hockey – Cincy Link https://cincylink.com Explore Cincy Thu, 13 Jul 2023 04:27:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://cincylink.com/pub/content/uploads/sites/27/2020/03/apple-touch-icon-precomposed-100x100.png hockey – Cincy Link https://cincylink.com 32 32 Avalanche rout Lightning 7-0 to take 2-0 lead in Cup Final https://cincylink.com/2023/07/13/avalanche-rout-lightning-7-0-to-take-2-0-lead-in-cup-final/ https://cincylink.com/2023/07/13/avalanche-rout-lightning-7-0-to-take-2-0-lead-in-cup-final/#respond Thu, 13 Jul 2023 04:27:05 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=163094

Looking like by far the better team against the defending champions, the Colorado Avalanche overwhelmed the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-0 in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.Valeri Nichushkin scored his seventh and eighth goals of the playoffs and continued to be the best player on the ice in the final, Game 1 overtime hero Andre Burakovsky beat Andrei Vasilevskiy again and even defensive defenseman Josh Manson and 35-year-old grinder Darren Helm got in on the fun with a goal apiece. Playoff MVP front-runner Cale Makar scored twice in the third period, inciting chants of "We want the Cup!” from a fired up crowd.Rarely have the Lightning been completely outclassed during this run of postseason success, but they also hadn't faced an opponent like the Avalanche, who forced them into one uncharacteristic mistake after another. Colorado was dominant in every facet of the game to move two victories away from the franchise's first title since 2001 and the first by this core led by Nathan MacKinnon.The Avalanche go to Tampa for Game 3 on Monday night up in the series despite no goals in the series from MacKinnon. They still became just the third team in NHL history to score three-plus goals in the first period of Games 1 and 2 in the final.The dominant performance started by pouncing on an early mistake by typically reliable Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak when he bobbled the puck at the blue line on one of the game's first shifts. It was all Avalanche after that.Their aggressive forecheck led them to draw a penalty on veteran Ryan McDonagh, score on the ensuing power play when Burakovsky fed Nichushkin for his first of the night. It wasn't his last, and Colorado poured it on with six of the game's first seven shots and complete territorial domination with much of the game played in the Tampa Bay end.With Vasilevskiy — whose play was the key to the Lightning's incredible ability to bounce back after a loss in the playoffs — looking shaky and even dropping his head after letting Makar beat him clean on one of many 2-on-1 rushes, the Avalanche made the most of all their offensive zone time. The highest-scoring team this postseason put on a clinic against the team that has played more hockey than anyone else over the past two years.That may finally be taking its toll, and it's exacerbated by the blazing speed with which the Avalanche play. They again not only outskated the Lightning but used quick feet to force errors that turned into goals.Tampa Bay fell to 18-2 after a loss since the start of the first round in 2020. The streak of 18 in a row ended in the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers when the Lightning fell behind 2-0 before roaring back, though it's hard to see seasoned Colorado fall into the same trap.Even if players brush off the concept of momentum from game to game during a playoff series, their romp over the champs combined with a 7-0 road record should fill the Avalanche with confidence. But they might again need to dip into their pool of depth because of injuries.After getting Andrew Cogliano back from missing the season opener with a right finger injury, the Avalanche lost Burakovsky again in the second period. Burakovsky blocked a shot in the first game in the West final and has been playing through pain since.Colorado is inflicting plenty of pain on Tampa Bay, which resorted to some rough stuff after falling behind. Of course, even MacKinnon was throwing hits in the third period despite the game being out of hand.Darcy Kuemper was barely tested in net for Colorado, picking up the shutout with 17 saves.

DENVER —

Looking like by far the better team against the defending champions, the Colorado Avalanche overwhelmed the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-0 in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Valeri Nichushkin scored his seventh and eighth goals of the playoffs and continued to be the best player on the ice in the final, Game 1 overtime hero Andre Burakovsky beat Andrei Vasilevskiy again and even defensive defenseman Josh Manson and 35-year-old grinder Darren Helm got in on the fun with a goal apiece. Playoff MVP front-runner Cale Makar scored twice in the third period, inciting chants of "We want the Cup!” from a fired up crowd.

Rarely have the Lightning been completely outclassed during this run of postseason success, but they also hadn't faced an opponent like the Avalanche, who forced them into one uncharacteristic mistake after another. Colorado was dominant in every facet of the game to move two victories away from the franchise's first title since 2001 and the first by this core led by Nathan MacKinnon.

The Avalanche go to Tampa for Game 3 on Monday night up in the series despite no goals in the series from MacKinnon. They still became just the third team in NHL history to score three-plus goals in the first period of Games 1 and 2 in the final.

The dominant performance started by pouncing on an early mistake by typically reliable Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak when he bobbled the puck at the blue line on one of the game's first shifts. It was all Avalanche after that.

Their aggressive forecheck led them to draw a penalty on veteran Ryan McDonagh, score on the ensuing power play when Burakovsky fed Nichushkin for his first of the night. It wasn't his last, and Colorado poured it on with six of the game's first seven shots and complete territorial domination with much of the game played in the Tampa Bay end.

With Vasilevskiy — whose play was the key to the Lightning's incredible ability to bounce back after a loss in the playoffs — looking shaky and even dropping his head after letting Makar beat him clean on one of many 2-on-1 rushes, the Avalanche made the most of all their offensive zone time. The highest-scoring team this postseason put on a clinic against the team that has played more hockey than anyone else over the past two years.

That may finally be taking its toll, and it's exacerbated by the blazing speed with which the Avalanche play. They again not only outskated the Lightning but used quick feet to force errors that turned into goals.

Tampa Bay fell to 18-2 after a loss since the start of the first round in 2020. The streak of 18 in a row ended in the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers when the Lightning fell behind 2-0 before roaring back, though it's hard to see seasoned Colorado fall into the same trap.

Even if players brush off the concept of momentum from game to game during a playoff series, their romp over the champs combined with a 7-0 road record should fill the Avalanche with confidence. But they might again need to dip into their pool of depth because of injuries.

After getting Andrew Cogliano back from missing the season opener with a right finger injury, the Avalanche lost Burakovsky again in the second period. Burakovsky blocked a shot in the first game in the West final and has been playing through pain since.

Colorado is inflicting plenty of pain on Tampa Bay, which resorted to some rough stuff after falling behind. Of course, even MacKinnon was throwing hits in the third period despite the game being out of hand.

Darcy Kuemper was barely tested in net for Colorado, picking up the shutout with 17 saves.


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]]> https://cincylink.com/2023/07/13/avalanche-rout-lightning-7-0-to-take-2-0-lead-in-cup-final/feed/ 0 NHL experiencing sustained growth with female, younger fans https://cincylink.com/2023/07/12/nhl-experiencing-sustained-growth-with-female-younger-fans/ https://cincylink.com/2023/07/12/nhl-experiencing-sustained-growth-with-female-younger-fans/#respond Wed, 12 Jul 2023 04:40:05 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=163742

One of the biggest stories in the NHL this season has been the increase in viewers in the league's first year of its television contracts with ESPN and TNT. The league is also seeing unparalleled growth in female and younger fans that should have a big impact for years to come.According to NHL research, 37% of hockey fans are female, including an eye-popping 26% growth in that demographic since 2016. Most of those new fans are likely within the coveted 18-49 age demographic, too, since nearly 40% of all NHL fans are under 50.Kali Mack — an Avalanche fan who lives in Colorado and is part of the league's Power Players youth advisory board — said the recent growth comes as the league has showcased more of the human side of the game."We're seeing more player interviews, family moments and those heartfelt things that happen off the ice, as well as this mix of the great highlights that we're also seeing.," she said. "That's been really great to help get more people in the game because people who don't know the sport will connect more with the human moments. And then the highlights will keep their attention." The increase among female viewers was higher during Wednesday night games on TNT. During the regular season, there was a 44% jump in female viewers compared to previous years, when the games were aired on NBCSN."Not only do we want to give our avid fans the content that they love, but how can we share it with casual and new fans and make sure that they feel welcome," said Heidi Browning, the NHL's senior executive vice president and top marketing officer.The effort to grow connections has include social media. The league formed a content partnership with TikTok while the agreement with Turner led to Bleacher Report expanding its coverage and the B/R Open Ice vertical. Bleacher Report's hockey site posted its most viewed month (35.8 million page views) in May and saw engagement triple compared to last year. Browning is also pleased with the NHL's share of young fans. League research found that 80% of the users on its digital channels are Gen Z and millennial. The Power Players board, created in 2019, seeks the opinions of fans and social influencers ages 13-17.Aiden Gunn, who is also part of the board, pointed to the changes in marketing for the growth. "They've taken a less professional approach to their marketing. And I mean that in the best way possible. It's so much more personal," he said. "I truly believe that social media is basically an elevator pitch, you have two seconds to capture somebody's attention. And I think (in) the NHL that's entirely reflected in their marketing strategy recently. They've done so much better with sprucing up all of their content."Mack said of the things she has noticed from the board's recommendations is more activity on TikTok showing things like the players walking into the arena, in the same way the pregame fashion choices have increased traffic on NBA and NFL sites. The growth in younger fans should also lead to increased revenue in future seasons. Commissioner Gary Bettman said revenue should be in excess of $5.2 billion for this year. While the off-ice stories have helped, Bettman continues to stress it is also about the product on the ice."The growth and interest starts with the game," said Bettman before the start of the Stanley Cup Final.The NHL's efforts got a bonus Friday night as the final was pushed to Game 6 on Sunday night, where Tampa Bay will host Colorado and try to force a deciding Game 7 in its threepeat championship bid.___AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this story.

