First of all I want to wish all of you a happy & safe Memorial Day weekend. Because of the holiday today's column will be brief. Last night in Chicago, game one of the Stanley Cup Finals got underway between Philadelphia & Chicago. If you like fire wagon hockey last night's game was for you.
Philadelphia drew first blood when Ville Leino fired a wrist shot past Antti Niemi to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Chicago answered back sixty-eight seconds later when Troy Brouwer found the back of the net to tie it at one. Chicago would take their first lead of the game when Dave Bolland would score a short-handed goal to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead.
Philly would come back strong to end the period when Scott Hartnell scored a power play goal with under four minutes to play to tie the game at two. Then with twenty-seven seconds to play in the period Danny Briere gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead when his wrist shot managed to get by several Blackhawks defensemen & Niemi.
The Flyers had the lead after one period but it wouldn't take Chicago long to tie it up. Seventy-one seconds into the 2nd period Patrick Sharp fired a wrist shot that beat Michael Leighton glove side to tie the game at three a piece. Philly would regain the lead when Blair Betts scored his first of the post-season banking one off the post and in the net.
Two minutes later Kris Versteeg would tie it up for Chicago when he scored on a rebound in front of Leighton. Six minutes later Brouwer scored his second of the game taking a nice pass from Marian Hossa behind the net to beat Leighton once again. That would be all for Leighton as he was pulled and replaced by Brian Boucher.
Philly would manage to tie the game before the end of the period when Arron Asham's shot managed to just go into the net before Niemi could get his leg over. After two periods we were tied 5-5.
In the 3rd period only one goal was scored that came off the stick of a former Red Wing. No, it wasn't Marian Hossa but Toams Kopecky. Kopecky was in the lineup for an injured Andrew Ladd and he made the most of it as he pulled Boucher out of position before scoring what proved to be the game winning goal.
Couple of observations from last night:
1. What worked for Philly in the previous rounds will not work here. They were able to contain Jersey. They were able to shut down a Boston team that had trouble scoring. They were able to keep Montreal's forwards away from picking up rebounds. Chicago can score & they can get to the net to pick up rebounds. Philly's defense has to play better.
2. I said the team with the best goalie usually wins the cup. After game one I still don't know who has the better goaltender. Neither Leighton or Niemi looked sharp last night in net. Niemi did have a bad game against Vancouver and managed to bounce back and play strong the rest of the series. we will have to see if history repeats itself.
3. Leighton was pulled after the 5th goal last night and now the speculation is does Peter Laviolette start Brian Boucher in game two. Personally for me I don't think it matters since neither one is an elite goaltender. If I were the coach I would put Leighton back out there for game two. If you go to Boucher and he fails then you are in a bigger hole than you need to be. Either way no matter who is in net the Flyers defense has to play better.
4. If the Flyers want to skate up & down the ice with Chicago I'm sure the Blackhawks will have no problem with that. Yes, Philly has a talented group of forwards that can score but what got Philly to this point was limiting the other teams scoring chances. Chicago is already deeper at forward and can get scoring from all four lines. I don't think Philly can on a consistent basis.
Game two will be on Monday night on NBC. Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Stanley Cup Prediction
Well, we are less than 48 hours away from the start of the Stanley Cup Finals. That can mean only one thing, Prediction time. Both teams have waited a long time to lift Lord Stanley's Cup over their head and both teams on paper match up pretty evenly. Anyone who knows me knows I'm cheering for Chicago. I make no secret about that. But do I think they can win? How much of a chance does Philly have? There is only one way to break it down. Let's go to the tale of the tape.
Forwards:
It's no surprise that the captains for each team (Jonathan Toews for Chicago & Mike Richards for Philadelphia) are the leading scorers this post-season. Toews has 26 points while Richards has 21.Toews's teammate Patrick Kane is 3rd on the list with 20 points while Philly's Danny Briere is 6th with 18 points.
Briere lead the Flyers with nine goals this post-season while Chicago's Dustin Byfuglien leads the Blackhawks with eight goals.
Both teams top two lines match up with each other very well but as we get down to the 3rd & checking lines, Chicago has a little more scoring depth from their grinders than Philadelphia does from theirs.
Edge: Chicago
Defense:
Philadelphia acquired Chris Pronger from Anaheim this off-season to anchor their blueline. This will be his 3rd Stanley Cup Final since the lockout. (Lost with Edmonton in 06, won with Anaheim in 07) He is paired with Matt Carle. Kimmo Timonen & Brayden Coburn make up the 2nd unit while Lukas Krajicek & Ryan Parent make up the 3rd unit.
Chicago is led on defense by Norris Trophy candidate Duncan Keith & Brent Seabrook, both of whom were key players this past Olympics for Team Canada. Niklas Hjalmarsson & Brian Campbell make up the 2nd pairing with Brent Sopel & Jordan Henrey are the 3rd group of defenseman.
Both teams have great defense but I give Chicago a slight edge because of the Keith & Seabrook pairing and the ability of Seabrook, Campbell & Hjalmarsson to move the puck up the ice. The only Flyer that can match up with them is Timmonen. If either Keith or Seabrook gets hurt then this swings in favor of Philly.
Edge: Chicago
Stanley Cup Fun Fact #1:
Since seeding the playoff teams in 1994, no team seeded lower than 4th has won a Stanley Cup after a full season of play. (New Jersey won the Cup as a number 5 seed in the lockout shortened season of 1995.)
Goaltending:
I am a firm believer that the team with the best goaltender usually wins the Stanley Cup. This year I may have to rethink that because the goalies for each team are not the goalies they started the season with.
Antti Niemi was not chosen by Chicago as the back-up to Cristobel Huet until the end of the preseason. Niemi started alternating games with Huet until Quennville chose him to be the starter for the post-season.
Michael Leighton didn't even start the season with Philadelphia. He was claimed off of waivers from Carolina back in December and became the starter after Ray Emery was lost for the season with a hip injury.
Both goalies have played well and made the most of their opportunities. I'm going to give a slight edge to Niemi. Leighton hasn't really been challenged offensively yet this post-season while Niemi looked pretty good against Vancouver & San Jose.
Edge: Chicago
Coaching:
Joel Quennville has won a President's Trophy & reached a Conference Finals with St Louis. He led Colorado to two first round playoff series victories in three seasons in Denver. This is his second season in Chicago. He has made the Conference Finals both seasons and this is his first Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
Peter Laviolette was hired by Philadelphia on December 5th. Before coming to Philadelphia he led Carolina to the Stanley Cup back in 2006 and led the New York Islanders to back to back playoff appearances in 2002 & 2003.
I think Quennville is a great coach but I am giving a slight edge here to Laviolette only because he has his name on the Cup and knows what it takes to win.
Edge: Philadelphia
Stanley Cup Finals Fun Fact #2:
This is the 5th time since 1994 a team seeded 6th or lower has reached the Finals. That doesn't mean it will be a quick series. Each time it has gone at least six games.
Power Play:
Chicago has scored on 22 percent of their power plays this post-season. Toews leads the team with five power play goals while Forwards Dustin Byfuglien & Patrick Sharp have each chipped in three.
Philadelphia has scored on 20 percent of their power plays this post-season. Simon Gagne leads Philly with four power play goals while, Pronger, Briere & Claude Giroux each have three.
As I said earlier both teams are loaded with goal scorers. I'll give Chicago a slight edge here because of Byfuglein's play in front of the net.
Edge: Chicago.
Penalty Kill:
Chicago's penalty kill is at 86.6 percent this post-season. Kane, Sharp, & Dave Bolland each have a short-handed goal.
Philadelphia's penalty kill is at 87 percent. Mike Richards has the only short-handed goal for the Flyers.
I'll give the edge here to Philly mainly because I think that Richards may be the best penalty killer on the planet right now.
Edge: Philly
Stanley Cup Finals Fun Fact #3:
Chicago forward Marian Hossa is in his 3rd straight final with his third different team. He lost with Pittsburgh in 2008 & Detroit in 2009.
Playoff adversity:
Chicago was facing a 3-2 deficit in the closing moments of Game 5. Marian Hossa was sent to the penalty box for a five minute boarding major. Instead of capitalizing on it Nashville surrendered the tying goal to Patrick Kane with under 14 seconds to play.
Nashville still had a four minute power play in overtime but failed to capitalize. Hossa left the penalty box and ended up scoring the game winning goal in overtime allowing Chicago to take charge of the series.
Philadelphia lost the first three games of the series to Boston before rallying to win the next three. Philly then trailed 3-0 in game seven before rallying for four unanswered goals capped off by Simon Gagne's power play goal late in the 3rd period.
Edge: Philadelphia. Chicago had at most two more games to straighten everything out if Nashville would have held on to win. Philly had no margin for error.
Home Ice:
Chicago's United Center is experiencing a hockey renaissance as over 19,000 fans fill it up each night. The Hawks are 5-3 this post-season at home.
Philadelphia is 7-1 at the Wachovia Center this post-season and they play in front of what some NHL players call the most intimidating fan base in the league.
Edge: Chicago only because they are 6-1 on the road this post-season. Playing in Wachovia Center shouldn't phase them.
Stanley Cup Finals Fun Fact #4:
This is the 3rd season in a row that the road team in the Winter Classic has played in the finals. (Pittsburgh in 2008, Detroit in 2009) Both times the Winter Classic team has lost.
Final Prediction: The Philadelphia team we have seen this post-season is the Philadelphia team a lot of people expected to see during the regular season. They are playing their best hockey at the right time of the year. That being said I would still like to see them beat a good team in a seven game series.
They beat a New Jersey team that is a shell of it's former self, a Boston team with little to no scoring punch & a Montreal team that overachieved through the 1st two rounds. They'll finally have that chance against a Chicago team that made it look easy against a talented San Jose squad. This will be a hard fought series but I think Chicago is the more talented team.
Prediction: Blackhawks in five games.
Forwards:
It's no surprise that the captains for each team (Jonathan Toews for Chicago & Mike Richards for Philadelphia) are the leading scorers this post-season. Toews has 26 points while Richards has 21.Toews's teammate Patrick Kane is 3rd on the list with 20 points while Philly's Danny Briere is 6th with 18 points.
Briere lead the Flyers with nine goals this post-season while Chicago's Dustin Byfuglien leads the Blackhawks with eight goals.
Both teams top two lines match up with each other very well but as we get down to the 3rd & checking lines, Chicago has a little more scoring depth from their grinders than Philadelphia does from theirs.
Edge: Chicago
Defense:
Philadelphia acquired Chris Pronger from Anaheim this off-season to anchor their blueline. This will be his 3rd Stanley Cup Final since the lockout. (Lost with Edmonton in 06, won with Anaheim in 07) He is paired with Matt Carle. Kimmo Timonen & Brayden Coburn make up the 2nd unit while Lukas Krajicek & Ryan Parent make up the 3rd unit.
Chicago is led on defense by Norris Trophy candidate Duncan Keith & Brent Seabrook, both of whom were key players this past Olympics for Team Canada. Niklas Hjalmarsson & Brian Campbell make up the 2nd pairing with Brent Sopel & Jordan Henrey are the 3rd group of defenseman.
Both teams have great defense but I give Chicago a slight edge because of the Keith & Seabrook pairing and the ability of Seabrook, Campbell & Hjalmarsson to move the puck up the ice. The only Flyer that can match up with them is Timmonen. If either Keith or Seabrook gets hurt then this swings in favor of Philly.
Edge: Chicago
Stanley Cup Fun Fact #1:
Since seeding the playoff teams in 1994, no team seeded lower than 4th has won a Stanley Cup after a full season of play. (New Jersey won the Cup as a number 5 seed in the lockout shortened season of 1995.)
Goaltending:
I am a firm believer that the team with the best goaltender usually wins the Stanley Cup. This year I may have to rethink that because the goalies for each team are not the goalies they started the season with.
Antti Niemi was not chosen by Chicago as the back-up to Cristobel Huet until the end of the preseason. Niemi started alternating games with Huet until Quennville chose him to be the starter for the post-season.
Michael Leighton didn't even start the season with Philadelphia. He was claimed off of waivers from Carolina back in December and became the starter after Ray Emery was lost for the season with a hip injury.
Both goalies have played well and made the most of their opportunities. I'm going to give a slight edge to Niemi. Leighton hasn't really been challenged offensively yet this post-season while Niemi looked pretty good against Vancouver & San Jose.
Edge: Chicago
Coaching:
Joel Quennville has won a President's Trophy & reached a Conference Finals with St Louis. He led Colorado to two first round playoff series victories in three seasons in Denver. This is his second season in Chicago. He has made the Conference Finals both seasons and this is his first Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
Peter Laviolette was hired by Philadelphia on December 5th. Before coming to Philadelphia he led Carolina to the Stanley Cup back in 2006 and led the New York Islanders to back to back playoff appearances in 2002 & 2003.
I think Quennville is a great coach but I am giving a slight edge here to Laviolette only because he has his name on the Cup and knows what it takes to win.
Edge: Philadelphia
Stanley Cup Finals Fun Fact #2:
This is the 5th time since 1994 a team seeded 6th or lower has reached the Finals. That doesn't mean it will be a quick series. Each time it has gone at least six games.
Power Play:
Chicago has scored on 22 percent of their power plays this post-season. Toews leads the team with five power play goals while Forwards Dustin Byfuglien & Patrick Sharp have each chipped in three.
Philadelphia has scored on 20 percent of their power plays this post-season. Simon Gagne leads Philly with four power play goals while, Pronger, Briere & Claude Giroux each have three.
As I said earlier both teams are loaded with goal scorers. I'll give Chicago a slight edge here because of Byfuglein's play in front of the net.
Edge: Chicago.
Penalty Kill:
Chicago's penalty kill is at 86.6 percent this post-season. Kane, Sharp, & Dave Bolland each have a short-handed goal.
Philadelphia's penalty kill is at 87 percent. Mike Richards has the only short-handed goal for the Flyers.
I'll give the edge here to Philly mainly because I think that Richards may be the best penalty killer on the planet right now.
Edge: Philly
Stanley Cup Finals Fun Fact #3:
Chicago forward Marian Hossa is in his 3rd straight final with his third different team. He lost with Pittsburgh in 2008 & Detroit in 2009.
Playoff adversity:
Chicago was facing a 3-2 deficit in the closing moments of Game 5. Marian Hossa was sent to the penalty box for a five minute boarding major. Instead of capitalizing on it Nashville surrendered the tying goal to Patrick Kane with under 14 seconds to play.
Nashville still had a four minute power play in overtime but failed to capitalize. Hossa left the penalty box and ended up scoring the game winning goal in overtime allowing Chicago to take charge of the series.
Philadelphia lost the first three games of the series to Boston before rallying to win the next three. Philly then trailed 3-0 in game seven before rallying for four unanswered goals capped off by Simon Gagne's power play goal late in the 3rd period.
Edge: Philadelphia. Chicago had at most two more games to straighten everything out if Nashville would have held on to win. Philly had no margin for error.
Home Ice:
Chicago's United Center is experiencing a hockey renaissance as over 19,000 fans fill it up each night. The Hawks are 5-3 this post-season at home.
