Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Today in NHL History, Jan 23rd

1918: Montreal Canadiens lost at home (the Jubilee Arena), for the first time in team history, 4-3 to Ottawa. Joe Malone extended his goal scoring streak to 10 straight games (since the beginning of the NHL).

1927: Goaltender Lorne Chabot recorded the 5th shutout of his rookie season as the New York Rangers won 2-0 over the visiting New York Americans. A record crowd 18,000 attended the game.

1930: Fred "Bun" Cook scored a hat trick in the Rangers' 6-3 win against the visiting Ottawa Senators.

1932: Detroit's Alex Connell regained the NHL's all-time lead in shutouts, when his 67th career shutout moved him one ahead of George Hainsworth. The milestone came in a 2-0 Detroit victory in Boston Garden.

1934: New York Rangers' Murray Murdoch was presented with a ring at an on-ice ceremony on the occasion of his 400th straight NHL game. His streak eventually reached 508 consecutive games -- the NHL's first "Iron Man". NY won 5-2 over Ottawa.....Harvey "Busher" Jackson scored his second career hat trick, and Charlie Conacher had 2 goals and 3 assists as the Leafs extended their team-record home undefeated streak to 11 straight games (9-0-2), with an 8-4 win over the Montreal Maroons.

1944: Detroit scored 15 straight goals (an NHL record) to beat the visiting Rangers 15-0. Connie Dion got his 1st shutout, and Syd Howe led the scoring with 3 goals and 2 assists. Howe's 3 goals gave him 149 with the Wings, one more than Herbie Lewis.

1945: Detroit's Earl Seibert, wearing a patch over his right eye due to an injury, scored twice within a span of 0:36 in the third period for a 5-4 win over the Bruins, at Boston Garden.

1947: Former Black Hawk Pete Horeck came back to haunt his old team when he scored four goals (his second career hat trick) and an assist to help the Red Wings beat Chicago, 8-2.

1949: Boston's Gord "Red" Henry became the 6th goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout in his first career game when the Bruins won 3-0 over the visiting Montreal Canadiens. It was the only shutout of Henry's three games in two NHL seasons.

1956: Montreal's Jean Beliveau became the first hockey player to make the cover of "Sports Illustrated" magazine.

1958: Former NHL player Steve Christoff born in Richfield, Minn. Christoff played in the NHL 1979-80 through 1983-84 with Minnesota, Calgary and Los Angeles.

1973: Islanders' Craig Cameron scored his first career hat trick and added an assist, and Ralph Stewart had a goal and three assists as New York won 8-1 over the visiting Oakland Seals.

1975: Goaltender Ken Dryden recorded his 16th career shutout, and Pete Mahovlich and Guy Lafleur each scored a goal and two assists as the Canadiens beat the North Stars 7-0 at Minnesota, to extend their road unbeaten streak to 7-0-5.

1976: Garnet "Ace" Bailey scored twice and added an assist as the Capitals ended their team-record 25 game winless streak (0-22-3) with a 7-5 win over the Rangers, in Washington.....Vancouver's Garry Monahan scored his first career hat trick in the Canucks' 8-3 win over the Minnesota North Stars.

1983: In his 290th NHL game, Edmonton's Wayne Gretzky scored a goal and added three assists to give him 400 career assists, as the Oilers beat the Kings 8-6, to extend their home undefeated streak against L.A. to 11 games (7-0-4).....Philadelphia rookie goalie Bob Froese extended his record to 6-0-0 as the Flyers beat the Rangers, 3-1. The win lowered his GAA to 1.33.....Buffalo rookie Phil Housley scored his first NHL hat trick as the Sabres beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-2 at the Aud.

1984: Buffalo Sabres became the first team in NHL history to win 10 straight road games, with a 5-3 victory at Boston.

1986: Bruins' Ken Linseman scored a goal and added an assist to collect his 500th career NHL point in Boston's 7-5 win over the visiting Winnipeg Jets.

1988: Charlie Simmer scored the fastest overtime goal in Penguins' history -- just :24 into the extra period, as the Penguins defeated the Canadiens 4-3 in OT, to end their 11 game winless streak (0-9-2) in Montreal.

1990: Pittsburgh's Paul Coffey scored his 17th goal of the season and the 271st of his NHL career, second most among NHL defenseman. He passed Bobby Orr, who retired with 270, and trailed Denis Potvin, who had 310. Penguins lost 4-2 to Devils.

1993: Mike Gartner became the first player in NHL history to score 30 goals in 14 consecutive seasons. His 30th of the 1992-93 season came as the Rangers won 8-3 over the Kings at Los Angeles....Adam Oates scored a goal and added three assists to lead the Bruins to a 7-5 win over the Devils in Boston.

