Hello hardcore hockey fans. Like me, you are probably trying to schedule your next week around the World Junior Championships, and around Team Canada’s games. Problem is, after the round robin portion, all TSN’s schedule says is “TBA”.

I did some research on the IIHF site and figured out what our schedule will look like, so put this in your calendars!

Quarter Finals:

Canada should finish first in group A, thus receiving a bye through this round to the semi-finals.

Semi Finals:

Sunday January 3rd – 2:00 P.M. PST/5:00 P.M EST A1 (Canada) vs. Winner of Quarter Final 2

Final:

Tuesday January 5th – 5:00 P.M. PST/8:00 P.M EST

TSN also always adds half an hour before the start of the game to try to make us watch the Bob McKenzie pre-game show. I’ve removed that from this schedule for your sanity.

After the Canucks lost road games to Carolina and Nashville last week, Kyle Wellwood took a lot of heat, as he was scratched for two games in a row by head coach Alain Vigneault. He finally drew into the lineup against Los Angeles, but he played himself out of the line-up again for Wednesday’s match against Anaheim. Here are my thoughts on this situation:

In his return against the Kings, Wellwood took a third period penalty, which obviously put him right back in Vigneault’s bad books. But understand that it was Welly’s 3rd penalty in 2 years as a Canuck - considering that the coach asked for more grit, shouldn’t Vigneault be pleased with the effort?

The Canucks need a third line that can take some pressure off the top two, and right now the third and fourth lines consist of Tanner Glass - Rick Rypien – Jannik Hansen, and Darcy Hordichuck – Ryan Johnson – Steve Bernier. Tons of heart, but the only skill resides in Hansen. They need more talent!

Vigneault must get Wellwood going again, and it’s not going to happen without putting him in scoring situations! Put him back on the powerplay – he has magic hands and great vision, and he’ll be much more useful than “Stone Hands” Bernier!

Note: I will be going on holiday for 8 days, beginning today. Have a good week, if you can do so without my posts. I will return on December 28, just in time for the much anticipated unveiling of the Canadian Men's Olympic Hockey Team!

Tiger Woods is in so much trouble with his wife that he has decided to take an “indefinite leave” from golf to focus on his family. The mistress count is up to something like 13 or 15 - really, does it even matter anymore? Hopefully for Tiger, his therapist doesn’t charge a per affair rate.

The Woodses are trying to repair their marriage, for the kids. Elin came from a divorced family and doesn’t want her children to go through the same ordeals. But is there really any point now? Not only are there 13+ alleged mistresses, but the latest, Jamie Jungers claims that her affair with the golfer started in the Summer of 2005, just after Woods was married! It lasted 18 months, and was much more than only a physical relationship. Elin wants Tiger to quit golf for the time being, and most likely, to quit other women as well. But really, is this going to make the man happy? He loves golf, and he apparently loves women too. Would he actually be able to be with one for the rest of his life? Doesn’t look like it from this vantage point.

Back to the kids, forcing this marriage cannot possibly be what’s best for them. When they reach the age when they start finding out about their father’s mistakes, how can they possibly understand it and lead a normal family life afterwards? As if being Tiger Woods’ children wasn’t enough to deal with on top of it all, their school friends will be dropping jokes about their dad’s cheating ways.

Tiger, maybe it’s time to retake control of your life. Move on from the woman, spend as much time with the kids as she’ll allow, and get back to golf. As the sponsor who will always stick by you says “Just Do It.”

“The decision to play Raycroft was overmanaging, and every major-league coach does it.” – Iain MacIntyre, The Vancouver Sun.

In Thursday’s Vancouver Sun sports section, Iain MacIntyre wrote an article stating that Roberto Luongo should have started all four contests on the Canucks’ recent road trip. If ever there was a case of a reaction based on the score rather than the actual game, this is it. Anyone who watched the Carolina match knows that it was not only Andrew Raycroft who did not show up; rather, it was the entire team that seemed to be moving in slow motion on Saturday morning.

But, MacIntyre asserted: “The Canucks were beaten because they were sloppy and uninspired, as if they thought they’d defeat the National Hockey League’s worst team merely by making the opening faceoff. And why might they think that? Because the best Canuck was given the day off.”

According to him, the reason the Canucks played a sloppy game was because they were sent the wrong message by their coaching staff. Is it not because they had just played back to back games on Wednesday and Thursday night, and then were asked to play at 10:30 a.m. PST on Saturday? And if those 3 games in 3.5 days left them tired, shouldn’t they have the same, if not even more of an adverse affect on the only player who plays the entire game?

If you agree with this, then you understand the coach’s decision to give Luongo a rest on Saturday. Plus, don’t forget that the last time Louie skipped his morning skate and played a Saturday morning game –December 2008 against the Pittsburg Penguins – he injured his groin and was out for a month.

With all this in mind, it makes sense that Luongo was given the day of rest. Had Raycroft played a stellar game and won the contest, the decision would not be second guessed at all, and head coach Alain Vigneault would be lauded. Making decisions about when to rest players and when to play them is the heart of the coach’s job, and the distinction between overachieving and overmanaging is often determined by the players.

MacIntyre is a good writer who analyzes the game very well, but in this instance he is dead wrong. Vigneault made a sound, well-educated decision, and had the team won, we’d never hear a peep about bad goalie selection.

To read MacIntyre's article, click here.

Many of us have been wondering what exactly led to Tiger Woods' car crash. Lucky for our curious minds, a Taiwanese news outlet created an animated recreation of the events, exactly as they happened! We don't know how they know more about the details than we here in North America, but if this made it on to the TV, it must be real... enjoy!

With the return of Daniel Sedin and Jannik Hansen to the Canucks' lineup, the team is beginning to look like a contender. Granted, they skated like slugs in Saturday’s match against the Hurricanes, but who schedules a game at 10:30 a.m. PST anyways? For a team used to night games, it’s no wonder they were half asleep. Going forward, they are going to be just fine – reason being, they have depth at the forward position. We know the chemistry of the Sedin twins and Burrows, so here is a breakdown of the other three forward lines.

Third Line:

Why does Vancouver love Kyle Wellwood so much? Two weeks ago, in a game against Los Angeles, when a goal credited to Wellwood was reviewed and given to the true scorer, Tanner Glass, the GM Place crowd actually booed in protest. Granted it was Wellwood’s first goal of the season, but talk about picking favorites!

Perhaps it’s his angelic, innocent face, or the fact that we all see a little of ourselves in his formerly out of shape physique, or maybe it is because we know that when he’s on his game, he is one of the most skilled Canuck forwards out there. With Wellwood, it’s all about confidence, so what’s the key to keeping his up? For starters, don’t expect him to carry a line. Playing with Tanner Glass and Steve Bernier while the Canucks were reeling from injuries, Wellwood was the only creative individual of the trio, and even when he made good plays they would go nowhere. It was the addition of Jannik Hansen to his line that initially gave him the kick in the butt he needed. Now that head coach Alain Vigneault has moved Mikael Samuelsson to the line in place of Hansen, it will combine a good combination of grit and skill, as Samuelsson is a creative, puck possession player.

Second Line:

The Vancouver Sun seems to think the fact that Ryan Kesler hasn’t scored a goal in 14 games is an issue. It’s not. Kesler is the engine that drives the Canucks, and he continues to play hard and inspire teammates with the way he always put everything on the ice. Goal scoring slumps are often overstated, and that is certainly the case here, as he has 4 assists in the Canucks last 5 games, meaning he is still creating offense.

With Hansen moved to the second line to play with Mason Raymond and Kesler, this is now a line of like minded individuals: they’re all strong, tough, and good with the puck, and all three of them travel in one direction – straight to the net. This combination will continue to provide energy when the team needs it and provide goals at big moments.

Fourth Line:

Rick Rypien and Ryan Johnson are completely underrated offensively, yet they manage to do pretty well in that regard, given their mandate of “don’t make mistakes and keep the puck in the offensive end”. When they poke in the odd goal, it’s a nice present, though not really a surprise.

Two weeks ago would you have imagined that Tiger Woods could be any bigger than he already was? His face was already one of the most recognizable in the world as the planet's premier athlete and sports superstar, but the truths that been exposed recently about his unfaithfulness will make him more famous, if that is even possible! Surely, a lot of it is negative press, but in the end, more people will be compelled to follow his life and story.