Philadelphia is 7-1 at the Wachovia Center this post-season and they play in front of what some NHL players call the most intimidating fan base in the league.
Edge: Chicago only because they are 6-1 on the road this post-season. Playing in Wachovia Center shouldn't phase them.
Stanley Cup Finals Fun Fact #4:
This is the 3rd season in a row that the road team in the Winter Classic has played in the finals. (Pittsburgh in 2008, Detroit in 2009) Both times the Winter Classic team has lost.
Final Prediction: The Philadelphia team we have seen this post-season is the Philadelphia team a lot of people expected to see during the regular season. They are playing their best hockey at the right time of the year. That being said I would still like to see them beat a good team in a seven game series.
They beat a New Jersey team that is a shell of it's former self, a Boston team with little to no scoring punch & a Montreal team that overachieved through the 1st two rounds. They'll finally have that chance against a Chicago team that made it look easy against a talented San Jose squad. This will be a hard fought series but I think Chicago is the more talented team.
Prediction: Blackhawks in five games.
Pros & Cons: Philadelphia Flyers
In yesterday's column I went over the Pro's & Con's of cheering the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals. In today's column I want to write the Pro's & Con's of cheering for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Yes, I know what you are all thinking. Craig, you hate the Flyers with a passion. How can you find anything positive to write about them?
To that I say you are correct, I'm not a fan of the Flyers. I make no secret about that. But as a hockey fan they have been a remarkable story this post-season and there are some positives. To prove that to you I'll start with the pros.
Pro's:
Resiliency: They were in disarray when they fired their coach in December. They had to win a shootout to qualify for the playoffs. They rallied from a three games to none deficit to win a series. It seems like nothing fazes this hockey club. They have overcome every challenge they have faced this season. This will be their toughest test of the season.
Michael Leighton: He may be the poster boy for their resiliency. He was claimed off of waivers back in December when Philly was ravaged by injuries in net. He took over in goal and led the Flyers to a 16-5-2 record before getting hurt near the end of the regular season.
Leighton recovered from his ankle injury to back up Brian Boucher before Boucher himself was injured in Game five against Boston. Leighton came in to shut out the Bruins in Game five and hold them scoreless for 59 minutes in Game six. He also shut out Montreal three times in the Conference Finals helping Philadelphia win the Prince of Wales trophy. What he has done considering where he came from is impressive
Mike Richards: He might be the best penalty killer in the NHL right now. He always seems like he is in the right place at the right time. If he wasn't the captain of the Flyers he would be one of my favorite players in the league.
Jeff Carter: If I had to pick one player on this team to cheer for it's Jeff Carter. I just love the way he plays the game. If he can stay healthy he could be one of the best players in the NHL for years to come. With their salary cap issues coming up I'll be interested if they choose to keep Carter.
Paul Holmgren: Minnesotans tend to like their own and the general manager of the Flyers is a St. Paul native. Plus he did coach the Whale before they moved to Carolina so that has to count for something.
Bill Clement: Ok, he hasn't played for Philly since the 70's but he is a commentator on the TV broadcast and I think he is one of the best analyst in the game today. It's a shame he isn't paired with Mike Emrick.
Those are the Pro's I could come up with now let's get to the Con's
Chris Pronger: He is a beast on the blue line but there is just something about him that makes him unlikeable. I haven't been a fan since he forced a trade out of Edmonton back in 2006. He would be my least favorite player if it wasn't for....
Dan Carcillo: From his cheesy mustache to his toothless grin I just don't like him. Every team needs a pest and Carcillo fits that role well on this team. However he is always good for one stupid action that cost his team a win.
Scott Hartnell: He's another one I don't like. With his goofy long hair he looks like a Muppet.
Ron Hextall: My dislike for the Flyers started when Ron Hextall went after Chris Chelios in the closing minutes of Game six of the Wales Conference back in 89. You can say what you want about Chelios but the loss of composure by Hextall influenced how I have felt about Philadelphia. Plus he was a sieve in net during his final stint with the Flyers.
Eric Lindros: Hands down the most overrated hockey player I have ever seen in my life. For all the hype he brought with him when he came into the league he only managed to be a decent NHL player. His only Hart Trophy came in a 48 game season plus he could never stay healthy. He had the tools to be a dominant center but failed to use them.
Bobby Clarke: He may have been a great hockey player but I have talked to a number of people who say he is not a good human being. Any person that fires a coach because he has cancer and then blames the coach for getting cancer is probably not a good person. Every time I think of him I think of a male body part.
Bright Orange Jerseys: Because of expansion I can't say they have the worst jerseys in the league but it's up there. When they wear their orange jerseys they look like pumpkins skating on ice.
Their fans: Every team has a group of rowdy fans but in Philly they wear it like it's a badge of honor. They are rude, they are crass, they are classless. When Philly played here in Minnesota back in February I know of at least two Flyer fans who were kicked out of the game and taken to detox. It may happen when other teams are here but I always hear about it when Philly is in town.
Well those are the Pro's & Con's I could come up with. Judging by my columns you probably know which way I am leaning in the Finals but I owe you a prediction and I plan on having that done later tonight.
Anyway, if there is anything I missed or you want to share with me feel free to let me know. Until then thanks for reading.
Yes, I know what you are all thinking. Craig, you hate the Flyers with a passion. How can you find anything positive to write about them?
To that I say you are correct, I'm not a fan of the Flyers. I make no secret about that. But as a hockey fan they have been a remarkable story this post-season and there are some positives. To prove that to you I'll start with the pros.
Pro's:
Resiliency: They were in disarray when they fired their coach in December. They had to win a shootout to qualify for the playoffs. They rallied from a three games to none deficit to win a series. It seems like nothing fazes this hockey club. They have overcome every challenge they have faced this season. This will be their toughest test of the season.
Michael Leighton: He may be the poster boy for their resiliency. He was claimed off of waivers back in December when Philly was ravaged by injuries in net. He took over in goal and led the Flyers to a 16-5-2 record before getting hurt near the end of the regular season.
Leighton recovered from his ankle injury to back up Brian Boucher before Boucher himself was injured in Game five against Boston. Leighton came in to shut out the Bruins in Game five and hold them scoreless for 59 minutes in Game six. He also shut out Montreal three times in the Conference Finals helping Philadelphia win the Prince of Wales trophy. What he has done considering where he came from is impressive
Mike Richards: He might be the best penalty killer in the NHL right now. He always seems like he is in the right place at the right time. If he wasn't the captain of the Flyers he would be one of my favorite players in the league.
Jeff Carter: If I had to pick one player on this team to cheer for it's Jeff Carter. I just love the way he plays the game. If he can stay healthy he could be one of the best players in the NHL for years to come. With their salary cap issues coming up I'll be interested if they choose to keep Carter.
Paul Holmgren: Minnesotans tend to like their own and the general manager of the Flyers is a St. Paul native. Plus he did coach the Whale before they moved to Carolina so that has to count for something.
Bill Clement: Ok, he hasn't played for Philly since the 70's but he is a commentator on the TV broadcast and I think he is one of the best analyst in the game today. It's a shame he isn't paired with Mike Emrick.
Those are the Pro's I could come up with now let's get to the Con's
Chris Pronger: He is a beast on the blue line but there is just something about him that makes him unlikeable. I haven't been a fan since he forced a trade out of Edmonton back in 2006. He would be my least favorite player if it wasn't for....
Dan Carcillo: From his cheesy mustache to his toothless grin I just don't like him. Every team needs a pest and Carcillo fits that role well on this team. However he is always good for one stupid action that cost his team a win.
Scott Hartnell: He's another one I don't like. With his goofy long hair he looks like a Muppet.
Ron Hextall: My dislike for the Flyers started when Ron Hextall went after Chris Chelios in the closing minutes of Game six of the Wales Conference back in 89. You can say what you want about Chelios but the loss of composure by Hextall influenced how I have felt about Philadelphia. Plus he was a sieve in net during his final stint with the Flyers.
Eric Lindros: Hands down the most overrated hockey player I have ever seen in my life. For all the hype he brought with him when he came into the league he only managed to be a decent NHL player. His only Hart Trophy came in a 48 game season plus he could never stay healthy. He had the tools to be a dominant center but failed to use them.
Bobby Clarke: He may have been a great hockey player but I have talked to a number of people who say he is not a good human being. Any person that fires a coach because he has cancer and then blames the coach for getting cancer is probably not a good person. Every time I think of him I think of a male body part.
Bright Orange Jerseys: Because of expansion I can't say they have the worst jerseys in the league but it's up there. When they wear their orange jerseys they look like pumpkins skating on ice.
Their fans: Every team has a group of rowdy fans but in Philly they wear it like it's a badge of honor. They are rude, they are crass, they are classless. When Philly played here in Minnesota back in February I know of at least two Flyer fans who were kicked out of the game and taken to detox. It may happen when other teams are here but I always hear about it when Philly is in town.
Well those are the Pro's & Con's I could come up with. Judging by my columns you probably know which way I am leaning in the Finals but I owe you a prediction and I plan on having that done later tonight.
Anyway, if there is anything I missed or you want to share with me feel free to let me know. Until then thanks for reading.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Pros & Cons: Chicago Blackhawks
The Stanley Cup Finals start this Saturday night in Chicago. If you are a fan of the Chicago Blackhawks or the Philadelphia Flyers, congratulations, you are only four wins away from a Stanley Cup. If your team did not make it or you are just a casual fan there is a chance you may not be sure who to cheer for in the finals.
Lucky for you I am here to help you out. Today and tomorrow I will be going through the pros & cons of why you should cheer for each team. I will start with Chicago today because quite frankly, I'm having trouble coming up with reasons to cheer for Philly.
Chicago Blackhawks
Pro's:
Original Six team- They are one of the founding members of the league. I have a soft spot in my heart for all the teams that were around when the NHL started. Anytime one of them reaches the Stanley Cup finals it is a special moment.
The Kids- From forwards Jonathan Toews & Patrick Kane to defenseman Duncan Keith & Brent Seabrook the youth on this team has not only led Chicago to their 1st finals appearance since 1992 but has revitalized what has been a dormant hockey market. The NHL is a lot better as a league with a good Blackhawks team than a bad one.
Rocky Wirtz- If are going to talk about the renaissance of the Blackhawks you have to mention the chairman of the team. since taking over operation of the club after his father Bill passed away everything Rocky has done has worked. The most important thing was letting the home games be televised on WGN. Something his father would not do while he was in charge. It has allowed a whole new generation to become Blackhawk fans.
Antti Niemi- He wasn't even chosen as the back-up goaltender until right before the start of the season. When Cristobel Huet struggled in net during the season coach Joel Quennville started alternating Huet & Niemi in net before deciding to go with Niemi. all he has done is win 12 games in the playoffs with a save percentage of .921 and a goals against average of 2.33.
Joel Quennville- Not only is he a great coach but he has always been one of my favorite people in the game of hockey. It is nice to see him finally reach the Finals after coming up short in St. Louis & Colorado. Plus he has one of the best mustaches in the game.
Their jersey & logo- Whenever you talk about which teams have the best jersey or logo in any sport Chicago is right at the top of the list. I may not love it as much as other people do but it is a pretty sweet logo.
United Center crowd- Let me just clarify, these are not bandwagon fans. They have always cared about their team they just needed a reason to. They have it now that the Blackhawks have become relevant again. Plus the cheering during the anthem is one of the cooler things to see.
1961- It's the last time Chicago won the cup and it is the longest drought in the NHL. This may be the best reason to cheer for or against the Blackhawks.
Con's:
Patrick Kane- Don't get me wrong, I think he's a great player but after his negative comments against Detroit last year I'm not a big fan. The fact he wears the number 88 doesn't help.
Marian Hossa- Great player but disappeared last season during the Stanley Cup Finals. I wouldn't have a problem with this except for the fact that he signed with Detroit because he felt they had the best chance to win the cup. Of course it's hard to score a goal with both hands around your neck.
Ed Belfour- OK, he hasn't played there since 1997 but I never liked him when he played with Chicago. I always thought he was overrated and the only reason his name is on the cup is because Brett Hull's skate was in the crease. (Yes, I'm still bitter about it.)
Al Secord- I was way too young and not living in the Twin Cities when he played for the Blackhawks but a lot of my co-workers here remember him when he played for Chicago. He was public enemy number one when he played against the North Stars always followed by a chant of Secord sucks. That's good enough for me.
Bill Wirtz- I don't want to speak ill of the dead but his stubborn ways and refusal to change with the times turned a hockey hotbed cold and they are still coming back from it. The Blackhawks are in one of the best sports markets in all of America and should never be second fiddle to an AHL squad like they were about five to seven years ago.
I'm a Red Wings fan- Granted this has been more of a feud than a rivalry the last ten seasons but these two teams have a history with one another. If you like one team you don't like the other which is how it should be.
Those are some of the reasons I could come up with to cheer for or against Chicago. If there are any reasons that I may have missed or that you have feel free to let me know. I'll have a pros & cons list for Philadelphia tomorrow. Until then, thanks for reading.
Lucky for you I am here to help you out. Today and tomorrow I will be going through the pros & cons of why you should cheer for each team. I will start with Chicago today because quite frankly, I'm having trouble coming up with reasons to cheer for Philly.
Chicago Blackhawks
Pro's:
Original Six team- They are one of the founding members of the league. I have a soft spot in my heart for all the teams that were around when the NHL started. Anytime one of them reaches the Stanley Cup finals it is a special moment.
The Kids- From forwards Jonathan Toews & Patrick Kane to defenseman Duncan Keith & Brent Seabrook the youth on this team has not only led Chicago to their 1st finals appearance since 1992 but has revitalized what has been a dormant hockey market. The NHL is a lot better as a league with a good Blackhawks team than a bad one.
Rocky Wirtz- If are going to talk about the renaissance of the Blackhawks you have to mention the chairman of the team. since taking over operation of the club after his father Bill passed away everything Rocky has done has worked. The most important thing was letting the home games be televised on WGN. Something his father would not do while he was in charge. It has allowed a whole new generation to become Blackhawk fans.
Antti Niemi- He wasn't even chosen as the back-up goaltender until right before the start of the season. When Cristobel Huet struggled in net during the season coach Joel Quennville started alternating Huet & Niemi in net before deciding to go with Niemi. all he has done is win 12 games in the playoffs with a save percentage of .921 and a goals against average of 2.33.
Joel Quennville- Not only is he a great coach but he has always been one of my favorite people in the game of hockey. It is nice to see him finally reach the Finals after coming up short in St. Louis & Colorado. Plus he has one of the best mustaches in the game.
Their jersey & logo- Whenever you talk about which teams have the best jersey or logo in any sport Chicago is right at the top of the list. I may not love it as much as other people do but it is a pretty sweet logo.
United Center crowd- Let me just clarify, these are not bandwagon fans. They have always cared about their team they just needed a reason to. They have it now that the Blackhawks have become relevant again. Plus the cheering during the anthem is one of the cooler things to see.
