With the NHL Draft taking place in St. Paul the host team, Minnesota Wild did make a splash by trading Brent Burns to San Jose for Devon Setoguchi.
What has gotten lost in the shuffle is the players the Wild have drafted. Here is a breakdown of the Wild players drafted so far.
Jonas Brodin:
Brodin was taken 10th overall in the 1st round. He a defenseman with Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League. Last year he played in 42 games and had four assists.
Brodin was ranked 3rd among European players according to Central Scouting rankings and says he tries to model his game after Nicklas Lidstrom. If he's half as good as Lidstrom the Wild will have an excellent player to add to a deep core of defenseman in the system.
Zach Phillips:
Phillips was drafted 28th with the pick acquired from San Jose. He has played two seasons with the st. John's Sea Dogs of the QMJHL scoring 16 goals his 1st season & 38 in his 2nd.
He describes himself as a play-making center with good hockey sense who likes to move around the puck & make his teammates better.
Phillips says he's an average skater but that is something he'll have time to work on. The Wild have good depth at center so there is no need to rush him to the NHL.
Mario Lucia:
The Wild traded their 3rd & 4th round pick to Vancouver to move into the 2nd round and take Mario Lucia.
Lucia is the son of University of Minnesota coach Don Lucia. He had 25 goals & 22 assists in 24 games last year for Wayzata High School.
Lucia describes himself as a finesse forward with good hockey sense, willing to do whatever it takes for his team to win. Undecided as where he will play next season, Lucia has been linked to Omaha of the USHL & Notre Dame of the CCHA.
Nick Seeler:
Seeler is a defenseman from Eden Prairie that was selected in the 5th round by Minnesota. In 22 games last year he had 7 goals & 27 assists.
Seeler describes himself as an offensive defenseman with a hard shot from the blueline. He moves the puck well, He's physical & plays with a nasty disposition. It's everything you could want from a defenseman.
Stephen Michalek:
Michalek is a goalie from Loomis-Chaffee High School in Connecticut. He played in 23 games last season with a GAA of 3.95 & a save percentage of .918.
According to Central Scouting's Al Jensen, "He plays big and is very good laterally. When he's in his butterfly, he looks big, he's smooth and controlled. He's very composed and he battles and fights through traffic to track the puck well."
Michalek is going to play at Harvard in the fall.
Tyler Graovac:
Graovac is a center with the Ottawa 67's of the OHL. In 66 games last year he scored 10 goals & 11 assists. He is described by scouts as a good two way player that will be tough to move off the puck once he grows out.
My best guess would be that Groavac stays with Ottawa for another season but he are some highlights of what he brings to the table.
That's the rundown of the Class of 2011 for the Minnesota Wild. This draft will be known more for the trade of Brent Burns but in a few years the possibility is there where people will remember this draft where the Wild were able to get three impact players in Brodin, Phillips & Lucia.
As hockey fans we can only hope.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Minnesota trades Brent Burns
On Friday night at the Xcel Energy Center Minnesota Wild fans came in wondering whether or not their team would make some noise.
Midway through the 1st round Wild GM Chuck Fletcher did just that.
Fletcher sent Defenseman Brent Burns & a 2nd round pick to San Jose for forward Devon Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle & the Sharks 1st round pick which turned out to be Zach Phillips.
This is a deal that works well for both teams.
The Sharks window for a Stanley Cup is open right now and the acquisition of Burns gives them a deeper blueline than they had last season. Burns, coming off an all-star season with a career high 17 goals, should be able to give the Sharks the offense they have been looking for since Rob Blake retired a year ago.
The acquisition of Burns does come with a steep price for the Sharks.
Devon Setoguchi has reached the 20 goal mark the last three seasons. The Wild needed a top 6 forward in the worst way and Setoguchi fits the bill.
The Wild also picked up Charlie Coyle who is a freshman at Boston University. Coyle was a 1st round pick for the Sharks last year and was the key to this deal happening.
When asked about the deal Fletcher said "Without Charlie Coyle involved this deal doesn't happen."
The Wild then selected Zach Philips from the St. John's Sea Dogs of the QMJHL with the pick obtained from the Sharks. He had 38 goals in 67 games last season & adds another forward to a franchise that could use some depth up front.
Going into this draft most Wild fans felt that there was a strong possibility that Burns could be traded. He was a free agent next season and after losing Marian Gaborik for nothing Fletcher couldn't afford to let that happen again.
Fletcher said he wasn't actively shopping Burns but it was clear he was listening for offers. I don't think anyone thought that Devon Setoguchi would be coming to St. Paul in return. The Sharks are deep at forward which allowed this deal to happen.
They say the best trades are the ones that helps both teams. After one night that looks true for this deal.
Midway through the 1st round Wild GM Chuck Fletcher did just that.
Fletcher sent Defenseman Brent Burns & a 2nd round pick to San Jose for forward Devon Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle & the Sharks 1st round pick which turned out to be Zach Phillips.
This is a deal that works well for both teams.
The Sharks window for a Stanley Cup is open right now and the acquisition of Burns gives them a deeper blueline than they had last season. Burns, coming off an all-star season with a career high 17 goals, should be able to give the Sharks the offense they have been looking for since Rob Blake retired a year ago.
The acquisition of Burns does come with a steep price for the Sharks.
Devon Setoguchi has reached the 20 goal mark the last three seasons. The Wild needed a top 6 forward in the worst way and Setoguchi fits the bill.
The Wild also picked up Charlie Coyle who is a freshman at Boston University. Coyle was a 1st round pick for the Sharks last year and was the key to this deal happening.
When asked about the deal Fletcher said "Without Charlie Coyle involved this deal doesn't happen."
The Wild then selected Zach Philips from the St. John's Sea Dogs of the QMJHL with the pick obtained from the Sharks. He had 38 goals in 67 games last season & adds another forward to a franchise that could use some depth up front.
Going into this draft most Wild fans felt that there was a strong possibility that Burns could be traded. He was a free agent next season and after losing Marian Gaborik for nothing Fletcher couldn't afford to let that happen again.
Fletcher said he wasn't actively shopping Burns but it was clear he was listening for offers. I don't think anyone thought that Devon Setoguchi would be coming to St. Paul in return. The Sharks are deep at forward which allowed this deal to happen.
They say the best trades are the ones that helps both teams. After one night that looks true for this deal.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Thanks For Playing: Vancouver Canucks
Each spring 16 NHL teams play for Lord Stanley's Cup. At the end one team is left holding the cup while the other 15 teams can only think of what might have been.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Vancouver Canucks:
How They Finished: 54-19-9 117 points
1st in Northwest Division, 1st in Western Conference
What Went Wrong:
It wasn't so much one thing that went wrong for Vancouver but a chain reaction of things that did in the Canucks.
They lost Dan Hamhuis to injury after Game 1 & lost Aaron Rome to suspension after his vicious hit on Nathan Horton in Game 3:
The task of replacing them was left to Andrew Alberts, Keith Ballard, & Chris Tanev. All three struggled on the ice against the Bruins forwards.
