Hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke say their goodbyes with the final episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show! But before then, there’s hockey news to talk about, as the Minnesota Wild traded Kevin Fiala to the Los Angeles Kings. Fiala’s addition to the Kings bolsters an up-and-coming team, but his departure from the Wild will leave a huge hole. Next, Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche are Stanley Cup champions, but the star has a bit of a diva problem. MacKinnon’s bullying of his teamma...
Jul 01, 2022•58 min•Ep. 128
After defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games, the Colorado Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup! It's been a long time coming for a team that's been a favourite over the last few years, but the Avalanche finally got over the hump, with Cale Makar winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. For the Lightning, it's their third straight year in the final, with 46 playoff wins in that stretch, just two shy of the first threepeat since the New York Islanders of the early 1980's. What is their legacy going ...
Jun 28, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 127
Mary is away on vacation so Laura Saba from Locked on Canadiens joins the show to break down this week's events. Nazem Kadri's overtime thriller in his first game back has put the Tampa Bay Lightning one game away from elimination, and the Colorado Avalanche one win away from their first Stanley Cup since 2001. Can the Lightning extend this series? The NHL Awards have been given out, and with them comes mild controversy over bad votes, media blocks voting certain ways, and just bad awards. Is th...
Jun 24, 2022•58 min•Ep. 126
Game One of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final delivered on every bit of promise we all hoped it would. A dominant performance by the Colorado Avalanche still wasn't enough to keep the reigning champion Tampa Bay Lightning on the ground, as the game needed to be decided in overtime. Who wins the series? Kinda feels like we all do. Bruce Cassidy has been snapped up just over a week after the Boston Bruins fired him, he'll step onto the bench for the Vegas Golden Knights, looking to replicate the effect h...
Jun 17, 2022•56 min•Ep. 125
The inevitable has happened, as the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the New York Rangers in a gentleman's sweep of sorts, winning four straight after dropping the first two games. The Lightning are on to their third-straight Stanley Cup Final, how did they do it? Facing off against the Colorado Avalanche, can the Lightning prevail and win a third straight cup? Who are the x-factors on each team? Can the Avalanche overcome the goaltending deficit they face? Where do the Lightning sit on the all-ti...
Jun 14, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 124
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke discuss the Boston Bruins shocking move of firing head coach Bruce Cassidy. Why make this move now, if you’re the Bruins, and will it pay off with a team that could have run it back with some changes next year? Next, the Edmonton Oilers were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final. While the series was overall disappointing, the games themselves were fun thanks to the high-profile talent o...
Jun 10, 2022•52 min•Ep. 123
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, the Conference Finals continue as a new week begins. The Tampa Bay Lightning stormed back in Game 3 against the New York Rangers to make the Eastern Conference Final a series once more, with goaltenders Igor Shesterkin and Andrei Vasilevskiy taking center stage. Hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke next discuss the Western Conference Final, with the Colorado Avalanche holding a 3-0 series lead over the Edmonton Oilers headed into Tuesday. Former NHL...
Jun 07, 2022•56 min•Ep. 122
The Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers left no nets unfilled in the first game, is this series going to be iconic? Should Cale Makar's goal have counted? Can the Avalanche win without Kuemper? The New York Rangers came out of the game and blew up Andrei Vasilevskiy, are they for real? Are the Tampa Bay Lightning in trouble? The NHL Draft Combine always has some interesting questions, but the big one this year was what animal would best describe you as a hockey player? What's the best one, an...
Jun 03, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 121
Mary Clarke and Andrew Berkshire have to start the show on a low note with Hockey Canada's scandal over the sexual assault of a young woman several years ago coming to light, and we implore you to please read Rick Westhead's coverage, with a content warning that it's quite graphic. The Western Conference final will be Connor McDavid vs Nathan MacKinnon in maybe the fastest series we've seen yet. The Edmonton Oilers are the underdog against the Colorado Avalanche, but should they be? The Eastern ...
May 31, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 120
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, Nathan McKinnon had the goal of the playoffs, only for the Colorado Avalanche to lose to the St. Louis Blues in overtime. Will this be a missed opportunity for the Avalanche as the series swings back to St. Louis? Hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke also discuss the two other playoff series remaining, the first between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. Connor McDavid is finally being unleashed and Jacob Markstrom hasn’t been able to match it ...
May 27, 2022•56 min•Ep. 119
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, the first series of the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs has completed. The Florida Panthers were swept out of the second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning as their lethal offense came to a complete standstill. Hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke then discuss the horrific racist acts against Nazem Kadri, who showed up his haters by scoring a hat trick in Game 4 for the Colorado Avalanche. Meanwhile, Jordan Binnington, the St. Louis Blue...
