#vezina-trophy

#vezina-trophy

Having previously played for the San Jose Sharks' developmental program, Landon Marleau eventually started playing for the Wellington Dukes of the Ontario Junior Hockey League before recently getting called up by the Kingston Frontenacs. During his debut, which saw the Frontenacs lose 3-2 to the Brantford Bulldogs, Landon Marleau registered two shots, with one of them being a scoring chance.

I've thought about it so much, Larkin said. It's what everyone wanted, this matchup in a gold-medal game. Yeah, I've thought about it a lot. Those thoughts become reality Sunday when the North American countries that have become the preeminent global hockey powerhouses face off in a titanic final of a best-vs.-best tournament with many of the NHL's biggest stars. The U.S. against Canada on the biggest stage in sports should be hard-hitting, quick-skating, must-see entertainment.

In what can only be another cruel twist of fate for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, a castaway put on one heck of a performance, stopping the NHL's best team, the Colorado Avalanche. On Wednesday night, former Maple Leafs PTO invitee James Reimer stymied the Colorado Avalanche en route to a 5-2 win. Reimer, now a member of the Ottawa Senators, stopped 16 shots in what was arguably one of the worst showings for the Avalanche this season.

With grace and humility and a wide grin he rarely flashed when he was leading the Boston Bruins back to prominence, Zdeno Chara took his rightful place among Black and Gold immortals on Thursday night when his No. 33 was raised to the TD Garden rafters. Surrounded by Bruins royalty - including fellow number retirees Bobby Orr, Johnny Bucyk, Terry O'Reilly, Rick Middleton, Cam Neely and Willie O'Ree - Chara remained more or less stoic. But he admitted later the emotions were tugging hard at him.

It's hard enough to tip in a puck right from the goalie's doorstep. That sucker is small, hard, and moving well above the speed limit, and it's a genuine feat of hand-eye coordination to not just get a blade on it, but to get only just so much blade on it to not halt it but redirect it to the angle of your choosing.

I grew up in a hockey town where there was no escaping Canada's beloved sport. Our suburban streets doubled as rinks; the choppy slap of tennis balls reverberating against hockey sticks a constant sound. As pre-teens, my friends and I would put on lip gloss and tight jeans to hang out at the Friday night junior hockey games. I still find comfort in the sound of skate blades slicing across ice and that sweaty, chemical odour of public arenas.