The Canucks also had their problems up front as well.
The Sedin twins struggled against Zdeno Chara & Dennis Seidenberg. Daniel made an appearance on the scoresheet with a goal in Game 2 but was quiet the rest of the series.
That was better than his brother Henrik who didn't record his 1st shot on goal until Game 4 of the series. Henrik did finally score a goal in Game 6 but with the Bruins having a 5 goal lead the game was already in hand.
Ryan Kesler had the best effort of all the Canucks forwards in the series but he was battling through nagging injuries and was a shadow of himself compared to how he played in previous rounds.
And then there was Roberto Luongo.
Very Jekyll & Hyde throughout the 1st six games of the Finals he had a chance to cement his legacy by shutting down the Bruins in Game 7.
I'm not going to pin the loss on Luongo for the goals he gave up in Game 7. When your teammates don't score I can't blame the goaltender.
However it is up to the goalie to inspire confidence in his team & their fans. A couple big saves early on would have sent the message "I came to play."
Instead the Bruins scored the 1st goal out of nowhere and panic started to set in at Rogers Arena.
The Canucks had their best chance to get back into the game with a power play late in the 2nd period. Instead Boston would score a shorthanded goal, giving the Bruins a 3-0 & ending the Canucks chances of winning the Stanley Cup.
I've always believed that the team with the better goaltender in the finals wins the Stanley Cup. For as good as Luongo's credentials are Tim Thomas was simply better in the series. That's why the Bruins and not the Canucks are Stanley Cup Champions.
Where Do They Go From Here:
I've had some time to think about this the last couple days. Gut reaction says changes need to be made. However the Canucks do not need to blow this thing up.
They finished with the best record in the NHL and one win away from winning the cup. They play in the Northwest division which is the weakest division in the NHL. Barring injuries they should win the division and have a top three seed in the West.
There will be some turnover on the roster though as Vancouver has eight unrestricted free agents & about $13.7 million in projected cap space.
Their 1st priority should be to resign Kevin Bieksa. He was Vancouver's best defenseman in the playoffs finishing a +6 with 5 goals and 5 assists. He's going to get a nice payday from somebody if the Canucks don't resign him.
The other free agents on defense are Sami Salo, Christian Ehrhoff, & Andrew Alberts. Whether all three come back will depend on what happens with Bieksa.
Up front the only forwards that are free agents are Raffi Torres, Chris Higgins, Jeff Tambellini, & Tanner Glass. All four are role players and the Canucks have some talented forwards in the minor leagues. I could see one of the four coming back but I'll be surprised if all four return.
And then there is the goaltending situation.
We all know about Luongo and what he brings to the table but the Canucks have another nice goalie on their team in Cory Schneider. Schneider could start for at least 5-10 teams in the NHL.
Who does Vancouver go with?
Lucky for the Canucks it's not a decision they have to make next season. Luongo is locked in until 2022 making 5.33 million per season. Good luck trading that contract. Schneider becomes a restricted free agent next season.
It's a problem that will need to be addressed at some point but right now the Canucks have some time to figure out what to do.
Vancouver had their best season in team history. They accomplished a lot of great things that in time the fans can look back on and appreciate.
However it ended the same way it has for the previous 40 seasons.
Without a Stanley Cup.
This is about one of the 15 teams who wasn't so lucky.
Vancouver Canucks:
How They Finished: 54-19-9 117 points
1st in Northwest Division, 1st in Western Conference
What Went Wrong:
It wasn't so much one thing that went wrong for Vancouver but a chain reaction of things that did in the Canucks.
They lost Dan Hamhuis to injury after Game 1 & lost Aaron Rome to suspension after his vicious hit on Nathan Horton in Game 3:
The task of replacing them was left to Andrew Alberts, Keith Ballard, & Chris Tanev. All three struggled on the ice against the Bruins forwards.
The Canucks also had their problems up front as well.
The Sedin twins struggled against Zdeno Chara & Dennis Seidenberg. Daniel made an appearance on the scoresheet with a goal in Game 2 but was quiet the rest of the series.
That was better than his brother Henrik who didn't record his 1st shot on goal until Game 4 of the series. Henrik did finally score a goal in Game 6 but with the Bruins having a 5 goal lead the game was already in hand.
Ryan Kesler had the best effort of all the Canucks forwards in the series but he was battling through nagging injuries and was a shadow of himself compared to how he played in previous rounds.
And then there was Roberto Luongo.
Very Jekyll & Hyde throughout the 1st six games of the Finals he had a chance to cement his legacy by shutting down the Bruins in Game 7.
I'm not going to pin the loss on Luongo for the goals he gave up in Game 7. When your teammates don't score I can't blame the goaltender.
However it is up to the goalie to inspire confidence in his team & their fans. A couple big saves early on would have sent the message "I came to play."
Instead the Bruins scored the 1st goal out of nowhere and panic started to set in at Rogers Arena.
The Canucks had their best chance to get back into the game with a power play late in the 2nd period. Instead Boston would score a shorthanded goal, giving the Bruins a 3-0 & ending the Canucks chances of winning the Stanley Cup.
I've always believed that the team with the better goaltender in the finals wins the Stanley Cup. For as good as Luongo's credentials are Tim Thomas was simply better in the series. That's why the Bruins and not the Canucks are Stanley Cup Champions.
Where Do They Go From Here:
I've had some time to think about this the last couple days. Gut reaction says changes need to be made. However the Canucks do not need to blow this thing up.
They finished with the best record in the NHL and one win away from winning the cup. They play in the Northwest division which is the weakest division in the NHL. Barring injuries they should win the division and have a top three seed in the West.
There will be some turnover on the roster though as Vancouver has eight unrestricted free agents & about $13.7 million in projected cap space.
Their 1st priority should be to resign Kevin Bieksa. He was Vancouver's best defenseman in the playoffs finishing a +6 with 5 goals and 5 assists. He's going to get a nice payday from somebody if the Canucks don't resign him.
The other free agents on defense are Sami Salo, Christian Ehrhoff, & Andrew Alberts. Whether all three come back will depend on what happens with Bieksa.
Up front the only forwards that are free agents are Raffi Torres, Chris Higgins, Jeff Tambellini, & Tanner Glass. All four are role players and the Canucks have some talented forwards in the minor leagues. I could see one of the four coming back but I'll be surprised if all four return.
And then there is the goaltending situation.
We all know about Luongo and what he brings to the table but the Canucks have another nice goalie on their team in Cory Schneider. Schneider could start for at least 5-10 teams in the NHL.
Who does Vancouver go with?
Lucky for the Canucks it's not a decision they have to make next season. Luongo is locked in until 2022 making 5.33 million per season. Good luck trading that contract. Schneider becomes a restricted free agent next season.
It's a problem that will need to be addressed at some point but right now the Canucks have some time to figure out what to do.
Vancouver had their best season in team history. They accomplished a lot of great things that in time the fans can look back on and appreciate.
However it ended the same way it has for the previous 40 seasons.
