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.

Conference Finals Predictions

So... I forgot to post my picks for last round, but I went a terrible 1/4.  The only series I called correctly was Rangers over Caps.  This round, hopefully I do better.

Phoenix over Los Angeles
New York over New Jersey.

Probably both in 7 games.

Edit: If LA and NY win there will be too much confusion between NY's Brad Richards and LA's Brad Richardson. Not to mention Brad and Mike Richards. So please, everyone root for NY and Phoenix.

Below you can see why.

Conference Finals

Well after going 4/4 in the east in the first round, I went all of 1/4 in the entire league for the second round. And it was the only one I didn't want to be right. Oh well, it was still a great second round.

Predictions:
NYR/NJD-NYR in 6
PHX/LAK-LAK in 7

Analysis after the jump.

Conference Predictions

This time of year, there are a couple types of finals going on: The ones that all college students despise, and the ones in hockey that we all relish in. I would acknowledge basketball finals too, but I don't like them.

This is where you will notice that unlike some of the other bloggers here, I know much less about hockey. I can totally give you all my reasoning behind my predictions, but at this point it's mostly what I want and I like to believe you can always get what you want. Besides, I think Chris has already covered every conceivable point that I might have been able to make, so I'm going to make this short and sweet.

Eastern Conference

I want the Devils to take it in 6. I don't see home ice being much of an advantage for this series since both rinks are so close in proximity and New York and New Jersey are both heavily sprinkled with fans for both teams, so the atmosphere will be ridiculously intense for both teams in both arenas. Not to diminish the work the Rangers have put in this post-season, but I just believe the Devils have been stronger throughout. They have also had a little bit longer of a break since they managed to end their series a few days before the Rangers had a challenging 7th game against the Caps. I've also heard they have been doing double practices, so they know what they are up against and they are more than prepared to bring it home.

Western Conference

I have nothing more to say on this than the previous post had, so read that and just end up back here to see that I agree and the Kings will take the series. Again, this is mostly because that is what I want, even though there are probably a number of valid reasons why it can go either way. I have also only been about 50% right with all my predictions, so if I have to be wrong with one of them, I pick this one. Kings in 7.


The puck drops for the beginning of Conference Finals tonight at 8, and I will happily enjoy it from beachside in the Outerbanks. Hockey.

Chris's Western Conference Final Preview

“How the hell are we supposed to score on that guy?”

                It’s a legitimate question, Mr. Hypothetical Phoenix Coyotes/Los Angeles Kings forward. And though it is hypothetical here, I think we can say with reasonable certainty that this phrase will be uttered amongst both benches many, many times over the course of this series. How could it not? How could any fan with a modest knowledge of the unfolding of these playoffs not immediately see this as a showdown of two titanic goalies (but with a better handling of ice)?  I don’t mean to understate all of the work done by the other 36 skaters that will undoubtedly continue to work their tails off during every minute of this series, but can anybody realistically claim that either of these teams would be in the conference finals without their goaltending? I’d be curious to hear your argument. Just look at the numbers for these guys: Jonathan Quick is 8-1 with 1 shutout, has a GAA of 1.55 and a SVP of .949. Not to be outdone, Mike Smith is 8-3 with 2 shutouts, has a GAA of 1.77 and a SVP of .948. These are the kind of numbers that showed up when stick blades were straight, and elevating the puck was illegal.

                Ignore the “3-seed, 8-seed” thing. It means squat. Not only was this a case of a team winning a “weak” division (Phoenix only had 2 points more than Los Angeles this season, and San Jose was in between!), but is also a case of teams wholly outplaying their regular season showings. I’d like to think that home ice makes a difference here (especially in the Desert in late May), but that hasn’t mattered one iota during these playoffs, largely thanks to the Kings who are currently 5-0 on the road this postseason. The fact is that a myriad of molds have been broken this postseason. They are difficult to predict, and not just for me (seemingly for everybody except NZT’s own Ben Plotsky…kudos). With that in mind, let’s take a look at where these teams came from, what needs to happen now, and where they are going…yes, I will conclude with a prediction despite a horribly calibrated crystal ball.

                The Los Angeles Kings remind me in some ways of last year’s Boston Bruins: A goaltender putting up unworldly numbers, a big-money defensemen who has taken his game up to a whole new level, four solid lines of forwards that can play both sides of the puck and play rough if needed, defensive depth and versatility, the sudden and subtle emergence of a rookie who looks poised to play a long and successful NHL career, and last but not least, AN ABYSMAL POWERPLAY. Boston’s powerplay at the end of the playoffs last season was operating at 11.4%. That’s terrible, but you know what’s worse? Try the 8.5% efficiency at which Los Angeles is operating. I wrote in my prediction for the first round series between Boston and Washington that Boston needed to have a better powerplay. They didn’t. They finished the first round at 8.7%, and lost, but like last year’s Bruins, the Kings are more than making up for it with strong penalty killing and 5 on 5 play. They have a postseason high 4 shorthanded goals, and have leveraged that with a tough penalty kill to steamroll over Vancouver and St. Louis, the top two seeds in the Western Conference. When you couple that type of dominance with a goaltender stopping 19 of every 20 pucks, you go places. You go places such as, oh I don’t know, the Western Conference Finals? Notably, the Kings have won series in 5 and 4 games. Last year’s Bruins won 3 game 7s, one of which was in overtime.

                The Phoenix Coyotes did things the hard way in their first round matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks. The first five games of that series went to overtime, largely due to an unhealthy Coyote tendency to give up very late game-tying goals. Generally a recipe for disaster, the Coyotes didn’t seem to let this faze them; in fact, you could say they welcomed it. While we can lament their play late in the third period, we cannot lament it in overtime, as they compiled a 4-2 record in the first two rounds in that scenario, highlighted by back-to-back overtime winners by Mikkel Boedker against Chicago to take control of the series. In round two against Nashville, Phoenix leaned on Smith’s goaltending and was able to scrape up wins in 4 out of 5, despite being heavily outplayed over very long stretches by Nashville, in some cases being outshot almost 2 to 1. Much like their opponent, Phoenix was able to accomplish this with depth and balance, four capable, hard working lines that coach Dave Tippett could roll.