One of the biggest stories in the NHL this season has been the increase in viewers in the league's first year of its television contracts with ESPN and TNT. The league is also seeing unparalleled growth in female and younger fans that should have a big impact for years to come.

According to NHL research, 37% of hockey fans are female, including an eye-popping 26% growth in that demographic since 2016. Most of those new fans are likely within the coveted 18-49 age demographic, too, since nearly 40% of all NHL fans are under 50.

Kali Mack — an Avalanche fan who lives in Colorado and is part of the league's Power Players youth advisory board — said the recent growth comes as the league has showcased more of the human side of the game.

"We're seeing more player interviews, family moments and those heartfelt things that happen off the ice, as well as this mix of the great highlights that we're also seeing.," she said. "That's been really great to help get more people in the game because people who don't know the sport will connect more with the human moments. And then the highlights will keep their attention."

The increase among female viewers was higher during Wednesday night games on TNT. During the regular season, there was a 44% jump in female viewers compared to previous years, when the games were aired on NBCSN.

"Not only do we want to give our avid fans the content that they love, but how can we share it with casual and new fans and make sure that they feel welcome," said Heidi Browning, the NHL's senior executive vice president and top marketing officer.

The effort to grow connections has include social media. The league formed a content partnership with TikTok while the agreement with Turner led to Bleacher Report expanding its coverage and the B/R Open Ice vertical. Bleacher Report's hockey site posted its most viewed month (35.8 million page views) in May and saw engagement triple compared to last year.

Browning is also pleased with the NHL's share of young fans. League research found that 80% of the users on its digital channels are Gen Z and millennial. The Power Players board, created in 2019, seeks the opinions of fans and social influencers ages 13-17.

Aiden Gunn, who is also part of the board, pointed to the changes in marketing for the growth.

"They've taken a less professional approach to their marketing. And I mean that in the best way possible. It's so much more personal," he said. "I truly believe that social media is basically an elevator pitch, you have two seconds to capture somebody's attention. And I think (in) the NHL that's entirely reflected in their marketing strategy recently. They've done so much better with sprucing up all of their content."

Mack said of the things she has noticed from the board's recommendations is more activity on TikTok showing things like the players walking into the arena, in the same way the pregame fashion choices have increased traffic on NBA and NFL sites.

The growth in younger fans should also lead to increased revenue in future seasons. Commissioner Gary Bettman said revenue should be in excess of $5.2 billion for this year. While the off-ice stories have helped, Bettman continues to stress it is also about the product on the ice.

"The growth and interest starts with the game," said Bettman before the start of the Stanley Cup Final.

The NHL's efforts got a bonus Friday night as the final was pushed to Game 6 on Sunday night, where Tampa Bay will host Colorado and try to force a deciding Game 7 in its threepeat championship bid.

___

AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this story.


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]]> https://cincylink.com/2023/07/12/nhl-experiencing-sustained-growth-with-female-younger-fans/feed/ 0 Golden Knights win against Panthers 9-3 in Stanley Cup final https://cincylink.com/2023/06/15/golden-knights-win-against-panthers-9-3-in-stanley-cup-final/ https://cincylink.com/2023/06/15/golden-knights-win-against-panthers-9-3-in-stanley-cup-final/#respond Thu, 15 Jun 2023 04:15:47 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=204502

The Golden Knights delivered their city a true Vegas-style party from dazzling passes to Mark Stone's hat trick to all-out goal celebrations, capturing the young organization's first Stanley Cup with a 9-3 romp over the beaten-up and exhausted Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.Coach Bruce Cassidy, in a nod to the Knights' brief history, started five of the original Vegas players known as the Misfits and put the sixth on the second shift. Cassidy sounded confident the day before the game that his team would play well, and it certainly did, blowing open a one-goal game in the second period to lead 6-1. The nine goals tied the record for the most in a Cup Final.“Vegas, you certainly know how to throw a party," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told the crowd. "What’s going on inside this arena and outside is incredible and a testament to what a great hockey market this is.“What has happened here has been simply incredible. Not only is Vegas a hockey town, it’s a championship town.”Vegas closed out the series in five games to win the cup before a delirious franchise-record crowd of 19,058 at T-Mobile Arena that drowned out the pregame introductions of forward Jonathan Marchessault and goalie Adin Hill and cheered all the way through the final buzzer.Marchessault, who ended the postseason with a 10-game points streak, received the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.“I couldn’t be more proud of our team, our organization," Marchessault said. "Everybody stepped up at different times and that’s why we’re winners.”Stone's hat trick — with the third into an empty net with 5:54 left — was the first in a Stanley Cup Final since Colorado's Peter Forsberg in 1996, also against the Panthers.The Knights got the rest of their scoring from Nic Hague, Alec Martinez, Reilly Smith, Michael Amadio, Ivan Barbashev and Nicolas Roy. Martinez's goal in the second period came nine years to the day after he delivered the double-overtime goal in Game 5 to give the Los Angeles Kings' the cup.Hill came through with another strong performance that has quickly made him a Knights fan favorite, even earning “MVP! MVP!” chants in the third period. Jack Eichel, the eight-year pro playing in his first postseason, had three assists.“This is what everyone dreams of," Eichel said. "You come to an organization like this and the expectation is to win this thing. It’s a special place to play. I can’t give everyone enough credit for putting us in this position.“They call ’em the misfits, those are the guys, they built this. They built this culture. So proud to be a part of it.”As captain, Stone was the first to lift the cup before handing it over to the six Misfits to each get their turn skating with the trophy before handing it down the line to the rest of the team. “Unbelievable,” Stone said. “The look in my teammates eyes when I got it, one of the craziest feelings I’ve ever had. I can’t even describe the feelings in my stomach right now. It’s everything you can imagine. The grind of an 82-game season, four playoff rounds. You grind and you grind and you grind.”Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett scored for Florida, and Sergei Bobrovsky was overwhelmed in another tough performance against Vegas after carrying Florida to the final. Missing from the lineup was Matthew Tkachuk, the king of game-winning shots during the playoffs but never the same after crushing blow to his shoulder by Vegas' Keegan Kolesar in Game 3.The Knights have set the standard of what an expansion franchise should look like, making the Cup Final in their first season and the playoffs in every year but one. Six players remain from the initial 2017-18 team that lost in five games to the Washington Capitals in the final.Those players watched the Capitals skate with the Stanley Cup that night, and then they got the chance to do the same Tuesday to fulfill owner Bill Foley’s quest to win the championship in the sixth year.“We waited a long time for that moment to come back.” Marchessault said. “We wanted to make sure we cash in this time."By creating such a lofty standard at the outset, the Knights played with high expectations, but repeatedly fell short despite four runs to at least the NHL semifinals – until Game 5 against the Panthers.This is Las Vegas’ second pro title in nine months – the Aces claimed the WNBA championship in September – and continues the stunning growth of a sports market that was limited largely to prize fights, UNLV athletics, NASCAR and lots of golf before the Golden Knights took the city by storm. The Raiders began playing here in 2020, the Oakland Athletics appear headed to the desert, Las Vegas will host a Formula One race this year and the Super Bowl will be at Allegiant Stadium in February.As for the Knights, their connection to Las Vegas was sealed ever since the shooting Oct. 1, 2017 that took 60 lives. They played an integral role in helping the city heal, reaching out to the community off the ice and winning big on it.Beating Florida justified the many moves Knights management made to remake the roster over the years. Stone, Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo are the most notable players Vegas has acquired to get to this moment.And Cassidy, hired a week after getting fired by the Boston Bruins last year, proved to be the coach to get them there.“He came in, brought an intensity to our locker room that maybe we needed,” Stone said. “He wanted to win as badly as anybody else in that locker room.”Cassidy seemingly pushing all the right buttons in helping Vegas become the Western Conference’s top seed and then the NHL’s champion.“It’s a great story — very, very grateful to get another opportunity," Cassidy said. "I’m just here to do my job and it worked out well.”The Knights also won with an unlikely goalie in Hill, who was injured when the playoffs began. Laurent Brossoit was the starter until going out with an injury in Game 3 of the second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, and then Hill got his chance.“You dream about it every day growing up as a child.” Hill said. “To be here with this group of guys, in this city, in this building, is a dream come true.”

