Hockey is the Greatest Sport on Earth

The end of the semester is here, so I thought I would take a few minutes to reflect on hockey in my life, as well as let you guys understand why I think hockey is the greatest on the planet.

I can remember the first time I ever put on a pair of skates.  I had watched my father play as a little kid and thought that he was the best player in the world.  I wanted to be just like dad.  I was shy about getting on the ice, but once I got out there I never wanted to the leave.  The ice rink has become a second home for me, a place to get away from the rest of life, and just be myself. There were so many sports to choose from growing up, baseball, water skiing, basketball, etc., but I never felt a love and passion for anything but hockey.

It brought me away from home at a young age, and when you are an only child, leaving your family behind is especially tough, but not a day goes by where I would change any decision I made.  Every kid dreams of playing professional sports when they are young, and I thought I was going to be the next Wayne Gretzky.  Clearly that dream didn’t workout, but I have to look back at the people I have met on my journey and just say thank you.  Next season will probably the last real hockey I ever play (except for beer league domination), and it is starting to sink in exactly how fast time flies.

But enough about myself. What makes hockey so great?  If you have been to any NHL arena you understand.  The atmosphere is spectacular.  It does not matter if your team is in last place or first, you go to every game to root your team to victory, and you even get that sick feeling in your stomach when they lose.   Sure, you have never played for the team, and there probably is not a single person on the ice who knows you exist, but you still feel like a part of the team through the good times and the bad. Being at a hockey game brings you together with thousands of strangers, but you still high five the guy next to you, the lady behind you, and you both make fools out of yourselves to cheer your team on.  Hockey is special in that way, I can’t think of another sport where the fans get into it as much as they do in hockey.

In baseball, the game lasts for four hours, you have to wait two minutes between pitches, and you may not even get to see the home run blast we all watch baseball for. It’s easy to lose focus.  It is also a sport where the team with the highest payrolls seem to always make the playoffs, and there is little parity throughout the league. Baseball is exciting for the first two months, and the playoffs, but hockey is fun to watch every night with big hits, nice goals, and oh yeah, there’s the fighting.

When it comes to football, its the same thing as baseball, pretty much the same teams are always good, and its a slow moving game.  Yes, football is a tough sport, there is a lot of hitting, on every play, but there is also that forty percent (or more) of the plays that are two yard runs, or incomplete passes.  I can’t find myself glued to my seat for an entire game unless its the playoffs.

Do not even get me started on NBA basketball.  I live in Raleigh, North Carolina in the middle of college basketball country, and minutes from Tobacco Road. College basketball is exciting when two big schools play, and the school spirit that is present does rival any other sport, but again the best time to watch it is in March, when the games really matter.  But have you watched an NBA game lately?  Especially in the regular season, when the final score is 105-100.  Where is the defense? I like highlights of awesome dunks as much as the next guy, but when every other possession results in a wide open dunk it gets a little old. I would rather sit and watch a 1-0 hockey game then regular season NBA game.

So why does hockey not get more national coverage?  The reasoning is the same that makes the sport so great, market loyalty.  Hockey fans (in the regular season) do not spend as much time watching teams and games that are out of their respective market.  This is the argument that has kept the NHL off of ESPN.  The problem is, the reason that fans cannot pay attention to the entire league is that there is no television coverage of hockey, except for a couple times a week on NBC Sports Network.  If they gave us more access we would watch.  Think of the recent NFL draft.  That week on Sportscenter we knew every detail about every player in the draft.  Could we not have left people with a little suspense for when the actual draft took place?  Maybe throw in a couple hockey highlights to fill that time slot.  Maybe then we would see an expansion of the game.  Read the 2010 comments by ESPN’s senior vice president to defend NHL coverage (or lack there of) on Sportscenter, it will make you laugh.

This year’s playoffs will hopefully change that.  ESPN still maintains that hockey just doesn’t translate well to television. But the fact is, people are watching:

According to the overnight ratings, the Flyers’ Game 2 loss on NBC Sports Network on Tuesday night nearly doubled the combined local viewership of both the Sixers’ playoff win in Chicago and the Phillies’ game in Atlanta.

The New York series also has set NBC Sports Network records in the NY market and the Washington D.C. market.

