Crazy Hockey Fight: Wild's Stu Bickel Gets 37 Minutes for Fight

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Down 5-0 midway through the 2nd period, the Minnesota Wild were looking for anything to wake them up. Anything.

And the whole thing got triggered by Wild forward Ryan Carter who ended up not being a big part of the end result. Carter shoved Dallas defenseman Trevor Dailey into Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen. And the Pier 6er was on.

Wild enforcer Stu Bickel immediately jumped in and ended up throwing down on not one, but two Stars players. They eventually ended up on the ice while Bickel kept swinging.

The result was a long trip to the penalty box. A game misconduct for an aggressor penalty, an instigator minor penalty, a 5 minute major penalty for fighting and another 10-minute misconduct call got Bickel 37 minutes worth of penalties in one game.

Zoinks!

Video from HockeyFights.com:

Game Sevens Times Three Finish Round 1

((HT: NHL/NBCSN/CNBC))

It's what this time of year is all about... other than the tanning and vacations...

Game Sevens make late night viewing all good...

And the NHL last night had three Game Sevens to close out the first round...

First stop was New York City for the Rangers and Flyers...
And when the fourth line is contributing (see: Dan Carcillo), it's going to be a good night for you. But, these days, Carcillo is in Ranger Blue and not Flyers orange...


Game Two went for a while...

Because there's only one thing better than a Game Seven...
It's a Game Seven that goes to overtime. Minnesota escapes the first round since 2000 with an overtime win at Colorado. Avs head coach Patrick Roy was pleased with his team's efforts this season. But he was obviously, disappointed with the premature finish of the season...


The larger question for Minnesota in Round Two is the status of Wild goalie Darcy Kuemper- who had to leave the game in the third period, yielding to Ilya Bryzgalov. Bryz made one save for the rest of the game, but that's all that needed to be made as the Wild take on Chicago...

The late game, probably, is the end of the lifespan of Todd McLellan in San Jose. The Sharks had a 3-0 lead in the series against Los Angeles. But the Kings rediscovered their defense in and around goalie Jonathan Quick and became the fourth team in the history if the NHL playoffs to come back from a 3-0 series deficit to win a series, 5-1 in Game 7...


That sets up Chicago and Minnesota and the Freezeway Series between LA and Anaheim...

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))

Overtime, Overtime... Did We Mention Overtime...

((HT: NHL/NBCSN/CNBC))

There were a few games that ended in regulation last night in the Stanley Cup Playoffs...

And some went into the next day...

The Blues and Blackhawks, the HQ figured, would go for a while... and it did... they went into the third overtime before the first game of the series was decided by Alex Steen...


Then, down 4-2 in the third period, the Colorado Avalanche got a lot of help from Paul Stasny at the end of regulation and in overtime to give the top seed in their bracket a 5-4 overtime win...


In other games that didn't go quite as long, the Rangers and Sharks also got first-game wins Thursday night.

Three games tonight: Montreal-Tampa Bay, Detroit-Boston, and Dallas-Anaheim

ClubberSpeak: The Kadri Files

((HT: Jim Lang Blog))

It's Thursday, and he's prolific...

And it's all based on this...
((HT: NHL on TSN))


In the third period of Wednesday night’s loss to the Wild Leafs forward Nazem Kadri was given a match penalty and kicked out of the game after he hit Mikael Granlund.

Which raises the question; what happened to hitting in hockey?

Now I am not talking about “Matt Cooke” type cheap shot elbows to the head. I am talking about good, hard bodychecks.

There is no doubt it was a hard hit by Kadri; but a hit worthy of a match penalty? Not a chance.

Kadri’s elbow was down and his stick was down and he made contact with his shoulder. I see dozens of hits every week in the NHL that are worse than that and they don’t result in a match penalty.

Now earlier in the game Kadri collided with Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom in the crease and Backstrom had to leave the game with a concussion. Kadri was given a interference penalty on the play. So you are left to wonder if the match penalty for the hit on Granlund was a make-up call for not given him a harsher penalty for running into Backstrom.

Hockey is still a contact sport. Hitting is still a part of the NHL. I agree with the league-wide initiative to remove blatant head shots from the game. There is no place for that in the modern NHL. But the hit Kadri laid on Granlund is the kind of thing that has been in the game forever and I hope it never goes away.

I can only imagine Scott Stevens watching a tape of that hit and laughing his ass off when he heard that it was worthy of a match penalty.

