Tough Love Needed

This is the back of the Rockets bus as we arrived at the hotel this morning. The Rockets logo and license plate are covered by snow.
The Rockets practiced at the Saddledome this afternoon. This is the video scoreboard high above the ice surface. This is one of the higher end scoreboards, but still can't match the new one that fans enjoy at Toronto Maple Leaf home games.
How cold is it in Calgary? The masked man is Stepan Novotny pictured here with Lukas Matejka.
A quick video from this afternoon's workout in Calgary.

Notes:

• Sometimes tough love is need from the coaching staff towards the players. At practice this afternoon coach Huska had the players skating briskly to put it nicely. Let's just say the players will sleep well tonight after getting a good workout.
• Both Tyson Barrie and Kyle St. Denis did not practice with the team today. Barrie is out with what could be a mild concussion after receiving an elbow in the head in Friday night's game. St. Denis had his cast taken off his wrist Friday but told me he will be getting another MRI as the break hasn't healed properly. That means St. Denis will get a new cast meaning we won't see him until late January at the earliest.
• I had a chance this afternoon to take a peak inside the Calgary Flames dressing room. Why no pictures? I just didn't think it was right to snap a couple of pics without getting permission. Did I leave the dressing room going wow? Not really. In fact I was kinda unimpressed.
• The Saddledome is buzzing as the Rockets and Chilliwack Bruins are both using dressing rooms there. The Bruins face the Hitmen tonight while the Rockets face Calgary tomorrow afternoon. The Bruins are situated a few doors down from the Rockets in the WHL visitors dressing room. The Rockets are the big winners, as they are using the NHL dressing room for the visiting teams. What's the difference you ask. Size. The Rockets dressing room is huge.