1961- It's the last time Chicago won the cup and it is the longest drought in the NHL. This may be the best reason to cheer for or against the Blackhawks.
Con's:
Patrick Kane- Don't get me wrong, I think he's a great player but after his negative comments against Detroit last year I'm not a big fan. The fact he wears the number 88 doesn't help.
Marian Hossa- Great player but disappeared last season during the Stanley Cup Finals. I wouldn't have a problem with this except for the fact that he signed with Detroit because he felt they had the best chance to win the cup. Of course it's hard to score a goal with both hands around your neck.
Ed Belfour- OK, he hasn't played there since 1997 but I never liked him when he played with Chicago. I always thought he was overrated and the only reason his name is on the cup is because Brett Hull's skate was in the crease. (Yes, I'm still bitter about it.)
Al Secord- I was way too young and not living in the Twin Cities when he played for the Blackhawks but a lot of my co-workers here remember him when he played for Chicago. He was public enemy number one when he played against the North Stars always followed by a chant of Secord sucks. That's good enough for me.
Bill Wirtz- I don't want to speak ill of the dead but his stubborn ways and refusal to change with the times turned a hockey hotbed cold and they are still coming back from it. The Blackhawks are in one of the best sports markets in all of America and should never be second fiddle to an AHL squad like they were about five to seven years ago.
I'm a Red Wings fan- Granted this has been more of a feud than a rivalry the last ten seasons but these two teams have a history with one another. If you like one team you don't like the other which is how it should be.
Those are some of the reasons I could come up with to cheer for or against Chicago. If there are any reasons that I may have missed or that you have feel free to let me know. I'll have a pros & cons list for Philadelphia tomorrow. Until then, thanks for reading.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Thanks For Playing: Montreal Canadiens
Last night the Montreal Canadiens were defeated by Philadelphia 4-2. The loss to the Flyers brings an end to the season for the Habs. Today we take a look back at how Montreal got here, what went wrong, and where they go from here.
How they got here:
Montreal finished the season with a record of 39-33-10. That was good for 88 points and the number eight seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Washington in the 1st round. In the 2nd round they rallied from a 3-2 deficit to defeat the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.
What went wrong:
You can say that the hourglass ran out of sand or that the clock struck midnight but when you are shutout in three of the four defeats it's pretty hard to win the series. Despite losing in five games Montreal actually played well in the series and at times were the better team on the ice.
In the end though they couldn't take advantage of their scoring chances. Either Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton wasn't giving up any rebounds or when he did Montreal's forwards couldn't get to the puck because Philly's defense was in the way.
Montreal's defense also had trouble containing the Flyers group of forwards where against Washington & Pittsburgh they were able to contain Alex Ovechkin & Sidney Crosby.
Another thing that went wrong was the Leighton was better in net than Canadiens goaltender Jaroslav Halak. Halak played well, bouncing back from giving up six goals in game one, but the opposing goalie shut out your team three times in the series you have to give him the edge.
Where do they go from here:
At the end of the 2009 season the Canadiens didn't qualify for the playoffs until the end of the season. They clinched the eight seed and were swept by Boston in the 1st round. Former General Manager Bob Gainey went out and turned over half the roster in preparation for the 2009-2010 season.
At the end of the 2010 season Montreal didn't clinch a playoff spot until their final game, clinching the number eight seed once again. This time instead of getting swept in the 1st round, the Canadiens went on their furthest playoff run since 1993.
I'm not sure if this playoff run was an aberration or if Montreal is on the verge of becoming one of the top teams in the East. One good thing about this cup run is the emergence of Jaroslav Halak in goal. It's a void that Montreal has been trying to fill since trading Patrick Roy back in 1996. Halak seizing the spot as the top goaltender should allow Montreal to trade goalie Carey Price in the off-season.
Another thing that will help Montreal will be having defenseman Andrei Markov return from injury. He was hurt in their opener against Toronto, missing most of the regular season. He returned for the playoffs only to hurt his knee in Game one against Pittsburgh. Having him during the season should only help Montreal.
I won't say this is an elite team in the East, Not yet at least. But they proved they can play with anyone in the conference and should be one of the favorites to win their division next season. After being a fringe playoff team for the last decade things are starting to look up in Montreal.
Quick note: The Stanley Cup Finals start on Saturday. I plan on doing a pro & cons list of why to cheer for each team later this week along with my pick for the Stanley Cup. Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
How they got here:
Montreal finished the season with a record of 39-33-10. That was good for 88 points and the number eight seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Washington in the 1st round. In the 2nd round they rallied from a 3-2 deficit to defeat the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.
What went wrong:
You can say that the hourglass ran out of sand or that the clock struck midnight but when you are shutout in three of the four defeats it's pretty hard to win the series. Despite losing in five games Montreal actually played well in the series and at times were the better team on the ice.
In the end though they couldn't take advantage of their scoring chances. Either Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton wasn't giving up any rebounds or when he did Montreal's forwards couldn't get to the puck because Philly's defense was in the way.
Montreal's defense also had trouble containing the Flyers group of forwards where against Washington & Pittsburgh they were able to contain Alex Ovechkin & Sidney Crosby.
Another thing that went wrong was the Leighton was better in net than Canadiens goaltender Jaroslav Halak. Halak played well, bouncing back from giving up six goals in game one, but the opposing goalie shut out your team three times in the series you have to give him the edge.
Where do they go from here:
At the end of the 2009 season the Canadiens didn't qualify for the playoffs until the end of the season. They clinched the eight seed and were swept by Boston in the 1st round. Former General Manager Bob Gainey went out and turned over half the roster in preparation for the 2009-2010 season.
At the end of the 2010 season Montreal didn't clinch a playoff spot until their final game, clinching the number eight seed once again. This time instead of getting swept in the 1st round, the Canadiens went on their furthest playoff run since 1993.
I'm not sure if this playoff run was an aberration or if Montreal is on the verge of becoming one of the top teams in the East. One good thing about this cup run is the emergence of Jaroslav Halak in goal. It's a void that Montreal has been trying to fill since trading Patrick Roy back in 1996. Halak seizing the spot as the top goaltender should allow Montreal to trade goalie Carey Price in the off-season.
Another thing that will help Montreal will be having defenseman Andrei Markov return from injury. He was hurt in their opener against Toronto, missing most of the regular season. He returned for the playoffs only to hurt his knee in Game one against Pittsburgh. Having him during the season should only help Montreal.
I won't say this is an elite team in the East, Not yet at least. But they proved they can play with anyone in the conference and should be one of the favorites to win their division next season. After being a fringe playoff team for the last decade things are starting to look up in Montreal.
Quick note: The Stanley Cup Finals start on Saturday. I plan on doing a pro & cons list of why to cheer for each team later this week along with my pick for the Stanley Cup. Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Thanks For Playing: San Jose Sharks
Yesterday in Chicago, the San Jose Sharks were defeated by the Blackhawks 4-2. The loss ends the season for San Jose as they were swept by Chicago four games to none. Today, we will take a look back at the season for San Jose. How they got here, what went wrong & where they go from here.
How they got here:
San Jose finished with a record of 51-20-11. That was good for 113 points, a Pacific Division Title & the number one seed in the Western Conference. In the playoffs San Jose defeated Colorado in six games in the 1st round and Detroit in five games in the 2nd round before facing Chicago.
What went wrong:
Everything San Jose did to Detroit in the previous series happened to them against Chicago. Chicago was beating them to the puck, their goaltending was better and their defense was able to contain the forwards for San Jose.
Patrick Marleau, who I am usually critical of this time of year, was the best player on the ice for San Jose this series. Marleau had five goals and one assist against Chicago. The other top forward provided little to no offense for the Sharks.
Forwards Joe Pavelski & Dany Heatley only provided two assists each while the much maligned Joe Thornton only had one assist in the series. Evgeni Nabokov wasn't bad in goal for San Jose but he was outplayed by Chicago's Antti Niemi. This is the fifth time in six post-seasons where Nabokov has been outplayed by a goalie that he is thought to be better than.
Where they go from here:
San Jose did reach their 1st Conference Final since 2004 but once again failed to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. The two constants between playoff failures for San Jose are Marleau & Nabokov. Now that their season is done both men become free agents.
This series shows how good of a player Marleau can be. He has been with San Jose since 1997 and became the face of their franchise through their ascension into one of the top teams in the Western Confernce.While he showed he can produce in the playoffs I think we may have seen his final game with the Sharks yesterday.
He will be 31 when the next season starts and the play of Joe Pavelski & Devon Setogucchi through the season may have made Marleau expendable in San Jose. He can play the centre & left wing. I can think of at least one team in the area that could use a player like him on their roster.
Like Marleau, Nabokov may have also played his final game for San Jose. He will be 35 when the next season starts. Salary cap rules make teams very selective as to signing players that are 35 years or older. If a player retires during that contract the team is on the hook for the entire length of the contract.
Since goalies always seem to be in demand the Sharks will have to ask themselves if they still want to make a significant financial investment in Nabokov where in the past they haven't really gotten their money's worth. They may be better off going in a different direction.
As for the rest of the team you can't say they underachieved like they have in previous seasons. There was only a one point difference in the standings between them & Chicago. Chicago just proved to be better than the Sharks when they played head to head. That only provides minor consolation for a team that has been good for so long only to watch a team that wasn't in the playoffs two seasons ago now playing for the Stanley Cup.
What they do with Marleau & Nabokov and if/how they choose to replace them will determine where the Sharks end up going from here.
How they got here:
San Jose finished with a record of 51-20-11. That was good for 113 points, a Pacific Division Title & the number one seed in the Western Conference. In the playoffs San Jose defeated Colorado in six games in the 1st round and Detroit in five games in the 2nd round before facing Chicago.
What went wrong:
Everything San Jose did to Detroit in the previous series happened to them against Chicago. Chicago was beating them to the puck, their goaltending was better and their defense was able to contain the forwards for San Jose.
Patrick Marleau, who I am usually critical of this time of year, was the best player on the ice for San Jose this series. Marleau had five goals and one assist against Chicago. The other top forward provided little to no offense for the Sharks.
Forwards Joe Pavelski & Dany Heatley only provided two assists each while the much maligned Joe Thornton only had one assist in the series. Evgeni Nabokov wasn't bad in goal for San Jose but he was outplayed by Chicago's Antti Niemi. This is the fifth time in six post-seasons where Nabokov has been outplayed by a goalie that he is thought to be better than.
Where they go from here:
San Jose did reach their 1st Conference Final since 2004 but once again failed to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. The two constants between playoff failures for San Jose are Marleau & Nabokov. Now that their season is done both men become free agents.
This series shows how good of a player Marleau can be. He has been with San Jose since 1997 and became the face of their franchise through their ascension into one of the top teams in the Western Confernce.While he showed he can produce in the playoffs I think we may have seen his final game with the Sharks yesterday.
He will be 31 when the next season starts and the play of Joe Pavelski & Devon Setogucchi through the season may have made Marleau expendable in San Jose. He can play the centre & left wing. I can think of at least one team in the area that could use a player like him on their roster.
Like Marleau, Nabokov may have also played his final game for San Jose. He will be 35 when the next season starts. Salary cap rules make teams very selective as to signing players that are 35 years or older. If a player retires during that contract the team is on the hook for the entire length of the contract.
Since goalies always seem to be in demand the Sharks will have to ask themselves if they still want to make a significant financial investment in Nabokov where in the past they haven't really gotten their money's worth. They may be better off going in a different direction.
As for the rest of the team you can't say they underachieved like they have in previous seasons. There was only a one point difference in the standings between them & Chicago. Chicago just proved to be better than the Sharks when they played head to head. That only provides minor consolation for a team that has been good for so long only to watch a team that wasn't in the playoffs two seasons ago now playing for the Stanley Cup.
What they do with Marleau & Nabokov and if/how they choose to replace them will determine where the Sharks end up going from here.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Coming back from a 3-0 deficit.
Last night in Chicago, the Blackhawks defeated San Jose 3-2 in overtime to take a three games to none lead in their best of seven series. This is the third series this post-season where a team has won the first three games of a series. In round two San Jose won the first three games against Detroit and Boston won the first three against Philadelphia. San Jose ended up defeating Detroit in five games while Philadelphia was able to rally and win the next four games against Boston & winning the series in the process.
Being down three games to none is usually a death sentence in the playoffs as the series is usually wrapped up in Game four or Game five. Philly's comeback was the first time since 1975 that an NHL team rallied from three games down to win a series. So can San Jose do what Philly did one round earlier? If they are here is what needs to be done.
Game four: This game is usually more of a mental battle than a physical battle. When you lose the first three games a lot is not going in your favor. For some teams they can just check out mentally & mail it in while other teams try to win the entire series in one game. Neither scenario usually works out.
In Game four you have to realize that you can not win the series tonight but your opponent can. You have to win a lot of small battles. From face-offs to the 1st period you want to be able to established your game early on. At worse you want to stay within a goal at all times. You want to avoid being swept so a team should be able to get up for this game.
Game five: You have avoided getting swept so you want to build on what worked for you in Game four and try to fix what didn't work. If you are the road team, your opponent is probably going to come out strong early on and try to finish you early in the game. A team will have to weather the storm and once again try to stay within a goal if trailing.
If you are the home team and facing elimination your ultimate goal is to win what could be your final home game of the series.
Game six: If you manage to force a game six after losing the first three games now the pressure starts to shift to your opponent. They have already failed to get the sweep and now they failed to close it out in five. The last thing a team wants to do is go to a game seven after winning the first three games so the sense of urgency is ramped up.
In game six you realize that you have a chance to make history. You want to stick with what works in games four & five. Keep in mind only six teams have forced a game seven after losing the first three games so there is still a lot you are going against. If you are the home team you want to win your final game while if you are on the road you want to force one more home game.
Game seven: At this point all bets are off. The series is tied at three games a piece and no team has a real edge. The team that won the first three games has lost any momentum that they may have had and are now fighting to survive. The team that has won the last three games is playing with house money and whatever happens happens.
Home ice can be a factor if you have a strong crowd behind you. If the crowd gets taken out early then the home ice edge goes away. Game seven then comes down to who wins what little battles there are. In game seven all the pressure goes on the home team because they are expected to win at home. It's a matter of who steps up to be the hero.
So, do I think San Jose can come back to win the series against Chicago? I don't. I think the Blackhawks are playing too well right now to let the Sharks back in the series. I think San Jose can avoid being swept by winning Game four but the way Chicago has played on the road I think they will wrap it up in five games.
Later today, Philadelphia plays Montreal in Game four of their best of seven series. Game time is at 2:00 PM on NBC.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Being down three games to none is usually a death sentence in the playoffs as the series is usually wrapped up in Game four or Game five. Philly's comeback was the first time since 1975 that an NHL team rallied from three games down to win a series. So can San Jose do what Philly did one round earlier? If they are here is what needs to be done.
Game four: This game is usually more of a mental battle than a physical battle. When you lose the first three games a lot is not going in your favor. For some teams they can just check out mentally & mail it in while other teams try to win the entire series in one game. Neither scenario usually works out.
