Date With Dynasty
Vees Presented With Dynasty Cup
Saturday, April 10, 2010
The Dynasty Cup was polished, engraved, and presented to Nova Scotia Voyageurs' owner Randy Sullivan on April 7th. The Vees were crowned DHL champions on April 2nd after defeating the
New Scotland Pack in the Dynasty Cup Finals four games to one. "The Cup has never looked better! Especially now that the Nova Scotia Voyageurs have their named stamped on it", remarked Sullivan
shortly after accepting the trophy from DHL Commissioner Ricky Sullivan. The Vees will enjoy their off season with fond memories of bringing home their first championship in franchise history before
shifting their focus to personnel decisions as well as preparation for the 2010 DHL Entry Draft, but for now, they will continue to enjoy being on top of the DHL universe.
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Voyageurs Capture Dynasty Cup
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Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs are the 2009-10 Dynasty Cup Champions after disposing of the New Scotland Pack in five games on the strength of a 13-4 victory on April 2nd. Both Vees owner Randy Sullivan and Pack
owner Blaine MacDonald, along with DHL Commissioner Ricky Sullivan were in Montreal for game five of the Dynasty Cup Finals getting ready to watch the Montreal Canadiens do battle with the Buffalo Sabres the next night.
Rookie and game-day call-up Jamie Benn was named first star of the night based on scoring twice and adding an assist. Defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky recorded a pair of assists in the clincher and was named second star for his efforts,
while Brandon Dubinsky got the Vees' offence rolling by lighting the lamp early and securing third star honours in the process.
The Pack jumped out to a 4-0 lead after early goals from Thomas Plekanec and Vinny Prospal before Dubinsky responded for the Vees who never looked back and captured their first Dynasty Cup championship in
franchise history. "It's an unbelievable feeling", shared Vees owner Randy Sullivan. "It feels like a long time coming, and to finally win it all is amazing. I'll definitely be enjoying this for a while.
The competition in the DHL is fierce and you never know if and when you'll get here again".
There may have been some foreshadowing as the owners drove between Montreal and Ottawa before game three and again before game five of the finals. "It was crazy. There were hundreds, maybe thousands, of canadian geese flying in their
famous "flying V" formation. It seems we were seeing "vees" every five or ten minutes. At the time I was hoping it was a sign of things to come in the finals. Now I definitely know it was!", said Sullivan when asked about the geese.
The Vees' elation comes at the expense of the Pack's disappointment. Midnight has struck for this Cinderella team that was able to knock off the third seeded Express in seven games in the first round of the playoffs and then upset the two-time defending champion Atlantics also in seven
games in the semi-finals before running into a Vees team that was firing on all cylinders. After losing the first two games of the playoffs to the Penguins, the Voyageurs won twelve of their next fifteen games to claim league supremacy.
On The Road
Vees and Pack Split Games in Ottawa
Monday, April 4, 2010
Games three and four of the Dynasty Cup Finals were played while Vees owner Randy Sullivan, Pack owner Blaine MacDonald, and DHL Commissioner Ricky Sullivan were on
the road to take in some NHL action.
Game three was played the night of March 31 as the trio of DHLers made their way to Ottawa. "I had my iPhone with me, so we were definitely
keeping an eye on the (NHL) scores", said Vees owner Randy Sullivan. And the scoreboard watching continued until the final second ticked off the clock in the final NHL game of the
night. "By the time the game was finished we were settled into our hotel room after a fifteen hour journey from Halifax", Sullivan continued, speaking about his team's 4-3 victory over the New Scotland Pack
in a lackluster affair to take a commanding three games to none lead in the finals. The game went down to the wire with Marian Hossa and Paul Stastny picking up late assists to secure the
slim victory for Nova Scotia and leave the Voyageurs one win away from their first Dynasty Cup Championship. Steven Stamkos provided the Pack with all their scoring with a goal and an assist and was named
first star of the night. Stastny was named the game's second star for his one assist effort and Bryan McCabe was named third star of the night for adding a single assist of his own.
The teams didn't have much time to rest as they were back at it the next night for game four. With Sullivan, Sullivan, and MacDonald in attendance, the marquee NHL matchup of the night was the
Carolina Hurricanes visiting the Ottawa Senators. The game was also of particular importance because it featured the Voyageurs' Jason Spezza against the Pack's Erik Karlsson. Both players
had phenominal nights as the Senators locked up an NHL playoff berth with a 4-3 shootout win over the Hurricanes, while at the same time the New Scotland Pack prevented a four game sweep at the hands of the Vees by posting
12-8 win over the Voyageurs to cut their series deficit to 3-1. Erik Karlsson was named first star of the night by scoring two goals in the win. Jason Spezza was named second star of the night as
he notched three assists in defeat. "Winning the game is exciting enough, but actually being at the game and seeing Erik Karlsson score twice to give us the win is something I will never forget", Pack owner
Blaine MacDonald said after the game. When asked about watching Spezza play, Randy Sullivan had nothing but praise for his player: "He was dominant! Period!"
As dominant as Spezza may have been, the Vees needed more offence on this night and just didn't get it. The Vees other scoring came from third star Pavel Datsyuk who had a goal and an assist, and game day call up Patrik Berglund who added two assists.
Berglund was called up to fill out the Vees roster after injuries forced them to drop Paul Kariya before the game to clear salary cap space for Berglund to join the roster. "The decison to drop Kariya was literally
made while I was standing outside Scotiabank Place. It was not an easy thing to do", said Sullivan.
Spezza Dominates
Vees Take 2-0 Series Lead
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Appearing in their first Dynasty Cup Final, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs are now two wins away from claiming the league championship. After a two day break, the Vees came out strong and outscored the New Scotland Pack 17-11 Tuesday night. DHL 1st star of the night Jason Spezza led the Vees with two goals and two assists.
Alexander Semin was named second star of the night by adding two goals for the Voyageurs in the victory. Eric Karlsson helped the Pack with three assists and was given third star of the night honours.
Vees owner Randy Sullivan embarked on a DHL road trip for the long weekend, along with Pack Owner Blaine MacDonald and reigning DHL champion Ricky Sullivan. According to reports, Randy could be heard giggling in the front seat on his way to Ottawa, relishing in the thought of winning the DHL championship. No comment was given by the Pack owner.
Vees Strike First
Take 1-0 Series Lead
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs have claimed a 1-0 series lead in the Dynasty Cup Finals thanks to a game one 15-10 victory over the New Scotland Pack. Patrick Marleau led the charge for the Vees by notching a goal and adding three helpers.
Sidney Crosby also had a strong game for Nova Scotia with three assists, while Marc-Andre Fleury recorded a win in goal and added an assist of his own. Marleau, Crosby, and Fleury were named the DHL
first, second, and third stars of the night respectively. Stephane Robidas and Mikhail Grabovski each had two assists for the Pack in the losing cause.
Heading into the finals, the Voyageurs and Pack had met fifteen previous times with the Vees holding a 11-4-0 advantage, including a 5-2-0 record against the Pack this season, and a 4-2 series win in the
first round of the playoffs last season. The teams also hooked up for a blockbuster trade on January 20th that saw Bobby Ryan join the Vees and Dion Phaneuf, Nazem Kadri, and Patrick O'Sullivan become members of the Pack. The Finals resume
Tuesday night when the teams do battle in game two.
Dethroned
Pack end Atlantics' Reign
Friday, March 26, 2010
The improbable has happened and as a result there will be a new Dynasty Cup Champion crowned this season. The New Scotland Pack held on to defeat the two-time
defending champion Halifax Atlantics four games to three after a 14-11 game seven victory. The Pack had held a 3-1 lead in the series before the Atlantics forced a decisive seventh game with two straight wins.
First star Steven Stamkos had two goals for the Pack as did second star Kristian Huselius. Atlantics netminder Evgeni Nabokov was named third star of the night for posting
a win and a shutout between the pipes.
The Pack will now face-off against the Nova Scotia Voyageurs in the best of seven Dynasty Cup Final scheduled to begin tomorrow. It is the first finals appearance for both teams and the first finals in league
history that does not include the Atlantics or the Whalers.
Stayin' Alive
Atlantics Force Game 7
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Halifax Atlantics once again stayed alive in their quest to win a third consecutive Dynasty Cup by doubling up the New Scotland Pack by a score of 14-7. First star Ilya Kovalchuk had a goal
and three assists for the Atlantics, while teammate Zach Parise was named second star for his two goals and one assist effort. The win pulls the Atlantics even with the Pack in their best
of seven series at three games apiece. The Pack had led the series three games to one and will look to avoid the same fate they handed the Fredericton Express when they battled back from a 3-1 deficit in the
first round of the playoffs to eliminated the first year Express in seven games. Paul Martin had a goal and an assist for the Pack and was named third star of the night.
Game seven of the series is set to go tomorrow night with the winner facing the Nova Scotia Voyageurs in the Dynasty Cup Final beginning this Saturday night.
Bird is the Word
Vees in Finals; Atlantics Still Alive
Monday, March 22, 2010
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs have qualified for the Dynasty Cup Finals for the first time in team history after defeating the Prospect Whalers lastnight 6-5
and earning a four games to one series win. This season will mark the first time in the DHL's three year history that the Prospect Whalers franchise is not playing
for the Dynasty Cup in the finals. Nathan Horton paced the Vees offence with a goal and an assist in the low scoring contest and was named second star of the night. Mike Richards
notched a goal for the Whalers who now turn their attention towards next season. The Vees await the winner of the Atlantics-Pack semifinal series.
The Halifax Atlantics staved off elimination with a game five 10-8 win over the New Scotland Pack. The Pack now lead the series three games to two and will look to finish
off the champs once and for all tomorrow night when the teams meet for game six of the series. First star Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and an assist for the Atlantics and Eric Staal
and Ian White contributed by each scoring a goal in the win. Corey Perry was named third star of the night for the Pack after his three assist performance in the loss.
Against The Ropes
Atlantics and Whalers Trail 3-1
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The New Scotland Pack have used back to back wins in games three and four to take a commanding three games to one lead in
their semi-final series against the Halifax Atlantics. The Pack pulled off a 9-7 win in game three and followed it up with a 7-4 victory
lastnight. Patrick Sharp had a goal for New scotland and Alexander Ovechkin scored a goal for the Atlantics in his return from suspension.
The most surprising aspect of this series to date is the lack of offence from the DHL's highest scoring team. The Atlantics posted 796 points
in the regular season- an average of 12.63 points per game. They then followed that up in the first round of the playoffs by averaging 12.75 points
per game in their four game sweep of the Swampdonkeys. Compare these numbers to the 6.0 points per game they are averaging in this series and it is
a wonder that the Atlantics are even still alive. The Atlantics will look to continue to stay alive as game five is slated for today.
