Major League Hockey

[monochameleon]

This thread is about Major League Hockey, an alternative-universe hockey league.
This first post will contain standings, updated each in-game month.
Further posts will contain league news and game reports. Be sure to check in regularly for all the action.

Thanks to Pwal for all his hard work on the uniforms and helping with the modification of some of the logos (couldn't do this without you), and thanks to TheAdamBn who made the Major League Hockey logo.

Standings: October 3rd, 1965

[monochameleon]

This post will contain league history including winners, awards, etc.

[monochameleon]

HOCKEY NEWS
- MAJOR LEAGUE HOCKEY AGREEMENT REACHED
Leagues unite, new major league competition to begin next season.

In news hockey fans all over the US and Canada have been waiting for, ten hockey leagues - two major, two minor and six junior - have reached an agreement to merge, forming Hockey North America. The ability for all ten leagues to share talent and grow together, allowing for better play, better television and radio coverage and more competition, will result in better hockey for all according to league bosses.

"This is what we've all been waiting for," said Luke Walker, president of the Dominion Hockey League, one of the two major leagues to sign on. His counterpart in the Federal Hockey League, Martin Simpson, was similarly thrilled.

The two major leagues will merge to form a new competition, Major League Hockey. The two six-team leagues will play a schedule including interleague and intraleague play. While at the end of the season, the DHL champion will still receive the Prince of Wales Trophy and the FHL champion will still receive the Union Shield, the top four teams from each competition will now go into a playoff tournament to see who will emerge as champions of Hockey North America and win the St. Lawrence Trophy. Similar structures will be set up for the United Minor Leagues and Hockey North America Junior Leagues.

The twelve major league teams will be as follows:
Dominion Hockey League:
Calgary Tigers - Calgary, Alberta
Montreal Champions - Montreal, Quebec
Ottawa Wolves - Ottawa, Ontario
Northwestern Bears - Seattle, Washington
Lakeside Hawks - Cleveland, Ohio
Hartford Robins - Hartford, Connecticut

Federal Hockey League:
Chicago Blues - Chicago, Illinois
St. Louis Cardinals - St. Louis, Missouri
New York Centrals - Manhattan, New York
Vancouver Giants - Vancouver, British Columbia
Quebec City Lions - Quebec City, Quebec
Toronto Greenshirts - Toronto, Ontario



Championship Trophy - St. Lawrence Trophy
Dominion League Champion - Prince of Wales Trophy
Federal League Champion - Union Shield
MVP - Linus Nilsson Memorial Trophy
Playoff MVP - Harris Memorial Trophy
Goalie of the Year - Matthew Spafford Cup
Defenceman of the Year - Quinn MacMurray Award
Rookie of the Year - Jackson Memorial Trophy
GM of the Year - Joseph Duclos Award
Best Defensive Forward Award - Redmond Award
Goal Scorer Award - Kearley Trophy
Points Award - Paul Nash Memorial Trophy
Plus-Minus Award - Players Association Award
Save Percentage Award - Valentin Simon Memorial Trophy
Goals Against Award - Thomas Brothers Award

Coming up next: season predictions and team overviews.

[monochameleon]

SEASON PREVIEW: DOMINION HOCKEY LEAGUE

From left to right: Lakeside Hawks, Northewestern Bears, Ottawa Wolves, Montreal Champions, Calgary Tigers, Hartford Robins

Founded in 1901, the Dominion Hockey League is the oldest surviving hockey league in North America since the collapse of the NHA in 1921. Founded as a Canadian league by four teams - the present day Wolves and Champions, the Toronto Greenshirts (who defected to the FHL) and a now-defunct Quebec City team - the league arrived in the USA through both expansion (Hartford and Seattle) and relocation (the Hamilton Hawks moved to Cleveland and became the Lakeside Hawks).

The Calgary Tigers, having set various records for continual playoff and finals appearances throughout the 1940s and 1950s, have finally finished rebuilding and are ready to challenge for cup again. Anchored by captain Scott White (LW, 30) and defender Jan Skvarka (RD, 24), the Tigers have great depth - except in their goaltending. Poor recruitment in net is likely to see Andre Monette (G, 28) as their starter and it would be easy to question if he is up for this kind of challenge. Jim Robertson (G, 33) is the other option but is hardly any better. A trade for superior netminding ability would not go astray, but if they can overcome this weakness the Tigers have the depth to challenge for the playoffs. Expect them to finish third in the Dominion League.

