Friday, January 13, 2006
View from the Red Road
View from the Red Road
2005-2006 - Regular Season - Power Play Scoring - POWER PLAY GOALS
As of January 13, 2006
(Cheechoo # 3 in NHL)
NHL 2005-2006 - Regular Season
“POWER PLAY GOALS” SCORING LEADERS
As of January 13, 2006
(Cheechoo # 3 in NHL in Power Play Goals)
Rank
Player
Team
Power
Play
Goals
Power Play Assists
Power
Play
Points
1
ILYA KOVALCHUK
ATL
18
20
38
2
ROD BRIND'AMOUR
CAR
13
8
21
3
JAROMIR JAGR
NYR
12
15
27
3
DANY HEATLEY
OTT
12
13
25
3
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN
WSH
12
12
24
3
JONATHAN CHEECHOO
SJS
12
9
21
4
OLLI JOKINEN
FLA
11
13
24
8
PATRICK MARLEAU
SJS
11
11
22
Cheechoo scores second ‘hat trick’
in two weeks!
January 5, 2006
In San Jose’s 6-3 romp over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets, Team Teal had everything go right for them offensively. Once again, Jonathan Cheechoo, led the way with a three goal in one game “hat trick” and Nils Ekman tied the franchise record that he tied just the other night as he posted four assists. Joe Thornton also posted four points. Cheechoo now has two hat tricks in his last six games. “The puck is just finding spots,” said Cheechoo. “My linemates are just creating havoc and I’m able to get loose. The puck is going through the pack. Joe is a great passer and Ek is as well.” And what of the hats that hit the ice? “I’m starting to collect them,” laughed Cheechoo. He is now on pace for a 50-goal season – the Sharks current record is 44 goals set by Owen Nolan in the 1999-2000 campaign. “When you get as many opportunities as he gets, you’re going to score a lot of goals,” said Wilson. “He is being set up incredibly by both Joe an Ek. I can’t really say I’ve seen a guy with that much confidence. In terms of just being relaxed and allowing those guys to do their thing. He is reading the play very well and getting himself open. When the puck gets on his stick, he is going to put a quality shot on goal. When you get seven or eight shots on goal, you’re going to score a lot of goals.” And Wilson has coached a few goal scorers, having been around Pavel Bure, Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne and Jaromir Jagr. Cheechoo is staying focused on the important matters. “As long as we keep winning, that’s the important thing,” said Cheechoo. While a natural goal scorer, Cheechoo hasn’t traditionally put up a large amount of hat tricks as a professional, so the two within the short span is a little bit of a surprise. “My last year of junior I had quite a few, maybe six or seven,” said Cheechoo. “I had a couple in Kentucky and Cleveland.” Cheechoo doesn’t have the stick he used for the first hat trick, but this one might stay close to the vest. “Maybe I’ll use it next game,” said Cheechoo. “Maybe I’ll keep this one for myself. I don’t want to get too greedy, but . . .” Cheechoo’s three goals match the number of teeth he is still missing from the December 22 Phoenix contest. “I wouldn’t mind waiting (to get them fixed),” said Cheechoo. “It doesn’t hurt now.” Thornton enjoys playing the setup man to Cheechoo. “He’s been playing great, but when he scores three, everyone is happy, not just me,” said Thornton. “To see a guy get a hat trick is exciting for us and for the fans.” Cheechoo’s center has known his winger from long before their San Jose days. “We have a mutual friend and he water skied behind my boat about three years ago,” said Thornton. “I know the story of Moose Factory and things like that. We knew each other just a little bit, but he is a good friend now. I’m not quite ready for Moose Factory yet. I have to know him better.” Many try to draw comparisons between Cheechoo and Glen Murray, but Thornton doesn’t see it quite the same way. “I haven’t seen anyone like that to be honest with you,” said Thornton. “Everything just looks smooth and sometimes when he scores, it’s awkward. I don’t know who he reminds me of. He is a great player.” STRANGE MOVE Ekman obviously enjoys playing with Cheechoo and Thornton as his four helpers attest. “I’m happy that things are going my way right now,” said Ekman. “I’m not complaining.” On the Sharks third goal, a Thornton pass put Ekman on a two-on-one with Cheechoo. Ekman’s move was a surprise to just about everybody in that he made a jerky motion with his leg before passing the puck. “He fooled