Archive for August 2014

Hurricanes double up on Blue Jackets

Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2014 by WCHL Hockey

Howard; Horton help Hurricanes hand Columbus a defeat


Carolina Hurricanes (2) vs Columbus Blue Jackets (1)......
Carolina came limping into Columbus on a seven game losing streak and hoping for ANY signs of a turnaround. Columbus is sitting atop of the WCHL but are playing just .500 hockey in their last handful of games. On paper this game looked as it should - a blowout win for the Bluejackets.... right??
Well as we know the game is not played on paper.
Nathan Horton opened the game's scoring for Carolina at 10:18 of the first period as Matt Duchene won a face off clean and fed it to Horton who fired a wrister over the shoulder of Semyon Varlamov in net for Columbus. The Bluejackets outshot the Hurricane 14-7 after 20.
The second period was scoreless as it was the 'Canes that held the edge in shots in the second at 11-5.
With Brandon Prust in the box for roughing, Zach Bogosian registered his second goal of the season with a slapper from the right point in full stride, doubling Carolina's lead to 2-0. Jussi "The Juice" Jokinen got one back at 17:53 as he snapped his seventh of the season with the extra attacker as Cam Barker watched from the 'sin-bin' after being called for delay of game as he fired the puck over the glass in his own zone. The 'Jackets couldn't get the equilizer past Jimmy Howard as he kicked out 27 shots including a penalty shot at 16:41 of the third for the win.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS:
1 - Jimmy Howard (Car)....... His 27 saves gave his troops the chance for the win, including an incredible penalty shot stop on Alex Goligoski.
2 - Zach Bogosian (Car).... Zach's goal  in the third was the dagger in the heart of the Bluejacket faithful.
3 - Nathan Horton (Car).... Horton opened the scoring in the first for Carolina and had a game high 6 shots on net.

Reporting For The WCHL Network.....
Peter Puck

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Montreal shakes off Sens

Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2014 by WCHL Hockey

Fasth makes 25 stops to take win from Ottawa


Ottawa Senators (1) vs Montreal Canadiens (2).....
The Senators come into Montreal on Saturday night clinging to the Atlantic Division lead over Florida and Tampa but just barely while the Habs were trying to shake a three game skid and get back in contention for a playoff berth.
The first period ended on a scoreless tie, shots were 10-5 Ottawa but Canadiens' tender Viktor Fasth was equal to the task.
Montreal came out in the second and scored twice with the man advantage (Ottawa was whistled for four straight penalties in the period), first Henrik Zetterberg scored his 12th of the year on a snap shot from the right face-off dot after Eric Staal had won the draw cleanly from Corey Perry at 6:04. On the second powerplay goal (at 8:01) Roman Polak fired a howitzer past Robin Lehner after leveling Antoine Vermette with a vicious body check that left the Sen's center to have to re-adjust his chin strap. The Habs out-shot Sens 15-5 in the middle frame.
Ottawa came out in the third trying to make a game of it and the team's scoring leader, Corey Perry picked up his 15th goal of the season as  he snapped the puck up under the cross bar on Viktor Fasth at 1:13. The Sens tried in vain to tie up the affair but fell just short, they out-shot the Habs 11-10 in the final period.
Viktor Fasth improved his record to 16-8-4 with the 25 save performance.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS:
1 - Viktor Fasth (Mon)....... Kept his team in it early, 25 saves.
2 - Corey Perry (Ott)....... Scored the lone goal for Sens but also was in penalty box for Canadiens first goal.
3 - Anton Volchenkov (Ott).... Asssited on Perry's goal, lead all skaters in ice time with nearly 28 minutes.

Reporting For The WCHL Network;
Peter Puck

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In the Stars

Posted on Sunday, August 10, 2014 by WCHL Hockey

Lightning left in a daze as Dallas wins 5-1


Tampa Bay Lightning (1) vs Dallas Stars (5).......
On Saturday night Dallas turned the Light(ning) out as Pierre-Marc Bouchard's three assists help rout Tampa.
Nick Foligno opened the scoring for Dallas with his 5th of the season at 6:55 with a rocket off the cross bar and in behind Anton Khudobin. Barret Jackman doubled Dallas' lead on the powerplay at 19:43 as he scooped up a P.M Bouchard blocked shot and beat Khudobin. Dallas led the shots on net after twenty at 12-10.
Not much happened in the second, ten shots in total, three minor penalties. Seemed the two teams were out for a friendly skate.
That all changed in the third as the Stars would score two straight to take a commanding 4-0 lead on Tampa by the 11:00 mark. First R.J. Umberger scored his second of the year with tender Brian Elliot collecting his first assist of the year at 8:58 then Michael Ryder would get his 8th as he picked up a shot off the back boards and snapped it through the wickets of Khudobin. Lightning would finally strike as Dany Heatley popped in his 10th on the season at 13:35, was this a sign of a come back? Not so fast, Nick Folilgno would score his second of the night on a wicked wrister to close out the scoring at 17:06 of the third and Dallas were off into the Starry night. Shots were 30-26 Dallas through 60 minutes. 
Brian Elliot evened up his record on the season with his first win as he stopped 25 shots. Anton Khudobin was left in for all five goals but managed 25 saves, dropping his record to one game above .500.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS:
1 - Nick Foligno (Dal)...... 2 goals on five shots, +2 on the night.
2 - Barret Jackman (Dal)... 1 goal and 1 assist, +3 on three shots, first of the season for this defense first Dman.
3 - R.J. Umberger (Dal)...... 1 goal, 1 assist, +2, played in every situation for Dallas.
*** Pierre-Marc Bouchard (Dal)... 3 assists, +2, not sure how this guy never got a star as he led all scorers in the game.

Reporting For The WCHL Network...
Peter Puck

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Habs win shootout over Bruins

Posted on Monday, August 4, 2014 by WCHL Hockey

Scrivens turns into Scri-vezina with 42 saves to power Montreal over Beaners

For all the pucks thrown at netminder Ben Scrivens by the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens players could only laugh at their feeble efforts.

Montreal Canadiens (2) vs Boston Bruins (1) - SO.........
The Canadiens faced a team that had won five straight and eight out of their last ten. The Habs  had won three straight before losing a tight one 3-2 to Winnipeg the night before.
Henrik Zetterberg started off the scoring with just under three minutes remaining in the opening frame as he wired a wrister through the wickets of Ryan Miller at 17:01. Montreal lead the shots on net at 12-10.
The Bruins tied the affair up at 1-1 on the powerplay as Drew Stafford scored his 8th of the season as the Hab's Colin Wilson was sitting out a double minor for slashing.
In the third period it seemed that the ice was slanted toward the Canadien's end and Ben Scrivens, as he faced an amazing 23 shots, stopping them all and keeping his team in it. 
The teams went scoreless through overtime so it was off to the shoot out. Henrik Zetterberg scored the only goal in  the shoot-out and reward Scrivens with the victory after his superman like performance in the third.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS:
1 - Ben Scrivens (Mon)..... Earned the win with his 23 stop performance in the third.
2 - Ryan Miller (Bos)....... Gave his team every chance to win, stopping 27 shots.
3 - Henrik Zetterberg (Mon)....... Scored both goals for Montreal.
 
Reporting For The WCHL Network.....
Peter Puck

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