November 19

Ohlund out for Wednesday

While it didn't come as a big surprise, Vancouver Cancuks defenceman Mattias Ohlund received a four-game suspension from the NHL on Sunday for his slash on MIkko Koviu, who suffered a cracked bone in his left leg and is expected to miss at least a week. With the suspension Ohlund will forfeit just under $75,000 in salary that will go to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. Koviu is the Wild's leading scorer with 16 points and 11 assists. While Ohlund will miss the Canucks game against Minnesota Wednesday, he'll be back in time for the December 2nd tilt at Xcel.

Also on the injury front, Chicago Blackhawks forward Rene Bourque is expected to miss a month after breaking his thumb on Saturday during the Hawks 5-3 win over Detroit. The 25 year-old has three goals (all short-handed) this season and five assists in 16 games.


Brodeur Nets 500th Win

Martin Brodeur became the second member of the 500 win club on Saturday stopping 26 of 28 shots in the Devils 6-2 win over the Flyers. Brodeur joins Hall of Famer Patrick Roy as the only two netminders with 500 wins, improving his career record to 500-273-105-15. The 35 year-old, in his 14th season, is on pace to pass Roy's 551 wins sometime next year.


Bryz to the Desert

It didn't take long for Ilya Bryzgalov to find his new team, as expected. After being placed on waivers by Anaheim on Friday, the Phoenix Coyotes claimed the Russian netminder on Saturday and put him right to work as Bryz started against the Los Angeles Kings that night, and recorded his third career shutout making 28 saves in his Coyotes debut. The 27 year old is earning $1.36 million this season and is slated to become a unrestricted free agent on July 1st.


Jerseys

With the possibility for a Vikes/Wild doubleheader Sunday, I was curious to see how many Purple jerseys would be present at Xcel. There are of course those fans who attended both that would do the change in the car, but from my view in the Al Shaver press box I did spot two Adrian Peterson number 28's, and was a little disappointed that there wasn't a Randy Moss or John Randle jersey present. Outside of the usual Marian Gaborik, Brian Rolston, and blank North Stars Jerseys that are usually in the stands at Xcel, along with some Joe Sakic Avalanche there were plenty of teams and players represented in St Paul last night, including a Brian Bellows North Stars, Number 24 North Stars (old school, no name on back), Joe Sakic Quebec Nordiques, blank Nordiques, blank 2004 All-Star, Darby Hendrickson Wild, Richard Park Wild, Manny Fernandez Wild, John-Michael Liles Avs, Number 16 Cadwel Avs, Vintage Vancouver Canucks, and a blank California Seals.

I don't know if he still attends Wild games, but I remember a few years ago when I was hocking credit cards at the "X" during the Alexander Daigle era, and would always see this one guy that had a big bushy black beard and bulging eyes that would walk the main concourse during both intermissions and sport a different old jersey each game, including a Habs Jacques Lemaire, St Paul Saints, Dennis Hextall North Stars, California (Golden) Seals, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets to name a few.


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