One could say that hockey doesn’t need ESPN with those numbers, but the fact is, hockey needs ESPN if it ever wants to grow to its full potential, and become a major sport in this country.  But hey, at least it’s more popular than soccer.

Will we ever see the return of FoxTrax?

Thank you to all my friends, family, and followers that have made Danglesauce successful this semester, and hopefully there will be much more to come!

The Suprising Team of the 2012 Playoffs, All is Well in L.A.

After last nights 4-2 defeat of the St. Louis Blues, the Los Angeles Kings find themselves with a commanding 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Semi-finals. After eight games in the playoffs the Kings have been defeated only once by the number one seed Vancouver Canucks in the first round.  They are on the brink of reaching the Western Conference Finals for the first time since a man named Gretzky played in L.A. and led the Kings to the Cup Finals.  Also worth mentioning, the coach of that team was Mr. Mullet himself, Barry Melrose.  They lost in 1993 to Patrick Roy and the Montreal Canadiens.

What is the secret to the Kings success this year?  It all starts with the goaltending of Jonathan Quick.  He has been a brick wall throughout the entire playoffs.  Quick leads all remaining goaltenders with a .948 save percentage, and is second to the Rangers’ Henrik Ludqvist in goals against average.

The Kings have also come this far with the way they play on the road.  They boast a 5-0 record away from the Staples Center, and their only loss so far in the playoffs came in the first round to the then number one seed Canucks at home.  When you go on the road to play a meaningful playoff game that your expected to lose, you get an extra jump in your step, and you play the game as hard as you can with nothing to lose.  As NBC hockey analyst  Jeremy Roenick puts it:

When you have no expectations and everybody is expecting you to lose, you can just play hard and prove everyone wrong. That’s a good situation to be in.

That’s exactly what the Kings are doing, proving everybody wrong.  I was highly critical of Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi for going out and making a deal for Jeff Carter at the trade deadline. But once again, I was wrong.  Carter has proven to be a timely goal scorer and good leader in Los Angeles, and seems to have parted ways with his old cry baby ways.

Hockey is hot again in L.A. It used to be Wayne Gretzky who was responsible for bringing celebrities to the old Great Western Forum to watch his magic in person, but now its the young core of talent, and team play that is bring them back in droves.  Alyssa Milano, Kurt Russell,  Bill Cowher, and Mathew Parry are among some of the latest to take in a game.  The fans are also showing their appreciation, standing on their feet and cheering the Kings to every victory.  The Players have taken notice, and it is becoming part of their motivation. Jarret Stoll commented on the fan support after game three:

“To get that standing ovation, the way they were cheering at the end, I had chills going through the pile at the end. It means a lot to us in here. We have a lot of pride and a lot of respect for our fans.”

It seems that the path in the Western Conference leads through the L.A. Kings, even if most of their games will be on the road.  Could we see another 8th seed win a Stanley Cup? The Kings are hot at the perfect time, and with the way they are playing the Cup could be heading to Hollywood.

Kurt Russell, Miracle star, takes in Game three at the Staples Center

Accountability, But at What Cost?

Imagine this scenario:

Your team is down one game to zero in the Western Conference semi-finals.  It’s Saturday night, and you have a game on Sunday that could possibly make or break the series for your club.  All-season long the night before a game your coach has given you a curfew to be in your room in time to get enough sleep and be rested for game day.  You and one of your teammates decide to go out and have a good time and you miss the curfew.  You are also your team’s leading scorer in the first round of the playoffs and labeled as one of the best players in the playoffs.  The next day, your team loses again and both you and your teammate are criticized for your terrible play.  You have just one shot in the series and are a minus 3 through two games.  Even during the game the announcers go out of their way to scrutinize your “unbelievable lack of effort.”  Jeremy Roenick says:

He was terrible on both sides of the puck. “When you want to win in the playoffs you have to have your best players be your best players. Radulov right now might be the Nashville Predators’ worst player.

You are Alexander Radulov of the Nashville Predators, and your teammate is Andrei Kostitsyn.  What should your consequences be?

The Nashville Predators answered that question by suspending both Radulov and Kostitsyn for Wednesday’s game 3 for a “violation of team rules.”  Many people would say that this is the right move, as the players should have to be held accountable for their actions.  However, by sitting their best player, the Predators put themselves at a huge disadvantage and could find themselves in a 3-0 hole if they lose game three.  This begs the question, if they were caught by Head Coach Barry Trotz prior to game two, why were they not suspended for that game?  To me it seems like they are being punished for their actions only because they played bad on Sunday.  If the team had won, or Radulov/Kostitsyn put up big numbers in the game, would their still have been repercussions for breaking curfew?