1996: New York Islanders obtained Don Beaupre, Martin Straka and Bryan Berard from Ottawa, in exchange for Damian Rhodes and Wade Redden. The Islanders than traded Beaupre to Toronto.....Ottawa Senators changed coaches for the second time in the 1995-96 season, as General Manager Pierre Gauthier fired coach Dave Allison (who had a record of 2-22-1 after replacing Rick Bowness on Nov 21, 1995) and named Jacques Martin to take over.

1997: Boston's Ray Bourque scored his 350th career NHL goal as the Bruins lost 4-1 to the visiting Florida Panthers. Bourque became the second defenseman in NHL history to score 350 NHL goals (and the 4th player in Bruins' franchise history to do so).

2001: Peter Bondra became the Washington Capitals all-time leader in game-winning goals, when he picked up the 55th of his career in a 5-2 win against the Lightning at Tampa Bay. He broke the record held by Mike Gartner.

2002: Carolina's Arturs Irbe became just the second European-trained goaltender to appear in 500 NHL games, when he played for the Hurricanes in a 2-2 against the visiting Nashville Predators.....Theo Fleury appeared in his 1,000th career NHL game, and celebrated with a goal and three assists (to give him 600 assists in his NHL career) in the Rangers 8-4 win over the visiting Boston Bruins.

2003: Joel Quenneville became the first person in team history to coach 500 games with the St. Louis Blues, and celebrated his milestone with a 3-3 tie against the Blackhawks, in Chicago.

2004: Vaclav Prospal scored his first career hat trick and added an assist, all in the third period as the Mighty Ducks scored 5 unanswered goals for a 6-2 win over the visiting Minnesota Wild.....Florida's Donald Audette scored two power-play goals to reach 500 points in his NHL career, in a 4-1 win over the visiting Washington Capitals.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

January 22nd, Part II

NIEDERMEYER, MALKIN AMONG 5 ADDED TO ALL-STAR ROSTER

Two members of the Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks -- defenseman Scott Niedermayer and forward Corey Perry -- are among five players added to the Western and Eastern Conference rosters for the 2008 NHL All-Star Game, Sunday, Jan. 27 at Philips Arena in Atlanta (6pm ET, Versus).

Niedermayer and Perry join their Anaheim teammates, defenseman Chris Pronger and forward Ryan Getzlaf, and the give the Ducks a League-high four representatives on the Western Conference team.

Also added to the Western Conference roster is Dallas Stars forward Mike Ribeiro. Named to the Eastern Conference roster are Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin and Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas.

The players named today replace Colorado Avalanche forward Paul Stastny, Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg, Stars defenseman Sergei Zubov, New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur and Penguins forward Sidney Crosby.

Niedermayer, the 2007 Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs, will be making his fifth career All-Star Game appearance. This will be the first All-Star Game for Malkin, Perry, Ribeiro and Thomas.

2008 NHL All-Star Game Rosters

Eastern Conference All-Star Team

Player Pos. NHL Club

Tim Thomas G Boston
Tomas Vokoun G Florida
Rick DiPietro G NY Islanders

Evgeni Malkin F Pittsburgh
Vincent Lecavalier * F Tampa Bay
Alex Ovechkin F Washington
Jason Spezza F Ottawa
Mike Richards F Philadelphia
Daniel Alfredsson * F Ottawa
Eric Staal F Carolina
Tomas Kaberle D Toronto
Ilya Kovalchuk F Atlanta
Marian Hossa F Atlanta
Scott Gomez F NY Rangers
Martin St. Louis F Tampa Bay
Zdeno Chara * D Boston
Kimmo Timonen D Philadelphia
Brian Campbell D Buffalo
Sergei Gonchar D Pittsburgh
Andrei Markov * D Montreal
Marc Savard F Boston

Western Conference All-Star Team

Player Pos. NHL Club

Evgeni Nabokov G San Jose
Chris Osgood G Detroit
Manny Legace G St. Louis

Scott Niedermayer D Anaheim
Corey Perry F Anaheim
Mike Ribeiro F Dallas
Duncan Keith D Chicago
Dion Phaneuf * D Calgary
Nicklas Lidstrom * D Detroit
Marian Gaborik F Minnesota
Shawn Horcoff F Edmonton
Anze Kopitar F Los Angeles
Jarome Iginla * F Calgary
Pavel Datsyuk * F Detroit
Ryan Getzlaf F Anaheim
Jason Arnott F Nashville
Chris Pronger D Anaheim
Henrik Sedin F Vancouver
Ed Jovanovski D Phoenix
Rick Nash F Columbus
Joe Thornton F San Jose

* voted to starting lineup in All-Star fan balloting

January 22nd

GETZLAF, HOLMQVIST, HARTNELL 3 STARS OF THE WEEK

Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf, Tampa Bay Lighting goaltender Johan Holmqvist and Philadelphia Flyers left wing SCott Hartnell have been named the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the week ending January 20.

