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.
• No word if this was Jack Skille's "Oh (my god we had to rally to beat Norway) Face". Team USA played its 4-2 victory under increased security and with players instructed not to discuss the death of Osama bin Laden. [Y! Sports]
• Philly anthem singer Lauren Hart on blaring "God Bless America" before tonight's game and after the death of bin Laden: "Not until (Monday) morning while listening to the radio and hearing the people talk about 'God Bless America' tonight did it dawn on me that this would be important to people and it would be a special moment for everybody in that building tonight." [NHL.com]
• Brian Boucher gets the start for Game 2 of the Philadelphia Flyers' series against the Boston Bruins. Peter Laviolette: "Today, for me, is a game where we all get to go back in there and try and right some wrongs. So everybody gets an opportunity. He deserves it." [CSN Philly]
• The Atlanta Thrashers are for sale for $110 million, as that's the price tag for the investors led by Tom Glavine. From Forbes, if the Coyotes remain in Phoenix: "True North [of Winnipeg] would pay $170 million of which $60 million would go the NHL as a relocation fee." [Forbes]
• Looking at the counseling of Matt Cooke during this suspension, as the Pittsburgh Penguins winger reminds us that he's not going to put a tutu on and dance. Sorry, bachelor parties in need of entertainment ... [Pensburgh]
• Your VERSUS ratings for last week; the Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks not exactly setting the ratings world on fire. [Puck The Media]
• The Canucks have a problem and his name is Pekka Rinne. [Kurtenblog]
• On the many snowjobs of Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard. Said Coach Todd McLellan of the San Jose Sharks: "I have no time for gimmicks and that type of crap. If our players are doing that [intentionally], they're going to hear from me first. But they're going to hear from me even more when they don't go to the net and stop on a loose puck. If you go back and look at them the pucks are bobbling around." [Fear The Fin]
• Emotions are getting more intense between the Sharks and Wings. [NHL.com]
• Top-20 worst bang-for-the-buck NHL forwards in 2010-11. [HI]
• Tom Fornelli, Chicago Blackhawks fan, looks at the remaining playoff teams and decides which one would be the most palatable for a Chicago fan to root for in the Stanley Cup race. (Spoiler: Not Detroit.) [Foul Balls]
• Aubrey Huff, Capitals vs. Lightning and trash talking ... good times. [Homer McFanboy]
• Hey, it's not just you: There are a crap ton of overtimes in these playoffs. [Houses Of The Hockey]
• Grading the Minnesota Wild's front office. Turns out Chuck Fletcher did a rather average job. [Hockey Wilderness]
• Ken Campbell believes the Tampa Bay Lightning are sucking the fun out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and is worried about other coaches adopting their scheme: "We risk going back to the days of the Dead Puck Era without the hooking, holding and obstruction." So, "defense" then. [THN]
• Looking at the influence of Dominik Hasek on Dwayne Roloson. [Globe & Mail]
• BREAKING: The more people in downtown Winnipeg, the better it is for local businesses. [QMI]
• Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that Coyotes Associate Coach Ulf Samuelsson has accepted the head coach position with MODO in the Swedish Elite League. In a related story, spearing is expected to increase in the Swedish Elite League by close to 150% next season. [Coyotes]
• Fantastic find by Kevin Delury: "Here's a pic of Mark Messier donning the fire helmet of fallen FDNY Chief Ray Downey during the Rangers home opener on October 7, 2001 as a tribute to him and all the first responders who died that day as well as a thank you to all the heroes of 9/11." Oh, sorry, we thought this was the anti-concussion helmet. Our mistake. [NY Rangers Blog]
• Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown, Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green and Vancouver Canucks forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin are the finalists for the 13th Annual NHL Foundation Player Award, the National Hockey League announced today. The award recognizes an NHL player who applies the core values of hockey — commitment, perseverance and teamwork — to enrich the lives of people in his community. SHANE O'BRIEN WUZ ROBBED.
• How hockey took over Buffalo. [Thrive]
• The Pittsburgh Penguins have promoted Travis Williams to Chief Operating Officer, it was announced today by David Morehouse, the team's CEO and President. [Penguins]
• Radek Martinek is out of a Slovak hospital and "does not have any injuries to his neck or spine, but is still experiencing headaches. He will not return for the remainder of the tournament." [Islanders]
• Handling conference trophy voodoo in the OHL. [Buzzing The Net]
• Finally, Dean Evanson is disturbingly intense after Alex Ovechkin's game-tying goal in Game 2 (via the DC Sports Bog):