The move to suspend the two players has been scrutinized around the hockey world.  Some have called the move crazy and bold, while others fear the Predators will lose more then they gain from the punishment, causing some writers to criticize the timing of the suspension.

I think that this was the right move by the Nashville organization.  Sure, you lose one of your best players for one game, but with Radulov’s past abandoning of the franchise, an extreme action had to be done to get his attention.  Hopefully he will take the punishment and use it as motivation to play better in game four, and get the Predators back in the series.  I also think that other players can use this as fuel to light their fires in game three.

With Radulov and Kostitsyn out of the lineup, it will give Coach Trotz a chance to make lineup changes, and two necomers a chance to be inserted into the lineup and make an impact they have been waiting for all year.  Jordan Tootoo known around the league for his tenacity and toughness could provide the spark the Predators need to overtake the Coyotes.  Matt Halischuk and Craig Smith are two rookies who could make in impact as well, as Halischuk had 28 regular season points for the Predators.

It will be interesting to see how the Predators respond to this, and whether or not it will be a distraction not only for game three but the rest of the playoffs as well.  Game three is Wednesday night at 9 P.M. on CNBC.

Here is the video of Keith Jones ripping Radulov:

Off-Season Trade Stove Heating Up

We are still ten weeks away from crowning a Stanley Cup Champion, but already the rumor mills of off-season trades and free agent signings are turning.  The one possibility I am getting excited about involves my hometown Carolina Hurricanes.  They recently became the first team to “unofficially” enter the sweepstakes for free agent to be Zach Parise.  It has been no secret in Carolina that for years the team has been unable to find wingers of high caliber to play along side franchise player Eric Staal. After resigning this years’ top-line mainstay Jiri Tlusty to a two year deal last Monday, a spot remains vacant on the line.  The Hurricanes finally have some salary cap space to go out and get someone who can jettison the team into playoff contention right away.  Zach Parise would be the perfect fit.  A perennial all-star, proven goal scorer in the prime of his career is something the Hurricanes, along with Staal could use.

The New Jersey Devils are stuck in a money situation that could see them lose Parise, and when he hits the open market, many teams will come calling.  Maybe the Hurricanes are a long shot to sign him, as he will demand top-dollar on the open market from teams like the Detroit Red Wings or the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the possibility of Parise in Raleigh has to get fans excited.

Luke DeCock, who broke the story about Parise today also outlines a few other options the Hurricanes have in mind.  If they do not land Parise, it appears the Hurricanes could suffer another year of mediocrity and wait for Eric Staal’s brother Jordan Staal to hit the open market.  Jordan is a center for the Pittsburgh Penguins known for both his offensive ability and his defensive zone play, a need the Hurricanes need to address.  If they wait until 2013 however, they will have to go out and find another winger then anyway, so why not make a big move now?

The Canes also seem to have their eye on three veteran players, who they could land in a steal this offseason after two of them had down seasons with their current clubs:

There are three players who may be available via trade, perennial All-Stars, all big-time goal-scorers, who could play with Eric Staal: Calgary’s Jarome Iginla, Columbus’ Rick Nash and San Jose’s Patrick Marleau. None of the three appears to have any interest in coming here at this point, but they haven’t spent much time talking to Kirk Muller yet. None would come cheap via trade, but the Hurricanes are relatively flush with young defensemen, the ultimate coin of the realm.

I am going to go ahead and say it, Rick Nash will not be a Carolina Hurricane.  The Blue Jackets will get too many offers from contending teams, and he will pretty much have a pick of where he wants to go.  Iginla and Marleau on the other hand are a little bit of a different story.  If the Hurricanes can make a few key additions defensively, they could become a playoff contender with their core of young defenseman and forwards already in place.  This might get the attention of Iginla or Marleau, stars of the league whose careers are on the downfall.  Iginla may not settle for another small market team, but Marleau could be an actual possibility to come to Raleigh.

