Group Play: 82 Kings vs. 56 Canadiens

4 - 82 Kings
3 - 56 Canadiens

Upset city. The Canadiens controlled this game for the better part of three periods. With two goals from Boom Boom Geoffrion and one from Jean Beliveau, the Habs held a 3-2 lead late into the game. But the Kings proved that they weren't just a one line team when Daryl Evans scored to tie the game at three with just over 10 minutes left. Both teams exchaged chances, none better than Henri Richard's breakaway minutes after the Evans goal. But it was Mark Hardy that would prove to be the Kings' hero. Hardy took a pass off the faceoff and sent a slapshot careening toward the goal and Jacques Plante had no chance to see it through the screen. After the game, Hardy commented on his game winner, "I don't know what happened. I see guys take that pass off the faceoff all the time and just leave it at their feet, giving the other team a great chance on a breakaway. I guess the universe was just looking out for me today." Universe or not, the 82 Kings have delivered a big blow to the 56 Canadiens in what is easily the toughest group of all in this year's Tournament.

Group Play: 99 Sabres vs. 63 Leafs

3 - 99 Sabres
5 - 63 Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs have been here before. Down 3-1 in the first period, the Leafs had to summon their come-from-behind powers to overtake the 99 Sabres. The Sabres, for their part, relied on precision and technique to build a 3-1 lead on goals from Rhett Warrener, Dixon Ward and a penalty shot by Wayne Primeau. But from the start of the second period, Toronto took over. Dick Duff scored quickly in the second frame and Leonard "Red" Kelly tied the game on a power play. Billy Harris scored the eventual game winner before the period ended. In the third, Dave Keon added an insurance goal. Toronto had pulled off another come from behind win, determined to make it further than they ever have in this tournament.

Group Play: 07 Senators vs. 72 Bruins

2 - 07 Senators
9 - 72 Bruins

The 72 Bruins opened their 08 Tournament looking to continue their mission from last year. And they didn't disappoint. Boston opened up a four goal lead in the first period. Don Marcotte, Fred Stanfield, Wayne Cashman and Bobby Orr all completed The Move to score and shut the Sens down for good. Feeble goals from Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley weren't nearly enough to stem the flood of goals from the Bruins. After the fourth Boston goal, the Senators replaced Ray Emery in net with Martin Gerber, but it didn't matter. There was no stopping the Bruins on this day.

Group Play: 99 Stars vs. 82 Islanders

2 - 99 Stars
7 - 82 Islanders

It took half the game, but the Islanders eventually remembered how good they were. Buoyed by their 80s Invitational championship, the Isles opened the scoring with a power play goal from Bobby Nystrom and an even strength goal from Brent Sutter. But Dallas cut the lead in half on a goal from Guy Carbonneau. The score stood 2-1 through most of the second period. But with 22.2 seconds left, Bob Bourne took a one-time feed from Bryan Trottier to give the Isles a two goal lead. In the third, the Isles got goals from Duane Sutter and Mike Bossy to put some distance between them and the Stars. Mike Modano added a goal for Dallas, but it was for naught. In the end, the seven Islander goals were enough to show that this determined New York team is just getting warmed up for the Round of 16.

Challenge Round: 06 France vs. 71 Blackhawks

8 - 06 France
5 - 71 Blackhawks

When you were a kid and listened to your mom read you the fairy tale about Cinderella, there was one thing that never changed - the story eventually ended. Not so for the tournament's Cinderella specialists, the French national team. France scored early and often and fended off a strong Blackhawks offense, which tied the game at 2 before Stefane Beron put France ahead before the end of the first period. France then built a 5-2 lead on goals from Laurent Mianoir and Maurice Ruzinthel. But Jim Pappin brought the Blackhawks back to within a goal with his second and third tallies of the game. In the third, Anthony Murtes took hit after hit and still held on to the puck (miraculously) before he raced to the goal mouth and put one past Tony Esposito. Even a Bobby Hull goal couldn't help the Blackhawks as France scored two more goals from Jean Francois Bunnerd and tournament hero Guillaume Bissi. France's win spins an already topsy-turvy Group H on its head. Anything can happen!

Group Play: 91 Penguins vs. 75 Sabres

2 - 91 Penguins
6 - 75 Sabres

Robert, Martin and Perrault were up to their old tricks against the 91 Penguins. Perrault scored three power play goals. In fact, the Sabres went four for six on power play opportunities as the Pens never had a chance in this contest. Mario Lemieux and Bob Errey connected twice to net one apiece, but that was all the Pens could muster. The 75 Sabres look poised to make the Round of 16 again and the Pens are all of a sudden scrambling to win a couple of games to give themselves a shot.

Group Play: 88 Capitals vs. 77 Canadiens

4 - 88 Capitals
6 - 77 Canadiens

Rejean Houle and the 77 Canadiens made a statement with today's game against the 88 Capitals. And that statement was, "Watch out!" The Canadiens didn't exactly dominate this game, but the never lost control of it. Yvan Cournoyer opened the scoring with a beautiful effort weaving in and out of Caps defenders. But Washington rebounded with a quick goal by Bob Gould on their next shot. In the second period, Guy LaFleur opened the scoring, but the Caps again came right back on their next shot by Steve Leach. But with less than 10 minutes to go, Steve Shutt scored a one-timer off a feed from Jacques Lemaire. In the third, Rejean Houle took the game over for the Habs. Houle opened the scoring in the third on a feed from Pete Mahovlich. The Caps scored a few minutes later when Dave Christian picked up a puck that Ken Dryden tried to pass to his defender. But Houle responded with his second goal and, moments later, his third goal to seal the deal. Another admittedly foolish turnover by Dryden led to a futile goal from Kelly Miller. The two goals that Dryden gave up on his misplays will only serve to favor the Caps as goal differential becomes vitally important in this Group Play.

Challenge Round: 91 North Stars vs. 02 Hurricanes

91 North Stars vs. 02 Hurricanes - Game 3

7 - 91 North Stars
2 - 02 Hurricanes

These two teams waited longer than any others to play and, in the end, it's the North Stars who get to try their luck in Group Play. In Game 1 of this series, Arturs Irbe gave up four goals on four consecutive shots. That performance earned Kevin Weekes the starters role in the next two games, though both goalies played in each game. In Game 3, Weekes gave up three goals in rapid succession and Irbe closed out the rest of the game. It didn't matter, though, the first period goals from Dave Gagner, Neal Broten and Mike Modano were all that the North Stars needed to persevere. The Hurricanes were flat all game long. Aaron Ward broke up Jon Casey's shutout bid in the second,but the game was long over by then. The Hurricanes managed just 21 shots and had trouble passing all game long. The Hurricanes kept missing wide open one-time passes in favor of passing it out of their offensive zone to waiting defensemen at the red line. The North Stars skated away with one of the easier vistories in this year's tournament thus far.

Challenge Round: 01 Penguins vs. 93 Nordiques

01 Penguins vs. 93 Nordiques - Game 3

2 - 01 Penguins
3 - 93 Nordiques

Last year's Nordiques team beat the 06 Hurricanes to earn their spot as the last team out of the Challenge Round. This year, they improve to be the second-to-last team out of the Challenge Round. The Penguins played good defense and good offense at times, but they couldn't sustain any momentum. A quick one-timer from Jaromir Jagr opened the scoring, but Joe Sakic followed up with one of his own for Quebec. Sakic put the Nordiques up one in the second and Valeri Kamensky picked up his second of three assists on the night. Kamensky then assisted on the game winner from Owen Nolan before the second period ended. A Jan Hrdina goal late in the third gave the Pens some life and a chance to win. But the Pens had more than just the Nordiques to contend with on this night. The referree not once, not twice but three times got in the Penguins skaters' way and stymied their offense. The Nordiques pulled off the win in a matchup of two teams that no one would ever predict to go far in this tournament. But only time will tell for the Nordiques. For the Penguins, they have a whole year to sit and stew ... and see if they can find where that ref lives.

Challenge Round: 51 Maple Leafs vs. 88 Capitals

51 Maple Leafs vs. 88 Capitals - Game 3

5 - 51 Maple Leafs
6 - 88 Capitals

Turk Broda, who had been so brilliant in his Game 1 shutout victory, disappeared after that. Though all three games in this series were close, this game got away from the Leafs when Broda, eager to cover up a loose puck, lunged for it and missed. Dale Hunter picked up the puck instead and scored the easiest goal of his life to tie the game at two in the second period. The Leafs built a 4-2 lead after that on goals from Klukay in the second and one from Ted Kennedy in the third. But the Washington tied the game again with goals from Rod Langway and Gary Galley. Smith provided Toronto with its last lead of the game, but it was shortlived. Dave Christian scored to tie the game off of another Langway feed and one from Steve Leach put the 88 Caps back into Group Play. Broda shouldered the responsibility for his first period gaffe saying, "If I don't give up such an easy goal right there, the whole thing coulda been different." The 88 Caps, once again, have advanced to Group Play as an unlikely adversary.

