Friday NHL Recap: More Overtime Good For Smashville And Buffalo

((HT: NHL/Versus/nhl.com))

In the Flyers-Sabres game, the visitors broke out to a surprising 3-0 lead, but it didn't hold up. They went to free hockey before Tyler Ennis gave the Sabres the win...


And, then, out west... Nashville was trying to win their first Game 5- ever...
It took a while, but Jarrod Smithson gave it to them...
The Predators can clinch their first-ever playoff series win by taking one of the next two...
((HT: NHL/Prime Ticket/nhl.com))

Kings Staying In Sac-Town...???

((HT: News10 Sacramento))

Well, maybe...
Dunno...

Kevin Johnson, former NBA'er and current mayor of Sacramento, has just survived two days of meetings with the relocation committee- led by Oke City owner Clay Bennett- and, now the Kings' home next year seems to be in some kind of question...

Our friends at News10 try to give us some kind of answers...


The HQ is fairly confident that the Kings-Royals could work in Anaheim- despite the protestations of Lakers head coach Phil Jackson. The plan is in place, and we're still thinking that the move to the OC is somewhat inevitable...

This is, probably, the last chance of last chances doing that whole "due diligence" thing...

More when we know more...

NHL Recap: Hawks On The Edge, Carrie Underwood Cheers, And All The Others

((HT: NHL.com/TSN/NBC/FSPredators))

Vancouver puts the Blackhawks on the edge of elimination, Teemu Selanne scores twice in 30 seconds but Nashville wins anyway over Anaheim, Brandon Dubinsky makes the Rangers winners over Washington, but more importantly Carrie Underwood's husband got the game-winner from Sergei K...

Here's every goal from Sunday in a minute and a half...

Sacramento Gets NBA Extension

((HT: News 10 Sacramento))

Mayor Kevin Johnson is optimistic again for some reason...
The NBA Board of Governors meeting gives more hope to the city in keeping the Sac Kings- for now...

Ryan Gets Two Games For Stomping

((HT: NHL/fel0096))

Anaheim Ducks winger Bobby Ryan will miss Games 3 and 4 of the series against the Nashville Predators after what looked like a stomping-spearing of defenseman Jonathon Blum in last night's game...

"The actions by Ryan were both reckless and dangerous," NHL senior executive vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell said. "While it was fortunate there was no injury to Blum on the play, the act of using your skate in this manner is unacceptable."

Here's the play... decide for yourself the amount of bush-leaguedness...


No penalty was called and Blum did not appear to be injured, but Preds coach Barry Trotz was hot about it...

Is This The End For The Sac Kings...???

((HT: News10 Sacramento))

The Lakers are in Sac-Town tonight for the last home game this season for the Kings, but it could be the last game for the Kings period as they possibly morph into the Anaheim Royals.

Christina, Dale, and Ryan are involved in team coverage...

DEVELOPING: Anaheim Approves Funding For Kings

The Anaheim city council unanimously approved the long-rumored US$75-million bond deal in their attempt to try and bring the Sacramento Kings south to the Honda Center.

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait continues to say that there are NO FINANCIAL PROBLEMS and there won't be any public dollars spent.

Samueli also manages Honda Center, and he's putting his own money into a deal for upgrades to Honda Center and other moving costs. The money is rumored to be $25-million in the upgrades.

The Kings must file for relocation with the NBA by April 18.

More when we know more...

Anaheim Thinks $75M Can Lure Kings

((HT: 10news.net))

The city of Anaheim and the Samuelis think that $75-million can get the Kings to Anaheim post haste...

Improvements to Honda Center would be capped at $25 million, while transition costs couldn't go over $50 million.

Part of the deal is that the city of Anaheim is the only name associated with the Royals if they jump Sac-Town. There will be no "Los Angeles Royals Of Anaheim" or anything like that...

Here's the quick version...


Steve Large has the longer version from our friends at CBS13

NBA Gives Sacramento An Extension To Keep Kings

((HT: News10 Sacramento))

The NBA has granted the Sacramento Kings an extension on the deadline to file an application for relocation. That relocation would be immediate and the team is looking at, possibly, Anaheim, California for their new home.

The league announced that the Kings will have the opportunity to discuss their options at the NBA Board of Governors meetings set for mid-April. The team will have until April 18 to decide if it plans to relocate. The team had filed for an extension last week since the deadline is typically March 1st.

Sacramento has struggled for years to build a new arena, which Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof argue is critical for the team to stay.

Period...

The larger question is: Would the local arena survive in its current form if the Kings became the Kings of Anaheim...??? Or would Sacramento survive as a market for any kind of athletic endeavor...???

Bryan May is indoors...

Hockey Player Sues Anaheim Ducks Over Anti-Semitic Claim

A Jewish hockey player is suing the Anaheim Ducks alleging that his coaches made anti-Semitic remarks and discriminated against him because he is Jewish.

Attorneys for Jason Bailey, who was traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2009, filed the lawsuit in Orange County ((CA)) Superior Court.

The suit alleges that coaches for the Bakersfield Condors, an ECHL affiliate of the Ducks at the time, made anti-Semitic remarks towards him and denied him ice time because he is Jewish.

