In September 2010, the "Miracle on Ice" was back in the news after it was learned that the gold medal of Mark Wells, a defenseman on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, would be going up for auction.

That historic piece of sports memorabilia was the first "Miracle" item to ever be sold publicly, and it ended with a $310,000 price tag. The buzz was rather large around the opportunity to own a piece of this seminal moment in American hockey history.

Thursday, a second piece of history from the 1980 "Miracle" became available at auction.

Former New York Islanders defenseman Ken Morrow has teamed up with Quebec-based auction house Classic Auctions to put up for bid the jersey he wore during the Team USA's historic defeat of the Soviet Union during the Lake Placid Games.

(You'll recall that Classic Auctions was where Paul Henderson's Team Canada jersey from the 1972 Summit Series sold in 2010 for over $1 million.)

The Morrow auction will end on Feb. 22, the 32nd anniversary of the "Miracle on Ice."

After hanging on to the jersey for over three decades, why is Morrow parting with it now?

"Just recently I'm starting to evaluate things and do some planning for the future," said Morrow during a phone interview on Tuesday from his home in Kansas City. "My hockey stuff was included in all that. You start going through those things and I just came to the realization that I couldn't keep it all. So I've gone through things that I did want to pass along and keep, and give people a chance to have a piece of history."

Morrow played 550 games in the NHL, all with the Islanders. Soon after winning gold in 1980, he joined the Islanders and helped them on their run to the first of four consecutive Stanley Cups.

In 1995, Morrow was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. A year later he was honored with the Lester Patrick Trophy for his service to the game in the U.S. Since 1993, he's served as the Islanders' director of pro scouting.

As of a few years ago, Morrow said he wouldn't have chosen to give up the jersey, but after going through boxes of items from his career in his house he realized much of what he found he didn't even realize he'd kept for over 30 years.

Parting with such an historic item had to have been a difficult decision for Morrow, right?

"When it came down to it, it really wasn't to tell you the truth," he said.

"I've taken it out over the past 32 years and into schools and charity functions and brought it out for friends and TV interviews. For the most part, it's just been on a hanger in a closet for all these years. There's just so many things you can do with that."

The blue jersey that he wore in the gold medal game against Finland is currently in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Morrow's "Miracle" jersey won't be the only 1980 Olympic-related memorabilia up for bid. Collectors will also have the opportunity to bid on game-worn skates and gloves Morrow used during the Lake Placid tournament, as well as items from his days at Bowling Green University and from the Islanders, including the jersey he wore in Game 4 of the 1983 Stanley Cup Final when they swept the Edmonton Oilers for their fourth straight championship.

The interest in hockey in the United States really boomed after 1980. A generation of American-born players, most of whom were part of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey winning team, credit the "Miracle on Ice" as an inspiration.

With the U.S. run to gold medal games at the 2002 and 2010 Olympics, it's clear in Morrow's eyes what kind of impact this generation of American players is having.

"Back in 1980 hockey was still regional," said Morrow. "Now it's coast to coast. I look at rosters and I see as many kids from California and Texas as you do from some of the other areas.

"It certainly speaks well for the growth of hockey here in the United States."

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

It's a (gettin' down on) Friday edition of Marek vs. Wyshynski beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, and we're talking about the following and more:

Special Guest Stars: GAME SHOW FRIDAY, as one lucky listener faces our sadistic trivia challenge. Also, Ian Mendes of Sportsnet stops by to chat up the Ottawa Senators

• In which Marek and Wysh discuss Matt Cooke's Lady Byng campaign.

• Last night's shootout fun in the West.

• More Buffalo fallout.

• Marek's debut on TMZ.

• Puck Headlines and Talking Points

Question of the Day: "Which NHL team most needs a jersey overhaul?"

Email your answers to puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or tweet them with the hashtag #MvsW to either @jeffmarek or @wyshynski.

Click here for the Sportsnet live stream or click the play button above! Click here to download podcasts from the show each day Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or Feedburner.

The most surreal aspect of Brian Campbell's return to Chicago as an opponent on Friday night is that it's even happening. His 8-year, $57.1 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2008 made him, perhaps, the NHL's most unmovable player when also factoring in his no-trade clause.

Yet the Blackhawks found a way to escape that contract, in this case "a way" named former GM Dale Tallon, now with the Florida Panthers and the man who signed him to that contract. Campbell was traded at the draft for Rostislav Olesz.

Since then, Campbell's had an All-Star season and is considered the MVP for the still-surprising Panthers; Olesz is toiling in the AHL after being waived in November.

Perhaps most importantly, the talk of Campbell being an overpaid salary cap albatross has all but disappeared from the conversation.

Well, save for Chicago, where Randy Holt of Rant Sports wrote last week:

Obviously it's easy for us to sit here and say why the Hawks might/do miss Brian Campbell. The team clearly misses his ability to move the puck more than anything, but his all-around game is also missed. The Hawks likely miss Brian Campbell, The Player very much. Brian Campbell, The Contract? Not so much.

So as several Blackhawks return to Chicago on Friday night to face their former team as Panthers, what will be the reaction for Soupy, and has he finally played out of the shadow of that contract?

