Claude Julien vindicated...

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeAs a Boston Bruins fans I must admit that I have been critical of Claude Julien in the past... I think with his teams efforts on the ice this spring I believe he has vindicated himself with advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals  against the Vancouver Canucks, there were rumblings that if Claude Julien's team didn't get out of the second round Claude might get relieved of his coaching duties.

So if you look at it from another unexamined angle; while Claude Julien's Bruins teams have beaten the Montreal Canadians two out of the three times his Bruins have played them in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Bruins also have faced some adversity... Last season after having a three games to none lead and a three goal lead in game seven the Bruins ended up chocking and losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in game seven. This season his team rebounded to beat the Flyers in four games to  exercise the demons from last season. Finally tonight; Julien's team advanced to the Stanley Cup Playoffs by beating a very good Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team... How do I like him now?

Chad Finn --- Boston Globe ---- If there was a concern among fans that that Roloson's ability to keep the Bruins off the board would lead to Tampa Bay stealing it on a fluky goal, it might have been justified. But the Bruins themselves never thought that way, maintaining their resolve even when frustration could have seeped in.

The evidence that the Bruins always kept their faith even as Roloson stymied them time and again became clear to Julien in the second intermission.

"When I walked into the locker room before the third period, I didn't have much to say," said Julien. "When I was outside, I could hear the points they were making, and they were bang-on. The attitude was that eventually we will get rewarded. And that's exactly what happened. I couldn't be prouder of the approach we took all throughout this game. We never let up once."

The victory also was a vindication of sorts for the coach, who as recently as the first-round series with Montreal -- in which the Bruins lost the first two games before winning in seven -- was perceived to be coaching for his job in some corners. Julien said that talk never gets to him.

"I say this all the time, but I don't care what anyone says. It doesn't bother me, and I don't really hear it," he said. "What matters to me is what happens in that dressing room. And as much as I'm getting criticism from some people, I'm getting pats on the back from others."

After the Bruins victory tonight, Julien can expect many more of the latter.

Related articles

• Claude Julien looks to improve his Boston record in elimination games tonight against Guy Boucher (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• 2011 NHL Playoffs: Can Zdeno Chara Solve the Boston Bruins' Powerplay Issues? (bleacherreport.com)
• Bruins coach Claude Julien cryptic about whether or not Patrice Bergeron plays tonight (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• Go Bruins (infieldchatter.wordpress.com)

Ut...Oh... (Redwing77)

It's been a while since my last rant so here goes...

Poor Poor Bettman

NHL Ninconpoop Gary Bettman is now demoralized again. First, his beloved Pens were eliminated. Next, he finds out that Crosby was holding out on him on his condition (so all along Gary held onto the hope that Crosby would be back just in time for naught). Now, his second favorite team (albeit red headed stepchild indeed) is gone. Tampa Bay eliminated the Craps in 4 games today. This behind 75 year old Dwayne Roloson's stellar play. Hey Wild fans, Roloson is in the Eastern Conference Finals. At least one former Wild is enjoying life right now.

In any case, I can revert back to being a general hockey fan now that the Craps are gone too. Perhaps we'll get to see what the NHL PR department has up its sleeve now that they have to try to promote someone not named Ovechkin or Crosby and not teams like Pittsburgh or Washington. I can't wait to see their creative juices flow.

Finishers anyone? Maybe finished is the better term.

Yup, I'm calling out the Red Wings. They've played San Jose close. Too bad they've rarely played San Jose well. They seemed lackadaisical at times and almost over confident. This OT was the first time I saw Detroit actually taking it to San Jose... only to see the D abandon them once again.

They now find themselves down 3-0 to San Jose. The big question, from my seat, is thus: Will Detroit end their season being swept or will they at least take one game? Right now, they seem to be unable to finish. San Jose seems to find finishers when they need it the most. Oh, and weak goals are great, right Howard? Setoguchi's second goal was W-E-A-K. Detroit's stupidity at D helped San Jose tie the game.

It's a stupid charge but... if Detroit wants to prove something, they're going to have to win Game 4 in big fashion... like by 3+ goals. I'm not saying Howard has to pitch a shutout, because with the D in front of him, that's like asking positive thinking along to stop mudslides from occurring in California. It's just not going to happen. Game 3 was a must win. They lost. buy a lottery ticket folks, you have a better chance at winning than Detroit has to move on. Stats and odds be darned.

Win or you're considered a pretender not a contender. I'm not going to say that Detroit has to win out to prove themselves because, this Red Wings fan thinks that there's now way Detroit advances. But if they want to have ANY respect at all from me, they're going to have to challenge San Jose more than they already have.

