New Sharks Logo Coming July 24

Thought this was interesting. The San Jose Sharks announced today that they'll be unveiling a new logo on July 24. They're calling it an "update" to the current emblem. They will also introduce new secondary marks. One would think the shark fin is gone.

You can read more about it here.

Incidentally, the Lightning haven't made an official announcement, but St. Pete Times Lightning beat writer Damian Cristodero said that the Bolts will also be "updating" the logo and will unveil it some time this summer. I can't wait!

Your Lucky Day

So today is 07/07/07 and that makes it your lucky day because yes, I am writing again. Bad joke.

Anyway, a lot's happened lately, especially with regard to my Bolts. It's funny. I find I actually keep up with team news not through the official web site or local papers, but rather the Boltsmag blog. Thank god for it, right?

The Lightning have signed on a few free agents this week, most notably Chris Gratton and Brad Lukowich. Maybe we can one day bring back Cullimore and Sydor and try to recapture that Stanley Cup experience. No, but seriously, those are a couple of good guys. I can't complain.

Then there's the guys who left. Eric Perrin signed with Atlanta much to the irritation of Coach Torts. It's not surprising. The coaching staff put in a lot of work with him. I know he sees a better opportunity with the Thrashers but he hasn't been in this league that long. He's got plenty of years ahead of him, so why rush? Anyway, I'll like him until the first time he scores a goal against us.

Ruslan Fedotenko who we all knew would not be returning in a Lightning sweater signed with the New York Islanders. I don't know if that was such a wise choice for them as they've been pretty well gutted last week. Ryan Smyth signed with the Avs for one thing. Maybe Feds will once again start playing the way he did for us in 2004. That's what the Isles will need.

And of course Cory Sarich took off for Calgary. I don't really have anything to say on that. I figured he'd leave. Nolan Pratt could be next. I wonder if Sheldon Souray would be a possibility for the blue line. Last I heard he's still available and we still need to shore up the defense.

Last thing for this post. Is Kevin Weekes crazy or does he just like the view from the bench? (I guess the Rangers didn't play him much for that matter.) Or did Brodeur's foibles during the playoffs scare Lou Lamoriello? Either way, No. 80 is now a Devil.

I Need To Get Back To Writing

Seriously. A lot has been going on lately. Perrin and Sarich have disappeared. Kariya and Hamrlik and Smyth and Gomez and the Buffalo co-captains all have new teams. And god only knows who else! It's just crazy. And the Lightning signed Michel Ouellet. I want to write about all of these things if for no other reason than that I'm writing again. The Tournament is going great, though I don't feel enough people are checking it out, but too many interesting things are going on to just ignore them.

So this week, pinky swear. I'll have my commentary. You aren't required to read it. I wouldn't force that on anybody. But it'll be here. Right now, I'm very tired. This is a late hour for someone who's up at 2 AM. Gotta be to work at 4. TV shows don't produce themselves you know. If you happen to live in southwest Florida, check out FOX 4 Rising tomorrow morning. I'll be the guy running the audio board.

Until we meet again.

Go Visit The Tournament Blog!

Dude, where have I been? I'll tell you where I've been. The NHL Tournament of Logos is where. I'm going to be pretty consumed by that for a while, so unless you feel like reading the archives here, I suggest you head over there. I'll get back to writing on a regular basis here when there's something to write about. For now, it's all about the logo tournament, people! Get on with it!

This Isn't Looking Good...

I've just come across what appears to be the Capitals' new uniform and logo. Just so you know, they aren't scheduled to officially unveil until Friday so this could very well be someone having fun with Photoshop... but whatever the case, say it ain't so.

Hockey Is Not Over Yet!

My dear hockey fan friends, I know that the Stanley Cup has been awarded, but this summer that does not mean the hockey season is over. In fact, far from it. I know I've mentioned it before, but we're now just three days away from the start of the NHL Tournament of Logos.

We're going to be holding a one-of-a-kind marathon competition this summer to determine which NHL team truly has the best logo. There will be stiff competition — and not so stiff competition. But all I can tell you is that it will be a blast. So head on over to the tournament blog and start reading up on what will be going down when Tuesday rolls around. It's going to be exciting stuff!

That's all for now. Let me know what you think — even if you think it's stupid.

Winnipeg Predators?

I know, it's weird. My last two posts have been titled with questions.

