Round Two Intrigue

Ein unglaublich unterhaltsamen ersten Runde, die in der Eastern Conference Umdrehen und im Westen sah Serie Herrschaft von niemandem, aber was zu einem meist Kreide zweite Runde geführt. Kudos zu den Aufführungen, die weiter von den Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche und LA Kings, die mehr als bewundernswert in jedem Team das erste Playoff-Auftritt seit vielen Jahren durchgeführt. Die LA Kings und Colorado Avalanche zeigten sie eine tragfähige Mannschaft für eine ganze Weile, da jeder junge Gruppe von Spielern wird nur aus dieser Erfahrung lernen und weiterhin besser und besser. Sieben der acht Serien gingen mindestens sechs Spiele, die zweite Runde hat eine Menge zu leben bis zu haben bedeutet.

Jetzt, rund eine ist in die Bücher, die wir freuen uns auf die zweite Runde Match-Ups:

Eastern Conference

4. Pittsburgh-gegen-8. Montreal

Die Canadiens haben, was die meisten für unmöglich gehalten wurde, sobald die Reihe kam zu einem 3:1-Washington Vorteil. Es wurde angenommen, dass die Caps anfällig für eine Überraschung, aber nicht in der Weise, dass Montreal schließlich zog die aufgeregt ... mit der Verteidigung waren. Washington konnte nicht punkten und konventionelle Weisheit sagt, dass, wenn Montreal herunterfahren können Washington dann sicherlich werden sie in der Lage, das Gleiche zu Pittsburgh ... richtig zu machen? Wahrscheinlich nicht. Zunächst einmal die Canadiens verlassen viel zu stark auf Jaroslav Halak zu nahezu perfekt. Halak kann noch ein paar mehr Spiele in ihn so, aber er kann nicht spielen, die Art und Weise Nacht in und Nacht den Rest des Weges. Darüber hinaus sind die Pinguine ein viel körperliche Team als Washington und als Ergebnis, das Sie tragen können sich viel besser als die Caps konnten. Es besteht auch die allgegenwärtige immaterielle Die Reise der Pinguine, und das ist ihre Erfahrung. Washington war sich nicht sicher, ob sie gewinnen könnte, wenn die Dinge bekam schlecht, aber Pittsburgh nicht, dass Zweifel in sie, weil sie (nach der Rückkehr 2-0 zweimal der letzten Saison und einem 5:0 Verlust in Spiel 5 der Red Wings in weiß Finale) sie haben die Fähigkeit, jeden zu jeder Zeit zu schlagen, egal wie die Umstände. Während Montreal wird sich als ein harter Gegner für Pittsburgh sei es unwahrscheinlich, dass Crosby und Unternehmen durch eine zähe Habs Kader wird verdrängt werden. Pittsburgh wird weitergehen.

6. Boston gegen 7. Philadelphia

Dies kann die unterhaltsamste Match-up in dieser Runde auf dem Papier. Beide Teams spielen eine sehr physische Spiel so viele große Hits gehandelt werden. Abgesehen davon, dass jedoch die Flyers im Vorteil sind. Während beide Teams auf sekundäre Scoring verlassen, um vorab zu 2 rund um die Flyers haben viel bessere primäre Scoring-Optionen. Es ist unwahrscheinlich, dass Carter, Briere, und der Rest in Schach diesmal stattfinden wird. Boston zeigte die Unfähigkeit, Score (nichts wie das Team, das ich dachte, sie wäre, wenn ich sie abgeholt, um im Osten Vorsaison win) im Laufe der Saison und das wird wahrscheinlich nicht ändern. Aus diesem Grund bin ich Philly unter.

Western Conference:

1. San Jose gegen 5. Detroit

Herzlichen Glückwunsch nach San Jose, um endlich kämpfen die erste Runde Dämonen und Weiterentwicklung zu 2 zum ersten Mal in dem, was scheint wie eine Ewigkeit lang. Zum Glück für San Jose gelang es ihnen, ohne viel Scoring von ihren drei großen (Marleau, Heatley und Thorton) voraus. Sie werden auf jeden Fall brauchen, die sich ändern, wenn sie jede Hoffnung auf besting die Red Wings wollen. Wieder einmal können wir über x-und o-die ganze Nacht lang reden, aber wenn es drauf ankommt kann ich einfach nicht gegen Detroit holen. Jedes Jahr scheint es, wie sie reif für die Ernte von einer nach oben und kommen Western Conference-Team und Detroit immer beweist jeder falsch. Deshalb bin ich Kommissionierung Detroit zu pflücken San Jose.

2. Chicago gegen 3. Vancouver

Beide Teams entkommen, was aussehen würde erste Runde Verstimmungen durch dritte Periode Comebacks. Zum Glück für uns taten sie denn im vergangenen Jahr der Kampf in der gleichen Runde zwischen den beiden Teams wurde TV sehen muss und in diesem Jahr wird wahrscheinlich noch besser sein. Beide Teams sind vorne mit Kane und Unternehmen für Chicago und die Sedin Zwillinge und Crew für Vancouver groß. Es wird offensive Chancen in Hülle und Fülle für beide Mannschaften sein, so was muss man schauen in ein Match-up wie das? Ziel tendenziell natürlich. Um ehrlich zu sein, hat Chicago netminding schrecklich, so dass sie bereits einen Nachteil in dieser Kategorie sind gewesen, nun in der Tatsache, dass sie werden kämpfen Roberto Luongo am anderen Ende und es ist noch mehr Probleme für die Hawks hinzuzufügen. Doch im vergangenen Jahr konnten sie auf Luongo zu erhalten und sie können sicherlich nicht, dass auch in diesem Jahr. Alle Hawks müssen aus ihren Torhüter ist es, ausreichend zu spielen und sie sich auf das Wesentliche. Ich hob Chicago, um das Ganze zu Beginn des Jahres zu gewinnen und ich werde nicht nachgeben jetzt ... Chicago gewinnt.

NHL Playoff Preview / Prognosen

Ost-Vorschau:

1. Washington vs 8. Montreal

Jaroslav Halak ist der Schlüssel zu dieser Serie. Alle Halak zu tun hat, ist immer Washington in Schach, wenn es ihm gelingt zu tun, dass die Canadiens werden viele Torchancen gegen Schweizer Käse Washington Verteidigung zu bekommen. Zwei Dinge, die wir sicher wissen: Montreal nicht aufhören kann Washington von Scoring und Washington kann nicht aufhören zu Montreal von Scoring. Die Nummer eins Schlüssel wie ich bereits erwähnt ist Halak sondern es ist auch von entscheidender Bedeutung für Montreal zu spielen extrem diszipliniert hockey jede Minute eines jeden Spiels. Technische Fehler werden gemacht, das ist einfach in der Natur des Spiels, aber schlechte Entscheidungen zu treffen (Fehlpässe, faul Puck Verfolgung, etc.) und unter schlechten Strafen wird das Ende der Montreal Playoff-Leben sein. Washington hat genug Talent, um die Fehler es wird zu überwinden und das Fehlen einer angemessenen Verteidigung und fleckig Goaltending aber Montreal nicht. Viele Leute denken, Washington ist reif für die Ernte-und das mag wahr sein, aber wenn Montreal nicht hält, ihren Fehler-Verhältnis im Vergleich zu Washington ist sehr gering die Capitals wird sie umhauen. Auch wenn Montreal nicht sagen, nehmen ein schlechtes Strafe müssen sie auf die Playoff-Erfahrung der Jungs auf ihrer Spielerliste darauf verlassen, dass jemand mit ihnen zu treffen, um das Feld, jedes bisschen Angelegenheiten. Wenn Montreal kann tun, was sie gewinnen, aber das sagte ich nehme den Capitals in fünf Jahren.

2. New Jersey gegen 7. Philadelphia

Philadelphia gewinnt dieser Serie. Es hat wenig mit dem Flyer "Fähigkeiten und mehr mit New Jersey Unzulänglichkeiten zu tun. Die Devils verlassen sich zu stark auf Scoring zuerst, dann mit der neutralen Zone abzufangen und Marty Brodeur zu den anderen Teams zu ersticken. New Jersey wird nicht immer zuerst ein Tor und einen Vorsprung zu schützen, noch haben sie die Fähigkeit haben, wieder entfernt, um 2 oder mehr Tore sollten Philly so weit vorne zu kommen. Es ist nicht mehr 1995 und die neue NHL ist nicht förderlich für New Jersey-System wodurch eine große Menge an post-season Erfolg. Sie haben auch stellen eine sprichwörtliche Wand vor ihrer größten Scoring Bedrohung in Ilya Kovalchuk. Jedes Spiel wird höchstwahrscheinlich in der Nähe sein, weil, wie die Devils spielen, aber es ist Philly-Serie zu gewinnen.

3. Buffalo gegen 6. Boston

Ryan Miller ist der beste Torhüter in der Welt von heute und die Boston Bruins nicht KANN NICHT punkten. Genug gesagt, Sabres nehmen die Reihe.

4. Pittsburgh vs 5. Ottawa

Crosby wurde in letzter Zeit heiß, aber die beiden Spiele gegen die New York Islanders, die eine wirklich kleine Verteidigung und die Ergebnisse in eine Tonne Torchancen und viele Tore haben gehören. Die Pinguine haben eine harte Zeit zu stoppen Mannschaft von Scoring und gleichzeitig nicht mit der größten Scoring Können sich (selbstverständlich Gonchar und Malkin verletzt worden sind, so dass sollten Sie sicher selbst up). Es ist gesagt worden, dass die Pinguine einfach notwendig, um in die Playoffs zu bekommen und nun, da die Zeit gekommen, sie werden stärker motiviert, sich zusammenreißen, bauen auf den Erfahrungen der letzten Jahre, und gehen Sie auf, um wieder auf mindestens die Conference Finals. Aber ich denke, die Ottawa Senators kann etwas dazu zu sagen haben. Die Senatoren haben eine der besten Mannschaften in der Konferenz im letzten Monat der Saison waren und sind unglaublich gut als Einheit zu spielen. Losing Alex Kovalev wird ein Rückschlag für Ottawa sein, aber sie haben noch Daniel Alredsson, Jason Spezza und Mike Fisher, damit sie nicht die Sehnsucht nach Scoring präsentiert auf dem Eis sein. Ihre Verteidiger sind alle ziemlich groß, so dass die Match-up relativ gut mit den Penguins 'Linien von oben nach unten. Torchancen erfordert viel mehr Arbeit für die Penguins gegen Ottawa, als es gegen die Islanders war. Vielleicht die größte Schwäche für Ottawa ist Brian Elliot Mangel an Playoff-Erfahrung. Während Erfahrung Angelegenheiten auf allen Positionen ist es sehr wichtig für die Torhüter, wenn Sie Ken Dryden oder Patrick Roy sind. Dennoch, mit, wie die Pinguine spielen seit (inkonsistent) sind sie reif für eine Überraschung und ich denke, die Ottawa Senators wird genau das tun.

West-Vorschau:

1. San Jose-gegen-8. Colorado

Als technischer Analyse, wie ich denke, das Match-up gehen, ist vielleicht eine Verschwendung von Zeit. San Jose hat hier immer und immer wieder und Colorado ist ein Team, das die ganze Saison übertroffen hat lange. Ich denke, in der Zeit Colorado wird es sehr gut, aber es ist einfach nicht in die Karten für sie in diesem Jahr. San Jose hat mehr Erfahrung, sind eine insgesamt bessere Team und wird einfach nicht nach Colorado zu verlieren. San Jose dauert dieser Serie.

2. Chicago gegen 7. Nashville

Nach Nashville in die Playoffs ist immer wieder schön ist, weil was hilft Hockey in nicht-traditionellen Märkten zu wachsen eine gute Sache für das Spiel und der Liga. Nashville hat schon einmal hier gewesen, aber noch nicht geschafft, die erste Runde (keine Schande, dass seit sie haben Detroit in jedem Playoff-Auftritt in ihrer kurzen Geschichte gespielt) zu bekommen. Was gibt Nashville die besten Chancen auf Erfolg in dieser Serie ist, dass sie nicht auf eine einzelne Person alle ihre Vergehen liefern zu verlassen. Steve Sullivan, Patric Hornqvist, Martin Erat, Jason Arnott, JP Dumont und Shea Weber hatten alle 40 + Punkt Jahreszeiten, die ein sehr positives Zeichen ist, da Chicago kann man nicht einfach auf einen Kerl in der Hoffnung, halten die Preds in Schach zu konzentrieren. Das Problem für Nashville ist, dass von der Jahreszeit sie gab so viele Tore wie sie die verheißt nichts Gutes bei der Wiedergabe von Leuten wie Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp und Co erzielt. im besten Vier-of-seven-Serie. Während ich root für Hockey Erfolg in Nashville für das Wohl des Spiels Ich denke, Chicago wird zu viel für die Preds und Vergangenheit Nashville auf dem Weg zum Cup Finals zu bewegen, wie ich bei Saisoneröffnung vorhergesagt.

3. Vancouver gegen 6. LA Kings

Es ist großartig, die LA Kings zurück in die Playoffs zu sehen. Ich habe seit der Nebensaison, dass dieses Team für real war und sie sicher nicht enttäuschen die ganze Saison und hier sind sie in der Nachsaison gesagt. Anze Kopitar war phänomenal das ganze Jahr und Jonathan Schnellsuche wurde in Net-Wire-to-wire solide. Ich sagte vor dem Jahr begonnen, die nicht nur die Kings die Playoffs zu machen, sondern sie würden auch gewinnen ihre erste Runde Reihe und ich werde nicht wieder nach unten aus, dass. Leider für die Kings (und für mich), müssen sie gehen gegen die wohl beste Linie in Hockey ganze Jahr, dh die Sedin Zwillinge mit Alex Burrows und manchmal Ryan Kesler. Oh, und dass Roberto Luongo Kerl ist auch nicht schlecht. Eine Menge Leute denken, das ist das Jahr für Vancouver zu überwinden, was sie in der Vergangenheit konfrontiert und schließlich kommen aus dem Westen. Ich werde gegen meinen Kopf in der Kommissionierung diese gehen und sagen, dass die Kings wird die Serie zu nehmen, aber sie besser verlassen sich stark auf Rob Scuderi-Cup-Gewinner Erfahrung von vor einem Jahr, weil sie es müssen.

4. Phoenix vs 5. Detroit

Schlechte Phoenix. Eigentumsverhältnisse stammen noch aus dem offseason, nicht wissend, wohin sie gingen zu spielen in diesem Jahr vor der Saison gestartet und auch dort, wo sie im nächsten Jahr ist noch nicht abgeschlossen. Trotz aller, dass die Spieler rotteten sich zusammen und bekam nicht nur selbst in die Playoffs, aber zu Hause Eis in der ersten Runde sehr gut!? Wrong. All das harte Arbeit liefert ihnen den Lohn der Wiedergabe der Detroit Red Wings in der ersten Runde, was für eine Belohnung für eine tolle Saison eh? Wir könnten brechen Match-ups, bis die Kühe nach Hause kommen, aber es wäre dumm von mir gegen Detroit zu holen. Ich hoffe, Phoenix gibt Detroit einen großen Kampf und schafft es sogar, sie zu schlagen, aber das ist unwahrscheinlich, und deshalb gebe ich diese Serie, die Red Wings.

Genießen Sie den Beginn der schönsten Zeit des Jahres!

Flames aussterben; Penguins in Trouble, New Challengers für Detroit.

Wer würde auf der Messe Frist gedacht, dass die Übernahme durch die Calgary Flames of ehemaligen Maple Leaf Spieler Ian White, Jamal Mayers, Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, und Vesa Toskala wäre in den Flammen fehlen die Playoffs führen? Wie wäre es mit jeder außer jemand innerhalb der Calgary Flames Organisation, dass alle Entscheidungen Fähigkeit hatte, ehrlich gesagt, was dachten sie? Toronto spielte schlecht die ganze Saison lang noch irgendwie unter eine Menge von Spielern aus, dass leistungsschwache Team Calgary Niveau des Spiels erhöhen würde? Snatching bis diese Jungs sollte in der Flames Scoring Leiden Hilfe, sondern es brachte nichts. Es gibt Gerüchte herumschwirren, dass die Flames Organisation in ist für eine große Veränderung in der Nebensaison auf fast allen Ebenen, vielleicht zu Recht. Viele Entscheidungen auf dem Weg gemacht beigetragen Calgary: Die Eliminierung von Playoff-Streit, sondern die jüngsten Schritte hatte eine Menge zu sagen in ihrer Strecke laufen Vergeblichkeit. Das Ziel für die Flames kommen in dieser Saison war es, endlich die erste Runde ... funny, wie die Dinge ändern sich.

Mit ihren 6-3 Verlust in den Händen der Washington Capitals am Dienstag die Verteidigung Stanley Cup Champions fiel auf eine kombinierte 0-10 gegen New Jersey und Washington in dieser Saison. Trotz dieser Datensatz die Penguins haben es geschafft, sich in der Lage, home-Eis in der ersten Runde der Playoffs haben setzen und haben noch eine Chance auf den Gewinn der Atlantic Division. Aber diese Tatsache beiseite, was nicht über eine 0-10 Bilanz gegen zwei der besten Teams im Osten für die Penguins in den Playoffs bedeuten? Die Zahlen selbst bedeuten nicht eine ganze Menge, da der regulären Saison Kopf-an-Kopf-Datensätze nicht übertragen in die Playoffs, aber es ist, warum sie so viele Male verloren, diese Teams, die den größeren Geschichte ist. Washington wußte einfach auf die Penguins, was sie für jedermann gemacht haben das ganze Jahr und das ist Partitur Partitur und Gäste einige mehr. Es gibt nichts über die Capitals "-Spiel und viele Experten einig kompliziert ihre mangelnde Verteidigung werden eher schädlich, wenn es an der Zeit, um zu versuchen zu spielen, und schlagen ein Team in einer Best-of-seven-Serie kommt. Weitere alarmierende für die Penguins ist ihre Leistungen gegen New Jersey. Die Devils nutzten ihre neutralen Zone Falle nicht nur schlagen die Penguins aber sie dominiert Pittsburgh in jedem der sechs Spiele sie gespielt haben. Die Penguins gelang nur 5 Tore in sechs Wettbewerben, von denen keines in der Nähe auch zwei shutouts. Es scheint etwas über die neutrale Zone Falle, als wirklich die Penguins Kopfschmerzen gegeben in diesem Jahr scheinbar mehr als je zuvor. Dieser Stil hat sie beeinflusst, so sehr, dass die Tampa Bay Lightning das gleiche System gegen die Penguins genutzt kürzlich in Perfektion schlagen Pittsburgh 2-0. Wenn die Devils und nun die Lightning ein Musterbeispiel für die Penguins dominieren erstellt haben, dann ist es wahrscheinlich, dass andere gute Teams in den Playoffs könnte auch mit dem gleichen System und tatsächlich führen die Penguins als schon in der ersten Runde ausgeschieden. Raus aus der Falle bei drei verschiedenen Gelegenheiten gegen zwei verschiedene Teams ausgeschaltet ist kein Zufall, und das ist, warum das so 0-6 Bilanz gegen New Jersey ist für Pittsburgh beängstigend.

Schließlich ist alles vorbei, aber das Geschrei aus West! Jeder Platz in den Playoffs wurde geholt und jetzt haben wir einfach abwarten, was die Match-Ups werden. Der diesjährige Wettbewerb umfasst ein paar verschiedene Gesichter aus der letzten Saison, als die LA Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators und Phoenix Coyotes haben alle für die Post-Saison zu spielen, nachdem ich von zu Hause aus nur einer Saison vor qualifiziert. Es wird großartig sein, frisches Blut in die Reihen in den Westen zu sehen, aber wir dürfen nicht vergessen, die Vielflieger in den Detroit Red Wings vorhanden in den Playoffs für die 19 ^th Jahr in Folge. Kann jeder der neuen Teams ersetzen die Red Wings an der Spitze der Western Conference Mountain? Tune in nächster Zeit, wenn wir im Westen Vorschau und ich gebe die Gründe, warum Detroit wird (oder nicht) Rückkehr zu den Finals noch einmal.

^14. April ist fast da!

Devils dominieren Pens; Red Wings Lurke; Blackhawks Goaltending Loch

Letzte Nacht die Pittsburgh Penguins in Schach noch wieder von den New Jersey Devils, die jetzt die Saison-Serie gegen die Penguins 6-0 und in entscheidender Weise jedes Mal haben fegte statt. Ein Team dominiert eine andere, wie dies nicht selten, aber der Unterschied ist in diesem Fall, dass die Pinguine haben immer eine der besten Mannschaften der Liga wurde das ganze Jahr und sind sogar noch Kämpfe für die Teilung Krone mit New Jersey trotz verlor jedes Spiel gegen sie. Es ist nicht sehr häufig zu sehen, ein Team von einem anderen Team dominiert wird und dennoch so hoch sein, in der Gesamtwertung. Was bedeutet dies für die Playoffs bedeuten? Ganz ehrlich, solange beide Teams es (wie sie sicherlich) machen es bedeutet nicht, dass eine ganze Menge sollten sie match-up miteinander, bis das erste Spiel gespielt wird. Wenn Pittsburgh gelingt, die erste in einer best-of-seven-Serie mit New Jersey gewinnt dann der Schiefer ist im wesentlichen sauber gewischt. Allerdings sollte New Jersey schlagen Pittsburgh und dominieren sie die gleiche Art, wie sie das ganze Jahr über haben dann New Jersey wird das Vertrauen der Penguin-Team betroffen, so sehr, dass die Serie würde im Grunde vorbei sein, bevor es überhaupt gestartet wird müssen. Es gibt keinen wirklichen Sinn und Verstand für die Devils 'Herrschaft über die Penguins es nur eine Frage der New Jersey spielen ihr System fest und die Pinguine so dass zu viele Chancen und nicht die Schaffung genug eigene hat. Wir werden sehen, was passiert, von hier aus aber wenn nichts anderes dieser Serie von Siegen sollte New Jersey eine Tonne Vertrauen als die Strecke laufen weiter und Übergänge in die Playoffs.

Für Sie Western Conference Fans, jetzt nicht sehen, aber die Detroit Red Wings sind in bester Lage für die Post-Saison erneut qualifizieren. Ab jetzt die Red Wings haben einen Punkt Vorsprung vor Platz ⁹ Calgary mit einem Spiel in der Hand haben und besiegten die Flames jeweils die letzten beiden Male haben sie gespielt. Egal, wie der regulären Saison für Detroit geht sie scheinen immer zu tun, weg mit allen Schwächen sie während des ganzen Jahres zeigte, und zum Top-Form, als April herum rollt. Detroit ist auch gesünder, so dass die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass sie dann Flunder auf der Zielgeraden nimmt mit jeder Spieler sie zurück zu bekommen. Sollten sie die Playoffs es wahrscheinlich, wie die 7 oder 8 ^{th th} Samen werden, was einen Preis für das Team, das weg geht mit der Konferenz der regulären Saison Titel. Sie arbeiten das ganze Jahr, um sich in die beste Position möglich zu machen und Sie sind mit einer ersten Runde Match-up gegen die beiden Zeit zu verteidigen Conference Champions belohnt. Es gibt nichts wie ein Date mit Franzen, Zetterberg, Lidström, Datsyuk, etc. und alle ihre Stanley Cup Ringen als eine Art zu sagen herzlichen Glückwunsch zu behaupten, eine der Top-Spots in der Konferenz. Trotz der, wie die Saison für Detroit gegangen, wenn sie in Ihnen peg sie als einer der Favoriten haben, um aus dem Westen bekommen.

Schließlich, was waren die Chicago Blackhawks Denken auf der Messe Termin? In großen Punkt ihres Teams ist solide und braucht keine Anpassung, um sicher auf, was sollte ein Lauf um den Stanley Cup Finals werden (das ist ein vernünftiges Ziel zumindest). Aber ein Bereich, der absolut notwendig Adressierung war Goaltending. Keine Respektlosigkeit gegenüber Huet und Niemi aber sie sind nicht bereit, ein Team in das verheißene Land zu führen. Weder hat keine Playoff-Erfahrung zur Kenntnis, und während Sie kann nur noch Erfahrung von Wirklichkeit zu spielen, wenn der Rest des Teams ist bereit, einen starken Schub, dass nicht die Zeit für Ihre netminder zu bekommen nasse Füße zu machen. Kane, Keith, Sharp, Toews, Hossa, Byfuglien, Versteeg, Campbell (pre-Verletzung), etc. sind alle bereit, auf der letztjährigen ausführen, um die Conference Finals, indem sie ihre jeweiligen Spiele "auf die nächste Ebene zu verbessern und das letzte, was sie brauchen, ist Goaltending, diese zu stürzen. Gehen nach jemandem wie Manny Legace, der einige Erfahrung oder sogar JS Giguere, die trotz Ungnade fiel in Anaheim hat eine anständige Erfolgsbilanz und vielleicht eine Veränderung der Landschaft ist genau das, was der Arzt für ihn bestellt hat. Entweder Wahl lohnen würde zumindest versuchen gewesen sein, weil weder schlechter als Niemi und Huet haben in der letzten Zeit tun konnte. In zwei Sonntagen in Folge sowohl Huet und Niemi haben eine Vielzahl von Zielen in sehr kurzer Zeit verursacht ihr Team bis 2 Schlag und drei Ziel führt bzw. geblasen führt Chicago konnte von beiden mal Rebound gegeben. Klar, dass hätte jedem an einem bestimmten Tag passieren, aber zweimal in 7 Tagen ist inakzeptabel und es nicht sehr Gutes für Chicago in dieser Saison, wenn sie auch nur annähernd, die schlecht in die Playoffs zu spielen.

Weniger als einen Monat bis zum Playoff-Zeit zu gehen!

