On Sunday night when Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin launched himself into Pens’ Zbynek Michalek many wondered whether he would face disciplinary action from Brendan Shanahan. Earlier today they got their answer as the VP of player safety handed a 3 game suspension more commonly known as a Shanaban. His third suspension in his career, the hit was deemed dangerous not only because Ovi’s elbow made contact with Michalek’s head but also because he left the ice which is a big no-no in the NHL today.

Ovechkin will still participate in this weekend’s NHL All-Star Game despite the suspension as long he doesn’t opt out in the coming days. While most hits to the head have warranted suspensions this year it’s refreshing to know that marquee players don’t get passes for dangerous hits such as the one by Ovechkin. Below is an explanation by Shanahan.

Having spent time in Toronto, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and Carolina the Poni Express was routed to New Jersey Friday night as the Hurricanes dealt Alexei Ponikarovsky to the Devils for fourth-round draft pick and an AHLer. The 31-year-old Kiev native has become something of a journeyman going to his fourth team since 2010.

Acquired to fill in on the third line for the Devils, the winger has not had much success finding the net since being traded from Toronto totaling just 14 goals with 3 different teams. While he spent most of last season injured he was brought to Carolina to hopefully regain the spark from his Toronto days. 15 points in 49 games was not good enough for the Canes who off-loaded him to the Devils.

New Jersey receives a formidable veteran who in 603 NHL games has scored 128 goals while dishing out 169 assists. The Devils have lacked consistent scoring on their 3rd line and haven’t really sacrificed much to gamble on the streaky winger. Ponikarovsky has had 3 20+ goal seasons in the past and he could still try to reach that plateau by seasons end.

He could impress management enough to consider offering him a contract as he becomes a free-agent at the end of the year. For a guy who has yet to find a steady home in the NHL it’s now or never as the allure of playing back home will inevitability pop up as it does for most players born in the Soviet Union.

Perhaps the presence of Russian-speaking players in Ilya Kovalchuk, Anton Volchenkov, and Dainius Zubrus will help Ponikarovsky feel more comfortable in the locker room and turn his game around.

(Courtesy of JC Pinheiro/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Last time Russia met Canada at the Junior World stage it took a five goal rally by the Russians to clinch their first gold medal since 2003. Last night, the Russians avoided a similar rally at the hands of the Canadians when their 5-1 lead entering the third period quickly vanished.

Nikita Kucherov continued the Russian onslaught early in the 3rd after his team got a hat trick and an assist from Evgeny Kuznetsov in the early going. His goal proved to be pivotal as Canada began to score at will with goals by Dougie Hamilton, Jaden Schwartz, Brendan Gallagher, Brandon Gormley in the span of 11 minutes.

In what looked like a Canadian team that was left for dead, the boys in red came out flying and capitalizing on two Russian penalties, a first for Russia this tournament, and chasing 17-year-old netminder Andrei Vasilevski in the final six minutes in favor of Andrei Makarov.

Bringing on a new goalie in favor of the one who had stopped 44 of 49 shots was a gamble that paid off for head coach Valeri Bragin as he made seven crucial saves to hang onto a pivotal victory. The victory marked the first time Canada will miss the gold medal game since 2002 and gives Russia their first chance to claim back-to-back golds since 2002-2003.

With the four points, Kuznetsov has become the leading scorer (13 points) in the tournament as Russia heads into tomorrow’s showdown with Sweden for the right to claim the gold medal. Sweden has yet to lose all tournament. Nail Yakupov of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting recorded four assists to give him a total of nine points (all assists) in the tournament.

It appears the Nikita Filatov experiment has been placed on hold in Ottawa as the 21-year-old and the team have agreed to let the winger finish out the season in his native Russia. Filatov who was traded to the Senators in exchange for a third-round pick failed to lock-up a full-time spot with the Sens and managed only 1 assist in multiple call-ups in a span of 9 games. While with the baby Sens, Filatov had 12 points (7 goals and 5 assists) in 15 games before asking to be sent on a loan to his old club CSKA Moscow.

