Before they joined the Ottawa Senators in the Dany Heatley trade, Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek knew only one National Hockey League team: the San Jose Sharks.

So it was not without a little nervousness that the two of them touched down in California on Sunday, almost three months after the trade. They don’t know what awaits them, how they will be greeted and how they in turn will react. It’s always tough to go home.

Both were drafted by the Sharks — Cheechoo in 1998 (second round, 29th overall), Michalek in 2003 (first round, sixth overall) — and had their most productive seasons, so far, in San Jose. Cheechoo led the league in goals with 56 in 2005-06, while Michalek had a career high 26 goals and 40 assists in 2006-07.

On the personal side, both still own houses in San Jose and plan to keep them (at least until the real-estate market gets considerably better), and Cheechoo’s wife, Ashley, is from San Jose.

Both players are looking forward to Tuesday’s game, even if they know there’s danger in getting too pumped up.

Click here to read the full article – By Ottawa Citizen

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It wasn’t ideal, but Devan Dubnyk will take it.

So as Jeff Deslauriers was getting shelled Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks, Dubnyk was getting ready.

“That’s my job as the back-up,” Dubnyk said. “It’s certainly a tough game to jump into, but I was excited to get in my first one and get a feel for it. It certainly wasn’t a great outcome, but I had fun out there.”

He was the only Oiler that did — apart from possibly Colin McDonald, who scored his first NHL goal in the 7-3 loss to the Canucks.

Dubnyk gave up three goals on 24 shots in his debut.

Click here to read the full article – By Edmonton Sun

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Hockey players don’t often experience the luxury of getting a do-over in the midst of a rigorous season.

The Leafs’ big catch on the free-agent market last summer after he was lured from the arch-rival Montreal Canadiens with a five-year, $22.5-million US contract, Komisarek wants to erase from his memory his first 16 games in a Leafs uniform. His next Toronto chapter will begin tonight, when he is slated to return to the lineup against the Buffalo Sabres after a small quadriceps tear kept him out nearly three weeks.

“It was good to take a step back and re-evaluate,” Komisarek said. “You can’t change what has happened. It’s a fresh start, a clean sheet, and forget about what has happened.

“It doesn’t matter what it was. I don’t know — trying to make an impact, trying to make your presence felt, trying to do too much. I would not say it was one exact thing. I have to simplify my game and, most importantly, try to have some fun.”

Komisarek originally targeted tomorrow’s game in Montreal to come back, but coach Ron Wilson saw no reason that he would not play tonight.

Click here to read the full article – By Toronto Sun

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Almost insulted as the crowd around him grew from a couple of reporters to a handful, Miikka Kiprusoff begged them not to grill him looking for reasons for his spectacular play this season.

“It’s nothing new. All the same,” he said Saturday morning in Columbus as he enjoyed a rare day off while backup Curtis McElhinney prepared for his third start of the season.

But it’s not the same old Miikka tending the twine for the Flames.

He hasn’t had a season this consistent since his Vezina Trophy-winning campaign of 2005-06.

Thankful for a team that is showing a renewed commitment to defence on most nights — Kiprusoff credits the skaters in front of him for the kind of statistics the Finn hasn’t enjoyed since he claimed the title of the NHL’s best goalie four years ago — the 33-year-old gets that same kind of praise from the guys who are tasked with protecting him.

Click here to read the full article – By Calgary Sun

If you want yardsticks, the San Jose Sharks are as good as any you’ll find at Rona. And while they’re at the hardware store, the Canucks may as well pick up some sandpaper, too.

From the result, the Canucks do not belong in the upper echelon of elite teams.

“One-on-one along the wall and in front of the net they were a bit grittier than our guys were and that’s why we lost the game,” coach Alain Vigneault admitted.

As good omens go, things started well, Kyle Wellwood using Tanner Glass as a decoy to beat Evgeni Nabokov on the far side at 1:59 of the first period.

But the Canucks had no more answers for the Sharks’ goalie — although Wellwood fed Jannik Hansen with seven seconds left in the game for the Canucks’ second goal — while the Sharks had plenty of answers of their own.

Click here to read the full article – By Vancouver Province

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The notion among most hockey people is this: Stop a guy named Alexander Ovechkin, and you’ll stop the Washington Capitals.

So here’s a bulletin for you: the Canadiens didn’t stop Ovechkin last night. Not by a longshot in this 4-3 shootout win by the Capitals. However, Carey Price did with a couple of splendid stops in the second period – after Ovechkin scored in the first period. And he stopped him again in the shootout when the Capitals sent the game into overtime with only 11.4 seconds remaining in regulation,

Ovechkin’s industry last night (eight shots on the net, eight of his shots blocked and two missed the net) normally would have been enough for the Capitals to leave the Bell winners in regulation.

Washington, after all, had scored the game’s first two goals on their second and third shots, but the game-saver (well, almost) on this night was when Ovechkin swept in alone on Price in the second minute of the second period – and was stopped. What I’m really saying is that a Canadiens team which didn’t play well in the first period and down three goals before the second period was two minutes old, likely would not have been able to come back even against a Capitals bunch which could have used a stimulus package last night.

Click here to read the full article – By Montreal Gazette

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In an apparent departure from his predecessor, Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos will give teams interested in trading for ace right-hander Roy Halladay a window to discuss a contract extension with the pitcher.


The Blue Jays’ Web site reports Anthopoulos would allow teams to talk to Halladay about an extension if it means the interested team will improve its trade offer. Halladay is signed through next season.

Former GM J.P. Ricciardi opposed the idea of a contract window when he was shopping Halladay last summer.

Click here to read the full article – By of sportingnews.com

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Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis was looking into signing former Colorado Avalanche star Peter Forsberg, but said he learned Monday that Forsberg wanted to stay in his home country.


On Tuesday, Forsberg’s agent, Don Baizley, confirmed to ESPN.com that Forsberg has decided to continue playing with Swedish league club Modo, rather than attempt another return to the NHL.

“He just wasn’t confident enough about his foot at this stage to tackle the NHL season, so he’s going to play in Sweden this season to see what happens after that,” Baizley said.

Forsberg, who spent most of his 12 NHL seasons with the Avalanche, has dealt with nagging ankle and foot problems for several years.


Click here to read the full article – By of ESPN.com

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Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo was back in the net after missing two weeks because of a broken rib.


Luongo, who hadn’t played since he was injured on Oct. 27, replaced Andrew Raycroft at the start of the second period Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues. The Blues led the game 4-0 after one period.

“That’s the only positive thing,” Luongo said after the Canucks’ 6-1 loss. “I got some minutes, but it’s tough. You don’t want to come in situations like that.”

Luongo took part in the Canucks’ morning skate Tuesday but wasn’t expected to play until Thursday in Detroit. Canucks coach Alain Vigneault removed Raycroft after the goalie allowed four goals on 13 shots.

Click here to read the full article – By of ESPN.com

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When Miikka Kiprusoff and Jarome Iginla both produce, the Calgary Flames can get away with scoring only once.

Kiprusoff earned his first shutout of the season and Iginla extended his goal-scoring streak to four games, leading Calgary to a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.

Kiprusoff made 25 saves and improved to 10-3-1 this season as Calgary won its fourth straight to begin a three-game trip. It was his 31st NHL shutout, his first since Feb. 12, when he turned aside 36 shots in a 2-0 win over Los Angeles.

“It’s always nice. It says a lot about how your team plays in front of you, too,” Kiprusoff said.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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