Olympics End, aber großartige Hockey Continues

Heute vor einer Woche sah die Welt einen der besten Eishockey-Spiele in geraumer Zeit und mit Sicherheit das beste Spiel der Olympischen Turnier. Trotz großer Hartnäckigkeit von den Amerikanern zum Ausdruck gebracht wurde hockey König Kanada unter der Leitung von Sidney Crosby, der die Vancouver-Spiele mit der Goldmedaille nach links. Crosby Überstunden Ziel markiert das Ende einer fantastischen zwei Wochen hockey, dass eine Vielzahl von unvorhersehbaren Momente produziert. Während es den Kanadiern war, kletterte an die Spitze des Berges, am Ende die wahren Gewinner Eishockey-Fans waren auf der ganzen Welt. Also nehme ich diese Zeit, um die Kanadier zu ihrem Sieg gratulieren, zu grüßen das Spiel der Eishockey im Allgemeinen und zum Abschied, was eine wunderbare zwei Wochen Eishockey-Gebot.

Mit den Olympischen Spielen nun hinter uns Übergang von einer Reihe von großen Hockey zu einem anderen als dem NHL strecken laufen geht in vollem Gange. Da es heute Spots steht 6 bis 11 in der Eastern Conference werden von insgesamt vier Punkte voneinander getrennt, während der Kampf um die 7 ^{und 8.} Flecken im Westen ist eine noch engere Rennen. Im Laufe der nächsten Wochen werden wir herausfinden, wer die richtigen Schritte auf der Messe Frist und wer sollte mehr getan haben. Wir werden sehen, ob Emporkömmling Phoenix können Colorado (zurück zu glorreichen Zeiten oben dargestellt?) Können ihre Spiel-Niveau hoch genug, um Playoff-Positionen zu halten, wie es ein neues Konzept für diese beiden Teams zusammengestellt heute ist. Kann die Detroit Red Wings gelingt, ein Platz in den Playoffs zu festigen oder wird sie zum ersten Mal gelassen werden, da Dinosaurier die Erde? Hat die Pittsburgh Penguins add genug neue Gesichter, ihre Aufstellung um sicherzustellen, dass sich etwaige Mängel sie haben kann, um sie in die Mannschaft bringen, um in den Osten zu schlagen? Haben sich die Washington Capitals endlich angegangen ihre defensive Leid genug, um sich in die Kategorie der schweren Pokal-Katapult? Warum nicht in Boston, der war top Samen im Osten im vergangenen Jahr, nicht mehr tun, um ihre Unfähigkeit ein Tor-Adresse? Während der ganzen Zeit, die mehr Tore vor Saisonende Alex Ovechkin oder Sidney Crosby erzielt? Jede dieser Fragen wird im nächsten Monat beantwortet werden und das bedeutet, Eishockey-Fans sein werden, von jetzt an bis zum Ende des Stanley Cup Finals im Juni verwöhnt. So rüsten puckheads weil dies sein wird awesome!

Ovechkin Betters Crosby, Game Access Limited

Die NHL die beiden größten Stars nahmen das Eis gegeneinander zum ersten Mal seit ihrer klassischen Eastern Conference Semifinal der vor einem Jahr. Ich bin natürlich von Sidney Crosby und die Penguins gegen Alex Ovechkin und die Washington Capitals sprechen. Dies ist nicht nur ein Matchup der Liga die beiden größten Stars, sondern auch von zwei der besten Mannschaften in Hockey. Das Spiel war ein sehr unterhaltsamer Wettbewerb, die letztlich sah Washington geschlossen Pittsburgh in der dritten Periode, um das Spiel 6-3 zu nehmen, aber das Spiel selbst ist nicht die Story. Leider ist das größere Problem ist die Tatsache, dass das Spiel nicht auf eine Steckdose, die Menschen auf der ganzen Nation sehen konnte, im Fernsehen. Sicher war es ausgestrahlt auf dem NHL-Netzwerk, sondern die Zahl der Menschen, die den Kanal haben, ist nicht nur in reinen Zahlen beschränkt, sondern auch begrenzt auf Personen, die bereits das Spiel lieben. Dieses Spiel benötigt, um auf eine Station, die die höchste Zahl von Menschen zu erreichen wäre und während einem Wochentag Spiel würde nicht auf NBC, und ich akzeptiere diese es könnte immer noch auf Versus gewesen wäre. Zugegeben, nicht die NHL nicht die beste TV-Vertrag, aber sie haben nicht einmal maximieren das Potenzial der Deal, den sie zu tun haben. Hockey ist ein fantastischer Sport, sondern Leute wie mich braucht nicht davon zu überzeugen, ist es die Casual-Fan, der in der letztjährigen Playoff-Serie, die ein Schaufenster des Spiels die besten Spieler wieder zu sehen in diesem Jahr ziehen sie näher an das Spiel müssen abgestimmt, aber , stehen die Chancen sahen sie nicht das Spiel, weil kausale Fans wahrscheinlich nicht über die NHL-Netzwerk. Im krassen Gegensatz zu diesem in der gleichen Nacht die NBA war zeigen Gehäuse zwei seiner größten Stars in LeBron James und Kobe Bryant auf TNT, die viel mehr Menschen Zugang haben. Das ist einfach ein Beispiel für die NBA tut eine viel bessere Arbeit von Marketing als die NHL. Meiner Meinung nach zumindest die NHL hat ein Produkt, das so gut wie das, was die NBA Felder jede Nacht ist es nur eine Frage der besseren Vermarktung seitens der NBA ist. Wenn die NHL will, um das Spiel wächst und setzen seine großartiges Produkt für die Massen (die zweifellos Liebe wird, was sie sehen), dann haben sie die Aufmerksamkeit auf die Details achten, da sonst die Liga wird auch weiterhin einen Schritt nach vorne machen und in zwei Schritten rückwärts, wenn es um den Ausbau der Popularität in den USA kommt.

In auf Eis news die Edmonton Oilers sind nicht mit dem besten Jahr. Es gibt viele Gründe, warum Edmonton gekämpft hat, aber es gibt auch keinen Zweifel daran, dass niemand mehr Herzensbrecher als die Oilers verloren. Edmonton ist Matchup gegen die Dallas Stars am Freitagabend ist das perfekte Beispiel für eine solche herzzerreißenden Verlust. Mit etwas mehr als eine Minute zu gehen ein Ziel der Oilers zogen ihre Torhüter zugunsten eines sechsten Angreifers und mit 01.02 auf der Uhr band das Spiel auf drei. Die Spieler waren begeistert, die Fans waren total aufgedreht und es sah so aus Edmonton wollte zumindest einen Punkt zu stehlen aus ihrer Western Conference Feinde. Allerdings traf nicht einmal eine Minute später Herzschmerz Edmonton erneut als James Neal schlug zu Hause einen Rebound mit nur 23 Sekunden später nach Dallas nach vorne zu bringen für gut. Sagen Sie, was Sie über die Art und Weise Edmonton verloren und wie sie schon seit verlieren Spiele wie dieses die ganze Saison, aber für eine Nacht schien es, wie jeder in Edmonton wäre Grund, ein tapferer Comeback nicht als letzter Sekunde zu besiegen und doch feiern wollen ... es war nicht sollen sein. Gefühl schlecht für professionelle Athleten unter allen Umständen ist hart, aber in diesem Fall fühle ich mich für die Oiler Organisation und ihre Fans schlecht, können sie einen Sieg zu kaufen?

Lastly I would be remiss if I did not mention the incredible amount of the success the upstart New York Islanders are having. Last season this was one of the worst teams in the league on the ice and dealing with a ton of turmoil off the ice in regards to its future on Long Island. Despite the continuing off ice issues the Islanders are putting together quite a season on the ice and are in prime position to make the playoffs. The credit could go to guys like John Tavares who was picked number one overall this past offseason or to hidden gems like Matt Moulson who has exceeded everyone's expectations. There is also the stellar play of netminder Dwayne Roloson who despite his age has performed very admirably all season long. No matter what the answer is the Islanders have put together a team that works hard every game, continues to get better as the season goes on, and use their work ethic combined with their skill to perhaps steal games they should not otherwise win. Stealing a win every now and then is bound to happen with any young and overmatched team. In the case of the Islanders however beating teams like New Jersey and Detroit in very short order in quite convincing fashion (having shut both teams out) is not by accident. You do not win games against top teams but shutting them out unless you're good, and believe it or not people the New York Islanders are a good team. I mentioned last year and early this season that I loved the way this team battles night in and night out and it's finally starting to pay off for them. It's possible that the Islanders will still fall short of the playoffs this year but if they keep playing the way they are the team will have nothing to be ashamed of and have something great to build on for next season. There have been a lot of feel good stories for teams who are seemingly overachieving thus far this season but none better than this New York Islander team. If you get a chance to watch them on any given night check them out, it's a lot of fun.

Enjoy your weekend of hockey everyone!

Kings Reign!

The Los Angeles Kings sit atop the Western Conference 34 games into the season. Plenty of people felt good about the improvement we would see in the Kings this season but did anyone have them playing this well? The team owes a lot of its success to the incredible emergences of Anze Kopitar who has become a star almost over-night, and the stellar goaltending from Jonathan Quick who is certainly living up to his name. Aside from the two aforementioned players the Kings do not look like much on paper because their numbers are par or subpar in many cases. Los Angeles has an ok power play and awful penalty killing which ranks near the bottom of the league. While the Kings score a lot of goals they also give up a ton and as a result a lot of the plus/minus numbers for many of its players are pretty terrible. With that in mind, although Los Angeles seems to do a lot of things wrong on paper there is one thing they do incredible well and that's win! Despite everything the Kings seem to come out on top when the final horn sounds and simply put that's all that matters. As a result of their style of play it bodes very well for the Kings come playoff time because style points absolutely do no matter, the idea is to win no matter what happens and in whatever way possible. Timely goal scoring and penalty killing are what make it happen and that is why the Kings—as long as they remain healthy—are going to win at least their first round playoff series and perhaps even further. There is in fact still a long way to go but keep an eye on this team because you'll be hearing a lot more from them come spring time.

On the other end of the Western Conference playoff tree are the Detroit Red Wings. That's right people the Detroit Red Wings from Hockeytown USA find themselves in ninth place a point out of a playoff spot after 32 games played. Granted, Johan Franzen has been out since October as he recovers from knee surgery and his scoring would probably be enough to at least have them in a playoff spot today. However, as it stands Franzen has not been playing and the rest of the team has been unable to pick up the slack as much as they need to. Their first issue is once again goaltending for they went through a similar situation last year in the regular season when neither Osgood nor Conklin (and this year Jimmy Howard) could keep the puck out of the net. The difference between this year and last year is that last year Detroit could outscore anyone to make up for the netminding deficiencies. Detroit has the experience and enough talent to go far come playoff time should they qualify, but getting there is going to be the problem. Fact is that Detroit is getting older, they have plenty of young talent to replace the older guys but these young players need time to find their niches and really get used to their roles to mesh as a team. Not only do the Wings have to worry about internal problems but the fact that the rest of the Western Conference simply got better. With stiffer competition and the lack of intimidation factor that used to come with playing against Detroit (even only two short seasons ago) the Red Wings could, and I think will, find themselves out of a playoff spot for the first time in a long time. Now the Western Conference has turned upside down with LA on top and Detroit on bottom… get used to it folks because it's the new NHL reality.

Hockey Hodgepodge

A few random thoughts for the moment:

After most NHL teams have played in the neighborhood of eight games it is important to note (as should be said every year about this time) that no top team is as good as they seem and no bottom teams are as bad as they seem. So Pens and Rangers fans keep your lids on and Leafs fans it really will get better.

The LA Kings are for real. There has been some debate whether they're ready to be good now or are still a year off. Well after a very strong start there should be no doubt in anybody's mind that they are ready to compete now. So to those of you on the east coast if you do not watch any other games for west coast teams all year make sure to catch LA in a home game if you can it's worth it to watch a team just beginning to bloom.

Early signs point to the Atlantic Division in the east and the Pacific Division in the west as being the most competitive division in each conference. As a result they will probably have the most teams in the playoffs come April.

The Washington Capitals are in the bottom third of the conference in terms of goals allowed. As exciting as that offense is to watch they can forget about winning anything other than the division if they don't play better defensively (and that's not entirely on the goaltender).

The Ottawa Senators have been playing well. Enjoy it while it lasts Sens fans because they are a fraud.

Credit to the Phoenix Coyote players who have not allowed any of the off-ice drama from the summer affect them. They are playing very well right now and the team is going to be solid all year of they can remain focused on hockey. Playoffs? Doubtful, but they are no easy W for anyone. Kudos to the players and keep up the good work.

As much as many puckheads might hate to admit it the Detroit Red Wings are the favorites to win the West until they are officially eliminated from playoff contention or knocked out of the playoffs themselves.

Enjoy your weekend of hockey everyone, all teams in play Saturday, should be a good one.

Western Conference Outlook

Tomorrow the journey for the Stanley Cup begins but for now we preview the other side of the coin before the puck drops, all analysis ends, and the games begin.

