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Kustron welcomes spring weather, playoff hockey, and the end of his disappointing college lacrosse season. The rest of the podcast crew think his team’s woes are due to poor coaching, something the administration should consider over the offseason.
Schwartz reports more of the players he and Rubeo coach (through their first hockey business, Quest Hockey) are now listening to the pod. Matt also issues an apology for misspeaking during last week’s podcast as a couple online haters pointed out. Reminding us all it’s a lot easier to never make a mistake hiding behind a keyboard.
And “Munson” finally returned to action on Kittelberger’s other beer league squad, where he plays defense instead of tending the net. This game’s focus was on faceoff positioning as Mr. Munson struggled to grasp where to stand during offensive zone draws – we’ve all been there!
ICYMI:
The CWHL is folding but Toronto and Montreal will join the NWHL. And the NHL “committed” to financially supporting the league. But did they? Or is it just good PR?
Ryan Poehling’s NHL debut was one to remember. Not only did he face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs for Hockey Night in Canada, but he also scored a hat trick and the shootout winner. Should he retire now, on top?
By the end of November, the Buffalo Sabres tied a franchise record with their 10th straight win. By season’s end, the Sabres were 22 points out of a playoff spot and in 13th in the Eastern Conference standings. So it wasn’t a huge shock when Sabres GM Jason Botterill announced the firing of bench boss Phil Housley.
Given the talent pool in Florida, the Panthers expected more out of their season – ultimately finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference and 12 points out of a playoff spot – and decided to fire head coach Bob Boughner. As widely rumored and predicted by podcast co-host Kyle Kittelberger, the Panthers struck a deal with Joel Quenneville shortly thereafter.
Nikita Kucherov won the Art Ross. Ovechkin captured another Maurice Richard trophy. And Lehner and Greiss took home the Williams M. Jennings trophy.
With the first round of the NHL playoffs determined, the podcast crew make their predictions for each series, plus pick their conference finals and Stanley Cup champions. PSA: Please don’t place any bets on their bold predictions.
HPC co-founder and podcast co-host Matt Schwartz posted a great question on the HPC Instagram: If you could see any two NHL players fight, who would you pick?
Robin Lehner had himself one hell of a week, not only co-winning the Jennings trophy, but…
Coming through big time for 7-year-old Jack:
And he couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for the Islanders making the playoffs, dropping an f-bomb on a hot mic:
Another hockey dad makes a full of himself:
Lightning’s Louis Domingue continues his postgame celebration antics, this time playing security guard:
And Elias Pettersson has us all like wtf?! with this puck trick:
All before…
Weekly Picks:
With the playoffs upon us, Rubeo announces the new playoff column on the Weekly Picks leaderboard and prize pack. The HPC member with the most points at the end of the playoffs will win an HPC XV3 hockey stick, Power Play hat, vintage tee, and accessory bag, while weekly winners still take home an HPC gift card. And in addition to 9 questions predicting NHL action any given night, 62 bonus playoff points are up for grabs by correctly predicting each playoff series winner, the conference champions, and Stanley Cup champion.
Don’t waste any more time, place your Weekly Picks now!
Top Shelf Trivia:
With the end of the NHL regular season in mind, Kustron brought this week’s Top Shelf Trivia, having Kittelberger, Rubeo, and Schwartz guess obscure stat leaders.
Please follow and reach out to the Hockey Players Club via Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to submit your questions and comments to the HPC podcast crew.
Ever wonder, why are hockey sticks so expensive?! Check out our full explanation here.
Need help buying the right hockey stick for you? Check out The Ultimate Hockey Stick Buying Guide.
Want a light, top-of-the-line hockey stick without spending an arm and a leg?! Check out our XV3 hockey sticks.
Looking to improve your game and score more goals? Check out the video Schwartz and Rubeo made about improving your catch-and-release shooting:
And don’t forget to check out our:
Shooting in Your Stride To Score More Goals Like Phil Kessel [VIDEO]
VIDEO: 5 Drills to Improve Your Snapshot
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