The Prospect Whalers pulled within a game of the Nova Scotia Voyageurs after a 13-9 victory in game three, only to fall in defeat 16-7 lastnight to the Vees
in game four. Jason Spezza was named first star of the night for scoring three goals and adding an assist for a Vees team that now leads their semi-final
series three games to one over the Whalers. Tobias Enstrom and Marian Hossa each chipped in with two assists for Nova Scotia and were named second and third
stars respectively for their efforts as the Vees owned the three stars honours for the night. Daniel Afredsson had two assists for the Whalers in the losing cause.
Game five of this series goes today.
Stastny Shines 2.0
Vees Lead 2-0; Atlantics Pull Even
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
For the second game in a row Paul Stastny led the charge for the Nova Scotia Voyageurs who defeated the Prospect Whalers 15-7 to take a two games to none lead in thier semi-final
best of seven series. Stastny had a goal and two assists for the Vees and was once again named DHL first star of the night. Alexander Semin chipped in with a goal and an assist in the win and was given
third star honours for his efforts. Defenseman Erik Johnson had two assists and Ilya Bryzgalov was solid between the pipes for Nova Scotia picking up a win. Martin Havlat paced the Whalers with a goal
and an assist in the loss.
The Ovechkin-less Atlantics had their hands full again lastnight but managed to eek out a 7-6 victory over the New Scotland Pack and even their series at a game apiece. Second star Matt Duchene tallied two assists for
the two-time champs and Dan Boyle provided a much needed goal from the backend. Scott Hartnell and John-Michael Liles each had an assist for the underdog Pack who now face a best of five against the banged-up powerhouse Atlantics.
Game three for each series is slated for Thursday March 18.
Stastny Shines
Vees and Pack Win Openers; Lead 1-0
Monday, March 15, 2010
Both the Nova Scotia Voyageurs and the New scotland Pack didn't have much time to enjoy their game seven victories as they were immediately back in
action against teams that each completed sweeps in the first round of the playoffs and have met in the Dynasty Cup Finals for two years running. Yet, it were the Vees and
the Pack setting the early tone with game one wins. Paul Stastny led the Vees' offense by potting two goals and being named the DHL first star of the night in the process.
Third star Bobby Ryan added a goal and an assist for Nova Scotia who is trying to reach the finals for the first time in team history. It won't be easy as they are facing a team that has eliminated
them in the same semifinal position the previous two seasons. Martin Havlat had two assists for the Whalers in the 13-10 defeat.
After shocking the third seeded Fredericton Express a day earlier, the New Scotland pack continued their magical run with a game one 7-6 victory over a flat Halifax
Atlantics squad. Colin Wilson netted a goal for the Pack and earned third star of the evening. The Atlantics had two goals from Jonathan Toews but it wasn't
enough as they now trail a series they must win if they are to successfully defend their back-to-back championships. Atlantics' Superstar Alex Ovechkin was held off the score sheet
largely due to a game misconduct he received early in the game. Game two for each series is scheduled for Monday night.
Sent Packin'
Pack Stun Express; Vees Outlast Pens
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The DHL showcased two game sevens yesterday to conclude the first round of the playoffs. The New Scotland Pack stunned the favoured Fredericton Express by a score of 10-6 to win their series four games to three. the Pack trailed their series 2-0 and 3-1 before winning three straight games to eliminate
the first year Express. Scott Hartnell had a goal and an assist and was named second star of the night for the Pack who have no time to rest as they begin the second round of the playoffs today against the two time defending champion Halifax Atlantics. Daniel sedin had a goal and an assist for the Express who bow out of the playoffs
in the first round after a very strong inaugural campaign. The only consolation for Fredericton is they have the number six overall choice in this year's entry draft.
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs survived a first round scare by defeating the St. John's Penguins in game seven of their series 16-9. The Vees got off to a rough start in the
playoffs by dropping the first two games to the Pens before storming back to take four of five to claim the series win. Ilya Bryzgalov was solid in goal for the Vees
and was named first star of the night for posting a win and a shutout. Marian Hossa and Patrick Marleau each provided a goal and an assist in the win, with Marleau
being named third star for his efforts against his former team. The Vees face off against the Prospect Whalers in game one of their second round series beginning today. It marks the
third year in a row that these two franchises have met in the semi-finals, with the Vees coming up short the previous two times.
7th Heaven!
Two Series Headed for a Sudden Death Game 7
Friday, March 12, 2010
The St. John's Penguins avoided losing four games in a row to the Nova Scotia Voyageurs with a 15-10 victory on Thursday night. Joe Pavelski lead the Penguins attack with two goals and two assists. Kurtis Foster chipped in with a goal and an assist for the Penguins who are looking to salvage the series after winning the first two games. Paul Stastny recorded two goals for the Voyageurs, who now face a sudden death Game 7 showdown with the Penguins on Saturday.
After being down three games to one, the New Scotland Pack have won two games in a row to force a decisive Game 7 by edging the Fredericton Express 9-7. Steven Stamkos and Colin Wilson paced the Pack, each recording a goal and an assist. Brian Gionta, Jordan Staal and RJ Umberger each potted one goal for the Express.
The Halifax Atlantics and Prospect Whalers continue to await their opponents for the second round, which begins this Sunday.
Swept!
Atlantics and Whalers Advance with 4 Game Sweeps
Monday, March 8, 2010
The two teams that have met in the previous two Dynasty Hockey League Finals have moved one step closer to the ultimate goal of being crowned DHL champion. The two-time champion Halifax Atlantics completed a sweep of the eighth place Swampdonkeys with a convincing 14-5 win. Jarome Iginla was named first star of the night by potting a hat trick and adding an assist. While the first two games of the series featured 1 point victories for the Atlantics, the last two games were easier wins for the champs.
In what seemed like an evenly matched series between the number 4 and 5 seeds, the Prospect Whalers swept aside the Eastern Passage Oilers with a 12-10 victory on Sunday. Evgeni Malkin and Jason Arnott lead a balanced attack for the Whalers with a goal each. Duncan Keith provided 3 assists for the Oilers who were in their first playoff series.
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs won their second straight game to even their series with the St. John's Penguins with a 12-10 victory. Second star of the night Brian Rafalski potted a goal and an assist for the Vees, who had a slow start to the series against the underdog Penguins. Rene Bourque had half of the Penguins points with a goal and 3 assists.
In the last game of the night, the Fredericton Express took a commanding 3 games to 1 lead over the New Scotland Pack with a 10-7 win. Third star Henrik Sedin lead a balanced Express attack with 1 goal and assist and are one win away from winning a playoff series in their first DHL season. Corey Perry potted 2 assists for the Pack in the defeat.
Game 5 of the first round DHL playoffs are slated for Tuesday.
It's On!
Dynasty Cup Playoffs Begin Tonight
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Tonight marks the start of the DHL playoffs, as eight teams vie for the coveted Dynasty Cup. The favourites have to be the two-time defending champion Halifax Atlantics who are coming off another dominant regular season. However, they will have their hands full with a very strong Dartmouth Swampdonkeys team who are tougher than their number eight seed suggests. The Donkeys won the season series
between the two teams 4-3-0.
The Number two seeded Nova Scotia Voyageurs battle the St. John's Penguins in an interesting matchup between teams that have hooked up in a couple major trades within the past month. Many players will be facing their former team with their playoff lives on the line. Most notably, Patrick Marleau and Marc Savard now sport the Vees logo, while Dustin Brown, Milan Michalek, and Joe Pavelski now play for the Pens. The Voyageurs won the season series 6-1-0.
The Fredericton Express will get their first ever taste of Dynasty Cup playoff hockey as they square off against the New Scotland Pack. The first year Express had an extremely successful regular season finishing in a points tie with the Vees and earning the number three seed heading into the playoffs. The Express won the season series 4-3-0.
Rounding out the first round, the fourth seeded Prospect Whalers face off against the fifth seeded Eastern
Passage Oilers. This series in particular has seventh game potential as the teams spilt their season series 3-3-1.
Duchene Dazzles
Atlantics, Express, Vees all Win
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Matt Duchene was named first star of the night as he scored two goals to lead the regular season champion Halifax Atlantics past the Prospect Whalers by a score of 15-8. Although they have clinched the number one seed in the playoffs, the Atlantics still do not know their first round opponent. It can still be one of three teams and will be decided tonight as the regular season comes to a close. The Whalers first round oppent
will be the Eastern Passage Oilers who defeated the St. John's Penguins 7-4 lastnight. Travis Zajac had a goal and an assist in the win for an Oilers team that is gearing up for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
The New Scotland Pack missed an opportunity to clinch the number six seed in the playoffs by dropping a 10-7 decision to the Fredericton Express. The Express win keeps them in the running for the number two seed in the playoffs heading into tonight's season finale. Jamie Langenbrunner recorded a goal and two assists in the win. The Nova Scotia Voyageurs remain in second place after beating the White's Lake Senators 11-9. Sidney Crosby and
Jeff carter each scored twice for the Vees and were named second and third star respectively for their efforts. The loss drops the Sens to last place overall in the standings with one game to play. Rounding out the action, the Truro Bearcats vaulted themselves out of the basement with a 6-5 win over the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys.
Gotta Laich It!
Laich Turns 'Trick in 'Cats Win; Champs Clinch First
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Truro Bearcats got a first star performance from Brooks Laich as he recorded a hat-trick in a 17-10 victory over the slumping Eastern Passage Oilers. Truro remains in last place overall in the DHL despite the win, trailing the Senators by one point. With the loss the Oilers dip below the
.500 mark but continue to hold down the the number five position in the standings.
The Halifax Atlantics have claimed the regular season crown for the third straight year after a lackluster 4-3 win over the St. John's Penguins. Alex Ovechkin tallied two assists while Rick Nash scored a goal for the Atlantics in the win. The loss drops the Pens into a points tie with the Pack and the Donkeys and sees them sitting in seventh place based on the tiebreakers.
The White's Lake Senators were able to maintain their one point advantage over the Bearcats with an 11-7 win over the Fredericton Express. Steve Mason had a win and a shutout for the Sens and was named DHL second-star of the night. The
Express see their lead over the third place Vees once again shrink to two points.
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs used two goals from Bobby Ryan to score a 13-7 win over the Prospect Whalers. Despite the loss the Whalers remain two points ahead of the Oilers in the battle for fourth place. The Vees have now won two in a row as they make a final push to overtake the second place Express.
The New Scotland Pack reclaimed sixth place with a 12-3 win over the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys. Thomas Plekanec was named third-star after netting two goals for the Pack in the win. The last three games of the regular season will prove to be crucial as teams continue to jockey for playoff positioning.