Without a Stanley Cup.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Lord Stanley's stepping up to Boston
Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals was held Wednesday night in Vancouver.
Somebody forgot to tell the Canucks.
Patrice Bergeron & Brad Marchand each scored two goals while Tim Thomas stopped all 35 shots he faced as the Bruins won their 1st Stanley cup in 39 years defeating Vancouver 4-0 to win the series 4 games to 3.
Both teams played tentative at the start of the game. The Bruins scored the 1st goal of the game when Bergeron took a pass from Marchand and fired it past Roberto Luongo before anybody realized what happened.
The score would stay that way until 12:13 of the 2nd period when Brad Marchand back handed a wraparound that was deflected in by Roberto Luongo giving the Bruins a 2-0 lead.
At that point concern started to set in at Rogers Arena with Canuck fans feeling the Stanley Cup was slipping away.
Vancouver did receive a power play late in the 2nd period and had a chance to get back in the game if they could score a goal.
Instead a favorable bounce for the Bruins lead to a shorthanded breakaway by Bergeron that ended with the puck trickling by Luongo as he was taken down giving the Bruins a 3-0 lead.
Vancouver would come hard at the Bruins in the 3rd period as they tried to rally but Thomas would come up big turning away all 16 shots he faced.
Marchand would score an empty net goal to make it 4-0 and the only thing left to do was let the celebration begin.
This Stanley Cup win for the Bruins was long overdue. Not only does it end the 2nd longest drought in the NHL but quiets playoff failures of the past.
It quiets the Boston Bruins of the late 70's that couldn't get past Montreal. It quiets the Bruins teams from 1988 & 1990 that couldn't overcome the Edmonton Oilers.
It quiets The Bruins teams from 1991 & 1992 that reached the Conference Finals only to be eliminated by Mario Lemieux & the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It quiets the Bruins teams from 2000-2001 that missed the playoffs leading to Ray Bourque being traded so he could win his Stanley Cup. It quiets the Bruins teams from 2002-2004 that returned to the post-season only to underachieve & be knocked out by Montreal.
It quiets the Bruins teams after the lockout that reached the playoffs with big things expected from them only to lose Game 7's on home ice to Carolina & Philadelphia in 2009 & 2010.
When the Flyers eliminated Boston last year I suggested the Bruins should fire Claude Julien & strip Zdeno Chara of the captaincy. This win justifies the Bruins faith in both of them.
This win also solidifies Tim Thomas as a big time goaltender in the NHL. Thomas had been a journeyman for most of his career before joining the Bruins.
He had won the starting job in 2009 only to lose it one year later. Thomas reclaimed the job at the start of the season and never looked back.
Thomas finished the playoffs with a save percentage of .940 and a GAA of 1.98 and was the easy choice for the Conn Smythe Trophy.
I have had my doubts about the Bruins all season waiting for them to fail like they have in previously. Last night they proved me wrong. All I can do is take back what I previously wrote and congratulate them a job well done and a cup that is well deserved.
Congratulations to the Boston Bruins.
2010-2011 Stanley Cup Champions.
Somebody forgot to tell the Canucks.
Patrice Bergeron & Brad Marchand each scored two goals while Tim Thomas stopped all 35 shots he faced as the Bruins won their 1st Stanley cup in 39 years defeating Vancouver 4-0 to win the series 4 games to 3.
Both teams played tentative at the start of the game. The Bruins scored the 1st goal of the game when Bergeron took a pass from Marchand and fired it past Roberto Luongo before anybody realized what happened.
The score would stay that way until 12:13 of the 2nd period when Brad Marchand back handed a wraparound that was deflected in by Roberto Luongo giving the Bruins a 2-0 lead.
At that point concern started to set in at Rogers Arena with Canuck fans feeling the Stanley Cup was slipping away.
Vancouver did receive a power play late in the 2nd period and had a chance to get back in the game if they could score a goal.
Instead a favorable bounce for the Bruins lead to a shorthanded breakaway by Bergeron that ended with the puck trickling by Luongo as he was taken down giving the Bruins a 3-0 lead.
Vancouver would come hard at the Bruins in the 3rd period as they tried to rally but Thomas would come up big turning away all 16 shots he faced.
Marchand would score an empty net goal to make it 4-0 and the only thing left to do was let the celebration begin.
This Stanley Cup win for the Bruins was long overdue. Not only does it end the 2nd longest drought in the NHL but quiets playoff failures of the past.
It quiets the Boston Bruins of the late 70's that couldn't get past Montreal. It quiets the Bruins teams from 1988 & 1990 that couldn't overcome the Edmonton Oilers.
It quiets The Bruins teams from 1991 & 1992 that reached the Conference Finals only to be eliminated by Mario Lemieux & the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It quiets the Bruins teams from 2000-2001 that missed the playoffs leading to Ray Bourque being traded so he could win his Stanley Cup. It quiets the Bruins teams from 2002-2004 that returned to the post-season only to underachieve & be knocked out by Montreal.
It quiets the Bruins teams after the lockout that reached the playoffs with big things expected from them only to lose Game 7's on home ice to Carolina & Philadelphia in 2009 & 2010.
When the Flyers eliminated Boston last year I suggested the Bruins should fire Claude Julien & strip Zdeno Chara of the captaincy. This win justifies the Bruins faith in both of them.
This win also solidifies Tim Thomas as a big time goaltender in the NHL. Thomas had been a journeyman for most of his career before joining the Bruins.
He had won the starting job in 2009 only to lose it one year later. Thomas reclaimed the job at the start of the season and never looked back.
Thomas finished the playoffs with a save percentage of .940 and a GAA of 1.98 and was the easy choice for the Conn Smythe Trophy.
I have had my doubts about the Bruins all season waiting for them to fail like they have in previously. Last night they proved me wrong. All I can do is take back what I previously wrote and congratulate them a job well done and a cup that is well deserved.
Congratulations to the Boston Bruins.
2010-2011 Stanley Cup Champions.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Legacies are on the line in Game 7
Since the NHL season started on October 7th there have been 1,318 games played.
Game 1,319 takes place Wednesday night in Vancouver and it is the most important one of the season.
Tomorrow night the legacy of Boston & Vancouver will be written for the 2010-2011 season. Either the Bruins will win their 1st cup in 39 years or the Canucks will end the 40th NHL season with their 1st Stanley Cup.
But the legacies of each teams aren't only at stake. What happens tomorrow night will define how we view coaches & players for now & years to come.
Here are some key figures from each team that have the most to gain or lose in Game 7.
Zdeno Chara:
Chara signed a five year deal worth $37.5 million back in the summer of 2006. After he signed Boston named him team captain filling the void left when Joe Thornton was traded to San Jose.
When I think of team captains I think of guys like Messier, Yzerman, & Sakic. Players who just by their mere presence willed their teams and found ways to win.
I have never gotten that impression watching Chara play.
To me Chara is a guy that was given the "C" because there was an opening and he was the highest paid player on the roster. I questioned his leadership skills last summer when the Flyers rallied down three games to none to win the series over Boston.