Ok corny intros aside here is my preview of the west (much like I did for the east) followed by the finals pick and who I think will hoist the Cup next spring.

The eight teams to qualify—in no particular order—are as follows: Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, and the San Jose Sharks.

The Detroit Red Wings are the best of the best again and despite having lost Hudler and Hossa they will simply use the machine of a farm system they've created to reload without skipping a beat. The only outstanding question in Detroit is the regular season play of Chris Osgood who put up subpar numbers last year from October through March. Showing up in the playoffs has always been Osgood's MO but if he is as inconsistent this year as he was last season the rise of other teams in Detroit's division could find the mighty Red Wings fighting for a playoff spot.

Things are looking up on the ice in Chicago as long as Patrick Kane can stay out of trouble off the ice. Kane along with Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews (among others) return while veterans John Madden and Marian Hossa have been added to an already star-studded roster. Much like their counterparts to the north Chicago's only real unknown is in net as Nikolai Khabibulin is now a member of the Edmonton Oilers. The most seasoned and perhaps most likely person to provide stability for the Hawks between the pipes is Cristobal Huet who has shown some signs of greatness. No matter who ultimately gets and keeps the starting job as the goaltender goes so goes Chicago. If their netminder is consistenly good then Chicago can win it all, and if not then they won't, but either way the playoffs are in their future.

Columbus got its first taste of post-season hockey last season riding mainly the back of surprise rookie netminder Steve Mason. While Mason will not enjoy the same amount of individual success as last year it is my contention that the team will fare better overall. Rick Nash is on a short list of stars on the Blue Jackets but what Columbus has over other teams is cohesiveness. This group has gone through a lot of losing together and last year they experienced a taste of winning. Last year's success felt good to them and the bitterness of not winning a game in the post season no doubt left a bitter taste in their mouths and will only bring them together to work harder for one another to become a better squad.

Vancouver rode Roberto Luongo all the way to the post-season last year and sweep the St. Louis Blues out of the playoffs on the stick of Alex Burrows. The playoffs were a coming out party of sorts for Alex Burrows (according to some) and Canucks fans have to hope it was just that. Locking up the Sedin twins was huge for any hopes of being a serious contender for Vancouver but the past few seasons have shown that they cannot rely on the Sedin's for all of their offense. Having three solid lines is something they have lacked for a few years causing their postseason success to be limited. Adding the experience of Mathieu Schneider will greatly improve their blueline but it will be up to the likes of Ryan Kessler and the aforementioned Alex Burrows to prop up this team to the next level. Round one is a given, but round two and beyond is up to Vancouver.

For the Calgary Flames it is short and sweet. They can make it to round one of the playoffs (as they will do again this year) but the question yet again for the Flames is will they have enough discipline to take their frustrations of first round exits and translate it into playing more sound hockey. It's no longer about skill for Calgary, they've got that, it's amount having the mental fortitude to better themselves as a team.

The Los Angeles Kings will probably be the most interesting and exciting story of the Western Conference this season. Most all puckheads agree that this team is on the rise but I think not only are they on the rise but that they will win their first round playoff series. Sure it puts me in a bind as far as other preseason predictions go but I'm saying this one supersedes all other predictions I make with the exception of the scenario in which they play the team I think will advance to the finals out of the west. Generally I am simply that confident in what the Kings organization as a whole is doing. They have taken their licks over the years but have spent a lot of time learning from those lumps and have put some pretty talented players in key areas. They have a lot of good, young players in Dustin Brown, Alexander Frolov (heading into the prime of his career), Jack Johnson, Jarred Stoll (also heading into this prime) and Jonathan Quick who was extremely reliable in goal last year and is likely to only get better. Along with this young talent they have added seasoned veterans in Ryan Smyth and Rob Scuderi who has just come off a Stanley Cup Championship with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Kings have the right people in the right places at the right time and barring injury this team is poised to be successful right now.

Lastly are the President's Trophy winning San Jose Sharks who have done little to change their team in terms of quantity of moves but the quality of moves has been stellar. Dany Heatley was picked up—at the expense of Jonathan Cheechoo—and will be a wonderful addition to this squad. Regular season success has not been a problem for the Sharks (true of many west teams it seems) but Heatley puts them over the hump into serious contention to win the west. Heatley can not only score a lot of goals but he has enjoyed a fair amount of success before so his experience along with a chip on his shoulder to show those in Ottawa that he can still play is going to move San Jose along another step in the right direction.

The only other team that could make any noise should they make the playoffs are the Anaheim Ducks. Their experience is what sets them above the rest but unfortunately perhaps their greatest asset is their biggest downfall. The Ducks are an aging team who have lost yet another step at every position and can only hope to stay close until the trade deadline where they can maybe make a move for a younger group of players with fresher legs for a lengthy playoff run. Edmonton is not far behind either but they fall short of the star power and physical play needed to succeed in the west. Goaltending is Edmonton's strongest aspect but that was true last year as well so they will not get their either. No other team has a prayer of even getting to the playoffs let alone making noise once they get there.

With all of that said I think the Chicago Blackhawks will be the team to make it out of the west as they will find what they need in net and will go a step further than last year. Chicago will take on the Boston Bruins who will outlast a tired group of Pittsburgh Penguins to take the east. This sets up an awesome original six match-up which will be a marketing dream for the NHL. After an incredible back and fourth battle the Stanley Cup Finals will again go seven games at which point the Chicago Blackhawks will finally allow Marian Hossa to hoist the Stanley Cup as the 2009-2010 Stanley Cup Champions! Enjoy opening night everyone!

Seasons Greetings (Hockey Saison ist)

Well it has been a long time coming for but finally the NHL season is upon us and as such so is the return of the NHL section of sportsroids.com. I am just as excited as anyone for the season to rev up again so let's get right to it.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are back to defend their title and with the exception of the loss of Rob Scuderi the team is about the same now as they were on the day they won the cup. Despite that, repeating is going to be a daunting task because not only are they the defending champs but in order to repeat they will have to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for a third year in a row. At the same time they still have two of the best players in the world on their team so it will be interesting to see how the story develops in Pittsburgh.

As for the rest of the league there are a lot of intriguing stories to keep an eye on including some old faces in new places (for example Dany Heatley to San Jose, Marian Hossa to Chicago) as well as the return of a few from their disappearing acts (Ray Emery in Philadelphia, Theo Fleury in Calgary). There are also plenty of questions to be asked about both up and coming teams as well as those who have been on the cusp but have not quite made that next big step:
In the East, can Washington play just enough defense this year to get them into the Conference Finals and possibly make their first finals appearance in the Ovechkin Era? Will Philadelphia finally get the consistent play in net they have lacked the last two years that will likely get them over the hump? Does the Southeast Division continue to be a two horse race or can Tampa Bay finally put their talent together well enough to become serious playoff contenders? And what is actually going on in Montreal and Ottawa, have they finally got their respective acts together?
Out west, will Chicago seize this opportunity to dethrone the Detroit Red Wings in the Central Division? Is Dany Heatley the answer to San Jose finally translating their regular season triumphs into post-season glory? Are the LA Kings poised to translate their young talent into a playoff appearance? Is Calgary ready to kick their first round exit habit of the last few years? What is the deal with the Coyotes, are they moving or what?

Of course along with all of the aforementioned questions there are to two major events on the horizon this year in both the Winter Classic (January 1 at Fenway Park) and the Olympic hockey tournament in Vancouver this February. There is so much to talk about and look forward to this season. Over the next few days I will go through a preview of each conference, give you not only who will win each but what other stories to watch out for like what teams will overachieve and those that will disappoint.

So much to do and talk about, it's great to be talking puck again. We here at sportsroids.com are very excited to start year two of hockey blogging, it's great to have you with us!

Long Term Deals Being Probed

ESPN is reporting that the long term deals recently signed by Marian Hossa in Chicago and Chris Pronger in Philadelphia are being investigated by the NHL. In short the league is considering whether the two players were asked about when they would retire in order to front load a long-term deal to circumvent the salary cap. In my view no matter what these probes turn up the two aforementioned deals along with contracts worked with some Detroit Red Wing players are obviously to get around the salary cap. This rule bending simply needs to stop. At the end of the day the salary cap's intention is to give medium to small market teams a chance to field championship caliber teams and by making these long term deals the rich teams are simply doing what they've always done and spending their way to the top. If the richer teams continue to do that the viability of the league as a whole is in jeopardy and that's not good for any time. Some argue that the viability of the league generally is an issue for the league officials to deal with and that individual teams have a responsibility to do what they can to win and that's it. However, in reality “bending” the rules designed to make and keep the league prosperous hurts everyone including the teams on top no matter how many playoff appearances or championships they may bring in. More teams in contention in more cities means better US TV deals and higher sales of merchandise which means more money for everyone consistently over the long haul. So to the big market GMs of the world think about the long term consequences of your actions before you decide to upset the balance by bending the rules to get a competitive edge.

Team Cohesion = Championships, Not Amount Spent

When free agency began there were a lot of teams with a lot of needs and as a result the early hours have seen plenty of shuffling around. It's funny to see how quickly teams respond to players leaving, for instance there is the news that Dwayne Roloson is heading to Long Island and shortly thereafter Edmonton makes a deal to acquire Stanley Cup winning netminder Nikolai Khabibulin. Teams spend a lot of money trying to improve their rosters and to play a bit of cat and mouse with their rivals. There are even GMs who learn from other GMs how to circumvent the salary cap to get their man; last year Detroit signs the likes of Zetterberg to long term deals and low and behold the rival Blackhawks do the very same thing when they signed Marian Hossa to a 12 year deal. So does spending all of this money, playing mind games, etc. really result in better chances at winning the Stanley Cup? Ask the pre-salary cap Detroit Red Wings and the answer will be yes but that system has not lended itself to very much success otherwise. Consider the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers of the past few years; so much money spent on those considered to be big stars but yielded very little success compared to expectations.

A great example of what it takes the win is the current Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Sure they have the superstars in Malkin and Crosby but anyone who watched the playoffs knows their performances alone were not enough. Guys like Staal (a star perhaps in the making but not their yet), Kennedy, and Talbot played key roles in bringing the Penguins the title and clearly would not have won without them. Picking up a few pieces along the way (not to mention a timely coaching change) and the Penguins had the cohesion needed to take home the Cup. We will know more about the makeup of the teams come training camp but in the meantime if you're keeping a close eye on your teams moves in free agency be looking at the whole picture. It's not just about signing the big scorer or even a big time goalie; what you should look for is if your team is putting together a cohesive unit. Make sure there is a role for every superstar signed and look to see if every role that needs to be filled is done so and you don't have a bunch of guys all signed to do the same thing. If there is a place for everyone the deals work, and if there isn't Championships become a pipe dream.

NHL Awards Show Upon Us

As the Pittsburgh Penguin organization and fans continue to celebrate their club's victory and people in Detroit continue to lick their wounds the rest of the hockey world looks to the future. The NHL awards dinner is Thursday June 18, the NHL entry draft on June 26 and of course NHL free agency starts July 1 ^st . With the NHL awards first up we'll take a look at three of the biggest awards (according to me) up for grabs and my prediction for who will win; those awards are the Calder Trophy (Top Rookie), Norris Trophy (Top Defensemen), Vezina Trophy (Top Goaltender), and the Hart Trophy (League MVP).

Calder Trophy Nominees are Steve Mason (CBJ), Bobby Ryan (ANA), and Kris Versteeg (CHI). Bobby Ryan made an unbelievable impact on the Ducks this year and will certainly big a major force in Anaheim for years to come but he's not taking home this trophy. Kris Versteeg is an important part on a very young team that will be fantastic for years to come with guys like Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, and Duncan Keith (among others) but it's not his trophy to win either. The winner in my view has to be Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets because if not for him the Blue Jackets would not have made the playoffs let alone a decent seed at sixth. Mason led the league in shutouts with 10 and first in Goals Against Average (GAA) in the Western Conference at 2.29. They have some talent in front of Mason in Columbus but he was the backbone of the team and if he plays like this in the years to come as the talent improves with time the Blue Jackets can make a lot of noise but without Mason they won't go anywhere. So as far as I'm concerned the 2008-2009 Calder Trophy winner will be Chris Mason.

Norris Trophy Nominees are Zdeno Chara (BOS), Mike Green (WSH), and Nicklas Lindstrom (DET). Mike Green had a wonderful season for Washington but he was more of an extra forward when he was playing than a good defensemen. Green scored with regularity and played a major role in Washington taking the two spot in the Eastern Conference but his defense is lacking compared to the other two nominees. Nicklas Lindstrom is back once again trying to win the Norris for the 7 ^th time in his career and is nominated for the umpteenth time. Lindstrom has been a major part of Detroit's success over the years as the face of the team changes over the years Lindstrom remains a constant and it seems like his game never diminishes. I do not think Lindstrom is going to win this year but once again his presence on the ice and leadership on and off of it is second to none. Last but not least is who I think will win the award and that is Zdeno Chara. A major part of the turn-around for Boston from 8 ^th to 1 ^st was the play and leadership Zdeno Chara exhibited this season. He has always been a good player but he stepped up majorly this year not only scoring timely goals but also asserting himself physically to help dominate a number of teams over the course of the season. As a result of those things I think Zdeno Chara will be awarded the Norris Trophy.