First, a preview of this type of game from Patrick Kane to Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago:

"We played in Atlanta last year against a lot of guys on our team the year before, and it's almost like it's not a real hockey game," he said. "You're laughing and joking out there. At the same time you want to beat them, too. It's different, but fun."

Said Campbell on the return:

"It'll be nice to be back in the city, check up on everything,'' Campbell said. "It's always fun playing in that barn. But we need to put some wins together, we've been running below .500 for this stretch. Chicago was good to me, a good place."

Sam Fels of Second City Hockey and NBC Chicago explored the Campbell homecoming issue, and came to this conclusion:

Brian Campbell probably won't be cheered for, and it's thanks to this city's confounding relationship with big-ticket free agents. Pick any sport, and fans in this city just never warm up to anyone making a lot of money. The fact that what a player's salary is should be completely removed from judging a player never comes to the fore here. After all, no one walks into a GM's office with a gun and demands a contract. They're offered one. Who wouldn't sign it?

… Yes, his contract was a burden. But the player himself wasn't. But some people just can't separate the two. I hope there aren't enough of them in the UC tomorrow to drown out those who know better, because Campbell deserves to hear from them more.

It's fair to say that Campbell never lived up to his contract, but with the understanding that such an expectation was ridiculously unfair. (As it was, say, for Chris Drury with the Rangers). His numbers in Chicago were fine, his ice time was considerable and he was a team-best plus-11 during their Stanley Cup championship in 2010.

Which, in the end, is what makes a player overpaid rather than overrated.

Please recall the SI players' poll that listed the top 15 most overrated players in the NHL this season. They have, between them, four Stanley Cup rings, with that paragon of overratedness Scott Gomez owning two. (Vinny Lecavalier and Chris Pronger have the others.)

Campbell isn't mentioned in the same breath as the League's overrated players, if he ever was, because he (a) has a ring and wasn't a liability during that run and (b) is now with a franchise for whom his annual cap hit (through 2016) is no longer seen as a burden or a complete mistake by a previous regime like it was in Chicago.

If there was resentment of Campbell in Chicago, it was in seeing beloved players leave while he ate up $7.1 million on the cap. With that hit gone, and with both the Blackhawks and Campbell thriving, it'd be odd to see this homecoming become a bitter one.

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• The Jack Jablonski benefit booth at the US pond hockey championship warming tent. Jeremy Roenick was the latest NHLer to visit Jabs today. (s/t Dan McNeil)

• This was bound to happen given the coverage, and has already taken place in social media, but there's a debate about the inequity of attention given to Jack Jablonski and Jenna Privette, despite their similar circumstances, and how it related to gender. [NPR, United States of Hockey]

• Head coach Claude Julien, and assistants Doug Houda, Doug Jarvis and Geoff Ward will "coach" Team Chara at the All-Star Game. John Tortorella of the New York Rangers and Todd McLellan of the San Jose Sharks will "coach" Team Alfie. [NHL]

• Huzzah! The St. Louis Blues' minority owner Tom Stillman has signed a purchase agreement for the team. Brett Hull is "still talking" about joining the group. [STLToday.com]

• Very interesting piece on Bruce Boudreau of the Anaheim Ducks, in which he talks about the end of his days with the Washington Capitals and his decision to let others influence his style: "I don't know why I got away from it, because everything I had done was right — or it worked." [Washington Post]

• "A prosecutor says he's dropping murder charges against a former minor league hockey player accused of killing his friend in suburban Charlotte." Congrats, Bogdan Rudenko.  [Observer]

• An incendiary column by BD Gallof on the New York Islanders and Rick DiPietro, looking at the possible amnesty clause in the next CBA and the end of that albatross of a contract: "The fact is if you are the Islanders, focused on turning the corner and still saving some cash, you simply cannot ignore a gift like a possible clearing of a player from the books without a penalty. DiPietro has a high probability to be that one contract discarded if amnesty is part of the new league equation." [WFAN]

• By the numbers, this might be the worst Buffalo Sabres team in the last decade. "This year's squad keeps saying it will be better when healthy. There's no talk of building for the future. If they don't, the question of the worst team in a decade becomes a no-brainer." [Buffalo News]

• Kevin Smith on hockey fighting in today's NHL: "I like fighting as much as the next guy, but Jesus Christ, how many people have to die? Look, man, when one of the greatest hockey players living isn't playing because he's concussed, then something's seriously f—ked." [Toronto Star]

• Some additional looks at the Terry Pegula Ice Arena at Penn State. Hockey Valley … love it. [Thank You Terry, via Chris Kaminski]

• The Minnesota Wild shake up their roster: "Forwards Matt Kassian, Jed Ortmeyer, Chad Rau and defenseman Nate Prosser are coming up from Houston for the Wild, and forwards Casey Wellman and David McIntyre are headed back to the Aeros today." [Russo]

• Dustin Byfuglien is still on the mend for Winnipeg. [Sun]

• Puck Daddy endorses Bleeding Teal, our favorite San Jose Sharks vlog that involves booze.

