So have you recovered from the first-round NHL Playoff excitement yet?! What a crazy opening round – with 3 Game 7′s, 17 overtime games (an NHL record) – and of course many a hero emerged to keep us on the edges of our seats.

The Bruins overcame huge odds to rally in Game 7 vs the Leafs. Photo Courtesy – boston.com

It will long be remembered how the Boston Bruins trailed the Leafs 4-1 halfway through the third period in Game 7, and rallied to force overtime – and ultimately get the win. San Jose fans will marvel at how their Sharks dominated, and swept the Vancouver Canucks to force a battle of California with defending champions LA. And, we all will look forward to more moments like this as we move on now to the ‘Elite Eight‘ starting May 14th.

Who will amaze and emerge as we move forward – buckle up and enjoy the ride – it only gets more intense from here! Here’s my second-round predictions:

Eastern Conference:

Senators to upset the Penguins in 7 games on the back of better goaltending, and the Bruins to ride their momentum after a crazy comeback against the Leafs, and get past the Rangers in 6 games.

Western Conference:

Blackhawks to grind down the Red Wings in 6 with their depth as Toews and Kane will get in on the act, and the Kings to eliminate the Sharks in 7 games as Jonathan Quick gets hot.

Kane, Hossa & Toews will be a handful for Detroit. Photo Courtesy – blackhawks.nhl.com

How did your first round predictions go folks? I was 7-for-8 with my team picks. My big hiccup was the Ducks losing – I had them advancing over Detroit. That’s what makes the Stanley Cup the hardest trophy to win in all of sport though – you just don’t know who will step up and lead their team into the history books.

Who do you have in the Conference Semi-Finals then? Do you agree with any of my picks above? Drop me a message here and let me know what your take on the second-round is. Enjoy the games wherever you’re watching – and if you’re in Europe enjoy the late nights!

Follow Murph on Twitter throughout the Stanley Cup journey @MurphOnIce

Two huge Game 7′s Monday in the NHL Playoffs! This is what makes the chase for the Stanley Cup so very good! The Leafs and Bruins played last night in hockey-mad Toronto where the Leafs were victorious 2-1, and now have less than 24 hours to decide their season in Boston!

The Rangers and Capitals are in the same boat. They play tonight in Washington after the Rangers triumphed 1-0 at home Sunday to force the decider. No rest, no recovery and nothing but pain standing in the way of the next round for four very battered and bruised teams.

Toronto at Boston:

The Leafs are 12-9 all-time in their history in Game 7 situations, the Bruins are 12-11. The Bruins look like a deflated, and tired team. This is not the ‘Big, Bad Bruins’ – they aren’t even the mildly intimidating Bruins at this point. Boston Head Coach Claude Julien called his side a ‘Jekyll and Hyde Team’ this year – and he is praying that the ‘good’ Bruins show tonight. The Leafs are riding the James Reimer wave at the moment (2.58 GAA, .932 SV%), and the enigmatic Phil Kessel (3G, 1A) has caught fire in the past two games. Who wins this one? If the B’s are to scrape by they need their trio of Marchand-Bergeron-Seguin to finally awake from their funk (combined 1G, 2A), and chip in on the score-sheet. Tuukka Rask has done all that a goalie can do (2.28 GAA, .932 SV%), now his team needs to give him some help in the form of a few timely goals. Toronto have no pressure, nothing to lose in fact. Most people picked the Bruins to steam-roll Toronto. But, the Leafs have shown why the playoffs are the great equaliser! Good goaltending, scoring punch, and a flat out, nothing to lose attitude can force a Game 7.

Prediction: The Bruins will right the ship – but it won’t be easy. Bergeron will have a big game for Boston – and they will advance – barely!

NY Rangers at Washington:

The Rangers are 5-5 all-time in Game 7′s, the Capitals are a very poor 3-8. Washington have been better overall in this series – but I can guarantee that Ranger Coach John Tortorella is pretty happy about a one-game showdown for his side, with ‘King’ Henrik Lundqvist between the NY pipes (1.91 GAA, .937 SV%, 1 S/O). A goalie can win a series, and Lundqvist is among the best in the game. The Capitals have home-ice advantage, and were really starting to heat up at the end of game 6 at MSG. Alex Ovechkin has to get back on track (0 points in past 4 games), and Washington needs to capitalise on any power-play chances they get. The Rangers need Brad Richards or Rick Nash to finally show up in this series – as they have both been mere ghosts (combined 1G, 1A).

Prediction: The Rangers will ride the special abilities of Lundqvist in a tight game. Nash will finally get on the scoreboard, and the Rangers will stay out of the box to squeak this one out.