me,” said Thornton. “I thought he was going to shoot the backhand, but it obviously fooled the goalie, so it worked well for us.” Whatever the move was, the result was a goal. “I don’t know what I did,” said Ekman. “I saw it on the replay and it looked stupid. I was just trying to deke a shot and put the puck on my backhand and hopefully get the goalie down. I made my mind up when I got the puck that I was going to pass it. I might try it again, but so it looks better – not stupid.” “I think he was trying to get the goalie to bite a little on his move and it gave me enough time to get it upstairs,” said Cheechoo. Ekman is enjoying his time on the line and especially how Thornton raises everybody’s game, not just his. “That is the best compliment to give to a teammate or anyone is that you make other players better,” said Ekman. “He makes me better when I’m playing with him. It hurt to lose those teammates in a trade, but the good thing about it is we got Joe and I speak for everyone when I say we’re all thrilled to have him here. He is an unbelievable hockey player.” Coach Wilson wishes a few other Sharks would fire on net a little more. “I wish a few guys would pay a little more attention to Cheechoo in that he shoots the puck all the time as opposed to trying to make the types of passes Joe makes,” said Wilson. “More of our guys would be successful if they shot as much as Cheechoo does.” STREAKING With his hat trick tonight, Cheechoo is on a four-game point streak (7-2=9) and has tallied 16 goals in his last 14 games. (Jonathan Cheechoo scored the most goals in December of 2005 of all NHL players with a total of 14 in just one month; most NHL players will never get a hat trick in their entire career)
Ekman is currently on a five-game point streak (2-8=10), posting eight assists in the last two games. Ekman’s eight assists in the past two games, ties Kelly Kisio’s franchise record for the most points in consecutive games. Kisio’s record was set in Dec. 1992, when he posted one goal and three assists in consecutive games. Posting a goal and adding three assists, Thornton extended his point streak to four games (3-6=9). Thornton has posted points in 12 of the 14 games he has played as a member of the Sharks, posting multi-point efforts in eight of them.
NHL Top Ten Goal Scorers
(as of January 7, 2005; Cheechoo TOP SIX;
Cheechoo led entire NHL from December 5th to January 5th, 2006)
Rank
Player
Team
Goals
Assists
Points
1
ILYA KOVALCHUK
ATL
30
31
61
2
SIMON GAGNE
PHI
29
18
47
3
DANY HEATLEY
OTT
26
30
56
4
ERIC STAAL
CAR
26
26
52
5
JAROMIR JAGR
NYR
25
38
63
6
DANIEL ALFREDSSON
OTT
25
30
55
7
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN
WSH
25
22
47
8
BRIAN GIONTA
NJD
23
19
42
9
JONATHAN CHEECHOO
SJS
23
12
35
10
MARIAN HOSSA
ATL
22
30
52
Cheechoo Train A Rollin’!
December 31, 2005
(At the end of December, San Jose Shark’s forward, Jonathan Cheechoo, lead ALL NHL goal scorers with 13 goals for the month of December 2005!!)
The December 20th, 2005 “last evening of fall” brought out some of the best in the sporting world and athletics. NBA Los Angles Laker star, Kobe Bryant, scored 62 points in just three periods (30 in the third alone) as the San Jose Shark’s Jonathan Cheechoo finished out his own third period with his second and third goal of the night to record the first NHL “Hat Trick” of his career
The day before winter also saw Montreal Canadiens superstar, Alexei Kovalev, score his 300th career goal for a total of over 700 career points.
Cheechoo, who scored numerous two-goal games in his few years in the NHL, began his Hat Trick quest against the division rival Mighty Ducks by scoring the first goal of the game. Cheechoo has approximately nine points in the last five games. He opened his scoring with a remarkable goal from the side of the net during a man-advantage “power play” as he quickly corralled a loose puck from beside the goal and moved it skillfully to his forehand, jamming it home behind the helpless Duck superstar goaltender, Jean-Sebastian Giguere.
The shot almost looked like the Cheechoo goal of the last NHL season played, when he recorded the “Goal of the Year” by receiving a pass from the side-wall corner with the blade of his stick back between and behind his outstretched feet, deflecting the fast moving puck perfectly into the net passed the goaltender.
