Boston vs Toronto Game 7 Preview

The TD Garden crowd better be loud tonight. If they’re not and certain players for the Bruins remain invisible; the Bruins faithful won’t have a chance to be loud again until next fall.

It’s hard to believe the Boston Bruins would be going into a game seven against the Toronto Maple leafs tonight. Many in the hockey world saw this being an easy series for the Bruins. It started off that way, as they cruised to a 3-1 series lead. However, unlike the Bruins star offensive weapons, the Maple Leafs would not go away.

Following back to back scores of 2-1 and stellar play by the James Reimer it all comes down to tonight. Reimer has been incredible in his last two games stopping

 72 out of 74 shots. Phil Kessel has tilled three goals to this point, and none bigger than last nights game winner.

The Leafs forcing of a game seven can’t be attributed to their newfound better player. Some of the onus falls onto the Boston Bruins themselves who have seen star players disappear for a better part of this series.

Last game Brad Marchand tallied his first shot since game four. The little ball of hate has been the little ball of nothing this series. He was been unable to get under the Leafs skin, or to create scoring chances for the Bruins. Marchand isn’t the only problem. Tyler Seguin has zero points this series. While he has had numerous chances his lack of finishing is cost the Bruins dearly.

This game seven cannot be won by the Bruins if they rely on the same three man show of Zdeno Chara, David Krecji, and Tuukka Rask. These have been the only players who have shown up game in and game out.

Bruins fans want to believe that game seven on home ice will be their saving grace. Yet, numbers don’t lie. Outside of the Stanley Cup run, game number seven at the Garden has been less that fruitful for the team.

In a battle of Jekyll and Hyde teams, which personality for which team will show up tonight? That is the biggest question.

-Brandon Hebert-

Capitals Rangers Game 7 Preview

Monday night we enter a huge day for 2 NHL Eastern Conference teams. The 6th seeded New York Rangers head to Washington to play the 3rd seeded Capitals at the Verizon Center for Game 7 of round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Early in the series we saw the Caps push to a 2 games to nothing lead, only to see the Rangers come back and win the next 2 games and tie the series. Game 5 took overtime, as Mike Ribeiro proved to be the hero, scoring a loose puck goal in front of the net to put his Capitals back on top the series.Sunday in Game 6 was a defensive battle won by the Rangers 1-0, behind a 27 save shutout by Rangers goalie, Henrik Lundquist. The series currently stands tied at 3-3 and whoever gets it done tonight in Game 7 will grant themselves a 2nd round playoff berth.

Both teams have been very inconsistent thus far in the series, losing two games back to back, then winning two games in a row, losing another, and then winning the next, either way, the outcome for tonight’s game is nearly unpredictable at this point.

 For the Rangers to get it done, they will need another stellar performance from goaltender, Henrik Lundquist. If he can keep the Caps offensive production to a minimum, it will give his Rangers a chance to battle their way to another game most likely decided by a difference of only one goal. With the exception of Game 1, each game has had a one goal differential between either team, and two games have gone to overtime.

For the Caps to find success in Game 7, they will need to see their captain, Alex Ovechkin, take over and dominate the game in all aspects. Ovechkin has not scored since Game 1, and will need to again if he wants to see his team in the second round. The story all year for the Caps has been their successful powerplay. In Game 6, the Caps saw 0 powerplays, and scored 0 goals. In return, they also spent 10 minutes killing penalties. It’s no secret that staying out of the box against the Capitals will decline your goals against tally. On the other hand, if the Caps can capitalize during even strength with as many opportunities as they have the ability to create, New York will have many other problems to worry about, and won’t be able to keep up with the same amount of offensive production that the Capitals can.

A huge factor in tonight’s game will be home ice advantage. The home team has won each game thus far in the series, and Game 7 will be in Washington. In any case home ice is an advantage, and tonight's game is a prime example, based on the history of the first 6 games. There is no doubt tonight will be battle, and both teams will come out very beaten up physically, but one team will move on none the less. Expect a low scoring game decided by one goal, excusing an empty net if the opportunity arises, and maybe even overtime.

-JM Piotrowski--

Chicago's Chances Moving Forward.

