2nd F'ing Round, Baby

Well, glad that's over. I'd like to note [see posts below] that I got 50% right for the first round. Of course, I was bold in several places and failed (noteably, picking Columbus). However, the main losers of the first round have got to be, obviously, San Jose, and perhaps not-so-obviously, the painful-to-watch New York Rangers, who blew a 3-1 lead over the Caps.

The story of the postseason so far has got to be the Carolina Hurricanes. There are few things in this world that make me happier than to see Marty Brodeur get upset. Brodeur sure blew this one for his team, giving up 2 goals in less than a minute in Game 7. Even though his coach doesn't agree, I say the blame falls on POBRE MARTY. Kudos to the Canes for showing a little heart, something lacking in several clubs this playoff.

In any event, the round is over and done with. Here, I give you my predictions for the second round and for the rest of the playoffs -- while naming as few players as possible, simply because I don't feel like it -- not because I don't know who they are.

BOSTON BRUINS VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES

This should be a strong series. The Canes are coming off a strong series, and they've got several weapons that shouldn't be underestimated. However, I think the Bruins showed in the first round that they are the team to beat in this playoff. That 4-game shlacking of Montreal demonstrated to the hockey community that although it sometimes might not seem like it, the B's mean business. They are not the weak-yet-seemingly-strong Devils. They'll take the series with relative ease.

PREDICTION: BRUINS IN 5

WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

The inevitable Ovechkin-Crosby (even though Malkin is better) showdown. This one isn't so easy to predict. I'd like to pick the Caps, but I'm having trouble seeing it. Yes, Simeon Varlamov is playing as well as he could be right now, and yes, Ovechkin seems to have gotten his game back. However, the Pens are simply hotter. Moreover, if the Caps had such trouble putting away the Rangers, one of the NHL's weakest teams offensively, how will they do against one of the NHL's best in that department?

This should be a very interesting series. The Caps and Penguins met infiniti times in the playoffs while I was growing up, and from memory, it seems the Pens almost always had the upper hand. If the Capitals can get it together, they'll win [sound advice, eh?]. Varlamov might even have the upper hand on the weak Marc-Andre Fleury.

PREDICTION: CAPITALS IN 7

DETROIT RED WINGS VS. ANAHEIM DUCKS

Ok, so I was horribly, horribly wrong about Columbus upsetting Detroit in the first round. However, I was just as wrong about San Jose sweeping Anaheim. Anaheim is the best 8 seed we've seen in a while for two main reasons: 1) their young goalie is playing out of his mind; and 2) their team hasn't changed all that much since they won the Cup -- it just seemed like it had at points during the season. They're a threat to be taken very seriously this playoff, and I think they will oust Detroit.

Detroit can be taken down! Remember when they lost 8-0 to Nashville this season? We only see the dominant Red Wings, but must take a step back and realize that this team is far from invincible, especially in the goaltending department.

PREDICTION: DUCKS IN 6

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS. VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Perhaps the best series on the bill this round. I don't know much about either team, but I like the way Chicago plays the game. I think the series will go for a while with Luongo eventually pulling the Canucks through. He will be the difference-maker.

PREDICTION: CANUCKS IN 7

BOSTON BRUINS VS. WASHINGTON CAPITALS

That leaves the Bruins facing the Caps in the East. I'm conflicted yet again, but have to go with the Bruins. Here's why: 1) Tim Thomas has played out of his mind this season. The Bruins will have the uppper hand in goaltending, whether any Varlamov-lover wants to face that or not; 2) When the Bruins faced the Caps this season and lost, they didn't have their whole team, i.e. Phil Kessel. This is Kessel's year, and you'll see a clear difference; 3) Home ice means more to the Bruins. It just does. Most Capitals "fans" didn't start caring about the team until relatively recently (and I'm not talking about all of you); 4) The team has come together better than most realize. For example, Chara, once thought of as a stiff by yours truly, has proven to be quite a leader and used his shot rather effectively. Savard has also had a marvelous year, as has Krejci. All the pieces are in place for a trip to the Finals.