Eight is Enough
Pens and Pack Join the Dance; 'Cats Eliminated
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
DHL third-star of the night Patrick Kane scored two goals to lead the Fredericton Express to a "breaker breaker 10-4" victory over the Truro Bearcats and dashed the 'Cats playoff hopes in the process. The Express now sit seven points behind the Atlantics in the race for the number one playoff seed,
and remain four points up on the third place Vees. With the loss Truro falls to dead last in the DHL standings, ten points out of eighth place with only four games remaining. With Truro losing, the St. John's Penguins and New Scotland Pack became the final two teams to qualify for the post season, regardless
of the outcomes of their respective games. The Bearcats join the White's Lake Senators as the bottom two teams not invited to the Dynasty Cup Playoffs.
The St. John's Penguins took their playoff destiny into their own hands by defeating the New Scotland Pack 11-7. James Neal had a goal and two assists for the Penguins who move past the Pack and Donkeys and into sixth place with the win. The Prospect Whalers and Dartmouth Swampdonkeys played to a 9-9 draw as Prospect remains in fourth place and Dartmouth slips to seventh place in the standings. Martin St. Louis scored two goals and
added an assist for the Whalers and was named first star of the night.
The White's Lake Senators prevented the Halifax Atlantics from clinching first place overall in the regular season and climbed out of the basement while they were at it after a 10-7 win over the two time defending champions. Mark Streit had a goal and an assist for the Atlantics in the loss. Rounding out the action, The Nova Scotia Voyageurs posted the highest number of the night with a 14-5 victory over the Eastern Passage Oilers. Paul Kariya had two goals for the Vees and was named second star for his efforts. Although the eight playoff teams have been decided, no team has clinched a playoff seed as of yet.
The final four games of the season played over the next four nights will solidify the playoff picture.
Clinching Win
Donkeys In; Sens Out
Sunday, February 7, 2010
The Dartmouth Swampdonkeys won their third game in a row and clinched a playoff spot Saturday night by defeating the Whites Lake Senators 11-9. Henrik Zetterberg led the Donkeys attack with 2 goals. Joni Pitkanen potted a goal and an assist in the loss for the Sens, which officially eliminates the first year team from playoff contention.
The Fredericton Express prevented the Halifax Atlantics from clinching top spot in the league by defeating the Eastern Passage Oilers 9-6. Brian Gionta paced the Express with 2 goals and an assist, earning 2nd star of the night. Loui Eriksson tallied a goal and assist for the Oilers, who remain in 5th place, one point behind the Whalers. The Express now move 4 points up on the Voyageurs for second overall in the league.
In a clash of rival brothers, the Halifax Atlantics scored a 10-7 victory over the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, pushing the 2-time defending champs one step closer to clinching the best record in the DHL. Newly acquired Dany Heatley helped the Atlantics with 2 goals and an assist, giving him 3rd star of the night. Patrick Marleau led the Vees with 2 assists, who have now lost 2 in a row.
The New Scotland Pack doubled up the Prospect Whalers by a score of 14-7. Tomas Plekanec led a balanced Pack attack with a goal and 2 assists. The win vaults the Pack into 7th place in the standings and they only need a tie in the next 5 games to clinch a playoff spot. Evgeni Malkin registered a goal and an assist for the Whalers, who are now winless in their last 4 games, but remain in fourth place overall.
In the other game of the night, the Truro Bearcats prevented both the St. John's Penguins and New Scotland Pack from officially clinching a playoff spot by defeating the Pens 17-9. New Bearcat Phil Kessel received DHL 1st star of the night by potting 2 goals and an assist in the victory. JS Giguere got a win and shutout in his second straight start to pace the Pens, who had their season high four game winning streak snapped.
The Heat Is On
Champs Add Heatley
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The champion Halifax Atlantics and the first year Truro Bearcats completed arguably the biggest trade in DHL history on Friday when the 'Cats traded Dany Heatley to the Atlantics for Phil Kessel, Alexander Frolov, Zach Bogosian, and 1st round draft picks in the 2010 and 2011 DHL Entry Drafts. The DHL trade deadline is tonight at 8:00 PM Atlantic Time.
The Eastern Passage Oilers have still not officially clinched a playoff spot after batteling the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys to a 5-5 tie in lastnight's action. The Truro Bearcats, kept the Oilers from clinching their first ever playoff berth for at least one more night because they defeated the Nova Scotia Voyageurs 16-13. Newly aquired Phil Kessel scored 2 goals in his Bearcats' debut. The Halifax Atlantics and Fredericton Express continued to slug it out, this time resulting in a 12-12 draw. The Atlantics remain 9 points up on the Express with 8 games remaining in the regualr season.
The New Scotland Pack eeked out an 11-10 victory over the Whites Lake Senators. With the loss, the Sens once again fall to last place overall in the DHL. Finally, the St. John's Penguins beat the Dartmouth Whalers 10-6 to inch closer to a playoff berth.
Pavelski Powers Pens
New Look Pens Score W
Friday, January 29, 2010
The St. John's Penguins had several new faces in their lineup lastnight and it payed dividends as they defeated the Truro Bearcats by a score of 10-4. New Pen Joe Pavelski led the way with two goals and was named DHL first star of the night. Milan Michalek, who joined St. John's in the same trade that brought Pavelski, added an assist in the win.
Newly signed free agent Jussi Jokinen scored a goal for his new club meaning that seven of the Penguins' ten points were accounted for by the new trio. The loss snaps the Bearcats three game winning streak and drops them to 18-34-2 on the season and back into last place in the overall standings.
The Halifax Atlantics have given themselves some breathing room after beating the Nova Scotia Voyageurs by a score of 9-5. The Atlantics now possess a nine point advantage over the second place Express with nine games remaining in the regular season schedule. Third star Eric Staal continued his strong play with a goal and an assist helping his team hand
the Vees their second straight defeat. It was a missed opportunity for the Vees who continue to trail the Express by three points for second place overall. The win improves the Atlantics record to 37-13-4.
The Prospect Whalers continue to pile up the wins after a 12-4 victory over the Fredericton Express. Ryan Smyth tallied a goal and an assist for the Whalers who now hold down sole possession of fourth place in the standings and have clinched a playoff spot with the win. The Express got a goal from Dustin Penner in the loss and dip to 32-17-5 on the season.
The Eastern Passage Oilers failed to keep pace with the Whalers after being dealt their second 5-4 loss in as many nights, this time to the White's Lake Senators who have now won two in a row and once again have climbed out of last place and sit in ninth overall, seven points out of a playoff position.
Anze Kopitar scored twice and was named second star in a 7-2 Swampdonkey win over the New Scotland Pack. The win creates a three way point tie between the Pack, the Pens, and the Donkeys for sixth place in the standings with the Pack holding down the sixth position due to having one more win, and the Pens owning seventh spot by having a better
head-to-head record against the Donkeys, having won their season series 5-1-1.
Neal Deal
Express Deal Neal to Pens for Langenbrunner
Thursday, January 28, 2010
The Fredericton Express have traded forwards James Neal and Scottie Upshall to the St. John's Penguins for forward Jamie Langenbrunner and the Pens' second round pick in the 2010 DHL Entry Draft. The trade also sees a conditional 2011 draft pick going to the Penguins. The trade comes three days
before the DHL trade deadline as teams scramble to get their rosters set for the Dynasty Cup Playoffs. The trade deadline is set for Sunday, January 31 at 8:00PM Atlantic Time, or 8:30PM Newfie Time.
Doan Dominates
Whalers & Oilers Remain Tied for 4th
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Prospect Whalers used a first star performance from Shane Doan to defeat the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys 13-10 and allow them to keep pace with the Eastern Passage Oilers for fourth place in the overall standings. Doan scored once and added three
assists in the win moving the Whalers to three games over .500 at 26-23-3. Niklas Hagman had two goals for Dartmouth in the losing cause as the Donkeys now sit alone in eighth place. Easten Passage was able to keep pace with Prospect on the strength of a
two goal game from defenseman Keith Yandle combined with a communal shitting of the bed by the Atlantics' offence in an 11-7 win over Halifax. The two goals earned Yandle second star status of the night. Drew Doughty had a goal and an assists for the Atlantics who continue to lead the DHL standings. With eleven games remaining
in the regular season, it is looking more and more likely that the Whalers and Oilers will meet in the first round of the playoffs as the number four and number five seeds. Of course, with the motto "Any Given Night!", anything can happen in the DHL between now and the conclusion of the regular season.
Milan Michalek gave his former team a homemadefuckoff in the form of a goal, but it wasn't enough as the St. John's Penguins dropped a 19-8 decision to the Nova Scotia Scotia Voyageurs. The Vees used a steady attack including a goal and an assist from Pavel Datsyuk, three assists from Dustin Brown,
and two goals from third star Alexander Semin to win their sixth consecutive game and remain unbeaten in their last seven at 6-0-1. The win improves Nova Scotia's record to 32-18-2 as they have closed the gap on the second place Express to three points. The loss sees the Pens drop to 20-28-4
and into seventh place in the standings.
The Truro Bearcats won their second straight game by deafeating the White's Lake Senators 12-11 in the Battle of the Basement. the win allows the 'Cats to pass the Sens into ninth place overall and sit six points behind the Donkeys for the eighth and final playoff spot. Nicklas Lidstrom led the Bearcat offence
with two goals while Jared Stoll responded with a goal and an assist for the Sens. Rounding out the action, Patrick O'Sullivan had an assist in his debut with his new team, as the New Scotland Pack defeated the second place Fredericton Express 11-6. The Pack improve to 21-29-2 and move past the Penguins into
sixth place in the standings. All of the points for the Express came from assists with Alex Ponikarovsky and Patrick Kane leading the way with two apiece.
Swamp Party
Cammalleri Leads Donkeys Past Oilers
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Mike Cammalleri had two goals and two assists to lead the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys past the Eastern Passage Oilers 14-9. Mikko
Koivu potted two goals for the Passage but it wasn't enough as the Oilers fall to 25-23-3 on the season and remain in a tie with the Whalers for fourth place overall. Anze Kopitar also had a strong game for the Donkeys with
a goal and two assists as they improve to 19-28-4 and into a points tie with the Pack in the standings with 42. Cammalleri's efforts earned him first star honours of the night.
The Halifax Atlantics got two goals from third star Zach Parise and a goal and an assist from both Alexander Ovechkin and Rick Nash to squeak by the St. John's Penguins 16-15. The win improves the Atlantics' league best record to 35-12-4
and maintains their five point lead over the second place Express. Jamie Langenbrunner had a goal and two assists and newly aquired Joe Pavelski scored twice for the Pens who fall to 20-27-4 and remain in sixth place.
Alexander Semin had a goal and three assists and second star Jeff carter had two goals and one assist as the Nova Scotia Voyageurs defeated the Prospect Whalers 15-5. New Vee Bobby Ryan chipped in with two goals as Nova Scotia improves to 31-18-2
on the season and remain alone in third place overall. The Whalers missed an opportunity to vault past the Oilers and into sole possession of fourth with the loss.