In Game four you have to realize that you can not win the series tonight but your opponent can. You have to win a lot of small battles. From face-offs to the 1st period you want to be able to established your game early on. At worse you want to stay within a goal at all times. You want to avoid being swept so a team should be able to get up for this game.
Game five: You have avoided getting swept so you want to build on what worked for you in Game four and try to fix what didn't work. If you are the road team, your opponent is probably going to come out strong early on and try to finish you early in the game. A team will have to weather the storm and once again try to stay within a goal if trailing.
If you are the home team and facing elimination your ultimate goal is to win what could be your final home game of the series.
Game six: If you manage to force a game six after losing the first three games now the pressure starts to shift to your opponent. They have already failed to get the sweep and now they failed to close it out in five. The last thing a team wants to do is go to a game seven after winning the first three games so the sense of urgency is ramped up.
In game six you realize that you have a chance to make history. You want to stick with what works in games four & five. Keep in mind only six teams have forced a game seven after losing the first three games so there is still a lot you are going against. If you are the home team you want to win your final game while if you are on the road you want to force one more home game.
Game seven: At this point all bets are off. The series is tied at three games a piece and no team has a real edge. The team that won the first three games has lost any momentum that they may have had and are now fighting to survive. The team that has won the last three games is playing with house money and whatever happens happens.
Home ice can be a factor if you have a strong crowd behind you. If the crowd gets taken out early then the home ice edge goes away. Game seven then comes down to who wins what little battles there are. In game seven all the pressure goes on the home team because they are expected to win at home. It's a matter of who steps up to be the hero.
So, do I think San Jose can come back to win the series against Chicago? I don't. I think the Blackhawks are playing too well right now to let the Sharks back in the series. I think San Jose can avoid being swept by winning Game four but the way Chicago has played on the road I think they will wrap it up in five games.
Later today, Philadelphia plays Montreal in Game four of their best of seven series. Game time is at 2:00 PM on NBC.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Down 2-0, Are the Habs & Sharks in trouble
We are two games into the Conference Finals and Montreal & San Jose are in a situation that no team wants to be in. Both are trailing in their respective series to Philadelphia & Chicago two games to none.
All day yesterday I had people asking me if I thought either team was done or had any chance of coming back and winning their series. Today I want to elaborate on what each team chances are of coming back to win their series.
Montreal:
What has hurt the Canadiens most is the fact that Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton is channeling his inner Bernie Parent and shutting down the Habs offense.
Philly has outscored Montreal 9-0 this series and Leighton hasn't given up a goal since Boston's Milan Lucic scored late in the 1st period of game seven last Friday.
While Leighton has played well since making his return from an ankle injury his defense has done a great job helping him out. Leighton isn't giving up any rebounds and if he does Philly's defense has been there to either clear the puck or tie up any Habs that are looking to score.
So, do I think Montreal is in trouble? I don't, Not yet at least.
The whole story of the Habs this season has been their resiliency and their ability to come back from situations in which we thought they were done.
They came back from down 3-1 to defeat Washington & from down 3-2 to defeat Pittsburgh, both of whom I think are better hockey teams than Philadelphia.
Despite losing the 1st two games in Philly the next two are in Montreal. NBC analyst Pierre McGuire has said that you really aren't in trouble until you lose your 1st game on home ice.
If Montreal needs any inspiration all they have to do is look back to the 1st two games of last year's Stanley Cup finals when Pittsburgh looked like they didn't belong on the same sheet of ice as Detroit. That ended up turning out well for Pittsburgh in the end. (Yes, it still hurts.)
I'm not ready to count out Montreal yet. However if they fail to win tonight I don't think they will be able to rally from three games down to win the series.
San Jose:
The Sharks, like Montreal, have lost the 1st two games of their series. The difference is that San Jose had home ice where Montreal didn't. Now the Sharks have to go on the road and win two games in a hostile United Center in front of a fan base that has waited 18 years to play in a Stanley Cup Finals & 49 years to win a cup.
One of the reasons that San Jose is in this position is that only one of their best players, Patrick Marleau has shown up this series. Marleau has two goals & one assist this series but the other top forwards have been silent for San Jose.
Joe Thornton & Dany Heatley only have one assist & Joe Pavelski hasn't scored since Game two against Detroit. Meanwhile San Jose's defense has had trouble stopping Chicago's top line of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane & Dustin Byfuglien.
In goal, Chicago's Antti Niemi has outplayed San Jose's Evgeni Nabokv. Sharks fans reading this will say this sounds all too familiar as this happens every post-season to San Jose. Nabokov ends up getting out-played in net by a goaltender thought to be less talented than him.
I think the Sharks are in worse shape than Montreal right now. When this series started I expected both teams to split games three & four in Chicago. I still that think that will happen which isn't good for San Jose. The way Chicago has played on the road I'm not convinced San Jose can come back and win this series.
Game three between Philadelphia & Montreal is at 6 PM tonight on Versus. Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
All day yesterday I had people asking me if I thought either team was done or had any chance of coming back and winning their series. Today I want to elaborate on what each team chances are of coming back to win their series.
Montreal:
What has hurt the Canadiens most is the fact that Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton is channeling his inner Bernie Parent and shutting down the Habs offense.
Philly has outscored Montreal 9-0 this series and Leighton hasn't given up a goal since Boston's Milan Lucic scored late in the 1st period of game seven last Friday.
While Leighton has played well since making his return from an ankle injury his defense has done a great job helping him out. Leighton isn't giving up any rebounds and if he does Philly's defense has been there to either clear the puck or tie up any Habs that are looking to score.
So, do I think Montreal is in trouble? I don't, Not yet at least.
The whole story of the Habs this season has been their resiliency and their ability to come back from situations in which we thought they were done.
They came back from down 3-1 to defeat Washington & from down 3-2 to defeat Pittsburgh, both of whom I think are better hockey teams than Philadelphia.
Despite losing the 1st two games in Philly the next two are in Montreal. NBC analyst Pierre McGuire has said that you really aren't in trouble until you lose your 1st game on home ice.
If Montreal needs any inspiration all they have to do is look back to the 1st two games of last year's Stanley Cup finals when Pittsburgh looked like they didn't belong on the same sheet of ice as Detroit. That ended up turning out well for Pittsburgh in the end. (Yes, it still hurts.)
I'm not ready to count out Montreal yet. However if they fail to win tonight I don't think they will be able to rally from three games down to win the series.
San Jose:
The Sharks, like Montreal, have lost the 1st two games of their series. The difference is that San Jose had home ice where Montreal didn't. Now the Sharks have to go on the road and win two games in a hostile United Center in front of a fan base that has waited 18 years to play in a Stanley Cup Finals & 49 years to win a cup.
One of the reasons that San Jose is in this position is that only one of their best players, Patrick Marleau has shown up this series. Marleau has two goals & one assist this series but the other top forwards have been silent for San Jose.
Joe Thornton & Dany Heatley only have one assist & Joe Pavelski hasn't scored since Game two against Detroit. Meanwhile San Jose's defense has had trouble stopping Chicago's top line of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane & Dustin Byfuglien.
In goal, Chicago's Antti Niemi has outplayed San Jose's Evgeni Nabokv. Sharks fans reading this will say this sounds all too familiar as this happens every post-season to San Jose. Nabokov ends up getting out-played in net by a goaltender thought to be less talented than him.
I think the Sharks are in worse shape than Montreal right now. When this series started I expected both teams to split games three & four in Chicago. I still that think that will happen which isn't good for San Jose. The way Chicago has played on the road I'm not convinced San Jose can come back and win this series.
Game three between Philadelphia & Montreal is at 6 PM tonight on Versus. Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Conn Smythe Watch & a look back at Game 1.
The Conference finals got underway on Sunday with Chicago & Philadelphia both winning Game one. I'll share my thoughts on that in a bit but right now I want to take a look at who is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
1. Jonathan Toews: He had four goals & eight assists in the series against Vancouver and was the best player on the ice for Chicago. Right now he is the leading scorer in the post-season with 21 points.
2. Mike Cammalleri: Cammalleri leads all goal scorers in the post-season with 12 goals and he scored seven of them against Pittsburgh in the 2nd round. Jaroslav Halak may get all the headlines for Montreal but Cammalleri has been their best player this post-season.
3. Simon Gagne: He has only played in nine playoff games this post-season but his return and the impact it had against Boston puts him in the mix. He scored four goals against the Bruins including the game winners in Game four & Game seven. Most importantly, the Flyers haven't lost since his return.
4. Daniel Briere: You could make the case that Briere and not Gagne has been the best player for the Flyers so far this post-season. He has eight goals and nine assists during the playoffs and has scored key goals in the last three games for Philadelphia.
5. Joe Pavelski:He has only one point in the playoffs since scoring two goals against Detroit in Game Two of their series but he has nine goals this post-season so he can't be ignored from consideration for the Conn Smythe.
Now onto a couple quick thoughts on what happened Sunday
Chicago vs. San Jose: Chicago's defense did a great job shutting down the top line for San Jose. The Sharks only goal came from Jason Demars, who strikes fear in the heart of no one, on the Power Play.
I expect the Sharks to make whatever adjustments that need to be made and win game two tonight. If they fall behind two games to none to Chicago that may be too big a hole to dig out of the way the Blackhawks are playing.
Montreal vs. Philadelphia: The Flyers jumped on the Canadiens in the 2nd period, scoring three goals and chasing Jaroslav Halak from goal, en route to a 6-0 win. While it was a nice win for Philly let's not get ahead of ourselves here.
The story with Montreal this whole post-season has been their ability to overcome adversity. Remember, Halak got chased from Game one against Pittsburgh when the Penguins scored six goals. as we know now Montreal was able to bounce back and win the series.
It's only one game. Lets see how the Canadiens respond before we declare this series over. Both games are on Versus tonight starting at 6 PM.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
1. Jonathan Toews: He had four goals & eight assists in the series against Vancouver and was the best player on the ice for Chicago. Right now he is the leading scorer in the post-season with 21 points.
2. Mike Cammalleri: Cammalleri leads all goal scorers in the post-season with 12 goals and he scored seven of them against Pittsburgh in the 2nd round. Jaroslav Halak may get all the headlines for Montreal but Cammalleri has been their best player this post-season.
3. Simon Gagne: He has only played in nine playoff games this post-season but his return and the impact it had against Boston puts him in the mix. He scored four goals against the Bruins including the game winners in Game four & Game seven. Most importantly, the Flyers haven't lost since his return.
4. Daniel Briere: You could make the case that Briere and not Gagne has been the best player for the Flyers so far this post-season. He has eight goals and nine assists during the playoffs and has scored key goals in the last three games for Philadelphia.
5. Joe Pavelski:He has only one point in the playoffs since scoring two goals against Detroit in Game Two of their series but he has nine goals this post-season so he can't be ignored from consideration for the Conn Smythe.
Now onto a couple quick thoughts on what happened Sunday
Chicago vs. San Jose: Chicago's defense did a great job shutting down the top line for San Jose. The Sharks only goal came from Jason Demars, who strikes fear in the heart of no one, on the Power Play.
I expect the Sharks to make whatever adjustments that need to be made and win game two tonight. If they fall behind two games to none to Chicago that may be too big a hole to dig out of the way the Blackhawks are playing.
Montreal vs. Philadelphia: The Flyers jumped on the Canadiens in the 2nd period, scoring three goals and chasing Jaroslav Halak from goal, en route to a 6-0 win. While it was a nice win for Philly let's not get ahead of ourselves here.
The story with Montreal this whole post-season has been their ability to overcome adversity. Remember, Halak got chased from Game one against Pittsburgh when the Penguins scored six goals. as we know now Montreal was able to bounce back and win the series.
It's only one game. Lets see how the Canadiens respond before we declare this series over. Both games are on Versus tonight starting at 6 PM.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Conference Finals Preview
We are down to the Final Four in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In the Western Conference things have played the way most people thought it would with top seeded San Jose facing the number two seed Chicago Blackhawks. In the Eastern Conference not so much as the number seven seed Philadelphia gets ready to host the number eight seed Montreal.
So who do I like to play for the cup? Let's break it down starting in the Western Conference
Chicago vs. San Jose:
If you look at the talent on both of these rosters you could make a case that this is the real Stanley Cup Finals.
The Sharks are led by their top line of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton & Dany Heatley. Chicago counters with their top line of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp & Marian Hossa.
Both teams have great 2nd lines also. San Jose led by Joe Pavelski, Chicago led by Patrick Kane. After that things change depth wise for both teams. Chicago's 3rd line is capable of scoring while San Jose's 3rd line is more of a checking line
On defense the Sharks are led by Rob Blake & Dan Boyle, both of whom have their name on the Stanley Cup. Chicago's defense is led by Duncan Keith & Brent Seabrook, who a lot of people think it's only a matter of time before their name is on the cup.
In goal, Evgeni Nabokov has been able to overcome his playoff demons so far leading the Sharks to their 1st conference finals appearance since 2004. Antti Niemi has managed to solidify what was thought to be a shaky goaltending situation for Chicago, leading the Blackhawks to their 2nd conference finals appearance in a row.
So who do I like in this one? Honestly these teams are pretty equal talent wise. ESPN's Pierre LeBrun said you could flip a coin if you wanted to pick a winner. Well you people come here demanding I pick a winner and that's what I am going to do.
After watching San Jose this post-season I still don't trust them. Like I have stated earlier Nabokov usually gets outplayed in the post-season. It's going to take one more series to convince me that he can lead the Sharks to the cup. Unfortunately I don't think they will get that chance
Chicago in seven games.
Montreal vs. Philadelphia:
This may be the most unlikely conference finals match-up of all time considering that both teams didn't know they were in the playoffs until the final weekend.
The Flyers defeated a New Jersey team they had won five of six from in the regular season. The Flyers rallied from a three games to none deficit to win their series over the Bruins four games to three. Philly became the 3rd team in NHL history to accomplish this feat.
Montreal's road to the conference finals has been just as dramatic. The Canadiens rallied from a three games to one deficit to defeat the Washington capitals four games to three. The then rallied from a three games to two deficit to defeat the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.
So who do I like in this one? Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about Philadelphia. Most people may not know this but I have a soft spot in my heart for Montreal. My mom's side of my family came from the province of Quebec and my dad's best friend growing up is the biggest Canadiens fan I know.
So for sentimental reasons I am cheering for Montreal to not only win this series but to also win the Cup. Do I think Montreal will win this series? I do for two reasons. One, Montreal has better scoring forwards than Boston does. They can match Philly's depth at forward. Two, I like Jaroslav Halak in goal better than Michael Leighton.
Montreal in six games.
So there you have it, I am picking a Chicago vs Montreal final. The 1st round starts this afternoon with Chicago vs. San Jose on NBC at 2 PM and Montreal vs. Philadelphia at 6 PM on Versus.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
So who do I like to play for the cup? Let's break it down starting in the Western Conference
Chicago vs. San Jose:
If you look at the talent on both of these rosters you could make a case that this is the real Stanley Cup Finals.
The Sharks are led by their top line of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton & Dany Heatley. Chicago counters with their top line of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp & Marian Hossa.