PREDICTION: BRUINS IN 7

VANCOUVER CANUCKS VS. ANAHEIM DUCKS

First of all, that rhymes. Second of all, this is where the Anaheim show ends the Luongo one begins (again). The Canucks proved their dominance in the first round over the lowly Blues, and they'll keep it up in this round over the Ducks, who won't be able to take any more after Detroit (assuming they win, which I still maintain they will!). Folks, Vancouver is going back to the Finals (but this time without Pavel Bure!).

PREDICTION: CANUCKS IN 6

BOSTON BRUINS VS. VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Hmmm. Hmmm. Hmmm. I'm going to predict this one when it happens just like I say it will. Until then, or as they say in Argentina, hasta luego amigos!

Game 7 should be more competitive than most expect

This Rangers-Capitals series has been a whirlwind, to say the least. It's been tough to tell throughout who's had home-ice advantage, whether the Rangers actually believe they have any offensive power, whether Matt Bradley was actually proud of himself after that second goal in Game 5, and why Donald Brashear was ever given an NHL contract. Nevertheless, after a few close games and blowouts, we find ourselves here in a Game 7.

Before we begin, let's note a little statistic. No team in NHL history has won the Stanley Cup after playing a 7-game series in the first round. There's absolutely no reason to think this statistic will change this season. The Rangers do not have the threats to compete for the Holy Grail, nor do the Caps. The Caps were once thought to be a serious contender, but after having so much trouble with one of the NHL's far weaker teams this season, they've shown their fans that they probably don't have what it takes to go all the way, at least not in the 08-09 campaign.

So, let's get to the game.

To start, a few things coming from the Capitals side of things have just plain managed to piss me off.

1) You might've noticed that Rangers Coach John Tortorella wasn't on the bench for Game 6. He was suspended for losing his cool when a lovely Capitals fan dumped beer on him:



I'm not saying Tortorella should've done this -- especially after disciplining Sean Avery. Tortorella was obviously angry that his team power play would better be carried out by a bunch of worthless peewees. While there's obviously no excuse for his actions, it's a classless, disgusting act by the fan. What's even more interesting that Tortorella had to be restrained by Rangers Assistant (and former Capitals) Coach Jim Schoenfeld, notorious for acting out during games:



2) Donald Brashear. This guy took out Blair Betts out of nowhere in Game 6. It was completely uncalled for, just as is the rest of his career. As the video shows, Betts had dumped the puck in long before the hit. And he's not exactly the Rangers enforcer:



3) Brandon Dubinsky reportedly had to receive a Tetanus shot after Game 6 because Shaone Morrison BIT him during a fight. I don't have a video for Tyson-Holyfield II, and that's probably a good thing.

4) Nothing makes me sicker than Tom "Where's your skirt" Poti scoring goals.

5)[This one isn't about the Capitals]. Chris Drury just plain pisses me off. He's the worst captain this team has had in a long time. He plays like crap most days in a Blue uniform and then gets repeatedly praised for being "Mr. Clutch." Well, I got a challenge for you, Chris (and I know you already did this in Game 4, even though it was one of the weakest, luckiest goals I've ever seen in my life): score a goal in Game 7. Lead this team to victory for real. In fact, score 2 goals. We'll take a picture and call it a freaking Kodak moment.

PREDICTION TIME

There's little reason to think the Capitals won't win this game. Then again, most people thought the Caps would hand the Rangers a world-class beating throughout the series. That hasn't really happened. Before the series started, I picked the Rangers in 6. Obviously, that won't happen now (and neither will a Sharks sweep, clearly -- they are the losers of this playoff already).

Let's remember that the Rangers won the games they did for one reason and one reason only: their goalie. If Henrik Lundqvist still has one big game in him -- and I truly believe he does -- the Blueshirts will pull through. Thus, the Rangers will win Game 7 and take the series -- winning 2-0 on a goal by none other than Chris Drury.

Rangers-Capitals, Game 1 -- The Morning After

So, the Rangers take Game 1 in perhaps a more wild affair than any of us -- at least I -- could have ever expected. As Dan Rosen at NHL.com noted, the game turned into the one thing the Rangers didn't want (a shootout), yet they still came away with the win. How?

