Showing posts with label 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Show all posts
Monday, June 09, 2014
Matt Greene Caption This... Oops.
The wonders of Getty Images. Here's a great picture of Matt Greene from game one of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Also, the former Fighting Sioux defenseman is smoking hot right now, and has three points in his last three games (0g-3a—3pts). In 17 games, Greene has compiled (0g-4a—4pts) during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Kings have a 3-3 (.500) record when Greene isn’t in the lineup and a 10-7 (.588) record with Greene in the lineup. You can glean what you want from that stat.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane is on fire
Right now, Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane is on
fire. He's smoking hot. Kane has (2g-6a—8pts) in the last three games. Incidentally, Kane came into game five
with a single point during the third round. Since then, he has gone a tear the last two games. Scoring (2g-5a—7pts).
For the playoffs, Kane has scored (8g-10a—18pts) in 18 games.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens Handshake, no Shenanigans
After watching the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens go through the handshake line, it was nice to see a classy handshake. These two teams killed each other on the ice. There were two suspensions from this series (Brandon Prust and John Moore).
Total headshot by Prust... pic.twitter.com/noiCYd9ZKb
— DKM Hockey (@DKM_Hockey) May 30, 2014
Monday, May 05, 2014
Ducks Kings Series 20 Years in the Making
Well they are separated by 30 miles and have been division rivals for the last 20 years, but this would be the first time that the Anaheim Ducks and the LA Kings would ever meet in the playoffs.
LA, who came into the series rattling off four straight wins to eliminate the San Jose Sharks, came into the series on a mission to keep on rolling. A big part of that success was goaltender Jonathan Quick. Quick struggled in the first game of the first round, but would improve his numbers in every single game of the series against San Jose. In the Kings five game winning streak they are currently on, Quick has looked like the Quick of the 2012 Stanley Cup team. If this trend continues, I'd expect the Kings to sneak their way into the Cup finals.
As for the quack attack, they came into game one off of a very hard fought six game series against the Dallas Stars. However, they are starting to turn into the Vancouver Canucks in these playoffs with all of their goalie drama that is occurring as of late. With Fredrick Anderson getting pretty much all the game play in the first round, usual number one, Jonas Hiller, is left on the sidelines leaving the fans scratching their heads. One would assume that Hiller would be the guy for the Ducks in the playoffs, especially since he has the most experience. That was not the case in round one, but he would get the call for game one in round two. Hiller would play decent in this game stopping 33 out of 36 shots faced, but the Ducks would lose on home ice and look for revenge tonight in game two.
Both of these teams have big bodies who like to be physical, a good amount of skillful players, and excellent puck moving defensemen, but the key difference in this freeway series is the goalies. Quick is on a different level than both Anaheim tenders and will be the deciding factor in LA taking this series.
I expect the rest of this series to be very fast, very physical, and no love lost between these longtime rivals. It is still very hard to believe that this is still the two franchises first ever playoff match-up in the 20 year existence of the Anaheim (Mighty) Ducks. It's playoff series like this that make already existing rivalries that much greater, the hate between players much stronger and the same can be said between these two very passionate fan bases as well.
Penguins Keep Finding Ways Without Crosby Scoring Goals
Tonight was the eighth game of the playoffs for the Pittsburgh Penguins and they notched victory five of the 16 needed to win the Stanley Cup tonight. Nothing too strange about this right? Wrong. Sidney Crosby has yet to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and it's driving Pittsburgh fans nuts.
I am seeing all over social media of Pittsburgh fans ripping on their captain, saying he isn't playing well because he is not scoring goals for the black and gold. What they fail to realize is that Crosby has been almost a point per game clip in assists for the Penguins in the playoffs thus far.
Tonight's game was a prime example of that. Crosby was creating scoring chances whenever he was on the ice and the only thing keeping him off the score sheet was Henrik Lundqvist. So for all you Crosby "haters," have faith in your captain. He is the best offensive player in the entire world. Even Wayne Gretzky had a streak of 12 playoff games where he would not net a goal. So even the best have slumps.
Switching to the defensive side of the puck, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has also been getting a lot of grief from the Penguins faithful as of late. Yes he isn't the Flower of the Stanley Cup 2009 team, but he still is a very solid goaltender. Tonight was a prime example of that.
Personally I am a Marc-Andre fleury fan. He plays a real solid butterfly and generally is not out of position. He had a real solid season this year, but wasn't spectacular by NHL fans standards.
None the less, the Penguins are finding ways to win games in the playoffs and keep pushing for Stanley Cup number four. Fans just need to keep being fans and support your team. No player is perfect and will go through "slumps," and let in bad goals every now and then.
Sunday, May 04, 2014
Do Wild Fans Need to Worry?
Once again, the Minnesota Wild find themselves down in a 2-0 hole, but the only difference is that it is to a much more experienced Chicago Blackhawks team.
First thing is first, one must address the horrible starts to game one and two for Minnesota. They would fall into 2-0 holes in both games, but would surge late to make things interesting before Chicago would ice the games with empty net goals. Their flat footed starts reminded me much of the series last year against the Blackhawks. It looked like a lot of puck envy and the Wild had no pressure on the puck carrier what so ever.
Another issue to address is the goalie situation. Ilya Bryzgalov has shown signs of the Bryz of 2007, but seems to be getting caught too deep into his net, look at Brandon Saad's first goal of the game. Yes I know it was deflected off the stick of Zach Parise, however, if Bryzgalov comes out another eight inches to a foot, I believe the puck hits him in the shoulder.
The goaltending situation is one that they have dealt with all season long, but it's time for Bryzgalov to take the reigns and find his game from the regular season. However, all can't be put on Bryz. When the Wild have had their prime scoring chances, is when they are strong on the forecheck. The only line I saw that consistently from today was the line with Nino, Haula, and Fontaine. These three took the body, created chances and got pucks to the net consistently. The rest of the team should take notes off of how these three played today because their games were nearly flawless.
