СР: On the Leafs, first-line forward Alexei Ponikarovsky was having trouble talking, but otherwise had no ill effects from accidentally biting his tongue while taking a hard open-ice hit from Bobby Holik in a 4-0 win in Atlanta on Friday night.
«I didn't lose teeth, but I got nine stitches on my tongue, so it's not very good," he said.

СР: Alexei Ponikarovsky looks at the notion of a new pro hockey league in Europe with a skeptical eye.
The Toronto Maple Leafs forward doesn't say it can't work, but he's not sure he'd want to play in it.
...
Ponikarovsky, who is from Ukraine and is married to a Ukrainian-Canadian, did not appear ready to jump to the new circuit.
«All of the best players are playing here and I'm not sure who is going to be playing there, so I'm sure the level of hockey will be lower," he said.

Globe and Mail: With 30 seconds left in the third period, Alexei Ponikarovsky took a win that goaltender Vesa Toskala was about to steal from the Carolina Hurricanes and handed it right back to them.
As the clock ticked down, the Toronto Maple Leafs had a one-goal lead and the Hurricanes were playing a sixth attacker after pulling their goaltender. Ponikarovsky had the puck just inside the Carolina blueline. In front of him was the open Hurricanes net and behind him was Hurricanes forward Cory Stillman, coming up fast.
Oblivious to the threat from Stillman, Ponikarovsky took an extra second to look at the open net. That is when Stillman reached him, lifted his stick, stole the puck and started a rush the other way.
It ended when Ray Whitney scored with 26.8 seconds left to send the game into overtime. Then Ponikarovsky compounded his mistake by taking a tripping penalty, followed by a Nik Antropov hooking penalty, which kept the Hurricanes on the power play. That allowed Scott Walker to deflect a shot by Eric Staal into the net for a 3-2 overtime win.

28-11-2007 10:57 GMT+02 — #22126

Поника замучали судорги, и он в матче против Монреаля не играл, хотя накануне были сообщения что играть он сможет

15-12-2007 09:40 GMT+02 — #22510         

Поник сегодня отличился по полной! Забил 2 шайбы и сделал одну результативную передачу. Причем шайбы он забил после того как во втором периоде он столкнулся с Холиком и был весь в крови:

16-12-2007 11:22 GMT+02 — #22519
2) После столкновения с Холиком у него оказался травмированным ... язык.
19-12-2007 10:47 GMT+02 — #22628         

Поник сегодня облажался по крупному. Сначала из-за его ошибки Каролина сравняла счет, а в овертайме он удалился и Торонто проиграло.

Бедняга — даже не представляю что с ним будет, если на ЧМ в Японию не поедет Федотенко уже наверное понял, что с Фантомом шутки плохи Им бы приехать и извенится перед Фантомом — стать на колени в ДС и сказать: — Извени меня Украина-матушка и Сокіл-Батько и дела бы у них пошли значительно лучше
Блин жаль ребят — так рано заканчивать карьеру... И ведь я немогу даже на Фантома в этом повлиять — осерчал он на них, а силу набирает он приличную — уже и за океан летать стал. Вот черт — птица не послушная

Globe and Mail: Maurice is also getting rather impatient with left winger Alexei Ponikarovsky. Ever since Ponikarovsky suffered a mental cramp that cost the Leafs a win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 18, he has not registered a point.
«He has to play better," Maurice said.

SportsNetwork: With the score tied 3-3, Toronto moved ahead on Ponikarovsky's goal —- a tally that was first credited to Blake but later changed —- at the 5:06 mark after he redirected Blake's shot from the right side at the top of the crease and it bounced under the pads of Ward.

AP: Ponikarovsky swung at a bouncing puck in front of Ward and it trickled past the goalie at 5:06. It was his first point in 13 games, and first goal in 14.
«I think it was the longest streak for me with no scoring," Ponikarovsky said. «I've been working hard and, eventually, you get one.»

News & Observer: N&O'S THREE STARS
1. Alexei Ponikarovsky, Toronto His goal midway through the third was his first point since Cory Stillman picked his pocket on Dec. 18.
2. Chad Kilger, Toronto In addition to his game-high six hits, he scored a key goal in the second period.
3. Erik Cole, Carolina At his most effective, using his speed on the wings to score a goal as part of a two-point night.

The Toronto Maple Leafs headed into Friday night's NHL action five points out of a playoff spot.
But when asked how many of the remaining 38 regular-season games the Leafs would need to win in order to qualify for the post-season, forward Alexei Ponikarovsky claimed ignorance.
«I'm not counting," he said. «It's too much math.»
...
Ponikarovsky and Leafs captain Mats Sundin are admittedly more «old-fashioned» when it comes to how games should be decided and weighted.
«If the team wins, they basically deserve it, so they should get points," Ponikarovsky said. «But the team that's losing should not get anything.»
«I like hockey when there's a win and a tie," Sundin said. «I have no problems with that. If two teams tie, that's hockey. And in the playoffs, obviously, you go to overtime. But I miss those days, actually.»

CBC Sports: Alexei Ponikarovsky also scored for Toronto (19-21- , which has quieted persistent rumours of a possible front office and/or coaching shakeup that reached a fever pitch following a span of eight losses in nine games.
...
The Leafs used another early-period power play to take a two-goal lead 34 seconds into the second frame. Operating from behind the net, Steen's attempted pass to Sundin out front hit the stick of Campbell and went in. It was Steen's ninth of the season and second in as many games.
Two minutes later, Ponikarovsky made it 3-0, coming off the bench to take a long feed from Hal Gill and snap one past Miller for his 13th.

AP: New Jersey took 14 of the first 17 attempts, but Raycroft stood his ground in the scoreless first period. Toronto also had some good chances, the best coming when a shot by Alexei Ponikarovsky hit the post in the opening minute.

FAUST18 :
Как ни странно, но чем хуже играет Торонто, тем лучше для сборной Украины — так что все нормально

СР: Darryl Boyce was recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday to fill the roster spot left open when left-winger Alexei Ponikarovsky hurt his right shoulder during the first period of a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.
The Leafs placed Ponikarovsky on injured reserve with a shoulder dislocation and is expected to be out of the lineup for six weeks.
Ponikarovsky has 13 goals and 23 points in 45 games for the Leafs this year