Both teams have great 2nd lines also. San Jose led by Joe Pavelski, Chicago led by Patrick Kane. After that things change depth wise for both teams. Chicago's 3rd line is capable of scoring while San Jose's 3rd line is more of a checking line
On defense the Sharks are led by Rob Blake & Dan Boyle, both of whom have their name on the Stanley Cup. Chicago's defense is led by Duncan Keith & Brent Seabrook, who a lot of people think it's only a matter of time before their name is on the cup.
In goal, Evgeni Nabokov has been able to overcome his playoff demons so far leading the Sharks to their 1st conference finals appearance since 2004. Antti Niemi has managed to solidify what was thought to be a shaky goaltending situation for Chicago, leading the Blackhawks to their 2nd conference finals appearance in a row.
So who do I like in this one? Honestly these teams are pretty equal talent wise. ESPN's Pierre LeBrun said you could flip a coin if you wanted to pick a winner. Well you people come here demanding I pick a winner and that's what I am going to do.
After watching San Jose this post-season I still don't trust them. Like I have stated earlier Nabokov usually gets outplayed in the post-season. It's going to take one more series to convince me that he can lead the Sharks to the cup. Unfortunately I don't think they will get that chance
Chicago in seven games.
Montreal vs. Philadelphia:
This may be the most unlikely conference finals match-up of all time considering that both teams didn't know they were in the playoffs until the final weekend.
The Flyers defeated a New Jersey team they had won five of six from in the regular season. The Flyers rallied from a three games to none deficit to win their series over the Bruins four games to three. Philly became the 3rd team in NHL history to accomplish this feat.
Montreal's road to the conference finals has been just as dramatic. The Canadiens rallied from a three games to one deficit to defeat the Washington capitals four games to three. The then rallied from a three games to two deficit to defeat the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.
So who do I like in this one? Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about Philadelphia. Most people may not know this but I have a soft spot in my heart for Montreal. My mom's side of my family came from the province of Quebec and my dad's best friend growing up is the biggest Canadiens fan I know.
So for sentimental reasons I am cheering for Montreal to not only win this series but to also win the Cup. Do I think Montreal will win this series? I do for two reasons. One, Montreal has better scoring forwards than Boston does. They can match Philly's depth at forward. Two, I like Jaroslav Halak in goal better than Michael Leighton.
Montreal in six games.
So there you have it, I am picking a Chicago vs Montreal final. The 1st round starts this afternoon with Chicago vs. San Jose on NBC at 2 PM and Montreal vs. Philadelphia at 6 PM on Versus.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Thanks For Playing: Boston Bruins
Last night the Philadelphia Flyers rallied from being down three games to none to defeat the Boston Bruins 4-3. The loss brought the 2010 season to an end for the Bruins.
Today we take a look back at how the Bruins got here, what went wrong, & where they go from here.
How they got here:
The Boston Bruins finished 39-30-13. That was good enough for 91 points and a 6th place finish in the Eastern Conference. Marco Sturm led the Bruins in goals with 22 and Patrice Begeron led them in points with 52.
Tuukka Rask emerged during the middle of the season to take away the starting goaltender position away from Tim Thomas. Rask finished with a save percentage of .931 and a goals against average of 1.97.
In the 1st round the Bruins were able to upset the Buffalo Sabres four games to two before advancing to the 2nd round.
What went wrong:
There were two things that happened in this series that swung the momentum in favor of the Flyers.
The 1st happened in game four of the series. Flyers forward Simon Gagne returned to the lineup after missing the 1st three games with a foot injury. Originally, he was thought to not be available at all in this series.
With Philly down three games to none he suited up hoping to give his teammates an emotional boost. He did more than that, scoring the game winning goal in overtime to give Philadelphia a 5-4 win and their 1st win in the series.
Gagne's return to the lineup along with an injury to Bruins forward David Krecji in Game three gave the Flyers a huge advantage at forward that no team really had after the 1st three games.
Gagne struck again in Game five, scoring two goals to lead Philly to a 4-0 win. In game 6 Philly jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Boston finally found the back of the net with a minute to play only to fall short 2-1.
That brought us to Game seven in Boston. The Bruins got on the board first when Michael Ryder scored on a wrist shot 5 and a half minutes into the 1st period to give Boston a 1-0 lead. Milan Lucic scored the next two goals to give Boston a 3-0 lead late into the 1st period.
But Game seven would end up mirroring the series. The Flyers got on the board when forward James Van Riemsdyk scored a soft goal to make it 3-1 after one period. Once he scored I felt Boston had to get the next goal or they were in trouble. That didn't happen. Goals by Scott Hartnell & Daniel Briere in the 2nd period tied the game 3-3.
In the 3rd period Boston was called for a too many men on the ice penalty that brought back memories of 1979.
The Flyers only had one shot on the power play but Simon Gagne made it count as he found the back of the net to give Philadelphia a 4-3 lead they would not relinquish as they came back from three down to not only win the game but the series as well.
Where do they go from here:
When you are up 3-0 whether it is a game or a series you are expected to win. There is a reason why teams rarely come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series and yet the Flyers made it look easy in this comeback.
If I am Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli there are two things I do this off-season.
1. I fire Claude Julien as head coach. Whenever I watched the Bruins in this series he had a look on his face like he didn't even know a hockey game was going on. After this collapse I can't see anyway the Bruins can move forward as long as he is the coach.
2. Strip Zdeno Chara of the "C". I like Chara, I think he is a great defenseman and an asset to have on your team. I don't think he is much of a captain. He never was a guy that took charge when he played in Ottawa and so far I don't feel he has taken charge in Boston.
Chara is now 0-5 lifetime in game sevens. I can't see the Bruins getting to the conference finals as long as he is their leader.
Of course I am not the general manager of the Bruins so the chances of these two things happening are 50/50 at best.
What I do know is that there is a lot of soul searching going on in Massachusetts today. There will be some changes on this roster this off-season. There had better be. Losing a series after leading three games to none is something that will be very difficult for the Bruins to overcome.
Today we take a look back at how the Bruins got here, what went wrong, & where they go from here.
How they got here:
The Boston Bruins finished 39-30-13. That was good enough for 91 points and a 6th place finish in the Eastern Conference. Marco Sturm led the Bruins in goals with 22 and Patrice Begeron led them in points with 52.
Tuukka Rask emerged during the middle of the season to take away the starting goaltender position away from Tim Thomas. Rask finished with a save percentage of .931 and a goals against average of 1.97.
In the 1st round the Bruins were able to upset the Buffalo Sabres four games to two before advancing to the 2nd round.
What went wrong:
There were two things that happened in this series that swung the momentum in favor of the Flyers.
The 1st happened in game four of the series. Flyers forward Simon Gagne returned to the lineup after missing the 1st three games with a foot injury. Originally, he was thought to not be available at all in this series.
With Philly down three games to none he suited up hoping to give his teammates an emotional boost. He did more than that, scoring the game winning goal in overtime to give Philadelphia a 5-4 win and their 1st win in the series.
Gagne's return to the lineup along with an injury to Bruins forward David Krecji in Game three gave the Flyers a huge advantage at forward that no team really had after the 1st three games.
Gagne struck again in Game five, scoring two goals to lead Philly to a 4-0 win. In game 6 Philly jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Boston finally found the back of the net with a minute to play only to fall short 2-1.
That brought us to Game seven in Boston. The Bruins got on the board first when Michael Ryder scored on a wrist shot 5 and a half minutes into the 1st period to give Boston a 1-0 lead. Milan Lucic scored the next two goals to give Boston a 3-0 lead late into the 1st period.
But Game seven would end up mirroring the series. The Flyers got on the board when forward James Van Riemsdyk scored a soft goal to make it 3-1 after one period. Once he scored I felt Boston had to get the next goal or they were in trouble. That didn't happen. Goals by Scott Hartnell & Daniel Briere in the 2nd period tied the game 3-3.
In the 3rd period Boston was called for a too many men on the ice penalty that brought back memories of 1979.
The Flyers only had one shot on the power play but Simon Gagne made it count as he found the back of the net to give Philadelphia a 4-3 lead they would not relinquish as they came back from three down to not only win the game but the series as well.
Where do they go from here:
When you are up 3-0 whether it is a game or a series you are expected to win. There is a reason why teams rarely come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series and yet the Flyers made it look easy in this comeback.
If I am Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli there are two things I do this off-season.
1. I fire Claude Julien as head coach. Whenever I watched the Bruins in this series he had a look on his face like he didn't even know a hockey game was going on. After this collapse I can't see anyway the Bruins can move forward as long as he is the coach.
2. Strip Zdeno Chara of the "C". I like Chara, I think he is a great defenseman and an asset to have on your team. I don't think he is much of a captain. He never was a guy that took charge when he played in Ottawa and so far I don't feel he has taken charge in Boston.
Chara is now 0-5 lifetime in game sevens. I can't see the Bruins getting to the conference finals as long as he is their leader.
Of course I am not the general manager of the Bruins so the chances of these two things happening are 50/50 at best.
What I do know is that there is a lot of soul searching going on in Massachusetts today. There will be some changes on this roster this off-season. There had better be. Losing a series after leading three games to none is something that will be very difficult for the Bruins to overcome.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Thanks For Playing: Pittsburgh Penguins
Last night in Pittsburgh, the Penguins were defeated in Game seven by the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. The loss allows Montreal to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals and brings an end to the season for the Penguins.
Today we will take a look back at how the Penguins got here, what went wrong, & where they go from here.
How they got here:
Pittsburgh finished with a record of 47-28-7. That was good for 101 points & 4th place in the Eastern Conference. Sidney Crosby led the Penguins in goals (51) assists (58) & points (109). Not a bad year for the captain of the Penguins.
The Penguins defeated the Ottawa Senators in six games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals before bowing out against Montreal in the next round.
What went wrong:
Honestly, I am still trying to figure out what happened to the Penguins this series. They were able to win the 1st game of the series before both teams started trading wins back & forth leading us to game seven last night.
Once game seven started nothing went right for Pittsburgh. Crosby took a boarding penalty ten seconds into the contest. Twenty-two seconds later Brian Gionta tipped the puck past Marc-Andre Fleury and Montreal was up 1-0 before Pittsburgh could get settled in.
Dominic Moore scored on a wrist shot later in the period to give Montreal a 2-0 after one. Montreal continued their scoring in the 2nd period when Mike Cammalleri scored his 12th goal of the playoffs on a snap shot to make it 3-0.
Travis Moen then was able to get around Sergei Gonchar and score a short-handed goal to give the Habs a 4-0 lead. That would be the end of the night for Fleury who was pulled for Brent Johnson.
Pittsburgh was able to pull within two goals before the end of the 2nd but Gionta struck again at ten minute mark of the 3rd period, scoring a Power Play goal to give Montreal a 5-2 lead.
At this point all that was left to do was wait for the season to end and to remember all the great moments that took place at the Mellon Arena as this ended up being the final NHL game there before the Penguins move into the Consol Energy Center next season.
In the end, Crosby & Malkin were held scoreless. Fleury played his worst game of the post-season & Gonchar played this game seven with the same intensity as you would play game seven of a preseason game in Wilkes Barre, PA.
Where they go from here:
Despite this loss the Penguins are still an elite team. The core of this team is in place and more likely than not they will be contending for many Stanley Cups for years to come. The loss to Montreal shows just how hard it is to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
One big decision is what to do with Sergei Gonchar on defense. Despite the bad game last night, he has been a key part of the evolution of the Penguins from a lottery team into a Stanley Cup contender.
However he is 36 years old and with most of their core players locked up they may no longer be able to afford him. What they decide to do with Gonchar is one thing to keep an eye on this off-season.
Another thing to watch is the play of Fleury. His play this post-season was less than spectacular but he did win the Cup last year and played well back in 2008 when he helped lead the Penguins to the finals. I'm curious to see how he bounces back.
This loss may be a surprise but this is only a bump in the road for Pittsburgh. This loss will only bring back the hunger the Penguins were lacking this post-season. I'll be surprised if they don't contend for the Cup next season.
Today we will take a look back at how the Penguins got here, what went wrong, & where they go from here.
How they got here:
Pittsburgh finished with a record of 47-28-7. That was good for 101 points & 4th place in the Eastern Conference. Sidney Crosby led the Penguins in goals (51) assists (58) & points (109). Not a bad year for the captain of the Penguins.
The Penguins defeated the Ottawa Senators in six games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals before bowing out against Montreal in the next round.
What went wrong:
Honestly, I am still trying to figure out what happened to the Penguins this series. They were able to win the 1st game of the series before both teams started trading wins back & forth leading us to game seven last night.
Once game seven started nothing went right for Pittsburgh. Crosby took a boarding penalty ten seconds into the contest. Twenty-two seconds later Brian Gionta tipped the puck past Marc-Andre Fleury and Montreal was up 1-0 before Pittsburgh could get settled in.
Dominic Moore scored on a wrist shot later in the period to give Montreal a 2-0 after one. Montreal continued their scoring in the 2nd period when Mike Cammalleri scored his 12th goal of the playoffs on a snap shot to make it 3-0.
Travis Moen then was able to get around Sergei Gonchar and score a short-handed goal to give the Habs a 4-0 lead. That would be the end of the night for Fleury who was pulled for Brent Johnson.
Pittsburgh was able to pull within two goals before the end of the 2nd but Gionta struck again at ten minute mark of the 3rd period, scoring a Power Play goal to give Montreal a 5-2 lead.
At this point all that was left to do was wait for the season to end and to remember all the great moments that took place at the Mellon Arena as this ended up being the final NHL game there before the Penguins move into the Consol Energy Center next season.
In the end, Crosby & Malkin were held scoreless. Fleury played his worst game of the post-season & Gonchar played this game seven with the same intensity as you would play game seven of a preseason game in Wilkes Barre, PA.
Where they go from here:
Despite this loss the Penguins are still an elite team. The core of this team is in place and more likely than not they will be contending for many Stanley Cups for years to come. The loss to Montreal shows just how hard it is to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
One big decision is what to do with Sergei Gonchar on defense. Despite the bad game last night, he has been a key part of the evolution of the Penguins from a lottery team into a Stanley Cup contender.
However he is 36 years old and with most of their core players locked up they may no longer be able to afford him. What they decide to do with Gonchar is one thing to keep an eye on this off-season.
Another thing to watch is the play of Fleury. His play this post-season was less than spectacular but he did win the Cup last year and played well back in 2008 when he helped lead the Penguins to the finals. I'm curious to see how he bounces back.
This loss may be a surprise but this is only a bump in the road for Pittsburgh. This loss will only bring back the hunger the Penguins were lacking this post-season. I'll be surprised if they don't contend for the Cup next season.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Thanks For Playing: Vancouver Canucks
Last night at GM Place in Vancouver, the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Canucks to win their series four games to two. The loss brings an end to the season for Vancouver. Today we take a look back how the Canucks got here, what went wrong & where they go from here.
How they got here:
Vancouver finished the season with a record of 49-28-5. That was good for 103 points and a Northwest Division title. In the 1st round Vancouver won their 1st round series against Los Angeles four games to two.
