image: TSN

Here are the scheduled games for tonight:

• Montreal @ Toronto – 7pm ET
• Washington @ Boston – 7pm ET
• Vancouver @ Calgary – 10pm ET
• San Jose @ Colorado – 10pm ET

This marks the first time in a decade that the Habs will take on the Leafs in their season openers and, while I would normally put my money on Montreal, all of the roster shake ups will make that an interesting game.  While I know a lot of people want to see Jonas Gustavsson in net for the first time, it will be Vesa Toskala defending the Toronto goal tonight.  Toskala better not eff up, that’s all I’m gonna say…  Carey Price should be between the pipes for Montreal but you never know with that team.

For the second year in a row, Calgary will host the Canucks in their first game of the year.  It didn’t go so well for the Flames last year (let’s try to forget that awful 6-0 opener, please).  Hopefully, both teams will bring the fire to the ice tonight since they are great NW division rivals.

Colorado will start their game by raising Joe Sakic’s No. 19 jersey to the rafters at the Pepsi Center.  The Avalanche will be hosting the Sharks and it’s interesting that both teams have seen their captain leave since the end of last season.  Of course, this will be our first real glimpse of Dany Heatley in the Sharks lineup.

Alexander Ovechkin is back as the Capitals visit the Bruins.  Could this be a foreshadowing of what the Eastern Conference finals will look like?  Some people think it is.  I’m not as sold on the idea but you never know.  There is some amazing talent on both teams and they both should be hungry after disappointing performances in the playoffs last spring.

Post from: Hockey Beat

So many changes have been made to the rosters in the last coup le months so some teams are going to look really different.  Should be interesting!  When it gets closer to the season opener, I’ll do an overview and preview of what to expect and what I think could happen.

The pre-season kicks off on September 14, 2009 as the Vancouver Canucks take on the New York Islanders in Terrace, BC as part of a 109-game exhibition schedule.  Here are the deets (in Eastern Time):

MONDAY, SEPT. 14

• NY Islanders vs. Vancouver, at Terrace, B.C. (Terrace Sportsplex), 10 p.m.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 15

• Florida vs. Ottawa, at Halifax, N.S. (Metro Centre), 6 p.m.
• Boston at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
• Columbus at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.
• Minnesota at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
• Edmonton at Calgary, 9 p.m.
• Los Angeles (split squad) at Phoenix (split squad), 10 p.m.
• Phoenix (split squad) at Los Angeles (split squad), 10:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16

• Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m.
• NY Rangers at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
• Florida at Ottawa, 7 p.m.
• Philadelphia at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
• Tampa Bay at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
• NY Islanders at Edmonton, 9 p.m.
• Phoenix at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 17

• Washington at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
• Philadelphia vs. Toronto, at London, Ont. (John Labatt Centre), 7 p.m.
• Florida at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
• Atlanta at Nashville, 8 p.m.
• Dallas at Colorado, 9 p.m.
• NY Islanders at Calgary, 9 p.m.
• Vancouver at Anaheim, 10 p.m.
• Los Angeles vs. San Jose, at Ontario, Calif. (Citizens Business Bank Arena), 10:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 18

• Nashville at Carolina, 7 p.m.
• Toronto at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.
• Ottawa at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
• Atlanta at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.
• NY Rangers at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
• Colorado at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
• Columbus at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
• Florida at Edmonton, 9 p.m.
• Anaheim at Phoenix, 10 p.m.
• Vancouver at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 19

• NY Rangers at Boston, 4 p.m.
• Montreal at Ottawa, 7 p.m.
• Philadelphia at Toronto, 7 p.m.
• Buffalo at Detroit, 7 p.m.
• Dallas at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
• Columbus at Nashville, 8 p.m.
• Calgary vs. NY Islanders, at Saskatoon, Sask. (Credit Union Centre), 8 p.m.
• Washington at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
• Edmonton at Vancouver, 10 p.m.
• Phoenix at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.
• Anaheim at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 20

• Chicago at Minnesota, 6 p.m.
• Boston vs. Montreal, at Quebec City, Que. (Colisée Pepsi), 7 p.m.
• Edmonton vs. NY Islanders, at Saskatoon, Sask. (Credit Union Centre), 8 p.m.
• St. Louis at Colorado, 9 p.m.
• Florida at Calgary, 9 p.m.

