The Shootout, worth it?

Welcome to my first ever post looking at making the league a better place. There's lots of things people argue about in the NHL. It's a very divisive league. On a good day you will hear people arguing about things like Hits, Icing, Bringing back the two-line pass, etc... However you can always recognize the people who seem to actually care by listening to the ones who discuss the Shootout. As the very first post of this fledgling blog, Chris wrote about how he felt about the shootout. I'm of much the same mind. I think the tie-breaking in the NHL has become little more than a sham. I'm not a fan of 3 point games, and I think the league could be better simply by doing away with what amounts to little more than a skills competition.

Stanley Cup Final Predictions

If you still haven't figured it out yet, I'm not quite the hockey guru that some of my fellow bloggers are, but I like to think I bring some sort of charisma to the table, if you will. The first round, I tried to be educated about my predictions, and I got about 50% of them right. In round 2, I was basing my picks off the performances in the previous round, and again, was about 50% right. Last round, it was all about what I wanted and I was 100% right. Sure you could argue that with the number of teams and series dwindling, I had a better chance of getting lucky with whom I picked to win, but based on the calls of my more educated bloggers, I say going with the gut is more accurate than going with the numbers. Unfortunately for my ways of prediction, however, my gut is pretty torn on this one, so I'll attempt to talk you and me through the scenario until we settle on an outcome.

So here we are in the Stanley Cup Finals with just two teams left, the New Jersey Devils, clearly a favorite of more than one of our bloggers, and the LA Kings, who happened to be equally admired as well. So now I must choose between favoritism and admiration. I'm curious to see which one wins out...

I'm sure some of you have wondered why I'm a Devils fan to begin with. I mean, I am from Massachusetts, and we do have a fantastic team in of our own. While I do love my Boston Boys, the Devils were actually the reason I started watching hockey to begin with. It was about 2 and a half years ago when I started watching hockey at college and the Devils seemed popular with my hockey loving friends. Once I started watching, I became hooked, even though the Devils weren't at their best that first season. I honestly don't remember if they even made the playoffs or not, and if they did, they didn't make it very far. As I mentioned before though, I'm a Boston baseball fan, so I am more than used to having a team fall short every year. Not finishing the year with a championship did not even come close to deterring me from remaining a Devils fan.

Watching the Devils got me into watching the Bruins, of course, and I was lucky enough to witness a Stanley Cup victory in my first year as a real hockey fan. It was an incredible feeling staying up until 3 or 4 in the morning watching the Bruins pull off miracle after miracle in game 7 after game 7. (I was only up that late because I was in England, watching them on my computer screen) The excitement and anticipation of watching those games were more than amazing, and the Devils have been no different for me this season. I would be overjoyed if I could see the Devils finish their under-dog rise the way the Bruins did last year, and allow me to see my two favorite teams win back-to-back Stanley Cups. It would also be nice to give Kovy a final and undeniable reason to have tell the media to politely "shove it" with all their comments about how he isn't worth the price the Devils paid.

While my enthusiasm for the LA Kings isn't as strong as the enthusiasm and passion I hold for the Devils, I really do respect their organization and what they've done this year. Honestly, I never really followed any team in the West until I was told to watch NHL 36. The first episode I saw was with Mike Richards and the LA Kings. Not to be terribly cliche, but I was star struck by the Hollywood team. To continue in my trend of honesty, I was captivated more by Mike Richards himself than the team he recently joined, but he was the stepping stone that made me an admirer of the team. He seemed like a lovely fellow and they played hockey something fierce, so in my mind, I had every reason I needed to declare them my Western favorites.

So here we are again, my Eastern favorite and my Western favorite meet for the final showdown. Of course, I am pleased as punch because no matter what the outcome of this series brings, one of my teams will go home a victor. I'm actually afraid for my personal future in hockey because between last year and this year, I have been downright spoiled by the playoffs and I have a strange feeling that I won't go home with a winner every year... So who will get the spoils this year? Will I be equally spoiled as I was last year with my top team bringing home the cup, or will I be contently satisfied with the LA Kings bringing home the cup?

I feel like it should be obvious that I want to pick the Devils as the winner simply because I feel much more loyal and dedicated to them, but predicting this series simply based on what I want isn't as easy as it's been in previous rounds. What's holding me back is how much the Kings have done to get to where they are and what a victory will mean to them. I've been told many times before about the heroic Devils of the past, the amazing players like Stevens, the multiple Stanley Cups, the invention of the trap and how they changed the game of hockey. The Devils have had an amazing past in the short 30 years (happy belated birthday) they've been part of the NHL, but the LA Kings have yet to win the immortal Stanley Cup in their 45 years of existence. I want the Devils to win, of course, but I feel like it would mean so much more to LA if the Kings brought home their first cup. I feel like Mike Richards could use the ego boost as well, since I feel like trading away your captain is a huge betrayal in the sports world and he should be able to show the Flyers (who performed horribly in Round 1 at least) just how great he truly is. Based on those reasons, I am going to say the Kings take home the cup, but I want hockey to last as long as possible so it's going to game 7. Both teams have the passion, the skills, and the power to push it that far.

