Juniors Wind Down, NHL Reaches Semi-Finals
Some Junior Hockey Notes...
Congrats to the Indiana Ice for winning the Clark Cup over the Fargo Force. The Clark Cup is given to the USHL Champions. Fargo took the opening game in Indianapolis, but the Ice responded with three straight wins, including 6-0 and 5-1 wins in Fargo to finish off the series. The Ice followed up this accomplishment by showing even more class during the USHL draft last week. Check It Out.
The St Louis Bandits captured there third straight Robertson Cup as champions of the NAHL. The Bandits defeated the Wenatchee Wild 3-2 in OT. Congrats to the Bandits.
For those in the US who get the NHL Network (channel 215 on DirecTV, 403 on the Dish Network) the Memorial Cup games are being televised. The Memorial Cup is the Canadian Major Junior National Championship featuring the the winners of the Western Hockey League (WHL), the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) along with a host team. This year the tournament features the Kelowna Rockets (WHL), the Windsor Spitfires (OHL), the Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) and the host Rimouski Oceanic (Quebec).
If only the NHL Network would televise USHL and NAHL Finals...
On the NHL side, we are down to four. Should be some great semi-final series. Anyone get the impression that the NHL almost got what it wanted? Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it's a fact that the NHL doesn't like Western teams come playoff time because of the schedule. Chicago and Detroit dispatched Vancouver and Anaheim respectively. A couple times I had to wonder if something had come down from the league office. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that two of the Original 6 are still alive and that I don't have to stay up to 1am watching any more games. That said, I'm sure they would have had Boston finish off Carolina. While I'm a big fan of the underdog, I must admit that I was hoping Boston would win (and win the Cup). New England could use a Stanley Cup. It's a great thing for youth hockey.
Congrats to the Indiana Ice for winning the Clark Cup over the Fargo Force. The Clark Cup is given to the USHL Champions. Fargo took the opening game in Indianapolis, but the Ice responded with three straight wins, including 6-0 and 5-1 wins in Fargo to finish off the series. The Ice followed up this accomplishment by showing even more class during the USHL draft last week. Check It Out.
The St Louis Bandits captured there third straight Robertson Cup as champions of the NAHL. The Bandits defeated the Wenatchee Wild 3-2 in OT. Congrats to the Bandits.
For those in the US who get the NHL Network (channel 215 on DirecTV, 403 on the Dish Network) the Memorial Cup games are being televised. The Memorial Cup is the Canadian Major Junior National Championship featuring the the winners of the Western Hockey League (WHL), the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) along with a host team. This year the tournament features the Kelowna Rockets (WHL), the Windsor Spitfires (OHL), the Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) and the host Rimouski Oceanic (Quebec).
If only the NHL Network would televise USHL and NAHL Finals...
On the NHL side, we are down to four. Should be some great semi-final series. Anyone get the impression that the NHL almost got what it wanted? Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it's a fact that the NHL doesn't like Western teams come playoff time because of the schedule. Chicago and Detroit dispatched Vancouver and Anaheim respectively. A couple times I had to wonder if something had come down from the league office. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that two of the Original 6 are still alive and that I don't have to stay up to 1am watching any more games. That said, I'm sure they would have had Boston finish off Carolina. While I'm a big fan of the underdog, I must admit that I was hoping Boston would win (and win the Cup). New England could use a Stanley Cup. It's a great thing for youth hockey.