As the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, more and more upsets are brewing each night. The Western Conference’s Northwest Division Champion, Vancouver Canucks, saw their season end quite abruptly, when they were swept, in 4 games, by the 6^th seeded San Jose Sharks after losing a 4-3 decision in overtime Tuesday night.

For Chicago Blackhawks fans, this is music to their ears. The Vancouver/Chicago rivalry has become quite a battle since Chicago’s Stanley Cup run in the ’09-’10 season, where the Blackhawks defeated the Canucks in the Western Conference Semi-Finals winning 4 games to 2. In the following year, the two teams met in round 1 of the playoffs. Vancouver went up early in the series 3 games to none, only to see their opponent come soaring back to even it at 3 games each. Game 7 took overtime for a final decision, as Vancouver’s Alexandre Burrows scored on slap shot to end Chicago’s comeback, and move his Canucks on to the next round.

At this point in the season, every game a team plays will be a battle for at least 60 minutes, as we have already seen many games head to overtime. The Chicago Blackhawks currently hold a 3 games to 1 lead over the Minnesota Wild, which will continue back in Chicago for Game 5 on Thursday night. The top seeded Blackhawks have not yet lost at home this post-season, and carried an 18-3-3 record at home during the regular season. Minnesota fans, you could be in trouble…

Behind a shutout victory from Blackhawks goaltender, Corey Crawford, on Tuesday night, the Hawks depth only increases. For example, Blackhawks 4^th liners Michael Frolik and Marcus Kruger both logged over 11 minutes on Tuesday nights 3-0 win over the Wild. Of course, fan favorites Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, and Marian Hossa continue to produce, as they have provided a combined 13 points over the past 4 games. The defense continues to shine as the Blackhawks have only allowed 6 goals thus far in the series, and hope to continue along that path as they head home for a potential series clinching game Thursday night.

For their success to continue, look for the captain, and 2010 Stanley Cup Finals MVP, Jonathan Toews, to pick up his scoring. Toews is without a point through 4 games in this year’s playoffs. Luckily, the Blackhawks have not been affected too much by Toew’s slow start, as they have found offense from centerman, and recently acquired veteran, Michal Handzus, who assisted the game winning goal Tuesday night. Handzus is also a great competitor in the face-off circle, winning more than 65% of his draws each night.

The Chicago Blackhawks are an early favorite here in the 2013 shortened season, and have seemed to be virtually unstoppable at certain points this year. They are the league’s President’s Trophy winner, and will have home ice through the rest of the playoffs, which will be a huge key to their success as they arrive to play each night. It takes 16 wins to be crowned a Stanley Cup Champion, and with one more, the Chicago Blackhawks will be ¼ of the way there, to repeat what they did in 2010.

-JM Piotrowski

Will The Stadium Series Kill NHL Outdoor Games?

When the 2014 Winter Classic once again became official between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings NHL fans were once again happy. This is the type of Winter Classic we have all waited for. Two original six franchises facing off in one of the most historic venues in United States sports history. What more could we ask for?

Turns out what the NHL thought what we could ask for is five more outdoor games. Of those five, two are certain head scratchers. The biggest of the group is the one that will take place at Dodger Stadium between The Anaheim Ducks and The Los Angeles Kings. This just screams of Gary Bettman's NHL. Two non traditional hockey markets in southern California get to return to their roots and play and outdoor game in 70 degree weather. Wait, that doesn't sound right.

It can be argued that California is becoming a hockey hotbed. This game showcases the two  teams from the state that have won Lord Stanley's Cup. Yet, the hockey purist in most people can't bear to think of this game. You think of the Winter classic what comes to mind is the ice cold breath of skaters lined up for the face off. One invisions coaches behind the bench adorning a fedora and a vintage leather jacket. Majestic images of Sidney Crosby celebrating a shootout goal through falling snow comes to mind. All of this is impossible with an outdoor game in sunny California.

However, it isn't just that thought alone that brings down the lore of the outdoor game it's now the sheer volume of them. It was a once a year spectacle, it was the must see regular season game of the year. Expect now it's just another date on the calendar. Sure Rangers fans will be happy as they get to see their team play two games in three nights at Yankee stadium, but what about the rest of the fans?

These fans that will now have seen Sidney Crosby in three outdoor games. The fans that will have witnessed the Chicago Blackhawks in two outdoor games that have both taken place in Chicago. What vintage jersey can these teams come up with now? What rivalry takes place in this game? Questions that cannot be answered are the worst type. Because those questions are what makes the once a year Winter Classic so great.

