Morning Wrap: Calgary Flames With Worst Own Goal Ever This Week

((ht: nhl.com))

It's never good to put the puck in your own net, but in hockey and a few other sports it happens from time to time.

But you are not likely to see an "Own Goal" like this one.

Saturday night, the Calgary Flames put one in between the pipes when goalie Jonas Hiller left the net unattended after a delayed penalty call.

Which in hockey happens quite frequently. When you know a penalty is coming, you try to run an extra attacker out there until the whistle blows.

Here's the problem: A Flames defender got the puck and launched it back towards the blue line.

Nobody was there.

The puck kept sliding down the ice and yup, it goes in the net. Vancouver Canucks defender Yannick Weber, the last Canuck to touch the puck gets credit for the goal and all Flames coach Bob Hartley can do is shake his head.

Canucks Celebrate Pat Quinn The Best Way Possible

((HT: CanucksVid/Sportsnet Pacific))

And, to be honest, if this doesn't touch you... you're a soulless human being...


Well done, Vancouver...

Well done...

DEVELOPING: Pat Quinn Passes At 71

((HT: Sportsnet))

The HQ really wanted Pat Quinn to come back to Atlanta and be coach and GM of the Thrashers at some point considering the amount of work he was able to do in turning around the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs.

But, alas, it was not to be...

The man who turned around those two squads has passed away and will be remembered for his toughness on the ice and relentless pursuit of perfection in constructing teams off it.

Here's how Sportsnet told Quinn's tale...

Tough dude who demanded results- and, most of the time, he got them...

Morning Wrap: Puck Drop Hockey Fight

((ht: cbssports.com))

Well, that certainly did not take very long. In fact, right after the puck hit the ice Sunday night in Vancouver for the Canucks vs. Anaheim Ducks game, a fight broke out.

No incident to trigger it, no history or issues between the two teams or the two players. In fact, it appears the fight was to motivate each of the struggling teams.

Your combatants, Kevin Bieska and Patrick Maroon.

It didn't last long, both guys ended up on the ice, laughing about it...

Morning Wrap: Nooooo! The Vancouver "Green Men" to Retire

((ht: cbssports.com))

May the legend live forever....

For those of you who follow hockey, at some point you've seen the "Green Men". And if you don't know what we are talking about---well, you should learn.

The Green Men are a pair of Vancouver Canucks fans (Sully and Force) who have dressed up in Green Spandex for the past 5 seasons and parked themselves next to the visiting teams penalty box, where they would taunt the visitors.

If you've watched a Canucks home game on TV, you've likely seen these guys and at the very least raised the quizzical eyebrow.

The duo say they'll hang up the spandex at the end of this season. We're a bit skeptical of that, this smell just a bit like a publicity stunt. But for now, we'll play along.

Long live the Green Men...long live Canadian Humor:

The announcements courtesy of the Canucks:



And a greatest hits, highlight music video:

Henrik Sedin Scores The Best Empty-Netter This Season

((HT: NHL.com/Sportsnet))

The Vancouver Canucks had a season opener with Calgary last night.

And the Flames were down late, but the Canucks had other ideas.
Henrik Sedin scores one of the prettier, more-hard working empty netters you'll see


See...???

We told ya...

NHL Hockey is Back: Now With Ref Cams

((ht: cbssports.com))

So, one of the many reasons we love hockey is that they are willing to try stuff other major sports may not be willing to do.

And Wednesday night was the official kickoff to the 2014-15 NHL season. Which for us, is cause for celebration.

Check out what the fine folks at the Sportsnet Canada decided to try this season.

Helmet cams on the ref--

Here's the puck drop at the Toronto Maple Leafs/Montreal Canadiens game:



Pretty cool, eh?

Or there's this. Referee Tim Peel brings you into a scuffle between the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames.

Yes...

We like this view.

A lot...

Moore And Bertuzzi Settle Out Of Court

((HT: Sportsnet/Grange))

Michael Grange is reporting that Steve Moore and Todd Bertuzzi have agreed to an out-of-court settlement a little less than a month before their civil trial was set to begin.

Here's the incident that started it all- 10 years ago...
((HT: Hockey Webcast))


Bertuzzi apologized, but he eventually pleaded guilty to criminal assault causing bodily harm for the hit and was sentenced in 2006 to one year probation and 80 hours of community service.
((HT: BCTV))


Moore then filed a multi-million dollar civil suit against Bertuzzi and the call to settle the case was called after mediation in early August.

He, contrary to what Bertuzzi wished in the press conference above, has not fully recovered- as put forth in the anniversary back in March.

Canucks Prospects Survive Grouse Mountain

((HT: Sportsnet))

The Vancouver Canucks like to send draft and minor league prospects up Grouse Mountain as kind of a rite of passage

All of them eventually make it, but some don't know what they're getting into until they start

Torts Fired In Vancouver After One Year

((HT: Sportsnet))

Surprising no one, really, John Tortorella was fired after one year coaching in Vancouver...