Now, back to the biggest trade bait on the market this offseason Rick Nash.  Hopefully he will be going to the San Jose Sharks, who recently suffered a first round playoff defeat.  At the trade deadline, Nash listed the Sharks as one of his top teams to go to. The trade fell through when the Blue Jackets wanted Logan Couture  as part of the deal.  But if the Sharks are willing to part-ways with goaltender Antti Niemi, would the Jackets accept the deal?  Rick Nash and Joe Thornton have a relationship that goes back to the NHL lockout in 2004-2005, where the two were teammates in Switzerland.  If a deal can get done and Nash lands in San Jose, the two players could combine to be one of the best lines in the league, regardless of who the third player is on that line.

As the season winds down, the rumors will start piling up, and Danglesauce will be here to sort it all out. These are two possible moves that have me excited, but who would be a good fit for your team?

He Shoots He Scores, My First Collegiate Goal

After red-shirting during the 2008-2009 season because of a back injury, and going through offseason surgery to repair a ruptured disc in my back, I had no idea what to expect in my first season back in 2009-2010.  I worked hard during the summer to try and shed some of the extra pounds I had put on after literally not being able to get out of bed for months.  In our first game that year against Western New England College I can remember feeling nervous, far more than I had ever been for a game in my entire life, even after playing in numerous championships and prestigious tournaments. I was lucky enough to post my first collegiate point, an assist on our teams first goal.  That was one gigantic monkey off my back, and at that point I knew I belonged and I was back playing the game that I love. Our team was lucky enough to get the win that day in a 5-4 thriller, and I was also able to pick up another assist in the third period.  One game, two points, and a team win, more than I could have possibly asked for in my debut.  There was however one little part missing, that first goal.

A few days later in our home opener, we had a convincing victory over the visiting Franklin Pierce Ravens.  Although our team put up six goals that night, none of them were scored by myself, and it started to feel like I was never going to score again.  It starts to weigh on you, and all you can think about is what you are doing wrong, and what you can do better.  I can remember in that game starting to grip my stick tight, trying too hard to make something happen and not playing within myself.  When you set the bar high for and you struggle to reach it you get stronger, but sometimes it can be hard to keep the confidence to get the job done.

Game three was against Framingham State.  It was a team we had not lost against the previous year, and our team played with the confidence knowing that we were the better team.  We jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead, but let one slip away at the end of the period, making it 4-1 at the first intermission.  In the locker room, our coach reminded us how easy the lead could slip away if we did not get back on them in a hurry, and he did what most coaches do at the end of their speech. He asked, “Who is going to get the next one?”  This is a rhetorical question used to boost the morale of players, and get us fired up, but I can remember saying to myself, “its going to be me, I’m getting the next one.”  The first few shifts of the third saw back and forth play, and I remember coming off the ice exhausted but ready for that next shift.  I took a few sips of water on the bench before getting ready to get back out there.  It’s funny, water seems to be the best tasting thing in the world when your tired and panting, and you drink it like you have the last sips of  left on Earth, and you need them to survive.  Then, just as I caught my breath our coach called our line for the next shift. It would be a shift I will remember for the rest of my life.

I hopped the boards and looked for my d-man to cover as the other team entered our zone, and just like that it happened.  Brad Norkum (Norks), one of our defenseman broke up the ice after the puck.  I was stuck behind the play, and not being known for my speed I struggled to get back to the offensive zone as the late trailer. As Norks broke in one-on-one with their defenseman,  I remember looking taking a quick survey of the ice around me and realizing that no one was covering me. As I entered the zone I remember screaming at Norks, “Norks, Norks, slot,” as I crossed the blueline. Within half a second he sauced one to the middle and it hit my stick and I was in all alone.  As the goalie came out to play the angle I realized that he was cheating (or he was out of position) to the blocker side, leaving the whole right side wide open.  Most guys would probably try to go top shelf, cheddar here, but hey, I’m a grind type guy and accuracy is also not one of my strong points, so I decide, low glove.  It’s crazy to think about all the decisions that can be made in hockey in under a second.  Writing down everything I was thinking makes it seem like the play took minutes, but it all happened lightning fast. As I released the puck towards the net I knew it was in right away.  The goalie had been expecting high glove, and hardly moved as the puck zinged by him.