Seeing the Red Wings and Maple Leafs outfitted in sweaters that remind the old fans of the days of yore. The sweaters that instill a vintage feel for the young fans of the present; just adds to the magic of the game. Where is the magic in seeing regular jerseys, regular teams, on multiple nights? It just disappears.

Gary Bettman and the NHL want to market their cash cow, but by doing it this way the market will dry up sooner than they think.

Senators Vs Canadiens Game 3 (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly)

It's hard to believe the Montreal Canadiens team that showed up tonight was the same from game two. Listless, heartless, classless are some words that come to mind to describe this what happened tonight. The Canadiens were beaten and beaten up losing 6-1 but that isn't the story of the game.

The Good
Jean-Gabriel Pageau- Players like to make a statement in the playoffs especially rookie players. Tonight he made one. Pageau was a plus three, and scored his first career playoff hattrick. The only thing missing from him tonight was a tooth. His speed his shot his smarts everything was on point for him tonight.

Craig Anderson- It's going to be hard for Montreal to win this series when he plays as well as he did this evening. He makes the stops that he has to. The same cannot be said for his counterpart Carey Price. Montreal peppered him for 34 shots and was only bested once. This is the performance you need from a number one goaltender. It appears that Montreal's four goal output in game two was just a minor deviation from the norm, and won't happen again.

Paul MacLean- He was the epitome of what you want from an NHL head coach. He had the right players on the ice when Montreal looked to get overly physical. He protected his players at the end of the game. Above all else he made the Canadiens look like fools in his post game interview just by using their own actions against them. He could be up for the Jack Adams trophy this season, this game showed that.

The Bad
The Montreal Canadiens- This team was doomed from the start. When PK Subban berated Max Pacioretty for a "F***king suicide pass" you knew down was the only direction this team could go. David Desharnais was along for the ride tonight, other than his 19:01 time on ice stat you would have had no idea he was playing.
Brian Gionta, Max Pacioretty you earned respect points for playing though injury but it's time to swallow your pride and sit. The hockey world appreciates grit and toughness, but your fan and team don't when you're a hinderance to the outcome.

The Ugly
The Line Brawl- Fighting always was and always will be a part of the game. There are people in the world that have a problem with it. This blogger is not one of them. What I do have a problem with is a team instigating one when they have no right to. The series was building to it. Countless scrums, off ice comments, and then a blow out score you knew it was coming. When it came, everyone already knew the result. The Canadiens toughness has been a problem for awhile now. When the gloves were off and the gauntlet was thrown down there was no player that could respond. Players on other teams that fill this role are better than the ones Montreal has. It was a gongshow for Montreal tonight, they should be ashamed.


The Canadiens future in this series- This is the type of game that can destroy a team. When you get beaten in every facet of the game it's hard to recover. From letting in six goals to posting a goose egg in the fighting win department it's hard to find a positive. Michel Therrien did a masterful job regrouping his team for game two. Tuesday night we'll see if he can work his magic again.

Round 1 Playoff Predictions on SoundCloud

Safety Through Danger. (Why Banning Fighting Isn't the Answer)

In the last 10 years the number of concussions have increased significantly. The NHL has seen some of its biggest stars sidelined due to it. Another increasing trend in the NHL is fighting. In just this season alone there has been a 20 percent increase. There are people in the hockey world who want attribute these two facts to one another. However, those people would be wrong.

When delving further into situation at hand one must take into account what is happening in the league itself. In the old days, concussions were simply “getting your bell rung.” A player would shake it off and return to the game no more than five shifts later. Todays NHL however doesn’t have the same old school mantra. Players must sit out 15 minutes players must pass a concussion test before returning to the game.

           

This ability to better diagnose concussions is the reason for the increase in league concussions, and that is a good thing for the NHL. What wouldn’t be a good thing is associating this fact with fighting and removing it from the game.

A study by Dr. David Milzman and his colleagues viewed 710 NHL fights; out of those there were only 17 injuries. That equals players getting hurt in less than two percent of fights.  A different study showed that players most susceptible are centermen, not wingers, defenseman or enforcers.

