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Bruins/Senators game postponed after Boston Marathon tragedy

Written by David Rogers on .

Following the horrible tragedy today at the Boston Marathon, the NHL has decided to postpone tonight's game between the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators that was scheduled for 7:00pm ET at the TD Bank Garden. At this time, the game hasn't been rescheduled. 

There are certain times when athletic events just don't seem important when compared to real life. Today is one of those times as a tragedy interrupted a day of joy and celebration in Boston. The decision to cancel tonight's game was an obvious one as a city endures and tries to recover from a shocking, unthinkable attack. Hockey can wait a day or two. In the meantime, the residents of Boston should spend time with their families and friends, focusing on what truly matters.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected by today's events. 

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Hockey Fights of the Week: 4/8 - 4/14

Written by David Rogers on .

Welcome to one of the final installments of Hockey Fights of the Week for the 2013 season. When the regular season wraps, so too will this column as fights in the playoffs are unfortunately too few and far between to warrant a weekly top-5 countdown. 

That being said, we still have plenty of hockey fight coverage for you. As soon as the year concludes, we'll roll out an article highlighting the best fights of the season, a list composed of all the fights that earned the top spot from one of our many countdowns. We'll still cover any memorable fights that occur during the battle for the Cup, but they may be in a slightly different format.

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Video: Craig Anderson high-sticks Adam Henrique

Written by Laura Astorian on .

It's understandable when goaltenders get frustrated because no one is clearing the crease for them. When an opposing team's forward parks themselves right in front of your goalie, you're supposed to move that player -- and don't be surprised if the goaltender goes ahead and does it for you if you don't. Craig Anderson found himself in that position Friday night against the New Jersey Devils, with Adam Henrique blocking his view. Anderson cleared his line of sight, but probably not in the most appropriate way possible:

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Carl Soderberg is refusing to play for Sweden in the World Championships (UPDATED)

Written by Laura Astorian on .

The Carl Soderberg Story is getting more and more frustrating for the Boston Bruins. Since acquiring the rights to him from the St. Louis Blues for Hannu Toivonen, the Bruins have been patiently waiting for the chance to buy him out of his Swedish contract. They had to wait until his team, Linkoping HC, was eliminated from the playoffs to carry out the buyout. Most expected it would get rid of any barriers preventing the big center from coming to the NHL. The Bruins attempted to work out a deal with the Swedish Elite League, but to no avail. They're blocking Soderberg from coming over to the NHL.

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LA Kings fan drops kid while trying to catch a hockey stick

Written by David Rogers on .

Shortly after an LA Kings victory, Mike Richards prepared to toss his stick into the crowd after he was announced as one of the three stars of the game. As you might imagine, fans tried to position themselves to catch a bit of hockey memorabilia. 

There was just one problem. Someone lost track of their child who was precariously standing on the boards, leaning against the glass. As the stick came over the top of the glass, priorities shifted and the woman we assume was the child's mother abandoned him to try and catch Richards' stick. 

Well, at least she caught the stick because she sure didn't catch her kid. Let's hope she at least gave him the stick as a way of saying "sorry I let you fall off the boards on live television."

(H/T Reddit Hockey

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Steve Ott wants to lick Jeff Halpern's visor

Written by David Rogers on .

Steve Ott, agitator extraordinaire, loves to stir things up. Whether it's about fans booing in Buffalo which caused an interesting and kind of hilarious exchange between him, his fiancee and Buffalo's beat writer, or if it's trying to gain an edge before a draw, he'll do what it takes to get under your skin.

This time prior to a faceoff, Ott tried to lick Jeff Halpern's visor before the puck was dropped. Losing by a score of 4-0, Ott tried to something, anything to get his team fired up. Evidently, this means taking a taste of some hard plastic. Just like the broadcast says, "that's just creepy."

The YouTube comments on this video were golden, claiming Ott wanted to "taste victory" and that there was a "distinct licking motion." Well played, Internet commenters. 

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Taylor Hall avoids suspension for two-handed slash chop

Written by Laura Astorian on .

Apparently Taylor Hall is a Braves fan, because he's very much fond of doing a tomahawk chop when he has to. But not a typical one-handed one. Oh, no no no. Hall does nothing halfway. He uses two hands.

And a hockey stick (the chop is about 11 seconds in).

Look, I understand that Hall is probably upset about the fact that the Oilers' playoff chances are somewhere between nil and "no way in hell," but that's no excuse to take out his frustrations on Zbynek Michalek. Understandably, the Coyotes were more than a little upset with Hall's antics.

Shockingly, no penalty was called on the play in last night's game, and no hearing is scheduled to discuss with Hall his beheading technique. Honestly, it was a little brutish. More Mary, Queen of Scots' axeman than Anne Boleyn's fancy French swordsman.

And frankly, it was more "petulant child" than "professional NHL hockey player."

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NHL announces official alliance with the You Can Play Project

Written by Laura Astorian on .

The NHL has officially released a press statement regarding their alliance with the You Can Play Project. From the press release:

"NHL players have supported the You Can Play Project since its inception, which we are pleased to formalize and expand upon with today's announcement," said Don Fehr, NHLPA Executive Director. "The players believe our partnership with the NHL and You Can Play will foster an inclusive hockey environment from the grassroots level to the professional ranks."

The official partnership with You Can Play includes a significant commitment to education and training for teams, players, media and fans plus the production and broadcast of more public service announcements.

"As NHL players, we all strive to contribute towards helping our teams achieve success on the ice. Any player who can help in those efforts should be welcomed as a teammate," said Ron Hainsey, Winnipeg Jets defenseman and NHLPA Executive Board member. "This partnership solidifies the message that the hockey community believes in fairness and equality for everyone."

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Ilya Bryzgalov at the center of two sleepy controversies

Written by David Rogers on .

Philadelphia goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov is already connected to some pretty strange stories. Some involve his odd yet hilarious fascination with the universe while others surround his mediocre play in net, including a recent play where he appeared to try to duck under a shot. You can add another bizarre story to his resume as Bryzgalov is at the heart of a controversy over his actions after a recent loss and an alleged report that he was caught napping in a team meeting. 

The first incident occurred when Bryzgalov was pulled for allowing four goals on 16 shots after two periods against the Winnipeg Jets. Shortly after sitting down on the bench, Bryzgalov closed his eyes before trying to hide a big yawn behind his glove. 

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Predators to ride Pekka Rinne through the end of the season

Written by Laura Astorian on .

Pekka Rinne has always been one of the NHL's elite netminders, and has been a key cog in the Nashville Predators' machine. Unfortunately, the machine has hit a snag, and the key cog hasn't gotten the defensive support that he usually receives. 

Rinne is an absolute workhorse, and if you're the backup in Nashville, you should expect to hang out on the pine a little bit. Unless he's injured, Rinne will get a clear majority of the starts; last season, he started a whopping 73 games and the season before that he started 64. This year, so far, he has started 38 games and played in 39... and keep in mind that the season only runs 48 games this year.

This means that his recently returned compatriot Chris Mason has started just three games and played in only eight. Will Mason get a chance to start down the stretch with his team out of playoff contention?

Nope.

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