MONDAY, SEPT. 21

• Carolina at Atlanta, 7 p.m.
• Buffalo at Washington, 7 p.m.
• Detroit at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
• Minnesota at Columbus, 7 p.m.
• Pittsburgh at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
• Ottawa vs. Tampa Bay, at Regina, Sask. (Evraz Place), 9 p.m.
• Calgary at Vancouver, 10 p.m.
• San Jose at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 22

• Pittsburgh at Toronto, 7 p.m.
• Boston at Columbus, 7 p.m.
• Detroit at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
• Los Angeles vs. NY Islanders, at Kansas City, Mo. (Sprint Center), 8 p.m.
• Florida at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
• Phoenix vs. Tampa Bay, at Everett, Wash. (Comcast Arena), 10:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23

• Toronto at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
• New Jersey at NY Islanders, 7 p.m.
• Chicago at Washington, 7 p.m.
• Nashville at Atlanta, 7 p.m.
• Dallas at Florida, 7:30 p.m.
• Phoenix vs. Tampa Bay, at Loveland, Colo. (Budweiser Events Center), 9 p.m.
• Calgary at Edmonton, 9 p.m.
• Los Angeles at Colorado, 9 p.m.
• San Jose at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 24

• Washington at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
• New Jersey at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
• Pittsburgh at Columbus, 7 p.m.
• Boston at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
• St. Louis at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
• Colorado at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
• Edmonton vs. Tampa Bay, at Winnipeg, Man. (MTS Centre), 8:30 p.m.
• Anaheim at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25

• Boston at Ottawa, 7 p.m.
• Atlanta at Carolina, 7 p.m.
• Toronto at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
• Minnesota at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
• Anaheim at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 26

• Detroit at Toronto, 7 p.m.
• Buffalo at Montreal, 7 p.m.
• Philadelphia at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
• Columbus at Boston, 7 p.m.
• St. Louis at Dallas, 8 p.m.
• Carolina at Nashville, 8 p.m.
• Vancouver at Calgary, 9 p.m.
• Colorado vs. Los Angeles, at Las Vegas, Nev. (MGM Grand), 9 p.m.
• San Jose at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 27

• NY Rangers at Washington, 12 p.m.
• Pittsburgh at Detroit, 5 p.m.
• Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 5 p.m.
• Nashville at Columbus, 5 p.m.
• Buffalo at Toronto, 7 p.m.
• Vancouver at Edmonton, 8 p.m.
• Los Angeles at Anaheim, 8 p.m.

MONDAY, SEPT. 28

• Florida vs. Tappara, at Tampere, Finland (Hakametsan Arena), 12 p.m.
• Chicago vs. HC Davos, at Zurich, Switzerland (Hallenstadion), 2:15 p.m.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 29

• St. Louis vs. Linkoping HC, at Linkoping, Sweden (Cloetta Center), 1 p.m.
• Chicago vs. ZSC Lions, at Zurich, Switzerland (Hallenstadion), 2:15 p.m.
• NY Islanders at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
• Minnesota at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30

• Florida vs. Jokerit, at Helsinki, Finland (Hartwall Arena), 12 p.m.
• Detroit vs. Farjestad, at Karlstad, Sweden (Lofbergs Lila Arena), 1 p.m.

The Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers, will play six games in five European cities against local teams before the regular-season openers overseas when Detroit and St. Louis face off on October 2 and October 3, 2009 in Stockholm, Sweden while Chicago and Florida battle on the same days in Helsinki, Finland.

image: Newscom

Post from: Hockey Beat

In addition to the 2010 Winter Classic being held at Boston’s Fenway Park, the schedule shows that six Canadian teams will be playing when the new season begins on October 1, 2009.  John Tavares will play in his first NHL game on October 3, 2009 when the New York Islanders host the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Also, the NHL will have to work around the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games which will result in a brutal, team record 14-game road trip beginning January 30, 2010.  Additionally, all games will be suspended from February 15-March 1.

The last eight games of the regular season will be played on April 11, 2010.

image: TSN

Post from: Hockey Beat

Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin will meet up in the ultimate Stanley Cup playoff pairing (I swear I can hear Gary Bettman drooling).  Both of the players have incredibly impressive stats but only one of them will emerge from this series with bragging rights (and we all know that Ovie knows how to brag).

Here’s the schedule (all in Eastern Time):

• Saturday, May 2, 1pm – Penguins at Capitals
• Monday, May 4, 7pm – Penguins at Capitals
• Wednesday, May 6, 7pm – Capitals at Penguins
• Friday, May 8, 7pm – Capitals at Penguins
• Saturday, May 9, 7pm – Penguins at Capitals
• *6 Monday, May 11, TBD – Capitals at Penguins
• *7 Wednesday, May 13, 7pm – Penguins at Capitals

image: TSN

Post from: Hockey Beat

I was expecting the New Jersey Devils to eliminate the Hurricanes and was thoroughly shocked by the results of Game 6.  After they came back and won that game with less than 90 seconds left in the third, I felt a deep sense of respect for them.  They won the cup back in 2006 and then things just went downhill from there, including the play of formerly acclaimed goaltender, Cam Ward. 