Challenge Round: 80 USSR vs. 96 Panthers

80 USSR vs. 96 Panthers - Game 3

4 - 80 USSR
5 - 96 Panthers
OVERTIME

In the game of the day, the mighty Soviets dominated the first period. John Vanbiesbrouck looked as bad as he could after letting in three goals from Alexander Maltsev, Vladimir Petrov and Vladimir Golikov. But he settled down after that, allowing his Panthers back in the game. With their backs against the wall, the Panthers turned once again to their heros from the 2006 tournament. Scott Mellanby opened the scoring on a one-timer from Johan Garpenlov. Shortly after, Stu Barnes sent a low wrister past Vladimir Tretiak from the slot to bring Florida within a goal. The Panthers were clearly feeling the momentum and when Mellanby broke free and raced down the ice toward the goal, the whole bench held its breath. Mellanby delivered and flipped the puck over Tretiak's shoulder to tie the game. But the Soviets were just finding their offensive groove. The Panthers had been taking penalties through much of the first half of this game and that continued into the second period. The Soviets controlled play in the Panthers offensive end with some precision passing. But the Panthers' defense wouldn't let shots get through. After killing off the power play, Robert Svehla passed the puck out of the zone to Dave Lowry who set up Ray Sheppard. Sheppard's goal from the crease gave the Panthers the lead for the first time, and he wasn't done yet. In the third period, the Panthers came out with a defensive mindet and stalled the powerful Soviets for 8 minutes, but Boris Mikhailov wasn't going to let his team be ousted by the upstart Panthers so easily. With 11:45, Mikhailov sent a shot past a sprawling Vanbiesbrouck to tie the game. The two teams traded a few chances after that. Jody Hull missed a prime opportunity on a breakaway with the clock winding down. But both teams seemed resigned to the fact that this game would be decided in overtime.

The Soviets won the opening faceoff and set up a terrific chance that Vanbiesbrouck managed to stop. Stu Barnes won the next faceoff and sent the puck back to Svehla. Svehla sent an outlet pass to a streaking Sheppard up the right wing. Sheppard, trailed by a Soviet defender skated along the boards, just trying to hold off his opponent. After reaching the corner, Sheppard found an opening and sent a perfect pass through coverage to Stu Barnes in the slot. Barnes quickly tapped it in, and the rest is history. After the game, Barnes was quick to deflect attention away from him and to his teammate, "That goal was all Shep," Barnes said. "If he hadn't had the presence of mind to wait until the right time to make that pass, we might still be playing, or worse, they might have won."

The Panthers, who had arguably the worst draw in this year's Challenge Round can take heart in the fact that they've earned another spot in Group Play. As for the Soviets, who have been eliminated in the Challenge Round for two straight years, they'll have to wait until the 09 Tournament to try again.

Challenge Round: 99 Sabres vs. 75 Flyers

99 Sabres vs. 75 Flyers - Game 3

6 - 99 Sabres
5 - 75 Flyers

When this game started, it was all Buffalo. Curtis Brown opened the scoring just a few minutes into the first period. Shortly after, Stu Barnes skated down the wing toward the goal and shot a weak wrister past Bernie Parent. Parentlooked shaky to start the game. He'd let in another Barnes goal, this time on the power play before he settled down. Bobby Clarke knew it was up to him to take his team to the next level, and he made sure that before heading into the intermission, he'd score a goal. After winning a faceoff, Clarke skated through the Sabres' defense and all the way up to Dominik Hasek before muscling a shot through on a second effort. The period ended and the Sabres held on to a two-goal lead. Philadelphia came out strong in the second period and Gary Dornhoefer brought the team within one goal. But then Miroslav Satan broke free and headed alone up the ice. The Flyers defensemen didn't want to leave Parent out to dry, but hooked Satan a little too much and the refs called a penalty shot. Satan deked Parent on an exceptional move and scored to put the Sabres up by two again. But Bobby Clarke once again vowed to score. On a brilliant Bill Barber pass to the slot, Clarke shot a one-timer to bring the team within a goal going into the third. In the third period, Miro Satan struck again when he passed the puck past a diving Flyer and Geoff Sanderson scored on a one-time. It took a few moments for the Flyers to regroup, but when they did, Gary Dornhoeffer returned the favor by passing to Ross Lonsberry on a similar play. The Flyers scored again to drop the Sabres' lead to one goal. Once again, the immortal Bobby Clarke stepped up. With little more than 12minutes remaining in the third, Clarke sent a Slapshot careening toward HAsek. Hasek made the initial save, but the puck bounced off a Sabres defenseman and through the goalies leg to tie the game at five. The teams looked as though they were heading to overtime, until the Miro Satan struck again. With 2:08 remaining, Satan sent a mild slapshot past Bernie Parent and the Sabres held the lead. The Flyers scrambled in the Sabres zone for the remaining two minutes of play, but they never could put a good shot on net. The 75 Flyers, who once defeated the 72 Bruins in the first round of the 05 Tournament, have fallen as far as a team can. But the Sabres live to play in the group stage thanks to some gritty play from Satan, Barnes and the Dominator.

Challenge Round: 91 North Stars vs. 02 Hurricanes

91 North Stars vs. 02 Hurricanes - Game 2

7 - 02 Hurricanes
5 - 91 North Stars

Paul Maurice wasn't playing game in this elimination match. He sent Kevin Weekes out to start the game. The Hurricanes took their show on the road and scored quickly to silence the North Stars fans. Ron Francis sent a dazzling backhander past Jon Casey for an early first period goal. Francis scored in almost the exact same fashion in Game 1. Then, successive goals by Jeff O'Neill staked the Canes to a 3-0 lead. But the ice tilted the other way before the first period ended, with goals from Neal Broten and Bobby Smith. In the second period, Maurice put Arturs Irbe back between the pipes and Erik Cole added another tally to re-establish a two goal lead. But Minnesota came storming back with a goal from Gaetan Duchesne and another from Broten to tie the game at four apiece. Ron Francis had the answer a few minutes later when he stormed the crease and slid one past a crouching Casey. Rod Brind'Amour would add another goal before the period ended. In the third, Mike Craig brought the North Stars back to within one with just more than half of the third period remaining. It wasn't until Rod Brind'Amour stepped in to seal the deal. Brind'Amour got hold of the puck and skated all over the North Stars' offensive zone and eventually into the corner before sending a pass to a waiting Battaglia in the slot. Battaglia flipped the puck into the net and the Canes skated away with a 7-5 victory, tying the series.

Challenge Round: BREAKING NEWS!!!

Word came down a little more than an hour ago that the 96 Panthers have defeated the 80 USSR team in overtime. Final score 5-4. Details to come!

Challenge Round: 91 North Stars vs. 02 Hurricanes

Well, it took nearly all of our lunch break to enter the attributes for the 91 North Stars and make sure that the 02 Hurricanes were properly set. But when it was done, we had a less than stellar game to reflect upon:

91 North Stars vs. 02 Hurricanes - Game 1

6 - 91 North Stars
3 - 02 Hurricanes

After 33 other Challenge Round games had been played, the 91 North Stars and the 02 Hurricanes finally got to play. The game opened up with a lot of pushing and shoving. The Canes played tight defense in front of Arturs Irbe and prevented the North Stars from getting many pucks through to the goalie. But a momentary breakdown left Mike Modano open for a one-timer and the North Stars were up and running. After Modano broke through, Irbe fell apart. There was Modano's goal, followed by Neal Broten, and then two by Gaetan Duchesne, all on successive shots. That's right 4 goals on 4 shots. Paul Maurice had seen enough and put Kevin Weekes in to stop the bleeding. After taking one shot though, Irbe was back behind the pipes. Bates Battaglia managed to score before the first period ended to give the Canes some life. The Hurricanes got a power play opportunity in the second period and Marek Malik made a nifty backhand pass through his legs to Ron Francis. Francis, alone in the slot, wheeled around for a backhander that Jon Casey's just missed. The Canes were back in business, that is until Irbe let Shawn Chambers ripped a high slapshot from the right faceoff dot over the diminutive goalie's shoulders. Maurice had seen enough (again) and Weekes was back in the action. The Canes couldn't muster up anything in the third period. The two teams exchanged goals, but the North Stars had won this one with their offensive flurry in the first period. After the game, Paul Maurice was heard to say, "There's no way Irbe's starting the next one."