The puck drops at 8, here's to hockey.

Some Nostalgia and the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals Through the Cinematic Looking Glass

            Not long into game 6’s overtime, Alexei Ponikarovsky picked up a loose puck courtesy of an Ilya Kovalchuk rebound. Seeing no immediate play, he circled back, shielding the puck with his 6’4, 225 lb Ukrainian frame. He arrived at the half boards, known for their ability to tell players that it is time to make a decision, and quickly. Ponikarovsky, known as “Pony” by the Devils’ faithful (and Hurricanes’, Kings’, Penguins’ and Leafs’ before then) did what forwards are trained to do in that situation. No obvious play? Throw it on goal, preferably low and hard. The clock read 19:05, and Pony did just that. Eight deceptively long seconds and a desperate multinational net-mouth scramble later, Adam Henrique poked a puck that was somehow still loose over the red line, summoning a flashing light and a mob of sweaters of that same color. It was over. The 2012 Stanley Cup Finals had been set. For the second time in these playoffs, Adam Henrique had personally punched the Devils’ ticket into the next round. Exciting to be sure, but it was so much more than that for the Devils, for their players, staff, and faithful. It wasn’t just the excitement of being in the Stanley Cup Finals, but the exorcism of a very old, pesky, and according to some, already exorcised demon. Even a Devil can be tormented by a demon, and the memories of the Spring of ’94 fall under that very category.

Warning: The following paragraphs involve this author becoming what many would call a “homer.” If reading the nostalgic ramblings of a Devils’ homer is not your cup of tea (and probability dictates that it almost certainly is not), then please skip said paragraphs, and meet me after the next bold print, with a beer in hand.

            What else is there to say? By my most unbiased account, the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals ranks as the best playoff series of all time. To refresh your memory, The Rangers and Devils had finished with the top two records in the NHL that season (though the Devils had the 3^rd seed due to both teams playing in the Atlantic Division, which at the time was one of only two). The Rangers were the far and away favorites, finally bringing Broadway to the top of the NHL after years of disappointment. The team had brought in an army of cup-winning veterans, almost recreating the 1980s Edmonton Oilers dynasty. As destiny would have it, the Rangers would earn a match with their evil, redheaded, younger stepbrother from just across the Hudson (you know, the one who moves in, tries to steal all of your toys and attention, but is mostly just annoying?). The Devils were a surprise, putting 11 years of mediocrity behind them, and icing one of hockey’s best surprises, led by a team-first mentality, a ferocious defensive corps led by Scott Stevens, and a rookie goaltender that you just KNEW was probably going to be a big deal someday, some 22 year old kid named Martin Brodeur. The Devils manage to steal a Game 5 at MSG, taking a 3-2 lead in the series. They can go back home to the swamp and finish off the upset. Instead, Ranger captain Mark Messier guarantees victory, and backs up his promise with a hat-trick in game 6, now simply known as “The Guarantee.” Game seven goes back to MSG. The Rangers hang on to a 1-0 lead, but that pesky redhead ties the game with 7 seconds left in the third. Overtime commences. No goals are scored. A second overtime commences, and how can you forget the call? No Devils fan can. Ranger fans use it as their taunt, their battle cry: “…MATTEAU, MATTEAU, STEPHANE MATTEAU…”

            And so you see, when in 2012, the Devils stole a game 5 in Madison Square Garden, only to come home with a chance to close out the series in game six, how could you not think of how eerily similar this was? When Adam Henrique scored that goal, he erased one of the most painful moments in Devil history. Martin Brodeur claimed not to have made the connection. How could he not have? He was a rookie goaltender that year, and I was a rookie Devils fan. I was five years old, but even then, I understood how important it was that we had a team that was “New Jersey.” It was not New York and not Philadelphia, and they were good. So when Matteau scored that goal to sink the Devils, it didn’t matter that the Devils would win the next year, and two more after that, because that demon was still there. So when a Devils fan claims that we rewrote history, I don’t take it lightly, because that memory still hurt, and there was no greater feeling than when Adam Henrique poked that puck over the thin red line. There was no “Guarantee,” and no miracle hat-trick this time. The Devils were given a second chance, and they took it.

The “homerism” ends here. Feel free to commence reading.