Color me a pessimist, but I doubt it.

And before anyone calls me out for daring point to a bunch of hockey players and call them pretenders or losers and then cite how I vehemently defend UND and collegiate hockey players know this: Datsyuk isn't an amateur. Howard isn't an amateur. Detroit isn't a member of the NCAA. These guys are PROs. They are being paid hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars per year to push their team towards the Stanley Cup. Detroit, further more, isn't the Atlanta Thrashers or Florida Panthers. They shouldn't just be happy to have made the playoffs.

Play like you want to be there or dress all your young players so they can get playoff experience and pack it in.

Oh, and last but not least...

Anyone want to earn some notoriety? I hear they're looking for a goaltender in Philadelphia. They've got plenty of backup goaltenders ready to push for your starting job so there is some pressure involved. The good news is, if you can stop a beach ball from going behind you, you have a pretty decent team in front of you. With Pronger on the ice, your team may even injure enough players to make it even if it isn't!

Sean O'Donnell vs Nathan Horton

You don’t see as many fights during NHL Stanley Cup as you do during the regular season because of the instigator rule, but down by a few goals and trying to spark his team Sean O'Donnell started a fight with Nathan Horton. If you look at this way, it was a smart move by the veteran Sean O'Donnell because he takes a more skilled player off the ice with him.

After leaping into the boards Adam McQuaid has a sprained neck...

In case you were wondering, Brendan Hall from ESPN is reporting that Adam McQuaid has a sprained neck that he suffered from attempting to check Mike Richards during Monday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers. McQuaid is listed as day to day.

BOSTON -- Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid has a sprained neck and is day to day, coach Claude Julien said on Tuesday.

McQuaid slammed headfirst into the boards late in the first period of Monday night's Game 2 overtime win over Philadelphia and lay motionless on the ice for several minutes before skating off with the help of teammates Zdeno Chara and Milan Lucic. He also received help getting to the locker room.

The defenseman was taken to Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia but flew back to Boston Monday night with the team.

"Everything so far has come out negative," Julien said of testing. "He's a day-to-day player right now."

Edit: Adam McQuaid misses Mike Richards

I thought I would post this in case you haven't seen it yet, this attempted check by Adam McQuaid on Mike Richards, it didn't end well for Adam McQuaid... You can bet that the Bruins players would love to get a piece of Mike Richards but you have to play under control and pick your spots. Apparently McQuaid was taken to Jefferson Hospital for evaluation, no word on his status for game three.

Chris Pronger slash

Watch this two handed slash from Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger as he hacks Boston Bruins forward Daniel Paille. In looking at the video I thought that warranted more than a two minute penalty.

Mike Richards pastes Tim Connolly

Another night, another dangerous hit. The Buffalo Sabres are not happy with Mike Richards hit on Tim Connolly. Sabres All World goalie Ryan Miller had this to say on the hit, "If Mike Richards thinks we're getting away with murder I don't know what he just got away with. Mass murder? Are we stepping up a notch? Unbelievable." This could be a rough game seven if either team gets a big lead. If you see a players rear numbers you can not drive them face first into the boards.

Mike Richards elbow on Patrick Kaleta

I not sure what to make out of this call, if was a definitely an elbow to the head of Patrick Kaleta but I believe that Mike Richards was trying to protect himself from getting hit by Kaleta. Should Mike Richards be suspended for this hit? I don't know, it's different than some of the other hits we have seen during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Was the penalty 5, 10 and a game misconduct enough? That is what the NHL is going to have to decide.

Jeff Carter goal on Ryan Miller.

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Edit - What a goal scorers move by Flyers forward Jeff Carter, as he makes one of the best goaltenders in the NHL look human as he used the defenseman's stick in front of him to deflect the puck past Miller...

Rangers Ryan Callahan nets 4 goals versus Flyers

Nice to see the American boy and Rangers forward Ryan Callahan getting four goals against the Philadelphia Flyers yesterday. Callahan single handily destroyed Eastern Conference Leaders the Philadelphia Flyers 7-0.

Rangers and Flyers shenanigans.

The Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Rangers 3-2 last night and there was a lot of extra stuff going on during the game. Check this out move by Flyers forward Danny Briere and Flyers “hack” Scott Hartnell they are actually taking swipes at Rangers forward Brandon Prust as he skates by the Flyers players bench after a big hit on Kimmo Timmonen, that’s straight out of the movie Slap Shot.


