Hockey Hotbed!

For only the second time in History, a Fresno Falcon has made it to the NHL - thanks to an injured Russian. Here's the story:

FRESNO, Calif. – Former Fresno Falcons goaltender Nolan Schaefer appeared in his first National Hockey League game this evening and helped lead the San Jose Sharks to a 5-4 overtime victory against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Schaefer replaced Sharks starting goaltender Vesa Toskala at 7:12 of the second period and recorded 12 saves on 13 shots against through the remainder of regulation and into overtime to earn credit for the victory. He was called-up to Fresno’s NHL affiliate from the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Barons last weekend when Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov suffered an injury in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets last Friday.

Schaefer, selected in the fifth round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Sharks, was assigned to the Falcons at the outset of the 2003-04 season following a four-year collegiate career at Providence College. He appeared in 12 games for Fresno that season, posting a 5-5-0 record with a 3.12 goals against average, .910 save percentage, and one shutout before receiving what turned out to be a permanent promotion to the Barons and the AHL.

Schaefer becomes just the second Fresno player to appear in an NHL game after wearing a Falcons uniform. Defenseman Garret Stroshein, who played 20 games for the Falcons during the 2001-02 season, played three games for the Washington Capitals in 2003-04.

As a result of Schaefer’s call-up to San Jose, Falcons rookie goaltender Jamie Holden was re-called earlier this week to Cleveland, which has yet to play a game since Holden’s arrival.

There was no thanking of Fresno by Nolan...whateverrrrrr. It's to be expected. People who get their starts in Fresno tend to forget all about their Fresno days.

You know, people like Kevin Federline Spears.