First Star -- Ryan Getzlaf, C, Anaheim Ducks

Getzlaf, who will play for the Western Conference in the 2008 All-Star Game in Atlanta this Sunday, led all scorers with eight points (two goals, six assists) and posted a +3 rating as the Ducks captured three of four games during the week. He recorded points in each game, scoring a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over Dallas, Jan. 15; assisting on both goals in a 2-1 victory vs. Nashville, Jan. 17; registering three more assists in a 4-2 win against Minnesota on Jan. 18 and closing the week with a goal in a 5-2 loss at Dallas on Jan. 20.  Getzlaf ran his current point-scoring streak to 14 games (6-15--21) and is in 8th place in League scoring (19-38--57). His plus-25 mark is fourth best in the League.

Second Star -- Johan Holmqvist, G, Tampa Bay Lightning

Holmqvist posted back-to-back shutouts in his two starts during the week, stopping all 52 shots as the Lightning registered road wins at Pittsburgh (3-0, Jan. 18) and at Ottawa (2-0, Jan. 19).  With his performance last week, Holmqvist improved his overall record to 16-13-4 and lowered his goals-against average to 2.89.

Third Star -- Scott Hartnell, LW, Philadelphia Flyers

Hartnell has been named the League's Third Star for the second consecutive week, posting six points (five goals, one assist) in three games.  He began the week with a goal in a 5-3 win vs. Florida (Jan. 16); registered his second hat-trick in six games and added an assist in a 5-3 victory against NY Islanders (Jan. 19) and closed the week with a goal in the Flyers' 6-1 win over Ottawa on Jan. 20.  


CROSBY GOES ON IR

The Pittsburgh Penguins placed star forward Sidney Crosby on the injured reserve list Monday.

Crosby injured his right ankle during the Penguins' 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday. Crosby was originally diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, which can sideline an athlete for a month or more, but the Penguins will receive an update on his condition when he is re-examined by team doctors on Tuesday.

By being placed on the injured reserve list, Crosby is guaranteed to be out of the Penguins lineup for at least seven days.

Monday's procedural move allows the Penguins to call up a forward from their American Hockey League affiliate for their final two games before the all-star break. Pittsburgh wasted little time in recalling forwards Chris Minard, Tim Brent and Jonathan Filewich from the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

The injury will keep Crosby, the leading vote-getter in the all-star balloting, out of Sunday's NHL all-star game in Atlanta.

Pittsburgh forward Adam Hall (groin) also went on the injured list Monday, and defenceman Ryan Lannon was sent down to Wilkes-Barre after not playing in any games during his two weeks with the NHL club.


SCANDALOUS ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST CANUCKS IN MOORE LAWSUIT

The lawyer for the Vancouver Canucks in a multimillion-dollar civil lawsuit filed by former NHL player Steve Moore said recent allegations made against the NHL club are "very scandalous."

Alan D'Silva, speaking at a court hearing Monday in Toronto, was referring to recent reports of testimony made in the discovery phase of the lawsuit that stems from an NHL game in March 2004 between the Canucks and the Colorado Avalanche.

The allegation in the discovery testimony came from Todd Bertuzzi, who said then-Canucks coach Marc Crawford pointed to Moore's name on a blackboard in the locker-room between the second and third periods of the game and told his players, "he [Moore] must pay the price."

The Canucks have said that at no time did the organization or its employees, including Crawford, encourage their players to seek retribution on Moore.

Moore was playing for Colorado on March 8, 2004, when bad blood from a previous contest spilled over. Moore was punched from behind by Bertuzzi and fell to the ice before he was taken away on a stretcher. He suffered three fractured vertebrae in his neck and a concussion.

Moore, who has not played professionally since, filed a civil suit two years later.

The NHL suspended Bertuzzi indefinitely for attacking Moore, and didn't reinstate him until Aug. 8, 2005 — exactly 17 months later.

Bertuzzi remained under suspension throughout the 310-day NHL lockout and was prohibited from competing in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, two world championships and in European pro leagues.

He also forfeited $501,926.39 in salary and hundreds of thousands more in endorsements.

Criminal charges filed against Bertuzzi in Vancouver resulted in a guilty plea and a sentence of one year's probation plus 80 hours of community service.