Challenge Round: 89 Flames vs. 93 Kings

89 Flames vs. 93 Kings - Game 3

5 - 89 Flames
6 - 93 Kings

Kelly Hrudy made the opening minutes of this game extremely tense for the hometown crowd. As in Game 2, Hrudy started out slow, but then found his game with 10 minutes left in the first. Unfortunately for the Kings, Joe Nieuwendyk had already scored a natural hattrick for the Flames in the game's first nine minutes. But today was a day for team leaders and the Kings started to claw their way back into this game off a goal from none other than Wayne Gretzky. In the second period, Luc Robitaille and Jari Kurri fought to bring the Kings all the way back and tie the game. But Hakan Loob answered back to put the Flames up by a goal going into the third. Gretzky, Robitaille and Kurri opened the third period with an attack that resulted in Kurri's game-tying goal off a tip. Flames goalie Mike Vernon seemed to be under attack the whole game and the Kings' shots were taking some funny bounces on their way to the net. Such was Rob Blake's goal with 15 minutes remaining to put LA up 5-4. "I don't honestly know how that one went in," Blake said after the game. But the Flames wouldn't be extinguished just yet. With less than 10 minutes to play, Loob struck again and gave the Flames some hope of returning to Group Play. But, for the first time in this series, Wayne Gretzky put his team on his back and delivered them to the next level. Gretzky shot up the ice with the puck, broke through the defense with little more than three minutes to play and tossed the puck at the net. No one is sure if it was a first, second or third effort that produced the game-winning goal, but nobody in the Kings' locker room really cares. LA is back in Group Play, and Terry Crisp will have to find a way to light a fire under his team for next year's tournament.

Challenge Round: 06 Hurricanes vs. 91 Penguins - Game 3

3 - 06 Hurricanes
6 - 91 Penguins

The 1991 Penguins are returning to Group Play and the 2006 Hurricanes are, once again, left out in the proverbial rain. In what has been a seesaw contest between these two teams all series long, the Penguins looked to their leaders to give them the edge they were desperately lacking to this point. Joe Mullen opened the scoring in the first and the Pens never looked back. Bob Errey scored another big goal in the first to give the Pens a 2-0 lead. In the second period, it was more of the same. Goals from Ron Francis and Mullen, his second of the day, pushed the Canes to the brink. In the third period, it looked as if Tom Barasso might pull off a shut out, but Erik Cole slid a nifty pass through the slot to Eric Staal for a one-timer. But it was too little, too late. Mario Lemieux decided to lock this one down with two successive goals with less than 10 minutes to play. Two more late goals from the Canes' Mark Recchi and Cory Stillman in the last minute of the game were nothing more than show. The Pens were already celebrating on the bench.

Challenge Round: 51 Maple Leafs vs. 88 Capitals

51 Maple Leafs vs. 88 Capitals - Game 2

5 - 88 Capitals
3 - 51 Maple Leafs

Even though the Maple Leafs and Caps haven't played since the opening game of the tournament, neither team looked rusty. Joe Klukay opened the scoring on a fluky goal that a Caps defenseman initially blocked. But the puck flipped up in the air and over Pete Peters' shoulder for a goal. The Caps' third line, powered by Michal Pivonka and Steve Leach, provided three straight goals (one for Pivonka, two for Leach) to put the Caps ahead going into the second period. Ted Kennedy, the Leafs' right winger, not the senator, made a beautiful steal on the Caps blue line in the second for the only score that period. In the third, Kennedy tied the game with eight minutes left off a pass from Jim Thomson. Moments later, Caps defenseman Rod Langway's stick miraculously got in the way of Max Bentley's one-time attempt. As the Caps brought it back up the ice, Langway passed to Mike Gartner on the let wing for the game winner. Steve Leach would add another goal for the hattrick and to seal the Leafs' fate, at least for today.

Challenge Round: 04 Lightning vs. 87 Oilers

04 Lightning vs. 87 Oilers - Game 3

2 - 04 Lightning
3 - 87 Oilers

After an embarrassing Game 2 loss to the upstart Lightning, the Oilers were on a mission to prove that they should never be in the Challenge Round again. But the Lightning didn't necessarily make it easy for the Oilers. After building a 2-0 lead on second-period goals from Kent Nilsson and Jari Kurri, the Oilers entered the third period with a sense of entitlement. But Martin St. Louis had other notions. St. Louis scored a one-timer off a Cory Stillman feed to give the Oilers some concern. It wasn't until Fredrik Modin scored a little more than half-way through the period that the Oilers really started to sweat. But Glenn Anderson quickly wiped away any doubt on a surprise second effort to push his own rebound past Nikolai Khabibulin and give the Oilers the lead for good. The 87 Oilers re-enter Group Play, looking for another shot at the Round of 16 after a disappointing 2007 campaign.

Challenge Round: 80 USSR vs. 96 Panthers

80 USSR vs. 96 Panthers - Game 2

5 - 96 Panthers
4 - 80 USSR

The Panthers had their backs against the wall in this one. Down 2-0 in the first, they turned to Scott Mellanby, their hero from the 2006 Tournament, to turn the tide. Mellanby raced to the right face-off dot and fired a slapshot over Vladislav Tretiak's shoulder for the Cats' first goal. A few minutes later, Jody Hull notched his first goal of the tournament on a one-timer from the slot and the teams entered the first intermission tied at 2. But it was the Soviet top line came out of the gates roaring. Boris Mikhailov scored on a pass from Valeri Kharlamov to put the Soviets up 3-2. The Panthers, who had been playing solid defense the whole game, wondered what else they needed to do to stay in this game. Without a second thought, Rob Niedermayer won the ensuing face-off and setup Mellanby for a one-time goal from almost the same spot on the ice as his first goal. After that quick answer goal, it was the Panthers game for the taking. Another second period goal for Ray Sheppard put Florida ahead going into the third. In the final frame, the Panthers and Soviets exchanged shots, but neither had much luck until Dave Lowry pushed one across off a feed from Ray Sheppard with seven minutes left. The 80 USSR team mounted assault after assault, with one puck hitting the crossbar and deflecting out of play. With 41 seconds left, Mikhailov scored but it was too late. The Panthers live to fight another day.

Challenge Round: 95 Devils vs. 90 Oilers

95 Devils vs. 90 Oilers - Game 2

12 - 90 Oilers
6 - 95 Devils

So you think that Martin Brodeur is one of the greatest goalies of all time, huh? Think again. As far as the tournament goes, Brodeur has been nothing but a sieve. The score says it all in this game, Brodeur gave up 12 goals. 12 GOALS!!! Who does that? A terrible goalie, that's who. You would never see Terry Sawchuck or Bernie Parent give up 12 goals in a series, let alone one game. Mr. Brodeur, if you plan on doing anything in this tournament, you best get your head out of your ass.

P.S. Esa Tikkanen had an unnecessary hattrick in this contest.

Challenge Round: 07 Ducks vs. 94 Canucks

94 Canucks vs. 07 Ducks - Game 2

7 - 94 Canucks
3 - 07 Ducks

The Ducks held a 3-0 lead in the second period of this game. There's not much else to write, but I'll try. After letting the Canucks back in the game on a goal by Cliff Ronning 15 minutes into the second, the Ducks completely fell apart. Chris Pronger made an ill-advised pass from the Canucks zone across the red line to the opposite blue line where Martin Gelinas picked it off and scored with just more than 3:00 left in the period. When the teams came out for the third, the Canucks stunned the Ducks with five - count 'em, five - more goals. Gelinas had a hattrick, Bure added 2 goals of his own, including the game winner. The Ducks made such a poor showing in their first tournament experience that they may not be invited back at all. The Canucks, winners of the 90s invitational, are looking like the team from 2006 who made it to the conference semi-finals. If they can continue scoring at will, they'll be headed to the Round of 16 for sure.

Challenge Round: 93 Nordiques vs. 01 Penguins

93 Nordiques vs. 01 Penguins - Game 2

2 - 93 Nordiques
3 - 01 Penguins

This game may just be the best performance that the 01 Penguins have ever put together in The Tournament. Perennial underachievers, the Pens took the first period lead on a pretty feed from Alexi Kovalev and Robert Lang to Martin Straka on the left wing. But Quebec answered back in the second after Johan Hedberg made a stacked pad save and then stared at the puck as it sat in front of him, allowing the Nordiques a second and, eventually, third chance to score. But an unlikely hero in Hans Jonsson put the Pens back up by a goal (reminiscent of Kevin Hatcher's game winner for the 88 Caps in the 05 tournament) going into the third frame. In the third, Mike Ricci scored on a one-time at the doorstep and it looked like another disappointing loss for the Pens. But the combination of Straka, Lang and Kovalev struck again and put the Pens up for good.

