Opening Faceoff: Wednesday, Jan. 2
Seeing Byron Dafoe in a Thrashers' uniform was easily one of the most traumatizing moments of my life. (Getty Images)
Good reads
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New York Hockey Journal’s Christian Arnold was on the scene in New York for last night’s labor talks.
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Puck Daddy has a video showing all 26 of Tyler Seguin’s goals during his dominant stint in Switzerland.
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The Detroit Free Press recaps the United States’ 7-0 victory over the Czech Republic to advance to the semifinals at the World Juniors.
Quick hits
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Former Springfield Falcon Jeff Deslauriers signed with the Norfolk Admirals yesterday. The netminder has appeared in 62 NHL games for Anaheim and Edmonton.
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The postponed Dec. 27 game between Providence and Portland will be played tonight up in Maine. The P-Bruins are 5-1-0 in their last six road games, while the Pirates are 5-0 in their last five games on home ice.
History lesson
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On this day in 2003, the great Byron Dafoe wasn’t so great. The former Bruin allowed four goals on just seven shots for the Thrashers and went on to suffer his seventh consecutive loss in an 8-1 setback in Ottawa. Marian Hossa led the way with four goals and an assist for the Sens. Peter Schaefer, Shane Hnidy and Zdeno Chara each had one helper. Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk were both minus-6 for Atlanta.
Today on NEHJ
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Kat Hasenauer Cornetta looks at a few upcoming matchups that could be previews of national semifinal or championship games in both Division 1 and Division 3 in her latest Women’s Journal.
Entirely off-topic
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Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has decided he’ll retire after this year’s NFL playoffs. I’d stand up and applaud the guy if it weren’t for, you know, the fact that he basically tried to cover up two murders (or worse, committed them himself). Remember that? But hey, he’s a wicked good tackler and stuff, so he’s still a hero.
Jesse Connolly can be reached at jconnolly@hockeyjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JesseNEHJ.