(via Dallas Stars Instagram)

As the regular season winds down and playoff dreams are on the verge of coming true, pausing to recognize one of the biggest milestones at the start of any player’s NHL career seems like a fine idea. So far this season, 86 rookies have hit the twine behind goaltenders across the league, each with their own story to tell about the goal they scored, and each with a smile as big as the moon when they realized the puck was in the net.

The stars aligned for Dallas Stars forward Alex Chiasson when he scored his first goal in his second NHL game on April 5 against the Anaheim Ducks. It was the beginning of a five game scoring streak that saw him rack up a total of 7 points in his first six games, concluding with the game winning goal in the April 13 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Not only was it a fantastic personal feat, but it set a new franchise record for the Stars.

» Continue reading “The Hawt Trophy: Show Us Your Pucks! Again!”

This will be my last edition of Friday Fisticuffs. It’s only fitting that I leave you with one of my all time favorite fights featuring my all time favorite enforcer. We’re headed back to March 6th 2004. The Tampa Bay Lightning were visiting their in state rival Florida Panthers.

A spirited battle breaks out between Andre Roy and Darcy Horidchuk:

A fight that pretty much has it all. Fast and furious punches. Referee acrobatics to break up the combatants. Showboating on the way to the penalty box . Hordichuk falling in the penalty box as he and Roy continue the conversation. A wonder to behold.

Tuesday night saw the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Buffalo Sabres in a big Eastern Conference match up. Big in that both teams are trying to climb their way into the playoff picture with a few short weeks left in the season. As can be expected when playing a team with Steve Ott and Patrick Kaleta in their line up, it was a rather physical game.

What may be surprising is there was only one fight in the game. No matter how hard the Sabres tried to get Radko Gudas to drop the gloves.

Take it away , Keith & Marcus.

» Continue reading “Friday Fisticuffs: Marcus Foligno vs. Keith Aulie”

Tomas Kundratek and Steve Olesky are proud puck bearers and public enemy number one.

When you see a player smiling ear-to-ear and proudly holding up a puck for all to see, does it matter what team he’s on? There’s a lot more going on than just another snazzy photo op. From personal achievement and overcoming obstacles to a supportive family and hockey community to maybe a little luck on the ice and sometimes a little bit of sass in his smile, we should just be pleased for him that he’s having success as he launches into his NHL career, right? Maybe.

Let’s be real. At the end of the day, did he assist on or score the goal that helped his team clinch the OT win against your team? Yes? Then it does matter. It matters a lot.

I’m looking at you, Tomas Kundratek.

» Continue reading “The Hawt Trophy: Show Us Your Pucks!”

He da man.

After a few months of stacking small piles of hockey cards all over my apartment, I finally had the chance to spend some time to properly organizing overthinking my card binder. Rather than coming up with a specific plan or actually putting any cards into the binder, I decided to look at Marty Turco cards on eBay because TurcoMania still runs wild in my heart.

It was then that I stumbled upon the “You Da Man” Marty Turco card pictured above. I had somehow forgotten about the 60 card Sidelines subset that made its appearance in the 2009-10 Upper Deck Be a Player Signature Series set. When the set was released, Sidelines cards weren’t anything new for hockey card fans or collectors with or without a sense of humour.

The 1992-93 Pinnacle Sidelines Subset (which I will get to at some point) was very informative. How would I have ever known that Luke Richardson was a rocket builder? And other cards popped up here and there with news about what players were doing off the ice, many of them related to the sport of golf.

Let’s relax, unwind and take some time to enjoy a few of the anecdotes and guffaw inducing moments brought to you by a handful of the 2009-10 UD BAP Sidelines cards.

» Continue reading “Hump Day Hockey Cards: You Da Man, Marty Turco”

Secret’s out, Gill

The NHL is back! Yay! But with that, we’re probably going to see a lot less tweets by hockey players. Sad face. So here’s a bunch of tweets that made us laugh this week during training camp.

» Continue reading “They Said WHAT- Training Camp Edition”

One thing comes to mind when viewing this fine card of Patrick Roy. That thing is: ARRGGHAAABBLL. You know that’s the sound of goalie’s spraying water in their faces.

We’re a few short days away from the return of the NHL. We’re impatient. We’re ornery. Here’s something to help get you through.

» Continue reading “Hump Day Hockey Cards: It’s The Final Countdown”

What does McDonalds have to do with this man? (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

During the past week, most hockey players said the same things we did. Last Wednesday, they sat and enjoyed the 121212 concert for Hurricane Sandy held in New York at Madison Square Garden but broadcast all over the world. On Friday, they questioned how someone could hurt innocent elementary school students.

Fortunately in between those, we were able to find a few pictures that made us laugh…something I think we all need after the horrors of last Friday.

» Continue reading “They Said WHAT?!? – Ugly Sweater Party Edition”

Since we started our weekly visits into the best of the worst hockey cards, one thing became painfully clear. The early 1990s have certainly had the most representation. Maybe it was the residual Aqua-net of the 1980s wearing off, but neon and bike shorts seemed like a good idea.

The early 1990s brought us some cards that would have gone right in our bike spokes if we opened a pack to find them as kids.

These cards are mad fly…. NOT!

» Continue reading “Hump Day Hockey Cards: 2 Legit 2 Quit”

This week’s bout comes from January 17, 2006. The Tampa Bay Lightning were on a rare West Coast swing, meeting the Los Angeles Kings.

A thank you to our friends at Raw Charge for putting this fight on our radar.

» Continue reading “Friday Fisticuffs: Cory Sarich vs. Tom Kostopoulos”