(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
During this time of the season, Madison Square Garden and other arenas alike are flooded with raw emotions. The post-season is the one time of the year that really matters, and both the Rangers and Flyers are fully prepared. There’s always a distinctive style of play in the post-season that makes the playoffs that exciting for hockey fans, no matter whose colors you represent.
The opening game of the series between the Rangers and the Flyers got off to a quick start in New York. The Rangers led the Flyers in shots 14-6 in the first period. However, Philadelphia found the back of the net on their first shot when Flyers defenseman Andrew MacDonald put the puck right past Henrik Lundqvist. But the Rangers didn’t waste any time, bouncing right back just minutes later, Mats Zuccarello scored on the Flyers back-up goalie, Ray Emery. Starting goalie Steve Mason sustained an upper-body injury a few days ago against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It is not yet confirmed whether he will be able to play in this series.
Martin St. Louis and Braydon Coburn fight for control of the puck (Philadelphia Flyers vs. New York Rangers – Photos – April 17, 2014 – ESPN AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
After a scoreless second period, Carl Hagelin was clipped with a high stick and started bleeding, drawing a four-minute penalty in a tied game. The Rangers power play resulted in two more goals, turning the tide of the game. Brad Richards went top shelf past Emery and two minutes later, still on the power play, Derek Stepan also scored. A big drive by Kimmo Timonen gave Philadelphia a shot, but the puck bounced right off the post. Later, Hagelin scored his fourth career playoff goal, ending the game with a score of 4-1 New York.
The Rangers lead the series against the Flyers 1-0. Game 2 will take place April 20th, 2014 in New York.
We’re taking a brief look at some key players as two contenders go head-to-head in what will likely be one of the best and most physical, hard hitting series in the first round. Having seen each other in three of the last four seasons (2012 was the only year they didn’t play) as well as being division rivals, these two teams are quite familiar with each other. While there are some newcomers on both teams, the core players have an intense dislike for their opponent on the ice.
Here are the projected lineups for Game 1:
San Jose
Pavelski-Thornton-Burns
Marleau-Couture-Nieto
Hertl-Sheppard-Wingels
Torres-Desjardins-Havlat
Vlasic-Demers
Stuart-Braun
Hannan-Boyle
Niemi
Los Angeles
Gaborik-Kopitar-Williams
King-Richards-Carter
Toffoli-Stoll-Brown
Clifford-Lewis-Nolan
Muzzin-Doughty
Regehr-Voynov
Mitchell-Martinez
Quick
These are just projected lines and neither McLellan nor Sutter are hesitant to change up their lines if they feel they can get a more favorable matchup or if things aren’t working out as expected/hoped.
If you haven’t seen it already, check out Jewels from the Crown’s Playoff Preview. For a look from the opposition, Fear the Fin takes a look at key players that the Sharks should be aware of on the ice. Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider does an excellent job as always of previewing the series from LA’s and San Jose’s perspectives.
Key Players to Watch
These are the guys who will be critical to their teams’ successes and failures. Let’s start with the most obvious (and important) place: goaltending.
Goaltending
Antti Niemi: Obviously Niemi didn’t have as strong of a season this year as he did in 2013 when he was a Vezina finalist. He’s had some trouble with rebounds, which should be a focus for the Kings. If he performs as well as he did in last year’s playoffs (which was excellent. He kept his team in it every game), this will be an extremely tough series for LA. However, if he’s off his game even a little, the Kings should have a slight edge on the Sharks.
Jonathan Quick: One of the most athletic, explosive goaltenders in the league, Quick has a unique style all his own. Described as crab-like with a strong butterfly foundation, Quick is an extremely limber and aggressive netminder. The key for the Sharks will be to shoot high glove side and get him moving laterally. Being so aggressive often leaves tons of room exposed as it becomes difficult to get back in time to take away that space. As with Niemi, if he is off his game even a little bit, the Sharks’ firepower should be enough to overcome the Kings’ stalwart defense.
For a better breakdown between the two netminders, check out Kevin Woodley’s piece here. It is well worth a look to understand the strengths and weaknesses of both men.
Defense
San Jose:
Marc-Edouard Vlasic. He should probably be in the Norris Trophy conversation as he had a stellar regular season. Playing with a revolving door of partners on the right side, Vlasic has shut down top opponents and was a +31 on the season. While I don’t put much stock into +/-, that’s pretty impressive. San Jose is going to rely on Vlasic to be able to shut down the Gaborik-Kopitar-Williams line which has been extremely dominant since Gaborik came over at the trade deadline.
