Selanne Retires From NHL, Kings Show Class At The End

((HT: NHL))

Teemu Selanne can still play hockey- just not to the ridiculous level that we have seen over the last two decades and to the level he thinks he should be playing at to be a productive member of professional hockey in North America.

So, after 21 seasons and obscene offensive numbers, he's hanging it up in the NHL. Whenever the Ducks lost their last game would be his last. And last night's 6-2 loss to Los Angeles was it...

As is tradition, players congratulate each other for a series well-played at the end and it was absolute class...

Here's Selanne going through the handshake line...


The next question is: Does this mean it's all for Saku Koivu as well...???

Here's the highlights from TSN with Cuthbert and Ferraro...


There is talk that, with his home country squad of Jokerit in the KHL and Jari Kurri as GM, that Selanne will go home to wrap it up. The HQ certainly hopes so...

What's With All The Unanswered Goals...???

((HT: NHL/NBCSN))

The HQ thought that when the Pittsburgh Penguins had the 3-goal FIRST PERIOD lead on the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide, that it was over and done...

Yeah, so much for that idea...

CBJ scored once in the first, once in the second, and Brandon Dubinsky scored with less than a minute to go in regulation to send the game into overtime...

We all know what happens with momentum by that point...
Ask Nick Foligno...


That series is now tied at two and the Penguins fans are gripping over another post-season performance by goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

The other two series that went last night are also tied at two games a piece...

Anaheim had a two-goal lead in Dallas in Dallas, but that didn't last, either...
The Stars scored four in a row and the series between the Ducks and Stars has gotten all serious. There was a a lot of "quien es mas macho" in the last few minutes between the two sides. Play-by-play man Gord Miller had the line describing how the series has gotten all in each other's grills, saying that the two have evolved into hatred...

He's not wrong...


The late game (and "who knew?" right...???) would end up being the Blackhawks and Blues...

It would end shortly before 1AM east coast time, but overtime will do that for you...
Patrick Kane would help us all get to bed earlier than we thought in the third series tied at 2...


Tonight, the Sharks try to knock off the Kings once and for all...
Much to the dismay of the HQ...

Stanley Cup Playoffs: What Is This About Taking People Out Below The Waist...???

((HT: NHL on NBC/Some Hockey Videos/TSN))

One was sad and the other was sad...

If you get where the HQ is going...

First is the one that drew people's ire...

Colorado and Minnesota series... and it was all around Matt Cooke again...


Tyson Barrie left the game against the Wild after a knee-on-knee hit from Matt Cooke and will miss four to six weeks with a medial collateral ligament injury. Cooke received a two-minute minor for kneeing, but has been offered an in-person hearing by the NHL department of player safety.

The HQ knows where that is going and a lot of people are calling for Cooke's head...

The other was just flat out disappointing...

Stars and Ducks...

Stephane Robidas was part of the fabric of the Stars for a long time. But he was traded to the Ducks at the deadline. This series has, admittedly, been tough on him facing his old mates. The first game back in Dallas had an injury that was eerily similar to the one that got him on the shelf the last time back in November...


Ryan Garbutt's going for the puck was not intentionally causing the re-break, but it still is disappointing...
Trevor Daley feels for his old teammate...
((HT: Will Martin))

Trade Deadline Day Starts A Day Early With Luongo And Penner

A lot of guys went on waivers and cleared...

Ottawa's Joe Corvo and Cory Conacher, the Florida Panthers' Scott Gomez and Scot Clemmensen, Maple Leafs left winger Trevor Smith, Wild center Jake Dowell, Oilers winger Corey Potter and Flames defenseman Derek Smith were placed on waivers.

Leafs enforcer Frazer McLaren, Predators goalie Devan Dubnyk, Penguins forward Chuck Kobasew and Oilers defenceman Philip Larsen all went unclaimed after being waived Monday.

Then the fun started today...

Dustin Penner was sent from Anaheim to Washington for a pick and the Ducks picked up Stephane Robidas from Dallas. They also sent goalie Victor Fasth to Edmonton for two picks...

CSN Washington's Jill Sorenson caught up with Penner's high school teammate, Eric Fehr...


The Caps were right up against the cap ceiling- so, as a move to alleviate some of that, they sent Martin Erat and John Mitchell to Phoenix for Rusty Klesla, Chris Brown and a pick...

Ilya Bryzgalov went from Edmonton to Minnesota to be one of the Wild's goaltenders- especially good timing with the announcement that Nick Backstrom is out for the year with an injury...

The Islanders sent Andrew McDonald to Philadelphia for two picks and a player...

But the big move of the day sends Roberto Luongo back to Florida along with Steven Anthony for two players...

Bobby Lu is looking forward to heading back to a place where crowds are non-existent...
Sportsnet adds instant analysis...
((HT: Sportsnet))

Ducks Win 8th Straight, Canucks 9-1 Loss Is Worst Ever

((HT: Sportsnet))

There really isn't a whole lot to say...
Vancouver was gawd awful and the game degraded completely in a hurry...

Here's the highlights...
And the fights in the third that gave the Canucks 58 minutes of penalties in the period... Tom Sestito, Jannik Hansen and Zack Kassian all got misconduct penalties with 7:11 to play. Kevin Bieksa wasn't far behind... ((HT:SNP/SomeHockeyVideos))
The Ducks improved to 20-0-2 at home...

If At First You Don't Succeed...

((HT: Sportsnet))

Hubie McDonagh wasn't satisfied that Corey Perry had been knocked into the bench only once...

How 'bout twice...
Here's your look...

Patrick Roy's Fire Exists Even In Game 1 (UPDATED With Fine And Reax)

So, you win your first game as Colorado Avalanche head coach fairly easily, but the game doesn't just "end" with players skating off the ice to their respective locker rooms...

This happens...
((HT: Prime Ticket/Fred Murtz))


Roy thought that, just before the goal, Nathan MacKinnon was knocked down by Ducks defenseman Ben Lovejoy with what Roy said was a knee-on-knee hit. No penalty was called.

"I was not very happy," Roy said. "First of all, I mean, to see a defenseman knee our guy. I mean, that was a knee-on-knee hit. That should have been a penalty in my opinion, and I certainly didn't like that. When it's 6-0, I don't think this game needs that type of cheap shot. But after that there was some talk from the coaches, I guess. But at the same time, what should I do? He put his fourth line on the ice. I'm not going to go with my first line. I went with my fourth line and, that's it. I was matching all night long, by the way."

Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau disagreed... of course...

"It was a little trip and maybe they should have called it, but they let it go because of the score," Boudreau said. "He was barking at me because I was yelling at him to quit yelling at our players. I didn't notice it as much as I noticed it then. The last game we were in here [for a preseason game] it was a big thing by the referees telling him it's going to be a long year if he's going to be yelling at everyone like that. There was no need for it.

"He's not 25 anymore; he's watched every NHL game I'm sure since he retired. He played for some of the greatest coaches and even though he was in the net and didn't hear a lot of them, I'm sure he knew what was going on."

Remember... they play three more times... and it looks like Roy's time behind the bench will be a trip...

So to speak...

PM UPDATE: Roy was fined $10-grand for his plexiglass shove-fest...

Here's Roy's response- and other coaches as well...
((HT: Sportsnet))