Washington Capitals

“Cap” The Night.

Some hard hitters from the last 24 hours.

– Alex Ovechkin wins the Pearson, Richard, and Hart…anything he didn’t win?

– Pavel Datsyuk takes home the Lady Byng and Selke.  Nick Lidstrom takes his 6th Norris.

– Martin Brodeur takes home his 4th Vezina in 5 years in one of the closest votes ever (7)

– Gordie Howe is the recipient of the first ever Hockey Lifetime Achievement Award.

Peter DeBoer is expected to be named the next Ottawa head coach later today.  This is according to a report from Spectors which states something will happen likely tomorrow…if not tomorrow but soon.  I did a little reading on DeBoer (the Kitchener Coach) and I have to say he will be a departure from Murray that is for sure.  That is a good thing.  What Ottawa really needs right now is someone who can coach and coach youngsters and vets alike well.  That youthful energy could be what Ottawa really needs…that and a buyout of Ray Emery but hey…one thing at a time.

Expect the Kings to go within and possibly name Mike Johnston their new head coach…timetable on this one…who really knows.  The Kings do not do anything like clockwork and their late firing of Crawford when everyone thought it would come much sooner not only makes me scratch my head but befuddles many NHL experts everywhere.  No wonder why the Kings fan feels such an ambivalence to their own organization.  How long will it be before Dean Lombardi is fired or they sell the team?  It makes you wonder.

With only a week till the draft..the draft talk will heat up some.  I am not the world’s greatest expert on the draft but I know a thing or two…so expect a little on the draft as I gear up for a much deserved vacation next weekend.  Till then….hope everyone enjoyed the Awards Show and good night!

Jeremy Spoken……

The best way to describe this game was it was a Jeremy Roenick kind of game. Ron Wilson scratched Roenick in Game 6 for this very reason. Wilson had to roll the dice….the flameouts of San Jose playoffs past would be too much to bear if they lost this one. In the end a four goal explosion during the second period was what cemented this 5-3 victory. What finished the victory was a determined defensive effort in the third period that held the lead up.

After Owen Nolan’s wonderful breakaway goal early in the second period to give the Flames a 2-1 lead…the San Jose Sharks went simply nuts all led by the mercurial Jeremy Roenick. He spoke all right and it went something like this. Roenick already had a secondary assist on the Joe Thornton power play tally. He turned back the clock and scored twice in 3:00 to make it 3-2 Sharks. Both goals were JR specials…one was a fortunate bounce from driving the net…and the other was a Power Play tally where he followed his own rebound to slam it hope past Miikka Kiprusoff. It is funny that on the VS. feed JR talked to the press about scoring 2 goals and well he sure did.  Amazing effort for the 38 year old who turned back the clock tonight and played like a man in his late 20’s.

Calgary has nothing to be ashamed of…they were bombarded in this game and yet they were still in it…just about till the very end.  The Flames were outshot 35-13 in the first 2 periods and basically Kipper, Iginla, and Phaneuf cannot do it alone.  That much was proven tonight.  Iginla played 13:18 of the third period and nearly cut the lead to one several times but Evgeni Nabokov shut the door just enough to keep him off the scoresheet in the third.  In the end, San Jose was able to play keep away a little better than Calgary was able to mount an offensive attack.  They appeared dead tired and when you are exhausted in the final 5:00 of a Game 7….it is hard to pull off the comeback.  Kudos to San Jose for moving on…they get a rested Dallas Stars team Friday night.

In the other game tonight….Joffrey Lupul scored on the waning seconds of a power play early in Overtime to win the series for the Philadelphia Flyers.  Daniel Briere set up Kimmo Timonen, who fired a hard and low shot on goal that Cristobal Huet could not fully handle.  Earlier in the overtime almost the same play occurred but Lupul was about a half second slow.  He was not slow this time around as he got to the puck real quick and backhanded the puck past a sprawled out Huet sending the Flyers bench into hysterics of joy while the heart of Washington finally stopped beating.

The 3-2 final, which seemed significant in the playoffs so far wasn’t without some controversy however.  The Flyers second goal scored by Sami Kapanen was just after Patrick Thoresen knocked a Caps defenseman right over Huet.  Kapanen had a wide open net and did not miss which gave them a shortlived 2-1 lead.  Alexander Ovechkin would score on an amazing shot late in the second to tie it at two but many wondered aloud if that second Flyers goal would have counted if the Refs had been in better position.  It is one of those, we’ll never know type things but I think Ted Leonsis and the Caps will be thinking about it for some time.