For those who have been keeping tabs on Filatov ever since he was drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008, this would be the second time he returns to CSKA having done so with the Blue Jackets in the 09-10 season where he notched 20 points in 22 games before returning to Ohio. Despite looking better in the KHL his offense did not return as needed and after only recording 7 assists he would be sent down to the AHL for the remainder of the year.

Senators GM Brian Murray has stated he plans on tendering a qualifying offer to the soon to be restricted free agent so maybe yet another stint back in the motherland is what Filatov finally needs to breakthrough in the NHL having just notched 13 points in 46 career games since the 08-09 season.

On a busy night in the NHL which saw the goalie tandem of Ilya Bryzgalov and Sergei Bobrovsky give up a combined nine goals, Evgeni Nabokov get yanked ahead of a shootout, Evgeni Malkin razzling and dazzling in said shootout, and Nikolai Khabibulin helping his team beat the undefeated Washington Capitals one man stood above the rest.

That man (or man-child) of course is Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov. Playing in just his fifth career NHL game in light of a Drew Doughty’s injury, the 21-year-old Chelyabinsk native had quite the night not only scoring his first NHL goal but also notching the game-winner with his second. Prior to finding the net he would earn the primary assist on Justin Williams’ goal as well.

In six games, Voynov leads all Russian blueliners with goals scored. However it could be the last time for the foreseeable future he will skate with the big club as Doughty is rumored to return tomorrow night ahead of the team’s trip to Phoenix. Voynov impressed throughout the pre-season as he was one of the last players to be sent down to Manchester but not before earning the praise of teammates as being NHL ready.

It should not come as a surprise to King fans who saw him battle for spot with the big club as his last name Voynov is derived from the Russian word for war (Voyna or Война.)

He clearly showed he belonged last night leading the way for the team as they handed Dallas their first home loss of the year. Will someone else be moved down to allow him to stay up with the return of Doughty? Doubtful. While you never root for any player to get hurt (especially on your own team) the Kings have quite the guy on the blue-line should one of their defensemen go down. Here’s hoping this isn’t the last time we see Slava this year.

Both of his goals can be found below courtesy (as always) of the NHL and NHL.com

All day Friday the hockey newspapers reported Kirill Kabanov was heading to play in Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League (SEL).  After weeks of figuring out what his next step in his career would be, Kabanov contemplated the idea of going to Sweden/QMJHL after not making the New York Islanders squad.  And (as would be expected) reports questioned Kabanov’s commitment to a career in the pros.  His rights were held by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada – formerly the Montreal Juniors – when they selected him in a dispersal draft.  The Armada were pegged to be bottom-feeders in the QMJHL this season, a position Kabanov did not see fit for his development.  Not to mention, playing against men in the SEL as opposed to kids in the QMJHL would be better developmentally, wouldn’t you think? 

Out of the blue, the Shawinigan Cataractes took serious interest in Kabanov’s situation with Blainville.  They decided to offer a trade proposal and take a flyer on the Russian who just can’t seem to stray away from the negative spotlight.  The Armada had no choice but to deal Kabanov since he would not play for them this season.  Later that evening, the deal went through.  The following day, Kabanov immediately packed his bags and announced that he would report to Shawinigan for the 2011-12 season.

This may ease some critics views on Kabanov since he will now be playing junior hockey, but there are always those few who just refuse to give him a chance.  Looking at the big picture, Kabanov couldn’t be in a better predicament right now.  Shawinigan is set to host the 2012 Memorial Cup and, although it is still early in the season, the Cataractes are one point shy of the top spot in the entire league.  Kirill also rejoins his former teammates in Lewiston, Pierre-Olivier Morin and Michael Chaput, who helped the Maineiacs achieve success in the playoffs.

Certainly the media hasn’t been kind to Kabanov and some of it was his own wrongdoing, however Kirill isn’t the same person he was leading up to the draft in 2010.  He wants to become a better player (both for himself and for his teammates), ultimately making his way onto the New York Islanders.  Shawinigan is the next stepping stone for Kabanov.  After coming off a very productive playoffs with the Maineiacs, Kabanov’s biggest test this year will be to continue that play consistently throughout the regular season.