Bailey was assigned to play for the Condors under the contract he signed with the Ducks back in 2008. He played there for 35 games before finishing his 2008-2009 season with the AHL's Iowa Chops. He has since played for the AHL affiliate of the Senators in Binghamton, New York since the trade.

The lawsuit says Bailey complained but management did not do enough when it came to addressing the allegations.

Here's a feature that ran on Bailey when he first surfaced with the Ottawa 67's back in the 2006-2007 season on "OHL Primetime..."
((HT: Youtube/RogersTV))


Vik Jolly's piece in the Orange County Register has part of the complaint:

Plaintiff "...was subject to severe and/or pervasive harassment on the basis of religion by being forced to endure a barrage of anti-Semitic, offensive and degrading verbal attacks regarding his Jewish faith"

The suit also claims then-Condors head coach Marty Raymond allegedly claimed that Jewish people "only cared about money and who's who." Both Raymond and an assistant that is to have allegedly harassed Bailey wrote letters of apology and were briefly suspended back in 2008, but Bailey's attorney tells Jolly that is not enough.

Wisniewski gets a 8 game vacation...

Well, the carnage continues. There was another viscious, injury causing hit last night in the NHL and it didn't take long for the league to act. Last night in the Chicago/Anaheim game, Brent Seabrook of the Blackhawks was knocked silly by former teammate and current Duck James Wisniewski. Seabrook, according to reports briefly lost consciousness and was helped from the ice. Two Blackhawk teammates went after Wisniewski later in the game.

The original story from the Chicago Sun-Times is RIGHT HERE

((Brent Seabrook's head hurts//Courtesy: chicagonow.com))

Wisniewski, who had been suspended in November for a hit, was disciplined today by the NHL. He will be sitting for the next 8 games.

The play, which had Wisniewski skating some 40-plus feet to find Seabrook and then level him is another indication that the NHL needs to do something...and soon. Yes, they've discussed running at players and hits to the head, but they aren't going to be able to wait until the season ends to address it. Well...let me restate that, they shouldn't, the heat gets turned up each time this happens. However, the league has turned a deaf ear or been very slow to react whether the players or fans call for something or not. Whether this is the play that turns the tide remains to be seen, but if you are in Vegas...don't put any money on it.

For those who haven't seen it, here is the play in question. Thanks HockeyWebCast/You Tube:

Leafs Start NHL Trading Frenzy Early, Grab Phaneuf And Giguere...

((HT: TSN, ESPN-Lebrun))

Two teams hemorrhaging in the NHL standings have decided it's time to shake up their rosters before the Winter Olympic break... and Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke ((pictured, knowing he got the better part of the deal, thanks CP)) is already looking like he improved the worst team in the Eastern Conference.

The Calgary Flames broke an 0-6-3 losing skid last night by playing Edmonton and winning 6-1. They sent defenseman Dion Phaneuf, forward Fredrik Sjostrom, and defenseman Keith Aulie to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forwards Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers and defenseman Ian White.

Mayers, along with defenseman Garnet Exelby, had asked for moving papers earlier in the week. Leafs GM Brian Burke had said their demand would not effect how the team plays on the ice- and he was right...since Mayers is now no longer with the team.

ESPN's Piere Lebrun reports that the Leafs added the Ducks JS Giguere in goal in exchange for Vesa Toskala- and then some...

Giguere waived his no-trade clause and was sent to Toronto for Vesa Toskala and Jason Blake.

Giguere has one year left on his deal next season at $7 million while Toskala, earning $4 million this year, will be an unrestricted free agent July 1. Blake has two more years left after this season at $3 million per year, although his annual salary cap hit is $4 million.

Kevin McGran's work from The Star is here...
Eric Duhatschek's analysis is here from the Globe and Mail...

Here's Burke talking about his trades...
((HT: LeafsTV))

Niedermayer's Stick causes a Fan Fight

This is just something that you don't see every day. Let's set the story up. Last night, the Anaheim Ducks and Tampa Bay Lightning are playing against each other. The game, it goes to Overtime and Ducks forward Scott Niedermayer scores a goal 52 seconds into OT to win the game for the Ducks.

The game story from Newser.com RIGHT HERE.

The real fun however, started after the game ended. Traditionally in Hockey after the game, the team picks the 3 "Stars of the Game". And in this game, Niedermayer was voted the #1 "Star of the Game". Being the team player that he is, he skated over towards the glass, near the player entrance and decided he wanted to give his stick to a young fan on the other side. However...the stick was intercepted by an over-anxious fan and well...let's just say...a "Pier Sixer" broke out.

Let's show the video, it's not great quality, but you can clearly see the fight. Thanks You Tube:

Watch Out for the Chair!

Sometimes, you have to watch your temper. Such is the case with Anaheim Ducks General Manager Bob Murray, who in frustration Thursday night, picked up a stool in the Press Box at Joe Louis arena and swung it violently, striking a woman sitting nearby. If this were the say, WWE, it might not be an issue, but it wasn't. Thankfully other than a couple of bruises, she was not seriously hurt.