There it was, my first college goal.  I was so happy, I could hardly celebrate.  I just put my arms in the air and let the rest of the team come to me for the hug. Going down the line and tapping all of my teammates after that goal was an elating feeling.  It was like I could feel the frustration from not scoring being lifted from my body with every glove I tapped.  There is a tradition in hockey where you get to keep the puck from the first goal you score in your career.  I still have the puck at home, and it is a treasure I will keep with me forever.  As I have said in previous posts, scoring goals in hockey could be the toughest thing to do in all of sports, and I am glad that for the rest of my life I can always say I scored at least one in every level I played in.

Tune in Monday for analysis of the first few games of the second round, and my predictions for how the series will ultimately play out.

Game 7 Heaven

After finally recovering from my Shark’s Heartbreak I came to a realization about this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.  The realization is that this year’s playoffs have been the best in recent memory, and its only round one.  I can’t get over how close most of the games and every series has been thus far.

Two of the series resulted in the higher seeded team getting the victory (#8 LA Kings and #5 Philly Flyers).  Another two series were won by the team who was thought to be the underdog even though they had the better seed (Nashville and Phoenix).  The only series that went the way everyone expected was the Sharks-Blues series.  That leaves three series yet to be decided, with three game sevens in the next two days.

Here is my breakdown of the three games and how I see them playing out:

• Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins, Wed. 7:30 PM NBC Sports Network

This series has been the hardest one for me to predict a winner.  Just when one team seems to gain momentum the other side steps up and takes it away.  After an overtime win in game six the series heads back to Boston.  This gives the immediate edge to the Bruins, whose fans will be hostile and rowdy throughout the entire game. The problem with this theory is that the home team is 2-4 in this series.  Advantage Capitals? In the words of Lee Corso, “Not so fast my friend.”  Prior to game six Bruins coach Claude Julien came out with a new top line: Seguin, Krejci, and Lucic.  The combination proved deadly against the Caps as the trio broke out for six points in game six.  If the Caps can’t find a defensive counter to this line, the game could be a blowout.

Washington coach Dale Hunter has been trying to find a way to get sustained offense in this series, and a way around the match-up of Alex Ovechkin vs. Zdeno Chara.  This has resulted in lower playing time for Ovechkin who played a career low 15 minutes and 34 seconds in game five of the series. Ovechkin has expressed is displeasure in the low minutes which has only hurt his play that much more.  For the Capitals to stand a chance Hunter needs to let Ovechkin off the reigns,and let him wear down Chara over the course of sixty minutes.  Your stars have to play if you want to win in the playoffs.

Braden Holtby is the surprise of this years playoffs, a rookie who is coming up with save after save for the Capitals.  Is he ready to keep his team in it during his first career game seven?  Tim Thomas has been up and down in this series, but with his experience I give him the edge in this game. Prediction: Bruins 4, Capitals 2.

• Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers, Thurs. 7:00 PM NBC Sports Network

The series that nobody saw coming. The Bleacher Report picked the Senators to have the worst chances of any team to win the Stanley Cup, while the Rangers have been a lot of people’s favorites to win it all.  But here we are six games in and the series tied at three apiece.  The hard work of Ottawa’s young core of players and timely goal scoring have gotten them to this point. Again in this series the home ice advantage has meant nothing, so we will not give either team the edge in that department.  The Senators have done a good job shutting down the Ranger’s offensive attack and have only been in trouble when they take too many penalties.  This was the case in game six, which gave the Rangers a chance to score three quick goals in the second period and put a stranglehold on the game. If the Senators stay out of the penalty box they will have a chance to win this game.

Henrik Ludqvist has been the odds on favorite to win the Vezina Trophy (awarded to the best NHL goaltender) all year long, and has played very well in this series.  In a playoffs dominated by the play of goaltenders (or lack there of in the Flyers-Penguins series), Ludqvist has proved he is the best in the game.  Craig Anderson has been solid in this series giving up just over two goals a game, but I think the Rangers’ attack will prove too much in game seven, and the red, white, and blue will move on to the next round. Canada will have to wait another year for a Stanley Cup. Prediction:  Rangers 3, Senators 1.

