Canada Owns Spotlight On Saturday in February

Canada’s hockey teams don’t make up the “Original Six”, but the “Final Six” were showcased last weekend where hockey is king.

For the second consecutive season, there was a “Hockey Day In Canada.”

Last Saturday, the six remaining Canadian clubs were matched in three games spread out over the afternoon and night.

Following a three-hour pregame show on CBC--the network of the famed “Hockey Night In Canada”--the Vancouver Canucks faced off against the Ottawa Senators.

The pregame special--which originated from frozen Bower Ponds in Red Deer, Alberta--drew 235,000 viewers and highlighted grass-roots hockey in Canada.

The celebration of the sport, rather than the NHL teams in Canada, was the driving force of the idea.

“I think what is does, more importantly, is reinforce how important hockey is for Canadians,” said Joel Darling, the executive producer of “Hockey Night In Canada.” “To a little degree, it’s a bit of a kick that it’s a great game that everyone loves.”

The audience grew for the 4 p.m. EST Canucks-Senators game. That contest was followed by the centerpiece game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. The day was capped by a 10 p.m. EST game between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames.

As part of the special, the Canucks made an unannounced train stop in Belleville, Ontario, and played on the Bay of Quinte.

“It was snowing like crazy and they played with the kids out there,” Darling said.

CBC was also able to check in on the longest, continuous hockey game that was played for 19 hours throughout Friday night into Saturday. Three hours of the game were shown live through the early morning hours.

“It was overnight hockey instead of color bars,” Darling said.

Overall viewership for the NHL games was down from last year’s inaugural venture, but the concept was well received.

“Our hope is it continues to grow,” Darling said. “When you see the response, maybe this turns into a hockey week or hockey month down the road.”

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PROPER PADS: New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur ended his experiment with longer pads, and returned to the old, comfortable ones that he’s used for three years.

Brodeur played three games with the pads that came up about two inches higher on his leg. He lost twice, and then fell behind the Florida Panthers on Monday -- in a game the Devils eventually won -- and decided then the new pads would be history.

“It’s all over, I played with my old ones.” Brodeur said Tuesday after another win back in the familiar equipment. “It’s a decision I made after (the Panthers) scored the third goal. I just couldn’t really switch in the middle of the game.”

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FAMILIAR FACE: Supermodel Carol Alt is easily recognized in hockey circles.

Alt was married to former New York Rangers defenseman Ron Greschner for many years, and now is the girlfriend of Ottawa Senators star Alexei Yashin.

In Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue, the 40-year-old Alt said Yashin has expanded her hockey knowledge much further than Greschner did in the 12 years they were together.

“I don’t want to say that,” said Yashin. “It’s not true. She’s been a hockey fan for a long time.

“She likes to come and watch hockey games and I like to get her opinion. It’s nice to get an opinion from the outside.”

Yashin sat out all last season in a contract dispute with Ottawa. He returned this season to finish out the remaining year of his contract, but he can be a restricted free agent following the season.

“I want to keep focus on the game and play as hard as I can,” Yashin said. “After the season, first of all I can’t control half of it and second we don’t know yet.

“From my perspective I just want to have a good season and play hard, and hopefully I can help the team to be successful this season.”

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PAVEL’S NO PROBLEM: Talk abounds that Pavel Bure is not the hardest worker or the best team player. Florida Panthers coach Duane Sutter doesn’t agree.

“I don’t know why that’s always been a question from other people,” said Sutter, who took over for the fired Terry Murray in late December. “So far, I haven’t had any problem. I think he’s been terrific.”

Bure held the NHL in goals with 43 through Thursday’s games. He is trying to capture his second straight goal-scoring title, and third career.

The high-flying right wing was first with 58 goals last season, and 60 in the 1993-94 season with Vancouver.

“He takes a lot of pride in scoring goals and he’s taken a lot of pride in playing the other end of the ice as well,” Sutter said.

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GOALIES IN CHARGE: After a brief rally by shooters, goalies have reclaimed their season-long dominance on penalty shots.

Through Thursday’s games, NHL goalies had turned away all but six of 26 penalty shots called. Before New York Islanders’ center Dave Scatchard was denied on Tuesday by Brodeur, offensive players were on a three-goal streak.

On Wednesday, Pittsburgh’s Jean-Sebastien Aubin stopped Montreal’s Martin Rucinsky and Columbus goalie Marc Denis made a save against Phoenix’s Jeremy Roenick.

“There’s so many things that can go wrong for a forward,” Brodeur said. “Pucks can bounce, and you’ve still got to make a move. I think goalies have a little bit of an advantage on it, there’s no doubt.”