Moore later filed a lawsuit in Denver against Bertuzzi and other notables, including Canucks ownership, but it was dismissed.
At the time, he was seeking $18 million for lost income, aggravated and punitive damages, but is now demanding $38 million in an amended claim.

Bertuzzi is currently skating with the Anaheim Ducks.


FORSBERG PRACTICES WITH SWEDISH TEAM

Former NHL most valuable player Peter Forsberg practiced with his hometown team in Sweden on Monday in what could be his first step towards an NHL comeback.

Forsberg, 34, has been out of action with a foot and ankle injury since finishing last season with the Nashville Predators, but the talented forward was on the ice with members of Swedish club Modo during a practice session on Monday, Swedish media reported.

I know that he has been practising, but that's all I know," Forsberg's father, Kent Forsberg, told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.

Forsberg has publicly stated in the past that he hopes to return to the NHL, but the deadline to sign with a new club is Feb. 26.
He became an unrestricted free agent after the Predators, who acquired him in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers last February, decided not to re-sign him at the end of the 2006-07 campaign.

Forsberg won two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche and was awarded the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP for the 2002-03 season after scoring 29 goals and adding 77 assists.

He also won an Olympic gold medal with Sweden at the 1994 and 2006 Winter Games.

Injuries have plagued the Swedish forward in recent years, as he hasn't played more than 60 games in a season since suiting up for 75 games in the 2002-03 campaign with the Avalanche.


OILERS OWNERS DISCUSS KATZ'S LATEST OFFER

Edmonton area billionaire Daryl Katz is willing to buy the Edmonton Oilers for $188 million, but the team's shareholders remain split on whether to sell.

Thirty-four members of the Edmonton Investors Group met Monday behind closed doors to discuss Katz's latest offer to purchase 7,492 shares in the team by Jan. 31 at $20.56 per share.

The owner of the Rexall pharmacy empire has offered to purchase the Oilers four times in less than a year, but the 46-year-old tycoon didn't attend the meeting.

Cal Nichols, former EIG chairman who remains a shareholder in the team, told reporters that Katz offered to come but his invitation was conditional because of the types of areas that were to be covered in the meeting.

The EIG, formed a decade ago to prevent the team from relocating to Houston, struck a 10-year, $20-million deal with Katz for the naming rights to Edmonton's Northlands Coliseum, renaming it Rexall Place in 2003. But the EIG remains reluctant to sell the team outright to Katz.

Earlier this month, EIG chairman Bill Butler recommended that shareholders refuse to sell until Katz agrees — in writing — to keep the team in Edmonton and commit $100 million to a new facility to replace 34-year-old Rexall Place.

Josh Pekarsky, Katz's spokesman, said there was a response sent to the board to the issues they raised, but has refused to divulge the details of the response.

Katz has expressed a willingness to build a training facility for the team at the University of Alberta.

The city of Edmonton is studying the feasibility of a downtown rink, and speculation is the porject will cost between $500-million and $1-billion.

Today in NHL History, Jan 22nd

1931: Goaltender George Hainsworth recorded his 56th career shutout in the Canadiens' 3-0 win at Ottawa.

1935: Tiny Thompson stopped Montreal Maroons Russ Blinco and Earl Robinson in penalty shots, during a 4-3 Bruins win at Boston Garden. The second shot was awarded when Bruins' Nels Stewart began skating around during the first shot.

1938: Boston Bruins recorded their biggest road win in team history (up to that time) a 9-1 victory over Toronto, at Maple Leaf Gardens.

1961: Chicago's Glenn Hall became the third goaltender in franchise history to record 100 wins as a member of the Black Hawks. The milestone came in an 8-3 win over the visiting Boston Bruins. Stan Mikita led the scoring with four assists.

1966: Detroit's Roger Crozier recorded his 15th career shutout as the Red Wings won 3-0 at Montreal. The Wings had to wear the jerseys of their junior team in Hamilton as their NHL jerseys had been stolen from the Forum locker room the night before.

1972: Bruins' John McKenzie scored a goal and added three assists as Boston won 8-5, at Montreal.

1976: Reggie Leach scored his 6th career hat trick, Bill Barber had two goals and three assists and Orest Kindrachuk picked up four assists in the Flyers' 7-2 win over the Atlanta Flames, at the Spectrum.

1977: Goaltender Tony Esposito recorded his 58th career shutout in the Black Hawks' 3-0 win over the Red Wings at Detroit.

1978: Jean Pronovost scored twice in the first period to become the first 300 goal scorer in Penguins history. The milestone came as Pittsburgh won 3-1 over the visiting New York Rangers.