Alexandre Burrows led the team with 35 goals while Henrik Sedin lead the team in points with 112 and was nominated for the Hart Trophy which is the award for most outstanding player.
Roberto Luongo won 40 games in goal for Vancouver and had a Goals against average of 2.57 and a save percentage of .913.
What went wrong:
The Canucks were awful on their home ice this post-season going 2-4 at GM Place. They took a lot of dumb penalties in games three & four against Chicago which lead to six power play goals (2 in Game 3, 4 in Game 4)
The Blackhawks were also able to shut down the 2nd & 3rd scoring lines for Vancouver forcing the Sedin line to pick up the slack scoring wise. The Sedin line was able to contribute on a regular basis but the Canucks defense was not able to stop the Blackhawks from finding the back of the net.
Another reason the Canucks lost this series is because Roberto Luongo was outplayed in goal by Blackhawks goaltender Antti Niemi. This is a big deal due the fact that Luongo won a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver while Niemi is a rookie who was backing up Cristobal Huet in goal for most of the season in Chicago.
For as good as Luongo is he still finds a way to come up short in the post-season.
Where they go from here:
For most of this season I kept hearing people say how talented this team was and how they were primed for a run at the Stanley Cup. what I kept seeing was a team with one great scoring line, a good goaltender and a blue line that was hit by a rash of injuries.
While the Canucks are a talented team they also have a tendency to fold if they fall behind early in the game. The Blackhawks were able to jump on them early in all the games in Vancouver. Once that happened this series was over.
What the Canucks need to do is to stop taking dumb penalties. It hard to win hockey games if you are constantly in the penalty box.
A little more scoring depth on their 2nd & 3rd lines would also help. They aren't that far away from having three good lines that are capable of scoring goals and taking a lot of the burden off of the Sedin line. The 2nd & 3rd lines just need to be more consistent with their scoring.
The main thing for the Canucks is they have to become mentally tougher than they are right now. Just because you fall behind by three goals early in the game does not mean the game is over. It is possible to come back and either tie or win the game.
This is a talented roster can win a lot of hockey games. What they need to do is learn how to overcome adversity. Until they learn this lesson, their season will probably continue to end early in the playoffs.
How they got here:
Vancouver finished the season with a record of 49-28-5. That was good for 103 points and a Northwest Division title. In the 1st round Vancouver won their 1st round series against Los Angeles four games to two.
Alexandre Burrows led the team with 35 goals while Henrik Sedin lead the team in points with 112 and was nominated for the Hart Trophy which is the award for most outstanding player.
Roberto Luongo won 40 games in goal for Vancouver and had a Goals against average of 2.57 and a save percentage of .913.
What went wrong:
The Canucks were awful on their home ice this post-season going 2-4 at GM Place. They took a lot of dumb penalties in games three & four against Chicago which lead to six power play goals (2 in Game 3, 4 in Game 4)
The Blackhawks were also able to shut down the 2nd & 3rd scoring lines for Vancouver forcing the Sedin line to pick up the slack scoring wise. The Sedin line was able to contribute on a regular basis but the Canucks defense was not able to stop the Blackhawks from finding the back of the net.
Another reason the Canucks lost this series is because Roberto Luongo was outplayed in goal by Blackhawks goaltender Antti Niemi. This is a big deal due the fact that Luongo won a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver while Niemi is a rookie who was backing up Cristobal Huet in goal for most of the season in Chicago.
For as good as Luongo is he still finds a way to come up short in the post-season.
Where they go from here:
For most of this season I kept hearing people say how talented this team was and how they were primed for a run at the Stanley Cup. what I kept seeing was a team with one great scoring line, a good goaltender and a blue line that was hit by a rash of injuries.
While the Canucks are a talented team they also have a tendency to fold if they fall behind early in the game. The Blackhawks were able to jump on them early in all the games in Vancouver. Once that happened this series was over.
What the Canucks need to do is to stop taking dumb penalties. It hard to win hockey games if you are constantly in the penalty box.
A little more scoring depth on their 2nd & 3rd lines would also help. They aren't that far away from having three good lines that are capable of scoring goals and taking a lot of the burden off of the Sedin line. The 2nd & 3rd lines just need to be more consistent with their scoring.
The main thing for the Canucks is they have to become mentally tougher than they are right now. Just because you fall behind by three goals early in the game does not mean the game is over. It is possible to come back and either tie or win the game.
This is a talented roster can win a lot of hockey games. What they need to do is learn how to overcome adversity. Until they learn this lesson, their season will probably continue to end early in the playoffs.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Team of Destiny? Habs Force Game 7.
It seems that every year during the Stanley Cup Playoffs one team makes a run that is completely unexpected. Some years it ends with a Stanley Cup championship (Montreal in 93, New Jersey in 2000.) Other years it ends with a team making the finals only to just fall short (Anaheim on 03, Calgary in 04, Edmonton in 06)
Either way when this team comes out of nowhere it gets people thinking what if this happens, what if they pull this off? If the team has a history around them it seems even more magical. That is what we are looking at after Montreal defeated Pittsburgh 4-3 last night to tie up their best of seven series at three games a piece.
Montreal already got our attention in the 1st round when they rallied from a three games to one deficit to eliminate the top seeded Washington Capitals. Now down three games to two and facing elimination once again the Canadiens found a way to win.
Mike Cammalleri continued to be Montreal's best offensive forward scoring the 1st goal of the game to give the Habs the early lead. Sidney Crosby batted a puck out of mid-air for his 1st goal of the series to tie the game at one goal a piece.
After Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead on Kris Letang's wrist shot in the 2nd period Montreal came storming back. Cammalleri scored again on a backhand shot to tie the game at two. Two and a half minutes later Canadiens defenseman Jaroslav Spacek fired a slap shot from the blue line, beating Marc-Andre Fleury to give Montreal a 3-2 lead.
Maxim Lapierre added an insurance goal in the 3rd period to give Montreal a 4-2 lead. That goal would end up being the game winning goal as Pittsburgh was able to pull within one goal late in the game when Bill Guerin deflected a Sergei Gonchar slap shot past Montreal goaltender Jaroslav Halak.
Halak finished with 34 saves in the game while his counterpart Fleury finished with 21 saves.
So Montreal forces a game seven for the 2nd series in a row against a team that was heavily favored against them. Can they upset the defending Stanley Cup champions and go on their 1st cup run since 1993? At this point I don't know.
When this series started I thought Pittsburgh would win in five games. After this series was tied 2-2 I thought Pittsburgh would win the next two games and end the series. Now that we are tied at three games a piece anything is possible.
Pittsburgh is the defending champs and should be favored to win game seven on Wednesday but the Canadiens are playing with house money and have nothing to lose. I don't think anyone will be surprised at this point if Montreal wins the series.
All I know is that when I come into work tomorrow I'll be wearing my Habs jersey instead of my Crosby jersey hoping for another upset by Montreal.
Either way when this team comes out of nowhere it gets people thinking what if this happens, what if they pull this off? If the team has a history around them it seems even more magical. That is what we are looking at after Montreal defeated Pittsburgh 4-3 last night to tie up their best of seven series at three games a piece.
Montreal already got our attention in the 1st round when they rallied from a three games to one deficit to eliminate the top seeded Washington Capitals. Now down three games to two and facing elimination once again the Canadiens found a way to win.
Mike Cammalleri continued to be Montreal's best offensive forward scoring the 1st goal of the game to give the Habs the early lead. Sidney Crosby batted a puck out of mid-air for his 1st goal of the series to tie the game at one goal a piece.
After Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead on Kris Letang's wrist shot in the 2nd period Montreal came storming back. Cammalleri scored again on a backhand shot to tie the game at two. Two and a half minutes later Canadiens defenseman Jaroslav Spacek fired a slap shot from the blue line, beating Marc-Andre Fleury to give Montreal a 3-2 lead.
Maxim Lapierre added an insurance goal in the 3rd period to give Montreal a 4-2 lead. That goal would end up being the game winning goal as Pittsburgh was able to pull within one goal late in the game when Bill Guerin deflected a Sergei Gonchar slap shot past Montreal goaltender Jaroslav Halak.
Halak finished with 34 saves in the game while his counterpart Fleury finished with 21 saves.
So Montreal forces a game seven for the 2nd series in a row against a team that was heavily favored against them. Can they upset the defending Stanley Cup champions and go on their 1st cup run since 1993? At this point I don't know.
When this series started I thought Pittsburgh would win in five games. After this series was tied 2-2 I thought Pittsburgh would win the next two games and end the series. Now that we are tied at three games a piece anything is possible.
Pittsburgh is the defending champs and should be favored to win game seven on Wednesday but the Canadiens are playing with house money and have nothing to lose. I don't think anyone will be surprised at this point if Montreal wins the series.
All I know is that when I come into work tomorrow I'll be wearing my Habs jersey instead of my Crosby jersey hoping for another upset by Montreal.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Thanks For Playing: Detroit Red Wings
Last night in San Jose, the Sharks defeated the Red Wings to win their best of seven series 4 games to 1. Today we take a look back at the Detroit Red Wings season. How they got here, What went wrong, & where they go from here.
How they got here:
The Red Wings finished the season with a record of 44-24-14. Good enough for 102 points & 5th place in the Western Conference. It was the 1st time since 1991 that Detroit started a post-season series on the road.
Think about that last stat. In a post-season where just about every team makes it every couple years (except the Florida Panthers) the Red Wings started the post-season with home ice in the 1st round 17 years in a row. I'm guessing it will be a while until we see some team match that streak.
The Red Wings were on the outside of the post-season picture looking in at the Olympic break break before going 16-4-1 to finish the season. The red Wings then dispatched the Coyotes in a tough seven game series to advance to the 2nd round.
What went wrong:
Detroit's penalty kill is what ended up doing in the Red Wings this post-season. When they gave up three Power Play goals to Phoenix in Game one I thought it was just an aberration and eventually things would work out. Instead it ended up being the Achilles heel for the Red Wings.
Six of the fifteen goals the Sharks scored in the series came with the man advantage. Power Play goals in Games two & five stole the momentum from the Wings and gave it right back to the Sharks. That and the inability to win key faceoffs doomed Detroit.
It's one thing to have a bad penalty kill against a team like Phoenix, a team that you have more talent then and can use it to overcome any mistakes you make. It's another to have a bad penalty kill against a team like San Jose which is just as talented as you are and can make you pay for your mistakes. That is what ended up happening in this series and that's why the Sharks are moving on.
Where they go from here:
The Red Wings have played more hockey than any other team in the NHL during the last four seasons. For a team whose core of players are in their mid 30's it's going to catch up to you eventually. The early exit from the playoffs may actually do them some good as they have time to rest up for next season.
The Red Wings overcame one injury after another to finish strong and make the post-season. By the time this series was over they just ran out of gas.
Some good did come fro this post-season. Jimmy Howard showed that he is capable of being a playoff goalie for Detroit. It hasn't been the easiest position to fill in the past. Some have been successful (Mike Vernon, Chris Osgood, Dominik Hasek.) and some have been less than successful (Curtis Joseph, Manny Legace, Chris Osgood) The jury is still out on Howard but I feel comfortable with him in net.
Detroit has a couple nice young forwards in Darren Helm & Justin Abdelkader who I think will become regulars in the line-up next season. Helm reminds a lot of people of a young Kris Draper and has been a key player on the team the last two seasons on the 4th line and penalty kill. I look for his role to expand even more next year.
Abdelkader spent this season shuffling back & forth between Detroit & Grand Rapids. After his play this post-season I expect him to be on the roster & stick around next season.
The key to all this though will be what happens with Nicklas Lidstrom. He just turned 40 a couple weeks ago and is an unrestricted free agent after this season. I don't think he will leave to play for another team but he may leave and call it a career.
If he calls it a career the NHL will lose the closest thing to Bobby Orr that the league has seen and it will be a void on the blue line that will be hard for the Red Wings to fill.
The core of this team may be older than most but it is still very talented. If Lidstrom returns I expect them to still fight with Chicago for the top spot in the Central Division. If he doesn't return the Red Wings should still be a playoff team but it may be a while before they are considered contenders for Lord Stanley's Cup.
How they got here:
The Red Wings finished the season with a record of 44-24-14. Good enough for 102 points & 5th place in the Western Conference. It was the 1st time since 1991 that Detroit started a post-season series on the road.
Think about that last stat. In a post-season where just about every team makes it every couple years (except the Florida Panthers) the Red Wings started the post-season with home ice in the 1st round 17 years in a row. I'm guessing it will be a while until we see some team match that streak.
The Red Wings were on the outside of the post-season picture looking in at the Olympic break break before going 16-4-1 to finish the season. The red Wings then dispatched the Coyotes in a tough seven game series to advance to the 2nd round.
What went wrong:
Detroit's penalty kill is what ended up doing in the Red Wings this post-season. When they gave up three Power Play goals to Phoenix in Game one I thought it was just an aberration and eventually things would work out. Instead it ended up being the Achilles heel for the Red Wings.
Six of the fifteen goals the Sharks scored in the series came with the man advantage. Power Play goals in Games two & five stole the momentum from the Wings and gave it right back to the Sharks. That and the inability to win key faceoffs doomed Detroit.
It's one thing to have a bad penalty kill against a team like Phoenix, a team that you have more talent then and can use it to overcome any mistakes you make. It's another to have a bad penalty kill against a team like San Jose which is just as talented as you are and can make you pay for your mistakes. That is what ended up happening in this series and that's why the Sharks are moving on.
Where they go from here:
The Red Wings have played more hockey than any other team in the NHL during the last four seasons. For a team whose core of players are in their mid 30's it's going to catch up to you eventually. The early exit from the playoffs may actually do them some good as they have time to rest up for next season.
The Red Wings overcame one injury after another to finish strong and make the post-season. By the time this series was over they just ran out of gas.
Some good did come fro this post-season. Jimmy Howard showed that he is capable of being a playoff goalie for Detroit. It hasn't been the easiest position to fill in the past. Some have been successful (Mike Vernon, Chris Osgood, Dominik Hasek.) and some have been less than successful (Curtis Joseph, Manny Legace, Chris Osgood) The jury is still out on Howard but I feel comfortable with him in net.
Detroit has a couple nice young forwards in Darren Helm & Justin Abdelkader who I think will become regulars in the line-up next season. Helm reminds a lot of people of a young Kris Draper and has been a key player on the team the last two seasons on the 4th line and penalty kill. I look for his role to expand even more next year.
Abdelkader spent this season shuffling back & forth between Detroit & Grand Rapids. After his play this post-season I expect him to be on the roster & stick around next season.
The key to all this though will be what happens with Nicklas Lidstrom. He just turned 40 a couple weeks ago and is an unrestricted free agent after this season. I don't think he will leave to play for another team but he may leave and call it a career.
If he calls it a career the NHL will lose the closest thing to Bobby Orr that the league has seen and it will be a void on the blue line that will be hard for the Red Wings to fill.