Sean Avery you should be ashamed of yourself, first off Matt Carle is not a fighter, second, when your sparring partner hits the ice you stop swinging, its part of the hockey code you don’t keep feeding him a few more rights. Sean “sloppy seconds” Avery should get a couple days on the beach for that bush league move, I think it would be an understatement to say that Avery is a two bit knuckle head. That was the first ever fight for Matt Carle, I guess if you can call getting fed a couple of right while you're laying on the ice a fight.

Sources: Flyers Inquire About Boston Goalie Thomas

This is a story that has picked up steam tonight on line. Redwing77 mentioned in an earlier blog post that the Boston Bruins are shopping their over priced former number one goalie around the NHL. The Bruins are going to be hard pressed to trade Thomas because of his age and his expensive contract.

LOS ANGELES – Goalie Tim Thomas is 36 years old and would cost $5 million a year in cap space, “if” someone decided to make a trade with Boston.

Sources at the Board of Governors confirmed on Thursday that Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren and Boston’s Peter Chiarelli have spoken about the netminder, who has three years left on his contract and has been replaced as a starter by Tuukka Rask.

Chiarelli is trying hard to unload Thomas and has spoken to a number of clubs. Neither Holmgren nor Chiarelli would comment.

Flyers’ sources say, however, they consider Thomas “too expensive,” despite his 2.56 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in 43 games last season.

Outside sources say, however, the Flyers are willing to move two players “if” they decide to go the Thomas route and “if” it’s the right players to move. Those sources added the only untouchable Flyers are Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.

That said, these sources have the impression that, in the end, the Flyers may end up re-signing Michael Leighton...

RW77's 2010 Playoff Good, Bad, and Ugly

Ok, a little review of the 2010 Playoffs in Good, Bad, and Ugly Format. Some will review previous posts but I think it will all sum up here.

The Good

The Chicago Blackhawks - They won the Cup. They did so with a ROOKIE goaltender... Ok, NHL rookie goaltender. Niemi was already well established in the Finnish Elite Leagues before coming to Chicago. It was really amazing to see such a team effort pay off. And like I said, Ubersieve Huet gets his name on the Cup. He's probably the happiest on the team (think about it... railed on unmercifully with some calling him the most overpaid bust in the NHL and it wasn't me and he gets his name on the cup.

The Philadelphia Flyers - Goon covered the storyline aspect but lets face it folks... this series could have gone either way. As aggravating as they are to watch, they did a great job. I don't like Pronger and I despise Carcillo but they did play the game about as well as anyone could ask. Not to mention the fact that, and it's been driven home like the beating of a dead horse but, Philly basically played the entire season and playoffs with 1 career backup (Leighton), 1 career nutjob/disappointment (Emery), and 1 almost was (Boucher) in net. And an ex Red Wing gets my nod as the Flyer MVP imo (Ville Leino). Ok, Pronger probably got the actual award from the team but still...

Jaroslav Halak - I still maintain that he was THE best goaltender in this year's playoffs. Period. Just look at what happened to the Habs when Price started in net? He made incredible saves. I do not know if this type of dominance he displayed will carry over (it didn't for Jose Theodore) but I have to give him the benefit of the doubt. He was fun to watch.

Jonathon Toews - Yup. Talked about before. I think Sidney Crosby will be one of the best young players statistically but I think Toews is all around right with Crosby. And the best part is that only Chicago has the expectations. No one else seems to care. So he's under far less pressure than Crosby is and he's, imo, just as good.

Dustin Byfuglien - He's what an enforcer or instigator should be. Yappin at the mouth and making big hits. And the kid who lived for a long time in a mobile home behind grandma and grandpa's house makes it good. I wonder if there's anything in Roseau, MN left standing?

Chris Pronger - Dislike him and his methods but... I doubt the Flyers would have made it as far as they did without him playing as well as he did.

Mike Richards - He did great too.

Sidney Crosby - Bettman's golden boy did pretty good all things considered. Luckily for all involved his team folded at the end.

The Bad

The Pittsburgh Penguins - They folded at the end. This was supposed to be THE team to beat in the playoffs... or at least that's what the media and Bettman wanted you to believe. Fleury still is a vastly overrated goaltender that got VERY lucky (see Giguere and the Ducks) last year. This year, luck ran out.

The Detroit Red Wings - Too bad they used all of their energy and talent to get past the Coyotes. I'm sure San Jose was looking for a competitive series. In the end, the ruse worked. Red Wings turtle, giving San Jose a superiority complex and a big ego. They go into Chicago and get beat. The bright spot is that the core of the team is still good and Jimmy Howard looks good too.

The officiating - It wasn't ugly but it was close at times. I hate the playoff rulebook.