Turnovers were also another story on today's game. Giving the puck up in key areas costed Minnesota at least two goals today. They would make a third period push today and in game one, but would turn out to be too little too late .
Finally, the big guns need to start being more active like they were at the end of the Colorado series. In today's game, Parise and Suter were both -3, Pommer, Granny, and Koivu were all a -2, and the only plus players were our grinders, Haula, Heatley, and McCormick all at +1. This picture is something that needs to be changed, or you can kiss this season goodbye.
As for if fans need to be concerned? I say yes. This Blackhawks team isn't like the Avalanche. They are much better and more experienced in the playoffs. 2-0 holes against them are generally impossible to overcome. However, it is the playoffs and the Blue Jackets almost upset the Penguins in the first round.
The only way I see Minnesota being back in this series is they must win both games at the Xcel Energy Center. If this doesn't happen, the season is over. The Madhouse on Madison is not an easy building to win in and have to grab at least one victory there to head to the West Final.
Saturday, May 03, 2014
Former NCAA Hockey Players lead the Stanley Cup Playoffs
| Points | ||
| 1. | Zach Parise-MIN | 11 |
| 2. | Paul Stastny-COL | 10 |
| Nathan MacKinnon-COL | 10 | |
| Anze Kopitar-LAK | 10 | |
| 5. | Jonathan Toews-CHI | 8 |
| Brent Seabrook-CHI | 8 | |
| Matt Niskanen-PIT | 8 | |
| Paul Martin-PIT | 8 | |
| Evgeni Malkin-PIT | 8 | |
| Patrick Kane-CHI | ||
Six of top ten Stanley Cup Playoffs Points Leaders have NCAA Experience. Two of the top 10 are from University of North Dakota.
Friday, May 02, 2014
Prediction for Wild vs. Blackhawks
How the Wild win…
The Minnesota Wild will beat the Chicago Blackhawks if they continue to play their systems like they did against the Colorado Avalanche. This past season, the Wild had a 3-2 record against the Blackhawks. One of the Wild’s two losses was a shootout loss. So, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that the Wild could win this series. Just like the series against the Av’s, the Wild are going to be the under dogs. They need to embrace this, and use it in their favor.
The key to beating the Blackhawks, play disciplined, smart hockey. They cannot take foolish, selfish, retaliation penalties. The Wild will need to stay out the penalty box if they want to win this series.
Defensively: the Wild need to protect their goaltender. Make that area nose bleed alley, smartly. It’s imperative that the Wild keep the Blackhawks on the perimeter. They do not want to allow them to get to the blue paint, or roam freely in the slot, unchallenged. The Blackhawks will cash in on those opportunities.
The Blackhawks are a fast skating team that comes at you in waves, and the Wild defensemen need to keep the Blackhawks forwards in front of them. Up front, former North Dakota forward Jonathan Toews (3g-4a—7pts) and former Michigan State Spartan Duncan Keith (2g-5a—7pts) lead the Blackhawk in points. No slouch himself, Patrick Kane is in third place with (3g-3a—6pts). Leading the Wild in points against the Blackhawks this season: Jason Pominville (4g-1a—5pts), Mikael Granlund (0g-4a—4pts), Matt Cooke (2g-1a—3pts). Note, Cooke is unavailable for the first three games because of his suspension. He returns from his seven-game suspension in time for game four.
Wild lose if…
The Wild will lose if they fail to play disciplined hockey. They cannot get caught up in the extra bravo sierra. They can’t lose their wits about them. They need to play under control and not respond to the Andrew Shaw’s antics. Also, the Wild will lose if they start running around, trying to check the Blackhawks out of the building. The Blues tried to do this in the first round and it didn’t work. That’s not the Wild’s game, they’re more successful when they play a high pressure, fore-check game.
I am going out on a limb, Wild win series in 6 games.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Hawks Take Series in Six
When the first round playoff match-ups were finally set, I knew right away that the Blackhawks and Blues series would be the best one in the first round. The teams didn't disappoint.
Game one and two opened up in St. Louis, and the fans were treated to two exciting Blues wins. It didn't get much better than game one either. In a game that would go back and forth, the fans would get their money's worth as the game would end very early into the third overtime. Alexander Steen would be the game one hero, but this game would set the pace for this exciting series.
Then came the controversy in game two. St. Louis Blues captain David Backes (Spring Lake Park, MN/ Minnesota State Mankato) would take an elbow to the head from Blackhawk defender Brent Seabrook, knocking him out for the rest of game two, along with games three and four. Seabrook wold get a three game suspension for the hit, but left both fan bases with a sour taste in their mouths. St. Louis would now be down their captain, and Chicago is out of their top defenseman.
Chicago just kept pushing forward, even though they were down 2-0 in the series, but now had the advantage of being back in the Madhouse on Madison. With Chicago looking to get into the win column, and would do that via a Corey Crawford shutout. Captain Jonathan Toews would net the game's first goal, and the game winner, just 4:10 into the first period, and the game would become a very grinding defensive battle. Marcus Kruger would get the insurance empty netter to seal the 2-0 victory
Overtime would be needed once again in game four, in another contest that could have gone either way. The Blackhawks scored the first two in the contest, Andrew Shaw and Patrick Kane, but the Blues would push back and score three unanswered and Vladimir Tarasenko putting the Blues ahead 3-2 with about 7:30 left in regulation. However, the Chicago never say die attitude kicked in, and would get a few good looks at goalie Ryan Miller before Bryan Bickell would tie the game with just under four minutes to play, and the roof went off at the Madhouse. They now had the crowd on their side going into overtime and used it to their advantage. Half way through the first overtime, Patrick Kane and Ben Smith would have a rush up the ice int the offensive zone with Patrick Kane taking the puck up the left wing. Smith would charge the net, drawing the defenders off of Kane so he could take the shot, and he buried it for the winner in another very exciting game in the series that is now tied and headed back to St. Louis.
