Round Two Intrigue

An incredibly entertaining first round that resulted in the Eastern Conference turning upside down and the west saw series domination by no one but resulting in a mostly chalk second round. Kudos to the performances put forth by the Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche and L.A. Kings who performed more than admirably in each team’s first playoff appearance in many years. The L.A. Kings and Colorado Avalanche showed they will be a viable team for quite a while as each young group of players will only learn from this experience and continue to get better and better. Seven of the eight series went at least six games which means round two has got an awful lot to live up to.

Now that round one is in the books we look forward to the round two match-ups:

Eastern Conference

4. Pittsburgh vs. 8. Montreal

The Canadiens did what most thought was impossible once the series got to a 3-1 Washington advantage. It was thought that the Caps were vulnerable for an upset but not in the way that Montreal ultimately pulled off the upset…with defense. Washington couldn’t score and conventional wisdom tells you that if Montreal can shut down Washington then certainly they will be able to do the same thing to Pittsburgh… right? Not likely. First off the Canadiens relied much too heavily on Jaroslav Halak to be just about perfect. Halak may have a few more games in him like that but he cannot play that way night in and night out the rest of the way. Furthermore, the Penguins are a much more physical team than Washington and as a result can wear you down much more effectively than the Caps could. There is also the ever present intangible the Penguins have and that is their experience. Washington was unsure of whether they could win when things got bad, but Pittsburgh does not have that doubt in them because they know (after coming back from 2-0 twice last season  and a 5-0 loss in game 5 to the Red Wings in the finals) they have the ability to beat anybody at any time no matter what the circumstances. While Montreal will prove to be a tough opponent for Pittsburgh it’s unlikely that Crosby and company will be ousted by a tenacious Habs squad. Pittsburgh will move on.

6. Boston vs. 7. Philadelphia

This may be the most entertaining match-up in this round on paper. Both teams play a very physical game so a lot of big hits will be traded. Aside from that however the Flyers have the advantage. While both teams relied on secondary scoring to advance to round 2 the Flyers have much better primary scoring options. It’s unlikely that Carter, Briere, and the rest will be held in check this time around. Boston showed an inability to score (nothing like the team I thought they would be when I picked them to win the east preseason) over the course of the season and that probably won’t change. For that reason I’m taking Philly.

Western Conference:

1. San Jose vs. 5. Detroit

Congrats to San Jose for finally fighting those first round demons and advancing to round 2 for the first time in what seems like forever. Lucky for San Jose they managed to advance without much scoring from their big three (Marleau, Heatley, and Thorton). They will definitely need that to change if they want any hope of besting the Red Wings. Once again we can talk about x’s and o’s all night long but when it comes down to it I just can’t pick against Detroit. Every year it seems like they are ripe for the picking by an up and coming western conference team and Detroit always proves everyone wrong.  Therefore I am picking Detroit to pick off San Jose.

2. Chicago vs. 3. Vancouver

Both teams escaped what look like would be first round upsets by third period comebacks. Lucky for us they did because last year’s battle in the same round between the two teams was must see TV and this year will likely be even better. Both teams are great up front with Kane and company for Chicago and the Sedin twins and crew for Vancouver. There will be offensive chances galore for both teams, so what do you look to in a match-up like that? Goal tending of course. To be frank, Chicago’s netminding has been awful so they are already at a disadvantage in that category; now add in the fact that they’ll be battling Roberto Luongo on the other end and it’s even more trouble for the Hawks. However, last year they were able to get to Luongo and they can certainly do that again this year. All the Hawks need out of their goaltender is to play adequately and they’ll handle the rest. I picked Chicago to win the whole thing at the beginning of the year and I won’t back down now… Chicago wins.

NHL Playoff Preview/Predictions

East preview:

1. Washington vs. 8. Montreal

Jaroslav Halak is the key to this series. All Halak has to do is keep Washington at bay, if he can manage to do that the Canadiens will get plenty of scoring chances against Washington’s swiss cheese defense.  Two things we know for sure: Montreal cannot stop Washington from scoring and Washington cannot stop Montreal from scoring. Number one key as I mentioned is Halak but also it is vitally important for Montreal to play extremely well disciplined hockey every minute of every game. Technical mistakes will be made that’s just the nature of the game but making bad decisions (bad passes, lazy puck pursuit, etc.) and taking bad penalties will be the end of Montreal’s playoff life. Washington has enough talent to overcome the mistakes it will make and the lack of adequate defense and spotty goaltending but Montreal does not. Many people think Washington is ripe for the picking—and that may be true—but if Montreal does not keep their mistake ratio compared to Washington’s very low the Capitals will blow them away. Even when Montreal does say take a bad penalty they have to rely on the playoff experience of the guys on their roster to take someone with them to the box, every little bit matters. If Montreal can do those things they’ll win; but that said I’m taking the Capitals in five.

