AHL

Hockey Around The Horn: Episode 9

Greetings everyone…this is your host, Chris Wassel, with another episode of Hockey Around The Horn: The Stanley Cup Edition.

And now the intros…..

Kindly introduce yourselves please….

I am the Ogre, the strong yet gentle giant of TheNHLArena. And I happen to be the GM of the Penguins.

“Stand back, JoeyHurricane is coming thru! *cues entrance theme*…darn the CD is skipping!”

I am the one..the only….the Princess.

THE ICEBREAKER

Brian Burke has denied the Leafs yet again….is this story really dead or is there still more to the tale?

I know not of this “Brian Burke” of which you speak. Is he the one living down in the forest by the elves? Seems I’ve heard the name before and pain fills the eardrum. — Ogre

“I wouldnt call it dead right now, perhaps life support. I think things will get clearer just after the draft. Since Burke has a year left on his current deal, even if he resigned he would still have to honor that final year so unless he was able to get an out if the owner gets in potential legal trouble, this story is going to be a moot issue until next season with a few more weeks of conjecture from hockey media.” — Joey

LOL…dead. Burke isn’t going anywhere. — Princess

NEWS OF THE WEEK

1. Much has been made of the officiating in the Stanley Cup Finals…what sticks out more…the goaltending interference calls or the obstruction calls?

You asked the right person. The obstruction needs to be stopped and the refs are doing the right thing. Reaching out with the free hand needs to be eliminated. As far as goalie interference, I think the call on Zetterberg in the first OT was a good call and the other was a nice fall by Fleury. I am strongly against diving or embellishing but until they correct it, it’s going to happen, and most goalies are good at it. But players need to stop driving into the crease. If they hit a goalie outside his little blue home, tough, he deserves to be hit. But if he’s where he is supposed to be, you got to stay out. Home invasion should be a crime. Make the blue area a little bigger, get rid of the trapezoid, and if you roam from home, expect to get hit.
– Ogre

“I think it is the interference calls. As much as we fans all clamor for more consistent officiating, let’s face the facts, obstruction calls are hockey’s version of holding in football, you just aren’t gonna get them all and get them all right. Goalie interference calls far too much exploit the wording of the rulebook and can use a revision to make this infraction completely understandable, thus making this call more consistent.” — Joey

Obstruction, but I’m tried of hearing about people being upset about the calls made or not made. No *person* is perfect and no one ref is gonna see every pentaly to be called. And there are calls in every game you can say were bad or not made. I think people should either really try to fix this issue or shut up and just watch the game. Just crying about it doesn’t do anything.
– Princess

2. Former Coyotes GM Mike Barrett has proposed a developmental league in the Spring for prospects. Is this something that could work or is it just too outlandish to be plausible?

To do what? Save a few weeks in the minors? Stupid idea. Use the minors for what it is there for, getting young players time on the ice in game situations. — Ogre

“Chalk me up on the negative. Several reasons for this, first is you would have young players and prospects from a variety of leagues both professional and not that would have to sign off on this and that wont happen. The NHLPA wouldnt and shouldnt agree to something that can injure players that are members of the PA that may potentially be caused by players that are not members. Also give these kids a rest, hockey is enough of a drain on their lives, give them more than 8 weeks of an ‘offseason’. Instead of this have more rookie tournaments thru the league like the Traverse City tourney and the rookie tourney in the Pacific Division, instead. — Joey

Could work, but then again, there’s nothing to say you can’t take one of the many leagues already made and turn it into that. Probably would save money and time. — Princess

3. What is the more intimidating place to play a home game at….Joe Louis or the Mellon?

Well, bowing to the intelligence of my counterpart, Princess, with the lower attendance at the Joe, (I agree with the pricing and economic atmosphere he pointed out to me) and total sellouts at Mellon Arena, I got to go with the hometown crowd. The whiteout and full out mayhem makes it a tough place to play, hence the recent record, which the Red Wings snapped Monday. — Ogre

“I am going with Igloo. I was there scooping up Student Rush tickets, even if I was out of college already, when the team sucked and attendance barely ever got over 13,000 and those crowds were as loud as some sellouts cause those were the passionate fans that were there. I have seem many examples of how Pens teams play and effort resonates with the crowd at the Mellon. On thing I’ll remember the most is the Pens breaking a long winless streak at home with Andy Chiodo slamming his goalie stick on the net and waving his arms to the crowd that is so loud that you think we just won a berth in the Stanley Cup.” — Joey

Haha! I don’t think playing a home game at Joe Louis is intimidating…for the Red Wings
— Princess