Take nothing away from these two teams it was a hell of a series.  This was a great way to end the first round.  I was hoping to see an Ovechkin-Crosby Round 2…really to see Ovechkin and Malkin go at it but it wasn’t meant to be.  So now here are the conference semi matchups starting East first then West.  Previews will come on Thursday….

(1) Montreal Canadiens VS. (6) Philadelphia Flyers

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins VS. (5) New York Rangers

(1) Detroit Red Wings VS. (6) Colorado Avalanche

(2) San Jose Sharks VS. (5) Dallas Stars

It is going to be an awesome second round.  For those on the prediction front…I went a halfway decent 29-19 for the first round…not too shabby.  Take the day off….relax and recharge…because the second round is going to come back with a vengeance tomorrow night.

One Game 7 Down…2 More To Go!

This picture really does tell a 1000 words and maybe more.  Not only did Boston do nothing in its gameplan or could really execute when they had the opportunity but they let Montreal walk all over them in a Game 7 that was more like Game 1 than anything else.  Chara for some reason is a player that lives by the sword and dies by the sword.  Well he died tonight in a big, big spot once again.  For argument’s sake…here is Chara’s line from tonight’s game.

TOI: 24:04   0G 0A  -3, 0 shots and 2 Pims (that call lead to a goal)

Now is it really fair to spotlight Chara like this?  Maybe it isn’t.  The last Game 7 Chara played in was the infamous Game 7 against New Jersey….but Redden was on the ice for that gaffe and not Zdeno Chara.  However tonight was so eerie…as his game resembled Redden’s (in big spots) in so many ways.  In times when Chara needed to be passive he was aggressive and paid dearly (Mark Streit slipped past him for an easy goal that was highlight reel material all the way).  That goal was more or less the heartbreaker (that made it 2-0 Habs) but it would get worse…when Chara took a holding penalty and Montreal scored seconds after the penalty ended.  It was 3-0 and you could warm up the bus for Boston…the party was over!

Montreal would add two goals late in the third period to make the final score 5-0.  Montreal outshot the B’s 27-14 over the final two periods and yet one would think Boston would have put forth more of an effort.  However, the B’s were gassed and the final 20:00 reflected that.  It took too much effort the last two games for them to be able to sustain it for a third game in a row.  Give Boston credit…they made a series of it when no one else thought they would.  I certainly didn’t…the Montreal guys didn’t think so either.  AllHabs summed it up best…five games and a 1/3 of the sixth in purgatory then they woke up.

Maybe the Habs should send a thank you card to Zdeno Chara because Chara led the B’s to an almost certain death especially when you play a game like that on the biggest of stages.  It makes you wonder as Chara ages..he will be 31 at the start of the season…what Boston will do with him at some point.   All that money (7.5 mill a year) for a turkey of an effort when it counts has to confound even the most diehard of Boston fans this Tuesday morning.

And now for the twist…I really expected only one Game 7 tomorrow between the Sharks and Flames so what does Washington do?  They go all Ovechkin in the third period and now there are two Game 7’s….who would have thought it?  Not me!  So now with our 28-18 record….we get 2 more chances to add to our first round record.  So let’s go for it…what the hell!!!!

Washington 3  Philadelphia 1

San Jose 3  Calgary 2

Now for goats and studs…here goes…..

Goats: Derian Hatcher, Dion Phaneuf

Studs: Joe Thornton, Alexander Ovechkin

Enjoy the two Game 7’s!!!  I know I will.

Eastern Conference Previews….Hot Off The Presses…

Tomorrow it begins at last. After six months of jockeying for position….we are at the doorstep of hockey’s second season….where it all counts now. There are sixteen teams but only one can be Stanley Cup Champion. It is time to do some previews and predictions.