The second place Fredericton Express steamrolled the White's Lake Senators by a score of 19-7 on the strength of a combined three goals and three assists from the Sedin twins. Henrik had two goals and one assist while Daniel had one goal and
two assists for the Express who remain in second place with a 32-14-5 record. Antoine Vermette had a goal and an assist for the Sens who now sit just one point out of the league basement.
The Truro Bearcats inched closer to climbing out of the league basement with a hard fought 10-9 win over the New Scotland Pack. Alex Burrows led the way for the 'Cats with three assists. Tomas Plekanec had a goal and an
assist for the Pack who miss a chance to take over sixth place in the league with the loss.
Mega Deals!
11 Players on the Move
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs reshaped their roster with a pair of blockbuster deals that sees eleven DHL players finding new homes. The first deal sends forwards Joe Pavelski and Milan Michalek, defensemen Ryan Whitney and Kevin Bieksa, highly-touted prospect Brayden Schenn, and 2nd and 6th
round picks in the 2010 entry draft from the Vees to the St. John's Penguins for leading goal scorer Patrick Marleau and defenseman Kris Letang. In a seperate deal, the Vees send stud defenceman Dion Phaneuf, another one of their top prospects in Nazem Kadri, and forward Patrick O'Sullivan
to the New Scotland Pack for young sniper Bobby Ryan.
Still On Top
Atlantics Top Express; Remain in First
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Halifax Atlantics used solid efforts from Ilya Kovalchuk, Ryan Getzlaf, Rick Nash, and Dan Boyle to outlast the Fredericton Express by a score of 20-15 and hold onto first place overall in the standings. Third star Kovalchuk had two goals and an assist, Boyle recorded a goal and two assists, and Geltzlaf and Nash each had a goal and an assist in the win. Alex Ponikarovsky and Ryan Clowe each scored
twice for the Express who fall three points behind the Atlantics in the battle for first place in the DHL. With the win, the Atlantics reach the 70 point mark on the season with a record of 33-12-4. Sidney Crosby scored twice and added four assists and Jeff Carter had two goals and one assist as the Nova Scotia Voyageurs dismantled the Truro Bearcats 19-3. Crosby was named first star of the night for a Vees team that
improves to 29-18-2 and sits in third place overall. The Bearcats drop their record to 15-32-2 and remain in the DHL cellar.
The Prospect Whalers continued their second half surge with a decisive 14-5 win over the White's Lake Senators. Second star Evgeni Malkin had a hat trick for the Whalers who have a 7-2-1 record in their last ten games and have caught the Eastern Passage Oilers in the standings with both teams owning 24-22-3 records after the Oilers dropped a 14-10 decision to the New Scotland Pack. Kristin Huselius had three assists for
the Pack who improve to 20-27-2 and continue to hold down their seventh place position.
Closing out the night's action, the St. John's Penguins got four assists from Marian Gaborik and two goals from Patrick Marleau as they scored an 11-7 win over the eighth place Dartmouth Swampdonkeys. The Pens improve to 20-25-4 while the Donkeys fall to 18-27-4.
Hats Off to Alfie
Whalers Close Gap on Oilers
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Daniel Alfredsson wasted no time spotting his team a lead by posting an early hat trick as the surging Prospect Whalers defeated the suddenly slumping Eastern Passage Oilers by a score of 16-12. Alfredsson's three goals earned him first star honours and the
Whalers also got three assists from Tim Connolly. With the win Prospect is now a game above .500 at 23-22-3 and sit just two points behind the fourth place Oilers who are now winless in thier last four games (0-3-1). Jason Pominville had a strong game for the Oilers,
posting two goals and an assist. The Halifax Atlantics continue to hold on to first place overall after a 12-9 victory over the White's Lake Senators. Dan Boyle recorded two assists for the Atlantics while Mike Fisher responded with three assists for the Sens
who see thier record fall to 15-30-3.
The Fredericton Express kept pace with the Atlantics, and clinched a playoff spot in the process, on the strength of a 10-4 win over the St. John's Penguins. Alex Ponikarovsky and Ryan Clowe each had a goal and an assist for the Express in a win that assures that tonight's contest against the Atlantics will be a battle for first place overall. The Penguins are now 1-8-0 in their last nine games and sport a record of 19-25-4, good
enough for sixth place and two points ahead of the seventh place Pack. The Pack missed an opportunity to pass the Pens in the standings after dropping a 13-6 decision to the Nova scotia Voyageurs. Second-star Joe Pavelski had a goal and three assists for the Vees who have put some distance between themselves and the Oilers in the battle for third place. Thomas Vanek and John Michael Liles
each had a goal and an assist for their respective teams.
Rounding out the action, the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys got a goal and an assist from Matt Niskanen, Rob Blake, and Devin Setoguchi in a 14-12 win over the hard luck Truro Bearcats. The Bearcats got three assits from both Brad Richards and Wojtek Wolski, and two goals from Dany Heatley, however, they fall to 15-31-2 on the season and continue to sit in last place overall. With the win the Donkeys improve
to 18-26-4 and into a points tie with the New Scotland Pack. The Pack have one more win so the Donkeys remain in eighth place.
Playoff Bound
Atlantics Clinch Playoff Berth
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The Halifax Atlantics became the first team to clinch a spot in the playoffs after a 16-14 victory over the basement-dwelling Bearcats in the the highest scoring game of the night. Jonathon Toews led the way for the Atlantics with two goals and an assist
while Rick Nash netted two goals of his own for Halifax. Nick Lidstrom paced the Bearcats with two assists. Toews was named first star of the night for his efforts. With the win the Atlantics improve their record to 31-12-4 and maintain their one point advantage over the second place Fredericton Express. The Bearcats drop to 15-30-2 and find
themseleves once again occupying last place in the overall standings.
The Fredericton Express used a late surge by the Sedins to defeat the fourth place Eastern Passage Oilers by a score of 11-6. Henrik Sedin scored a goal and added two assists while his brother Daniel chipped in with two assists as the Express now sport a record of 30-12-5 and sit just one point out of first overall. It's looking as though the matchup
between the Express and the Atlantics on January 19 may be a battle for the top spot in the standings. With the loss the Oilers lose ground on the third place Voyageurs and now trail by five points after the Vees beat the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys 10-6. Marian Hossa had a goal and an assist for Nova Scotia while Henrik Zetterberg responded
with two assists for the Donkeys, but it wasn't enough as Dartmouth falls to 17-26-4 following their most recent defeat.
Once again the Prospect Whalers climbed back to par on the season with an 11-9 win over the St. John's Penguins. The Whalers continue to hold down fifth place overall after the crucial win over the sixth place Penguins. Martin Havlat was named third star of the night with his three assist performance while Patrick Marleau notched
a goal and an assist for the Pens who fall to 19-24-4 on the season. Rounding out the action, the White's Lake Senators used four assists from second-star Ed Jovanovski and three assists from Joni Pitkanen to propel them to an 18-11 win over the New Scotlans Pack. Kristin Huselius had a goal and two assists for the Pack who remain two points
behind the Penguins for sixth place. The win vaults the Sens past the Bearcats and into ninth place in the standings and five points out of the eigth and final playoff position.
Birthday Bashing
Oil Give Owner Big W for B-Day
Friday, January 8, 2010
Owner Josh Saunders celebrated his birthday in grand fashion as his Eastern Passage Oilers dismantled the White's Lake Senators 16-6. Nicklas Backstrom and Duncan Keith each had two goals and an assist for the Oilers who improve to 23-18-2 on the season and remain three points
behind third place overall. Keith was named DHL second star of the night for his performance. With the loss, the Sens are now winless in thier last ten games at 0-9-1 and have officially fallen to dead last overall in the league.
In the biggest matchup of the night, it was the second place Fredericton Express gaining some ground on the Atlantics after beating Halifax by a score of 18-14. R.J. Umberger and Chris Pronger each had a goal and an assist for the Express while the Sedins combined for five assists in the win.
Alexander Ovechkin had a goal and assist for the Atlantics who have seen their lead in the overall standings shrink to five points with the loss. The Nova Scotia Voyageurs have won their fifth in a row with a 9-6 win over the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys. Jeff Carter and third star Sidney Crosby each had two
goals for the Vees who improve to 25-17-1 on the season. Steve Sullivan had a goal and an assist for Dartmouth who drop to 16-23-4 and are now just one point up on the eighth place Pack.
The Pack were able to gain some ground on the Donkeys on the strength of a 10-6 win over the St. John's Penguins. Kristin Huselius led the way for New Scotland with a goal and an assist while J.P. Dumont also had a goal and an assist of his own for the Pens
who have lost four in a row and have a record of 18-21-4. In other action, the Truro Bearcats climbed out of the cellar with a 10-9 win over the surging Prospect Whalers. Alex Burrows recorded his second straight hat-trick for the 'Cats and was named first star of the night. Mike Richards had a goal and an assist
for the Whalers who dip below the .500 mark with the loss but remain in fifth place overall in the standings.
Oil Keep Pace
Zajac Leads the Way
Wednesday, January 5, 2010
The Eastern Passage Oilers continue to get big wins and remain one of the top four teams in the DHL after a 7-5 victory over the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys. Travis Zajac led Passage with a goal and an assist as they improve to 22-18-2 on the season, just three points back of third place overall.
With the loss the Donkeys fall to 16-22-4 and sit in seventh place, three points ahead of the eighth place Pack.
Dueces were wild as three Vees scored a pair each in a 17-9 win over the New Scotland Pack. Alexander Semin, Marian Hossa, and first star Bryan McCabe all tickled the twine twice for a Vees team that has now won four in a row and sit in third place in the league at 24-17-1. The Pack are now 0-4-1 in their
last five games and are four points up on the ninth place Sens. Kristin Huselius had a goal and an assist for New Scotland in the losing effort. Henrik and Daniel Sedin led the Fredericton Express to another win as the twins combined for one goal and five assists in a 19-13 victory over the last place Truro Bearcats.
Second star Martin Brodeur also recorded a win and a shutout for the Express who now have a four game winning streak and sit seven points out of first place at 25-12-5. The Express will have a chance to make up some ground on the league-leading Atlantics as the two teams are set to do battle Friday night. Alex Burrows had a hat-trick for the Bearcats who drop to 13-27-2.
The Prospect Whalers won their third game in a row and are now 6-2-0 in their last eight contests as they defeated the St. John's Penguins 8-5 on the strength of a goal by Saku Koivu and a win by Christobal Huet. With the win the Whalers climb back to .500 at 20-20-2 and sit in fifth place in the league.