2. New Jersey vs. 7. Philadelphia

Philadelphia will win this series. It has little to do with the Flyers’ abilities and more to do with New Jersey’s inadequacies. The Devils rely too heavily on scoring first then using the neutral-zone trap and Marty Brodeur to stifle the other team. New Jersey will not always score first and have a lead to protect, nor do they have the capacity to come back from being down 2 or more goals should Philly get that far ahead. It is not 1995 anymore and the new NHL is not conducive to New Jersey’s system yielding a great amount of post-season success. They have also put a proverbial wall in front of their biggest scoring threat in Ilya Kovalchuk. Every game will most likely be close because of how the Devils play but it’s Philly’s series to win.

3. Buffalo vs. 6. Boston

Ryan Miller is the best goaltender in the world today and the Boston Bruins cannot CANNOT score. Enough said, Sabres take the series.

4. Pittsburgh vs. 5. Ottawa

Crosby has been hot of late but that includes two games against the New York Islanders who have a really small defense and that results in a ton of scoring chances and many goals. The Penguins have had a hard time stopping team’s from scoring  while also not having the greatest scoring prowess themselves (granted Gonchar and Malkin have been hurt so that should sure itself up). It has been said that the Penguins simply needed to get to the playoffs and now that the time has come they will be more motivated to get their act together, build on the experience of the last few years, and go on to get back to at least the conference finals. However, I think the Ottawa Senators may have something to say about that. The Senators have been one of the best teams in the conference over the last month of the season and are playing incredibly well as a unit. Losing Alex Kovalev will be a setback for Ottawa but they still have Daniel Alredsson, Jason Spezza, and Mike Fisher so they will not be longing for scoring presents on the ice. Their defensemen are all pretty big so that will match-up relatively well with the Penguins’ lines from top to bottom. Scoring chances will require much more work for the Penguins against Ottawa than it was versus the Islanders.  Perhaps the biggest flaw for Ottawa is Brian Elliot’s lack of playoff experience. While experience matters at all positions it is most important for goaltenders unless you’re Ken Dryden or Patrick Roy. Nevertheless, with how the Penguins have been playing (inconsistent) they are ripe for an upset and I think the Ottawa Senators will do just that.

West Preview:

1.  San Jose vs. 8. Colorado

Being technical in analyzing how I think this match-up will go is perhaps a waste of time. San Jose has been here time and time again and Colorado is a team that has overachieved all season long. I think in time Colorado will be very good but it just is not in the cards for them this year. San Jose has more experience, are an overall better team, and will simply not lose to Colorado. San Jose takes this series.

2. Chicago vs. 7. Nashville

Having Nashville in the playoffs is always nice because whatever helps hockey grow in non-traditional markets is a good thing for the game and the league. Nashville has been here before but has not managed to get past the first round (no shame in that since they’ve played Detroit in every playoff appearance in their short history). What gives Nashville the best chance at success in this series is that they don’t rely on any one person to provide all of their offense. Steve Sullivan, Patric Hornqvist, Martin Erat, Jason Arnott, J.P. Dumont, and Shea Weber all had 40+ point seasons which is a very positive sign since Chicago cannot simply focus on one guy in hopes of keeping the Preds at bay. The problem for Nashville is that on the season they gave up as many goals as they scored which does not bode well when playing the likes of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, and co. in a best four-of-seven series. While I root for hockey success in Nashville for the good of the game I think Chicago will be too much for the Preds and will move past Nashville on their way to the Cup Finals as I predicted at season’s opening.

