Canada vs USA: Feel the Hate

North American hockey may be our usual drug of choice around these parts, but with the World Championships on display in North America this month, there’s been a whole lot of NHL stars taking to the ice outside of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

And no game so far has been bigger for Canadian and American fans than today’s matchup.

Says Roy MacGregor in today’s Globe & Mail, these are two teams set “to get their hate on,” and there’s certainly some history to that idea. 

Excellent. I thoroughly approve of a little hockey hate.

More information can be found at the links below, and I’ll be posting updates, photos and maybe some odd trivia at the Kukla’s Korner: Canucks & Beyond page throughout the game.  Feel free to stop by and contribute your own photos, commentary, whatever you want.

Canada vs USA - 3:30pm ET
Video: In Canada on TSN & RDS; In the USA, on WCSN (paid sub); International viewers check IIHF
Audio: Fan590 streaming live.
More Info: Complete tournament schedule [PDF], and power rankings.
Team Rosters: Canada [PDF] and USA [PDF]
hockeyfights.com: World Championships forum, World Championships page

Penn Meet-Up

If not for the Sharks refusal to die this round, the best part of the second round of the playoffs was the setup for the Conference Finals between the Flyers and Penguins.

The Sharks playoff run did come to an end though. After six games, four of which went to OT, Brenden Morrow put the series away for the Stars after 129:03 of hockey last night.  It was really the only close series of the round.

After seeing some great first round action, most of the second round simply didn’t last long enough to give it the same feel.  The Flyers and Penguins each took out their opponents in five, and Detroit demolished Colorado.

There was a great recap of The Battle of Pennsylvania a few months ago by Rob Rossi and Joe Starkey of the Tribune-Review (something pointed to back in January).  The two teams fought 13 times in 8 games this past regular season.  There was a real passion on and off the ice for all games, something that will easily continue into the Conference Finals.

Philly and Pittsburgh were nominated for the 2007-08 Best Team Feud, part of the hockeyfights.com Season Awards.

Videos added

We’ve been focusing on minors and juniors lately, here’s a sample:

Josh Beaulieu vs Nicolas Blanchard Jan 5, 2008
Jordan Bendfeld vs Garrett Klotz Feb 29, 2008
Dale Purinton vs Triston Grant Jan 11, 2008
John DiPace vs Mitch Woods Apr 13, 2008
Kevin Westgarth vs Jesse Boulerice Jan 13, 2008

Some reads

Sean Avery out of intensive care
Players in ‘hairsute’ of the coveted Cup
LIers own and manage Crunch, as in punch
Getting to know: Paul Holmgren
Clarke forever the face of the Flyers
Everybody Loves Georges | Laraque goes more than the extra mile

• Canada vs USA: Feel the Hate
• Penn Meet-Up
• Report: Sean Avery Hospitalized
• McCarty Ends Drought
• Conference Semifinals Preview 2008
• A Taxing Twosome
• Bruise Brothers Book Preview
• First Round Tightening
• Giveaway: 20 Years of the ECHL
• Upon Further Fighting