The story line for game five would be the return for Blues captain David Backes after missing the previous two games due to injury after the Seabrook elbow. Probably not playing at 100%, just having the presence of your captain in your line up can be enough to spark a locker room. That's exactly what the Blues needed after losing two straight in Chicago. Once again, this game would take overtime to find a winner in this very tightly battled series. Once again, the Blackhawks would look at their captain to come in clutch in overtime. Toews would get sprung on a breakaway and would slide the puck behind Miller to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 series lead, and put them in complete control going into game six.
Today's game was just straight up Chicago Blackhawks domination once the third period came around. Bryan Bickell and TJ Oshie would exchange goals in the first and that's the score that would hold up until very early in the third period. The Blues completely outplayed the Blackhawks in the second, but most of that was due to the Hawks penalty box door being open the whole period, but couldn't find a way to put the puck behind Crawford. At the end of the second, the Blackhawks would finally get their first power play opportunity, which would carry over to the start of the third. Just 44 seconds into the final frame, who else, but Jonathan Toews would light the lamp and put the Hawks up 2-1. There was no looking back from there. Chicago would rattle of three more goals off of the sticks of Patrick Sharp, Andrew Shaw, and Duncan Keith, to solidify a 5-1 game six victory and a 4-2 series win.
If I got anything out of this series, is that the Blackhawks have their playoff form from last year. This team is dangerous and has all of the tools for a repeat. The Hawks can sit back and relax for a short time and see whether they draw the Wild or Avalanche in round two.
As for the Blues, a lot of people thought that this was a team that could go deep into the playoffs this year, especially after how strong they were in the regular season, and in games one and two. However, late season injuries, and a semi struggling Ryan Miller cost the Blues and sent them home to the golf course earlier then they would have liked.
Overall, this was a very exciting, physical, fast, and skillful series to watch and will be one that is talked about for years to come. A bounce here or there, and St. Louis could be headed to round two, or at least to game seven back home in their barn.
Game one and two opened up in St. Louis, and the fans were treated to two exciting Blues wins. It didn't get much better than game one either. In a game that would go back and forth, the fans would get their money's worth as the game would end very early into the third overtime. Alexander Steen would be the game one hero, but this game would set the pace for this exciting series.
Then came the controversy in game two. St. Louis Blues captain David Backes (Spring Lake Park, MN/ Minnesota State Mankato) would take an elbow to the head from Blackhawk defender Brent Seabrook, knocking him out for the rest of game two, along with games three and four. Seabrook wold get a three game suspension for the hit, but left both fan bases with a sour taste in their mouths. St. Louis would now be down their captain, and Chicago is out of their top defenseman.
Chicago just kept pushing forward, even though they were down 2-0 in the series, but now had the advantage of being back in the Madhouse on Madison. With Chicago looking to get into the win column, and would do that via a Corey Crawford shutout. Captain Jonathan Toews would net the game's first goal, and the game winner, just 4:10 into the first period, and the game would become a very grinding defensive battle. Marcus Kruger would get the insurance empty netter to seal the 2-0 victory
Overtime would be needed once again in game four, in another contest that could have gone either way. The Blackhawks scored the first two in the contest, Andrew Shaw and Patrick Kane, but the Blues would push back and score three unanswered and Vladimir Tarasenko putting the Blues ahead 3-2 with about 7:30 left in regulation. However, the Chicago never say die attitude kicked in, and would get a few good looks at goalie Ryan Miller before Bryan Bickell would tie the game with just under four minutes to play, and the roof went off at the Madhouse. They now had the crowd on their side going into overtime and used it to their advantage. Half way through the first overtime, Patrick Kane and Ben Smith would have a rush up the ice int the offensive zone with Patrick Kane taking the puck up the left wing. Smith would charge the net, drawing the defenders off of Kane so he could take the shot, and he buried it for the winner in another very exciting game in the series that is now tied and headed back to St. Louis.
The story line for game five would be the return for Blues captain David Backes after missing the previous two games due to injury after the Seabrook elbow. Probably not playing at 100%, just having the presence of your captain in your line up can be enough to spark a locker room. That's exactly what the Blues needed after losing two straight in Chicago. Once again, this game would take overtime to find a winner in this very tightly battled series. Once again, the Blackhawks would look at their captain to come in clutch in overtime. Toews would get sprung on a breakaway and would slide the puck behind Miller to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 series lead, and put them in complete control going into game six.
Today's game was just straight up Chicago Blackhawks domination once the third period came around. Bryan Bickell and TJ Oshie would exchange goals in the first and that's the score that would hold up until very early in the third period. The Blues completely outplayed the Blackhawks in the second, but most of that was due to the Hawks penalty box door being open the whole period, but couldn't find a way to put the puck behind Crawford. At the end of the second, the Blackhawks would finally get their first power play opportunity, which would carry over to the start of the third. Just 44 seconds into the final frame, who else, but Jonathan Toews would light the lamp and put the Hawks up 2-1. There was no looking back from there. Chicago would rattle of three more goals off of the sticks of Patrick Sharp, Andrew Shaw, and Duncan Keith, to solidify a 5-1 game six victory and a 4-2 series win.
If I got anything out of this series, is that the Blackhawks have their playoff form from last year. This team is dangerous and has all of the tools for a repeat. The Hawks can sit back and relax for a short time and see whether they draw the Wild or Avalanche in round two.
As for the Blues, a lot of people thought that this was a team that could go deep into the playoffs this year, especially after how strong they were in the regular season, and in games one and two. However, late season injuries, and a semi struggling Ryan Miller cost the Blues and sent them home to the golf course earlier then they would have liked.
Overall, this was a very exciting, physical, fast, and skillful series to watch and will be one that is talked about for years to come. A bounce here or there, and St. Louis could be headed to round two, or at least to game seven back home in their barn.
Minnesota Wild: Refs blew it in Colorado
Back in the 1990's there was a popular and re-occurring comment that was made towards the on-ice officials at the old Ralph Engelstad Arena, "Get off your knees ref you're blowing the game." This couldn't be more accurate following last night's game between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche.