If you are thinking that the negativity surrounding his actions will make him less popular, think again. The core fan-base he already had – 20-50 year old male golf fans – who loved to veg-out in front of the TV for a 6 straight hours on Masters Sunday will not be any less inclined to watch. They are sports fans, who became Tiger fans because he is an incredible golfer,.and they will still be there, useless as lumps on a log for a full day. The difference is that now they won’t be alone. Wives, girlfriends, sisters, those who used to dismiss the man as a part of the couch, an inanimate object that could not be stirred on those golf weekends, will actually sit down next to him. As Tiger makes his charge at a green jacket, they will be booing him and hurling curses his way: “A**hole! Cheater! Jerk!” But the fact is, they will be watching. Upon winning, will he go immediately to his wife and kids for the hug and kiss? During his victory speech, the camera will cut to a close-up on her face to see if she’s muttering swear words under her breath, or if tears are running down her cheeks. This is compelling reality TV, and it’s better than anything else out there, hands down.

As the story was revealed, the first thought of many sports outlets was if Woods would retain his endorsements. Would Nike, Buick, Gatorade not be opposed to align themselves with such a sinner? That’s pretty dumb. If anything, they should be over the moon. Tiger has just made himself the number 1 news story in North America: his face all over every news website, newspaper, and any media outlet, and what’s that little symbol on his hat? Nike’s loving it. And don’t forget General Motors, who paid a reported $40 million for five years for Tiger to endorse Buick. The shot of Woods’ wrecked car is everywhere, and although it’s a Cadillac and not a Buick, that shot alone is worth more than the $40 million for GM. What’s a more memorable image, Woods on a boring TV commercial with a Buick, or the beat up SUV, with the word “Escalade” clearly visible on the side?

Angry ladies on The View, as furious as you are with Tiger, you just made him more legendary.

The above statement is jarring enough. In a statement released on Wednesday in reference to the many allegations he has faced in the past two weeks, Tiger Woods admitted to “transgressions” and being “far short of perfect”. ESPN’s report can be read here. We don’t know the details, and Woods would prefer to keep them within his family, but these statements are enough of an admission to the many rumours that have been swirling regarding his infidelity.

The scary thing is that Woods is a role model to children and adolescents around the world. They want to be like him: strong, in full control of their emotions, able to perform their best under pressure. And now he’s a cheater, allegedly. Unfortunately, he’s not alone. Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, David Beckham, and countless other sports superstars have all been caught being untrue to their wives.

But this is not about them, it’s about Tiger. We were not surprised when Kobe’s story came out – after all, he was married at the age of 22 to an 18 year old! Beckham was the world’s playboy, did anyone expect his marriage to Posh Spice to last this long?

Woods was on a different level. He learned to handle scrutiny when he was just a child. He never said anything to anyone that would raise eyebrows or cause a stir. He had the PR thing down pat. And what about the fact that he was married to a beautiful Swedish model? Shouldn’t that be enough to keep him from straying?

But let’s take a moment to feel sorry for Tiger. Not only is he dealing with his wife finding out about his “transgressions” this week, as she realizes she can’t trust him anymore. The entire world has just found out the same harsh truth. Though at the end of the day, none of the ire he faces from the world will matter compared to the heat he has faced and will continue to cope with at home.

Five days before the Grey Cup Championship Game this Sunday, Saskatchewan Roughriders’ head coach Ken Miller revealed that he suffered from prostate cancer 2 years earlier and underwent treatment during the football season. What a stroke of genius, deflecting attention from his team so that they could focus on the upcoming game against the Montreal Alouettes.

However, this tactic has not fooled us at Head to the Net, and we are not going to lose direction! Don’t be distracted, people, from the fact that Darian Durant is playing in his first Grey Cup Final and the weight of the world is on his shoulders. Don’t forget to ask Jason Clermont about his struggles this year, and how he has faced those inner demons that haunt his dreams every night. Remember to remind each player that their General Manager, Eric Tillman, is embroiled in a sexual assault case, and find out how it has affected the team’s mindset throughout the season. Tell Chris Getzlaf that his brother has a championship ring from the NHL, but he has yet to achieve the ultimate success in his sport.

All of these facts should be brought up and explored before the game, with no stone left unturned. Surviving scrutiny like this is a large part of winning in any professional sport, so let’s not give the Roughriders a pass just because their coach was not well a few years ago. Fans: if you see the players in the street, remind them of what’s at stake! Media: to use a football term – send the blitz!

This post was not intended to make light of the serious issue that is prostate cancer. In fact, I have been growing a mustache for the "Movember" prostate cancer awereness fundraiser, and if you would like to learn about or donate to the cause, please visit my "Mo Space" here.

The 2010 Olympics are taking place in hockey mad Canada, only a short 1 hour flight away from Calgary. One would think that any NHL player would jump at the chance of representing his country in the tournament, in any capacity, but that’s not the case for Flames’ goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff. He doesn’t want to come unless he is assured to be the number 1 goalie for Finland.

Considering he is most likely their best option, with Minnesota’s Niklas Backstrom being the only true competition, his comment, “If I'm not going to start for sure, I think I'm going to take that time off and rest," reported in the Calgary Herald, is completely uncalled for. The only thing accomplished is that he shows selfishness and a lack of support for the Finnish hockey program.

So what happens if he is selected to represent his country, starts the first game and plays a stinker? If he is asked to sit the next game out, will he pout? What if he is outplayed in the round robin portion? Is the team obligated to play him in the elimination rounds, just because they promised him the number 1 position? Will he hop on the first flight back to Calgary if he is asked to sit?

Finland hockey should think this through before pushing Kipper into attending. Do they really want such a self-serving, individualistic player on their roster? Come to think of it, do the Calgary Flames even want a player with his attitude? Kiprusoff is obviously not a team player and this mind-set cannot help any team he plays for.

To read CTV's report on this story, click here.

In the days leading up to December 31st, Steve Yzerman, Hockey Canada Executive Director, is going to have a number of tough decisions to make regarding the personnel on the Olympic roster. One big decision that he will leave on head coach Mike Babcock’s shoulders will be choosing the number one goaltender.

Clearly, both Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo will be on the squad, and whoever fills the third spot will be there just for insurance purposes.

Here’s the scenario: on February 16th Luongo will play in Canada’s first game against Norway. On the 18th, Brodeur will start the second against Switzerland. And unless Luongo was a disaster in game 1, he will start again in the third game on the 21st against USA. This might be the other way around, but essentially, whoever plays better in the round robin matches will be the starter for the elimination rounds.

The question is, who will Mike Babcock favor?

The Case for Brodeur:

His history speaks for itself:
- 3 Stanley Cups
- 2002 Olympic Gold Medal
- 2004 World Cup Championship
- 4 Vezina Trophies as NHL’s best goaltender

And he is not slowing down: he already has a 12-6-1 record in the 2009-2010 season.

The Case for Luongo:

Ok, so Luongo’s got nothing on Brodeur’s list of accomplishments, but he has been stuck with the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers for most of his career. So why should Mike Babcock give him the job over the incumbent Brodeur?

It’s his city, it’s his arena, and it’s finally his turn. At 30, he’s in his prime and he has certainly paid his dues, playing backup to Brodeur at the 2004 World Cup and 2006 Olympics.

If there are any nuances to know about the ice rink known as “Canada Hockey Place”, Luongo knows them better than anyone in the world, because to him, it is GM Place, his home arena, year round.

And, wouldn’t it be amazing to hear the Arena masses chanting “LOU” every time he makes a save? Coach Babcock, in the words of Russel Peters: "Be a man, do the right thing."

If you have an opinion on who should start for Canada, let it be heard by voting in the poll question on the right!

Following Sunday’s 1-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, here is the Canucks’ hot/not list:


HOT:

Mason Raymond:

With 14 points so far, Raymond is finally having his breakout season with the Canucks. Playing with a lot more grit and determination, lately he has looked like a slicker version of Ryan Kesler.

Christian Ehrhoff:

Following a 2 goal, 1 assist performance against the Avalanche, Ehrhoff sits 4th on the Canucks scoring list. An outburst like that can only encourage him to trust his offensive skills and put up more points as the season goes on.

Jannik Hansen:

This is more about what he represents for the team than his personal play: the return of Hansen from his hand injury brings a whole new dimension to the Canucks – a third line that can score.

NOT:

Kyle Wellwood:

Wellwood has 2 points in 19 games, and he is an offensively gifted player! In fairness, he’s been stuck with Tanner Glass and Steve Bernier for most of the season - not much to work with. But what’s really lacking in his game right now? One word: confidence. Hansen might be the serum he needs.