            The easiest assessment to make is that Hollywood could not have written a more dramatic, emotional ending to that series. You could make that assessment, but Hollywood may beg to differ. The Devils will be facing the Los Angeles Kings in the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals, to end a playoff season rife with drama and almost fairytale storylines. So how better to take an early look at the finals than by looking at our favorite character archetypes from those very stories:

Note the context in which each example is given. It changes. Do not try to “foil” any of these. It will hurt your head.

The Hero: Adam Henrique, New Jersey Devils

            There is not too much to be explained here. Henrique is one of two players in the history of NHL to score two overtime series-ending goals in one playoff season. The other was Martin Gelinas of the Calgary Flames; he accomplished the feat in 2004. And yet, according to some, what truly makes him a hero is that he is a “good, hard-working Canadian kid.”

The Villain: Zach Parise, New Jersey Devils

            “But Chris, if Henrique is a hero, how can Parise be labeled a villain, especially given his Lady Byng nominations and basically his ‘Captain America’ persona?” Well, I now refer you to my warning of not attempting to “foil” any of these examples. Allow me to explain: The Devils have been frequently maligned since they started achieving success in the mid 90s. “They ruined hockey, they play the wrong way, they would be nothing without their goaltending, they would be nothing without their defense, blah blah blah etc.” Well, guess who is back in the spotlight, and now more maligned than ever? That red-headed stepbrother you love to hate. And who should you hate most? Who better than Zach Parise, the epitome of Devil’s hockey, and naturally, their captain and superstar? And for those of you still trying to foil: Henrique has been quoted as saying he has learned a lot from Parise as a mentor, so if you want to look at the “Father-Son” archetype, think of Vader and Luke. One hero, one villain, one point made.

The Anti-Hero: Dustin Brown, Los Angeles Kings

            Dustin Brown has led by example for Los Angeles this spring. He hits hard, plays hard, scores goals, sets up plays, and is no stranger to stirring the pot. Unfortunately for him and for the hockey world in general, some negative attention has been drawn to his reputation as a diver. More notably, his questionable hit on Michal Roszival mere seconds before the Kings would clinch the West in overtime hung a tangible shadow over what was an impressive victory, and continued excellence from Brown. Love him or hate him, you can’t deny that he is a frontrunner for the Conn Smythe, and that is what makes him the anti-hero.

The Anti-Villain(s): Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, Los Angeles Kings

            This one is interesting. These two were considered centerpieces to the Philadelphia Flyers powerhouse that lost the 2010 Stanley Cup Final to Chicago. Seemingly out of nowhere, both were traded out of Philly on the same day to make room for Ilya Bryzgalov. Naturally, this raised some eyebrows. Eventually, a story leaked that linked excessive partying by the duo that led to some locker room friction, evidently enough to warrant an impromptu changing of the guard on Broad Street. While these rumors were never confirmed, the story has followed them to Los Angeles (with a pit stop in Columbus for Jeff Carter). But Los Angeles fans are seeing what many angry Philadelphia fans already knew. They may party, but never once has there been cause to suspect that it affects the on-ice product. The fact that the duo is four wins away from partying with Lord Stanley’s Cup is all the evidence they (and I) need.

The Wise Elder: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils

            The wise elder may not be the same man he used to be, but make no mistake. He is the wise elder for a reason, and still likely has a few tricks up his sleeve. Is Martin Brodeur the goaltender that he used to be? Probably not, and yet he has once again backstopped the Devils to the finals, defying his age. Think Gandalf the Grey, despite pucks and balrogs sharing very little in the way of ballistic properties.

The Specialist: Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey Devils

            In any decent action movie, you have that guy who just has one job. It may not even be crucial to the plot of the story, but it is his one job and he does it better than anyone. For argument’s sake, let’s say that Ilya Kovalchuk is a “sniper.” A sniper you see in war movies, the kind that kind of goes off on his own, just “sniping”, while the rest of the unit fights the good fight. In most of these movies, this “sniper” is forced to take on a more integral role, generally much more central to the story at hand. Is there a better metaphor for what has gone on for Ilya Kovalchuk? Once a player whose only task in Atlanta was to just skate around, shoot and score, while the other 19 guys figured out a way to win consistently. He came to New Jersey and found that the Devils were not going to use that approach with him. From being oft-maligned as a “selfish, lazy (and of course, Russian) superstar,” he has transformed into a true team player, and a Conn Smythe (and some even suggest a Hart) candidate. But don’t be fooled. He may be playing a completely different game in the red and black, but he can still “snipe” with the best of them.

