Valentines' Day is a Time to Celebrate our Love of Rivalries

The NHL has some of the best rivalries in professional sports.  These rivalries  bring out the best in players, fans and teams.  Fans have watched NHL legends star in rivalries which are in the highlight reels for generations to come.     

This tradition of hardcore rivalries lives well and prospers in today's NHL.  From left to right on the dial we have some pretty decent rivalries which keep fans on the edge of their seats.

In Western, Canada you have the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers which have seen incredible battles.  Luongo and the Nucks can look forward to growing competition to the kiddie brigade in Edmonton.  The young Oilers have some incredible talent which should challenge Vancouver which are perennial Cup contenders.

In the rest of Canada the focus of hockey fans is on two other teams. The Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens are pretty much the center piece rivalry for Canadian hockey fans and the rest of the NHL.  Ever since their Original Six days; these squads have been bashing out some hardcore hockey.  No matter who is ahead of who in the standings; a Leafs versus Habs game is a treat for fans around the league.

American NHL fans tune in to see clashes between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers as well as games between the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks.  These four teams lay it down large ad leave the blood , sweat and tears on the rink. 

Other note worthy rivalries include:

Red Wings versus Stars (on tonight)

and

Rangers versus Bruins (on tonight)

So enough about flowers, chocolates, and movies like The Notebook; it's time to dig your teeth into something you can really love. Tune out and tune in to watch some of the best rivalries the NHL has to offer.  Who says hockey isn't about love ?

   

Neil Tucker and Blueliner are the UK Hockey Connection for GetRealHockey

Neil Tucker is a British hockey fan based just outside of England’s third largest city, Manchester. A fan of all sports including Rugby League, Speedway and archery but it is ice hockey that has been his first love since first watching the Manchester Storm play the Ayr Scottish Eagles in 1996 at the age of 9.

A graduate of the Manchester Metropolitan University Neil started writing about ice hockey in 2010 following a trip to see the Winter Classic for the Manchester Phoenix newsletter. Shortly afterwards the Blueliner Hockey Blog was started with the goal to highlight British ice hockey and hockey travel.

Today the Blueliner Hockey Tour has taken in places from Blackpool to Prague to Stockholm and Toronto and promotes hockey travel in association with online agent Nickes.com. In the coming months the Blueliner Hockey Blog is looking to complete its transition to Blueliner Hockey with its own domain which will continue to provide all hockey fans taking in games in new cities or countries with all the information they will need such as how to get tickets, how to get the rink, where to eat, drink and stay. As well as this Blueliner Hockey will continue to offer information and opinions on British ice hockey.

Away from his own site Neil Tucker writes regularly for Get Real Hockey where he covers British ice hockey and as a guest writer for other hockey sites as well as product describer for online golf store Scottsdalegolf.co.uk.

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

EIHL and EPL Action (UK Round Up Sunday 12th February)

Elite League

Belfast Giants 3 Nottingham Panthers 2

The Belfast Giants came away with the 2 points after a tight and nervy game at the NIC. Nottingham had taken the lead in the first period through Lee and Lachowicz and had looked confident with the 2-goal advantage going into the final period.

But Belfast showed their championship form as Adam Keefe and Robert Dowd equalised with 2 minutes to go. But the Giants weren’t done as with 8 seconds remaining the Kuiper fired the winner and gives the Giants an edge in the title race.

Sheffield Steelers 5 Coventry Blaze 3

It was Coventry’s turn to host the Steelers as they attempted to break their duck against the Yorkshire side. The Blaze looked to have gotten off to the perfect start as Robert Farmer twice put the Blaze in the lead before Owen Fussey opened up a 2 goal lead.

That was before 3 minutes of hell for the Coventry Blaze as Hewitt, Legue and Clark levelled the scores and Mike Ramsay added the insurance marker with 90 seconds to go.

The win lifts the Steelers into second place and keeps the Steelers on target for a March 16^th and 17^th showdown with the Giants in the Odyssey.

Cardiff Devils 3 Edinburgh Capitals 2

It was a tight game on the big ice in Edinburgh but the team from the small rink controlled the game. Early goals from Pierce and Frank gave the Devils a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

Jarolin’s late first period goal gave the Capitals a chance but Vanderveekeen and Zemburgs traded second period goals to keep the visitors in the lead and keep them in control of forth place in the league table.