LAS VEGAS —

The Golden Knights delivered their city a true Vegas-style party from dazzling passes to Mark Stone's hat trick to all-out goal celebrations, capturing the young organization's first Stanley Cup with a 9-3 romp over the beaten-up and exhausted Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

Coach Bruce Cassidy, in a nod to the Knights' brief history, started five of the original Vegas players known as the Misfits and put the sixth on the second shift. Cassidy sounded confident the day before the game that his team would play well, and it certainly did, blowing open a one-goal game in the second period to lead 6-1. The nine goals tied the record for the most in a Cup Final.

“Vegas, you certainly know how to throw a party," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told the crowd. "What’s going on inside this arena and outside is incredible and a testament to what a great hockey market this is.

“What has happened here has been simply incredible. Not only is Vegas a hockey town, it’s a championship town.”

Vegas closed out the series in five games to win the cup before a delirious franchise-record crowd of 19,058 at T-Mobile Arena that drowned out the pregame introductions of forward Jonathan Marchessault and goalie Adin Hill and cheered all the way through the final buzzer.

Marchessault, who ended the postseason with a 10-game points streak, received the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our team, our organization," Marchessault said. "Everybody stepped up at different times and that’s why we’re winners.”

Stone's hat trick — with the third into an empty net with 5:54 left — was the first in a Stanley Cup Final since Colorado's Peter Forsberg in 1996, also against the Panthers.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill skates with the Stanley Cup after the Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in Las Vegas. The Knights won the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Abbie Parr

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill skates with the Stanley Cup after the Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in Las Vegas. The Knights won the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

The Knights got the rest of their scoring from Nic Hague, Alec Martinez, Reilly Smith, Michael Amadio, Ivan Barbashev and Nicolas Roy. Martinez's goal in the second period came nine years to the day after he delivered the double-overtime goal in Game 5 to give the Los Angeles Kings' the cup.

Hill came through with another strong performance that has quickly made him a Knights fan favorite, even earning “MVP! MVP!” chants in the third period. Jack Eichel, the eight-year pro playing in his first postseason, had three assists.

“This is what everyone dreams of," Eichel said. "You come to an organization like this and the expectation is to win this thing. It’s a special place to play. I can’t give everyone enough credit for putting us in this position.

“They call ’em the misfits, those are the guys, they built this. They built this culture. So proud to be a part of it.”

As captain, Stone was the first to lift the cup before handing it over to the six Misfits to each get their turn skating with the trophy before handing it down the line to the rest of the team.

“Unbelievable,” Stone said. “The look in my teammates eyes when I got it, one of the craziest feelings I’ve ever had. I can’t even describe the feelings in my stomach right now. It’s everything you can imagine. The grind of an 82-game season, four playoff rounds. You grind and you grind and you grind.”

Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett scored for Florida, and Sergei Bobrovsky was overwhelmed in another tough performance against Vegas after carrying Florida to the final. Missing from the lineup was Matthew Tkachuk, the king of game-winning shots during the playoffs but never the same after crushing blow to his shoulder by Vegas' Keegan Kolesar in Game 3.

The Knights have set the standard of what an expansion franchise should look like, making the Cup Final in their first season and the playoffs in every year but one. Six players remain from the initial 2017-18 team that lost in five games to the Washington Capitals in the final.

Those players watched the Capitals skate with the Stanley Cup that night, and then they got the chance to do the same Tuesday to fulfill owner Bill Foley’s quest to win the championship in the sixth year.

“We waited a long time for that moment to come back.” Marchessault said. “We wanted to make sure we cash in this time."

By creating such a lofty standard at the outset, the Knights played with high expectations, but repeatedly fell short despite four runs to at least the NHL semifinals – until Game 5 against the Panthers.

This is Las Vegas’ second pro title in nine months – the Aces claimed the WNBA championship in September – and continues the stunning growth of a sports market that was limited largely to prize fights, UNLV athletics, NASCAR and lots of golf before the Golden Knights took the city by storm. The Raiders began playing here in 2020, the Oakland Athletics appear headed to the desert, Las Vegas will host a Formula One race this year and the Super Bowl will be at Allegiant Stadium in February.

As for the Knights, their connection to Las Vegas was sealed ever since the shooting Oct. 1, 2017 that took 60 lives. They played an integral role in helping the city heal, reaching out to the community off the ice and winning big on it.

Beating Florida justified the many moves Knights management made to remake the roster over the years. Stone, Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo are the most notable players Vegas has acquired to get to this moment.

And Cassidy, hired a week after getting fired by the Boston Bruins last year, proved to be the coach to get them there.

“He came in, brought an intensity to our locker room that maybe we needed,” Stone said. “He wanted to win as badly as anybody else in that locker room.”

Cassidy seemingly pushing all the right buttons in helping Vegas become the Western Conference’s top seed and then the NHL’s champion.

“It’s a great story — very, very grateful to get another opportunity," Cassidy said. "I’m just here to do my job and it worked out well.”

The Knights also won with an unlikely goalie in Hill, who was injured when the playoffs began. Laurent Brossoit was the starter until going out with an injury in Game 3 of the second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, and then Hill got his chance.

“You dream about it every day growing up as a child.” Hill said. “To be here with this group of guys, in this city, in this building, is a dream come true.”


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]]> https://cincylink.com/2023/06/15/golden-knights-win-against-panthers-9-3-in-stanley-cup-final/feed/ 0 Team USA battled Slovakia in men’s hockey. Here’s how they did https://cincylink.com/2022/02/16/team-usa-battled-slovakia-in-mens-hockey-heres-how-they-did/ https://cincylink.com/2022/02/16/team-usa-battled-slovakia-in-mens-hockey-heres-how-they-did/#respond Wed, 16 Feb 2022 08:17:40 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=147530

Here's what happened during Day 12 at the Beijing Olympic Games: HockeyThe United States is out of the men's hockey tournament at the Olympics in stunning fashion after blowing a late lead.Marek Hrivik scored with 43.7 seconds left in regulation, Peter Cehlarik had the winner and Slovakia beat the U.S. 3-2 in a shootout Wednesday to knock the top-seeded Americans out in the quarterfinals. The U.S. led for almost half the game before the tying goal when Slovakia pulled its goaltender for an extra attacker to play 6-on-5.The U.S. had gotten accustomed to playing tight games in the tournament, beating Canada by two goals and Germany by one. But blown coverage in front allowed Hrivik to knock a loose puck past goalie Strauss Mann, who was impressive until that point.Coming up empty on four power plays, including three in the third period, came back to bite the Americans. Matty Beniers hit the post on one of the best scoring chances the U.S. had in the third, but the team could not crack Patrik Rybar, who was playing a second consecutive day in net for Slovakia.Freestyle SkiingFreestyler skier Alex Hall led a 1-2 American finish in the men’s Olympic slopestyle competition on Wednesday with a trick on his first run where he stopped his rotation midair and turned in the other direction before softly landing.Hall’s opening run drew a score of 90.01, which no one could match in three runs. His teammate Nick Goepper turned in a creative run on his second pass to earn silver. Jesper Tjader of Sweden took home bronze.The American men have captured six of nine Olympic medals since the event made its debut in 2014. Goepper has three of them, adding Wednesday to his silver from the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and bronze from the 2014 Sochi Olympics.“So proud of the boys and so proud of how they skied,” said Skogen Sprang, the head coach of the U.S. freeski slopestyle pro team. “They've put in a ton of work and they stayed true to the way they want to ski and that’s what we’re all about in this sport. ... Landing it when it counts is huge."

Here's what happened during Day 12 at the Beijing Olympic Games:

Hockey

The United States is out of the men's hockey tournament at the Olympics in stunning fashion after blowing a late lead.

Marek Hrivik scored with 43.7 seconds left in regulation, Peter Cehlarik had the winner and Slovakia beat the U.S. 3-2 in a shootout Wednesday to knock the top-seeded Americans out in the quarterfinals. The U.S. led for almost half the game before the tying goal when Slovakia pulled its goaltender for an extra attacker to play 6-on-5.

The U.S. had gotten accustomed to playing tight games in the tournament, beating Canada by two goals and Germany by one. But blown coverage in front allowed Hrivik to knock a loose puck past goalie Strauss Mann, who was impressive until that point.

Coming up empty on four power plays, including three in the third period, came back to bite the Americans. Matty Beniers hit the post on one of the best scoring chances the U.S. had in the third, but the team could not crack Patrik Rybar, who was playing a second consecutive day in net for Slovakia.

Freestyle Skiing

Freestyler skier Alex Hall led a 1-2 American finish in the men’s Olympic slopestyle competition on Wednesday with a trick on his first run where he stopped his rotation midair and turned in the other direction before softly landing.

Hall’s opening run drew a score of 90.01, which no one could match in three runs. His teammate Nick Goepper turned in a creative run on his second pass to earn silver. Jesper Tjader of Sweden took home bronze.

The American men have captured six of nine Olympic medals since the event made its debut in 2014. Goepper has three of them, adding Wednesday to his silver from the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and bronze from the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

“So proud of the boys and so proud of how they skied,” said Skogen Sprang, the head coach of the U.S. freeski slopestyle pro team. “They've put in a ton of work and they stayed true to the way they want to ski and that’s what we’re all about in this sport. ... Landing it when it counts is huge."