By now, you have probably seen the goal that was offside and the non-call for holding on Wild forward Charlie Coyle. It's hard to stomach the results in this one, it feels like a robbery. If the refs get these two calls right, the Wild are heading back to St. Paul with a 3-2 series lead. Simple right? For those that say that the right call was made on the off-sides, go back and take a look at the official rule book from the NHL. The skates have to be touching the line.
Here’s the official rule (Rule 83.1 – Off-side):So I ask you. Who are you going to believe? An experienced NHL official or a newspaper beat writer posing as a fan blogger. I am going to go with Kerry Fraser, he's got the credibility to backup his claims.
The position of the player’s skates and not that of his stick shall be the determining factor in all instances in deciding an off-side.
A player is off-side when both skates are completely over the leading edge of the blue line involved in the play. A player is on-side when either of his skates are in contact with, or on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line regardless of the position of his stick.
Trouble in Denver. Charlie Coyle held by Andre Benoit with net empty causing turnover. Up ice, Paul Stasny is offside as Avs tie game. Ouch! — Kerry Fraser (@kfraserthecall) April 27, 2014Here's what the fan blogger posing as a beat writer for the Avalanche had to say on the matter. Adrian Dater is still bringing up Cooke's name after how many games? We should start a new hash tag #blamemattcooke If the Wild win this series, it's still possible, will Matt Cooke's name be invoked? I can tell you that it probably will.
Sorry, but there’s no way that picture makes off-sides clear. Stastny’s left skate looks behind the line to me, and that puck is about to cross the line. Did Stastny actually touch his skate to the ice anyway after the fact? Hard to tell. Either way, it’s not a clear off-sides at all. If the Wild want to blame that non-call on their loss, more power to ‘em. All I know is, after the play, Ryan Suter (if only he paid as much attention to the puck tonight as he did looking over his shoulder at the refs all night, begging for a call) stood and watched as Stastny grabbed the rebound of his own shot on the ensuing sequence, then fed a pass between Suter and Jonas Brodin to P.A. Parenteau cutting down the middle ahead of a lazy Wild back-check, and he tied the game with a shot under Darcy Kuemper’s glove.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Wild Dominate Avs, Tie Series
In another must win for the Minnesota Wild tonight, they came out of the gates guns a blazing, physically, and skillfully dominating the Colorado Avalanche in every aspect of the game. Not giving Colorado many scoring chances, and keeping the threat of rookie sensation Nathan MacKinnon at a stand still, the record playoff crowd at the Xcel Energy Center would go home loud and proud as the series would be tied up at two games a piece.
As I said already, the Wild came out of the gates on a mission tonight, and would strike first off of a Jared Spurgeon blast from the high slot and the Wild would be up 1-0 early in the first. Also as expected, the Zach Parise, Jason Pominville, Mikael Granlund line was on fire once again tonight as well, and Parise and Granny would both earn themselves apples on this first goal. Minnesota would go into the locker room up 1-0 and out shooting the Avs 14-3 in the period dominated by the home team. If it wasn't for that first Avalanche power play opportunity, they probably would have skated off the ice with just one lousy shot on goal.
The second and third periods were the same story as the first was, Wild domination. With the team playing physical, and strong on the puck, they were seeing a lot of puck possession time in all three zones, which brought them success for much of the season. This is how coach Mike Yeo wanted his team to play all season, and are finding that the method to his madness is granting them their playoff success..
Minnesota would also cash in on their first power play opportunity off of the stick of Charlie Coyle. Jason Pominville would take the initial shot which would deflect off of the glass behind the net and Charlie Coyle would just have to slide it into a wide open net. However, like in almost every other game in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, two goal leads were not safe. Just 30 seconds later, Ryan O'Reilly would put one through Darcy Kuemper's five hole in a shot he would likely want back. This would conclude the scoring for the game, even though Minnesota could have had five or six goals if it wasn't for Varlamov.
Another story line for this series so far has to be Matt Moulson for the Minnesota Wild. The guy can't seem to catch a break or a bounce in the first four games in this series. He has been snake bitten by posts, missed shots, robbery saves, and blocked shots. One can only wonder when Moulson will find the back of the net, and when/if he does, the flood gates will open for him.
Darcy Kuemper has been lights out since coming in relief in game two for Bryzgalov. In just over 150 minutes played in these playoffs, he has surrendered just one goal. However, it is easier to do this when the team around you isn't allowing pucks to get to the net, but none the less, Kuemper is the backbone of this team and will take them far if he keeps playing lights out like this.
Going into Colorado on Saturday night, the series is in the hands of the Minnesota Wild. I believe that if Minnesota is able to sneak out a road victory in game five, the series will be over in game six when the Wild return home. However, if the home team winning trend continues, we will see seven games. I'm excited to see how this series will turn out, and I'm sure both fan bases are too.
As I said already, the Wild came out of the gates on a mission tonight, and would strike first off of a Jared Spurgeon blast from the high slot and the Wild would be up 1-0 early in the first. Also as expected, the Zach Parise, Jason Pominville, Mikael Granlund line was on fire once again tonight as well, and Parise and Granny would both earn themselves apples on this first goal. Minnesota would go into the locker room up 1-0 and out shooting the Avs 14-3 in the period dominated by the home team. If it wasn't for that first Avalanche power play opportunity, they probably would have skated off the ice with just one lousy shot on goal.
The second and third periods were the same story as the first was, Wild domination. With the team playing physical, and strong on the puck, they were seeing a lot of puck possession time in all three zones, which brought them success for much of the season. This is how coach Mike Yeo wanted his team to play all season, and are finding that the method to his madness is granting them their playoff success..
Minnesota would also cash in on their first power play opportunity off of the stick of Charlie Coyle. Jason Pominville would take the initial shot which would deflect off of the glass behind the net and Charlie Coyle would just have to slide it into a wide open net. However, like in almost every other game in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, two goal leads were not safe. Just 30 seconds later, Ryan O'Reilly would put one through Darcy Kuemper's five hole in a shot he would likely want back. This would conclude the scoring for the game, even though Minnesota could have had five or six goals if it wasn't for Varlamov.