#1 Montreal Canadiens VS. #8 Boston Bruins

Forgive us for no fancy logos and gimmicks here….but this is just nuts and bolts preview and prediction here on Fanboom. The Habs beat the Bruins all eight times this season and some of the games were downright ugly. If that was not a daunting enough task for the Bruins….the first three games are played over a span of four nights. That will take a lot out of a team that is trying to stop a very speedy Habs team. This will be a goaltending battle as Tim Thomas goes up against the rookie Carey Price. I still give the nod to Price as he has been more consistent this season. Thomas can be spectacular but he can be also downright lethargic and cold at times. I see a resolve in Price that will serve him well in the second season. Montreal has more scorers in the lineup with Higgins, Kovalev, and Plekanec. They also led the league in defensive scoring with guys like Mark Streit and Andrei Markov. Boston counters with a solid defensive system and guys like Glen Murray and Chuck Kobasew. They also have some d-men that can score like Dennis Wideman and Zdeno Chara. But will Chara’s lack of foot speed hurt him in this series? That is one key.

The other key is injuries.

Key Injuries: Bos — Patrice Bergeron (concussion) Marc Savard (Back) Saku Koivu (foot)

Predictions: Sure not having Koivu will hurt some for the Habs but this team is on a roll. I can’t see Montreal slowing down…if anything they will play better in honor of him. Thomas will have to steal this series like Cujo did against Dallas in 98. Honestly I do not see that happening.

Habs in 5.

#2: Pittsburgh Penguins VS. #7 Ottawa Senators

This is probably the matchup the Pens wanted. Since last year they were ousted by Ottawa in 5 games as Ottawa went on to the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to Anaheim. People forget Ottawa only lost once in regulation over the first 15 games then everything went South in the new year…and they almost ended up falling out of the postseason entirely before holding on for 7th in the East. They know what is coming from Sidney Crosby and company. Pittsburgh finished with 102 points but took it easy on Sunday when they lost to Philly 2-0. They could have nabbed the #1 seed and some question the motivation but what can you do. Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, and company provide a unique skill set that will give Ottawa fits all series long. Ottawa had a very tough time with Montreal and Pittsburgh can play very similar to that style.

Key Injuries: PIT: No Major Injuries. OTT: Daniel Alfredsson (knee) Mike Fisher (knee) Chris Kelly (leg)

Predictions: This is a hard series to call depending on which Ottawa teams shows up. Ottawa has to play fast and hard…and not worry about Pittsburgh scoring because Pittsburgh is going to get their goals…Ottawa is just going to have to get more. There will be a few crooked numbers in this series but the key for Ottawa will be to get their confidence back. If they don’t, Pittsburgh is going to make very very short work of the Sens and that is kind of what I see happening…though the games will be tight.

Pens in 5.

#3: Washington Capitals VS. #6: Philadelphia Flyers

This is like an old time Patrick Division slobberknocker. They haven’t been in the same division for awhile but management from both teams I am sure remembers those days well. The Capitals come in on fire going 10-1-1 in their last 12 while Philly kind of just held on and won their last two by shutout to get in as the 6 seed. Washington is young and youthful and is riding a hot Cristobal Huet in net while the Flyers have Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, and a more than able Martin Biron (thankfully there is no shootouts in the playoffs). This has the makings of being a surprisingly good matchup. The physical nature of this series will be in ample display. These two teams do not like each other and with Donald Brashear on the ice…expect it to continue.

Key Injuries: PHI — Daniel Briere (lower body), Simon Gagne (Concussion), Derian Hatcher (leg), and Sami Kapanen (flu, neck). Was — No key injuries

Predictions: This series doesn’t start till Friday so a key could be who comes out faster. The Caps will get helped by the home crowd but Philly will need to play like it did Sunday against Pittsburgh. They have to stay disciplined or they will be eaten alive by Ovechkin and Backstrom. Cristobal Huet will be difference in this series and though it will be close and Philly may even steal a couple games along the way. The Caps should move on to the second round despite a potential big series from Vaclav Prospal.

Caps in 6.

#4: New Jersey Devils VS. #5 New York Rangers

Throw the records out the window and let the bodies hit the floor!! Yes the Devils only won once in the season series but the last one may mean more to the Devils than anyone else could know. The Devils know they can beat the Rangers but they are also now aware that they need to improve on their second period play. For some reason that has buried them and their inability to hold leads of late. Brodeur Vs. Lundqvist figures to be a stonewall marquis matchup that will live up to all the accolades and hype. The Rangers have stopped Elias and Parise for the most part all season and the Devils have stopped Jagr for most of the season series…he did get one goal in Sunday’s game. This is going to come down to who really wants it more…they are evenly matched with the Devils having a bit of a 5 on 5 advantage and special teams is the Rangers forte.