                Well, what needs to be done for either of these teams to swing what by all accounts should be a low-scoring goaltenders’ duel in their favor? The answer is fairly obvious for Los Angeles; they need to get the powerplay working. In a series where defense and goaltending will take the front stage, being able to capitalize on the powerplay is paramount to success. It may be the only chance LA will have to get consistent good chances against Mike Smith. If the powerplay wakes up, I don’t see a reason why LA should not take this series. They have played well enough shorthanded and five-on-five that a good powerplay will complete the spectrum, and make LA too much to handle for the Desert Dogs. Phoenix, on the other hand will need to become a more controlling team five on five. This is a big strength of the Kings, and Phoenix had a strong tendency to be out possessed for long stretches of play, only to sit back, defend well, be opportunistic on breakouts and turnovers and of course, get some solid goaltending from that Mike Smith guy. A team that takes advantage of its opportunities, as Phoenix has, always gives themselves a chance to win, but against Jonathan Quick and the Kings defense, those opportunities will be scarce, and then there’s always beating Quick, no easy task.

                Predicting this series is a challenge. Part of me thinks they should just drop the puck and keep playing until someone scores, then just let that team go to the finals. It could very well be more than 21 periods of hockey either way, so why not? They say that breaking a mirror brings you seven years of bad luck, but given what Quick and Smith will be staring at in the opposing goal, one of them is going to have to do it. Which one does? Seven is certainly an interesting number in this case. This is a long series, and neither team has played a game 7 yet. I think that’s what it will take, and I think the road warrior work that the Kings have done will help. I love what Mike Smith and Phoenix have done, but in this case, I think Los Angeles will just be over the top, as having Jon Quick negates the strength of the Coyotes goaltending, forcing the game to be played between the goal lines (imagine that). I expect the Kings to figure out their powerplay woes, and continue strong play 5 on 5, tilting the ice towards tinsel town. Kings in seven.

                As I put the finishing touches on this, the Rangers and Capitals are fighting for their lives, and fighting for a dance with the Devils. I will enjoy the rest of this game, hopefully make my pick for the Eastern Conference tomorrow, take a breath, and realize that all of this excitement is only halfway over.

Until then, cheers. 

Ben's Second Round Predictions

Yes, I know this is up late. Yes, I know Phoenix won last night. It doesn't change anything for me. The following predictions were written yesterday, I just didn't get them up in time. So sue me.

Basic Predictions:
East
1)NYR vs 7)WAS
NYR in 7
5)PHI vs 6)NJD
PHI in 6

West
2)STL vs 8)LAK
STL in 6

3)PHX vs 4)NSH
NSH in 6

Analysis and explanations after the jump

Chris's Second Round Predictions, and More...

After my sparkling 3 for 8 performance in round one (rounded off nicely by Team Hudson's combined prowess in game 7), I will give the crystal ball another shake (a very long, violent shake) and call my shots for round 2. What will be different? I don't have the time to actually explain my picks this time around, so if anyone really wants to know, they can ask. What I will offer instead are random interjections, such as fun facts, on the fly analysis, and most importantly, ARMCHAIR GENERAL MANAGING!!! Stay tuned...

East:

1) New York Rangers vs. 7) Washington Capitals:
Rangers in 7.


5) Philadelphia Flyers vs. 6) New Jersey Devils:
Flyers in 5.




West:

2) St. Louis Blues vs. 8) Los Angeles Kings:
Blues in 6.


3) Phoenix Coyotes vs. 4) Nashville Predators:
Predators in 6.


And for fun fact #1: Exactly one of each seed (1-8) made it through to the second round. Just for laughs, if we were to treat the second round as its own conference and cross-seed accordingly, the match-ups would look like this:

1) Rangers vs. 8) Kings
2) Blues vs. 7) Capitals
3) Coyotes vs. 6) Devils
4) Predators vs. 5) Flyers

You know, I almost like that better. The only reason I even bring this up is because it happened before, but in a much more bizarre numerological manner. In the first round of the 2006 playoffs, seeds 1-4 won in the East, while seeds 5-8 won in the West (The all-too-rare all-upset special). At the time, there was a serious movement that thought the conferences should cross seed. It was an interesting enough idea that the ill-fated realignment that almost happened this year had explored some of this idea (it had yet to decide on a final playoff format). I apologize if this made your eyes bleed, but this is the kind of hockey stuff that I tend to "nerd" out on. I promise to have some more relevant tidbits next time (mostly because the puck won't be dropping for round 2 in ~40 minutes...).

Until then,
Cheers, Beers, Sake and Hockey!

Round 2 Predictions
This will be a really quick want/expect list because I'm at work and should technically not even be doing this, but sometimes hockey is just that important and I won't be at another computer before puck drop tonight.

East

What I want:

Devils over Philly
Washington over Rangers

What I expect:

If Philly play Round 2 like they did Round 1, Devils will have no trouble making it to the Conference Finals.
Rangers. Caps put in a good effort, but I'm not sure Holtby will be able to survive the Rangers and he is the main reason the Caps made it this far.


West

What I want:

Kings over St. Louis
Nashville over Phoenix

What I expect:

I didn't watch much of St. Louis in Round 1 and the Kings have a lot of energy and momentum, so even though both teams pulled out the win in just 5 games, I'm expecting to get what I want out of this series.
Nashville. They are a young, energetic team and showed a lot of heart and effort to trample over the Red Wings in Round 1. Phoenix will but up a strong fight, but I don't think it will be enough.

Live Blog: Senators @ Rangers-Game 7

It's Game 7 so there will be a ton of cliches flying around.  A lot of folks are saying the pressure is all on #1 seed New York Rangers but just as much pressure is on Ottawa in their attempt to upset and cause both #1 seeds to be eliminated in the first round for the first time ever (Vancouver was eliminated by Los Angeles.)  Expect both teams to contine playing as they have been.