Another story line for this series so far has to be Matt Moulson for the Minnesota Wild. The guy can't seem to catch a break or a bounce in the first four games in this series. He has been snake bitten by posts, missed shots, robbery saves, and blocked shots. One can only wonder when Moulson will find the back of the net, and when/if he does, the flood gates will open for him.
Darcy Kuemper has been lights out since coming in relief in game two for Bryzgalov. In just over 150 minutes played in these playoffs, he has surrendered just one goal. However, it is easier to do this when the team around you isn't allowing pucks to get to the net, but none the less, Kuemper is the backbone of this team and will take them far if he keeps playing lights out like this.
Going into Colorado on Saturday night, the series is in the hands of the Minnesota Wild. I believe that if Minnesota is able to sneak out a road victory in game five, the series will be over in game six when the Wild return home. However, if the home team winning trend continues, we will see seven games. I'm excited to see how this series will turn out, and I'm sure both fan bases are too.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
3-1 Leads Not Nice in Jackets Penguins Series
One would think that if you would have a 3-1 lead in the third period of a hockey game, the odds of you winning the game would be pretty good right? Try explaining that to the Blue Jackets and Penguins. Both teams have come into the game tonight spotting 3-1 leads in each of the first three games, Columbus in game one and three, and Pittsburgh in game two. In each instance, the team who had that lead would lose.
As for tonight, Pittsburgh would jump to an early 3-0 lead, and would look as if they were going to cruise to victory against this Blue Jackets team, who on paper doesn't match up to the mighty Penguins. Columbus would score late to be down 3-1 late in the first and go into the locker room down at that score. One has to wonder if the Penguins had that stat from the first three games in the back of their heads in the locker room, or if they were told to protect the lead.
Columbus would chip away at the two goal Penguin lead, and make it 3-2 in the second. At this point one starts wondering if it could happen again. Could another 3-1 lead be blown and the victory be 4-3 for the fourth straight game?
With under a minute left in the third, and the Jackets goalie on the bench, the hometown kid, Brandon Dubinsky, would tie the game at three and would send it to overtime. Once again a 3-1 lead is blown, and once again the final score would be 4-3. In recent memory, I can never remember a series being like this one. One where the team who scores first has lost every single time. The one where every final score was 4-3, and most of all, one where a 3-1 lead is blown in every single game.
None the less, the game goes to overtime and just 2:49 into the period, the game is over. Nick Folingo would fire, what looked to be a harmless shot, from just inside the blue line on the left side of the zone, and somehow would get by Penguin goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.
If you would have told me after game one that this series would have a game six, let alone two Jackets wins, I would have laughed at you. The Penguins looked as if they came into this series very cocky and thinking they would have to go five games max to end this series.
This series actually reminds me a lot of the Wild and Avalanche in 2003. Nobody gave Minnesota a chance, but the hard working Wild fought their way to the second round, getting passed the stacked Colorado Avalanche. It's the same situation in this series, although Columbus didn't win game one and have to fight off a 3-1 deficit in this series.
I can't wait to see how the rest of this series plays out and I think there could possibly be an upset in the making, sending the Penguins, and their fans, home with a sour taste in their mouths, just like the Avalanche back in 2003.
As for tonight, Pittsburgh would jump to an early 3-0 lead, and would look as if they were going to cruise to victory against this Blue Jackets team, who on paper doesn't match up to the mighty Penguins. Columbus would score late to be down 3-1 late in the first and go into the locker room down at that score. One has to wonder if the Penguins had that stat from the first three games in the back of their heads in the locker room, or if they were told to protect the lead.
Columbus would chip away at the two goal Penguin lead, and make it 3-2 in the second. At this point one starts wondering if it could happen again. Could another 3-1 lead be blown and the victory be 4-3 for the fourth straight game?
With under a minute left in the third, and the Jackets goalie on the bench, the hometown kid, Brandon Dubinsky, would tie the game at three and would send it to overtime. Once again a 3-1 lead is blown, and once again the final score would be 4-3. In recent memory, I can never remember a series being like this one. One where the team who scores first has lost every single time. The one where every final score was 4-3, and most of all, one where a 3-1 lead is blown in every single game.
None the less, the game goes to overtime and just 2:49 into the period, the game is over. Nick Folingo would fire, what looked to be a harmless shot, from just inside the blue line on the left side of the zone, and somehow would get by Penguin goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.
If you would have told me after game one that this series would have a game six, let alone two Jackets wins, I would have laughed at you. The Penguins looked as if they came into this series very cocky and thinking they would have to go five games max to end this series.
This series actually reminds me a lot of the Wild and Avalanche in 2003. Nobody gave Minnesota a chance, but the hard working Wild fought their way to the second round, getting passed the stacked Colorado Avalanche. It's the same situation in this series, although Columbus didn't win game one and have to fight off a 3-1 deficit in this series.
I can't wait to see how the rest of this series plays out and I think there could possibly be an upset in the making, sending the Penguins, and their fans, home with a sour taste in their mouths, just like the Avalanche back in 2003.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Similarities in Playoff Series for Wild
Last season marked the first time the Minnesota Wild had made the playoffs since winning the Northwest Division in 2008, but would be matched up with the Stanley Cup favorite, Chicago Blackhawks.
This season, just squeaking in again, Minnesota is in a battle with longtime rival, Colorado, after the Avalanche won the division for the first time since 2003. I wonder how that season ended up for them.
Looking back to the first three games of last seasons playoffs for Minnesota and comparing them to this years, I see a lot of things similar in the ways the games have been played.
Starting with both game one's, an overtime post would cost Minnesota that important game one victory to gain momentum in the series. Last year it was Jason Zucker hitting the crossbar, and this year was Jason Pominville ringing one off of the far post. One big difference in each series first games is that Minnesota would dominate the first two periods and much more scoring in the game because of it.