Key Injuries: None to really speak of.

Predictions: I have been going back and forth on this since Sunday. The series is going to be very close and I expect some OT and double OT games thrown in for good measure. This will be physical, there will be blood no question. Can the Devils break out on the Power Play? They did in 2006 and I still think Lundqvist remembers that well. Jagr’s line has to score some and Gomez and Drury have to be especially big (maybe on a line with Dawes) to win this. The Devils line of Rupp-Clarkson-Zubrus needs to be a huge presence early. The games and the series will go back and forth like a yo-yo but in the end I do think Martin Brodeur has just enough in the tank to steal the show in a game 7 that will feel like it was on ESPN Classic.

Devils in 7.

Later on we will do some quick western conference predictions….thanks to the wife for her expertise on the western conference teams. But for now, enjoy the day off. Tomorrow will come fast enough!

Capital Takeover!

I’m not a fan of the Washington Capitals…I will admit that. But the day they hired Bruce Boudreau and fired Glen Hanlon, I knew something was brewing in the beltway. They went from 24 points in December to 94 by the end of the season. That 70 points in that time span was good for #1 in the East. It is amazing to see from how they went to how they are now. How did they get there? Well here are a few reasons they won the division.

Boudreau installed a system of accountability that worked! Plain and simple, these guys believed as a cohesive unit that they could do this. Now that got them only so far and they were hovering just above .500 when the trade deadline hit. Now they did get Matt Cooke, Sergei Fedorov, and Cristobal Huet at the deadline and that was the key. The Caps now had a younger goalie and a #1 who could take over for the valiant yet at times overmatched Olaf Kolzig. They also gained a valuable vet who was Russian and that would prove to be important as far as mentoring Semin and Ovechkin as they made their push toward the playoffs.

MVP Perhaps? Yes!

This is a team that is hot at the right time….going 10-1 in their last 11 games to get in. Combine that with Carolina’s 5-5-1 finish over that span and that was enough for Washington to take the division by a scant two points. An oh by the way, Washington has only given up 37 goals in its last 20 games….that translates into playoff style goaltending and stout defense. Cristobal Huet has always been a very good goalie when healthy. Now he steps into the postseason in Washington with an MVP candidate and likely winner in Ovechkin. This team has talent though the injury to Jeff Schultz last night may be bad news…it likely won’t deter this team at all (it did not appear to be serious).

Does this fully vindicate Ted Leonsis and his cut everything scorched earth policy after the lockout? I would have to say yes and emphatically. It will be interesting to see how he keeps this emerging core together. I believe he will as this team is on a very fast rise and next year will be a division and maybe even conference favorite. The drafting of Ovechkin, getting the right coach in Boudreau and this trade deadline which surprised many, including myself, have put the Captails in a position to takeover not only the DC media but maybe much more.

My prognosis for the first round of the playoffs looks very good for the Capitals…I think they have what it takes to advance to Round 2. Yes they will beat the Ottawa Senators and the Philadelphia Flyers if they play them instead.

Lock, Stock, And Barrel?

With last night’s action in the books….there are some things to be decided but all it really comes down to now is crowning a Southeast Division champ and some seeding issues in the East and West.  The intrigue that could have been vanished last night into a cloud of dust when Dallas and Carolina both lost unexpectedly.  More on that a bit later.   Last night was the first night that I saw firsthand what fatigue can do to a team.  It was evident in so many games…it was enough to make my head spin.

For the Rangers, it was simply a case of firing too many shots and being in the attack zone too long.  They fired 51 shots on Wade Dublewicz in all and yet could only muster one point (a 4-3 shootout loss).  Brendan Shanahan looked absolutely gassed when he tried to beat Dublewicz in the shootout and really didn’t get that great of a shot off.  Can you blame him though?  He did have 12 shots on net.  It just goes to show you that the tired feeling can hit at any time…sometimes even the most inopportune time as the Rangers could have climbed into a tie for the 4th seed with New Jersey.