Challenge Round: 93 Blues vs. 99 Stars

93 Blues vs. 99 Stars - Game 2

3 - 93 Blues
5 - 99 Stars

The Blues came into this game trying to establish a defensive presence that worked for all of the first 10 minutes of the game. The Blues, runner's up in this year's 90's invitational, gave up a goal to Mike Modano on a weak wrister that somehow found its way to the back of the net. The Blues were rescued when Bret Hedican, while moving the puck through the slot, was slammed by a Star into the net. Somehow, the puck bounced off the goal line and into the safety of Curtis Joseph's glove. But it was no matter, the Stars never relinquished the lead. Each time the Blues cut the lead down to one goal, the Stars rebounded with one of their own. Mike Modano ended up with a hattrick, Jere Lehtinen had two assists and the Stars are back in group play for the first time since 2006.

Challenge Round: 06 Hurricanes vs. 91 Penguins - Game 2

8 - 91 Penguins
7 - 06 Hurricanes

The final contest of the day was a seesaw battle between the 91 Penguins and the 06 Hurricanes. The 06 Canes have seemingly been the odd man out in the last two tournaments. They were the last team eliminated from the 06 Group Play stage and the last team eliminated from the Challenge Round in 07. Furthermore, they were the last team selected to play on Selection Someday this year. This game featured every type of goal imaginable, from breakaways to one-timers to last second shots, the only thing missing was an own goal. Pittsburgh opened the scoring with goals from Paul Coffey and future Hurricanes hero Ron Francis. But the 06 Canes showed their championship ability by storming back with goals from Matt Cullen and Cory Stillman. The comebacks would be a theme as the game progressed. Mario Lemieux added a goal off a Kevin Stevens pass and the Pens thought the would be heading into the intermission with a one goal lead. With 25 seconds left, though, Justin Williams had other thoughts. Williams raced along the left wing boards and cut across to the goal with only a few seconds to spare. With a quick "Move-esque" shot, Williams had tied the game, narrowly beating the horn. The second period started in almost the same fashion as the first. Bob Errey scored early to give the Pens a 4-3 lead and Jaromir Jagr took the puck end to end and scored on a brilliant individual effort. But Doug Weight was just getting his night started. Weight threw some muscle around and scored off a one-time feed from Matt Cullen to bring the Canes within a goal going into the third period. In the third, the scoring frenzy continued. The Pens opened the period again with two goals, this time from Mark Recchi and another from Ron Francis. But Cullen and Weight connected again to cut the Pens' lead to 7-5. The Penguins took an ill-advised penalty just minutes later and Bret Hedican scored almost immediately on the power play to make it a 7-6 game. Doug Weight wasn't finished either and he took his third pass from Matt Cullen that resulted in the game-tying goal. With the crowd in stunned amazement, and the press box getting ready for overtime, the game looked as though it would be destined for an astonishing finish. And the teams didn't disappoint anyone. After Cam Ward froze the puck with little more than 15 seconds left, Mario Lemieux won the critical face off back to Phil Bourque. Bourque , who must have thought he was his brother Ray, had no time to pass and made a beeline for the crease. Bourque slightly deked Cam Ward and slid the puck past his outstretched pad to give the Pens the lead with 2.6 seconds left in the game. The home crowd was silent and the Penguins knew they'd escaped with the win. For two high-powered teams, Game 3 should be a fun one to watch, let alone play in.

Challenge Round: 01 Avalanche vs. 90 Bruins

01 Avalanche vs. 90 Bruins - Game 2

5 - 01 Avalanche
2 - 90 Bruins

The 01 Avalanche built a 2-0 lead in the first period against the 90 Bruins, but that was all she wrote folks. The Bruins came back with a goal in the first from Dave Poulin and one in the second from Cam Neely. The two teams traded shots for the next 30 minutes or so until Bobby Carpenter scored with nine minutes left in the third to put Boston ahead 3-2. From there, it looked as if Patrick Roy had given up. Two more quick tallies from Allen Pedersen (a 3rd line defenseman) and Randy Burridge buried the Avs. Colorado, who beat 80 USSR in last year's Challenge Round has been dealt the ultimate embarrassment, and rightly so. It's up to the 90 Bruins to take momentum from this series and translate it into a spot in the Round of 16 for the first time ever. They'll have a little break before Group Play gets under way to rest and be ready to play some of the top teams that this tournament has to offer.

Challenge Round: 07 Senators vs. 97 Flyers - Game 2

4- 97 Flyers
6 - 07 Senators

The 07 Senators put in another surprising performance Friday against the frustrated 97 Flyers. Ottawa opened the scoring early in the 1st period and didn't let up. Daniel Alfredsson and Peter Schaefer each scored in the first 10 minutes of play, but after a poor clearing attempt, Eric Lindros cut the Sens' lead in half with a goal of his own. But Dany Heatley and Chris Neil helped the Sens build a 4-1 lead going into the second period. Almost as soon as the intermission ended, the Sens treated their home crowd again on a goal from Jason Spezza off a nice Heatley feed. But the Flyers felt the sting of elimination approaching and seemingly flipped a switch. The Flyers began their flurry of goals on a shorthanded shot from the heart and soul of their team, Rod Brind'Amour. Then, Mikael Renberg and John LeClair to pull within one goal going into the third. But in the third, the Senators rediscovered the relentless defense that helped them win an overtime game in Game 1. The Senators shut the Flyers down and added an insurance goal from Heatley. Spezza's second period tally proved to be the game winner and the Senators, unlikely candidates to make a run when this tournament started, are headed to Group Play for the first time.

Challenge Round: 04 Lightning vs. 87 Oilers

87 Oilers vs. 04 Lightning - Game 2

3 - 87 Oilers
8 - 04 Lightning

In the day's most disappointing contest, the 87 Oilers lost to the 04 Lightning by a score of 8-3. It's not even important to note that Vaclav Prospal notched 2 power play goals or that Martin St. Louis scored a hattrick to match Mark Messier's hattrick for the Oilers. What's important to note is what the Edmonton players are quietly whispering to themselves - "How could this happen?" The Oilers are no doubt resolved to eliminate the Lightning threat in Game 3, but even their backstop knows that he shares the blame for this embarrassing performance. "I need to get my head in the game and stop playing like an a$$hole," said Grant Fuhr. That pretty much says it all.

Challenge Round: 93 Kings vs. 89 Flames

93 Kings vs. 89 Flames - Game 2

8 - 93 Kings
2 - 89 Flames

The 93 Kings were flat out embarrassed in Game 1. If not for two late goals to make the score respectable, the Kings would (and should) have lost 6-1. But game two was a completely different story, though it started out the Flames way. Calgary scored two first period goals from Joe Mullen in the slot and Doug Gilmour from the right wing. Mullen's shot hit the post before flipping up in the air and rebounding into the net off Kelly Hrudy's back. But Wayne Gretzky led the comeback with a third-effort putback to send his team into the first intermission down only one goal. Barry Melrose must have lit a fire under the Kings, because they returned to the ice as a dominant force, both offensively and defensively. The Flames were hard-pressed to get shots through. But Hrudy was there to make some incredible saves to stop even those great shots that did reach the goal. In almost surgical fashion, the Kings showed the Flames how they play hockey in Southern California. Starting with Gretzky's first period tally, LA scored 8 consecutive goals, nearly all of which were back-door one-timers. Jimmy Carson finished with five points (2 goals, 3 assists), Tony Granato had four points (2 goals, 2 assists) and Tomas Sandstrom finished with one goal and three helpers. This series has been the story of two vastly different dominant performances by both road teams. If that continues in Game 3, the Kings have something to worry about. But if they can continue their stellar defense from Game 2, they're sure to rest easy.

Challenge Round: 82 Kings vs. 93 Islanders

82 Kings vs. 93 Islanders - Game 2

9 - 82 Kings
4 - 93 Islanders

Game 1 between the 82 Kings and the 93 Islanders stayed close for a while but, in the end, the favorite 82 Kings advanced to Group Play. The Kings and the Isles traded goals in the first period and ended the frame tied at 2 apiece. In the second, a conspicuously quiet first-line made their presence known with a quick goal from Marcel Dionne from Dave Lewis and Larry Murphy. Mike Murphy then added a goal of his own to give the Kings a comfortable lead. But the Isles stormed back with goals from Pierre Turgeon and Steve Thomas. But a goal from Dave Taylor sealed the deal for the Kings in the 2nd. The third period was all Kings with goals from Dionne, Jim Fox and Doug Smith. The Isles, certainly underdogs in this fight, hung with the Kings for most of this series, but in the end, the Kings advance. Now, it's up to Marcel Dionne and that Triple Crown line to prove that they're not just good in the Challenge Round.