The remaining question is: will San Jose’s other defensemen step up and will it be enough?
Los Angeles: The Kings’ young puck movers are key to their breakout and as they struggle, so the team’s struggles will go as well.
Slava Voynov. While no doubt Drew Doughty is obviously LA’s most important defenseman (they’re not winning anything without him in the lineup), Voynov is another critical piece to the Kings’ defense. He had somewhat of a quiet year, only managing to score 4 goals, but did rack up 30 assists. They’ll need another strong postseason showing from him as they have the past two seasons if they hope to go far.
Jake Muzzin. A year ago as a rookie, he was exposed in the playoffs and seemed to lack confidence there. While being paired primarily with Doughty on the top unit this season, Muzzin appears to have come leaps and bounds from where he was following last year’s abbreviated season. He’s gotten much better about limiting his mistakes (a year ago, he seemed only capable of turning the puck over). However, he’ll have to be extra careful during the postseason as the mistakes he does make are often glaring.
Drew Doughty. He’s most dangerous when he has the puck behind his own blue line, especially when his team is down a goal (as exemplified here). One of the best defenseman in the league at a single man breakout, Doughty leads by example, plays in all situations and will be leaned on heavily by Sutter. He was injured when the Kings last met the Sharks in a meaningless game on April 3 and was held out of the lineup as a precaution. His health will be of the utmost importance as the Kings look to make a deep playoff run again this year. Boasting such attributes as excellent gap control, good speed and a high hockey IQ, the key to shutting down LA begins with shutting down Doughty and getting him off his game.
Forwards
San Jose:
Joe Thornton. Centering the first line, “Jumbo” will be counted on to carry his team on his back as he did in last year’s playoffs. One of the most memorable moments was in Game 3 when his line came roaring out and absolutely dominated just about everyone on the ice. His leadership and incredible playmaking skills will be crucial for a Sharks’ victory.
Joe Pavelski. This one is a little tricky. He had an incredible career year during the regular season scoring 41 goals and getting 38 assists. He also did it while switching between winger on Thornton’s line and centering the Sharks’ third line. The Sharks are a much deeper team down the middle if “Little Joe” slots in at C3 instead of James Sheppard, who is much worse in comparison to Pavelski. He’s clearly most effective at third line center and may be McLellan’s best option to compete with the Kings. At least down the middle.
Tomas Hertl. Not much is known about the dynamic rookie, except that he’s very good at disrespecting the league. He appeared to be on track to compete with other rookie sensation Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche before an unfortunate open ice collision with Kings’ captain Dustin Brown caused him to miss most of the rest of the season. He did play in the Sharks’ final two games of the season on Thornton’s wing, which allowed Pavelski to go back to centering the third line. If he’s in the lineup (which he appears to be right now), he completely changes the depth of the Sharks and potentially makes them more dangerous, depending on how effective he can be and how McLellan chooses to use him.
Los Angeles:
Dustin Brown. Playing with a knee brace all season seemed to really hamper his mobility. While he claims it wasn’t an excuse, he’s openly admitted that he’s the type of player that he doesn’t like anything touching his skin, not even tape. Brown seemed to be rejuvenated following a return from the Olympics. After taking off the knee brace, he became a far more effective player. His speed seemed to have returned and even his scoring touch looked like it was making a comeback as he finished the season with 15 goals (not a career best or worst by any means, but a positive sign considering how bad his season was). The Kings will need another performance similar to the one he had in 2012 if they hope to make another deep playoff run.
Mike Richards. Known more for his grit and tenacity than his goal scoring ability (though he’s expected to have that as well), Richards has been having a miserable season for one reason or another. Finishing with 11 goals, a near career low, the two-time 30 goal scorer has likely started to decline and it shows. He struggled all season long and finished with a -3% corsi rel (meaning, the team controlled 3% more shots when he was not on the ice than he was on the ice. To put that into perspective, Kopitar finished with 6% corsi rel, highest among forwards and second only to Muzzin). The Kings are going to need the Big Game Player to show up in the playoffs and for him to be as effective as he was the past two postseasons, especially given that he’s (at the moment) back to centering the second line. If he can be effective, he can help mitigate the damage being matched up against Joe Thornton will cause.
Marian Gaborik. The biggest concern will be if he can stay healthy. If he can, the Kings look incredibly deep.
Special Teams
The Kings were one of the most penalized teams during the regular season and partially as a result, their PK numbers took a hit. They went from being Top 10 to 12th in the league, which isn’t bad for the amount of time they spend killing penalties. On the flip side, the Sharks had the 5th best power play in the league during the regular season and if given enough opportunities to succeed, it’s possible that they will be able to edge the Kings in the series. If most of the series is played 5v5, the Kings have the edge.
