Because It's The Cup: 2014 Playoffs

Because it's the Cup.... The 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs start tomorrow night. Who's your pick to win the Stanley Cup?

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.

Bruins, Sioux humor...

@goon48 the most hated man in St. Paul tonight @thesnake34 pic.twitter.com/ZlcbrI1NVt
— Cliff Nystrom (@chetnystrom) April 8, 2014

This was sent to me on Twiter yesterday. This picture made me laugh. I wonder if he was given a hard time last night at the Wild vs. Bruins game?

Boston Bruins: Torey Krug no goal (Video)

Blown call by the officials. Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug was robbed of a legit goal. Zdeno Chara made no contact with Jimmy Howard.

Tale of two GIFS Patrice Bergeron's goal

Check this out. We have both sides of Dougie Hamilton shot and the redirect goal by Patrice Bergeron. It was the game tying goal for the Boston Bruins. The Bruins would lose the game in a shootout. 

Kevan Miller's huge hit

I was going to add this picture yesterday, but my wireless in the hotel was sketchy at best.

Jarome Iginla Knuckle Puck - GIF

Boston Bruins forward Jarome Iginla scores a knuckle puck goal against Minnesota Wild goalie That was goal 553 of Iggy's career. Darcy Kuemper had no chance on that goal.

Wild and Bruins Battle for First Time in Two Years

Tonight the Minnesota Wild will face the East's best Boston Bruins at the TD Garden in Boston. The match-up will be the first time the two teams have met since February of 2012 because of last season's half season lockout.

The B's come into tonight's tilt as the hottest team in the NHL with an eight game win streak. During that streak, the Bruins have scored 32 goals, plus one extra added because of a shootout victory, which averages out to four goals a game. Teams scoring like that don't lose that often.

Tonight also is the first game that Jarome Iginla would play against his former division rival Minnesota since being traded to the Eastern Conference last season. Iginla, a known Wild killer, has scored more goals against the Wild than any other player in the NHL since the Wild would come into the league in 2000. In His last five games, Iginla has five points with four of those being goals. He also leads the Bruins in goals with 23 and looks to pad his totals tonight against a team where he has had great success against.

As for Minnesota, they find themselves in a little bit of a late season funk, and wins haven't been that easy to come by for the Wild. Since the beginning of March, the Wild are 2-1-3, which isn't terrible, but could have been a lot better if they could hang on to some leads. Having leads in the games against Edmonton and Dallas, they would sit back and watch their wins slide away from them, missing out on key points this late in the season.

Forwards Jason Pominville and Zach Parise, need to keep the offense going and lead this team to victory once again. Pominville, who also has five points in his last five games, and scored the only goal in the Wild's last game against Columbus, seems to be one of the only consistent things offensively as of late. The same can be said for Parise as well.

Minnesota goalie Darcy Kuemper has played virtually lights out hockey since the Olympic break ended, aside from the two speed bumps in Dallas and at home against Edmonton. In his last five games, Kuemper has posted an outstanding .925 save percentage and a goals against of 2.20, solid numbers for any goalie in any league.

People are wondering why Minnesota can't seem to finish games as of late then, and I say it's simple. They aren't playing that puck control hockey they were playing when they were having success. I know this is stating the obvious here, but chances are you control the play with the puck, you control the outcome of the game. Not only that, but Minnesota can't seem to catch a bounce as of late either. A good example of this is the two posts they hit Saturday night against Columbus.

Tonight is West vs. East and we will see if the West hast their continued dominance against the East, or if the hot play of the Bruins can shut down a Minnesota Wild team who can't seem to find a way to finish games as of late. One thing on Minnesota's side tonight is that Boston has not beat Minnesota since 2009. Will this slump end and the Bruins stay hot, or will the Wild finally find a way to finish a game off?

Crazy OT Thought for the NHL...and maybe other leagues (RW77)

Overtime Power Play Face Off (Photo credit: clydeorama)

I was driving around, listening to the Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers game on SiriusXM and the Florida commentators (never got their names) were talking about the upcoming considerations regarding Overtime and the Shootout.

