img88

Three Stars: Chris Kreider Arrives; Dustin Brown, Ruslan Fedotenko Star on Kills

Every night throughout the postseason, Sporting News will recognize that day’s top performers by awarding Star Points to the three players who shine brighter than the rest. At the end of the Stanley Cup Finals, the player with the most Star Points will be SN’s Star of the Playoffs.

Here are the stars of Saturday’s games:

1) Chris Kreider, LW, New York Rangers

Getting better with every game he plays, the 20-year-old from Boston College scored his second game-winning goal in six NHL appearances on Saturday, as the Rangers handed the Washington Capitals a 3-1 loss to start their second-round series.

Kreider, who had a step on Roman Hamrlik, and open ice ahead thanks to a botched personnel change by the Capitals, got a lead pass from Derek Stepan and fired a slap shot under Braden Holtby’s glove to snap a 1-1 tie with 13:00 left in the third period. It was Kreider’s only shot on goal in the game, but that was not for lack of trying—his seven attempts, of which one was wide and five were blocked, were the most of any of the Rangers on a day when offense was in short supply.

“I was tired on the back end of a pretty long shift,” Kreider said. “There was an opening, so I thought I’d hit it and Stepan made a nice pass. The minute I got it, I would usually try to take that to the net, but I had to pull up since I was tired, so I was just trying to get it on net.”

Only 90 seconds after his goal, Kreider was on the ice again, only this time, rather than trying to shoot, he shook off a check from Karl Alzner to find an open Brad Richards, who skated to the net and beat Holtby from the left post. With the Rangers playing stifling defense throughout the game, the two-goal margin was too much for the Capitals—who never trailed by two in their first-round series against the Bruins—to surmount.

— Jesse Spector

2) Dustin Brown, F, Los Angeles Kings

We said yesterday—jokingly—that the Kings could beat the Blues in six games if St. Louis neutralized Los Angeles’ secret weapon: shorthanded goals from Brown, who had two in a huge first-round win over the Vancouver Canucks.

Good news for the Blues is that Brown didn’t score on Saturday. Bad news is that he might as well have, singlehandedly wreaking havoc on the penalty kill and creating a shorty situation for teammate Matt Greene when he controlled the puck on a faceoff, raced down ice and fired a shot on Blues goalie Brian Elliott. Greene converted on the rebound and Jonathan Quick did the rest, with Dustin Penner adding an empty netter.

It doesn’t seem like a sustainable way to win games, but it worked again—and t’s tough to imagine the Kings complaining about it .

— Sean Gentille

3) Ruslan Fedotenko, LW, New York Rangers

image_tennis

img

Agent rips Sean Avery’s support of gay marriage, gets own harsh response

Sean Avery’s gritty on-ice style and willingness to speak his mind have made the winger a fan favorite in New York since the Rangers first acquired him in 2007. The latter part has once again caused a stir.

Avery’s video in support of gay marriage for the Human Rights Campaign’s New Yorkers for Marriage Equality drive spurred hockey agent Todd Reynolds of Uptown Sports Management to write last night on the @uptownhockey Twitter account, “Very sad to read Sean Avery’s misguided support of same-gender ‘marriage’. Legal or not, it will always be wrong.”

The agent also tweeted, “To clarify. This is not hatred or bigotry towards gays. It is not intolerance in any way shape or form. I believe we are all equal… But I believe in the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. This is my personal viewpoint. I Do not hate anyone.”

Uptown Sports represents a handful of NHL players, including Nashville Predators winger Mike Fisher, the husband of country singer Carrie Underwood.

Response against Reynolds’ tweet was sharp, including from fellow agents. Scott Norton of Chicago-based Norton Sports tweeted, “Not to promote violence, but @NortonSports Jr has something in mind for #UptownSports!” with a  link to a video of his son doing karate practice.

“It’s a hot topic obviously today, not just in hockey – a current event over the last few years,” Norton told the Daily News last night. “I’m affected by it both professionally and family-wise. I think we’re naïve to think there aren’t all different opinions on it. … I’m shocked that an agency would come out and have those views publicly, when you’re speaking not only for yourself and your employees, but the people you represent and the sport you represent. … I was vehemently opposed to the comments (by Reynolds).”