• New Jersey Devils at Florida Panthers, Thurs. 8:30 PM NHL Network

This series has been the least talked about, and least televised of all the series in the first round.  After watching game six I can see why.  I do not know how the Panthers have forced this series to seven games.  I am going to blame the soft goaltending of Martin Brodeur.  He should have stopped many of the goals that have squeaked by him in this series, and he is proving that this should be his last season.  The Devils outshot the Panthers 42-16 in game six of the series, yet the Devils still needed overtime to get the victory.

The Panthers, who are the third seed after winning a weak Southeast Division, look like the one team in this year’s playoffs that doesn’t belong.  The one thing keeping them going is the timely goal scoring of Kris Versteeg, and very good defensive zone play. This is going to be my “upset special” pick, even though I know the Devils are probably the favorites to win the series anyway.  Prediction:  Devils 4, Panthers 3.

Two days of the most exciting scenario in sports, game seven.  So sit back, relax, and enjoy some hockey!

Another Year, Another Heartbreak

Every year since around 2005 the San Jose Sharks are a favorite to win the Stanley Cup.  Every year they find a way to not live up to those expectations and leave their fans with a bitter taste in their mouths.  Not one time have they even made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.  Even my hometown Carolina Hurricanes have won a Stanley Cup in their short existence in Raleigh. But year after year come playoff time I am excited to watch the Sharks with the hopes that this year will be the year they finally get the job done.  But now after just five games I am going to have to watch another team hoist the Cup as champions, and I am fired up about it.

The St. Louis Blues are a talented up and coming team that surprised the NHL this year by challenging for the Presidents Trophy (best record) for most of the season. Their strong defense held the Sharks to just three goals in the regular season series, and the Blues goaltending tandem of Brian Elliot and Jaroslav Halak had a shutout each.  Going into the playoffs the Blues have the best goaltending situation in the league. But this is the playoffs, where the veteran San Jose Sharks who have years of playoff experience are supposed to triumph over the young guns of the Blues.  Most people picked against the Sharks but thought they could grind out a couple of home wins and take the series to at least six games. That however was not even close to the case as the Sharks were dominated in ever facet of the game and looked like a bunch of old geezers just watching the Blues as they flew past them throughout the series.

How did this happen? Usually come playoff time it’s the teams who battled the most to get into the playoffs that end up making surprisingly deep runs in the playoffs because they have been playing games that matter well before the playoffs even began.  The Sharks needed to win their final three games just to have a shot to get into the playoffs.  They ended up getting in as the seventh seed after finally looking like a team who wanted to be there.  They seemed to finally fix the penalty kill that ranked 29th in the league but had some key kills to get the Sharks into the post season.  The Sharks finally looked like a team who cared about their play and could be dangerous by working the puck around the offensive zone with ease.  But boy was I wrong on both accounts.

In game one, the Sharks were outshot 42-34 but dominated for long stretches during the game.  Thanks to Marty Havlat’s heroics in double overtime the Sharks took a 1-0 series lead.  At this point home ice advantage shifts to the Sharks and fans start to believe.

The rest of the series was all the St. Louis Blues.  The Sharks would score a total of 8 goals in the entire series.  The penalty kill would be the downfall of the Sharks as they would lose game three after the Blues went 3 for 4 on the power play.  No NHL team can win a hockey game giving up three power play goals.  Especially with the goal scoring struggles the faced throughout the series.

So where do they go from here?  The San Jose Mercury News suggests that the Sharks will likely get a roster shake up in the offseason. Or will they fire head coach Todd McLellan, whose lineup changes did little to make the Sharks better in the series.

The Sharks as a team looked very complacent throughout the series.  They were not willing to do what it takes to win battles and score goals.  Ryan Clowe acknowledged the problem but did little about it.  With Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski scoring no points in this series, it may be time for one of them to leave San Jose. They were invisible in this series and flubbed on many scoring chances.  For the Sharks to make another deep playoff run next year they have to go out and get a Rick Nash type goal scorer that can help pick up the slack when the older players struggle.

Where else can they improve?  They already have  14 players under contract for next year and six of their highest paid players over 3o years old. Hockey Future rates the prospect pool of the Sharks dead last in the league.   The future is looking grim in San Jose unless they make some bold moves during the off season. If the Sharks do decide to trade players and look to the future instead of the present, how will Sharks fans react? In recent years the Sharks have been able to sell out every playoff game and most of their regular season games.  In a non-traditional hockey market would the franchise be able survive long enough to get back into the top ranks of the league?

