nhl

NHL celebrates 20-year anniversary of NHL '94 in awesome throwback fashion

The intersection of sports and video games has rendered countless popular titles and is easily one of the medium's most popular genres. While each sport has yearly contributions to game consoles and the PC, there may not be a more cherished sports title in video game history than NHL '94, EA's venerable ice hockey experience.

At the time NHL '94 was cutting edge; with its 2D sprite animations and the introduction of penalty shots, board checking, and more, the game was widely acclaimed by critics and players alike. If you owned a Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo, odds … Read more

Google doodle lets hockey fans drive the Zamboni

Google is helping the National Hockey League begin its abbreviated season.

The NHL's 48-game season will begin Saturday after a 113-day lockout, but the Web giant apparently recognizes that the ice will need some TLC before players can skate to their opening face off. So Google is rolling out a Zamboni doodle to clean things up.

The interactive doodle begins by launching a skater that scratches up the ice. A Zamboni ice resurfacer then appears that Web users can, using their mouse, manipulate through a series of tests to clean the ice.

The Zamboni pilot gets points for cleaning … Read more

NHL star retweets message wishing commissioner dead

I know that hockey is important to some misguided souls.

I can't entirely fathom why, but I'm prepared to respect those who feel the need for a little institutionalized violence in their lives.

The thing is, the National Hockey League also enjoys institutionalized lockouts that seem to make whole seasons disappear.

There's one occurring right now. Progress seems to be running slightly behind the pace of DSL.

Perhaps one shouldn't be surprised, then, that the Chicago Blackhawks' Dave Bolland appears to support the, um, death of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

The what?

The way that ESPN slapshoots it, … Read more

NHL 13: The answer to the lockout?

It's not easy being a hockey fan these days. But honestly, has it ever been? With an all-but-official lockout looming over the NHL like a dark cloud, there's not much to be excited about. Sure, the optimistic puck-faithful seem to agree a deal will be reached before Christmas, but what's there to do in the meantime?

As luck would have it, NHL 13 hits the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles just a few days before the NHL's collective bargaining agreement is set to expire. Whether or not the team owners and players association decide to … Read more

NHL 12: Unopposed and still untouchable

It's pretty remarkable that year after year, the EA Sports NHL series finds ways to innovate and take the franchise to new levels of ice hockey realism. Even though this year the game runs totally unopposed by any other hockey game, NHL 12 makes improvements across the board, both in gameplay and modes.

Plenty of noticeable tweaks have been implemented into NHL 12's gameplay, which add to the title's overall sense of NHL realism. Goalies are now live within the context of the game, meaning they can be bumped and interfered with. Overall CPU player positioning has drastically been improved, which all but eliminates unnecessary off-sides calls due to out of position computer-controlled players. Wingers and defensemen skate logical tracks up and down the ice and are usually in the right spot to anticipate a rebound or one-time pass.

In addition, there are handfuls of aesthetic tweaks to the game. Nets can come off their moorings, players can get checked into team benches, and the full-contact physics engine has been retooled to react appropriately to players of all different strengths and sizes. Player face re-creations also seem more accurate this year.

NHL 12 also marks a significant tweaking to the overall physics of the puck in game. No longer does the puck seem to unnaturally hover like in years past. Instead it now rolls on end, pops in and out of the net organically, and overall has a much more realistic presence. Fans familiar with the franchise will also notice that game speed has been increased just a bit from NHL 11.… Read more

The 404 858: Where dreams really do come true (podcast)

News of the Black Eyed Peas' hiatus proves that if you wish for something long enough, dreams really do come true. On today's episode, Jeff tells us about the long-awaited intersection of tech geekdom and hockey, we analyze WebMD's involvement in the spread of "cyberchondria," and we dispute a Dutch study that claims smoking marijuana makes you a better gamer.

The 404 Digest for Episode 858

Geekdom and hockey collide: The campaign for NHL player Mike Commodore to wear No. 64. The Black Eyed Peas go on hiatus; Jeff celebrates. WebMD reports: Internet makes hypochondria worse. Does marijuana make you a better gamer? Jeff's Cute Animal Video of the Week, starring a street-crossing sloth. Mitch B's custom 404 iPhone case and BodyGuardz iPad case!

Episode 858 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Geekdom and hockey collide: The campaign for NHL player Commodore to wear number 64

Aside from my annual NHL video game head-to-head face-off, there aren't too many times where tech and the greatest sport in the world cross paths--aside from a glowing puck or two.

So it's no surprise that I was ecstatic to learn that a movement to have NHL veteran defenseman Mike Commodore change his number to 64 had been started to pay the classic home computer homage, a piece of electronics that still holds the title of being the best-selling computer of all time.

Commodore--the hockey player--was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1999 and has spent his career moving around the league playing for teams like the Carolina Hurricanes and, most recently, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

On the first day of the NHL's free agency, the Detroit Red Wings signed Commodore to a one-year deal. Since then, an outpouring of support to have him wear number 64 has been making its rounds on hockey blogs and Twitter, with a significant push coming from Yahoo Sports' fantastic hockey blog, Puck Daddy. The site has totally committed to the cause, raising the eyebrows of local Detroit news outlets and the Red Wings organization as well. Even Mike Commodore himself has also tweeted that he's considering 64.… Read more

Icebreaker Hockey lets you take the slap shot

Icebreaker Hockey (99 cents) hit the iTunes App Store recently, adding another sport to the challenging 3D tilt-to-control sports arcade franchise from developer NaturalMotion. Now you'll be able to take to the ice and work your way around defenders until it's your turn to take a shot on the goal.

Many iOS gamers will remember Backbreaker Football, one of the early great iPhone games at the iTunes App Store. Taking advantage of the iPhone's accelerometer, Backbreaker Football let you tilt and touch buttons to maneuver a football player downfield to score a touchdown.… Read more

Pro teams form Green Sports Alliance

The newly formed Green Sports Alliance will promote eco-friendly practices for professional sports teams and their stadiums.

The alliance, announced this week, was created by team owner Paul Allen and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Allen, who co-founded Microsoft, owns the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers and co-owns the Seattle Sounders.

The Environmental Protection Agency and six pro sports leagues are endorsing the effort: Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and Major League Soccer (MLS).

Six teams, including … Read more