Yet people who clamor for the banning of fighting in hockey want it believed that those enforcers are most at risk. To feed their rhetoric they used the unfortunate deaths of Rick Rypien, Wade Belak, and Derek Boogaard as fuel for their fire. Time proved that the three were coincidental tragedies , and in no way related to the job they held while playing professional hockey.

It is that job in hockey that keeps not only the number of concussions down, but also the number of total injuries down as well. Yet in the 1993 season enforcers found it incredibly hard for them to do their job. The NHL issued the instigator rule.

This rule led to the rise of the rats. Players Like Matt Cooke, Raffi Torres, and Patrick Kaleta, have injured numerous players and one ended Marc Savard’s career. How they play is on the edge of the rules, fighting makes these players accountable. However, with the instigator rule these players don’t have to fight, and can flourish in their roles.

The fact that those players are allowed to play at the top of their game with little consequences feeds the NHL’s injury epidemic. Suspensions can only last for so long, especially when the NHLPA fights for the players right to fair suspensions.

It’s not just instigator rule that adds to the rise of players getting injured, it’s the game itself. Players are now bigger and faster, and the rules in place are designed from them to be even faster.

No redline, no hooking and holding, the game is sped up to a pace that was never seen before. Players are getting hurt just cutting across the ice, and not even on hits just plain incidental contact.

These rules were put in place to make the game more exciting, yet they made the game more dangerous. Fundamentally changing the game, and taking out fighting will have the same effect.

Hockey is a dangerous game, played by grown men at close quarters with extreme physicality. This physicality leads to big hits, high emotions, and cheap shots. All players know the risk they take when the lace up their skates. They know a hit can end a career faster than a fight. Just ask Marc Savard. Fighting keeps the players honest, and the game clean.

Boston Bruins after three games

  In this abridged version of an NHL season a good start is imperative. Points will be at a premium and any losing streak at all could devastate a teams playoff chances. The Bruins have come out of the gate with a solid 2-0-1 start, and have nabbed five out of a possible six points. Maintain that pace all season and the B's should be in good shape. Here are a few points of intrigue after the opening three games.
 

  1) Dougie Hamilton is good
     It appears as if Dougie Hamilton can maintain a steady role on the Bruins top six D. In the absence of Dennis Seidenberg, Hamilton has looked more capable of NHL play than Aaron Johnson. Hamilton has shown flashes of future greatness already in just three games. Its a small sample size but hey, who's not excited to watch this kid grow and hopefully become the next great Bruins D-man. He brings youth to an aging Boston defense and has the potential to be an impact player early on in his career.
 
  2) Whats going on with Tyler Seguin....?
    If you're like me you expected Tyler Seguin to burst onto the scene this year and really assert himself as that offensive super star the Boston Bruins have lacked since Joe Thornton was traded to the San Jose Sharks back in 2005. Its only been three games, it certainly is not time to panic, however there may be reason for concern. Seguin has looked lost sometimes, both in the offensive and defensive zones. Seguin needs to find what he showed last year, lighting speed and incredible play making ability. If he can get back to that his development to offensive super star will continue.
 
  3) The offense has depth
     This years version of the Bruins offense looks similar to the version that won the cup back in 2011. This team looks as if it has the ability to roll four lines on offense. This could be key in this 48 game sprint season. If the B's are able to play four lines somewhat evenly, the chances of staying healthy and as rested as possible are far greater. Should any of the lines emerge as a defensive liability key minutes will be shifted and that added strain could lead to fatigue and injury. The Bruins will be a scary team come playoff time if they arrived healthy and energized.
 
4)  Defensive depth is a different story
    With Dennis Seidenberg suffering from injuries already this season, the B's were forced to play Aaron Johnson. Johnson is not a terrible player but he is a drastic downgrade from Seidenberg. If any more injuries were to plague the defense, there could be some serious holes. This also means more minutes for 19 year old rookie Dougie Hamilton. Whether or not Hamilton can handle that or not, is still to be determined. If Seidernberg's injuries turns out to be worse than expected, or another defender falls to injury, serious action could be required. This could force the bruins to be active on the trade front, something that GM Peter Chiarelli has been known to do mid season. While i hate to speculate trade, P.K. Subban remains unsigned in Montreal. Just throwing it out there. I know the thought of P.K. wearing the spoked B on his chest puts some Bruins fans stomachs in knots, however he is an incredibly talented player. Subban and Hamilton could become cornerstones of the Boston defense for years to come. Not to mention the Bruins drafted his brother Malcolm in the first round of last years entry draft. Now what the Bruins would have to give up to acquire P.K. is an entirely different story. Just something to think about.
 