The Hartford Robins have gone for a quantity of good players rather than a handful of stars. Players as varied as veteran Dylan Anderson (LD, 38) and rising star Richard Curtis (C, 24) will share the workload. A rapidly aging team - other big names include Aleksandr Mitryakov (RW, 40) and Rocky Neal (LW, 38) - the Robins are rapidly running out of chances to take a run at the cup. If all their players can click together into a unit, they will overcome their lack of star power and finish fourth. If not, it will be some years before they are ready to challenge again.

There has been no joy in Cleveland for the Lakeside Hawks in recent years, and time is beginning to run out for local hero Len Warren (RD, 34). Still an all-star pick on anyone's team, Warren is nevertheless creeping toward retirement and if he is ever to etch his name into history as a member of a winning team, it will have to be soon. The Hawks as a squad are at a prime age - no-one is older than Warren, but Brock Flynn (RD, 25) is the youngest, meaning there are few still waiting to maximise on their potential - and have the depth and will to go all the way. Should finish second in the league.

With Charles Bice (G, 26) in net, the Montreal Champions seem like they should be a title threat - but Bice can't do it all on his own. The most successful team in the history of the league (16 championships), they are led by Kris Wilson (C, 27) and are a team on a very rapid rise. Seemingly, it's only a matter of time until they fire up and take the title, but odds are that the stocks are just too young this year. When players like Jozef Horvath (RD, 25) and Mitchell Augustus (RW, 27) fulfill their potential, this team will win. Until then, fifth is the most likely finish for them.

Like their rivals in Hartford, the Seattle-based Northwestern Bears have opted for several good players rather than one or two exceptional ones. Playing deep with quality skaters like Andrew Dolson (RW, 32) and Antonio Desiderio (C, 28), and veteran goaltender Michal Pav (G, 36), the Bears have a solid unit and are hot favourites to run away with the Prince of Wales Trophy as Dominion League Champions.

The rising star of Derek Brison (RW, 19) - a superstar in the making - can't disguise the lack of depth suffered by the Ottawa Wolves. As with Calgary, it will be a lack of goaltending talent that will hurt them, as Randy Turner (G, 27) and Joe Lockhart (G, 29) look likely to be out of their depth. Valentin St. Martin (RW, 28) is a captain of the future, and - much like Montreal - the whole team seems to be looking to the years ahead rather than the year at hand. Clever drafting - especially of goaltenders - will see the Wolves challenge in coming seasons, but this year they are likely to settle for last in the Dominion League.

Coming up - the Federal League preview.

[monochameleon]

SEASON PREVIEW: FEDERAL HOCKEY LEAGUE


From left to right: Quebec City Lions, Vancouver Giants, Toronto Greenshirts, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Centrals, Chicago Blues

Founded in 1925, the Federal Hockey League was initially formed as a direct rival to the Dominion League. Planned as a four team US-only league, the teams involved included clubs in Baltimore, St. Louis, New York and Chicago, before the defection of clubs from Vancouver (the Pacific Hockey League) and Toronto (the Dominion Hockey League) resulted in the cross-border competition we see today. Expansion in the late 1950s saw teams added in Quebec City and Pittsburgh, though the teams from Pittsburgh and Baltimore have moved to the minor leagues due to financial struggles and to balance the league's new, twelve-team structure.

The Chicago Blues are likely to struggle for playoff hockey this year. Largely a young, developing team, the Blues are fortunate to have developing superstars such as the Dallas Lawrence (C, 25) and Martin Tomas (C, 28) and the goaltending services of Mike MacKenzie (G, 34), and it would not be surprising to see them challenge for the Union Shield within the next few years. Fans in the Windy City may have to settle for waiting, however.

With three consecutive Union Shields to their name, the New York Centrals are one shy of a dynasty. Their declining age and the loss of several key players may leave them short, however. Chris Bell (C, 28) and captain Max O'Furey (LW, 33) still have plenty of great hockey left in them, but the retirement of Nick Thomas has left the goaltending staff short, with Kurt Macintyre (G, 30) likely to take on the starters job. There is plenty of young, high potential talent - Jeremiah Kruger (G, 21) and Yakov Popov (LW, 21) are stars of the future - but the likelihood is that while the Centrals are still a playoff calibre team, they will struggle to overcome the better FHL and DHL teams. A top four finish, but likely no silverware this year in New York.

