Is this man happy? Jason Garrison edition

Jason Garrison sports a healthy smile during a practice at UBC Thunderbird Arena on January 8, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Jason Garrison sports a healthy smile during a practice at UBC Thunderbird Arena on January 8, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

Jason Garrison is happy to be skating with his new teammates. Or at least he looks like he is. The man wore a permagrin through Tuesday’s practice at Thunderbird Arena, even when getting slapped with a stick across the ribs during puck protection drills courtesy of Andrew Alberts.

Garrison, of course, signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks on Canada Day of 2012. (That’s July 1 for our non-Great White Northern readers.) The White Rock native had a career highs of 16 goals and 33 points in 77 games for the Florida Panthers last year, and added three more points in four games during a first-round playoff loss to the Stanley Cup finalist New Jersey Devils.

Two more pictures of Mr Garrison after the jump. Look for pictures of his teammates throughout the week.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

Continue reading Is this man happy? Jason Garrison edition

Photo gallery – Abbotsford Heat vs Rochester Americans, part two

Abbotsford Heat ice crew member Kirsten goes deep into her hockey stride during a break in play on January 5, 2013. She plays intramural hockey at BCIT, and is in her third year of scraping the ice at Heat home games. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Abbotsford Heat ice crew member Kirsten goes deep into her hockey stride during a break in play on January 5, 2013. She plays intramural hockey at BCIT, and is in her third year of scraping the ice at Heat home games. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

The Abbotsford Heat earned a split in their back-to-back set against the Rochester Americans with a 3-1 victory on Saturday night. After the jump, grab a gander at some images from the contest. Or just read about it here.

Either way, give a guy a hand with some fundraising for the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

Continue reading Photo gallery – Abbotsford Heat vs Rochester Americans, part two

Abbotsford Heat & Rochester Americans do the splits

Abbotsford forward Ben Street had a pair of a goals and an assist to lead the Heat to a 3-1 win over the visiting Rochester Americans on January 5, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Abbotsford forward Ben Street had a pair of a goals and an assist to lead the Heat to a 3-1 win over the visiting Rochester Americans on January 5, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

The Abbotsford Heat turned things around against the Rochester Americans, earning a split in their two-game set to open play in 2013 with a 3-1 win on Saturday night. The Americans won the first game of the weekend 5-2 on Friday.

Coquitlam native Ben Street had two goals and an assist in the win, while goaltender Danny Taylor stopped 17 of 18 shots. Here’s the game sheet.

With the win, the Heat remain tied for fourth in the AHL Western Conference. Abbotsford, the Houston Aeros and Texas Stars all have 41 points in 34 games. In the North Division, Abbotsford sits four points behind the Toronto Marlies, who themselves beat the Rockford Ice Hogs 5-2.

The Abbotsford Heat have a pair of home games against the Vancouver Canucks affiliate Chicago Wolves next Friday and Saturday, January 11 and 12 at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre. The puck drops at 7 pm on both nights.

More after the jump.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

Continue reading Abbotsford Heat & Rochester Americans do the splits

Photo Gallery – Abbotsford Heat vs Rochester Americans

Rochester Americans forward Cody Hodsgon gets his stick in the way of a TJ Brodie shot during the a 5-2 win over the Abbotsford Heat. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Rochester Americans forward Cody Hodsgon gets his stick in the way of a TJ Brodie shot during the a 5-2 win over the Abbotsford Heat. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

The Rochester Americans took a 5-2 decision in the first of back-to-back meetings on Friday. Below are a few pics from that contest. Check out our game summary if you’re into that sort of thing. And since you asked, here’s the box score too.

Related: pictures and a writeup of Saturay’s game, a 3-1 victory for the home side.

Featured with multiple pictures is Cody Hodgson, a blue chip prospect who started his pro career with the Vancouver Canucks organization but was traded to the Buffalo Sabres last year.

Also a focus is offensively minded defenseman TJ Brodie of the Abbotsford Heat, who is tied for third in team scoring with 19 points in 33 games.

Photo gallery after the jump.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

Continue reading Photo Gallery – Abbotsford Heat vs Rochester Americans

Hodgson & Co. earn two points in Abbotsford

Sven Bärtschi of the Abbotsford Heat and Cody Hodgson of the Rochester Americans follow the puck up ice during a 5-2 Rochester win on January 3, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Sven Bärtschi of the Abbotsford Heat and Cody Hodgson of the Rochester Americans follow the puck up ice during a 5-2 Rochester win on January 3, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

The Rochester Americans got a big, fat W in Abbotsford on Friday night, creeping to within two points of the Heat with a game in hand.

Check our photo gallery from the game here.

After a strong start to the season, the Abbotsford Heat have cooled considerably. A middling November and a woeful December have seen them slip from the top of the league standings to fourth place in the Western Conference. The Heat have just two wins in their last ten games, compared to Rochester’s six.

More after the jump.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

Continue reading Hodgson & Co. earn two points in Abbotsford

Somebody Approved This: Adirondack Phantoms New Year’s Eve Jersey

Jersey: Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Only if ye auld acquaintance is wearing this abomination by the Adirondack Phantoms.

Years worn: 2012, New Year’s Eve game only.

Reaction: Long silences while people everywhere examined this twitpic of Zack FitzGerald’s shirt for signs of Photoshop tampering.

Most famous players to wear it: Probably Brayden Schenn, who was also the one to post the picture to twitter.

