What are the keys to winning on home ice?

You would think that the home ice and crowd would be an enormous advantage wouldn’t you?

Why do so many teams struggle on home ice?

I have a few thoughts on this subject as we prepare for the 2008-09 NHL regular season.

Last season in the Eastern Conference, Carolina was the only team that DID NOT make the playoffs with more points than the eighth-place Boston Bruins on home ice. The Hurricanes had an excellent 24-13-4 record on home ice, good for 52 points. They finished one game below .500 on the road to miss the playoffs by just two points.

In the Western Conference, the Edmonton Oilers had 47 points on home ice, going 23-17-1, and missing the postseason (along with the Blackhawks) by only three points. Nashville snuck into the eighth spot with three more points on home ice than the Oilers.

You might think the power play at home would be a huge factor, right? It didn’t work out quite that way as only 10 of the 16 playoff teams ended the regularseason in the Top 16. New Jersey and Calgary were ranked 28th and 29th overall in PP % on home ice, yet both made the playoffs.

Tampa Bay was fourth and Los Angeles was fifth overall in home PP % , yet neither were close to making the postseason and, in fact, picked first and second overall in this year’s draft.

Penalty killing at home saw the Bruins dead last at only 74.7%, yet they finished eighth and got in. Washington was 25th and Pittsburgh was 27th overall.

Clearly gone are the days of an intimate home building with crowds standing above you and ice dimensions suited to your team’s style of play. Every building is eerily similar, so the only advantage a team has is how many fans are in their building and how supportive they are.

Here are my keys to having a home-ice advantage.

1) Goaltending early in games. If your goalie gives up a soft, momentum-deflating goal early in a hockey game, especially in a non-traditional hockey market, the fans really get frustrated and the players feel it. Your goalie has to show everyone he has the presence to lead, especially early.

2) Every team has to have a line that bangs and crashes and gets pucks in deep, forechecks hard and energizes the bench and the crowd. The visiting team has to come into your rink knowing that they have to survive the first 10 minutes of the game, if they want to have a chance. The home team has to have players that are relentless on the puck and keep the energy high.

3) The “D” has to have the confidence to close gaps. There is nothing like seeing a road team easily skate through the neutral zone, gain the blueline untouched, and score an easy goal on your home ice. That is as deflating as any one thing. When the forwards hustle back and the “D” are standing up and playing physically, then the fans and the bench and the momentum from the home side can take any hope away from a team on the road trying to win in your building.

There is no question that athletes have large egos and love the fans and the noise and the adulation both on and off the ice. Having a jam packed home building can only help out every player. There is nothing like having the pressure and the expectations from your own crowd as they will push you through the tough times in a game.

That being said, not every building is full, so you have to find a way to get it done. The points I made earlier are the keys to getting off to a great start and maintaining that momentum to win hockey games on home ice and getting you team into the postseason.

For gretzky.com, I’m Darren Pang

Wayne Gretzky has been behind the bench for the 2 game rookie tournament against the LA Kings rookies, and it was business as usual for he and his coaching staff. When you look around the NHL during the rookie camps and tournaments, you don’t always, in fact you rarely, see the head coaches behind the bench, for one reason or another.

Not with Gretzky and the Coyotes as he and Ulf Samuelsson took care of the bench, while newcomer Doug Sulliman sat in the pressbox with goalie coach Grant Fuhr to take notes and get a feel for the young players. Gretzky knows that the prospects he has will be a big part of the present and the very near future, not just players that have potential, and may be 3 or 4 years away, if at all.

He is on the bench and on the ice in practice grooming them through drills and systems that will be employed from Day 1.

Its also good for the players to be around Wayne. Its natural to be in awe of Gretzky, so the players have to get used to how he handles the bench, drills in practice and also his demeanor. He laughs a lot, observes most things that no one else even sees happening. He is serious, but knows when to lighten things up and more importantly, has been a player before and understands you will make mistakes.