New Jersey came into Philly after winning 6 straight this season against Philly and quite possibly turned in one of their worst performances of the season (losing 3-0).  Any time you see Martin Brodeur getting pulled is bad but when your team shows no life it has to be of great concern to the coach.   Giving up two goals 4 on 4 was what scared me most.  That was an awful, pathetic display of defense and should never happen…especially this late in the season.  When Sutter pulled Brodeur, the message was served.  The Devils did have 8 shots in the last 8:00 and had several quality scoring chances probably their first good chances of the night against Martin Biron.  Biron probably had the easiest night he had in months in getting the shutout.  Damn wouldn’t it be nice to see Mr. Brodeur get one of those every so often?  The question becomes now when the Devils play the Rangers tomorrow afternoon at The Rock….who has more in the tank left?  A very interesting question indeed.

Then there was Dallas with a golden opportunity to get closer to Anaheim and the 4 seed.  So what did they do at home?  They lost to Phoenix of course…4-2.  Though Dallas only gave up 20 shots….how in god’s green Earth do you let Daniel Carcillo (trained professional fighter) net a hat trick against you?  I watched this game in sheer amazement as Carcillo was all over the ice, getting quality chance after chance and annoying the living daylights out of Stars’ defensemen.  I know Zubov is out and there are a few injuries and such, but man Dallas is limping into the playoffs and it makes you wonder if they really want to play Anaheim.  The Ducks are a physical team that could pummel them and Turco into submission.   Last night’s game proved more that the Stars are a tired team than anything else.

Finally, there was Carolina…the Southeast was right within their grasp….and then the whistle blew.  It was like the expectations just caught up with them.  Well really the entire season caught up with them all in one game.  Fatigue really showed up late in the third period.  When you fire 46 shots on net like that, I guess it can be expected.  But the key, was the defense and goaltending that looked ordinary most of the season came back to bite them big time.  Cam Ward was not at his best last night and Florida took advantage of it….netting 2 quick goals in the first then after Eric Staal made it 3-2…Radek Dvorak of all people scored a shorthanded goal with just over 11 seconds left in the second off a pretty passing play and it was 4-2 and pretty much end of Carolina season.  The Canes tried to mount a late attack but the last couple minutes they looked more like an AHL team floundering away with a one goal deficit feeling like five…as they lost the game 4-3 and maybe the season.

Finally there is fatigue by celebration.  Thy name is the Nashville Predators.  After a kind of lucky goal, Nashville promptly gave up three goals in the first falling to defeat 3-1.  It was weird…almost like they were hungover because the last two periods..the Preds were firing from all cylinders and really Patrick Lalime was stoning them immaculate.  Because when I saw Nashville score the early goal….I thought it would be a long night for Chicago because that was a bad one.  But Lalime and Chicago proved me wrong…they did enough in the first to win the game.  So now Nashville will play Detroit in the first round.

Now it is time for in, out, and bubble. (As far as new teams in,out, and bubble).

IN:

Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers

Out: 

No one yet.

Bubble: 

Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals

The Capitals truly control their destiny but anything can happen.  Will the fatigue of the season get to them or the fatigue from the pressure of the moment?  We will see tonight as more teams jockey for seeding and one tries to cement the last playoff spot up for grabs…the Southeast Division title (the 3 seed). Enjoy the hockey everyone!

Decision Day Part One

Yes it is only Thursday but tonight’s action will go a long way of determining who gets in and who stays home come April 7th. There are still so many scenarios but I believe tonight should start to bring this whole thing into focus just a bit more. First up, the poor teams that are battling for their playoff lives. You can hear the paddles going off in the back of the ambulance right now.

First up is Buffalo who plays at Montreal tonight. Montreal has the #2 seed clinched but they are playing for tops in the East right now….so every game counts. A win for the Habs tonight outright eliminates Buffalo and keeps the Habs tied with Pittsburgh. Even worse for the Sabres…last night’s questionable point (the Zubrus goal that was in but Toronto somehow could not see it) by Boston puts Buffalo’s postseason hopes in the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning of all teams. Yes, the same Lightning that got blown out in Carolina 6-2 last night travel to Washington tonight to face the Washington Capitals. Basically if the Caps win…Buffalo’s hopes are almost over and done because Washington will have 92 points and the at the time be tied for 6th (if Ottawa loses in regulation). All those shootout and OT losses (12 total) will indeed have come back to haunt the Sabres. Needless to say, Ryan Miller will not be sending Martin Brodeur a gift basket at the end of the year.  I said almost for this reason.*

There is even a possibility that the West could be all sewn up except for seeding by tonight. Chicago Blackhawk fans will be doing extensive scoreboard watching in Vancouver and Nashville. The Canucks host the Edmonton Oilers and Nashville hosts the St. Louis Blues. With Hannu Toivonen (Legace out with hip flexor injury) getting the start for St. Louis….Nashville fans are probably drooling already (Hannu gave up 4 goals on 18 shots the last time out against the Preds). A Nashville win and Vancouver loss in regulation eliminates both Vancouver and Chicago all in one shot. A Nashville loss or even a loss in extra time leaves the door open for both Vancouver and Chicago. There are so many permutations that you may need a scientific calculator and a professor from M.I.T. for this one.