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]]> https://cincylink.com/2022/02/16/team-usa-battled-slovakia-in-mens-hockey-heres-how-they-did/feed/ 0 US hockey team defeats Canada in group stage battle; cements status as top contender for gold https://cincylink.com/2022/02/12/us-hockey-team-defeats-canada-in-group-stage-battle-cements-status-as-top-contender-for-gold/ https://cincylink.com/2022/02/12/us-hockey-team-defeats-canada-in-group-stage-battle-cements-status-as-top-contender-for-gold/#respond Sat, 12 Feb 2022 10:47:16 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=146289


By STEPHEN WHYNO, AP Hockey Writer

US hockey team defeats Canada in group stage battle; cements status as top contender for gold



next year's winter olympics will be without some of hockey's most talented players in the NHL and its players association have agreed to not participate in the men's hockey tournament at the Beijing olympics next year. And it's because of the league being forced to recently postpone some of its games Because of a rise in COVID-19 cases among players in the league here. Now to discuss more on what this could mean for the Winter Olympics and the sport of hockey as a whole. Sports reporter for the Washington Post, Samantha Pell Samantha, thank you so much for joining us. Can you offer a little bit more detail about why the NHL and its players association decided not to participate in the Olympics next year. Yeah, absolutely. You know, bottom line, it was because of the spike of coronavirus cases. And the basically led to 50 postponed games. Now these 50 postponed games were what the league determined material materially impact of the season so much that they could not finish this season on time if their players did go to the Olympics. So basically the NHL and the players association already agreed when they did their CB a 17 months ago that if the schedule was going to be material impacted, if there was going to have, you know, a high enough number of games to be postponed and these players would not be allowed to go to the olympics and the league announced this week. That's exactly what was going to happen. And even individual players cannot go to the olympics. They cannot go rogue. They have to agree to their contracts and honor that contract and not go to the olympics this year. So you mentioned this kind of the solution to keep the season going on pace because of COVID-19 in this pandemic. How will it impact the season as far as we know? Um, and maybe potentially in future seasons, definitely at least for this season, there's gonna be no more even a three week break for the NHL, they're gonna have to use these games from february 6 to the 22nd. They were supposed to be off days. The NHL is now going to have to reschedule all of these postponed games during that time. And honestly, it's gonna be a bit of a scheduling nightmare for the NHL in the league. Just trying to figure out buildings and teams and how everyone is going to be able to play each other in a certain amount of time while still giving players a bit of a break that they do deserve. So it's gonna be really challenging, at least for this season to get through it. Who knows if the NHL is out of the woods with Covid yet as well. But as of right now, they're on a slight break. They hope to start again on monday. Yeah. And, you know, a really big challenge for the olympics. We know hockey one of the biggest sports when it comes to the winter games. How do you think this will impact the event? I mean, the NHL did not participate in the 2018 winter olympics. So we've already kind of seen the competition in the level of skill that can happen in olympics without NHL players. Clearly the NHL has some of, you know, the world's best hockey players who play at the biggest stage. So you won't have guys like Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby and some of the bright young stars like Conor, McDavid or Austin Matthews, so Obviously these names will be greatly missed, but we did see this in 2018, we still had a great showcase as well as the women's hockey tournament too. Yeah, as you're mentioning that, I think follow up, what do you think it means for lesser known players? Um having a chance maybe to play on the world's biggest stage during one of the most iconic events in a professional's career? I mean, yeah, I mean, that has to be a dream come true for a lot of these guys, right, You know, you think of the Ovechkin's and the Crosby's who have maybe kind of been there before and it's a once in a lifetime opportunity for even the NHL stars and now you're going to get guys who are in college who were playing in the Euro League, who are playing the HL the american hockey league, who we weren't going to get their shot at the olympics and now, here we go, it looks like the stage is set for them to go ahead and you know, kind of achieve those dreams that maybe they never thought they'd get a chance to have. Yeah. And you mentioned that this isn't something new for the NHL but have there been times in the past that you can kind of highlight in olympic history where amateur players or non pros really got their chance to shine and what those olympic games were like. I mean the first thing that comes to mind honestly is miracle on ice and that amazing. You know, US hockey team that came out all college players and the way that they you know, really defined history from that point moving forward and I think when you go to another sport like you know in basketball, the NBA had extreme team in 1992 that was the first time that pros were able to participate for basketball. So You know obviously there have been moments but definitely in hockey of the miracle on ice and just recently in 2018 is probably the main ones that everyone pretty much talks about. Yeah. And Samantha, before we let you go, also want to ask you, do you foresee that we could see this trend moving beyond just hockey and maybe into other sports for the winter olympics. Yeah. I think it's definitely interesting. I think for a lot of other sports it has to be just the concern about the coronavirus. I think with the NHL was so particular because you know, they're playing at this current time and you're trying to ask athletes to go away from their own professional seasons and go and play in the olympics and with these other sports, I feel like it's going to be more about the health and safety and if they want to go and kind of the logistics of everything. So I definitely think it could happen. I definitely think, you know, players could opt out as we've seen in the past. So I think that's definitely something to look forward to or I guess look at moving forward. Alright, Samantha Powell, sports reporter for the Washington Post. So good to have you on. Thank you so much for breaking that down for us.

The United States took all the questions about youth and inexperience and had all the answers against Canada.Andy Miele responded to Canada's early goal by tying it 70 seconds later, Brendan Brisson scored his second of the Olympics and the Americans beat their biggest rival 4-2 Saturday to put them in the driver's seat to earn a spot in the quarterfinals of the men's hockey tournament.Sean Farrell also set up Ben Meyers to give him three assists and six points and goaltender Strauss Mann made 35 saves to help the U.S. improve to 2-0 in the preliminary round. Beating Germany on Sunday would put the U.S. first in the group and could made it the top seed in the knockout round.The boom or bust potential of the youngest team in the tournament was on full display against Canada, a bigger, stronger and more experienced opponent. With Claude Julien back behind the bench two weeks after breaking his ribs in a sledding accident, the Canadians figured to use their size and physicality to wear down the smaller Americans over the course of 60 minutes.Instead, the U.S. — with 12 college players on the ice — went hit for hit with Canada and used a combination of offensive skill and bad opposing goaltending to take control of the game.Mann had his own dose of bad goaltending on Mat Robinson's goal for Canada 1:24 in, a shot from the boards 40 feet away that beat him clean. Mann settled in and only allowed Corban Knight's short-handed goal the rest of the way and was at his best during a late penalty kill that included 31 seconds of 5-on-3.Canada had barely been able to think about playing with the lead when Miele scored on a 2-on-1 rush at the 2:34 mark. Mann settled in and kept the score tied while Canada had 11 of the game's first 14 shots.The U.S. took over midway through the first and went ahead with 1:14 left in the period when Farrell set up Meyers for his second goal of the tournament. Farrell, a Montreal Canadiens prospect who plays at Harvard, has six points on three goals and three assists.In the midst of a lengthy shot drought for Canada, Pasquale gave the U.S. a gift early in the second period by flubbing the puck behind the net, and Brisson fired the puck into a wide-open net. Knight cut the U.S. lead to 3-2 before the second intermission, but a turnover by Canada defenseman Maxim Noreau set up Kenny Agostino to score another soft goal on Pasquale with 13:47 left in the third.Pasquale allowed four goals on 27 shots.The U.S. has certainly settled in at the Olympics after opening with an 8-0 rout of host China. That even includes North Dakota defenseman Jake Sanderson, who didn't look like he missed a step in his first game after arriving late Wednesday. Sanderson had been stuck in Los Angeles after testing positive for the coronavirus.The U.S. and Canada faced off at the Olympics for the first time since the semifinals at the 2014 Sochi Games, the last time NHL players participated. Canada won that game 1-0 on the way to a second consecutive gold medal.NOTES: Nick Shore replaced longtime Detroit Red Wings center Justin Abdelkader in the U.S. lineup after being a healthy scratch in the opener against China. ... Julien reassumed coaching duties from Jeremy Colliton.

BEIJING —

The United States took all the questions about youth and inexperience and had all the answers against Canada.

Andy Miele responded to Canada's early goal by tying it 70 seconds later, Brendan Brisson scored his second of the Olympics and the Americans beat their biggest rival 4-2 Saturday to put them in the driver's seat to earn a spot in the quarterfinals of the men's hockey tournament.

Sean Farrell also set up Ben Meyers to give him three assists and six points and goaltender Strauss Mann made 35 saves to help the U.S. improve to 2-0 in the preliminary round. Beating Germany on Sunday would put the U.S. first in the group and could made it the top seed in the knockout round.

The boom or bust potential of the youngest team in the tournament was on full display against Canada, a bigger, stronger and more experienced opponent. With Claude Julien back behind the bench two weeks after breaking his ribs in a sledding accident, the Canadians figured to use their size and physicality to wear down the smaller Americans over the course of 60 minutes.

