Here are your Evening Puck Headlines and Previews: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
It's a light night around the National Hockey League with just three games on tap. The previews for all the games can be found on the Y! Sports scores and scheds page.
Don Cherry talk about the backlash he's received about his comments of late: "I admit, I've been taken aback by all of it, the calls for me to get fired. Last week was the topper. I got ripped everywhere. I got ripped in four Toronto papers. The owner of the Washington Capitals wrote about me online. A couple of my friends in Florida saw it in the papers there. I'm front and centre. I guess I'm an easy target." I think he needs to pull out a beauty of a suit this weekend to distract everyone's attention. Maybe he should bust out this number again? (Toronto Sun)
The American Hockey League has upheld their 20 game suspension on Norfolk Admirals forward Steve Downie for his slash on a referee during a February 28th game. Downie still has time to be sent down to the ECHL and be suspended, thereby hitting the trifecta.(AHL)
Former Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington is in some hot water over false statements he made during bankruptcy filings. (Bloomberg)
SportsWrap
The top sports headlines of the day
Ken Campbell of The Hockey News believes that more instigator penalties being called will leader to much more hitting in the game. Hopefully the post-clean hit scrums will begin to subside as well. (THN)
Gary Bettman wants to talk with Georges Laraque to discuss the proposed rules changes that would affect fighting. Sadly, they will be sitting down and Bettman won't be dangling from a Laraque-inspired wedgie. (CBC)
On the final day of meetings, the general managers voted to bring back television timeouts after an icing call for next season. What was the whole point of the new icing rule again? (Globe& Mail)
A look at the likely teams involved in the upcoming NCAA hockey tournament. (College Hockey News)
The Thrashers "Man Plan" sounds pretty interesting: for $32, you can have unlimited nachos, hotdogs, popcorn, soft pretzels, soda, and take a picture with an Ice Girl. No word if part of the deal is that you have to actually watch Atlanta play. (Atlanta Thrashers)
"The research confirms the main finding of a York-led study from three years ago that said bodychecking was hazardous to young hockey players." Really? It took them three years to come to that conclusion? (Sporting News via Canadian Press)
Part one of a look at the top ten fights of the 2008-09 season. (Newsday)
The Toronto Maple Leafs roster has changed significantly from a year ago and Brian Burke is just getting started. (Sports and the City)
Using characters in Reservoir Dogs, B.D. Gallof discusses the ongoing New York Islanders arena situation. 'Meet me at the Lighthouse!' (Islanders Independent)
Jesse from Faceoff Factor makes the case that you do not want to make Sidney Crosby angry. Just ask Derian Hatcher. (FF)
The Nashville Predators did their best "Leisure Suit" Larry imitations at a disco night event. (Canucks and Beyond)
Finally, in case you missed it, here's Jay McKee's hit on Mark Parrish from last night's Dallas-St. Louis game:
