First To Fifty

Corey Perry scored a hat trick last night and reached fifty goals. He is the first player this season to do so.

We have never been happier for the success of Corey Perry. And in fact, we are quite surprised that he was the first player to score 50 goals this season. It was so quiet and so sudden.


- Colorado Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote will be retiring after this season. 19 seasons and he has a future as a Silver Fox featuree.


- NCAA Title will be fought between Michigan and University of Minnesota at Duluth. It's the perennial versus the first-timer.


- Raffi Torres was suspended for four games after hitting Jordan Eberle with an elbow during a game on Tuesday.


- Henrik Zetterberg is out with a lower body injury and is day-to-day as the Red Wings make their way into the play offs.


- If you can't make the play offs then the next best thing is to play for Canada at the World Championships.

These are the players who are going so far:

Rick Nash
Jason Spezza
Matt Duchene
Alex Pietrangelo
Andrew Ladd
Chris Stewart

Sounds like fun times in Slovakia.


- Brian Murray was extended for three more years as General Manager of the Ottawa Senators. Same can't be said for his coach who is expected to be fired when the season is over.

It's not the coach, Eugene, just saying.


- Now the Penguins are saying that Sidney Crosby won't be ready for the first round of the play offs. Oh my and this post-season is just getting started.


- Speaking of Sid, James Duthie has an excellent article about the intertwining stories of the 2010/2011 NHL season and how Crosby and Matt Cooke are at the center if it.


- Last, we are very sad about the passing of EJ McGuire. He was the VP of Scouting for the NHL and one of the main reasons we liked scouting so much. He had so much knowledge and insight about the sport and drafting. We always enjoyed his interviews and words about hockey. He will be missed by everyone.

Fan Appreciation: Jersey Off Their Backs

Noodles and Henrik were lucky enough to attend the last home game of the 2010-2011 season for the Penguins.

We were seated behind the penalty box with friends and it was an amazing experience. The game was actually a good one which surprised us because it was against the Devils.

Only disappointing part was that Zach Parise did not play. Apparently, he could be done for the season. We were highly upset that he did not play, we were looking forward to it.


After the game, Channel 11's Storm Watch warned us of an impending whiteout in the area effective as soon as the play offs start.

Very clever, Penguins, very clever.


And the Penguins f-ed up big time when they selected someone to get Dustin Jeffrey's jersey when he got surgery on his knee that night.

The girl seemed nice enough but if it was us we would be demanding a Make-A-Wish style make-up from them complete with a date with James Neal.

Even with this hair.


Our friend Nicole, who gave us the awesome seats, took amazing pictures of the Jersey Off Their Backs ceremony.

And apparently it's a difficult process, this giving away of jerseys.



Here are a few of the highlights:

First of all, hockey players are fine to begin with but when they're in suits, like Eric Tangradi and Deryk Engelland then we pretty much faint like women with too-tight corsets.



Second of all, hockey players and kids...

Yes, ovaries are dead.


And last, how we've missed this face.

He's intense even when giving his jersey away.


We were creeping when we saw Craig Adams chatting it up with Brian Engblom who was between the benches.

Wonder if they were sharing hair style tips.


This girl had to have gotten either a feel of Talbot or his phone number.

Look at her face, she totally copped a feel!


Mark Letestu was an awkward little fellow. He didn't know where to put his hands or what to do with the jersey.

Adorable, it was like he was on a date.


Tyler Kennedy's person looked like his little brother.

It's kind of like a family photo.


Oh, Chris Kunitz.

We honestly have nothing against lesbians but he looks like one and we love him, you should know that. Either a lesbian or Elton John, interchangeable right?


Dan Potash pulled Jordan Staal aside to model the Whiteout t-shirts.

And he Jersey shore fist-pumped.

We love him even more now.


The lucky woman who got Matt Cooke's jersey double-fist pumped out of excitement. She is our hero.

It was also nice to see the arena cheer for him and basically show their support for a Penguins player because as soon as he's in a different jersey, it's a different story.


Kris Letang was being his usual creeper self and taking pictures of his teammates while they were sitting on the bench waiting for their names/numbers to be called.

It was a professional camera, must have been someone's from the organization.


Mohawks should be illegal because Craig Adams makes them look good.

If this was us getting his jersey we would hashtag it with #winning.


Eric Godard: strutting his stuff

He even did his hair for the event!


We don't know what it is with Russians and dress pants but Malkin's were about to burst at the seams. Not like we would complain...

Those pants should be illegal.


And of course, the captain.