1) The Rangers offense looked better than it has. Antropov, Naslund, and even Gomez managed to come through when it counted. Dubinksy's game winner was quite pretty. It's little known that Jeff Schultz was actually mic'd up for this game:



2) Jose Theodore did not play a strong game. While each Capitals goal either came on a re-direct or through traffic in front, each Rangers tally was on a shot fired straight at the net. If the Caps want a chance at winning a game in this series (and yes, I'm serious), Jose has to step up a bit.

3) Ovechkin didn't play as strong of a game as every one is saying. Yes, he shot the puck often -- but too much. He was too predictable for the sharp Henrik Lundqvist.

This game was absolutely crucial. Once the Rangers went up 3-1, they HAD to win, even if they did blow the lead. Heading into Game 2, all the pressure is on the Caps. If the Rangers steal a game (hopefully this time they'll be playing with Chris "perfect pushup" Drury in the lineup), we could be looking at a very short series. But, the pressure is not on the Rangers. This was the game they had to win.

I still predict the Rangers to come out on top when it's all said and done.

PLAYOFFS -- ROUND 1

Being the dork that I am, I've been thinking about these for quite some time. It kills me that I'm in Argentina this spring to miss these matchups. From the outlook, the teams in the tourney this year seem to be more competitive than in recent years (i.e. the Islanders two years ago). Anyway, here are my picks for the first round:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Boston vs. #8 Montreal

Sweet, sweet revenge for the Bruins -- a team that's suffered at the hands of Montreal for so many years -- before the playoffs have even begun. Of course, the B's dominated the conference this season and surprised many, myself included. While I don't seem them going all the way, this series should be a bit of a breeze for a few reasons.

First, the Bruins have played very well in front of their home fans. One has to realize how devastating it would be for them to lose this series against an archrival like the Habs. The Habs, on the other hand, have suffered a coaching change this season and post a somewhat more unstable unit on the ice. They snuck into the postseason this year, but not by much. Look for the Bruins to win every game at home and then some.

PREDICTION: BRUINS in 5

#2 Washington vs. #7 New York

Yes, this series holds special meaning for me. But still, I'm going to be completely honest. Ok, here goes.

Like the Bruins, it would be ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING for the Capitals to lose this series. This season, they've developed a whole new culture of hockey in Washington, and made it cool (again?) to "rock the red." They have one of the most exciting offensive teams in the league, not just through the great 8, but also through Semin, Backstrom, Green, and Federov, who's just waiting to show what he's made of. But to focus on Ovechkin: the guy has shown time and time again he can singlehandedly change the outcome of a hockey game. If he decides to do that, New York could be sent packing very quickly.

But not so fast folks. Yes, the Rangers like the Canadiens, snuck into the playoffs this season. And yes, the Rangers' pitiful offense has plagued them every other game of the season. Let's address the offense first. It would appear that the Capitals have a better offense -- and indeed, they probably do. However, New York is a very different team than it was when it faced off against Washington this season. One can't underestimate the offensive addition of Antropov and the blueline addition of Derek Morris. There's no doubt -- the power play is better than it once was, and the offense as a whole is more intact. Furthermore, the Rangers' offensive talent on paper is just as potent as the Caps' -- it's just waiting to break out of its shell, and given history, the playoffs will show that.

Then, there's goaltending, and I think we all know which team is better in that category.

But friends, this isn't going to be a series with a lot of goals. The Rangers have the ability to slow down a hockey game and make it low scoring like none other, and that's just what they're going to do starting Wednesday night. In fact, I'm going to predict that no more than 4 goals will be scored in the first two games in Washington. This series will be about who wins the close battles, and whether Ovechkin turns it on.

Yes, it's hard to explain, but the Rangers will sneak by this one.