Sami Salo:

With Ehrhoff picking up the slack for the defensemen, one player who has fallen under the radar is Salo. Tied with Kyle Wellwood with just 2 points on the season, Salo is not using this blistering shot to strike fear into opposing goalies and penalty killers. Shoot the puck, Sami!

Alex Burrows:

Burrows hasn’t been the Canucks’ sparkplug like he was last year with only 4 goals in 23 games. Being reunited with the Sedin brothers will change this, and Burrows won’t be on the cold list for long.

Kevin Weekes, retired NHL goaltender, has been working as a colour commentator for the CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada since the beginning of the 2009 season, and his performance really raises questions about the network’s screening process. Is the lone prerequisite simply having been an ex-NHL goalie or coach?

Kevin here is some feedback on some of the comments you made during your most recent performance, November 14 – Vancouver vs. Colorado.

“And folks, sometimes no matter how prepared and how focused you are, you just make mistakes. I mean in the National Hockey League, just like any other level of hockey, guys actually make mistakes.”

Seriously, how dumb is that comment? We’re hockey fans and we’re sports fans. We KNOW that professional athletes make mistakes! We’ve seen Roberto Luongo give up bad goals, we’ve watched Gretzky miss huge shots. This is not insightful!

“Brent Clark has to call Roberto Luongo mister, with a glove save like this. He said Grant Fuhr was his favourite goalie growing up, and it shows here, Mark.”

Uh no… it doesn’t show here, Mark. If you want to show us that you did your homework and talked to Luongo about his childhood, just say it, you don’t need to force the tie-in. And really, mister?

“All glove for Roberto Luongo. He’s got one of the best glove hands in the game, and when he’s able to come out, take a look at him here folks, when he’s able to get out here on top of that crease, he’ll make that save almost every time. Nice glove save by Roberto Luongo.”

First, stop calling us folks. You don’t have to do that in every other comment you make. We know you’re addressing us, and we know we’re folks. Second, are you getting paid by the word? It sure seems like it.

And here is a typical example of your inability to stay on topic and complete a thought:

“Well Darcy Tucker is a leader, and he played for the Kamloops Blazers, he won the Memorial Cup and look at these guys, Cody McLeod and Sami Salo jousting right off the face-off, but, and they get a great opportunity with Darcy Tucker going to the net, nice save by Roberto Luongo to keep a clean sheet for the Canucks.”

By the way, we call it a “shut-out”.

CBC, there are well educated, bright hockey commentators across this country, and you've got this rookie on the largest stage?

Peter Forsberg will not be coming back to the NHL this year, TSN reported on Monday, but he may yet attempt to make a comeback for the 2010-11 season. If he manages to make it happen, it will be Forsberg’s third time returning from retirement.

We intercepted this email written from the NFL’s Brett Favre to Forsberg yesterday morning:



From: Brett Favre <agelesswonder@hotmail.com>
To: Peter Forsberg <foppa@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 11:03:56 AM
Subject: comeback…

Pete,

I heard that you’re trying to complete the comeback hat-trick like me! Well here’s some advice: pick a goddam good team - one that’s got great young talent. Just look how great Adrian Peterson is making me look here in Minnesota. The guy is unstoppable, and I’m getting all the credit in the world!

I hear that Ovechkin kid’s pretty good, why don’t you try to be on his team? Or Crosby? Just do what I do – hand it off and let em run! I tell you, these kids are scared of old guys like us, so just yell at em to giver!

Hey, is there anything better than a retirement press conference? And the highlight pack of your career that ESPN puts together? I can’t wait for that again this year. Makes me teary eyed just thinkin about it.

Good luck pal,
Brett

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Enjoy!

On Tuesday November 10, the NHL General Managers began two days of meetings. Publicly, we have heard that the focal point of discussion on day one was the trapezoid behind the goaltenders’ nets. Day two was spent talking about headshots.

Really TSN experts, do you mean to tell me that the 30 most powerful men in hockey met for two days and all they discussed was a strange four sided shape from geometry class and the same head shot topic that has been talked about since Eric Lindros’ first concussion in 1972?

Luckily, Head to the Net had the meeting room bugged and we found out what really happened:


First, the room is fairly large, and there is a boxing ring situated right at the centre. NHL types believe that a good fist fight is a healthy self-policing method, or sometimes it can be used to switch momentum in negotiations – thus the need for the ring.

On Tuesday morning, Mike Gillis (Vancouver Canucks) and Brian Burke (Toronto Maple Leafs) have arrived in their full boxing gear, ready for the showdown that has been brewing for months. Gillis starts the fight with a couple of quick punches to Burkie’s head. No credit should be given for this, as Burke’s head is so big it’s impossible to miss.

After taking a few blows, Burke ties Gillis up into a headlock.

Burke: give… me… the… Sedins… Mike!

Gillis: Never!

Elsewhere in the room:

Kevin Lowe (Edmonton Oilers’ President) is clinging to the edge of the ring cheering Gillis on and crying death threats at Burke.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also watches from his chair, upon which he’s placed a booster seat.

Ray Shero (Pittsburgh Penguins) and George McPhee (Washington Capitals) are shooting pool

Shero: How you doing, George?

McPhee: Chillin’ bro.

Shero: I hear that. Everyone here is so stressed out, but you and I have the 4 best players in the league locked up to long term contracts. I got no problems with the NHL right now!

McPhee: Cheers to that, bro!

Conversely, Ken Holland (Detroit Red Wings), is on the phone with Steve Yzerman, analyzing the 2010 and 2011 draft prospects lists.

McPhee: Come have a beer with us, Ken! Your team is amazing already! Relax!

Holland: No.


Back at the ring, Gillis has landed a series of body blows, and Burkie’s lapdog, Dave Nonis is becoming very agitated. He pulls out his cell phone:

Nonis: Hi, Ray Emery? I need you! How soon can you been in Toronto? You have to come kick Mike Gillis’ ass.

Emery: You’re looking for the old Ray Emery, my man. I don’t fight anymore. Try calling Chris Chelios and offer him a contract – he’ll do anything to get back in the league.


At the main entrance: Don Maloney is arguing with the security guard.

Maloney: I’m supposed to be in there! You’ve got to let me in!

Security: You said your name is Don Maloney? Your name isn’t on the list, buddy. Who are you, again?

Maloney: I’m the GM of the Phoenix Coyotes! Don’t you know who I am?

Security: No, never heard of you, sir. And these “Coyotes” aren’t even on the list of recognized NHL teams. You sure you’ve got the right place?


The rest of day one continued in a similar fashion. Most of day two was spent debating whether the Toronto Maple Leafs should retain veto power in all votes going forward. They won the vote, using the veto.

According to Head to The Net’s reliable sources, Canucks’ GM Mike Gillis placed a call to Peter Forsberg, who is in Sweden, over the weekend. The following is a transcript:

Mike Gillis: Peter, we really want you to come and play for the Canucks, and I have to stress that playing in Vancouver will be really simple.

Peter Forsberg: Simple? What do you mean?

MG: For starters, we already have 4 Swedish players on the team. Last year we had 5. We’ve made Swedish our official second language, so you don’t even need to learn English if you don’t want.

PF: I lived in North America for 15 years already, Mike. I know English pretty well.

MG: Just in case you forgot, Peter! Or maybe you never liked English! It’s all up to you.

PF: Yeah, sure. Anything else?

MG: Yes. The Olympic Games are in Vancouver in February in our very own back yard – you will live within walking distance of the rink.

PF: Won’t I have to stay in the athletes’ village anyways? All players do. Really, it won’t make a difference.

MG: Crap, you saw through that one. Ok, well don’t tell Roberto or the Sedins about this, it was one of my main selling points for their new contracts. But Peter, we did completely renovate the dressing room this year, it is amazing.

PF: Don’t you have a huge roadtrip both before and after the Olympics, because of all the preparation and take-down time? I’ll never get to spend any time there anyways.

MG: How do you know all of this stuff? Don’t tell me you read the newspaper! Most players hate reading and believe everything I tell them. Signing you could be a lot harder than I thought. I guess I won’t be telling you how mild our weather is, like I told Mats last year. Boy was he upset when he realized it never stops raining.

PF: Don’t worry, my other choice is Philadelphia. If anything is more dreary than Vancouver, that’s the place. I’ll probably just flip a coin when the time comes to decide. Good luck, Mike!

Dear Head To the Net Readers, check out the new banner! Wonderful new banners such as are only made possible by you, the loyal readers.

There is also a new poll: who will be Canada's starting goalie at the Olympic games? Weigh in now!