Hopefully the players are left with as bad of a taste in their mouths as their fans. Hopefully the front office can find a way to bring the Sharks to the Holy Grail sooner rather than later.  Until then, as the old saying goes: “We’ll get ’em next year.”

Observations from the First Round

Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals are putting a first round scare into the hearts of Boston Bruin Fans.  Braden Holtby, the Capitals goaltender is the real story however, as he has boasts a .953 save percentage and allowed just one goal in game four as the Capitals evened the series at two games apiece.

Claude Giroux leads the 2012 NHL Playoffs in points, goals, and assists, and is second in the playoffs with a +4 rating, leading his team to a 3-1 series advantage and playing more like the best player in the world than is Sidney Crosby. Dan Bylsma, Pittsburgh head coach, got his team focused and looking to make a comeback in the series after a huge 10-3 drubbing of the Flyers on Wednesday night which could have shifted some of the momentum back to the Penguins as they return to Pittsburgh for game five on Friday night.

Everyone’s eyes should shift to the series that no one is talking about, the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers who are deadlocked at two games apiece. For the 24th time in his illustrious NHL career, Martin Brodeur recorded a playoff shutout in game four on Thursday night.  Great goaltending from a man who will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the position will be the key for the New Jersey Devils to advance to the next round of the playoffs. How many times have we debated whether or not Brodeur should retire, and then he comes out and has the performance of a life time just to shut everyone up?

Incredibly, the Los Angeles Kings have a commanding 3-1 series lead against the defending Western Conference Champion Vancouver Canucks.  Jonathan Quick has put himself into the conversation of the NHL’s best goaltenders with his performance against one of the best offenses in the regular season. Kevin Bieksa and the rest of the Vancouver Canucks will have to find a way to beat Quick and also keep LA’s speedy forwards from blowing past them and putting pucks in the net. Looks like we may be seeing a changing of the guard in net in Vancouver after Corey Schneider’s performance in game 4, in which he looked like a far superior goaltender to Roberto Luongo who just a couple of years ago was among the leagues best.

Maybe this year we will have a team representing the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals who has never been there before.  Nashville is dominating the finesse heavy and old Detroit Redwings lineup with their physical play giving them all of the momentum as they look to end the Red Wings’ season in Nashville Friday night. Of course, veteran experience is key in the playoffs, so look for Lidstrom and company to make this series interesting before its all said and done. Pekka Rinne has been solid between the pipes, but look for Pavel Datsyuk to try and change that.

Question marks surround the goaltending situation in Chicago, as the Blackhawks try to fend off their elimination, and people are starting to call for Ray Emory to get a start in net.  Raffi Torres’ hit on Marian Hossa was probably the dirtiest of the playoffs so far, as Hossa had to be carted off on a stretcher after Torres’ left his feet to make contact to the head of Hossa. Sometimes in the playoffs players seem to catch fire, and for the Coyote’s this postseason it has been Mikkel Boedker who has been the overtime hero in back to back games for the ‘Yotes.

The series between the New York Rangers and the Ottawa Senators has been my favorite to watch, as the two teams have battled each other hard with heavy hitting and timely goal scoring and I don’t think anyone saw the Senators putting up this big of a fight against the Rangers. Unfortunately for the Senators, I think that the Rangers are starting to figure it out and put this series to rest in six games, but the Senators will be a team to watch in the East next season. Vacation may be good for some of the players after the bumps and bruises from this series.

Whether or not the San Jose Sharks win another game in their series against the St. Louis Blues, it is clear that the Blues are the better team, and they have imposed their will on the Sharks, scoring first in all three games that they have won in this postseason. Xerotic; thats what the Sharks plays has looked like, very dry, as they look like they could care less if they win or loose each game, which as a fan makes you very angry. Yeah, I am sure they are trying to win, but they are not interested in doing what it takes to beat a team with a tough, strong defense like the St. Louis Blues.  Zigging and Zagging their way through the Sharks penalty kill the Blues have exposed the Sharks biggest weakness and are taking advantage of it, so much so that it looks as if they will move on to the next round with relative ease.

NHL or WWE?