• Here's a Terrific InfoGraphic About Where Cameras Are Placed at Sporting Events, Including Hockey at Joe Louis Arena. [Puck The Media]

• Mark Bell is back with the Anaheim Ducks. [Hockey Fights]

• The Puck Stops Here on players asking out of the All-Star Game: "The game will be the same spectacle without Lidstrom or Selanne, so why punish those players?" [TPSH]

• Eric Duhatschek on the NHL's next CBA, and how it will address struggling franchises: "Two of the fixes that the owners will want for sure: 1. Knocking the players overall share closer to the new NBA levels, where a seven-week work stoppage earlier this year resulted in a 50-50 split between owners and players; and 2. Tinkering with the gap between the salary cap ceiling and floor. Coming out of the lockout, teams were limited to a $39-million payroll, but were required to spend a minimum of $23-million. Because the business has prospered since then, the ceiling is now $64.3-million and the floor $48.3-million - and the latter is an unsustainable figure for small-market U.S. teams." [Globe & Mail]

• In praise of Dominic Moore's clutch abilities. [Lightning]

• Would the Columbus Blue Jackets trade Jeff Carter? [PHT]

• Darren Elliot on the realignment fight: "For such a large-scale plan and shift, there were precious few details. The top selling points seemed to be reduced travel for some teams during the regular schedule, with any increase being offset by having every team visit every building at least once throughout the season, and reduced road wear for all teams in the first two rounds of the playoffs." [SI]

• Jamie Benn is still a possibility for the NHL All-Star Game, although why the Dallas Stars would even consider that option at this point is baffling. Unless it's due to NHL rules about participation. [Dallas Stars Blog]

• Michigan coach Red Berenson on Jon Merrill, a New Jersey prospect: "He's got an NHL hockey IQ, so when he gets the puck he knows what to do with it," Berenson said. "He doesn't beat you with speed or anything else. He's like Nick Lidstrom." #DevilsFanBoner [NHL]

• Who is the most underappreciated Pittsburgh Penguin? Besides Fleury? [Pensburgh]

• Finally, Jarkko Ruutu is making friends in Finland. It takes a certain level of loathsome reputation to not have a hit like this garner more than a minor:

I worked at an ice arena for 13 months and, using the lofty expertise I gathered in that time, I can say with certainty that the doors along the perimeter of the ice surface are not supposed to pop open when players hit them. No sir.

Thursday night, however, as the Ottawa Senators took on the San Jose Sharks, that's exactly what happened: the tunnel door (the one through which the players enter) swung open on Jamie McGinn during a routine hit on defenceman Chris Phillips.

Now, Jamie McGinn has been known to hit things pretty hard, but if it wasn't clear that this is structural problem at the HP Pavilion, the Sharks' broadcast team reminds us that the door also came ajar the night before, when Brent Burns and Curtis Glencross came together there.

You'd have thought that the door unlatching on such an innocuous collision would be a clue that something needs to be done about it, but clearly the problem remains.

There are two very good reasons why the Pavilion needs to fix it immediately. The first is that it's dangerous -- a player can get seriously injured falling through a poorly reinforced door.

The second: hallway fights.

The most famous instance of a door popping open on a player happened in 1972, when Jim Schoenfeld and Wayne Cashman crashed through the Zamboni entrance at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium and proceeded to fight in the freaking hallway, junkyard style.

Classic clip. But one imagines the NHL would prefer incidents like this don't happen, since they make the league look like the WWE.

Thus, while I'm sure some of you would love to see them embrace this by unlatching all the doors and littering the other side with thumbtacks and two-by-fours wrapped in barbed wire, I suspect they'll just tell the HP Pavilion to fix their damn door.

Earlier this week, we wrote about some Montreal bars that offer free shots every time Scott Gomez scores a goal for the Montreal Canadiens. Alas, patrons have been left quite thirsty: Gomez hasn't scored a goal in 16 games this season, and overall since Feb. 5.

Which means, barring an offensive breakthrough ... someone has an anniversary coming up! Which means it's time to planning the party.

Yes indeed, the "Gomez Celebrations" are being organized by Montreal fans through a website and on Facebook for the Feb. 5 anniversary. Let's hope they never happen.

From the organizers:

We invite all the CH fans that will watch the game of the 5^th february 2012 at any place, to widely celebrate with us this amazing event.

CH fans, we invite you to impress us by wearing party hats and costumes of all kinds and to noisely show your fun while celebrating!

They have party kits (.pdf) available for download which include the hat pattern above.

The introductions of piñatas would seem like a natural fit for any party; leaving them empty would be a sad , yet accurate, commentary on Gomez as an NHL player in 2012.

Look, once a website has been dedicated to your offensive futility — with a running clock counting down to the 1-year anniversary of your last goal, no less — the tide of popular opinion has to start turning your way, right?

We like redemption stories and comeback tales. Most of us wanted to see Marian Hossa win the Stanley Cup, right? (Pipe down, Pittsburgh and Detroit).

And now, as the piling-on is getting emphatic … perhaps a small minority of hockey fans are hoping to see Scott Gomez score a goal before the anniversary hits.

He has seven games to do it — beginning on Friday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and ending with (of course) back-to-back games against the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 4 and 5.

