The first round of the NHL playoffs had just about everything. And age old rivalry, some new foes in post season play and more game sevens than you can shake a hockey stick at. This is what the playoffs should be, right? Some games have been whoppers of games, while others have been snoozers.
So let's get to it, the first round winners and losers:
The Winners
Showing posts with label Ducks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ducks. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Stanley Cup Fearless Predictions: Western Conference
Before we go into the Caps/Rangers Series A, let's take a look at the big picture and go through what will be some dynamite series as we roll to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. Before I have done the Eastern Conference before the Western. This year I am flipping it. As always, you can leave your thoughts below in comments.
In the Western Conference things took a while for the final 8 to settle into their final series places. In fact it took the very last game of the season between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars to see if last year's champs even make a return to the post season (they did with a Star loss). This Conference has been ultra competitive, but one team has walked away from everyone. The Canucks may not want such a distinction given the fact they are facing a very good Blackhawk team in the first round.
Western Conference Quarter-Final
#1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Chicago Blackhawks
The Canucks won the President's Trophy for most points in a season. They have the top point getter, most wins by a goaltender and an assist leader to give them a power house team that took their conference by storm. But I don't think they wanted to take on the Cup champs from last year in the first round. While the Hawks have had their bumps in the road, they have played well down the stretch to sneak in on the very last day. With some hard work and a little luck, the Blackhawks look to repeat with the same lack of respect they showed in last season's run. This should be a war of a series.
Vancouver sneaks past Chicago in 7 games.
#2 San Jose Sharks vs. #7 Los Angeles Kings
I really like the Kings this year, if for nothing else they have just wanted their wins more this season. If their goaltender Jonathan Quick can stay on top of his game and the Kings show that never say die attitude they could be a handful for the Sharks. But the Sharks have been bitten by the Cup bug shaking some old demons that have plagued them in post seasons past. The Sharks have shown some offensive supremacy against the Kings at times, but the season series is tied at 3 games a piece. If the Kings can make the score tight, they have a very good chance.
San Jose defeats LA in 7 games
#3 Detroit Red Wings vs. #6 Phoenix Coyotes
It's round two for these two teams from a year ago. Only this time, the Red Wings have home ice advantage. The Coyotes lean heavily on their goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. He has the opportunity to steal a series for them and they will need him against the Detroit powerhouse. The Red Wings do have a weakness this season. Jimmy Howard is the go to guy with no serious back up to, well.. back him up. It makes these two teams a lot even than you might think.
Detroit defeats Phoenix in 5 games
#4 Anaheim Ducks vs. #5 Nashville Predators
This should be an interesting series. Neither team really has a history playoff wise to speak of. The Ducks are coming off their best second half of the season in some time. It helped them secure a playoff spot early and they are looking to return to the promise land. The Predators are still inexperienced at this whole playoff thing, but their emotion and some smart goaltending should help them steal a series from the Ducks.
Nashville upsets Anaheim in 6 games
Western Champs: San Jose Sharks
Just about every pundit has the Canucks coming out of the Western Conference with flying colors. But just looking down the line they have to play a tough team in Chicago in the first round then face teams like San Jose or Detroit down the stretch. I just don't see that happening. The Canucks are already limping into the post season as it is. I think the Sharks have the best line to make it to the Western Conference Final and a chance to actually play for Lord Stanley's Cup.
In the Western Conference things took a while for the final 8 to settle into their final series places. In fact it took the very last game of the season between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars to see if last year's champs even make a return to the post season (they did with a Star loss). This Conference has been ultra competitive, but one team has walked away from everyone. The Canucks may not want such a distinction given the fact they are facing a very good Blackhawk team in the first round.
Western Conference Quarter-Final
#1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Chicago Blackhawks
The Canucks won the President's Trophy for most points in a season. They have the top point getter, most wins by a goaltender and an assist leader to give them a power house team that took their conference by storm. But I don't think they wanted to take on the Cup champs from last year in the first round. While the Hawks have had their bumps in the road, they have played well down the stretch to sneak in on the very last day. With some hard work and a little luck, the Blackhawks look to repeat with the same lack of respect they showed in last season's run. This should be a war of a series.
Vancouver sneaks past Chicago in 7 games.
#2 San Jose Sharks vs. #7 Los Angeles Kings
I really like the Kings this year, if for nothing else they have just wanted their wins more this season. If their goaltender Jonathan Quick can stay on top of his game and the Kings show that never say die attitude they could be a handful for the Sharks. But the Sharks have been bitten by the Cup bug shaking some old demons that have plagued them in post seasons past. The Sharks have shown some offensive supremacy against the Kings at times, but the season series is tied at 3 games a piece. If the Kings can make the score tight, they have a very good chance.
San Jose defeats LA in 7 games
#3 Detroit Red Wings vs. #6 Phoenix Coyotes
It's round two for these two teams from a year ago. Only this time, the Red Wings have home ice advantage. The Coyotes lean heavily on their goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. He has the opportunity to steal a series for them and they will need him against the Detroit powerhouse. The Red Wings do have a weakness this season. Jimmy Howard is the go to guy with no serious back up to, well.. back him up. It makes these two teams a lot even than you might think.
Detroit defeats Phoenix in 5 games
#4 Anaheim Ducks vs. #5 Nashville Predators
This should be an interesting series. Neither team really has a history playoff wise to speak of. The Ducks are coming off their best second half of the season in some time. It helped them secure a playoff spot early and they are looking to return to the promise land. The Predators are still inexperienced at this whole playoff thing, but their emotion and some smart goaltending should help them steal a series from the Ducks.
Nashville upsets Anaheim in 6 games
Western Champs: San Jose Sharks
Just about every pundit has the Canucks coming out of the Western Conference with flying colors. But just looking down the line they have to play a tough team in Chicago in the first round then face teams like San Jose or Detroit down the stretch. I just don't see that happening. The Canucks are already limping into the post season as it is. I think the Sharks have the best line to make it to the Western Conference Final and a chance to actually play for Lord Stanley's Cup.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Capitals' Losing Stretch Hits Seven
Capitals 1, Ducks 2 OT
Game Summary
It was a far better effort by the Capitals but the result wasn't what they were hoping for. The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim come into Verizon Center and beat the Caps with just 56.6 seconds left in overtime. The loss stings the Caps who know find themselves with just 2 points in their last seven games.
"We executed the game plan we wanted," centerman David Steckel said. "We just chewed the short end of the stick."
Even with a strong start and the opening goal by Brooks Laich, the Capitals seemed to hit a mental block. Whether it is taking an untimely penalty, a bad turnover, inability to score or breakdowns in the Caps' defense, the mistakes the Caps make seem to pile up a wall of doubt in the players minds. A team that has been used to winning based on talent now have to face the toughest adversity in some of their young careers.
It wasn't a bad game for the Caps' defense. But in close games, the most minor of mistakes become glaring miscues. On the Ducks' power play, both Caps' defenders Mike Green and Karl Alzner played the shot from the point instead of covering and boxing out the two Ducks in front of the net. Joffery Lupul was able to slide the puck under Semyon Varlamov to tie the game at one.
The game hit a stalemate with chances on both sides. But the Ducks seemed to play a good road trip by weathering the storm of Caps' shots and making the most of opportunities. Their overtime goal was a result of some miscommunication on behalf of the Capitals. John Carlson backed off of Ryan Getzlaf after his move to gain space. Either Alex Ovechkin or Scott Hannan were either a step too late, or didn't step in to take away Getzlaf's space and he made no mistake shooting the puck over Varly's shoulder to win the game.
Even though it will go down as a loss for the Capitals, their effort tonight was much better than the previous two games they have played. The Caps will have to dig deeper to turn their fortunes around. Their defensive effort was good, minus the few mistakes they made. They did have chances to add to their one goal lead. Mike Green did spring Ovechkin on a break away, but Ovi hit the post. Laich nearly had a second goal, but the trickling puck was swiped away by a Duck defenseman. Nick Backstrom had a wide open net and Jonas Hiller made a hightlight reel save to keep it from going in.
"I thought we played very good," Boudreau said. "Sometimes you play very good and lose."
This is a game the Caps can build on, if they continue to work hard. They made the jump into 40 points in the standings and at the moment have held off other Southeast Division rivals to stay atop the division for now. However, their schedule does not give them much sympathy as they have to travel for the next two back to back games on Saturday and Sunday. One would think their luck would have to turn. Soon.
Game Summary
It was a far better effort by the Capitals but the result wasn't what they were hoping for. The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim come into Verizon Center and beat the Caps with just 56.6 seconds left in overtime. The loss stings the Caps who know find themselves with just 2 points in their last seven games.
"We executed the game plan we wanted," centerman David Steckel said. "We just chewed the short end of the stick."
Even with a strong start and the opening goal by Brooks Laich, the Capitals seemed to hit a mental block. Whether it is taking an untimely penalty, a bad turnover, inability to score or breakdowns in the Caps' defense, the mistakes the Caps make seem to pile up a wall of doubt in the players minds. A team that has been used to winning based on talent now have to face the toughest adversity in some of their young careers.
It wasn't a bad game for the Caps' defense. But in close games, the most minor of mistakes become glaring miscues. On the Ducks' power play, both Caps' defenders Mike Green and Karl Alzner played the shot from the point instead of covering and boxing out the two Ducks in front of the net. Joffery Lupul was able to slide the puck under Semyon Varlamov to tie the game at one.
The game hit a stalemate with chances on both sides. But the Ducks seemed to play a good road trip by weathering the storm of Caps' shots and making the most of opportunities. Their overtime goal was a result of some miscommunication on behalf of the Capitals. John Carlson backed off of Ryan Getzlaf after his move to gain space. Either Alex Ovechkin or Scott Hannan were either a step too late, or didn't step in to take away Getzlaf's space and he made no mistake shooting the puck over Varly's shoulder to win the game.
Even though it will go down as a loss for the Capitals, their effort tonight was much better than the previous two games they have played. The Caps will have to dig deeper to turn their fortunes around. Their defensive effort was good, minus the few mistakes they made. They did have chances to add to their one goal lead. Mike Green did spring Ovechkin on a break away, but Ovi hit the post. Laich nearly had a second goal, but the trickling puck was swiped away by a Duck defenseman. Nick Backstrom had a wide open net and Jonas Hiller made a hightlight reel save to keep it from going in.