1980: Ron Duguay scored his third career hat trick (including two shorthanded goals), as the Rangers beat the Kings 5-4 at the Forum in Los Angeles.

1981: Rookie Steve Christoff scored his second career hat trick and added an assist as the Minnesota North Stars lost 5-4 to the Flyers, at Philadelphia.

1983: Vancouver Canucks celebrated the 1,000th game in franchise history with a 4-3 win over Edmonton.

1986: Penguins had their first win in Edmonton, when Mike Bullard scored his 5th career hat trick and Mario Lemieux added 4 assists in a 7-4 victory over the Oilers. The Pens snapped their 10 game winless streak (0-9-1) at Edmonton, since Feb. 1980.....Detroit ended their 10-game home winless streak against Boston (0-7-3) with a 6-5 overtime win against the Bruins. Warren Young scored twice, including the winner at 1:32 of overtime.

1987: A snowstorm in New Jersey delayed the game between the Devils and Flames for two hours. When it finally started, only 334 fans were on hand to see the Devils beat the Flames 7-5. The game ended at 11:44 PM.

1988: Minnesota North Stars traded Keith Acton to Edmonton in exchange for Moe Mantha.

1989: Sabres Captain Lindy Ruff scored his 100th career NHL goal as Buffalo won 6-4 over the visiting Boston Bruins, to extend their unbeaten streak to 7 games (5-0-2).

1992: Ray Bourque became the highest goal-scoring defenseman in Boston Bruins' history, surpassing Bobby Orr, when he picked up career goal #265 in a 5-2 win at Toronto.

1994: The Eastern Conference All-Stars beat the Western All-Stars 9-8 at the 45th NHL All Star Game at Madison Square Garden New York. Rangers' Mike Richter won the MVP award.

1995: Flames' defenseman Phil Housley scored his 250th NHL career goal as Calgary won 4-1, at Detroit.

1996: Ray Bourque scored a shorthanded goal and added three assists, and Adam Oates had four assists as the Bruins lost 7-6 in overtime at Pittsburgh.....Allan Bester picked up his first NHL victory in 5 years and 297 days, when he led the Dallas Stars to a 6-4 win over Vancouver. Bester was filling in for injured Stars' goalies Andy Moog and Darcy Wakaluk.

1997: Toronto's Doug Gilmour picked up five assists in the Maple Leafs' 5-3 win over the visiting Calgary Flames.

1998: Minnesota's new NHL franchise (set to begin play in 2000-2001) announced that their new team would be called the "Wild".

2000: Goaltender Kevin Weekes recorded his first career NHL shutout in the Islanders 2-0 win against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.

2003: Dallas' Mike Modano tied Neal Broten's franchise record for most games in team history (992), and then broke Broten's record for career assists, when he picked up the 594th of his career in a 4-2 Stars' win over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets.....Olaf Kolzig became the first goaltender in Washington Capitals history to win 200 games, when he made 35 saves in a 5-3 win over the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. Also in that game, Washington's Jaromir Jagr scored twice (and added an assist) to give him 25 goals in each of his 13 NHL seasons......Detroit's Brett Hull became just the second player in NHL history to score 20 goals in each of his first 16 NHL seasons, when he connected for the 699th of his career in the Red Wings 4-3 loss in overtime against the Oilers at Edmonton.....Martin Brodeur won the 350th game of his NHL career, and Joe Nieuwendyk scored twice (the tying goal with 13 seconds left in regulation and the winner at 4:32 of overtime) and added 2 assists in the Devils 5-4 win against the Sharks at San Jose.

2004: Chicago rookie Craig Anderson made 30 saves to record his first career win and his first NHL shutout in a 7-0 win over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets. Anderson entered the game with an 0-11-2 record in his 2-year NHL career.

Monday, January 21, 2008

January 21st, Part II

WHAT COMES AROUND GOES AROUND

While it doesn't quite seem like it was nine years ago the Vikings rolled through the regular season with just one blemish to Tampa Bay to go 15-1, and suffer that painful loss in overtime to Atlanta in the NFC Championship game, on the other hand it seems like it was just yesterday that another 'purple wound' was inflicted that has yet to heal.

We all know the story of how Gary Anderson missed his first field goal of the season, from 38 yards with 2:07 left in the game, that would have put Minnesota up 30-20 and sent the Vikes to their 5th Super Bowl. The Falcons then drove down and scored a touchdown to tie it at 27-27, and lets not forget Denny Green's decision to take a knee with about :45 left rather then let Randall Cunningham lead the offense down the field for a possible game winning score in the final seconds. Instead Cunningham had several chances but was unable to mount any sort of drive in overtime, and Chris Chandler completed two passes of 15 and 26 yards and drove Atlanta to the Minnesota 21 yard line where Morten Anderson's 38-yard field goal with 3:22 left in overtime propelled the Falcons to a 30-27 win and Super Bowl trip to Miami.