In game two, the Wild looked like they were in awe of the young and speedy Avalanche. Seeming to not get anything together, even after scoring the first goal, Colorado would score three unanswered to skate to a game two victory and take a 2-0 series lead going into game three at Xcel Energy Center, just like the Blackhawks would last year.
Although game three between Chicago and Minnesota was played pretty even and Minnesota would dominate the Avs last night, the result was still the same between the two games, young guns scoring in dramatic fashion in overtime. Last year was Jason Zucker who fired a rocket from near the goal line and would beat Corey Crawford for the victory. This year, it was Granny's turn. In a play that was dominated by him, Granlund would fight off a check, take the puck to the slot, and score laying flat on the ice with the Avalanche goaltender having no chance at making the save, giving the Wild a game three victory once again.
Compared to last season, this Wild team is much stronger, much more skilled, and have much more chemistry then they did at this time last season. I would expect another strong showing for Minnesota Thursday night and for the rest of the series. If they play like they did last night for the rest of the series, Colorado will be going home early this playoff season.
This season, just squeaking in again, Minnesota is in a battle with longtime rival, Colorado, after the Avalanche won the division for the first time since 2003. I wonder how that season ended up for them.
Looking back to the first three games of last seasons playoffs for Minnesota and comparing them to this years, I see a lot of things similar in the ways the games have been played.
Starting with both game one's, an overtime post would cost Minnesota that important game one victory to gain momentum in the series. Last year it was Jason Zucker hitting the crossbar, and this year was Jason Pominville ringing one off of the far post. One big difference in each series first games is that Minnesota would dominate the first two periods and much more scoring in the game because of it.
In game two, the Wild looked like they were in awe of the young and speedy Avalanche. Seeming to not get anything together, even after scoring the first goal, Colorado would score three unanswered to skate to a game two victory and take a 2-0 series lead going into game three at Xcel Energy Center, just like the Blackhawks would last year.
Although game three between Chicago and Minnesota was played pretty even and Minnesota would dominate the Avs last night, the result was still the same between the two games, young guns scoring in dramatic fashion in overtime. Last year was Jason Zucker who fired a rocket from near the goal line and would beat Corey Crawford for the victory. This year, it was Granny's turn. In a play that was dominated by him, Granlund would fight off a check, take the puck to the slot, and score laying flat on the ice with the Avalanche goaltender having no chance at making the save, giving the Wild a game three victory once again.
Compared to last season, this Wild team is much stronger, much more skilled, and have much more chemistry then they did at this time last season. I would expect another strong showing for Minnesota Thursday night and for the rest of the series. If they play like they did last night for the rest of the series, Colorado will be going home early this playoff season.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Blackhawks vs. Blues: This Rivalry Never Gets Old
Tomorrow is going to probably be the most exciting day in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a long time. You have all four games being big time rivalry games. However, I think most eyes will be on the battle of Central Division rivals in Chicago and St. Louis.
Chicago, the more offensively flavored team, looks to keep this a high flying, wide open style of game to highlight their great offensive talents. With both Toews and Kane returning for game one, although they say they are 100% who knows if they really are, that just adds that extra offensive flair and swagger Chicago needs to skate around a struggling Blues team.
As for the Blues, they did not end their regular season they way they would have probably wanted. Losing five out of their last seven games, getting beaten and battered with the injury bug, the Blues are going into the playoffs with virtually no momentum what so ever. That being said, Oshie and captain Backes are returning tomorrow night for game one, but like with Toews and Kane, who knows if they are actually at 100%. I guess we will have to see how aggressive they play tomorrow.
To beat the Blackhawks, St. Louis is going to have to keep these games low scoring and be very physical like they love to be. This series is going to remind me a lot of the UND Gopher game from the Frozen Four this year, if it were a seven game series. Every single game will be played with a lot of speed and a lot of physicality.
As for who is going to win this series? If these games turn into high scoring style of game I would have to give the advantage to the Blackhawks. It's just their style of game, but have proven to have a little physicality as well with players like Bickell, Bolig, and Shaw. That being said, St. Louis needs to use their physicality to slow down the game and keep the Hawks off the board.
I picked Chicago to win this series because the Blues are coming in with absolutely no momentum and a struggling Ryan Miller. The series is competitive, but the Blues wont be able to finish off the series.
Chicago, the more offensively flavored team, looks to keep this a high flying, wide open style of game to highlight their great offensive talents. With both Toews and Kane returning for game one, although they say they are 100% who knows if they really are, that just adds that extra offensive flair and swagger Chicago needs to skate around a struggling Blues team.
As for the Blues, they did not end their regular season they way they would have probably wanted. Losing five out of their last seven games, getting beaten and battered with the injury bug, the Blues are going into the playoffs with virtually no momentum what so ever. That being said, Oshie and captain Backes are returning tomorrow night for game one, but like with Toews and Kane, who knows if they are actually at 100%. I guess we will have to see how aggressive they play tomorrow.
To beat the Blackhawks, St. Louis is going to have to keep these games low scoring and be very physical like they love to be. This series is going to remind me a lot of the UND Gopher game from the Frozen Four this year, if it were a seven game series. Every single game will be played with a lot of speed and a lot of physicality.
As for who is going to win this series? If these games turn into high scoring style of game I would have to give the advantage to the Blackhawks. It's just their style of game, but have proven to have a little physicality as well with players like Bickell, Bolig, and Shaw. That being said, St. Louis needs to use their physicality to slow down the game and keep the Hawks off the board.
I picked Chicago to win this series because the Blues are coming in with absolutely no momentum and a struggling Ryan Miller. The series is competitive, but the Blues wont be able to finish off the series.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Minnesota vs. Colorado: What We Should Expect
Minnesota and Colorado have been division rivals since Minnesota has come into the league in 2000, so I guess you could say that these two teams are familiar with each other.
Up until the last couple of seasons, Minnesota has never really had any superstars on their roster, unlike the usual star studded Avalanche of the late 90's and early 2000's. However, the Avalanche recently have been struggling to find success and even had finished 29th in the league out of 30 teams last season.