With Gaborik on the first power play unit, the Kings once pitiful PP has looked decidedly less tired. His craftiness and skillset affords the Kings more looks and more opportunities with the man advantage.
As is the case with the playoffs, special teams will likely end up deciding who will be golfing in two weeks and who will be moving on in the next round.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but it those few days before the first round of the playoffs kicked off on Wednesday seemed to drag on forever!
Not to mention that the anticipation for the matchup between the Sharks and Kings is pretty intense. And using the term “intense” is basically an understatement.
I was so overcome with excitement over the should-be-bloody series that I ran out and bought myself a new dress:
Your first thought is going to be Holy toledo, Chelena, where are your black tights?!
Here’s the story. Found this mixed-pastel-chevron-print DVF-inspired wrap dress and was like “omigod, dress, I am SO wearing you for Game 1!”
Only problem is that this little number is not so little and short as everything else that I wear. And when paired with black tights, my athletic 5-foot-4 frame looked very cut up and not-so-cute. And it’s not as if I can just throw on heels; with a bad knee and five flights of stairs to climb, big pumps weren’t an option. I felt so short and frumpy that I could cry.
The solution? Sheer nylons and nude-colored shoes. Let the print on the dress do the talking. Makes me feel way more “Mad Men.”
What are your playoff duds? You can let me know on Twitter at @ChelenaGoldman.
Until the next puck drops,
The Girl In The Black Tights
(photo: Lee Calkins)
The ECHL announced that Matt Register of the Ontario Reign is the CCM Hockey ECHL Defenseman of the Year for 2013-14 as determined in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media members.
The ECHL Defenseman of the Year award is presented annually to the defensive player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-around ability in the position.
Sam Ftorek of Kalamazoo finished second, followed by Wheeling’s Mike Ratchuk, Elgin Reid of Kalamazoo and Orlando’s Blake Kessel.
Register, who was named to the All-ECHL First Team last week, finished the season tied for second among ECHL defensemen with 14 goals and 44 points while his three game-winning goals were tied for fourth. His 30 assists were tied for sixth among blueliners and his +21 rating was second on the Reign.
This marks the first time that any Reign player has received an end of season award. Register is also the first Ontario player to have been named to the ALL-ECHL First Team.
In his second season with the Reign, Register has been a consistent performer and earned 70% of his offensive production while the team played full strength. In his junior career, Register received the AJHL Most Outstanding Defenseman and Most Points by a Defenseman for the 2009-2010 season, as well as being named to the AJHL All-Star Team for the same year.
(photo: South Carolina Stingrays)
By Hayley Musashi
The ECHL announced that South Carolina Stingrays head coach and director of hockey operations, Spencer Carbery has been named the league’s recipient and club’s first-time honoree of the John Brophy Award as ECHL Coach of the Year.
Named for John Brophy, a record-holding three-time title winner and Hall of Fame inductee, the award is presented annually to the ECHL coach that has contributed the most to his team’s success as selected in a vote of league coaches.
“I’m very honored and proud to be selected as the ECHL Coach of the Year,” said Carbery in a Stingrays press release. “I also feel very humbled because of all the exceptional coaches we currently have in this league and the impressive list of recipients. This award is a reflection of not only me, but also our players, staff and the entire Stingray organization that has worked so hard this season.”
Carbery spearheaded the Stingrays to the Southern Division title, the first time the club has been at the top of the standings since the 2000-01 season, with a 43-23-6 record for 92 points. In his three seasons as head coach, Carbery has improved their record each year.
With an all-time record of 118-77-21, Carbery has led the Stingrays to the Kelly Cup Playoffs in each of his three seasons.
As a player, Carbery was a member of the 2008-09 Stingrays campaign, helping the club to a third Kelly Cup championship. In his time with the Rays, he recorded 22 goals and 26 assists for 48 points in 94 games, becoming the inaugural recipient of the Jerry Zucker Community Service Award in 2009. Carbery spent four professional seasons in the league, splitting time between the Bakersfield Condors, Stockton Thunder, Fresno Falcons, Stingrays, and Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League.
“I could not be more proud of the job Spencer has done this season and the growth he has made over the last three seasons as our head coach,” said team president Rob Concannon. “To finally be rewarded in this manner is a true testament to his work on a daily basis.”
The Stingrays begin the first round of the 2014 Kelly Cup Playoffs with Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Wheeling Nailers on Friday, April 18.