It didn't take long for the Green Bay Packer fans to rub it in to Viking fans how they came up short once again and blew it.

I happened to be working in North Dakota at the time, and while there are a hugh number of Vikings fans up there, there also were some Green Bay fans, including the sports director from the other station in town (who unlike many of the other Packer fans in town, was from Wisconsin) and we always had a friendly Minnesota/Wisconsin sports rivalry relationship. He called me Goldy Gopher and I called him Bucky Badger, and depending on who won what, would always give the other crap about their teams loss. (On a side note, 'Bucky' would always wear either a Wisconsin hat and shirt or Packer hat and shirt for every game he broadcasted, and for basketball games would show up wearing warmups, and after he set up all his equipment would take his warmups off and call the game in shorts). After the Vikes loss, I do remember how respectful he was, but I couldn't say the same about the other Packer fans in town and how rude and obnoxious they were not just during the offseason but well into the next season and even into the season after.

Several of my friends and Viking fans I knew back in Minneapolis ran into the same obnoxious type of Green Bay fans, and had several of the same 'incidents' with them that I did, and it's safe to say that not only every Viking fan has experienced the obnoxious Packer fan, but also several Minnesotan's who aren't NFL fans.

While I'd rather not go into details about the incidents, it was more then just "did you watch the NFC championship game" or "saw the Falcons beat your Vikings".

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that every Packer fan is obnoxious and that there aren't respectful one's wearing number 4's, as there are plenty of Viking fans that do the same, but it seems like the majority of the one's that live in Minnesota act as though there either in Green Bay or Wisconsin.

Every one that knows me, knows that I'm not the obnoxious sports fan who'll take any opportunity I can to rub in the fact that my team beat your team.

For those Green Bay Packer fan's who rejoiced in Atlanta's overtime win over the Vikings in the 1998 NFC Championship game, I would direct your attention to the scoreboard for Sunday's NFC Championship at a frozen below zero Lambeau Field which read, New York Giants 23 Green Bay Packers 20 OT.

January 21st

NHLPA WANTS CANADIAN CITIES INCLUDED IN EXPANSION

National Hockey League Players Association executive director Paul Kelly would like Canadian cities to be included should the NHL consider future expansion.

In an interview with the Palm Beach Post, Kelly listed a number of cities that are "anxious" to get a team, including Seattle, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Kansas City, Las Vegas and Houston.

"The six Canadian franchises do so well, they pack the buildings, get great TV, great revenue streams. If you put another team up there, be it in Nova Scotia or Hamilton, it would be more of the same."

In the most recent collective bargaining agreement between the players and the owners, the salary cap has been set at 54% of hockey-related revenues. Any increase in revenue would mean an increase in the salary cap and, theoretically, player salaries.


CROSBY TO HAVE MRI MONDAY

Sidney Crosby underwent treatment over the weekend in Pittsburgh on what was initially diagnosed as a high ankle sprain, but the reigning MVP will have an MRI today to officially diagnose the injury to his right leg.

Crosby didn't travel with the team to Montreal for Saturdays game, and will miss the All-Star game in Atlanta on Sunday, after hitting the boards in the first period of Fridays game against Tampa Bay.

Heading into this season, Crosby has missed just four games in his first two NHL seasons. He missed three games in November of 2006 with a groin injury and sat out one game last season with the flu.


BERGERON MAY BE DONE FOR THE SEASON

According to the Boston Globe, Patrice Bergeron took off on an island vacation at the suggestion of Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli, who feels the injured center's season may be over.

"I don't think he'll be back this season", Chiarelli told the Globe, "I hope he's back. He wants to be back...but at the same time, we don't want any pressure on him. So we told, 'hey, head off to the islands'."

Bergeron suffered a Grade 3 concussion and broken nose when he was hit from behind by Philadelphia Flyers's defenceman Randy Jones in a game on October 27. Jones was handed a two-game suspension for the hit.

Last month, Bergeron began working out on the exercise bike in what appeared to be a sign the slick centre was on the road to recovery. But his return may now be many months away.

"He may be best served - and we may be best served - in the near future to shutting him down," Chiarelli told the Globe. "At the start, there was that little blip, he showed good signs, no headaches . . . but then that stopped, and he regressed a little. It's the way it is with concussions; the recovery is not linear."