Challenge Round: 75 Flyers vs. 99 Sabres

75 Flyers vs. 99 Sabres - Game 2

6 - 75 Flyers
5 - 99 Sabres

The 75 Flyers and 99 Sabres played a high-scoring first game and that didn't change in the second game. Playing on the road, the Flyers built leads of 2-0 and 4-1 on 2 goals from Gary Dornhoeffer, one from Reggie Leach and a shorthanded goal from Bobby Clarke. But the Sabres seemingly had an answer for every Flyer goal. Miroslav Satan scored on two consecutive power plays and Michael Peca scored his first of the game to tie the score at 4. Peca scored when Flyers' goalie Bernard Parent attempted to poke check a loose puck, only to fall inches short. Peca scored a gift goal over Parent as he lay face down on the ice. But Clarke was not to be denied his chance to play for a spot in Group Play. On an individual effort in front of Dominik Hasek, Clarke found an opening under the goalie's blocker for a 5-4 lead. But, as if scripted, Peca tied the game again with under 10 minutes in the third, and it looked like this game was headed to overtime. But before anyone could sit back and wait through the intermission, Ross Lonsberry picked up a precision pass in the crease from Clarke to put the Flyers ahead with 2:48 left in the third. The Flyers cut down the Sabres in Game 2 and we'll see if it has a carry-over effect in Game 3.

Challenge Round: 98 Capitals vs. 86 Canadiens

86 Canadiens vs. 98 Capitals - Game 2

3 - 86 Canadiens
4 - 98 Capitals

In the first game, the 86 Canadiens met the 98 Capitals and looked to exert some pressure on the road. The Caps opened the scoring early with goals from Craig Berube and Andrei Nikolishin, his third in the series. But the Habs knew that elimination loomed on the horizon and stormed back with a goal from Guy Carbonneau to go into the second period down only one goal. But the Caps, fueled by their home crowd, mounted an assault and tacked on goals from Joe Juneau and Richard Zednik. The 4-1 score held going into the third. But the Canadiens wouldn't go quietly into the night. With less than 10 minutes to play, Carbonneau scored his second goal, followed by a brilliant effort by Mike McPhee. But that was all the Habs could muster and Zednik's 2nd period tally ended up being the game winner. The 98 Caps advance to Group Play for the first time since 2006 by a final score of 4-3. The two consecutive 1-goal losses put the Habs in a precarious position for next year's tournament. Patrick Roy will have to sit and wonder what went wrong until then.

Challenge Round: 63 Maple Leafs vs. 02 Sharks

63 Maple Leafs vs. 02 Sharks - Game 2

5 - 63 Maple Leafs
4 - 01 Avalanche
(Overtime)

The last game of the day was a late addition to the schedule, which may have caught the 63 Maple Leafs off gaurd. But they played a strong yet scoreless first period. Scott Thornton scored first for the Sharks, answered by the Leafs' Leonard "Red" Kelly, who tied the game on a one-timer from the slot. Then Dave Keon took over right off the face-off: with a brilliant individual effort, Keon controlled the puck along the boards and into the right corner. After slipping by two San Jose defenders, Keon attacked the net and shot the puck to the far side, scoring a great go-ahead goal. But San Jose had the answer, if only with a little help from the Leafs defensive corps. Marco Sturm threw what looked like a harmless backhand wide of the net and, while trying to get into defensive position, the Leafs' Bob Baun's stick hit the puck, which trickled into the goal. Johnny Bower was incensed, but the score was still tied. From there, George Armstrong showed that his Game 1 performance was more of a coming out party than a flash in the pan. Armstrong scored to put the Leafs ahead and Bob Pulford gave the team a comfortable 4-2 lead. The Leafs held the lead through most of the third, but the Sharks had one last flurry left in them. With time winding down, Niklas Sundstrum scored on a one-timer from the slot. The Leafs played lock down defense, but with 2 minutes left, Teemu Selanne snuck through the defense on a break away. Bower was ready and stopped him. It all looked helpless for San Jose at that point, but Selanne took the Sharks on his back and managed one more break away attempt and scored using "The Move." The Leafs knew they'd had a bad defensive breakdown, but they also had an ace up their sleeves - Frank Mahovlich. Mahovlich had been quiet all game, but it only too 2 minutes of overtime for him to find his scoring touch. As if to answer Selanne's breakaway shot that tied the game, Mahovlich scored the game winner using "The Move." The Leafs, confident that they'd be in this position, have reached Group Play for the third consecutive year.

Challenge Round: 80 USSR vs. 96 Panthers

80 USSR vs. 96 Panthers - Game 1

4 - 80 USSR
3 - 96 Panthers
(Overtime)

This game between the 80 USSR team and the 96 Panthers is the game the fans have been waiting to see. The Panthers, finalists from the 2006 tournament, have fallen all the way to the Challenge Round. Facing one of the best teams ever assembled, the Panthers had their work cut out for them. Sergei Makarov opened the scoring in the first, but the resilient Panther team stormed back with a goal from Martin Straka. The score stayed close all game, but the Soviets pushed ahead with a goal from Vladimir Krutov. The Panthers locked it down from there, stifling the Soviets for the next 30 minutes. A goal from Scott Mellanby on a quick feed from Jody Hull tied it up. Minutes later, Straka struck again and put the Panthers ahead going into the third frame. The Panthers played lock-down defense for 12 minutes before Makarov scored to tie the game and send it into overtime. The Panthers knew they had climbed the mountain, but the apex was too far to reach on this day. In the end, Krutov's one-timer on a feed through traffic from Maltsev was too good for Florida to handle. The Soviets won in overtime to take the first game and may take this series in two. But no one can deny that the Panthers took what could arguably be the best team of all time to the limit.

Challenge Round: 06 Hurricanes vs. 91 Penguins - Game 1

2 - 06 Hurricanes
1 - 91 Penguins

The first game included a favorite of ours, the 06 Hurricanes. The 06 Canes took on Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and the 91 Penguins. Justin Williams opened the scoring with a top shelf corner goal that had no business going in. But Mark Recchi (the Pittsburgh Recchi, not the Carolina Recchi) tied it up on a beautiful feed from Lemieux. The game stayed tied for most of the next two periods, until Eric Staal scored on a one-timer in the third. Pittsburgh couldn't solve Cam Ward in the end and the Canes skated away with a 2-1 victory.

Challenge Round: 95 Devils vs. 90 Oilers

95 Devils vs. 90 Oilers - Game 1

3 - 95 Devils
8 - 90 Oilers

The second game of the day saw the defensive-minded 95 Devils play against the powerhouse 90 Oilers. Martin Brodeur made some stellar saves to keep the game close. At one point, it looked like the Devils might tie the game at 3 with some gritty effort. But alas, they decided it would be better to vacate the defensive zone and give up three-on-none opportunities to the likes of Messier and Kurri. Oilers pull this one off easily 8-3. One additional comment: if the Devils don't learn how to pass, this series will be over quickly.

Challenge Round: 07 Ducks vs. 94 Canucks

07 Ducks vs. 94 Canucks - Game 1

3 - 07 Ducks
6 - 94 Canucks

In the last game of the day, the 07 Ducks, newcomers in this year's tournament, played the 94 Canucks. The Canucks, fresh off their invitational championship, look like they haven't lost their touch. The opened the scoring with 2 quick goals from Murry Craven and Gino Odjick. But the Ducks stormed right back with goals from Todd Marchant and Teemu Selanne. From that point on, the Ducks lost all ability to stop the potent Canucks offense. After goals from Courtnall (who scored the gamewinner) and another from Craven, the Ducks looked all wet. The Canucks finished the game up 6-3.

Challenge Round: 90 Bruins vs. 01 Avalanche

90 Bruins vs. 01 Avalanche - Game 1

4 - 90 Bruins
3 - 01 Avalanche

The games opened with a match between the perennially underwhelming 90 Bruins against the 01 Avalanche. The Avalanche skated extremely well and held a 3-2 lead in the third before Boston decided to turn some risky passing into gold (or should I say goals). Dave Christian tied the game at 3 and Cam Neely fished the puck from a bevy of Avalanche players in front of the net to score on a one-timer. Game 1 to the Bruins 4-3.