  5)  Tuukka Rask looks ready and able to take over the number one goaltender spot for good
      It feels like forever now we've been waiting for Tuukka Time between the pipes in Boston. That time appears to have finally occurred. Rask has looked stellar in the seasons first three games and i expect him to continue this play all season. The guy is so passionate, he just refuses to fail. I think were about to see Rask make his name as an elite goaltender in the league this season and maintain that status for years to come. That being said, Tuukka has struggled with fatigue before. In a season of just 48 games Rask needs to stay healthy and energized. If he cannot carry the load his status in Boston becomes very iffy. Not to mention the Bruins playoff chances. Only time will tell whether Rask truly is an elite starting goaltender.

Atlantic Division Preview

      Previously the Northeast Division was previewed now its time to move on to what was the best division in the NHL for the 2011-2012 season; the Atlantic Division. The division produced four playoff teams, and all four of them garnered over 100 points. It’s hard to see the division coming up as big as it did last season.

New Jersey Devils- The Devils went on an impressive run to the Stanley Cup final last season. Ultimately they fell just short of their goal. I don’t see the Devils returning to that level of success but I don’t think they’ll be slouches either. While the departure of captain Zach Parise may weigh heavy on some fans hearts, it won’t have a major deterrent to the season.  Kovalchuk is the biggest question mark on this team right now. He is brining the Devils a big time Russian factor. It’s up in the air if he’ll return from Russia. If he does you can see him brining 90 or so points with him. You’ve got secondary scoring in Elias, and Henrique will undoubtedly build on his great rookie season. They’ve got a good bottom six that can chip in with goals as well as grind other teams down. The defense comes in with budding superstar Adam Larsson looking to finally blossom. You don’t have any true stars on that blue line, but they are all solid workhorses who get the job done. In true Devils style they’ll be for the most part a boring team to watch. With a tough grinding bottom six, sturdy shut down defensemen, and Marty Brodeur back in net they’ll be successful again. Not flashy, not the first game I’ll look for on my hopefully free NHL center ice package, but they will win. Maybe not as well as last year especially with the Rangers being who they are and a healthy Crosby in Pittsburgh, but fourth in the Atlantic with a playoff bid seems likely.

New York Islanders- It’s been a long 5 years for the Islanders at the bottom of the Atlantic. This ship doesn’t look like it’s going to be pulled up from the bottom, at least this season anyways.  The biggest player news as of late is Lubomir Visnovsky’s decision to stay in the KHL. Now we all know what the KHL is, and he decided to stay there instead of coming back to the NHL. Starting goalie Evgeni Nabokov did the same thing last season. This really goes to show what players think of this organization. The Islanders offense does have players that stand out to you, John Tavares, Matt Moulson, Kyle Okposo, and if he can play well again Michael Grabner. Tavares is coming off an 81 point season. His best to date. He should hover around this number again. After that you have Matt Moulson who banged home 69 points last year. P.A Parenteau left for greener pastures in Colorado. Brad Boyes was brought in to try and take his place. This is the same Brad Boyes who hasn’t been impressive since 80-09. Not much is to be expected of him and rightfully so. Put him with the rest of the underachievers and you can see why Tavares’ point totals could dip this season. Poor guy. Give him credit though he re-signed to stick out the rebuild. Moving on to the defense well what is there to stay? According to the official Islanders website they only have 3 defensemen on roster. Obviously Travis Hamonic will get brought up from Bridgeport. It’s not a far stretch to think Griffin Reinhart will get a shot with the team. They’ll miss Calvin De Haan finally getting some real NHL action as he’s out with a separated shoulder. Continuing on the prospect road, it’ll be interesting to see what they do with Ryan Strome. Some were surprised to see him not make the roster last season. He’s playing well in the OHL this year, and had a tremendous WJC. He may very well land a spot on this team.  All in all, it’s all for not the Islanders. They can not run with the big ships in this Atlantic, and they’ll be sunk for the sixth straight season.