The Pens have now dropped three in a row and sit in sixth place at 18-20-4. Rounding out the action, Patrik Elais scored twice and Tomas Fleischmann had a goal and two assists, but it wasn't enough to beat the Halifax Atlantics as the Sens fall to 0-8-1 in their last nine games after a 14-9 loss to the champs.
Third-star Tomas Kaberle had a goal and an assist to lead the Atlantics who are now unbeaten in their last six games at 5-0-1 and continue to sit atop the DHL with a record of 29-9-4.
Knock Knock
Express Beat Atlantics; Close Gap to 6
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The Fredericton Express used Martin Brodeur's 104th career shutout to help them defeat the first place Halifax Atlantics 12-10. The Express improve their record to 20-10-5 and now sit only six points back of the power-house Atlantics for first place overall in the DHL.
December has been kind to the Express who have a record of 8-2-1 so far, whereas the struggling Atlantics are 5-6-0 during the same period. Zach Parise led the Atlantics with three assists while Martin Brodeur was named first-star of the night for his record setting shutout.
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs are 12-4-0 in their last sixteen games after beating the St. John's Penguins in a close affair by a score of 14-13. Patrick Marleau scored a pair of goals for the Pens, however, Nathan Horton responded with two goals of his own and Tim Thomas recorded a win and a shutout for
the third place Vees who now sport a record of 20-14-1. With the loss the Pens fall to 15-17-3 on the season but remain in fifth place in the standings. The Eastern Passage Oilers continued their steady play with a slim 13-12 victory over the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys. Second-star Stephen Weiss
tallied a goal and three assists for Passage as they continue to hold down fourth spot with a record of 18-15-2. Andy McDonald scored twice for the Swampdonkeys who lost their fourth in a row and now have a record of 14-19-2 and occupy seventh place in the standings.
The New Scotland Pack were the highest scoring team of the night by posting a 17-9 win over the Truro Bearcats. Tomas Plekanec scored once and added three helpers and was named third-star for his efforts. Nik Antropov potted two goals for the Bearcats who remain in the cellar at 11-22-2. With the win The Pack
extend their winning streak to three games and move past the Senators into a playoff position at eighth place overall. The Prospect Whalers used a goal and an assist from Vincent Lecavalier to defeat the White's Lake Senators 8-6. Patrik Elias had a goal and an assist for the Sens but it wasn't enough as their
second straight loss drops them to ninth place in the standings.
Donks Get Thorned
Thornton's Big Night Leads Sens to Win
Friday, December 18, 2009
Joe Thornton carried the White's Lake Senators to a 9-7 win over the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys. Thornton's two goals and two assists provided the Sens with most of their offence and earned Thornton first-star honours for the night. With the win,
the Senators maintain their eighth place standing in the league and remain four points up on the ninth place New Scotland Pack. Maxim Afinogenov had a goal and two assists for the Donkeys who fall to 14-17-2 with the loss.
The St. John's Penguins once again evened their record at .500 by defeating the Truro Bearcats 15-6. Marian Gaborik and third-star Patrick Marleau each tallied a goal and two assists for the Pens who sit in fifth place in the league at 15-15-3. The Bearcats remain in the DHL basement with a 10-21-2 record.
The Eastern Passage Oilers have now won three in a row after their 13-9 win over the Prospect Whalers. Passage holds down fourth spot overall in the standings and now have a record of 17-14-2. Loui Eriksson led the Oilers' attack with a goal and an assist. Ryan Suter responded with two assists for the
Whalers who fall to 14-17-2 and are now seventh in league standings.
The New Scotland Pack kept pace with the Senators for the final playoff position by defeating the Fredericton Express by a score of 8-6. Second-star Stephane Robidas netted two goals and set up another for a Pack team that improves to 12-21-0 with the win. Despite the loss the Express remain in second overall at 18-10-5,
however, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs have closed the gap on the Express to four points after their win against the league leading Atlantics in a high scoring 15-13 game. The Vees got a goal and assist from Lubomir Visnovsky while Ilya Kovalchuk had a goal and an assist for the Atlantics.
Horton Scores a Few!
Horton and Sullivan Each Net Three
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Nathan Horton lit the lamp three times and added an assist to carry the Nova Scotia Voyageurs to a 10-5 victory over the New Scotland Pack. Horton was named first star of the night for a Vees team
that improves to 17-13-1 on the season and sits in third place in the standings. Tomas Plekanec had two assists for the Pack who become the first team to lose twenty games this year. The Pack now have a record
of 11-20-0 and occupy ninth place overall.
Steve Sullivan's hatrick earned him second-star honours and was the difference as the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys handed the Halifax Atlantics an 11-8 loss, marking the second time in nine days that the Donkeys have beaten the Atlantics. Phil Kessel was the lone bright spot for the Atlantics as he notched a goal in his season debut.
With the win the Donkeys improve to 14-15-2 while the Atlantics drop to 22-6-3. The St. John's Penguins evened their record at 14-14-3 with a 13-8 win over the Truro Bearcats. Andrei Kostitsyn and third-star Kimmo Timonen
provided the Pens with all the offence they would need by each tallying two goals and an assist. Rookie blueliner Michael Del Zotto had two assists for the Bearcats, however, it wasn't enough as 'Cats had their modest two game winning streak snapped with the loss.
The surprising Fredericton Express continued their winning ways by defeating the equally surprising Prospect Whalers by a score of 11-4. The victory gets the Express back in the win column after having their eight game undeafeated streak broken their
last game. R.J. Umberger led the Express offence with a goal and an assist as they improve to 17-9-5 and continue to hold down second place overall in the standings. The win closes the gap on the Atlantics to nine points for first overall. After being a two time finalist and relocating to Prospect, the
Whalers have struggled to find any consistency and find themselves three games below .500 at 13-16-2, good enough for seventh place in the DHL. Jakub Voracek and Stephen Weiss each had a goal and an assist as the fourth-place Eastern Passage Oilers defeated the
White's Lake Senators 13-10. The Senators still hold down the eighth and final playoff spot as the league hits the half way point in their schedule.
'Cats Defeat Champs
Atlantics Drop Second Straight
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The Truro Bearcats used a late surge to score a 9-5 victory over the suddenly struggling Halifax Atlantics. Dany Heatley notched a goal and added an assist for the 'Cats who remain in last place in the standings but are now only two points shy of 8th place.
Alexander Ovechkin had two assists for the Atlantics who have now lost three of their last four games and are 2-3-1 over their last six games. The loss also marks the first
time all season that the Atlantics have lost two games in a row. Despite the recent slide, the Atlantics still own a league best record of 21-5-3.
The Fredericton Express' eight game undefeated streak is over. The Nova Scotia Voyageurs handed the Express their first loss in nine games by a score of 11-7. First star Alexander Semin lit the lamp twice in
the victory that propels the Vees back into third place in league standings. Dustin Penner had a big game for Fredericton posting a goal and three assists and was named second star for his efforts. The Battle of the Koivus saw Saku's Whalers deafeat Mikko's Oilers 9-3. Third star Saku paced the Whalers' attack
with a goal and an assist while Mikko was held off the score sheet. The Whalers have now won two in a row, while the Oilers drop out of third place with the loss.
The Dartmouth Swampdonkeys scored a 10-4 win over the White's Lake Senators. Henrik Zetterberg had two helpers in the win, while Mike Green and Rob Blake each added a goal.
Patrik Elais and Joe Thornton each had an assist for the Sens. Lastly, it was the New Scotland Pack over the St. John's Penguins 8-5. Patrick Sharp scored a goal for the Pack who improve to 11-18-0 on the season. With the loss the Pens fall to 13-13-3 and remain in fifth place in the standings.
Express Lane
Fredericton Wins Big; Unbeaten in Seven
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Twenty-seven games into the season, the first-year Fredericton Express find themselves second place in the overall standings at 14-8-5. The Express are now unbeaten in seven games, going 5-0-2 in that span, including a
17-10 victory over the White's Lake Senators lastnight. Alexei Ponikarovsky had two goals and an assist and Martin Brodeur posted a win and a shutout to lead the Express to their most recent victory. Brodeur and Ponikarovsky
were named first and second stars of the night respectively for their efforts. With the loss the Sens fall to 9-16-2 on the season.
The Dartmouth Swampdonkeys have now won two in a row after a 7-2 win over the Eastern Passage Oilers. Third star Semyon Varlamov recorded a win and a shutout to provide the Donkeys with all the offence they would need to dispose of the Oilers.
The loss drops Eastern Passage out of third place in the standings behind the Nova Scotia Voyageurs who defeated the Truro Bearcats 8-6. Alexander Semin and Lubomir Visnovsky each had two assists for the Vees who are now 6-2-0 in their last
eight games and improve to 14-12-1 on the season. Wojtek Wolski had three helpers for the 'Cats who now sit in last place at 8-17-2.
Alexander Overchkin fired in two goals to lead the Halifax Atlantics past the St. John's Penguins by a score of 11-5. The win improves the Atlantics' record to 21-3-3, while the Pens fall back to .500 at 12-12-3. Rounding out the action, the Prospect whalers have now lost four in a row and six of their
last seven and continue to free-fall down the standings after a 9-0 loss to the New Scotland Pack, marking the first time this year a DHL team has been shutout. Tomas Plekanec and John-Michael Liles both had two helpers for the Pack who improve to 10-17-0 with the win.
The Crosby Show
Sid Nets 'Trick, Leads Vees to Victory
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sidney Crosby scored three goals and added two assists to lead the Nova Scotia Voyageurs to a 15-12 win over the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys. The win moves the Vees to fourth
overall in the DHL with a record of 11-11-1, while the Donkeys fall to a tie for fifth at 10-11-2. Thomas Vanek chipped in with a goal and assist to help secure the victory.
Henrik Zetterberg and Christian Ehrhoff each tallied a goal and an assist for the suddenly slumping Swampdonkeys who have now lost three in a row. Crosby was named DHL first star
of the night for his efforts.
The Halifax Atlantics improved to a league best 19-2-2 with a hard fought 13-10 win over the Eastern Passage Oilers, the team that ended the Atlantics' record setting seventeen game unbeaten
streak back on November 5. This time around Alexander Ovechkin, Zach Parise, Rick Nash, and Jonathon Toews all scored a goal for the Atlantics in the win. Brad Boyes had a goal for the Oilers who now sit at 10-11-2 on the season.
The Fredericton Express kept rolling as they defated the last place White's Lake Senators 18-10. Daniel sedin, Dustin Penner, and Dennis Wideman each had a goal and an assist for the Express who now own
sole possession of second overall in the standings. Patrik Elias had two goals and two assists and Ryan Kesler had three assists for the Sens who have a league worst record of 7-14-2.