Challenge Round: 07 Senators vs. 97 Flyers - Game 1

3 - 07 Senators
2 - 97 Flyers
(Overtime)

The nightcap saw a newcomer to The Tournament. For the first time, the Ottawa Senators have a representative. The 07 Sens took on the blue-collar 97 Flyers, perennial hard workers who just haven't caught a break since making the Round of 16 in 2006. The Sens played cautiously at first, staying in their zone and looking for just a few scoring opportunities. Before anyone knew it, though, Dany Heatley scored on a quick one-timer from Daniel Alfredsson. What followed is yet another goal that only The Tournament can produce. After blocking a shot, Ray Emery stared down at the puck laying at his feet. He made a quick judgment call, which proved to be way off: He dove while two of his defensemen kicked the puck among their own feet, never bothering to kick it to either of their sticks. In all the confusion, Emery dove one way, the puck scooted the other way, and the 97 Flyers had their first goal, credited to Dainius Zubrus. But the Sens knew they were better than that and scored a hard-fought second goal in the 2nd period by the heralded Jason Spezza, often referred to one of the greatest players of this generation. All looked good for the Sens until 10 minutes left in the third, when Paul Coffey sent a pass through two Senators' defensemen to Trent Klatt. Klatt scored to tie up the game, even though he was being punished at the time by numerous punches and sticks to the midsection. On to overtime, certainly not the position that the Senators hoped to be in in their first tournament game. But nonetheless, Heatley missed a chance on the doorstep in the first minute of OT. The rest of the extra frame was all Senators. The speedy Sens sprung Daniel Alfredsson loose on a breakaway. And though his legs were tired after 60-plus minutes, he deked Ron Hextall enough to slip the game winner by him, top-shelf. Game 1 goes to the Senators 3-2 and this reporter thinks we might have a sleeping giant on our hands.

Challenge Round: 04 Lightning vs. 87 Oilers

04 Lightning vs. 87 Oilers - Game 1

3 - 04 Lightning
5 - 87 Oilers

Game play picked up again this afternoon. After 45 minutes of re-creating the 04 Lightning, the team took on a mighty opponent - the 87 Oilers. There are a number of David & Goliath match ups in this year's challenge round (96 Panthers vs. 80 USSR, 02 Sharks vs. 63 Maple Leafs) and this one is no exception. But the Lightning were on a mission. Vincent Lecavalier opened the scoring in the first period on a pretty one-timer, and Grant Fuhr looked rusty. But the Oilers scored later in the period when Steve Smith tapped a rebound past Nikolai Khabibulin. In the second period, the score went back and forth until Dave Andreychuk slowly danced around the Oilers' defenders before scoring. After a 2nd period time out, the Oilers answered with a goal from Jari Kurri. Dan Boyle tipped the puck of Fuhr's pad with 11 minutes left in the 3rd to put Tampa Bay ahead 3-2, and the Oilers were fuming, but after a few choice words for Fuhr from his coach, the Oilers were off and running. They may have needed a little reminder as to why they had sunk so low -- facing the 04 Lightning in the Challenge Round, of all places. Once they recognized the situation, the team calmed down and played up to form. After picking the puck up off the boards in front of his bench, Reijo Ruotsalainen sent a beautiful feed to Esa Tikkanen, who scored with ease to tie the score at 3. A few minutes later, Tikkanen struck again and stuffed home the game winner on a one-timer. Kent Nilsson added the insurance goal in the waning minutes of the third to make the final score 5-3. It was a strong finish to a see-saw game for the Oilers. If Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier can wake up, this team could be dominant once again.

Challenge Round: 99 Stars vs. 93 Blues

99 Stars vs. 93 Blues - Game 1

2 - 99 Stars
1 - 93 Blues

In the last game of the day, the 1999 Stars played the 1993 Blues. In a low-scoring, defensive affair, the Stars took the opening game 2-1 on goals from Mike Modano and Joe Nieuwendyk. Kevin Miller's goal halfway through the third gave the Blues some late life, but, once again, Curtis Joseph needed to find that magic touch that he had in the 90s Invitational semi-final (when CuJo made ridiculous stop after ridiculous stop in a shutout victory) to win this one. Didn't happen.

Challenge Round

Though tournament play took a hiatus for the Independence Day weekend, The Tournament never really sleeps. I spent approximately 3 hours this weekend diligently copying down the attributes of each player on the 04 Lightning, 81 North Stars and 88 Capitals. By doing so, we now have the means to permanently create each of these teams in the game. We will never have to worry about overwritten teams (for example, the 2006 Hurricanes were overwritten to make the 2002 Hurricanes, an unfortunate circumstance). Of course, when we switch to using a more updated game than NHL 2k7, the whole process of creating these teams begins again.

Challenge Round: 01 Penguins vs. 93 Nordiques

01 Penguins vs. 93 Nordiques - Game 1

3 - 01 Penguins
4 - 93 Nordiques

Two more games appeared on the afternoon schedule. The first between the 2001 Penguins and the 1993 Nordiques was another close game. Of the 8 games so far in the tournament, 5 have been 1-goal games. This one ended 4-3, with Andrei Kovalenko netting the game winner for Quebec. Joe Sakic and Mats Sundin also scored. But it was Valeri Kamensky's goal that drew the most ire by Pens fans. After hitting the post (a rarity for half of the teams so far in this tournament, but all too commonplace for the other half), Kamensky's shot hit goalie Johan Hedberg's ass and, of course, trickled over the line. The "Ass Goal," as it has already come to be known, may cost the 01 Pens any chance of advancing beyond the Challenge Round this year.

Challenge Round: 02 Sharks vs. 63 Maple Leafs

02 Sharks vs. 63 Maple Leafs - Game 1

3 - 02 Sharks
5 - 63 Maple Leafs

In the only bright spot of the day, the 1963 Maple Leafs dusted off their leather skates and wooden sticks to meet the hapless 2002 Sharks. The Sharks, desperate to prove they belong in this Tournament, took it to the Leafs early with goals from Owen Nolan, Teemu Selanne and, out of nowhere, Marcus Ragnarsson, whose name should never be found on a score sheet. But it seems that the Leafs just needed 20 minutes to break through the rust. George Armstrong led the charge, scoring a hat trick and the game winner. Frank Mahovlich and Bob Nevin each scored, and it was Nevin that consistently frustrated the Sharks. One San Jose player was heard to mutter, "I'll be seeing Nevin in my sleep." The Leafs skated away with a 5-3 victory and the determination to make sure they're not on the short end of the stick, as they were after last year's group play.

Challenge Round: 89 Flames vs. 93 Kings

89 Flames vs. 93 Kings - Game 1

6 - 89 Flames
3 - 93 Kings

In a match up of more modern opponents, the 1989 Flames met Barry Melrose and his 1993 Kings. This one was over before it started, folks. Six Flames scored, including Theo Fleury. The final score, 6-3, doesn't reflect the true beat-down that the Flames inflicted on the Kings. Only two late goals by Kurri and Sandstrom kept the score somewhat respectable.

Challenge Round: 99 Sabres vs. 75 Flyers

99 Sabres vs. 75 Flyers - Game 1

7 - 99 Sabres
4 - 75 Flyers

The Broad Street Bullies welcomed the 99 Sabres to Philadelphia and, for a while, the game stayed close. Stu Barnes opened the scoring with a simple wrister that had no business finding the twine. But the two teams traded goals until it was 4-4 in the 3rd period. Curtis Brown scored a hat trick, including one on a penalty shot while his view was temporarily obstructed (he relied on instinct and managed to sneak one by Bernie Parent). Bobby Clarke shined with 2 goals and 2 assists, but not brightly enough to give the Flyers the win. The 75 Flyers have been on downward spiral of sorts since their 2nd round defeat in 2005.

Challenge Round: 98 Capitals vs. 86 Canadiens - Game 1

6 - 98 Capitals
5 - 86 Canadiens

The first game between the 98 Capitals and the 86 Canadiens went to the 98 Caps, 6-5. Andrei Nikolishin tallied 2 goals and Peter Bondra scored one of his own. But it was none other than Dale Hunter, the Caps' 4th line center, that scored the game winner, just after the Canadiens tied it up. For Montreal, Guy Carbonneau scored 2 goals, as did Bob Gainey. Ryan Walter added two assists, but in the end, it just wasn't enough for Patrick Roy and the Habs. Roy, who let in several easy goals, will have to be on top of his game next time, or it's going to be a long year until the 2009 Tournament.

Challenge Round: 93 Islanders vs. 82 Kings - Game 1

4 - 93 Islanders
5 - 82 Kings

The second game involved the 1993 Islanders against the 1982 Kings. The 82 Kings, trying to show that they're more than just a one-line team, got 4 goals from Doug Smith, including one on the first of many penalty shots in this year's Tournament. The Islanders answered with 4 goals of their own, 2 from Pierre Turgeon and 1 last minute goal from Steve Thomas. In the end, the Kings had too many weapons today and skated away with a 5-4 victory.

Challenge Round: 51 Maple Leafs vs. 88 Capitals - Game 1

1 - 51 Maple Leafs
0 - 88 Capitals

The first game saw the oldest team in the tournament, the 1951 Maple Leafs, face off against the much-maligned 1988 Capitals. The 88 Caps, once hailed as one of the worst teams in the Tournament, proved their skeptics wrong last year by beating the eventual champions, the 02 Red Wings, in Group Play. It was a low-scoring game, with Mighty Max Bentley scoring the lone goal 4:51 into the 3rd frame. Turk Broda held strong during a third-period flurry and stopped 18 total shots to earn the rare shutout.