3. Vancouver vs. 6. L.A. Kings

It is great to see the L.A. Kings back in the playoffs. I have been saying since the offseason that this team was for real and they certainly did not disappoint all season and here they are in the post-season.  Anze Kopitar has been phenomenal all year and Jonathan Quick has been solid in net wire-to-wire. I said before the year started that not only would the Kings make the playoffs but they would also win their first round series and I will not back down from that. Unfortunately for the Kings (and for me) they have to go up against arguably the best line in hockey all year—i.e. the Sedin twins with Alex Burrows and sometimes Ryan Kesler. Oh and that Roberto Luongo guy isn’t half bad either. A lot of people think this is the year for Vancouver to overcome what they’ve faced in the past and finally come out of the West.  I will go against my head in picking this one and say that the Kings will take the series, but they better rely heavily on Rob Scuderi’s cup winning experience from a year ago because they will need it.

4. Phoenix vs. 5. Detroit

Poor Phoenix. Ownership issues stemming back to the offseason, not knowing where they were going to play this year before the season started and even where they will be next year has not been finalized. Despite all of that the players banded together  and not only got themselves into the playoffs but home ice in the first round, great right!? Wrong. All of that hard work yields them the reward of playing the Detroit Red Wings in the first round, what a reward for a great season eh? We could break down match-ups until the cows come home but it would be silly for me to pick against Detroit. I hope Phoenix gives Detroit a great fight and even manages to beat them, but that is unlikely and that is why I am giving this series to the Red Wings.

Enjoy the start of the most wonderful time of the year!

Winter Classic a Mega Success

The 2010 Winter Classic by all accounts was a big time success and I agree completely. The magic of the day was not tarnished by anything; the weather was great, the ice held up extremely well, the fans were fired up, and the game itself was spectacular. Three cheers for everybody who helps make this game happen because it’s certainly a treat for everyone and congratulations to the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers for putting on a great show leaving us all wanting for more.

In the meantime the other big news to come out over the holidays was the announcement of the various Olympic team rosters set to take the ice next month. At the moment the easy favorites to win the Gold Medal are Canada and Russia with the Canadians possibly holding a slight edge over Russia because the tournament will be held on the smaller North American size ice along with the fact that the games will be held in Canada which instantly gives them a boost. On the other hand, one might say that the games being held in Canada yields a slight advantage to the Russians because Canadians traditionally have a ton of pressure on them to win the Gold Medal anyway but now that pressure is intensified since Team Canada will be playing on home ice. Although there is a fair amount of pressure on the Russians as well there will no doubt be a lot less on them than on the Canadians which will allow them to simply relax and play hockey without worrying about any other distractions. Despite those factors it is still a virtual toss-up between the two teams in trying to pick the favorite but you can’t really go wrong either going for gold and everyone else likely battling for the bronze.

On the rest of the NHL front there are a number of teams streaking in both the right and wrong direction. The San Jose sharks are currently the hottest team in the league as the smoked Edmonton 4-1 on Saturday to improve their win streak to eight. Despite the streak the fans in San Jose are cautiously optimistic as they’ve been down this road before. In each of the last three years the Sharks have posted over a hundred points—winning the President’s trophy last year—and faltered come playoff time. This year’s teams is by far the best they’ve ever had but the question is can they finally carry over this success into the post-season.

Another team enjoying recent success is the Philadelphia Flyers. Despite losing to Boston in the Winter Classic on Friday, the Flyers have won four out of five and have earned at least a point in five straight. There is a long way to go for the Flyers who have dug themselves quite a hole but it seems they have managed to turn things around and make a legitimate push toward the playoffs almost overnight.

The Calgary Flames are also in the midst of a four game winning streak after coming from behind to defeat Toronto 3-1 on Saturday. This is a team in a situation similar to San Jose in that they have had a decent amount of regular season success that they have not been able to translate into the post-season. Strong goaltending has always been there for Calgary but what separates them from last year’s squad is a much stronger blueline with the addition Jay Bouwmeester in the offseason who is a plus 13 to date. It is his presence that has helped Dion Phaneuf up his game a bit and also takes some pressure off of Kiprusoff which is why this year is probably Calgary’s best chance they’ve had in years to advance deep into the playoffs.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are streaking as well but in the wrong direction. With their 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon the Penguins have lost four in a row, scored only one goal in two games, and blew a 3-0 lead to the Buffalo Sabres earlier in the week. In a long season there are many ups and downs but the alarming thing for Pittsburgh is the way they’ve been losing. There is a long way to go and the Penguins have too much talent for such a streak to continue but they’ve got to find a way to score more consistently and protect leads when they get them.

The worst of the losing streaks belongs to the Atlanta Thrashers who have lost 8 games in a row after a great start to the season. There’s really no surprise it’s simply Atlanta being Atlanta until they show me otherwise.