4. How bad has the Tampa situation spiraled out of control and could it possibly get worse?

Yeah. It could get worse.
Win. Win. Win. Win. Win.
They couldn’t with the good players they had.
The baseball team has finally shown up and could steal people, and dollars, away from the Lightning, too. It’s tough enough to get people to go inside in a place like that when the area has a beautiful landscape and sunshine.
Oh, and making it Melrose Place, won’t be any better either. — Ogre

“Oh it can definately get worse, what is gonna happen if the Miroslav Satan Rays are for real? It can be an ugly situation if new ownership really does go for a coach for promotional purposes instead of the product on the ice. It will be trouble if 2 seasons go by without realistically competing for a playoff spot.” — Joey

Everything can always get worse. I don’t think it’s “spiraled out of control”. Rough times happen for everyone. — Princess

OVER/UNDER

There will be 7 trades made at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft….over or under?

Way over. Eleven or twelve. There are too many young stars and not enough money around to pay them and older players. Some teams, Pittsburgh, may have to deal a youngster or two, and others will strengthen what they have with vets. Last year was a learning curve on what to do with the new era in hockey. Teams will do more this year. — Ogre

“Under, I like 6 more than 7.” — Joey

Over…at least 8 or 9. — Princess

OUT OF BOUNDS

According to some in the media….what is worse…tanking you way to the Stanley Cup Finals or barely being able to sell out your own building?

You’re gonna get me in trouble here. I don’t believe any team “tanked” there way into the finals. (I know what you are hinting at, and you’re not so subtle) Teams do what is best for their team. Now, did the Pens “tank” games to get Mario? They probably didn’t play their best.
Not selling out your building is a damn shame, especially for the Cup Finals. To show off your team pride for the greatest trophy in sports, is what it is all about. But, as I stated earlier, some circumstances can’t be avoided. — Ogre

“Not selling out is the bigger issue to me. Yes the economy is not that good at the moment, yes tickets are expensive, yes people watch their what their disposable income is spent on but there are still enough people in the metropolitan areas that the necessary amounts of people should find their way to purchase those seats. Understandable if you cant afford them all but if you took said people and they all bought a game or two if that is all they can afford, sold out city.” — Joey

“Barely being able to sell out your own building” - I’d rather not be the champions and still have the fans behind me and still bring in some revenue. But a team is more likely to become champions if they can sell tickets. — Princess

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN

1. In the end, who should normally win the Conn Smythe…the best player on the winning team…or the best player in the playoffs period no matter their outcome?

This is tough. Surely players on Cup Final teams will normally have the best numbers; i.e. points, goals, assists, wins, etc. So it comes down to two teams usually. Unless someone has an outstanding, over-the-top performance, for the losing team, someone on the winning team should win. You were not the “best” player if you couldn’t help your team win. If it’s a close, seven game series, I could see it happening. — Ogre

“Normally its the best player on the winning team. Not often will you see a player on the losing team be worthy of the award. The Cup is awarded to the team who wins 4 series, which is a sign of consistency, and the consistently best player on said team will always outshine the best the losing team had to offer.” — Joey

I think it should go to the best player in playoffs no matter what the outcome. That’s only fair.
– Princess

2. At press time….the Chicago Wolves were up 2-0 on the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins…do you think WBS has a snowball’s chance in coming back and why? Also, who has set the scoring record for rookies with 26 points so far?

With the call-ups for the Pens from the WBS team, and yet the great year they’ve had, I wouldn’t bet against them. WBS in seven.
I’m not going to look it up but I do know Alex Gologoski was credited with breaking some record or something, even though he was just called up and not a member of the team anymore. — Ogre

“This is a series that the word ‘chippy’ doesnt do it justice. Game three will define this series for several reasons, Wilkes Barre has always been a great team at home and the Calder Cup has a 2-3-2 format. Problem for Wilkes-Barre is the Pittsburgh Penguins have called up Alex Goligolski for the Stanley Cup Finals on an emergency basis and if the Penguins were to force a game 7 tonight, Alex will miss games 4,5,6 in this series. This is gonna hurt WBS moreso as Alex has a record 26 points by a defenseman in a postseason. Tough row to hoe for the Baby Pens but dont count them out until maybe tonight. ” — Joey

Alex Goligolski set the record and no the Baby Pens will not come back…Chicago is too tough.
– Princess

3. When all is said and done….what does it really take to not only win the Stanley Cup but repeat in this day and age? Really is any team now capable of doing so and why?