"I thought we played very good," Boudreau said. "Sometimes you play very good and lose."
This is a game the Caps can build on, if they continue to work hard. They made the jump into 40 points in the standings and at the moment have held off other Southeast Division rivals to stay atop the division for now. However, their schedule does not give them much sympathy as they have to travel for the next two back to back games on Saturday and Sunday. One would think their luck would have to turn. Soon.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Go West, Young Man, Go West
Players in the Western Conference can breath easy knowing that they have dominated the Stanley Cup Finals in over a decade. The West have beaten the east 8 of the last thirteen finals. Those odds are pretty good and are only getting better as many of those teams have youth maturing.
Ranking the Western Conference is no easy task with teams on the rise and other teams in such turmoil. But there will be a lot of familiar faces back in the playoffs when the 82 games schedule comes to a close. Let's start with the bottom and work our way up.
15. Phoenix Coyotes: Three words, off ice drama. That is what keeps this team from moving forward. As far as player personnel are concerned, the 'Yotes had a busy off season. The signed goaltender Jason LaBarbera, forward Vernon Fiddler and defenseman Adrian Aucoin in free agency. They resigned Scottie Upshall to a one year deal and worked the trade route to acquire Lauri Korpikoski and Radim Vrbata. They seem like the right moves, but with ownership in question and a new coach to boot, there is a lot of chemistry questions to deal with. A team with this much turmoil up top is going to hinder this group through out the season.
14. Colorado Avalanche: Things in Denver are not good. With the departure of Joe Sakic over the summer, the team has lost its prolific leader and fallen from the elite grace they enjoyed just a few seasons ago. With a slew of veterans on their last year of their contracts, this looks more like a shopper's paradise for teams looking to beef up their line-ups come the trade deadline. Players afraid of being traded through out the season very rarely play their best. It is rebuilding time in Colorado.
13. Edmonton Oilers: They made a play for Danny Heatley, but in the end they couldn't pull the forward their way. The Oilers did however get a good goaltender in Nikolai Khabibulin. It is pretty much the only positive to come out of the off season for the beleaguered Oilers. They spent too much time on trying to get a deal done with Ottawa, there is not much improvement on this team from a season ago. They are going to have to rely on the players that gave marginal performances last year. It's a tough spot to be in.
12. Los Angeles Kings: Every time the Kings get some good news, something happens that dissolves it. But they may have some hope after signing Rob Scuderi in the off season and trading for Ryan Smyth to give them some leadership. What gives this team hope and heartache is youth. Jack Johnson, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown make up the core of the Kings youth movement. If they can show some more mustard early in the season they could finish higher than 12th. But their goaltending is still marginal and they still need a super-star to make the big plays when they need it most.
11. Minnesota Wild: With the departure of some good talent late last season, the Wild replaced it by signing Martin Havlat, Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy in the off season. The Wild are under new management though, getting a new GM and coach to lead the team in a new direction. It may take a season or two for the organization to get out of some old habits. They do have the pieces to possibly make the playoffs, but it remains to be seen if the Wild can pull it all together this season.
10. Nashville Predators: Nashville let a few players walk in the off season. They were able to keep Steve Sullivan and Joel Ward, but it may not be enough to make the playoffs. Part of Nashville's problem is the small amount of fans and money to work with. The management have failed to pull a team in around Sullivan and team captain Jason Arnott. The Preds still have a good core of defensemen and the combo of Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne should steal a few games this season.
9. Dallas Stars: This team made some smart moves in the off season, and it should show in the standings. Will they make the playoffs? They could, but it will depend on how well the changes at management and coaching affect the team. The big D signed some good defense in Karlis Skrastins and Jeff Woywitka. Jere Lehtinen resigned for another year and the Stars have a better back up in Alex Auld who was acquired in the off season. Low expectations may hinder the Stars this year, but if they grow in the right direction, they could knock off someone on the next list.
Playoff Bound
8. St. Louis Blues: On the verge of something good, the Blues have to build on their experiences from a season ago. But they have to be careful, they are also in a division that highly competitive. One bad stretch could be doom for this young team on the rise. Veterans Keith Tkachuk, Jay McClement, Mike Weaver and Brad Winchester were all resigned and goaltender Ty Conklin should be a capable back up. Head coach Andy Murry has to get the youth of his team to start to believe in themselves. Once the kids start to buy in to the system, the Blues will have a good team on their hands.
7. Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are a shell of their former selves. Chris Pronger, Rob Niedermayer, Francois Beauchemin and Brett Hedican all left for greener pastures. What saves the team from total breakdown is what they got in return. Saku Koivu, Nick Boynton, Steve McCarthy were signed in the off season and Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and Ryan Dingle were acquired in the Pronger trade. The Ducks should make the playoffs again.
6. Columbus Blue Jackets: After making the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history, it is understandable that they might have a bit of hangover when teams start taking them more seriously. Lucky for the fans, the Jacks resigned Rick Nash. They also added Sammy Pahlsson to add some punch at center depth. But the BJ's need consistency in the division they are in. If they can build on what they started last year, this team should find a comfortable spot in the post season and will look for their first playoff win.
5. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks shed some big contracts in the off season. Some of that shedding will hinder them, and maybe they won't win their division. But with Roberto Luongo in net and the Sedin Twins signed on for another go, there is no reason this team should miss the playoffs. They took advantage of San Jose's roster shedding by getting Christian Erhoff and Brad Lukowich in exchange for some prospects. They also pulled Mikael Samuelsson from the Red Wings pool. The Canucks should have a good year, but they have to grow some tougher skin to get further in the playoffs.
4. Detroit Red Wings: How can the Red Wings not win their division but still get home ice advantage? Because they are the Red Wings. Whether fans show up to the games or not, the Wings is a hard team to beat night in and night out. A few support players found spots on other teams, but the core of Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, the Wings will be okay. Their hold on goaltending greatness in Chris Osgood may prove their downfall if Osgood is not playing his best.
3. Calgary Flames, Northwest Division Champion: Theo Flurey certainly created a lot of buzz in camp this off season, but his comeback was dealt a huge blow when he was released a week before opening night. It was a distraction for Flames' fans, but the real excitement will be the arrival of Jay Bouwmeester. Acquired in the off season, Bouwmeester's arrival bolsters Calgary's defensive squad that is already beefed up with Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr. If the Flames can score, their defense should hold up fine, and they will win their division.
2. Chicago Blackhawks, Central Division Champion: This team is riding a good vibe right now and it should carry through to another playoff run. There are few messy ends for the Hawks, the change in GM after Marion Hossa was signed to a ridiculous contract and the release of Martin Havlat and the NHLPA filing grievances with the team after they resigned a bunch of their young talent. The core of Chicago's youth is really is what is exciting about this team. Patrick Kane and Johnathan Toews make this team an offensive juggernaut. Solid defense led by Brian Campbell and good goaltending by Cristobal Huet can make this team a dangerous Conference foe.
1. San Jose Sharks, Western Conference Champion: The Sharks have been a tough team to play in the West for quite some time. But getting over that first playoff series seems to give the Sharks fits. San Jose did change up their look a little bit by shipping off Jonathon Cheechoo and Milan Michalek to Ottawa for Danny Heatley. The Sharks are looking for that certain something to push them over the edge. They should win the West again, but it still remains to be seen if they can do any real damage in the playoffs.
The Sharks have the talent to top the West again, but they need to show their stuff in the post season to really get any respect. I like the Blackhawks despite their off season shenanigans. They have now the experience and the coaching to help them win games, it will be hard to count them out come spring. The Coyotes are in trouble, which is sad since hockey did take root in the desert for a few years. I just don't see them coming out with a whole lot of get up and go when their coach was forced out and the league is fighting with a billionaire over their future.
Tomorrow, the Eastern Conference preview.
Ranking the Western Conference is no easy task with teams on the rise and other teams in such turmoil. But there will be a lot of familiar faces back in the playoffs when the 82 games schedule comes to a close. Let's start with the bottom and work our way up.
15. Phoenix Coyotes: Three words, off ice drama. That is what keeps this team from moving forward. As far as player personnel are concerned, the 'Yotes had a busy off season. The signed goaltender Jason LaBarbera, forward Vernon Fiddler and defenseman Adrian Aucoin in free agency. They resigned Scottie Upshall to a one year deal and worked the trade route to acquire Lauri Korpikoski and Radim Vrbata. They seem like the right moves, but with ownership in question and a new coach to boot, there is a lot of chemistry questions to deal with. A team with this much turmoil up top is going to hinder this group through out the season.
14. Colorado Avalanche: Things in Denver are not good. With the departure of Joe Sakic over the summer, the team has lost its prolific leader and fallen from the elite grace they enjoyed just a few seasons ago. With a slew of veterans on their last year of their contracts, this looks more like a shopper's paradise for teams looking to beef up their line-ups come the trade deadline. Players afraid of being traded through out the season very rarely play their best. It is rebuilding time in Colorado.
13. Edmonton Oilers: They made a play for Danny Heatley, but in the end they couldn't pull the forward their way. The Oilers did however get a good goaltender in Nikolai Khabibulin. It is pretty much the only positive to come out of the off season for the beleaguered Oilers. They spent too much time on trying to get a deal done with Ottawa, there is not much improvement on this team from a season ago. They are going to have to rely on the players that gave marginal performances last year. It's a tough spot to be in.
12. Los Angeles Kings: Every time the Kings get some good news, something happens that dissolves it. But they may have some hope after signing Rob Scuderi in the off season and trading for Ryan Smyth to give them some leadership. What gives this team hope and heartache is youth. Jack Johnson, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown make up the core of the Kings youth movement. If they can show some more mustard early in the season they could finish higher than 12th. But their goaltending is still marginal and they still need a super-star to make the big plays when they need it most.
11. Minnesota Wild: With the departure of some good talent late last season, the Wild replaced it by signing Martin Havlat, Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy in the off season. The Wild are under new management though, getting a new GM and coach to lead the team in a new direction. It may take a season or two for the organization to get out of some old habits. They do have the pieces to possibly make the playoffs, but it remains to be seen if the Wild can pull it all together this season.