Dundee Stars 2 Hull Stingrays 3 (AOT)

At the bottom of the table the Dundee Stars were in Hull looking for revenge for the previous nights defeat and to get their playoff aspirations back on track.

2 first period goals from Hughes and Kalonos gave the Stars the lead after the Stingrays had scored in the first 30 seconds. That was how it stayed until Rodin hit the back of net in the third period and send the game to overtime. It was Hull star Osman though that hit the winner for a 4-point haul from the weekend for the Stingrays.

The point for the Stars though lifts them clear of the Flyers at the foot of the EIHL and one closer to the Capitals in the last playoff spot.

English Premier League

It wasn’t quite another record-breaking night in the EPL but there was another big defeat for the Telford Tigers as fellow strugglers Peterborough putting 12 goals to two past a hapless Tigers side who conceded 21 goals this weekend. It was an import victory with the Wildcats not playing meaning the Phantoms edge closer to the playoffs.

Further at the top the Basingstoke Bison edged out the Milton Keynes Lightning in what is quickly becoming a battle of the mid-table. Whilst at the top there was an important win for the Sheffield Steeldogs as they came back against the Manchester Phoenix to win the roses game on penalties. That was excellent news for the league leaders Guildford who dropped a point in a tricky away tie with Bracknell. The home side finally edging it on penalties after a closely fought battle all game.

Those results mean that Guildford stay 6 points clear at the top of the table whilst the Steeldogs remain in contention in third. Slough who had the night off also cannot be counted out with their games in hand.

Results

Elite League

Sheffield Steelers 5 Coventry Blaze 3

Belfast Giants 3 Nottingham Panthers 2

Dundee Stars 2 Hull Stingrays 3 (APS)

Cardiff Devils 3 Edinburgh Capitals 2

EPL

Manchester Phoenix 1 Sheffield Steeldogs 2 (APS)

Guildford Flames 5 Bracknell Bees 6 (APS)

Peterborough Phantoms 11 Telford Tigers 2

Milton Keynes Lightning 2 Basingstoke Bison 3

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com

The Price was Right-Leafs Can't Buy a Goal

On a night where everything was to go right as the Toronto Maple Leafs honoured one of their captains from the past, the Leafs of today decided to 'stink' up the ACC.

It was Matt Sundin's Night and all of Leaf Nation was honouring the Big Swede with watching his famous Number 13 being raised to the rafters, on display with past Leaf greats such as Armstrong, Sittler, Gilmour, Clark and fellow Swede Salming.

But the Montreal Canadians had other plans tonight as the dominated the Leafs right from the drop of the puck. As Habs goaltender Carey Price mentioned after the game, he felt honoured to watch the Sundin ceremony and felt a 'chill' up his back but it wasn't going to stop him from playing his game which in every one's eyes was to perfection.

The 1st period was a good period of hockey for both teams as they tested each other out but it ended in a scoreless tie.

The Habs came out flying in the second and scored 4 unanswered goals that we all think the Leafs forgot to come out and played but instead sent out a Junior team of some sort in their place.

The bottom line really was as Coach Wilson stated is ''Carey Price made all the stops and we didn't get very many, so it made for a difficult night.''

The strange thing is the Leafs outshot the Canadians 32-18 for the game and where the Habs had just 3 shots in the 3rd and scored their 5th with insult to injury, Price added a assist too.

It was that kind of evening in Leaf Nation, where everyone is pumped ready for a great game and then our Laughable Leafs came out flatter then a pancake! It just shows that the young Leaf club has a little ways to go before they can declare themselves in the same category as the Bruins, Wings or even the Flyers.

Notes from the game.

Interesting observation, $7.5m of salary sitting out this game as healthy scratches (Armstrong and Komisarek)

Carey Price recorded his 16th shutout of his NHL career

Under the category of 'Who Cares' past LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant was in attendance last night in Toronto.

Leafs are off for a couple of days then into Calgary to take on the Flames on Thursday 16th, game time 9pm eastern. Catch it on SNET-Ontario.