Vezina Trophy Nominees are Niklas Backstrom (MIN), Steve Mason (CBJ), Tim Thomas (BOS). Niklas Backstrom has a wonderful season for the Wild but two things that hurt his chances are A. that he plays for a team that did not make the playoffs, and B. that he played in the Jacques Lemaire neutral zone trap that has a reputation for making a goalies life much “easier” on a goaltender whether that's fair or not. As a result a person who is probably deserving of winning this award will be left out in the cold. It's a similar story for Steve Mason in that he is definitely deserving of winning the award but since he will in all likelihood win the Calder Trophy the odds that he wins the Vezina trophy are not good. Of the three in the running Mason probably did the most for his team and as a result should probably win the award but it is doubtful that he will take the trophy home. That leaves Tim Thomas who may win the award just by process of elimination but despite that Thomas certainly deserves to win the award and his nomination was well earned. Thomas led the league in GAA at 2.10 as well as save percentage at .933 and was under a lot of pressure to perform in Boston because many felt he could not be a top goaltender. He proved everybody wrong with his consistency this season and should be awarded accordingly. While it may be true that Thomas will win as the last man standing of the three up for the award Thomas could win the award up against any other goaltender in the entire league which is why he'll be given the award at the show on June 18 ^th .

This year's Hart Trophy nominees are Pavel Datsyuk (DET), Evgeni Malkin (PIT), and Alexander Ovechkin (WSH). This is probably the most anticipated award of the whole show and is definitely one of the most hotly contested award up for grabs. Each nominee is as deserving of the award as the next and that makes it one of the hardest awards to call because each player is so important to the success of his respective team that so little separates them. Pavel Datsyuk had an unbelievable year finishing 5 ^th in assists (65) and 4 ^th in points with 97. He is one of the best two way players in the world and has played a large part in the amount of success the Detroit Red Wings have experienced in the last few years in particular. Datsyuk's play in both the offensive and defensive is something that every team craves to get out of their players to at least be adequate at doing let alone excel the way Datsyuk does. To stand out on a team of superstars the way Datsyuk does really says a lot about his game and makes him a deserving Hart Trophy candidate.

Next is Evgeni Malkin who had an unbelievable season in Pittsburgh leading the league in assists with 70 and overall points with 113. Malkin has the ability to take games over when the going gets tough and does just that time and time again carrying the team on his back. He's a player who is great at scoring goals when he needs to be also in making players around him better while he's on the ice. Malkin is a pretty good two-way player—although not as good as Datsyuk—who can back-check with the best of them and turn a rush for the other team into a great counter-attack for Pittsburgh. Leading by example is a strength for Malkin and is a top reason why the Penguins went from a team on the outside looking in on the playoffs to home-ice advantage in the first round in a very short period of time.

Last but not least is Malkin's fellow Russian teammate Alexander Ovechkin. What Ovechkin can do on the ice is clear as he led the league in goals with 56 and finished second in points with 110. Ovechkin is an explosive player who helps make Washington's power play one of the best in the league by far, and can help keep the Caps in a game by scoring big goals in games Washington probably should not be in otherwise if they're being dominated in their own end. Perhaps Ovechkin's biggest weakness is that he is not very good in the defensive zone and has a tendency to disappear if the other team is controlling the puck in the Washington zone while also disallowing the quick breakout counter attack. Nevertheless the energy Ovechkin brings to the game feeds off on other players and certainly makes them better offensively than they might be in other situations. So in terms of value to a team there may be no one who means more to their team than Ovechkin means to the Capitals because he is the lifeblood of that organization. All that said it is hard to say who will win the award by just looking at these three guys on paper. However, it may come down to the fact that Malkin plays with another star in Sidney Crosby and Datsyuk has a bunch of guys around him who are superstars in their own right. Ovechkin on the other hand does not have the stand out superstar around him and as a result Alexander Ovechkin will be your 2008-2009 NHL MVP.

It has been a wonderful season and the NHL awards are a great way to reflect on how wonderful the season has been even including the playoffs despite these being regular season awards. I hope everyone enjoyed this season as it was one of the best for the NHL in recent history which is something they can certainly build on. Now that the season is over it's a fresh start for everyone and so there should be a fair amount of things to talk about this summer as teams prepare to make a cup run of their own next season. Thanks for reading this season everyone and I hope you continue to follow along right here on sportsroids.com as we cover the happenings of the offseason and into training camp come September.

2009 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins defied the odds Friday night by defeating the Detroit Red Wings to win the franchises third Stanley Cup and first since 1992. The hero of the night was Max Talbot who scored both of Pittsburgh's goals and had the Red Wings scurrying to keep up with him all night. It had been said that the Wings were going to be able to use their experience to walk all over the Penguins to win back-to-back titles with ease. What Pittsburgh showed Friday night is not only did they have outduel Detroit in a game seven, but for the second game in a row they showed more depth than the Red Wings from top to bottom. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were again both held without a goal and once again the Penguins showed they don't need their stars to score in order to win. Malkin did in fact have an assist on this night propelling him to his 36 ^th point and ultimately the Conn Smythe trophy making him the first Russian and only fourth non Canadian to win the Award.

One star the Penguins did need to come up with a huge game was netminder Marc-Andre Fleury and boy did he delivery. Fleury played arguably his best game of the series in game seven exercising all of his Joe Louis Arena demons in the process. Going into the game most felt that Pittsburgh needed a strong game from everyone on the ice to ultimately hoist the cup and that's exactly what they got. Pittsburgh was sharper than Detroit from start to finish including the man who came to the Red Wings in the offseason from Pittsburgh in one Marian Hossa. It was the ultimate irony as Hossa not only did not win a Stanley Cup in Detroit but he lost to the team he left because he felt he'd have a better chance of winning as a Red Wing. Hossa was a ghost in the final series and perhaps the pressure to perform got to him, or maybe we'll later on about an injury he was playing with but the bottom line is he left Pittsburgh last summer to win a cup and it was the Penguins who ended up winning the whole thing.

So congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins on their victory. This is a bunch of young guys who may find themselves in this position time and time again in the years to come. But for now, it is a moment for them to simply soak up and enjoy because despite their talent it is also something that may never happen again. Detroit will no doubt be back next year as they retool and get re-energized for next season, but for now the mountain top belongs to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Red Wings/Penguins Game 7 Showdown

The time is almost upon us and no one is more excited than I as the hockey world prepares for the 15 ^th game seven in Stanley Cup Finals history. All of the hype over the past few days will culminate it what we hope will be one of the best nights of hockey in recent memory and perhaps one of the best games in all of sports history. That remains to be seen of course but one thing we know for sure is that the Stanley Cup WILL be hoisted tonight and if that isn't enough to get you charged up then you simply don't like hockey. The fans, players, coaches, and media are all ready to go so the electricity inside Joe Louis Arena at the drop of the puck should be extraordinary.

So who will be victorious tonight and raise the Stanley Cup? Many think Detroit is the easy pick having home-ice advantage and experience on their side from having been here time and time again including last year over these very Pittsburgh Penguins. Detroit will also get last change so they expect to continue to hassle Crosby and Malkin at every turn frustrating them from the start of play until the final whistle. However, tonight's X-factor is the third line of the Penguins with Staal, Kennedy, and Cooke. They have played very well at home providing great energy and both goals for Pittsburgh in game six. The biggest advantage for them is that Detroit likes to match-up against every line man-for-man and as a result of that the Penguins third line disrupts that order. For the most part this series the Penguins third line has got the best of Detroit even managing to frustrate them a few times. The top players are going to play well no matter what but when it comes down to it Pittsburgh's third line has an edge over Detroit's third line. So will all the emotion flowing through the Joe tonight it is the third line of the Penguins that will be the difference in them WINNING THE STANLEY CUP. I picked Pittsburgh to win at the outset of this series and I will not back away from that now. Detroit has a lot going for them tonight but it won't be enough as the Pittsburgh Penguins will hoist the Stanley Cup for the third time in team history and first time since 1992.

Whether you're a fan of Pittsburgh, Detroit, or just a fan of hockey generally tonight should be an exciting and memorable night; for no matter what happens it should be a great not for hockey. Enjoy the game everyone!

Penguins Win, Treat Fans to Game Seven

The Pittsburgh Penguins answered the call Tuesday night to force game seven on Friday in Detroit. Pittsburgh used a lot of energy to dominate the entire first period and second putting up two goals before Detroit could get on the board. A few interesting notes about Tuesday's game are as follows: Sidney Crosby only played 17 minutes while Tyler Kennedy played 19; neither Malkin nor Crosby figured in on the score sheet; the players (excluding goaltenders) who had the best game were probably Jordan Staal, Tyler Kennedy, Brooks Orpik and Rob Scuderi; and last but not least Chris Osgood played a great game and the Penguins still won. Marc-Andre Fleury huge because he kept Detroit out of the net toward the end of the game which was exactly how Pittsburgh needed him to play after yielding five goals in game five. No save was any bigger than the breakaway save on Dan Cleary which probably would have put the Penguins behind the eight ball in terms of momentum.

On the other end were the Detroit Red Wings who were outplayed for most of the night but all-in-all did not play a bad game. Detroit was able to completely shut Malkin and Crosby out –at least kept them both off the score sheet—which most people ahead of time would have said that Detroit completing such a task would result in them hoisting the Stanley Cup. Chris Osgood also played a very solid game—as previously mentioned—a performance good enough for a victory on most nights. The unfortunate thing for Detroit was that they probably set out that night saying they would make the role players for the Penguins beat them on this night and Pittsburgh did just that. It's unlikely that the Red Wings will panic as a result but it definitely gives them something to think about going into game seven.

It's probably too early to make do any serious predictions about game seven just yet. With that in mind it's probably safe to say that the sports world will be very excited in anticipation of this game. There are storylines aplenty as there have been all series long, and if nothing else the Penguins have garnered more respect from the Red Wings than they had before the series started. All of the stats will be thrown out the window once the puck drops on Friday night and it should be quite a treat for everyone from the diehard hockey fan to the casual fan of sport. Let the hype begin as Pittsburgh and Detroit prepare for a one game playoff for the Stanley Cup!

Tide Turning in Pittsburgh?

The funniest thing about this series so far is that arguably the team to play best in each game has lost. In the first two games the Red Wings looked tired and broken down, were outshot by an enormous margin and yet they took a 2-0 series lead to Pittsburgh. On Tuesday night (despite scoring first) the Penguins looked outmatched and yet they were victorious. The difference so far has been timeliness goaltending and goal scoring but also in being first to the loose puck at the right time. Special teams have also played a major role as Detroit's penalty killing woes continue yielding two goals (including the game-winner) to Pittsburgh on Tuesday. So what will be the difference in the series as it rolls on? Pittsburgh simply needs to get timely goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleuryp; but furthermore they simply need Malkin and Crosby to each have decent games at the same time! The great news for Pittsburgh is that Detroit has played Crosby extremely tough and yet he still has a point, if that is as bad as it gets for Crosby then Pittsburgh has a great chance of not only getting back into the series but of winning it. Detroit on the other hand needs to use the time they have on Wednesday to rest. They seemed more upbeat on Tuesday and should be in much better shape come Thursday and perhaps that will help their penalty killing. Detroit also cannot continue to allow Pittsburgh to get on the board first because if they do then the Penguins will eventually get a two goal lead and build from there which can get to Osgood as has happened many times this season. In the end however it all comes down to who can one less mistake than the other team because that will likely be the difference between winning a game and therefore the series; and at the moment momentum seems to be in Pittsburgh's favor. The fans are pumped, the players seem relaxed and the hockey world in genearlly is strapping up for a great game four… See you on the other side!

Red Wings Outworking Not Outclassing Penguins

Aside from Detroit's third goal (poor play by the defense and poor goaltending to boot) the Pittsburgh Penguins have been in each of the first two games but the difference is they have been outworked. Detroit certainly has a lot of talent but what makes them so successful is they pride themselves on their work ethic from top to bottom. No matter the skill level of the player each and every Red Wings works as hard as possible from start to finish and it is killing the Penguins. There is also a little bit of bad luck invovled–mainly potential goals by Crosby and Guerin narrowly missing by hitting the post each time–but bad luck does not lose you a series. If Pittsburgh wants to win they simply have to work a little bit harder; they do not need to outmuscle or outclass Detroit (they can't) but they can match their work ethic. By matching their work ethic they Penguins can surely win each of the next two games because that extra work combined with the home crowd, and the skill they already have can put them over the top. There is also the Chris Osgood factor, although he has played very well thus far he has been weakening as time goes on and there was a reason he split time with Ty Conklin this year and went into last year's playoffs as the backup to Hasek; Pittsburgh simply needs to keep going after Conklin the way they went after Varmalov in the second round and the way they did in Cam Ward (slowly but surely) in the Conference Finals. Pittsburgh winning game three means everything to the series and they can certainly do that. If the Penguins win game three then the series will surely change in tide no matter what happens in game four as they have shown they can come back from adversity. We'll see ya after game three everyone.