Not very possible anymore. Teams are better throughout the NHL now more than ever, and when you win it, teams gun for you even more, making it harder for you to repeat. Also, free agency and players jumping from team to team makes it tough.
But, if you have a real good farm team, and group of guys, signed for a few years, AND they play beyond their expectations, who knows what can happen. (Not so subtle, either, huh?)
– Ogre

“Lets face it, dynasties in the NHL are not anywhere close on the horizon. Back to back champions are only slightly more realistic. I believe that the closest you will find to a ‘dynasty’ is 3 Cup wins in a decade, but don’t expect two of those to be back to back. The collective talent pool in the NHL nowadays as compared to 15-25 years ago makes a 100+ grind to the Grail that much more difficult and unlikely. — Joey

You gotta have talent. A team that doesn’t have a lot of experience and/or talent is not gonna win. I think you also have to have heart and passion; the team has to care to win, because they want it and not because they want a paycheck. — Princess

CW: I wanted to personally thank all three of the participants for being in this month’s edition….and now the fans decide who wins this month’s Hockey Around The Horn.

The Wrath Of Krog!

Jason Krog capped off the 2007-08 season much the same way he started it….with a hot finish…a four point night including a hat trick in Chicago’s 5-2 win over Pittsburgh last night. The win gave the Calder Cup to Chicago for the second time in seven seasons. The scoring frenzy gave Krog an AHL high of 38 points in the playoffs (12 goals, 26 assists) in 24 games.

With that effort, it was a no-brainer that Krog would win the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy for being the most valuable player of the Calder Cup playoffs. Krog had already captured the AHL MVP award with an astonishing 112 points (39 goals, 73 assists) in just 80 games during the regular season. Here is the game winner….right here.

(empty_netters/flickr.com)

Krog has been an amazing mentor on this team.  Now granted it may seem weird that this success never quite translated on the NHL level but Krog is surrounded with talent that could be considered NHL caliber or damn close to it.  Ondrej Pavelec, the goalie, is only a rookie but there is talk that he may get a chance with the Atlanta Thrashers next season.  He is that talented!   Add in contributions from guys like Dennis Haydar and Joel Kwiatkowski (27 and 25 points respectively) and you have the recipe for a title.

Krog has guided the youngsters well…working with guys like Brett Sterling and Nathan Oystrick.  That really was his purpose in staying with Chicago….I am sure he could have gone up to Atlanta but I don’t think he really wanted to.  He is happy in the AHL but Atlanta top brass would be foolish not to try and coax him into playing for the big club next season.  Krog still has some talent left even at the tender age of 32 (he will be 33 at the start of next season).  Don’t be shocked if this is a springboard for several of these Wolves to show what they can do on the big club.

This former Hobey Baker award winner (98-99) from New Hampshire clearly has a considerable amount left in the tank and would be a great asset to the youngsters in Atlanta.  Question is…does Krog really want to try the NHL again as he seems to be very happy and content in Chicago?  Only time will tell on that one.

January To June In 60 Minutes

A rare and special simulcast from The NHL Arena Program…enjoy everyone…

Time to go from January to June in our unique way….via the blog of course.

We opened up the New Year with The Winter Classic. Crosby scored the GWG in the shootout and no one was really surprised. The LS Insider was on fire talking about Ribeiro and Savard among other things. We did some Mid-Year Reports on the tri-state area teams (Devils, Isles, Rangers). I even remembered to wish the wife a Happy Birthday. The blog turned one and we celebrated with The Blog Of The Year. There was some Arena Gathering in Phoenix…and an All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Then we counted down to the Trade Deadline with yours truly…with parts 1,2, 3, and more. There was a new column called Ask A Panelist where we let people ask us all sorts of questions. Thankfully Zednik was okay. Before the deadline, Pogo did a special for Injury Ninja Awareness Month (believe me its true…really). We all got antsy before the deadline…and then it came and went….then there was recapping.

March came in like a lion with some fantasy impact. The funny thing there was something about a six man tag in Hockey Around The Horn. Rick won the overall in professor-like fashion. The LSHL and Stevens’ leagues were going down to the wire. The Hockey Top 5 was indirectly introduced. Hockey Around The Horn went at it for a sixth time proving it never gets old. We paid a salute to my favorite drinks and went into more fantasy updates. Also, I wished a Happy Birthday to Mr. Hockey.

April came along with teams clinching already. There was an argument about snack foods. We saluted fantasy champs as the playoffs started with signs. The ladies went at it for the HATH and it was quite the experience. Round 1 rolled on by as the Devils and Senators were sent packing. We previewed Round 2 and introduced a Phanatic. The strangeness of the Habs-Flyers series took a backseat to the tale of Sean Avery. April was something else to say the least.

May showed us even more if that was possible. There was a pilot to bombadeer…and a beloved owner died. All hell broke lose with Versus, LS Insider, the Reaper, the final 4 was finally set after many hours, and Danada and Stevens fought over the Eastern Conference Final Preview. Toronto made a crash landing of sorts. I learned quite a lot in these playoffs and well the US felt cheated and I was humbled by Wings. The playoffs did start to bore us some admittedly but the Worlds saved us. The HATH part 8 snuck in with a new format. Russia struck gold and Danada felt bad for Canada.