Last night during the Canucks vs. Wild game, Tommy Larscheid let it be known that GM Mike Gillis is very interested in pursuing the services of Peter Forsberg for the rest of the Canucks season. Gillis spoke with Larscheid before the game, and told him that most of the Canucks’ pro-scouting staff is currently in Sweden, watching Forsberg’s progress, as he competes in an international tournament. Today, the Team 1040 radio station mentioned that Mike Gillis and Lawrence Gillman may have travelled to Sweden as well, as the Canucks are pursuing this with all they’ve got.

Just remember the Peter Forsberg who used to dominate NHL defensemen with his size and strength. One of the best power forwards the league has ever seen, he was that rare combination of size, skill, vision, and the one intangible he had more than anyone else – intensity. One look at his eyes was enough to scare opponents into submission, and if that didn’t do it, a single bone-crushing body check would.

I originally designed this jersey to help Gillis sign the Sedins this past summer, and it was obviously the deciding factor in the end. It will work on Forsberg too. “Peter the Great” playing for the Canucks – please Mike, make it happen.

See Iain MacIntyre's article in the Vancouver Sun here

Oftentimes, Vancouver Canucks’ head coach, Alain Vigneault, will make decisions that leave us scratching our heads. Usually, however, his actions carry an underlying message. Here, we’re going to help you interpret some of his latest moves, in our new segment: “Reading between Coach V’s lines”.


What Coach V did: Defenseman Kevin Bieksa has been moved from defenseman to forward due to the many injuries that the Canucks are dealing with.

What he was thinking: “Since you love jumping into the offensive play without a thought to your defensive responsibilities, you can just play forward and forget about defense all together.”

What Coach V did: Kyle Wellwood was taken off the power play for the first two periods of Tuesday’s game.

What he was thinking: “I don’t care if you’re a ‘powerplay specialist,’ Kyle, if you keep giving the puck away you get to be a third line specialist."

(note, Wellwood played his way back onto the powerplay in the third period, and looked more motivated in his return)


What Coach V did: He demoted Sergei Shirokov from the Canucks to the minor league Manitoba Moose despite all the injuries and the Canucks’ desperate need for offense.

What he was thinking: "You seem to want to play like a kid, so you can just go play with the kids."

November 1, 2009

Report by Omar Rawji

In the fourth and final game of the series against USA on Sunday morning, Team Canada finally came out with the start they wanted, and they built a 2-0 lead by the 26th minute. The final score was 3-1 Canada after a second half that was a test for the team’s defensive resolve, as they played shorthanded for much of it.

Mark Pearson led the offense with two goals - the first coming off an interception by Ranjeev Deol, who passed it to Pearson for the finish. Considering that the team that has been stressing the importance of capitalizing on counters, it was particularly satisfying.

““We talked in the pre-game about working on our fast breaks and getting more out of our counter opportunities,” said Pearson. “Sure enough, four minutes in, a turnover came to Jeevers (Deol), who played a lovely ball through to me, and I just ran in and smashed it by the goalie.” His second came in the 26th minute, on a great play by Taylor Curran.

“The second one was a good buildup – the ball got to Taylor, he made a nice turn coming in on the two-on-one and he just fed it across far post. It was a good ball, and I was just in there to dive in and score.”

The second half was defined by Canada’s yellow cards, which started with a cautioning to Keegan Pereira in the 51st minute. Mark Erickson would subsequently be carded in the 55th minute, followed by Pearson in the 57th – making Canada play down by two men for five minutes and by one for an additional six.

”That was a bit of a turning point, and they cranked up the heat a little bit and started pressing, but I think we got out of it pretty good,” said Canadian Head Coach Alan Brahmst.

Immediately before Pereira’s cautioning, he played a large role in creating the team’s final goal, as he swiftly ran the ball up the left side and into the D, crossing it towards Ian Smyth who dove in attempt to finish the play, resulting in a penalty corner. Captain Scott Tupper would take the corner and score the 3-0 goal, as the team went one-for-three on short corner opportunities.

With many of Canada’s veterans not in attendance for this game, the young guns played a prominent role. Mark Erickson and Jesse Watson played the entire match, and Connor Meakin, Taylor Curran, Pereira, and Smyth all played significant minutes. Coach Brahmst had particular praise for the play of Meakin and Curran, who are showing impressive improvement as their confidence rises.

Team captain Scott Tupper looked at the stretch of penalties in a positive light, “I think we kept our cool, we didn’t do too bad being down by 2 men. I think in a way it’s a good learning experience because that could happen in a tournament.”

Coach Brahmst was also pleased at his team’s response: “I think the boys did a fantastic job playing two men down – we were playing with eight guys out there,” he said. “There was about 10-15 minutes where the US was pushing and they did some good things.”

On the series as a whole, Brahmst was impressed with the American’s efforts, “The US definitely improved over the four games, but we improved too, and we just stayed ahead of them.”

Worth noting, Dave Jameson celebrated his 25th birthday in front of a nice group of hometown supporters. His moment of glory, to them, came in the 68th minute when he blocked a penalty corner shot off his knee.

“It was great, he took one for the team, and you have to do those things,” said Susan Paterson, the most vocal member of the DJ fanclub. “We are so proud to have his face on our shirts.”

Following an intense month of matches against India and USA, the team has 25 days to rest before they leave for Argentina to resume their pre-World Cup training regimen. In the meantime there will be plenty of analysis of the games, and there will be more to come on this in the upcoming days.


Scoring Summary:

3’ – CAN Pearson, Mark (FG) 1-0 Canada
26’ – CAN Pearson, Mark (FG) 2-0 Canada
51’ – CAN Tupper, Scott (PC) 3-0 Canada
56’ – USA Coolidge, Nate (PC) 3-1 Canada

Report by Omar Rawji

On a cold and rainy Thursday night at UBC’s Wright Field, Canada outplayed USA for the most part, but a few defensive breakdowns were difference makers in a 3-2 loss. The frozen crowd was treated to an exciting final 10 minutes. With the game tied 1-1, the Americans scored a field goal in 61st minute to take a 2-1 lead. Canada had an immediate reply, however, as they quickly pushed the ball downfield.

“We pretty much came straight down the field. Benny (Ben Martin) made a couple of nice moves on the right and played it into the circle. Philly (Philip Wright) just touched it on. I was just cruising around the goalie and just tucked it over him,” said goal-scorer Mark Pearson, whose marker tied the game at 2-2.

In the 67th minute, Gabbar Singh made a quick run down the right side, crossing the ball in towards Wright who just missed the ball for the go ahead goal. A moment later, a strong effort from Ranjeev Deol drew Canada’s fourth penalty corner chance, but Canada failed to score. Then, in the 68th minute of the match, a strong challenge from Canadian goalkeeper Antoni Kindler would result in the first of three penalty corners. The first two were blocked, but on the third try, the American’s took what looked like an option play down to their captain Sean Harris, who out-waited Kindler and shot the ball over him for the win.

Head Coach Alan Brahmst felt his team deserved a better outcome: “We had the majority of the possession, and we generated the majority of the opportunities on the attack. But we gave up silly counters and we didn’t control the counter game at all, and partially, in defense, we were dreaming. These games can go that way and sometimes you end up on the short end of the stick.”

Two Canadians played their first international matches, and both Stephen Bissett and Antoni Kindler were excited to have done so in front of a home crowd. Being the goalie, Kindler played a large role in the match, and he said afterwards that once the early game nerves passed, he felt his confidence grow. The final minute loss wasn’t quite the perfect debut he had hoped for, unfortunately.

With the four game series tied at one game apiece, the world 11th ranked Canadian National Team will be looking to send a message over the 19th ranked Americans on Saturday, and as long as they can cut down the errors, they should be able to do so. Match time is 12:30 p.m. at Wright Field.



Scoring Summary:

22’ - USA Ginolfi, Jon (FG) 1-0 USA

32’ – CAN Fernandes, Wayne (PC) 1-1

61’ – USA Schilling, Robert (FG) 2-1 USA

61’ – CAN Pearson, Mark (FG) 2-2

70’ – USA Harris, Sean (GK) 3-2 USA


Penalty Corners: CAN 4 – USA 5

Report by Omar Rawji

In the final match of the 7 Test Super Series in Surrey, BC, featuring Canada and India, the Canadians produced on penalty corners. Unfortunately, they left a number of other scoring chances on the field, and India came away with their 6th win of the series after a 3-2 result on Saturday.