Stanley Cup Finals Sure to Excite

Ladies and gentlemen the time has arrived as hockey fans the world over gear up for the sports biggest club competition final featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings. The storylines in this series are plenty as the defending champs try to stave off last year's runner-up in the new and improved Pittsburgh Penguins. Beyond all of the hype and excitement is where we find the keys to victory for each team. For Pittsburgh they need to have their best players be their best players and have each role player take his role and embrace it every step of the way. If someone is in a scoring slump he shouldn't try to do too much to make up for the slack simply allow everyone else to fill in the void and focus on doing one thing and doing it well. Crosby, Malkin, and Fleury will have to be at the top of their game for sure but the team needs to rely a lot on last year's journey and the success of veterans like Billy Guerin whether it's on game day or at practice. Detroit on the other hand needs to overcome their health problems. The biggest hurdle for them is have played three overtime contests in the last round and are licking their wounds as a result. Otherwise the team has nothing to worry about as just about all of them have experienced an enormous amount of success. Unlike last year however this series will have a different tone and the Pittsburgh Penguins will use their grit, experience, and skill to raise the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1992 and the third time in team history. No curse here for touching the Prince of Whales Trophy folks, it will be the Penguins taking home the 2008-2009 Stanley Cup Title. Enjoy the Finals everyone!

Red Wings-Penguins Steamroll Toward Rematch

After there game three and game five respective blow out wins the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings are each one win away from a repeat of last year's finals. Both teams looked very impressive as both their stars and role players shined in fairly one-sided victories. The Penguins had to flex a little more muscle because of the solid performance by Cam Ward that was aided by basically nothing from the rest of the team. Sure one might say the game was closer than the 6-2 score indicated but Ward still needed to get a lot more out of the guys in front of him to win and he didn't. In Chicago on the other hand, Huet getting his first start of this post-season proved to be a disaster as the Wings soared to an early 3-1 lead and never looked back. So for the moment both teams look to be in control and although neither series is over, a finals rematch is looming. As such, what could we expect to see differently this time around? The Penguins would certainly like to get off to a better start than last time and their year's worth of experience will certainly aid in that. It isn't just having lost in the finals last year but also having been pushed to the brink in the regular season (almost not qualifying for the playoffs) and in the playoffs when they were down 2-0 to Washington. Detroit simply needs to do what they've been doing and they will be fine. Of course the storyline to watch would be Marian Hossa taking on his old team as he left them for a chance to win the Stanley Cup in Detroit. Could the Penguins prove he made a mistake by leaving or will the Red Wings again prove their league supremacy? Perhaps we will find out soon enough!

Detroit Red Wings = Boring Hockey

Ode to the Detroit Red Wings for making a 3-2 overtime Conference Finals game one of the least entertaining hockey games I have ever seen. Outside of Hawks and Wings fans game two of the Western Conference Finals quite frankly was boring. The Red Wings are so methodical in how they play the game that despite how quick their team is moving all the time the game appears to be going at a snail's pace. There is rarely any up and down the ice play, chances come very infrequently and when they do come along there is almost never any counter attacking for either side. I take nothing away from what the Red Wings do because they create chances for themselves and tend to capitalize on them when they do arise meaning they don't need the up and down style of play to be successful. However, it makes for slow play with little to no suspense at all. I think Detroit will win the series and move on to the finals where they will employ the same style that got them there in the first play no matter who they play. But for the sake of the NHL and hockey fans generally I hope Chicago can find some way to come back to win this series… or at least whoever the Wings end up playing in the finals forces them out of their style allowing the game to pick up the pace.

Pens-Canes Battle for Eastern Conference Title

The Eastern Conference Finals start tomorrow night between the defending Eastern Conference Champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the last team to win the Stanley Cup out of the east in the Carolina Hurricanes. These two teams may not have the natural rivalry Pittsburgh had with Washington but there is plenty to keep us entertained. Most notably is the sibling rivalry that puts Eric Staal (Carolina) against brother Jordan Staal (Pittsburgh) for the first time in the playoffs. While there no doubt the utmost respect between the brothers anyone who has a sibling knows that there's nothing like beating a sibling and claiming bragging rights in the family. There is also the Pittsburgh connection that Hurricanes assistant coach Ron Francis has as he won two Stanley Cup titles with the Penguins in 1991 and 1992. But the best motivation for each team is the fact that this series is for a chance to play for the Stanley Cup! No professional hockey player needs any more motivation than that. So let's take a look at each team, their respective keys to victory and my prediction of how this series will turn out. [After going 4-4 in round one the sportsroids.com predictions are now at 7-5 and looking to improve!]

The Carolina Hurricanes are only three years removed from hoisting the Stanley Cup and still have a number of members from the 2006 team on the 2009 version which is an invaluable asset. The most important of that group is Conn Smythe winning goaltender Cam Ward. Ward has been the key to Carolina's success all year long; he has been the reason they qualified for the playoffs and why they were able to advance past both New Jersey and Boston, two teams who many had going to the Finals. In order for Carolina to have any chance of defeating Pittsburgh Cam Ward must be top-notch. Carolina simply does not have the fire power to outmuscle Pittsburgh in an offensive shootout so it is imperative that Cam Ward shuts them down. Aside from Ward the Hurricanes will have to make use of their speed and grit to be victorious. The Canes do not have a whole lot of size so they will have to use their speed to create scoring chances and make sure they get optimal scoring performance from Eric Staal and Jussi Jokinen just as they have thus far in these playoffs. Carolina will also need to use their speed to be gritty down low in both zones and be the first to loose pucks in the neutral zone and in the defensive zone. But even if Carolina does all that if Cam Ward isn't almost perfect they still won't win.

The key for Pittsburgh? Surprise Surprise, it's get to Cam Ward! We know the star power that exists on the Penguins and their ability to get secondary scoring from people all over the line-up. Generally speaking the Penguins simply need to keep playing the way they've been playing throughout the playoffs and also need to have Fleury return to the form he was in against the Philadelphia Flyers. One can talk about strategy from the Penguins' prospective all day long but the bottom line is they need to get to Cam Ward. If Pittsburgh makes Cam Ward look human they will advance in the series with little trouble; if they don't the series will go a long way, Pittsburgh will start to get frustrated and before you know it Carolina will be headed to the Stanley Cup Finals. Despite all that, barring major injury, I don't think Carolina matches up well with Pittsburgh and although the games will be very close it will be Pittsburgh advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals defeating Carolina in five games. And so for the second it will be the Pittsburgh Penguins taking on the Detroit Red Wings for the right to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup.

Western Conference Finals Preview

The Conference Finals start Sunday afternoon so before they get rolling let's take a lot at both series to see what we should expect from both and most importantly who will win!

Western Conference:

The Western Conference features the regulars versus the new kids on the block as the Detroit Red Wings take on the Chicago Blackhawks . Detroit won the Stanley Cup last year and are in position to be the first team to repeat as champions since they did it in 1997-98. This process is nothing new to the Red Wings and they'll be all business come Sunday afternoon whereas the Blackhawks have not been here in quite some time. Chicago is looking to return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1992 where they were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins . With those facts in mind which team has the edge? The easy answer is the Detroit Red Wings and rightfully so but there are other factors that play into this series that will make it a lot closer than it might first appear on paper. The following are what I think each team needs to do to win:

Detroit simply needs to remained focused on their goal. One of the things they pride themselves in is not retaliating to any post-whistle scrums, cheap shots, or “jaw-jacking” the other team might do which they have to continue to do. The Red Wings must allow their superior level of skill to shine through no matter the circumstances and stay out of the penalty box. This series is different from the previous two in that way because it is a natural rivalry that goes back to the 1920s and the early days of the NHL. But the most important factor for Detroit is going to be the play of Chris Osgood. There is no denying all that Osgood has accomplished but none of that is counted toward his record in this series. Osgood has played well thus far in the playoffs but if it returns to his regular season form at all the Hawks will eat him alive which would push Mike Babcock to insert Ty Conklin who was not much better over the course of the season and hasn't played in these playoffs at all so far.

Chicago has to keep playing with reckless abandon giving no credence to any of the factors going against them. Sure this is the first time most of them have been in this spot and yes the Red Wings greatly outmatch them at almost every position and yes Detroit is very methodical about their play from the opening face-off to the end of the game. Chicago cannot look to the other side of the ice and be blinded by the glare of Hart, Conn Smythe, and Norris Trophies and Stanley Cup rings. The young Hawks simply need to play hockey they way they have all along in these playoffs. They don't care who they are up against they are just a bunch of young guys who love to play hockey and are going out there to beat up on whoever they're playing. Most importantly, they will have to rely heavily on Nikolai Khabibulin's experience in goal to possibly propel them to the next level. If the Hawks can do that they give themselves a very good chance of winning this series. In the long run however I think the Red Wings will be too much and will send the Hawks packing in a very competitive five game series.

Tune in tomorrow for the Eastern Conference Finals preview.

NHL Round Two a Treat for All

Round two came to a close Thursday night and what a round two it ways. With three series going to game seven and the other an incredibly entertaining six game series the NHL should hold its head high tonight. Detroit/Anaheim and Boston/Carolina put the icing on the cake with two incredible game seven performances culminated with a game seven overtime won by the Canes over the Bruins. As much as I love hockey it has fallen from the graces of many people since the lockout in 2004, but this round has put the NHL back on the national map. Casual fans are tuning in and that base is continuing to grow as the ratings have skyrocketed as a result. Sports fans across the board have soaked up every moment of round two with many hoping the stage isn't set for the Conference Finals to be a letdown. But with the stakes getting higher as we move onto round three it seems highly unlikely that something like that will happen. The time will come in short order to look forward to the next round but now is the time to reflecting upon round two and simply appreciate what we saw.

The Pens and Caps stole the headlines with plenty of star power, the incredible story of rookie netminder Simeon Varlamov, and six unbelievably entertaining games including three overtime contests and at least one lead change in every game. The Pens and Caps not only put on a great show but they further escalated a rivalry that will be sensational for years to come. The other second round series in the east did not have nearly the amount of drama as the Pens-Caps until game seven.

The Bruins and Canes gave us everything one hopes to get out of a game seven. Each team had a lead at one point in the game with the Bruins taking the early 1-0 lead before Carolina battled back to net two in a row only to see Boston send it to overtime. In the extra period there were chances aplenty stifled by tremendous goaltending by both Ward and Thomas. And just as it seemed like the game was destined for double overtime Scott Walker buried a rebound behind Tim Thomas to score his first career playoff goal… and boy what a time to do it.

In the West the headliner was the battle between the last two Stanley Cup Champions in Anaheim and Detroit. Despite Anaheim being seeded eighth many felt the Ducks had a chance to put away the defending champs. The two teams battled game to game until the series finally culminated in a game seven that went the way of the rest of the series. Both goaltenders put on a great show combined with a lot of heavy hitting and lots of drama with both teams getting ticked at the referees at one point or another. In the end however the defending champs showed their grit by scoring the series winning goal with three minutes remaining in the third period.

Lastly we'll mention the upstart Blackhawks put away Roberto Luongo and the high-flying Vancouver Canucks. In their respective first round series the Hawks and Canucks traveled very different paths. Vancouver steamrolled St. Louis while Chicago had to battle to put away a banged-up but resilient Calgary Flames squad that had high expectations; as a result many felt the experienced Canucks would be able to dispose of a good but young Blackhawks squad whose “time was yet to come.” The people in Chicago—fans and players alike—had different plans as the young squad played each game like they had been there before withstanding early leads by Vancouver and eventually busting through the brick wall that is Roberto Luongo to advance to the Conference Finals.

Perhaps one of the best playoff rounds in any sport ever… and we've still got two rounds to go. See you in the Conference Finals everybody!

NHL Round Two Extremely Entertaining

Round two of the playoffs has been the best round of the post-season by far to this point and the excitement continues to build. Let's take a brief look at each series up to this point.

Eastern Conference:

3. Washington Capitals VS 4. Pittsburgh Penguins
This has been the keynote series since the second round draw came out and it has not disappointed. Four of the five games have been decided by one goal and two were decided in overtime. The big stars Ovechkin and Crosby have stepped up to the plate and have excelled in the spotlight as all of North America looks on. There has also been plenty of drama to boot with both sides making complaints about the officiating at one point or another and Ovechkin hitting Sergei Gonchar knee-on-knee which has created plenty of controversy across the airwaves. The series has been the perfect showcase for the NHL as hardcore and casual fans alike tune in and are NOT disappointed. As of the writing of this article the Penguins have taken a 3-2 series lead after dropping the first to in Washington. Pittsburgh finally got some secondary scoring in game five and it proved to be the difference between the two teams as the big stars continue to cancel each other out. Penguin fans would love for this series to finish in six, but for the rest of the world how could this series culminate any better than if it comes down to game seven on Wednesday at Verizon Center?