The New Scotland Pack held onto their grip of 8th place with a 13-8 win over the St. John's Penguins. Olli Jokinen and Stephane Robidas each had a goal and an assist for the Pack. Marian Gaborik and
Sergei Gonchar each recorded two assist for the Pens. Rounding out the night's action, the Prospect Whalers used a goal and an assist from both Evgeni Malkin and Daniel Alfredsson to upend the Truro Bearcats 7-5.
Brad Richards had two assist for the 'Cats who now sit in ninth place overall.
Pack Attack
New Scotland Climbs to 8th
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
After beginning the season 1-9, the New Scotland Pack have won seven of their last nine games, including a current three game winning streak after a 13-6 victory over the White's Lake Senators. With the win the Pack move past
the Sens in the standings and now sit 8th overall. Olli Jokinen had two assists to pace the Pack attack, while Carlo Colaiacovo had a goal and an assist for White's Lake who now sport a record of 7-12-1 and sit ninth overall in the ten team league.
The Prospect Whalers continued their recent surge with a strong 14-8 win over the last place Truro Bearcats. The 'Cats, coming off a huge win over the league leading Atlantics, were led by Brad Richards' goal and assist, but it wasn't enough to handle Malkin and the
Whalers who have now won three in a row and are tied for second place at 10-8-2.
The St. John's Penguins wasted Marian Gaborik's two goals and two assists as they dropped their second consecutive game, this time falling to a balanced Nova Scotia Voyageurs onslaught by a score of 18-8. The Vees had two goals from Jeff Carter and Paul
Stastny added a goal and two assists in the win. The Vees and Pens both have records of 9-10-1 after the first twenty games of the season. Two nights after suffering their second loss of the season the Halifax Atlantics pounded the Fredericton Express by a score of 15-3. Daniel Briere notched two goals and
two assists for Halifax who now own a very impressive league best 16-2-2 record.
The Dartmouth Swampdonkeys tallied 12 points as a team without recording a single goal as they defeated the Eastern Passage Oilers 12-8. The Donkeys used four assists from Practice Bergeron and a win and a shutout from Marty Turco to propel them to victory.
The win keeps the Donkeys tied for second overall in the standings. Matt Stajan had two assists for the Oilers who drop below .500 on the season with the loss.
Hatricks for Henriks
Sedin and Zetterberg Lead Teams to Draw
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Henrik Zetterberg had a monster game posting three goals and two assists for the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys, but it wasn't enough for the win as the Fredericton Express counter-punched with their own Henrik as Henrik Sedin also recorded a hatrick to help his team fight back to tie the Donkeys at 13. Zetterberg was named first
star of the night and Sedin was named second star. Both teams remain tied for second overall in the DHL standings with identical 9-6-2 records. The Halifax Atlantics were without Alex Ovechkin, but it didn't matter as they dismantled the slumping Prospect Whalers by a score of 21-8. Third star Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and
three helpers for the Atlantics and Jarome Iginla added two goals in the romp. The Whalers have now dropped five games in a row and have slipped below .500 to 7-8-2. The Atlantics have now won three games in a row after seeing their record seventeen game unbeaten streak come to an end and now own an impressive 14-1-2 record.
Sidney Crosby scored once and added two assists to lead the Nova Scotia Voyageurs to a 16-11 win over the Truro Bearcats. Blake Wheeler had a goal and an assist for the 'Cats who sit in ninth place at 5-11-1. With the win the Vees even their record at 8-8-1 and leap-frog the Whalers in the standings. The St. John's Penguins kept
pace with the Vees in the standings by outlasting the White's Lake Senators by a score of 11-8. John Tavares had a goal and an assist in the victory.
The New Scotland Pack dropped a close 10-8 contest to the Eastern Passage Oilers. Corey Perry had a goal and an assist for the Pack who remain in last place at 5-12-0. With the win the Oilers move past the Senators and now sport a record of 7-9-1.
SENSational
Knuble and Mason Lead Sens to Win
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Mike Knuble scored two goals and added two assists to pace the White's Lake Senators to a narrow 13-12 victory over the Truro Bearcats. The Sens also got a stellar game from goaltender Steve Mason who posted a win as well as a rare goalie assist. That assist turned out to
be the difference in the game. Knuble and Mason were named first and second stars respectively for their efforts. In contrast to the Senators, the Bearcats used a balanced scoring attack led by Brooks Laich who had a goal and an assist. The loss drops the Bearcats four points back of the eighth place Eastern Passage Oilers who got a huge win over the Prospect Whalers by a score of 14-9. Loui Eriksson burried two goals for the Oilers
who have now won two games in a row. The Whalers on the other hand are free falling down the standings and now sit in fourth place after their third consecutive defeat.
The Fredericton Express have moved temselves into a tie for second place overall with a solid 10-8 win over the St. John's Penguins. Alex Tanguay played hero for the Express with his goal and assist. The Express have now won three in a row and sit at 8-6-1 on the season. John Tavares had two helpers for a Penguins team who have now lost two straight.
The Halifax Atlantics wasted no time getting back in the win column with an 18-11 win over the New Scotland Pack. Zach Parise and Ryan Malone each had a goal and an assist for the Atlantics while Evgeni Kabokov posted a win and a shutout in goal. Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan each lit the lamp once for the Pack who had their three game win streak halted.
Finally, in a lackluster contest, it was the Nova Scotia Voyageurs picking up a 5-3 win over the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys. All of the Vees' offence was provided by their blueline with third star Marek Zidlicky leading the way with a goal and an assist, while Derek Roy had a goal for the Donkeys.
17 And Done
Oilers End Atlantics' Undefeated Run
Friday, November 6, 2009
Jonas "The Streak Killer" Hiller slammed the door on the Halifax Atlantics and their seventeen game undefeated streak. The Esatern Passage Oilers used a goal from Kris
Versteeg and a shutout by Hiller to hand the Atlantics their first loss of the season by a score of 8-7. With the win the Oilers improve to 5-8-1 on the season and slide into eighth overall in the standings. Jarome Iginla notched a goal and Ryan Getzlaf addd two assists
but it wasn't enough to keep the longest undefeated streak in DHL history alive. Throughout the streak the Atlantics amassed a record of 15-0-2 and started this season
at 11-0-2, also a DHL record. The Atlantics fall to 11-1-2 on the season and remain atop the DHL standings.
The Dartmouth Swampdonkeys moved back into second place with a 12-9 win over the White's Lake Senators. Anze Kopitar scored two goals for the Donkeys to seal the victory. The Senators, led by Mike Fisher's goal and assist, have now lost three in a row and
slip to 6-8-0 and seventh place overall. The New Scotland Pack have now won their third game in a row, this time beating The Truro Bearcats 6-4. The Pack improve to 4-10-0 on the season while the Bearcats drop to 4-9-1.
The Fredericton Express move to 7-6-1 on the season with an 11-9 win over the Prospect Whalers, dropping the Whalers from second to third in the standings. Ales Kotalik had a goal and two assists for the Express who now sit tied for fourth with the St. John's Penguins who lost to the Nova Scotia Voyageurs 11-7. Jason Spezza had a goal and two assists while
Dustin Brown had a goal and an assist to pace the Vees' attack. Marian Gaborik had a goal and an assist for the Pens in a the loss.
Still Going
Kaberle Shines; Atlantics Unbeaten in 17
Sunday, November 1, 2009
The Halifax Atlantics wrapped up the first month of the DHL season without a loss posting a record of 11-0-2. Lastnight's 11-4 victory over the slumping Nova Scotia Voyageurs was the Atlantics seventh win
in a row and extended their DHL record unbeaten streak to seventeen games. Tomas Kaberle lit the lamp once and added three assists to secure the win and undefeated month. With the loss the Vees fall to
5-7-1 on the season and seventh overall in the standings. The next test for the Atlantics comes in the form of the Passage Oilers on November 5th.
The St. John's Penguins scored a 5-3 win over the Eastern Passage Oilers on the strength of two assists from J.P. Dumont. The win moves the Pens into third overall in the standings and drops the Swampdonkeys to fourth due to their 9-6 loss to the Fredericton Express.
Third star James van Riemsdyk tallied a goal and an assist for the Donkeys but it wasn't enough as second star Alex Ponikarovsky scored twice to lead the Express to the win.
The Truro Bearcats put an end to their seven game drought by beating the White's Lake Senators 6-2. Nik Antropov paced the Bearcat attack with two assists. The Sens fall below the .500 mark with the loss and sit at 6-7-0. The Bearcats
pull into a tie with the Oilers for eighth overall at 4-8-1. Rounding out the action, Steve Stamkos and Corey Perry each scored a goal to lead the New Scotland Pack to their second straight win defeating the Prospect Whalers 8-3. The Pack
improve to 3-10-0 while the Whalers fall to 7-4-2 but continue to remain in second place behind the Atlantics.
How Sweet It Is
Atlantics Unbeaten in 16; Two Thumbs Up for "Eden Lake"
Saturday, October 31, 2009
The game lived up to the hype. The Halifax Atlantics outlasted the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys in a slugfest by a score of 14-11 extending their DHL record undefeated streak to sixteen games. The loss snaps
the Swampdonkeys winning streak at six games and allowed the Prospect Whalers to leapfrog back into second place overall in the standings. Third star Rick Nash had two goals to pace the Atlantic' attack and Joffrey Lupul
countered with a goal and an assist but it wasn't enough as the Donkeys fall to 7-4-1 on the season and now sit in thrid place. Both teams were shorthanded as Dartmouth had only five forwards dressed and
Halifax had four. The Atlantics look to extend their streak tonight as they battle the enigmatic Nova Scotia Voyageurs.
The Vees have now lost two straight and slip below .500 yet again in what has been a see-saw season thus far. The latest loss comes to the basement dwelling New Scotland Pack by a convincing score of 15-6. First star
Steven Reinprecht notched a hatrick and added an assist for the Pack who improve to 2-10-0 on the season. When asked about his team's lackluster play owner Randy Sullivan had this to say: "I'm not going to comment on lastnight's game.
We all know the outcome. What I am going to comment on is a movie I watched lastnight while my team was getting their asses handed to them. Eden Lake is a well acted, well directed film that taps into modern day concerns about out-of-control youth within the
horror movie genre. It also helps that the protagonist is strangely hot. Two thumbs up- every DHL owner should see this movie!"
The Prospect Whalers are back in second place thanks to a 9-4 victory over the White's Lake Senators. Tim Connolly was named second star of the night due to his two goal, one assist performance. Antoine Vermette had two assists for the Sens.
The Passge Oilers put an end to their seven game winless slide by posting a 14-6 win over the Fredericton Express. Kris Versteeg had a goal and an assist for the Oilers while Patrick Kane had two assists for the Express. The St. John's Penguins have now won two games
in a row and sit in fourth place overall after a 12-8 win over the Truro Bearcats who are now winless in their last seven games and sit second to last in the standings at 3-8-1. Cam Barker and Chris Kunitz each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins.