Why it’s great: The jerseys were a one-shot deal that were auctioned off after the game in support of a local transition house that assists homeless teenagers. Kudos for the community involvement, Phantoms organization. Grudging respect for the cufflinks in the shape of your logo. And maybe the pinstripes. Maybe.

Why it’s garbage:  It’s ORANGE! You’re wearing an ORANGE TUXEDO! You have black  right in your logo! You could have gone black-tie formal and done the same damn thing without looking like you pulled a design out of the Don Cherry reject pile. And while I’m fixing this design for you, if you’re going to shrink the logo anyways, put it on the breast of the jacket so it doesn’t look like a mouth. The first time I saw this thing I thought the guy with the bow-tie face was smiling at me and it’s still creeping me the hell out!

Haiku to describe Chris’s feelings whenever he sees this jersey:
We’ll take a cup of
Kindness yet, but not before
You throw that shirt out.

Other jerseys we can’t believe somebody approved:
New York Islanders third jersey (rumoured), 2012
Seattle Sounders third jersey, 2012
Vancouver Canucks alternate jersey, 1995-1997
EHC Wolfsburg Halloween jersey, 2012

 

Great Northwest Showcase Finale – SFU Clan vs ASU Sun Devils

Amazingly, Vancouver-born Freshman Arizona State forward did not score on this play. He hit the post after a solid deke around third-year SFU Clan goaltender Graeme Gordon. His Sun Devils did win the game 5-3 however. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Amazingly, Vancouver-born Freshman Arizona State forward did not score on this play. He hit the post after a solid deke around third-year SFU Clan goaltender Graeme Gordon. His Sun Devils did win the game 5-3 however. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

I didn’t get a chance to post pictures from the final game of the Great Northwest Showcase, a 5-3 win for the Arizona State Sun Devils over the host SFU Clan. The Sun Devils found their legs between the previous day’s misadventures against the UBC Thunderbirds — and chatter by players during pre-game stretches suggested the Americans aren’t used to the aggressive forechecks thrown at them by the T-birds on Friday.

More after the jump.

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Continue reading Great Northwest Showcase Finale – SFU Clan vs ASU Sun Devils

Great Northwest Showcase Day 2 – The Empire Strikes Back

Sophomore Oklahoma Sooners defenseman Kevin Zehnder pins UBC Thunderbirds forward Wyatt Hamilton during Great Western Showcase action at Bill Copeland Arena on December 29, 2012. The Thunderbirds won the game 4-3 in overtime. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Sophomore Oklahoma Sooners defenseman Kevin Zehnder pins UBC Thunderbirds forward Wyatt Hamilton during Great Western Showcase action at Bill Copeland Arena on December 29, 2012. The Thunderbirds won the game 4-3 in overtime. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

Okay, I already feel bad about the title. Sure, the visiting teams in the inaugural Great Northwest Showcase are American. And yes, there are national politics and cultural question marks that make them the Darths and Emperors of the world next to our farmboy-cum-Jedi status up here. But goldang it if each and every one of the team members and staff that I met this weekend weren’t incredibly nice, wonderfully passionate people who revolve their lives around the great game of hockey. (I’m lookin’ at you, Oklahoma University men’s hockey Assistant GM Chris Kelly… Not naming any names…)

But hey, the title is what the title is. In the immortal words of Billy Crystal, “It’s already out there.” And after day one of this exhibition tournament, which saw the Canadian teams trounce their American visitors by a combined score of 12-2, the empire really did strike back. They had to, just to make the plane ride back to the south bearable.

More after the jump.

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Continue reading Great Northwest Showcase Day 2 – The Empire Strikes Back

Vancouver Giants lost in Rockets red glare

Vancouver Giants defenseman Brett Kulak had an assist in a losing cause as his team dropped a 5-3 decision to the visiting Kelowna Rockets on December 28, 2012. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Vancouver Giants defenseman Brett Kulak had an assist in a losing cause as his team dropped a 5-3 decision to the visiting Kelowna Rockets on December 28, 2012. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

The Vancouver Giants played an inspired second period against the Kelowna Rockets on Friday night, even managing to score twice on the power play, but it wasn’t enough. It’s becoming a familiar storyline this season, as the Giants were tied against the high-flying visitors after forty minutes, but surrendered two unanswered goals midway through the third for yet another loss. The Giants sit squarely in the Western Hockey League basement with 18 points in 35 games played.

More after the jump.

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Continue reading Vancouver Giants lost in Rockets red glare

Great Northwest Showcase Day 1: Home Cookin’

Sophomore goaltender Colin Fernandes makes a first-period save during SFU's only power play of the night on December 28, 2012. The Surrey-born netminder allowed four goals in the Sooners 4-0 loss to the home team at the Great Northwest Showcase at Bill Copeland Arena. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Sophomore goaltender Colin Fernandes makes a first-period save during SFU’s only power play of the night on December 28, 2012, with Jono Ceci waiting to pounce on the rebound. The Surrey-born netminder allowed four goals in the Sooners 4-0 loss to the home team at the Great Northwest Showcase at Bill Copeland Arena. Ceci had a goal and two assist in the win. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

Day one of the inaugural Great Northwest Showcase is in the books, and it was a good day for the boys eating home cooking. Both the UBC Thunderbirds and SFU Clansmen iced winning sides against American collegiate sides — UBC thumped the NCAA’s number-one ranked Arizona State Sun Devils 8-2, while SFU shut out the number-six Oklahoma Sooners 4-0.

More after the jump, including a photo gallery for your visual pleasure.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

Continue reading Great Northwest Showcase Day 1: Home Cookin’