1. Boston Bruins VS 6. Carolina Hurricanes
For many this has been the shocker of the three Conference Semi-finals as the high-powered Bruins were seemingly going to steam roll the Hurricanes right into the Conference finals. However, since the end of game one it has been all Carolina. Cam Ward, Eric Staal and Jussi Jokinen have been unbelievable leading the Canes to an unlikely 3-1 series lead. The difference in the series comes down to Carolina's best players performing at the highest level while the Bruins have not been able to rely on their studs as much as they have all year. Zdano Chara in particular has not been the same since game one where he shut down Eric Staal. For the Bruins to get back into the series they have to better utilize their size to create offense and continue to put pressure on Cam Ward. Boston cannot win by simply getting frustrated when Ward plays well and by trying to fall back into their defensive style when they're only up by one or when the game is tied, playing not to lose rather than to win. There is a lot of speed on the Canes and the Bruins need to neutralize that speed with some pace of their own. But don't think this is a fluke because the Canes have plenty of talent and have been to the promised land before winning the Cup in 2006.

Western Conference:

2. Detroit Red Wings VS 8. Anaheim Ducks
Jonas Hiller had been playing extremely well until Thursday night when he was pulled for veteran netminder JS Giguere. Overall the Ducks have played incredibly well making use of their size and skill to stick with the same attributes as Detroit. Much has been written about this series on sportsroids in recent days which you can see by clicking HERE . The only difference at this point is that whoever plays in net for Anaheim has to be almost flawless while the rest of the Ducks do what they've been doing all along. Detroit will probably end up winning this series but the Ducks have show a ton of grit which has made for a very entertaining and suspenseful series.

3. Vancouver Canucks VS 4. Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks have shown that they are not simply content with making it to the second round of the playoffs and that they feel they have a chance to go much further with their team's make-up. With the stars that Chicago has there's no reason to believe that they can't get into the Conference Finals and maybe beyond that. The Canucks on the other hand have needed to rely way too much on Roberto Luongo to win games for them and they are playing on barrowed time if they keep that up. As this article is being written the Canucks have a 2-1 lead in the second period after finally getting a goal from Mats Sundin. Guys like Sundin, Kesler, the Sedin twins and Burrows have to play at the highest level possible every minute of every game in order for the Canucks to get beyond just round two. Luongo alone can only carry them but so far. Regardless of the outcome however the series has been quite entertaining (much like the other three) and perhaps they will treat us to a game seven which every fan loves.

The Ducks Are Mighty Again

Coming into Thursday night the Anaheim Ducks had a 2-1 series lead over the defending champion Detroit Red Wings; as I write this they have yet to face off in game four. Regardless of the outcome of Thursday's game the Ducks have proven that despite their eight seed they are not intimidated by the Red Wings nor star struck by their success. The Ducks have had as much success in recent years as the Red Wings with just as many superstars and are playing without fear. Anaheim is hitting Detroit in the mouth disallowing them from using their enormous skill to the fullest potential. The Ducks have certainly relied on playoff newcomer Jonas Hiller—who has stepped up to the challenge and passed the test with flying colors—but they are also taking advantage of the few opportunities they do get to get the puck behind Chris Osgood. As good as the Pittsburgh-Washington series has been many would argue with validity that this series has been at least equally as entertaining. There is a strong possibility that the winner of this series will go on to win the Stanley Cup. Sure the games are on late when played in Anaheim but if you have the chance stay up one night to check this series out. Great goaltending, physical play, incredible skill, and plenty of drama are all contained in this series with a triple overtime game to boot! As a hockey fan or simply a fan of sports in general what's not to like about this series?

PS A lot has happened on and off the ice this week… tune in this weekend for this week in hockey review

Last Two Champs Battle Headlines West Round Two

Although the east has the so called “dream match-up” the second round of the Western Conference probably has the series with the most potential as the last two Stanley Cup Champions will go head-to-head.

Western Conference:

2. Detroit Red Wings vs. 8. Anaheim Ducks
The seeding in this series explains who has home ice advantage and that is it. The match-up itself is a very even one as each team equals the other in talent and experience alike. Coming into the playoffs the defending champion Red Wings had only one question, goaltending. But after their first round sweep of Columbus it looks like Chris Osgood is back to form when it matters the most. Ahead of Osgood the Red Wings have continued to suffocate teams by scoring goals while limiting the other team's scoring chances by holding on to the puck for so much of the game. In large part perhaps the best and maybe only way to stop Detroit's offensive zone, puck-possession style is by asserting one's physical presence… enter the Anaheim Ducks. Not only do the Ducks equal Detroit in skill and experience but also in size. The Ducks are big up front and at the blue line which is what propelled them to the Stanley Cup just two years ago where they beat the Red Wings along the way I might add. Quite possibly the only weakness for the Ducks is netminder Jonas Hiller and that's only because he has never been here before. Hiller proved himself worthy in the first round by shutting out the President's Trophy winning Sharks and if that continues then consider that question answered.

So what is the X-factor in this series? For the Red Wings to win they simply have to do what they did in the first round and have done time and time again in the past, simply play their game from start to finish. For the Ducks they have to keep themselves out of the penalty box, but if they do go to the box they need to take a Red Wing with them when they can—via fighting majors or retaliation penalties—and when they do yield Detroit a power play they need make sure their penalties are because of hard play and not because of stupid interference or holding calls. The Ducks will also need to see if they can get Osgood to return to his 2008-2009 regular season form in which both is GAA and save percentage were terrible. However in the end it will be the Detroit Red Wings who take this evenly matched series in seven.

3. Vancouver Canucks vs. 4. Chicago Blackhawks
Many people would say this is another evenly matched series that can go either way but I tend to disagree. Roberto Luongo gets the edge in goaltending over Nikolai Khabibulin although give Khabiblulin another feather in his cap since he has won a Cup whereas Luongo has not. Outside of the goaltending comparison the Blackhawks have a much better overall team than the Canucks. On paper the teams are evenly matched but the Canucks rely way too much on Luongo to bail them out time and time again; that has worked out so far but is not likely to continue indefinitely. Alex Burrows stepped up big time for the Canucks in round one scoring huge goals with none being bigger than the series clinching goal in overtime of game four. The Sedin twins have been good but outside of the two of them and Alex Burrows playing above his pay grade in round one the Canucks did not get much support from the rest of the team. Mats Sundin should now get a chance to heal and could make a difference for the Canucks but since arriving in Vancouver he has mostly underachieved despite playing well down the stretch.
As for the Blackhawks, they have an enormous amount of skill up front (Kris Versteeg, Martin Havlat, Patrick Sharp, Jonathan Towes to name a few) while also possessing a very strong blueline with Ben Eager, Duncan Keith, and company. Sure they lost two games against Calgary while Vancouver swept through St. Louis but the Hawks were up against much stronger competition who they squashed in the last two games of that series. So all the Blackhawks have to do to win is to continue to play as a very strong unit while Vancouver's best chance of winning is relying heavily on Luongo. With that in mind, the Hawks have a much wider margin of error than the Canucks do and will win the series in six as a result.

Enjoy round two everybody!

Stanley Cup Playoffs Make Grand Entrance

Well the playoffs are now in full swing as every series will have played two games by the end of Saturday. So let's take a look and how the respective series are unfolding:

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Bruins VS 8.Montreal Canadiens
The final score of game one was about what everybody expected but the level of competition between the two clubs was probably higher than most thought. Boston roared out to a 2-0 lead but the Canadiens battled back to tie the game at two before ultimately going down 4-2. But the rivalry is hot and despite the perception of a major mismatch it doesn't seem likely to be over anytime soon. Game 2 is tonight before the series shifts back to Montreal so we'll see what surprises are in store for us.

2. Washington Capitals VS 7. New York Rangers
Jose Theodore didn't make it past the first game as he was benched for rookie back up netminder Simeon Varlamov after Washington's 4-3 loss at home to the Rangers. Again many people felt the Rangers were completely outmatch by the fire power of the Capitals and that the only chance the Rangers had offensively is if Theodore didn't play well. Theodore did not play all that well in game one and the Rangers stole one from Washington but surely things would be different now that Theodore was benched. Varlamov did indeed play very well in net for Washington Saturday afternoon as the Rangers were only able to net one behind the rookie netminder. Unfortunately for the Caps Henrik Lundqvist was up to the challenge and shut Ovechkin and company out. Now the series shifts back to New York with the Rangers having a commanding lead and looking for the sweep. Sportsroids when against the grain in predicting a Rangers win in this series and so far the Rangers have no disappointed.

3. New Jersey Devils VS Carolina Hurricanes
In a series that many felt would be evenly matched has surely turned out to be that way. After game one the Canes looked to be greatly overmatched; but after Carolina took game two in overtime we've got ourselves a series. The two teams are so similar in every aspect of the game and that makes the series a virtually toss up on paper. Sportsroids said Carolina in five and although that seems unlikely now we are sticking to our guns! Regardless of what happens there is a lot of great hockey ahead of us in this series.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins VS 5. Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers seemed greatly outmatched after game one but game two was an entirely different story. Philly took the earlier lead but Pittsburgh battled back to tie. Then the Flyers took another lead only to see penalties allow the Penguins back into a game seemingly headed to the win column for the Flyers. But take nothing away from Pittsburgh, they dominated game one and although were largely outplayed in game two they took advantage of Flyer mistakes and now have a strangle-hold on the series. Don't expect the Flyers to quit though as they move home to play in front of their rowdy and very unforgiving fans at Wachovia center. Sportsroids told you this would go seven games, and although that is still possible if Pittsburgh wins either of the games in Philadelphia the Flyers will be in serious trouble. The Flyers won't fold but don't expect Pittsburgh to take their proverbial foot off the gas.

Western Conference

1. San Jose Sharks VS 8. Anaheim Ducks
People were wondering if the Sharks were finally ready to take it to the next level or if the same old Sharks would show up again in the playoffs. One game does not a series make but for at least one night it's the same old Sharks. Granted, the Ducks are not far removed from a Stanley Cup Championship but the Sharks at least need to score a goal. There is still a long way to go but if San Jose continues to play like they did in game one they will be making an early exit.

2. Detroit Red Wings VS 7.Columbus Blue Jackets
As I write this post the Red Wings are leading the Blue Jackets 3-0 at the second intermission, this after winning game one 4-1. The Blue Jackets have been a great story all season but the playoffs are too much for them and so they are done.

3. Vancouver Canucks VS 6. St. Louis Blues
The Blues were another good story going into the playoffs but after making a pretty good showing in game one they were completely shut down by Vancouver in game two losing 3-0. Like Columbus, St. Louis is an up and coming team with great goaltending but they appear to be severely overmatched by the Vancouver Canucks.

4. Chicago Blackhawks VS 5. Calgary Flames
Game one of this series was probably the most entertaining game of the first round so far. Game one had everything you could want in a playoff hockey game: lead changes, scrums, great individual battles, fantastic goaltending and overtime! Sure Martin Havlat ended the party early by scoring only 12 seconds into the overtime period but if game one was any indication of how the rest of the series will go then this and the Carolina-New Jersey series have the potential to become classics.

Like you, we at sportsroids will be watching intently to see how the rest of round one unfolds. Enjoy the ride hockey fans!

Sportsroids.com's Western Conference Playoffs Predictions

The Western Conference welcomes newcomers (Columbus), perennial powerhouses (Detroit) and those who haven't been there in quite a while (Chicago, St. Louis). Those facts make for a very interesting two months so we at sportsroids will try to make it simply for you by previewing the match-ups.

1. San Jose Sharks VS 8. Anaheim Ducks
The first all California NHL playoff match-up since the 1960s puts the old dogs against the new kids on the block… in a way. San Jose has had some very good teams in recent years and have experienced a fair amount of playoff success by getting their consistently and winning their fair share of games. Despite the wins racked up since their inception into the league in the early 1990s, the Sharks have yet to reach the hockey summit. Expectations are now higher for them than ever before after a disappointing year last season leading to the firing of Ron Wilson in favor of Todd McClellan who brought the Sharks their first ever President's Trophy. The Sharks are a relatively young team but the fans are tired of second round exits and are very much expecting a strong run at the Stanley Cup from the Sharks. On the flip side are the Anaheim Ducks who have been in the league less time than San Jose but already have two Cup finals trips to show for along with a Stanley Cup Championship two short years ago. In that regard the Ducks are the old dogs because they have “been there, done that” where San Jose has not. Bottom line is, the series will come down to experience versus youth; although I think Anaheim is a very dangerous team (despite their 8 ^th seed) who can cause a lot of damage if they get out of the first round. However, I think the Sharks time is now, their coach, city, and players are all read to take that next step and it starts with a six game series win over the in-state rival Ducks.

