News

It seems almost inconsequential in light of the human costs associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, but damage caused by the recent storms has forced the Texas Wildcatters and Mississippi Sea Wolves to suspend operations for the 2005-2006 season. As a consequence the ECHL has released an amended schedule for the Johnstown Chiefs. Foremost among the necessary changes, the Chiefs' season opener has been moved up one day to October 21st. Johnstown will start on the road against the Columbia Inferno before returning home to play their previously scheduled home opener against Reading on the 22nd. Johnstown's training camp opened today and the team plans to play an intrasquad scrimmage and two preseason games before the opener in Columbia.

Johan Hagglund scored a goal late in the third period as IK Oskarshamn defeated Nykoping 4-0 in Allsvenskan action. The goal was Hagglund's first of the 2005-2006 campaign, and came as he was elevated to the team's first line. Through 4 games he has 1 goal, 2 points, a team leading 16 penalty minutes and a +2 rating. Oskarshamn is currently seventh in the league standings with a 2-1-1 record.

In the words of the godfather of soul, "My brother get ready, that's a fact! [url=http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20052006/GS020032.HTM]Get ready you mother... for the big pay back."[/url] FLA-1 TB-2 Crazy ending whereby some questionable officiating nearly handed the Panthers a point, however John Grahame was large. PantherNation will spin this as proof of their impending playoff ascendency, but I prefer to look at it as John Grahame being able to match the best young goaltender in the game, Luongo, pretty much save for save the past two nights. The Lightning's offense is going to eventually come around. It's an inevitability. Goaltending was the question mark and so far John Grahame has the answer.

Tonight marks the opening game of the second season for the Springfield Falcons under a full affiliation with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Much is on the line as the Lightning try and establish the Falcons as a credible AHL club while at the same time developing desperately needed young talent which will be in the NHL sooner rather than later with the new CBA. I will be covering the game live using the B2 Networks' cybercast, so for those who aren't watching the Panthers/Lightning game, buckle up. [i]Update: I just wanted to add because I bagged on the internet connection I got to the B2 Network the last game that their service was nearly flawless all night long. Excellent job B2.[/i] Tonight's lineup and lines: Milley/Vesce/Campbell Craig/Jaspers/Artyukhin Reid/Henrich/Kvapil Fritz/Tarnasky Ranger/Rohloff H. Pratt/Egener O'Brien/Bombardir Eklund Coleman

Justin Keller, Chris Lawrence, and Radek Smolenak continued their point streaks Friday night. Including Chicoutimi winger Stanislav Lascek, Tampa Bay has four prospects with scoring streaks of four games or more, and two with points in six straight games. Friday night in the CHL and NCAA:

It's been another banner day for the Lightning's Finnish born goaltending prospects. Not to be outdone by young Karri Ramo's 1-0 shutout victory over Jokerit in the SM-liiga, Fredrik Norrena today stopped 20 of 20 shots to shutout HC Mora 2-0. With the victory, Linkopings and Norrena now improve to 6-0 on the season. Norrena is currently third in the Swedish Elitserien in GAA and sv% with a 1.33 GAA and a .952 save percentage. Defenseman Andreas Holmqvist, who played on the second pairing in the game, saw his point scoring streak snapped at 2 games. Linkopings has opened up a 4 point lead in the standings over Vastra Frolunda for the league's top spot. The team's eight goals allowed is tied for the best in the league with Brynas IF.

After losing his past two starts in shootouts, Karri Ramo found himself on the winning end today as HPK defeated Jokerit 1-0. Ramp stopped 28 of 28 shots faced in regulation and overtime for the shutout and for first star of the game honors. The victory improves Ramo's record on the season to 2-1-2. Jokerit's Karl Goehring took the shootout loss despite a heroic 44 save performance in 65 minutes between the pipes. The shutout allowed Ramo to move back into the league lead in GAA and save percentage with a 0.98 GAA and a .966 save percentage.

One of the reasons the Springfield Falcons haven't been in much of a hurry to sort out its roster which currently has a glut at the defenseman and goaltending positions is because the organization's ECHL affiliate, the Johnstown Chiefs, has yet to officially open camp. [url=http://www.johnstownchiefs.com/pressreleases/2005/10oct/06.htm]That all changes Sunday[/url] as Lightning prospects like Jonathan Boutin and Jay Rosehill will get their first taste of the Lightning's "AA" affiliate. The team will play an intrasquad scrimmage on October 12th at home before travelling to Greensburg, PA on the 13th for a preseason game against Wheeling. The preseason schedule will draw to a close the 15th when they square off with the Nailers again in Wheeling before the puck drops on their 2005-2006 regular season against Reading on the 22nd.

TB-0 FLA-2 A revolting lack of effort by the top lines [url=http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20052006/GS020023.HTM]left John Grahame without any goal support.[/url] Through preseason and now this effort, I believe it's a fair criticism to mention a championship hangover. Timo Helbling finished with an even rating in 12:13 worth of ice time. These two teams square off again tomorrow night. Another effort like this one and expect John Tortorella to lash out with Biblical amounts of wrath.

[img]http://www.severstalclub.ru/gallery/albums/upload/10-07-2005/normal_PA070739.jpg[/img] After suffering through a small slump of late, Alexander Polushin scored a 1st period goal today as Cherepovets defeated Ak Bars Kazan 3-2 in overtime. The goal is Polushin's 7th point, which matches his seasons in the Superleague in the injury shortened '03-'04 season and the '04-'05 season with CSKA. Elsewhere, Nikita Alexeev assisted on Kiril Koltsov's game opening goal as Omsk defeated Spartak Moscow 3-0. Also, Alexei Glukhov assisted on Alexei Shkotov's tying goal with 1:40 left in regulation as Khimik defeated Yaroslavl 4-3 in overtime.