But this is very interesting, actually. While talking to the press on the "state of the league" this weekend, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman more than hinted at the notion that with the sale of the Nashville Predators all but imminent, there's a very real possibility the franchise could be moved to Canada.

Now that would suck since the team hasn't even celebrated its 10th birthday, but as far as that goes, how psyched must Canadian hockey fans be? Bettman said it's likely that if the team were to move that it would go to a city where NHL hockey once thrived — such as Winnipeg or Quebec City.

I think that would be really cool, but I think I'm probably biased on that. Changes like this excite me for some reason. It would suck for the fans in Nashville — but how many are there really, anyway?

I've actually been to a couple of Preds games while in Tennessee several years ago. It was fun but the building lacked some sort of excitement that even Lightning games had back then. Still, Canada is the birthplace of hockey and wouldn't it be nice to see them get a team back?

Again, none of this is for sure yet, Bettman was just talking and I thought it was interesting enough to muse about.

R2's Parasitic Infestation

I was going to stay out of it, but then I thought, as a lifetime Lightning fan, I have to comment on this. It's pretty far out.

Evgeni Artyukhin is awesome. Mark Gandler is — and let this point be made in no uncertain terms and so clear as to verge on invisibility — a parasite.

I don't know why I'm constantly amazed at an agent's ability to make a player appear to be an incompetent asshole. And yet.

For those needing background information, Artyukhin is a Lightning enforcer. He brings an excellent presence to the ice. Not irreplaceable, but important enough to want to keep. After the lockout, Arty ended up signing with a team in Russia instead of the Lightning. He wanted that experience.

Meanwhile his agent — the illustrious Gandler — is working Lightning GM Jay Feaster like a street corner at 2 in the morning. Now I may be talking of turn here, what with not being an NHL power broker, but after a single season's worth of NHL experience, there's no possible way Artyukhin is worth a $1 million contract — yet. The amount asked for by the parasite agent.

Whatever. I'm not going to go on record saying that Artyukhin is a nitwit, but let's face it, he's new to this country. If some well-dressed, smarmy, fast-talking asshole (I'll ease up on the adjectives) tells him he can get more money, the guy is going to listen. Who wouldn't? But Jesus Christ. Let the guy put together a little more experience with the team already.

This spring, Arty gets the year in Russia out of his system and is ready to return to the Bolts. Feaster is happy with this and offers a one-way contract valued at $475,000 for a single season. In a heartbeat, I'd take it. But then, I'm a broke television production "specialist."

Everything seems fine until suddenly, no, he won't accept that deal. I know that sports agents serve a purpose. But this one isn't serving his! He's supposed to be looking out for his client! Feaster's not going to trade him and he's not going to get anywhere near $475,000 in Russia, so what is Gandler expecting to do for the next two years?

I really feel bad for Artyukhin. That is, assuming this really is all the agent. I don't know Arty but he doesn't seem like the type. Yes, lots of people like money and we generally tend to prefer players who love the game over the coin, but let's face it, we don't spend millions of dollars on players because we like to.

Okay, I feel like I've said my peace. If you want someone else's take, I like how John over at Boltsmag reminds Mark Gandler in his post that he is in fact not Ari Gold. (Good show, by the way.)

My Big Announcement!

Okay, so I know I promised the announcement on Tuesday, but as far as I'm concerned, this sort of is still Tuesday. Plus I wanted to make you sweat it a little since I know you're dying to know the secret. Prepare for a letdown.

Basically, what I'm announcing is a new blog. But it's not just any kind of blog. It's a blog that will determine definitively which NHL team has the best logo. The best! It will be a marathon tournament that will pit logo against logo with the lone goal of deciding who is champion.

It's called the NHL Tournament of Logos!

Come on, you know you're thrilled. This tournament is really nothing more than a way of getting us hockey fans throught the lean time of the offseason. I guess you could say this isn't really hockey as there are no players or pucks involved, but you can still root for your team.

To learn more of what this tournament is all about, head on over to nhllogos.blogspot.com.

Hope it wasn't too much of a disappointment for you. I know I put a lot of hype into it. Let me know what you think. But don't be too harsh.

End In Sight for “Lost”

May 7, 2007
Zap2it.com

ABC says show will conclude in three seasons

The producers of "Lost" — and maybe some of the show's fans too — will get their wish of a definite end date for the series.