If Bergeron is out for the season, the Bruins could use what is left of his $5-million salary to add to their roster for this season. With the Bruins fighting for a playoff spot and the trade deadline approaching, cap room could be a valuable asset for the Bruins but that is not Chiarelli's first concern.

"That's really not the big issue with Patrice," Chiarelli told the Globe. "What I'm really concerned about, more than anything, is his long-term well-being."

Before he was injured, Bergeron had scored three goals and added four assists in 10 games with the Bruins this season.

Today in NHL History, Jan 21th

1887: Former NHL goalie Georges Vezina born in Chicoutimi, Que. Vezina played in the NHL 1917-18 through 1925-26 with the Montreal Canadiens.

1919: Ottawa signed Punch Broadbent as a free agent.

1924: King Clancy scored twice as Ottawa won 3-2 over the Canadiens in Montreal.

1925: Billy Burch scored twice, including the winning goal at :10 of overtime in the Hamilton Tigers 5-4 win over the visiting Ottawa Senators.....Toronto rookie Hap Day scored the first goal of his NHL career, in the St. Patricks 4-2 win against the Canadiens, at Montreal.

1929: Boston Bruins purchased Myles Lane from the New York Rangers, for a reported price of $7,500.

1930: Boston became the first team in NHL history to score 100 goals in a season, in a 5-1 win over Chicago, at Boston Garden. Cooney Weiland scored the Bruins' 100th goal of the season in their 26th game of the year.

1932: Chuck Gardiner became the first goaltender in Chicago history to record 25 career shtouts, in the Black Hawks' 1-0 win against the Americans, at New York.

1934: Detroit's Herbie Lewis scored twice in overtime, in the Red Wings' 4-2 win over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs.

1941: Bruins' Herb Cain, in the lineup due to an injury to Woody Dumart, played just one shift in the first two periods, then scored two goals and added an assist in the third, to spark a 4-3 overtime win over the NY Rangers, at Boston Garden.

1943: Chicago's Doug Bentley scored with assists from brothers Max and Reg during a 4-4 tie against Montreal. It was the second time in NHL history that three brothers all scored on the same play. The Bentley's also had done it two weeks earlier.

1945: Boston set an NHL record for fastest four goals by one team, scoring them within a span of 1:20 during the second period of a 14-3 win over the Rangers. Ken Smith led the scoring with three goals and an assist, and Bill Cowley added four goals.

1951: Detroit Red Wings' rookie goalie Terry Sawchuk and Toronto rookie Al Rollins battled to a 0-0 tie, at the Olympia in Detroit. It was the 8th shutout of Sawchuk's NHL career, and the third for Rollins.

1954: Chicago Black Hawks purchased Jack McIntyre from Boston.

1960: Montreal's Phil Goyette scored his second hat trick in five days (and the second of his NHL career), and Dickie Moore picked up four assists as the Canadiens won 11-2 against the NY Rangers, at the Forum.

1962: Detroit's Gordie Howe scored his 1,100th career NHL point with a goal in his 1,023rd NHL game. Red Wings lost to Montreal 5-3, in Detroit.

1964: Former NHL center Craig Coxe born in Chula Vista, California. Coxe played in the NHL 1984-85 through 1991-92 with Vancouver, Calgary, San Jose and St. Louis. Coxe was the first California-born player to play for a California-based NHL team.

1965: Detroit's Roger Crozier recorded the 6th shutout of his rookie season as the Red Wings began a team-record 14 game home winning streak, with a 3-0 win over the Boston Bruins.

1967: Defenseman Harry Howell became the first player to appear in 1,000 games in a New York Rangers uniform. The milestone came in a 6-2 loss at Boston.

1969: Detroit's Gordie Howe appeared in his 20th All-Star Game (in 21 NHL seasons). He played on a line with Bobby Hull and Phil Esposito but did not record a point, in a 3-3 tie between the East and the West, played in Montreal.

1973: Wayne Cashman scored his first career hat trick, a natural hat trick with three straight goals as the Bruins won 5-2 over the Oakland Seals, at Boston Garden.

1975: Pittsburgh Penguins center Syl Apps scored twice and won the MVP award as the Wales All-Stars beat the Campbell All-Stars 7-1, in the annual NHL All Star Game in Montreal.

1977: Gregg Sheppard scored his third career hat trick in the Bruins' 5-2 win over the Barons, in Cleveland.

1980: Gerry Cheevers became the just second goaltender in Boston history to record 25 shutouts as a member of the Bruins, in a 3-0 win over the visiting Minnesota North Stars.