PREDICTION: RANGERS in 6

#3 New Jersey vs. #6 Carolina

I like the way Carolina is playing right now. New Jersey has a recent history of faltering in the playoffs, and Martin Brodeur CAN be beaten. Look for a fast-paced Hurricanes team that pulls off the upset.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes in 6

#4 Pittsburgh vs. #5 Philadelphia

The Flyers have a stronger team than most people realize this year, and will probably come out of the East. The Penguins, on the other hand, are more volatile. Sid the Kid will be whining, crying, and bitching when his team exits early this year.

PREDICTION: Flyers in 5

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 San Jose vs. #8 Anaheim

It's hard not to see the Sharks coming out on top here. They've had one of the best seasons in franchise history and while like with the Bruins, I don't see them going all the way, they'll win this series easily. Anaheim's had a fairly weak year and shouldn't pose much of a threat.

PREDICTION: San Jose in 4

#2 Detroit vs. #7 Columbus

Detroit will experience a Stanley Cup hangover here and lose this series. Yes, they're the Red Wings, but we can't underestimate Columbus here. They've had a great season and will steal this one. That's all I got.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets in 6

#3 Vancouver vs. #6 St. Louis

PREDICTION: Canucks in 5

#4 Chicago vs. #5 Calgary

Perhaps one of the more exciting series on the bill. Chicago should come out on top in a tight race.

PREDICTION: Chicago in 7

A Jersey that should not have been retired

It's Barack Obama's first full day as president -- do you know where your favorite NHL team is [in the standings]?

Never mind that -- I just came up the idea of profiling a player whose jersey never should have been sent to the rafters. Here's a few clues as to who I'm talking about.

1) He wore #32.

2) He played for the Nordiques, Capitals, and Avalanche.

3) He once scored a big OT goal, but is more famous for this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xte-Vtxg-m8 [embedding was disabled on youtube!]

and now, this: [Note Bill Clement's vicious words]



Yes folks, I'm talking about the one, the only, Dale Hunter.

In 2000, a cool 9 years ago, the Washington Capitals sent Hunter's 32 high above the then-MCI Center ice. This was a huge, anti-climatic mistake, mainly because of the above videos.

It is a disgrace to the Capitals previously-prestigious name [??] to honor a player who engaged in such acts during his career. Players like Hunter are why hockey gets little respect from the professional sporting community.

Just thought I'd share that. Now back to your regularly scheduled life.

The first time I predict a game

And I'm 100% correct. As I predicted earlier [see 2 posts down], the Washington Capitals powered their way past the Boston Bruins tonight, 2-1. The shorthanded Bruins simply couldn't muster the offensive attack they've shown all season, and the Caps took advantage.

The game was highlighted by a marvelous slap-shot game winner from Alexander Semin in the third period. Unfortunately, I couldn't find Semin after the game to discuss the blast.

He probably would have explained to me why he's better than Crosby -- and guess what, if we judge tonight alone, he may have been right. We rarely see a stickhandling performance as good as the one the "other" Alex put on this evening.

Can't wait to see these two teams meet in Boston in a few weeks -- should be a preview of an eventual exciting playoff matchup.

The All-Star Game -- Montreal Canadi-craps

Giving fans full control over the All-Star game was never a good idea in my eyes.

WHO SHOULD NOT BE THERE

1) Each of the Montreal Canadiens Starters

Yes, the game is being played in Montreal, yes it's their centennial, and yes, fans are allowed to vote in, and yes the more votes you get, the more chance you have of being a starter and blah blah blah etc.

The facts remain:

-Mike Komisarek has four [count 'em, four!] points this season, and he's a starter in the All-Star game. By this standard, Michal Roszival is a freaking superstar!

-Carey Price's 16 wins are tied for 8th in the league. 8th.

-Alexei Kovalev's 32 points put him in a tie for 59th in the league so far. But not so fast, he could make it to 58th by the season's end.

Andrei Markov is a solid defenseman, and is perhpaps the only one of the four who deserves to be a starter.

-Roberto Luongo should NOT be a starter. He does not play for Montreal and thus probably shouldn't even be in this section.

2) OTHER INJUSTICES

Alex Ovechkin, Jeff Carter, and Tomas Vanek could all be starters. Is the All-Star voting system, like the Electoral College, flawed and outdated? Maybe there should just simply be an All-Star committee.