There are plenty of negatives when you don’t make the playoffs. You lose that winning culture, that expectation that you will win every night. On the other hand, it allows you the opportunity to draft the best of the best in that years draft. A team like the Red Wings haven’t had top picks since Yzerman and Primeau, when they were not a very good hockey team. They have done well with later picks like Datzyuk and Zetterberg.

Pittsburgh had a rough stretch that resulted in Fleury, Staal, Crosby and Malkin to name a few.  The Coyotes have Peter Mueller, Kyle Turris, Mikkel Boedker, and Viktor Tihkonov to go along with a slew of good draft picks that have resulted in picks like Chris Summers, Nick Ross, Brett MacLean and Kevin Porter to name just a few.

Its no wonder Gretzky and Samuelsson are preparing the young players with the same intensity and attention to details as they would be doing with their regular line-up. They know they will play for them, and sooner rather than later.

The unique thing about this collection of players is they all have different games.  The puck follows Turris and he just makes smart plays. He gets plenty of chances and doesn’t need much time to make a play. He has very quick hands and can snap the puck. He is a self motivated athlete that knows what he wants. Its just a matter of time and experience for Kyle.

Boedker is a horse. He has big strong legs and has lots of jump. He checked in around 200 lbs and doesn’t mind the physical part of it. He is a left shot that plays the right side, and has a great one timer.
Tihkonov intrigued many teams. He grew up in Los Gatos CA around the Sharks as his father Vasiliev was a coach with the Sharks and also with their farm team. He only recently got his Russian passport and was asked on several occasions to play for USA Hockey. He was not going to do that as his legendary grandfather, Viktor, is the President of Red Army. Young Tikhonov is a big strong kid that loves to drive to the net, and can play all 3 forward positions. You can tell he has been around pro hockey all his life, as he just fits in, he looks and acts like he belongs in the NHL.

Porter is a well rounded, smart player. He won the Hobey Baker and I get the sense it wasn’t just the point total. He is a leader. There were several times during the rookie games vs LA that he got hit or slashed on a shift, and instead of retaliating, he took a number and made sure he got a piece of that player. He is smart with the puck on both sides of the ice. He was the most mature player in the 2 games and appears to have a real bright future.

Another piece of the line up that has to excite Gretzky is his top line. He finally has a big centerman that can go up against the big boys in the Pacific.

With Ollie Jokinen, at 6’3 220 lbs, he also has a center that wants the puck in his own zone to begin the breakout. Jokinen doesn’t have to be the captain in the desert. He just has to play his game.  This is Shane Doan’s team, and Doan will patrol the LW on the top line with Peter Mueller likely on the RW.

That brings us to Bryzgalov. He is without a doubt the key to the process for Wayne and the Coyotes. He can be an All-Star. He can win a Vezina. He can be a Hart Trophy winner.  That’s what kind of upside he has. He has that potential for sure. He is athletic, mobile and large.  He will have to handle this team the right way. He will have to deal with adversity and have the maturity to handle some of the rough nights. He has shown he can do that and now must know how massive the responsibilty is.

Every player will make mistakes, especially the young ones and its so important in this situation for the older, veteran players, like Bryzgalov, to give his teammates confidence, no matter what happens out on the ice. What a year this should be.

Gretzky is going to have the time of his life behind the bench, in the room and on the plane with these guys. I can’t wait to be a part of it, the beginning of something real special in the desert.

For gretzky.com, I’m Darren Pang.

I remember the trade like it was yesterday.

I remember the feeling I had, like there was no way this just happened.

Wayne Gretzky. Traded. Wayne Gretzky? Traded? Traded? I had this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I am getting it again right now, just thinking of that day. August 9th, 1988.

I was in the family room of my in-laws house in Nepean, Ontario. There were plenty of rumours floating around about the possibility that the Oiler’s could trade Wayne. It seemed so very unthinkable. There wasn’t anything real about it. It just couldn’t happen. Couldn’t they trade a couple of other great players from that team? Wasn’t there any other possibilities?