10. Nashville Predators: Nashville let a few players walk in the off season. They were able to keep Steve Sullivan and Joel Ward, but it may not be enough to make the playoffs. Part of Nashville's problem is the small amount of fans and money to work with. The management have failed to pull a team in around Sullivan and team captain Jason Arnott. The Preds still have a good core of defensemen and the combo of Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne should steal a few games this season.
9. Dallas Stars: This team made some smart moves in the off season, and it should show in the standings. Will they make the playoffs? They could, but it will depend on how well the changes at management and coaching affect the team. The big D signed some good defense in Karlis Skrastins and Jeff Woywitka. Jere Lehtinen resigned for another year and the Stars have a better back up in Alex Auld who was acquired in the off season. Low expectations may hinder the Stars this year, but if they grow in the right direction, they could knock off someone on the next list.
Playoff Bound
8. St. Louis Blues: On the verge of something good, the Blues have to build on their experiences from a season ago. But they have to be careful, they are also in a division that highly competitive. One bad stretch could be doom for this young team on the rise. Veterans Keith Tkachuk, Jay McClement, Mike Weaver and Brad Winchester were all resigned and goaltender Ty Conklin should be a capable back up. Head coach Andy Murry has to get the youth of his team to start to believe in themselves. Once the kids start to buy in to the system, the Blues will have a good team on their hands.
7. Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are a shell of their former selves. Chris Pronger, Rob Niedermayer, Francois Beauchemin and Brett Hedican all left for greener pastures. What saves the team from total breakdown is what they got in return. Saku Koivu, Nick Boynton, Steve McCarthy were signed in the off season and Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and Ryan Dingle were acquired in the Pronger trade. The Ducks should make the playoffs again.
6. Columbus Blue Jackets: After making the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history, it is understandable that they might have a bit of hangover when teams start taking them more seriously. Lucky for the fans, the Jacks resigned Rick Nash. They also added Sammy Pahlsson to add some punch at center depth. But the BJ's need consistency in the division they are in. If they can build on what they started last year, this team should find a comfortable spot in the post season and will look for their first playoff win.
5. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks shed some big contracts in the off season. Some of that shedding will hinder them, and maybe they won't win their division. But with Roberto Luongo in net and the Sedin Twins signed on for another go, there is no reason this team should miss the playoffs. They took advantage of San Jose's roster shedding by getting Christian Erhoff and Brad Lukowich in exchange for some prospects. They also pulled Mikael Samuelsson from the Red Wings pool. The Canucks should have a good year, but they have to grow some tougher skin to get further in the playoffs.
4. Detroit Red Wings: How can the Red Wings not win their division but still get home ice advantage? Because they are the Red Wings. Whether fans show up to the games or not, the Wings is a hard team to beat night in and night out. A few support players found spots on other teams, but the core of Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, the Wings will be okay. Their hold on goaltending greatness in Chris Osgood may prove their downfall if Osgood is not playing his best.
3. Calgary Flames, Northwest Division Champion: Theo Flurey certainly created a lot of buzz in camp this off season, but his comeback was dealt a huge blow when he was released a week before opening night. It was a distraction for Flames' fans, but the real excitement will be the arrival of Jay Bouwmeester. Acquired in the off season, Bouwmeester's arrival bolsters Calgary's defensive squad that is already beefed up with Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr. If the Flames can score, their defense should hold up fine, and they will win their division.
2. Chicago Blackhawks, Central Division Champion: This team is riding a good vibe right now and it should carry through to another playoff run. There are few messy ends for the Hawks, the change in GM after Marion Hossa was signed to a ridiculous contract and the release of Martin Havlat and the NHLPA filing grievances with the team after they resigned a bunch of their young talent. The core of Chicago's youth is really is what is exciting about this team. Patrick Kane and Johnathan Toews make this team an offensive juggernaut. Solid defense led by Brian Campbell and good goaltending by Cristobal Huet can make this team a dangerous Conference foe.
1. San Jose Sharks, Western Conference Champion: The Sharks have been a tough team to play in the West for quite some time. But getting over that first playoff series seems to give the Sharks fits. San Jose did change up their look a little bit by shipping off Jonathon Cheechoo and Milan Michalek to Ottawa for Danny Heatley. The Sharks are looking for that certain something to push them over the edge. They should win the West again, but it still remains to be seen if they can do any real damage in the playoffs.
The Sharks have the talent to top the West again, but they need to show their stuff in the post season to really get any respect. I like the Blackhawks despite their off season shenanigans. They have now the experience and the coaching to help them win games, it will be hard to count them out come spring. The Coyotes are in trouble, which is sad since hockey did take root in the desert for a few years. I just don't see them coming out with a whole lot of get up and go when their coach was forced out and the league is fighting with a billionaire over their future.
Tomorrow, the Eastern Conference preview.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Say What?
On Tarik's blog is the correct pronunciations of our Russian brothers in Capitals sweaters. I believe Puckhead is not translatable to Russian. But, that is a conversation for another day. I am working on my Russian with out saying comrade or Bolshevik. Impressive, I know.
I have just watched the game two marathon between Anaheim and Detroit that went to 3 overtime periods. The game started at 2 pm and nearly went the distance to connect to the evening game between Bruins and Hurricanes at 7:30 pm on Versus. The long game also saved us from watching ponies on Channel 4 (apologies to those who like ponies, like every little girl I knew in first grade).
Spoiler alert:, Ducks won just 1:15 into the sixth period. Todd Marchant (which is correctly pronounced Todd Mar-CLUTCH) scored the winner off a wrister that found its way through two defenders and beat Chris Osgood (correctly pronounced Chris NOT-az-good) high glove, top corner. The Ducks' netminder Jonas Hiller (not sure if you pronounce that any differently) was spectacular. He stopped 59 shots after his team was out shot by the Red Wings in the extra frames, 29 to 15.
The other Western Conference battle between Chicago and Vancouver took an interesting turn. The youth of the Blackhawks does not seem intimidated by Roberto Luongo (that is pronounced LU-shut-out-ongo, weird I know). The Canucks have blown a 3-0 lead and a 2-0 lead in back to back games, losing the later. I am starting to really like this Chicago team.
Finally, I am waiting for the Boston and Carolina game to start tonight. The Hurricanes just didn't look like themselves in game one. They were a bit overwhelmed by Boston's offensive talent and Tim Thomas' goaltending. The 'Canes need a win badly or their series will be over before they know it. Let's hope you don't pronounce Eric Staal "Cha-OKE."
I have just watched the game two marathon between Anaheim and Detroit that went to 3 overtime periods. The game started at 2 pm and nearly went the distance to connect to the evening game between Bruins and Hurricanes at 7:30 pm on Versus. The long game also saved us from watching ponies on Channel 4 (apologies to those who like ponies, like every little girl I knew in first grade).
Spoiler alert:, Ducks won just 1:15 into the sixth period. Todd Marchant (which is correctly pronounced Todd Mar-CLUTCH) scored the winner off a wrister that found its way through two defenders and beat Chris Osgood (correctly pronounced Chris NOT-az-good) high glove, top corner. The Ducks' netminder Jonas Hiller (not sure if you pronounce that any differently) was spectacular. He stopped 59 shots after his team was out shot by the Red Wings in the extra frames, 29 to 15.
The other Western Conference battle between Chicago and Vancouver took an interesting turn. The youth of the Blackhawks does not seem intimidated by Roberto Luongo (that is pronounced LU-shut-out-ongo, weird I know). The Canucks have blown a 3-0 lead and a 2-0 lead in back to back games, losing the later. I am starting to really like this Chicago team.
Finally, I am waiting for the Boston and Carolina game to start tonight. The Hurricanes just didn't look like themselves in game one. They were a bit overwhelmed by Boston's offensive talent and Tim Thomas' goaltending. The 'Canes need a win badly or their series will be over before they know it. Let's hope you don't pronounce Eric Staal "Cha-OKE."
Unfair?
What is the difference between this hit...
... and this hit?
Five games apparently. Donald Brashear's hit on Blair Betts cost him a five game suspension (an extra game suspension for his pregame antics). Mike Brown's hit on Jiri Hudler, however, cost him nothing. Brown was just ejected from the game.
The hits are almost identical, both late and to the head. If I were Caps' GM George McPhee, I think I would be looking for an explanation and would appeal Brash's suspension.
Caps Notes:
... and this hit?
Five games apparently. Donald Brashear's hit on Blair Betts cost him a five game suspension (an extra game suspension for his pregame antics). Mike Brown's hit on Jiri Hudler, however, cost him nothing. Brown was just ejected from the game.
The hits are almost identical, both late and to the head. If I were Caps' GM George McPhee, I think I would be looking for an explanation and would appeal Brash's suspension.
Caps Notes:
- Thanks to Japer's Rink, there is a note of caution. The Caps have won seven of eight game ones against the Penguins all time, but only have won one of six series. We don't want to make the same mistake as some New Yorkers did just because of a win.
- Simeon Varlamov has been the talk of the league. His save has been called the save of the playoffs. He even took the number one top play on ESPN's Sports Center top ten plays. I doubt the Penguins did much to shake his confidence and the team is playing well in front of him.
- The best sign of game one by the Capitals fans was an image of a dollar bill with Bruce Boudreau in place of George Washington. Pretty funny, but I would think he would be worth more than just a dollar.
- The Capitals' AHL affiliate Hershey Bears took a 1-0 series lead against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last night. They won 5-3. Game 2 is tonight at 5 pm in Hershey. It is a full-on franchise battle!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wild Wednesday
Capitals 6, Ducks 4
Scoresheet - Wash Post - LA Times
Just three games were played Wednesday night. All three games combined for 30 goals. The Capitals faced the rough and physical Anaheim Ducks and took a few hard hits but came away with a 6-4 win.
All six of the Capitals' goals were scored by a different Cap. Tomas Fleischmann, Mike Green and Nick Backstrom got the Caps out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first. The Ducks answered with a couple of goals. Alex Ovechkin scored in his fifth consecutive game, Matt Bradley and David Steckel scored and the Ducks pressured late.
The Ducks played a hard, physical game against the Caps. That was to be expected, but they also have a bit of a dirty side. That led to some senseless penalties early in the game and the Caps' power play made them pay.
