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[wranglersm]

Sorry that this hasn't been kept up folks. I promise I've been at games and writing up stories, and I thought for sure hitting the "submit" button posted said stories, but it would appear that I needed to check up on whether or not the data got to where it needed to go. No worries though, I'll make sure we get it right (or at least as much as I can) for the rest of the season....

[wranglersm]

So let's go through the last minute signings thus far:

Defenseman Zach Tarkir--AHL Standard Player’s Contract
Defenseman Nick St. Pierre--AHL Standard Player’s Contract
Forwards Kai Kantola and Tim Mark--ATOs
Defenseman Taylor Vichorek--AHL Standard Players Contract
Goaltender Zane Kalemba--ATO

[wranglersm]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puc...medium=twitter

Well, well, Ovechicken does it again, getting his third game misconduct of the season (to lead all players) and second for boarding. Why in the world would you ever throw a guy in to the boards like that when both of you are going full speed? For those out there who are advocates of "pulling up" when a guy is vulnerable, I give you exhibit A. Clearly the option to go around was there for the "Ingrate Eight" but instead he felt it necessary to push a guy head long in to the boards. The telling part was that he didn't even argue, he just went straight over to the box, knowing what he did. For all his talent and gifted play, this demonstrates why he won't even achieve the "face of the NHL" status everyone thinks he deserves. There's a pattern here (along with him leaving his feet for the majority of his checks) and it's finally coming to light.

Repeat offender rule is in play here (sort of), and this comes straight out of the rule book:

23.5 Fines and Suspensions - Stick Infractions, Boarding and Checking from Behind Category - In regular League games, any player or goalkeeper who incurs a total of two (2) game misconduct penalties for stick-related infractions, Boarding - Rule 42, or Checking from Behind - Rule 44, shall be suspended automatically for the next League game of his team. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game.

However, here's the fun part:

When a player or goalkeeper has played in 41 consecutive regular League games without being assessed a boarding and/or a checking from behind major and a game misconduct according to Rules 42 and 44, he will have the previous game misconduct penalties removed from his current record. They will remain part of his historical record.


Guess what game number this is since his last boarding call? Number 42. Maybe a suspension, but it won't be automatic. Gotta love the timing....

And in my opinion the worst part about this situation is that broadcaster Mike Milbury, the same guy who called the Russian Olympic Team "Euro-trash," once again proved that his head is up his butt almost to the degree of Don Cherry. He was more concerned about ratings than the infraction. Granted, the official has the final say on the calls, but after the GM meetings, the talk about trying to reduce injuries, and the Matt Cooke fiasco, no player can make the "ignorance" argument any more. Players have got to know that the league is going to crack down on dangerous plays (though maybe because it wasn't explained to him in Russian he didn't understand, or it could be he thought he could just get away with it?).

Matt Cooke gets a thrashing because he's a third-line guy. Ovechkin is supposed to get a pass because he's a superstar and taking him out of the game affects the ratings. B.S., pure and simple.

[wranglersm]

Put it in your calendar folks--March 15, 2010, the day the war ended. No, not the war on drugs. No, not the war on terror. I'm talking about the war between Comcast and DirecTV over the VERSUS network. Reports from VERSUS and DirecTV indicate that VERSUS will be available in HD and in the same packages it was originally found in back in August. We also got the "Terms of the agreement were not released," statement, so some money definitely changed hands somewhere in the mix. What does that mean for us, the "little" fans? It means that we no longer have to hang out with someone just to watch Versus. It means no more snooping around the internet looking for a "questionable" feed. It means that we can finally bring all those battle-scarred, combat-tested tv executives home. To quote Monty Python, VERSUS has returned to DirecTV, "and there was much rejoicing!"

[wranglersm]

Admirals Add Two Lightning Top Prospects


NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk Admirals have added Tampa Bay Lightning prospect forwards Carter Ashton and Richard Panik to their roster. Ashton has been assigned to the Admirals by the Lightning from his junior team while Panik has been signed to an Amateur Tryout Contract (ATO).

Ashton, 18, a 6-foot-3, 207-pound right wing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, split this season between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League. In 28 games with Lethbridge, he posted 13 goals and 26 points. He was then traded to Regina, where he scored 11 goals and 25 points.

The Lightning drafted Ashton in the first round (29th overall) in last summer’s NHL Entry Draft. He was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by the Lightning on October 2. Ashton played in three games with the Lightning this preseason, recording one goal before being assigned to his junior team.

Last season, Ashton recorded 30 goals and 50 points with Lethbridge, leading the Hurricanes in goals and power play goals with ten while ranking fifth in points. Ashton has compiled 59 goals and 110 points in 177 career WHL games between Lethbridge and Regina.

Panik ("PAN-ihk"), 19, a 6-foot-2, 203-pound right wing from Martin, Slovakia, split this season between the Windsor Spitfires and the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League. In 33 games with Windsor, he posted nine goals and 18 points. After being acquired by Belleville, Panik notched 12 goals and 23 points in 27 games.

The Lightning drafted Panik in the second round (52nd overall) in last summer’s NHL Entry Draft. He appeared in two games with the Lightning this preseason and had two shots on goal before being returned to his junior team.

Panik played in 15 games for Trinec of the Czech Super League last season, recording a goal and two points. He also played in 16 games with Trinec’s junior team, registering 10 goals and 19 points. Panik’s season was cut short due to injury.

Panik has had a great deal of success in international play during his career. He played in seven games for Slovakia in the 2009 World Junior Championships, recording two goals and five points. He was tied for third on the team in both goals and points. Panik also participated in the 2008 World Under-18 Junior Championships, recording four goals and 10 points in six games.