The newest team in the FHL stunned the league by making the final in just their second year in existence, but since then they have looked lost in the big leagues. Veteran Tyler Wade (LW, 36) will once again anchor a squad that lacks depth. Adam Todd (C, 23) will be asked to step up and lead the first line, while Quebec's first true homegrown superstar, Mavric Sigmundson (LD, 27) will step into the captaincy role. A team still finding its feet in the league, the Lions may finish last but good drafting will see them as a playoff calibre team sooner rather than later.

After years in the hockey wilderness, the St. Louis Cardinals finally look ready to take their run at the Union Shield. Brian Buckley (RD, 28) is an all-star, and Olivier St. Laurent (RD, 36) is providing all the motivation the Cards need. One of the best goaltenders going in Kyle Bourhis (G, 31) will step into the net for St. Louis, while scoring threats can be found all over the ice in Zach Shaw (RW, 23) and Billy Bartlett (LW, 30) to name but two. The Cardinals are the team to beat and should finish on top of the Federal Hockey League.

Since defecting from the Dominion Hockey League, the Toronto Greenshirts went overnight from being a struggling hockey club to a dominant one, winning four of the first five FHL championships. They have never really been out of contention ever since, and this year, once again, they look the goods. Martin Poznik (RW, 31) and Olle Asplund (LW, 34) will lead the scoring but it'll be the work of Louie Wickenheiser (G, 28) that will seperate them from the rest of the pack. A slightly weak defence may be a concern, but is unlikely to stop the Greenshirts from giving the league a good shake. Likely to finish third in the Fed.

The right mix of experience, youth and coaching will see the Vancouver Giants give the Cardinals a run for their money this year. Eric Ryan (RD, 31) and Adam MacVarish (LD, 29) will lead a brutal defence but multi-award winning goaltender Michael Zahringen (G, 34) can more than hold his own. Zachary Zafiris (C,32) will be asked to lead a very good - if realtively newly forged - forward setup, but the hope is that with players of the quality of Mario Lachapelle (RW, 34) and Kevin Thiessen (LW, 30) the brilliance should click and this team of stars can become a star team. Look for them to finish second in the Federal.

Predictions:
Champions: St. Louis Cardinals
Runners-up: Northwest Bears

Scoring: Mike Wolstenholm (OTT), Scott White (CGY)
Defender: Len Warren (LAK), Brian Buckley (STL)
Goaltender: Louie Wickenheiser (TOR), Michal Pav (NW)

Next time: the first week.

[monochameleon]

MAJOR LEAGUE HOCKEY NEWS

- Opening ceremonies in Chicago
- Trades to begin the season
- First scores of the year

Season opens in Chicago (20/9/66)
A capacity crowd of 21,100 packed into the International Amphitheatre last night as the Chicago Blues and Ottawa Wolves played out the first ever interleague game of ice hockey. All twelve team captains were in attendance and all posed with the St. Lawrence Trophy, the spoils for the team who wins the eight-team playoff tournament at the end of the season. Excitement was palpable and it is believed that record numbers of fans watched the continent-wide broadcast at home. In the end, the Wolves were able to hold off a fast-finishing home side and win in a close contest, 3-2.

Trades Around the League (24/9/66)
The season is barely underway and already played are moving around: a major deal saw the Chicago Blues receive Jared Knight (RD, 26) and Yoann Blanchette (C, 28) in exchange for sending the New York Centrals goaltender Jeremiah Kruger (21) and Steve Lucas (C, 25). The Blues made up for their fall in goaltending stocks by sending Dominic Bourdeau (RD, 29) to the Lakeside Hawks in exchange for Chris Methot (G, 29).

Weekly Scores

Tuesday 20th September 1966
Ottawa Wolves 3 - 2 Chicago Blues

Wednesday 21st September 1966
Vancouver Giants 5 - 2 Hartford Robins
Northwest Bears 5 - 1 Toronto Greenshirts
Calgary Tigers 0 - 2 Montreal Champions
St. Louis Cardinals 3 - 6 Ottawa Wolves

Thursday 22nd September 1966
Hartford Robins 3 - 1 St. Louis Cardinals
New York Centrals 4 - 1 Chicago Blues
Lakeside Hawks 3 - 1 Toronto Greenshirts
Quebec City Lions 2 - 4 Ottawa Wolves

Friday 23rd September 1966
Lakeside Hawks 3 - 5 Vancouver Giants
Northwest Bears 4 - 0 Montreal Champions

GAME OF THE WEEK:

Chicago Blues 1 - 5 New York Centrals
Central Park Rink, New York City

Major league hockey came to New York last night for the first time as the Blues and Centrals met in Central Park. Likely to be the last season for the Centrals in their current home, the New York team made sure their farewell party got off with a bang as they demolished the Blues for the second time in consecutive days. A 4-1 loss to the Centrals in Chicago had been bad enough, 5-1 in the return encounter for the Blues had to be agonising.