ABC has worked out a deal with showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse by which the pair will remain with "Lost" for three 16-episode seasons, after which the show will end. All three seasons, the last of which will come in 2009-10, will air in unbroken blocks.

Cuse and Lindelof have for some time advocated the setting of an end date for the show, and they're both happy to have the deal in place.

"We always envisioned 'Lost' as a show with a beginning, middle and end," the two say in a statement. "By officially announcing exactly when that ending will be, the audience will now have the security of knowing that the story will play out as we've intended."

Speaking to reporters in January, Lindelof said the original vision for the show involved "in the neighborhood of 90 to 100 episodes," and that he and Cuse had started discussions with ABC on that front. At the time, network executives said the talks were little more than informal discussions. Now, though, it's clear those talks came to pass.

"In considering the powerful storytelling of 'Lost,' we felt this was the only way to give it a proper creative conclusion," ABC Entertainment chief Stephen McPherson says. "Due to the unique nature of 'Lost,' we knew it would require an end date to keep the integrity and strength of the show consistent throughout and to give the audience the payoff they deserve."

The 48 episodes of "Lost" that will be produced over the next three seasons are roughly equivalent to two standard-length seasons for a network series. The show will end this season with 71 hours under its belt — 24 in each of its first two years and 23 this season.

As part of the end-date deal, Lindelof and Cuse also signed new contracts with "Lost" producer ABC TV Studio to remain as showrunners, with development deals to follow their time on the series.

direct link

Thrashers Captain Mellanby Hangs Up Skates

April 24, 2007
Associated Press

Thrashers captain Mellanby retires

ATLANTA — Over a career that lasted more than two decades, Scott Mellanby twice made it to the Stanley Cup finals, played in the NHL All-Star game and became one of hockey's most respected leaders.

That said, he'll always be remembered for his coup de grace on a rodent.

The 40-year-old Mellanby retired Tuesday, less than a week after the Thrashers were swept in the first round of the playoffs.

"It's been a great ride," said Mellanby, who spent the final two seasons of a 21-year career as Atlanta's captain, "but it's time to go on to something else."

His greatest ride of all came during the 1995-96 season, when the right wing scored a career-best 32 goals, was picked for the All-Star game and helped the Florida Panthers make it to the Stanley Cup final in their third season of existence.

He also contributed to hockey lore early in the season. When a rat scurried across the locker room before a game, Mellanby killed it with a whack of the stick. He then went out and scored two goals that night — dubbed a "rat trick" by teammate John Vanbiesbrouck.

As news of the episode spread, Florida fans began celebrating goals by tossing plastic rats onto the ice. By the playoffs, thousands of fake rodents littered the rink every time the Panthers scored.

"It became the motto of our team that season," Mellanby said. "When I played in the All-Star game, a kid came up to me and said, 'You're the rat guy.' He didn't even know my name; he just knew I killed the rat."

Even getting swept by a superior Colorado team in the Stanley Cup final did little to lessen the appeal of that magical season.

"We had chemistry," Mellanby said. "If you could put that in a bottle, you could make a lot of money selling it. For whatever reason, things clicked."

His other finals appearance came in 1987, his first full season in the league. Philadelphia lost to Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game series, and Mellanby never came so close again to winning the Cup.

"At the time, you don't really appreciate how hard it is to get there," he said. "You just figure you'll be back the next year. But it doesn't go that way."

Mellanby seriously considered retirement the last few years but kept coming back in hopes of carrying the Cup. His last chance came this season, when he helped the Thrashers make the playoffs for the first time.

"I'd be lying if I said that wasn't a void in my career," Mellanby said. "But, at the end of the day, all you can do as a player is look in the mirror and know you've given everything you had on and off the ice."

Mellanby entered the league with Philadelphia in 1986 after playing college hockey at Wisconsin. He moved on to Edmonton, Florida and St. Louis before closing his career in Atlanta.

He played in 69 games this season, with 12 goals and 24 assists.

In 1,431 regular-season games — tied for 17th on the NHL's career list — Mellanby had 364 goals, 476 assists and 2,479 penalty minutes. He also appeared in 136 playoff games, scoring 24 goals and adding 29 assists.

"Not only have we watched him on the ice, but we've seen what he's done for our organization in the locker room and off the ice," Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said. "It's something really remarkable, the effect he's had on our younger players."