The bigger question for players is the reality that refs around the league will interpret what is a hit worthy of a match penalty far differently than the next guy. So the hit that is fine on Tuesday night in Edmonton might result in you getting kicked out of the game Friday night in Chicago.

Now there comes word that Kadri is facing a hearing this afternoon at 1:00PM ET for running over Backstrom, and not the hit on Granlund.

I am fine with that. Much like quarterbacks in the NFL, the NHL has to do whatever it can to protect goalies. But if that is indeed the case why did Kadri receive only a two minute minor for running into him? And you wonder why players get confused as to what is a suspendable offence and what isn’t? Brian Gionta was never suspended for taking out James Reimer. In this case there seems little chance Kadri won’t receive some kind of suspension for his hit on Backstrom.

Hence the confusion by players and Coaches as what is worthy of a suspension and what isn’t.

The bottom line is that the Leafs will likely be with-out Kadri for at least one game and maybe more on a team already razor thin at centre. The timing is awful as the Leafs are in Buffalo Friday night for the first of a home-and-home with Ted Nolan and the new-look Sabres.

Jay McClement led all Leafs forwards Wednesday night with 23:37 of ice time. His previous high this year was the 21:33 he logged in the Leafs loss to Columbus back on October 25th. McClement better have a good pre-game nap Friday because is sure to log some serious ice -time this weekend.

Lost in the Kadri ejection and pending suspension is the fact that David Clarkson has all of one assist in the eight games he has played since coming off of his suspension. With all of their injuries and the Kadri situation the Leafs desperately need Clarkson to break out of his funk and start producing.

Josh Harding Talks MS

((HT: Sportsnet))

It was a pretty easy bet for Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding to get the Masterson Trophy this past NHL season...

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Harding hasn't let him slow down his workload and he even started in the Wild's first-round playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks...

Sportsnet's Chris Simpson caught up with Harding in Toronto...

Your Afternoon NHL Overtimes...Minnesota and Pittsburgh

((HT: NHL on NBC))

The Pittsburgh Penguins went down 2-0 in the first playoff game at Nassau Coliseum since 1742.
But then two goals in nineteen seconds (on the power play) tied it up, the Pens took a 3-2 lead, and a 4-2 lead before the Islanders came back to force overtime.

Chris Kunitz's second goal of the day gave the Pens the win and a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 Monday night...
And the Minnesota Wild needed a win badly justd to get on the board after losing the first two games of their 1/8 series with the Chicago Blackhawks... and after Duncan Keith's goal with a little less than three minutes left sent the game to free hockey. But the Wild got some help from Jason Zucker... From a helluvan angle...

Hockey Silly Season Begins: Houston Aeros Relocating To Iowa

There are three regular season games left in the history of the Houston Aeros franchise in the American Hockey League...

Sources on both ends of the Minnesota Wild organization in the Twin Cities and Houston are saying that the Aeros are moving to Des Moines after this season ends...

The current lease agreement was signed in 2008 and the arena and the Aeros have been negotiating for the past year to try and re-up the deal.

Didn't happen...

"We were not able to find agreement on terms of a new arena lease which would allow us to continue to successfully operate our franchise. We thank Toyota Center for the partnership we've had since moving there in 2003," said Matt Majka, Wild chief operating officer said in a press release.

"We have enjoyed a very strong relationship with the Aeros dating back to Toyota Center's inaugural 2003 season. Both parties worked diligently and in good faith during this process, but unfortunately we were unable to reach an agreement. We wish the Aeros continued success," said Tad Brown, Houston Rockets/Clutch City Sports & Entertainment chief executive officer.

"On behalf of our Board of Governors, I would like to thank the fans of the Houston Aeros for the terrific support they have shown their team and the American Hockey League for the last 12 years," said David Andrews, American Hockey League president and CEO.

Michael Russo of the Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis-St. Paul says the AHL has approved the move and the team will play in the Wells Fargo Center.

Here's the end of the last home game the Aeros played in Houston...
((HT: Oliver Guerrero))


This won't be the last move in the off-season for minor league hockey...
Guarantee...

Josh Harding Addresses MS Diagnosis

((HT: Sportsnet.ca))

Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding looked like he had everything going for him- signed a new deal in the off-season, part of the best tandem in the NHL, looking like he had everything down.

But he was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and is having to figure out everything from his new life...

Christine Simpson got the chance to catch up with Harding to get an update...