Go … Gomer … Go?

s/t @maximepaiement

Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Preview: Montreal Canadiens at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. EST

Carey Price on the Penguins: "They scare the daylights out of me." One assumes he was mainly joking. Granted, considering the Penguins have won both meetings between the two teams this season and Evgeni Malkin's on a tear, you can understand why Price might be a little apprehensive. The Penguins are scary right now. Meanwhile, the Canadiens, who have gone 4-10-1 in their last 15 and lost 6 of their last 7 road games, are less so.

Preview: Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m. EST

Is tonight the night the Capitals take over top spot in the Southeast Division? Are they gonna go all the way tonight? They had a chance on Tuesday, but a no-show versus the New York Islanders slowed their rise back to the top. Topping the Hurricanes, however, might be a simpler task, especially if recent history is any indication. The Caps haven't suffered a regulation loss to the Canes in 12 meetings, going 9-0-3 in that span.

Preview: Florida Panthers at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m. EST

As if the Panthers needed any extra motivation to end a seven-game road winless streak, not only does a loss potentially cede top spot in the division to the Capitals, but this game marks Brian Campbell's first time back in Chicago since being traded to Florida in the summer. Granted, apart from the ignominy of being traded, I'm sure he's not that upset. The Panthers are pretty good and Florida's a pretty nice place to live. But whatever. Use your anger, Brian.

Preview: Tampa Bay Lighting at Dallas Stars, 8:30 p.m. EST

With Mike Ribeiro and Jamie Benn out (Ribeiro with a knee injury, Benn with an exploding appendix), the Stars will likely be glad to face a team that hardly forechecks. Still, they'll be in tough. Tampa has a 3-0-2 record against Dallas in their last five meetings. But, Dwayne Roloson, who hasn't won a game since November 17, looks to be getting the start, so there's that to look forward to.

Evening Reading

• On the relaunch of hockey equipment company Torpso, which hopes to compete with Bauer and Reebok. [The Star]

• According to a study, hockey helmets are the best available protection for tobogganing. [Montreal Gazette]

• Nik Antropov has been fined $2500 for boarding Buffalo Sabres' defenseman T.J. Brennan on Thursday. [Kukla's Korner]

• The annual "the CBC hates the Canucks" train, which always seems to spring up during slow news weeks, has sprung up, right during a time when the Canucks play three times in two weeks. It's a coincidence though. [Vancouver Sun]

• What does SOPA mean for the future? Less videos of Brent Burns doing a striptease AND THAT'S NOT MY AMERICA.

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: Brian113 on the very grainy video evidence of Matt Cooke's alleged slewfoot.

Film courtesy of Abraham Zapruder.

Win.

Bold prediction: Scott Gomez finally scores a goal and then *poof* he's gone, like Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica.

With all the talk of picking, blindside hits, and the leaving one's feet that has dominated the discussion this season, it's often easy to forget that there are all sorts of dirty hits that have nothing to do with the head.

With that in mind, I'd like to thank P.K. Subban for reminding us all of the effectiveness of the traditional slewfoot.

One imagines Chris Kunitz -- not to mention Pittsburgh Penguins fans -- will be far less appreciative.

Now, there appears to be some debate over whether or not this was a slewfoot or, say, a genial and fortuitous coming together of Subban and Kunitz's boots. For the naysayers, here's another angle, courtesy @TPBDerek:

Yeah. That's a slewfoot.

And now we turn to the question of Shanaban-ability. Is this incident worthy of supplemental discipline? I'm of the mind that it is, especially since Subban appears to be developing a knack for slewfoot-y tendencies.

Here he is, pulling a similar stunt on Brandon Dubinsky.

This hit sparked a debate as well, with many claiming it wasn't a slewfoot, it was just a basic trip. But I'm of the mind that, when you kick a guy's leg out from under him in order to take him down, you know, that's a slewfoot.

The last thing to consider is where the hit takes place. An open ice slew foot is one thing, but the second video gives you a pretty strong indication of the sorts of injuries Kunitz was lucky to avoid when his legs crumpled into the boards. It can't possibly be okay to take a guy down like that. Can it?

These days, with all the reckless hitting in the game, there are all sorts of possibilities one has to consider when going into the corner. However, you'd think falling panes of glass wouldn't be one of them, especially in a swanky new arena like the Consol Energy Center.

Unfortunately, as referee Kevin Pollock learned the hard way in the first period of Friday's tilt between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens, sometimes you do.

My favourite moment is when Alexei Emelin and Eric Tangradi, who collided to knock the pane loose, put aside their petty differences to help Pollock up.

As I always say, referees are a lot like pretty ladies: when one gets wiped out by a pane of glass, everyone's a perfect gentleman.

No. 1 Star: Dustin Jeffrey, Pittsburgh Penguins

The Montreal Canadiens jumped out to a 3-1 lead in this game, but they couldn't stop the Penguins' dominant centre. No, not Evgeni Malkin -- Dustin Jeffrey, who scored twice and added an assist to keep the Penguins in the game. Speaking of Malkin though, he eventually went into beast mode and scored the game-tying goal.

Rawr! Beast mode! While in beast mode, Malkin also took a moment to score the shootout winner as the Penguins eked out a 5-4 comeback win.