If you’ve followed this website since it’s infancy, you know by now that the Comrade of the Night feature is reserved for the best Russian who racks up the most goals, points, or saves on a given night. Last night however, two of the biggest names in Russian hockey joined forces to help the wives and children left behind after the plane crash which took the Lokomotiv Yaroslalv team in early September.

Prior to the Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals game, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin took a ceremonial faceoff ahead of the first installment of the NHL’s hottest rivalry. Both players had wanted to help in some way to benefit those who were directly affected by the tragedy and honored their fallen countreymen by placing the Lokomotiv logo on both teams’ jerseys and helmets.

After the game all the jersey’s were signed by the respective player and can be found here. The proceeds will directly go to the Lokomotiv families. For those wishing to make a smaller donation can do directly at Love for Lokomotiv.

While both players got on the scoresheet with Ovechin getting his first goal of the year and Malkin adding two assists their effort coming into the game was far greater than any statistic. Nobody came to them asking them for help, they took it upon themselves to help those who now need it most. Malkin and Ovechkin are the face of Russian hockey, this just adds to the reasons as to why.

Below is the ceremony as well as interviews with both players and their united effort.

The KHL will be conducting its third stream of a live broadcast this season on YouTube. The match will feature Dynamo Moscow visiting Dinamo Riga. Streaming will begin at 20.30 Moscow time (12:30 PM EST in the US) on the KHL’s youtube channel. Clicking on the “LIVE” button at the top will bring you to their live streaming portion. The previous two games that were streamed are archived here as well. They include a September 12th Salavat Yulaev Ufa – Atlant Moscow Oblast match and a September 15th Dinamo Riga – Atlant match.

Why you should watch this:

These teams don’t like each other. Last season №7 seed Riga bested №2 seed Dynamo four games to two in their first round playoff series. This was Riga’s second straight year of ousting a much higher seed. Dynamo Moscow is off to a great start while Riga’s start has been disappointing, especially on the defensive side of things. But when strong teams come into Arena Riga, the building comes alive and more often than not it is the Latvians who come out on top. Look for a lot of goals to be scored and lots of hits in this one.

After a somber start, the first 2 weeks of the season have been full of action in the KHL both on and off the ice.  We have seen one team dominate its first four games on both ends of the ice, a player with his name on the Stanley Cup decide to sign on to be the captain of a perennial cellar dweller instead of having another go at the NHL, and a player who faces charges for sexual assault and robbery.

After a disappointing second round playoff exit last season SKA Saint Petersburg’s management decided it was time to alter the formula.  The team got younger, and much to the objection of the supporters Milos Riha was brought on board to coach the team.  Four games into the season the change seems to be for the better. The team is seemingly firing on all cylinders already, especially on defense. 

Last season with five minutes remaining in game seven of the aforementioned series against Atlant, SKA goalkeeper Jakub Stepanek made a mental error that cost his team the season.  So far this year he has been nearly unbeatable. In their four games SKA have outscored opponents 14-4.  For his efforts he was named the KHL goalkeeper of the week for his .958 save percentage and 1.00 goals against average.  How long this hot streak will last is anyone’s guess.

One player who found himself without a job with SKA’s restructuring was 37 year old, three-time New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup winner, Sergei Brylin.  After three years in Saint Petersburg the forward decided to have another go at the NHL, but after little interest he signed with Metallurg Novokuznetsk and was made their capitan. 

After missing the start of the season due to injury he made his debut against Ak Bars on September 24^th.  It did not take him long to make the home fans happy, 4:19 into the first period he scored his first goal of the season. Before the end of the game there were 6 thousand fans chanting “Jersey” for their new captain as they defeated the team from Kazan 4-3.

There was one player who did not have a chance to compete in that game on Saturday.  The criminal investigation is continuing against Ak Bars forward Dmitry Obukov by the Department of Investigation in Tatarstan where he has been charged with rape and robbery. 

The assault was reported on July 9^th where Obukov was accused of driving a 25 year old woman to a field outside of Kazan, raping her and then taking her phone and leaving her on the scene. On August 7^th the investigators announced that the accusations were unfounded. 