Mellanby's retirement leaves another hole for the Thrashers to fill. They have a dozen unrestricted free agents, including key players such as Keith Tkachuk and Slava Kozlov.

Although Mellanby felt he could still play at a competitive level, the toll of traveling, practicing and taking on such a prominent leadership role persuaded him to hang up the skates.

"I wish I could have begun working with him earlier in his career," Thrashers coach Bob Hartley said. "His experience and respect in the locker room was invaluable to the success of our club."

Mellanby hasn't decided what he wants to do with the rest of his life, but he would like to return to hockey in another role after some much-needed R&R with his family. Television might be an option — he's the son of a former Hockey Night in Canada producer — though Mellanby said his former teammates kept telling him that he's "got a face for radio."

And how does he want to be remembered?

"Someone who cared about his teammates and about his organization and about the game. Someone who came to play every night," Mellanby replied. "Every night wasn't great. But I feel like I always gave it everything I had."

Caps Announce Plans For New Logo

April 23, 2007
WashingtonCaps.com

Washington Capitals to Unveil New Uniforms at June 22 Draft Day Party

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Washington Capitals will unveil their new uniforms at a special Draft Day Party on Friday, June 22, held at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va. The event will be held in conjunction with the live broadcast on Versus of the first round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, which takes place that evening in Columbus, Ohio.

The new uniforms will mark a return to a red, white and blue color scheme — the colors the Capitals wore from their first season in 1974-75 through 1994-95. The Capitals are the first team in the NHL to announce their plans to unveil their new uniforms, which are produced by Reebok and feature the Rbk EDGE Uniform System technology that was introduced at the 2007 NHL All-Star Game in Dallas. The Capitals are the first team planning to have their new uniforms on hand at the NHL Entry Draft.

Further details about the event will be announced in the coming weeks.

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I'm really interested to see what they've come up with. If it's anything like what almost happened in 2001, then I won't be impressed. And I may not be a Capitals fan, but I'm not wild about the idea of them going back to the red, white and blue. I say this as a hockey fan in general.

Too many teams in this league have that color scheme. The Rangers, Canadiens, Panthers, Blue Jackets, Canucks and Avalanche, to name a few. I give the Canucks and Avalanche credit for going with unique shades of red and blue, but you get the picture.

The bronze and blue were great colors and unique to the Caps. I thought it made them stand out. Here's hoping they don't redesign themselves into oblivion. By the way, without giving away too much, this has a lot to do with that big news I hinted at the other day.

Isles' Hill Suspended For Violating NHL Drug Policy

April 20, 2007
ESPN.com / Associated Press

Defenseman Hill suspended 20 games

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Islanders defenseman Sean Hill was hit with a 20-game suspension by the NHL on Friday — just hours before New York faced elimination from the playoffs — for violating the league's drug policy.

Hill's ban began Friday night when the Islanders faced the Buffalo Sabres in Game 5 of the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. The earliest Hill could return to the lineup would be the Stanley Cup finals.

He is the first player to be suspended under this program.

Islanders general manager Garth Snow said the team supported the NHL's decision to suspend Hill.

"The New York Islanders do not support the use of performance-enhancing agents in any form," Snow added. "As for tonight, we have a game an hour away, and that's what we're going to be focused on from here on out."

Snow spoke for 30 seconds, reading from a brief statement, and did not take any questions.

Islanders coach Ted Nolan declined comment outside the team's locker room. Team spokesman Chris Botta said Hill traveled home to Long Island before the game.

New York started the day in a 3-1 hole to top-seeded Buffalo in the best-of-seven matchup.

The 37-year-old Hill signed a one-year deal worth $600,000 last summer and is eligible to be a free agent again in the upcoming offseason. If the Islanders don't play 19 more playoff games this year, Hill's suspension will continue next season without pay.

Hill showed no sign Thursday, before the Islanders flew to Buffalo, that anything was amiss. He joined the rest of his teammates in talking about putting several controversial calls in consecutive home losses this week behind them as they prepared for Game 5.

"If we can use it as a motivational tool, that would be great. If we can't, we just have to put it behind us," he said Thursday. "It doesn't matter what happened in the last game, it doesn't matter what happened in the previous games. We have to focus all our energy on that one game. If we do that we'll have a good outcome."

Hill, who missed only one regular-season game with the Islanders, had one goal, 24 assists and a plus-6 rating in 81 contests. He had no points and was a minus-1 in the first four playoff games against the Sabres.