"We've been practicing it and practicing it," Bruce Boudreau commented on the effectiveness of the Capitals' power play. "Just because we haven't scored multiple goals, it doesn't mean that we haven't had chances. I think we have scored one in four or five games in a row, and we are steadily moving the percentage up. Those things are difference-makers and we thought today with special teams were going to make the difference in the game."
The Caps took advantage of some early power plays as the Ducks got into some penalty trouble early. They were 3 of 8 with the man advantage and the penalty kill did its job knocking off 4 of 5.
Ducks' Steve Montador gave Ovi a little spear following one of his runs. The after whistle hitting and chirping continued all game as the Ducks tried every thing to get the Caps off their game. What they couldn't do was recover from an early 3 goal deficit in the first.
Mike Green who had a goal and an assist left the game early after a monster hit by choir boy Chris Pronger. The hit was clean, Green just kept his head down a moment too long. Green left soon after and never returned, although he didn't appear to be injured right after the hit. The Caps, true to form, did not divulge what could be ailing the defenseman.
Jose Theodore played okay. Good but not great. He did come up with a couple of big saves. Viktor Kozlov played his best game of the season so far. He used his size effectively and had a pretty assist on Backstrom's goal. Micheal Nylander also played well getting two assists. In all twelve players made their way onto the scoresheet.
But the night really belonged to Alex Ovechkin. He had a goal and a playmaker to finish with a four point night. Ovi played possessed, skating hard and making plays happen. It's the fastest I have seen him all year. Especially when J.S. Giguere took over in net.
"We beat a great team tonight," Ovechkin told reporters after the game. "We just tried to play it simple, and that is the key for us. We have a lot of skilled guys, and we just have to use our skills. Sometimes we just try to play too fancy. But tonight we just shot the puck, controlled the game and created some great chances to score goals. And you saw the results."
Injuries may start to hinder the Caps as they were once again without of the services of Sergei Fedorov, Alex Semin and Shaone Morrisonn. If Green is down too, there could be another call up from Hershey if Morrisonn isn't ready to return. Unlikely though as the Caps stay in southern California for tomorrow night's game in Los Angeles.
The Caps have now earned points in 8 consecutive games. The have also scored at least a goal in 14 consecutive periods in regulation. The month of November has been very good to the Capitals as they have posted a 6-1-2 record so far. They have outscored their opponents 30 to 24.
Video courtesy of NHL.com:
Scoresheet - Wash Post - LA Times
Just three games were played Wednesday night. All three games combined for 30 goals. The Capitals faced the rough and physical Anaheim Ducks and took a few hard hits but came away with a 6-4 win.
All six of the Capitals' goals were scored by a different Cap. Tomas Fleischmann, Mike Green and Nick Backstrom got the Caps out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first. The Ducks answered with a couple of goals. Alex Ovechkin scored in his fifth consecutive game, Matt Bradley and David Steckel scored and the Ducks pressured late.
The Ducks played a hard, physical game against the Caps. That was to be expected, but they also have a bit of a dirty side. That led to some senseless penalties early in the game and the Caps' power play made them pay.
"We've been practicing it and practicing it," Bruce Boudreau commented on the effectiveness of the Capitals' power play. "Just because we haven't scored multiple goals, it doesn't mean that we haven't had chances. I think we have scored one in four or five games in a row, and we are steadily moving the percentage up. Those things are difference-makers and we thought today with special teams were going to make the difference in the game."
The Caps took advantage of some early power plays as the Ducks got into some penalty trouble early. They were 3 of 8 with the man advantage and the penalty kill did its job knocking off 4 of 5.
Ducks' Steve Montador gave Ovi a little spear following one of his runs. The after whistle hitting and chirping continued all game as the Ducks tried every thing to get the Caps off their game. What they couldn't do was recover from an early 3 goal deficit in the first.
Mike Green who had a goal and an assist left the game early after a monster hit by choir boy Chris Pronger. The hit was clean, Green just kept his head down a moment too long. Green left soon after and never returned, although he didn't appear to be injured right after the hit. The Caps, true to form, did not divulge what could be ailing the defenseman.
Jose Theodore played okay. Good but not great. He did come up with a couple of big saves. Viktor Kozlov played his best game of the season so far. He used his size effectively and had a pretty assist on Backstrom's goal. Micheal Nylander also played well getting two assists. In all twelve players made their way onto the scoresheet.
But the night really belonged to Alex Ovechkin. He had a goal and a playmaker to finish with a four point night. Ovi played possessed, skating hard and making plays happen. It's the fastest I have seen him all year. Especially when J.S. Giguere took over in net.
"We beat a great team tonight," Ovechkin told reporters after the game. "We just tried to play it simple, and that is the key for us. We have a lot of skilled guys, and we just have to use our skills. Sometimes we just try to play too fancy. But tonight we just shot the puck, controlled the game and created some great chances to score goals. And you saw the results."
Injuries may start to hinder the Caps as they were once again without of the services of Sergei Fedorov, Alex Semin and Shaone Morrisonn. If Green is down too, there could be another call up from Hershey if Morrisonn isn't ready to return. Unlikely though as the Caps stay in southern California for tomorrow night's game in Los Angeles.
The Caps have now earned points in 8 consecutive games. The have also scored at least a goal in 14 consecutive periods in regulation. The month of November has been very good to the Capitals as they have posted a 6-1-2 record so far. They have outscored their opponents 30 to 24.
Video courtesy of NHL.com:
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Burning The Midnight Oil
Sometimes you need a stinker to fix the little things that slipped during a winning streak. For the Capitals, the little things would be their neutral zone play. Granted that the Caps played the best team in the league concerning neutral zone play (the dreaded Devil's trap), they still needed to shore up their possession play now that they are going to be playing the league's best over the next few games.
Anaheim, San Jose and Minnesota are in the top five teams in the Western Conference (interesting note: the next four competitors' team name are one syllable, cavemen ecstatic**). The Caps will have to be on top of their game on this road trip, which is probably why Bruce Boudreau had them working on neutral zone play and break out.
They will also be limping into this game with injured players Alex Semin and Shaone Morrisonn were set to return, but now both might be a game time decision. Sergei Fedorov, at the moment, will be out of the line up nursing his sores. He too may be a game time decision.
The good news? With Semin out the Caps haven't slowed their scoring. In the past six games the Caps have scored 3 goals or more. Where Semin was missing, it seems Alex Ovechkin has stepped in. Ovi is on a three goal game streak included putting up a deuce against the Devils including the dramatic tie with only a second left.
Plus the Caps are getting secondary scoring, a problem for them all of last season. Twelve players have 5 points or more so far this season. Considering the Caps had maybe 5 players with 5 points or more through 18 games last season. Players like Tomas Fleischmann (8 pts) is on pace for a 50 point season and the Caps defensemen are starting to warm up with a combined 31 points.
It's a late start for us here in DC, they will drop the puck at 10 pm eastern time. That means get the coffee pots stirring and cozy up next to the fire (for those that have fireplaces only, those who don't, please do not start a bonfire in the middle of your apartment, take it from someone who has been down that road).
** Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Wild. All one syllable. Geico caveman jokes can made here.
Anaheim, San Jose and Minnesota are in the top five teams in the Western Conference (interesting note: the next four competitors' team name are one syllable, cavemen ecstatic**). The Caps will have to be on top of their game on this road trip, which is probably why Bruce Boudreau had them working on neutral zone play and break out.
They will also be limping into this game with injured players Alex Semin and Shaone Morrisonn were set to return, but now both might be a game time decision. Sergei Fedorov, at the moment, will be out of the line up nursing his sores. He too may be a game time decision.
The good news? With Semin out the Caps haven't slowed their scoring. In the past six games the Caps have scored 3 goals or more. Where Semin was missing, it seems Alex Ovechkin has stepped in. Ovi is on a three goal game streak included putting up a deuce against the Devils including the dramatic tie with only a second left.
Plus the Caps are getting secondary scoring, a problem for them all of last season. Twelve players have 5 points or more so far this season. Considering the Caps had maybe 5 players with 5 points or more through 18 games last season. Players like Tomas Fleischmann (8 pts) is on pace for a 50 point season and the Caps defensemen are starting to warm up with a combined 31 points.
It's a late start for us here in DC, they will drop the puck at 10 pm eastern time. That means get the coffee pots stirring and cozy up next to the fire (for those that have fireplaces only, those who don't, please do not start a bonfire in the middle of your apartment, take it from someone who has been down that road).
** Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Wild. All one syllable. Geico caveman jokes can made here.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Caps Will Be Tested
There was a time when a trip out west was a way for Eastern Conference teams center themselves and get back their winning ways. Those were the days of weak California teams and all the trip was good for was to break away for a couple of days from the harsh cold of north. Maybe get a tan, visit the beach. Those days are long gone.
Anaheim is next on the calendar for the Capitals, and they are no push overs (even if they dropped the "Mighty" from their name). The Ducks have won 10 of their last 15 games and play a grueling, physical game. Choir boy Chris Pronger is not going to just let Alex Semin or Alex Ovechkin have all the ice they want. The Caps will have to use their size to their advantage.
Then after a good beating from the Ducks, the Caps face an up and coming Los Angeles Kings. A young team with plenty of talent. They are starting to put it slowly all together. Unlike the Ducks, the Kings can match the Caps' play with quick talented forwards in Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. The Caps may consider it a spa day compared to their next competitor, San Jose.
The Sharks are the hottest team in the NHL right now. They lead the league in points (31) and have a power play that can turn your lights out. In San Jose's last two games against the Flames and Wild, the Sharks scored four power play goals in each game. The Caps will have to work on playing nice. With players like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau playing to their potential, it maybe be asking a lot for the Caps to pluck two points from the shark tank.
If that wasn't enough, they end their western swing with a stop in the Twin Cities to take on the Minnesota Wild. A team that is 10-4-1, the Wild have one of the best starts to the season. And they play exceptionally well at home. Backstrom has been a force; no, not Nicklas, rather Niklas. The Wild has also only lost once in regulation at home.
If the Caps can come out of this western swing with 4 points, I would be happy. But it could be possible that they could come away with only 2, or less. While the Caps play at home has made the Verizon Center an uncomfortable place to play for both opponents and groins, on the road the Caps are a humble 3-4-2.