The home team is 29-16 overall so far in the opening round of these 2013 playoffs – so tonight will get interesting! Enjoy these Game 7′s wherever you’re watching. I’ll have another late night here in Europe – but at this time of year it’s more than worth it! Here’s a fantastic CBC Hockey Night in Canada intro to get you pumped for tonight:

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There’s no doubt about the level of class and generosity in the global hockey community. Here in the UK, there’s a wonderful charity weekend that takes place every summer. An event that has grown tremendously over the past few years, and helps multiple charities. Murph caught up with Geraint Walters to discuss the UK Forum All-Stars weekend – enjoy their 1-on-1 chat here:

Murph On Ice – The UK Forum All-Stars started out in 2008 as a much smaller charity hockey weekend. Tell us a little bit about those humble beginnings, who was involved in the start-up, all the way to the fantastic event it has grown to now.

Geraint Walters – The event started back in 2008 with David Grant and Gareth Hubback arranging a weekend to get people who play hockey, either semi-pro or basic rec level, together on the same ice to raise money for charity. That year we only supported the one charity, and that was Dreams Come True, with the help of their contact, Shoina Lloyd. That year in Sheffield we had 37 players take part, however the feedback from everyone was positive, and that spread around the hockey community as each year the event has grown and grown as people have enjoyed the weekend. An example of this is that, the second time it was back in Sheffield in 2011, there was just shy of 90 players taking part. This year there will be over 100 players and each year people come back because of a simple idea, that it’s a weekend of fun and friendships made over the sport that we all love.

MOI – Tell hockey folks where and when this year’s event happens, and how they can get involved. Also, tell us about how successful the endeavour has been to date with fundraising, and which charities are being supported?

The UK Forum All-Stars weekend is a great charity event. Photo Courtesy – Geraint Walters.

GW – The All-Stars tournament is taking place at Ice Sheffield over the weekend of the 26th-28th July. The weekend starts off with the race night and auction taking place at the Royal Standard pub from 7pm on the 26th and the round robin games and finals take place over the 27th-28th between 2pm-7pm. Registration is closed for this year if people were looking to get on the ice and play, but we always get a late cancellation, so keep an eye out for any tweets from us regarding this as it’s happened before. Everyone is welcome to join us at the weekend to watch some hockey, buy some raffle tickets and the main thing we’re hoping for – to raise as much money for the charities as we can.

The weekend itself has just grown and grown really, fundraising totals keep rising and there’s always a new challenge to take on which the people involved are willing to do.

This year, we’re supporting National charities Breast Cancer Care, Help For Heroes, Prostate Cancer UK, Dreams Come True and local charities Sheffield Children Hospital and St Luke’s Hospice.

MOI – What type of abilities are on display on the ice? And are there any memorable appearances or performances that stick out for you since 2008?

GW – Ability wise, we have players who’ve little experience up to semi pro level, so it’s varied, but the teams are evenly matched out for the weekend, and every player buys into the spirit of the weekend, as shown by the number of people taking part year in year out.

MOI – It’s not just about the on-ice fun though, what can people expect from the weekend as a whole social gathering?

Check out the UK Forum All-Stars weekend 26th-28th July. Photo Courtesy – Imagineer

GW – So the weekend itself is mainly about the hockey, but we try and get fans involved with the All-Stars as much as we can. This year, we’re hosting a race night and auction on the Friday night at the Royal Standard Pub from 7pm. The Saturday, after the games, Walkabout in Sheffield City Centre have agreed for us to have the upstairs area, so everyone is welcome and then Sunday after the final, we’re heading to the Noose and Gibbet for a few farewell drinks before heading into the City Centre to raise a toast, and finish off the weekend with a big celebration.

MOI – As successful as the UK Forum All-Stars has become, do you see it growing even more? Where do you see the event going in the next few years?

GW – Well, when the All-Stars begun in 2008, I don’t think those involved had realised what they’d created really. Who can tell the story of, I played hockey, enjoyed a few beers with mates and the best moment of all, I raised lots of money for a charity, and 5 years down the line and look back and think, WOW – this is unreal. To go from one game and a skills competition, to 100+ registered players and 6 charities benefiting from the weekend, it’s been amazing. To see more and more people want to get involved, more hockey fans joining us for the weekend and the support via social media, it’s humbling to see people really appreciate what we do.

We’re trying to get feedback every year so we can take this as a positive and change things if need to and expand the weekend if possible. The aim for a few years time is to move into the bigger arenas if we can. More professional teams are getting involved, so our reach is even wider than before so hopefully, we can get a few thousand at the weekends watching, and raising lots of money for the charities.