(photo: timesunion.com)
Often when it comes to the Stars, the big hockey blogs tend to be all about “the Benn and Seguin show.” Deservedly so, as their insane on-ice chemistry is a big reason the team has made the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
However, it can make it hard for fans new to the Stars to pick up information on other players on the team. So, for those of you who may be interested in becoming a Stars fan, or just want to know more about the team before the playoffs, here are five players you should know:
Stars defenseman Trevor Daley — photo from nhl.com
Trevor Daley #6
The Stars defense has struggled all year, but Daley has been a big player in their late-season turn around. Daley consistently is one of the hardest working guys on the ice for the Stars, racking up 20+ TOI. He had a whopping 28 minutes of ice time in the game against St Louis, where he also racked up a goal and an assist. Not too shabby, right? Daley’s had 3 power play points in the past four games. The power play has been a weak point in the Stars’ game this season, and Daley is part of a key lineup to help change that.
Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski — photo from nhl.com
Alex Goligoski #33
Goligoski came to Dallas in 2007, in the trade that sent James Neal to Pittsburgh. Since then, a lot of Dallas fans and bloggers have spent time hand wringing over that decision, doing a lot of angst-ridden comparisons between Goligoski and Neal and finding Goligoski wanting. Goligoski is a defenseman. Neal is a forward. Do I need to explain to you how that makes comparing the two players an exercise in stupidity? Goligoski currently has a corsi rating of +9. And while I have Problems (capital P required) with corsi, Goligoski’s is notable when you consider he has that rating while consistently spending 20 plus minutes on the ice per game. He’s an effective defensemen when he’s on the ice, if he can spend that much time in the game and hold on to a positive ranking that high. So maybe we can stop with the Neal comparisons already?
Stars winger Antoine Roussel — photo from AP
Antoine Roussel #21
Roussel is probably someone even people not familiar with the Stars lineup recognizes in a vague, “I think I’ve seen him run over my goalie, cause a brawl, and then sit in the box” kind of way. Roussel’s primarily known as the Stars resident angry dog, this is true—but lately Coach Ruff has been challenging Roussel to prove he can be more and Roussel has been meeting that challenge. I think on a different hockey team, with a different coach, Roussel’s position as sole member of the Brute Squad would have been accepted at face value. It’s impressive on Ruff and Roussel’s part that Roussel is moving past that. Though, not entirely, if the 12 minutes he spent in the box against he Coyotes is any indication. Roussel is his best, though, when he keeps his gloves on and generates the kind of offense that gives the Stars some much needed scoring depth.
Stars winger Ryan Garbutt — photo from defendingthebigd.com
Ryan Garbutt #16
Garbutt is the other key piece of that scoring depth I mentioned. Garbutt and Roussel have been very effective on a line together. Garbutt has a similar “stay out of the damn box already” problem, but Garbutt manages to draw a lot of penalties, which almost cancels out the number he takes. He and Roussel are natural line mates, with complimentary hard and fast playing styles. Garbutt’s been making goals happen for the Stars second and third lines for a while now and hopefully he can continue that trend into the playoffs.
Stars Center Cody Eakin — photo from nhl.com
Cody Eakin #20
Here’s where I admit I’ve been calling Cody Eakin “the Ginger Star” in my head for most of the season. Not because I didn’t know his name, but because he is seriously ginger. Eakin has yet to really come into his own in Dallas—but part of that has likely been the constant rotation of wingers he’s had this season. Since Ruff placed him center on a line with Garbutt and Roussel, Eakin’s play has obviously improved. There’s room for further improvement, sure, but Eakin shows all the signs of becoming a vital backbone player on the second or third line.
Stars winger Valeri Nichushkin — photo from AP
Val Nichushkin #43
Okay, I know. I said 5. Guess what? I lied. This one barely counts anyway, because I tend to lump Nichushkin in with Benn and Seguin as players oft talked about in mainstream sports media when it comes to the Stars. Sadly for Nichushkin, a lot of that talk has been about how underwhelming his play has been this season. Which is why I’m mentioning him here, because lately, Nichushkin has been a beast on the ice. In the St. Louis game he skated fast and hard and really fought for the puck. He didn’t get on the board, no, but he was playing with a kind of frenetic energy that had been missing after he came back from Sochi. The key to Nichushkin, that I think Lindy Ruff is realizing, is shorter ice time. Quick bursts of manic energy seems to be key to Nichushkin’s play, and that requires shorter shifts. He’s still not making all the connections he could, and maybe the first line isn’t the best place for him. Come the summer, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Stars trade for a second line center and move Nichushkin to second line winger. But the point is he’s doing well, better than he has been, and that’s worth mentioning.
