#81

Biscuits and Breezers

    

   Welcome back to another blog of Biscuits and Breezers! In this blog we will be discussing the Flames firing their managerial staff, the daily injury update, a Schenn brother hit with the maximum checking penalty, and Rochester American top Lake Erie Monsters in AHL outdoor classic. First off with the injuries! The Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard will be out 2-4 weeks with a sprained MCL (knee.) Apparently he injured it during practice on Wednesday. Jonas Gustavsson will step in as his replacement. A "plague" of injuries has hit the goaltending department of the Columbus Blue Jackets recently. Curtis McElhinney is day to day due to a lower body injury and Sergei Bobrovsky will be out another month due to a groin injury. Also the Jackets have lost d-man James Wisiniewski to the injured reserve list after receiving an upper body injury. Lastly, the Hurricanes have activated Alexander Semin from the injured reserve list after sustaining a concussion on November 16th. Good luck to all of you and get well soon!

   We all know the Schenn brothers, Luke and Brayden, of Philly right? Well Brayden has been fined the maximum limit allowed for a cross-check on Blackhawks forward and recent returnee Kris Versteeg. The incident half way through the second period Wednesday night but no penalty was called. The NHL announced yesterday that Brayden will be fined $2,230.77 in total.

   Recently, the Calgary Flames have been having their problems resulting in sitting in next to last place in the western conference. Now on top of all their issues, they have fired General Manager Jay Feaster and Assistant General Manager John Weisbrod. Brian Burke, who is the team's president, will serve as the new GM. It is reported that these changes were made to get the team back on the right road for a championship. Hopefully this new change in positions will give the Flames the help they desperately need. Best wishes Calgary!

  Lastly, the Rochester Americans beat the Lake Erie Monsters 5-4 due to a shoot out in the AHL's "Frozen Frontier." 11,015 fans piled into Frontier Field for the 6th Outdoor Classic in the history of the AHL. Matt Ellis of Rochester drew first blood when he put the Americans on the board 3:36 into the first period. Lake Erie's Mark Olver,  Matt Hunwick, and Garrett Meurs were quick with goals of their own to lead the Americans 3-1 midway through the second period. Jerome Gauthier-Leduc and Phil Varone tied things up for Rochester with a goal for each nearing the end of the second to make the score 3-3. In the third period, Colton Gilles gave the Americans a 4-3 lead when he scored on Calvin Pickard 3:07 into the third. Matt Hunwick's goal for the Monsters tied everything up with one second left in regulation on a power play goal. The Rochester Americans pulled out Mike Zigomanis, Johan Larsson, and Matt Ellis for three shoot out attempts to win it all; which they did. Matt Hackett made 26 saves for the Rochester Americans while Calvin Pickard made 25 saves for Lake Erie. Congratulations on the win Rochester! The game will be re-aired on the 14th at noon EST on NHL network.

(Credit to AHL)

(Credit to AHL)

     Now for the "Players of Today!" For the prospect pick we have University of Wisconsin-Madison forward and Anaheim Ducks prospect Nic Kerdiles. For the NHL player we have Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher. For the European pick we have Helena Bighorns defenseman Sebastian Hansson.

   Nic is 6 ft 1 in, 200 lbs, and is from Irvine, California, USA. Currently, he is in his 2nd year at University of Wisconsin-Madison, but he was selected 36th overall in the second round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Anaheim Ducks. In the 2012-2013 season, he had 11 goals in 32 games played, 22 assists, 33 TPs, 37 PIMs, 3 power play goals, and 3 game winning goals. I really love how he plays because he plays big and he plays aggressive. With a side of finesse as well. He is very light with the puck and can flick it any where with ease. I like his style of play because he isn't afraid to approach his aggressive side and gets done what needs to get done. He is very determined out on the ice and knows exactly what he wants out there. He has quick skates, soft mitts, a quick eye, and a very high hockey IQ. I think he will be a great addition to any NHL team he goes to especially the Ducks and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for him because Nic has some great potential. Good luck Nic with the Badgers and you're future hockey career!

(Credit to Nic Kerdiles)

  

  Sebastian is 5 ft 11, 210 lbs, and is from Skurup, Sweden. In the 2012-2013 season, he had 1 goal in 14 games played, 6 assists, 7 TPs, and 12 PIMs with the Limhamm HC Division 2 team. Currently, he is kicking butt in Helena, Montana, USA with the incredible Bighorns in the AWHL. He has 14 goals in 24 games played, 23 assists, 37 TPs, a +/- of 22, 35 PIMs, 6 power play goals, 6 power play assists, and 2 game winning goals. Sebastian is a huge defenseman who takes care of business during games. You need a goal scored or a guy taken out, Hansson is your guy. He is amazing out there and he never disappoints! He is just a huge player that has a huge presences about him that is unforgettable. Helena has a reputation for great defenseman but Sebastian takes it to a whole other level. He is the complete package with wicked quick skates, sharp skills, a high hockey IQ, soft mitts, and an aggressive style of play. If I was going to have a pro team, Sebastian Hansson would be one of my #1 picks for sure. I can't wait to see how his season goes because it is bound to be a great one! Good luck Sebastian with the Bighorns and you're future hockey career! (#24)

(Credit to Sebastian Hansson)

    Brendan is 5 ft 9 in, 180 lbs, and is from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He was selected 147th overall in the 5th round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft to the Montreal Canadiens. Currently, this is his second year with the Canadiens. Last year, he had 15 goals in 44 games played, 13 assists, 28 TPs, a +/- of 10, 33 PIMs, 3 power play goals, 3 game winning goals, 117 shots on goal, and a shot percentage (S%) of 12.8. I am really glad that Brendan is deeply rooted with the Canadiens already because they are a great development team and will in no doubt help him build up his success and skills throughout his career in the NHL. Brendan is great at handling the puck, he has great on-ice vision, physical when it need be, and his skates are very quick. I think he will help bring a younger side to Montreal and will lead the way for the new generation of players coming in to the beautiful city and great team. I also believe that we will be seeing a lot more of him in the seasons coming up. Good luck Brendan with the Canadiens and your future NHL career!

(Credit to Google Images-lapresse.ca)

  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!