Oh wait there was more playoffs to come. Then there was just waiting. But there were special interviews from the Wings and Pens’ sides of it in between a little Tamby face time. I made a prediction and angered an Ogre…sorta. Finally there was a Finals and Detroit made an initial whitewashing. Rick came in with The Cold War. I began to wonder when the finals were going to start…then things got interesting. Ogre took on Hockeytown and the Wings humbled me again.

Finally there was June. We were told to respect our elders, and that the Wings should win it in five. Unexpectedly the game kept going and going until Petr Sykora called his shot. I took a stand on diving and flopping then realized we needed more cider and a prediction. There was some relatively breaking news, and the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. The offseason started with a Brady-like bang! Then there was all sorts of offseason bizarre activity. We said goodbye to a legend, were amazed by Euro Power, and lastly the LWL took on all 30 NHL teams.

It has truly been an amazing run to the offseason. The funny thing about hockey is the hardest part is to say goodbye even for a few months. Off the ice so far, it has been as hot as it was on the ice…go figure! With the Awards, Draft, and Frenzy all coming up….there will still be plenty to talk about at The NHL Arena and here of course.

Wild One Just Outside Chicago…

For those of you who have The NHL Network in the US….there was a hell of a game tonight at the Allstate Arena outside Chicago…with the Chicago Wolves taking a hard fought 5-4 decision over Wilkes Barre-Scranton in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals (AHL).

Just for the record, I thoroughly enjoyed the NHL Network’s coverage of the game.  That and it didn’t hurt to love the up and down flow of the game.  Yes there were mistakes and some costly ones.   But the most enjoyable thing about watching minor league hockey is that familial crowd feel that you get watching any game.  You really do feel like you are right there at the arena with the fans.  It is that emotion that you don’t always get even in Stanley Cup Finals games that keeps you coming back for more.

This game had everything..timely goaltending, lots of great scoring chances and even a penalty shot.  Yes for the first time since 1998, there was a penalty shot in the Calder Cup Finals.  Sure it was missed but I was kind of rooting for it to go in…too bad it went just a bit high.  That is the type of hockey you like to see.  Shots on goal were 36-34 for the Wolves but the intensity is what made this a great Game 1.

The ebb and flow also helped.  Chicago went up 3-0…then Wilkes Barre stormed back to cut the deficit to 4-3 after two.  Unfortunately for them, Chicago had a little more in the tank when Bryan Little scored the eventual gamewinner in the third.  WBS scored to make it 5-4 but could not get the equalizer as it seemed Chicago and particularly Jason Krog was controlling the action.  Krog is an ex-NHL’er who is mentoring the youngsters in Chicago so they can make that next step into the NHL.  He was also a member of the 2002-03 Anaheim Ducks once upon a time ago.  His intelligence and on-ice x’s and o’s makes up for any deficiencies at least in the AHL.  His 112 pts in 80 games is an attest to that…and oh yeah he has 28 points in the playoffs (2 assists tonight).

The other quirky story is Joel Kwiatkowski.  Given up for dead in NHL circles…he has made a comfortable niche in Chicago as well.  He bounced around alot in the NHL (Ott, Pitt, Wash, Fla, ATL) but had 50 pts this season for the Wolves and has 17 in the playoffs including 8 in his last 5 games.  That five game streak is a record for defensemen by the way.  With vets like these two, it is no question the Wolves are just three wins away from the Calder Cup.

Add in some solid youngsters and that is why I think ultimately when all is said and done…the Chicago Wolves will be raising the Calder Cup…hopefully nothing happens to the Cup itself.

A Little Minor League MAYhem

Both AHL Conference Finals could end tomorrow as Wilkes Barre/Scranton entertains Portland and Chicago tries to finish off Toronto.

In Wilkes Barre, the baby Pens will try to force a Game 7 after ex-Pen Stephen Dixon scored both goals in a 2-1 win over WBS Wednesday night.  Tim Brent and Alex Goligoski lead the Baby Pens in points (18 and 16 respectively).  As for Portland, Bobby Ryan has been all-world with 18 points in 14 games.  The only player hotter right now is Chicago’s Jason Krog with 26 points but he did play in the NHL once upon a time ago.

Now while Pittsburgh’s goaltending has been okay as John Curry has posted a decent 2.47 GAA and .907 svpg with 1 shutout while JS Aubin (3rd stringer for Anaheim) has a nice 2.24 GAA and a .918 svpg in the playoffs.  Clearly his NHL experience is paying off in Portland as he guides this team on the verge of the Calder Cup Finals  This game could go either way as this series really has…but I think WBS is going to force a Game 7 here.