For Dallas, game 1 of the first round of the playoffs starts tonight, at 10 p.m.
Gird your loins, guys.
The National Hockey League released the first round schedule for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This is the first season under the new divisions and the wild card teams and some fans weren’t sure how the games would all shake out. The goal with the new arrangement is that there would be more inter-division play longer into the Playoffs.
Eastern Conference
#1 Boston vs. #4 Detroit
The moving of the Detroit Red Wings to the Eastern Conference offered many more instances for Original Six match-ups during the regular season. As such, it should not be surprising to find an Original Six match-up in the first round of the playoffs. For the first time since 1957, the Boston Bruins and the Red Wings are meeting in the playoffs. And while there hasn’t been a lot of animosity between these two teams in the last few years, the realignment of the divisions will undoubtedly relight that fie.
There first game will take place on Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m., at TD Garden—since the Bruins secured home-ice. Game 2, also at Boston, takes place Sunday, April 20th, at 3:00 p.m. The teams will then travel to Detroit where game three is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. and game four on Thursday, April 24th at 8:00 p.m. Game 5 sees the teams return to Boston, if necessary, for a Saturday afternoon tilt on the 26th at 3:00 p.m. Games six and seven, if needed, will take place Monday April, 28th in Detroit and Wednesday, April 30th, in Boston.
# 2 Tampa Bay vs. #3 Montreal
While the Lightning have played in Montreal, this is will be their first experience playing against the Canadiens during the playoffs. And if the Tampa Bay Lightning think that the Montreal fans are loud during a regular season game, they are about the see an entirely new level of fan enthusiasm. The playoffs though are not new to either of these teams and both of them are hungry to move on to the next level. Though every player on either team would say that the slate is clear and that they are starting from scratch, the reality is that during the regular season these two teams were almost identical in certain key areas such as goal against, wins and losses and goals per game. Both the Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens are going to supply hockey fans with some great hockey.
The two teams will meet on Wednesday, April 16th, at 7:00 p.m. in Tampa for game one. Game two will follow on Friday, April 18th also at 7:00 p.m. The teams will then travel to Montreal for games three, on Sunday April 20th, at 7:00 p.m. and four, on Tuesday, April 22nd, at 7:00 p.m. The fifth game will find the teams back in Tampa Bay on Thursday, April 24th, at 7:00 p.m. If necessary game six will take place at Montreal on Sunday, April 27th, and game seven in Tampa Bay on Tuesday April 29th.
#1 Pittsburgh vs. #4 Columbus
Unfortunately for the Columbus Blue Jackets, they will be missing a key player during in the playoffs in the form of Nathan Horton. However, given that he was only able to play in 36 games this season, it is clear that the Blue Jackets are used to playing without him. Whether or not they can hold off the Pittsburgh Penguins remains to be seen. Of course, the Penguins have often struggled in the playoffs in regard to goaltending. Despite having the point leader, Sidney Crosby, if the Penguins can’t keep the pucks out of their own net, then they will have a hard time taking this round.
The Penguins and the Blue Jackets will meet on the ice in Pittsburgh for game one on Wednesday, April 16th, at 7:30 p.m. They will then have to wait until Saturday, April 19th, at 7:00 p.m. to play game two. The third game will take place on Monday, April 21st, at 7:00 p.m. in Columbus. Game four, also in Columbus, is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23rd, at 7:00 p.m. A return to Pittsburgh for game five on Saturday, April 26th. If necessary game six will be played on Monday, April 28th in Columbus and game seven back in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, April 30th.
#2 NY Rangers vs. #3 Philadelphia
There certainly is no love lost between the Flyers and the New York Rangers. Both teams had their share of troubles this season. The Rangers were on the road for the beginning of the season because of a remodeling to Madison Square Garden. And it appeared that, after having been signed to a multi-million, multi-year contract that Ranger’s Henrik Lundqvist may have been discovering what it was like to be mortal. However, as the end of the regular season came closer, he rediscovered his game. The Philadelphia Flyers are always a tough team and they know what it means to be in the playoffs.
The Flyers will meet the Rangers in New York City for game one on Thursday, April 17th at 7:00 p.m. Game two will take place at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, April 20th at noon. The teams will then travel to Philadelphia where they will play game three on Tuesday, April 22nd, at 8:00 p.m. and compete again there for game four on Friday, April 25th, at 7:00 p.m. Game five will be played in New York on Sunday, April 27th, at noon. If necessary game six will find the teams back in Philadelphia on Tuesday, April 29th, followed by a return to New York on Wednesday, April 30th for game seven if needed.