May 24, 2022•55 min•Ep. 118
Everyone was hyped up for the first Battle of Alberta series in over 30 years, but no one could have predicted a game as wild as the one we got to open it. What does game one between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames tell us about the series, and how many rounds can Brady Tkachuk cheer this hard for Matthew Tkachuk? Checking in on the other series in the second round, are the Florida Panthers broken? Can Tampa Bay actually win a third straight Stanley Cup? Are the St. Louis Blues and New Yo...
May 20, 2022•54 min•Ep. 117
The Toronto Maple Leafs did it again. Not only did they lose, but they are now the first team in North American sports history to lose it all in the first round of a do or die game five years straight. Sheldon Keefe is 0-6 with a chance to win a series, and Leafs fans are very sad. Do the Leafs run it back or do they make changes this summer? Mary Clarke and Andrew Berkshire debate what the best approach is, and whether or not this team is straight up cursed. After the full post mortem on the Le...
May 16, 2022•57 min•Ep. 116
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, the final days of the first round are upon us. Hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke dissect the awesome first round matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning, with two heavyweights with two incredible narratives duking it out. Next, the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers have punched back in their series, but the biggest news out of the Eastern Conference is Sidney Crosby’s injury. Will the Pittsburgh Penguins have what it t...
May 13, 2022•47 min•Ep. 115
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke discuss the interesting developments in the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Calgary Flames are all faltering as the favorites in their first round series. Will the offensive firepower of the Panthers and Flames wake up? And will Igor Shesterkin be able to steal games in net like he used to? Next, the New York Islanders surprisingly fired head coach Barry T...
May 10, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 114
After a dominant game one, the Maple Leafs were handed a lesson by the reigning Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in game two. Can the Leafs still win this series now that the champs are here? Speaking of championship pedigree, the Avalanche don't have it yet, but they sent a statement in game one that they're ready to be champs by chasing David Rittich before the end of the first period. Can the Preds win a game? For our middle segment, we talk about the news that Mike Ribeiro has been c...
May 06, 2022•54 min•Ep. 113
It's the Cross-Check NHL Show's big 2022 NHL Playoff Preview show! Mary Clarke and Andrew Berkshire break down every series in the first round of the playoffs starting with the Western Conference. The Colorado Avalanche vs the Nashville Predators, the Minnesota Wild vs the St. Louis Blues, the Calgary Flames vs the Dallas Stars, and the Edmonton Oilers vs the Los Angeles Kings. Then the hosts go in on the Eastern Conference, breaking down the Florida Panthers vs the Washington Capitals, the Toro...
May 02, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 112
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, the 2022 Stanley Cup playoff field is set as the Dallas Stars are the 16th and final team to qualify, leaving the Vegas Golden Knights out. Hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke discuss the wild final few days of the season plus the reason why the Golden Knights are Public Enemy No. 1 in the NHL. Next, Andrew and Mary talk about who they’d give the major NHL awards to now that the season is all but finished. Auston Matthews feels like a shoe in for t...
Apr 29, 2022•54 min•Ep. 111
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke discuss the fading playoff hopes of the Vegas Golden Knights. The Los Angeles Kings have done their job, winning four straight and nearly clinching a postseason spot while the Golden Knights stumbled in a 5-4 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks. Next, the Buffalo Sabres have been playing better these last few months. Even with the team well out of a playoff spot, they’ve had some feel-good stories recently, from...
Apr 26, 2022•46 min•Ep. 110
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, Jonathan Huberdeau has added his name to a crowded field of Hart Trophy hopefuls. Hosts Mary Clarke and Andrew Berkshire discuss where Huberdeau stacks up among this tough Hart Trophy field of Auston Matthews, Igor Shesterkin, Johnny Gaudreau, Connor McDavid, and others. Next, the Toronto Maple Leafs have enacted an odd policy of posting the names and pictures of their game’s referees on the bench. Will this decision help them gain the trust and respe...
Apr 22, 2022•47 min•Ep. 109
After a week of vacation, Mary Clarke finally returns to the Cross-Check NHL Show, and she's excited to talk goalies with Andrew Berkshire. First off, Carey Price has finally returned to the Montreal Canadiens after missing 74 games while recovering from knee surgery and going through the NHL's player assistance program, and he was serenaded with cheers every time he made a save in a 3-0 loss at home in the Bell Centre. What does his future hold, and will it be with the Habs, or elsewhere? With ...