No. 2 Star: Jussi Jokinen, Carolina Hurricanes

On Tuesday, the Capitals had a chance to take over top spot in the Southeast and they put in a poor performance, falling 3-0 to the New York Islanders. Friday, they had the same opportunity: they did the same thing by the same 3-0 score. Not ideal. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes were led by Jokinen, who scored shorthanded in the first and on the powerplay in the second.

No. 3 Star: Teddy Purcell, Tampa Bay Lightning

Purcell scored the opening goal in this game with only a minute to go in the first period versus the Dallas Stars, and after a scoreless second, it began to look like the goal might stand as the game-winner. However, once Tom Wandell tied the game 1:22 into the third, Purcell turned it on again. He reclaimed his game-winner only two minutes later as the Bolts topped the Stars 2-1.

Honourable Mention: The Penguins clearly have no interest in easing Kris Letang back into the lineup. "The Tang" played over 28 minutes Friday... Erik Cole and Andrei Kostitsyn picked up a goal and an assist in the Canadiens loss... Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist in the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers... Cam Ward picked up the shutout for the Hurricanes. Jiri Tlusty's last-minute goal was a great individual effort:

Did You Know? Despite shutting out the Capitals, the Hurricanes indicated that they'd be sellers at the deadline, trading Alexei Ponikarovsky to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for minor-league defenseman Joe Sova and a fourth round pick.

Dishonourable Mention: The Capitals earn a mention here with their 22-shot performance in Carolina. You'd think they might have wanted to win that one... P.K. Subban's slewfoot on Chris Kunitz was pretty dishonourable.

We've all heard the expression "that guy had the puck on a string", and usually it's when we're talking about something insane that Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk has done.

Today, however, we mean it in the actually "that guy really did have the puck on an actual string".

You might know Vladimir Tarasenko as the St. Louis Blues' first round pick in 2010. You might also know him as a forward for St. Petersburg of the KHL. As a member of Team Sergei Fedorov during today's KHL's Skills Competition, Tarasenko dove into his bag of tricks, pulled out a fishing wire and gave us one of the more creative attempts we've ever seen in hockey's version of the Slam Dunk Competition:

Your eyes aren't deceiving you. There was no magic involved in that attempt. That was a fishing line attached to Tarasenko's stick, and after he completed the trick to perfection, scoring on Konstantin Barulin of Team Sandis Ozolinsh, he was named the winner of the competition.

Your move, NHL All-Stars.

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

The New York Rangers and Boston Bruins face off on Saturday afternoon for the first time this season, two freight trains running on the same Eastern Conference track.

The plan was to do a "tale of the tape" for the top two teams in the East, but I scrapped it; what's the point of writing "even" or "Bruins" for nearly every category?

There are a few advantages. The Bruins are the best offensive team in the NHL with a 3.51 goals-for average in 44 games. The Rangers are ninth at 2.72. The Bruins' scoring depth is, perhaps, the best in the League: 13 players with 15 points or more and seven that have over 30 points on the season. The Rangers have 10 over 15 points and four players with 30 or more.

Defensively, these are the second and third best teams in the League, trailing behind Ken Hitchcock and the St. Louis Blues. The Bruins have a team GAA of 1.98; the Rangers with 1.99. Henrik Lundqvist has a 1.93 GAA and a .936 save percentage/ Tim Thomas has a 2.02 (gasp!) GAA and a .936 save percentage; luckily, Tuukka Rask has a GAA of 1.61 and a .946 save percentage in 15 starts to pick up the slack for that slacker.

The Bruins have a better power play; the Rangers have a slightly better kill.

The numbers reveal the Bruins as the better team this season; that Stanley Cup banner than hangs over their home ice gives them an advantage in intangibles as well.

But do the Rangers accept that? From Andrew Gross of The Record:

Marian Gaborik knows the Rangers are confident they're as good as the Bruins. "We wouldn't be where we are in the standings if we weren't," Gaborik said. "It's a great challenge. Everybody in the locker room is looking forward to it."

Meanwhile, it was purely coincidental that Brad Richards described the Bruins' relationship to the Rangers in the Eastern Conference standings as "neck-to-neck." The conference-leading Rangers are one point ahead of the defending Stanley Cup champions as they meet this afternoon in Boston for the first of four meetings.

"I think every night is a measuring stick," goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. "Every night you have to prove yourself. But Boston is obviously one of the better teams in the league."

As for the Bruins, from Joe Haggerty:

"It's gonna be a great game against the Rangers; it always is," said Zdeno Chara. "They always battle hard and give you that game where you have to bring the physical element. You have to be willing to work extremely hard and they play a real grinding game. If you're not ready and emotionally attached then you're going to lose."

It's a difficult match for the B's, and has been for the last three years. Tortorella's tenets of hockey are much the same as Claude Juliens, and the Rangers have won 7 of the last 12 meetings against Boston by the combined score of 26-18.

"They've got a lot of depth and a great goalie," said Brad Marchand, describing the Rangers in terms that most people use to describe the Bruins. "We just have to make sure we're prepared and ready to match their work ethic.

Seven game series, beginning today, who wins: Rangers or Bruins?

Having spent several days with chiropractic neurologist Ted Carrick in Atlanta, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has traveled to California to meet with a physician slightly more respected in sports circles.