I guarantee a leader like Messeir, Yzerman, or Sakic would have never let that happen.
Right now I don't believe in Chara as a captain. If the Bruins win tomorrow night I'll have to give him his due.
The Sedin Twins:
The Sedin Twins were drafted 2nd & 3rd overall by Vancouver in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
Vancouver had missed the playoffs three years in a row and were rebuilding when GM Brian Burke swung a deal on draft day to acquire the Sedin Twins hoping they would be the foundation for the Canucks to build upon.
The Sedin Twins helped the Canucks to their 1st playoff berth in four years in 2001 and have lead Vancouver to the playoffs eight times in their 10 years in the NHL.
Last year Henrik won the Hart Trophy for NHL MVP while Daniel is a nominee for the award this season.
While both have been very good in the NHL I have always felt that they are very good as complementary players but not players that can lead their team to a Stanley Cup.
To me Henrik's role as team captain is similar to that of Chara where the Canucks needed a captain and they gave it to their best player.
Personally I think Ryan Kesler would make a better choice as captain of the Canucks but that's just my opinion.
Either way if Vancouver wins Game 7 the Sedin Twins become more than just two great NHL players. They prove Brian Burke knew what he was doing when he drafted them to rebuild the Canucks.
Claude Julien:
Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a big fan of Claude Julien as a head coach.
I think he's stubborn to a fault for his unwillingness to adjust in game situations. He doesn't trust his best players in key situations (Ex: Use of Tyler Seguin on the Power Play)
There are times I look at him behind the bench and he seems completely lost. I'm convinced that the main job of his assistants are to let him know there is a hockey game going on.
Last year I called for Julien to be fired after Boston lost their playoff series to Philadelphia. Boston GM Peter Chiarelli was more patient than I was and decided to bring him back. Now he is one game away from winning the Stanley Cup.
If Julien wins tomorrow night I'll have to reconsider how I view him as a head coach. He'll never be a Scotty Bowman. But he will be mentioned in the same breath as Mike Keenan & Joel Quennville, Two coaches who came in and ended long droughts leading an Original six franchise to a Stanley Cup.
That's not bad company to be in.
Tim Thomas:
Don't get me wrong here. Tim Thomas has already proven this year he is a top notch NHL goaltender. He leads the playoffs with a .937 save percentage and a GAA of 2.06.
Win or lose tomorrow night he is the odds on favorite to win the Conn Smythe Award.
What's at stake here is how we remember Tim Thomas after tomorrow night.
Thomas is 37 years old and only has a few more years left as a NHL goaltender. This may be the closest he ever gets to being a Stanley Cup champion.
If he wins tomorrow night he'll be remembered as one of if not the most underrated player in the NHL history to win the Stanley Cup.
If he loses but wins the Conn Smythe his playoff run will be remembered like Ron Hextall's was back in 1987. A spectacular run but with an empty feeling in the end.
Nobody wants to be like Hextall.
Roberto Luongo:
Nobody in this series has been more Jekyll & Hyde than Roberto Luongo.
Drafted 4th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry draft Luongo's credentials they speak for themselves. He is a 4 time all star. He's won A IIHF
When you watch him play in Games 1, 2, & 5 you wonder why he isn't mentioned in the same breaths as Patrick Roy & Martin Brodeur.
When you watch Games 3, 4, & 6 you realize why that is.
When Luongo is good he is spectacular. When he is bad he is Florida Panthers bad.
Nobody has more at stake tomorrow night than Luongo. He has proven he can come up big in international play facing the best players in the World.
Winning the Stanley Cup is a totally different animal to tame.
I don't think he's in the same boat as Roy or Brodeur but if he wins tomorrow night he can put himself in the same company as Mike Richter, Domink Hasek & Ed Belfour.
If he doesn't win he will be at a career crossroads and it will make for a long summer in Vancouver.
Either way no matter what happens tomorrow night the perception of everyone involved changes after Game 7.
Game 1,319 takes place Wednesday night in Vancouver and it is the most important one of the season.
Tomorrow night the legacy of Boston & Vancouver will be written for the 2010-2011 season. Either the Bruins will win their 1st cup in 39 years or the Canucks will end the 40th NHL season with their 1st Stanley Cup.
But the legacies of each teams aren't only at stake. What happens tomorrow night will define how we view coaches & players for now & years to come.
Here are some key figures from each team that have the most to gain or lose in Game 7.
Zdeno Chara:
Chara signed a five year deal worth $37.5 million back in the summer of 2006. After he signed Boston named him team captain filling the void left when Joe Thornton was traded to San Jose.
When I think of team captains I think of guys like Messier, Yzerman, & Sakic. Players who just by their mere presence willed their teams and found ways to win.
I have never gotten that impression watching Chara play.
To me Chara is a guy that was given the "C" because there was an opening and he was the highest paid player on the roster. I questioned his leadership skills last summer when the Flyers rallied down three games to none to win the series over Boston.
I guarantee a leader like Messeir, Yzerman, or Sakic would have never let that happen.
Right now I don't believe in Chara as a captain. If the Bruins win tomorrow night I'll have to give him his due.
The Sedin Twins:
The Sedin Twins were drafted 2nd & 3rd overall by Vancouver in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
Vancouver had missed the playoffs three years in a row and were rebuilding when GM Brian Burke swung a deal on draft day to acquire the Sedin Twins hoping they would be the foundation for the Canucks to build upon.
The Sedin Twins helped the Canucks to their 1st playoff berth in four years in 2001 and have lead Vancouver to the playoffs eight times in their 10 years in the NHL.
Last year Henrik won the Hart Trophy for NHL MVP while Daniel is a nominee for the award this season.
While both have been very good in the NHL I have always felt that they are very good as complementary players but not players that can lead their team to a Stanley Cup.
To me Henrik's role as team captain is similar to that of Chara where the Canucks needed a captain and they gave it to their best player.
Personally I think Ryan Kesler would make a better choice as captain of the Canucks but that's just my opinion.
Either way if Vancouver wins Game 7 the Sedin Twins become more than just two great NHL players. They prove Brian Burke knew what he was doing when he drafted them to rebuild the Canucks.
Claude Julien:
Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a big fan of Claude Julien as a head coach.
I think he's stubborn to a fault for his unwillingness to adjust in game situations. He doesn't trust his best players in key situations (Ex: Use of Tyler Seguin on the Power Play)
There are times I look at him behind the bench and he seems completely lost. I'm convinced that the main job of his assistants are to let him know there is a hockey game going on.
Last year I called for Julien to be fired after Boston lost their playoff series to Philadelphia. Boston GM Peter Chiarelli was more patient than I was and decided to bring him back. Now he is one game away from winning the Stanley Cup.
If Julien wins tomorrow night I'll have to reconsider how I view him as a head coach. He'll never be a Scotty Bowman. But he will be mentioned in the same breath as Mike Keenan & Joel Quennville, Two coaches who came in and ended long droughts leading an Original six franchise to a Stanley Cup.
That's not bad company to be in.