Quick keys to the game and live blog after the break.

Live Blogging the Caps! Washington @ Boston Game 7!

It all comes down to this! Join the live blog after the jump!

Washington @ Boston, Game 2. Live blogging, with special guests Chris and John

Well game one was certainly exciting. A 1-0 OT decision in Boston's favor put an end to one of the most intense games I've had the privilege to watch all season. A shot from Chris Kelly of Boston was the only puck to find twine all night.

Washington had one of their better defensive efforts after taking a double minor towards the end of the 1st and preceding to kill off a total of six straight minutes on the PK. Washington couldn't seem to get any offense going for most of the first and second periods, hardly testing Thomas at all. Washington ended up being outshot 30-17.

Expect to see a similar effort from both sides tonight as Chara and Seidenberg will be back against the Great 8.

This should be an exciting game that can go either way.
Tonight's Linesmen-Steve Miller (#89) and David Brisebois (#96)
Referees-Dan O'Halloran (#13) and Tom Kowal (#32)

Live Blog after the Jump!

Sixteen Teams, Sixteen Lessons

Currently Drinking: Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

Each team has officially played one game in the 2012 playoffs. This article may seem premature after only one game each, but the playoffs afford no time to learn lessons slowly, and there was certainly no shortage of that to go around. In this writing, I will be looking at a key lesson learned by each of the sixteen playoff teams after one game (Thanks to the bizarre scheduling, some teams have already completed two games by the time this was published, I am trying my best to ignore all Game 2s and strictly analyze Game 1 efforts; I still don’t understand why the Devils/Panthers series started on its own, after everyone else, but I am not in charge of scheduling, and I’m sure there was a reason). With that being said, let’s have all sixteen teams sit through a lecture from Professor Chris, and they best be taking thorough notes.

Read them all after the jump

Crystal Ball, Save us All

Other than the hockey itself, watching people make predictions about who is going to win an NHL playoff series can be the most entertaining thing about the playoffs. Some of the rationales conceived by overzealous fans and “homer” journalists alike can make both the heart and brain say, “Wait, we never said any of those things; that team in 6 games? Are you hourly?!” Hockey, more than any other sport, embodies the idea that you only need to get in the playoffs to have a shot. The seeds ultimately mean next to nothing due to the parity in the league, and that makes the first round not only incredibly difficult to predict, but often the most entertaining round to watch. Case in point: both 4/5 matchups are between two 100 point teams.

Anthropomorphic organs aside, I will be doing my best to predict the first round winners, but not focusing so much on the actual prediction as I will the omens that play into each team’s favor coming into the playoffs. I will do this round by round, not because I don’t trust my predictions to go all four rounds in one shot, but if I am looking at these so-called “omens,” I should at least try to keep it relevant. So bear with me as I dust off the crystal ball, look into some interesting facts, and of course, make my picks for who comes out of round 1 still alive.

The Beasts of the East (aka The Atlantic Division and Friends):

#1) New York Rangers vs. #8) Ottawa Senators

In the Rangers’ Favor: John Tortorella won the cup in Tampa in his third full season with the team, after they won the East. The same situation applies to the Rangers this year, but that’s mainly just a fun fact. The Rangers have the NHL’s best goalie, one of the best defenses, and a multidimensional offense that is clicking at the right time. Gaborik, Richards and Hagelin could not be playing at a higher level right now.

In the Senators’ favor: The season series. For whatever reason, the Senators played the Rangers very well this year, including winning both games at MSG. The reason I bring this up is because it doesn’t matter. Not one bit. The playoffs are a whole different universe of hockey, and for this very reason, I hate the season series argument. I’d like to put something positive here for the Senators, and the best I can think of is that the hockey gods may take over and get Alfredsson his much-deserved cup.

Prediction: The Rangers are simply too good, and midnight will chime on Ottawa’s Cinderella season. Rangers in 5.

#2) Boston Bruins vs. #7) Washington Capitals

In the Bruins’ Favor: If I’m a player on the Bruins, I skate out for game on at the TD Garden, look up and see that “2011 Stanley Cup Champions” banner, and immediately flash back to how the Bruins came out in round one last year and fell flat on their face. I’d be ready to not let that happen this year, and the fans should be ready as well. With Thomas back in the crease full time, and the Bruins having learned their lesson from last year, I can’t see any team coming out more energized than Boston heading into the first round.

In the Capitals’ favor: The Caps’ biggest problem this year was finding an identity. Changing coaches and dealing with some crucial injuries didn’t help, but did prove a couple of things. First, the Caps can play without Mike Green. Second, they CANNOT play without Nick Backstrom. The Caps have found their game, and their identity recently, not surprisingly with Backstrom’s return to the lineup. They go into the playoffs this year without the burden of high expectations, and that could actually help them.

Prediction: The Caps are hot, but I see the awakening of a slumbering bear. The Bruins will elevate their game to a whole new level in time for the playoffs. Bruins in 6.

#3) Florida Panthers vs. #6) New Jersey Devils

In the Panthers’ favor: The Panthers’ success this year has largely been the result of some on-the-fly rebuilding by Dale Tallon, who for all intents and purposes should have a Stanley Cup Ring for the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks. He has done an incredible job building the Panthers into a team that will out work you with a blue collar attitude, and a true team effort. These types of teams tend to do very well come playoff time, when skill can take a backseat to effort, discipline and teamwork.

In the Devils’ favor: The last time the Panthers saw a playoff game happened to be against the Devils. Brodeur was in goal, and Elias and Sykora were integral pieces of the Devils’ offence. It was also 12 years ago. But the Devils will be hoping for history to repeat itself. They swept the Panthers in the first round on their way to a Stanley Cup. They’re also the hottest team in the league, heading into the playoffs on a six game winning streak.

Prediction: The Devils are hot, the Panthers sputtered to the gate. The Devils have more experience (notably in goal), are no stranger to a blue collar game, and I can’t believe I am saying this about them, but more firepower up front. Devils in 6.

#4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5) Philadelphia Flyers

In the Penguins’ favor: Astrology. The stars have aligned quite nicely for a Pittsburgh team that lost two key players for long stretches this season due to injury. This team was one of the best when Crosby and Letang were out. Now that they’re back, they are the team to beat this year. Snapping up home ice at the end of the season was crucial, especially given their matchup, and I like the way it tilts the table.

In the Flyers’ favor: Going along with the pinball analogy, contact. They have been colloquially referred to as the Broad Street Bullies since the days Bernie Parent was competing with only Jesus in the saves category, and Bobby Clarke’s toothless grin whistled its way to a pair of cups. Those days are gone, but this year more than ever, that nickname is more than relevant. The Flyers were able to bully their way to taking 5 out of 6 from the Pens this season. Some people feel that fighting disappears in the playoffs. It goes down, yes, but hitting and physicality picks up, and no one does that better than the Broad Street Bullies.

Prediction: The Flyers are a top team in the East, and the bullying will work, to an extent. I think the Penguins have taken the necessary steps to not be out muscled. Regardless, it will be a long, brutal series. If it were a movie, it would be called There Will Be Blood. Ultimately, I think home ice is key, and the Penguins are just too good at everything. Penguins in 7.

The Best of the (loosely defined) West

#1) Vancouver Canucks vs. #8) Los Angeles Kings

In the Canucks’ favor: Experience , Goaltending and a Hot Streak. The Canucks ended the season scorching hot, passing St. Louis and New York to claim their second Presidents’ Trophy in just as many years. This is one of those teams that seems to possess no Achilles’ Heel, and the loss of leading goal-scorer Daniel Sedin hasn’t slowed them down. Critics tend to point at the goaltending situation, criticizing Roberto Luongo, and calling for Cory Schneider to take the reins in goal. I fail to see how two quality goaltenders is a problem. The one that plays better will get the minutes, as if Vancouver needs any more luxuries heading into the playoffs.

In the Kings’ favor: Their mindset. The Kings’ offense was absolutely dreadful this season. Goaltender Jonathan Quick now has the distinction of being a starting goalie to lose 6 starts in a season, despite giving up only on goal. Seriously, look at Quick’s numbers. An even halfway productive offense would have sealed the Pacific Division for the Kings back in March. The good news is that because of their low-scoring hockey, and last minute scramble to squeak in at #8, the Kings have been playing playoff hockey for quite some time, and this could favor them against an opponent that may have the most pressure on them in the history of pressure, notably Roberto Luongo. Also of note, the deadline acquisition of Jeff Carter has boosted their offense somewhat.

Prediction: The pressure is ENTIRELY on Vancouver, but I think they can rise above it. I love the scrappy attitude of the Kings, I truly do, but Vancouver is just too good. While I pick Vancouver, let the record show that I have this series flagged as potential for an upset. I will stop before I talk myself out of this one. Canucks in 6.

#2) St. Louis Blues vs. #7) San Jose Sharks

In the Blues’ favor: Yet another team that has been playing playoff style hockey for most of the season. Since Ken Hitchcock took over as their coach, the Blues style has been categorized by stingy defense, unearthly goaltending, and a concerted team effort from all 20 guys on any given night. Like I said in reference to the Panthers, these types of teams tend to do well in the playoffs, and like I said about Vancouver, having two bona fide options in goal is a blessing, and I think the Blues do these two things better than even Florida and Vancouver, respectively.

In the Sharks’ favor: History and a clean slate. Allow me to elaborate, the Sharks have an interesting history when it comes to playing David in the playoffs. Most notably, this happened in 2000, against the President’s Trophy winning St. Louis Blues. Does this have any standing in the 2012 playoffs? Probably not, but I did say that I would try to splice in some fun facts in this article. I think this sharks team is far better than the 2000 team, at least on paper, which brings me to my next point. The Sharks were picked by many to contend for a Pacific Division title, and to be a serious contender this year. Certainly on paper, one would be hard pressed to argue. The Sharks underachieved this season, but when you have the potential to be as good as the San Jose corps, a clean slate could not help any team more this year. For a team that is often (unfairly) labeled as a playoff underachiever that can only play regular season hockey, maybe the questionable finish to this year is a welcome change and powerful wake-up call to these beasts of the deep.

Prediction: I like the Sharks chances against almost any other team n the West, but not against St. Louis. The Blues have everything that a Cup winner needs (in some cases, twice as much). I think that The Sharks put up a better effort than we saw for much of the regular season, again, enough to beat many teams they could have ended up with, but not the Blues. Goliath slays David this time around. Blues in 5.

#3) Phoenix Coyotes vs. #6) Chicago Blackhawks

In the Coyotes’ favor: Goaltending and Tactics. Mike Smith has been one of the best kept secrets in the NHL this season. His play in goal is incredible, and one can argue that he singlehandedly carried the Coyotes to their first ever division crown and a playoff berth. Not to take anything away from the rest of the team, but Dave Tippett’s coaching has the Coyotes playing the most tactically sound hockey of any team in the league. That can frustrate opponents, and coupled with stellar goaltending, creates a winning formula.

In the Blackhawks’ favor: All sings point to the return of Jonathan Toews from a concussion. Beyond that, this team is an enigma. Aside from maybe the Washington Capitals this year, the Blackhawks had one of the most bi-polar seasons that I can remember. They are only 2 years removed from a Stanley Cup, and many of the core pieces are still around, so for the Blackhawks to have a shot at out-howling the desert dogs, the Blackhawks will need to play like the team that won in 2010, and not the team that lost 9 in a row in January-February. I believe that the return of Toews will spark them to play like the former.

Prediction: This was by far the most difficult series to predict, and I ultimately skipped ahead and wrote this last. I have yet to pick a sweep in the first round, and I’m not going to do it here either. I like the Blackhawks chances with Toews coming back, and I think they will be patient enough to pick apart the X and O happy Coyotes. Hawks in 6.

#4) Nashville Predators vs. #5) Detroit Red Wings

In the Predators’ favor: Destiny. The Predators management, players, and fan base seem to have it engrained in their minds that this is the year to strike. Nashville has been in the league for 14 years, and in those 14 years, they have been a team notoriously tight with the pocketbook, out of necessity. Beginning this offseason, the Predators started spending. They accepted the award in arbitration for Shea Weber. They extended their goalie Pekka Rinne to a long term big money contract. They have some major obstacles in free agency this summer, and are pulling out all the stops this year, almost in an “all-or-nothing” fashion, even going so far as to bring back controversial (but talented) forward Alexander Radulov. The Predators will look at this feeling of “Manifest Destiny” to boil over into their play this Spring.

In the Red Wings’ favor: They are the Detroit Red Wings. I don’t know what else needs to be said. This organization never ceases to amaze me with how the players can all turn up their game come playoff time. Johan Franzen is one of those players that seemingly ever playoff year plays at an absurd level, and what can you say about Nick Lidstrom, other than his inclusion in a discussion about the best defensemen in the history of the game.

Prediction: Well, I suppose I need to pick an upset at some point, right (I don’t know many who consider picking New Jersey over Florida an “upset.”)? I think the Red Wings’ experience takes over in this series, and they will play off of this experience to outplay the Predators when it counts, notably in the road game 7 that I see happening all too vividly. Red Wings in 7.

That will be all for now. I would put all of our picks at the Turnover in a convenient table to see side by side, but I am far too lazy for that.

The Playoff Predictions of Chris

Did I say playoff predictions? Belated April Fools! The actual title of this article is “Because Chris CK is a lazy Fatosaurus Rex.”

Currently Drinking: American style pale ale (homemade).

The “void” between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the playoffs are a very dull time for me, and are probably the slowest days of the year. What do I do to entertain myself? I play old Sega Genesis games. Today, I played Mutant League Hockey and I didn’t even think to mention this until I came across a couple of in game gems.

I played as the Dead Things, a very clever parody of the Detroit Red Wings, right down to the player names. What struck me first was that the Dead Things had a defenseman on the roster named “Zitstrom.” He (it?) wore jersey #5. The use of the word ‘zit’ is fairly indicative of Lidstrom’s age. This game was released in 1994. But honestly, how awesome is it that that reference is still relevant almost 20 years later?

What really caught my eye, and inspired me to put off my predictions (insert a wry snicker here) was a couple other former Red Wings whose parodies I stumbled upon. Two defensemen: #3 Braisson and #2 McCriminal, certainly early 90s pun-based humor at its finest. But among the playful innocence of this parody, don’t lose sight of the fact that these are based on former Red Wing defensemen Steve Chiasson and Brad McCrimmon, both of who have since passed. Did Electronic Arts (yes…they made this game) know how significant that would be someday? I doubt it, but that didn’t stop my heart from skipping a beat when I saw that. It truly made me appreciate how even a spoof hockey video game can capture certain moments in time.

As far as the game itself (this is somewhat of a game review, after all), it uses the same engine as EA’s NHLPA 93. Not bad for a spoof. Fans throw weapons on the ice for in game use, goalies can be swapped out for “demon nets,” and the game is complete with its own set of goofy penalties (My favorite of which is the rule that fighting is only a 2 minute minor, but fighting and losing? You get 5. The NHL should actually look at that one…). There is definitely a learning curve, but when achieved, this game actually plays as well as any 16-bit sports game could. There’s something for everybody in this game, including the oft-overlooked feature of each team having its own unique coach with a unique personality (something sports games today still have trouble implementing). They pop on screen from time to time to give you a hilariously blunt assessment of how you are playing. Most interestingly, this game has been credited for being among the first to include a button reserved exclusively for violence (back in the A-B-C-START-SELECT days), a claim I can’t substantiate, but can definitely appreciate.

In summation, this game should be remade, now. It would be the only video game I ever play again, in fact, it almost already is. Maybe someday I will do a full review of this game, but probably not. And to anybody who felt jilted at the lack of playoff predictions: Fear not! I will have them up in time for the drop of the (not spiked) puck on Wednesday. But for now, I leave you with the wise words of my Mutant League Coach for the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoff:

“I’ve always enjoyed even games. They not only make cheating more fun, but also more necessary.” (see: Ryan Clowe)

RIP Brad and Steve (and any others I haven’t caught on to), and may you live on through your Mutant League selves.

2012 Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions Round 1

So this is when it will be extremely clear to everyone that my vast knowledge of hockey is much smaller than everyone else’s knowledge. I can’t give you much about player depth or awesome history that gives some teams more of a push than others, and I have a couple biases that will definitely affect my predictions, but I believe all my predictions have at least some merit.

The West

LA Kings vs. Vancouver Canucks

I think this match up will be much closer than most would assume a one seed versus eighth seed might be. While Vancouver won the President’s Trophy for a second year in a row and has something to prove after losing last year, the Kings managed to tie them in the regular season 2-2. Vancouver won their last match up on March 26th and is entering the playoffs after finishing the season with 2 wins, while LA lost their last 2 games, which put them in their current position. The Canucks also have the potential return of Daniel Sedin to look forward to. On paper, it looks like Vancouver has a cake walk in front of them for the first round, but I think LA will fight to redeem the downfall that ended their season. While I believe Vancouver will inevitably take the season, even though I would much prefer to see LA moving on, LA will definitely make it interesting.
Vancouver in 6.

San Jose Sharks vs. St. Louis Blues

While San Jose is coming in off a strong regular season finish, I really don’t think it will be enough to propel them into the second round of the playoffs this year. St Louis is the higher seeded team, also coming in off a win, and was undefeated against San Jose in the regular season. The two teams haven’t met since the beginning of March, which might help San Jose consider this an extremely clean slate and a fresh start. Overall, however, I think San Jose might just be a bit of a road bump for St. Louis and nothing more.
St. Louis in 5.

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Phoenix Coyotes

Another pairing that should be close, a higher seeded team against a higher point scoring team. Both teams finished the season on a winning note, but Phoenix finished much stronger with 5 wins compared to Chicago’s one win. Also, while Chicago has the higher point value, Phoenix won the regular series season 3-1, most recently on February 11th. With the last game between these two teams being two months ago, it will definitely be an interesting matchup, but I see the third seed Phoenix Coyotes moving on to the second round.
Phoenix in 6.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Nashville Predators

I think this series will be the closest of the Western Conference. The two teams are only 2 points separated in the standings and split the regular season series 3-3. The ball is slightly in Nashville’s court, however, because they won the last regular season matchup, and not too long ago, on March 30th. According to some sources, the Red Wings are not to be count out, but as I mentioned earlier, I’m not the one to ask for the details about those types of opinions. I don’t think Detroit will pull out the victory overall, but they will definitely put up a very strong fight in this series.
Nashville in 7.


The East

Ottawa Senators vs. NY Rangers

Some might say it would be pretty obvious that the Rangers are taking this series and moving on, but I don’t think it will be quite that simple. Sure the Rangers are the top ranked team in the East, sure they have a solid defense and offense, but against the Senators, they lost the regular season series 3-1. Both teams ended the season on a losing note and both teams need to step up their game a bit if they really want to keep going in the playoffs. The Rangers definitely have the step up, but Ottawa won’t just role over and play dead.
Rangers in 6.

Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins

As the current Stanley Cup Champions, the Bruins better make it past the first round this year. Both teams finished the season with 2 wins, but the Capitals unfortunately pulled off the victory for their regular season matchup 3-1, most recently winning on March 29th. Both teams have reasons to be confident going into the first round, but both teams have been shaky lately too. The Bruins have been two different teams on the ice and the Capitals have a lot of questions in a very critical role, their goalie. This will definitely be one of the more interesting matchups this round, but I’m going with the home team pride and the Bruins will be moving on to the second round.
Boston in 7.

New Jersey Devils vs. Florida Panthers

The Devils are entering the post-season on a very high note, coming off six wins with a 102 point season. The Panthers managed to hold onto the third seed and also finished on a winning note, but I think the Devils will take this series. The Panthers won the last time these two teams met, but that was two months ago back in February and left the regular series split 2-2. The Devils have the players, the points, the goalie, and the drive to take this series and continue on to the second round.
New Jersey in 5.

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburg Penguins

While this should be a very close series, the Penguins have a few important legs up on the Flyers. By clinching the 5th seed, they have the home ice advantage, which is probably more important in this series than in any other, and even though they lost the regular season matchup 4-2, they won their last game of the season, beating the Flyers 4-2 on April 7th. Now that they have Crosby back and settled in, the Pittsburg Penguins have a little more of a surge on their side than the Flyers do.
Pittsburg in 7.

Everyone owes me 5 bucks and some awesome wine if all these predictions are right. 

Poor Playoff Predictions

Playoff prediction time.  Let me tell you my predictions with my reasoning and watch how horribly wrong I'll be.  No 'number of games' predictions from me because those are just too wrong.  Looking at Washington-Rangers last year, that series could have easily gone 7 games if it weren't for a few bad bounces and one huge mistake. So I won't make a fool of myself in those regards.

For those who don't want to read a lot, here are my short predictions:

East
NYR over OTT
BOS over WAS
NJD over FLA
PHI over PIT

NYR over NJD
PHI over BOS

NYR over PHI


West
VAN over LAK
STL over SJS
PHX over CHI
NSH over DET

NSH over VAN
STL over PHX

NSH over STL


Cup Winner: New York Rangers

Continue on to see the reasons why.

Ben's Predictions: The Playoffs (Eastern Conference)

It's that time of year again, where grown men may go weeks (hopefully months) without shaving. Where the only cup people care about is shiny, silver, and about three feet tall. That time of year when towns become dirty words. That time when rats become more than just rodents you want to get rid of.

That's right, it's the playoffs!

And as Clowe showed us in the above picture everyone will do whatever they need to in order to win!

So I'm going to break down each and every series and let you know what I think and why.

NYR (1) vs OTT (8): NYR in 6

New York had a chance at the president's trophy, it would have been the first time they had won it since their cup run in '94. They blew it against a surging Washington team. Henrik Lundqvist (still nursing an injury) made all of 13 saves against the team that they COULD have been facing had New Jersey not beaten Ottawa on saturday. 

This pits New York against a pesky Ottawa team that has a lot to prove.
Ottawa has not had the best run recently. After a strong surge and a chance to pass Boston for 2nd, they have had serious troubles, falling to 8th from what seemed to be a secure 7th spot on the last day of the regular season. I think Ottawa has the offense to stay in this one, but they will need to beat a stingy New York defense that has allowed an east leading 187 goals, making them the third in the league.

You have to also look at Ottawa's Goal differential here, +9. While they have scored a whopping 249 goals this season (3rd in the east), they've let in 240 goals, the highest goals against for any team in the playoffs.

New York has experienced a resurgence in their offense this year, the addition of Brad Richards was a huge boon to them. Ottawa has some serious star power this year with Captain Daniel Alfredsson experiencing one of his best seasons as well as outstanding performances from Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek.

Although they won the season series 3-1 this year, Ottawa is still going to have to do a lot to beat a Vezina worthy Henrik Lundqvist. This will be a quite entertaining series to watch and I have faith New York will pull it out and move on.


BOS (2) vs WAS (7): Washington in 6

Well here is a surprise of a match-up. After a dismal 5-1 loss to Buffalo on home ice, Washington seemed out of the running, after all how were the Capitals, with their shaky goal tending situation, poor power play performance, and shoddy defense supposed to do better than Buffalo who were on a hot streak and being backstopped by an impressive looking Ryan Miller. A little less than two weeks later, Buffalo sits outside looking in and Washington sits in 7th, giving them one of the harder match-ups of the Eastern Conference.

You can't find a better rounded team than Boston. Outstanding offense is backed up by a strong defense lead by Zdeno Chara and backstopped by the seemingly unshakable Tim Thomas. The defending champs remain relatively unchanged from last year's Stanley Cup run and as a result are primed to do it again. Washington has a big chance to stop them.

The biggest thing here will be getting in the head of Goaltender Tim Thomas, which Washington has been able to do 3 out of 4 times this season, most notably with a shootout win a few weeks ago.

I bet Thomas is glad there is no shootout in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and so am I. I think this will be an intense series highlighted by a surging Washington team who do not have home ice advantage for the first time in their 5-year run to the playoffs.

Expect big performances from Ovechkin, Semin, and Backstrom all of whom seem to be regressing back to the mean, which is a good thing for players who haven't been looking too hot recently.

On the other side of the table, Boston has the ability to shut down a strong Washington offense and they will do it every chance they get. Washington's goal tending situation is a MAJOR problem for them in this series. If Braden Holtby can play like he did on Saturday expect a Washington victory. Holtby also brings something that Washington needs for this series, aggression around the net. Boston has shown this season that they will jostle for any opportunities they can. Holtby is the type of guy to push back and this could be a big factor in Washington's win.

I'm glad most of this series will be on TV, because it's going to be entertaining, and frustrating. I can't wait!


FLA (3) vs NJD (6): NJD in 5


Welcome back to the postseason Florida. After a decade of poor performance and the loss of a quality goaltender for a bargain rate during the off-season, Florida rebuilt. The efforts of GM Tallon show in a team that managed to take over the southeast from the Washington Capitals, and take the 3rd spot in the playoffs. However, Florida has severely struggled recently and would be facing New York in the playoffs if not for their win against Carolina on Saturday.

New Jersey on the other hand is clicking at the right time. That's not to say they haven't performed well all season, but New Jersey is on a 6-game winning streak. This won't last forever, but I expect the snap to rile up this Devils squad.

Expect to see intense performances from Florida's offensive lines. Especially the line of Fleischmann, Weiss, and Versteeg. This line was a large part of Florida's run to the Division Championship. On the other side expect to see a lot from Kovalchuk who has had a stellar season and is looking primed to have some serious postseason success.

The big story this time is going to be goal tending. Broduer has a chance to end his Hall of Fame Career on a Very High note. If he can have a stellar run then expect New Jersey to go deep in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs. On the other side of the ice, expect outstanding performances from Theodore and Clemmensen to help an anemic Florida offense survive a strong Jersey presence.

PIT (4) vs PHI (5): Philly in 7


This series is going to be great! Intense, bloody, and probably full of AHL call-ups as these two interstate rivals go head to head. Pittsburgh finally won one at home against Philly for the first time in Consol Energy Center on Saturday, they are going to need to do it again if they hope to beat a strong Philadelphia team.

The star power of Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, Giroux, Bryzgalov, Jagr, Briere, Hartnell, among others will make this a great caliber series to watch.

In order to win, Ilya Bryzgalov is going to need to carry his strong March into the Playoffs.
Pittsburgh is going to need to find a way to win at home to win this series.

I really don't know what's to say about this series that hasn't been said already, so I share this:

I don't know which team will play harder, but whoever does will be moving on to the next round. Depleted, exhausted, and bitter. Nothing like a first round match-up to really stoke the fires of one of the better rivalries in the NHL.

NYR (1) vs WAS (7) Washington in 7
PHI (5) vs NJD (6) NJD in 6

NJD vs WAS New Jersey in 6

I think New Jersey will make it to the final and lose in 6 games, but that's still a long way off. Expect an update after round 1!


So that's my prediction for the Eastern Conference, expect seven very entertaining series and a very exciting run to the cup.


Cheers my friends.
Shave those beards now, because it's playoff time!

~Ben (@plotbe01)

Thoughts on Hockey

Tonight, as I watch the Bruins/Jets game on my large LED TV and the Devils/Ducks game on my outdated laptop, I wonder what I did with myself two years ago when I didn’t know anymore about hockey then that it involved a black puck on cold ice. I figure if anyone is still following this blog, they probably don’t want to read about my reflection on hockey, but nothing has been posted on this blog in quite a while, so I guess beggars can’t be choosers at this point.

Before hockey, my sports world consisted of baseball with a side of football. Discussions were about steroids and century old rivalries. An injury was milked by the prima-donnas and kept them on the bench for at least two or three games. There was usually about 15 minutes of excitement during a game that would last 3 to 4 hours. Sure they were sports, but compared to hockey, they were the lazy man’s game. Maybe that’s why both are considered the red-blooded American sport…

Hockey is something fierce. Most of the time there are blood and guts left on the ice. An injury is a torn ACL that needs surgery to be repaired, not a bruise or even a broken bone. Hockey gives you everything a sport promises and leaves nothing out. I love the sound of a puck pinging off the net, that’s something you don’t get from a dropped pass or a foul ball. You can hear the game happen every second, the slice of a blade racing across ice, a stick slapping the puck through the rink, bodies crashing into each other like steam engines. It almost makes me want to compose an orchestral piece so the sport can really be recognized as an art.

I also love how there is no place for politics in hockey. Most recently, the ridiculousness of the media hounding Tim Thomas for facebook comments and an absence at the White House has been shut down by players and fans alike. There is no room for the personal life on the ice, they don’t use excuses. While it’s quite rough, it’s still a gentleman’s game. The players put themselves and their hockey skills out on the ice, nothing else. You can’t get called off sides on an audible, because hockey players use their actions to prove their glory, not their voice.

While I definitely don’t know as much about the games as some of the boys that contribute to this blog, I like to believe that I know enough. I might not understand the rules or know the regulations, but I’ve grown to respect the sport of it all, the talent and the toughness of the players. Two years ago if you asked me about a hockey player, I probably would have assumed they were all toothless Canadians that were probably poorly educated just because they probably started skipping school at the age of 4 to play hockey and if any of them went to school, they probably got slammed against the boards so often that what brains they had were knocked out. But now I watch the games, I check the stats, and I read the articles. While it gets much less attention than it deserves, hockey is by far the best sport in America, and as the playoffs inch closer and closer, I know it is only going to get better.