To all my readers, I want to apologize for the terrible job I did at picking the first round matchups.  It is a good thing that I didn’t make predictions for all of the series, or I would probably really be in trouble.  I didn’t see the effort and determination of the Los Angeles Kings coming, as they are up 3-0 and going for the sweep, and I also didn’t think that the Flyers would be so dominate against Sid the Kid and Evgeni Malkin. My only pick that holds true is Nashville to beat Detroit.  So what I am 1 for 3, in baseball that gets you in the Hall of Fame!

But I digress. Lets get to the real story of this years NHL playoffs: the hits, fights, and subsequent suspensions that seem to be happening in every series on a nightly basis. Usually playoff hockey is more intense then the regular season because guys want it more when the playoffs arrive, knowing they are so close to reaching the ultimate dream, winning the Stanley Cup. But this year, most of the games look like wrestling matches.  Its like every team believes the old saying, If you cant beat ’em, beat ’em.  I am waiting for The Rock to dress for Pittsburgh and start laying the Rock Bottom on the Flyers, because it seems to be the only way Pittsburgh believes they can beat Philly.

Where did it all start? Obviously in the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia series there is bad blood between the two teams that goes back for decades, but for the most part there are not any big “rivals” playing each other.  A couple of series (San Jose vs. St. Louis) and (Detroit vs. Nashville) feature older veteran teams against the young guns of the league, and perhaps the violence stems from younger guys trying to prove they are better then veterans who have been there before.

My theory is that it all goes back to the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins.  In last year’s playoffs, they showed that in order to win it all, you have to be willing to come together as a team, and stand up for one another in good times and bad.  They were not afraid to muck it up and get teams off of their game, and they would take advantage when teams couldn’t keep up late in games.  I would even argue at times they probably were a little bit dirty and cheap, but hey, if you get away with it and your winning do what you want. I think this year many teams are trying to play in the Boston mold.  Even teams who are usually not known for their toughness (Washinton Capitals, Phoenix Coyotes) are seeing their players suspended for dirty hits during games.

The biggest example of this is Nicklas Backstrom’s crosscheck on Rich Peverley at the end of game three. Backstrom is arguably one of the most skilled players in the game, not usually known for his dirty play.  He received a match penalty for intent to injure which carries with it an automatic one game suspension.

So far this post season the NHL has suspended 8 different players, and 5 of these players have received multiple game suspensions (Check out the player by player list).  Many of the hits that have driven the NHL to suspend players have resulted in injuries to the person being hit, but should they be getting more games just because they hurt someone? In my opinion a hit to the head is a hit to the head, and all hits should be punished equally.  If the NHL wants to stop these plays, they need to give out bigger punishments to all parties, not based on whether or not someone is injured.

Ryan Rudnansky in an article for The Bleacher Report, says that Brendan Shanahan, disciplinarian of the NHL, is to blame, not the in-game referees:

He’s the guy who has steadily become more lax since taking the job over a year ago. When you are basically giving players free rein to do as they wish without adequate consequence, in a playoff atmosphere, there is really nothing refs can do at that point.

I tend to agree with Rudnansky, if he laid down the law a little harder on Shea Weber’s hit on Henrik Zetterberg, it may have deterred players in other series from thinking with their fists first.

We also have to remember that there are two sides to every coin.  The violence in this years playoffs has done one thing the NHL Playoffs have not been able to do in recent years, draw huge television ratings.  Ratings for some games are the highest they have been since before the NHL moved to NBC networks.  So it begs the question, are ratings more important than players’ health, and is the violence good for the game? I personally think that the NHL is almost sitting back knowing that they are getting paid and letting this stuff happen. I want to see players play hard and stick up for each other, but there has to be a time and a place, and the guys that get involved should be the guys who are usually involved. Guys like Sidney Crosby, Backstrom, and other skilled players should stick to what they do best, scoring points.

As the playoffs move on it will be interesting to see if things start calming down, or if they escalate even more, and for the rest of this postseason it looks like Shanahan will have his hands full.

The Award For Best Playoff Beard Goes To…..

 

Mike Commodore of the 2006 Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes has the best playoff beard of all-time.  It may be the ginger afro from 1975 that gives him the edge, but his playoff look made him a cult icon in Carolina the same way that Brian Wilson’s “Fear the Beard” made him a legend in San Francisco. Look for Shea Weber, Martin Havlat, Zdeno Chara, and Henrik Zetterberg to challenge for the title if their teams make deep runs in 2012.