Following India’s third goal, Canada applied waves of pressure on the opposition’s defense and with only two minutes remaining, Pete Short carried the ball into the D, passing it to crowd favorite, Gabbar Singh. Singh wasted no time hammering a backhand that just was saved by the goalie.

In the first half, already down 1-0 in the 15th minute, Mark Erickson cracked a ball in towards Connor Meakin who dove to deflect a dangerous ball on net. Once Canada had tied it up on the 26th minute penalty corner goal, Phil Wright created a glorious chance for himself, first tackling the ball off India’s defense and then putting it on net. Just a few moments later, Dave Jameson would have a couple of glorious chances in close.

“It was a beautiful pass through by Jeevers (Ranjeev Deol), touched on by Philly (Wright) beautifully right to me. Then I was one-on-one with the goalie. The ball was too close to me, and tried to sweep it. Instead of going for the corner, I went right at him. Then I got another chance. I tried to chip over him but it was too close to me and I put it right at him,” said Jameson. “You know, when you get those chances, you’ve got to put them away.”

Canada’s Head Coach Allan Brahmst echoed Jameson’s frustration: “Squandered opportunities – wide open opportunities in the first half.” Other than that, he felt that the match was pretty even, “I thought it was a crowd pleaser. Canada had quite a few chances and India had quite a few chances. It was pretty open back and forth and I thought it was a good game overall.”

After an abnormal game 6 in which they were awarded zero penalty corners, Canada came back in game 7 to regain their edge in creating three short corners to India’s two. This time, they capitalized, as Wayne Fernandes scored on two of the chances for a conversion rate of 66%.

“The first six games were tough, I mean we didn’t have any corners in the sixth game, but we had quite a few in the first five. Our ratio wasn’t very good and the last three or four days were spent just practicing them and I’m glad it paid off,” said Fernandes.

On the other side, Canada defended both of India’s penalty corners well and goaltender David Carter saved both.

“We got out there quick. I think we forced them to make a quick decision where to go and they went to the stick side both times. I was reading it a lot better than I was in the past so I was able to make some easy saves off it,” said Carter.

Connor Meakin and Adam Froese were two young players who performed well on Saturday and earned praise from the coach.

Overall, the 7 match series against India was a positive experience for Canada, despite the 0-6-1 record, and once the team and coaching staff analyze the results, we will write more on this.


Scoring Summary:

21’ – IND Singh, Prabjot (FG) 1-0 India
26’ – CAN Fernandes, Wayne (PC) 1-1
31’ – IND Chandi, Gurwinder (FG) 2-1 India
46’ – CAN Fernandes, Wayne (PC) 2-2
49’ – IND Khandker, Tushar (FG) 3-2 India

Report by Omar Rawji

More than a few aspects of game 6 left Team Canada disgruntled, as they lost by a score of 3-1 to India. The first was the fact that they had a good opportunity to win their first match of the series but let it go as the game wound down.

Starting the second half down 1-0 despite having more of the ball in the first, the Canadians applied pressure early. In the 39th minute, Ranjeev Deol took a great feed from Gabbar Singh and just missed the top of the net on a beautiful backhand shot. Then in the 48th minute, after a strong push, Canada was awarded a penalty stroke when India dangerously played the ball with a high stick inside the D. Canada’s Singh tied the game at 1-1 with a shot to the stick side that just squeaked in.

The remainder of the game was a little sloppy for the home side, and India’s Sarwanjit Singh scored the backbreaking go ahead goal off a costly turnover in the 57th minute. This seemed to deflate the Canadians and there was no strong reply on this day.

Part of the problem was the umpiring, which for not the first time in the 7 Test Series, was not up to standards. The refs appeared to have particular trouble with the self-pass rule and the five yard birth on aerial passes, and many players were visibly irritated.

“Yeah, it’s frustrating, and we’ve got to do something about it,” said Canada’s Head Coach Allan Brahmst. “But they are trying their best and doing what they’re doing.”

The coach strongly felt that Canada squandered game 6: “It was 1-1, we had a bit of the flow and we had some opportunities but then we simply threw the game away by being not very calm out of the back and playing it into them… caused turnovers and counters; we can’t play like that.”

Matt Peck started his second game of the series in net for Canada and he made a number of good saves to keep his team within striking distance. In the 37th minute, on a penalty corner, he stopped the low stick side flick attempt and then robbed India of what appeared to be a certain goal on the rebound. And in the 67th minute, he would make an even more spectacular save on an Arjun Halappa shot coming from the top of the circle to keep the game within one goal.

Canada was awarded zero penalty corner opportunities, while India had six. The visitors scored on none of those chances, however, as Canada played them aggressively and nullified the lethal shot of Sandeep Singh.

It was a big night for three Canadian players as they reached important milestones with the international squad. Ian Smyth played in his first match wearing Canadian colours, and he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“It was a phenomenal feeling. It’s like you dream all about, playing in front of the home crowd, and I had a wonderful time. It’s a great group of guys and we threw it all out there.” Very early in the match, Smyth nearly wrote a storybook debut, as he took a diving shot on a cross from Scott Sandison.

“I saw it go in. I swear it went in, but the goalie just got a piece of it and curled it wide,” said Smyth.

Both Ranjeev Deol and Scott Sandison earned their 150th caps, and they were both proud to have done so for their country.

“It feels great. Everytime we step on the field for Canada it’s a great feeling. You’re playing for your country – you’re playing for the Leaf,” said Deol.

“It’s an honour to be out here with these guys for 150 times, that’s for sure,” said Sandison, though his mind was stuck on the result. “It was a tough day at the office really… it’s always about results, right?”

With the seventh and final game of the 7 Test Series against India coming up on Saturday, Sandison had this to say, “We’ve played really well over this series. We’ve squandered a few opportunities and now we’re looking at going down without a win, but I don’t think this group’s going to let it happen. I think we’ve got a lot of character, and I’m looking forward to the next game, really.”

With that, Canada heads into Saturday’s 2 p.m. match with a chip on their shoulder. It should be a good one.



Scoring Summary

20’ – IND Singh, Shivendra (FG) 1-0 India
47’ – CAN Singh, Gabbar (PS) 1-1
54’ – IND Singh, Sarwanjit (FG) 2-1 India
65 – IND Singh, Shivendra (FG) 3-1 India


Penalty Corners: IND 6 – CAN 0

Yesterday morning, on his regular game day interview spot on the Team 1040, John Shorthouse was asked which Canuck will be this year’s Alex Burrows. Who will score all those clutch goals; make key plays when the team needs them most. His answer was that it had to be a collective effort, a team response. Don’t listen to him. The real answer to the question is Mikael Samuelson.

Brought in to fill the void left by Mats Sundin, Samuelson has had big shoes to fill. Yes, even Sundin detractors have to admit that he added an offensive dimension to the Canucks. On the powerplay Sundin was a force, he dominated the sideboards and rarely made an error, and his presence on the ice, even at even strength was formidable. Samuelson may not be as big as Sundin, or have the hands that seemed to settle down any puck in his vicinity, but he is apparently just as strong. Add to that the Swede’s skill – that was apparently underrated as he played on the third line on a very deep Detroit Red Wings team – and a tenaciousness that is second to none, and the Canucks have got themselves a gem.

Write this down: Mikael Samuelson will be an impact player for the Vancouver Canucks in the 2009-2010 season. Come playoffs, he will only get better, because he has been there with the NHL’s best organization many times and he has won. He knows what it takes, and he’s already shown that he’s prepared to bring it to each and every game.

While we’re talking about radio personalities, do note that Dave Tomlinson, Canucks analyst, predicted a 3-2 Vancouver win, directly before the game started.

Scott Tupper, still just a “bright-eyed 22-year-old,” as described by Yvonne Zacharias of The Vancouver Sun, assumed captaincy of the Canadian Men’s Field Hockey team for games three to five of the 7 Test Super Series against India. Although the assignment was temporary, since regular captain Ken Pereira was not present, it was an affirmation of Tupper’s growth as a player and as a leader on the team.

Since the beginning of September, Tupper has been away from his hometown of Vancouver, B.C., playing and honing his skills with An Der Alster of the German Bundesliga, one of the world’s premier field hockey leagues. He and fellow Canadian national team member, Mark Pearson are playing in Germany together, and although their teammates back at UBC Field Hockey miss the way the duo terrorized the Hawks and Jokers of the Vancouver league, they both feel that their time is better spent learning from and playing against some of the best the world has to offer.

“Every weekend is like an international level game,” says Tupper. “You only play each team once, so it’s really important each week that you get the points. You really get used to putting it all on the line.”

