Sharks stay alive in the Stanley Cup Final, Red Wings hire John Torchetti and more in this morning’s collection of NHL headlines.
Martin Jones makes one of his 44 saves backstopping the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
THE MERCURY NEWS: A 44-save performance by Martin Jones and a three-goal first period were key to the San Jose Sharks’ 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. Logan Couture (1 goal, two assists) and Brent Burns were among the first-period scorers, while Joe Pavelski netted his first of the series into an empty net late in the third. The Penguins still hold a 3-2 lead as the series returns to San Jose for Game 6 on Sunday.
TRIBLIVE.COM: The Penguins were affected by nerves in Game 5, caught up in the emotion of trying to win the Stanley Cup on home ice. Pens goalie Matt Murray was notably shaky in the first period, giving up three goals on six shots. The Pens dominated the rest of the game but couldn’t get the equalizer past Sharks goalie Martin Jones. .
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game will be remembered for a wild first period when neither Jones or Murray looked sharp, followed by Jones having one of the strongest two-period performances I’ve ever seen by a goalie in a Cup Final. Put simply, Jones stole this game for the Sharks, as the Penguins out-shot and out-chanced the Sharks by a huge margin in the second and third periods. If not for him, the Penguins would be nursing Stanley Cup hangovers this morning.
DETROIT FREE PRESS: The Detroit Red Wings hired former Minnesota Wild interim coach John Torchetti as an assistant to head coach Jeff Blashill.
CALGARY SUN: Flames president Brian Burke said his team has narrowed its search for a new head coach, suggesting their decision might not come in time for the upcoming NHL draft.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray vows to take his time finding a replacement for former bench boss Bruce Boudreau.
ESPN.COM: Carolina Hurricanes GM Ron Francis is the latest to deny rumors the club might be relocated.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: Minor-league player Jordan Hart, son of former NHLer Gerry Hart, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of providing prescription drugs that led to the accidental overdose deat of NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard, who died in 2011.
TSN: Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment chief executive Michael Friisdahl has no problem with ads on NHL jerseys. “I think in a measured, tasteful, controlled way it’s absolutely fine.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Get used to the prospect of advertising appearing on NHL jerseys, folks. Thankfully, it won’t be a dog’s dinner like in some European leagues, as they lack the NHL’s lucrative revenue streams and rely heavily on jersey ads. But it is coming to the NHL very soon.
What does advertising on sweaters (thanks Don Cherry) say about the financial state of the league? Or are they just a bunch of greedy *buggars like the produce department at my local grocery store?
And it will be hilarious when Toronto lines up with a major bank ad on their sweater and Arizona has “Dave’s Well Drilling” and a phone number underneath.
I guess the reason I question the financial state of the league is because I am sick of idiots changing all of the rules and then trumpeting “oh look at what we did, the game is so much better now, we are so smart.” Meanwhile concussions and injuries are up, and as far as I can tell, the only way the league is generating more revenue (if it is) is because of other disciplines like marketing and financial planning, not the product on the ice. Hockey has always been great and changing the rules didn’t make it any better to watch.
The NHL introduced “diving” thanks to the Europeans … so I suppose we’ll soon see “Rogers” and “Bell” icons adorning the jerseys.
“The NHL introduced “diving” thanks to the Europeans…”
LOL!
Yeah not feeling the ads on the jerseys. Not something I want and I definitely won’t be buying any jerseys with ads on them. Just something I don’t think we need to do in the league. If it is about revenue, how about constructing a team cheaper like they do in Ottawa here or monitor your spending better. Funny how other companies (and I get manufacturing or sales companies aren’t exactly in the same business, but I generalize) are able to monitor their spending generally in order to stay in business.