Tim Thomas:
Don't get me wrong here. Tim Thomas has already proven this year he is a top notch NHL goaltender. He leads the playoffs with a .937 save percentage and a GAA of 2.06.
Win or lose tomorrow night he is the odds on favorite to win the Conn Smythe Award.
What's at stake here is how we remember Tim Thomas after tomorrow night.
Thomas is 37 years old and only has a few more years left as a NHL goaltender. This may be the closest he ever gets to being a Stanley Cup champion.
If he wins tomorrow night he'll be remembered as one of if not the most underrated player in the NHL history to win the Stanley Cup.
If he loses but wins the Conn Smythe his playoff run will be remembered like Ron Hextall's was back in 1987. A spectacular run but with an empty feeling in the end.
Nobody wants to be like Hextall.
Roberto Luongo:
Nobody in this series has been more Jekyll & Hyde than Roberto Luongo.
Drafted 4th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry draft Luongo's credentials they speak for themselves. He is a 4 time all star. He's won A IIHF
When you watch him play in Games 1, 2, & 5 you wonder why he isn't mentioned in the same breaths as Patrick Roy & Martin Brodeur.
When you watch Games 3, 4, & 6 you realize why that is.
When Luongo is good he is spectacular. When he is bad he is Florida Panthers bad.
Nobody has more at stake tomorrow night than Luongo. He has proven he can come up big in international play facing the best players in the World.
Winning the Stanley Cup is a totally different animal to tame.
I don't think he's in the same boat as Roy or Brodeur but if he wins tomorrow night he can put himself in the same company as Mike Richter, Domink Hasek & Ed Belfour.
If he doesn't win he will be at a career crossroads and it will make for a long summer in Vancouver.
Either way no matter what happens tomorrow night the perception of everyone involved changes after Game 7.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Luongo quiets his critics
If you are a goaltender in the Stanley Cup Playoffs you are constantly under the spotlight.
After Games 3 & 4 Roberto Luongo must have thought he was in an interrogation room.
He had given up a total of 12 goals in both games and was being outplayed on the other end by Tim Thomas.
This wasn't the 1st time Luongo had struggled in the playoffs. He played poorly in Games 4 & 5 against Chicago and was benched for Cory Schneider in Game 6 of that series.
After Game 4 talk started swirling once again whether the Canucks would be better off starting Schneider in Game 5 against the Bruins. Alain Vigneault decided to stay with Luongo saying "He was my guy."
Vignealut faith in Luongo paid off in Game 5 as Luongo stopped all 31 shots he faced shutting out the Bruins for the 2nd time in the series as the Canucks won the Game 1-0 to take a 3-2 lead in the series.
Luongo was in a good frame of mind before the start of Game 5 despite all the questions surrounding him.
“It wasn’t time to put your head down,” Luongo said. “Best of 2-out-of-3, and that’s the way I looked at it."
The Bruins had their opportunities in the game but the Canucks defense played better than they did in Games 3 & 4 and whenever Boston had a great scoring chance Luongo was there to turn them away.
"You've got to give Luongo credit," Bruins forward Greg Campbell said. "We had some good chances, and he made some big saves. I think that's a telling tale of not having enough traffic in front of him, not being gritty enough and desperate enough around the net. You have to give the guy credit. He bounced back.
Luongo's teammates weren't surprised by his performance.
"He's a big time goalie," Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa said. He's been there before on the big stage and he's come through. Great game from him tonight."
The Canucks are now one win away from their 1st Stanley Cup in team history. They have to go back to Boston for Game 6 where it won't be easy.
The talk throughout this whole series has been how much better Tim Thomas has been in net than Luongo. Right now Thomas is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Award. I'm guessing that's OK with Luongo.
I'm sure he'll settle for The Stanley Cup instead.
After Games 3 & 4 Roberto Luongo must have thought he was in an interrogation room.
He had given up a total of 12 goals in both games and was being outplayed on the other end by Tim Thomas.
This wasn't the 1st time Luongo had struggled in the playoffs. He played poorly in Games 4 & 5 against Chicago and was benched for Cory Schneider in Game 6 of that series.
After Game 4 talk started swirling once again whether the Canucks would be better off starting Schneider in Game 5 against the Bruins. Alain Vigneault decided to stay with Luongo saying "He was my guy."
Vignealut faith in Luongo paid off in Game 5 as Luongo stopped all 31 shots he faced shutting out the Bruins for the 2nd time in the series as the Canucks won the Game 1-0 to take a 3-2 lead in the series.
Luongo was in a good frame of mind before the start of Game 5 despite all the questions surrounding him.
“It wasn’t time to put your head down,” Luongo said. “Best of 2-out-of-3, and that’s the way I looked at it."
The Bruins had their opportunities in the game but the Canucks defense played better than they did in Games 3 & 4 and whenever Boston had a great scoring chance Luongo was there to turn them away.
"You've got to give Luongo credit," Bruins forward Greg Campbell said. "We had some good chances, and he made some big saves. I think that's a telling tale of not having enough traffic in front of him, not being gritty enough and desperate enough around the net. You have to give the guy credit. He bounced back.
Luongo's teammates weren't surprised by his performance.
"He's a big time goalie," Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa said. He's been there before on the big stage and he's come through. Great game from him tonight."
The Canucks are now one win away from their 1st Stanley Cup in team history. They have to go back to Boston for Game 6 where it won't be easy.
The talk throughout this whole series has been how much better Tim Thomas has been in net than Luongo. Right now Thomas is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Award. I'm guessing that's OK with Luongo.
I'm sure he'll settle for The Stanley Cup instead.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Best of seven now Best of three
The Vancouver Canucks left for Boston earlier this week up two games to none in the Stanley Cup Finals knowing that if they took care of business they would be returning home at the end of the week with the Cup in their possession.
Instead they return home to Vancouver with the series tied at two games a piece with British Colombia & most of Canada wondering what is happening to the Canucks.
Vancouver won the President's Trophy for having the best record in the NHL during the regular season but have played in the finals like a number seven seed who has gotten this far and is now trying to hold on as long as they can.
While the series is tied 2-2 the Bruins were a victim of hard luck in Vancouver losing Game 1 with 18 seconds to play and Game 2 11 seconds into overtime.
Since then the Bruins have outscored the Canucks 12-1 and have taken complete control of this series. In fact you could make a case that the Bruins should have already swept this series.
So what is wrong with Vancouver? It comes down to a few things.
1. Goaltending:
A lot of people want to focus on how Roberto Luongo struggled in Boston. Granted he did not play well in goal in Games three & four but it wasn't just him. We'll get to that in a moment.
What is happening is Tim Thomas is outplaying Luongo.
The Canucks have had better scoring chances for most of the series yet Thomas has stood his ground and is practically turning away every shot that he faces.
His aggressive style in goal is working and his play has got to be in the head of the Vancouver Canucks. At this point Thomas might be your Conn Smythe award winner win or lose.
There is talk in Vancouver whether Luongo should start Game 5.