Prediction: WBS 3  Portland 2

Quickly onward to the other matchup which has been fairly one-sided up until Game 4 where Toronto started Mr. Pogge (the prodigal goalie according to many in the Toronto media and all he did was stop 30 of 31 in a 6-1 rout of Chicago.  The reality is Toronto is still down 3 games to 1 to one of the best teams in all of the AHL.  Toronto’s only real hope is Pogge…this is why.

Jason Krog has torn everything up in the Calder Cup…..scoring 26 points and just basically has been unstoppable.  Add in Ondrej Pavelec…all he has done is posted a 2.18 GAA and gaudy .928 svpg.  He has also faced the most shots of anyone in the playoffs and has two shutouts to boot.  Toronto has had balanced scoring but they must stop the Krog line and Kris Newbury and David Ling must step up if they are to have any chance at all in sending this puppy back to Toronto for a Game 6.  Sounds like a tall task to me.

Prediction:  Chicago 4   Toronto 2

Saturday finally brings about Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals…but do check out the Memorial Cup Semis coming soon and the Calder Cup Playoffs if necessary of course.  Good night everyone!

Poll Time….

With the World Championships now behind us and the NHL on a four day holiday of sorts….it is time for a simple question.

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Most people I have talked to so far are favoring the Red Wings but you never know….stranger things have happened.  Tomorrow, we will take a bit of a peak into the AHL Playoffs…the Conference Finals are in full swing there.  Will the Marlies make a comeback or will this be the series they finally fold?  Stay tuned.

A Win Win Situation…Sort Of

What a great day of hockey yesterday…from college to the AHL to the NHL…there was a little something to see for everyone. The best part was it started with the stuff from college ice….as the tournament began yesterday. Everyone’s consensus seems to be #1 overall Michigan but I think there may just be a few surprises. Time to get into yesterday’s action a bit.

Notre Dame came into a tournament reeling a little bit but New Hampshire despite being a #1 seed in the West had to feel a little uneasy and they certainly had reason to. The Wildcats were in it…only down 4-3 in the third period against the Fighting Irish when the Irish unloaded for three goals putting the game out of reach and winning 7-3. Jordan Pearce, who I thought was outstanding stopped 32 shots in what was a high paced up and down type game. Despite the score I thought this was the game of the day just as far as offense is concerned. Joey Pollastrone was incredible for New Hampshire scoring twice had 5 scoring chances and finished with 6 shots overall. He was all over the place and really had a chance to nab another goal or two if it hadn’t been for the great goaltending of Pearce. The Irish next face Michigan State at 7pm PT, who downed Colorado College 3-1 behind 41 saves from Jeff Lerg who anyone knows can almost win a national title by himself. He did it last year for the Spartans so look out this regional final will be a damn good one.

Not surprisingly, Michigan rolled yesterday to a 5-1 win over Niagara. Clarkson also defeated St. Clould 2-1 in what could be considered a mild upset. What is on tap for today? Well North Dakota begins its run in less than an hour against an upstart Princeton team. Expect the Fighting Sioux to come out firing on all cylinders…they saw what happened to New Hampshire and anything can happen in this tournament. Miami (Ohio) tries to silence the critics as they face Air Force in a first round tussle. In 2nd round action, Michigan faces Clarkson, Notre Dame faces Michigan State, and Minnesota faces Boston College. It is going to be a fun day for college hockey and if you do not get ESPNU for whatever reason you can follow the action on CSTV (CBS College Sports).

Then it was onward to some good old AHL hockey. Portland did battle with Lowell last night in a battle of my wife and I’s favorite minor hockey league teams. Both teams have taken their share of lumps this year with both likely not making the playoffs. However, it doesn’t make the two points any less sweet. Lowell would ultimately prevail over Portland 4-1 in a game that saw Lowell really capitalize on opportunities while Portland did not. Petr Vrana had another great effort for the baby Devils with 2 goals and an assist. It makes you wonder if he will get a spot on the big club next year. I think he may just be ready. Ryan Murphy chipped in with 2 assists and David Caruso made 26 saves in a solid effort. Sure teams like Providence and Chicago are the class of the league but it is fun to see the kids play no matter what their records are and the effort from this game showed that it still matters…even when a playoff spot is far out of reach.

Next up the big boys….in a Battle Of California showdown…the San Jose Sharks defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 last night in front of a sold out, raucous crowd at the Honda Center in Anaheim. It was nice to get to listen to the game at work…thank you bluetooth technology…thank you so much. JS Giguere missed his 4th straight game with back spasms as Brian Boucher only gave up 1 goal as he made 23 saves. The game turned on a weird Doug Weight penalty midway into the second period as he fell to the ice he hooked down a Sharks player. It was a cruel way for a game to turn but it did…as Jeremy Roenick swatted home a rebound that bounced off Jonas Hiller’s chest for the game winner. Just like that the team that was in third place all year…clinched the division. Congrats to the Sharks on clinching the 2 seed in the West. As for the Ducks it looks like the 4 seed is their fate now…question is who will they play next.