New York Rangers- Seems the mantra surrounding the Rangers is always the same, “they’re the team to beat”. Last year it looked as if it was finally true they were the kings of the east. Even if the Crosbyless Penguins did push them to the absolute brink for that crown. Night in and night out the team showed up to play. Stars like Gaborik and Richards got the job done while grinders played their parts as well. Subtract the forgettable Brandon Dubinsky and add Rick Nash this team has become scary good. Gaborik who is oft injured played a full 82 game season for the first time in his career. He’s coming back from shoulder surgery but in a short season he’ll be exceptional.  Look for him to be a Rocket Richard Trophy contender. Expect bigger things from Derek Stepan this season, his point totals rose in his sophomore campaign. They should rise again. While Brandon Prust left for Montreal the toughness on this team is still there. Rupp, Asham, and Bickel will protect the superstars and give them space. The additions of Halpern and Pyatt make the team better defensively. They’ll be a great shutdown third line. The defense comes back young and impressive, Del Zotto needs to be re-signed but that should hopefully come easy. Staal wasn’t as productive last season coming back from his concussion, but don’t expect him to be a let down on defense this year. He’s a Staal, the family is full of NHL studs he’ll be back and he’ll be better. As usual, Henrik Lundqvist comes in looking great on, and off the ice. He was 3^rd in wins last season and hasn’t posted under 35 wins for six straight seasons. While that is a lofty goal for a 48 game season don’t expect to see him to outside of the top 5 in wins. However, all that will not be enough to win the Atlantic. They’ll take second.

Philadelphia Flyers- Last season saw Scott Hartnell become a goal scoring machine. Hartnell Down was one of the biggest ups for the flyers. Outside of Claude Giroux that is, “G”  plays with an edge, yet is flashy and skillful. He should be next in line to wear the C for the Flyers. That is if they plan on going with one this season. Outside of those two offensive dynamos you have Danny Briere who can dazzle at the drop of a hat. He’ll miss the start of the season but that gives more playing time to guys like Matt Read and Wayne Simmonds. Believe it or not the departure of Jaromir Jagr is a blessing for the Flyers. The young guns will be able to play more without hurting the ice time of a legend. I’ve yet to mention Sean Coturier and Brayden Schenn, they will be the X factors for the Flyers this season. They had modest point totals last season, but I can see their roles increasing and the totals rising. If they rise they flyers rise. The defense is solid even without Chris Pronger. Luke Schenn joins his brother and gets a fresh start. Something that he has needed immensely, even if Pronger can’t play Schenn will learn. What it comes down to is what we saw kill the Flyers in the postseason; the enigma that is Ilya Bryzgalov. Brzy didn’t just have the typical holes numbered 1 through 5. At times he had 6 and 7 holes. And, all of them were “Humongous big”. When he is on his game he’s fantastic, but when he’s off his game it’s ECHL quality.

The Flyers will make the post season but they won’t pass the big two in the Atlantic.

Pittsburgh Penguins- He’s Back. Hate him or love him, Sidney Crosby is back, and he is the best player in the NHL. Sid was on pace for 131 points last season. He looked unstoppable. His playmaking was on point, and scored on ten percent of his shots. He plays just as well on D as he does on offense. Add him to last years deadly duo of Malkin and Neal who combined for 190 points. Mix them with Chris Kunitz, and Pascal Dupuis who add in on offense they’ve got a solid core. While Jordan Staal might be gone Brandon Sutter fills that void. He will play a different role than Staal, but he will play that role well most likely chipping in 40 points along the way. On offensive the penguins are the strongest team in the eastern conference. The defense packs as much of a scoring punch with Kris Letang back there. Erik Karlsson not withstanding there is no better pure skating offensively talented Defenseman. After that the defense gets very defensive rough and tough with Derek Engelland and Brooks Orpik, and smart with Paul Martin. People are worried about Marc-Andre Fleury coming off his awful playoff performance, and I would be as well. At times he looked like a varsity goalie and at times looked worse than that. The penguins traded for and signed Thomas Vokoun not to pressure Fleury, but to play. This is a goaltending tandem that rivals that of Halak and Elliot. The Penguins are the most well rounded team in the NHL. I could go as far as calling them the best team as well. The Penguins will win the Atlantic, as well as the East.