Av's Brad Malone's first NHL goal against the Calgary Flames

Former Fighting Sioux forward Brad Malone scores his first goal of his NHL career for the Colorado Avalanche against the Calgary Flames. That is the third point in 15 NHL games for Brad Malone (1g-2a—3pts).

(Video) End of the Wild and Sharks game

Since when is it now permissible to cross-check your opponent multiple times in the NHL? The refs in this game should be punished the NHL’s head of officials for their performance at the end of this game. After re-watching this video, I am more upset because the NHL officials are supposed to be the best in the world and should be held to a higher standard. This is kind of bushleague officiating is unacceptable, and their not calling penalties led to this ugly incident.

If you don't believe me, go back and watch the video again.

I included the play leading up to the exchange between Heatley and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. If the refs were doing their job, you might not have the play leading up to the slashes in question, because the players in question might have already been sitting in the penalty box. I am also not opposed to the NHL’s Department of Players Safety giving  Minnesota's Heatley a fine as well, after re-watching the video a few times, because if he connects with Vlasic, he could have done a lot of damage as well.

(VIDEO) Taylor Hall cheap shot on Cal Clutterbuck

First off, this is a text book knee-on-knee hit, it's a bush league hit, it's dirty and it deserves a suspension. I do not care that Taylor Hall is a super star.

I also, find it hilarious that Edmonton Oilers fans are defending this hit on twitter tonight. Second; would the NHL referees, please stop rescuing the players that do these hits on the ice. Whenever Matt Cooke or some other hack does something like this, the refs and linesman immediately come to their aid, don't. Screw-em  they deserve what they get. They just hurt someone, they deserve what they get. Hall didn't care about Clutterbuck as he was trying to end his season with that dirty leg check.

Let the players have some say on the ice before you throw them in the box or send them to the locker room. The hockey code demands that an act this be answered to, if not this kind of stuff will fester for a very long time, until you end up with Todd Bertuzzi type incidents.

First point of contact on Hall vs. Clutterbuck after replay showed in press room. Knee on knee
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) February 22, 2013

Brodziak on Hall: "First thing I did was ask the refs if it was dirty. They said yes. We just hope (Clutterbuck's) all right."
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) February 22, 2013

Buffoon of the day (from a comment on Sports Net)

tbizz17 Feb 22, 2013 9:54 AM in response to: sportsnet_ca Re: Oilers' Hall delivers questionable hit

Clutterbuck's one of the dirtiest players in the league...he deserves every bit of that. If the guy didn't bail out at the last second that's a clean hit...it's when guys start jumping out of the way that knees get tangled...a guy like Clutterbuck should have his head up all the time....he would have done the same thing to Hall if it's the other way around. I'm not a fan of either team, but sometimes you reap what you sow and Cal learned that. He won't miss a game...it's his thing to role around on the ice for a while after a hit...

Mikhail Grabovski does his best Alex Burrows impersonation

What is with these NHL players biting each other? This is ridiculous, last time I checked, aren't NHL players grown men? Do we not punish our children with consequences when they bite their friends and classmates in school. In my humble opinion, Mikhail Grabovski should have to sit for a game or two for his childish shenanigans. Grabovski has a hearing this afternoon with the department of players safety.

NHL.COM --- Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski faces a hearing with the Department of Player Safety on Sunday afternoon for an incident in Toronto's 6-0 victory against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

Grabovski received a 10-minute misconduct and a roughing minor for an incident during a scrum at the 11:30 mark of the third period. Grabovski was tangled up with Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty during the incident in question. Pacioretty was also issued a 10-minute misconduct on the play.

It's gut check time for the NHL. This is one of these cases where the NHL needs to make an example out of Grabovski and throw the book at him. Suspend him for a game or two, that would be okay with me. Heck, why not make it hurt and suspend him for three to five games.

This weekend's NCAA Division one television schedule

This hockey season, with this absence of the NHL I have focused on the game of college hockey while the NHL and the NHLPA decided to act like a bunch of children, and hence, the two sided ended up causing the cancelation of 40% of the NHL Hockey season.  Now that the NHL is back up, and running, I would urge fans to continue watching the Division I college hockey.

This season, I have tried keeping up with the ever changing NCAA Division I hockey schedule, and for the most part it’s been difficult because the national college hockey television schedule is very fluid, they continually add games, and obviously delete games. So, I have decided to do it more by a week-to-week basis.

Programing note, for UND hockey fans that are looking for tonight’s game to show up on their DirecTV lineup, there is one change, DirecTV is not picking up Friday’s game between the Wisconsin Badgers. This was announced by the UND Sports Information Director Jayson Hajdu.

If you watch the NHL during the week, you will see numerous former college hockey fans lighting up NHL goalies all over the NHL.

On Wednesday  30, 2013, there was a game between the Minnesota Wild and St Louis Blues and it  looked like all WCHA reunion as there were nine former players from North Dakota (2X), Wisconsin (4X), Minnesota State,  Saint Cloud State, Colorado College. What I didn’t mention is the other schools that were represented in that game as well.

Last night, former Minnesota Gopher Thomas Vanek torched Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask for three goals and lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 7-4 victory over the Boston Bruins. Vanek is currently leading the NHL in points with 15. Former Wisconsin Badgers forward Joel Pavelski is sitting in fourth place with 12 points.

In the offseason, The Minnesota Wild signed former Fighting Sioux All-American Zach Parise, the Wild are seeing instance results from Parise, who’s currently leading the Minnesota Wild in scoring with (5g-4a—9pts).

In Toronto last night, former Fighting Sioux forward Matt Frattin scored the game winning goal for the Toronto Maples Leafs as they beat the Washington Capitals 3-2. Frattin is currently third in the NHL with 2 game winning goals.

I think that it’s safe to say, that the future of the NHL is on stage every Friday and Saturday on a television channel near you.

So, if you don’t have the NHL package or you’re one of those fans that have refused to spend the $50.00-$60.00 to get this package, you have options, especially if you have DirecTV.

*NESN = New England Sports Network. FCS= Fox College Sports. NBCSN = NBC Sports Network. DirecTV requires the “Sports Pack” to view the Regional sports Networks.

Fri.	Feb. 1		Michigan State at Michigan	BTN	6:35 p.m.	610 / 439 (C)
Fri.	Feb. 1		UMass Lowell at Merrimack	NESN	7:00 p.m.	628 / 434
Fri.	Feb. 1		Dartmouth at Union	NBC Sports Net.	7:30 p.m.	603 / 159
Sat.	Feb. 2		Michigan vs. Michigan State (JLA)	FS Detroit	3:00 p.m.	663 / 430
Sat.	Feb. 2		University of Wisconsin at UND	FCS/Midco	7:07pm	626

Cross Posted at The Hockey Writers - Combine...

Adam McQuaid pounds Brian Boyle

Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid and New York Rangers forward Brian Boyle are two big boys and this was a pretty good fight in my opinion. This is one thing that I like about the NHL, something happens on the ice and it's settled the players on the ice and not the officials. I score the fight a win by McQuaid. Unfortunately, the Boston Bruins are losing 2-0 after one period of hockey.

Travis Zajac's new deal.

Former Fighting Sioux forward and current New Jersey Devil Travis Zajac is the first player to sign a big contract under the new CBA.

Here is the break down of the deal:
2013-14 $3.5 million (includes $1 million in signing bonus)
2014-15 $5 million (includes $1 million in signing bonus)
2015-16 $6.5 million
2016-17 $6.5 million
2017-18 $6.5 million
2018-19 $6.5 million
2019-20 $5.75 million
2020-21 $5.75 million