From the Penguins:

Sidney Crosby traveled to California Friday to visit with Dr. Robert S. Bray, a neurological spine specialist, as part of his continuing treatment program. Crosby will undergo a series of tests with Dr. Bray. Crosby has not played since Dec. 5 because of concussion-like symptoms.

Dr. Bray is founding director and CEO of the D.I.S.C. Sports and Spine Center.

He worked with the U.S. Olympic team at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. "Sidney is meeting with some of the top specialists in the country as he continues his recovery," said Ray Shero, the Penguins' general manager.

So who is Dr. Robert S. Bray?

Here's his bio from the D.I.S.C. organization and here's his webpage.

He's probably best known for fixed up the back of "Dancing With the Stars" winner Jennifer Grey, who reported she was pain free after surgery removed a "huge fragment" from her back.

He was also part of the 47-member medical staff that supported the U.S. Olympic team during the Vancouver Games. From that announcement in 2010:

In addition to routine medical care, Dr. Bray's expertise in neurological spine surgery will make him an invaluable member of the medical team. Dr. Bray will serve as the head team doctor for luge, bobsled and skeleton and will provide support for the alpine sports. Dr. Robert S. Bray, Jr.

For nearly 30 years Dr. Robert S. Bray Jr. has been at the forefront of the innovations taking place in minimally invasive spine surgery. He has performed more than 10,000 procedures.  Approximately 95% of his surgical cases are performed on an outpatient basis, while the national average is 5-10%.

Bray's organization also jointly owned a sailboat with the Los Angeles Kings. Not a schooner … a sailboat.

Meanwhile, expect more criticism about Carrick now that Crosby's getting another opinion on his concussion rehab.

His appearance at Sidney's "he's like a Ferrari" press conference last year raised eyebrows. The Science-Based Medicine blog has been sending shots his way for two years, like here and here, which mentions Crosby.

In 2011, Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins broke his own NHL record with a slap shot that traveled 105.9 mph in the Hardest Shot All-Star Game skills competition.

A week later, the KHL boasted that Denis Kulyash of Omsk not only beat Chara's record but set a new world record with a 110.343 mph (177.58 km/h) blast at their All-Star Game.

It's assumed Chara, an NHL All-Star Game captain, will defend his crown in the Hardest Shot competition in Ottawa next weekend. But if he's aiming to break the, ahem, "world record," then he's going to have to cowboy up: Alexander Ryazantsev just shattered it at the 2012 KHL All-Star Game Skill Competition in Riga, Latvia on Saturday:

The Traktor Chelyabinsk defenseman's shot was measured at 114.127 mph (183.67 km/h). Which is pretty damn fast.

Alas, we come back to the usual problem when comparing feats of strength in the KHL Hardest Shot competition and those from the NHL's. The KHL places the puck "at a distance of 7-8 meters from the goal." The NHL places its puck "30 feet from the center of the goal." Basically, the hash marks vs. the top of the circle.

So it's pretty clear what needs to happen here: The NHL has to not allow the KHL to get away with this geographic malarkey, and let Zdeno Chara (and maybe Shea Weber too) fire three pucks at the goal from KHL distance as a special All-Star Game exhibition. Then we'll see whose kung-fu is stronger ...

The New York Rangers won their Eastern Conference showdown Saturday with the Boston Bruins on a Marian Gaborik power-play goal with 3.6 seconds remaining in overtime.

Why did they have a power play? Because Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference put a forearm into the numbers of Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh's sweater, sending him face-first into the end boards and sending Ference to the dressing room on a 5-minute major/game misconduct for charging.

Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley provided every counterargument to the obvious, which is that Ference recklessly shoved McDonagh from behind in a high-velocity chase for the puck.

The speed of the play, the absence of malice, the "angling for a hit" rather than hitting from behind, the notion that McDonagh held up before Ference anticipated he would have … hell, add whatever you want to the pile of excuses NESN already provided. It's a hit that shouldn't happen.

And it's a hit the NHL doesn't want to happen any longer, and one expects Brendan Shanahan's going to swing the Shanahammer for this one. Ference isn't a dirty player — this wasn't necessarily a malicious hit — but a guy who plays on the edge. Unless you're a Bruins announcer, you probably feel like he went over the edge here.

Via Joe Haggerty on Twitter:

Andrew Ference admitted after game he was coming in too fast and that led to "a bad result" w/McDonagh injury. Said its league's call now.

As for McDonagh … well, he's survived more despicable hits than this.

Not exactly a sunshine and rainbows weekend for the NHL when it comes to its concussion problem.

(Whether or not it's an epidemic is a matter of semantics and, in the NHL's case, some legal concerns.)

Sidney Crosby is visiting yet another doctor for his symptoms. Marc Savard doesn't see a "bright future" in his post-concussion hell. Winnipeg Jets leading scorer Evander Kane is out with a concussion, coming to his team with a headache and then being diagnosed.

Now add Danny Briere of the Philadelphia Flyers to the all-concussion team, as news that he suffered a head injury was released by the team after its 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.

From the Flyers:

Flyers general manager [Paul Holmgren] announced that forward Danny Briere will be out indefinitely due to a concussion. It is not exactly known when Briere suffered the injury, but he now joins teammates James van Riemsdyk and Chris Pronger on the sideline due to concussions.