This game was very physical….hits were fierce and from all over the ice…and yet it was a clean game for the most part. That is the way old time hockey is meant to be played. This picture captures the essence of this playoff-like battle perfectly. Thank you Getty Images once again and the AP.

Battle of California tough!!!

Last but not least a happy moment in my sanity for the night. The New Jersey Devils beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in a wild game via shootout. Yes the Devils blew leads of 3-1 and 4-3 pushing my sanity nearly to the breaking point. Thankfully this time they did not break it like previous efforts this week. See the Rangers as Exhibit A and B for the judge. Gionta, Elias, and Langenbrunner all scored in the shootout on Marty Biron (who may be the league worst at shootouts). One of these days we are going to come up with a stat for that one. That being said, the game did kind of mask another amazing effort from Johnny “Orr” Oduya who seems to do this lately when the Devils and Flyers play. He had 2 goals in the first period and was all over the ice on the night. If only he could do this more often, damn that would sure reduce this fan’s stress level considerably.

All that is left now for the Devils is a 4 games in 6 day stretch against the Islanders, Bruins, Flyers, and Rangers and then the playoffs will begin and the energy level will be all cylinders on high. It is funny what a difference a day makes…so I leave you with a drink of cider.

Enjoy the night of hockey everyone!!

Just One Breakdown….

The anger has not completely subsided yet. Hell I don’t know when it will at this point. When you see your team hold a league for that long and then just give it up late then worse…lose in a shootout. It just makes you want to THROW SOMETHING! It makes you want to scream loudly…not that anyone will listen but tension breakers have a certain benefit to them. The Devils lost to the Rangers last night 2-1 via shootout. Here is yahoo’s recap…I am too disgusted to even look at it. For a little hometown feel to the game, here is 2 Man Advantage and Battle of New York with their takes.

So here is my take! This is playoff like hockey and I understand that but last I checked this is still the NHL….one goal generally does not win no matter how good your goalie is. Especially when your team is guilty of more defensive breakdowns at times than most public defenders. But all it takes is one defensive breakdown and your lead is gone. All that work….gone in an instant. That is just what happened to the Devils last night. How do you let Ryan Callahan of all people go behind the net unmolested…put a body on him…if he is too fast..ok…whatever. But there was no excuse for that at all. Then he was allowed to dish an easy pass in front to Chris Drury who will not miss an opportunity that easy and it was tied. Basically there went my faith in this game and I knew the result already.

Our defenders are not that good….PERIOD! There is no other way to slice this. Pandolfo and Madden killed Jagr all night only to have Ryan Callahan be a playmaker? Surely something is wrong with this picture and any fan would be correct to assume that Brent Sutter is still fuming this afternoon somewhere in New Jersey. By the way Gomez didn’t really do much of anything noteworthy either which makes this lost even more stinging. Aside of Martin and White last night….the defensemen were adequate and when is Vishnevski going to pound someone like Callahan? Instead of going for the check he tried to skate with him….HUGE MISTAKE!

Drury scores and I see red!

Predictably the Devils lost the shootout 1-0 and lost the game 2-1. Yes it is still a point but this game should have been two. There were too many chances for the Devils to ice this thing and they just could not. Zach Parise has gone cold as the Rangers had him blanketed all night long. With no Elias, really the best line was the big boy line of Rupp, Clarkson, and Zubrus. I think you will see a lot of these guys together come playoff time. That line clicked all night long. It will be interesting to see what happens when Elias does come back…as to who he is paired up with.

As for ways to solve the offensive shortfall…why not bring up one of the kids from Lowell at this point…you know that one named Mondou that can score??? Perhaps!! Someone listening out in Devil land??? Less line juggling could not hurt right now either. Yes I know we are 18 over .500 and that is pretty damn good but pretty good is not good enough in the playoffs. Excellence is expected! Am I a bit animated? Yes! When teams are breathing down your neck and you are a fan of the team they are chasing, you better believe I am going to be. Because when all it takes is one defensive breakdown for it to all go up in smoke…there is a problem.

So are all hopes lost because the Devils came up short against the Rangers last night? Certainly not. But if the offensive problems aren’t solved….the defensive tension will lead to that critical breakdown that can make or break a playoff run and surely with a fragile defensive corps from the third slot on down….it could have grave consequences come the postseason.

There will be blood…..