The ugly

Gary Bettman - I don't need to rant too much on this one but I still give a glowing response to his reception after the game yesterday. I think it couldn't happen to a "better" man. I wonder what it is like to have a likeable or even competent commissioner?

The Bruins - See Goon's Post

Daniel Carcillo - His dives... need I say more?

The Blackhawk salary cap situation - Rumors are flying on ESPN.com's Rumor Central about the Blackhawks are soon to be broken up. I don't know if I believe that as ESPN is known for bending reality for ratings and not really caring too much about anything hockey related, but it will be interesting. I just don't see the current team being able to continue with the amount of money being paid out. It could be the end of the time in Chicago for players like Ladd, Sharp, and Madden.

Captains courageous: Teams expect Toews and Richards to rise to occasion

I think the fact that both captains have been held in check during the series speaks volumes of the defensive game both teams have played. I think Jonathan Towes is going to win the Conn Smythe if the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup. Both players are sitting at minus numbers for the series Mike Richards: -6 Jonathan Toews: -4 respectively.

PHILADELPHIA — Two weeks ago, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews was hailed as one of the NHL's best two-way players and a prime candidate for the Conn Smythe trophy as the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Around the same time, Flyers captain Mike Richards was touted as a modern-day Bobby Clarke for his one-goal, two-assist performance in the team's Eastern Conference clincher against Montreal, a showcase of his grit, timely scoring and playmaking.

Surprisingly, neither center has approached that level during the Cup final. Their success at changing that Wednesday night in Game 6 will be crucial in determining whether the Blackhawks leave the Wachovia Center with the Cup or the Flyers pull another Houdini act and extend this to the proverbial anything-can-happen seventh game Friday night at the United Center.

The Chrissy Pronger story.

I have to wonder if the Chicago Tribune is going to regret putting this unflattering picture of Chris Pronger in their paper or not? Personally I think it's funny but it’s unnecessary.

The Chicago Tribune printed a photo of Flyers defenceman Chris Pronger on Tuesday, which named the veteran as "Chrissy Pronger" and used an altered photo showing him wearing a dress while playing.

Pronger was asked by the media if he had seen the story.

"I don't read what you guys write - good or bad," replied Pronger.

It definitely wasn't good, or flattering. A photo-shopped picture, and a play on his name. He was asked if such shots against him plus the negative reaction that he receives in Chicago motivate his play on the ice. For his part, Pronger wasn't biting.

"I really couldn't care to be honest with you," said Pronger.
[TSN.COM]

Big Buff smokes Chris Pronger

Talk about finishing a check against your opponent that was a text book hit. Last night the Blackhawks did what they needed to do to win the game. The Blackhawks finished their checks and jumped on the Flyers mistakes.

Chris Pronger owning the Hawks

There has been a lot of talk about Flyers Defenseman Chris Pronger during this season's Stanley Cup playoffs. Some of the comments I have read is that Pronger is a douche bag, thug or a major league hack or insert ______ your favorite description of Chris Pronger here.

Personally, while I think the officiating has been brutal at best in the Stanley Cup playoffs, I don’t think Chris Pronger is a hack. I also don't think Chris Pronger is a dirty player, he is a tough, hard nosed player. Like someone said in another post, however, while I don't like Pronger personally especially after the Bruins lost to his team as well, most of us would've probably love to have him on our team. Pronger is not a player from the Daniel "the Hack" Carcillo mold.

Sure! Chris Pronger has been suspended a couple of times by the NHL for questionable play. Physically, Chris Pronger is a mountain of a man, he is 6"6" tall weighing in at 220 pounds and he has been very effective in this series taking the Blackhawks off of their game. Also, I have seen Pronger using his stick on the Blackhawks players but I lay the blame at the officials for that one.

If anything Chris Pronger is in the Blackhawk player’s head and he is causing them to take stupid penalties and knock them off their game. That’s NHL hockey folks and Chris Pronger and the Flyers are exploiting the young Blackhawks players almost to perfection. I can't fault them for that. You play with what the refs give you.

Being matched with Matt Carle against the line of Jonathan Toews, Dustin Byfuglien, and Patrick Kane has been the Flyers trump card in their two wins. Pronger was +4 last night, while Patrick Kane was -4, this despite a furious third-period comeback where visions of John Stevens danced in our heads. That line has been completely shut down, while the forward line matched against them has tore them apart. Ville Leino has done nothing but score huge goals for this team, and has even prompted a “#Villedelphia” tag on Twitter. Toews has been unable to get into the middle consistently, Byfuglien started being moved about the lineup (although I don’t think his two-minute shift was part of Joel Quennville’s plan), and Patrick Kane, well, -4 speaks for itself.