To go along with concussions suffered by Claude Giroux, Matt Read and Brayden Schenn as well. Sarah Baicker of CSN Philly caught up with Briere, and speculated on the source of the injury:

"I'm not too good right now," Briere said in a text to CSNPhilly.com. "I don't even know what happened."

Briere returned to the game after the [Anton] Volchenkov hit in the first period. But in addition to that hit, he received a high stick to the head from Brad Mills. He was also punched head-on by winger Patrik Elias. Elias did not receive a penalty for the punch.

Volchenkov hit Briere more than once in the game. There was also this Mark Fayne hit later in the game that some are pointing to:

It was quite an eventful day in the KHL on Saturday.

The League held its All Star Game in Riga, Latvia this afternoon with Team Fedorov (Eastern Conference) facing Team Ozolinsh (Eastern Conference).

Before the start of the All Star Game, KHL President Alexander Medvedev told Sovetsky Sport that the KHL is working yet again on the possibility of bringing NHL teams to Russia to play pre-season exhibition games.

Medvedev added: "We are planning to hold 5-7 games in August-September 2012. We are in negotiations with team owners. All of the clubs [involved] are of the top level."

It remains to be seen if this plan comes to fruition. The last time the NHL went to Russia, there were quite a few complaints about the over-aggressiveness of KHL clubs. Just last year Puck Daddy broke a story that the KHL and the NHL couldn't come to an agreement over fees that NHL clubs allegedly requested from the KHL to play exhibition games in Russia.

At the time NHL's Bill Daly didn't want to confirm to me that those were the issues indeed, but added that "there was and remains some concern about scheduling exhibitions between NHL and KHL Clubs because of our experience in St. Petersburg last year. Those concerns alone will not necessarily preclude us from considering the possibility of scheduling games in Russia in the future."

We will certainly have more on this as the story develops.

But the bad news for the League came when KHL's Chairman of the Board Vyacheslav Fetisov announced that he was stepping down from his position with the League and resigning as the President of his alma mater CSKA.

"This whole situation is sickening to me. I don't want to be a part of what is going on with the club. I don't see the point of staying at CSKA."

It's unclear what prompted Fetisov to step down from the KHL, but he has long been involved in a power struggle with the new owners of CSKA that led to his resignation from the club. The renowned Red Army club was on the verge of perishing due to financial difficulties, just like another pillar of Russian hockey Dynamo Moscow crumbled.

Legendary CSKA coach Viktor Tikhonov even appealed to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to save the club. Putin listened and Russian oil company Rosneft became the club owner. But they also wanted to call all of the shots including player personnel decisions. That was the reason Nikita Filatov couldn't sign with CSKA for some time after leaving to the KHL on loan from the Ottawa Senators. And Fetisov didn't want to be a part of the club policies any longer.

"[Sergei] Nemchinov [CSKA GM] is a weak coach, a weak manager, a weak person.  I am sure he doesn't have any future," Fetisov told Sport.ru.

Fetisov also said, regarding this KHL chairmanship: "I did everything I was supposed to do.  I removed Steblin [former head of the Russian Hockey Federation], I made [the national team] the World Champions, the League [the KHL] was advanced at the orders of Putin, the junior league was started.  A mission can only be justified by influencing the situation…  The title of the Chairman of the Board of the KHL doesn't decide anything.  The League in reality is run by Medvedev. But we have a good relationship.  We just had a few disagreements on a few matters…"

The All Star Game itself ended with Team Fedorov beating Team Ozolonsh 15-11. It was also memorable for the "world record" hardest shot and St Louis Blues' prospect Vladimir Tarasenko's trick shot.

KHL skills competition highlights:

But it will probably be remembered by the a capella performance of "O sole mio" by Mikhail Anisin of Vityaz Chekhov.

Who knew that the goon squad has a softer side?

"I visited La Scala [Teatro alla Scala] in Milan when I was a kid and I listened to Luciano Pavarotti's aria live." Anisin told Sovetsky Sport after the game. "And at the skills competition I remembered Luciano and decided to perform 'O Sole Mio' that he sang that day."

In the third period against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night, Detroit Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg put a glove on the back of defenseman Nikita Nikitin as they raced for the puck. That was enough to knock Nikitin off-balance, as he crashed awkwardly into the end boards and writhed in pain on the ice.

As a result, Zetterberg was given a major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct. According to NHL.com's stats history, it's the first major and ejection for Zetterberg in his 634 career games:

Oh, sweet glorious homer announcing! Can someone put a stopwatch on how quickly one goes from "He did not touch'em … I do not believe he made contact with this player" to "Hardly shoved'em!"?

Did this deserve a game misconduct? Yes, based on this provision of the boarding rule: "The severity of the penalty, based upon the impact with the boards, shall be at the discretion of the Referee." Based on the impact, that's a misconduct.

Does this deserve a suspension? No. As the announcers said, it was hardly a shove; it also wasn't malicious. But hold up on saying "no suspension" because of his clean history in the NHL — ask Pierre-Marc Bouchard how a clean record helped him avoid suspension, because it didn't.

s/t Malik for the video.