I was heading into my 2^nd season in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks. I finally made it to the NHL after 3 years in the IHL and AHL.

I wasn’t just a hockey fan anymore, in fact I wasn’t just a minor league pro anymore. I had 1 full season under my belt and actually played against the Edmonton Oiler’s and Wayne Gretzky.

I had met and known Wayne from my 2nd season of Major Jr. A hockey in Belleville, as he co-owned the team. He skated with us as, he was getting ready for the Oilers training camp.

He took several of us, including future 1st round pick of Calgary’s, Dan Quinn, out to dinners and social gatherings. We were also recruiting our 1st pick at the time, Pat Lafontaine. he was drafted by both us and the Laval Titans of the QMJHL.

It was such a great experience to be around him and see the way he handled himself at such a young age. He was Wayne Gretzky. He was the captain of the Edmonton Oilers and we all assumed he was going to win 6-10 Stanley Cups with them. Forever an Oiler. How would it not work out that way?

The Oiler’s, under the tutelage of Glen Sather and Ted Green, were an incredible group of players. They had speed, finesse, moxy, courage and grit when they needed it. They had that “killer instinct” and it all started and ended with Wayne. If he scored 4 and they were leading by 3 goals with 3 minutes to go, he wanted his 5th and put the dagger in even deeper.

Was this a trade? Was it a sell?

Wayne said in his DVD, “Ultimate Gretzky” that it was a “weird time”. I would say so.

He understood the business side of it. He knew that at the end of the 1988-89 season, he would be 28 years old and an unrestricted Free Agent. He told the Oilers he wouldn’t sign a deal until the season was over and he was just newly married to Janet. She was still in the prime of her acting career, so maybe they would end up in California at some point anyway? Who knew? Peter Pocklington and King’s new owner, Bruce McNall knew, that is for sure!

It must have been something for Wayne.

Think about the sadness, emotion and heavy tears leaving Edmonton, the City that he really grew up in and adored. Think back to the press conference. Midway through, his very good friend and agent at the time, Mike Barnett, had to lean over his left shoulder and tell him to step away from the microphone, so he could regain composure. It must have been the 1st time in a long time that Wayne wasn’t in control of the situation. It wasn’t a sign of weakness . It seemed it was a time and moment of just shear out of control emotion. He just won his 4th Stanley Cup. He was 27 years old. he was just traded…and sold to a City that has never experienced winning in hockey before.

Holy jumpin.

The plane ride must have been some gamut of emotions. The sadness of leaving the City of Champions to the bright lights and excitement of Los Angeles. It went from a funeral to a celebration as far as the LA fans were concerned, for sure.

I remember watching his 1st game at home as a King. the new black and silver sweaters. gone were the Rogie Vachon and Marcel Dionne gold and purple.

The building was crazy. Celebrities everywhere. Bob Miller, the legendary voice of the Kings, making the player introductions. He gets to the last player and says, welcome #99, Wayne Gretzky…….

He looks humble and modest, again, as always. The capacity crowd goes nuts. He skates to the Kings blueline and nods. The crowd gets louder. They have just met the real game of hockey. This was the beginning of a new generation of hockey fans. This was the start for many 8 year old kids that needed a sport to latch onto. It was called ice hockey. It was called inline hockey. It was because of Wayne Gretzky and THE trade.

He scored on his 1st shot that night. It was against the Detroit Red Wings, his childhood team. The same team he tied Phil Esposito’s record for goals in a season with his 76th at Detroit, and then broke the record the next game in Buffalo.

That was the night he met Goldie Hawn and Burt Reynolds. Little did Wayne know he was Hollywood before he actually went to Hollywood.

It was strange facing Wayne as a King that season. He still had the Jofa helmet and the tucked in sweater. He still used the heavy Titan stick with very little curve. But he was in black and silver, not the blue and orange. There was a different look, but the same killer instinct.