Group Play: Selection Someday Part 2

Once we finished the Challenge Round, Eric and I were ready to set the groups for Group Play. And we wasted little time. Here's how the shape up:

Group A
02 Red Wings
97 Red Wings
98 Capitals
91 North Stars

Group B
82 Islanders
93 Jets
99 Stars
93 Kings

Group C
72 Bruins
81 North Stars
07 Senators
93 Nordiques

Group D
75 Sabres
72 Rangers
90 Bruins
91 Penguins

Group E
77 Canadiens
68 Canadiens
90 Oilers
88 Capitals

Group F
80 USA
93 Blackhawks
63 Leafs
99 Sabres

Group G
56 Candiens
52 Red Wings
82 Kings
87 Oilers

Group H
71 Blackhawks
06 France
94 Canucks
96 Panthers

Early analysis:
We selection the teams positions this year based on their performance from last year's tournament. So the top two teams from last year, the 02 Red Wings and the 82 Islanders, lead the first two groups - A & B - respectively. Then, the rest of the teams followed suit. There are a few oddities that immediately jump out once you look at the groups. Group A has two Red Wings teams and Group E has two Canadiens teams. Group G is probably the most difficult draw. And, outside of the 71 Blackhawks, Group H is basically a rematch of the most skilled teams from the 2006 Tournament.

Forget Two Steps Forward...

Elio's performance with the 91 Penguins, with whom he knocked off his favored 06 Hurricanes, was remarkable.

He took a superior team and dominated the game. It wasn't close -- he was up four goals at one point, I think, against a team that I really wanted to bring into Group Play -- and he never let Carolina into the game.

I often laud him for taking two steps forward, but this was more than two. Now if he can only bring this kind of effort consistently, there are some teams who could do some real damage this year...

Challenge Round: Turning a Corner (?)

Every tournament, I'll string a couple of good days together before Eric inevitably crushes my hopes once again. In winning a few games, Eric will always say something along the lines of, "I think you've really turned a corner." His encouragement aside, all my corner turning always puts me right back where I started. That being said, I had another good day.

History: France's First Cup

For those of you who follow the tournament, you know that France won the championship in 2006. But what you probably don't know is that France tasted victory before, prior to the first tournament in 2005.

That's right! Prior to the 2005 tournament, the French national team played in a smaller, eight team tournament against many of the current powerhouses in tournament play. France, guided by its heart and soul Guillaume Bissi, stormed through its three series to hoist the Cup. Bissi scored time and again and seemed unstoppable. There are no records of the eight team tournament, only oral accounts of Bissi's heroism. There is a photo rumored to exist of Bissi skating around the historic arena with the Cup in his hands. But that photo has never surfaced.

The French national team's fans are petitioning the tournament committee to consider the team's first victory as an official championship. It's a long shot, though.

History: The Glove

In the early days of the tournament, back in 2006, we used to play the games in 12 hour marathon sessions. We'd break for food and other necessities from time to time, but for the most part it was all hockey all day long. There were even weekends when we'd play for 12 hours on Saturday and another eight hours on Sunday. It was mind-numbing at times and, for me at least, there were days full of disappointment.

But all of that is just the back story that you need to understand one of the more peculiar objects of tournament lore - The Glove. You see, Eric has been playing these hockey games for years. He's used to the physical toll that these games can take on the body. I only just started playing in 2005, when the tournament began. So, after playing for six or eight hours straight, I developed some killer thumb blisters. Obviously, the blisters affected my game play. So, the only thing I could think of to avoid getting those blisters and, hence, better my chances at winning, was to don an old golf glove that I had lying around. The glove definitely helped prevent the blisters. And, I think if you asked Eric, it gave me at least a psychological edge because I seemed to win more games when using the glove.

The glove is long gone now. I've built up the necessary calluses to make it in this tournament. But one day, should the glove return, you might see slight concern in Eric's expression.

Big Web Updates

I've been working on the Tourney site. You can now view team profiles from the 51 Leafs through the 89 Flames:

http://sites.google.com/a/bolesh.com/btoat/Home/teams


Here on the blog, I also added links on the right for easy navigation to the tournament site.

History: Challengers Winning...But Just Barely

Who wants to win their Challenge series? Who really wants to? Is it the teams who stumbled into this Challenge Round by failing in the Group Stage last year? Or is the teams who didn't even make it that far -- who didn't reach the Groups at all and are clawing for a shot at glory?

In this young tournament, the Challengers have won 3 of 5 series:

• 98 Capitals over 86 Canadiens
• 07 Senators over 97 Flyers
• 90 Bruins over 01 Avalanche

...while the Challenged have won two (82 Kings over 93 Isles, 63 Leafs over 02 Sharks). So far, the Challengers have the edge; they want it more.

Furthermore, in the matchups of Cup winners vs runners-up, things stand at 2-1 in favor of runners-up. Which brings me to an observation: there's something about the Tournament that brings the best out in teams that missed their one chance at temporally appropriate glory. On the Tournament's eternal stage, these also-rans sometimes have an edge over legendary champs. For example:

• 75 Sabres (Cup runners-up in 75/Tournament champs in 05, Conference Finalists in 07)
• 96 Panthers (Cup runners-up in 96/Tournament runners-up in 06)
• 06 France (Zip in international hockey/Tournament champs in 06, Conference Finalists in 05)
  

...compared to some of our favorite disappointments:

• 91 Penguins (91 & 92 Cup champs/never advanced out of Group Stage)
• 89 Flames (89 Cup champs/never advanced out of Group Stage)
• 75 Flyers (74 & 75 Cup champs/never advanced out of Group Stage)
  

This trend is worthy of deeper analysis. For now, I'll keep an eye on the Challenge Round outcomes as things progress.

Official Tournament Website

The site is definitely a work in progress, but you can track the 2008 tournament here:

https://sites.google.com/a/bolesh.com/btoat/the-tournaments-by-year/2008

The Challenge Round is updated...but beware of other pages!

Links & Footnotes: Makarov, Krutov & Larionov

Vladimir Petrov, Valeri Kharlamov and Boris Mikhailov are the offensive dynamos associated with the 1980 Soviet Olympic hockey team.

Yesterday, however, Sergei Makarov and Vladimir Krutov scored all four Soviet goals in the USSR's come-from-behind, 4-3 OT victory over the 1996 Florida Panthers. These two forwards, though not NHLers during the 1980s, are often numbered among that decade's great wingers.

It's noteworthy because Makarov and Krutov formed 2/3 of the famed KLM Line that helped the Soviets dominate international hockey during the 80s. The "L" was the legendary Igor Larionov, a centerman too young to be part of the Olympic squad bested by Herb Brooks' Americans.

Signed by the Calgary Flames, Makarov went on to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year in the 89-90 season. The conundrum created by his performance -- is a legend of international hockey really a "rookie?" -- led to the so-called Makarov rule that called for future Calder winners to be 25 years old or younger.

Krutov, a bit long in the tooth in 1989, played one forgettable year for the Vancouver Canucks. Larionov, the missing member of the line in 1980, had the most prominent NHL career of his KLM mates.

Interestingly, 2/3 of the KLM line turn up on one other team in the Tournament: the Cinderella 1994 San Jose Sharks, which features Makarov centered by Larionov.

And the real twist? The other winger on that Sharks line is Johan Garpenlov, also a 1st-line winger on the 96 Florida team bested yesterday by Makarov, Krutov and their Soviet squad.

Tactical Wizardry

It wasn't always pretty, but yesterday's game between the 96 Panthers and 80 USSR featured brilliant tactical play on Florida's part. The Panthers' whole-team defensive bunker proved nearly impervious to the dazzling Soviet assault, and the Red Machine's stars were getting increasingly frustrated as, time and again, they hit a wall of bodies in the Florida zone.

Of course, the Panthers' lock-down came at the expense of offense (scoring often suffers when a team rarely crosses center ice), and that ultimately cost them. Still, kudos to Elio for guiding Florida in the frustration of a terrifically talented team. Herb Brooks may not have approved -- contrary to the coach's 1980 Olympic strategy, the Panthers defended the Soviets rather than attacking them -- but Florida had a real shot at winning a game they weren't even supposed to be in.

Challenge Round: Bitter Disappointment

We managed to squeeze in three games today, but only because I forced Eric to play a third game after I lost the first two. I picked a game that I knew I'd win, but Eric still managed to push it to overtime before I won it.