As part of the new collective bargaining agreement that ended the yearlong lockout in 2005, a player receives a 20-game suspension for a first positive test and is subject to a mandatory referral to the league's substance abuse-behavioral health program for evaluation, education and possible treatment.

Every NHL player can be given up to two "no-notice" tests every year, with at least one conducted on a team-wide basis. Players can be given a "no-notice" test at any time.

Sabres defenseman Brian Campbell said Buffalo players were tested twice during the regular season.

"Who knows what happened?" Campbell said, before the game. "I feel bad for him that it's happened. You don't know what it is until everything comes out. ... You just have to be careful all the time."

Hill, a Duluth, Minn., native, was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the eighth round of the 1988 draft. In 841 career regular-season games, Hill has recorded 60 goals and 229 assists for 289 points.

He played with the Canadiens in the 1991 and 1992 playoffs — winning a Stanley Cup ring during his rookie year — before ever dressing for an NHL regular-season game.

Hill spent the 2005-06 season with the Florida Panthers, following three with the Carolina Hurricanes, before signing with the Islanders. He is the second Islanders player to be given a lengthy suspension by the NHL in just over a month.

Hard-hitting forward Chris Simon received a record ban of at least 25 games that ended his season and could carry into the next campaign, for striking Ryan Hollweg of the New York Rangers with a two-handed swing of his stick.

Simon served the 20th game of the NHL's longest suspension for on-ice violence Friday. He is ineligible to return to the playoffs this year and will have to sit out any remaining games next year should the Islanders fail to play five more this season.

NBC Tackles 'Law' Review

April 19, 2007
Zap2it.com

Network, Wolf still in talks over 'L&O,' 'CI'

"Law & Order" is getting close to passing the 400-episode mark, a rare feat for a prime-time drama. But there's a chance the show won't get to reach that milestone.

NBC and "Law & Order" creator Dick Wolf have been in discussions over the fate of the venerable series and its younger sibling "Criminal Intent" for the past month, but no deal has been struck. It now appears that the network will hold off on a decision until shortly before it announces its 2007-08 schedule in mid-May.

The central issue, according to the showbiz trade papers, is money. Both the "L&O" mothership and "Criminal Intent" have suffered ratings declines this year — with the original, that's due in no small part to a move from Wednesday to Friday nights. As veteran shows, though, both command fairly hefty license fees.

Wolf has reportedly offered to trim the "Law & Order" budget substantially in order to make the show more financially viable for NBC. He tells the trades that he's optimistic the two sides will find a way to bring both shows back next season.

In a statement, NBC says that "We're in discussions with Dick to explore ways to bring back one or both shows, but no final decision has been made."

"Law & Order: SVU," the third show in Wolf's franchise, has already secured a pickup for next season. It's by far the highest-rated of the three, averaging 12.2 million viewers per week. The other two each draw a little better than 9 million viewers.

Should the original "Law & Order," which wraps its 17th season next month, return in 2007-08, it will pass the 400-episode mark early in the season.

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Imagine that. Personally, I can't. Law & Order has been on the air since I was six years old. I don't think I can even conceive of it not being on NBC's schedule. But we'll just have to wait until May to see.

Ducks' May Suspended Three Games

April 18, 2007
ESPN.com / Associated Press

TORONTO — Anaheim Ducks forward Brad May was suspended for three games Wednesday for punching Minnesota Wild defenseman Kim Johnsson in the back of the head in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series.

May was given a match penalty and a game misconduct for attacking Johnsson in the final moments of Minnesota's 4-1 win Tuesday night. The Ducks lead the series 3-1.

Johnsson sustained a head injury, didn't make the trip to Anaheim and won't play in Game 5 on Thursday night.

May is out for the remainder of the series — no matter how long it goes.

Senators' Eaves Leaves Ice On Stretcher

April 15, 2007
NHL.com / Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — Ottawa Senators forward Patrick Eaves was taken off the ice on a stretcher after being leveled by Colby Armstrong midway through the second period of Sunday's playoff game against Pittsburgh.

Eaves was carrying the puck around the net in the Pittsburgh end with Penguins defenseman Josef Melichar tugging at him when Armstrong came from the opposite direction and put a shoulder hit on him.

