Hockeyworld! 2/24/2010

AHL

Abbotsford Heat

• The Heat meet up with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers tonight.


• Abbotsford is quite confident, even though they're still having injury troubles.


• The Heat are currently in third place in their division. They have won five out of six games on their current road trip. “Its’ almost how its been all year for us – you lose a bunch and then you win a bunch," said defenseman Gord Baldwin of the team's current winning streak. “We got to straighten that out and kind of get more leveled with what we’re doing. Right now we’re winning so I‘d love to stick on that, but obviously we can’t win every game all year so you know we just got to keep going.” (Heat Report 2/18/10)
  

Bridgeport Sound Tigers

• Deja-vu - the Sound Tigers meet up with the Abbotsford Heat tonight.


• Brendan Witt has NOT been hit by a truck in Bridgeport (that we know of). However, he did contribute to their win on Sunday.


• Bridgeport hasn't been on much of a streak lately, unless it's an alternating one. They've won five of their last ten games and lost five.

Our AHL Features

The AHL recently held their first ever Outdoor Classic in Syracuse. They had a record crowd of 21,508 at the New York State Fairgrounds for a great event. Here are some interviews done with Hockey This Morning's Shawn Lavigne and Mike Ross (XM Radio). Sounds like a good time was had by all.

• What happens to hockey players after hockey?

Since the rest of the hockey world is focused on the Olympics in Vancouver right now, so goes Grizzblog...

OLYMPICS

• USA beating Canada on Sunday was kind of a big deal.


• NBCOlympics.com has a feature to help you find out where you can watch Olympic hockey (or other events) on TV - just put in your zip code and cable/tv provider.


• Today is the anniversary of the USA winning the gold medal in 1980. Everyone knows that story. But here's a side of the story you don't hear too often.


• The Russia/Canada game today is kind of a big deal. (Not to mention a couple of their players.)


• You can get your Olympic hockey bracket here.


• Who are the Grizzlies cheering for?


• There are several ECHL ties to the Olympic hockey players.


• Beating Canada wasn't enough for Team USA - they want more. Plus, they're having a lot of fun.

They're not the only ones having fun. Our good friends Richard and Les are Vancouver residents, and have been checking out the action in the Olympic city. Says Richard, "I've never seen the city this alive. There are people out on the streets everywhere; it's crazy! And there are events planned until 4am."

Les was nice enough to send us some pictures she took:

Several businesses have gotten into the spirit of the games:

This appears to be Trevor Linden stabbing an eagle with a hockey stick. Or a surfboard:

The Olympic clock downtown:

This sign offers some suggestions for, uh, keeping the peace... or something:

Bert and Ernie are excited about Canada's hockey team:

Well, at least they planned for a lot of people:

Enjoy the Olympics!

Hockeyworld! 2/3/2010

AHL



Abbotsford Heat

• The Heat have had some roster changes recently.
• The Houston Aeros and goalie Wade Dubielewicz (who used to play for Bridgeport) put the Heat down under .500 by beating them in their last game. The Heat next play two games against the Chicago Wolves in Abbotsford.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Islanders goaltender Martin Biron will join Bridgeport for a conditioning stint this weekend. (He used to play for the Flyers.)

Check out their January highlight reel. Their music is pretty cool, but we recommend watching it with the sound off to other random music. Our favorite was to something that sounded like a piano from the old silent movie days.

• Bridgeport has a five-game losing streak going, although three of those came in shootouts. Their next game is Friday in Springfield.

Our AHL Features

• Because the AHL doesn't take a break for the Olympics like the NHL does, some AHL games will be broadcast on XM radio during February. In addition, NHL Network will be showing some AHL games at the end of February and March as the Calder Cup Playoff race heats up. You can catch Bridgeport on XM radio, and Abbotsford on NHL Network.

NHL

Calgary Flames

• There have been a couple of changes in Calgary in recent days. A little trade with Toronto, and then one with the New York Rangers. 35.8% of the people who answered a poll on the Flames' website think the deal with Toronto was a bad trade. Reactions on the trade with New York are mixed. Opinions in general run rampant. (Frankly, we're just a little tired of discussing trades.)
• The Flames host the Carolina Hurricanes tonight. Even though the 'Canes are currently sitting at 29th in the NHL, they have a better record over their last 10 games than Calgary does. Ouch.

New York Islanders

• The Islanders will spend part of their training camp next season in China. That's a long flight. They'd better not complain about their travel schedule next season.
• The Islanders have waived Brendan Witt. They'd better watch their backs - this is the same guy that got hit by a truck in Philadelphia and played that same night.
• The Islanders next meet Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Our NHL Features

• We're not sure why anything Alex Ovechkin's father says is worthy of a news story on NHL.com, let alone this doozy where he compares Alexander Semin to a panther... but whatever.
• The Vancouver Canucks are about to embark on an epic journey.



• It's unanimous - Ryan Getzlaf has a nice car.

INTERNATIONAL

• Canada's Olympic hockey team are just regular guys.
• Nine days until the Vancouver Winter Olympics start.

Islanders' Witt Hit by Truck

Brendan Witt of the New York Islanders (an NHL affiliate of the Grizzlies) was hit by a truck in Philadelphia this morning while crossing the street. Don't expect any call-ups though. Witt got up and walked away.

Full story here.

We have a whole new respect for the toughness of hockey players.

Go Grizzlies!