#103

Biscuits and Breezers

   Welcome back to another blog of Biscuits and Breezers! The 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs are underway as we speak and there are some very important headlines I need to report to all of you! But first of all here are the series standings as of 4/21/14:

Montreal vs. Canadiens: Canadiens lead series 3-0

Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild: Avalanche lead series 2-1

Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blue: Blues lead series 2-1

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: Penguins lead series 2-1

Anaheim Ducks vs. Dallas Stars: Ducks lead series 2-1

San Jose Sharks vs. LA Kings: Sharks lead series 2-0

New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Series tied at 1-1

Boston Bruins vs. Detroit Red Wings: Series tied at 1-1

   As for the headlines, we will be talking about Brent Seabrook's suspension, Flyers' Steve Mason playoff situation, Lucic's $5k fine, Backes will be out Game 3, Barrie out 4-6 weeks, Robidas leg re-fracture, Duchene's first round absence, and Quenneville's $25k fine. First off we will be starting with Steve Mason. Mason has ruled himself out of Game 3 of the Playoffs against the Rangers. It is unsure whether he has been diagnosed with a concussion or not but it is apparent that he is not healthy enough to be in the net. He has yet to play in an NHL game since sustaining an upper body injury on April 12th against Pittsburgh when blue liner Andrew MacDonald was shoved into him. He is feeling better than the previous days and hopes to be in the cage soon. Best of luck and get well soon! 

(Credit to Google Images - stcatharinesstandard.ca)

   We all know that the playoffs are exciting and nerve wracking, especially for the players, and usually the tension results in fines and suspensions. The league announced 3 major penalties this week that could certainly have an impact on the outcome of the Round 1 series. First off, the NHL has fined the Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville $25,000 for an inappropriate gesture in Game 1 of the series vs. the St. Louis Blues. The puck was sent out of play at 6:51 in 2 OT and the officials met to decide whether or not the Blues should be called on it. It appeared that a Blues player shot the puck over the glass and that would call for a delay of game penalty giving the Blackhawks a 5-3 advantage. The gesture was a grab to the groin area and yelling to follow. Next off, Bruins forward Milan Lucic has been fined $5,000 for spearing Red Wings defenseman Danny Dekeyser in the groin/lower body area in Game 1 of the 2014 Playoffs. The incident occurred at 19:55 in the second period. Last but not least, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook has been suspended 3 games for his hit on Blues forward David Backes during Game 2 of the Blues vs. Chicago series. Seabrook's right elbow and shoulder connected with Backes, his head being the main target. David was thrown into the boards and fell to the ice. He had trouble getting to his feet and was very unstable getting off the ice. Once he went to the locker room, he did not return. The 5 minute penalty on Seabrook and injury to Backes occurred around 15:09 of the third period. Brent had a phone hearing on Sunday morning to determine his suspension length.

(Credit to Google Images - bleacherreport.com)

  Last but not least we have the current injuries. Stephane Robidas, defenseman for the Anaheim Ducks, has re-fractured his right leg occurring in Game 3 of the playoffs against the Dallas Stars. He has been taken to a Dallas-area hospital for evaluation. Robidas and Ryan Garbutt were tangled up in front of Anaheim's net and had to be helped off the ice with the assistance of the medical crew. He was not able to put any weight on his leg as he was taken off the ice. This is the same leg that he fractured on November 29th as a previous Dallas Star. Next, David Backes will not play in Game 3 versus the Chicago Blackhawks due to an upper body injury. This was the same injury and event caused by Brent Seabrook. Tyson Barrie of the Colorado Avalanche will be out 4-6 weeks after sustaining a knee injury in the second period of Game 3 against the Minnesota Wild. Tyson and Matt Cooke made knee to knee contact near the blue line of Colorado's defensive zone. He slowly skated off the ice and headed down the tunnel to the team's dressing room without return. It was announced after the game that Cooke will have an in-person safety hearing to determine his suspension or fine. Last but not least,  Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche is expected to miss the entire first round of the NHL Playoffs after injuring his MCL in March against San Jose. He was originally expected to miss only 4 weeks but that was extended after his injury failed to heal quickly. Get well soon everyone!

(Credit to Google Images - windsorstar.com)

Absolutely amazing goal from Wild rookie Mikael Granlund that the led 

the Wild to win 1-0 in OT! Must watch!!