The growing opinion is that the shootouts are not popular among players and coaches because it takes away the team aspect of winning among other things.  Aside from the commentator having a ridiculous reason (airports close so their private jets cannot take off if the game ends, say, 10 minutes later than it would normally.  Ok, nothing prohibits the aircraft from taking off first thing in the morning?), they brought up a few ideas such as 3 on 3s or lengthening OT to 8 or 10 minutes.

I got a crazy idea.  And yeah, it's crazy.  Instead of doing a shootout, why not solve the game outside of OT via the powerplay?  If OT ends and it is still a tie, they resurface the ice and put two minutes up on the clock.  The home team starts off with a 4 on 3 powerplay for 2 minutes.  If the home team scores, the visiting team gets a 4 on 3 powerplay to tie it up.  If they don't score, game over.  If they do, they reset and move to 5 on 3 powerplay for 2 minutes.  I should say:  Shorthanded goals end the game immediately (sort of sudden death).  It's sortof a restating of the college football OT rules.

My original idea, which is you play 10 minute OT periods until someone scores, seems to no longer be ok, so what about this crazy idea?

Can you come up with a better idea? 

Boston Bruins: Torrey Krug sweet move (Vine)

Here's a sweet shootout move by former Michigan State Spartan  and current Boston Bruins defenseman Tory Krug.

NCHC honors Zane Gothberg and Luke Johnson

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Luke Johnson, North Dakota

Freshman Forward

Grand Forks, N.D.

Johnson sparked North Dakota to a sweep at Minnesota Duluth, UND’s second straight sweep, behind a two-goal, four-point series. In Friday’s 3-0 victory, the Chicago Blackhawks prospect had a hand in all three goals for a career-high three-point game, scoring twice and assisting on the other. Johnson scored the game’s first goal in the first period on the power play, which proved to be the game-winner, while he set up the second goal with the primary assist and capped the outing with an unassisted goal in the third period. He had a +2 rating in the game and was named the game’s first star. The next night, Johnson assisted on a power play goal in the second period that tied the game at 2-2 as UND went on to a 6-2 victory. He completed the weekend with a +2 rating while earning NCHC Rookie of the Week for the second time this season.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Zane Gothberg, North Dakota

Sophomore Goaltender

Thief River Falls, Minn.

Gothberg continued his strong play in net of late, backstopping North Dakota to a sweep at Minnesota Duluth. He played all 120 minutes in net, while allowing just two goals in the series with a .970 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average. In Friday’s 3-0 win, the Boston Bruins prospect stopped all 33 shots that came his way in his second start back from injury to pitch his first career shutout, while he was named the game’s second star. On Saturday, Gothberg totaled 31 saves on 33 shots against in a 6-2 victory, while stopping all 23 shots over the final 40 minutes, as he is now unbeaten in his last 12 starts. He also helped UND go 9-for-9 on the penalty kill against the Bulldogs, including 5-for-5 on Saturday. Gothberg totaled 64 saves in the wins while claiming NCHC Goaltender of the Week for the second time this season.

@UNDSID have to think that Gothberg should be @TheNCHC defensive player of the week
— Eric J. Burton THW (@goon48) February 23, 2014

Related articles

• UND Hockey: Another Circle of Sticks and More Inner Geek (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• UND vs UND: Series preview (hockeywilderness.com)
• NCHC Hockey: Breaking Down the Numbers Half Way Point (thehockeywriters.com)

T.J. Oshie's game winning goal against Boston

Of all the people to beat my favorite hockey team, it had to be former Fighting Sioux forward  T.J. Oshie. Actually, Boston Boston overcame a 2-0 deficit to come back and tie the game in the third period. Before Oshie won it for the Blues in overtime.

Oh marvelous, T.J. Oshie scores for the Blues to beat the Bruins in O.T.
— Eric J. Burton THW (@goon48) February 7, 2014

Related articles

• T.J. Oshie hit on Torey Krug (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

T.J. Oshie hit on Torey Krug

Well former Fighting Sioux forward T.J. Oshie was engaged tonight. I wish the refs would have let Johnny Boychuk and Oshie fight first. Osh had his glove off.