Now for the other teams that could clinch. Simply…the Rangers and Senators can win and they are in. The Rangers have two cracks against the Isles (tonight and tomorrow night). The Sens play at Toronto and Toronto is without Mats Sundin (groin tear). The Rangers could even lose both in extra time and be in with 95 points total. Minnesota simply needs a point and they win the Northwest and the 3 seed. Calgary just needs a point to make the playoffs. Detroit just needs a point at home against Columbus tonight to win not only the West but the overall #1 seed in the league or a Sharks loss (whether it be in OT, SO or regulation don’t matter).

Tonight will go in a big way to tell the playoff fates of more teams…now seeding is a different matter entirely. I did want to thank ESPN for their concise tiebreaking procedures on their page. Now of course they are all chasing one thing and that is the only thing that ultimately matters. There is that nice, shiny, silver thing called the Stanley Cup.

Thank You Wikipedia for the pic.

So with ten big games tonight….may the DVR’s work some OT and so may your eyes as the regular season comes firing all guns a blazing to the end. The end is definitely very near…and for some more near than they hope.

* Editor’s Note:  Thanks to my friend Andrew from The NHL Arena.  If Washington wins tonight, that doesn’t eliminate the Sabres. Buffalo can jump Philly into 9th, and then jump Boston for 8th based on the THIRD tiebreak. They would be tied in wins, tied in head to head record (4-2-2), but Buffalo would actually win the tiebreak based on goal differential.

April Fools Day…..A Day Of Hockey

It is the one day of the year where it is more than okay to be a little zany. The strangest thing is this has to be one of the most insane postseason races in history and one of the biggest days of the season is today of all days. This includes what will probably be the game of the year in the Southeast Division. Also a couple more teams have the chance to clinch division titles and playoff berths. This has the makings of being a great hockey night.

However, just to show a little sense of humor…it is time to sidetrack a little into the world of hockey pranks. Everyone has a favorite prank to pull on someone today. I wonder who has pulled one off today and how did it go. I know with some of the hockey players…the traditional pie in the face gag was so overused that we wound up going to a different standby. The place that we practice at down in Palm Desert has a helium tank in it…so yesterday we pulled an early prank on one of the guys. He thought he was blowing air into balloons when really he was blowing helium. Needless to say it not only changes your voice but the balloons did some pretty funny things when we popped them. I swear one smacked him in the head. He didn’t look all that pleased but it was hilarious to see the look on his face.

Another classic was the rubber cement hockey puck. Take rubber cement on an inline floor and put it around the rolling hockey puck. We literally had dozens of people trying to pull the puck off the floor and a couple even fell down. I was laughing so hard I almost spit out my soda when one of the guys tried firing a slap shot and the stick smacked his helmet so hard that the helmet came flying off. One girl nearly fell head over heels when she tried to pull too hard. After ten minutes, we just had to tell people in good conscience that this was an April Fools’ Day prank. I can only imagine how many more would have tried to get the puck off the ground…after all who wants to slip on it?

Finally there is the cold roller…or that’s what I call it….Fill a small kitchen garbage can 3/4 of the way with water and a little ice and lean it on any door….then wait for the hilarity to ensue. We left the door at the office of the guy that runs the place….waited for him to finish his lunch then placed the small kitchen can leaning on the door. When he opened it…I swear he jumped 20 feet…that water was really cold. Considering it was nearly 80 degrees out…that is one nasty chill but damn it sure is funny!!!

Well on the funniest day of the year, there is nothing better than some big hockey games. Tonight’s Capitals-Hurricanes clash more than transcends the funny stuff. This is an absolute must win for both teams. The Caps have to win out to hope and make the playoffs either as a division winner or an 8 seed…they may even get 6th or 7th who knows. The Canes have to win tonight to keep their division lead…at the worst lose in OT or a shootout. It will be Cristobal Huet Vs. Cam Ward in the nets and both have been rather good of late. Huet won the last meeting but both goalies were amazing in that game and I expect more of the same in this one. A low scoring, high intensity duel that can be seen if you have Fox Sports South, Comcast DC Sportsnet or simply Center Ice….though I wonder if VS. somehow finds a way to get this game on the airwaves.

