Pekka Rinne records his fourth career NHL shutout

Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne stopped all 17 shots he faced last night in a 2-0, much-needed shutout win in Toronto. This was already Pekka's fourth shutout this season, which is tied for fourth in the NHL. The Predators had been reeling of late, losing 6 of their previous 9 games. Rinne, a 26 year-old rookie, improved his record to 10-5 to go along with 2.17 GAA (tied for 4th) and a .921 save percentage (1oth). Nashville travels to Montreal for a Thursday night tilt with Rinne riding a personal three-game winning streak.


January 14, 2009

By John Glennon
THE TENNESSEAN

Hot hand: Goalie Pekka Rinne picked up his third straight win, and he's stopped 68 of 70 shots in those games. But Trotz was careful to say Tuesday morning that Rinne has not necessarily supplanted Dan Ellis as the team's top goalie.

Ellis had a strong outing Sunday in Chicago, stopping 30 of 32 shots, but the Predators lost 3-1.

"Danny played outstanding in Chicago but right now we're not giving him any run support, like some of the great baseball pitchers,'' Trotz said. "So (starting Rinne) is a little bit of karma and Pekka played outstanding game before that."

"Right now, we're trying to keep them both going into the all-star break. It doesn't matter if it's Pekka or Danny — there's no drop-off in either one the way they're playing right now.''

Ilya Kovalchuk makes his 3rd All-Star team

Though it has been a tough year (to say the least) for the Atlanta Thrashers, they got some good news today when they learned that Ilya Kovalchuk would represent them at the 2009 NHL All-Star Game to be played in Montreal on January 25. Ilya previously played in the 2004 All-Star Game as well as last year's game. Congratulations to PuckAgency client Ilya Kovalchuk! Kovy and the Thrashers face off against the New Jersey Devils tonight at the Prudential Center.

Thrashers’ Kovalchuk named to All-Star team

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Thursday, January 8, 2009

was named to the NHL All-Star team today. The Thrashers forward will compete for the Eastern Conference in the 2009 All-Star Weekend in Montreal on Jan. 24-25.

Kovalchuk has 40 points (14 goals, 26 assists) through the Thrashers’ first 41 games this season.

The 25-year-old left wing leads the Thrashers in points and assists. He is currently tied for 13th in the NHL in assists and 18th in points.

Kovalchuk is the Thrashers lone representative this year.

Alexei Morozov's two goals and an assist lead Kazan over MVD; Morozov takes over KHL scoring lead

Ak Bars Kazan center Alexei Morozov had a 3-point night in a 3-1 win over MVD tonight. Morozov now is in sole position of the points lead with 55 (25 G, 30 A). Morozov has one more point than Magnitogorsk's Jan Marek. A few weeks ago, Morozov lost a key member of his line when Sergei Zinoviev left Kazan and signed with Dynamo Moscow. Kazan will have four days off before they travel to Dynamo Moscow Tuesday night.

Ilya Kovalchuk voted top Russian athlete in 2008 (Press Release)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ILYA KOVALCHUK VOTED TOP RUSSIAN ATHLETE IN 2008

NEW YORK, NY (January 6, 2009) -- Ilya Kovalchuk was recently voted Russia’s top athlete for 2008 by viewers of “Sport” channel and the Russian sports website, www.sportbox.ru. The selection was made as part of a tournament format featuring Russian superstars including Alexander Ovechkin, Maria Sharapova, and biathlonist Svetlana Sleptsova.

In one of the most memorable games in the World Championships’ 100 year history, Kovalchuk scored both the game-tying and game-winning goals in Russia’s gold-medal victory game at the 2008 IIHF World Championships held in Quebec in May. Kovalchuk’s goal 2:42 into overtime led Russia to victory over Canada and Russia had captured its first gold medal at the World Championships in 15 years.

Kovalchuk was the first Russian hockey player to be drafted #1 overall in NHL history. “Kovy” is currently in his 7^th NHL season and is the Atlanta Thrashers’ franchise leader in goals, assists, points, power-play goals, game-winning goals and games played. In 2007-08, Kovalchuk set the franchise single-season record scoring 52 goals, already his second 50-goal season and fourth season of 40+ goals. He is a two-time NHL All-Star and has scored more goals than any other player in the NHL since he entered the league in the 2001-02 season. Kovalchuk was also named Atlanta Professional Athlete of the Year in 2008.

Kovalchuk began his professional career playing for HC Spartak Moscow in the Russian Super League. Kovy has represented Russia in the Olympics, World Championships and World Junior Championships.

“Ilya is extremely honored to be voted the top athlete in Russia. It was a great experience for him to win the World Championships in May and now to be honored in this fashion, is extra special. There are not too many awards that are held in higher regard in Russia,” said Jay Grossman, Kovalchuk’s agent.

# # #

For more information, please contact:

Jay Grossman
PuckAgency, LLC
Telephone: (914) 432-0050
Email: jmg@puckagency.com

Pekka Rinne goes for his 8th win of the season tonight

Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne will be in net tonight when the Predators take on the Colorado Avalanche and try to stop a four-game losing streak. If the season ended today, Nashville wouldn't make the playoffs and they will turn to Rinne tonight to stop the bleeding.

January 6, 2009, 3:29pm

Rinne to start against Colorado

By Jessica Bliss
THE TENNESSEAN

Pekka Rinne will be in goal against the Avalanche, making his fourth appearance in the last five games.

Predators Coach Barry Trotz said the choice to start Rinne over Dan Ellis was a "personal decision." Ellis had been dealing with a head cold that kept him out of the lineup recently, but he was recovered enough to start the team's most recent game against Calgary on Jan. 3.

Juha Metsola finishes the World Juniors off strong, stopping 25 shots in a 3-1 win over Germany

Finland completed its World Juniors play with a 3-1 win over Germany today. Juha Metsola had 25 saves, finishing a very strong tournament in which he won 3 of 4 decisions and posted a 1.47 goals against average to go along with a .939 save percentage. Niclas Lucenius, a 2007 Atlanta Thrashers draft pick, had a goal and two assists in 6 games and Antti Roppo finished with two goals and an assist in 6 games; Nestori Lahde also had two goals in 6 games.

Juha Metsola continues his strong play with 20 saves in a 7-1 win over Kazakhstan at the World Juniors

Goaltender Juha Metsola started his third consecutive game tonight over starting goaltender Harri Sateri and the results were again good ones for the Finnish team at the Word Juniors. Finland dominated Kazakhstan the entire evening, scoring 3 goals in the 1st period and never looked back. Metsola turned aside 20 of 21 shots he faced en route to a 7-1 victory. Finland was paced by a five-point by Teemu Hartikainen (2 G, 3 A).

Through three games, Metsola has only allowed 4 total goals and his only loss came in a 3-2 shootout on Wednesday nights against Slovakia; Metsola's goals against average is 1.62 to go along with a .931 save percentage. Finland will take on Germany tomorrow afternoon in its final game of the tournament. Meanwhile, Canada, who edged Russia tonight in an epic shootout, will battle Sweden, who took care of Slovakia today, in the Championship game tomorrow night.