Instead, the U.S. — with 12 college players on the ice — went hit for hit with Canada and used a combination of offensive skill and bad opposing goaltending to take control of the game.

Mann had his own dose of bad goaltending on Mat Robinson's goal for Canada 1:24 in, a shot from the boards 40 feet away that beat him clean. Mann settled in and only allowed Corban Knight's short-handed goal the rest of the way and was at his best during a late penalty kill that included 31 seconds of 5-on-3.

Canada had barely been able to think about playing with the lead when Miele scored on a 2-on-1 rush at the 2:34 mark. Mann settled in and kept the score tied while Canada had 11 of the game's first 14 shots.

The U.S. took over midway through the first and went ahead with 1:14 left in the period when Farrell set up Meyers for his second goal of the tournament. Farrell, a Montreal Canadiens prospect who plays at Harvard, has six points on three goals and three assists.

In the midst of a lengthy shot drought for Canada, Pasquale gave the U.S. a gift early in the second period by flubbing the puck behind the net, and Brisson fired the puck into a wide-open net. Knight cut the U.S. lead to 3-2 before the second intermission, but a turnover by Canada defenseman Maxim Noreau set up Kenny Agostino to score another soft goal on Pasquale with 13:47 left in the third.

Pasquale allowed four goals on 27 shots.

The U.S. has certainly settled in at the Olympics after opening with an 8-0 rout of host China. That even includes North Dakota defenseman Jake Sanderson, who didn't look like he missed a step in his first game after arriving late Wednesday. Sanderson had been stuck in Los Angeles after testing positive for the coronavirus.

The U.S. and Canada faced off at the Olympics for the first time since the semifinals at the 2014 Sochi Games, the last time NHL players participated. Canada won that game 1-0 on the way to a second consecutive gold medal.

NOTES: Nick Shore replaced longtime Detroit Red Wings center Justin Abdelkader in the U.S. lineup after being a healthy scratch in the opener against China. ... Julien reassumed coaching duties from Jeremy Colliton.


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]]> https://cincylink.com/2022/02/12/us-hockey-team-defeats-canada-in-group-stage-battle-cements-status-as-top-contender-for-gold/feed/ 0 New York Times reporter who broke gender barrier in NHL locker rooms dies https://cincylink.com/2022/02/04/new-york-times-reporter-who-broke-gender-barrier-in-nhl-locker-rooms-dies/ https://cincylink.com/2022/02/04/new-york-times-reporter-who-broke-gender-barrier-in-nhl-locker-rooms-dies/#respond Sat, 05 Feb 2022 02:47:18 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=143987

New York Times hockey reporter Robin Herman was a trailblazer, breaking down gender barriers by becoming the first female journalist to interview players inside a men’s professional sports locker room in the U.S.

On Tuesday, her husband former Times editor Paul Horvitz told the newspaper that she passed away from ovarian cancer.

She was 70.

Herman began covering the New York Islanders in 1974. Female sports reporters during that time were not allowed to enter a professional men's locker room like their male counterparts to interview players after games.

That all changed in 1975 when Herman and local radio reporter Marcelle St. Cyr were granted permission by the team's coaches to enter the locker rooms following the NHL All-Star Game in Montreal.

Herman recalled the event for an article for The Times several weeks later, saying the "mini sports history” moment, which she had hoped would go unnoticed turned into a “circus scene," the Associated Press reported.

She later went on to cover other things for the newspaper, while also making stops at The Washington Post. She also wrote a book and taught at Harvard.

According to The Boston Globe, Herman will be laid to rest at a cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.




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]]> https://cincylink.com/2022/02/04/new-york-times-reporter-who-broke-gender-barrier-in-nhl-locker-rooms-dies/feed/ 0 How to watch snowboarder Jamie Anderson, women’s hockey https://cincylink.com/2022/02/04/how-to-watch-snowboarder-jamie-anderson-womens-hockey/ https://cincylink.com/2022/02/04/how-to-watch-snowboarder-jamie-anderson-womens-hockey/#respond Fri, 04 Feb 2022 20:07:16 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=143884

Mhm Okay, mm hmm mm hmm.

Winter Olympics Livestreams: How to watch NorCal snowboarder Jamie Anderson, US women's hockey

The first six medals of the Games will be awarded.


The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing are officially opened after Friday’s Opening Ceremony and the competition later in the day will feature Team USA snowboarding star Jamie Anderson as well as the U.S. women's hockey team taking on Russia. Ski jumping, cross-country and freestyle skiing, speed skating, luge and more events are planned as well. The first six medals of the Games will be awarded.We’ll share livestream links below for what’s happening Friday evening and early Saturday. But first here’s how to catch up on top Olympics moments you may have missed. Here are the best video highlights from Day 0 at the Winter Olympics.| VIDEO | Nathan Chen wins team short program at 2022 Olympics| VIDEO | USA's Hubbell/Donohue score top rhythm dance in team eventMore Olympic moments videosBest of Day 0: Chen, Hubbell, Donahue among top performersROC nearly collides with Team USA in rhythm dance warmupsSmooth Criminals: Italy ice dancers channel Michael JacksonMueller/Dieck's rhythm dance as the Joker and Harley QuinnKnierim/Frazier nail their short in skating's team eventTeam USA defeats Sweden in mixed doubles curlingHow to watch the Opening Ceremony if you missed itDaylong coverage of the Olympics will culminate with NBC’s special primetime presentation of the Opening Ceremony from 8 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET on WLWT and Peacock and online here.Other ways to watch the Olympics include Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo TV and YouTube TV. Learn more about those streaming options here.Here’s a recap of what happened. | GALLERY BELOW | The must-see images of the 2022 Olympic opening ceremony Here are livestreams for notable events happening on Friday and early SaturdayNetwork livestreamsWatch NBC’s Winter Olympics Day Show starting at 2 p.m ETWatch USA networks coverage of curling, figure skating and more starting at 12 p.m. ET Watch NBC Primetime’s coverage of the Opening Ceremony starting at 8 p.m. ET Event livestreams on Friday eveningCurling mixed doubles round-robin: Watch Switzerland vs. Sweden at 8:05 p.m. ETCurling mixed doubles round-robin: Watch Australia vs. Norway at 8:05 p.m. ETSnowboarding: Women’s slopestyle qualifying starts at 9:45 p.m ET This event features South Lake Tahoe's Jamie Anderson, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in slopestyle.Alpine skiing: Men’s downhill training starts at 10 p.m. ET Hockey women’s prelim: Canada vs. Finland at 11:10 p.m ET Event livestreams early Saturday MEDAL EVENT | Cross-country skiing: Women’s skiathlon at 2:45 a.m. ET. (Watch for Team USA’s Jessie Diggins. Learn more about skiathlon here)MEDAL EVENT | Speed skating: Women’s 3000m at 3:30 a.m. ET (Watch for Mia Manganello Kilburg. Learn more about speed skating here)Hockey women’s prelim: Czech Republic vs. Sweden at 3:40 a.m. ETHockey women’s prelim: Denmark vs. Japan at 3:40 a.m. ETMEDAL EVENT | Biathlon: 4X6km mixed relay at 4 a.m. ET (Watch for Clare Egan, Susan Dunklee, Paul Schommer and Sean Doherty. Learn more about biathlon here)MEDAL EVENT |Ski jumping: Women’s individual normal hill final at 4:45 a.m. ETFreestyle skiing: Men’s moguls qualifying No. 2 at 5 a.m. ET MEDAL EVENT | Short track: Mixed relay finals, women’s 500m heats and men’s 1000m heats at 6 a.m. ET (Warch for Maame Biney and Kristen Santos. Learn more about short track here)Luge: Men’s singles luge runs 1 and 2 at 6:10 a.m. ET. (Watch for Chris Mazdzer. Learn more about luge here)MEDAL EVENT | Freestyle skiing: Men’s moguls finals at 6:25 a.m. ET (Watch for Cole McDonald and Dylan Walcyz)Curling mixed doubles round-robin: Norway vs. China at 7:05 a.m. ETCurling mixed doubles round-robin: Czech Republic vs. Switzerland at 7:05 a.m. ETCurling mixed doubles round-robin: USA vs. Canada at 7:05 a.m. ET. (Vicky Persinger and Chris Plys)Curling mixed doubles round-robin: Great Britain vs. Italy at 7:05 a.m. ETHockey women’s prelim: USA vs. ROC at 8:10 a.m. ET

The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing are officially opened after Friday’s Opening Ceremony and the competition later in the day will feature Team USA snowboarding star Jamie Anderson as well as the U.S. women's hockey team taking on Russia. Ski jumping, cross-country and freestyle skiing, speed skating, luge and more events are planned as well. The first six medals of the Games will be awarded.

We’ll share livestream links below for what’s happening Friday evening and early Saturday.

But first here’s how to catch up on top Olympics moments you may have missed.