Western Conference
#1 Colorado vs. $4 Minnesota (all times Eastern)
Under the tutelage of head coach Patrick Roy, the Colorado Avalanche have become a force to be reckoned with. Their many strong young players, coupled with the impressive net minding of Semyon Varlamov will make them a potent contender in the playoffs. Though the loss of Matt Duchesne for the first two games will require the rest of the roster to step up. And their first opponent, the Minnesota Wild, have improved their roster, with the likes of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter—two major acquisitions for the Wild during the offseason. This first round between these two teams will be one of interest.
The Wild will travel to Colorado where game one will take place on Thursday, April 17th at 9:30 p.m. The teams will then meet again on Saturday, April 19th for game two again at 9:30 p.m. Both teams will then head to St. Paul for game three on Monday, April 21st at 7:00 p.m. and game four on Thursday, April 24th at 9:30 p.m. Game five will find the Avs and the Wild back in Colorado on Saturday, April 26th. If necessary, game six will be played in Minnesota on Monday, April 28th and game seven will be back in Colorado on Wednesday, April 30th.
#2 St. Louis vs. #3 Chicago (all times Eastern)
It looked like the St. Louis Blues would claim the President’s Trophy this season, but they hit a skid toward the end of the regular season that many are wondering if it will carry into the playoffs. It was just announced that both Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews will be healthy and playing when the Chicago Blackhawks, the defending Stanley Cup champs, meet the Blues in round one. And while the Blues have acquired goal tender Ryan Miller, the last few games have caused concern for fans as to the strength of their team. And of course, there is no love lost between these two teams.
Game one will take place in St. Louis on Thursday, April 17th at 8:00 p,m., with game two on Saturday, April 19th at 3:00 p.m. Then it is off to Chicago for game three on Monday, April 21st at 8:30 p.m. and game four on Wednesday, April 23rd at 9:30 p.m. The teams will return to St. Louis for game five on Friday, April 25th at 8:00 p.m. And if they are still chirping over the faceoff dot, game six will be played in Chicago on Sunday, April 27th and game seven back in St. Louis on Tuesday, April 29th.
#1 Anaheim vs. #4 Dallas (all times Eastern)
The Anaheim Ducks finished the regular season in first place for the Western Conference. Strong game play from their veterans including Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, as well as a number of their newer players coupled with determination has made them one of the strongest teams in the playoffs. The Dallas Stars have the dynamic duo of Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn who intend to make any team that opposes them know they were there. Kari Lehtonen is determined to fill the net behind them like a brick wall.
Game one will take place in Anaheim on Wednesday, April 16th at 10:00 p.m. followed by game two on Friday, April 18th beginning at the same time. The teams will travel to Dallas for game three on Monday, April 21st at 9:30 p.m., with game four taking place on Wednesday, April 23rd at 8:00 p.m. The teams will return to Anaheim for game five on Friday, April 25th at 10:30 p.m. Should they be necessary, game six is schedule in Dallas on Sunday, April 27th and game 7 will take place on Tuesday, April 29th.
#2 San Jose vs. #3 Los Angeles (all times Eastern)
If the Anaheim and Dallas matchup wasn’t enough hockey for California, the San Jose Sharks will be hosting the Los Angeles Kings for the first two games of round one. The rivalry of these two teams is well known and both have been in the playoffs before so they know what it takes. The Kings will have their best goalie, Jonathan Quick, doing what he does best, while San Jose will be counting on the likes of Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and perhaps a little young flash from Tomas Hertl.
Game one will find the Sharks doing their best to sink their teeth into the Kings on Thursday, April 17th at 10:30 p.m. with the second game taking place in San Jose on Sunday, April 20th at 10:00 p.m. A quick trip to Los Angeles and Kings will do their best to exert the royal power in their barn with game three on Tuesday, April 22nd at 10:00 p.m. followed by game four on Thursday, April 24th at 10:30 p.m. Game five is a return to San Jose on Saturday, April 26th. If needed, game six will be played in Los Angeles on Monday, April 28th and game seven back in San Jose on Wednesday, April 30th.
The playoff season is here and for fans it is the beginning of two months of sleep deprivation. For the players it is that time of year when no one admits to being hurt and everyone’s adrenalin is ramped up just a bit more.
(Photo credit: Abbotsford Heat)
The rumors had been circulating for awhile. It seemed questionable if the Calgary Flames would keep their AHL affiliation in Abbotsford. Today, the official announcement came. The Abbotsford Heat will make their Calder Cup run this season and then the franchise will move to a new home.