In my mind he has to. He is one of the reasons you have gotten this far. You can swap goalies in the 1st round and survive but if you do that in the Finals you are playing Russian Roulette in net.
If Luongo's play in net was the reason the series is now tied that would be one thing but the problems for the Canucks go deeper than Luongo.
2. Defensive pairings:
The Canucks came into the playoffs with one of the deepest bluelines in the NHL. That depth has been tested because of injuries & suspensions.
Dan Hamhuis, the closest thing the Canucks have to a shutdown defenseman, was lost to an injury in Game 1 of the series. His return looks doubtful and leaves a gaping hole on the blueline.
If that wasn't bad enough Vancouver also lost Aaron Rome in Game 3 after laying a vicious hit on Nathan Horton. The hit gave Horton a concussion that put him out for the rest of the series. As a result of that hit Rome was suspended testing the Canucks depth on defense even more.
Andrew Alberts and Keith Ballard have been called upon to fill the void of Hamhuis & Rome but neither one has yet to make an impact on the ice.
With Hamhuis & Rome out of the lineup the Bruins forwards have been able to get in front of Luongo and get the quality shots on net they weren't able to in Game 1.
What's worse for Vancouver is Alain Vigneault has been unable to find the right pairings on defense to stop the Bruins forwards. He'll have the last line change at home in Game 5. Because of that he will have a better opportunity to match lines than he did in Games 3 and 4.
But that won't matter if the Canucks can't solve their next problem.
3. Vancouver's forwards can't score:
Going into the series I wondered how the Bruins defense was going to be able to stop the top line of the Sedin twins and the 2nd line featuring Ryan Kesler.
Turns out it has been easier than I thought.
Kesler has one assist in the series and has been a non factor. Speculation is he is playing with an undisclosed injury that is making him less effective than he was in previous rounds.
Daniel Sedin had a goal and an assist in Game 2 but has done little else in the series. It's still more than his twin brother Henrik has done. Not only has Henrik not been on the score sheet, he didn't record his 1st shot on goal until Game 4.
Their linemate Alex Burrows was the difference maker in Game 2 scoring two goals. However Burrows is known more for being the most detested guy on the ice after biting the fingers of Patrice Bergeron in Game 1.
He has been in the middle of numerous scuffles on the ice and had Tim Thomas take a whack at him during Game 4. At this point Burrows may become the 1st guy to get punched out during the handshake at the end of the series.
Being a pest is what Burrows does best. It's effective when his teammates are scoring and the Canucks are winning. Unfortunately neither one is happening right now.
It isn't only the top two lines that are struggling. The rest of the Canucks forwards can't find the back of the net. Meanwhile for Boston it seems someone different is always stepping up for the Bruins.
That has to change if Vancouver is to win the series.
4. Boston's special teams are better than Vancouver's:
Don't get me wrong, The Bruins Power Play overall is still pathetic. However it has gotten better since Boston put Zdeno Chara back on the blueline.
With Chara on the blueline the Canucks have had to respect his shot which has opened up the ice in front of the goal. The result has been the Bruins scoring three power play goals in ten opportunities. That is more impressive than Vancouver's power play which is 1 for 22 in the series.
The Bruins have also done well shorthanded scoring two goals in the series. Their penalty kill has kept Vancouver from getting any quality scoring chances when they are on the power play.
Those four things are why this series has become a best of three.
Down two games to none the Bruins needed something to rally around. The hit on Horton seems to have done the trick.
The Bruins have seized control of the series and the city of Boston hasn't been this close to a Stanley Cup since they held a parade for Ray Bourque after he won a cup with Colorado ten years ago.
However one thing to keep in mind is the home team has won each game of this series. If that holds true then Vancouver has little to worry about.
If the Bruins are going to win this series they better win Game 5 in Vancouver. Momentum is on their side but control of the series is still up for grabs. As well as the Bruins have played I don't like their chances if they have to come back to Vancouver for a seventh game.
At this point I don't know what's going to happen in Game 5. I do know that has a hockey fan all you can do is sit back and enjoy it.
Instead they return home to Vancouver with the series tied at two games a piece with British Colombia & most of Canada wondering what is happening to the Canucks.
Vancouver won the President's Trophy for having the best record in the NHL during the regular season but have played in the finals like a number seven seed who has gotten this far and is now trying to hold on as long as they can.
While the series is tied 2-2 the Bruins were a victim of hard luck in Vancouver losing Game 1 with 18 seconds to play and Game 2 11 seconds into overtime.
Since then the Bruins have outscored the Canucks 12-1 and have taken complete control of this series. In fact you could make a case that the Bruins should have already swept this series.
So what is wrong with Vancouver? It comes down to a few things.
1. Goaltending:
A lot of people want to focus on how Roberto Luongo struggled in Boston. Granted he did not play well in goal in Games three & four but it wasn't just him. We'll get to that in a moment.
What is happening is Tim Thomas is outplaying Luongo.
The Canucks have had better scoring chances for most of the series yet Thomas has stood his ground and is practically turning away every shot that he faces.
His aggressive style in goal is working and his play has got to be in the head of the Vancouver Canucks. At this point Thomas might be your Conn Smythe award winner win or lose.
There is talk in Vancouver whether Luongo should start Game 5.
In my mind he has to. He is one of the reasons you have gotten this far. You can swap goalies in the 1st round and survive but if you do that in the Finals you are playing Russian Roulette in net.
If Luongo's play in net was the reason the series is now tied that would be one thing but the problems for the Canucks go deeper than Luongo.
2. Defensive pairings:
The Canucks came into the playoffs with one of the deepest bluelines in the NHL. That depth has been tested because of injuries & suspensions.
Dan Hamhuis, the closest thing the Canucks have to a shutdown defenseman, was lost to an injury in Game 1 of the series. His return looks doubtful and leaves a gaping hole on the blueline.
If that wasn't bad enough Vancouver also lost Aaron Rome in Game 3 after laying a vicious hit on Nathan Horton. The hit gave Horton a concussion that put him out for the rest of the series. As a result of that hit Rome was suspended testing the Canucks depth on defense even more.
Andrew Alberts and Keith Ballard have been called upon to fill the void of Hamhuis & Rome but neither one has yet to make an impact on the ice.
With Hamhuis & Rome out of the lineup the Bruins forwards have been able to get in front of Luongo and get the quality shots on net they weren't able to in Game 1.
What's worse for Vancouver is Alain Vigneault has been unable to find the right pairings on defense to stop the Bruins forwards. He'll have the last line change at home in Game 5. Because of that he will have a better opportunity to match lines than he did in Games 3 and 4.
But that won't matter if the Canucks can't solve their next problem.
3. Vancouver's forwards can't score:
Going into the series I wondered how the Bruins defense was going to be able to stop the top line of the Sedin twins and the 2nd line featuring Ryan Kesler.
Turns out it has been easier than I thought.
Kesler has one assist in the series and has been a non factor. Speculation is he is playing with an undisclosed injury that is making him less effective than he was in previous rounds.
