NHL Rivals ships for XSN

NHL Rivals skated into stores today. Developed internally and published by Microsoft, the game marks two firsts. It is the first Xbox-only hockey game, and also the first slapshot-happy title made specifically for Microsoft's XSN online sports network.

Besides featuring the usual pro-sports bells and whistles--customizable leagues, real-world announcers, etc., NHL Rivals features several extra-competitive options, such as historical team rivalries and pickup games in famous locales like Red Square and Central Park. GameSpot's preview of the game offers more details.