Apr 19, 2022•59 min•Ep. 108
Today on the Cross-Check NHL Show, Laura Saba from Locked on Canadiens is back to fill in for Mary Clarke, and we're starting off by talking about a huge article in The Athletic about Eugene Melnyk's time as the owner of the Ottawa Senators. From a shining white knight of hope, to the number one enemy of the fanbase, Melnyk's legacy is complicated with great, terrible, and confusing moments. How good is Cole Caufield? Andrew Berkshire and Laura attempt to break that down, looking backwards throu...
Apr 15, 2022•53 min•Ep. 107
Mary Clarke is away on vacation, so Locked on Canadiens' cohost Laura Saba joins the show to help Andrew Berkshire break down the NHL's events over the weekend. Auston Matthews hit 51 goals in 50 games, so you would assume that would be dominating the conversation when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but you'd be wrong, because the Maple Leafs kicked a young Canadiens fan out of the game it happened in because Nick Suzuki gave the kid a stick during warmup. After the Leafs embarrassed thems...
Apr 12, 2022•48 min•Ep. 106
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke discuss Brendan Gallagher of the Montreal Canadiens calling out Tim Stutzle for diving after a recent Ottawa Senators game. While justified, is there anything wrong with diving to draw more penalties in a league where they’re at a premium? Next, more NHL teams have been eliminated from the playoffs, including the Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, and Seattle Kraken. We know what went wrong for the Blackhawks...
Apr 08, 2022•54 min•Ep. 105
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, Trevor Zegras scored another lacrosse goal and it made Hockey Men upset. Hosts Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke dig into Arizona Coyotes broadcaster Tyson Nash’s bad take on Zegras’s goal and Troy Terry’s brush up with Jay Beagle over the weekend. Next, Keith Yandle’s Iron Man streak was broken at 989 games after the Philadelphia Flyers scratched him for younger players on their roster. While it sucks that Yandle’s career is likely set to end this way...
Apr 05, 2022•52 min•Ep. 104
Social media is lighting up over Taylor Hall's sucker punch of Ilya Lyubushkin, and with the NHL only handing out a $5000 fine, everyone is even more angry. Between officiating and player safety, frustration with the league's vague inaction might be at an all time high. Which of the already eliminated teams has the brightest immediate future; the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, or Arizona Coyotes? Andrew also has some hot takes about the Coyotes and how the league handles them. Finally,...
Apr 01, 2022•58 min•Ep. 103
Why oh why didn't the Edmonton Oilers trade for a goalie? Even if they didn't, we have a desperate hunger to see the Battle of Alberta in the playoffs. Mary Clarke and Andrew Berkshire explain why. Evgenii Dadonov is on fire and keying the Golden Knights in on a desperate run towards a playoff spot, but is it a bonkers story, or a work that would make Vince McMahon blush? Finally, Marc-Andre Fleury said no to Washington to avoid facing the Penguins in the playoffs, charming? Maybe. And once the ...
Mar 29, 2022•59 min•Ep. 102
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, it’s our 100th episode! Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke celebrate this momentous occasion by welcoming both Laura Saba of Locked On Canadiens and Rachel Donner of Locked On Flyers to the show. In NHL news, the league canceled the Evgeni Dadonov trade from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Anaheim Ducks, putting the team in serious cap trouble. With the Golden Knights on the precipice of a playoff spot, surely this spells certain doom for their postseas...
Mar 25, 2022•56 min•Ep. 101
On this episode of The Cross-Check NHL Show, Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clarke give their thoughts on an exciting 2022 NHL trade deadline. Claude Giroux is no longer the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers, as he’s moved on to greener pastures with the Florida Panthers as they chase a Stanley Cup. Mary reflects on Giroux’s time in Philadelphia as she says her goodbyes after an emotional 1,000th game ceremony. Next, the NHL trade deadline featured a lot more activity than expected. Marc-Andre Fleur...
Mar 22, 2022•56 min•Ep. 100
On today's episode of the Cross-Check NHL Show, Mary Clarke and Andrew Berkshire take a look at a handful of trades that have gone down over the last few days, including the Colorado Avalanche trading for Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks, then trading away Tyson Jost to the Minnesota Wild to clear cap space for another move, the Calgary Flames trading for Calle Jarnkrok from the Seattle Kraken, the Florida Panthers trading Frank Vatrano to the New York Rangers to clear cap space, then trading ...
Mar 18, 2022•54 min•Ep. 99