The point is that the Blackhawks have been more worried about that Chris Pronger is doing to them as opposed to what they’re doing to Chris Pronger. Sure, Pronger has gotten away with some marginable, if not questionable, stick-tactics in this series. But that’s going both ways. Look at what is and is not being called. Anyone who watches hockey on a regular basis knows that as the playoffs go on, the rules usually change. I’ve been watching hockey since I was 10 years old, and this might be the first time that over the course of a series, the Flyers have made the officiating and advantage for them. They know what they can get away with, and whether it’s right or wrong, it’s going both ways. It’s not Chris Pronger’s fault that the Blackhawks allow themselves to go over the edge. Last night, the Blackhawks took three offensive zone penalties, none of them being goaltender interference. That’s something that has to absolutely drive Quennville up a tree. And now the media focus is off of Chris Pronger messing with Ben Eager, it’s Chris Pronger shutting down Chicago’s top line. Right now, they know what’s coming, and they must feel like there’s nothing they can do about it. [Read the story here]

Here is what I do if I was the Blackhawks coach, I tell the players to stop taking moronic penalties and play their game, and tell them not to get distracted or involved in stupid selfish after the whistle stuff with the Flyers. Take the body, hit their top players. See if you can catch Richards or Carter with some big hits.

Carcillo is a moron...

I am not a fan of Flyer's hack Daniel Carcillo. I just don't have any time for the so called agitators the punks that skate all over the ice taking liberties with the opposition's skilled players. This time he took out his own team mate. Oh well!

Richards touches the Prince of Wales Trophy

The Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews didn't touch the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. Mike Richards took the cup and marched off to the Flyers dressing room. The celebration was subdued as well for both captains. Just for the record; last year Sidney Crosby touched the Prince of Wales Trophy and we all know how that turned out. Just for the record I think the Blackhawks are going to win in six games.

Carcillo mad at Cammalleri for sticking his tounge out at him.

When I read this article my first impression was that “uber hack” Daniel Carcillo must be running for douche bag of the month in the NHL. The man is a clown and not to be taken seriously. One thing that I think is funny is that Carcillo dives up and down the ice and makes a mockery of the officials and he is going to lecture Michael Cammalleri about respect? It's also funny how Carcillo goes after the more skilled players but doesn't want anything to do with the heavy weights like Colton Orr. Respect is earned Carcillo. I can’t believe the press would even cover these comments from Carcillo.

MONTREAL -- Losing to the Montreal Canadiens was bad enough for Philadelphia Flyers agitator Daniel Carcillo. Seeing Michael Cammalleri stick out his tongue at him following a skirmish was over the top.

If that is the way the Canadiens want to play, Carcillo is up for the challenge. One day after their 5-1 loss in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final, the Flyers got back to work.

Being disrespected by Cammalleri is another thing Carcillo and his teammates intend to use as a rallying point when they hit the ice again Saturday for Game 4. Philadelphia will be trying to take a 3-1 series lead back home for Game 5 on Monday.

Carcillo was still bothered Friday by Cammalleri's actions that occurred when a linesman broke up a shoving match between the two late in the second period while the Canadiens led 3-0.

"It's embarrassing," Carcillo said. "We could maybe keep that in the pit of our stomach (Saturday) for a little extra motivation."

Carcillo then called Cammalleri "a homer," noting that the Canadiens never tried anything like that during the Flyers' two home wins at the start of the series. With a smile, he added that the last time anyone stuck their tongue out at him was "probably a girl -- a pretty one, too."

Cammalleri saw nothing wrong with what he did. He said he and Carcillo went to the same school in King City, Ontario, and have numerous mutual friends.

"It's hockey. You jaw a little bit out there," said Cammalleri, who scored the opening goal Thursday -- Montreal's first of the series. "You know what, when you're winning the game, it's fun, so you try to enjoy it."
[TSN.COM]

Here is the Philly line on the incident in question. The big mean Broad Bully's sound like a bunch of middle school choir girls. I am beginning to long for the old school NHL hockey where if you had a beef with another player on the ice you settled it like men and didn’t whine in the media.

"There's a fine line between cocky and confident," Daniel Carcillo said. Canadian reporters were asking him about a moment captured on the arena's scoreboard screen.

Montreal forward Michael Cammalleri was seen sticking his tongue out at Carcillo. That and some trash talk from Maxim Lapierre had the Flyers smoldering a bit. [Philly.com]