The Sharks, who acquired Boston Bruins superstar Joe Thornton just six games earlier and who joined the “Cheechoo Line” along with Joe’s cousin, Scott Thornton, have combined together to score a remarkable two dozen points (now called the “Thornton/Cheechoo Line”).
Later, in the third and final period of play, Cheechoo, a Moose Factory, Ontario Canada native, exploded on a breakaway to be hauled down from behind with a hooking penalty by a Mighty Ducks defenseman – with a subsequent “penalty shot” awarded by the referee. Cheechoo then took the puck from center ice one-on-one against the Duck’s netminder, calmly skated down as the crowd cheered, then faked Giguere into dropping to his knees, and finishing the play by lifting the shot into the net - his second goal of the night as the San Jose fans roared.
As the crescendo of the standing room only crowd continued to climax, Cheechoo – not thirty seconds later on the same shift - grabbed the puck off the boards after a play set up by Thornton, and forced himself between and past two Anaheim defensemen to, once again, come on-on-one with the surprised Duck goalie. And once again, the “Cheechoo Train” was-a-rollin’ as the sure-handed right-winger faked and shot the puck past the Anaheim netminder. The crowd went into a frenzy as Cheechoo spun around – legs flailing like an Olympic figure skater – as he celebrated in his infamous “Cheechoo” fashion.
After struggling the previous month before the Thornton trade (for three fine San Jose players who have made an impact with the Bruins club) the Sharks are now on a roll heading into the middle of the season, recording around five goals per game since. The talented Cheechoo was in need of some help and the Thornton trade was all that was needed to trigger the Cheechoo Train back into motion and rejuvenate a struggling Shark dynasty.
Cheechoo now leads all San Jose scoring with 16 goals for the season thus far, and is second in overall points to star center, Patrick Marleau, who leads with 39 total points.The night also saw outstanding play by the San Jose netminder, Evgeni Nabokov, and also saw the return of forward, Scott Parker, who added the second goal of the night in only his second game back from the injured list.
2005-2006 - Regular Season - Power Play Scoring - POWER PLAY GOALS
As of January 13, 2006
(Cheechoo # 3 in NHL)
NHL 2005-2006 - Regular Season
“POWER PLAY GOALS” SCORING LEADERS
As of January 13, 2006
(Cheechoo # 3 in NHL in Power Play Goals)
Rank
Player
Team
Power
Play
Goals
Power Play Assists
Power
Play
Points
1
ILYA KOVALCHUK
ATL
18
20
38
2
ROD BRIND'AMOUR
CAR
13
8
21
3
JAROMIR JAGR
NYR
12
15
27
3
DANY HEATLEY
OTT
12
13
25
3
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN
WSH
12
12
24
3
JONATHAN CHEECHOO
SJS
12
9
21
4
OLLI JOKINEN
FLA
11
13
24
8
PATRICK MARLEAU
SJS
11
11
22
Cheechoo scores second ‘hat trick’
in two weeks!