The Blues probably felt they had the edge early on as they scored at 3:37 in the first, with Jesse DiBrina finding Sam Larsson on a long pass across the ice that allowed Larsson to close and score against a New York defence that was just barely getting started. Jeremiah Kruger, in his first game of pro hockey and against the club who had held his rights until just this week, never saw the puck until it was in the back of the net.

It was to be his only mistake, however. Stopping all 22 further shots on goal, Kruger was fearless and unintimidated. He was assisted by the aggression and relentlessness of his teammates: the Blues found themselves outshot 35-23 and outhit 35-16 - but still outpenalised, 10 minutes to four.

Wayne Swift scored the equaliser with just fourteen seconds to go in the first period, and after that, the goals came steadily for the Centrals, with markers to O'Furey, Peyton McDonald, Dallas Holloway and Jon Breuer, with all of them but Holloway going 1-and-1 for the night. The Blues, perhaps demoralised from their losses earlier in the week to Ottawa and New York once already, had no answers and looked flat and baffled as the game wore on.

The Blues are 0-3 after three while the Centrals are 2-0, both against old rivals Chicago. It's far, far too early in the season to make much of this, of course, but warning signs always come early and the Blues will want to shake off this week, start again, and play a 77-game season - and hope that the playoff race doesn't come down to a matter of two points at the end.

Next week, we go to another traditional rivalry, this time in the Dominion League, where the Ottawa Wolves will take on the Lakeside Hawks in Ottawa.

[DanielR]

Very hyped for this, glad to see you back. Let's go Greenshirts!

[monochameleon]

[Thanks for coming back and reading more, DanielR! Always good to know that people are enjoying it.]

MAJOR LEAGUE HOCKEY NEWS

- Scores from around the league
- Game of the Week: Lakeside vs. Ottawa

Sunday 25th September 1966
Vancouver Giants 2 - 5 Toronto Greenshirts
Lakeside Hawks 1 - 4 Quebec City Lions

Monday 26th September 1966
Hartford Robins 4 - 2 Toronto Greenshirts

Tuesday 27th September 1966
Vancouver Giants 3 - 4 Ottawa Wolves
St. Louis Cardinals 1 - 4 Chicago Blues

Wednesday 28th September 1966
Calgary Tigers 8 - 3 Northwest Bears
New York Centrals 3 - 2 Ottawa Wolves
Chicago Blues 4 - 1 Quebec City Lions

Thursday 29th September 1966
Hartford Robins 2 - 4 Vancouver Giants
Quebec City Lions 2 - 7 Toronto Greenshirts
Montreal Champions 3 - 2 Lakeside Hawks
St. Louis Cardinals 2 - 6 Northwest Bears

Friday 30th September 1966
Calgary Tigers 3 - 3 New York Centrals
Quebec City Lions 0 - 7 Northwest Bears
Chicago Blues 3 - 2 Vancouver Giants

GAME OF THE WEEK

Lakeside Hawks 7 - 2 Ottawa Wolves
Royal Victoria Centre, Ottawa

After going 4-0 from their first four, the Wolves were unable to overcome the Centrals earlier this week and fared even worse against the Hawks. The men from Cleveland came to Ottawa on a mission, determined to overcome their lackluster efforts over the first two weeks of the season. And did they ever.

The blowout scoreline is miselading. The first two periods were tight and thrilling hockey, as the Wolves threw up an incredible defence in trying circumstances. Mike Wolstenholm of the Wolves gave up 11 penalty minutes over the first forty, responsible for three powerplays and a mutual fighting penalty. It says something for the Wolves that they didn't let in a single powerplay goal. Though Lakeside scored twice - once through Patrick MacNamara in the first, once through Oscar Langdale in the second - the dominance of the Hawks in possession and opportunity - they'd outshot the Wolves 19-9 after two periods - meant that the scoreline should have been greater.