During his Super League career Panik has amassed a goal and two points in 21 games. In the Czech junior league he accumulated 45 goals and 81 points in 55 games.

Ashton will become the second-youngest player and Panik the third- youngest to lace up the skates for a Norfolk Admirals game in the team’s AHL history. If he plays on Wednesday night against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Ashton will make his professional debut at age 18 year, 11 months and 16 days and Panik will be 19 years, one month and ten days old. The youngest player in Norfolk Admirals (AHL) history was Dana Tyrell, who made his debut at 18 years, ten months and 28 days old on March 21, 2008 while on an Amateur Tryout Contract.

The Admirals will travel to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a pivotal East Division matchup against the Penguins tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. They will return to Scope on Friday and Saturday nights to face off against the Adirondack Phantoms at 7:15 p.m. both nights.

Friday night, the first 3,000 fans will receive an Admirals team poster courtesy of SUPERCUTS and The Virginian-Pilot. Friday is also Cheesy Noisemaker Night to Benefit Wave City Care. Fans are encouraged to bring boxes of non-perishable food to the game to use as noisemakers before donating them to those in need in the Hampton Roads area. Fans may also purchase discounted fundraising tickets for the game on norfolkadmirals.com.

Saturday night, the first 2,500 fans will receive an Admirals pennant courtesy of Good Neighbor Pharmacy. Saturday is also Admirals Puck Crawl night with a $20 package including tickets to the game and discounts at area establishments before the game. Saturday is also Virginia Beach City Public Schools Night with discounted tickets available for all students, teachers and staff.

[wranglersm]

March 18, 2010

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League today announced that Norfolk Admirals left wing Mitch Fritz has been suspended for two games as a result of his actions in a game at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Mar. 17.

Fritz was suspended under the provisions of AHL Rule 75.5(ii) after receiving a game misconduct at 20:00 of the second period.

Fritz will miss Norfolk’s games Friday (Mar. 19) and Saturday (Mar. 20) vs. Adirondack.


Rule 75.5 (ii)
"A game misconduct shall be assessed to any player who uses obscene gestures on the ice or anywhere in the rink before, during or after the game. The referee shall report the circumstance to the President of the League for further discplinary action. Any player assessed a game misconduct under this section shall automatically be suspended for the next two (2) regularly scheduled games of his team."

[wranglersm]

Admirals Sign D Jeremy Dehner; Release F Kai Kantola
NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk Admirals have signed defenseman Jeremy Dehner to an Amateur Tryout Contract (ATO) and have released forward Kai Kantola from his ATO.

Dehner, 22, is a 5-foot-9, 180-pound defenseman from Madison, Wisconsin. He just completed his senior season at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, posting six goals and 21 points in 34 games. Over the course of his four-year collegiate hockey career, Dehner posted 13 goals and 79 points in 139 games with UMass-Lowell.

Kantola, 22, is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound forward from Raleigh, North Carolina. He appeared in two games with the Admirals after being signed to an ATO on March 10 and did not post any points. Earlier this month, he concluded his collegiate hockey career at Bowling Green State University. In 35 games with the Falcons this season, he posted five goals and seven assists with 44 penalty minutes. In his 135-game collegiate career, Kantola posted 28 goals and 26 assists with 193 penalty minutes.

The Admirals and Penguins will battle for third place on Wednesday and Friday at Scope. The Admirals will then conclude their five-game homestand with a tilt on Saturday against the Atlantic Division-leading Worcester Sharks. All three games begin at 7:15 p.m.

Wednesday will be another Family Fun Pack Night and Student Rush Night. Family Fun Packs include four discounted Red Level Tickets for just $48 plus four free hot dogs, four free popcorns and four free sodas. Fans get all of that for just $48 – that’s a savings of $37!

Student Rush Nights, brought to you by Pit Bull Energy Drink and Baxter’s Sports Lounge, provide $8 White Level Tickets (normally $12) for high school and college students with a valid current high school or college ID. In addition, when you buy a Student Rush Night Ticket, you get a buy-one, get-one free offer for the next Student Rush Night. On top of that, you get discounted food at Baxter’s Sports Lounge (located across the street from Scope) on the day of the game.

Admirals Family Fun Packs are available at the Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com. Student Rush Night Tickets are available ONLY at the Scope Box Office after 2:00 p.m. on the day of the game.

On Friday, the first 3,500 fans through the gates will get an Admirals water bottle courtesy of SUPERCUTS. Friday is also Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Night. Special discounted fundraising tickets are available through norfolkadmirals.com with proceeds benefiting the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

Saturday is the tenth annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Jersey Auction, presented by PAPCO. The Admirals will don one-of-a-kind jerseys during the game. Immediately following the conclusion of the game on Saturday, a live auction will take place on the ice with the jerseys being sold right off the players’ backs. There are also special discounted fundraising tickets available at norfolkadmirals.com. Proceeds from the auction and ticket sales go to the local chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Over the past eight seasons, the Admirals have raised $240,960 for MDA through the annual jersey auction.

For complete details of all promotions, ticket offers and giveaways, please visit norfolkadmirals.com or call (757) 640-1212. To purchase tickets to any Admirals game, you may visit the Scope Box Office weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., visit any Ticketmaster outlet, call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or visit Ticketmaster online at ticketmaster.com.

Don’t miss a minute of the action by purchasing your 2010-11 season tickets today. Affordable monthly payment plans are available for a limited time only! Stop by the Admirals’ Administrative Offices at Scope, call (757) 640-1212 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or visit norfolkadmirals.com anytime!

# THE HEARTBEAT OF HAMPTON ROADS #