MOI - Good luck with it, and thanks for taking the time to get me involved here on the website, I’ll be on the ice for it next year!

GW – Thanks Murph, you’d be welcome on the ice! For more information for your readers, head to UK Forum All-Stars Website or follow us on our Twitter account.

You can also follow Murph on Twitter @MurphOnIce

If this CBC Hockey Night in Canada opening montage doesn’t get you going, then nothing will. This is something I miss so much about watching the game in Canada. There’s such a passion and history, and at this time of year nobody does it better than HNIC.

The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are off and running. The clips in that montage are moments in time, moments in hockey history.

Bobby Orr is a huge part of Stanley Cup legend. Photo Courtesy – hockeygods.com

Enjoy the 2013 run, you’ll be seeing some special players and teams that will forever be captured in the folklore of playoff magic and immortality!

Who could ever forget Bobby Orr flying through the air after his historic goal to win the Stanley Cup against the Blues? The Islander dynasty years, Gretzky and his incredible Oilers, and what about Super Mario and his high-flying Penguins? What will be the outstanding moment in the 2013 Stanley Cup race? Hold on and take it all in, every second of every game could be that moment – all we have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride!

What’s your favourite personal moment of the playoffs? Leave a comment here with your all-time greatest memories, and we’ll post a few in the coming weeks!

Follow Murph on Twitter throughout the Stanley Cup journey @MurphOnIce

OK, do up the chin strap, sharpen the blades and torch a few sticks – the NHL Playoffs are here!

Can the Kings defend their title? Photo Courtesy – dailynews.com

For us here in Europe, it means the beginning of a few months of very late nights! Most games start at midnight, and there are many tired eyes come sunrise. But, it’s all worth it. It’s the most incredible playoffs in all of sport, and the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win at any level. Who will get out of the first round? Here’s my predictions:

Eastern Conference:

Penguins over the Islanders in 5 games, Senators to upset the Canadiens in 7, Rangers over Capitals in 6 and the Bruins over the Leafs also in 6 games.

Western Conference:

Blackhawks over the Wild in 6 games, Ducks over the Red Wings in 6, Sharks to upset the Canucks in 7 and the Kings over the Blues also in 7 games.

Every player dreams of a Stanley Cup Ring! Photo Courtesy – NHL.com

Can the Kings defend their title? Can a Canadian team break the long drought dating back to 1993 (Montreal won the Cup that year)? These and many more questions will be answered in front of our very eyes, on the biggest of sporting stages. Guys will play with broken bones and injuries we cannot even imagine, third liners will become heroes, and stars will become goats! It’s the most magical time of the hockey year.

So, who are you picking? Post a comment on whether you agree or disagree with my first round picks, and tell us who you think will survive and move on. Enjoy the start of the playoffs folks, and make sure you have loads of coffee – it’s going to be a fun ride!

Follow Murph on Twitter throughout the Stanley Cup journey @MurphOnIce

Just in case you weren’t excited about the NHL Playoffs, or maybe you hadn’t had that moment yet – the moment when the hair on the back of your neck stands up – here’s some video content to get you there!!

Wherever you are watching, whoever you are cheering for, the battle for the Stanley Cup is the best in all of sports! Enjoy it, and savour it – the lockout and all the negativity is behind us. It’s time for the playoffs…

And here’s a recap of the first-ever eighth seed winning it all last year, proving dreams come true in life, and anything is possible in the best game on earth!

Follow Murph on Twitter throughout the Stanley Cup journey @MurphOnIce

So after a great few days of hockey here in the UK last weekend, we now turn our focus on Team GB and the World Championships in Budapest. But first…

The Nottingham Panthers finished off an EIHL treble at the NIC last weekend, with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win against Belfast. There was plenty of drama in that one folks. The Giants had trailed 2-0 after 40 minutes, rallied in the third to knot the game at 2-2, and eventually succumbed to the Panthers 3-2 in OT, as penalty trouble finally caught up with them.

24 hours later, Belfast Head Coach Doug Christiansen was surprising everyone, being announced as the Sheffield Steelers new bench boss. We also saw Blaze legend Paul Thompson behind the bench for the last time for Coventry, as now, he moves on to Sweden to tackle a new coaching challenge. Plenty of story-lines, plenty of surprises, twists and turns!