The rink wasn’t Northlands Coliseum. It was the LA Forum. Both looked similar on the outside, but the ice wasn’t nearly as good on the inside. It was amazing what he accomplished on that LA ice, no doubt.

Wayne then came into Chicago Stadium as a King. I had to face him that 1st night . Normally when the King’s came to town, it was just another game. It wasn’t a rivalry. It wasn’t the Norris Division. It was just the King’s in their purple jersey’s. Not anymore.

There was such a buzz.

He gave them belief that they could win. You could sense it playing against them. It was just a matter of time and a matter of weeding out some players that were too used to losing. There was no way that he could accept that. He changed their whole mindset.

He scored a goal against me that year in Chicago that still makes my head spin. You can see it in the Ultimate Gretzky DVD. He is skating in….looks like he wants to go quickly to his right, from his forehand to his backhand. He is in this cool black and silver…..never mind…

I come out with the quick pokecheck….I have done this a hundred times ….only to see him quickly change directions to stay on the forehand and slip it by me, as he darts to his left.

I have the picture in a workout room in my house. We recently had a little get together in Phoenix, and Wayne and Janet and the kids were all there. Someone at the party took the picture off the wall, went over to Wayne and asked him if this one went in on me, or not.

Wayne looked it over…..leans over to the kid and says it just loud enough for me to hear….

“This is Panger’s party….lets not go there “

and then he says, just loud enough for me to hear….” I think that was the 3rd of the night!”…and lets out a huge laugh. It was perfect. He remembered the night.

It was roughly 19 years ago and he knew what happened. I was not surprised. He never ceases to amaze me. He changed the game. He always thinks about the game.

We now have 1st round picks in the NHL that are from California. They remembered the day Wayne was traded to the King’s like it was yesterday. They will be NHL players because of him and his influence in the non hockey markets. They are now called hockey markets. Pretty amazing stuff.

Wayne could have chosen any team he wanted when that trade went through. he could have gone to Detroit for one. His childhood team. But he knew that franchise was in good shape and it would be for a long time. But LA. The King’s. He could change everything there. And he did. They were the 1st team in LA to sell out their season tickets. They did so before the Rams, Dodgers and Lakers. Amazing.

All because of Wayne Douglas Gretzky.

This season is a celebration. If not for that trade, where would hockey be in these so called non traditional hockey markets? Let alone Cup’s. There would be no Stanley Cup in Tampa Bay. None in Carolina. San Jose wouldn’t be knocking on the door. Dallas wouldn’t have had theirs in 1999. Anaheim? Not a chance if not for Wayne.

I was far too naive when Wayne was traded to LA. I didn’t quite see the future of hockey. I never envisioned the sharp, aluminum shafted Easton stick. I certainly did not think of celebrities watching our great game and not for a minute did I think he could carry the King’s to the Finals in only his 4th season their, only to lose to Montreal in 5 games.

What a great ride that was. These are phenomenal memories.

When you see Wayne Gretzky behind the bench of one of the NHL’s most exciting young teams, the Phoenix Coyotes, think of what this trade meant for your hockey market. your memories as a kid and maybe your child’s as well. Stand up and clap. No one could have done what Wayne did. Not in any sport.

For Gretzky.com, I’m Darren Pang.

Wrigley Field is a great venue for Winter Classic II

Last year I was fortunate to be able to be a part of the NBC broadcast in Buffalo and the NHL’s 1st outdoor game in the United States.

Working alongside Ed Olczyk, Mike Emrick, Mike Milbury and Bob Costas , I was doing what I enjoy doing the most. I was rinkside. I put skates on between the benches and I believe for the 1st time ever in broadcasting, I was able to skate on the ice and do interviews, picked up the snow on the ice when there was some build up, and had the chance to be close to the players and the coaches during the heat of battle, in the cold!

It ended up being perfect. A close game, not a perfectly played game, and why would it be? It really didn’t matter. It was perfect and fans wanted to be a part of it, both at the venue and watching on TV.

It had all the elements. It had sun, snow, close to rain for awhile, clouds, and Sidney Crosby scores the GWG in the shoot out.

