2013 Year In Review: Halifax Mooseheads Win Trophies

It's almost midnight in Halifax, and one thing this city celebrated in 2013 was the Mooseheads winning the QMJHL's Presidents Trophy and the CHL's Memorial Cup. While I don't have anything from the Memorial Cup (mostly because I'm poor), I do have stuff from their Presidents Trophy win against Baie-Comeau. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday Night Hockey: TSN Gripe, Quick Hits

TSN: The Slacking Network

Ok, this probably just something I don't like. TSN have the rights to broadcast both the World Junior Championship (main tournament...another gripe for another day) and the Spengler Cup, and they do a really good job doing both. What bugs me is that, in both tournaments, they only show games in the group Team Canada is in (with a few exceptions). It seems like this year they are expanding it a bit, airing one live game from Group B and one on tape delay on TSN2. At least there is progress, but I don't see why they can't use TSN2 to air the other group's games live, especially since Canada will host the tournament every second year. Same deal for the Spengler Cup (at least that tournament is in the same arena throughout), air the early game (since Team Canada is always in the later group) on TSN2. Granted, that game might interfere with a World Junior game, and I'll sadly see it get bumped to being taped delayed, but that's still content to be aired. With no NHL for the next 12 years, TSN will need all the hockey it can get.

Like Father Like Son

Frederik Piuze-Roy channels his dad in this meltdown at the Spengler Cup



John Scott Scored...

...Against the Leafs

(and it's not on YouTube yet, which is disappointing. That goal should have been uploaded seconds after it happened).

Suspension Of The Week

The NHL Department of Sweet Justice got a nice Christmas present in that there was no suspensions. Looking at the link though, two things need to happen:

1. More Will Arnett Shanahan parodies
2. Shanahan should go back to being in front of the camera, not just do voiceover work in the suspension videos.

Lineup Notables

Boston Bruins vs. Ottawa Senators

Boston: Marc Savard (concussion), Loui Eriksson (concussion), Chris Kelly (ankle), Dennis Seidenberg (leg) and Dougie Hamilton (lower body) are out.  Shawn Thornton is suspended. Tuukka Rask might be in net.
Ottawa: Healthy Ottawa (something has to be in the Rideau Canal). Craig Anderson gets the start.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Montreal: George Parros (concussion) and Davis Drewiske (shoulder) are out. Carey Price starts.
Tampa Bay: Steven Stamkos (knee), Ryan Malone (ankle), Matthias Ohlund (knee), Brian Lee (knee) and Keith Aulie (hand) are out while Eric Brewer (arm) and Sami Salo (upper body) are questionable. Ben Bishop is in net.

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Edmonton Oilers

Philadelphia: Chris Pronger (concussion) and Erik Gustafsson (knee) are out. Steve Mason is expected to start.
Edmonton: Mark Arcobello (ribs), Ryan Jones (head) and Philip Larson (flu) are out. Ilya "Mr. Universe" Bryzgalov gets to start against his former team.

2014 World Junior Championship Preview: Group B

Group B is probably the stronger of the two. Sweden and Russia are gold medal hopefuls, Finland and Switzerland are darkhorses, and Norway is Division I material.

Note: Most information from the IIHF website.

Rosters

Finland
Goalies:

Name	Club
Ville Husso	IFK Helsinki
Janne Juvonen	Pelicans Lahti
Juuse Saros	HPK Hameenlinna

Defense:

Name	Club
Julius Honka	Swift Current Broncos
Mikko Lehtonen	TuTo Turku
Ville Leskinen	Karpat Oulu
Esa Lindell	Jokerit Helsinki
Ville Pokka	Karpat Oulu
Rasmus Ristolainen	Buffalo Sabres
Teuvo Tervainen	Jokerit Helsinki
Juuso Vainio	HPK Hameenlinna
Mikko Vainonen	Kingston Frontenacs

Forwards:

Name	Club
Henrik Haapala	Tappara Tampere
Henri Ikonen	Kingston Frontenacs
Jusso Ikonen	JYP Jyvaskyla
Saku Kinnunen	KalPa Kuopio
Rasmus Kulmala	TPS Turku
Artturi Lehkonen	KalPa Kuopio
Saku Maenalanen	Karpat Oulu
Aleksi Mustonen	Jokerit Helsinki
Joni Nikko	Lukko Rauma
Otto Rauhala	Tappara Tampere

Norway
Goalies:

Name	Club
Henrik Haukeland	Stjernen Fredrikstad
Joachim Svendsen	Lorenskog IK

Defense:

Name	Club
Magnus Haugen	Storhamar Dragons
Andreas Klavestad	IF Frisk Asker
Erlend Lesund	Sparta Sarpsborg
Tallak Lyngseth	Islanders Hockey Club Nashua
Mattias Norstebo	Brynas Gavle
Christer Simonsen	Manglerud Star Olso
Martin Vaakanainen	Tingsryds AIF

Forwards:

Name	Club
Magnus Fischer	Valerenga Oslo
Anders Henriksen	Stavanger Oilers
Ludvig Hoff	Valerenga Oslo
Tim Robin Johnsgard	Mariestad BoIS
Jorgen Karterud	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Endre Medby	Lillehammer IK
Magnus Nilsen	Sparta Sarpsborg
Christoffer Rasch	Mora IK
Martin Ronnild	Brynas Gavle
Markus Soberg	Frolunda Gothenburg
Didrik Svendsen	Sparta Sarpsborg
Jens Tonjum	Vaxjo Lakers

Russia
Goalies:

Name	Club
Ivan Nalimov	VMF-Karelia St. Petersburg
Igor Ustinski	Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk
Andrei Vasilevski	Salavat Yulayev Ufa

Defense:

Name	Club
Alexei Bereglazov	Stalnye List Magnitogorsk
Ilya Lyubushkin	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Kirill Maslov	Loko Yaroslavl
Andrei Mironov	Dynamo Moscow
Nikita Tryamkin	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
Valeri Vasiliev	Spartak Moscow
Nikita Zadorov	London Knights

Forwards:

Name	Club
Alexander Barabanov	VMF St. Petersburg
Ivan Barbashev	Moncton Wildcats
Pavel Buchnevich	Severstal Cherepovets
Georgi Busarov	Dizel Penza
Eduard Gimatov	Avto Yekaterinburg
Mikhail Grigorenko	Buffalo Sabres
Vadim Khlopotov	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Vyacheslav Osnovin	Traktor Chelyabinsk
Nikolai Skladnichenko	Kuznetskie Medvedi
Anton Slepyshev	Salavat Yulayev
Bogdan Yakimov	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
Damir Zhafyarov	Metallurg Novokuznetsk
Valentin Zykov	Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Sweden
Goalies:

Name	Club
Oscar Dansk	Erie Otters
Marcus Hogberg	Linkopings HC
Jonas Johansson	Brynas Gavle

Defense:

Name	Club
Linus Arnesson	Djurgardens IF
Lukas Bengtsson	Mora IK
Christian Djoos	Brynas Gavle
Robert Hagg	MODO
Robin Norell	Djurgardens IF
Gustav Olofsson	Colorado College
Jesper Pettersson	Linkopings HC

Forwards:

Name	Club
Andre Burakowsky	Erie Otters
Sebastien Collberg	Frolunda Gothenburg
Jacob de la Rosa	Leksands IF
Filip Forsberg	Nashville Predators
Andreas Johnson	Frolunda Gothenburg
Nick Sorensen	Quebec Remparts
Oskar Sundqvist	Skelleftea AIK
Lucas Wallmark	Lulea HF
Alexander Wennberg	Frolunda Gothenburg

Switzerland
Goalies:

Name	Club
Daniel Guntern	GCK Lions Zurich
Melvin Nyffeler	ZSC Lions Zurich
Sascha Rochow	SC Bern

Defense:

Name	Club
Lukas Frick	Kloten Flyers
Benoit Jecker	EHC Biel
Samuel Kreis	SC Bern
Mirco Muller	Everett Silvertips
Claude Paschoud	HC Davos
Yannick Rathgeb	Plymouth Whalers
Anthony Rouiller	EHC Biel

Forwards:

Name	Club
Lukas Balmelli	HC Lugano
Nico Dunner	EV Zug
Kevin Fiala	HV71
Jason Fuchs	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Fabrice Herzog	Quebec Remparts
Marco Muller	SC Bern
Vincent Praplan	North Bay Battalion
Flavio Schmutz	VIK Vasteras
Julian Schmutz	SC Bern
Lukas Sieber	HC Davos
Dario Simion	HC Lugano
Sandro Zangger	ZSC Lions Zurich

Schedule

December 26
Norway vs. Russia
Switzerland vs. Sweden

December 27
Finland vs. Norway

December 28
Sweden vs. Finland
Russia vs. Switzerland

December 29
Norway vs. Sweden

December 30
Russia vs. Finland
Switzerland vs. Norway

December 31
Sweden vs. Russia
Finland vs. Switzerland

Pre-Tournament Prognosis

Finland: A team that could surprise, but unlikely to make it past the Quarter Finals if they qualify.

Norway: Relegation candidate. Most likely to be in Division I next year after just earning a promotion for this year.

Russia: Strong team, should be a contender to finish with a medal.

Sweden: The host are heavy favourites to win gold, and they have the team to do just that.

Switzerland: (See Finland)

Predictions

Brad

1 - Sweden
2 - Russia
3 - Switzerland
4 - Finland
5 - Norway

Gold - Sweden
Silver - Russia
Bronze - Canada
Relegated - Norway

MDK

1 - Sweden
2 - Russia
3 - Finland
4 - Switzerland
5 - Norway

Gold - Sweden
Silver - Canada
Bronze - Russia
Relegated - Norway