Wild's Harding Diagnosed With MS

((HT: KSTP-TV))

Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He is currently undergoing treatment and was able to resume working out two weeks ago without any trouble...

Wild GM Chuck Fletcher released a statement:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Josh and his family following the news that he has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Josh’s competitive fire has led him to a successful career in the NHL and we know he will approach this new battle in the same manner."

And that's about all he can say at the moment since he's in a labor dispute with the guys he would have under contract at present...

Here's coverage from KSTP...


Harding signed a three-year, US$5.7 million contract this summer after appearing in a career-high 34 games in 2011-12. He was 13-12-4 with a 2.62 GAA as he shared the starting goalie position with Nicklas Backstrom...

Boogaard Family Suing NHLPA

((HT: TMZ via Howard Bloom))

It appears the family of former NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard is suing the NHLPA because the family thinks the player's association didn't act fast enough in getting the remainder of his contract paid off.

Boogaard, who died from an overdose of pain medication and alcohol last May, had US$4.8-million left on his deal with the New York Rangers.

Since the family feels the National Hockey League is responsible for fostering an environment of having athletes prescribed to pain medication and sleeping pills, they went after the league. But since the NHLPA, apparently, didn't file the grievance in time the Boogaard's are adding US$5-million to the lawsuit.

From the TMZ story:

"In the lawsuit, Derek's parents claim he was addicted to prescription pills at the time of his death ... partly because he had been prescribed "a multitude of narcotics and sleeping pills by both the team doctors, physicians, trainers, and dentists of the New York Rangers and the Minnesota Wild.

"Because Derek's parents believe the NHL teams are partly responsible for their son's death, they turned to the NHL PA which promised to help them file a grievance to get the Rangers to pay out the rest of Derek's multi-million dollar 4-year contract with the team.

"But, according to the lawsuit, the NHL PA failed to file the grievance by the required deadline, so the Boogaards were unable to collect ... and now the Boogaards are PISSED."

The HQ has always wanted to considered the word "pissed" part of the journalistic vernacular...

And, then, of course the Player's Association came out with their statement on the matter... surprising no one with its generic nature...


"We are saddened to read reports that the parents of the late Derek Boogaard have filed a lawsuit against the NHLPA.  We have not been served with or seen a copy of the complaint, but we are confident that there is no meritorious claim that can be made against the NHLPA in regard to Derek's tragic death. It is not appropriate to comment further at this time."

Here's the Tribute Ceremony at the Xcel Center from last year...
((HT: FSNorth.youtube))

 

More when we know more...

Devin Setoguchi with worst shootout move EVER

There is nothing really to say here.

Minnesota Wild forward Devin Setoguchi may have successfully become winner the worst shootout move ever.

Granted, he slipped.

And it was made worse when Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price just casually skated out and poked away the puck.

Words cannot describe...so check out the video:

Wild Sign 51-Year-Old Backup Goalie For A Night...

Sometimes it pays to know the former assistant coach...

It's not every day that a 51-year-old casual, goaltender ((and friend of Mike Ramsey)) gets signed in an emergency situation. Minnesota Wild goal Niklas Backstrom's wife went into labor, so he had to leave.

That meant that an emergency call-up, Matt Hackett, had to travel all the way from Houston and try and get to the game on time... there was, about, a 30-minute window of clearance...

Here's how Paul Deutsch made his debut on practice ice...
((HT: MyFoxTwinCities))

Wild Sign 51-Year-Old Emergency Backup Goalie: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Josh Harding got the start and the 3-2 win over Nashville...

Heatley For Havlat As Sharks And Wild Deal Again

((HT: CSNBayArea))

When San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson found an opening to trade post-season-offensively-challenged forward Dany Heatley, Wilson found a dance partner in an old flame- Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher- the guy whom he just had enough fun with in his Burns-for-Setoguchi deal.

So, now Wilson gets speed in exchange for a confusing amount of talent and head-scratching ineffectiveness...

“Marty is a player that we have had an interest in for a long time,” Wilson said via press release. “He can play either wing and brings creativity and breakaway speed to our group of top-six forwards. We are excited about the versatility he adds to our lineup.”

This comes two years after Heatley demanded a trade out of Ottawa, and before that, the chance for Heatley to start anew leaving Atlanta after all the Dan Snyder ghosts chased him

Here's, what turned out to be, Heatley's exit-exit interview at the end of the season...