This type of experience cannot be gained back in Canada, and in a few months it will be invaluable as the national team heads to the 2010 World Cup.

No stranger to the world stage, Tupper has played 85 international matches for Canada to date, including the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, an experience that has certainly helped him develop into the leader he is today.

“That experience is something I draw on, whether I’m wearing the arm band on the field or in day-to-day activities with the team,” he says. “It definitely motivated me a bit more to keep working hard because it made me want to get back to tournaments like that.”

Although he will not captain the team come March as veteran Pereira, a player with 291 caps to his name, will be back, Tupper feels privileged to assume the role whenever called upon.

“It’s obviously an honour to have something like this bestowed upon you, especially playing at home in front of family and friends. And it’s a fun team to try and lead,” he says.

Asked about if he feels the pressure of this added responsibility Tupper replied, “Maybe a little bit, especially as I’m getting on a bit more in games. There are some new guys coming in under me that are sort of looking towards me. But I think it’s good to put that pressure on yourself, where you have to both perform and to be a good example on and off the pitch in everything you do.”

With such a mature and grounded response, he seems more than ready for what’s expected of him, which is why his coach and teammates feel comfortable with him leading the squad.

As he continues to develop as a keystone of the team, journalists will continue to search for creative descriptions. Bright-eyed, crimson-haired, powerfully built – whatever words they choose, it is clear that Scott Tupper will be making headlines at the forefront of Canada’s burgeoning program for years to come.



Note: Tupper will be away for games six and seven of the 7 Test Series, but he will return for the games against the US National Team, beginning on October 27.

Photos by Neil Hodge

October 18, 2009

Report by Omar Rawji

On a sunny Sunday afternoon in Surrey, B.C., the largest crowd thus far in the 7 Test Super Series showed up for the fifth test match between Canada and India, and some 2,500 fans were treated to an exciting show. The end result would be a 3-1 loss for Canada, bringing their record in the series to 0-4-1, but to a man, the Canadians knew they played better and deserved a win.

Back in net for Canada for his fourth start, was Vancouver’s David Carter, who played an excellent game that included a number of strong baseline challenges that thwarted a number Indian scoring opportunities. One of his best came near the end of the match in the 68th minute when he raced the opposing right winger to a stretch pass near the sideline and seemingly hit the ball cleanly out of play.

“It was clean. I’m sure the video will show the same thing,” said an adamant Carter. Unfortunately for Canada, the referee did not see it the same way as he called a deliberate foul on Carter, awarding an automatic penalty corner to India and a chance to put a 2-1 game out of reach. On the ensuing corner, Sandeep Singh, India’s most dangerous weapon, put away yet another goal, his second of the game on a laser shot high to the blocker side.

“He picked the corner perfectly on their third goal,” said Canada’s Head Coach Alan Brahmst.

Until India’s 68th minute 3-1 marker, Canada was very much in the game and going for a win. Their goal came in the 41st minute on a scramble in front of India’s net, finished off by Dave Jameson.

“It was kind of just bumping around in the circle. The goalie batted it in my direction and I just made sure I got my stick on it and put it in the net,” said the goal-scorer, Jameson, of his play. It was an especially exciting moment for him as he had a group of supporters in attendance, who as fate would have it were sitting directly behind the net. Upon scoring, he ran over to the fence, jumping up and down in celebration as they did the same on the other side.

“He planned it out well doing it right in front of his fan club. It was more than we could’ve hoped for,” said Steph Jameson, Dave’s sister, and the self-appointed spokesperson of “DJ’s groupies”.

The goal would draw Canada to within one, but that would be their only finished chance, despite a number of other opportunities. Early on in the game Taylor Curran made a quick run up the center of the field to take a stretch feed, but he met a strong defender who spoiled his attempt. In the 16th minute, Wayne Fernandes had a penalty corner flick labeled for the top corner of the net, but India’s keeper, Adrian D’Souza robbed him with a flash of his stick.

Early in the second half, Gabbar Singh passed the ball into the left of the D to Connor Grimes, who crossed the ball just out of Jameson’s reach for a wide open shot at net. And as the clock wound down on the match, Singh set Pearson up for another great chance.

“I took a swing and I think it was going in the top corner but the defender just stopped it with his stick.” said a regretful Pearson on the chance.

Despite losing, Canada was in a optimistic mood following the game.

Peter Short, one of the team’s veterans, playing in his 126th international match, was pleased with the effort: “We were much happier with our play. It was much more intelligent all around,” he said, feeling that his team came out with more effort on Sunday. “Before the game there was a different feeling, a little more fire in the belly. We just need to concentrate on continuing that sort of energy throughout every game we play. We just have to capitalize on our chances, and that’s been the story of the series so far.”

Team Captain Scott Tupper felt the same way: “We feel like for the most part every game we’ve been doing good things but we’re just not getting the wins. Today our process was quite good, we developed some chances and controlled a lot of the play but there were couple of calls that didn’t go our way.”

Head Coach Alan Brahmst is not concerned with wins and losses, rather, the experience that his team is gaining: “We’re here to do some things, learn some things and play tactically better as we move through this. We want to give exposure to some of the young guys, and we’re doing exactly that. It’s more about the process right now and it’s more about giving confidence to the guys that we can do some good things without our big guns.” He also singled out Scott Sandison and Mark Erickson for displaying especially strong efforts.

With five games under their belt against one of the world’s most potent offensive teams, the experience has been positive so far, and in the words of David Carter, “We can only build from here, right?”

Game 6 takes place on Thursday October 29th, at 6:00pm in Surrey.


Scoring Summary:

29’ – IND Mujtaba, Danish (FG) – 1-0 India
35’ – IND Singh, Sandeep (PC) – 2-0 India
41’ – CAN Jameson, David (FG) – 2-1 India
68’ – IND Singh, Sandeep (PC) – 3-1 India

Penalty Corners: CAN 4 – IND 4

Photo by Neil Hodge

October 16, 2009

By Omar Rawji

Game 4 of the 7 Test Super Series between Canada and India featured two deliberate, patient teams.

“Our energy started late. We were flat,” was the explanation given by Alan Brahmst, Canada’s head coach.

The first 35 minutes was especially plodding as neither team was willing to take chances, choosing rather to sit back and wait for mistakes from the other side. Aside from Canada’s three penalty corner opportunities in the half, their best chance came in the 15th minute on a strong run by Mark Pearson, who crossed a ball through that just missed Connor Grimes for the finish.

Canada made one mistake in the half that would cost them dearly. Off the turnover, India’s Gurwinder Chandi rushed in alone on goalkeeper Matt Peck, who attacked the ball and inadvertently tripped up the player, leading to a Penalty Stroke. Vikram Pillay would make no mistake, shooting high blocker side, and putting his team up 1-0.

The second half featured more chances from both teams. India created pressure early and were rewarded just three minutes in as Rajpal Singh scored a field goal for a 2-0 lead.

Canada created a number of chances to get themselves back in the match. A 46th minute cross by Gabbar Singh from outside the D was just missed on the touch by Curran Taylor, and four minutes later Phil Wright hit a blistering shot that flew just past the goalie’s stick side post.

Once again Team Canada held the edge in penalty corners 6-2, but neither team was able to capitalize on these chances.

“Our corner is not working. We’re 3 for 21 in the series,” said Brahmst. “Usually it’s our strength, but we’re having big problems.” Canada did come very close on two of attempts, however. The first one was a clean drag flick in the 62nd minute.

“The goalie just barely made the save,” said the shooter, Wayne Fernandes. Five minutes later, in the 66th minute, he would have another crack at the ball. This time off a broken corner, his shot hit the post after being deflected by Pearson.

Scott Tupper, playing as Canada’s captain since both Rob Short and Ken Pereira returned to their club teams in Europe, had these thoughts on the game: “It was probably the lowest level we’ve played at throughout the series, which is disappointing. We really couldn’t get in any rhythm out there.” Asked if India’s new formations were a factor, Tupper was not about to shirk any of the blame saying, “This one was on us, it’s not really about what they were doing.”

“I’m more worried about us than India at this point,” echoed Brahmst. “We didn’t do a good job of reading their intentions. We weren’t double teaming very well, and we allowed them space down the sidelines. We were missing three guys (in Short, Pereira, and Paul Wettlaufer) who have about 900 combined caps between them, and it made a difference.”

This was the first game of the series in which David Carter did not play in net for Team Canada, as Matt Peck was given the start, and Brahmst felt satisfied with the effort: “I think he did a fine job, the goals were a shot and a stroke off a bad giveaway.”