The core of this team may be older than most but it is still very talented. If Lidstrom returns I expect them to still fight with Chicago for the top spot in the Central Division. If he doesn't return the Red Wings should still be a playoff team but it may be a while before they are considered contenders for Lord Stanley's Cup.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Saturday Hockey Hodgepodge
First of all, I apologize for not writing a blog yesterday. I was home battling a version of the plague that I haven't quite chased away yet. I'm feeling a little better today so I figure I would let you know where we stand as all four Conference Semifinals get ready for Game 5 this weekend.
Montreal vs. Pittsburgh:
After doing the job and containing Alex Ovechkin in the 1st round Montreal is doing it again, finding a way to not only contain Sidney Crosby but also Evgeni Malkin.
Crosby has three assist int his series but has yet to find the back of the net while Malkin's only goal of the series has come in Game 3.
Pittsburgh's secondary players have played well this series and that may be one of the reasons this series is tied at 2-2. Pittsburgh's best players have yet to be their best players while Mike Cammalleri has continued to best the best player for Montreal scoring three goals this series for the Habs.
Watching this series is like watching a tennis match as both teams are going back & forth. Pittsburgh wins one , Montreal wins one. If this holds true to form then the Penguins should win Game 5 tonight.
I expect them to not only win tonight but to go back to Montreal on Monday to close out this series. They better as the longer Montreal hangs around the more dangerous they become
Detroit vs. San Jose:
If you recall in my last column I called out Johan Franzen saying he had yet to have a big game. That changed on Thursday night as he scored a natural hat trick in the 1st period en route to finishing with four goals & two assist in Detroit 7-1 win over San Jose.
Watching this performance on Thursday frustrates me as a fan because it shows how good Detroit is capable of being and how they could easily be up three games to one in the series. Alas they are not and now they have to find a way to win in San Jose tonight or their season is over.
Franzen had his big game now it's time for Datsyuk or Zetteberg to have theirs. To be fair both players have contributed on the score sheet this series but neither has taken over a game like they did in the 1st round. (Zetteberg in Game 2, Datsyuk in Game 7.)
I think it's very important that the Sharks close out the series tonight for two reasons. One, they can rest up before the next round starts and two, they won't have to go back to Detroit for Game six.
For a team that has a history of underachieving in the playoffs the last thing they want is to have to go to a game six after having a three games to none lead. a loss tonight and the doubts & questions about the Sharks start to creep back in.
After watching Game four we all know what the Red Wings are capable of. Are they capable of winning three more games. Time will tell.
Philadelphia vs. Boston:
Being down three games to none and facing elimination the Flyers needed a boost. They got it in the form of Forward Simon Gagne. Not only did he come back early from a foot injury for the 1st time in this series but he scored the game winning goal in overtime to give the Flyers a 5-4 win.
The series shifts back to Boston for game five, a place where Philly hasn't won in the post-season since May 4th, 1976.
Boston jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 1st period on a wrist shot by Mark Recchi. Philly then went on to score the next three goals of the game before Boston cam back with two of their own to tie the game.
Flyers forward Ville Leino scored his 1st goal of the playoffs to give Philly a 4-3 lead late in the 3rd period before Recchi tied it up for the Bruins on a wrist shot with thirty seconds left to play.
The Flyers may have found the will to survive for another game but Boston showed their resiliency not once but twice in coming back to tie the game. I expect Boston to close out this series on Monday night.
Vancouver vs. Chicago:
For a series that I thought would be pretty tight it has been completely lopsided so far. Vancouver won Game one convincingly 5-1.
Since then they have gone on to drop the next three to Chicago giving the Blackhawks a three games to one lead in the series.
The main reason Vancouver is in this hole is because they can't stay out of the penalty box.
In Game three Dustin Byfuglien scored two of his three goals on the Power Play. In Game four Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews scored three power play goals and assisted on another one finishing with five points (3 G & 2 A) on the night.
During the end of the 2nd period I received a call from my friend Kris who is a big fan of the Chicago teams. I wouldn't call him a huge Balckhawks fan but he is aware of what they are doing and he is following them.
We were talking about the game when he mentioned that the Canucks seem like they are a dirty hockey team and that they are always taking cheap shots. He was just starting to realize what most hockey fans in Minnesota have known for years.
I thought this series would go six games at the start. After the last two games I'll be surprised if it doesn't end in five.
Reminder, we have two games tonight. Montreal vs. Pittsburgh at 6:00 PM and Detroit vs. San Jose at 9:00 PM. Both games are on Versus
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Montreal vs. Pittsburgh:
After doing the job and containing Alex Ovechkin in the 1st round Montreal is doing it again, finding a way to not only contain Sidney Crosby but also Evgeni Malkin.
Crosby has three assist int his series but has yet to find the back of the net while Malkin's only goal of the series has come in Game 3.
Pittsburgh's secondary players have played well this series and that may be one of the reasons this series is tied at 2-2. Pittsburgh's best players have yet to be their best players while Mike Cammalleri has continued to best the best player for Montreal scoring three goals this series for the Habs.
Watching this series is like watching a tennis match as both teams are going back & forth. Pittsburgh wins one , Montreal wins one. If this holds true to form then the Penguins should win Game 5 tonight.
I expect them to not only win tonight but to go back to Montreal on Monday to close out this series. They better as the longer Montreal hangs around the more dangerous they become
Detroit vs. San Jose:
If you recall in my last column I called out Johan Franzen saying he had yet to have a big game. That changed on Thursday night as he scored a natural hat trick in the 1st period en route to finishing with four goals & two assist in Detroit 7-1 win over San Jose.
Watching this performance on Thursday frustrates me as a fan because it shows how good Detroit is capable of being and how they could easily be up three games to one in the series. Alas they are not and now they have to find a way to win in San Jose tonight or their season is over.
Franzen had his big game now it's time for Datsyuk or Zetteberg to have theirs. To be fair both players have contributed on the score sheet this series but neither has taken over a game like they did in the 1st round. (Zetteberg in Game 2, Datsyuk in Game 7.)
I think it's very important that the Sharks close out the series tonight for two reasons. One, they can rest up before the next round starts and two, they won't have to go back to Detroit for Game six.
For a team that has a history of underachieving in the playoffs the last thing they want is to have to go to a game six after having a three games to none lead. a loss tonight and the doubts & questions about the Sharks start to creep back in.
After watching Game four we all know what the Red Wings are capable of. Are they capable of winning three more games. Time will tell.
Philadelphia vs. Boston:
Being down three games to none and facing elimination the Flyers needed a boost. They got it in the form of Forward Simon Gagne. Not only did he come back early from a foot injury for the 1st time in this series but he scored the game winning goal in overtime to give the Flyers a 5-4 win.
The series shifts back to Boston for game five, a place where Philly hasn't won in the post-season since May 4th, 1976.
Boston jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 1st period on a wrist shot by Mark Recchi. Philly then went on to score the next three goals of the game before Boston cam back with two of their own to tie the game.
Flyers forward Ville Leino scored his 1st goal of the playoffs to give Philly a 4-3 lead late in the 3rd period before Recchi tied it up for the Bruins on a wrist shot with thirty seconds left to play.
The Flyers may have found the will to survive for another game but Boston showed their resiliency not once but twice in coming back to tie the game. I expect Boston to close out this series on Monday night.
Vancouver vs. Chicago:
For a series that I thought would be pretty tight it has been completely lopsided so far. Vancouver won Game one convincingly 5-1.
Since then they have gone on to drop the next three to Chicago giving the Blackhawks a three games to one lead in the series.
The main reason Vancouver is in this hole is because they can't stay out of the penalty box.
In Game three Dustin Byfuglien scored two of his three goals on the Power Play. In Game four Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews scored three power play goals and assisted on another one finishing with five points (3 G & 2 A) on the night.
During the end of the 2nd period I received a call from my friend Kris who is a big fan of the Chicago teams. I wouldn't call him a huge Balckhawks fan but he is aware of what they are doing and he is following them.
We were talking about the game when he mentioned that the Canucks seem like they are a dirty hockey team and that they are always taking cheap shots. He was just starting to realize what most hockey fans in Minnesota have known for years.
I thought this series would go six games at the start. After the last two games I'll be surprised if it doesn't end in five.
Reminder, we have two games tonight. Montreal vs. Pittsburgh at 6:00 PM and Detroit vs. San Jose at 9:00 PM. Both games are on Versus
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Red Wings on the Brink
I have been a Detroit Red Wings fan since 1993. For the 1st time in my life as a fan they are in danger of getting swept at home.
I have only seen Detroit get swept in the playoffs twice in my lifetime. In 1995 thew were swept in the Stanley Cup Finals against New Jersey & in 2003 they were swept in the 1st round by Anaheim. Both sweeps were finished away from Joe Louis Arena.
Honestly, neither one felt good to watch and I'm guessing if they get swept tonight on home ice this one won't feel too good either.
But I'm not thinking about Detroit getting swept at home. I'm thinking of the Red Wings winning tonight to force a Game 5 at the Shark tank on Saturday night. For that to happen here is what they need to do.
1. Jimmy Howard has to play better than he did in Game three.
Howard played well in goal in Games one & two but he gave up two bad goals in Game three. The 1st goal Howard gave up came with only four seconds left in the period when Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi found the back of the net.
Then with under seven minutes to play in the 3rd period Logan Couture threw a puck at Howard that found a little space between his legs and ended up in the back of the net to tie the game at 3-3.
After that the Red Wings looked a little tentative the rest of the way and the Sharks outplayed them the rest of the game eventually getting the game winner from Patrick Marleau in overtime.
Howard has played as well as Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov. Tonight he has to be better.
2. They have to stay out of the penalty box.
The penalty kill for the Red Wings has been less than spectacular this post-season. They gave up three goals which cost them game one against Phoenix and it hasn't gotten any better since then.
They gave up two power play goals in games one & two which cost them at least a split against the Sharks in San Jose.
The Red Wings did a better job staying out of the penalty box in game three. With the way the Sharks have been playing, they better steer clear of the penalty box in Game four.
3. Detroit's best players have to be their best players.
This series the Sharks best players (Marleau, Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton & Dany Heatley) have all managed to find the back of the net and have been involved in the scoring for San Jose.
Detroit's best forwards (Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetteberg, & Johan Franzen) have only found the back of the net once this series. It seems like when one of them steps up the other two disappear.
Franzen has been the hardest to figure out these playoffs. He has two goals & eight assists but if you have watched Detroit this post-season you would have figured he was invisible. He hasn't been as good has he has been in previous post-seasons.
If Detroit is winning this isn't a problem. The Red Wings are down three games to none & facing elimination. Needless to say it is a problem.
The Sharks have been just a little bit better in everything they have done this series. Detroit has to be better than them tonight if they are to force a game five.
What do I expect tonight? The Red Wings are a veteran team that knows how to win in the playoffs. While they haven't done it yet this series they have been close enough where they could easily be up two games to one.
I have a hard time believing a team with this much talent can be swept away at home. They may not win this series but I think they will find a way to win Game four tonight at the Joe.
The game will be joined in progress on Versus right after the end of Game four between Pittsburgh & Montreal which starts at 6:00 PM.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
I have only seen Detroit get swept in the playoffs twice in my lifetime. In 1995 thew were swept in the Stanley Cup Finals against New Jersey & in 2003 they were swept in the 1st round by Anaheim. Both sweeps were finished away from Joe Louis Arena.
Honestly, neither one felt good to watch and I'm guessing if they get swept tonight on home ice this one won't feel too good either.
But I'm not thinking about Detroit getting swept at home. I'm thinking of the Red Wings winning tonight to force a Game 5 at the Shark tank on Saturday night. For that to happen here is what they need to do.
1. Jimmy Howard has to play better than he did in Game three.
Howard played well in goal in Games one & two but he gave up two bad goals in Game three. The 1st goal Howard gave up came with only four seconds left in the period when Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi found the back of the net.
Then with under seven minutes to play in the 3rd period Logan Couture threw a puck at Howard that found a little space between his legs and ended up in the back of the net to tie the game at 3-3.
After that the Red Wings looked a little tentative the rest of the way and the Sharks outplayed them the rest of the game eventually getting the game winner from Patrick Marleau in overtime.
Howard has played as well as Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov. Tonight he has to be better.
2. They have to stay out of the penalty box.
The penalty kill for the Red Wings has been less than spectacular this post-season. They gave up three goals which cost them game one against Phoenix and it hasn't gotten any better since then.
They gave up two power play goals in games one & two which cost them at least a split against the Sharks in San Jose.
The Red Wings did a better job staying out of the penalty box in game three. With the way the Sharks have been playing, they better steer clear of the penalty box in Game four.
3. Detroit's best players have to be their best players.
This series the Sharks best players (Marleau, Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton & Dany Heatley) have all managed to find the back of the net and have been involved in the scoring for San Jose.
Detroit's best forwards (Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetteberg, & Johan Franzen) have only found the back of the net once this series. It seems like when one of them steps up the other two disappear.
Franzen has been the hardest to figure out these playoffs. He has two goals & eight assists but if you have watched Detroit this post-season you would have figured he was invisible. He hasn't been as good has he has been in previous post-seasons.
If Detroit is winning this isn't a problem. The Red Wings are down three games to none & facing elimination. Needless to say it is a problem.
The Sharks have been just a little bit better in everything they have done this series. Detroit has to be better than them tonight if they are to force a game five.
What do I expect tonight? The Red Wings are a veteran team that knows how to win in the playoffs. While they haven't done it yet this series they have been close enough where they could easily be up two games to one.
I have a hard time believing a team with this much talent can be swept away at home. They may not win this series but I think they will find a way to win Game four tonight at the Joe.
The game will be joined in progress on Versus right after the end of Game four between Pittsburgh & Montreal which starts at 6:00 PM.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Quick Recap & Look Ahead
Not a lot to talk about today so I decided to take a look back at what happened on the ice last night and take a look ahead to tonight's action.
Philadelphia vs. Boston:
The Bruins took a two games to none lead on the Flyers thanks in part to Milan Lucic's goal at 17:03 of the 3rd period. Both teams traded goals in the 1st & 2nd Periods before Lucic found the back of the net for the 1st time since April 10th.
Tuukka Rask had 24 saves in net for the Bruins while Brian Boucher also stopped 24 shots in the loss for Philadelphia.
Some bad blood may be brewing between these teams. During the 2nd period Flyers forward/pest Daniel Carcillo accused Bruins forward Marc Savard of biting his finger during a skirmish.
"Last time I have been bit was in grade school. It is not a good feeling. It is pretty cowardly,'' Carcillo said. "Guys don't bite. Men don't bite.''
Savard responded by saying "He pummeled on my face,'He pulled on my teeth, so I guess that's biting when a guy tries and pull your front teeth out.''
I didn't see what happened but I find it hard to believe that Marc Savard would do something like that. He doesn't have a reputation for being a dirty player. Carcillo on the other hand, well let's just say this may be a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
Game three is Wednesday Night on Versus. I'll be setting my TIVO in case something happens.
Vancouver vs. Chicago:
The Canucks jumped on the Blackhawks early when Mason Raymond scored at 1:22 of the 1st period. Nearly four minutes later Mikael Samuelsson scored his team leading eight goal on the Power Play to give Vancouver a quick 2-0 lead.
