Watch this blue-collar work behind the goal by San Jose Sharks centre Joe Pavelski, now playing for the KHL’s Minsk Dynamo.
Strong on the puck behind the net, Pavelski flattens a charging defender with his back and then sets up the game-winner for his club in Sunday’s lone KHL game.
Pavelski now has 10 points in 15 games played for Minsk.
Fast-forward to the 1:35 mark of the highlight package:
Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene is treating the NHL lockout like that year off after you graduate high school but aren’t quite ready to start university so train-hop through Europe and find yourself while losing your parents’ money.
After scoring 14 points in 19 games for Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League, the Ontario-born centre is off to Ambri-Piotta, where he’ll join Vancouver Canucks goaltender Cory Schneider in the Swiss A league.
In his final game for Frolunda, Duchene scored the game-winning goal.
Now onto my next stop… Switzerland! Excited to be the newest member of Ambri-Piotta! Can’t wait to get there and get started #ForzaAmbri — Matt Duchene (@Matt9Duchene) December 9, 2012
Now onto my next stop… Switzerland! Excited to be the newest member of Ambri-Piotta! Can’t wait to get there and get started #ForzaAmbri
— Matt Duchene (@Matt9Duchene) December 9, 2012
Great final night last night in Göteborg with the boys. Best of luck in the rest of the season, I’ll be watching! #FrolundaHC — Matt Duchene (@Matt9Duchene) December 9, 2012
Great final night last night in Göteborg with the boys. Best of luck in the rest of the season, I’ll be watching! #FrolundaHC
Broken glass, everywhere!
Just because we can’t resist glass-shattering shots:
According to the Russian Hockey Federation’s website, Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov was scratched off the national team roster after undergoing a medical exam.
Bryz, who has been playing for CSKA Moscow during the lockout, will not be suiting up for Team Russia in the Channel One Cup tournament this week.
Russian coach Vladimir Myshkin told Sovsport that Bryzgalov failed his medical test due to a high fever, reports Phlly.com.
Buffalo Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers injured his ankle playing for Austria’s Klagenfurter AC on Friday.
According to a kleinezeitung.at report, the 22-year-old rear guard was assisted off the ice and underwent an MRI.
New York Rangers star acquisition Rick Nash has returned to North America after aggravating a groin injury playing for HC Davos in the Swiss league.
Nash had been playing at better than a point-per-game pace for his lockout club, but returned for precautionary reasons.
According to rantsports.com, Nash plans to return to Switzerland once he is cleared to play.
Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews told CSNChicago.com that last week’s failed NHL-NHLPA meetings have “absolutely” pushed his European consideration to the front burner.
“That’s obviously something you have to explore more at this point,” Toews told the site. “It’s just sad in so many ways because your whole life you dream of playing in the NHL. You never dream that politics and things like this would get in the way of you playing and living out your dream.”