Now, the boys (including Ward) have a chance to redeem themselves but will their efforts be enough to stave off the Bruins?  I’m really doubtful.  The Bruins have played incredibly well this season (best in the Eastern Conference) and they just have everything going for them – Marc Savard has been excellent offensively, Zdeno Chara is an incredible defenceman and then there’s goaltender Tim Thomas who has been spectacular between the pipes for the club. 

Here’s a schedule of the games for this series:

• Friday, May 1 at Boston, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS (JIP), TSN
• Sunday, May 3 at Boston, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
• Wednesday, May 6 at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS (JIP), TSN
• Friday, May 8 at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS (JIP), TSN
• *Sunday, May 10 at Boston, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
• *Tuesday, May 12 at Carolina, 7:00 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
• *Thursday, May 14 at Boston, TBD TSN

image: TSN

Post from: Hockey Beat

I can’t even make a prediction about how this is going to go down but I do have a feeling that, like so many other series, this one could be determined by goaltending.  Both teams have their strengths (Detroit is a playoff machine and Anaheim seems to have drive and the element of surprise) but I want to see how Chris Osgood fares against Jonas Hiller, the goalie-who-has-emerged-from-obscurity-to-become-one-of-the-most-talked-about-players-in-the-postseason.

The action starts tonight.  Here’s the schedule:

• Friday, May 1 at Detroit, 7:00 p.m. VERSUS, TSN2
• Sunday, May 3 at Detroit, 2:00 p.m. NBC, TSN
• Tuesday, May 5 at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
• Thursday, May 7 at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
• *Sunday, May 10 at Detroit, 5:00 p.m. TSN
• *Tuesday, May 12 at Anaheim, TBD VERSUS, TSN
• *Thursday, May 14 at Detroit, TBD VERSUS, TSN

image: TSN

Post from: Hockey Beat

Both teams are very annoying to play against.   The Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel (Vancouver), have an undeniable chemistry on the ice and really have the ability to score.  Meanwhile, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, like much of the Blackhawks, are young and fast.  Watching the Blackhawks is like watching a swarm of bees buzzing all over the place. 

Hopefully, this series will be the goaltending showdown that everyone is expecting as Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo takes on Chicago’s Nikolai Khabibulin, who won the Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Here’s the game schedule:

• Thursday, April 30 at Vancouver, 9:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
• Saturday, May 2 at Vancouver, 9:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
• Tuesday, May 5 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
• Thursday, May 7 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
• *Saturday, May 9 at Vancouver, 10:30 p.m CBC, VERSUS
• *Monday, May 11 at Chicago, 9:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS (JIP)
• *Thursday, May 14 at Vancouver, TBD CBC, VERSUS

* if necessary

image: TSN

Post from: Hockey Beat

I checked out their schedule and it’s pretty impressive.  They plan to kick off things off tonight with a special playoffs preview Hockey Central show at 6:30 p.m. ET. 

This will be followed by the series opener for the Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins at 7 pm ET and will end the night with the first game in the St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks series (10pm ET).  All games in each round will be produced and presented in HD where available. Check out the game schedule!

Here’s a great ad highlighting their coverage.  I can’t wait!!!!!!

Post from: Hockey Beat

On the one hand, it’s easy to assume that teams like the Boston Bruins or San Jose Sharks, who have clearly dominated throughout the season, will take home Lord Stanley but you really can’t underestimate a good underdog. 

Here’s the schedule for the 2009 Playoffs Conference Quarterfinals (times are EST):

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston vs. Montreal

Washington Capitals vs. NY Rangers

New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers

WESTERN CONFERENCE

San Jose Sharks vs. Anaheim Ducks

Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Vancouver Canucks vs. St Louis Blues

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames

*if necessary

image: Newscom

Post from: Hockey Beat

Just a reminder for everyone – today the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship officially begins.  With the preliminaries behind us, the real action starts today.  The overwhelming favorite for the gold medal is Team Canada.  Since the games are being hosted in Ottawa, Ontario, our nation’s capital, I have to admit it would be pretty amazing to see Team Canada bring home the gold.

For more information about which games are going to be played each day, check out the World Junior Championship game schedule.

image: TSN

Post from: Hockey Beat