Brent Seabrook got Chicago on the board with a snap shot at 7:40 of the 1st period. The Blackhawks were finally able to tie it up when Patrick Sharp scored a short-handed goal at 6:49 of the 3rd period.
The teams remained deadlocked until Kris Versteeg found the back of the net with 1:30 to play in the game and give Chicago their 1st lead of the game. Patrick Kane added an empty netter to give Chicago a 4-2 win and tie the series at one game a piece.
This was a huge comeback for Chicago as going to Vancouver down 2-0 is a situation that no team wants to be in. I expect both these teams to split their games in Vancouver. This one feels like a seven game series.
Now onto tonight's games:
Pittsburgh vs. Montreal:
Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins into the Bell Centre to take on the team he cheered for as a kid. While this series has a special meaning for Crosby, he and the rest of the Penguins will be looking to avenge their loss in game two while the Canadiens are looking to go up two games to one on Pittsburgh.
Crosby has been the best player this post-season and he seems to have a flair for the dramatic. I have a feeling he will have a special game in Montreal and we may see it as soon as tonight. I'm predicting Pittsburgh wins tonight and takes a 2-1 lead in the series.
San Jose vs. Detroit:
The Sharks head to the Motor City with a two games to none lead and are looking to take a stranglehold in the series.
While the Sharks may have won the 1st two games of the series I think both teams have been pretty even.
In game one. San Jose jumped on Detroit, scoring three goals in 1:19 to take an early 3-0 lead. Detroit was able to fight back and get it within one goal twice before time ran out.
In Game two both teams traded goals back and forth before Joe Thornton scored at 12:37 of the 3rd period in what proved to be the game winning goal.
The goal came as a result of Nicklas Lidstrom breaking his stick on a slap shot which led to a two on one for San Jose.
The Red Wings may be down two games to none but this is a veteran team that knows what it takes to win in the post-season.
NBC analyst (and former coach of the Whale) Pierre McGuire says that you aren't in trouble until you lose on home ice. Well the Wings are at home tonight and I think they will play their best game of the series this evening and break into the win column for the 1st time this series.
Both games are on Versus tonight. Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Philadelphia vs. Boston:
The Bruins took a two games to none lead on the Flyers thanks in part to Milan Lucic's goal at 17:03 of the 3rd period. Both teams traded goals in the 1st & 2nd Periods before Lucic found the back of the net for the 1st time since April 10th.
Tuukka Rask had 24 saves in net for the Bruins while Brian Boucher also stopped 24 shots in the loss for Philadelphia.
Some bad blood may be brewing between these teams. During the 2nd period Flyers forward/pest Daniel Carcillo accused Bruins forward Marc Savard of biting his finger during a skirmish.
"Last time I have been bit was in grade school. It is not a good feeling. It is pretty cowardly,'' Carcillo said. "Guys don't bite. Men don't bite.''
Savard responded by saying "He pummeled on my face,'He pulled on my teeth, so I guess that's biting when a guy tries and pull your front teeth out.''
I didn't see what happened but I find it hard to believe that Marc Savard would do something like that. He doesn't have a reputation for being a dirty player. Carcillo on the other hand, well let's just say this may be a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
Game three is Wednesday Night on Versus. I'll be setting my TIVO in case something happens.
Vancouver vs. Chicago:
The Canucks jumped on the Blackhawks early when Mason Raymond scored at 1:22 of the 1st period. Nearly four minutes later Mikael Samuelsson scored his team leading eight goal on the Power Play to give Vancouver a quick 2-0 lead.
Brent Seabrook got Chicago on the board with a snap shot at 7:40 of the 1st period. The Blackhawks were finally able to tie it up when Patrick Sharp scored a short-handed goal at 6:49 of the 3rd period.
The teams remained deadlocked until Kris Versteeg found the back of the net with 1:30 to play in the game and give Chicago their 1st lead of the game. Patrick Kane added an empty netter to give Chicago a 4-2 win and tie the series at one game a piece.
This was a huge comeback for Chicago as going to Vancouver down 2-0 is a situation that no team wants to be in. I expect both these teams to split their games in Vancouver. This one feels like a seven game series.
Now onto tonight's games:
Pittsburgh vs. Montreal:
Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins into the Bell Centre to take on the team he cheered for as a kid. While this series has a special meaning for Crosby, he and the rest of the Penguins will be looking to avenge their loss in game two while the Canadiens are looking to go up two games to one on Pittsburgh.
Crosby has been the best player this post-season and he seems to have a flair for the dramatic. I have a feeling he will have a special game in Montreal and we may see it as soon as tonight. I'm predicting Pittsburgh wins tonight and takes a 2-1 lead in the series.
San Jose vs. Detroit:
The Sharks head to the Motor City with a two games to none lead and are looking to take a stranglehold in the series.
While the Sharks may have won the 1st two games of the series I think both teams have been pretty even.
In game one. San Jose jumped on Detroit, scoring three goals in 1:19 to take an early 3-0 lead. Detroit was able to fight back and get it within one goal twice before time ran out.
In Game two both teams traded goals back and forth before Joe Thornton scored at 12:37 of the 3rd period in what proved to be the game winning goal.
The goal came as a result of Nicklas Lidstrom breaking his stick on a slap shot which led to a two on one for San Jose.
The Red Wings may be down two games to none but this is a veteran team that knows what it takes to win in the post-season.
NBC analyst (and former coach of the Whale) Pierre McGuire says that you aren't in trouble until you lose on home ice. Well the Wings are at home tonight and I think they will play their best game of the series this evening and break into the win column for the 1st time this series.
Both games are on Versus tonight. Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Conn Smythe Watch
With the 2nd round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs underway I thought it would be a nice time to take a look at the candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy.
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, who was the Owner and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Without any further adieu here are the candidates.
1. Sidney Crosby- He had 5 goals and 9 assist in the Penguins series win over Ottawa and already has two assist against Montreal. Right now he is the best player on the planet when it comes to hockey and he is only 22 years old. He's only going to get better.
2. Joe Pavelski- The Sharks forward has nine goals this post-season to lead all scorers. three of those goals have been game winners and two have been game tying goals. Five of his goals have been on the Power Play. Pavelski is the most clutch player so far these playoffs.
3. Mike Cammalleri- Jaroslav Halak may get all the headlines but Cammalleri has been Montreal's most consistent player. He scored in three of the four wins over Washington and added two goals, including the game winner, yesterday in the Canadiens 3-1 win over the Penguins. With eight goals this post-season only Pavelski has more goals.
4. Mikael Samuelsson- The 3rd member of the Sedin Line has been the best player for Vancouver this post-season scoring seven goals and assisting on four others. He is the plus/minus leader this post-season at nine.
5. Jaroslav Halak- The only reason I don't have him higher on this list is because he has been pulled twice this post-season and benched for Game four against Washington. He was brilliant, stopping 131 of 134 shots, in games five thru seven leading the Habs to the upset over the Capitals.
Yesterday Halak stopped 38 of 39 shots, helping Montreal to win Game two against Pittsburgh. His save percentage of .931 is the highest since Patrick Roy had a save percentage of .929 in 1993. (Note: Montreal went on to win the Stanley Cup that season. Something to keep an eye on.)
Honorable Mention:
Pavel Datsyuk/Henrik Zetteberg: The Red Wings are 4-1 when one of them scores a goal and 0-4 when they don't find the back of the net.
The Sedin Twins: Mikael Samuelsson may be scoring the goals for the Canucks but Daniel Sedin has eleven points & Henrik Sedin has nine points for Vancouver. I expect this to increase as long as the Canucks stay alive.
Brian Boucher: He has a save percentage of .928 and a Goals Against Average of 2.07. Most importantly he outplayed Martin Brodeur in Round one. He will have to continue to play good if Philadelphia is to win the Stanley Cup. ( I can't believe I just typed that.)
We have two games on tap tonight, Boston hosts Philadelphia in Game two of their series & Chicago host Vancouver. Both games are on Versus.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, who was the Owner and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Without any further adieu here are the candidates.
1. Sidney Crosby- He had 5 goals and 9 assist in the Penguins series win over Ottawa and already has two assist against Montreal. Right now he is the best player on the planet when it comes to hockey and he is only 22 years old. He's only going to get better.
2. Joe Pavelski- The Sharks forward has nine goals this post-season to lead all scorers. three of those goals have been game winners and two have been game tying goals. Five of his goals have been on the Power Play. Pavelski is the most clutch player so far these playoffs.
3. Mike Cammalleri- Jaroslav Halak may get all the headlines but Cammalleri has been Montreal's most consistent player. He scored in three of the four wins over Washington and added two goals, including the game winner, yesterday in the Canadiens 3-1 win over the Penguins. With eight goals this post-season only Pavelski has more goals.
4. Mikael Samuelsson- The 3rd member of the Sedin Line has been the best player for Vancouver this post-season scoring seven goals and assisting on four others. He is the plus/minus leader this post-season at nine.
5. Jaroslav Halak- The only reason I don't have him higher on this list is because he has been pulled twice this post-season and benched for Game four against Washington. He was brilliant, stopping 131 of 134 shots, in games five thru seven leading the Habs to the upset over the Capitals.
Yesterday Halak stopped 38 of 39 shots, helping Montreal to win Game two against Pittsburgh. His save percentage of .931 is the highest since Patrick Roy had a save percentage of .929 in 1993. (Note: Montreal went on to win the Stanley Cup that season. Something to keep an eye on.)
Honorable Mention:
Pavel Datsyuk/Henrik Zetteberg: The Red Wings are 4-1 when one of them scores a goal and 0-4 when they don't find the back of the net.
The Sedin Twins: Mikael Samuelsson may be scoring the goals for the Canucks but Daniel Sedin has eleven points & Henrik Sedin has nine points for Vancouver. I expect this to increase as long as the Canucks stay alive.
Brian Boucher: He has a save percentage of .928 and a Goals Against Average of 2.07. Most importantly he outplayed Martin Brodeur in Round one. He will have to continue to play good if Philadelphia is to win the Stanley Cup. ( I can't believe I just typed that.)
We have two games on tap tonight, Boston hosts Philadelphia in Game two of their series & Chicago host Vancouver. Both games are on Versus.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Welcome Back Marc Savard; Other NHL Notes
There is just something about a triumphant return that can bring a smile to the face of a sports fan.
Boston Bruins fans were treated to that yesterday at the TD BankNorth Garden where Bruins forward Marc Savard played his 1st game in nearly two months.
Savard has been out since March 7th after suffering a concussion due to a vicious hit by Pittsburgh forward Matt Cooke.
He played a little over 15 minutes in his return and scored the game winning goal to give Boston a 5-4 win over Philadelphia and a one games to none lead in their best of seven series.
Savard's goal happened because Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman was able to pinch in and keep the puck from being cleared out of the offensive zone.
With the puck rolling in the offensive circle, Savard came in and fired a shot on net, going over the shoulder of Flyers goalie Brian Boucher for the game winner.
Savard said about his return "It's been a whirlwind for me. Obviously, I went through a lot of tough days, When I got out there, there was a little water in my eyes at first. The crowd treated me great. My teammates were great with me all day. And I just wanted to fit in. ... I guess you can't script it any better.''
Savard's return should provide a big boost to a Bruins offense that has had trouble scoring goals all season. With forward Marco Sturm expected to miss the rest of the playoffs with a lower body injury Savard's comeback could not have come at a better time.
Other NHL Notes:
Vancouver defeated Chicago 5-1 in game one of their best of seven series. The Sedin Line was only responsible for one of the five goals last night. Ryan Kesler's line was on the ice for the 1st two goals and the final two goals for the Canucks came from their 3rd & 4th lines.
I'm interested to see if the Canucks will continue to get scoring from all four lines. They already have the edge in goal with Roberto Luongo in net. If all four lines continue to score then the Canucks become the favorite to win this series.
Montreal & Pittsburgh play Game two of their series this afternoon and both teams have injury issues to deal with.
Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov suffered a lower body injury in the 1st period of game one and is out indefinitely while Penguins forward Jordan Staal suffered a cut to a tendon on his foot. Staal is also out indefinitely but there is a chance he could return later in the playoffs. Game time is 1:00 PM on NBC.
San Jose hosts Detroit later tonight in game two of their best of seven series. I'll be interested to see how Detroit plays after having two days off. For a team that has played a lot of hockey in the last two seasons any rest they can get is important.
For the Sharks, Patrick Marleau is expected to play tonight after missing Game One with an illness. (Rumor has it he was suffering from effects of the plague but that has not been confirmed.) His return should make the Sharks ability to score even more dangerous than they were in Game One. Game time is at 7:00 PM on Versus.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey
Boston Bruins fans were treated to that yesterday at the TD BankNorth Garden where Bruins forward Marc Savard played his 1st game in nearly two months.
Savard has been out since March 7th after suffering a concussion due to a vicious hit by Pittsburgh forward Matt Cooke.
He played a little over 15 minutes in his return and scored the game winning goal to give Boston a 5-4 win over Philadelphia and a one games to none lead in their best of seven series.
Savard's goal happened because Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman was able to pinch in and keep the puck from being cleared out of the offensive zone.
With the puck rolling in the offensive circle, Savard came in and fired a shot on net, going over the shoulder of Flyers goalie Brian Boucher for the game winner.
Savard said about his return "It's been a whirlwind for me. Obviously, I went through a lot of tough days, When I got out there, there was a little water in my eyes at first. The crowd treated me great. My teammates were great with me all day. And I just wanted to fit in. ... I guess you can't script it any better.''
Savard's return should provide a big boost to a Bruins offense that has had trouble scoring goals all season. With forward Marco Sturm expected to miss the rest of the playoffs with a lower body injury Savard's comeback could not have come at a better time.
Other NHL Notes:
Vancouver defeated Chicago 5-1 in game one of their best of seven series. The Sedin Line was only responsible for one of the five goals last night. Ryan Kesler's line was on the ice for the 1st two goals and the final two goals for the Canucks came from their 3rd & 4th lines.
I'm interested to see if the Canucks will continue to get scoring from all four lines. They already have the edge in goal with Roberto Luongo in net. If all four lines continue to score then the Canucks become the favorite to win this series.
Montreal & Pittsburgh play Game two of their series this afternoon and both teams have injury issues to deal with.
Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov suffered a lower body injury in the 1st period of game one and is out indefinitely while Penguins forward Jordan Staal suffered a cut to a tendon on his foot. Staal is also out indefinitely but there is a chance he could return later in the playoffs. Game time is 1:00 PM on NBC.
San Jose hosts Detroit later tonight in game two of their best of seven series. I'll be interested to see how Detroit plays after having two days off. For a team that has played a lot of hockey in the last two seasons any rest they can get is important.
For the Sharks, Patrick Marleau is expected to play tonight after missing Game One with an illness. (Rumor has it he was suffering from effects of the plague but that has not been confirmed.) His return should make the Sharks ability to score even more dangerous than they were in Game One. Game time is at 7:00 PM on Versus.
Thanks for reading & enjoy the hockey
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)