NHL

NHL: Oilers, Canucks Conclude Regular Season

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 7, 2012

The final day of the 2011-12 NHL regular season has arrived, and the 16 teams which will be in the playoffs are now known. What had yet to be decided at the time this article was posted is the seeding of the teams. This story is about two clubs going in different directions: one will...

NHL

NHL: Pugnacious Penguins Tangle With Bruising Bruins

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 3, 2012

While this preview is supposed to focus on Tuesday night’s game in Boston between the Bruins and the Penguins, Pittsburgh’s clash with Philadelphia on Sunday is the talk of the hockey world. It even prompted analyst Mike Milbury to jump into the fray, calling Penguins captain Sidney Crosby “a little punk.” More on that later:...

NHL

NHL: Playoff-Seeking Kings Welcome Spoiling Oilers

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: April 2, 2012

After having been shut out of the playoffs for most of the past decade, the Los Angeles Kings have qualified for the past two post-seasons. They’re currently tied for first place with the Phoenix Coyotes in the Pacific Division, and they’d like to be the third seed in the Western Conference this time. Keeping that...

NHL

NHL: Familiar Foes Face Off As Canucks Host Stars

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: March 30, 2012

Sometimes it’s tough to know what the NHL schedule-makers are thinking. After the two teams had not seen each other all season, the people who plan these things decided the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks must play each other four times within the final seven weeks. This is the final meeting of the regular season...

NHL

Ballard Returns, Sedin Exits as Concussion Haunts Canucks

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: March 30, 2012

Concussion is the dark spectre that haunts modern day hockey. Frank Doyle reports. The Vancouver Canucks’ Keith Ballard has returned to the ice after seven weeks on the injured reserve list. The defenseman took a double whammy of hits over two games, at Colorado on February 4th and then three days later at Nashville, that...

NHL

NHL: Kings Meet Canucks In Presidents’ Trophy Hunt

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: March 26, 2012

They’ve been confirmed as the Northwest Division champions once again (thanks to Calgary’s loss in Dallas on Saturday), and they will definitely be one of the top three seeds in the Western Conference. Now the Vancouver Canucks might even launch themselves back into the Presidents’ Trophy race. Currently the Canucks stand four points behind the...

NHL

NHL: Canucks Play Dallas After Brutal Night In Chicago

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: March 22, 2012

The Vancouver Canucks haven’t done well lately even with winger Daniel Sedin in the lineup. What kind of effort will they be able to muster against the Dallas Stars because their top goal-scorer is unable to play? Sedin, who leads the Canucks with 30 goals, took an elbow to the head from Blackhawks defenseman Duncan...

NHL

NHL: Western Playoff Contenders Clash In Calgary

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: March 13, 2012

Written off by some only a few weeks ago, the Calgary Flames have managed to get themselves back into the hunt for a postseason position. The San Jose Sharks, on the other hand, have been playing recently like they’ve been looking forward to golfing in April. So far in March 2012, the Sharks had played...

NHL

NHL: Red-Hot Emery Leads Blackhawks Vs. Blues

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: March 6, 2012

The Chicago Blackhawks have had an up-and-down season; Ray Emery has had a similarly chaotic career. Both of them have found a good time to be on the upswing. Emery has taken over in net for Corey Crawford, who has also had a roller-coaster season between the pipes. The youngster is now looking on from...

NHL

NHL: Oilers Should Expect Rude Welcome From Jets Fans

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: February 27, 2012

The Edmonton Oilers make their return to Winnipeg to play the Jets and renew one of the lesser-known but combative conflicts in the NHL, which began in the old World Hockey Association. As Ed Tait of the Winnipeg Free Press notes, the Jets’ very first home game in major professional hockey was in 1972 against...

NHL

NHL: Fans Demanding Better Efforts From Sharks, Leafs

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: February 23, 2012

The San Jose Sharks and the Toronto Maple Leafs meet at the Air Canada Centre for the only time in this regular season, and they have similar goals: both are looking to end losing streaks, and both need some momentum to get back into their respective playoff races. The NHL betting line has the visiting...

NHL

NHL: Penguins, Rangers To Duel In Pittsburgh

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: February 20, 2012

The New York Rangers are running away with the Atlantic Division title and are also well ahead of the Boston Bruins and the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference standings. Pittsburgh is hosting the Broadway Blueshirts on Tuesday night, and it seems like one of those times when taking the “over” on an over/under...

NHL

NHL: Underdog Maple Leafs Meet Streaking Canucks

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: February 18, 2012

The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t seen the playoffs since 2004, and the road to that goal this season goes through Vancouver. Good luck with that, fellas. The Canucks are lining up for another extended run at the Stanley Cup, while the Buds have lost nine straight to them. The last meeting was at the Air...

NHL

NHL: Canadiens, Sabres Both Desperate For Victory

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: February 17, 2012

The Buffalo Sabres just had the taste slapped out of their mouths Thursday night in Philadelphia as the Flyers demolished them 7-2. Now they have to take on a Montreal Canadiens team that thinks they can sniff the faintest whiff of playoff blood. Certainly the trials of this Habs team are well-documented. Cohesion and championships...

NHL

NHL: Sabres, Flyers Looking To Get Back On Track

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: February 16, 2012

The Buffalo Sabres and the Philadelphia Flyers are two teams who set the bar high; now they’re struggling to live up to their own lofty expectations. Both teams opened their wallets in the offseason. The Flyers thought they were addressing a long-standing problem in net when they shelled out $51 million over nine years for...

NHL

Canucks set to host Avalanche in NHL action

• Joe LaTengo

• Last Updated: February 15, 2012

Divisional rivals meet just 10 days after an epic shootout in Denver. The way things are going for the home side lately, it wouldn’t be shocking if this matchup also needs extra time to be resolved. The Colorado Avalanche used to have the Vancouver Canucks’ number, especially in the days when Joe Sakic, ironically a...

NHL

NHL: Sharks at Capitals Headlines Monday’s Action

• Al Dannity

• Last Updated: February 13, 2012

There are only three games on Monday in the NHL but all of them have big playoff implications. Al Dannity breaks down tonight’s battles. Thornton looks to continue impressive run This is the second game on a 9 game road trip for the Sharks. Things didn’t go their way in the first leg, losing 3-0...

NHL

Northwest Division Top Two, Vancouver Canucks vs. Minnesota Wild

• Zach Rance

• Last Updated: February 9, 2012

The Vancouver Canucks and the Minnesota Wild will meet up Thursday night for an exciting battle between the two best teams in the Northwest Division. Although the Canucks hold a commanding 13-point lead over the Wild in the division, Minnesota desperately needs to pick up a win here in order to hold off the Phoenix...

NHL

NHL: Habs Home Underdogs Against Pittsburgh

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: February 7, 2012

The injury-plagued Pittsburgh Penguins will cross the border to face the Montreal Canadiens in an Eastern Conference match-up tonight. Given the disparity between these two teams, there will be some interesting betting angles for those people who are looking to do some midweek NHL betting. With 64 points, the Penguins are currently in fifth place...

NHL

NHL: Mad Dash for the Playoffs Gets Underway

• Al Dannity

• Last Updated: January 31, 2012

The All Star break is over, now the real goal is in sight. The contenders will be separated from the pretenders in a sprint to the season’s end. Al Dannity breaks down the playoff races in both conferences. Big stakes at top of the Eastern Conference For now it’s the New York Rangers in command...