2. Detroit Red Wings VS 7. Columbus Blue Jackets
Much like the Sharks-Ducks series the Red Wings have been there done that and Columbus hasn't… ever. This is the first playoff go around for the city of Columbus and the Blue Jackets franchise. There will be a lot of energy in the Nationwide Arena game four as the Blue Jackets host their first playoff game. Despite all the energy the Blue Jackets will have going into Detroit the Red Wings will have too much fire power for the Blue Jackets to succeed. Goaltending has been dicey all season for Detroit but as Chris Osgood has shown before when it counts he is top-notch. Blue Jacket stars Rick Nash, RJ Umberger, Kristian Huselius, and rookie phenom Steve Mason will give Columbus a punchers chance in this series but will come up short. Cronwall, Zetterberg, Lindstrom, Franzen, etc. will be way too much for upstart Columbus… Detroit in five.

3. Vancouver Canucks VS 6. St. Louis Blues
Both teams have been hot as of late as St. Louis came from being down and out all the way up to the sixth seed; while Vancouver was 12 points down to Calgary only to surge back to snatch the division title from the Flames. When two hot teams meet on a playoff collision course there are usually a lot of fireworks and should make for a very entertaining series. The Blues have a lot of talent on their team in guys like Brad Boyes, David Backes, David Parron, rookie sensation TJ Oshie and goaltender extraordinaire Chris Mason. They fought hard to reach this point and have a city that hasn't seen the playoffs in quite some time pretty charged up. St. Lous will undoubtedly put up a great fight and may very well pull off the upset. However, the Sedin twins, Alex Burrows, Mats Sundin, and Roberto Luongo (the X-factor and probably the most important piece to Vancouver's puzzle) will push forward in the playoffs and dispose of the Blues in five.

4. Chicago VS 5. Calgary
The Blackhawks are finally back to the playoffs and the city is on fire, burning with passion for their hockey team. Martin Havlat, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Sharp along with solid goaltending from Nikolai Khabibulin earned Chicago home-ice in the first round and some very excited fans. Many think Chicago can be very good for a long time but this year may be just a bit too early for the Blackhawks. They are up against a very tough first round opponent who are under a lot of pressure to finally perform in the playoffs after underachieving since their Cup Finals appearance in 2004. The Flames have assembled a lot of stars—Jarome Iginla, Mike Cammalleri, Dion Phaneuf, and Olli Jokinen to name a few—but the most important player on the ice will be Mikka Kiprusoff. The highly touted netminder has been nothing short of spectacular for Calgary over the years but has played a lot of games over the years (including this season) and has faced a ton of shots. Kiprusoff can hold up but will need help from the team in front of him to take some of the pressure off and limit the shots the Blackhawks get on net. 25-30 shots per game are ok but once you get higher than 30 consistently Kiprusoff is only human and will break down. Limiting shots on goal for Calgary is of the utmost importance if they want to finally have the success many think they can achieve. Although they blew their division lead down the stretch I think the Flames have the right pieces assembled to go deep into the playoffs…starting with a six game series victory over Chicago.

All Star Game Flops; Second Half Mercifully Begins

The NHL All-Star break is now over and mercifully so is the NHL All-Star game. It was the highest scoring all-star game and 22 goals scored plus the addition goal awarded for the shootout win for the East really could not have been any less entertaining. Even the skills competition was boring with the modification of the event to try to make it more exciting did the exact opposite. With that said, Tuesday night the de facto second half began and there were some pretty good games on tap. The best of Tuesday's games was in Boston as the Bruins battled the Caps.

Washington and Boston are two of the best teams in the lead not only in team points but in talent level and that makes all of their match-ups particularly intriguing. Washington made Boston come from behind twice in the game before the game was won 3-2 in overtime by Boston on a blocked pass attempt that by chance went into the net behind Theodore. It was unfortunate because both netminders played an incredible third period making incredible shots to keep their respective teams in the game as the aforementioned talent that these two teams are loaded with. Both Theodore and Thomas showed Tuesday night that despite all that talent it is the goalies who need to be the best player on the ice more often than not if any hockey team wants to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Some other notes worth mentioning before signing off:

Claude Lemieux made his return to Colorado with the San Jose Sharks. The 43 year old signed an AHL deal with San Jose before being called up to play with the NHL club last Tuesday.

The Buffalo Sabres scored 2 goals in the first 1:45 of the first period against Edmonton on route to crushing the Oilers 10-2.

The Detroit Red Wings started the second half of the season with a 3-2 OT loss to Columbus.

A Bruins-Sharks Finals? Don't Count On It

Monday night the Boston Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 to improve their East leading point total to 68. Later Monday night the Sharks improved their league leading total to 69 which might lead some to believe that San Jose and Boston are on a Stanley Cup Finals collision course. While clearly possible it is not going to happen, or at least I don't think it will. San Jose still has to get by the Detroit Red Wings which will not be an easy task for a number of reasons namely their experience and goal-scoring ability. Chris Osgood has struggle a bit so far despite his good record and seems to be a weakness for Detroit at the moment but if last season is any indication come playoff time that weakness will morph into a strength. The Bruins seemed to lack a weakness; they play great defense, are scoring like crazy, have great size and will probably have fresh legs come playoff time because the trap they run helps to keep players from exerting too much energy by allowing them to simply stand in the neutral zone to clog it up as the other team comes to them. But two important pieces are missing for the Bruins: one is that their coach Claude Julien has experienced very little playoff success in the NHL. Secondly, Tim Thomas has one year of playoff experience and that was last year against Montreal in a series that he did not play particularly well, enough so that the Bruins brought in Manny Frenandez because they felt Thomas could not be trusted. Not having experience in other positions hurts but when the coach and goaltender both had very little success in the playoffs it is very detrimental to a team and in this case will keep Boston from even reaching the finals. So despite the looks of things now don't count on a Bruins/Sharks finals, but Boston will make a lot of noise nevertheless in the playoffs.

Wrigley Field Shines, Second Winter Classic a Success

The second Winter Classic wrapped up from Wrigley Field Thursday afternoon in front of 40+ thousand fans who unfortunately witnessed a Blackhawks loss but were part of a historical experience they will likely not soon forget. The event itself was spectacular as Wrigley Field was set up perfectly with piles of snow scattered throughout and mini games going on around the main ice surface. The fan-fair was incredible and the presence of stars from the past combined with the rich sports tradition of Wrigley Field and the two franchises who are members of the original six NHL teams.

Unfortunately the game itself left much to be desired. It was off to a fast start as the game play was fast and the buzz in the stadium was unbelievable. Both teams settled in well to the elements and put on a great show in the first period combining to score four goals with Chicago taking the 3-1 lead at the end of one. At the start of the second period things slowed down an awful lot and the Detroit Red Wings took control by establishing their slow, puck-possession style of play which works as a great offense and defense. Despite Chicago's fast start once Detroit cut the lead to one at 3-2 those who watch the game closely knew that Chicago as more than likely in trouble. As it turns out the game in fact slowed down a ton which worked very much in Detroit's favor and they skated out of Wrigley Field with a dominating 6-4 victory.

Although the hockey game ended up being fairly unentertaining after the end of the first period it was a still a very exciting event; certainly things went well enough that the NHL should continue to stage this event once a year. But for now the Winter Classic is in the books and tomorrow things go back to business as usual as the All-Star game and a push for the playoffs are on the horizon.

Winter Classic Excitement

The NHL's second Winter Classic is only two days away and the sports world should be in for a real treat. The Chicago Blackhawks have won 9 straight games and have recorded a point in each of their last ten. Not only is winning nine straight impressive but the Hawks have been putting away some very good teams including at home against Philadelphia and four road games against Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Minnesota. Chicago is getting great play from not just their big stars (Kane, Sharp, Toews, Campbell) but also from guys like defensemen Duncan Keith who has 18 points and is a plus 19 for the season. They are a solid team and are finally coming together to create what could be something very special not only in the years to come but this season in particular.

On January 1 ^st the Blackhawks welcome the Detroit Red Wings to Wrigley Field and rumor has it that the Red Wings are pretty good… Clearly the Red Wings are very good for not only are they the defending Stanley Cup champions but they are second in the West with 50 points trailing only the amazing San Jose Sharks who the Wings recently pummeled 6-0. Complimenting the Wings would take all day so I'll just let mentioning names like Lindstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Hossa, and Frazen (among many others) do all the explaining themselves. Not only will the atmosphere be great but the hockey won't be half bad either. The fans are hyped and the players are excited as face-off approaches. In two days the eyes of the hockey universe will be focused on Chicago, live at 1pm eastern time on NBC in the US and CBC and RDS in Canada. The wait… is almost over.

Patience Needed in NHL

The Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and San Jose Sharks are the only three teams in the NHL that have shown any amount of consistency all year. The Pittsburgh Penguins once upon a 6 game winning streak, and now it looks like they cannot play defense or hold a lead for the life of them. At times Toronto has looked very strong at times and at others look very much like the young team they are. The New York Rangers started hot out of the gate and since have settled down a bit but are still playing well. Anaheim started pretty sluggish but now they look great and Phoenix was awful at one point but have seemed to put it together to become a much better team since the beginning of the year. Ottawa was up and down for a while got hot for a moment and now they are looking to have a fire-sale. The list of teams and stories to accompany them goes on and on, the point being, save for the three teams mentioned in the first sentence above we don't know anything about anybody. There is Panic in Pittsburgh with how the team has stumbled, there are rumblings in Montreal with how poor their power play is and how well the Bruins are playing. Bottom line is for players, coaches, front office managers, analysts and fans alike what is needed most in the NHL is to have patience with a team and that's what there seems to be the least of. See where your team is come late January early February and then start to Panic.

Exciting Winter Classic Preludes

The second annual Winter Classic (to be held 1/1/2009 at Wrigley Field in Chicago) is fast approaching and if their first two games are any indication the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings are going to put on quite a show. In their first match-up the Blackhawks built-up a 4-2 lead only to see that slip away resulting in a 6-5 shootout win by Detroit. Saturday night the two teams collided again with Detroit taking the early lead only to lose it to Chicago who again earned a 4-2 lead over Detroit. And again, much like the first game, Detroit battled back and ultimately got the best of Chicago in a shootout 5-4. Watching the established stars in Detroit (Zetterberg, Lindstrom, Hossa, etc.) face-off against rising stars like Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane is extremely entertaining; it is kind of a way of looking into the game's present and while also seeing where it is headed in the future and boy does the future look bright. Having played two close games has only increased the anticipation of the game as the intensity level has taken a major leap as Detroit has frustrated the young Blackhawks who badly want to get over the hump that is the Red Wings—healthy animosity is building. If this all holds up the National audiences in the US and Canada and those watching around the world are in for a real treat.

Do Not Sleep On Ovechkin and Capitals

Alexander Ovechkin tallied 5 points (a goal and 4 assists) Wednesday night as the Washington Capitals defeated the Anaheim Ducks 6-4. Many people in the league have talked about: how well the Bruins are playing in front of Tim Thomas, the Penguins are off to their best start since 1995, San Jose rolling, Marian Hossa gelling with another great Detroit Red Wings team, Minnesota's fantastic defense, and of course year 100 pour Les Canadiens de Montreal—but do not sleep on the Washington Capitals. The defending Southeast Division champions are once again leading a fairly mediocre pack of teams with a quarter of the season gone. Most will focus on Ovechkin but the Capitals have a more complete team surrounding their superstar this year. Alexander Semin is racking up the points thus far and although the defense is nothing to write home about they absolutely do an adequate job in front of the goaltending duel of Brent Johnson and Jose Theodore who have preformed more than admirably through the first 18 games of the season. Washington will be a very scary team come playoff time because they can score enough to beat anyone on any given night, have a great home ice advantage where they have yet to lose a game in regulation, and now have a team with a full tank of playoff experience. Although I think the Caps need more of a physical presence to be a championship contender (sorry but Donald Brashear cannot do it all himself) they can certainly make a lot of noise nonetheless come April.

Staal Explodes VS Red Wings

Tonight's (11/11) game between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins was billed as a rematch of last year's Stanley Cup Finals. And the Penguins 7-6 come-from-behind win in overtime certainly made a statement that the Penguins aren't still ailing from last year's Cup Finals loss. But the big story took a backseat to an incredible side-story that developed for one Jordan Staal. Entering the evening the promising young forward had been struggling to score goals and although his penalty killing continued to be top-notch many fans were growing restless of his goal-scoring woes; that is, until late in the third period. With the Penguins down 5-3 Staal gave them hope by scoring a brilliant goal in front of Osgood to cut the lead to one at 5-4. Detroit later answered to re-establish their two goal lead but Staal was just warming up. Staal scored the next two goals for the Penguins to force overtime and also drew a penalty toward the end of regulation setting up a golden opportunity for Pittsburgh heading into overtime. The ensuing power play was killed by the Wings, perhaps all that did was irritate Staal for as the game approached a shootout he pick-pocketed Pavel Datsyuk setting up Ruslan Fedetanko who buried the game-winning goal. Staal had 5 points before tonight, and left the ice with 4 in this game alone. So for all those who were worried, it won't be like this every night, but it looks like he's coming along just fine.