January 5, 2006
In San Jose’s 6-3 romp over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets, Team Teal had everything go right for them offensively. Once again, Jonathan Cheechoo, led the way with a three goal in one game “hat trick” and Nils Ekman tied the franchise record that he tied just the other night as he posted four assists. Joe Thornton also posted four points. Cheechoo now has two hat tricks in his last six games. “The puck is just finding spots,” said Cheechoo. “My linemates are just creating havoc and I’m able to get loose. The puck is going through the pack. Joe is a great passer and Ek is as well.” And what of the hats that hit the ice? “I’m starting to collect them,” laughed Cheechoo. He is now on pace for a 50-goal season – the Sharks current record is 44 goals set by Owen Nolan in the 1999-2000 campaign. “When you get as many opportunities as he gets, you’re going to score a lot of goals,” said Wilson. “He is being set up incredibly by both Joe an Ek. I can’t really say I’ve seen a guy with that much confidence. In terms of just being relaxed and allowing those guys to do their thing. He is reading the play very well and getting himself open. When the puck gets on his stick, he is going to put a quality shot on goal. When you get seven or eight shots on goal, you’re going to score a lot of goals.” And Wilson has coached a few goal scorers, having been around Pavel Bure, Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne and Jaromir Jagr. Cheechoo is staying focused on the important matters. “As long as we keep winning, that’s the important thing,” said Cheechoo. While a natural goal scorer, Cheechoo hasn’t traditionally put up a large amount of hat tricks as a professional, so the two within the short span is a little bit of a surprise. “My last year of junior I had quite a few, maybe six or seven,” said Cheechoo. “I had a couple in Kentucky and Cleveland.” Cheechoo doesn’t have the stick he used for the first hat trick, but this one might stay close to the vest. “Maybe I’ll use it next game,” said Cheechoo. “Maybe I’ll keep this one for myself. I don’t want to get too greedy, but . . .” Cheechoo’s three goals match the number of teeth he is still missing from the December 22 Phoenix contest. “I wouldn’t mind waiting (to get them fixed),” said Cheechoo. “It doesn’t hurt now.” Thornton enjoys playing the setup man to Cheechoo. “He’s been playing great, but when he scores three, everyone is happy, not just me,” said Thornton. “To see a guy get a hat trick is exciting for us and for the fans.” Cheechoo’s center has known his winger from long before their San Jose days. “We have a mutual friend and he water skied behind my boat about three years ago,” said Thornton. “I know the story of Moose Factory and things like that. We knew each other just a little bit, but he is a good friend now. I’m not quite ready for Moose Factory yet. I have to know him better.” Many try to draw comparisons between Cheechoo and Glen Murray, but Thornton doesn’t see it quite the same way. “I haven’t seen anyone like that to be honest with you,” said Thornton. “Everything just looks smooth and sometimes when he scores, it’s awkward. I don’t know who he reminds me of. He is a great player.” STRANGE MOVE Ekman obviously enjoys playing with Cheechoo and Thornton as his four helpers attest. “I’m happy that things are going my way right now,” said Ekman. “I’m not complaining.” On the Sharks third goal, a Thornton pass put Ekman on a two-on-one with Cheechoo. Ekman’s move was a surprise to just about everybody in that he made a jerky motion with his leg before passing the puck. “He fooled me,” said Thornton. “I thought he was going to shoot the backhand, but it obviously fooled the goalie, so it worked well for us.” Whatever the move was, the result was a goal. “I don’t know what I did,” said Ekman. “I saw it on the replay and it looked stupid. I was just trying to deke a shot and put the puck on my backhand and hopefully get the goalie down. I made my mind up when I got the puck that I was going to pass it. I might try it again, but so it looks better – not stupid.” “I think he was trying to get the goalie to bite a little on his move and it gave me enough time to get it upstairs,” said Cheechoo. Ekman is enjoying his time on the line and especially how Thornton raises everybody’s game, not just his. “That is the best compliment to give to a teammate or anyone is that you make other players better,” said Ekman. “He makes me better when I’m playing with him. It hurt to lose those teammates in a trade, but the good thing about it is we got Joe and I speak for everyone when I say we’re all thrilled to have him here. He is an unbelievable hockey player.” Coach Wilson wishes a few other Sharks would fire on net a little more. “I wish a few guys would pay a little more attention to Cheechoo in that he shoots the puck all the time as opposed to trying to make the types of passes Joe makes,” said Wilson. “More of our guys would be successful if they shot as much as Cheechoo does.” STREAKING With his hat trick tonight, Cheechoo is on a four-game point streak (7-2=9) and has tallied 16 goals in his last 14 games. (Jonathan Cheechoo scored the most goals in December of 2005 of all NHL players with a total of 14 in just one month; most NHL players will never get a hat trick in their entire career)
Ekman is currently on a five-game point streak (2-8=10), posting eight assists in the last two games. Ekman’s eight assists in the past two games, ties Kelly Kisio’s franchise record for the most points in consecutive games. Kisio’s record was set in Dec. 1992, when he posted one goal and three assists in consecutive games. Posting a goal and adding three assists, Thornton extended his point streak to four games (3-6=9). Thornton has posted points in 12 of the 14 games he has played as a member of the Sharks, posting multi-point efforts in eight of them.