Captain Tupper and his teammates will surely be ready for game 5: “Going into Sunday we should be able to get that first win of the series.”

Scoring Summary

22’ – IND Pillay, Vikram (PS)
38’ – IND Singh, Rajpal (FG)
Penalty Corners: CAN 6 – IND 2

October 14, 2009

Game 3 of the 7 Test Super Series couldn’t come quickly enough for Team Canada, as they left Victoria feeling that they deserved better than their 0-2 record would indicate. The match started well, as Scott Tupper made an immediate impact in his first game back from Europe, scoring on the game’s first penalty corner, 2 minutes in. Unfortunately, the 1-0 lead would evaporate quickly as Canada dug themselves an enormous hole, falling down 4-1 by the 45th minute.

Despite the score line, Canada was not being outplayed on the field and they salvaged a broken penalty corner opportunity in the 66th minute, bringing the score to 4-2. Canadian goalkeeper, David Carter, after surrendering four penalty corner goals, sensed then that he needed to send a message in order to keep the momentum in his team’s favour, and he made an incredible stick side save on India’s fifth attempt in the 75th minute.

“He had already gone four for four on me and I wasn’t going to let him put a fifth one in,” said Carter of his save. “I had to make that save to keep the guys in the game.”

Buoyed by Carter’s effort, the team responded by dominating the last five minutes of the match. After creating a number of offensive chances already, also in his first game back from Europe, Mark Pearson finally broke through in the 78th minute, when he took a beautiful feed from Rob Short to bring the game to within one for Canada.

“Shorty set me up real nice with a nice pass across and I just touched it in,” said Pearson of the goal.

With Canada’s relentless attack and the hometown crowd going wild in the last minute of play, Scott Tupper lofted an aerial pass that would find the goalscorer, Pearson, once again down field.

“It was just a beautiful ball from Tupper over the top,” explained a still excited Pearson, “I picked it up on the backhand and then I just let it fly.”

Canada’s Captain Ken Pereira was adamant that his team never gave up, “A lot of people thought it was over except for us.”

Similar to Game 2, the third installment was not without controversy. This time India’s second goal, scored on a penalty corner, was originally signaled no goal by the umpire closest to the play. The ball appeared to hit the cross bar, bounce straight down, and never cross the line.

“I didn’t think it went in,” said goalkeeper, Carter, on the play. But after conferring, the referees reversed their decision.

After the match, Canada’s video technician Aaron Guest reviewed the play, pronouncing, “It was a goal.”

Although Canada held the advantage in penalty corners with six to India’s five, India was superior on the set plays on Wednesday.

“They’ve got a great corner, one of the best ones in the world, and they sure use it,” said veteran Rob Short, speaking of Sandeep Singh’s 4 for 5 effort.

“With a guy like Sandeep, we can’t really be doing that,” said Tupper, agreeing that five was too many opportunities to give the potent India side.

Canada’s Head Coach Alan Brahmst felt his keeper could have been better on the plays, saying, “Our goaltending was sub-par on corners.”

Veteran Rob Short, playing in his 291st international match for Canada was not satisfied with the final outcome: “This was a game, like the last game, that I think we should have won. We just didn’t score on our chances, and India finished their chances.” Canada scored goals on two of their six penalty corner opportunities.

Brahmst was more positive on the final result: “I think this was a very important game for us. Although it was only a point, we finally got [one] so we’re on the board, and we’ll be ready to go for Game 4.”

Game 4 will take place on Friday evening, again at 6 p.m. in Surrey.


Scoring Summary:

CAN – Tupper, Scott; PC; (2’); 0-1
IND – Singh, Sandeep; PC; (9’); 1-1
IND – Singh, Sandeep; PC; (18’); 2-1
IND – Singh, Sandeep; PC; (31’); 3-1
IND – Singh, Sandeep; PC; (45’); 4-1
CAN – Short, Rob; PC; (66’); 4-2
CAN – Pearson, Mark; (68’); 4-3
CAN – Pearson, Mark; (70’); 4-4

Penalty Corner Chances: CAN 6 – IND 5

Report by Omar Rawji

I'm very busy with the Canadian Field Hockey assignment this week and next, so I will continue to post my reports here. Tonight, the teams will play their third match of the series - the first one on the mainland. So far, 15,000 tickets have been sold for the remaining 5 matches, so i will be an incredible atmosphere. If you are interested in attending or finding out any other information, visit www.fieldhockey.ca.

Photo by Neil Hodge

October 11, 2009

Game two of the 7 Test Super Series was a thriller, as both the Indian and Canadian teams created many scoring chances in a game that went right down to the last minute. The first half would see each team tally three goals a piece, with fans only being required to wait until the fourth minute for the first as India’s Mohammed Amir Khan scored, silencing the hometown crowd.

Following India’s goal, Canada mounted a spell of sustained pressure that would lead to three successive penalty corners. The first two shot attempts taken by Wayne Fernandes would be saved by India’s keeper, but he made sure on the third, scoring high blocker side in the 20th minute. By the end of the match, Canada held the decided 7-4 edge in penalty corners.

Less than a minute after Canada’s tying goal, India rushed the ball down the other way causing all sorts of havoc in the home team’s end. After a questionable effort at the ball by India, Canadian players thought that the referee had signaled an advantage their way, leading them to stop on the play, but half a second later, the ball ended up in the back of their net. Denying that he had intended to make a call, the umpire signaled a goal, giving India back the one goal lead and leaving the home team shaking their heads.

Showing resiliency in true Canadian fashion, the home side would come right back with more pressure as Phil Wright made a strong drive towards the net, leading to a penalty stroke.

"The ball came through to me and I just tried to keep my stick on it and win the battle. I got it through a few guys and then got my stick hacked," said Wright about the play. Rob Short took the stroke, calmly shooting the ball past the keeper, high blocker side.

The excitement of the first half continued as India was awarded their first penalty corner in the 32nd minute of play.

"We got out there quick and we got a stick on it, but it went post man side, so that was just a bit unlucky on our part," said Canadian goalkeeper, David Carter, of India’s converted opportunity that put India up once again.

Not wanting to go into the break down by a goal, Canada forced their fourth penalty corner chance of the half in the 35th minute, and Wayne Fernandes put away his second goal of the match. The score at halftime was three goals apiece.

The second half of the match would see less scoring but a decided edge in possession for Canada. A 40th minute penalty corner, with the shot again taken by Fernandes, would be deflected high over the net. Canada’s best non-penalty situation chance came in the 51st minute, when Ranjeev Deol took a stretch pass on the left side of the opposition’s net and slid it along the goalmouth to Wright.

"Jeevers made a really good pass across the net to me and I was just in a little too deep," said Wright, regretting a pair of missed opportunities. "I had a couple chances down there at the end. I just needed a little more luck my way, but it’ll come."

Despite holding most of the possession, Canada would give up their fourth penalty corner in the 66th minute of play and India’s Dhajanay Mahadik would convert his second of the match, once again putting them on top.

Determined not to leave empty handed, Canada dominated the last four minutes of the match, eventually causing another penalty corner, where Fernandes would have the final chance to even it up.

"I gave it everything I had and he just made a good save," said Fernandes, unhappy about the miss, despite his two goal effort in the match. "At the end of the day it’s a 4-3 loss for the team."

Head Coach Alan Brahmst felt his team deserved a better fate on Sunday: "In the second half we were the much better team." Comparing the effort to the first match of the series, he said, "We played better, it was a very different game and we put more pressure on them. I feel good about what we’re doing, we were the better team today, and we’ll just keep on them."

The third match of the series takes place this Wednesday at 6pm in Surrey, and Brahmst likes Canada’s chances.


Scoring Summary:

IND – Khan, Mohammad Amir; FG; (4); 1-0
CAN – Fernandes, Wayne; PC; (20); 1-1
IND – Singh, Shivendra; FG; (21); 2-1
CAN – Short, Rob; PS; (23); 2-2
IND – Mahadik, Dhajanay; PC; (32); 3-2
CAN – Fernanes, Wayne; PC; (35); 3-3
IND – Mahadik, Dhajanay; PC; (66); 4-3
Penalty Corner Chances: CAN 7 – IND 4

Report by Omar Rawji

Canada played game one of the 7 Test Super Series on Friday evening. If you would like to read my report on the game, you can find it here.

Readers, I have been given the assignment of writing for the Canadian Men's Field Hockey Team. These are very exciting times, as the team is well into preparations for the 2010 World Cup. This weekend, the team will commence a 7 test match series against the Indian National Team, in Victoria, BC.

