How To Get Things Almost Right

The Canucks revealed their new third jersey this week to be worn fashionably early (4:oo p.m. local start time) tonight as the Make Belief fans invade the Garage for the lone visit of the Leafs this season. So, our beloved Johnny Canuck finally makes it onto the jersey but just as a shoulder patch. This J-Canuck logo has been around a bit and already has shown up on some Canuck souvenirs prior to this season.

The stick-in-rink logo has been revived ever since the Vintage third jersey made an appearance...but the logo has been "rebranded" (translation: it's now features a Kyle Wellwood length stick done at a Cubist angle). There has never really been any love affair with any of the NHL Canucks various logos (except for this crazy Canuck) and although now the stick-in-rink logo has some retro cool cachet, why are the Canucks still so reluctant to go whole hog and bring back the full Johnny Canuck logo? Guess we should not be so surprised as the current "regular" jersey was a lame attempt to ape the WHL era "Canucks" look across the chest.

Mr. Bathgate lookin' good

Brian Boucher, I'm Coming After You!

Roberto Luongo's third shutout in a row (and the Leos taking down the Green Riders in Regina)...look out, Brian Boucher, your record is in jeopardy. Brian Boucher? Not Patrick Roy? Not Terry Sawchuk? Not Georges Hainsworth? That's right, fans, the NHL record for consecutive shutouts at five is held by a backup goalie who played for the Phoenix Greztkys at the time.


No, that one did not get by you, Bobby Luuuuu!

Let's Play The Feud

This whole Alexander Ovechkin vs. Evgeny Malkin feud is getting very juicy. If you did not catch the game, here's the YouTube clip of the on-ice confrontation Oct. 16 --Ovechkin vs. Malkin: Round 1.

The missed tactical nuclear hit by Ovy may just be the start of what one hopes is the beginning of a great on- and off-ice rivalry between two young teams. After all, the NHL's best recent rivalry betwen the Wings and Avs seems dead in the water now. The strange thing is these two Russian superstars roomed together previously when playing for Russia at the 2006 Olympics. Maybe Malkin snored a lot and Ovcechkin hogged the remote back then.

The feud, if you can read Russian and trust the rumors, is over Ovechkin clocking Malkin's agent at a nightclub in Russia about a year and a half ago. Apparently, said agent made a crack about some model who dated both stars or Ovy's mother (depending on the rumor you believe).

Throw in Alexander Semin's comments on how Sydney Crosby can't hold a candle to Patrick Kane and let's start the feud!

Anyhoo, circle Jan. 14 on your NHL calendar as the teams meet up again for the Russian Rumble: Round Two.