Fifteen Straight
Atlantics Extend Streak; Donkeys Keep Rolling
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Halifax Atlantics extended their DHL record unbeaten streak to fifteen games lastnight with a 14-13 vicory over the Fredericon Express. Zach Bogosian had two goals for the Atlantics and
Alexander Ovechkin netted two goals and an assist to help the Atlantics keep their amazing run going, now at a record of 13-0-2. The Atlantics are unbeaten in their first eleven games to start the season, also a DHL record, and have a five game winning
streak in tact heading into tonight's action against an equally hot Dartmouth Swampdonkeys team who have their own six game winning streak they are trying to extend. The Donkeys beat up on a sluggish Voyageurs team by a score of 9-2 to vault themselves into
second place in the overall standings ahead of a Prospect Whalers team who was defeated by the White's Lake Senators 8-5. Lastnight's games also saw the St.John's Penguins defeat the New Scotland Pack 12-5, handing the Pack their tenth loss in eleven games
to start the season, now the worst start for any team in DHL history. Rounding out the action, the Eastern Passage Oilers and Truro Bearcats battled to an 8-8 tie giving both teams identical 3-7-1 records.
Tonight's marquee matchup features the top two teams as well as the hottest two teams in the DHL as the Halifax Atlantics take on the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys. Both teams are currently in the middle of tremendous
runs and tonight's game should prove to be an epic battle. Something surely has to give. Can the Atlantics add to their fifteen game undefeated streak? Or will the Swampdonkeys win their seventh in a row and close the gap on the first place Atlantics?
We'll find out tonight.
Broken Record
Champs Unbeaten in 14; Crosby Nets 'Trick for Vees
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Halifax Atlantics re-wrote the DHL record book lastnight with a 13-12 win over the Truro Bearcats. The win extends the Atlantics' unbeaten
streak to fourteen games dating back to last year's Dynasty Cup final against the Halifax Maroons. The Atlantics lost the first three games of that series
before reeling off four straight wins to capture their second consecutive championship. They haven't lost since. With lastnight's win, the Atlantics also become the first team to begin
a season without losing in their first ten games with a record of 8-0-2. The Atlantics boast a record of 12-0-2 over the span of the streak, one win better than a thirteen game unbeaten
streak by the Nova Scotia Voyageurs during the 2008-09 DHL season when they ammassed a record of 11-0-2. Evgeni Nabokov recorded a late win for the Atlantics and it was just enough to defeat
a Bearcats team led by Brad Richards with two goals. Shea Weber was named third star of the night with a goal and an assist. The Atlantics will look to add to their record tonight when they play the Fredericton Express.
The Express are coming off a victory of their own, narrowly getting by the Pasage Oilers by a score of 8-7. Alex Goligoski had a goal and an assist for the Express and
Keith Yandle added three assists for the Oilers who have now lost six in a row. Marty Turco posted a win in goal for the Swampdonkeys as they have now won five in a row with an 8-2 win over
the White's Lake Senators. Mike Fisher provided all the offense for the Sens with a goal. The Prospect Whalers continued to keep pace with the Atlantics with a win over the New Scotland Pack. Daniel Alfredsson had
a goal and an assist in the 11-7 victory. The loss drops the Pack to a DHL worst 1-9-0, equalling the worst start by a team after ten games in DHL history.
Sidney Crosby was the difference as he notched a hatrick against John Tavares and the St. John's Penguins. The Vees have now won three in a row and improve their record to 5-4-1. Crosby's efforts
earned him first star of the night in the 13-7 victory. Tavares added a goal for the Pens who drop to 4-5-1.
Four in Four
Teams Set to Play Four Games in Four Nights
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The first month of the 2009-10 DHL season is going to end with four days of non-stop action. Tonight marks night one of four consecutive game nights including a matchup where the Halifax Atlantics put their
undefeated record of 7-0-2 on the line against the Truro Bearcats who look to get back on track and snap a four game losing streak. The Atlantics turn to Rick Nash and Jarome Iginla to lead the charge against
the Bearcats who counter with sniper Dany Heatley.
Tonight's card also features a streaking Swampdonkeys team taking on Joe Thornton's White's Lake Senators. The Sens can vault themselves into third place in the overall standings with a victory, however, the red-hot
Anze Kopitar has other ideas and will look to continue his early season success and keep his Donkeys marching up the standings. The Nova Scotia Voyageurs and St. John's Penguins both sit at 4-4-1 and are each
looking to get over the .500 mark on the season. Both teams are dressing less than a full roster as the Vees only have three defensemen playing, whereas, the Pens have only Kris Letang on the blueline for tonight's game.
This game also sees Sidney Crosby and John Tavares going head to head for the first time in DHL action.
Elsewhere, Brad Boyes and The Eastern Pasage Oilers hope to put an end to a five game losing slide as they battle Jordan Staal and the 4-4-1 Fredericton Express. Pascal Leclaire gets the nod for the Oilers and Martin
Brodeur will patrol the crease for the Express. Rounding out tonight's action, the Prospect Whalers face the New Scotland Pack. The Pack hope Vinny Prospal can continue his strong play against a Whalers lineup that features
Evgeni Malkin and Daniel Alfredsson.
Donkey Punch
Cammalleri Shines Against Express
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Dartmouth Swampdonkeys powered their way to sole possession of third place in the overall standings with a 20-11 victory over the Fredericton Express. Mike Cammalleri led the
Swampdonkey attack by netting three goals and an assist. Mike Green added a goal and an assist and Anze Kopitar chipped in with three assists for a team that is firing on all cylinders
recording their fourth consecutive win. The Donkeys improve their record to 5-3-1, while the Express drop to 4-4-1 on the season.
The Halifax Atlantics used two goals and an assist from Rick Nash to remain undefeated on the season after defeating the last place New Scotland Pack 16-10. The Atlantics now own a record of
7-0-2 and continue to sit atop the DHL standings. The Pack continue to sit at the polar opposite end of the standings as they drop to 1-8-0 on the season with the loss. Steven Stamkos had a goal for the Pack. The Nova
Scotia Voyageurs are starting to show signs of life after winning their second game in a row and getting back to the .500 mark. Jeff Carter had two assists as the Vees upended the second place Whalers by a score of 9-7. The Whalers remain
in second place but their record drops to 5-2-2.
The Truro Bearcats had their losing streak extended to four games as they fell to a solid White's Lake Senators team by a score of 17-10. With the loss the Bearcats fall to 3-6-0 on the season as the Sens improve to 5-4-0. Joni Pitkanen and Dany Heatley each led their respective teams
with a goal and an assist. After a 3-1-0 start to the season the Eastern Passage Oilers have dropped five decisions in a row after falling to the St. John's Penguins 16-9. The Pens improve to 4-4-1 and were led by Patrick Marleau's two goals and one assist. Travis Zajac
paced the Oilers attack with a goal and an assist.
Part 1 of 2
DHL Games to Span Two Nights
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Dynasty Hockey League enters uncharted territory tonight as all DHL games scheduled will be contested over a two night period. When the DHL schedule was initially finalized,
there were seven NHL games scheduled for October 15th. One of the NHL games was eventually moved, setting up the epic two-night games.
The matchups include Henrik Zetterberg and the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys battling the upstart Eastern Passage Oilers led by Nicklas Backstrom. A.O. and the champs hook up with the rival Prospect Whalers who are looking for their first
measure of revenge since surrendering a three game lead in last year's finals. The Whalers will have Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier in the line up tonight.
In other action, Marc Savard and the St. John's Penguins face Patrick Kane and The Daniel Sedinless Express, Joe Thornton faces off against Steven Stamkos as the Sens play the Pack, and the Vees look to Alexander Semin to help them
get back on track as they play against Dany Heatley and a solid Truro Bearcats team. Although the games will not be decided tonight, teams will certainly be looking to get a good head start on their opponents.
In the Win Column
Pack Record First W of the Year
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The New Scotland Pack avoided an 0-5 start to the season and became the final team to record their first win of the season by defeating the Fredericton Express 15-9. Steven Stamkos, Olli Jokinen, and Michael Ryder each had a goal and an assist to pace the Pack, who
continue to remain alone in the DHL basement with a 1-4 record. Patrick Kane had a strong night recording a goal and two assists, but it wasn't enough as the Express fall to 2-2-1 on the season.
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs are now winless in their last four games after falling to the White's Lake Senators by a score of 11-5. The Vees started the season with a win and have since slipped all the way down
the standings to within a point of last place at 1-3-1. The Sens were led by defenseman Dan Girardi who potted two goals in the victory. White's Lake has now won two in a row and own a record of 2-3. The Prospect Whalers
reclaimed second place in the league by defeating the much improved Eastern Passage Oilers 9-3, snapping the Oilers' modest three game winning streak in the process. Martin St. Louis had a goal and an assist in the win for the Whalers
who now have a record of 3-1-1 and sit two points back of first overall.
The Truro Bearcats pulled into a tie for third overall in the league with a 7-6 victory over the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys. David Krejci sealed the win with his two assists. The Donkeys fall to 1-3-1 and remain tied
with the Vees near the bottom of the standings. Evgeni Nabokov didn't record a win, however, he did post a shutout and it was enough for the first place Atlantics to remain unbeaten on the season and battle
the St. John's Penguins to a 9-9 tie. Marian Gaborik had a goal and an assist for the Pens who now sit at .500 on the year. Alex Ovechkin chipped in with two assists for the Atlantics who now own a record of 4-0-1 and sit atop the DHL standings.
Whalers Win Big
Richards Nets Hatrick in rout
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
On a night where DHL teams traditionally do not post big scores, the Prospect Whalers tallied a whopping 24 in a victory over the St. John's Penguins. The 24 points
is believed to be a DHL record for a night in which there were only seven NHL games. First-star Mike Richards led the onslaught with three goals and Matt Carle added four assists in the 24-7 victory.
Kimmo Timonen paced the Pens with a goal and two assists. With the win the Whalers move to 2-0 on the season as the Pens fall to 1-1.
The Truro Bearcats became the second first year team to record their first ever victory as they defeated fellow first year team, the Fredericton Express, 12-4. The Express got their first ever win on opening night and fall to 1-1 with the loss.
The Bearcats were led by Dany Heatley with a goal and two assists and now own a record of 1-1. The Dartmouth Swampdonkeys used big nights from Anze Kopitar and Devin Setoguchi to record their first win of the young season, 16-9
over the New Scotland Pack. The Donkeys join a logjam of teams at 1-1 while the Pack fall to 0-2. The White's Lake Senators are the only other winless team in the league at 0-2, after falling to the Eastern passage Oilers in a close 12-11
battle. Nicklas Backstrom and Joe Thornton each recorded three assists for their respective teams.