((Bob Murray Photo-Courtesy: Anaheim Ducks))

Check out the details from WJBK-TV here . Unfortunately, there is no video of this incident.

Luckily for Murray, the woman declined to press charges although, police did question her and Murray. As much as we can understand Murray's frustration with what happened during the game, unless you are Bobby Knight, there is no chair throwing in Sports.



((video courtesy as usual: You Tube))

Cleary Sends Wings To Conference Finals

Dan Cleary gets the game winner in Game 7 for Detroit. The Red Wings advance to the Western Conference Finals to play another Original 6 team in the Chicago Blackhawks.
Enjoy...
((HT: FS Red Wings))

Ducks Force Game 7 With Detroit

The Ducks took a close game 6 in Anaheim which sets up another Game 7 in the WCSF.
Anaheim wins it 2-1 with a lot of help from Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller
And even more help from a post-game tete-a-tete
FOSG Darren Eliot was running color while Dave Strader was on play-by-play for the end of the contest...
Eliot gets the line of the evening...
((HT: Versus/NHL))

Kopecky May Need Surgery

((HT: Detroit Free Press))

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland says forward Tomas Kopecky might need surgery after fighting in the Western Conference semifinals.

Holland said on Saturday that initial indications on Kopecky’s condition were “not good” and “it appears he’ll need surgery” but the team is waiting for a final report.

Kopecky sustained facial injuries during a fight with Anaheim defenseman Francois Beauchemin in the third period of the Wings' 6-3, series-evening victory in Game 4.

Game 5 is Sunday at the Joe Louis Arena.

Holland says defenseman Brian Rafalski and forward Kris Draper, both of whom have missed the series with upper-body injuries, might play Tuesday night in Game 6.

Here's the fight... it's a quick one...
((HT: Versus/NHL))

Ducks Beat Wings in Three Overtimes

((HT: LA Times))

Anaheim earned a return trip to the Motor city.

Todd Marchant ((pictured, thanks Leon Halip/US Presswire)) scored 1:15 into a third overtime, lifting the Ducks to a 4-3 series-evening win over the Detroit Red Wings this afternoon.

Jonas Hiller made a career-high 59 saves and Ryan Getzlaf, Chris Pronger and Ryan Carter scored for the Ducks in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal.

Anaheim will host Game 3 on Tuesday night and after another home game it will be back in Detroit for Game 5.

Chris Osgood stopped 42 shots, Brad Stuart, Mikael Samuelsson and Johan Franzen scored for the defending Stanley Cup champion Red Wings, who lost for the first time this postseason.

In the series opener, Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom scored with 49 seconds left to avoid overtime.

Marchant had plenty of energy on the game-winning play.

He carried the puck up the middle of ice, made a move to slip into open space in the left circle and flicked a wrist shot past Osgood.

The Red Wings did not take advantage of a rare power play in overtime when Scott Niedermayer was called for tripping with 8:52 left in the first extra period.

They also didn't have anything to show for outshooting Anaheim 14-6 in the first overtime and 15-9 in the second.

Detroit and Anaheim skated in the first postseason game to go beyond one overtime and were in the longest playoff game since the Pittsburgh Penguins beat Detroit midway through a third overtime in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals last year.

The Ducks have won five straight playoff games against Detroit in overtime, winning twice after regulation two years ago in Western Conference finals en route to hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Here's your highlights and, yes, there's a lot of them...
((HT: NBC/NHL))

Brown Avoids Suspension For Game 2

((HT: TSN))

Mike Brown ((pictured, thanks Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty)) will be back for the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal.

The Detroit Red Wings were told Saturday that Brown would not be suspended for his hit that bloodied Jiri Hudler.

Brown landed a blow to Hudler's head in the first period of Game 1 on Friday night. He was given a major penalty for interference, leading to Detroit scoring a tying goal, and a game misconduct that ended his night.

The game was delayed briefly while Hudler was helped off the ice and blood was scraped off it. A towel was pressed against a big cut above Hudler's left eye.

Hudler returned to the game in the second period, helping the defending Stanley Cup champions win 3-2 to stay undefeated in the playoffs.

Here's the play, and those of us at OSG HQ think the only reason Brown isn't out of Game 2 is the fact that Hudler came back to play in Game 1.
((HT: CBC/NHL))

Red Wings Take Game 1

((HT: LA Times/Helene Elliott))

Nicklas Lidstrom scored with 49.1 seconds left in the third period, pursuing his own rebound and rifling it past a helpless Jonas Hiller, to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the Ducks this evening at Joe Louis Arena in the opener of their second-round playoff series.

In a game that was every bit as rugged as promised -- and as big a showcase for world-class skills as could be hoped for -- the Red Wings won on the persistence of Lidstrom.

The incomparable defenseman took a pass from Dan Cleary for a shot that was stopped by Hiller, but with bodies and traffic in front, Lidstrom cleverly saw an opening to come in from the blue line to pounce on the loose puck and snap it past Hiller.

Game 2 will be played Sunday at 11 a.m. Pacific time, also at Joe Louis Arena.

Mark Lee has the call for the game-winner, thanks CBC/NHL...