Throw the records straight out the window…the stakes are just too high.  The crescendo that is the NHL season is building toward the playoffs.  In less than three weeks, we will know the seedings….where will your team be?  That is the question evey fan asks me.  I can tell you emphatically that it really is too early to tell.  This has been a season full of parity…a year where two teams were thought to be untouchable and it turns out the teams gunning for them may have a better shot at that silver cup.  Now to add some chum into the tank and throw some more blood into the mix.  Here we go……

How demented would it be if the Edmonton Oilers made the playoffs?   Now imagine the look of Brian Burke if the Ducks faced the Oilers in the first round.  Horrified yet?  Oh no, that’s nothing.  That first round pick that Burke was drooling over is rapidly turning into a mid round pick that won’t nearly be as good as he was hoping for.  So gaining Penner via the restricted route maybe wasn’t as big a gamble for Lowe as people thought.  Praise also goes out to Craig MacTavish…who has to be quietly considered for the Jack Adams (Coach Of The Year).  Not many thought after all the injuries and already depleted talent pool…that Edmonton would be anywhere near where they are now.  Sure enough, they are…and he is the reason.  Though I feel sorry for him for all the grey hairs he received this season…..the coach has managed to get Cogliano and all these young guys along with a resurgence from Dwayne Rolosson within an earshot of the playoffs.  Many will say Sutter, Julien, and maybe even Wilson are more deserving but MacTavish is getting my vote if the season ended today.

Another team left for dead by many is the Florida Panthers.   The past few years this team starts out slower than a 1928 Roadster and comes in screaming like a 2008 Porsche but it is entertaining how they do it.  This year was no exception…hovering right near or below .500 for most of the season before finding the groove and reeling off seven straight wins.  Tomas Vokoun (a star of the week with 3 wins and a jawdropping GAA) is finally playing like he did in Nashville and Olli Jokinen is back to giving teams nightmares.  Maybe it did take them awhile after all to get over the Richard Zednik incident…but here they are…just two points out of a playoff spot.  The kicker is even though they only have 8 games left….they are just five points out of the division lead.  Further proof that indeed with the parity in the NHL, anything is possible….even for a coach like Jacques Martin to get lucky…..who knew?

Time to throw in a knuclepuck so to speak.  Tonight’s Leafs-Islanders matchup will also mean something not in the standings so much….but these are two teams that detest each other.   More importantly for Isles fans…Kyle Okposo will make his debut.  At 195 pounds, his size doesn’t seem that impressive.  But alot like Zach Parise…his tenacity around the corners is his calling card.  He is not afraid to play tough and his 24 points in 29 games at Bridgeport (AHL) is impressive.  He is only 19 and this is more or less a nine game audition with the big club but he will make an impact tonight…at the very least in the stands.  The University of Minnesota standout may just surprise some people, including the Maple Leafs as he can definitely hit.  So expect a physical game on Long Island tonight with maybe a twist.

Pittsburgh travels to MSG to play the Rangers tonight in what is a must win for the Rangers.  Their brain fart in Florida may have cost them a top seed in the Eastern Conference.  The loss to Tampa was probably worse than the one to Florida as well they got shutout by a Tampa team that couldn’t stop Winnie The Pooh from honey in sub-zero cold.  So it is time for Henrik Lundqvist to step up again and hope he gets some goal support from what has to be the most enigmatic offense in the NHL.  The Pens come in at 89 points…right behind New Jersey with Marc-Andre Fleury in net who the Rangers have had some success against.  No Sidney Crosby again tonight as he is still nursing a swollen ankle…he may be back by the weekend or sooner but no one seems to really know.  One thing is for sure…I am surprised this game is not on Versus…that would be their normal motus operandi wouldn’t it?  At any rate…I like the makeup of this game for some reason…I will definitely watch it.  Expect a surprisingly physical contest from these two.

Tomorrow is the real cap to the deal as the Rangers play the Devils for the 6th time this season.  Yes the Rangers have taken the first five but you have to feel the Devils gear up for this time of year and this type of schedule.  Like someone sevrely scorned, this will be INTENSE!  There will be much coverage on The NHL Arena, Battle of New York, 2 Man Advantage, and all the usual suspects.  Brodeur Vs. Lundqvist….Pandolfo Vs. Jagr….Gomez, Avery, and a cast of characters all will be at The Rock tomorrow night…don’t miss it!

Coming soon will be Hockey Around The Horn’s 6th episode…the banter of four people entering and only one emerging victorious.  It should be up and ready in the coming days at The NHL Arena.  So the blood will be shed this week and heading throughout the playoffs.  Now the intensity ramps up and it is for keeps!!  Good fight…..good night!!

AHL, NHL, and Alphabet Soup!