Now we move forward.

Chicago is hosting Detroit.

And it will be at venerable Wrigley Field.

When I played for the Blackhawks in the mid to late 80’s, one of the 1st things all of us players wanted to do in training camp was go to a Cubs game. It is no different today.

NHL players will often head to Chicago in the summer and hang out. They take in Lake Shore Drive and the beaches along the Gold Coast. They play golf some of the great golf courses in the world, tracks like Medinah, Butler National, Chicago Golf Club and Shoreacres, just to name a few.

And they all end up seeing the Cubs play. They go to Wrigley. They hang out in the neighborhood and take it all in. It is a special place to see a game. It is a destination. It is something they never forget.

It wasn’t much different than the ball players heading to old Chicago Stadium and seeing the Hawks play in front of a rowdy, energetic and sold out building that was also the place to be.The Bears, Cubs,

The Blackhawks may have earned the Comeback Franchise of the Decade with all of the smart moves they made this past season.

It has forever been a challenge for the NHL to get the Hawks late owner, Bill Wirtz to put home games on TV. I had many interviews and conversations with Mr. Wirtz while I was beginning my broadcast career in Chicago. I was the analyst on pre, during and post game shows before I left full time for ESPN.

There were many nights I listened to ticked off Hawk fans because there was no TV for the local fans when the Hawks played at home. Mr. Wirtz was consistent at all times with his response. It was always about preserving the season ticket “subscribers” and making the home games the place to be. He was right. It did make it special to be there. It could hold around 19,500 and I bet there were 16,000 season ticket holders.

They made sure they got there for the National Anthem, sang by Wayne Messmer, and had a couple of cold beers right with them.

But when the team moved across the Street and popular players were moved with regularity, the fans failed to show up, with regularity. And then they just stopped caring about this once beloved franchise.

Now he has passed and Rocky Wirtz is in charge. Years ago I was told by one of the Wirtz family members that either they get “into the race” or step aside with dignity and pride, and “get out of the race.” There was clearly no effort to improve the fan base, the team nor the chance to compete for the Cup, which they have not won since the glory days of Hull, Mikita, and Hall in 1961. That has now changed. Rocky Wirtz is a good man and he cares about winning and he cares about the game. His son Danny grew up playing hockey, in fact he was a goalie. Pretty sharp kid, no doubt.

With some shrewd moves by Dale Tallon and the green light to go spend from Rocky Wirtz, the Hawks are a team and a franchise back on the rise.

Because of all the positive moves, home games on TV, a great young team led by Calder Trophy winner Pat Kane and finalist Jonathon Toews, this was an easy decision for the NHL to have the Hawks host the Wings at Wrigley Field. There was no resistance to help out this once very proud franchise, instead it was the opportunity by the NHL to help out this market and rivalry with the Wings.

The NHL had many choices and clearly Yankee Stadium would have been great. There is no denying that, especially after watching the recent MLB All star game that was there.

I am looking forward to experiencing the walk into Wrigley. I just want to see the boards and the ice and the look on the faces of the players as they step onto the ice. It won’t be the 24 steps it once took to reach the ice surface from the locker room at the Stadium, but it is going to be darn close, I’m sure.

I am looking forward to seeing the Blackhawk Alumni, one of the best in all of sports. The Hawks will make sure they are a part of the festivities and the old players have been looking forward to being a part of a special hockey event in Chicago for some time. After all, for years they were the ones that had to answer all the negative questions and criticism from the dwindling fan base. They lived there and stayed during the off season, when most of the players were all long gone, taking the lost season elsewhere.

It is certainly going to change for the better and the Winter Classic II will be a defining moment for the organization and the City of Chicago.

They have high expectations after the Sabres and Penguins show last year. It may not have the same ending, the same timing for snow and 71,000 fans,that never left their seats, but it will have plenty of history, ambience and that grid iron feel that you can’t manufacture. It will be Chicago and Detroit.