This year looked as if it was going to be a rebuilding season for Colorado after the firing of head coach Joe Sacco. Before the draft last year, the Avalanche would announce that Patrick Roy would be named their head coach, leaving many scratching their heads wondering how the Avs would fare in this situation. Lets just say a worst to first turn around leaves Roy as a front runner for this year's Jack Adams trophy.
As for the Minnesota Wild, Mike Yeo has this team in a position for a possible playoff run. The main question mark will be in goal. Can Ilya Bryzgalov play like the goalie of 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks? Or will the Bryz, who struggled in the playoffs with the Flyers, show up. If the ladder of the two is to happen, Minnesota's playoff life will be ending earlier then the fans, and the team would like.
Colorado would go 4-0-1 against Minnesota this season, and shocked the league on their extreme turn around with the big youth movement in Colorado. However, a big part of this would be the outstanding play of goalie Semyon Varlamov, who would break Patrick Roy's franchise wins record with 41 wins this season. Also another big weapon for the Avs, besides Duchene, Landeskog, and Stastny, you have to watch out for likely Calder winner Nathan MacKinnon. With his speed, he likes to lead the rush to the outside and also has a very potent snap shot, much like UND fans saw in Danny Kristo's four years at UND. Colorado has three solid lines of scoring who can burn you at anytime you make a mistake. It is no fluke that this team won the Central Division.
Looking back at the two teams head to head playoff history, the teams have met twice in the playoffs. the first time was in the 2002-2003 season, also happens to be the last time that Colorado won their division and Minnesota winning a playoff series, and the second was in the 2007-2008 season when Minnesota would win their first and only division crown.
The most recent series in 2007-2008, the two teams would battle hard in a very tough six game series where Colorado would come out on top, but later lose out of the playoffs. This would be the first season that Minnesota would reach the playoffs in consecutive years, having reached the previous season, but losing to the eventual cup champion Anaheim Ducks in five games.
Now the most memorable series in 2003. Minnesota, just in their third season in franchise history, would make their first ever playoffs, and would be slated a huge underdog against the star studded Avalanche lead by the likes of Sakic, Forsberg, and Roy. Minnesota came out in game one on a mission, making a statement by winning game one. The Avs would have none of it and would rattle off three straight wins to put the Wild on the verge of elimination. Going into game five, nobody counted the Wild as a threat to Colorado anymore and was already preparing for the Avs to move on to round number two. However, Minnesota would be victorious in game five and have one more chance at home to keep their playoff series alive.
The next two games will probably be the most historic games in Minnesota Wild history. On the verge of elimination, the two teams would experience overtime in game six. The Xcel Energy Center was loud, and the fans were on the edge of their seats wondering who was going to play hero. Richard Park would gain the puck at the offensive blue line skate up the right wing and fire, what looked to be a harmless snap shot, at Roy and would beat him to send the Wild back to Colorado for game seven. This would be the first home NHL playoff win in Minnesota since the North Stars did in the early 90's.
Now on to game seven. Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy was virtually unbeatable in the Stanley Cup Playoffs when it came to game sevens, and was unbeaten when it game to game sevens that went into overtime. This game would again end up in overtime, making everyone think that this game was in the bag for Colorado because of Roy in net. This, however, was not the case. Andrew Brunette would get a pass from a teammate, take the puck into the offensive zone, have the presence of mind to go to his backhand and bury the puck in the back of the net, ending the career of Patrick Roy, in his first ever game seven overtime loss.
As for this series, will we see a series like this, or will we see one like in 2008? Honestly I think it will be a high flying series where if the games become more about offense, Minnesota has no chance to advance to the second round. However, if we have one goal, low scoring contests, this could very well go seven games.
Up until the last couple of seasons, Minnesota has never really had any superstars on their roster, unlike the usual star studded Avalanche of the late 90's and early 2000's. However, the Avalanche recently have been struggling to find success and even had finished 29th in the league out of 30 teams last season.
This year looked as if it was going to be a rebuilding season for Colorado after the firing of head coach Joe Sacco. Before the draft last year, the Avalanche would announce that Patrick Roy would be named their head coach, leaving many scratching their heads wondering how the Avs would fare in this situation. Lets just say a worst to first turn around leaves Roy as a front runner for this year's Jack Adams trophy.
As for the Minnesota Wild, Mike Yeo has this team in a position for a possible playoff run. The main question mark will be in goal. Can Ilya Bryzgalov play like the goalie of 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks? Or will the Bryz, who struggled in the playoffs with the Flyers, show up. If the ladder of the two is to happen, Minnesota's playoff life will be ending earlier then the fans, and the team would like.
Colorado would go 4-0-1 against Minnesota this season, and shocked the league on their extreme turn around with the big youth movement in Colorado. However, a big part of this would be the outstanding play of goalie Semyon Varlamov, who would break Patrick Roy's franchise wins record with 41 wins this season. Also another big weapon for the Avs, besides Duchene, Landeskog, and Stastny, you have to watch out for likely Calder winner Nathan MacKinnon. With his speed, he likes to lead the rush to the outside and also has a very potent snap shot, much like UND fans saw in Danny Kristo's four years at UND. Colorado has three solid lines of scoring who can burn you at anytime you make a mistake. It is no fluke that this team won the Central Division.
Looking back at the two teams head to head playoff history, the teams have met twice in the playoffs. the first time was in the 2002-2003 season, also happens to be the last time that Colorado won their division and Minnesota winning a playoff series, and the second was in the 2007-2008 season when Minnesota would win their first and only division crown.
The most recent series in 2007-2008, the two teams would battle hard in a very tough six game series where Colorado would come out on top, but later lose out of the playoffs. This would be the first season that Minnesota would reach the playoffs in consecutive years, having reached the previous season, but losing to the eventual cup champion Anaheim Ducks in five games.