Alexander Ovechkin posted two goals and an assist in a game against the Nova Scotia Voyageurs and helped the Halifax Atlantics to a 14-9 win. Alexander Semin scored two goals for the Vees who fall to 1-1 on the season. With the win the
Atlantics move to a first-place tie with the Whalers as the only undefeated teams in the league at 2-0.
Russian Explosion
Kovalchuk and Ovechkin Lead Champs to Win
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The 2009-10 DHL season kicked-off lastnight in grand fashion as the league welcomed three new teams, old rivalries were rekindled, and new battlelines were drawn. Opening night
saw the two-time defending champions begin their quest for a three-peat against the newly minted White's Lake Senators. The russian superstar pair of Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander
Ovechkin provided the Atlantics with all the offence they would need as the champs recorded a comfortable 15-8 victory. Kovalchuk's two goals and one assist were good enough for him
to be named DHL first star of the evening. Joe Thornton added a goal and an assist for the Sens in defeat.
The Prospect Whalers recorded their first win in their new home as they handed the Truro Bearcats a 15-7 loss. Martin St.Louis led the way for the Whalers with two goals and was named
third star of the night. Dany Heatley has two assists for the Bearcats in their first ever game. Elsewhere, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs were the highest scoring team in the league as they
handed the Eastern Passage Oilers a convincing 18-5 loss. Second star Alexander Semin had two goals and an assist for the Vees and Sidney Crosby and Paul Stastny each had a goal and an assist
in the win. Nicklas Backstrom had two assists for the Oilers.
In the closest contest of the night, the Fredericton Express became the only first-year team to win their debut game as they narrowly edged the New Scotland Pack by a score of 11-10.
Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist for the Express and Patrick Sharp recoreded the same tallies for the Pack. Rounding out the action of the night, the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys fell
to the St. John's Penguins by a score of 12-10. Both teams battled each other last year as expansion teams in the now defunct E6 Division. Marc Savard, aquired in the off-season by
the Pens, contributed a goal and two assists in the win. Anze Kopitar provided a goal and an assist for the Swampdonkeys.
Guess Who's Back!
2009-10 DHL Season Begins
Friday, October 2, 2009
The DHL is set to drop the puck tomorrow marking the start of their third season. The 2009-10 season will feature a regular season schedule of 63
games where each team plays against each other seven times. The schedule represents an increase from last season where teams
each played a total of 42 games.
Three new franchises get their first taste of DHL action tomorrow including the Fredericton Express as they begin their DHL journey against the second year New Scotland Pack. In their
first DHL game action, the Truro Bearcats take on the newly re-located Prospect Whalers, and The Halifax Atlantics begin their DHL title
defense against the league's newest team, the Whites Lake Senators. In other action, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs look for their first ever opening night
victory when they take on the much improved Eastern Passage Oilers. Rounding out the schedule is a battle between former E6 Divison rivals as the St. John's Penguins
face the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys.
The 2009-10 DHL season promises to be the most competitive and exciting in the league's three year history. Stay tuned.
So say we all!
Sedins United
Express Aquire Henrik in Blockbuster Deal
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Fredericton Express have traded for a player named Sedin for the second time in a month. Exactly one month after completing a trade with the Halifax Atlantics for
Daniel Sedin, the Express completed their twin set by aquiring Daniel's brother, Henrik, from the Prospect Whalers. The Express added another big-name player in the deal in
Alex Tanguay. Completing the star-studded deal is Mike Richards and the Express' third round pick in the 2010 DHL entry draft going to the Whalers. The Sedins become the
second brother act to play for the Express, joining Jared and Jordan Staal.
The Dynasty Hockey League saw another trade within the past week. The deal sees the Eastern Passage Oilers obtain recently drafted Loui Eriksson, Brendan Morrison, and Steve Bernier from the
Dartmouth Swampdonkeys for Jonathon Cheechoo and the Oilers' first and third round picks in the 2010 entry draft.
These trades come less than two weeks before the DHL drops the puck to begin their third season. Teams are scrambling to set their lineups as Active Rosters are due by midnight Friday, September 25th.
The season is set to begin on Saturday, October 3rd.
First Round Frenzy
Pens Select Tavares #1 Overall
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The 2009 DHL Entry Draft began exactly as expected as the St. John's Penguins used the #1 overall pick to select anticipated rookie sensation John Tavares. Temporary madness quickly followed.
With the White's Lake Senators set to select 2nd overall, they promptly announced that they had traded the pick to the Halifax Atlantics earlier in the day for the #4 and #28 overall
picks. The Atlantics then used the #2 pick to select Matt Duschene.
With Duschene now an Atlantic, the Truro Bearcats turned their attention to Evander Kane, followed by the Senators
using their newly aquired #4 pick to take the first goaltender of the draft in Steve Mason. With their second pick of the first round, the Atlantics then chose Michael Frolik.
With the Penguins set to make their second selection of the first round, they announced that they wanted to continue previous trade talks with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs eventually
leading to the Vees aquiring the #6 overall pick for Andrei Kostitsyn and the #13 overall selection. The Vees then used their back-to-back picks to take Brayden Schenn and Victor Hedman at #6 and #7 respectively.
The newly named Prospect Whalers rounded out the eventful first round by choosing defenseman Alex Edler.
At the conclusion of the first round several teams were yet to make their first selections of the draft. The Eastern Passage Oilers opened the second round of the draft by choosing Travis Zajac 9th overall,
followed by the Fredericton Express taking Mikael Backlund at #12, the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys grabbing Loui Eriksson at #14, and the New Scotland Pack waiting until #42 to select Mikhail Grabovski
with their first pick in the draft.
Draft Day
DHL Invades Dartmouth
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The wait is over. The unofficial first day of the 2009-10 DHL season is here. DHL owners are set to converge on the city of Dartmouth to
begin the process of shaping their teams for the upcoming season with the hopes of capturing the much coveted Dynasty Cup. With draft day comes the sense of a fresh start and the
anticipation of adding valuable pieces to the puzzle or finding that hidden gem that will help take a team to the promise land.
The St. John's Penguins currently own the #1 overall selection after aquiring it in a blockbuster deal with the Eastern Passage Oilers last month. It is expected that the
Penguins will use the pick to select the highly touted John Tavares. This draft will enable the DHL's three newest franchises to complete their rosters as they will be given four additional
rounds to make selections. It will be interesting to see how the three new owners navigate through the draft to build their teams for battle
heading into their first season of action in the ultra competitive DHL. Let the strategizing and fireworks begin!
Musical Chairs
Killers Become Senators; Maroons Become Whalers
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The DHL welcomed a new owner into the fold as the Kingswood Killers pulled out of the league on August 30th allowing the team to move to White's Lake and be known as the White's Lake Senators. The new owner of the Senators is excited to inherit
the team and has been working diligently to prepare for the upcoming draft that is now less than two weeks away. This is the first season of play for the Senators in the DHL and they currently possess the #2 overall selection in the entry draft.
In related news, the two-time Dynasty Cup runner-up Halifax Maroons have also relocated. On September 2nd the Maroons owner announced that the Maroons will now hail from Prospect and be known as the Prospect Whalers. There is no ownership change in this relocation.
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Express Aquire Sedin and Wideman from Champs
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Friday, August 21, 2009
The Fredericton Express have bolstered their lineup by obtaining Daniel Sedin and Dennis Wideman from the Halifax Atlantics in exchange for Mark Streit, a 1st and
3rd round pick in the 2009 draft, as well as a conditional pick in the 2011 draft. With Sedin and Wideman, the first-year Express are getting bona fide point producers at
both the forward and defense positions. Sedin was an integral part of the Atlantics' back-to-back championships as was Wideman this past season during the
title run. In Mark Streit, no offence is being lost from the D position, and the draft picks will enable the champs to fill a void left by the departure of Sedin.
It was long expected that the Atlantics would have to trade one of their premier players due to the salary cap issues they were facing. This deal saves the Atlantics
$2.50 in cap sapce and gives them the breathing room under the cap they desperately needed.
The Eastern Passage Oilers have remained busy since dealing the number one overall pick. In two seperate deals they aquired defenseman James
Wisniewski and forward Stephen Weiss. For Wisniewski the Oil sent an 8th round pick in the 2009 draft to the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys, and for Weiss
a 6th round pick in the 2009 draft was sent to the St. John's Penguins.
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Oilers Trade #1 Pick to Pens
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Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Eastern Passage Oilers have traded the number one overall pick in the 2009 Dynasty Hockey League entry draft, which in all likelihood will be John Tavares, as well as defenseman Kris Letang to the
St. John's Penguins for Brad Boyes, Jason Pominville, Martin Erat, Pascal Leclaire, Matt Stajan, and a package of draft picks including the 4th, 6th, and 8th round picks in the 2009 DHL entry draft as well as two first round
picks in the 2010 and 2011 entry drafts. The trade was not without controversy as it was originally contested and went to a league-wide vote before the protest was eventually withdrawn. Although the results of the vote will
never be known, it is believed that there were enough votes to overturn the trade.
The Oilers and Penguins are expansion cousins and are both entering their second season in the DHL. In their first season the Penguins won the E6 Division crown with a record of 24-15-3 and had a seven game upset
victory in the first round of the playoffs before bowing out to the eventual champion Atlantics in a four game sweep in the semi-finals. In contrast, the Oilers finished tied for last place in the league
last season with a record of 13-26-3 giving them the right to select first overall at the entry draft next month in Dartmouth. The official date of the draft is yet to be decided, however it will be held the weekend of Sepember
12-13 and hosted by the Dartmouth Swampdonkeys.
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DHL Welcomes Three New Teams
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Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Dynasty Hockey League will open their third season as a ten-team league as five teams will not be returning in the fall. In their place will be three new teams who have
already began sculpting their rosters at lastnight's dispersal draft. Joining the DHL will be the Fredericton Express, the Truro Bearcats, and the Kingswood Killers. The Express won the
lottery for phase one of the dispersal draft and promptly made Mike Richards their first ever player. The Bruins then chose Brad Richards with their first pick, followed by the Killers who selected Alex Kovalev.
All ten teams participated in phase two of the dispersal draft in which the Kingswood Killers won the right to select first overall. They used that pick to nab Joe Thornton. The Bruins
also picked second in this phase and opted for Dany Heatley. The Express rounded out the top three picks and added Patrick Kane to their roster. The first round of phase two played out as follows: At number
four the Oilers selected Nick Backstrom, Bobby Ryan was chosen by the Pack at number five, Henrik Zetterberg is now a Swampdonkey taken at number six, Marc Savard was the choice for the Pens at number seven,
at number eight the Vees took Jason Spezza, Martin St. Louis returns to the Maroons at number nine, and the champion Atlantics concluded the first round by going for youth in Kyle Okposo.
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