Puck Podcast

By Jim Connelly

As the pucks drops on another college hockey season, the game’s landscape, particularly amongst the two youngest conferences – Atlantic Hockey and College Hockey America – has dramatically changed

It keeps getting worse for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

According to a report from Canadian sports network TSN, defenseman Mike Van Ryn, acquired in 2008 in the Bryan McCabe trade, is expected to announce he will undergo extensive knee surgery that may end his NHL career

Results Thursday:AHL Texas 2 Grand Rapids 0ECHLKalamazoo 4 Reading 1QMJHLDrummondville 5 Shawinigan 4 (SO)P.E.I. 4 Moncton 2 Quebec 3 Halifax 2Val-d’Or 5 Acadie-Bathurst 2OHLGuelph 6 Peterborough 3 Niagara 4 Owen Sound 3 (SO) Sarnia 3 Barrie 2 Windsor 8 Ottawa 5 WHLPortland 5 Edmonton 2 Maritime Jr

Scoring summaries from Thursday’s NHL games:Avalanche 3 at Canadiens 2 First Period1. Montreal, Hamrlik 2 (Plekanec, Kostitsyn) 9:53 (pp)Penalties – Quincey Col (holding) 8:31, Colorado bench (too many men; served by Tucker) 12:34, Clark Col (hooking) 14:21

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Ed Jovanovski capitalized on one of the most basic plays in hockey, charging the net and seeing what might happen.Jovanovski scored at 3:37 of overtime to give the Phoenix Coyotes a 3-2 victory over the St

MONTREAL – The new members of the Montreal Canadiens were hoping to make a better first impression to their fans.There were eight Canadiens who were playing their first regular season game at the Bell Centre on Thursday night, and after soaking in the atmosphere of their new home they would have liked to provide the fans with a victory

Movements in the world of hockey Thursday:National Hockey LeagueNASHVILLE PREDATORS-Recalled C Cal O’Reilly from Milwaukee (AHL). Reassigned F Mike Santorelli to Milwaukee

NASHVILLE – Dustin Byfuglien and Tomas Kopecky scored in a 28-second span early in the second period to help the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Nashville Predators 3-1 on Thursday night

DETROIT – Nicklas Lidstrom reached a milestone – and helped the slow-starting Detroit Red Wings get back to .500.Lidstrom became the first European defenceman and eighth overall to reach 1,000 points, assisting on two goals in Detroit’s 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night

MONTREAL – Ryan O’Reilly picked a big stage and just the right moment to score his first NHL goal.The 18-year-old from Clinton, Ont., put in his own rebound to break a tie and lift the surprising Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over Montreal, spoiling the Canadiens NHL home opener on Thursday night

OTTAWA – For any Senators fans lamenting Ottawa’s trade of Dany Heatley or the team’s lack of scoring early in this NHL season, Milan Michalek delivered Thursday night

WASHINGTON – Alex Ovechkin scored twice in a 28-second span of the second period, and the Washington Capitals beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 Thursday night to end a four-game losing streak

CALGARY – The Calgary Flames will have a different look Friday night.Hoping to halt the Flames’ three-game losing streak, coach Brent Sutter shuffled his lines at Thursday’s practice in preparation for Friday’s showdown with the Vancouver Canucks at the Pengrowth Saddledome (Sportsnet West, 9 p

TORONTO – Tyler Bozak is headed back to the American Hockey League.The Toronto Maple Leafs sent the rookie forward back to the AHL’s Marlies on Thursday

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Sharks recalled defenceman Derek Joslin from Worcester of the American Hockey League.The team announced the move Thursday

Detailed summaries from Wednesday’s games:Oilers 3 at Blackhawks 4First Period1. Chicago, Sharp 5 (Toews, Ladd) 0:512. Edmonton, Cogliano 2 (Moreau, Visnovsky) 2:303

Movements in the world of hockey Wednesday:National Hockey LeagueCHICAGO BLACKHAWKS-Recalled RW Jack Skille from Rockford (AHL).PHOENIX COYOTES-Assigned F Mikkel Boedker to San Antonio (AHL)

ANAHEIM, Calif. – After scoring two goals in the first 8 1/2 minutes, Corey Perry spent his evening tantalizingly close to his first career hat trick

WINNIPEG – Guillaume Desbiens scored the shootout winner for Manitoba as the Moose beat the Abbotsford Heat 5-4 in American Hockey League action Wednesday

CHICAGO – Nikolai Khabibulin knew exactly what to expect from the talented Chicago Blackhawks, who shoot from everywhere and aggressively crash the net