“The economics did not turn out the way any of us intended, despite the tremendous efforts of many men and women who made it their mission to convert the allegiances of local hockey fans, at least at the American Hockey League level, to the Heat,” Flames President & CEO, Ken King, said in a press release today. “Notwithstanding economic our experiences in the Fraser Valley have been good. We have made good friends, have wonderful local partners and believe that our players have been served well in this market. Unfortunately, the time has come for us to move on.”
Reports indicate that the city of Abbotsford has paid millions over the past five years to cover losses incurred by the team. Today it was announced that they paid another $5.5 million to close out the lease with the arena, which still had another five years on it.
The team leaves after their fifth season. They moved to Abbotsford in 2009 for the 2009-2010 season. Prior to that season, the Flames had spent two seasons with their AHL franchise in Illinois operating as the Quad City Flames. Ultimately, that did not prove to work out for Calgary prompting the move to Abbotsford, BC.
Unfortunately, attendance has been a struggle from the beginning. The Heat have routinely been towards the bottom of the league in attendance. This year they will only finish above the Portland Pirates in attendance. The Pirates had to play their whole season 45 minutes north of their home rink, making low attendance inevitable.
So, why was Abbotsford so low when hockey in Canada seems like a match made in heaven? There’s one obvious answer: Abbotsford is affiliated with the Calgary Flames.
The majority of players to dress for Abbotsford are prospects of the Calgary Flames. But, Abbotsford is only about an hour outside of Vancouver, home to the Canucks. It seems that fans have been reluctant to embrace prospects of the Flames when their loyalty belongs to the Canucks, despite the best efforts of everyone involved.
Prior to this season, the Vancouver Canucks bought the franchise in Peoria to move them to a new location. The Canucks also entered talks with the Flames to take over having Abbotsford as their affiliate in exchange for the new franchise to be put at a location of Calgary’s choosing. It might have been easier to get fans to come out and watch the Canucks prospects than to watch players destined to wear a Flames jersey. Talks ultimately did not work out and Vancouver ended up with their affiliate in Utica, New York.
Aside from that, it’s hard to operate a team in the AHL so far away from their opponents. With attendance being so low (the Heat averaged just 3,007 through their 38 home games), money is tight. Many teams locate close to other teams to save on travel and the Heat did not have that luxury.
As of now, it appears unclear where the Flames will locate their franchise for the 2014-2015. Rumors indicate Glens Falls, New York as the early front runner. The city is currently home to the Adirondack Phantoms, AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers. But, the Flyers will move their affiliate to Allentown, PA for the start of next season, leaving Glens Falls without a team.
(Photo: USA Today Sports)
It’s the time of year where my hockey superstition tendencies become borderline obsessive-compulsive. So, as media reports give Chicago an advantage with recent injuries to St. Louis stars, I curse them and their jinxing ways with all of the “bad juju” it brings.
But, juju doesn’t bring home the shiny chalice of Lord Stanley we hockey fans pray to.
It’s skill and talent; battles of (literal) tooth and nail; blood, sweat, and tears, (again, all literal); and maybe the tiniest bit of luck, that gets a team through the playoffs.
And, I have no doubt that this will be a battle based upon the crests on the front of the sweaters on the ice. I don’t think the names on the back will matter half as much. Each player goes out there knowing what he represents and that he has everything to win, and everything to lose.
The Blackhawks’ record is 46-21-15 going into playoffs. The Blues’ is 52-23-7.
The Blues are an aggressive team. The Blackhawks, instead, play with finesse. That worked for them last season, leading them on a 24-game point streak and, ultimately a C-U-P win against the Boston Bruins.
But to compete this year, they have to be prepared for a physical game. In the regular season, the Blackhawks have a 2-1-2 record against the Blues.
“They’re a team that loves to play physical against us and we have to expect that. There’s no reason why we can’t return that a little as well,” Captain Jonathan Toews said. “We’ll be ready to bring that type of effort and it’s going to be tough game and atmosphere to be a part of starting in St. Louis. We’ll be ready for it, but there’s no feeling of us facing a team that’s not going to give us their best. It’s going to take our best to beat them.”
The Blackhawks’ Toews and Patrick Kane as well as the Blues’ David Backes and T.J. Oshie are all expected to return for Game 1.
Despite the Blues being a top-10 team with an average goals per game of 2.92, they have had a six-game losing streak with an influx of injuries. Brenden Morrow, Vladimir Tarasinko, and Patrik Berglund won’t likely hit the ice right away for the Blues’ offense.
