHL. Lack and Weiman have been providing excellent goaltending over the last few weeks, so the offence just needs to continue to roll. Get on it, Moose, and DO IT!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!