Here are the best video highlights from Day 0 at the Winter Olympics.

| VIDEO | Nathan Chen wins team short program at 2022 Olympics

| VIDEO | USA's Hubbell/Donohue score top rhythm dance in team event

More Olympic moments videos

How to watch the Opening Ceremony if you missed it

Daylong coverage of the Olympics will culminate with NBC’s special primetime presentation of the Opening Ceremony from 8 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET on WLWT and Peacock and online here.

Other ways to watch the Olympics include Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo TV and YouTube TV. Learn more about those streaming options here.

Here’s a recap of what happened.

| GALLERY BELOW | The must-see images of the 2022 Olympic opening ceremony

Here are livestreams for notable events happening on Friday and early Saturday

Network livestreams

Event livestreams on Friday evening

This event features South Lake Tahoe's Jamie Anderson, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in slopestyle.

Event livestreams early Saturday


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]]> https://cincylink.com/2022/02/04/how-to-watch-snowboarder-jamie-anderson-womens-hockey/feed/ 0 NHL team staff member thanks fan who spotted melanoma at game https://cincylink.com/2022/01/02/nhl-team-staff-member-thanks-fan-who-spotted-melanoma-at-game/ https://cincylink.com/2022/01/02/nhl-team-staff-member-thanks-fan-who-spotted-melanoma-at-game/#respond Sun, 02 Jan 2022 20:37:22 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=133634

Two NHL teams have combined to give ice hockey fan Nadia Popovici a $10,000 scholarship for medical school as a thank you for advising Vancouver Canucks assistant equipment manager Brian "Red" Hamilton to get a mole behind his neck checked out.Popovici was sitting behind Hamilton as she watched the Canucks play the Seattle Kraken on Oct. 23. Unsure if Hamilton was aware of the mole, Popovici banged on the glass window to catch his attention and showed him a message she had typed on her phone.Following her advice, Hamilton did get the mole checked out and it proved to be a malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer.With the Canucks scheduled to play the Kraken in Seattle on Saturday, the Vancouver team posted a message on social media as they tried to track down Popovici so Hamilton could thank her personally."I'm trying to find a very special person and I need the hockey community's help," wrote Hamilton in a social media post."To this woman I am trying to find, you changed my life, and now I want to find you to say THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH."That evening Oct 23rd, and the message you showed me on your cell phone will forever be etched into my brain and has made a true life-changing difference for me and my family."Your instincts were right and that mole on the back of my neck was a malignant melanoma and thanks to your persistence and the quick work of our doctors, it is now gone."'What wonderful news!'It didn't take long for the internet to work its magic as Popovici's mother replied to the Canucks' original Facebook post."This was my daughter!!! We are the season ticket holders for the Kraken who sit behind the visitors bench at the Climate Pledge Arena. This was my daughter's first game and the Canucks have always been my team before the Kraken existed."She noticed the mole on the back of Red's neck and she wasn't sure he knew about it. So she typed the message on her phone and knocked on the glass window to get his attention. He finally looked at the message, nodded and smiled and continued working."She hasn't even seen this message yet as she worked graveyard shift at the suicide crisis center in Seattle so she's still asleep. She'll be shocked to see this message!"She will be at the game tonight in the same seats. She'll be so happy and excited to know he got it checked! What wonderful news!!!! She just got accepted into multiple medical schools!"In a video posted by the Canucks on Facebook, Popovici and Hamilton are shown together in an emotional meeting.Both wearing masks, Popovici asks if Hamilton is OK with shaking hands or hugging, but they quickly opt for the hug given the moment's poignancy.Hamilton explained in the video that when Popovici knocked on the glass and showed him the message on her phone that he initially had been quite taken aback."The next day I woke up," continued Hamilton in the video. "I said to Jess ... 'It was your effort and your persistence ... the way you wrote it on your phone. I owe it to this person to get checked, if she went this far, I don't know her, I don't know anything about her.'"I am fortunate we have doctors on the team who can help," added Hamilton.It was during Saturday's game that a stunned Popovici learned about the $10,000 scholarship award.Vancouver won 5-2, but as the Canucks tweeted a picturing of Hamilton and Popivici together taking a selfie, the tweet's caption said it all: "The biggest win tonight."

Two NHL teams have combined to give ice hockey fan Nadia Popovici a $10,000 scholarship for medical school as a thank you for advising Vancouver Canucks assistant equipment manager Brian "Red" Hamilton to get a mole behind his neck checked out.

Popovici was sitting behind Hamilton as she watched the Canucks play the Seattle Kraken on Oct. 23. Unsure if Hamilton was aware of the mole, Popovici banged on the glass window to catch his attention and showed him a message she had typed on her phone.

Following her advice, Hamilton did get the mole checked out and it proved to be a malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer.

With the Canucks scheduled to play the Kraken in Seattle on Saturday, the Vancouver team posted a message on social media as they tried to track down Popovici so Hamilton could thank her personally.

"I'm trying to find a very special person and I need the hockey community's help," wrote Hamilton in a social media post.

"To this woman I am trying to find, you changed my life, and now I want to find you to say THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

"That evening Oct 23rd, and the message you showed me on your cell phone will forever be etched into my brain and has made a true life-changing difference for me and my family.

"Your instincts were right and that mole on the back of my neck was a malignant melanoma and thanks to your persistence and the quick work of our doctors, it is now gone."

'What wonderful news!'

It didn't take long for the internet to work its magic as Popovici's mother replied to the Canucks' original Facebook post.

"This was my daughter!!! We are the season ticket holders for the Kraken who sit behind the visitors bench at the Climate Pledge Arena. This was my daughter's first game and the Canucks have always been my team before the Kraken existed.

"She noticed the mole on the back of Red's neck and she wasn't sure he knew about it. So she typed the message on her phone and knocked on the glass window to get his attention. He finally looked at the message, nodded and smiled and continued working.

"She hasn't even seen this message yet as she worked graveyard shift at the suicide crisis center in Seattle so she's still asleep. She'll be shocked to see this message!

"She will be at the game tonight in the same seats. She'll be so happy and excited to know he got it checked! What wonderful news!!!! She just got accepted into multiple medical schools!"

In a video posted by the Canucks on Facebook, Popovici and Hamilton are shown together in an emotional meeting.

Both wearing masks, Popovici asks if Hamilton is OK with shaking hands or hugging, but they quickly opt for the hug given the moment's poignancy.

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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Hamilton explained in the video that when Popovici knocked on the glass and showed him the message on her phone that he initially had been quite taken aback.

"The next day I woke up," continued Hamilton in the video. "I said to Jess [Hamilton's partner] ... 'It was your effort and your persistence ... the way you wrote it on your phone. I owe it to this person to get checked, if she went this far, I don't know her, I don't know anything about her.'

"I am fortunate we have doctors on the team who can help," added Hamilton.

It was during Saturday's game that a stunned Popovici learned about the $10,000 scholarship award.

Vancouver won 5-2, but as the Canucks tweeted a picturing of Hamilton and Popivici together taking a selfie, the tweet's caption said it all: "The biggest win tonight."

This content is imported from Facebook.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.




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]]> https://cincylink.com/2022/01/02/nhl-team-staff-member-thanks-fan-who-spotted-melanoma-at-game/feed/ 0 NHL delays return to play https://cincylink.com/2021/12/26/nhl-delays-return-to-play/ https://cincylink.com/2021/12/26/nhl-delays-return-to-play/#respond Sun, 26 Dec 2021 22:27:24 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=131325

The National Hockey League (NHL) will not resume its season on Dec. 27 as previously announced.

The league paused its season on Wednesday after numerous teams reported COVID-19 outbreaks.

In a statement Friday, the league said no games will take place prior to Dec. 28.

"Teams will return to practice on Dec. 26 and it is expected that the League will provide an update on its return to play plans by the end of day on Sunday," the NHL said.

ESPN reports that the league is implementing stricter protocols in an effort to limit future outbreaks.

The protocols include daily testing and restrictions on where players can go when they are not with the team.