The box score reads.
17:59 BOS Johnny Boychuk Roughing - 2 min against T.J. Oshie
17:59 BOS Johnny Boychuk served by Shawn Thornton Roughing - 2 min against T.J. Oshie
17:59 STL T.J. Oshie Roughing - 2 min against Johnny Boychuk

Florida Panthers: Tim Thomas snaps on Carl Soderberg

Former Boston Bruins and current Florida Panthers goalie Tim Thomas made his return to Boston tonight and Timmy's new team didn't do very well against his old team. In fact the Panthers were shell 6-2 by the Bruins. Check out Thomas, as he goes Paul Bunyan on Boston Bruins forward Carl Soderberg.

Dustin Brown scores on Chad Johnson - GIF

That's some bad goaltending by Boston Bruins goalie Chad Johnson. Of course, you have to give Mr. Elbow Dustin Brown some credit as well.

Jonas Hiller Robs Brad Marchand - GIF

f

What a save by Jonas Hiller as he robs the "little ball of hate" Brad Marchand.

Boston Bruins: Ducks Goalie Jonas Hiller Robs Brad Marchand in the Blue Paint (Video)

Anaheim goalie Jonas Hiller robs Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand in the blue paint, nice 10-bell save, The Boston Bruins outshot the Ducks 16-3 in the first period.

Jonas Hiller showing off his phenomenal glove. He robs Brad Marchand from the left circle, and frustrating the B's many chances
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) January 8, 2014

Related articles

• Boston Bruins pest Brad Marchand kisses ring finger (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

Tyler Seguin goals against the Habs - GIF

That's goals number 21 on the year for Dallas Stars forward  Tyler Seguin. Looks almost like a knuckle-puck to me.

Yeah in Review 2013

Personally, I think that 2013 was a crummy year, however, it was a very good year for sports. There's been some really nice stories. When it looked like the Boston Bruins were going back to Chicago for game seven, but it wasn't meant to be, as the Blackhawks scored two goals in 17-seconds to win the Stanley Cup over the Boston Bruins.



The last team in the NCAA tourney, wins the NCAA tourney by going through a bunch of one and two seeded teams. Also, Yale becomes the first Ivy League school as well as the first ECAC team since 1989 to win the NCAA title. With the NCAA title win, the ECAC sheds the EZAC label.

The Minnesota Wild sign the big-time free agents Ryan Suter and Zach Parise in the summer of 2012 and the Minnesota make the Stanley Cup for the first time since the 2006-07 season. However, the Wild playoff drive is short lived as they are quickly dispatched in five games (4-1) by the eventual Stanley Cup champion the Chicago Blackhawks.



After much discussion, hand wringing and teeth gnashing, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference begins play in Oxford, Ohio as North Dakota and Miami play in the first ever game. North Dakota would go on to win game one by a score of 4-2.



The Toronto Maple Leafs looked like they were headed to the second-round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Leafs had what looked like a comfortable 4-1 lead. Then the roof fell in on the Maple Leafs during the third period. The Bruins would move on to face the New York Rangers in the second round of the playoffs.



Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand, aka the Little Ball of Hate, would get things rolling in round two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Boston Bruins would win in overtime.

Like I mentioned earlier, personally, for me, 2013 has been one of those years that I will soon hopefully forget, but there's been some great sports stories. Happy New Year and see you next year.

Bettman upholds Thornton's 15-game suspension

The Ruling has come down. The NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has upheld Shawn Thornton's 15-game suspension.


NEW YORK -- Commissioner Gary Bettman today upheld the 15-game suspension that was assessed to Boston Bruins forward Shawn Thornton by the Department of Player Safety for punching and injuring an unsuspecting opponent, Brooks Orpik of the Pittsburgh Penguins, in NHL Game No. 438 at Boston on Dec. 7.

Commissioner Bettman heard Thornton's appeal at a hearing in New York on Friday, Dec. 20. The original decision was assessed Dec. 14.

The incident occurred at 11:06 of the first period. Thornton was assessed a match penalty for violating NHL Rule 46.15.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Thornton will forfeit $84,615.45. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Click here to view Commissioner's complete ruling (PDF)