Eaves appeared to be knocked unconscious on the play, but was seen talking and moving his hands while he was being taken off the ice. No penalty was called, but the Senators' Dean McAmmond and the Penguins' Maxime Talbot fought immediately afterward.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported Eaves had movement in all his extremities, and was diagnosed with a concussion.

Armstrong was involved in a similar play on Oct. 14. Carolina forward Trevor Letowski was knocked unconscious and sustained a concussion when Armstrong put a blind side hit on him in the Hurricanes' end.

Letowski, who also sustained facial cuts, missed nine games because of the concussion.

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That was pretty scary to watch. I wish I had a photo I could post of Colby Armstrong's face as they wheeled Eaves off the ice. He looked like he was going to puke. Good thing Eaves was all right.

Predators' Radulov Suspended For Game 2 Hit

April 14, 2007
ESPN / Associated Press

Radulov won't play in Game 3; Hartnell eligible

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The NHL on Saturday suspended Predators forward Alexander Radulov for one game for a hitting-from-behind incident involving Sharks forward Steve Bernier in Nashville's first-round series with San Jose.

Radulov will miss Game 3 of the Western Conference series Monday at San Jose. He will be eligible to return for Game 4, on Wednesday at San Jose.

Also Saturday, the NHL rescinded two game misconducts called on Predators forward Scott Hartnell, meaning he won't have to sit out a game in the series with the Sharks.

The calls came Friday in the closing minute of Game 2.

As Hartnell scuffled with Ryan Clowe and Mike Grier, his jersey tie-down was opened causing him to lose his jersey and earn his first game misconduct. The second resulted from the fighting that continued between the two teams.

"The tie-down problem was pretty clear on video," Predators coach Barry Trotz said Saturday. "You see a player yanking on him. It broke the strap on the back of his pants.

"The league reviewed the entire altercation. They sorted it out and determined which was the first fight."

According to league rules, a player who earns two game misconducts in a playoff series has to sit out a game

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Photo: CBS Sportsline.com

Is DiPietro Ready To Come Back?

April 13, 2007
ESPN / Associated Press

DiPietro nears return after 1st practice in 3 weeks

AMHERST, N.Y. — New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro inched closer to returning to the lineup after practicing Friday for the first time in three weeks since sustaining his second concussion.

Coach Ted Nolan said DiPietro looked sharp, but he'll wait until the morning pregame skate Saturday before determining whether the goalie will play in Game 2 of the Islanders' first-round Eastern Conference playoff series at Buffalo.

Nolan, though, expressed hope that DiPietro's potential return would provide the Isles a boost following a 4-1 series-opening loss to the Sabres on Thursday.

"Anytime you get your most valuable player back, a guy who led you all season, it's a big lift for us for sure," Nolan said.

DiPietro has been out since March 25, when he sustained his second concussion in a span of 12 days. He missed the final seven games of the regular season, but New York rallied to win its final four games behind minor-leaguer Wade Dubielewicz and clinch the East's eighth and final playoff berth.

Dubielewicz stopped 31 shots in making his career playoff debut Thursday. DiPietro traveled to Buffalo in time to watch the game after he was cleared by team doctors in Long Island earlier in the day.

The best-of-seven series shifts to Long Island for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Wednesday.

Except for feeling a little rusty, DiPietro said he felt fine after practice.

"I think tomorrow morning will be a good indicator and we'll go from there," said DiPietro.

"It's good to be back," DiPietro added. "It's tough to put into words how excited I am to be back and be a part of this. ... If you're a competitor, you want to play and I realize how important these games are."

DiPietro went 32-19-9 with five shutouts this season, his first since signing a 15-year contract.

Holmqvist Or Bust?

April 13, 2007
E.J. Hradek / ESPN The Magazine

Holmqvist needs to improve if Bolts want to survive

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — If the Lightning are going to beat the Devils in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, inexperienced goaltender Johan Holmqvist is going to have to play better than he did in Thursday's series opener.

A lot better.

Holmqvist, 28, playing in his first career playoff game, looked more than a little shaky in the Lightning's 5-3 loss at the Continental Airlines Arena. Afterward, he was ready to put it behind him.

Well, I can't say he doesn't have the right attitude.

In the first period, Holmqvist's night started with a softy when he allowed Zach Parise's wrist shot to trickle through him. It was the kind of goal that doesn't inspire confidence on the bench. It was also a good illustration of the Devils' game plan against Holmqvist.