But after appeals to the media this decision was reversed and on September 22^nd Obukov was charged with one count of rape and one count of robbery.  Ak Bars has yet to make a descion on what to do with the 28 year old forward.  He has logged a total of 149 games for the club since 2008 with a total of 18 goals and 40 assists and was a big part of their two Gagarin Cups.

Other player of the week honors went to:

Best Forward:  Mikelas Redlihs, Dynamo Riga (1 goal, 5 assists)

Best Defender:  Janne Yalasvaara, Dynamo Moscow (3 goals, 1 assist)

Best Rookie: Andrei Sergeev, CSKA Moscow (+1 rating)

The coming out party for Nail Yakupov happened last season.  Solidifying himself as the best player on the Sarnia Sting, the flashy forward posted 101 points, leading all rookies in scoring by a whopping 18 points – the next closest being linemate, Alex Galchenyuk.  The dynamically offensive winger has been the focal point of much hype during the off-season.  Questions were raised: Can he do it again?  Is he a one-hit wonder?  How many points will he score this season?  Will he be the OHL’s best player?  How high will he get drafted?  Is he better than Ovechkin?

Alright, that last question was a bit exaggerated, but early draft comparisons are likening the Nizhnekamsk-native as the second coming of Alexander the Great.  Without a moment of hesitation, Yakupov was immediately added to the top 36 players that would attend the NHL’s Research and Development Camp this summer.  About a month ago, TSN ran a story on Yakupov and what other players, analysts, and coaches had to say about his skill, speed, and physicality.

Dave Tippett:

“You could tell he’s a dynamic player.”

Craig Button:

“I think when you look at Nail Yakupov you start to take a step back and say okay what can’t he do in the game?  I think that’s what always differentiates those elite, top players.”

Malcolm Subban:

“He has a lot of skill, he’s really explosive and has a good shot.  You’ve gotta be aware of those guys when they’re on the ice at all times.”

However, hockey fans have learned that hyping a player up by too high a margin can lead to an ultimate downfall.  We all remember the hype surrounding players like Alexander Daigle, Pavel Brendl, Patrik Stefan, Brian Lawton and Greg Joly (talk about a blast from the past).  All of those players were hyped and managed to fail miserably – some more so than others. *cough* Patrik Stefan *cough* So why will Yakupov’s hype not affect him in a negative way?

Yakupov doesn’t have height advantage over many other players.  What he lacks in size, he makes up for with skill.  With quick hands and feet, it doesn’t take much for Nail to blow by defenders.  His stickhandling and agility is just as fast as the other aspects of his game.  Even at his size, Yakupov packs a punch.  He knows how to use every bit of his 170-pound stature to lay a heavy hit and battle deep in the corners.  Ryan Strome said:

“I’ve seen him knock some of the biggest defensemen in OHL flying.”

Even Yakupov, himself, mentioned the physicality of the North American game:

“I like the hockey in Canada it’s pretty tough, and I want to play in the NHL.  It’s more physical so it’s interesting.”

Also, Sarnia kicked off its season last night with a 5-2 win over the Erie Otters. The night’s leading scorer was none other than Yakupov who scored a goal and added two assists.  He played tonight without Galchenyuk and newly acquired 2011 draft picks, Connor Murphy and Reid Boucher. So if my calculations are correct, it looks as though the winger is currently on a pace of reaching 204 points this season.

Clearly the last statement is to be taken in jest, but we can’t beat around the bush.  The Tatar has made his mark on the OHL and will continue to grow this season on a very good Sarnia Sting team. Will the hype get to him?  It is highly unlikely.  This year is nothing more than a proving ground for Yakupov to show that his first year in the OHL was not a fluke.  And by the looks of things, after the first game of the season, Yakupov is continuing right where he left off.  

The hype train will never cease to stop for flashy Russian winger.  When he reaches the NHL level, a new spotlight will be cast on him.  Nonetheless, when Nail Yakupov is drafted as a top pick in next year’s NHL Entry draft, that will be the proverbial “nail in the coffin” (no pun intended) for his OHL hype.