The Caps can not afford to take bad penalties against any of these teams (i.e. Milan Jurcina bone head delay of game clearings or too many men on the ice calls that always seem to come back to bite the Caps in the butt). Anaheim (11th), San Jose (6th) and Minnesota (3rd) are all ranked in the top eleven in the NHL when it comes to the man advantage. Los Angeles is (18th). The Caps rank 18th in the league on the penalty kill.
This is also not a place to have problems with your power play either. The Caps will face three teams that are in the top eleven in the league concerning their penalty kill skills. L.A. is fourth in the league, San Jose is 11th and Minnesota is ranked first (although, they did let in 4 pp goals against the Sharks).
NHL Notes:
The League has decided it's going to crack down on head shots in the NHL. Of course this news comes too late for Brian Potheir, this should help crack down on concussions through out the league. As the game has gotten faster, it has become much more dangerous to avoid injury on a clean hit, let alone some one that is out head hunting. Hopefully this isn't all just talk.
Brian Burke has resigned his post in Anaheim in a peaceful exchange of power in the general manager position. This leaves Burke open to persue (or just tease Leaf fans) the open position in Toronto. Burke has already been reigned in as GM for the USA Hockey team in 2010 Vancouver games.
Darryl Sydor is a Star again. Traded from Pittsburgh for Philippe Boucher. Truthfully, this is a head scratcher. Sydor was a big part of that blue line for the Penguins' run to the finals. You think you would want to keep that stability there. But then again, I am no GM.
Anaheim is next on the calendar for the Capitals, and they are no push overs (even if they dropped the "Mighty" from their name). The Ducks have won 10 of their last 15 games and play a grueling, physical game. Choir boy Chris Pronger is not going to just let Alex Semin or Alex Ovechkin have all the ice they want. The Caps will have to use their size to their advantage.
Then after a good beating from the Ducks, the Caps face an up and coming Los Angeles Kings. A young team with plenty of talent. They are starting to put it slowly all together. Unlike the Ducks, the Kings can match the Caps' play with quick talented forwards in Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. The Caps may consider it a spa day compared to their next competitor, San Jose.
The Sharks are the hottest team in the NHL right now. They lead the league in points (31) and have a power play that can turn your lights out. In San Jose's last two games against the Flames and Wild, the Sharks scored four power play goals in each game. The Caps will have to work on playing nice. With players like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau playing to their potential, it maybe be asking a lot for the Caps to pluck two points from the shark tank.
If that wasn't enough, they end their western swing with a stop in the Twin Cities to take on the Minnesota Wild. A team that is 10-4-1, the Wild have one of the best starts to the season. And they play exceptionally well at home. Backstrom has been a force; no, not Nicklas, rather Niklas. The Wild has also only lost once in regulation at home.
If the Caps can come out of this western swing with 4 points, I would be happy. But it could be possible that they could come away with only 2, or less. While the Caps play at home has made the Verizon Center an uncomfortable place to play for both opponents and groins, on the road the Caps are a humble 3-4-2.
The Caps can not afford to take bad penalties against any of these teams (i.e. Milan Jurcina bone head delay of game clearings or too many men on the ice calls that always seem to come back to bite the Caps in the butt). Anaheim (11th), San Jose (6th) and Minnesota (3rd) are all ranked in the top eleven in the NHL when it comes to the man advantage. Los Angeles is (18th). The Caps rank 18th in the league on the penalty kill.
This is also not a place to have problems with your power play either. The Caps will face three teams that are in the top eleven in the league concerning their penalty kill skills. L.A. is fourth in the league, San Jose is 11th and Minnesota is ranked first (although, they did let in 4 pp goals against the Sharks).
NHL Notes:
The League has decided it's going to crack down on head shots in the NHL. Of course this news comes too late for Brian Potheir, this should help crack down on concussions through out the league. As the game has gotten faster, it has become much more dangerous to avoid injury on a clean hit, let alone some one that is out head hunting. Hopefully this isn't all just talk.
Brian Burke has resigned his post in Anaheim in a peaceful exchange of power in the general manager position. This leaves Burke open to persue (or just tease Leaf fans) the open position in Toronto. Burke has already been reigned in as GM for the USA Hockey team in 2010 Vancouver games.
Darryl Sydor is a Star again. Traded from Pittsburgh for Philippe Boucher. Truthfully, this is a head scratcher. Sydor was a big part of that blue line for the Penguins' run to the finals. You think you would want to keep that stability there. But then again, I am no GM.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Meanwhile On The West Coast
Centerman Brian Sutherby will stay a duck. At least for another year and signed for $700,000. Sutherby, a fan favorite here in DC will get another year in Anaheim to make some noise. Sutherby did play in 5 games in the playoffs for the Ducks but didn't score.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Bring On The Cup '08 - Fearless Predictions Pt. 1
Welcome to the third annual Bring On The Cup predictions on P.H.T. I just have to say that I am more than excited to get this ball rolling with the Caps securing a playoff spot of their own. Unfortunately, Gary Bettman isn't just going to hand the Stanley Cup to the Capitals, there are 16 other teams in contention for this silver bowl (hard to believe, I know).
Just some administrative duties to attend to first. The Capitals playoff schedule is now in stone and can be found here on the right column >>> under the Pic of the Week. The Caps get Philly instead of Ottawa in the first round after the Flyers beat the Penguins on Sunday 2-0.
Okay, back to the predictions. There are some surprises and some new faces, especially in the Eastern Conference. But as always, I will start in the wild, wild West.
Round 1
#8 Nashville Predators at #1 Detroit Red Wings - I think it's easy to pick Detroit here, and I think that's also a mistake. Nashville definitely didn't look like a team that was going to make it, especially after a loss to the Capitals a few weeks ago. But with the Northwest Division being a battle, the Preds sneak in the back door and get some playoff life. It's just that they have to face down big bad Detroit in the first round. Just how healthy the Wings are could determine if it's a one and done for the President's Trophy winners. I can see the Predators giving the Red Wings more than they can handle. But we are talking about Hockeytown.
Detroit wins in 6 games.
#7 Calgary Flames at #2 San Jose Sharks - Oh lord, let's hope that the San Jose fans mind their manners and not boo at the Canadian Anthem. Besides that, I am expecting a very physical affair between these two. San Jose has finally started hitting on all cylinders, after a ho hum start to nearly going undefeated in March. For the Flames, Jerome Iginla probably would have won the Hart for MVP if it weren't for that Ovechkin guy, he has basically carried this team into the playoffs himself. But he needs some help if they want to solve Evgeni Nabokov. Both teams are relatively healthy so this should be a hard fought series. If only the Flames goaltending was as solid as the Sharks this year.
San Jose wins in 5 games.
#6 Colorado Avalanche at #3 Minnesota Wild - Ah, my seven game series match up. The Wild have had a quiet but effective season while the Avalanche have struggled to make the playoffs. Minnesota has the skill, but their state of emotion will be the deciding factor. Sure the Wild has bulked up with the addition of Chris Simon, but the rule of thumb playing the Wild is be physical and they will lay down. The Aves are just looking for some old time magic to spark their once proud playoff tradition by bringing back Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg. It should be a great goaltending duel with Jose Theodore and Niklas Backstrom both manning the net for their teams. Will the Avalanche's experience be enough to out battle Wild's speed and talent? Short answer, no.
Minnesota wins in 7 games.
#5 Dallas Stars at #4 Anaheim Ducks - The Stars are coming off a relatively successfully season. I say relative, because their record since the trade deadline is nothing to write home about. Since acquiring Brad Richards their once winning record in February became a losing one in March. They will also be with out Sergei Zubov on the blue line as he is out with foot surgery. While the Ducks found some late legs with Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer back in the fold, they still need some dependable goaltending and good secondary scoring. One could draw a conclusion that the Ducks have an easy opponent in the Stars, but often when one overlooks any team, that is when they are the most dangerous. The Stars might be limping, but they still have some fight.
Dallas upsets the Stanley Cup Champs in 6 games.
Round 2 - probable match ups based on 1st round predictions.
Dallas Stars at Detroit Red Wings - This is stirring up to be an all out shoot out, two very talented teams. The Stars have to be pretty beat up walking through the Ducks, so I don't expect they have very much fight left in them. Thankfully, Detroit is known more for their puck possession rather than the Ducks' beat-you-down method. If the Stars still have the legs, they could take Detroit to the brink. If.
Detroit wins in 5 games.
Minnesota Wild at San Jose Sharks - If the Wild's first series wasn't a battle royale it better be against the Sharks. It should be another great goaltender head to head with Backstrom and Nabokov with the waffle irons and mitts on. This is were Minnesota's toughness will have a chance to prove it's worth and San Jose should be wary of this quiet unassuming team.
San Jose wins in 6 games.
Western Conference Championship
San Jose Sharks at Detroit Red Wings - I actually predicted this two season ago, and it seems this might be the year we see these two giants settle it out in the conference championship. Detroit has come this far pretty unscathed, but this will be no cake walk for them. If there was ever a time to question the Red Wings' goaltending, it would be here and now in the Conference finals. The Sharks come into this contest battle tested and hungry. When these two teams face each other, I wouldn't be surprised to feel the ground quake and the skies quiver. Can Hasek/Osgood keep this Wings in it?
San Jose wins in 7 games.
The Sharks, I think, have learned their lesson from playoff series past. The previous two post seasons they faced Nashville and beat them 4 games to one, only to lose the next series 2-4 to both Edmonton and Detroit. But if the linage runs much as I have laid out here, they have had wonderful success against Northwest Division teams. Facing them in the first and second rounds is a good indicator that leads me to believe they are a Conference bound team. Since losing last year to the Red Wings I would expect Ron Wilson to use that as some inspiration in the Shark locker room.
As for the Red Wings, I think they will enjoy the spoils of winning the President's Trophy and will make quick work of their first two opponents. But if the goaltending is tested by a playoff veteran team like the Sharks, it may crack. The only bright spot may be home ice advantage.
Stay tuned for some Eastern knowledge I will be throwing your way next as I will start in on the Eastern Conference tomorrow. Feel free to comment. I will also have my prediction on who will be taking home the hardware, hockey's top prize: the Stanley Cup.