The arena couldn't have been louder when he stepped out of the runway. It was nice to see him.

Here is video from the Penguins website



All in all, we had a fantastic time at the game and the fan appreciation activities afterwards.

And we want to thank Nicole for the pictures because without them this would be a very boring recap.

Stop Breaking Bones!

After this amazing comeback win for the Rangers, being down 3-0 then winning 5-3

they were dealt a horrible blow after Ryan Callahan blocked a Zdeno Chara shot and he broke his right leg/ankle.

We can't get a straight answer from either NHL.com or TSN.ca/NHL. It's one or the other or both.


And before all of this went down, Paul Stastny's season is over after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right leg.


Okay, seriously, we may have to start an infirmary here at The Hockey Junkies with all of these broken legs/ankles.

It's all Noodles's fault.


Oh, oh and then Ryan Miller is out. It's undisclosed and we are speculating that it's either a strained groin or a hand injury but he's up and practicing again so it can't be that bad.

They just can't get enough.


During the Hawks/Bolts game on Sunday, Vincent Lecavalier took a stick to the eye-are and luckily for him and the Lightning there is no structural damage.

It was a nasty high-stick and we're happy that he's not hurt that bad.


And Daniel Alfredsson's season is over. Not like he was playing anyway, right? Oh, he was? Could have fooled us...


On to the good news....

- Jordan Eberle's been having a year for the Oilers despite his BFF being out since March and the team eliminating themselves in January (low blow, sorry).

- Joffrey Lupul's been having a year for the Leafs despite just being traded to them and the team eliminating themselves tonight.


And if you're obsessed like us, the Central Scouting Service posted their top lists from each league.


Last thing is last...

(thanks to MouthGuard for this)

Awards Monday: Week Twenty-Five

Hottie Of The Week


Jhonas Enroth


kind of an obvious choice but the poor kid was thrown into the playoff push after an injury took out Ryan Miller and he did very well this week

-&-

Best Commercial Of The Night


FirstBank


hahah, so creepy

-&-

The Ryan Malone Wheaties Award


Edmonton Oilers


they went up against the big, bad Vancouver Canucks and beat them 4-1 in a very convincing win so we're happy that they don't know what giving up is

The Power Of Google

We were Googling various things the other night and found this

Hahahahahaha


And then this is from the Edmonton/Vancouver game the other night

Swedish Love at it's best


Oooh and then Craig Adams went and got a mohawk

hey sexy, woo


And last but not least, now it's creepy ginger TRIPLETS

heaven help us

This Face Had To Be Mentioned

Hey Victor Stalberg gotta breathe there buddy, we don't need you going into cardiac arrest before the playoffs



- Apparently Brad Marchand did his best Arnold Palmer impression in front of the Leafs bench when the Bruins were up 3-2 buuuut the Leafs came back to win 4-3 in the shootout.

Man, bet he looked like an idiot in the locker room after the game.


- Tonight is Bill McCreary's last game refereed in the NHL. He started in 1984 at a home game for the Washington Capitals (when it was MCI Center) and he will be hanging them up tonight at Verizon Center.


- The Sabres are still missing Ryan Miller with a injury and this is definitely bad news bears for them.


- NBC and Versus are teaming up to give us a full week of nationally televised games

UPCOMING NBC SPORTS GROUP NHL SCHEDULE (all times ET):
Sunday, April 3 -- N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia 12:30 p.m. NBC
Monday, April 4 -- Boston at N.Y. Rangers 7:30 p.m. VERSUS
Monday, April 4 -- Los Angeles at San Jose 10 p.m. VERSUS
Tuesday, April 5 -- New Jersey at Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m. VERSUS
Wednesday, April 6 --
St. Louis at Chicago 8 p.m. VERSUS
Thursday, April 7 --
Atlanta at N.Y. Rangers 7 p.m. VERSUS
Friday, April 8 -- Chicago at Detroit 7:30 p.m. VERSUS
Sunday, April 10 -- Detroit at Chicago 12:30 p.m. NBC

Double Date: Teams On The Bubble

We thought it would be highly appropriate to pick the captains from the teams in the West and East who are almostthere into the play offs.

Let's go date!

-&-

Name: Eric Staal


Date: he takes you to a traditional dinner then bowling where he is impressed with your skills and just when you think that the date is over, he drives to Make-out Mountain


OR


Name: Jarome Iginla


Date: he has no plans for this date so you guys end up a a bar where there are 15 cent wings and dollar drafts and you watch hockey on TV until you're both drunk and yelling at the games being played



Which captain has the date you would gladly go on?