I can’t wait.

Panger

With all due respect to a blog posted by Toronto Reporter Howard Berger, Wayne Gretzky is not going to the Toronto Maple Leafs, regardless what the source says. Wayne today said this to me: ” I have always been a big fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and wish them luck in the future. Right now my focus is on the Phoenix Coyotes and developing our young team.”

Wayne “couldn’t be any happier” in the desert coaching the up and coming Phoenix Coyotes, and he has put his heart and soul into the franchise that he has ownership in as the Managing Partner and Head Coach.

For the 1st time in a long time, the Coyotes are on the right path, in terms of having a game plan, drafting exceptionally well, developing terrific young talent, and telling the fans the plan and sticking to it.

Wayne has the great ability and patience as a head coach to develop young players and can’t wait to get started with the likes of incoming rookies such as Kyle Turris, Kevin Porter, Brett McLean to go along with Peter Mueller, Martin Hanzal and Daniel Winnik.

I will have more to come.

The NHL has ruled there will no suspensions as a result of the end of the stick contact from goalie Chris Osgood on Mike Ribeiro and then Ribeiro’s retaliatory swing at Osgood.

Both players have been fined by the NHL.

Steve Ott has also been fined as a result of his “soft-sucker” punch to Kris Draper. Jere Lehtinen will be a game time decision after taking a hit from teammate Brendan Morrow, after Morrow was trying to hit Pavel Datsyuk. There is a possibility Chris Conner will dress for game 3 in Dallas.

More to come,

Panger

This has happened far too many times in my broadcasting career. Not to say say there haven’t been some really great memories along the way, but will the NHL need to address changes moving forward when it comes to OT in the play-offs? Before game 6 between the Stars and the Sharks, the OT sessions were surprisingly quick. the average was right around 12 minutes. Bang! Done.

I enjoyed last nights game in the TSN studio, along with my family of the last month and a half, James Duthie, Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger and on this night, Matt Barnaby.

It was the 1st time for me sitting through a game that long WITHOUT actually being in the broadcast booth at the game.

I had the good fortune to work Nationally for 13 years at ESPN/ABC and it brought back many memories , especially the OT games I was a part of with Steve Levy. We were in the booth in Pittsburgh for the longest TV OT game in history and the 3rd longest of all time, the FLyers and Penguins with the great shot by Keith Primeau.

I knew that was going too long when almost everyone in the stands was asleep, there was no coffee left in the Igloo, and when I went up to owner Mario Lemieux’s private box to see about a bite of something after the 4th OT, all he could do was was offer up a cold Bud Light!! No food anywhere.

That same play off, Levy and I were in Dallas for the Stars and Ducks epic battle. Finally Petr Sykora scored to put us all out of our misery. I had to text Levy after the game. Sure enough, the man with the reputation was watching the game! Great stuff.

Last year at TSN, we polled coaches and GMs and got responses from 27 coaches and or GM’s from 1 team. We wanted to know if they would consider a change in the OT.

The question went like this:

Would you support the NHL going to 4 on 4 in OT during the play offs?

Immediately 3

After 1 OT 7

After 2 OT 3

After 3 OT 0

NEVER 14

What are your thoughts as fans that are either at the game or at home watching? Is there a better way to sell the most exciting finish and celebration in sports?

Or just keep the drama the way it is?

On another note. There were 2 minor penalties called in roughly 2 games of hockey.

Dallas took one when Fistric eliminated Marleau from driving to the net and that resulted in no goal to keep the Sharks season alive. Then there was the GWG from Morrow when Campbell was quilty of a stick infraction…..in the corner where there was no chance of getting a scoring play, and the player ( Eriksson) barely fell and then got up and could have continued on with no problem at all. Tough call to make to decide the outcome.

At the end of the day, the margin for error was too slim for the Cup favourite Sharks as they put themselves behind the 8 ball by going down 3-0 in the series. They put up a valient fight and had their chances. Marty Turco and Evgeni Nabokov were simply brilliant.