Just some administrative duties to attend to first. The Capitals playoff schedule is now in stone and can be found here on the right column >>> under the Pic of the Week. The Caps get Philly instead of Ottawa in the first round after the Flyers beat the Penguins on Sunday 2-0.
Okay, back to the predictions. There are some surprises and some new faces, especially in the Eastern Conference. But as always, I will start in the wild, wild West.
Round 1
#8 Nashville Predators at #1 Detroit Red Wings - I think it's easy to pick Detroit here, and I think that's also a mistake. Nashville definitely didn't look like a team that was going to make it, especially after a loss to the Capitals a few weeks ago. But with the Northwest Division being a battle, the Preds sneak in the back door and get some playoff life. It's just that they have to face down big bad Detroit in the first round. Just how healthy the Wings are could determine if it's a one and done for the President's Trophy winners. I can see the Predators giving the Red Wings more than they can handle. But we are talking about Hockeytown.
Detroit wins in 6 games.
#7 Calgary Flames at #2 San Jose Sharks - Oh lord, let's hope that the San Jose fans mind their manners and not boo at the Canadian Anthem. Besides that, I am expecting a very physical affair between these two. San Jose has finally started hitting on all cylinders, after a ho hum start to nearly going undefeated in March. For the Flames, Jerome Iginla probably would have won the Hart for MVP if it weren't for that Ovechkin guy, he has basically carried this team into the playoffs himself. But he needs some help if they want to solve Evgeni Nabokov. Both teams are relatively healthy so this should be a hard fought series. If only the Flames goaltending was as solid as the Sharks this year.
San Jose wins in 5 games.
#6 Colorado Avalanche at #3 Minnesota Wild - Ah, my seven game series match up. The Wild have had a quiet but effective season while the Avalanche have struggled to make the playoffs. Minnesota has the skill, but their state of emotion will be the deciding factor. Sure the Wild has bulked up with the addition of Chris Simon, but the rule of thumb playing the Wild is be physical and they will lay down. The Aves are just looking for some old time magic to spark their once proud playoff tradition by bringing back Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg. It should be a great goaltending duel with Jose Theodore and Niklas Backstrom both manning the net for their teams. Will the Avalanche's experience be enough to out battle Wild's speed and talent? Short answer, no.
Minnesota wins in 7 games.
#5 Dallas Stars at #4 Anaheim Ducks - The Stars are coming off a relatively successfully season. I say relative, because their record since the trade deadline is nothing to write home about. Since acquiring Brad Richards their once winning record in February became a losing one in March. They will also be with out Sergei Zubov on the blue line as he is out with foot surgery. While the Ducks found some late legs with Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer back in the fold, they still need some dependable goaltending and good secondary scoring. One could draw a conclusion that the Ducks have an easy opponent in the Stars, but often when one overlooks any team, that is when they are the most dangerous. The Stars might be limping, but they still have some fight.
Dallas upsets the Stanley Cup Champs in 6 games.
Round 2 - probable match ups based on 1st round predictions.
Dallas Stars at Detroit Red Wings - This is stirring up to be an all out shoot out, two very talented teams. The Stars have to be pretty beat up walking through the Ducks, so I don't expect they have very much fight left in them. Thankfully, Detroit is known more for their puck possession rather than the Ducks' beat-you-down method. If the Stars still have the legs, they could take Detroit to the brink. If.
Detroit wins in 5 games.
Minnesota Wild at San Jose Sharks - If the Wild's first series wasn't a battle royale it better be against the Sharks. It should be another great goaltender head to head with Backstrom and Nabokov with the waffle irons and mitts on. This is were Minnesota's toughness will have a chance to prove it's worth and San Jose should be wary of this quiet unassuming team.
San Jose wins in 6 games.
Western Conference Championship
San Jose Sharks at Detroit Red Wings - I actually predicted this two season ago, and it seems this might be the year we see these two giants settle it out in the conference championship. Detroit has come this far pretty unscathed, but this will be no cake walk for them. If there was ever a time to question the Red Wings' goaltending, it would be here and now in the Conference finals. The Sharks come into this contest battle tested and hungry. When these two teams face each other, I wouldn't be surprised to feel the ground quake and the skies quiver. Can Hasek/Osgood keep this Wings in it?
San Jose wins in 7 games.
The Sharks, I think, have learned their lesson from playoff series past. The previous two post seasons they faced Nashville and beat them 4 games to one, only to lose the next series 2-4 to both Edmonton and Detroit. But if the linage runs much as I have laid out here, they have had wonderful success against Northwest Division teams. Facing them in the first and second rounds is a good indicator that leads me to believe they are a Conference bound team. Since losing last year to the Red Wings I would expect Ron Wilson to use that as some inspiration in the Shark locker room.
As for the Red Wings, I think they will enjoy the spoils of winning the President's Trophy and will make quick work of their first two opponents. But if the goaltending is tested by a playoff veteran team like the Sharks, it may crack. The only bright spot may be home ice advantage.
Stay tuned for some Eastern knowledge I will be throwing your way next as I will start in on the Eastern Conference tomorrow. Feel free to comment. I will also have my prediction on who will be taking home the hardware, hockey's top prize: the Stanley Cup.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Night of Nights
Tonight is the an important night for the Capitals. After the Caps get nearly a week off to work on Bruce Boudreau's new system, they get to show what they have learned tonight at the Devil's new flat, dubbed "The Rock." Sounds cooler than the phone booth.
The Capitals are now under command of a new coach and how this new system - that was successful in the AHL - will work at the NHL level is in question tonight. Boudreau's new system is much more offensive minded, which is nearly a 180 from what Glen Hanlon had been preaching. This should be more of an exciting team, if they can get on a roll.
This league has been such a roller coaster ride for teams so far. Ottawa getting off to a fast start to fade of late. While the Maple Leafs started slow and have begun to pick it up. This has been the year of streaks for teams, so maybe the Capitals can ride one of those streaks - a winning one hopefully.
They will have to do it though with out the help of Micheal Nylander (undisclosed), Boyd Gordon (broken hand) and Chris Clark (groin). Even though Alex Ovechkin did not practice much over the past week, he will be present and accounted for. Joe Motzko will be recalled for some help against the Devils. Tonight is an important night for the Capitals.
In other news, Scott Niedermayer is coming back. What does that mean for the Capitals? We could pick up a solid defenseman. Sean O'Donnell could be possible trade fodder since the Ducks will have to dump about a million dollars for cap space. Since Brian Burke is no longer on friendly terms with Edmonton (reporters asked him if he had been talking to the other 29 teams about a trade, Burke responded, "28 teams, we don't talk to Edmonton"), the Caps have a 1 in 28 chance maybe of picking up another defenseman. Burke also may not move a defenseman, but instead a forward. Either way, it may be a way for the Caps to dump some problems to southern California in return for some proven talent.
Also there has been talk of how bad the ice is at the Verizon Center. An ideal ice condition for hockey is hard, cold ice. The game is faster and the ice holds together so there is less ruts (less chance for the puck to bounce/players getting hurt). Instead the ice at the phone booth is soft and wet (wet means the ice is not cold enough and is refusing to freeze). I am surprised the league hasn't led the charge for every building to have quality control for ice conditions. Since I have been playing out at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex, I can tell you the ice there is in good condition. At the very least, the ice condition at the practice facility should match that of the Verizon Center. Maybe we should just have the games at the Kettler, since we can't seem to fill the phone booth anyway.
The Capitals are now under command of a new coach and how this new system - that was successful in the AHL - will work at the NHL level is in question tonight. Boudreau's new system is much more offensive minded, which is nearly a 180 from what Glen Hanlon had been preaching. This should be more of an exciting team, if they can get on a roll.
This league has been such a roller coaster ride for teams so far. Ottawa getting off to a fast start to fade of late. While the Maple Leafs started slow and have begun to pick it up. This has been the year of streaks for teams, so maybe the Capitals can ride one of those streaks - a winning one hopefully.
They will have to do it though with out the help of Micheal Nylander (undisclosed), Boyd Gordon (broken hand) and Chris Clark (groin). Even though Alex Ovechkin did not practice much over the past week, he will be present and accounted for. Joe Motzko will be recalled for some help against the Devils. Tonight is an important night for the Capitals.
In other news, Scott Niedermayer is coming back. What does that mean for the Capitals? We could pick up a solid defenseman. Sean O'Donnell could be possible trade fodder since the Ducks will have to dump about a million dollars for cap space. Since Brian Burke is no longer on friendly terms with Edmonton (reporters asked him if he had been talking to the other 29 teams about a trade, Burke responded, "28 teams, we don't talk to Edmonton"), the Caps have a 1 in 28 chance maybe of picking up another defenseman. Burke also may not move a defenseman, but instead a forward. Either way, it may be a way for the Caps to dump some problems to southern California in return for some proven talent.
Also there has been talk of how bad the ice is at the Verizon Center. An ideal ice condition for hockey is hard, cold ice. The game is faster and the ice holds together so there is less ruts (less chance for the puck to bounce/players getting hurt). Instead the ice at the phone booth is soft and wet (wet means the ice is not cold enough and is refusing to freeze). I am surprised the league hasn't led the charge for every building to have quality control for ice conditions. Since I have been playing out at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex, I can tell you the ice there is in good condition. At the very least, the ice condition at the practice facility should match that of the Verizon Center. Maybe we should just have the games at the Kettler, since we can't seem to fill the phone booth anyway.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sutherby Is A Duck
I had a chance last night to catch the Anaheim/LA game, otherwise known as the Freeway Faceoff. It was the third game Brian Sutherby had started for the Ducks and he never looked better. Last night even though he didn't get on the score sheet, his line looked very dominant. He settled on a line that included Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. It seems Sutherby looks right at home in black, gold and orange.
You can also get some reaction Sutherby had to the trade and his new team from that link. I am sure he will feel right at home with an aggressive physical team like the Ducks.
Closer to home, the timing might be right for a Capital resurgence. The Atlanta Thrashers coming off a hot streak have now dropped two in a row, including a blow out in Pittsburgh. The Carolina 'Canes have lost 3 of their last 5 and the Tampa Bay Lightning have cooled a bit losing their last 4. In the Southeast, it looks as if a tide is slowly turning. Both the Florida Panthers and the Washington Capitals have winning streaks to their credit going into tonight. The future seems a little brighter for the Caps with every win.