Phil Kessel, Alex Semin, Nik Backstrom, Nik Zherdev - by Montreal Canadiens standards, these guys all should have made it yet did not.

Maybe the lesson here is to get out and vote. That seems to be what Montreal fans did.

Games of the Week: Boston Asserts Dominance

I was scheduled (by yours truly) to analyze Vancouver's game vs. Edmonton, and the return of Mats Sundin. However, good ole Mats did not register any points in this game -- and I sure as heck wasn't able to watch the contest. Thus, my analysis would merely be a regurgitation of someone else's evaluation. Therefore, I won't discuss this game.

That being said, it's worth noting that through four games with the Canucks, Sundin has just a goal and an assist. Talk about a bust! I mean, this guy was the first overall pick! [20 years ago] [Disclaimer: I'm kidding]

In the OTHER game of the week, while the Edmonton Oilers thrashed the Capitals just down the East Coast, the All-Star Montreal Canadiens [see my All-Star post following this one] stormed into TD Banknorth Garden Tuesaday night for dinner and a movie with their "arch-rivals," the Bruins. For the second straight time, Boston overcame their neighbor to the north, proven that the tables in the Northeast Division have indeed turned since last season.

Goaltender Tim Thomas called his club's 3-1 victory "one of the funnest games" he's played this year, and patented the word "funnest" in the process. The team was led by two goals from defensive slugger Zdeno Chara, who finally seems to be pulling his weight in Beantown.

The Bruins, like teams such as the Washington Capitals, have experienced somewhat of a revival this season. Tuesday night's game was the 11th home sellout of the year, and coaches and players alike called the atmosphere "playoff-like."

Expect the B's to slow things down a bit in the coming weeks for one reason: Phil Kessel managed to get mono, either through sharing a soda with someone, or, well, doing something else. This season, Kessel's third in the NHL, the forward has finally lived up to his early draft selection. With Kess gone from the lineup for 2-4 weeks, the B's will miss the outstanding skating ability #81 brings to the table -- especially this Saturday at Washington.

Marco Sturm is also sidelined, likely for quite some time, with a knee injury. He hasn't been the biggest factor on this team, but nevertheless, every injury counts. Lastly, Milan Lucic, the most overrated player in the NHL BY FAR, sat Tuesday due to an "undisclosed" injury [gotta love those...]

This week, I won't be profiling a West game, just to get my bearings. As you can see above, the first time I tried to do it, I failed miserably, and I need to really figure out what I'm doing before I can effectively try it. It's like playing with fire, that West.

Anyway, the East game:

Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals, Saturday, 7PM

-This matchup is far more anticipated in my eyes than Ovechkin vs. Crosby tonight. The last time the club's met, it was the Caps coming out on top. This time, I'll have to predict the same result. The Bruins are battling injuries, and barring a total collapse from those ever-unpredictable Capitals goalies, the Caps should be able to fight this one out and prove they're the best team in the East. Prediction [NEW!]: Capitals 2-1.

The Shootout

And now, I'm going to talk about why I hate the shootout.

Close your eyes for a second.

Imagine you and a friend have been racing for a mile. You come to the end of the race, both crossing the finish line at exactly the same time. The judge gives you two options. You can call the race a tie, or play rock paper scissors to decide the winner. Oh, and one more thing. You are Gary Bettman. Which option do you decide to go with?

Do you see what I'm getting at?

When a regular season game ends through overtime, the game should be called a tie. Yes, we would lose out on a little excitement, but we would gain an extra dose of fairness! Here are a few reasons why shooutouts should be "shot out" as fast as that horrible pun I just made.

1) Shootouts allow teams with good goaltenders *cough cough not naming any names newyorkrangers cough cough* to coast through overtime with the hope of winning the game on a breakaway competition. The formula is simple: first, get to overtime by barely tying the opposition. Second, once in OT, maybe try a little offense to see what kind of luck you can garner. When that doesn't work, play tight D, counting on your goalie to guide you through. Once he does, shoot first in the shootout. This way, when you've shamelessly won the game in a one-on-one competition with the opposing goalie, your own goalie will stop the puck and get you that extra special second point.