Here is why. Last week’s game was a 3-2 Washington win in Carolina via the shootout….Huet was particularly outstanding in the extra frame and shootout stopping an onslaught that came at him. Cam Ward was no slouch in this game and the physicality was intense. When was the last time you saw a goalie check someone into the boards…it happened in the last meeting. No doubt this is the game of the night and probably week.

In other action….the Devils play the Islanders at Nassau Colosseum . A win clinches a playoff birth for the Devils but so does a regulation loss by the Capitals. Martin Brodeur will be looking for his 42nd win but only his 2nd against the Isles this season as the Devils for whatever reason have a hard time beating this team no matter who is in net for the Islanders. Whether it be bad luck or worse, the Isles and the Rangers for that matter have the Devils’ number this year and that is unusual for a team who feasts on the Atlantic year in and year out. Four games in six nights will be a nasty stretch for New Jersey to end the season but if any team can pull it off…it is New Jersey. For more on the Devils side of things…check out 2 Man Advantage later on in the day.

There was a tie for the third most important matchup of the day…between Montreal-Ottawa and Vancouver-Colorado. Both are very essential to playoff seedings in the West. Montreal can tie for the lead in the East and Ottawa can virtually clinch a playoff berth. Montreal has controlled most of the Northeast all season and sprinted out to a 7-1 lead in their last meeting before Ottawa made a game of it late scoring 4 times before falling short 7-5. Ottawa’s goalies don’t seem to do well against Montreal and really the Habs’ depth and team speed are a killer for any team…when they are playing on their game. Ottawa counters with the most dangerous first line in hockey…Alfredsson, Spezza, and Heatley. So expect either a low scoring barnburner or a shootout…no one really knows till these two drop the puck…what is going to happen.

Lastly, there is Vancouver Vs. Colorado. Vancouver has to win this game for Nashville is playing St. Louis and SHOULD get 2 points tonight. Luongo has been good for the most part lately but has thrown a few clunkers into the mix. He has to be on his game from the outset tonight as Colorado is very dangerous at the Pepsi Center. Hell the first ten minutes of this game will pretty much tell the tale on this one. If Vancouver can hold firm early….they should be able to take this game late. If they don’t, Colorado will be able to score and force the Canucks to play catch up…something they do not like to do at all. Comfort zone is essential and whoever comes out of theirs first will lose. An oh by the way….if Minnesota wins tonight and Colorado and Calgary lose…Minnesots wins the Northwest crown and the 3 seed.

So aside from all the funny stuff….hockey is still serious business. As the playoffs get closer and closer…more teams will find their bubble bursting or their seeding plummet. Good fight….good hockey…and good night!

The Quick And The Dead….

So which team actually deserves to make the playoffs….the Boston Bruins or the Washington Capitals? Other teams could be lumped into this but really it seems the 8 seed is coming down to these two teams…at least so far it does anyway. Both have immensely important matchups tonight on the road. So who wins tonight will go a ways in determine who’s playoff bubble will burst.

Boston has 84 points and a game in hand…but face it if they lose to Toronto tonight and Washington wins, they are in very deep trouble. Let’s face facts here…Boston is not overly talented. Without Bergeron, and very little in the way of skill players other than Marc Savard, this team has a very hard time scoring goals consistently but lately their goaltending and defense has been very inconsistent. Something that if you had told me 10-15 games ago..I would have told you…you were nuts but sure enough, it is bubbling to the surface now. The divisional shortcomings (only 1 point in 8 meetings against Montreal, etc.), the offense, and now defense. All that Claude Julien can do now is hope Chara is 100% for the stretch run and Savard can find some people open to score enough goals to win or gain points. This is a true salvage effort now and to think a few weeks ago…Boston had an outside shot at the East. All seems lost now.