But the "Hockey Central" guys think that one night against the Flames may have done the deal...

And the HQ would agree...
It's all on Trevor Linden now...

Torts Responds To Wrong Name In Kind

((HT: Sportsnet))

This is what happens when a reporter calls John Tortorella by the wrong first name...
Bad to think of him as the GM...

Very bad...

Torts Has Choice Words For Hartley... Again...

((HT: Sportsnet))

It was the end of the regular season and Vancouver and Calgary...

And Bob Hartley and John Tortorella do not like each other...
They don't like how each operate and they don't like each other teams and how they operate...

If this Sunday was the last press conference by Torts as Canucks coach, then he went out with Tortorellian flair...

Looks Like Mike Gillis Gives Himself One More Year

((HT: Sportsnet))

The trade the HQ talked about behind the bench before the New York Rangers-Vancouver Canucks game involving Alain Vigneault and John Tortorella has now moved from the idiot stage to the stage where it looks like Torts is on a short clock.

Daniel Sedin has done the captainly thing and taken blame for the season that has gone sideways. Injuries have played a big part of it as they've made a 6-point hole for themselves in the wild card with five games to go.

It isn't looking good for GM Mike Gillis, but as GM's can do... they can blame others before they take the blame themselves. A coaching change will move things along a season at a time as a last ditch move.

But it will only buy Gillis a year with the Aquilini brothers...

Dan Murphy discusses with "Hockey Central"

For Canucks, It Takes A Village...

((HT: Sportsnet))

And by his own admission, John Tortorella is the village idiot...

The team is hemorrhaging offensively, but the penalty kill is still a top-10. Admittedly, the Canucks have lost an inordinate amount of games to injury- especially to players whose last name rhymes with "Tedin."

But the "trade" of Vigneault for Torts seems like a wash in New York City, but a mess out west...

Epic Collapse: Canucks Give Up 7 In The 3rd

((HT: Sportsnet))

There really are no words for this other than "total and utter shock"

The Canucks were up 3-0 going into the third period and lost 7-3...

Yep...highlights...
And Torts was stunned...
How have the Canucks lost 12 of their last 14...???

That's a good example of how...

Steve Moore Can't Believe It Has Been 10 Years...

((HT: Sportsnet))

Scotty Morrison caught up with former Colorado Avalanche winger Steve Moore on the tenth anniversary of Todd Bertuzzi pile driving him into the ice
((HT: HockeyWebCaster/Sportsnet))


Bertuzzi would initially apologize in front of the Vancouver media...


And Moore still can't believe things haven't been solved...

Moore suffered three fractured neck vertebrae, facial cuts, and a concussion...
Bertuzzi was suspended for the remainder of the 2004 regular season...

The civil suit Moore has pending on Bertuzzi is set to be addressed in September

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))

Kypreos: Tort's Behavior "Disgraceful..."

((HT: Sportsnet))

Vancouver Canucks head coach John Tortorella has no regrets over his epic nutty the other night against Calgary and head coach Bob Hartley...

Even telling Hartley, who didn't engage him in the bench discussion, that "you don't fight that way..."

Sportnet's Nick Kypreos was less than enthused over Tort's behavior...

DEVELOPING: Torts Gets 15 Days Without Pay, Hartley Fined

((HT: NHL on TSN))

For this...among other things...


From the league itself:

"Mr. Tortorella's actions in attempting to enter the Calgary Flames locker room after the first period were both dangerous and an embarrassment to the League," said NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell. "Coaches in the NHL bear the responsibility of providing leadership, even when emotions run high, and Mr. Tortorella failed in his responsibility to the game."

Mr. Tortorella's suspension is effective retroactive to January 19 and runs through Sunday, Feb. 2. He will miss six games. He is not permitted to have any interaction with his club prior to, during or after games.

And Calgary Flames head coach Bob Hartley got fined $25,000 for this...
Among other things...
((HT: CBC/Hockey Night In Canada))


From the league again:

The fine was issued in accordance with By-Law 17.3 (a) for conduct prejudicial to or against the welfare of the League.

In issuing the suspension, NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations, Colin Campbell stated: "We are holding Mr. Hartley responsible for the actions of Flames' right wing Kevin Westgarth, who took the game's opening face-off and attempted to instigate a premeditated fight with an unwilling opponent -- the Canucks' Kevin Bieksa."

Will this fix things...???

Nope...

Fun to watch...but not solving anything...

Canucks-Flames Line Dance: The After...

((HT: TSN/NHL))

Well, conventional wisdom is that Canucks coach John Tortorella is going to get some kind of suspension for the outbursts last night...

Here's what he said about why he did what he did...
((HT: Canucks TV))


And from inside his locker room...
((HT: Canucks TV))


And from Calgary head coach Bob Hartley...
((HT: Flames TV))


There actually was a game played...
Vancouver won in a shootout, 3-2...
Now, all we need to know is how long the suspensions will be for this classic...