Until Next Time

See you after the Game

Coach Nye

Funny NHL Stuff - Pass it On

Belfast Giants knock off Nottingham Panthers (UK Round Up Saturday 11th February)

It was an important and perhaps controversial night in the EIHL as the top two met at the NIC whilst in the EPL it was record breaking game day.

Elite League

Belfast Giants 4 Nottingham Panthers 3 (APS)

The EIHL title race centred on the NIC on Saturday night as the Nottingham Panthers met the Belfast Giants knowing only a win would keep them in the title race.

It was a bad start for the Panthers as the Pelle and Deniset put the Giants on the board early before Francis’s reply kept the home team in the game. Robert Dowd then regained the 2 goal lead before the Panthers fought back through Francis again and the Beauregard to send the game to overtime.

The overtime gave produced no goals only an incident involving Francis a possible penalty shot. The Giants gained the extra point on the penalty shots to put the Giants in a commanding position at the top of the table.

Coventry Blaze 2 Sheffield Steelers 3

Fellow title chasers the Sheffield Steelers were hosting the Blaze at the Motorpoint Arena. It was a tight game that saw the Blaze come back from a goal down to twice through Guthrie before Mike Ramsay hit the winner midway through the third.

The 14^th consecutive win against the Blaze keeps the Steelers in the title race and moves them level on points with the Panthers on Saturday night 9 points behind the Belfast side but with 6 games in hand.

Hull Stingrays 4 Dundee Stars 3

At the foot of the table the Hull Stingrays received a massive boost to their playoff hopes as they travelled to Dundee.

Despite the hosts taking the lead three times the Stingrays never gave them much chance to build on it and after Osman equalised for the third time it was Jason Silverthorn who seized the momentum and scored the winner with 6 minutes to go in regulation.

Braehead Clan 7 Fife Flyers 2

Dundee however stay of the foot of the table thanks to Braehead’s dominant display in the second and third periods at the Fife Ice Arena.

Fife struggled to get going and found themselves 4 goals down before Hartmanis got them on the score sheet in the final minute of the second period. However man of the moment Jade Galbraith extinguished any hopes of a Flyers comeback by adding the 5^th Clan goal just after the restart. Further goals from Walker and Krestanovich completed the rout with Maxwell adding Fife’s second.

The result leaves the Flyers level on points with Stars at the bottom of the table but more importantly still 6 points off the playoffs.

Edinburgh Capitals 2 Cardiff Devils 5

Edinburgh travelled to Cardiff on Saturday and failed to boost their playoff chances. However it was not all the Devils way as a Rene Jarolin brought the Caps to within a goal going into the third period.

A further goal from Pierce and a second from Phil Hill however settled home fans nerves and sealed the win. That win lifts the Devils 3 points clear of the Blaze in 4^th spot in the table.

EPL

Saturday night was a record breaking night for the EPL. The 42 goals scored across the 5 games was the highest number of goals scored in a single day in the EPL’s history, breaking the previous record by 2.

The highest scoring game of the round was at the Link Centre as the Swindon Wildcats did their playoff hopes no harm by coming out 7 – 5 winners over the Basingstoke Bison and snap a six game losing streak.

However the shock of the night was in the 11- goal game as third place Slough hosted the fourth place Sheffield Steeldogs. The dogs came away with an 8 – 2 win to overhaul their rivals and take third place.

There were also 2 ten-goal games as Manchester beat Telford 9 -1 and Guildford beat Peterborough 7 – 3 to remain 6 points clear of Manchester at the top. The tamest game of the night however saw just 5 goals as the Milton Keynes Lightning got the decision against the Bracknell Bees.

Results

EIHL

Coventry Blaze 2 Sheffield Steelers 3

Belfast Giants 4 Nottingham Panthers 3 (APS)

Braehead Clan 7 Fife Flyers 2

Edinburgh Capitals 2 Cardiff Devils 5

Hull Stingrays 4 Dundee Stars 3

EPL

Telford Tigers 1 Manchester Phoenix 9

Sheffield Steeldogs 9 Slough Jets 2

Peterborough Phantoms 3 Guildford Flames 7

Basingstoke Bison 5 Swindon Wildcats 7

Bracknell Bees 2 Milton Keynes 3

Neil Tucker

www.bluelinehockeyblog.wordpress.com