John's Musings-Rangers at the Deadline (Part I)

So John has decided to take a look at what the various options are for the Rangers as the trade deadline looms. The following is part one:


So, out of boredom, the damn Xbox continuously freezing, and reading some potential trade targets on Blueshirt Banter I've decided to give you my insight into what I believe the Rangers should do coming up to the trade deadline. Based on the Rangers' style of play there aren't a lot of players who can fit into the system well. But first, a look at the team's weaknesses I've seen (and read about.)

The biggest weakness of this team is the power play. Going 1-for-a lot in the past couple of games is horrendous for the first place team. Especially 0-for-6 against Ottawa leading to a 3-0 loss. One or two PP goals in that game could have greatly changed to momentum and outcome. While, yes, the Rangers can still win without a PP, imagine how good they could be WITH a PP.

The second big weakness is secondary scoring. Sure, they've gotten it when needed (i.e. Winter Classic) but it's been fairly unreliable. Brian Boyle was a 20-goal man last year but has only 3 this year. Dubinsky, too, was in a huge scoring slump the first half of the season. Wolski and Christensen have been nothing short of useless this season. Fedotenko has been sub-par points-wise. Anisimov has been streaky. Basically, the team needs it's bottom 12 to be more reliable and to produce more.

The team on a whole is below the points total they should be at. Leading scorer, Gaborik, has 41 points in 49 games. Richards is 33 points in 49 games. Both should be point-per-game players or pretty close to it. Stepan, Del Zotto, and Callahan all seem to be producing above average (in my opinion) but the team on a whole needs to be at or above average. Not just a few players.

So, given some of the major, glaring weaknesses, a look at what the Rangers need: a hard-hitting, grinding, scoring, consistent center or winger. In no way does this team need a D-man other than for the PP. However, considering the potential in the farm system right now, any player the Ranger's look at should only be a rental. If they look at core players they need to be PERFECT should a trade be considered. They should not be looking at mid-aged players with 2 or 3 years left on the contract, or anyone who will cost a lot to get who won't be a Ranger for the next 4 or more years.

These are the names that keep coming up who I agree could be good matches for the Rangers (of the many I've seen). They all can play a grinding game and don't shy from being physical - something necessary to be a Ranger - and they can put up points. Unless Sather believes the Rangers have a legitimate shot at the Cup, which we really can't tell yet (we're good but we're definitely an upstart at this point) then I think the Rangers should make absolutely NO moves at the trade deadline. This team should not be touched at all at the deadline or during the off-season. Anyway...

Tuomo Ruutu
Shane Doan
Vinny Prospal

Ruutu is going to cost a lot, I think. His name is out there for many teams which will make his value increase above what he is worth.

Doan would be a perfect fit, but will never leave Phoenix.

We've had Prospal before, we know he's good on the Rangers. He's prone to injuries and older, but as a rental he could work. Nothing more than a 5th round pick, though, would I give. Like last year, we would not be interested in resigning him.

Looking through the bottom 5 teams in each conference right now:

Columbus
Anaheim
Edmonton
Calgary
Phoenix
Tampa
NYI
Carolina
Montreal
Buffalo

NYI won't trade with the Rangers. Simple as that. Edmonton is unlikely due to their having mostly youth they want to hold onto. Tampa has a solid team that is only a few parts short of a winner and isn't likely to trade (except for a goalie). Buffalo also has the parts, but would seem more likely to be making deals in the off-season, although a few players could go (Boyes) at the deadline. Honestly, Calgary and Columbus have nothing of value (except for Prospal on CBJ.) Phoenix, Montreal, Anaheim, and Carolina are the best options for trade partners at the deadline.

Phoenix:
Doan, Whitney, Langkow

All three are on the last year of their contract. Doan, as stated earlier is an amazing fit for the Rangers but the chances of him leaving Phoenix are nill. Whitney could be for sale, and, while he's not a hard-hitter, he can score, he's reliable, and he never quits. Langkow has experience and a fairly good history, but doesn't seem to be on his game anymore. Potential fit if sold for very little. Whitney and Doan are the only two I would take.

Montreal:
Cole, Pacioretty, Kaberle, Gill

Erik Cole, love him. He's a player who would fit well on the Rangers but his cost would be too high for what the Rangers would be willing to give. He's also got 3 years left on his contract so he'll probably retire in Montreal. Pacioretty's cost would also be high. He's young, he's starting to put up the points, and he's a good core player. While I think he'll probably turn out to be Dubinsky-like, he won't be a Ranger any time soon (ever.) Kaberle - no. Gill is a big defensive D-man, wouldn't cost a lot, and has Cup experience, but we just don't need him. Overall, while Montreal seems like a good trade partner they have nothing we want.

Anaheim:
Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan, Visnovsky

Those are the only worthwhile players who aren't Teemu Selanne. The cost for all four would be way too high for the Rangers. Visnovsky would be good for the PP, but I'd rather see our current defensive squad grow. Of the other three Ryan would be the best fit, but again, the cost would be way too high.

Carolina:
Jokinen, Ruutu, LaRose, Ponikarovsky, Gleason, Pitkanen

We don't need D-men so Gleason and Pitkanen are out. Ponikarovsky has been a bust since he left Toronto and we don't need another one of those. LaRose has experience, and seemingly fair stats but I really don't know much about him. Jokinen, if memory serves, is inconsistent. Ruutu would be a fair fit due to his play style, but his cost would be high. Expect Carolina to be an auction - the Rangers will bid, but have a limit.

Of the remaining teams in the league, it all depends on how they view themselves come February 29. Don't expect the Rangers to be trading with Boston, Philly, New Jersey, Washington, Florida, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Vancouver, St. Louis, Detroit, San Jose, or Los Angeles.

Hopefully, Sather will be wise and conservative at the deadline. Slats has had a great record in the past few years.

I leave you with this:

~John