Caps look to avenge their worst loss of the season against the Buffalo Sabres tonight. The Caps have two things going for them in this contest. One, they are at home and two, their special teams are coming around. Not to mention Alex Semin will be in uniform for this one.
You can also get some reaction Sutherby had to the trade and his new team from that link. I am sure he will feel right at home with an aggressive physical team like the Ducks.
Closer to home, the timing might be right for a Capital resurgence. The Atlanta Thrashers coming off a hot streak have now dropped two in a row, including a blow out in Pittsburgh. The Carolina 'Canes have lost 3 of their last 5 and the Tampa Bay Lightning have cooled a bit losing their last 4. In the Southeast, it looks as if a tide is slowly turning. Both the Florida Panthers and the Washington Capitals have winning streaks to their credit going into tonight. The future seems a little brighter for the Caps with every win.
Caps look to avenge their worst loss of the season against the Buffalo Sabres tonight. The Caps have two things going for them in this contest. One, they are at home and two, their special teams are coming around. Not to mention Alex Semin will be in uniform for this one.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Caps Win, Season Starts
I missed the game, but it's preseason no big deal. Until I read the recap. The Caps came back from a 4-1 deficit to win 7-5 over the Flyers. Alex Ovechkin had 4 points and Thomas Fleischmann got the game winner in the third. I am kicking myself for missing that game.
Also the season is officially started, even though there are still preseason games still on the schedule. The Kings beat the Ducks in jolly ol' England 4-1. The game was delayed about 10 minutes at the start after the national anthems because the lights were slow to come on. The sold-out crowed seemed pretty into the game, standing during the fights, cheering for their teams and a plethora of NHL jerseys in the stands.
The stand out of the game was Los Angeles' rookie goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who nearly posted a shutout in his first ever NHL game. The two teams will face off again tomorrow, and will be broadcasted on Versus at 12 noon (for some reason only the local FSN carried the game).
Also the season is officially started, even though there are still preseason games still on the schedule. The Kings beat the Ducks in jolly ol' England 4-1. The game was delayed about 10 minutes at the start after the national anthems because the lights were slow to come on. The sold-out crowed seemed pretty into the game, standing during the fights, cheering for their teams and a plethora of NHL jerseys in the stands.
The stand out of the game was Los Angeles' rookie goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who nearly posted a shutout in his first ever NHL game. The two teams will face off again tomorrow, and will be broadcasted on Versus at 12 noon (for some reason only the local FSN carried the game).
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Season So Close
Not to scare anyone, but the NHL season begins on Saturday. I know what your thinking - I haven't cleaned up the house, or gone to the grocery store, or showered yet. The Anaheim Ducks arrived in London and have started practice and the Los Angeles Kings rallied to beat the Red Bull Salzburg team in Austria. Both are getting ready for kick off of the NHL season this Saturday noon.While it's still a week to a week and a half for the rest of the league to get into the games that count, the league is looking at a more global look with its start in London England. The Kings and Ducks will play two games on back to back days splitting the home and home. So not only are the Ducks and Kings season ticket holders getting shorted by a game, but Betteman is promising more of this over the pond nonsense.
There is talk of expanding the league to Europe. Whoa, whoa, hold the phone. Last time I checked Kansas City and Las Vegas were on this continent. The logistics - I hope - will shoot this theory down. While traveling to Europe is not that big of deal, going there for a day to play a game and return for a athlete can make jet lag worse than just an afternoon nap can remedy. Especially if you have to play the next day.
In the meantime, it's nice that the league wants to expand it's fan base - cute even. The season starts on Saturday, and I haven't even shaved my playoff beard yet (if only I could grown one). So much to do, so little time. The London game will be broadcast on the Versus network 12pm eastern.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
The Duck Is Mightier Than The Sens
It was over when Chris Phillips mishandled the puck in Ray Emery's legs and the puck trickled through. That was the moment. The Senators demeanor had changed, they were unsure and couldn't muster any shots. It shouldn't have been that way. That isn't how a series is suppose to end. But Anaheim will take it.
The Ducks burned the Senators in a 6 - 2 win. They win their first Stanley Cup. It was a series cut way too short. Ottawa's hot offense just didn't carry. Anaheim is a big physical fast team, and they used it to demoralize the Senators.
Scott Niedermayer is your Conn Smythe winner as most valuable player. If Niedermayer didn't get it, Daniel Alfredsson should have. J.S. Gigere was also in the running as Most Valueable Player in the Finals.
Gary Bettman is a horrible public speaker. And I am only writing that because I am listening to it right now. No mention on how good the series was, or how great Ottawa battled. And why should he, he is playing to the home crowd. Anaheim is the first west coast team to win the Cup, again information related by our fearless leader, Bettman.
So I totally missed this one in terms of predicting a winner. I said that Ottawa would win one for a Canadien city. But that wasn't meant to be. Good thing I don't get paid for things like that.
Guys I am happy to see lifting the Cup right now:
Teemu Selanne
Dustin Penner
Rob and Scott Niedermayer
J.S. Giguere
Brad May
Brian Burke
Guys I hated seeing lifting it:
Chris Pronger
Corey Perry
That is it. Anaheim gets it. It somehow seems weird and uncomfortable, but you can't deny how this team battled. It's a team you love to hate but respect. You know every fan wants a team like this one.
The Ducks burned the Senators in a 6 - 2 win. They win their first Stanley Cup. It was a series cut way too short. Ottawa's hot offense just didn't carry. Anaheim is a big physical fast team, and they used it to demoralize the Senators.
Scott Niedermayer is your Conn Smythe winner as most valuable player. If Niedermayer didn't get it, Daniel Alfredsson should have. J.S. Gigere was also in the running as Most Valueable Player in the Finals.
Gary Bettman is a horrible public speaker. And I am only writing that because I am listening to it right now. No mention on how good the series was, or how great Ottawa battled. And why should he, he is playing to the home crowd. Anaheim is the first west coast team to win the Cup, again information related by our fearless leader, Bettman.
So I totally missed this one in terms of predicting a winner. I said that Ottawa would win one for a Canadien city. But that wasn't meant to be. Good thing I don't get paid for things like that.
Guys I am happy to see lifting the Cup right now:
Teemu Selanne
Dustin Penner
Rob and Scott Niedermayer
J.S. Giguere
Brad May
Brian Burke
Guys I hated seeing lifting it:
Chris Pronger
Corey Perry
That is it. Anaheim gets it. It somehow seems weird and uncomfortable, but you can't deny how this team battled. It's a team you love to hate but respect. You know every fan wants a team like this one.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Bring On The Cup '07 - Finals Predictions
The NHL is stewing, Kevin Lowe is celebrating, NBC is fiddling, Ottawa and Anaheim are prepairing, and Hockey Fans every where are watching. It's the Stanley Cup Finals, finally. NHL still would like to see it's bigger markets (NY, Det, Toronto, etc.) to make a finals, Kevin Lowe gets a first round pick from the Ducks for the next ten years, NBC will change the schedule at some point and I have a Hi-Def television and no Hi-Def service.
I didn't come close this year on picking a winner. I really thought Buffalo had a shot this year, but who would have guessed a hit on Chris Drury midway through the season would leave the Sabres gun shy. As far as Anaheim was concerned, I really thought that their goaltending was an issue. Instead, it's been a large plus when it was needed.
It's crunch time now, who lifts the Cup? Ottawa or Anaheim. Having some time to "research" (another way of saying falling asleep on the couch and forgetting to post), I have more of a feel for who might have the edge. One thing that makes this series tough to predict is that the Ducks and Senators don't have a history with one another for this season.
Some key players for Anaheim who have to preform well are J.S. Giguere and Teemu Selanne. Giguere will be playing against a much better offense than Detroit. Ottawa has the hottest offense on the ice right now thanks to Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza. Selanne has to carry this team by example. I would expect the Duck defense to be solid through out the series, with Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger manning the blue line.
For Ottawa, Ray Emery will be tested and Danny Heatley has to play like he has been in the previous series. For Emery there will be much bigger bodies in front of him, a quicker counter attack, and thunderous shots through traffic from the blue line. Heatley must also continue to be a good two way player for the Senators to have a chance. While the Ducks defense is tough, the Senators are a little smaller back there, and forwards back checking will decide Ottawa's fate.
I predict that the Ottawa Senators will lift the Cup and bring it back to Canada in 6 games.
Anaheim is a big, tough, physical team. But I also think they look for the hit more than the goal. They haven't faced a team this post season that can dish it as good as them, until now. Ottawa has the toughness and the size to play with Anaheim, plus this team is playing the best hockey of anyone who made the playoffs this year. I felt that Detroit's offense turned cold, and Anaheim basically pounded their way to a victory. They will not be able to do that with an Ottawa team that can match them for size and speed. Any way you chop it, I really like Ottawa in this fight.
I didn't come close this year on picking a winner. I really thought Buffalo had a shot this year, but who would have guessed a hit on Chris Drury midway through the season would leave the Sabres gun shy. As far as Anaheim was concerned, I really thought that their goaltending was an issue. Instead, it's been a large plus when it was needed.
It's crunch time now, who lifts the Cup? Ottawa or Anaheim. Having some time to "research" (another way of saying falling asleep on the couch and forgetting to post), I have more of a feel for who might have the edge. One thing that makes this series tough to predict is that the Ducks and Senators don't have a history with one another for this season.
Some key players for Anaheim who have to preform well are J.S. Giguere and Teemu Selanne. Giguere will be playing against a much better offense than Detroit. Ottawa has the hottest offense on the ice right now thanks to Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza. Selanne has to carry this team by example. I would expect the Duck defense to be solid through out the series, with Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger manning the blue line.
For Ottawa, Ray Emery will be tested and Danny Heatley has to play like he has been in the previous series. For Emery there will be much bigger bodies in front of him, a quicker counter attack, and thunderous shots through traffic from the blue line. Heatley must also continue to be a good two way player for the Senators to have a chance. While the Ducks defense is tough, the Senators are a little smaller back there, and forwards back checking will decide Ottawa's fate.
I predict that the Ottawa Senators will lift the Cup and bring it back to Canada in 6 games.