Jeff Skinner told the Carolina Hurricanes' broadcasters that he's never seen a player bat pucks out of the air better than John Tavares of the New York Islanders.

That proved prophetic on Saturday night, as Tavares scored this awesome game-winner in overtime -- deflecting a rebound of his own shot past Cam Ward:

Thank you, years of lacrosse.

The Islanders won the game, 2-1, as Tavares scored both goals to give him 19 on the season. He has a 12-game points streak, the longest since Mark Parrish had a 12-gamer early in the 2001-02 season, according to AP.

Not sure what's better about Don Cherry's ensemble: The frilly, foppish neckwear or the mosquito trapped in amber on his shoulder. (via NYR34)

No. 1 Star: Lee Stempniak, Calgary Flames

Stempniak's second career hat trick (in 505 career games) came at the expense of the Edmonton Oilers, as he scored a goal in each period and added an assist on a Mikael Backlund goal. The Flames defeated their rivals, 6-2. Stempniak was a plus-5 on the night. Olli Jokinen, Chris Butler and Blake Comeau were plus-4. Continuing the theme of inexplicable performances, Jay Bouwmeester had a 3-point game — his 3-point game since tallying four against the Capitals in Jan. 2006.

No. 2 Star: David Backes, St. Louis Blues

The captain had a hand in all four of the Blues' goals, as St. Louis defeated the visiting Buffalo Sabres, 4-2. Backes assisted on goals by B.J. Crombeen and David Perron in the second period to answer Mike Weber's first-period goal. He then scored twice in the third, including an empty-netter to ice it.

No. 3 Star: John Tavares, New York Islanders

Tavares scored both of the Islanders' goals, including a nifty OT game-winner, as New York defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, 2-1. Tavares has a 12-game points streak.

Honorable mention: Big win for the Vancouver Canucks in their Western Conference showdown with the San Jose Sharks. Cody Hodgson had two goals, including the game winner to cap a wild sequence in the third in which the teams traded leads in 1:32, as the Canucks defeated the Sharks, 4-3. Logan Couture had two goals for San Jose. … The Anaheim Ducks continue to roll, moving to 7-0-1 in their last eight with a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Jonas Hiller made 31 saves; Corey Perry and Lubomir Visnovsky had the goals. … Game of the day between the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. Marian Gaborik's power-play goal with 3.6 seconds left in OT gave the Rangers a 3-2 win over the B's, as Gaborik tallied twice in the game. Andrew Ference, whose ejection gave the Rangers that power play, had a goal and an assist for the Bruins. Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves. … Scott Hartnell had two goals, Wayne Simmonds had three points and Ilya Bryzgalov made 30 saves as the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the New Jersey Devils, 4-1. Alexei Ponikarovsky scored in his Devils' debut. … Pretty spectacular save here from Marty Brodeur:

Valtteri Filppula scored in the shootout, and Jimmy Howard stopped Ryan Johansen to give the Detroit Red Wings their 16th-straight home win, 3-2 over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nicklas Lidstrom's power-play goal in the third tied the game. … The Florida Panthers won a seven-round shootout against the Winnipeg Jets on a Mikael Samuelsson goal, 4-3. Kris Versteeg and Nik Antropov scored two goals each. Scott Clemmensen made 41 saves. … Raphael Diaz broke a tie in the third period and Lars Eller scored the insurance goal, as the Montreal Canadiens and Carey Price (32 saves) topped the Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-1. … Kevin Klein, Colin Wilson and Sergei Kostitsyn scored in the second period to power the Nashville Predators to a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Marian Hossa scored two goals for Chicago. … The Tampa Bay Lightning won their third straight, 4-3 over the Phoenix Coyotes. Steven Stamkos scored goal No. 32. Dwayne Roloson made 32 saves. … Chad Rau scored his first NHL goal to break a 2-2 tie in the third period, as the Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars, 5-2. Dany Heatley had a goal and two assists. … Peter Mueller's deflection goal broke a tie, and Gabriel Landeskog's third-period power-play goal iced it in the Colorado Avalanche's 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Anze Kopitar scored No. 15 in the loss. Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 25 saves.

Did you know? Wild D Marek Zidlicky was a healthy scratch for the first time since being acquired by Minnesota before the 2008-09 season. (AP)

Fight of the Night: Eric Boulton of the Devils gets the win over Jody Shelley of the Flyers in a heavyweight tussle.

Dishonorable mention: Eric Belanger and Jordan Eberle were minus-3. … Jonathan Toews left midway through the second period with an upper-body injury. He's day-to-day. … Danny Briere suffered a concussion against the Devils. Jaromir Jagr is out with a lower body injury. … Kari Lehtonen was lifted after giving up four goal on 19 shots in 39:44. ... Henrik Zetterberg earned his first game misconduct in the NHL with a hit from behind on Nikita Nikitin. … Ference has a phone hearing with the NHL for this hit on Ryan McDonagh. … Did Steve Ott's fight hurt Dallas? … Finally, oopsie No. 1, as Erik Karlsson knocks the puck into his own net:

And then the worst goal of the night, surrendered by Corey Crawford to Kevin Klein. Crawford was pulled after giving up four goals on 17 shots.