Offensively, the Hawks’ Toews and Kane will be shaking off rust from their injuries. Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa have been incredible. Chicago’s fourth-liners are racking up points. The Hawks are second in the NHL with a 3.18 goals per game average. The last six games they have had two regulation wins (one against the Blues), two overtime wins, and two losses.
Defensively, Duncan Keith should be a Norris Trophy candidate. Nicklas Hjalmarsson (a new father to baby boy, Theo) has been phenomenal; and Brent Seabrook is ranked second in the league.
Ryan Miller has had a shaky start with the Blues (in net for five of six of these last losses) but is an excellent goaltender with a .918 save percentage. Corey Crawford has let a few easy ones by him lately, as well, but has a .917 save percentage. Miller hasn’t made it to the playoffs in three years, while Crawford had a pretty good showing last year and surely remembers the pressure.
Against the aggressive Blues, the Blackhawks need to really pick up their special teams. Their power play is 10th in the league while the Blues’ penalty kill comes in second despite being shorthanded 293 times in the regular season. (Conversely, the Hawks’ PK percentage is 81.4–19th in the league–and the Blues’ power play ranks seventh.)
It’s going to be a tough series. The wins will be hard-fought.
For the Hawks to win, the defense is going to have to protect the net. They need to help their goalie by blocking shots, or whatever it takes.
They need to play smart hockey and avoid time on the PK. They can’t afford to be shorthanded.
They need to stay energetic and high-speed. They need to make their passes, keep their heads up, come out strong and finish strong.
All we can do as fans is practice our own rituals: wear gear every game day; grow beards, for those who are able; try to protect those impending ulcers (maybe that’s just me?); and, cheer like we’ve never cheered before…
Because (and, this comes with goosebumps) … it’s the Cup.
As the weather warms, the battle greatens. As the players rest, the beards grow. There’s the injury report lock-down, video game simulations, “expert” picks and so on and so forth–that’s right, the NHL playoffs are here.
The tradition is like no other. And it’s consistent. Planning where to watch with your buddies, following your superstitions (yes, we all have them), as the big market clubs make their regular return to hockey’s greatest mark on the sporting world. One of those clubs–the unanimous favorite–is the Boston Bruins.
Since the start of the Peter Chiarelli-Claude Julien era, Bruins playoff hockey has become one of those traditions. David Krejci morphing into (arguably) the best player in the NHL (come playoff time) is another one of those traditions.
The eye-test, the numbers, the proof is in the pudding, and coming off maybe his best NHL season yet, Krejci could have a magical postseason in store for the Bruins. He led the NHL with a +39 this season, and started shooting the puck more while maintaining his playmaking ability (ranked ninth in the NHL in assists).
Playoff Krejci is something else. 73 points in 81 career playoff games, he helped the Bruins win the cup in 2011, and get back there just two seasons later. He’s scored big-time goals, game-winners, and even thrived in the Olympics. Whether you believe in clutch or not, Krejci produces at a remarkable rate on the biggest of stages.
It’s hard to complain with what Nathan Horton, now with the Columbus Blue Jackets, brought to the table for the Bruins. Yes, he’s a floater. Invisible for long stretches of regular season play, everybody knows it. And it has been a criticism of his former linemates Krejci and Milan Lucic as well. But man, in the postseason they were good together. I mean really good.
Horton racked up 36 points in 43 career playoff games for the Bruins playing alongside the Czech center. They were virtually unstoppable at times. But now, he’s a Bluejacket. So why is everyone picking the Bruins? Why should Bruins fans be so confident?
Well, they do have the best possible Horton replacement in Jarome Iginla, a Hall-of-Famer, 30-goal scorer and probably the hungriest player in the NHL after seeing his Stanley Cup dreams wash away at the hands of the Bruins last season.
Iginla–61 points in 69 career playoff games–had a phenomenal first season with the Bruins.
The hunger was imminent right from the start. When he wasn’t scoring he was noticeable (unlike Horton), and his work ethic and leadership certainly rubbed off on his linemates. Best seasons or not, Krejci and Lucic were far more consistent than they’ve ever been in their NHL careers, and you can expect that productivity to carry over to the postseason.
A combination of skill and strength, this line brings everything to the table. Their cycle game was outstanding at times this season, and that type of possession play bodes well for playoff success. With Lucic creating space and Iginla’s (quicker than Horton) release, they should have no problem finding the score sheet with that same regular season consistency.
Everything is shaping up for Krejci to have yet another monster postseason. Watch out hockey world.
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