As I write this, the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires are currently enjoying a nice winning streak. Dalen Kuchmey got his first OHL shutout Saturday night in a 6-0 victory over the visiting Owen Sound Attack. The win was the Spits’ fifth in a row, and the team is playing well. There are currently four Spits defensemen in the top 20 in OHL scoring - Eric Diodati, Slater Koekkoek, Nick Ebert and Trevor Murphy. Well done boys, keep it going!!

PHOTO CREDIT - Tim Cornett, Windsor Spitfires

Windsor - November 4, 2013 - As I write this, the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires are currently enjoying a nice winning streak. Dalen Kuchmey got his first OHL shutout Saturday night in a 6-0 victory over the visiting Owen Sound Attack. The win was the Spits’ fifth in a row, and the team is playing well. In addition to the excellent play by Spits forwards, their back end has contributed not only with great defensive plays, they have added greatly to the offense. There are currently four Spits defensemen in the top 20 in OHL scoring - Eric Diodati, Slater Koekkoek, Nick Ebert and Trevor Murphy. Well done boys, keep it going!!

Turning to the NHL, the most pleasant surprise so far this season (especially if you live in Denver) has got to be the incredible start of the Colorado Avalanche. As of Sunday, Patrick Roy’s club has a record of 12-1, and are getting Vezina worthy performances from their goalies Semyon Varlamov and J.S Giguere. Varlamov’s GAA is 1.78 and his save percentage is .944 in nine games, while Giguere’s record in four games is out of this world. Giggy’s GAA is a stingy .75 and his save percentage is .977. In four games he has posted two shutouts, and allowed only three goals on 133 shots! The question, of course, will be, can the Avs continue their hot play, or will Varlamov’s recent legal problems become a distraction?

Congratulations to Detroit Red Wings goaltender and OHL graduate Petr Mrazek on posting his first NHL shutout on Saturday night as the Wings cruised to a 5-0 victory over the struggling Edmonton Oilers.

The Philadelphia Flyers have started the season 4-9 and are better than only one team -the Buffalo Sabres. Friday night in the game at home against Washington, the Flyers were having their backsides handed to them by the Caps, when, for no apparent reason other than to shake his team up, Flyers goaltender Ray Emery skated the length of the ice to lay a beating on Caps goalie Braden Holtby. Clearly, Holtby didn’t want to have anything to do with Emery, but that didn’t stop the Flyers’ loose cannon from raining blow after blow on him. I really have tried to like Emery over the years, being an OHL graduate and all, but every time I try, he does something to make me shake my head and think again. Shame on Emery for doing it. And shame on Holtby’s teammates who just stood there and let it happen.

Turning to the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth, two of the best video clips of the week have to be the ones where Pascal Dupuis and Krys Barch pulled their own teeth in the middle of their respective games. Dupuis did it on the player’s bench, and Barch did it while sitting in the penalty box. The best part of the Barch incident was when he pretended to toss his tooth into the crowd. Good thing he was only pretending or the NHL might have put the bite on him.

PHOTO CREDIT - Tim Cornett, HometownHockey.ca

Don’t look now, (ok, you can look), but Toronto’s Phil Kessel is currently tied for fourth in NHL scoring. With 18 points, he is tied with St. Louis Blues forward Alexander Steen, a former Leaf.

Speaking of the Leafs; during Saturday’s 4-0 loss to the Canucks, forward Dave Bolland was injured in a play with Vancouver forward Zack Kassian. Despite wearing a Kevlar sock, Bolland was cut but Kassian’s skate and suffered a sliced tendon. At last report, Bolland will be lost for at least three months. I wish him a speedy recovery.

And, in closing, the next time I pick Sergei Gonchar in a fantasy pool, somebody please stop me. The former offensive threat has a whopping one point in thirteen games. Anybody want to trade for a bag of pucks?

Have a great Meatloaf Monday!!

TC out