Now the most memorable series in 2003. Minnesota, just in their third season in franchise history, would make their first ever playoffs, and would be slated a huge underdog against the star studded Avalanche lead by the likes of Sakic, Forsberg, and Roy. Minnesota came out in game one on a mission, making a statement by winning game one. The Avs would have none of it and would rattle off three straight wins to put the Wild on the verge of elimination. Going into game five, nobody counted the Wild as a threat to Colorado anymore and was already preparing for the Avs to move on to round number two. However, Minnesota would be victorious in game five and have one more chance at home to keep their playoff series alive.
The next two games will probably be the most historic games in Minnesota Wild history. On the verge of elimination, the two teams would experience overtime in game six. The Xcel Energy Center was loud, and the fans were on the edge of their seats wondering who was going to play hero. Richard Park would gain the puck at the offensive blue line skate up the right wing and fire, what looked to be a harmless snap shot, at Roy and would beat him to send the Wild back to Colorado for game seven. This would be the first home NHL playoff win in Minnesota since the North Stars did in the early 90's.
Now on to game seven. Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy was virtually unbeatable in the Stanley Cup Playoffs when it came to game sevens, and was unbeaten when it game to game sevens that went into overtime. This game would again end up in overtime, making everyone think that this game was in the bag for Colorado because of Roy in net. This, however, was not the case. Andrew Brunette would get a pass from a teammate, take the puck into the offensive zone, have the presence of mind to go to his backhand and bury the puck in the back of the net, ending the career of Patrick Roy, in his first ever game seven overtime loss.
As for this series, will we see a series like this, or will we see one like in 2008? Honestly I think it will be a high flying series where if the games become more about offense, Minnesota has no chance to advance to the second round. However, if we have one goal, low scoring contests, this could very well go seven games.
Monday, April 14, 2014
My NHL Stanley Cup Predictions - Bruins win Rematch over the Blackhawks
Zach Hawkins has made his predictions for the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, here's mine. Feel free to chime in with your picks.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
WILD GM: Core in place
I have been on record to saying this when it comes to the Minnesota Wild. In my opinion, the Minnesota Wild are "very" close to being a very good hockey team for a very long time, based on the make-up of their current roster and the young players that the Wild have in their farm system. I don't think it's a stretch to say that they could be a Stanley Cup contender with the right mix of players. A player like Thomas Vanek would put the Minnesota Wild over the top and to the next level.
The GM of the Minnesota Wild had this to say about his hockey team.
The GM of the Minnesota Wild had this to say about his hockey team.
"We were fortunate to sign both Zach and Ryan," Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "Looking back now, in hindsight with a year removed, I can't even say how lucky we are that we did sign them. You hear horror stories of all these big free-agent signings that don't pan out, and we signed arguably the best defenseman in the League and one of the best goal scorers in the League. Both players lived up to expectations. They're great people."The Wild if they get the right breaks and some players develop I think they could, this could be a breakout season for the Minnesota Wild. Young players like Charlie Coyle, Jason Zucker and Mikael Granlund. I have to say that I am excited for the season to start.
The Wild's return to the postseason was short-lived. Minnesota was ousted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Quarterfinals in five games, scoring seven goals. The team obviously was frustrated, but the emergence of defenseman and forwards Charlie Coyle and Jason Zucker has everyone within the organization excited about what lies ahead.
" Fletcher said. "We have a good mix of veteran players and young players up front. We like our defense with the addition of Ballard. Certainly, with Nik Backstrom and Josh Harding and the emergence of Darcy Kuemper last year, we like our depth in goal. Every team could always use upgrades, but right now we're really happy with where we're at. There will be some good competition in camp and we're excited to see where some of our young players will sort out." [Brian Compton - NHL.com ]
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Odds for the 2014 Stanley Cup
Puck Daddy has the odds posted from the gambling site Bovada and the Pittsburgh Penguins are the favorites or win next season’s Stanley Cup. I would bet good money that they will choke or underperform yet again. Also, I would be willing to bet that the Blackhawks and Bruins don’t go as deep in the playoffs this season after how long they played into the summer and how beat up both teams are. I would have to say that my early favorite for the Stanley Cup next season is the Detroit Red Wings. Yep, I have a bad feeling we’re going to be watching paint dry next summer.
Pittsburgh Penguins 13/2
Chicago Blackhawks 15/2
Boston Bruins 9/1
St. Louis Blues 12/1
Los Angeles Kings 14/1
Vancouver Canucks 14/1
Detroit Red Wings 16/1
New York Rangers 16/1
San Jose Sharks 16/1
Anaheim Ducks 20/1
Toronto Maple Leafs 25/1
Washington Capitals 25/1
Montreal Canadiens 28/1
Carolina Hurricanes 33/1
Edmonton Oilers 33/1
Minnesota Wild 33/1
New York Islanders 33/1
Ottawa Senators 33/1
Philadelphia Flyers 33/1
Colorado Avalanche 40/1
Columbus Blue Jackets 40/1
Nashville Predators 40/1
New Jersey Devils 40/1
Tampa Bay Lightning 40/1
Winnipeg Jets 40/1
Buffalo Sabres 50/1
Calgary Flames 50/1
Dallas Stars 50/1
Phoenix Coyotes 50/1
Florida Panthers 100/1
Chicago Blackhawks 15/2
Boston Bruins 9/1
St. Louis Blues 12/1
Los Angeles Kings 14/1
Vancouver Canucks 14/1
Detroit Red Wings 16/1
New York Rangers 16/1
San Jose Sharks 16/1
Anaheim Ducks 20/1
Toronto Maple Leafs 25/1
Washington Capitals 25/1
Montreal Canadiens 28/1
Carolina Hurricanes 33/1
Edmonton Oilers 33/1
Minnesota Wild 33/1
New York Islanders 33/1
Ottawa Senators 33/1
Philadelphia Flyers 33/1
Colorado Avalanche 40/1
Columbus Blue Jackets 40/1
Nashville Predators 40/1
New Jersey Devils 40/1
Tampa Bay Lightning 40/1
Winnipeg Jets 40/1
Buffalo Sabres 50/1
Calgary Flames 50/1
Dallas Stars 50/1
Phoenix Coyotes 50/1
Florida Panthers 100/1
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