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]]> https://cincylink.com/2021/12/26/nhl-delays-return-to-play/feed/ 0 NHL postpones 2 New York Islanders games due to COVID-19 outbreak https://cincylink.com/2021/11/28/nhl-postpones-2-new-york-islanders-games-due-to-covid-19-outbreak/ https://cincylink.com/2021/11/28/nhl-postpones-2-new-york-islanders-games-due-to-covid-19-outbreak/#respond Sun, 28 Nov 2021 09:47:29 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=121080

The NHL has postponed two more games for coronavirus-related reasons, making it five so far this season.Upcoming New York Islanders games Sunday at the Rangers and Tuesday at the Philadelphia Flyers were postponed after additional members of the team went into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol on Saturday.General manager Lou Lamoriello said forward Casey Cizikas became the latest player to test positive. The Islanders would have had as many as eight players unavailable.The league said the possibility of additional spread contributed to the Islanders’ games through at least Tuesday being called off for now. Cizikas joined captain Anders Lee, fellow forwards Ross Johnston and Kieffer Bellows and defensemen Zdeno Chara, Adam Pelech and Andy Greene in protocol, and winger Josh Bailey only recently resumed skating after being quarantined.Lamoriello said as recently as Wednesday that none of the players who were positive for the virus had tested negative to clear the way to return. It would take three consecutive days of negative tests to reopen team training facilities and resume play. The entire Islanders team is vaccinated against COVID-19.While Lamoriello said Saturday he had not asked the league office for postponements, the absences and a long-term injury to defenseman Ryan Pulock were making things very difficult for New York. The short-handed Islanders fell 1-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins at home Friday night, their eighth consecutive loss."We're kind of piecemealing it," coach Barry Trotz said afterward. "The young guys who have come in, they’re doing what they can. ... They're doing the job that they can. There's no one not trying right now."The NHL postponed three Ottawa Senators games in mid-November because of that team’s virus outbreak. One of those games, at the New Jersey Devils, has been rescheduled for Dec. 6.Ottawa is 0-3-0 since resuming play and put goaltender Matt Murray on waivers Saturday. Murray allowed four goals on 27 shots in a loss Wednesday, his only start since being activated off the COVID-19 list.When the NHL agreed to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, the league and the NHL Players' Association added the caveat that they could withdraw based on pandemic conditions. It would take a significant amount of postponements to trigger the NHL/NHLPA withdrawal for a material disruption to the season that would require the 2 1/2-week Olympic break in February to make up games.The league and players have until Jan. 10 to pull out without financial penalty. Canada named Claude Julien coach for two international tournaments in December as part of a potential plan B staff if the NHL does not participate in the Olympics.

The NHL has postponed two more games for coronavirus-related reasons, making it five so far this season.

Upcoming New York Islanders games Sunday at the Rangers and Tuesday at the Philadelphia Flyers were postponed after additional members of the team went into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol on Saturday.

General manager Lou Lamoriello said forward Casey Cizikas became the latest player to test positive. The Islanders would have had as many as eight players unavailable.

The league said the possibility of additional spread contributed to the Islanders’ games through at least Tuesday being called off for now. Cizikas joined captain Anders Lee, fellow forwards Ross Johnston and Kieffer Bellows and defensemen Zdeno Chara, Adam Pelech and Andy Greene in protocol, and winger Josh Bailey only recently resumed skating after being quarantined.

Lamoriello said as recently as Wednesday that none of the players who were positive for the virus had tested negative to clear the way to return. It would take three consecutive days of negative tests to reopen team training facilities and resume play. The entire Islanders team is vaccinated against COVID-19.

While Lamoriello said Saturday he had not asked the league office for postponements, the absences and a long-term injury to defenseman Ryan Pulock were making things very difficult for New York. The short-handed Islanders fell 1-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins at home Friday night, their eighth consecutive loss.

"We're kind of piecemealing it," coach Barry Trotz said afterward. "The young guys who have come in, they’re doing what they can. ... They're doing the job that they can. There's no one not trying right now."

The NHL postponed three Ottawa Senators games in mid-November because of that team’s virus outbreak. One of those games, at the New Jersey Devils, has been rescheduled for Dec. 6.

Ottawa is 0-3-0 since resuming play and put goaltender Matt Murray on waivers Saturday. Murray allowed four goals on 27 shots in a loss Wednesday, his only start since being activated off the COVID-19 list.

When the NHL agreed to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, the league and the NHL Players' Association added the caveat that they could withdraw based on pandemic conditions. It would take a significant amount of postponements to trigger the NHL/NHLPA withdrawal for a material disruption to the season that would require the 2 1/2-week Olympic break in February to make up games.

The league and players have until Jan. 10 to pull out without financial penalty. Canada named Claude Julien coach for two international tournaments in December as part of a potential plan B staff if the NHL does not participate in the Olympics.


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]]> https://cincylink.com/2021/11/28/nhl-postpones-2-new-york-islanders-games-due-to-covid-19-outbreak/feed/ 0 Former NHL prospect speaks out about sexual assault allegations against coach https://cincylink.com/2021/10/29/former-nhl-prospect-speaks-out-about-sexual-assault-allegations-against-coach/ https://cincylink.com/2021/10/29/former-nhl-prospect-speaks-out-about-sexual-assault-allegations-against-coach/#respond Fri, 29 Oct 2021 04:08:49 +0000 https://cincylink.com/?p=109427

When he was 20 years old in 2010, Kyle Beach was pursuing his NHL dream when he was called up to the Chicago Blackhawks as a "Black Ace," a prospect player who could be available to play for the NHL club if needed. It was a couple of weeks later, Beach, now 31, said in an interview Wednesday with Canadian sports television station TSN, that his life "was changed forever."On Tuesday, the NHL announced it had fined the Blackhawks $2 million for what the league described as "the organization's inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response" relating to the team's handling of ​alleged incidents of sexual misconduct involving former video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010. The league says it punished the team following an independent investigation.The Blackhawks commissioned a probe after a lawsuit was filed over the 2010 incident earlier this year by an unidentified hockey player, according to the report. The independent investigation determined that on May 8 or 9, 2010, there was a sexual encounter between Aldrich and the unidentified 20-year-old player, who was a member of the Blackhawks' minor league affiliate team, at Aldrich's apartment. The player alleged that Aldrich sexually assaulted him while Aldrich contended that the encounter was consensual, the report reads.Beach, who now plays professionally in Germany, has come forward as the "John Doe" in the report and as "John Doe" in the lawsuit. On Wednesday, he expressed "a great feeling of relief and vindication" and that "it was no longer my word against everybody else's."Beach also said he wanted to come forward and put his name on this."To be honest, it's already out there," Beach said to TSN. "The details were pretty accurate in the report, and it's been figured out. But more than that, I've been a survivor, I am a survivor. And I know I'm not alone. I know I'm not the only one, male or female. And I buried this for 10 years, 11 years. And it's destroyed me from the inside out."Following TSN's interview with Beach, the Blackhawks released a statement, saying the club commended Beach in coming forward."As an organization, the Chicago Blackhawks reiterate our deepest apologies to him for what he has gone through and for the organization's failure to promptly respond when he bravely brought this matter to light in 2010," the statement said. "It was inexcusable for the then-executives of the Blackhawks organization to delay taking action regarding the reported sexual misconduct. No playoff game or championship is more important than protecting our players and staff from predatory behavior."'Focus on the team and the playoffs'Blackhawks president of hockey operations and general manager Stan Bowman and senior vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac resigned Tuesday after their alleged roles in the matter were detailed in the investigation conducted by law firm Jenner & Block, LLP.According to the investigation report, MacIsaac, then the Blackhawks senior director of hockey administration, became aware of the incident on May 23, 2010, and dispatched team mental skills coach and team counselor Jim Gary to interview the player, who said that Aldrich had pressured him to have sex and threatened his career if he refused.Later that day, the investigation report said, a meeting of Blackhawks senior leadership was convened to discuss the situation.Bowman recalled, according to the investigation report, that then-president John McDonough and then-head coach Joel Quenneville "made comments about the challenge of getting to the Stanley Cup Finals and a desire to focus on the team and the playoffs." Just hours earlier, Chicago had won the Western Conference Championship to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Quenneville currently is the head coach for the Florida Panthers.When discussing the situation years later with another team employee, MacIsaac said that McDonough wanted to avoid negative publicity during the playoffs. Bowman recalled McDonough telling the group he would handle the situation, according to the investigation report.But Aldrich continued to travel and work with the team, per ​the investigation report, throughout the playoffs, and the investigation found no sign that any action was taken to address the situation until June 14, after the season had ended. The Blackhawks' policy, at the time, was that all reports of sexual harassment would be investigated "promptly and thoroughly."The report said, "Our investigation uncovered no evidence, however, that McDonough or anyone else either contacted Human Resources or initiated an investigation between May 23 and June 14."During the interim, the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup on June 9, and during a team celebration on June 10, Aldrich allegedly made a sexual advance toward a 22-year-old team intern. The intern rejected Aldrich's advance, but did not report the incident, the investigation report reads. It was not clear from the report how the alleged incident involving the intern ultimately came to light."The failure to promptly and thoroughly investigate the matter not only violated the Blackhawks' own sexual harassment policy in effect at the time, the decision to take no action from May 23 to June 14, 2010, had real consequences, including allegations involving an additional unwanted sexual advance by Aldrich to a Blackhawks' intern before he was ultimately separated from the Club," the NHL said.Aldrich was paid severance and had his name engraved on the Stanley CupOn June 14, 2010, McDonough informed team human resources about the incident and the May 23 team leadership meeting. McDonough said, according to the director of human resources, "it was decided that the group would not alert Human Resources or do anything about the incident during the playoffs so as not to disturb team chemistry." McDonough told investigators he did not recall this conversation.Nearly a decade later, the Blackhawks fired McDonough. The team did not state the reason for the firing on its press release last year. The team said, "it was the right decision for the future of the organization and its fans."The director of human resources met with Aldrich on June 16, 2010, offering him the option of an investigation of the incident with the unnamed player or resigning. Aldrich opted to resign and no team investigation was ever conducted, according to the investigation report.Aldrich received severance and a playoff bonus. His name was engraved on the Stanley Cup. He received a championship ring and was allowed to take the Stanley Cup to his hometown for a day, per ​the investigation report."The only way I could describe it was that I felt sick, I felt sick to my stomach," Beach told TSN of watching Aldrich interacting with the team when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup."I reported this and I was made aware that it made it all the way up the chain of command by 'Doc' Gary and nothing happened. It was like his life was the same as it was the day before. The same every day. And then when they won, to see him paraded around lifting the Cup, at the parade, at the team pictures, at celebrations, it made me feel like nothing. It made me feel like I didn't exist. It made me feel like, that I wasn't important and...it made me feel like he was in the right and I was wrong."CNN has reached out to MacIsaac, Quenneville, Aldrich and McDonough for comment. CNN has attempted to reach out to Gary for comment.In a statement Tuesday, Bowman said, "The team needs to focus on its future, and my continued participation would be a distraction. I think too much of this organization to let that happen." Bowman also stepped down from his position as general manager of the 2022 U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Team, according to USA Hockey.The Blackhawks organization apologized to its fans in a letter published Tuesday, saying, "It is clear the organization and its executives at that time did not live up to our own standards or values in handling these disturbing incidents. We deeply regret the harm caused to John Doe and the other individuals who were affected and the failure to promptly respond. As an organization, we extend our profound apologies to the individuals who suffered from these experiences. We must — and will — do better."