Great Moments: Hatcher Takes it Down to the Wire

From the 05 Tournament:

The 88 Capitals entered the 05 Tournament as the second-lowest seeded team, ahead of only the French National Team. Facing one of the top teams in the Round of 16, the 77 Canadiens, and already down a game, the Caps were tied in the waning seconds of regulation in Game 2. In a last ditch effort, defenseman Kevin Hatcher lumbered down the left wing. With only 4 seconds remaining, Hatcher fired a shot on goal and, miraculously, scored to put the Caps ahead. The game had ended and, unfortunately, so had any momentum that the Caps built on Hatcher's score. The goal provided the 88 Caps with their only Round of 16 victory in tournament history. The Canadians decimated the Capitals to win the series in five games and the 88 Caps have yet to make it back to the Round of 16.

Great Moments: Yzerman Knocks Down Essensa

From the 2007 Tournament

The 93 Jets entered the Round of 16 as the Precedence Trophy winners. After taking the top seed in Group Play, they faced the lowest seeded team, the 02 Red Wings, in a best-of-seven matchup. In the first period of Game 1, the Jets mounted an assault in the Red Wings zone, but an errant pass sent the puck back into Winnipeg's zone. Goalie Bob Essensa, the Jets' hero from Group Play, made a play for the puck. Steve Yzerman seized the opportunity and, as Essensa came within a foot of the puck, brutally bowled over the Winnipeg goalie and sent him down to the ice. Yzerman scooped up the puck and sent it into an open net. Countless replays showed the blatant assault on the Jets goalie, but the referees kept their whistles silent. The Jets lost all motivation from that point forward, and the Red Wings skated to a first round sweep on their way to becoming the 2007 champions.

History: The Move

Eric and I have been playing this tournament for three plus years now and each year I have to deal with "The Move." I only started using "The Move" late in last year's tournament, but I haven't mastered it by any means. Most of the time, when I use it, the puck hits the post. But it seems like Eric scores every time he uses it.

Before I go any further with this post, I'll explain what "The Move" is. It's when you take a player up ice, deke the goalie a little bit by dragging the puck from one side of your body to the next, and the flip the puck over his shoulder from the side of the net, usually with a backhand shot. It's the type of move that, if executed in real life, it would be replayed on SportsCenter 24 hours a day because it's so amazingly difficult to finish.

"The Move" is annoying for a number of reasons:

1. It's virtually impossible to actually do in real life
2. Goalies actually cover the post in real life and, therefore, wouldn't let such an shot go through as often as they do in the game
3. Eric scores with it nearly 100% of the time; I hit the post with it nearly 100% of the time

So when you see references to "The Move," this is what we're talking about. I think it's a crap move, but Eric will claim it's legitimate. The only way to truly defend against it is probably to learn how to effectively control your goalie. But until that happens, we're stuck with the stupid "Move." And that means I'll be swearing a lot until The Tournament ends.

Prepping for the Big Day

Tomorrow (7/9/08) is a big day for this early 08 tournament. I've been holding off on playing the 80 USSR v. 96 Panthers since the challenge round matchups were set. This could be a make or break day for me. I'm 4-9 so far in the tournament. I've had to face 2 separate goalies who have given up stupid goals. I've had to face Eric's relentless use of "The Move." And, once again, I've had to play with teams who decide it's a good idea to abandon the defensive zone while Eric's players are skating with the puck.

Anyway, tomorrow I'm bringing in fresh batteries for the wireless controller. It's on now!

Elio Is Playing Terrific Hockey

I just wanted to throw this out there: Elio is starting out the tournament in fine fashion. He's dropped a number of one-goal games, sure, but he's fought hard and been in every game. Yesterday's wins, in which he guided the 87 Oilers to a come-from-behind victory and scrapped out an OT win with the 07 Senators, were extremely promising.

You've heard it before, and I'll say it again: Elio is playing some of the best hockey of his career. I know, I know, but it's true every time I say it.

Now if he can just keep up the mo and avoid the dreaded one step back amidst all this two-step-forwarding...

Selection Someday has come and gone, but the good news is that the tournament has officially begun. Eric and I stayed late after work to determine which 16 teams would make it into the challenge round to square off against the 16 teams that didn't make it through group play last year.

We had some disappointed fans in New York as the 1994 Rangers didn't even make it into the Challenge Round. The Rangers showed some life in 2006 by making it into the Round of 16, but fell hard in 2007 -- leaving them only a random shot at making it to the Challenge Round.

The other team left out of contention this year is the 1994 Sharks. Although Artus Irbe won't have a chance to face his future self on the 2002 Hurricanes (as he did last year), he can mentally prepare in case the Sharks get the nod in 2009.

Here are the matchups for this year's Challenge Round:
02 Sharks vs. 63 Maple Leafs
98 Capitals vs. 86 Canadiens
99 Sabres vs. 75 Flyers
89 Flames vs. 93 Kings
91 North Stars vs. 02 Hurricanes
80 USSR vs. 96 Panthers
01 Penguins vs. 93 Nordiques
04 Lightning vs. 87 Oilers
07 Senators vs. 97 Flyers
99 Stars vs. 93 Blues
93 Islanders vs. 82 Kings
90 Bruins vs. 01 Avalanche
95 Devils vs. 90 Oilers
51 Maple Leafs vs. 88 Capitals
07 Ducks vs. 94 Canucks
06 Hurricanes vs. 91 Penguins.

Eric and I were sweating it out as the 06 Hurricanes received the final invitation to the big dance on Selection Someday. After some early analysis, it looks like the 96 Panthers, tournament finalists from two years ago, have the hardest matchup against an uber-talented Soviet team. The 06 Hurricanes will also have their work cut out for them against the likes of Lemieux, Jagr and Francis.

History: Background

For those of you just stumbling onto this blog, you'll need a little background as to what this is all about. First of all, this is not a formal discussion about which team is the best hockey team of all time, though those discussions won't exactly be discouraged. Instead, we'd like you to think of us not as video game-playing geeks, but as scientists, eager to understand how historic hockey teams would fare against each other if they had the opportunity to meet on the ice. Would the 1982 Islanders beat the 1952 Red Wings? Or how would the 1977 Canadiens do against their predecessors, the 1956 Habs? Or would the mighty French national team have what it takes to hoist the cup against the 1988 Capitals? It's all on the line in this tournament.

And now, a brief history. The tournament began in 2005 when, for those of you who remember, the NHL lost an entire season due to the lockout. The two authors of this blog, Eric Bolesh and Elio Evangelista, are both avid hockey enthusiasts and moderate to advanced hockey video game players. To fill the void left by the NHL, we decided to use NHL2k5 to hold our own 16-team Stanley Cup playoffs, but not with current NHL teams. Instead, we used 16 "historic" teams to fill the brackets. In the end, the 1975 Sabres beat the 1982 Islanders to take the title as the Best Team of All Time (of 2005). We'll post more detailed information about the 2005 tournament at another time.

2006 saw the tournament's first expansion from 16 to 32 teams. And with team expansion came an expanded playing format. We added a group play round, the Group Stage, to precede the Round of 16 that had existed in 2005. The group play format saw eight groups of four teams each wherein teams played within their groups and received 2 points for a win, 1 for a tie and none for a loss. After all the group games had been played, the two best in the group advanced to the Round of 16. The group play format extended the amount of weeks and months it took to complete the tournament. But when it ended, the 96 Panthers fell to the French National Team (from this point forward they'll be known as 06 France) in a stunning 7-game series. It was the Year of the Upset, as you can probably guess from that high-profile Finals match up.

In 2007, we expanded the tournament once again and added the Challenge Round - a best of three head-to-head match between two teams, randomly chosen. The new format expanded the total number of teams to 48, where it stands today. By now, we were using NHL 2k7, which meant that we had access to teams such as the 1980 USSR team, which actually disappointed both of us by falling to the 2001 Avalanche in the Challenge Round. In any case, the 16 Challenge Round Winners entered Group Play against the 16 top teams after the 2006 tournament. The 1993 Jets advanced to the Round of 16 as the best team from Group Play. As a reward, they were handed the first-ever "Precedence Trophy." In the Round of 16, however, the 93 Jets were bested by the 2002 Red Wings, who went on to become the Best Team of All Time (of 2007) by beating the 1982 Islanders in 6 games.

So that's the back story. The tournament begins every year with Selection Someday. We call it that because it's hard to pinpoint when we'll actually be able to select the teams that make it in. Also, the real Stanley Cup finalists from the previous NHL season are automatically entered into the pool for tournament teams. So, for example, this year's tournament includes the 2007 Anaheim Ducks and the 2007 Ottawa Senators. The 2009 tournament will include the 2008 Detroit Red Wings and the 2008 Pittsburgh Penguins.