In the third period, it's unclear whether it was a simple lack of determination or a feeling of exhaustion after working so hard for the first two periods, but the Wolves defence simply fell apart. Oscar Langdale put together goals for Brandon Hoyda and Jason Beesley before slotting a second in himself in a star-of-the-match worthy performance. Len Warren and Howard Elliot both finally capitalised on powerplay opportunities. At 10:35 in the third, the score was 7-0, and few would blame the Hawks for switching off a bit. While Matt Eastham and Derek Brison both scored in the dying minutes, the game was all but over after a brutal first eleven minutes of the third that saw the Wolves allow five goals and never look like threatening in return.

The Wolves are a better team that this - that is clear from their performance up until now. But the way in which they fell apart at the end, the indiscipline that saw them give up 10 powerplay opportunities, the lack of strength in goal that saw Turner remain in net even as he leaked goals like a sieve - these are things that will require fixing, and fast, if the Wolves are to capitalise on what had been such a good start to the year.

Next week on RKO Television Game of the Week, the Toronto Greenshirts head to Quebec to face the Lions.

[monochameleon]

[Boy, did I pick what turned out to be a crazy week to start doing this again. I will get more regular with the updates, promise. It's just been a bad week out here.]

MAJOR LEAGUE HOCKEY NEWS

- Injuries hit Blues, Centrals
- Scores around the league and game of the week

Injury news around the league
The New York Centrals will be without star center Chris Bell (C, 28) for up to four weeks as the result of a sprained ankle. Bell, who went down hard after a contest near the boards against the Chicago Blues, said simply, "It's no-one's fault. It's just one of those luckless moments that I was unfortunate enough to be on the wrong side of."
The Blues aren't without injury concerns themselves as veteran Denis Ovsyannikov (C, 34) is day-to-day with an elbow injury. Insistent that it's just a sprain and he'll be back in no time, Ovsyannikov is somewhat more optimistic than the team doctors, who fear he'll be missing for at least 21 days.

Results:

Sunday 2nd October 1966
Vancouver Giants 5 - 1 Lakeside Hawks
Chicago Blues 1 - 5 Ottawa Wolves
Calgary Tigers 2 - 5 St. Louis Cardinals
Northwest Bears 5 - 5 New York Centrals
Hartford Robins 1 - 4 Montreal Champions

Tuesday 4th October 1966
Vancouver Giants 0 - 4 Hartford Robins
Toronto Greenshirts 5 - 3 Lakeside Hawks
Quebec City Lions 3 - 2 New York Centrals

Wednesday 5th October 1966
Chicago Blues 3 - 3 Toronto Greenshirts
Montreal Champions 4 - 2 Hartford Robins
Northwest Bears 3 - 5 St. Louis Cardinals

Thursday 6th October 1966
New York Centrals 4 - 1 Vancouver Giants
Montreal Champions 1 - 2 Ottawa Wolves
Lakeside Hawks 0 - 3 Hartford Robins

Friday 7th October 1966
Calgary Tigers 1 - 2 St. Louis Cardinals
Northwest Bears 4 - 5 Vancouver Giants

GAME OF THE WEEK

Toronto Greenshirts 3 - 2 Quebec City Lions
Colissee Quebec, Quebec City

A dominant second period from Toronto - inspired by the brilliance of Olle Asplund and Hugh Samson in particular - saw the Lions left with too much work to do in the final frame to pull it back. Though they got within one at the end, there was never quite enough time and the Greenshirts ran out deserving winners.

Each team gave up three powerplays in the first period, but only Toronto capitalised, with Samson scoring the first marker of the night at 17:40 in the first, ably assisted by Olle Asplund. The whole first period had been tense and tight hockey, and the momentum had been hard to pick up until the moment the puck went on net. But then, suddenly, the men in green and white were everywhere, and they carried the momentum into the second period.

The Lions found themselves on the back foot all through the middle twenty. They were outshot, 16-10, they were outhit and they gave up two penalties - one of which Martin Poznik was able to score on, again set up by Olle Asplund. Samson also scored his second goal of the night - the only even handed goal for the Greenshirts - on a play once more set up by Asplund, who spent the whole evening underlining his value as not just a goal scorer, as it was so long thought, but rather as a playmaker.