The Quiet Workhorse: Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings

            You don’t necessarily see this in movies much, but I’m sure we all know someone like this. He shows up, does his job with the best of them, without complaint, and consistently well, and goes home without saying much. I am reminded of Boxer from George Orwell’s Animal Farm. This is Jonathan Quick. He is notoriously short-spoken and reserved in front of the media, and by gosh if today’s media day in Newark didn’t exemplify that to a tee. Speaking a hushed monosyllabic tone from under a baseball cap and a hood (teammate Dustin Penner claimed he was “channeling his inner Eminem”), Quick made it clear he was here to stop the puck and not much else. And why should there be much else? He is a goalie.

The Not-So-Shocking Plot Twist: The Fourth Lines, Both Teams:

            It’s been echoed like a broken record in a cave, surrounded by bats, who like to record things and play them over and over, but in the playoffs, first lines often cancel, and scoring and success can hinge on the your depth, namely at forward. So it should be the least surprising of all surprises that both the Kings and Devils have fourth lines that have performed to the point where they are actually getting attention. One of the biggest “X-factors” of the final will be how the Devils’ fourth line of Steve Bernier, Stephen Gionta and Ryan Carter stack up against their west coast mirror of Brad Richardson, Colin Fraser and Jordan Nolan. The unit that wins this match-up will have a big impact on this series.

           

The Man-Made Beast: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings

            With all due respect to Mr. Kopitar (whom I included in my early season list of top ten centers), I could not resist this one. As harsh as it may seem, one particular fan sign caught my eye in the Kings/Canucks first round series, placing Kopitar’s team photo next to a zombie with which there was an unfortunately strong resemblance (I searched, I could not find it). Since laying an eye on this, I can’t help but see Kopitar as a Shelley-esque creation, and that is more a testament to his talent than anything else. If only there was some way to spin this into a compliment, because that is ultimately what I am trying to do here. Oh, I know! Think of him as a bionic man. You know, faster, stronger, yadda yadda. You can go with the Six Million Dollar Man or as I like to go with, Cyborg Barry. He is big, strong, fast, and agile. He plays a very well-rounded game, but has yet to show much of a mean streak, although it’s not something I really want to test.

The “Court Jester”: Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings

            Drew Doughty was a Norris Trophy nominee. He is the future of the Los Angeles Kings’ defensive corps, and yet I couldn’t think of a better comparison. A dynamic first three years in the league saw him create more theatrics than hockey this Fall with his much-publicized contract holdout (for those of you wondering, he got his way; the Kings caved). He got his big money contract, and then proceeded to underperform for much of the regular season. To be fair, it wasn’t just him, it was many Kings, and he wasn’t bad, but he certainly wasn’t the big money player the Kings had acquiesced to in contract negotiations. And honestly, this comparison wouldn’t have been drawn if it wasn’t for his antics in game 5’s overtime against Phoenix. Granted, the calls were awful, but the reaction was even worse. As with any good court jester, his heart is in the right place. I have no doubt that Doughty is a competitor and wants to win as badly as anybody, and that is evident in the way he has picked up his play since Darryl Sutter took over the Kings’ bench, especially since the playoffs started.

The Teacher and the Student: Lou Lamoriello, New Jersey Devils; Dean Lombardi, Los Angeles Kings:

            General managers rarely come up in these types of discussion, but Dean Lombardi, even before the playoffs, has made it known that Lou Lamoriello is someone he considered a mentor in the field, even going as far as to call him for advice during his days in San Jose (in some cases this resulted in a trade between the two). Granted, several NHL GMs can say this about Lamoriello, but we get to see a classic story of the talented, worthy student taking on his teacher.

            So what do I predict? I’m shocked that you would still put stock in this, given how awful my picks have been all playoffs. These teams have been frequently referred to as a mirror image, so my first instincts tell me to spot the difference, which draws me to the goal. Martin Brodeur has been good, but Jonathan Quick has been the best of the playoffs. Granted, the prognosis looked awfully similar for New Jersey against the Rangers, and somehow the Devils managed to find a way to put just enough pucks by Henrik Lundqvist to move on. Critics have also pointed to the size of the Kings possibly being troubling to the New Jersey defense, but I see the Kings’ defense facing the identical problem. I also see that the Devils defense found a way to squeak by Florida, despite their speed constantly torching the defense. I personally think speed is tougher to contain than size, especially when you can return it. So, who to pick. My personal instinct tells me that the NHL playoffs are often the playground of who gets hot at the right time, and no one is hotter than Hollywood right now. Look for a Los Angeles team whose name (for once) doesn’t rhyme with “Bakers” to be parading through downtown Los Angeles in June. Kings in 6.

Stay tuned for some fun facts, armchair GMing by me and John, and hopefully a live blog or two! And for the record, my prediction (that I failed to publish to the NZT at any point) for the Eastern Conference finals was for the Rangers in six. I was wrong, again. With that in mind, I suggest you all grab a good beer, and watch some even better hockey.