Well that’s a run around the league a little bit. I hope everyone enjoyed the Winter Classic and have a great time ringing in the New Year! Have a great 2010 everybody!

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 M.O. 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 Season That Is)

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 L.A. 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!

Free Agency Extravaganza

Arguably the most exciting part of the NHL offseason begins on Wednesday and that is the beginning of the Free Agency period. The draft resulted in very few moves which leaves a lot of mystery to unfold with some big names on the market including Marian Hossa, Alexi Kovalev, Saku Koivu, Marian Gaborik, and Rob Scuderi (whose stock went way up after his performance in the playoffs) among many other players who will likely be asking for big time deals.  Jay Boumeester will most likely be off the market (barring any disaster) before free agency begins so what can we expect starting Wednesday? With the salary cap only going up by $100K can teams afford to sign big names to gigantic contracts? And what teams have the most to gain from the frenzy?

Perhaps the most obvious place to start is in Montreal where the Canadiens have just come off a very disappointing playoff appearance and who have ten players to become unrestricted free agents (UFA). That will leave a crater to fill in a place where the fans are hungry for a Stanley Cup but have not seen one since 1993. In all likelihood the Canadiens (under new ownership) will go in a new direction and not try to resign big names like Kovalev since this core group has not had the type of success demanded by playing in Montreal. I would be surprised if they try to resign a lot of their players but they will have a lot of decisions to make. If nothing else, Montreal can hang their hats on the fact that they have a goaltender in Carey Price who should be solid for years to come if he just regains his confidence.

A team that is perhaps on the cusp and has a lot to gain from free agency is the Minnesota Wild. Minnesota’s goaltending is solid as Niklas Backstrom was just nominated for the Vezina Trophy and he’s got a great defensive unit in front of him. With that said Minnesota simply needs to get itself some goal scorers or just ONE and that should make up for the two points that kept them out of the playoffs this past season. Marian Hossa comes to mind as an option or perhaps the Sedin twins out of Vancouver, both options would supply the Wild with the scoring they seek.

There also may or may not be a shakeup in San Jose despite their enormous regular season success the post-season saw them exit in the first round. Some have suggested goaltending is all that needs to be addressed and Scott Clemmensen may just be the answer for San Jose’s alleged goaltending needs. Brian Boucher and Evgeni Nabokov did a more than adequate job in my opinion but rumblings in the San Jose front office suggests that it was not up the par in the post-season and they are not very happy with that.

The possibilities are endless for teams all over the league once free agency starts but there is a bit of a taste of the types of moves that could happen. It should be a very exciting day for hockey fans everywhere especially those who think their team is only a move or two away from making a run at the Stanley Cup. There aren’t too many offseason days that produce excitement and this is one of them so hopefully it is an enjoyable one for those needing a hockey fix since the end of the finals.

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, R.J. 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 T.J. 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.

Many Questions to Answer in Wild West

The Western Conference playoff teams have been decided and only seeding is left to be determined. Congratulations to the San Jose Sharks for winning their first President’s Trophy in the team’s history. Also, Columbus is in the playoffs for the first time since the team’s inception into the NHL. There is also plenty of excitement in St. Louis and Chicago who are back in the playoffs for the first time since the lock-out. Along with those facts there are some exciting stories developing amongst the teams who have qualified for the playoffs. Will Detroit be able to repeat or is there goaltending finally going to get the best of them? Is Chicago’s young team ready for the spotlight on the big stage or is this going to be a quick “dry run” resulting in an early exit. How will the fans in Columbus react to the normal highs and lows of a playoff run? Will San Jose finally get over the hump and enjoy the playoff success that many people believe their team should experience? Will the Ducks of two years ago re-emerge and possibly get the puck back to Anaheim? Can Calgary live up to the trade-deadline hype that developed around their acquisition of Olli Jokinen ? There are a lot of questions to be answered and many stories to be played out. It will be a lot of fun to watch the match-ups get locked in and for the playoffs to get rolling. No matter who you’re rooting for and regardless of which Conference that team belongs to every Western Conference Playoff series will have incredible story lines and will be extremely exciting.