Round 3 is next and it begins on Thursday for the Wings and Stars and Friday for the Penguins and the Flyers. Fresh battle all the way around and it should be great. Why wouldn”t it be??

Panger

For the past 3 play-offs I have had the opportunity to work at TSN in Toronto. This year I am in the chair for the 1st 2 rounds of NHL action and then I will join the IIHF World Championship set as the tourney begins May 2nd and ends on May 18th.

We have had a great time on the set, as James Duthie, Mike Milbury, Darren Dreger, Bob McKenzie and Mark Recchi and I hang out, drink lots of coffee and watch every game before breaking it down and then bring it to the people on Sportscentre in Canada and between periods during action on TSN.

The games have been great, and very difficult to predict. The 2nd round will test us all.

My record in the 1st round was an unacceptable 5-3.

I picked Anaheim, SJ, Detroit, Colorado in the West and Montreal, Pittsburgh, Washington and New Jersey in the East.

In the 2nd round I have picked:

Colorado ( the Forsberg injury and Theodore sickness is going to bite a lot of us, I’m sure) in 7 SJ in 6

Montreal in 6

Pittsburgh in 7

Things I have really liked in the play-offs so far:

The little guy with the big heart. Stephane Robidas and his courage after taking a puck to the face, getting stitched up, and returning with a cage and setting up the GWG and scoring himself. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Patrick Marleau and his play in the 1st round. I believe for perception sake, amongst other things, he needed to get hit like he did when Corey Sarich drilled him. He gets up, blood on the face, not much concern or reaction, and all he did was lead by example in the win over Calgary. Great start for a guy that was a shell of himself for the the majority of the season, following last years play-off collapse vs Detroit.

Pavel Datsyuk and his magic hands, and great 2 way ability. This guy cares. He is as good as any forward in the NHL. He battles for pucks, always puts his head down and comes back into his own zone, never takes a shift off. He is the key to Detroits entry into the offensive zone.He makes it look effortless, and we all know it is not.

The 3 headed monster at center ice for Dallas. I love smaller players that can make a play, and Dallas has 2 of them. Mike Modano would be 3 if you look at his weight, but he is 6’2. In the regular season, before they acquired Richards from TB, i thought they would have trouble in a 7 game series. Now they have 3 tremendous players, that know their role and can all make a play. The fact that Modano has taken on the role of checking center, along with Ott and Barnes, has been a huge plus. This allows Ribeiro to play with Morrow and Lehtinen and Richards to play with Hagman and Eriksson or Lundqvist.

Philly has been fun to watch and the development of Braydon Coburn has been exceptional. Coach John Stevens has proven to be good when it comes to preparation and attention to details, not to mention match ups and game plans.

The Top 3 centers on the Flyers after round 1 had this to show for their work:

Briere: 6-5-11

Richards: 2-5-7

Carter: 3-1-4

Here are a few negatives:

Goaltender interference. Game by game calls are far too inconsistent. I would like to see more “incidental contact” where the play is blown dead, face off at center and no goal. I am not saying every situation has to be a no goal and a penalty, just use hockey sense.

One piece sticks breaking when there is stick on stick, doesn’t always mean there should be a penalty. There are many times where a player has blocked a shot, so the stick is weakened, and then a player puts pressure on that same players stick and it breaks. It is not always a penalty because the stick is in two pieces.

On that same note, maybe top centerman should have a thick piece of lumber, or at least a re-inforced composite stick, on the bench and ready for a late game, period, face-off in your own end. Would that have made a difference in game 1 when Carters stick exploded? Why can’t a company make a special ” late game, centerman’s face off stick?”

I can’t wait for the Ruuttu vs Avery antics in the Rangers series. Can we show this on HBO with all the audio? I am sure the comments will be all world.

Since I have been in Canada throughout the play-offs, I havent seen much on Versus in the States, but was disappointed they didn’t include my regular season partner, Dave Strader for any games in the 2nd round after he did 7 games in the opening round. Go figure.

