NHL Arena Blog

Trip Notes: Went to visit Tim in Chicago. He took me to Cheli's Chili the night before the game. Chelios' mom weighted on us. We both got sick off something...we think the chicken tenders. Nice! He took me around the city and to a few bars. Hung out with a few of his friends at and after the game. Had a great time. I enjoyed visiting Tim in the windy city.


Arena Notes: Tim's uncle (Stan Mikita) gave him tickets on the club level. Great seats. Nice arena. Very few people in the stands. Last game of the season and the hawks were out of the playoff hunt...once again. Team posters were given out to everyone. Once again, didn't take pictures. Guess I'll have to go back and get some. ;) Every intermission contest had atleast 1 hot woman in it. Tim pointed that out to me. Nice. I believe it's the only stadium with an organ. The United Center was opened in 1994. It seats 20,500 hockey fans. Tommy Hawk is their mascot. Retired numbers are 1 - Glen Hall, 9 - Bobby Hull, 18 - Denis Savard, 21 - Stan Mikita, 35 - Tony Esposito, and 99 - Wayne Gretzky.


Game Notes: The Toronto Maple Leafs can put the regular season behind them.

The Maple Leafs clinched a playoff spot as Curtis Joseph stopped 27 shots for his sixth shutout of the season in a 1-0 blanking
of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Among the favorites to win the Eastern Conference at the beginning of the season, the Leafs endured a tumultuous campaign
but are headed for the postseason for the third straight year.

"We didn't plan on having it go down to the next to last game, but it did," Joseph said.

Toronto is seventh in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of eighth-place Carolina. The Leafs close the regular season on
Sunday at Ottawa, their possible first-round playoff opponent.

After making 16 saves in the first two periods, Joseph was especially sharp in the third when he turned away all 11 shots.

"The puck took a couple of funny bounces at times but I always was able to see the puck," Joseph said. "I have to give credit
to all the guys, they played great in front of me."

Steve Thomas, a former Blackhawk, accounted for the game's only offense when he scored 6:35 into the middle period.

"This was a huge, monumental win for us and I'm glad to be in the playoffs," Thomas said. "But it's too bad it took us so
long."

Chicago fell to 0-8-1-1 in its last 10 games.

"This was a playoff (style) game tonight and the way we played tonight was fine," Blackhawks interim coach Denis Savard said.
"We have one game left in Columbus and we'll try to finish it the right way."

With a playoff berth hanging in the balance, the Leafs came out uninspired and managed just five shots on Steve Passmore in the
first period. The Blackhawks were slightly better with eight shots.

Thomas accounted for the only scoring with his eighth goal of the season with 13:25 left in the second period.

Working behind the net, Jonas Hoglund fed Thomas in the right faceoff circle. While off balance, the veteran winger managed to
get off a wrist shot that beat Passmore.

"Yep, no doubt (I feel good), I've had a lot of chances this year, but the puck wasn't going in," Thomas said. "But Hoglund
made a great pass and I just hit the net."

Given that lead to work with, Joseph would not let it slip away. But his 32nd career shutout did not come without a test in the
third period.

With just over three minutes remaining, Joseph made one of his best stops of the contest when he turned away defenseman Chris
McAlpine's slap shot from the right point.

Joseph came up big again in the final minute, stopping Tony Amonte's slapper from the left circle.

"(Curtis) Joseph was the difference tonight. He's the best goalie in the league and it showed," Amonte said.

(*Game notes taken from espn.com*)