Flames Win Big; Penguins, Rangers Improve; Canadiens Do Nothing

Now that the NHL trade deadline has come and gone the general consensus is that the Calgary Flames made the biggest splash acquiring Ollie Jokinen. Many in the hockey world think this acquisition puts them over the top and makes Calgary the new Stanley Cup front runners. Calgary did indeed improve their status greatly but not because of Jokinen but rather because of Jordan Leopold. In recent years the Flames have struggled in the playoffs in large part because of their inability to limit the amount of shots Mikka Kiprusoff. Adding Leopold may be just what the doctor ordered to take some pressure off of Kiprusoff and Dion Phaneuf. With this acquisition and Detroit’s goaltending issues the Calgary Flames have now put themselves up there with the San Jose Sharks as the front runners to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Looking to the bottom part of the West perhaps the most notable move was made by Columbus who acquired Antoine Vermette. For the first time Columbus is on the cusp of making the playoffs and now management has shown that they are both serious about making the playoffs and also about winning once they get there.

Turning to the Eastern Conference now it’s probably fair to say that no major splashes were made by any of the teams on deadline day. The biggest impact of any trade to this point in the season is probably how Chris Kunitz has played in Pittsburgh netting three goals and five total points in only three games. Pittsburgh added Bill Guerin in the meantime and have won four in a row all without Crosby, so adding Guerin and Crosby to the lineup probably makes Pittsburgh somewhat of a wildcard down the stretch/into the playoffs. Perhaps the “splash” of the day in the east was made by the Rangers who acquired Nick Antropov which may just be the answer to all of their offensive woes and may provide the spark the Rangers need to break out of their recent funk. Erik Cole going back to Carolina means they are sure to score a lot of goals the final month and a half of the season. The bigger question for the Canes is can Cam Ward continue to carry them defensively; they rely on Ward a ton and he will probably get burned out pretty soon.

There were also some “non-moves” that will greatly impact the Eastern Conference race. Most notable was Florida not moving Jay Bouwmeester. If the Panthers were going to make the playoffs or at least make any noise once they got there they were going to need Bouwmeester and now they’ve got him so Eastern Conference teams beware. Also of great significance is the fact that the Montreal Canadiens did not make a single move. After addressing none of their on ice issues the Canadiens promptly lost to Buffalo 5-1 in a game they were thoroughly outplayed by Buffalo in the final 40 minutes. Many (including myself) believed the Canadiens were the favorites to win the East and they still can do just that, but by not making a single move at the deadline coupled with Price’s continues woes their chances are in jeopardy. Mathieu Schneider has done a lot to improve their power play and it’s possible that Wednesday night was the exception but considering how poorly they played it’s hard to imagine. In the end, no matter how the season turns out these final 19 or 20 games will be an awful lot of fun to watch.

By the way, I know Sean Avery is back in New York… I don’t care.

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.

Four Important NHL Lessons to Learn

There was a lot of action in the NHL this past weekend as there is every weekend but there are four big things we learned and should keep in mind the rest of the year:

1. The Washington Capitals are for real. They have been on a roll lately but nothing like Saturday when they beat the East leading Boston Bruins 2-1 at Verizon Center. And after defeated the new trap playing penguins (more on that later) and the similar defensive style of the Bruins who supplement that with great goal-scoring the Caps showed they can beat anybody and play any style. Their team speed breaks that trap better than any other team in the East and they can win high scoring AND low scoring games… the rest of the league should be on high alert.

2. The Pittsburgh Penguins have finally figured out that with all their injuries a change in strategy is necessary and the trap is just what the doctor ordered. In casual conversation with a friend on December 12^th I mentioned the Penguins need to run a trap if only temporarily to keep themselves in games until they get some guys healthy and sure enough a month and a day later they run it and win against the Flyers. Now they have won two of three and despite all the injuries are in a playoff position. The Penguins are now a team to worry about again and once they get guys healthy the teams at the top of the standings should worry… just ask the Flyers and Rangers.

3. The San Jose Sharks beat Detroit 6-5 on Saturday. They are not going to fade away… the Western Conference has been warned.

4. The Phoenix Coyotes (yes Phoenix) is a viable team and WILL make the playoffs.

Have a great holiday everybody.

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.

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.