  Now for the "Players of Today" segment of our article! For the Junior pick we have Cheyenne Stampede forward and assistant captain Heath Lantz. For the prospect pick we have Sarnia Sting forward Nikolay Goldobin. For the European pick we have Swift Current Broncos defenseman Julius Honka.

   Heath is 6 ft 4 in, 185 lbs, and is from Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA. For the 2013-2014 season, he had 24 goals in 42 games played, 33 assists, 57 TPs, and 12 PIMs. If you ever want an extremely talented forward  who puts forth his best game every night, Lantz is your guy. This player is serious about his game and is one that will go very far in the sport. He is constantly improving his style of play which boosts the level he plays at immensely. He is quick around the ice and isn't afraid to get physical around the boards. Heath is definitely a player that younger skaters should look up to because he portrays everything necessary to make a great hockey player. He is confident in himself and his team every game, he plays at the highest level he can every night, and is always a phenomenal leader for his teammates to rely and count on in stressful situations. Heath displays all of the correct qualities of a junior player that are needed to have a successful junior career. He plays with a very large frame and won't shy away from roughing up players to get puck possession. Speaking of puck possession, if you are a player rushing towards Lantz, you better expect a tough time on the ice because he won't let you pass him with the biscuit without putting up a fight first. He will most likely end up with the puck anyway. As a forward, he is wickedly strong, isn't afraid to play the best game he can, and is always a large presence on the ice. I can't wait to see how his next two years of juniors turn out because they are bound to be spectacular. Make sure to check him out! Good luck Heath with the Stampede and your future hockey career!

(Credit to Facebook - Mike Lewis)

  Nikolay is 6 ft 0 in, 185 lbs, and is from Moskva, Russia. He was drafted 1st round 36th overall to the Sarnia Sting in the 2012 CHL Import Draft. In the 2013-2014 season, he had 38 goals in 67 games played, 56 assists, 94 TPs, a +/- of -30, and 21 PIMs. Nikolay is expected to go 22nd overall in the 1st round of 2014 NHL Entry Draft to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He is an amazing player with wicked hands who can almost always find the back of the net no matter which goaltender is put in front of him. Goldobin is the type of player who is out there to rack up the points for his team but also is there to support his team mates and and encourage them to be playing at the best of their abilities. If he does indeed go in round 1 of this year's Entry Draft, he will be a great addition to the Lightning. He is constantly able to put points up on the board every night and gives a solid base for any team he plays for. He is a self reliable player who does not need to feed off of other players to perform at a high level, in my opinion. Nikolay is out there every night trying to be the best skater out there and is making sure he is always pushing the boundaries so that his game is always  up to speed. I can't wait to see how Nikolay performs in his future seasons because they are bound to be amazing. Hopefully we will see him picked very early on in the Draft because he will certainly be an asset to any team he is signed with. Good luck Nikolay with the Sting and your future hockey career! 

(Credit to Google Images - sarniasports.com)

  Julius is 5 ft 11 in, 174 lbs, and is from Jyvaskyla, Finland. In the 2013-2014 season, he had 16 goals in 62 games played, 40 assists, 56 TPs, 52 PIMs, and a +/- of 10. He is ranked in the Top 20 for prospects of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Honka may be a small defenseman but he surely packs a wicked punch every time he is on the blue line. He is an incredibly strong skater who, in my opinion, can turn on a dime and will cover any amount of ice in just a matter of seconds. He is the type of blue liner who is extremely tough and will go through anything to help his team get the win. He is hard to catch when he has the puck in his possession and he is hard to control when he has a goal in mind. Julius is a defenseman but most of the time he is very offensively minded and can rack up points almost as easily as any forward can. He plays a quick, tight, and physical game and is always there to receive the puck. In my opinion, he is the best type of defenseman solely for the fact that he brings a huge game to the ice and is extremely physical yet he is always there to help out his team mates or meet the puck to whip it into the back of the cage. Julius is a definite must watch player because his game is outstanding. This beauty is set and ready to go to be in the show and when he gets drafted or signed, he will surely amaze everyone that watches. Good luck Julius with the Broncos and your future hockey career!

(Credit to Google Images - hockeyprospect.com)

    Thanks for reading another blog of Biscuits and Breezers! Every blog will be filled with updated hockey news, player reviews, and much more! Until next time remember, don't get your breezers in a bunch because hockey is always around the corner. Remember, it's always a great day for hockey and it's a lifestyle not just a sport!