Yesterday was a very interesting one in the NHL.  There were some surprises and some very solid play…..even a little physical stuff.  Then there was the AHL which saw some amazing performances.  It is time to take a look at some of the finest and random that these two leagues had to offer last night.

There was some history made in Colorado yesterday as Martin Brodeur continues to make an assault on the record books.  Win 534 came yesterday but more importantly so did win number 40 on the season in a 4-2 victory over Colorado at the Pepsi Center.  When you can start using the handle of your goalie stick to stop shots and then your elbow…you may just be one of the best ever.  There was a reason why Brodeur was named first star.  It was not the quantity of saves (24)…it was the quality.  I saw at least 7 or 8 glorious chances that Brodeur stopped down low.  Joe Sakic put it best…”he may just be better than Roy and many considered him the best money goalie ever.”   Time will tell if that statement is true but I will tell you one thing…Brodeur will be nominated for the Hart and Vezina and he may just win both.

The population has gone up in Pominville!  The Buffalo Sabres behind 3 points from Jason Pominville easily defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2 last night at the Air Canada Centre.  Ryan Miller made 30 saves…stepping up from some awful performances he had earlier in the month.  This puts the Sabres right on the heels of the Flyers…only one point out of the eighth spot in the East.  Jochen Hecht also had a goal and 2 assists for the Sabres who are starting to look like a playoff team again.  Not many said that when Chris Drury and Daniel Briere left town and Brian Campbell was traded.  With the way the Flyers are playing right now….the 8 seed looks very attainable.

The kids are alright!!  Many lambasted Montreal GM Bob Gainey when he traded Cristobal Huet for a 2009 2nd round pick to Washington during the trade deadline.   Admittedly I was one of them.  Though I still think he could have gotten more for Huet….anyone has to admit the goaltending tandem of Price and Halak could be rather scary come playoff time.  These two netminders do not know fear.  With a skilled group of vets and youngsters, the Habs could easily win the East and beyond.  Quite a few pundits have picked them to advance to the Cup Finals and some to even win it.  Last night, Jaroslav Halak (who spent most of the season with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL) made 30 saves in a 3-0 shutout over the New York Islanders.  Roman Hamrlik scored the game winner on the Power Play and that first goal was bolstered with goals by Kovalev and Latendresse.  The save on Richard Park by Halak late in the third was what caught my eye.  Both him and Price play very similar and they are fast laterally which is essential come playoff time.  That may just really pay off for Montreal more than getting Hossa….who knew.

Speaking of the AHL…thanks once again to B2sports.  When you can’t get to watch the game…you can watch the video highlights.  I caught the Lake Erie game late last night and watched an amazing performance by Mike Wall.  Wall has faced 40 shots or more 8 times this season which doesn’t say much for their defense at times.  But last night he faced 50 against the Grand Rapids Griffins and only gave up a late power play goal in the third by Ryan Oulahen.  Not only did he make all those stops but he also got an assist on Lake Erie’s second power play goal which turned out to be the game winner in the second period.  Now Wall has only played 27 games this season but he is 6-3 in his last 9 starts proving maybe he is ready to take over the #1 spot for Lake Erie next season.

Has anyone seen the Providence Bruins?  If you haven’t, you are missing one hell of a team.  With their 6-2 win over the San Antonio Rampage (yes they play hockey in Texas), the Bruins now have 97 points and are 31 over .500.  The Chicago Wolves have 96 points and are 31 over .500 as well but the Baby B’s are the real surprise here.  Tukka Rask is 25-10 in 37 starts but the funny thing is his save percentage is only .902.  He hasn’t had to be outstanding because the offense is clicking at a clip of 3.57 goals per game.  Pascal Pelletier is not a household name but he may just become one eventually.  He has 64 points in 60 games including 31 goals.  He is a short guy (5 foot 11) but has some stature at 195 pounds.  Pellletier plays hard and at only 24 years of age has NHL potential written all over him.  I am honestly surprised that Boston has not called him up yet with all their injuries but maybe they are doing the right thing here.  The fact that the B’s only have one scorer in the top 10 proves their balance overcomes any defensive gaps they may have.  They will be dangerous come playoff time.

Lastly, from what feels like the files of Alphabet Soup.  Who do the fans feel has better TV coverage as far as the NHL?  Is it VS. or NBC?  Both have considerable flaws but I really do wonder what the readers think so make your voices known.  One thing is for sure I hope the coverage and quality ramps up as the playoffs approach because the fans are ready…that is for sure.

Just an update…Sykora and Malkin connect again….as both have 4 points each as the Pens are destroying the Flyers midway into the 3rd…6-1.  This is a certain way to end up on the golf course Philly!  Enjoy the rest of the day of afternoon and evening hockey.

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