Sharks Shredding Competition

Coming into Saturday night the San Jose Sharks had won nine in a row and although the Edmonton Oilers broke that streak the Sharks are still on a tear to start the season. They have a league best 46 points, are tops in goals scored with 100, have allowed 61 goals which puts them tied for fourth in the league and are in the top 10 in both special teams departments (PP=5^th; PK=6^th). Not only do the Sharks currently have a 10 game point streak but they have yet to lose in regulation at home; that’s at least one point in 16 home games to start the season—30 out of a possible 32—and have more wins (22) than anyone else in the league. The Sharks are solid on specials teams and at even strength which is supported greatly by outstanding goaltending from both Evgeni Nabokov and Brian Boucher whose combined goals against average is an incredible 2.19 and an equally impressive combined saved percentage of .915. Well coached and well prepared for every game are the Sharks who can win high-scoring goal-frenzied games as well as close grinder contests. There is question whether they can remain so consistently good throughout the season and into the playoffs and although they will probably drop off a bit they will certainly be a top Stanley Cup contender nevertheless. If nothing else, win or lose, they are an immensely exciting team to watch and are a treat for hockey fans to watch the world over.

Sharks Sign Claude Lemieux

Claude Lemieux signed a minor deal with the San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate this week after being out of the league for five years. So what does this mean for the Sharks on the ice? Probably nothing. Lemieux is 43-years-old and it is doubtful that he will play well enough to be called up to a team that has need for very little. However, if Lemieux is able to get his legs back under him and show even shades of what made him the great player he was for 18-years there are plenty of teams who could use even an aged Claude Lemieux. In the meantime it seems to me that San Jose really has little to lose by signing Lemieux; his salary will not be very high and he offers priceless experience to his young teammates in Worcester. Lemieux brings with him the experience of playing in a ton of playoff games, four Stanley Cup rings, and a Conn Smythe Trophy to boot. These young players can get a unique prospective from someone who has been there, been very successful and will be able to not just tell them the “right” thing to do but actually show them on the ice. Generally speaking someone Lemieux’s age would be a coach on a team like this and not a player. This gives San Jose’s up-and-coming players an incredible experience which will aid in the Sharks’ efforts for continued, long-term success. All-in-all it is a win-win for every party involved; so while many may be skeptical of the move I am totally in favor of it.

Sharks Equipped for Championship Run

The San Jose Sharks continued to roll over the weekend with a 6-5 come-from-behind win against the home-standing Chicago Blackhawks. There are so many things I love about this team it is incredible. They have the obvious advantages that come with experienced guys like Jeremy Roenick, Joe Thorton, and Patrick Marleau and great goaltending by Evgeni Nabokov. Perhaps more importantly are the things that accompany the leadership these guys provide, which makes the team really stand out; first is the incredible play of first year man Devin Setoguchi who leads the team in goals with 10. His on-ice energy and intensity is second to none and while he may not keep up this scoring tear he is on all season it appears as though the Sharks have struck gold in Setoguchi. Furthermore, the solid play of backup netminder Brian Boucher has been impeccable. Boucher was 4-1 in five starts with a 1.49 goals against average along with a stellar .940 save percentage going into Sunday’s game. The Sharks play a very good defensive style of hockey but also showed Sunday night that they can win high scoring affairs when the opportunity presents itself. It is early in the season but thus far the Sharks have shown they have bought into new head coach Todd McLellan’s system and they have confidence in one another on the ice. Every player knows their role and they play it very well. The Sharks have an incredible 31 points in 19 games and have all the makings of a championship team.

Some teams have started out hot in the 2009 NHL season. Can they continue?

by Tony E

A note to all NHL fans, PLEASE CLAM DOWN! Overall the bad teams are not as bad as they seem and teams that started off too fast are not as good as they seem. Let things settle down, allow teams to mesh and by the end of December we will know more. In the meantime I give you my early season picks that you can take to the bank! In the west a lot of teams will be challenging the Red Wings; namely Minnesota, San Jose, and Anaheim. But the San Jose Sharks match up best and will represent the west in the Stanley Cup Finals. They are big, experienced, and talented, but more-so than that they are disciplined. They run their puck-possession system to perfection and they DO NOT TAKE STUPID PENALTIES. The Sharks will never beat themselves and come playoff time neither will anyone else.

Joining San Jose will be the Montreal Canadiens who are off to a flying start. Last year they could score but the team was overpowered by a much bigger Flyers team in the playoffs. However, combining the offensive prowess of the Kostitsyn’s and Kovalev with the likes of 6’5” Ryan O’Bryne and Georges Laraque; throw in a more experienced Carey Price and voila, an Eastern Conference championship for the most storied NHL franchise as they celebrate their 100th season. But the greatest celebration will take place in the bay area as the San Jose Sharks will win their first ever Stanley Cup title.