Daniel Sedin had a goal and an assist in Game 2 but has done little else in the series. It's still more than his twin brother Henrik has done. Not only has Henrik not been on the score sheet, he didn't record his 1st shot on goal until Game 4.
Their linemate Alex Burrows was the difference maker in Game 2 scoring two goals. However Burrows is known more for being the most detested guy on the ice after biting the fingers of Patrice Bergeron in Game 1.
He has been in the middle of numerous scuffles on the ice and had Tim Thomas take a whack at him during Game 4. At this point Burrows may become the 1st guy to get punched out during the handshake at the end of the series.
Being a pest is what Burrows does best. It's effective when his teammates are scoring and the Canucks are winning. Unfortunately neither one is happening right now.
It isn't only the top two lines that are struggling. The rest of the Canucks forwards can't find the back of the net. Meanwhile for Boston it seems someone different is always stepping up for the Bruins.
That has to change if Vancouver is to win the series.
4. Boston's special teams are better than Vancouver's:
Don't get me wrong, The Bruins Power Play overall is still pathetic. However it has gotten better since Boston put Zdeno Chara back on the blueline.
With Chara on the blueline the Canucks have had to respect his shot which has opened up the ice in front of the goal. The result has been the Bruins scoring three power play goals in ten opportunities. That is more impressive than Vancouver's power play which is 1 for 22 in the series.
The Bruins have also done well shorthanded scoring two goals in the series. Their penalty kill has kept Vancouver from getting any quality scoring chances when they are on the power play.
Those four things are why this series has become a best of three.
Down two games to none the Bruins needed something to rally around. The hit on Horton seems to have done the trick.
The Bruins have seized control of the series and the city of Boston hasn't been this close to a Stanley Cup since they held a parade for Ray Bourque after he won a cup with Colorado ten years ago.
However one thing to keep in mind is the home team has won each game of this series. If that holds true then Vancouver has little to worry about.
If the Bruins are going to win this series they better win Game 5 in Vancouver. Momentum is on their side but control of the series is still up for grabs. As well as the Bruins have played I don't like their chances if they have to come back to Vancouver for a seventh game.
At this point I don't know what's going to happen in Game 5. I do know that has a hockey fan all you can do is sit back and enjoy it.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Burrows takes a bite out of the Bruins
One of the storylines coming out of Game 1 was what should the NHL do with Alexandre Burrows.
Burrows was caught on tape biting the glove of Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron at the end of the 1st period and was given a double minor for roughing.
Other players in the past were suspended for doing what Burrows did. Yet the NHL decided against any additional discipline allowing Burrows to play in Game 2.
Turns out Burrows was the best player on the ice for Vancouver in Game 2.
Burrows scored two goals for the Canucks including the game winner 11 seconds into overtime giving Vancouver a 3-2 win and a 2-0 lead in the best of seven series.
The game winning goal came as a result of Tim Thomas being overly aggressive in net.
"As soon as I got the puck, I knew I was going to fake a shot and then try to beat him,'' Burrows said. "I lost the puck in front of Thomas, but I got it back, and I got it in.''
Burrows also got the scoring started for Vancouver in the 1st period when he scored a power play goal to give the Canucks a 1-0 lead.
The Bruins were finally able to breakthrough against Luongo in the 2nd period by getting traffic in front of the net. Milan Lucic put home a rebound to tie the game at 1-1.
The Bruins power play, which has been less than impressive in the playoffs, came through in the 2nd period when Zdeno Chara, back on the blueline instead of in front of the crease, threw the puck on net finding the stick of Mark Recchi to deflect it past Luongo giving the Bruins a 2-1 lead.
Vancouver would turn up the pressure on Thomas and the Bruins defense in the 3rd period. Daniel Sedin took a pass from Burrows firing it past Thomas to tie the game at 2-2 setting the stage for Burrows heroics in overtime.
After the game a friend tweeted and asked me if I thought this was a back-breaker for the Bruins?
At this point I don't believe that it is. Granted being down 2-0 is not the situation the Bruins want to be in but the next two games are in Boston. There is a belief that you aren't in trouble in a series until you lose a game on home ice.
The goal right now for Boston is to take care of business on home ice and make it a best of three. Remember the Bruins dropped their first two games against Montreal before rallying to win the series.
Boston played a lot better in Game 2 than they did in Game 1. They were able to get shots on net and traffic in front of Luongo. Plus the Bruins power play was able to convert with Chara on the blueline instead of in front of the net.
I expect the Bruins to come out in Game 3 and play their best game of this series. They better, otherwise Vancouver will be one step closer to the Cup.
Burrows was caught on tape biting the glove of Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron at the end of the 1st period and was given a double minor for roughing.
Other players in the past were suspended for doing what Burrows did. Yet the NHL decided against any additional discipline allowing Burrows to play in Game 2.
Turns out Burrows was the best player on the ice for Vancouver in Game 2.
Burrows scored two goals for the Canucks including the game winner 11 seconds into overtime giving Vancouver a 3-2 win and a 2-0 lead in the best of seven series.
The game winning goal came as a result of Tim Thomas being overly aggressive in net.
"As soon as I got the puck, I knew I was going to fake a shot and then try to beat him,'' Burrows said. "I lost the puck in front of Thomas, but I got it back, and I got it in.''
Burrows also got the scoring started for Vancouver in the 1st period when he scored a power play goal to give the Canucks a 1-0 lead.
The Bruins were finally able to breakthrough against Luongo in the 2nd period by getting traffic in front of the net. Milan Lucic put home a rebound to tie the game at 1-1.
The Bruins power play, which has been less than impressive in the playoffs, came through in the 2nd period when Zdeno Chara, back on the blueline instead of in front of the crease, threw the puck on net finding the stick of Mark Recchi to deflect it past Luongo giving the Bruins a 2-1 lead.
Vancouver would turn up the pressure on Thomas and the Bruins defense in the 3rd period. Daniel Sedin took a pass from Burrows firing it past Thomas to tie the game at 2-2 setting the stage for Burrows heroics in overtime.
After the game a friend tweeted and asked me if I thought this was a back-breaker for the Bruins?
At this point I don't believe that it is. Granted being down 2-0 is not the situation the Bruins want to be in but the next two games are in Boston. There is a belief that you aren't in trouble in a series until you lose a game on home ice.
The goal right now for Boston is to take care of business on home ice and make it a best of three. Remember the Bruins dropped their first two games against Montreal before rallying to win the series.
Boston played a lot better in Game 2 than they did in Game 1. They were able to get shots on net and traffic in front of Luongo. Plus the Bruins power play was able to convert with Chara on the blueline instead of in front of the net.
I expect the Bruins to come out in Game 3 and play their best game of this series. They better, otherwise Vancouver will be one step closer to the Cup.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Stanley Cup Finals: Observations from Game 1.
The Stanley Cup Finals got underway last night in Vancouver and if you like goaltending you couldn't have asked for a better game.
Tim Thomas & Roberto Luongo went toe to toe and turned away everything that was thrown at them. Watching the game you couldn't help but wonder who would be the first to give up a goal.