The Coyotes Kyle Turris is in Canada’s training camp in Quebec City. It is very unlikely that he will play once the tourney starts but once again, this shows the great vision of Hockey Canada in giving a young man the chance to experience what they are all about. Turris has played in the World Juniors, The under 18′s, and the Summit Series vs Russia representing Canada.

Great to see Ed Jovonovski and Shane Doan representing the Coyotes and Canada, while Radim Vrbata, Martin Hanzal and Zybenik Michalek will do the same for the Czech Republic, Niko Kapanen for the Finn’s, Peter Mueller and Keith Ballard for the USA.

Panger

GLENDALE, ARIZONA — The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation announced today that Phoenix Coyotes prospect Kevin Porter, a senior at the University of Michigan, has won the 2008 Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player.

Porter, 22, ranks 2nd in Division I scoring with 33-30-63 in 43 games. The Michigan captain finished his collegiate career with 85-98-183 and 115 penalty minutes (PIM) in 162 games.

Porter was selected by the Coyotes in the fourth round (119th overall) of the 2004 Entry Draft.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound forward was named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Player of the Year and was also a finalist for the league’s Best Defensive Forward award. The Northville, Michigan native was a First Team CCHA member and was named the Hockey Commissioners January National Player of the Month.

During the East Regional of this year’s NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship, Porter scored an NCAA-record four goals in the Wolverines’ 5-1 win against Niagara in the semifinal. He then added a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Clarkson as Michigan advanced to the Frozen Four for the 23rd time in school history.

Porter was named to the 2007 CCHA Second Team following his junior season. He also captained Team USA at the 2006 World Junior Championships and represented the United States at the 2005 World Junior Championships. In addition, Porter played for Team USA at the 2003 and 2004 Under-18 World Championships.

To be considered for the Hobey Baker Award, candidates must exhibit strength of character both on and off the ice and must contribute to the integrity of the team and display outstanding skills in all phases of the game. Consideration is also given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship. In addition, candidates must comply with all NCAA rules.

Meanwhile, his teammate and linemate, Chad Kolarik has signed a 3 year entry level contract with the team that drafted him 199th overall in 2004.

That was a strong draft for the Coyotes as they selected:

5th: Blake Wheeler

35th: Logan Stephenson

50th: Enver Lisin

119th: Kevin Porter

199th: Kolarik

265th: Daniel Winnik

More to come,

Panger

Kyle Turris will play in his 1st NHL game tonight against the Dallas Stars.

He will center a line with Captain Shane Doan on the left and rookie Peter Mueller on the right side.

As previously mentioned, he will wear # 91.

Yesterday, Wayne Gretzky had Turris working one of the PP units, along with Doan and vrbata up front and Mueller and Jovonovski on the points. This will be a really important experience for Turris to get into NHL action, late in the season, against a team that is preparing for the play-offs.

Gretzky has proven to be exceptional when it comes to working young players in the line up and the feel for the type of game it is. He will not put Turris in a bad spot, and playing the 1st game on home ice, where Gretzky has last change will be a huge benefit.

Yesterday at practice, Turris turned a few heads with his quick release and patience with the puck. That being said, patience will be the key as far as expectations are concerned. He will be a huge piece of the puzzle when it comes to the future, but right now it s about watching the veterans, learning the little things. he has no better teacher than Doan right now, and already the two, along with Mueller, have spent lots of time together on and off the ice.

It is a perfect environment for a young player, as Yandle, Hanzal, Carcillo, Lisin and Mueller are all under the age of 22.

(Look for Yandle and Lisin to join the AHL San Antonio Rampage this week-end for their Play-off drive.)

Turris has his parents flying in for this special game, and they will likely also see him play in Anaheim for the final game of the season on Sunday.

Tonight is the final home game for the Coyotes, and before the game the team will hand out annual awards. A sell out crowd is expected.

It will be broadcast on FSN AZ

More to come,

Panger