I will be on location from Victoria over the weekend, and I will post some of my articles here if you'd like to follow. The first article, featuring veteran player, Ranjeev Deol, a man who has played 144 international matches with Team Canada is already up. You can read it here.

Enjoy!

“Those motherf***ers are trying to knock me out of the game. But I’m not going down. I'm not going anywhere.” – BC Lions quarterback, Buck Pierce, in his inspiring halftime speech last Friday.


Leadership comes in different forms. Some, like hockey’s Joe Sakic, lead by example, playing each and every game at their highest level, moving teammates to follow suit. Some are more vocal and forceful with their words, not accepting mediocrity from teammates and challenging others to step up – Mark Messier was known for his forceful addresses. Last Friday evening against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Buck Pierce did both.

Challenged during the week leading up by Lions Head Coach Wally Buono to be more consistent; battling chronic concussion problems, injured ribs, and an injured shoulder; bloodied and bruised from the first half, the BC Lions quarterback voiced his rallying cry. He made his declaration at halftime, telling his teammates emphatically, that he would not succumb to the physical pressure he was under, and he backed it up with play after play.

Every Lions fan knows that Pierce is one concussion away from the end of his football career, which is why the entire stadium was willing him onwards as the game progressed. In the final minute of play, with the teams tied at 16, he called his own number, choosing not to throw or hand the ball off; instead, taking it himself and running straight into the defense that had been mutilating him all night, and he came away with 20 yards and a first down. The drive ended with a field goal scored by Sean Whyte, on which the Lions won the game. He led the Lion pack with a ferocious effort last week, and tonight, against the Edmonton Eskimos team that is ranked just above the Lions in the standings, Pierce will have to growl once again.

With the Vancouver Canucks starting the season with 3 straight losses, it is all too easy to focus on the negatives and highlight what is wrong with the team. To buck the trend, I’m going to do the opposite – here are some positives that have developed, early in the season:

Mikael Samuelsson:

Although registering a minus-3 against Columbus, Sammy looks like he will be a solid addition to the Canucks, and probably an upgrade on the inconsistent efforts of departed Mats Sundin. In each of the team’s three games, Samuelsson has elevated his game with the Canucks down in the third period, adding energy when it has been needed.

Powerplay Pointmen:

Last season, every time Sami Salo went down, which was too often, there appeared to be a lack of true powerplay point patrollers. With the addition of Christian Ehrhoff, an older, more confident Alex Edler, a healthy Salo, and Mathieu Schneider on his way back, the Canucks seem to have no shortage of defensemen who can dictate play as well as threaten PK units with blistering shots.

Mason Raymond:

Raymond has been working his butt off everytime he’s been on the ice, and considering he’s been carrying a line with the flu-ridden Kyle Wellwood, it hasn’t been easy. Against Columbus, he was promoted to the second line after rookie Sergei Shirokov played himself off it, and Raymond looked very comfortable, helping create a few quality scoring chances. One beauty was a pass to Samuelson in the slot, who unfortunately whiffed on the puck. Raymond will probably receive more second line playing time, and he will capitalize on it.

Only One Way To Go:

The Canucks could potentially lose even more games, with the upcoming stretch featuring strong teams in Montreal, Dallas, and Calgary, but one player who can’t possibly get any worse is Luongo. Yes, he is a chronic slow starter, but once he rebounds, we know that Lui will be incredible.

In previous Vancouver 2010 Olympics preview posts, I wrote about Canada’s medal hopes figure skating. Today the focus is on our Short Track Speed Skating team.

Over course of my life, one issue Canada has had to deal with over and over again, is the province of Quebec’s desire to separate from our country. The idea has always invoked a feeling of sadness within me, a feeling of doom and desolation deep within. I would really miss our French province, though not for the poutine or smoked meat. The true detriment to our country would be to our sports. Consider this: without the French Canadians, who would have backstopped our national hockey teams without Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur or Roberto Luongo available to us over the years?

In the upcoming Olympics, no Canadian team would be more affected by the absence of Quebec than the short track speed skaters. Of the 10 person team, only one is not from Quebec and that is Edmonton’s Jessica Gregg. All others are French Canadians, and come February, they will make us proud as they bring home a bunch of medals.

With the 2009-10 World Cup Season beginning two weeks ago in China, we are starting to see the results we may hope for at the Olympics.

Here are the names to know:

MEN

Francois Louis Tremblay
The only male Canadian who won an individual medal in Turin – he won silver in the 500m. He has only just returned from a high ankle sprain sustained last spring, but is quickly rounding into form.

Charles Hamelin
Making a statement to begin the 2009-10 World Cup Season, he won gold in the 500m in China. A week later, he followed it up in Korea by defending his gold medal in the 500m and adding a silver in the 1000m.

Francois Hamelin
Francois is not far behind his brother, with his best individual finish this season being a fourth placing in the 1000m race in China.

The men’s relay team consisting of Charles Hamelin, Francois Hamelin, Olivier Jean, Gillaume Bastille, and Francois Louis Tremblay won bronze in the 5000m team relay in China and improved the next week to take the silver medal in the same event in Korea.


WOMEN

Kalyna Roberge
Best known for winning the silver medal in the 3000m race in Turin, she recently won bronze in the 500m at Korea.

Jessica Gregg
The Edmontonian won silver in the 500m in China.

Marianne St-Gelais
Completed a silver-bronze sweep by Canada, taking third place in the 500m in China.

The Women’s relay team consisting of Tania Vicent, Marianne St-Gelais, Jessica Gregg, and Valerie Maltais won bronze in the 3000m team relay in China and followed it up by defending third place in the same race the following week.

Forced to make a choice between one $250 million bid from Jim Balsillie that would force the Phoenix Coyotes to move to Hamilton, and another $140 million bid from the NHL that excluded certain creditors from receiving any compensation, Bankruptcy Court Judge Redfield T. Baum chose the only option he could. He rejected both offers

The Balsillie bid, while presenting plenty of compensation to the city and creditors, was rejected because it took the decision of the franchise relocation out of the NHL’s hands. He said in his statement, “In the final analysis, the court cannot find or conclude that the interests of the NHL can be adequately protected if the Coyotes are moved to Hamilton,” intimating that the league need to have control over where it’s teams are located.

On the other side, the NHL’s bid to buy the team excluded Jerry Moyes and Wayne Gretzky from the list of creditors that would be paid. Essentially, the NHL would buy the team without a penny being given to two of the largest shareholders, and then attempt to resell it, pocketing the profits for itself. With the result of Wednesday’s ruling, the NHL will continue to look for another ownership group, but they will be acting as the middleman in the transaction, not the owner and seller.

During the process, Judge Baum did appear at times to be dragging out the proceedings, as we had originally hoped for a decision in mid-July. In the end, however, in a case with such complexities, he was wise to take his time to carefully examine both bids. What’s scary is that, in the end, the person who made the best decision for the good of the league and it’s owners was not the commissioner or NHL executive committee, it was an outside council, whose job it is not to save the league.

“I wanted permission to seek a trade… I don’t want to be here if I’m not going to play… I’ve been in the league too long to be sitting around… it doesn’t make any sense why I stuck my neck out, broke my wrist trying to make a tackle, and now I don’t have a job. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.” – BC Lions Kicker Paul McCallum in an interview on the Team 1040 radio station.

Over the weekend, 39 year old BC Lions kicker, Paul McCallum, asked GM/Head Coach Wally Buono for “permission to seek a trade,” after losing the starting job to 24 year old Sean Whyte, because of an injury which he has subsequently recovered from. On the Richter Scale of sporting news, this does not even register as a tremor; yet, I find it entertaining. How does someone ask for permission to seek a trade? The following gives us an idea of the conversation between player and coach:

Paul McCallum: Coach, am I going to get a chance to play again?

Wally Buono: Paul, you’re getting old. He’s the future. We have to move on as a team.

PM: OK fine, but if you're not going to let me play here, can you trade me?

WB: Trade? Nah.

PM: What?! But why not?

WB: Paul, you’re a kicker. And you’re 39 years old. What can I possibly get in return for you? I’d be lucky if someone gave me a used pair of cleats and a jock strap. I have a game to prepare for next week. I don’t have time to waste on this crap.

PM: Geez coach, can you at least give me permission to seek a trade then?

WB: Wait, you want to trade yourself? That’s unprecedented... but it sounds good to me! Ok, I’ll see you later Paul!