Avery declined to comment further on the matter last night. The Human Rights Campaign’s video series also has included messages from Mayor Bloomberg, his predecessors Ed Koch and David Dinkins, and both of New York’s senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

swim

bump 2

award img

Andy Miele Signs 2yr Deal with Eyes on St Paul & the Hobey Baker

When Andy Miele was four and his parents had to chase him around the lobby just to put his skates on, who would have thought that eighteen years later he’d be the leading scorer in the NCAA, in contention for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award given to the best collegiate hockey player in the country and be starting his first day as a professional hockey player with the Phoenix Coyotes?

“My parents told me I wasn’t a big fan of skating,” Miele explained. “I don’t remember this, but they kept bringing me back and bringing me back and one day it kind of started clicking and I was just flying around the rink and I never really looked back.”

Although it might have taken him awhile to get the knack of skating, it didn’t take him long to fall in love with hockey. He always wanted the puck…maybe too much.

“I used to play street hockey outside when I was younger and I think, honestly, this is probably what turned me into the player that I am, but I guess I wasn’t passing the puck too much and this kid yelled at me so much that I ran back to my house crying,” he said. “He came over later and apologized to me, but after that, I started passing the puck more than I normally did and they were all excited for me. I guess you could say that’s what turned me into a play maker.”

Indeed, it is his ability to pass the puck and create plays out of nothing that has made Miele one of the most dangerous and dynamic players in college hockey earning 160 points the past four years.

It wasn’t always easy to consider that as a possibility for himself as he went undrafted in the OHL, the USHL and the NHL.

“My goal my whole life was to play in the NHL,” said the Michigan native. “And it seemed like I was constantly being told that I wouldn’t make it because of my size. I always had to motivate myself to prove them wrong.”

Standing 5’8” and 175 pounds, it hasn’t been easy for Miele, but he’s proven himself at every level powered by a strong work ethic.

When he was 16, he tried out for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL in an effort to pursue his dream of playing hockey at the highest level.

“[My parents] were definitely scared for me. My mom’s a big time worrier,” Miele explained. “But they knew it was something I wanted to do and was something that would help me achieve my goal and when I made it, I think my mom was more excited than I was. They are very supportive parents.”

Over three and a half seasons in the USHL, Miele averaged just shy of a point per game and caught the eye of several collegiate programs. He chose to play for the RedHawks at Miami University because of the coaching staff, the campus, the quality education and the opportunity to play right away.

He joined the RedHawks mid-season and scored on his very first shift. It was most definitely a sign of things to come.

He notched 14 points in the 18 games he played the remainder of that year and increased his point totals every season culminating with 24 goals and 47 assists for 71 points in 39 games this year and he gives a lot of the credit to his linemates.

“Without my linemates I wouldn’t be in the situation that I am today with Reilly Smith this whole season, Carter [Camper] when he was really hot, [Trent] Vogelhuber… without them I wouldn’t be where I am so I’m very grateful I had them,” said Miele.

Although Miami won their first Mason Cup as CCHA Champions this year, they ended their season earlier than expected when they lost to New Hampshire in the 1st round of the NCAA tournament. Instead of preparing for his third Frozen Four appearance in a row, Miele spent the past few days meeting with NHL General Managers to determine his future.

While he’s always been a guy who plays much bigger than his true size, he’s grown a lot as a player the past four years.

“I think every part of my game has improved,” Miele explained. “Power, skating, stick handling, shooting… I feel like I make a lot better decisions when I get the puck and put myself into situations where I can make a player or force a turnover and get it out.

“I still need to improve a lot of things in my game, I need to get more powerful and I need to work on my shot, but I think I’ve set myself up to be in a good position to be successful for this opportunity to play in the NHL with everything I learned at Miami,” he continued.

Over the weekend, he signed a two year contract with the Phoenix Coyotes and will join the team today as he takes the next step in his career. During this week of first’s for Miele, he’ll travel to St. Paul on Friday for the announcement of the Hobey Baker and while he wasn’t able to help bring Miami their first National Championship, he’s hoping he’ll be able to bring the next best thing – their first Hobey Baker award winner.

Either way, Sue and Jim Miele deserve a big thank you for chasing him around the lobby.

Julie

pic

Next Page »