Anaheim is a big, tough, physical team. But I also think they look for the hit more than the goal. They haven't faced a team this post season that can dish it as good as them, until now. Ottawa has the toughness and the size to play with Anaheim, plus this team is playing the best hockey of anyone who made the playoffs this year. I felt that Detroit's offense turned cold, and Anaheim basically pounded their way to a victory. They will not be able to do that with an Ottawa team that can match them for size and speed. Any way you chop it, I really like Ottawa in this fight.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Bring On The Cup '07 - Fearless Predictions Conf. Finals
This looks familiar, Anaheim and Buffalo both in the Conference Finals for a second year in a row. The two now have the possibility to play in the "what could have been" series from a season ago. But of course the two face some pretty mighty opponents before that ship has sailed.
Eastern Conference
Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have sort of plodded along this post season. At the beginning of the year they seemed unstoppable. They were run and gun. They enjoyed a speedy game and loved the open ice. The Senators on the other hand were picked apart by free agency over the summer. The looked less like a team that could go to the playoffs, let alone the Eastern Conference Finals. These two have attacked the post season in some pretty different ways. But the result has been the same.
For Buffalo to win, they have to shed this funk they are in. Lindy Ruff has them playing a more defensive role in the post season, and that may play into the hands of a team that has beaten a defensive orientated team. Ottawa just needs to keep its scoring machine oiled and ready to go again. For the goaltenders, this should be the ultimate test. Ray Emery must be solid in the net against one of the most potent offenses in the league. Ryan Miller will have to deal with the most potent offense in the post season.
Sabres wins series in 7 games
Western Conference
Detroit Red Wings at Anaheim Ducks
This is why you get Todd Bertuzzi. This is why you traded your number one draft pick and a rookie for brute strength. To face Anaheim. The Ducks are mean, they are big, they are tough, and they will hurt your line up. Detroit has found their post season offense finally, and aren't afraid to mix it up a little themselves. And Todd Bertuzzi is Detroit's key.
For Anaheim, if it ain't broke, run it in to the boards until some thing does. They have to remain a physical team and wear down Detroit. But beware, go out of you way to knock a block off, and you will be sitting with San Jose and Calgary scratching your head. J.S. Gigere has been okay, this post season. He will have to be spectacular if the Ducks wish to advance. Detroit's game has been simplified. Play tough, go to the net, score. It's worked. Pavel Datsyuk must be a threat again and the Red Wings must stay healthy. Dominik Hasek is Hasek. He is going to let in a couple of softies, but he stays focused, Detroit will be singing a Stanley Cup tune.
Red Wings wins series in 6 games
How's that for a shocker. Anaheim, in my opinion, has face two relative easy teams in the post season. They have yet to face a worthy challenge. The Red Wings will be ready to take them on and test them out. It's a question of who is more battle ready. The Sabres will make their series interesting, maybe dropping a couple key games. But Lindy will be there to set the boys straight. Only one round away from crowning a champ.
Eastern Conference
Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have sort of plodded along this post season. At the beginning of the year they seemed unstoppable. They were run and gun. They enjoyed a speedy game and loved the open ice. The Senators on the other hand were picked apart by free agency over the summer. The looked less like a team that could go to the playoffs, let alone the Eastern Conference Finals. These two have attacked the post season in some pretty different ways. But the result has been the same.
For Buffalo to win, they have to shed this funk they are in. Lindy Ruff has them playing a more defensive role in the post season, and that may play into the hands of a team that has beaten a defensive orientated team. Ottawa just needs to keep its scoring machine oiled and ready to go again. For the goaltenders, this should be the ultimate test. Ray Emery must be solid in the net against one of the most potent offenses in the league. Ryan Miller will have to deal with the most potent offense in the post season.
Sabres wins series in 7 games
Western Conference
Detroit Red Wings at Anaheim Ducks
This is why you get Todd Bertuzzi. This is why you traded your number one draft pick and a rookie for brute strength. To face Anaheim. The Ducks are mean, they are big, they are tough, and they will hurt your line up. Detroit has found their post season offense finally, and aren't afraid to mix it up a little themselves. And Todd Bertuzzi is Detroit's key.
For Anaheim, if it ain't broke, run it in to the boards until some thing does. They have to remain a physical team and wear down Detroit. But beware, go out of you way to knock a block off, and you will be sitting with San Jose and Calgary scratching your head. J.S. Gigere has been okay, this post season. He will have to be spectacular if the Ducks wish to advance. Detroit's game has been simplified. Play tough, go to the net, score. It's worked. Pavel Datsyuk must be a threat again and the Red Wings must stay healthy. Dominik Hasek is Hasek. He is going to let in a couple of softies, but he stays focused, Detroit will be singing a Stanley Cup tune.
Red Wings wins series in 6 games
How's that for a shocker. Anaheim, in my opinion, has face two relative easy teams in the post season. They have yet to face a worthy challenge. The Red Wings will be ready to take them on and test them out. It's a question of who is more battle ready. The Sabres will make their series interesting, maybe dropping a couple key games. But Lindy will be there to set the boys straight. Only one round away from crowning a champ.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Which Was Easier?
Anaheim's win over Vancouver or Ottawa's win over New Jersey?
Keep in mind, both the Canucks and the Devils have arguably the best goaltenders in the league. Saying it's tougher to go against either Marty Brodeur or Roberto Louongo is a chintzy way to avoid the answer.
Ottawa's chemistry seems to be reaching a peak at the right time while Anaheim is just overpowering opponents. Could winning early be a bad thing for either one of these teams?
I guess the question could be who was the more pathetic loser, Vancouver or New Jersey?
Personally I believe the Anaheim Ducks had an easier time against the Canucks. Roberto Luongo played his best hockey of the year, but it was the boys in front of him that let him down. Scoring all but disappeared for the the Vancouver squad and a couple of key injuries on the Canuck defense made for an easy Duck victory. Plus, who could defend against the "flying V"?
Ottawa could have easily fallen hard after a hard loss against the Devils in game two. But home ice proved helpful and Ottawa had to break the trap and make the Devils do something they find hard to do this season, score.
In both series, only one game was decided by more than two goals. The rest were one goal games.
Keep in mind, both the Canucks and the Devils have arguably the best goaltenders in the league. Saying it's tougher to go against either Marty Brodeur or Roberto Louongo is a chintzy way to avoid the answer.
Ottawa's chemistry seems to be reaching a peak at the right time while Anaheim is just overpowering opponents. Could winning early be a bad thing for either one of these teams?
I guess the question could be who was the more pathetic loser, Vancouver or New Jersey?
Personally I believe the Anaheim Ducks had an easier time against the Canucks. Roberto Luongo played his best hockey of the year, but it was the boys in front of him that let him down. Scoring all but disappeared for the the Vancouver squad and a couple of key injuries on the Canuck defense made for an easy Duck victory. Plus, who could defend against the "flying V"?
Ottawa could have easily fallen hard after a hard loss against the Devils in game two. But home ice proved helpful and Ottawa had to break the trap and make the Devils do something they find hard to do this season, score.
In both series, only one game was decided by more than two goals. The rest were one goal games.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Snapped Back To Reality
Capitals 1, Ducks 6
Scoresheet – Wash Post – LA Times
The Capitals were victims of being beat at their own game. The Ducks came out with the early lead and then they had an aggressive forecheck and played more physical. The Caps offense took a night off as the Ducks showed why they’re the team to beat in the west.
In all fairness, this was not the same team the Caps played last year where Alex Ovechkin took full advantage of them scoring three including the overtime game winner, his first NHL hattrick. The Caps had their chances, but their non-consistent offense that exploded in the last four games fizzled out against Anaheim. The Ducks execution of this game was impeccable; they did what they wanted to do. The Caps were just overwhelmed and were knocked off their game.
Alex Semin was the lone goal scorer for the Caps. Ovie had an assist along with Donald Brashear. Brashear started early in the game getting into a fight with George Parros who looks like he stepped out of the seventies with long hair and a handle bar mustache. I have a hard time taking a guy like that seriously. It’s called personal grooming.
Olie Kolzig was never pulled in this game and suffered through all six goals. After admitting that he liked a lot of shots on him, he looked ready to call it a night right about the 4th or 5th goal. After being hot and keeping his team in reach, Olie just couldn’t put the cork in the Ducks high powered offense. The whole Capitals team was snapped back to reality.
Overall Grade: C-
As much as I was frustrated in this game at the Caps play, there wasn’t much to say about this game other than the Caps and the Ducks are two different teams. It is a difference in experience. If the Caps could bury a couple early, the game would have had a different outcome.
Now the Caps have to regroup, and face the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night. I am always a believer that routs are not always a bad thing, as long as you can learn from your mistakes and make the adjustments to come back better than when you left the ice.
Scoresheet – Wash Post – LA Times
The Capitals were victims of being beat at their own game. The Ducks came out with the early lead and then they had an aggressive forecheck and played more physical. The Caps offense took a night off as the Ducks showed why they’re the team to beat in the west.
In all fairness, this was not the same team the Caps played last year where Alex Ovechkin took full advantage of them scoring three including the overtime game winner, his first NHL hattrick. The Caps had their chances, but their non-consistent offense that exploded in the last four games fizzled out against Anaheim. The Ducks execution of this game was impeccable; they did what they wanted to do. The Caps were just overwhelmed and were knocked off their game.
Alex Semin was the lone goal scorer for the Caps. Ovie had an assist along with Donald Brashear. Brashear started early in the game getting into a fight with George Parros who looks like he stepped out of the seventies with long hair and a handle bar mustache. I have a hard time taking a guy like that seriously. It’s called personal grooming.
Olie Kolzig was never pulled in this game and suffered through all six goals. After admitting that he liked a lot of shots on him, he looked ready to call it a night right about the 4th or 5th goal. After being hot and keeping his team in reach, Olie just couldn’t put the cork in the Ducks high powered offense. The whole Capitals team was snapped back to reality.
Overall Grade: C-
As much as I was frustrated in this game at the Caps play, there wasn’t much to say about this game other than the Caps and the Ducks are two different teams. It is a difference in experience. If the Caps could bury a couple early, the game would have had a different outcome.
Now the Caps have to regroup, and face the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night. I am always a believer that routs are not always a bad thing, as long as you can learn from your mistakes and make the adjustments to come back better than when you left the ice.
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