NHL Top Ten Goal Scorers
(as of January 7, 2005; Cheechoo TOP SIX;
Cheechoo led entire NHL from December 5th to January 5th, 2006)
Rank
Player
Team
Goals
Assists
Points
1
ILYA KOVALCHUK
ATL
30
31
61
2
SIMON GAGNE
PHI
29
18
47
3
DANY HEATLEY
OTT
26
30
56
4
ERIC STAAL
CAR
26
26
52
5
JAROMIR JAGR
NYR
25
38
63
6
DANIEL ALFREDSSON
OTT
25
30
55
7
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN
WSH
25
22
47
8
BRIAN GIONTA
NJD
23
19
42
9
JONATHAN CHEECHOO
SJS
23
12
35
10
MARIAN HOSSA
ATL
22
30
52
Cheechoo Train A Rollin’!
December 31, 2005
(At the end of December, San Jose Shark’s forward, Jonathan Cheechoo, lead ALL NHL goal scorers with 13 goals for the month of December 2005!!)
The December 20th, 2005 “last evening of fall” brought out some of the best in the sporting world and athletics. NBA Los Angles Laker star, Kobe Bryant, scored 62 points in just three periods (30 in the third alone) as the San Jose Shark’s Jonathan Cheechoo finished out his own third period with his second and third goal of the night to record the first NHL “Hat Trick” of his career
The day before winter also saw Montreal Canadiens superstar, Alexei Kovalev, score his 300th career goal for a total of over 700 career points.
Cheechoo, who scored numerous two-goal games in his few years in the NHL, began his Hat Trick quest against the division rival Mighty Ducks by scoring the first goal of the game. Cheechoo has approximately nine points in the last five games. He opened his scoring with a remarkable goal from the side of the net during a man-advantage “power play” as he quickly corralled a loose puck from beside the goal and moved it skillfully to his forehand, jamming it home behind the helpless Duck superstar goaltender, Jean-Sebastian Giguere.
The shot almost looked like the Cheechoo goal of the last NHL season played, when he recorded the “Goal of the Year” by receiving a pass from the side-wall corner with the blade of his stick back between and behind his outstretched feet, deflecting the fast moving puck perfectly into the net passed the goaltender.
The Sharks, who acquired Boston Bruins superstar Joe Thornton just six games earlier and who joined the “Cheechoo Line” along with Joe’s cousin, Scott Thornton, have combined together to score a remarkable two dozen points (now called the “Thornton/Cheechoo Line”).
Later, in the third and final period of play, Cheechoo, a Moose Factory, Ontario Canada native, exploded on a breakaway to be hauled down from behind with a hooking penalty by a Mighty Ducks defenseman – with a subsequent “penalty shot” awarded by the referee. Cheechoo then took the puck from center ice one-on-one against the Duck’s netminder, calmly skated down as the crowd cheered, then faked Giguere into dropping to his knees, and finishing the play by lifting the shot into the net - his second goal of the night as the San Jose fans roared.
As the crescendo of the standing room only crowd continued to climax, Cheechoo – not thirty seconds later on the same shift - grabbed the puck off the boards after a play set up by Thornton, and forced himself between and past two Anaheim defensemen to, once again, come on-on-one with the surprised Duck goalie. And once again, the “Cheechoo Train” was-a-rollin’ as the sure-handed right-winger faked and shot the puck past the Anaheim netminder. The crowd went into a frenzy as Cheechoo spun around – legs flailing like an Olympic figure skater – as he celebrated in his infamous “Cheechoo” fashion.
After struggling the previous month before the Thornton trade (for three fine San Jose players who have made an impact with the Bruins club) the Sharks are now on a roll heading into the middle of the season, recording around five goals per game since. The talented Cheechoo was in need of some help and the Thornton trade was all that was needed to trigger the Cheechoo Train back into motion and rejuvenate a struggling Shark dynasty.
Cheechoo now leads all San Jose scoring with 16 goals for the season thus far, and is second in overall points to star center, Patrick Marleau, who leads with 39 total points.The night also saw outstanding play by the San Jose netminder, Evgeni Nabokov, and also saw the return of forward, Scott Parker, who added the second goal of the night in only his second game back from the injured list.
# posted by Indigenous Red Man @ 9:18 AM 
