Wednesday, February 15, 2006

 

View from the Red Road

NHL 2005-2006 - Regular Season
NHL “POWER PLAY GOALS” SCORING LEADERS

As of February 13, 2006
Jonathon Cheechoo 3rd in entire NHL

ILYA KOVALCHUK
20
JAROMIR JAGR
18
JONATHAN CHEECHOO
17

NHL 2005-2006 - Regular Season
NHL “GOAL SCORING” LEADERS

As of February 13, 2006
Jonathan Cheechoo # 4 overall

JAROMIR JAGR
40
ILYA KOVALCHUK
37
SIMON GAGNE
37
ERIC STAAL
36
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN
36
DANIEL ALFREDSSON
34
DANY HEATLEY
34
JONATHAN CHEECHOO
34

See Cheechoo February Update at:

http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/41383


ESPN Expert Hockey Commentator, Barry Melrose,
Reveals His NHL All-Star Picks

February 9, 2006

Because of this year's Winter Olympics held in Turin, Italy, there will be no NHL All-Star game. However, if there WAS to be an NHL All-Star game, ESPN's expert NHL commentator has these suggestions.

The Eastern Conference would have Martin Gerber in goal, while the Western Conference would consist of super star center, Joe Thornton. Thornton was traded in December from the Boston Bruins to the San Jose Sharks to lead the team - and currently the entire NHL - in assists since then. Thornton has lifted Sharks right winger, Jonathon Cheechoo, to record the most goals of all NHL players during the month of December. Cheechoo also recorded a 12 game point streak during December and January and is currently the fifth highest goal scorer in the NHL with 34 goals.

Star forward, Steve Sullivan, of the Nashville Predators was selected as this year's Western Division All-Star "right winger." He was selected by Melrose just ahead of Cheechoo, who recently recorded his first NHL hatrick (3 goals in one game) as an NHLer - only to record two more in a six week period.

Melrose, former player and NHL coach of hockey great Wayne Gretsky, made his choice known Thursday night on ESPN.

San Jose Wins Second In Row
February 11, 2006
With one more contest prior to the Olympic break, the Sharks seem to have found their game, winning their last two, including 6-3 route of the Dallas Stars Friday night before a packed HP Pavilion. Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek led the way with two tallies each and Joe Thornton added a three-point night along with a four-assist night by Patrick Marleau. Michalek scored the game-winning tally and added an empty-netter.Cheechoo's first goal was one that surprised even the goal scorer. On the play, Cheechoo was spun around in the slot with his back to Marty Turco. Joe Thornton threw the puck to the slot and it bounced off Cheechoo's skate and in. Every fan in the building began celebrating, as did all the Sharks on the ice - except Cheechoo.

The superstar Sharks right winger, Cheechoo, was recently signed by the Sharks to a five year, believed to be $10 million dollar contract. He currently leads his NHL western division in goals and is currently the fifth highest goal scorer in the entire NHL with 35 goals.

Cheechoo recently logged the most goals of all NHL players during the month of December 2005 and also recorded a team high record 12 game point scoring streak during December/January.

On his first goal last night, Cheechoo stated, "I knew it hit my foot, but I was looking in my skates for it," said Cheechoo. "Everyone started celebrating, so I figured it went in. It was the first goal off my skate in a long time. It's nice to get one of those once in a while." Cheechoo scored a more conventional power play goal to begin the second period. Team Teal scored with seven seconds remaining in the advantage and the puck did not leave the zone the entire time. "I was so open and they were so tired," said Cheechoo. "Joe (Thornton) made a nice pass and I had about five seconds to shoot." "That was a big power play," said Marleau. "Ekman, Joe and Cheechoo did a good job getting the loose pucks. When you get the loose pucks and keep the puck in, something has to give." "Everyone was getting the puck deep and keeping it away from Turco," said Cheechoo.
San Jose has one contest left prior to the Olympic break and they will attempt to run their winning streak to three games. "We have one more game left," said Marleau. "We are feeling good, but it is a big game Sunday."
Dallas put up the game's first goal, only to see the Sharks retaliate with five consecutive tallies. "I thought we outplayed them, even in the first when they scored," said Cheechoo. "We had an edge and battled back after their goal." "We worked hard from the get-go and I didn't see our team flinch," said Wilson. "Our young D played really well and we need that through the lineup. On the penalty kill, we have the guys we want now."


Cheechoo's Hat Trick – the third in six weeks -
Propels Sharks To Victory

http://www.sjsharks.com/news/news.asp?story_id=2080

February 1, 2006
San Jose used a hat trick by Jonathan Cheechoo to topple the Anaheim Ducks 6-4 in an important Pacific Division contest that saw the Sharks take two valuable points in the playoff race. Fifteen seconds into a Jonathan Cheechoo penalty Anaheim struck. Selanne used a quick deke to get by a Sharks forward and then was alone with Nabokov. He unleashed a bomb that clanged off the post and in for the 1-0 lead. With the first period winding down, Cheechoo took a beautiful feed from Joe Thornton across the crease and banged home the one-timer to even the contest. Anaheim looked to take the lead back moments later when Selanne was sprung on a breakaway, but Nabokov won the battle with a poke check, keeping the game even. Marleau took his crack at giving San Jose their first lead when Niko Dimitrakos feed him to the side of the net, but Bryzgalov made the stop. Just as soon as that stop was made, San Jose had another shot waived off. A Cheechoo shot was redirected by Nils Ekman to the back of the net. The ruling on the ice was no goal and while the video replay showed the tally could have counted, the original ruling stood. San Jose would have a chance to tie the contest on a tripping call to Vitaly Vishnevski against Michalek and that is exactly what they did. Sitting to the right of Bryzgalov as he was on his first tally, Cheechoo took a nice feed from Dimitrakos at the blasted in the one-timer to tie the contest. It seemed that Anaheim was on the power play for most of the second period as with five minutes to go in the second period, the Ducks had recorded six power plays, but thanks to Nabokov, the game remained tied at two. San Jose looked to respond right away. First Ekman strode into the Anaheim zone and let a shot go, and then Joe Thornton had a good opportunity. That was followed by a boarding penalty to Scott Niedermayer against Cheechoo, putting San Jose up a man. Despite several strong chances, Bryzgalov stopped every effort. When play returned to even strength, a blind pass by Joe Thornton set up Ekman in the slot, but Bryzgalov was there again with a save. It was the special teams play of San Jose that would give them their second lead of the night. This time Joe Thornton set up in his usual spot on the wing before sending a smooth pass to Preissing near the top of the far faceoff circle. His one-timer was in the net before the Ducks netminder could slid across, making the score 4-3 with less than seven minutes remaining. With just more than three minutes remaining, Cheechoo struck again. Skating down the right wing, he unleashed a cannon toward the net that snuck in short side, giving San Jose a bit of breathing room.In the final moments of the game, and with the Ducks goalie pulled for an extra attacker, Cheechoo nearly scored a fourth goal but his shot went just to the right of the net as three Mighty Duck players thwarted his efforts.3 FOR HIS BEST Cheechoo’s’ first goal gave him 29 for a new career best. Then his second gave him his first 30-goal campaign. The third marked his second hat trick of the season against Anaheim and his third three-goal game in six weeks, a remarkable hat trick every two weeks – a feat virtually unheard of in professional hockey.

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