When he was 20 years old in 2010, Kyle Beach was pursuing his NHL dream when he was called up to the Chicago Blackhawks as a "Black Ace," a prospect player who could be available to play for the NHL club if needed. It was a couple of weeks later, Beach, now 31, said in an interview Wednesday with Canadian sports television station TSN, that his life "was changed forever."

On Tuesday, the NHL announced it had fined the Blackhawks $2 million for what the league described as "the organization's inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response" relating to the team's handling of ​alleged incidents of sexual misconduct involving former video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010. The league says it punished the team following an independent investigation.

The Blackhawks commissioned a probe after a lawsuit was filed over the 2010 incident earlier this year by an unidentified hockey player, according to the report. The independent investigation determined that on May 8 or 9, 2010, there was a sexual encounter between Aldrich and the unidentified 20-year-old player, who was a member of the Blackhawks' minor league affiliate team, at Aldrich's apartment. The player alleged that Aldrich sexually assaulted him while Aldrich contended that the encounter was consensual, the report reads.

Beach, who now plays professionally in Germany, has come forward as the "John Doe" in the report and as "John Doe" in the lawsuit. On Wednesday, he expressed "a great feeling of relief and vindication" and that "it was no longer my word against everybody else's."

Beach also said he wanted to come forward and put his name on this.

"To be honest, it's already out there," Beach said to TSN. "The details were pretty accurate in the report, and it's been figured out. But more than that, I've been a survivor, I am a survivor. And I know I'm not alone. I know I'm not the only one, male or female. And I buried this for 10 years, 11 years. And it's destroyed me from the inside out."

Following TSN's interview with Beach, the Blackhawks released a statement, saying the club commended Beach in coming forward.

"As an organization, the Chicago Blackhawks reiterate our deepest apologies to him for what he has gone through and for the organization's failure to promptly respond when he bravely brought this matter to light in 2010," the statement said. "It was inexcusable for the then-executives of the Blackhawks organization to delay taking action regarding the reported sexual misconduct. No playoff game or championship is more important than protecting our players and staff from predatory behavior."

Chicago Blackhawks forward Kyle Beach on the bench on Sept. 12, 2013, at Notre Dame&apos&#x3B;s Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend, Indiana. (/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Chicago Tribune

Blackhawks Kyle Beach, seen here on the bench in South Bend, Indiana, on September 12, 2013, reveals that he was the former Chicago Blackhawks player at the center of sex assault allegations against coach Brad Aldrich.

'Focus on the team and the playoffs'

Blackhawks president of hockey operations and general manager Stan Bowman and senior vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac resigned Tuesday after their alleged roles in the matter were detailed in the investigation conducted by law firm Jenner & Block, LLP.

According to the investigation report, MacIsaac, then the Blackhawks senior director of hockey administration, became aware of the incident on May 23, 2010, and dispatched team mental skills coach and team counselor Jim Gary to interview the player, who said that Aldrich had pressured him to have sex and threatened his career if he refused.

Later that day, the investigation report said, a meeting of Blackhawks senior leadership was convened to discuss the situation.

Bowman recalled, according to the investigation report, that then-president John McDonough and then-head coach Joel Quenneville "made comments about the challenge of getting to the Stanley Cup Finals and a desire to focus on the team and the playoffs." Just hours earlier, Chicago had won the Western Conference Championship to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Quenneville currently is the head coach for the Florida Panthers.

When discussing the situation years later with another team employee, MacIsaac said that McDonough wanted to avoid negative publicity during the playoffs. Bowman recalled McDonough telling the group he would handle the situation, according to the investigation report.

But Aldrich continued to travel and work with the team, per ​the investigation report, throughout the playoffs, and the investigation found no sign that any action was taken to address the situation until June 14, after the season had ended. The Blackhawks' policy, at the time, was that all reports of sexual harassment would be investigated "promptly and thoroughly."

The report said, "Our investigation uncovered no evidence, however, that McDonough or anyone else either contacted Human Resources or initiated an investigation between May 23 and June 14."

During the interim, the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup on June 9, and during a team celebration on June 10, Aldrich allegedly made a sexual advance toward a 22-year-old team intern. The intern rejected Aldrich's advance, but did not report the incident, the investigation report reads. It was not clear from the report how the alleged incident involving the intern ultimately came to light.

"The failure to promptly and thoroughly investigate the matter not only violated the Blackhawks' own sexual harassment policy in effect at the time, the decision to take no action from May 23 to June 14, 2010, had real consequences, including allegations involving an additional unwanted sexual advance by Aldrich to a Blackhawks' intern before he was ultimately separated from the Club," the NHL said.

Aldrich was paid severance and had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup

On June 14, 2010, McDonough informed team human resources about the incident and the May 23 team leadership meeting. McDonough said, according to the director of human resources, "it was decided that the group would not alert Human Resources or do anything about the incident during the playoffs so as not to disturb team chemistry." McDonough told investigators he did not recall this conversation.

Nearly a decade later, the Blackhawks fired McDonough. The team did not state the reason for the firing on its press release last year. The team said, "it was the right decision for the future of the organization and its fans."

The director of human resources met with Aldrich on June 16, 2010, offering him the option of an investigation of the incident with the unnamed player or resigning. Aldrich opted to resign and no team investigation was ever conducted, according to the investigation report.

Aldrich received severance and a playoff bonus. His name was engraved on the Stanley Cup. He received a championship ring and was allowed to take the Stanley Cup to his hometown for a day, per ​the investigation report.

"The only way I could describe it was that I felt sick, I felt sick to my stomach," Beach told TSN of watching Aldrich interacting with the team when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.

"I reported this and I was made aware that it made it all the way up the chain of command by 'Doc' Gary and nothing happened. It was like his life was the same as it was the day before. The same every day. And then when they won, to see him paraded around lifting the Cup, at the parade, at the team pictures, at celebrations, it made me feel like nothing. It made me feel like I didn't exist. It made me feel like, that I wasn't important and...it made me feel like he was in the right and I was wrong."

CNN has reached out to MacIsaac, Quenneville, Aldrich and McDonough for comment. CNN has attempted to reach out to Gary for comment.

In a statement Tuesday, Bowman said, "The team needs to focus on its future, and my continued participation would be a distraction. I think too much of this organization to let that happen." Bowman also stepped down from his position as general manager of the 2022 U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Team, according to USA Hockey.

The Blackhawks organization apologized to its fans in a letter published Tuesday, saying, "It is clear the organization and its executives at that time did not live up to our own standards or values in handling these disturbing incidents. We deeply regret the harm caused to John Doe and the other individuals who were affected and the failure to promptly respond. As an organization, we extend our profound apologies to the individuals who suffered from these experiences. We must — and will — do better."




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]]> https://cincylink.com/2021/10/29/former-nhl-prospect-speaks-out-about-sexual-assault-allegations-against-coach/feed/ 0 Can a GoPro survive a slapshot? https://cincylink.com/2020/01/16/can-a-gopro-survive-a-slapshot/ https://cincylink.com/2020/01/16/can-a-gopro-survive-a-slapshot/#respond Thu, 16 Jan 2020 13:00:08 +0000 https://cincylink.com/can-a-gopro-survive-a-slapshot/

How does rugged tech stand up against a slapshot? Jeff Bakalar went to visit the Vegas Golden Knights to find out. With the help of the team's on-air analyst and former player, Shane Hnidy, we try and go bar-down on devices that are built for serious impact.

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