"We wanted to get quick shots," Devils right wing Brian Gionta said. "When he gets set, he's a good goalie. Our scouting report says it takes an extra second or two for him to get set. We didn't want to give him that time."

A few moments later, the Devils took a 2-0 lead on a frozen rope of a one-time slapper by captain Patrik Elias from the top of the right-wing circle. Again, Holmqvist seemed a little slow getting across his crease to square up for the shot. In fairness, though, Elias' blast ticked off the stick of Lightning defender Nolan Pratt on its way to the net.

The Bolts' first-line studs, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, weren't about to let a few soft goals get them, or their team, down. When Lecavalier netted his second goal of the game at the 2:51 mark of the third period, the Lightning had pulled even, 3-3.

But, 63 seconds later, Holmqvist couldn't the keep the knot tied. After a neutral-zone turnover by Ruslan Fedotenko, Parise took a pass from Jamie Langenbrunner and moved down the right side. The sophomore sniper banked a shot off the goalie's left shoulder and it went into the net.

Down one, the Lightning again pressed for the equalizer. This time, they couldn't get it.

Any final chance Tampa might have had went down the drain at the 18:38 mark when Gionta beat Holmqvist from in close. On the goal, Holmqvist created his own problem by deciding to flip Gionta's first shot back into play. He was attempting to get the puck to defenseman Paul Ranger, who misread his goalie's intentions. Elias swooped in to pick up the loose puck and made a quick pass to Scott Gomez. He slid the puck to Gionta, who finished the play by beating Holmqvist stick side.

After the game, Tampa coach John Tortorella handled questions about his starter with care.

"He played OK," said Tortorella, who has been known to offer some brutally honest critiques of his own goaltenders. "He can play better. It was his first [playoff] game. He'll be better in the next game."

Tortorella really doesn't have much of a choice but to defend Holmqvist because he doesn't have anywhere else to turn. The coach made it a "Holmqvist or bust" situation for his team when he relegated early-season starter Marc Denis and his dreadful .883 save percentage to street clothes for Game 1, opting to dress less-than-little-known Karri Ramo as the backup.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the rink, it was business as usual for Martin Brodeur, or, as Gomez referred to him, "The Great Martin Brodeur." Making the 154th career playoff appearance, Brodeur kept Tampa at bay down the stretch to secure the win.

"The bigger the stakes, the better he gets," Gomez said. "He's so good, we probably take him a little bit for granted."

Gomez made an interesting point when talking about the future Hall of Famer.

"Every other goalie measures himself against Marty," Gomez said. "They all get up when they play against him. Every night, those goalies at the other end of the rink really want to beat him. Marty knows that, and he knows he has to be on every night. That's a lot of pressure. I think people really overlook that."

If the guy at the other end of the rink is going to beat Brodeur in this series, he'll have to be better than he was Thursday.

A lot better.

E.J. Hradek covers hockey for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com.

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While I don't completely agree that Holmqvist is the key to the series, he does need to play better. But he's inexperienced and a little shakiness in his first game is not entirely unexpected. It's also worth noting that Holmqvist has won a championship in Sweden and a Calder Cup in the AHL, so he does have experience carrying teams all the way.

Versus Investigating Reports 4th OT Went Off Air

April 12, 2007
ESPN/Associated Press

Infomercial reportedly aired in some markets

STAMFORD, Conn. — Some television viewers who stayed up late to watch Dallas' first-round playoff game against Vancouver might have missed Henrik Sedin's fourth-overtime goal.

The game was televised on Versus, and the network said Thursday it received reports the game was switched to an infomercial during the last overtime.

"We are obviously very disappointed to hear that some fans in a few select markets have reported that they did not see the end of this great game," network spokeswoman Katie Bradshaw said.

Henrik Sedin scored 18:06 into the fourth overtime — at about 3:30 a.m. ET Thursday — to give the Canucks a 5-4 Game 1 win over the Stars in the sixth-longest playoff game in NHL history.

"The game did run in its entirety on the Versus network feed," Bradshaw said. "But based on the information we have received, we are currently working with our affiliates in the affected markets to find out what caused the problem and to make sure that this doesn't happen again during the playoffs."

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If that had happened to me, I would've completely lost it. Imagine staying up until 3 AM (in the east) for an overtime final only to suddenly switch to an infomercial before the game's over.