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With Rubeo back from his trip, Kustron opens the show with a poorly-sung “Boys Are Back in Town” rendition before asking Rubes how many public urination citations he garnered in Spain — Rubes insists those days are behind him.
Taking advantage of the fact someone gave him a mic and a seat on the podcast, Kus proceeds to challenge President Donald Trump to throw on some hockey gear and show what he’s got, as President Putin is padding his stats over in Russia. Granted, President Putin had a strict protocol of how to play defense against him: DON’T.
And Rubeo expresses fear for the life of the person who left the carpet out while President Putin was skating…
Kittelberger not only tells the boys about his trip to Disney Land but also candidly announces “my boys can swim!” He and his wife Katie are expecting their first November 2019. Congrats Kyle and Katie!
ICYMI:
Oilers hired Ken Holland as GM and President of Hockey Operations. He has full autonomy and will report directly to CEO Bob Nicholson.
Seattle’s NHL franchise is turning to their fans for answers at their fan portal site, SeattleNHLfans.com. Not only are they requesting input on the team colors and name, but also the goal celebration sound, food options, and in-arena music.
The IIHF World Championships haven’t disappointed in Slovakia. After losing to Slovakia in the first game of the tournament, Team USA defeated Finland in overtime thanks to a goal off the stick of Red Wing’s forward Dylan Larkin.
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Although held scoreless in the game vs. Team USA, Finland’s Kaapo Kakko is co-leading (alongside Swedish forward Patric Hornqvist) the tournament in goals with 5 in 3 games, including the beauty below. Leaf’s forward, William Nylander leads the tournament with 8 points in 3 games played.
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Finally, the boys get to playoff talk, first briefly recapping the end of the second round.
Sharks’ captain, Joe Pavelski had a whale of a game in game 7 versus the Avalanche, scoring a goal and setting up another in the 3-2 win. But the boys believe the Avalanche fans have a lot to look forward to!
Despite Ben Bishop stopping 52 shots, the Stars fell to the Blues 2-1 in double overtime in game 7. Hometown boy, Patrick Maroon scored the series-clinching goal.
The Bruins eliminated the Blue Jackets in game 6 of their series with a 3-0 victory. Adding insult to injury, Charlie McAvoy delivered a controversial headshot on Josh Anderson that only resulted in a 2-minute penalty at the time, although a 1-game suspension was later added.
With Sergei Bobrovsky’s Columbus condo already listed for sale, what’s the future hold for the Blue Jackets?
The Carolina Hurricanes swept the New York Islanders, winning game four 5-2. Were the Islanders a fluke or can they build on this year’s success next season?
On to the Conference Finals…
At the time of recording, Boston leads Carolina 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Marcus Johanson has elevated his play while Brad Marchand continues to annoy his opponents. Fed up with Marchand’s antics, Hurricane’s captain, Justin Williams took a retaliatory penalty leading to a power play goal against. Williams later expressed his disappointment, “I’m old enough, I should know better.”
The Western Conference final hasn’t disappointed! At the time of recording the Sharks and Blues were tied at 1 game apiece. Timo Meier walked Bouwmeester for a filthy goal in game 1, where the Sharks won 6-3.
Not to be outdone, Blues defensemen Robert Bortuzzo scored a silky backhander, his first playoff goal, and what ended up being the game-winning goal in the Blues 4-2 victory.
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All before…
Social Media Shenanigans:
Schwartz’s favorite segment of the show where we discuss the noteworthy hockey craziness posted on social media channels last week [in case you aren’t already, make sure to follow us on Instagram].
Can anyone get the puck off Kaapo Kakko’s stick?
Richard Panick scored a nasty shootout goal! Do you think this shot/move will become more common?
Is Division 1 college hockey coming to Illinois?!
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Will the #fightingillini announce an NCAA Division 1 Program? 📸: @beautystatushky
Ex-NHL goalie, Corey Hirsch suggests a new rule for goaltenders:
Dougie Hamilton gets the ultimate revenge on Brock Nelson, patting him on the helmet in the handshake line:
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Dougie Hamilton patting Brock Nelson on the head after the sweep. Power move. 🧹
Weekly Picks:
A quick reminder to place your weekly picks for a chance to win a kickass playoff prize pack: an HPC XV3 hockey stick, Power Play hat, vintage tee, and accessory bag.
It only takes a minute to play and you can track your progress on the Weekly Picks leaderboard.
Don’t waste any more time, place your Weekly Picks now!
Top Shelf Trivia:
Kittelberger brought this week’s trivia with playoff stats in mind. Surprisingly enough, Kustron performed better than the rest naming the top-10 active playoff point producers in the NHL.
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.
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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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