Now, more drama awaits UK hockey fans! Team GB will look for a medal, and promotion, as they battle Hungary, Kazakhstan, Italy, Japan and Korea at Budapest Sports Arena from April 14-20th. Head Coach Tony Hand has named a strong squad, and welcomes back star goalie Stephen Murphy. Murphy had missed out on the final Olympic Qualifiers in Riga with an injury.

I’ll be in Hungary to call all five games live on Premier Sports. Don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel for all the behind-the-scenes Team GB interviews. To get you excited, here’s a few of my favourite player and coach chats from Arena Riga in February!

Murph wraps up the Olympic Qualifiers with Team GB Coach Tony Hand:

Murph goes 1-on-1 with Team GB forward Rob Dowd:

You can follow Murph on Twitter @MurphOnIce

Well it’s that time of the year again! The EIHL Playoff Final Weekend is upon us. As a Canadian, I love playoff hockey, and the atmosphere around it more than any other sporting event. I respect that the League Title is huge in the EIHL, but for me the Playoff Weekend is the ultimate excitement in UK hockey. Last year was my first go-around at the NIC in Nottingham – and I really enjoyed my experience.

The tension, and fans, made it a special event in my time covering the game. The Panthers beat Hull handily in the semi-finals, while Gerad Adams and the Devils upset the heavily favoured Giants to reach the final.

The Panthers in front of a huge home crowd, then went on to win a close game 2-0 over Cardiff in the Grand Final. It was a great weekend of hockey, and the best team raised the hardware.

This weekend the Panthers will try and defend their playoff crown, while looking to complete the EIHL treble. Nottingham are the League Champions, and the Challenge Cup winners, so they know how to win.

Will the pressure prove too great on Corey Neilson’s side? Can the Belfast Giants grab the last trophy of the season? Or will Paul Thompson leave the Blaze on a winning note? It’s all to play for, and never count the Cardiff Devils out!

To get you excited for the weekend, here’s one of my favourite interviews from last year – Craig Kowalski took some time to chat with me right after leading the Cats to victory:

Enjoy the Playoff Weekend whoever you’re cheering for! And, I hope to see plenty of you around the NIC over the next few days. As always, feel free to post any comments and predictions in the mailbag!

You can follow Murph on Twitter @MurphOnIce

I came across this neat video from the good old days of hockey in the Republic of Ireland. The Dundalk Bulls and Dublin Rams from February 2009. I played and wore #11 for the Rams and this was a tough game if memory serves! At about the 2:48 mark you can see what I looked like after a good fight in that tilt! It’s a shame, but there is no league hockey in the ROI anymore. Greed and incompetence ran the top flight IIHL into the ground. The league was on the verge of some good things, and the competitive clubs were helping to get the Irish National side, and Irish players the ice-time and games needed to be successful. I’ve always hoped to get back to Ireland and see the league revived – maybe someday – with better leadership and proper plans this could be a reality. Irish sports fans appreciate good physical sport – and I have fond memories of playing in Dundalk and Dondonald in front of some passionate supporters.

You can follow Murph on Twitter @MurphOnIce

The Nottingham Panthers are more than deserving of their first EIHL Title of the modern era. This is a team that is well coached, has top-notch goaltending in Craig Kowalski (2.06 GAA, .919 Sv%), has the top scorer in David Ling (33 goals, 57 assists, 90 points), and year after year seems built to challenge for all trophies on offer.

Craig Kowalski has been great in the Panthers crease. Photo courtesy – www.eliteleague.co.uk

Their 5-3 win in Belfast to clinch the league title last Friday, made the endeavour all the sweeter for the Panthers and their fans that made the journey to the Odyssey. The Giants were the defending champions, and we all know of the rivalry between the two clubs.

The Panthers now have a chance to do something almost unthinkable – they are still in the hunt for the triple crown! With the EIHL banner already in hand, they are also a game up on the Sheffield Steelers in the Challenge Cup, and of course are defending playoff champions too. The Panthers will be more than ready for the ‘Playoff Weekend‘ in their familiar surroundings at the NIC. If this team can hold on to claim the Challenge Cup over Sheffield, and defend their playoff title in Nottingham April 6-7th – then we are witnessing something that is seriously special. Hold on EIHL fans – the next few weeks in British hockey are about to get all the more interesting.

If the Cats can complete the treble, they will join the 2004-2005 Coventry Blaze as the only other team to accomplish the monumental feat in the EIHL era.

I’ll be in Nottingham for the playoffs and look forward to a busy few days at the rink – and some possible history being made. I hope to see plenty of you there! Can the Panthers do it folks? Time will tell – sit back and enjoy the ride!

You can follow Murph on Twitter @MurphOnIce