We would have to wait until 19:40 of the 3rd period when Raffi Torres took a pass from Jannik Hansen to score the only goal of the game giving the Canucks a 1-0 win and a 1-0 lead in this best of seven series.
Here are a few observations I have after watching Game 1.
1. Tim Thomas will have to be the best player for Boston if the Bruins are to win the Stanley Cup.
Thomas played as well as he could of last night and the Bruins will need him to continue to do so. The Canucks are a much deeper team than Boston and they skate a lot better than the Bruins. In the 3rd period the Bruins looked gassed out on the ice.
The Bruins will have to use their size and strength to try & slow down Vancouver. If that doesn't work Thomas will be looking at a lot of scoring chances for the Canucks.
2. The Bruins Power Play is Pathetic.
Last night Boston had a four minute power play in the 1st period & a 5-3 for 1:25 in the 2nd period. The Bruins failed to score on both power plays. They were 0-6 with the man advantage.
It's amazing the Bruins have gotten this far with their power play being as bad as it has been this post-season. When you are playing against a team as good as Vancouver you need to take advantage of these opportunities.
Boston was lucky to get by Montreal, Philadelphia, & Tampa Bay with their power play being as bad as it has been. They won't beat Vancouver if it doesn't improve.
3. The use of Zdeno Chara on the power play.
This has been one of the more interesting conundrums in the playoffs. Chara is 6 ft. 9. His size alone makes him a valuable asset to put in front of the goaltender to set up screens on the power play.
Chara also has a 105 mph slapshot which is valuable on the blueline during power plays.
Having him stand in front of Luongo didn't seem to make a difference last night. It might be time to put him back on the blueline during power plays in Game 2 and see what happens. The results can't be any worse.
4. Boston needs to challenge Luongo.
The Bruins outshot Vancouver last night 36-33 but it seemed like the Canucks were making Thomas work for his saves while Boston was content shooting on Luongo hoping he would let one through.
Watching the game last night I kept waiting for Vancouver to get the first goal of the game. I never felt the Bruins were going to score first.
They need to get Luongo out of position and moving from side to side. In other words do to Luongo in Game 2 what the Canucks did to Boston in Game 1.
5. It didn't take long for bad blood to show.
There was a scrum at the end of the 1st period between Patrice Bergeron and Alexandre Burrows. During the scrum Bergeron gave Burrows a facewash which resulted in Burrows biting the glove a Bergeron.
It was announced today that Burrows would not be suspended for his actions. He did receive an extra two minute penalty for his infraction at the start of the 2nd period. As far as the NHL is concerned the incident is over & done with.
Usually in a series like this where the two teams don't have a history with each other it takes a little bit for bad blood to show. Not this time. It looks like neither team cares for each other and that usually leads to entertaining hockey.
The question now is are the Bruins in trouble?
The bad news: 55 of the 71 teams to win Game 1 in the Stanley Cup Finals have gone on to win the Stanley Cup.
The good news: It's a best of seven not a best of one.
Boston went head to head with the best team in the NHL for over 59 minutes last night before a goal was scored. The Bruins did some good things on the ice and shown they can play with the Canucks.
However they aren't going to be able to shutdown the Sedin twins like they did last night. They will get going and they will get their points. Boston needs the top line of Krecji, Horton & Lucic to play better than they did last night.
Boston will make the necessary adjustments and I predict they will come out strong in Game 2. They better. A 2-0 deficit against Vancouver might be too big of a hole to dig out of.
Tim Thomas & Roberto Luongo went toe to toe and turned away everything that was thrown at them. Watching the game you couldn't help but wonder who would be the first to give up a goal.
We would have to wait until 19:40 of the 3rd period when Raffi Torres took a pass from Jannik Hansen to score the only goal of the game giving the Canucks a 1-0 win and a 1-0 lead in this best of seven series.
Here are a few observations I have after watching Game 1.
1. Tim Thomas will have to be the best player for Boston if the Bruins are to win the Stanley Cup.
Thomas played as well as he could of last night and the Bruins will need him to continue to do so. The Canucks are a much deeper team than Boston and they skate a lot better than the Bruins. In the 3rd period the Bruins looked gassed out on the ice.
The Bruins will have to use their size and strength to try & slow down Vancouver. If that doesn't work Thomas will be looking at a lot of scoring chances for the Canucks.
2. The Bruins Power Play is Pathetic.
Last night Boston had a four minute power play in the 1st period & a 5-3 for 1:25 in the 2nd period. The Bruins failed to score on both power plays. They were 0-6 with the man advantage.
It's amazing the Bruins have gotten this far with their power play being as bad as it has been this post-season. When you are playing against a team as good as Vancouver you need to take advantage of these opportunities.
Boston was lucky to get by Montreal, Philadelphia, & Tampa Bay with their power play being as bad as it has been. They won't beat Vancouver if it doesn't improve.
3. The use of Zdeno Chara on the power play.
This has been one of the more interesting conundrums in the playoffs. Chara is 6 ft. 9. His size alone makes him a valuable asset to put in front of the goaltender to set up screens on the power play.
Chara also has a 105 mph slapshot which is valuable on the blueline during power plays.
Having him stand in front of Luongo didn't seem to make a difference last night. It might be time to put him back on the blueline during power plays in Game 2 and see what happens. The results can't be any worse.
4. Boston needs to challenge Luongo.
The Bruins outshot Vancouver last night 36-33 but it seemed like the Canucks were making Thomas work for his saves while Boston was content shooting on Luongo hoping he would let one through.
Watching the game last night I kept waiting for Vancouver to get the first goal of the game. I never felt the Bruins were going to score first.
They need to get Luongo out of position and moving from side to side. In other words do to Luongo in Game 2 what the Canucks did to Boston in Game 1.
5. It didn't take long for bad blood to show.
There was a scrum at the end of the 1st period between Patrice Bergeron and Alexandre Burrows. During the scrum Bergeron gave Burrows a facewash which resulted in Burrows biting the glove a Bergeron.
It was announced today that Burrows would not be suspended for his actions. He did receive an extra two minute penalty for his infraction at the start of the 2nd period. As far as the NHL is concerned the incident is over & done with.
Usually in a series like this where the two teams don't have a history with each other it takes a little bit for bad blood to show. Not this time. It looks like neither team cares for each other and that usually leads to entertaining hockey.
The question now is are the Bruins in trouble?
The bad news: 55 of the 71 teams to win Game 1 in the Stanley Cup Finals have gone on to win the Stanley Cup.
The good news: It's a best of seven not a best of one.
Boston went head to head with the best team in the NHL for over 59 minutes last night before a goal was scored. The Bruins did some good things on the ice and shown they can play with the Canucks.
However they aren't going to be able to shutdown the Sedin twins like they did last night. They will get going and they will get their points. Boston needs the top line of Krecji, Horton & Lucic to play better than they did last night.
Boston will make the necessary adjustments and I predict they will come out strong in Game 2. They better. A 2-0 deficit against Vancouver might be too big of a hole to dig out of.
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