The Arizona Coyotes weren’t able to come out with the win on goaltender Mike Smith’s 33rd birthday last night, but that doesn’t mean the effort wasn’t there from certain players. The Vancouver Canucks ultimately performed much better than the Coyotes, and they were able to come out victorious. The Coyotes have now lost 18 of their last 19 games, and have just 9 games left before their season comes to an end.
Poor execution doesn’t win hockey games
The Coyotes execution last night was not great; the Canucks outshot the Coyotes 44 to 27. Vancouver goaltender Jacob Markstrom only had to face 27 shots. Compared to the Canucks number, that wasn’t a lot. The Coyotes went the first 10 minutes of the game with only 2 shots on goal. If they aren’t shooting, they aren’t scoring.
“Yeah we weren’t nearly as good tonight, our execution was so poor tonight that when you play back to back games and your execution is poor that means you’re chasing the puck all the time and it takes a lot of energy to chase the puck,” said head coach Dave Tippett on the overall game. “We just weren’t near as good tonight. Mike Smith was excellent, he gave us a chance, but other than that far too many quality chances against us and not near enough for.”
Ekman-Larsson goes coast-to-coast
Courtesy of @TheStanchion on Twitter. OEL Fan Club
Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been one of the best players on the Coyotes all season long. In a year like they’ve had, to have his consistency and goal-scoring ability says a lot. OEL now is the only player on Arizona’s squad with 20 goals, and he leads the league with goals by a defenseman.
His humble stance on his abilities make things that much better. He claims that everything that has happened this season is due to “luck”. He must be awfully lucky if this is the case. His efforts have not gone unrewarded as he was picked to represent at the 2015 All Star Game and he has recently been named an alternate captain for this season.
“Thank God we have him still. He’s a special player obviously, everyone knows that now. He’s really making a name for himself in this league; we are very fortunate to have him on our team and he’s a great kid too,” said goaltender Mike Smith. “Like I said he’s a special kid with a boat load of talent and obviously he’s leading our team in goals, it says a lot about how important he is to our team and how unbelievable he is as a player.”
Ekman-Larsson has had quite a few games where he was the only player to score, and last night was no different. What was different about him scoring the only goal of the game is how he scored it. After a feed from Joe Vitale behind goaltender Mike Smith, OEL took the puck end-to-end and scored at the goal line after two other shot attempts. This impressive goal shows his intelligence with the puck and truly how special of a player he is.
“I had good speed through the neutral zone and I just shot it on net. I had two chances to put it in so yeah, it was a lucky goal,” said Ekman-Larsson on his goal.
Smith makes 41 saves
Mike Smith has really improved his game, and it’s unfortunate that it came so late in the season. Smith had another game where he faced an exceedingly large amount of shots. Out of the Canucks 44 shots, Smith was able to block an impressive 41 shots on goal. So yes, Mike Smith can’t even have that ‘puck luck’ on his birthday.
The Canucks jumped into the game at full-speed, and the first fifteen minutes of the game was spent waiting for an inevitable goal by Vancouver. Their shot count was double what the Coyotes had and when Yannick Weber rocketed one past Smith, they were almost able to take a deep breath due to how the majority of that first period was played in the Coyotes defensive zone. Another unlucky power play goal and an empty-netter topped off Vancouver’s win.
“Every season is a different season and he has to come in prepared for the next year, he can’t look back to the spring where you’re playing meaningless games, that’s where you’re getting your confidence from but that’s not going to happen,” said Dave Tippett on Mike Smith taking the momentum into next season. “He is going to have to prepare in the summer and come in ready to play in the fall.”
Back-to-back games are always a challenge, especially when the latter game is at 5 o’clock on a Sunday. This past weekend I was driving between Tucson and Phoenix and it was exhausting. Sunburnt and tired, I pulled myself to the games straight from the golf course.
I have been wanting to wear these green pants for some time now. I snagged them on super duper sale at J.Crew a couple months back and haven’t worn them since. I just love how they fit, and they are professional yet still super stylish.
My sunburn is so horrible, so I tried to find something to cover some of it on my chest and this black peplum tank seemed to be my best bet. I got this one at H&M forever ago, but it is one of the most worn items in my closet.
As per usual, I threw a blazer on top to complete the look. I went with white tonight just because white blazers are everything as Rachel Zoe would say. This Forever 21 blazer is my go-to and it just works with so well with whatever I want to wear (I wore it with a romper out to dinner in Vegas last week!).
During the semifinal games played on Friday, the Terriers came out a little timid in the first period—something they had done also in the two games they played at TD Garden as part of the Beanpot held earlier this season. Head coach David Quinn commented on this after his team did manage to pull out the win against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, pointing out that his young team would need to come out stronger in the finals.
The Terriers are the youngest team among all colleges this season. There were eight freshmen, including four defensemen, dressed for the games this past weekend. So it was natural that they may have felt a bit overwhelmed in the first period. Of course, the River Hawks are an advantageous team and certainly did their best to capitalize on such a weakness. The Terriers began the first holding back a little, but within the first five minutes they had swallowed whatever nerves they brought to the ice and were focused on the task at hand.
The Terrier’s first obstacle came when freshman Nikolas Olsson’s goal was disallowed. The Terriers had just gotten on the board from a power play goal by team captain Matt Grzelcyk. The team’s very next shot was Olsson’s goal. It was determined that the play was off sides and the goal was disallowed. However, this didn’t slow down the team. On their very next shot, Jack Eichel put the team up 2-1.
While there was some time in between, predominantly in regard to whistles and video reviews, the Terriers put three consecutive shots on goal and the puck went in on each one. With that, the River Hawks head coach Norm Bazin used his time out to calm his team down and get them refocused, but it was clear that the Terriers believed that it was their game to win or lose and as Quinn explained, that second goal after the disallowed one showed how his team was responding in the game.
Coach David Quinn, Matt Grzelcyk and Jack Eichel
“It was huge, because any time you get a two-goal lead in playoff hockey that’s tough to over come at times,” Quinn said post game. “I think it’s a testament to our mental toughness and our resolve. You just, no matter what the call is coming out of the review, you just have to keep playing. You can’t let it affect you emotionally. And we didn’t.”
And even when the River Hawks were able to cut that lead in half on their own power play goal, with just 1:50 remaining in the first, the Terriers came out for the second and kept playing hard. The River Hawks were playing as hard and had a couple more shots on goal by the end of the second period, but it was the Terriers who had the two additional goals—both even-strength. The first of the two goals came just 5:39 into the second period off of Cason Hohmann’s stick. The teams would then spend a lot of time playing north and south hockey before Olsson would get another one past River Hawks goalie Kevin Boyle, and this time it wasn’t disallowed.
It was important for the Terriers to get both of those goals, putting them up 4-1, because the River Hawks refused to go away. They kept pushing back and managed to get a second goal 6:47 into the third, which gave them an added jolt of momentum. Eichel would respond for the Terriers at 14:43 with their fifth and Michael Louria gave the River Hawks their third at 16:52.
Coach Norm Bazin and Zach Kamrass
River Hawks captain, and senior, Zach Kamrass, spoke to his team’s determination and his feelings on the game and his team’s improvements over his time there.
“We can be proud of everything. It’s been a long four years but I think we left the program…the senior class, I think we left the program better than we found it,” Kamrass said thoughtfully. “A tribute to coaches and everyone that’s come through as well. I want to say I think it’s a household name, especially in Hockey East now. That’s one of the things that as a senior class we wanted to make a staple of. You know UMass Lowell’s… you’re not just going to come into Lowell and have an easy game. It’s going to be a battle.”
And battle his team did as the game continued. He and his team never gave an inch. Everything that the Terriers earned on the ice they had to fight for and work for.
Just as the River Hawks have turned their program around in the last four years, so too the Terriers have turned theirs around tremendously from last season when they struggled in every game.
“We had a good core coming back. We knew that. And we knew with the class coming in we were going to be a much better hockey team,” Quinn said after his team’s championship win. “I know we felt as a staff, that if things went well we could have a chance to win a national title. I know that may have sounded absurd based on what happened last year, but we really felt that and we told the team that. I think after the Michigan-Michigan State weekend they started believing it.”
With the addition of Eichel, who is slated to go second in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft, it is perhaps not a huge surprise that the Terriers have done so well. However, even with a star, it requires a full team to back up a star. Eichel is certainly a talented player; making moves that to those watching the game look much easier than in fact they are.
“[Eichel] has such an ability to separate away from people and he makes it look so easy. And it’s very difficult to get the puck off of him,” Quinn described. “He says things may happen because of a lucky bounce here or there but I’m starting not to believe him. I’m starting to believe it happens because he wants it to happen. He works hard. He defends hard. He’s strong along the walls. He’s ultra competitive.”
Couple that with a team that believes they can go far this season and the determination of their captain, Grzelcyk, and it is no wonder that the Terriers were able to prevent the River Hawks from being only the second team to win the Hockey East championship three consecutive years.
Saturday was not my day, but my outfit wasn’t half bad. I drove from Tucson straight to the arena and was sunburnt and exhausted, but after missing out on two games due to spring break, I wasn’t missing out on one of the Coyotes last big games.
This lace skirt from Forever 21 is one of my favorites. I love everything about the look! The lace is classy, and the length makes it just that much better.
The blue Tippi sweater I’m wearing is very cropped, so it’s hard to find things to wear it with, but the skirt is the perfect addition. Throwing a blazer on top makes things super chic. Of course pearls are so timeless, and an array of chunky pearls is a great topper.
On March 22nd, the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Harvard Crimson played for the NCAA Women’s Hockey National Championship title at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Both teams finished with great seasons; Minnesota with a record of 34-3-4, and Harvard with a record of 27-6-3. The game was closer than the final score indicates, as the Gophers only had a 1-0 lead midway through the third period. The final score of the game was 4-1, with Minnesota winning the National Championship title.
The fierce competitiveness of the first period demonstrated that both teams were ready to challenge for the National Championship, as the game remained scoreless until Megan Wolfe netted the first goal of the game with 50 seconds left in the first period for the Gophers, with assists coming from Dani Cameranesi and Rachael Bona. The goal was only Wolfe’s third of the season, and definitely her most important one. The intensity of the period was evident with five penalties called in the first frame, with Harvard receiving two, and Minnesota receiving three.
The second period was extremely competitive, as well. Harvard came out strong, dominating the first few minutes of the period. Unfortunately for the Crimson, their strong play was not enough to get the puck past Amanda Leveille. Midway through the period, the Gophers regrouped, however they were also unable to add to their lead.
With the National Championship on the line, both teams played the third period with high intensity, represented by the fact that a total of four goals were scored. Minnesota’s Hannah Brandt struck first on a great set up by Maryanne Menefee nine minutes after the faceoff. Harvard struck back with a little under five minutes left in the period; Sarah Edney getting a critical goal, cutting the Gophers lead in half. The Gophers answered quickly as Meghan Lorence tallied a minute-and-a-half later from Kelly Pannek. Needing a goal quickly, Harvard pulled their goaltender, Emer Maschmeyer, with just under two minutes remaining in the period. The Gophers quickly took advantage of the empty net with senior Rachael Bona scoring her final goal in a Gopher’s jersey, with assists from Lee Stecklein and Amanda Leveille.
The game finished with the Golden Gophers winning 4-1, giving them their sixth national title and their third title in the past four seasons. It was an incredible game for both teams, as they both came out strong, and played with a lot of heart.
Going into their game on Saturday night, the Arizona Coyotes had lost sixteen of their last seventeen games. With just seven games left in their season, there was an urgency to finish off the season on a winning streak, but unfortunately that did not come to fruition against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Goaltenders worst nightmare
Any team facing the Penguins knows that not only does their offense need to be solid, but goaltending needs to be flawless. Sidney Crosby not only can score goals like a superstar, but he can set them up like nobody’s business. His assist on what you might call the only “true goal” of the game just goes to show how he is the real deal. Crosby had an assist and an empty-net goal in Saturday nights game.
“It was a good faceoff play, a good tip.” Said Captain Crosby on his goal assist. “The way Smith was playing tonight was pretty solid, he made some good saves. You got to get traffic and it’s tough to stop a tip like that.”
Mike Smith made a solid effort, but his one mistake cost the Coyotes an odd goal. In the second period, during a Penguins power play, Smith went to play the puck and passed it to an awaiting Penguins-Brandon Sutter– who was conveniently in front of the net. This was the Penguins first goal of the game, and their only goal on the power play.
“That one is on me. It was just a bad decision at a bad time in the game.” Said Smith on the Sutter goal.
Unexpected offense consistency
It’s no secret that the Coyotes lack immensely in offense, but when a defenseman leads your whole team in goals, and has less than twenty, it’s pretty indicative of just how much they are struggling. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the Coyotes leading goal scorer leads the entire National Hockey League in goals by a defenseman. The 23-year old has had the best season of his career beating his previous career high of 15.
“OEL” isn’t the only one who has been a big factor, but 22-year old Tobias Rieder has also been as machine. Short-handed goals seem to be his specialty, but breakaways are a close second. He plays with an intelligence of the game that surpasses the expectations of a rookie. His speed is one of his best attributes, but his ability to read the puck is beyond belief. He’s scored 12 goals this year, but is consistently contributes in times of need.
“I was just trying to get myself open and if he (David Moss) shoots it I’m in a great spot for a rebound and if he passes it like he did and made a great play, I just had to put it in.” Said Rieder on his goal.
Too many penalties
The Coyotes were able to kill all penalties but one (the strange Sutter goal), but the fact that they are getting themselves in situations where they are getting so many penalties is getting them stuck in sticky situations. The penalty kill unit has proven itself to be effective, and the goal scored on the Penguins power play had nothing to do with the performance of this special team. The fact of the matter is, when you give a team with offensive power five chances to have the man advantage, you are completely backing yourself against a wall.
The effort that they put into the penalty kill Saturday night was impeccable and coach Dave Tippett knows what he is doing when he sends the special teams out on that ice. The short handed goal by Rieder is evidence of how impressive it truly is.
Once again the Boston University Terriers came out timid in the first period. As head coach David Quinn alluded to postgame, in the three games his team has played at TD Garden this season (two for the Beanpot and Friday’s semifinal against the Wildcats), they have not come out strong. He’s not sure if that’s due to nerves or youth, as he has a number of freshmen, but it is something he needs to address and try and correct before the puck drops in the championship game Saturday night.
Terriers goaltender Matt O’Connor was credited by his coach with keeping his team in the game through that first period so they could come back and have a chance. Though the shot difference wasn’t large in the first—UNH had 11 and BU had eight—it was more where the University of New Hampshire was getting their shots that kept O’Connor so busy. Only three of the Wildcats’ shots weren’t right in front of O’Connor. Of the six defenseman that Quinn dressed, four were freshmen and that may have explained some of their hesitancy.
On the other end of the ice, the Terriers were not getting as quality chances, making it easier for freshman Daniel Tirone to see them. And when a goalie can see the puck he almost always stops it.
Like in the first game between the University of Massachusetts Lowell River Hawks and the University of Vermont Catamounts where the Cats were dominant in the faceoff, the same would ultimately be true for the Terriers (6-6 in the first, 20-14 by the second and 33-23 at the end of the game). However the Terriers would end up being outshot much less than the Catamounts.
Everyone was expecting great things from BU’s top line of Evan Rodrigues, Jack Eichel and Danny O’Regan. They would combine for seven shots in the game with two of Eichel’s scoring. However they were not dominant in this game. Eichel’s first goal was a great one from a hockey IQ standpoint as he hung near the net. His second one was an empty netter.
If the Terriers want to beat the River Hawks Saturday night, they will need to hit the ice with force from the first puck drop to the last. While O’Connor is talented, he is not impenetrable. The River Hawks are hard playing and will find ways to capitalize.
Friday night’s tilt with the Wildcats did show that the Terriers are resilient. Despite UNH scoring first, it was the Terriers who were able to score with just 2:22 remaining in the first, allowing them to carry that momentum into the second period—the only period the Terriers outshot the Wildcats, in fact.
As the second frame began, there was some question who would manage to get their team a go ahead goal. Both teams would have to wait until almost the halfway point in the period and the game for Chase Phelps of the Terriers to get his team up by a goal. It was the second goal of the season for Phelps. He was assisted by Nick Roberto and Mike Moran.
Both of Eichel’s goals would come in the second half of the third period with a lot of north and south play filling the time until then. And despite being down a goal the Wildcats would once again outshoot the Terriers in the third.
Like Kevin Sneddon did in the first game, head coach Dick Umile of the Wildcats pulled Tirone with considerable time remaining—Colorado Avalanche’s head coach Patrick Roy’s aggressiveness in this manner has filtered to the college level. However, the Terriers would find the back of the net just 36 seconds after Tirone vacated his posts.
Boston University’s win puts them in the championship game against the University of Massachusetts Lowell River Hawks. The Hawks are hoping to garner their third consecutive win in the Hockey East Championship, achieved only once before by the Boston College Eagles over the 2010 to 2012 seasons. Both teams will definitely be coming out hard.
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