Washington seemed to be dead on the ice after a long weekend which culminated in Nick Backstrom putting it in his own net…in a 4-2 defeat the hands of the hated Pens. That was a couple weeks ago. Boy have times changed!! The Caps have gotten back on their feet and despite a 5-0 hiccup in Chicago last week…they seem to be doing just enough to get into the playoffs. With a sniper like Ovechkin, the Caps are not out of any game….there are 60 reasons for that and likely more. This upcoming 3 game road trip that goes from Carolina to Tampa to Atlanta is essentially their season in a nutshell. They have been better away from the phone booth lately but have had some stinkers. There can’t afford to be a stinker on this trip or it could be fatal. Every point counts!

So whichever team is the quick one here and snatches up points will not be the dead one. Honestly, unless they shoot themselves in the foot…that team is looking more and more like the Washington Capitals who look like a team well on the rise for the next several years. Enjoy the ride Washington…and maybe just maybe this will be a harsh lesson that Boston needs to learn once and for all. It is how you are cheap that determines ultimate success not just being cheap. So who do you think nabs the 8 seed in the East? I want to know.

Brodeur Goes Home — Big Tilt In Little Montreal

                                      VS.

Two teams that came from the lower half of the East, well according to the fine folks at The Hockey News anyway, are now in a battle for the Eastern Conference #1 seed along with Pittsburgh, Ottawa, and even the New York Rangers.  The Devils will face the Habs tomorrow at 7:30pm on Versus.

The New Jersey Devils come in with a 40-23-6 record and are 7-2-1 in their last 10.  Their last loss came on March 1st at Montreal where Brodeur made a ton of saves in a 2-1 loss that saw Devils fans, coaches, and players alike see red after a very questionably called third period.  It was so bad apparently that Don Koharski will not be at this game.  Gee…I wonder why the NHL took that step….hmmmmm!  The calls on Rupp and particularly the hook on Langenbrunner were questionable at best.  Coach Brent Sutter went as far to say…”The Refs decided this game…period…all I have to say.”  Montreal’s Power Play is lethal and went 2 for 6 in the matchup but many wonder what would have happened if the game was called a little closer to the vest.  The Devils are no slouches themselves and the duo of Elias and Parise are hotter than any combo in the NHL right now.   Parise had 5 goals last week and Elias had 4 points and was a +4.  Montreal will have a tough time completely containing the two of them.

Montreal comes in with a 38-23-9 record and 85 points.  Carey Price was outstanding…only giving up one goal in the process in his last time out against Jersey and Montreal connected twice on the Power Play in the 2-1 victory.  Alexei Kovalev might get some Hart consideration for his tour de force effort this season.  Also, Montreal’s defensemen have tallied 44 goals and 131 assists for a total of 175 points this season…talk about a ton of offense coming from your back line.  That is good for #1 in the league in all three categories by the way.  Did I mention that Montreal (24.8%) is still #1 in the league on the power play?  Oops I guess I did.  With guys like Komisarek, Markov, Koivu, Plekanec. etc…etc.  Montreal is fast and very balanced.  They are a scary team and can play physical at times….look out below!

Everyone knows that Brodeur’s record in Montreal is near obscene.  However, Carey Price is 3-1 since the deadline….something is going to give in this tilt.  Someone has to win the East…..RIGHT??  Well yes they do.  This game and the divisional gauntlet that both teams will face at the end of the season will tell the tale.

Now on to something a little more individualistic if you will.  Will Martin Brodeur win the Hart?  Here are his stats.

38-21-5  2.12 GAA  .922 save percentage and 4 shutouts.

Did I mention he was named second star in the NHL last week?  He has also started 25 straight times for New Jersey and yes this year is a bit different as the team rests him more on practices and “off days”.  The guy is just 19 wins from the all-time goalie win record and just seven shutouts from Terry Sawchuk’s record…and there are so many others that are within reach..I could go on.  He could be like Brett Favre as far as goalie records when all is said and done.

As for this year….here is who could be in the running for the Hart….I believe it will be Alexander Ovechkin who will likely hit 60 goals and Evgeni Malkin who will likely top 100 points for Pittsburgh.  Question is being that it is the MVP….V being for Valuable…if you took Brodeur out of the lineup…would Jersey make the playoffs?  I don’t think they would truthfully.  However, if the Caps make the playoffs, I may have to tip my cap to Ovechkin but as it stands now…..my voting would be as follows…..

1. Brodeur  2. Ovechkin  3. Malkin

I hope everyone enjoys the Versus tilt between the Sabres and Rangers tonight and the big game tomorrow!

keep looking »