In the third period, the Lions staged a comeback. They dominated possession, they skated hard, and they outshot the Greenshirts 11-7. But none of this helped them as it wasn't until 17 minutes in that Larry Casson finally put Quebec City on the board. Jamie Ocasio scored at 19:16 as well to put the Lions within one, but it was all too little, too late, and in the end the 3-2 scoreline will somewhat flatter the Lions who never really looked likely to win.

Next week on Game of the Week, we go to New England to see the Hartford Robins host the Calgary Tigers.

[monochameleon]

MAJOR LEAGUE HOCKEY NEWS

- Trades shake up league
- Robins name new head coach

Blockbuster trade shakes up Tigers
The Calgary Tigers and New York Centrals completed a major trade this week, with the Tigers sending Ken O'Keefe (LW, 34), Tommy Burst (RW, 25), Axel Hansson (RW, 28) and Greg Belle (LW, 30) to the Centrals in exchange for Centrals veteran Brendon Bishop (RW, 34). The Tigers are clearly betting a lot on Bishop being the missing piece to their championship puzzle, but only history will tell who got the better of this deal.

Cardinals and Giants complete trade
Veteran Mathieu Cey (LW, 38) will return to his hometown of Winnipeg to play for the Winnipeg Roughriders as his rights were dealt to the Vancouver Giants this week. In exchange, Dave Taylor (LW, 29) will head to the St. Louis Cardinals, by way of their minor league affiliate the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Results:

Sunday 9th October 1966
Toronto Greenshirts 2 - 4 Vancouver Giants
Montreal Champions 2 - 2 Ottawa Wolves
Hartford Robins 1 - 5 Calgary Tigers
Lakeside Hawks 0 - 2 St. Louis Cardinals
Chicago Blues 4 - 3 Quebec City Lions

Monday 10th October 1966
New York Centrals 6 - 4 Quebec City Lions

Tuesday 11th October 1966
Vancouver Giants 1 - 3 Calgary Tigers
Hartford Robins 2 - 3 Chicago Blues

Wednesday 12th October 1966
Ottawa Wolves 2 - 3 Quebec City Lions
Northwest Bears 6 - 0 Calgary Tigers
New York Centrals 3 - 3 Lakeside Hawks
Montreal Champions 0 - 4 St. Louis Cardinals

Thursday 13th October 1966
Toronto Greenshirts 4 - 3 Hartford Robins
Lakeside Hawks 1 - 3 Chicago Blues
Ottawa Wolves 1 - 2 St. Louis Cardinals
Montreal Champions 5 - 3 Vancouver Giants

Friday 14th October 1966
Northwest Bears 2 - 1 Quebec City Lions

GAME OF THE WEEK

Calgary Tigers 3 - 6 Hartford Robins
Hartford Civic Center, Hartford

Hockey purists, those calling for less rough play and fighting in the sport, would have been impressed with the encounter between the Tigers and Robins on Friday night in Hartford. The game - at least 50 minutes of it - was played flawlessly, seeing no penalties, no fisticuffs, just exceptional and graceful hockey as the two teams played out a completely evenly matched showdown. It was only when the scores were tied with ten minutes to go that frustration boiled over and any penalties were committed.

The game swung back and forth wildly. Stefan Curry opened the scoring for the Tigers, but by the end of the first period they were down 2-1 as Martin Dudak and Joe Mosley scored for Hartford. In the second period Mosley set up Patrick Holec for a goal but Taylor McEwan and Bruce Kinninmont both scored in the dying minutes of the period to tie the game going into the third.

For the first ten minutes of the third period, no-one scored and the game seemed balanced on a knife edge. It was then that Simon Andersson provoked Jan Skvaraka into a fight that Skvaraka should have been smart enough to stay out of. With Skvaraka - who had set up two of Calgary's three goals - off the ice for five minutes, the Robins cashed in and got first Rocky Neal and then Joe Mosley - having the game of his life - to the net. Claude McGranaghan scored with two minutes to go to turn what had been a tight and close encounter into something resembling a complete and utter blowout.

The Tigers, who continue their roadtrip in Chicago on Monday, will want to turn around their increasingly poor form of late - this loss comes on top of a 6-0 drubbing by the Northwest Bears. The Robins, meanwhile, have to back up their turn around win here by facing the rampaging Bears who sit atop the DHL and are scoring goals seemingly at will.

Next week we stop off in Chicago to see the resumption of one of hockey's great rivalries when the Blues meet the St. Louis Cardinals at the International Amphitheatre.