How is this fair?

Good [real] teams with the game in regulation/overtime, and don't rely on their goalie. The shootout should not be a large reason for a good team's wins. Clubs should be forced to take risks during the actual game rather than play conservatively, hoping to make it to a final round of breakaways.

2) The shootout takes away from the novelty of a penalty shot, previously the most exciting play in hockey. Remember how exciting penalty shots used to be? We only saw them maybe once every...well, only a little bit. Barely ever, in fact. Now with the advent of the shootout, a penalty shot is just a "weird" shootout in the middle of a game. What's that about?

3) Maybe it's just me, but somehow, when a team wins through a shootout, the outcome doesn't "feel" like a real win. It feels like the victor got lucky and gained an extra point in the standings. Hockey is the most exciting game on earth, and should be kept that way -- while the shootout is masked to be exciting, the real excitement comes from goals DURING GAMES -- and I just said exciting many times to emphasize this point.

A crapshoot skills competition should never decide the outcome of a professional sporting event. Perhaps the only positive the NHL has going with the addition of the shootout is the elimination of the event during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I've always been against penalty kicks -- which are even more ridiculous -- deciding the world cup.

Conclusion: The shootout should go.

It's been a while

I know I haven't written in quite some time. Some of my more devoted readers have probably gone into a state of utter despair.

But don't fear. I'm ready to get back into hockey writing.

Here's a quick assessment of the NHL so far:

1) In the East, the Bruins and Capitals appear to be the real deal. Both clubs have shown how to build a team around a core of young players. The main difference for the B's this season? Phil Kessel is finally playing like a top 5 draft choice. For the Caps, the whole system of youth has simply gelled perfectly.

The Rangers, on the other hand, ought to fire Tom Renney (or whoever is running the power play, for that matter). With these guys, on any given night, you'll see a completely different, inconsistent team. And should this come as any surprise? After all, the line combinations are changed just as often.

2) The West, the west, the west. What is there to say? It's still better than the East, for one. [Insightful analysis, I know]. This year's Winter "Classic" was an exciting showing, although I question the league's decision to put the Red Wings in the game. We know the Red Wings are that team in the middle of America that's simply the best every season - even when they don't win the Cup. Hasn't America gotten bored of the Motor City boys? I mean, all they do is, well, win. Next year, I say the NHL put an East/West matchup in the WC; say, the Rangers and the Stars. We can play the game at the Ballpark in Arlington. I only truly meant a small amount of what I just wrote.

But I digress.

You've got to love the Blackhawks. A slow start, a coaching change, and suddenly the youth movement is in full swing - even if Patrick Kane looks 13. And San Jose - well, I'd say it's about time Doug Wilson brought home a Cup for the Sharks.

It's now January 7th, 2009 and I am officialy picking the Stanley Cup Finals - the Sharks against the Capitals, with the Sharks winning in 7 games! You heard it at Playedonice -- a crummy blog written by a "nobody" -- first.

3) Sean Avery could be just what the struggling Rangers need.

4) I pledge to start writing in this thing more. I'll start now by giving my game of the week to watch. It's a weekly [who woulda guessed that] segment I'll be doing for each conference. After the game, analysis will ensue. This week, for the West:

Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers - Tonight, 10 PM ET.
-Mats Sundin MAY play but WILL be paid $5 million regardless. We here at Playedonice have the greatest respect for Mats, even if all those Swedes in New York couldn't lure him to the Rangers. Money apparently can buy happiness.
-This game is also a crucial Northwest matchup. Currently, Dion Phaneuf and the sloppy-seconds Flames [whoops] are only 5 points up on the Canucks with a game in hand.

For the East:

Montreal Canadiens at Boston Bruins - Tuesday, 7 PM ET

-The Canadiens will return to the TD Banknorth Garden following a thrashing during their last visit. Apparently, Montreal thought the Bruins would roll over and die like they did through much of the "rivalry." Expect this contest to be a little closer. The Bruins are clearly the better team this season, and have dominated on home ice.