1985: Kings' Marcel Dionne scored his 611th career goal, to pass Bobby Hull into third place on the all-time goal scoring list, as Los Angeles lost 8-7 at Edmonton. Dionne also picked up three assists in the game.....Defenseman Doug Wilson scored a goal and three assists to lead the Black Hawks to a 7-2 win against the North Stars at Minnesota.

1986: Dennis Potvin tied Bobby Orr's career record for defensemen with his 270th NHL goal. His goal was the game winner in a 7-3 Islanders' win over the Flyers, in New York.....Vancouver's Tony Tanti collected his 4th career hat trick in a 5-3 win over New Jersey. Canucks had 13 power-play opportunities in the contest.

1989: Kings' Wayne Gretzky scored a goal and had three assists to get 100 points in a season for the 10th straight year (extending his NHL record), and moved past Marcel Dionne as the NHL's #2 all time leading scorer, with 1,771 points (in 743 games). Dionne had 1,770 points in 1,343 games at the time. The milestone's came in a 5-4 loss to the Whalers, at Hartford.....Mario Lemieux scored two goals and added five assists as the Penguins beat the Oilers at Edmonton, 7-4. Also in that game, Pittsburgh's Paul Coffey scored a goal and added two assists to record his 800th career NHL point.

1990: Mario Lemieux scored a first period hat trick, and finished with four goals to lead the Wales Conference to a 12-7 win against Campbell Conference in All Star Game at Pittsburgh. Lemieux became the first to win the All Star MVP Award three times.

1992: San Jose defenseman Doug Wilson scored his 800th career NHL point in a Sharks' 9-2 loss against the Edmonton Oilers, in San Jose.....Sergei Fedorov had a goal and three assists, all in the second period, to lead Detroit to a 7-3 win over Philadelphia, at Joe Louis Arena.

1993: Russ Courtnall scored his third career hat trick (and his first with Minnesota) and added an assist in the North Stars' 7-2 win against Ottawa, at the Met Center.....Hartford's Tim Kerr announced his retirement from hockey, following a 4-2 Whalers' win over San Jose. Kerr, age 33, ended his career with 370 goals and 674 points in 655 games.....Tomas Sandstrom, in his first game back after missing eleven games with an injured arm, scored his 8th career hat trick as the Kings lost 5-4 to the Canucks at the Forum.

1995: San Jose rookie Jeff Friesen scored his first career NHL goal, a shorthander and the game winner, in a 3-2 Sharks' win over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs.

1997: Philadelphia's Paul Coffey picked up two assists - the first assist moving him past Gordie Howe into the #2 spot on the all-time assist list with 1,050, as the Flyers tied 3-3 with the visiting Dallas Stars.....Rookie Patrick Lalime made 49 saves to improve his record to 14-0-2, extending his NHL record for longest unbeaten streak at the start of a career, as Pittsburgh won 4-2 over the visiting Calgary Flames.....Kevin Lowe became the first player to appear in 1,000 games in an Edmonton Oilers' uniform, when he played in a 4-4 tie against the Rangers, in New York. Lowe was also the 27th NHL player to appear in 1,000 games with one team.

1999: Rookie Sami Salo scored his first NHL goal, and Jacques Martin earned his 100th victory as Senators head coach as Ottawa won 3-1, at Boston. Senators improved to 6-0-1 in their last 7 road games, a new team record.

2001: Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Blackhawks 4-0 in the first-ever NHL game featuring two European trained coaches. Ivan Hlinka was behind the bench for the Penguins, and Alpo Suhonen was the man behind the bench for the Blackhawks.....Ken Hitchcock became the Dallas Stars' all-time leader in games coached, when he went behind the bench for game #418 with the Stars, a 5-2 loss to the Coyotes in Phoenix. Hitchcock broke the mark of 417 games set by Glen Sonmor.....Colorado's Joe Sakic picked up two assists to give him 700 in his NHL career. The milestone came in a 4-2 Avalanche win at Anaheim.

2002: Yanic Perreault ended a 13-game drought by scoring his 4th career hat trick in the Canadiens 7-5 loss to the Panthers at Florida.

2004: Minnesota Wild set an NHL record for two fastest goals, when Jim Dowd and Richard Park scored goals just three seconds apart in the final 15 seconds of the game, in a 4-2 win over the visiting Blakckhawks. Park's goal was into an empty net.....San Jose Sharks played their 1,000th regular season game in team history, and came away with a 4-2 win over the Coyotes, in Phoenix.....Nicklas Lidstrom became Detroit's all-time leader in games played by a defenseman, when he appeared in his 984th game with the team, a 2-2 tie in Anaheim; Lidstrom (who also had an assist in the game) broke the mark set by Marcel Pronovost.