St. Louis Blues Alumni Could Mean Any Number of Things

After this past season's Mizzou-Kansas Border War hockey "game" – a shared dream some of us had where we thought the University of Kansas had a hockey team, but then we woke up and all was right with the world again – one could only imagine what kind of exciting hockey events could be on the horizon for our metro area.  Well, here ya go.

Friday, January 18th, 2013, at Independence Events Center, the University of Missouri hockey club will play against members of the St. Louis Blues Alumni.  Who is on that team?  Who knows!  Could be any number of players!  Phil Housley!  Derek Armstrong!  Tommy Barrasso!  Charlie Huddy!  Wayne Gretzky!!!  What an amazing lineup, I can't see why none of those guys won't play!  Anyway, there's probably more info coming on this event, so keep a look out.

Remember when Mizzou and Kansas were supposed to play on January 17th of next month?  Yeah, I don't know if that's going to happen now, but this other thing is, so yay!

UPDATE:  Oh, I guess some of the players include Jon Casey, Tony Twist, and Darren Pang.  Oh well.

Independence Events Center Hosts Local College Hockey Tournament September 21-22

Ready for college hockey to come to the Sprint Center?!?!  Forget you know anything about that because the Independence Events Center is about to BLOW YOUR MIND.

Next weekend, Friday and Saturday the 21st and 22nd (respectively), the IEC is hosting a FREE Kickoff College Hockey Tournament featuring three local college hockey clubs from Kansas, Mizzou, and Missouri State.  As stated before, these are club teams that play in the MACHA (click the link for more info).  Remember, this event is FREE.  Yes, FREE.  Of course, the IEC is collecting $5 donations for their youth skating programs.

So, c'mon, support your local ice facilities, ya jerks.

The Schedule (all games at IEC)
Friday:
Mizzou vs Kansas, 8pm
Saturday:
Mizzou vs MO State, 11am
Kansas vs MO State, 8pm

Mizzou–Kansas Border War in Independence Tentatively Set for January 17th

The Mizzou–Kansas Border War hockey showdown – one of the few places you can still see Mizzou and Kansas play each other – will take place in Independence once again on January 17th, 2013.  It's true.  No official word yet, of course.

The January 17th meeting will be the third and final meeting between the two rivals this upcoming season.  Mizzou is the defending Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association Division II champion.  MACHA is a collection of college level club hockey teams throughout the United States.

Remember last year's game?  What a mess.

The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!

"Pbbbbbtttttt."

The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!  The Stanley Cup Will Be at the Independence Events Center on Friday!

Yes, that Stanley Cup.

Mavs' Press Release, and a surprise, after the jump.

2012 Champions: Stat-Nerding the Third-ish Quarter of the Season

That's Charlie Effinger.  He just won the Goaltender of the Week Award for the third time this season, ya heard. 

Although there have only been fourteen games since the last time we checked in with the Mavericks, there are only twenty games left in something like forty days.  So this is as good of a time as any to see what the Mavs are doing right, doing wrong, and need to do during the home stretch of the season.  (Note: this review follows a similar format as the second quarter stats post, so in lieu of me repeating stats, please refer any comparisons to that previous post.)

Mizzou vs Kansas Club Hockey Photo and Video Diary Part Deux: Electric Blowout-aloo

The lowly life of the backup goalie of a winless team.  Hold your head up, big guy.  At least you are on an organized team.  

You saw part one, now it's time for the thrilling conclusion of the Mizzou-Kansas Border War photo and video journal.  Will Kansas regroup in the third period, staging an amazing comeback, and avenging the 2007 Border War football game?  Will Mizzou pull a Philadelphia and bleed the entire period skating around in their own end?  How many players will get kicked out for fighting?  The answers to these questions and more can be found after the jump.

Mizzou vs Kansas Club Hockey Photo and Video Diary Part 1

Sergei Federov Russian jersey

If you didn't make it out to the IEC Friday night, you missed a lot of fights, a lot of penalty minutes, and a lot of goals.  Mike Genet at the Examiner has the only write up I have seen so far, so check that out.

Without further ado, here is the Lost City of Bettman official grainy photo and video diary of the 2012 Mizzou-Kansas hockey Border War.

College Hockey This Friday at IEC

Just a reminder that this Friday, January 20th, the University of Missouri and University of Kansas club hockey teams are holding their annual Independence Events Center Border War game at 7:05.  You can get tickets here.

According to the Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association website, Mizzou hockey is 9-2-1 so far this season, while Kansas hockey is 0-14.  So, come on out and see if Kansas wins their first game of the season...or see how badly Mizzou beats the Jayhawks into submission.  The choice is yours, really.  Just GO!  (Plus, if you are into fights, hhhoooooooo boy let me tell you, these teams fight!  It's all in good fun though, so just sit back and enjoy the carnage.  You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll learn something about yourself.)

Speaking of collegiate hockey, as explained by pucKChaser, tickets to the October 12th-13th IceBreaker Tournament are ON SALE NOW.  I think he explains the fun and importance of the tournament in KC better than I could, so just click on that hotlink at the top of this paragraph.  You can also learn more about the tourney and get your tickets here.

Also, just a personal note, I am humbled to be mentioned by two KC hockey blogs that have been at it for a long time and have done and continue to do awesome jobs.  Aaron Stilley at the NHL in Kansas City and pucKChaser's blog ("blogger" sounds so formal) both know their KC hockey history and understand the current climate of not only NHL hockey, but local hockey too.  Please read these folks if you have not already.  Read their archives, read any other stuff they do.  They know what they are talking about.  It's like I'm Charlie Brown and they are two different "little red-haired girls" that just noticed me...um, not saying that they are little red-haired girls or anything, err, nor does that imply they are two-dimensional cartoon characters... umm...yeah, disregard that last comment.

But, really, it is a thrill to be a part of the volatile but hopeful Kansas City hockey online community.  Please, if you have opinions, comments, suggestions, etc. please do not hesitate to post them here.  All suggestions are welcome.

Here is a picture of Craig Anderson looking at ice girls as a thanks for your patronage:

2012 Champions: Stat-Nerding the Second Quarter of the Season

Mavs President and GM Brent Thiessen won the Commitment Cup! Whatever that is...

Welcome to the CHL All-Star break!  Your Missouri Mavericks are currently fifth in the seven-team Turner Conference with 35 points.  They are 16-13-3 overall, and are 8-8-1 with 17 points over the course of the second quarter of the season.  The Mavs are technically still a playoff team with this record.  They have 96 GF and 103 GA. 

2010-11 season, after 32 games:

18-11-3

39 pts

103 GF

90 GA

-7 GF and -13(!) GA from one season ago.  Where has everything gone so terribly wrong?

2012 Champions: Stat-Nerding the First Quarter of the Season

Pic borrowed from the CHL

After fifteen games, your Missouri Mavericks are a mere point out of first place in the Turner Division of the CHL.  That almost guarantees them a spot in the wacky CHL playoffs, and I think a first and second round bye, and a free Blizzard at Dairy Queen.  But, that's not important right now.  Of course, the season is a marathon instead of a sprint and all of that hot garbage, but it doesn't hurt that 80% of the league makes it to the playoffs...

Either way, the first half of the season has been very good to the Mavericks.  At 8-5-2 and with 18 points they have gotten off to the fastest start in franchise history (2009-10: 6-8-1, and 2010-2011: 7-6-2).  There are many factors contributing to the Mavericks success, and it all starts with the offseason acquisitions.

Here are a few bullets to think about: