NHL Playoffs: Status Checks

 

Just a reminder – spots for the Hockey Greats Fantasy Camp in early August are filling up quickly.  It’s a small event (30 guests max), and includes practices, games, houseboating, um, lotsa drinking, and golfing with names like Bryan Trottier, Dale Hawerchuk, Steve Shutt, Clark Gillies, Cliff Ronning, Billy Smith, Dave Semenko and four or five others.  Go to www.bournevents.com or email me at jtbourne@gmail.com to inquire about our remaining spots.

(PS – surprise guests may include a certain shut-down d-man on Montreal, and a San Jose Shark with a heavy shot.)

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(2) Chicago Blackhawks vs (3) Vancouver Canucks
Status: Blackhawks lead 3-2
Next game: Game six, in Vancouver, Tuesday 6:30PM PST
Random Thought: “Okay, how high up are Sami Salo’s nads? That puck hit him in the stomach, didn’t it?”

As well as Vancouver played in game five, it was a horrible no-show on Chicago’s part.  At home and with a chance to close out the series, they seemed lifeless and devoid of the urgency you need to end a good team’s season.  As nice as it must have been to feel comfortable with a series lead, worst-case-scenario is bleeding the series all the way back to a “who-knows” game seven, where anyone can win.  The puck bounces funny sometimes.

Once again, Luongo did what we’ve come to expect – the exact opposite of what we expect.  He continually plays good enough to not be called bad, but the second you try to label him as good, he plays bad.  He stresses me out, and I’m not even a Canucks fan.

Vancouver has been able to score enough goals to win in this series, they just need to focus on what they’ve done so well in their wins:  D-UP, HOMIE.  With Salo and O’Brien a little banged up, they’re going to need some guys to step into those roles and be money, or we very well could be seeing them cash out.

(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings
Status: SJ wins series 4 – 1
Next Game: SJ in the Western Conference Finals vs. winner of Chi/Van
Random Thought: “I’m sorry folks…. but I’m afraid Joe Thornton is –.”
BEEP
“He’s–”
BEEP
“Wait a minute! What’s that…. that’s a pulse! Joe Thornton has a pulse!”

My first thought on this series is, why does the “Bark-Off” commercial show dogs barking while the thing is on?  Doesn’t seem very effective.  Oh, hockey, right….

Um, San Jose, as we’ve known for years, is a really good hockey team.  Which is why their playoff failures (plural) have been so difficult to explain away.  So we’ve all gone to the default position “blame Joe Thornton.” 

But when they win games, and you look at their roster – Pavelski, Thornton, Boyle, Heatley, Marleau, Nabokov etc. – it’s really easy to understad why it happened.  I always defended Joey T up until this year, when I mailed it in on him after a few round one perfailmences.  He was just (once again) too lifeless and seemed too sluggish to be effective at playoff pace.  And the second I gave up on him…. he came back to life.

CLEAR!

The Sharks – like Thornton – don’t thrive as leaders of the pack.  They seem to do best without expectations and without attention, like a cactus.  It’s a treat, a real gift to be called “underdog”.  Everything good you do is glorified by the media, and even to some extent within the dressing room.  That positive vibe builds on itself.

{You know how doesn’t have that “positive vibe?”  The Canucks.  No NHL team (really, the Maple Leafs, Bourne?) has such an awful culture of negativity as the Luongo era seems to have.  Those guys need something good to happen to them.}

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens
Status: Pittsburgh leads 3-2
Next Game: Game six in Montreal, 7PM EST
Random Thought: “How were the Penguins a four seed, again? Wait… is there a chance they’re not as good as we all think they are?”

It’s fun to bat around that hypothetical “if”…. let’s just say the Pens aren’t a top team.  They’re a four seed with star players who, if shut down, are just a four seed squeaking by an eight seed right now.  Frankly, it’s not that much of a stretch.

Detroit is out and Washington is out.  Chicago doesn’t have a legitimate starting goalie, which over the years of playoffs, has been proven to be roughly as effective as eating your soup in sandwich form.  It falls apart.

Sooo….. is San Jose the new Cup front-runner?  I dunno… just asking.

The Pittsburgh/Montreal series annoys me, because I so badly want to be done with Montreal, but they won’t let me be.  They were just so startlingly average all year.   And now, I hope they realize, I’ll be obligated to hate them for all of next season if they take out the two most interesting teams from the East.  You don’t think that by now we’d have some epic playoff Ovechkin highlight?  An overtime one-timer glass jump?  A vicious knee?   Something.  DAMN YOU MONTREAL FOR SAPPING THE FUN OUT OF ROUND TWO.

(6) Boston Bruins vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers
Status: Boston leads 3-1
Next Game: Game five in Boston, Monday 7PM EST
Random Thought: “Any team relying on Miroslav Satan and Mark Recchi after the NHL lockout should pretty much hand in their gun and badge – this will allll be over in a couple weeks.”

Boston isn’t horrible, and they aren’t great.  They were probably better than their regular season record indicated.  On the other hand, Buffalo was definitely worse than their season showed.  So Boston pulls it together in an even series and wins.

Now, by the grace of god, they get a Flyers team that limped around all year and barely made playoffs, who happens to have two of their top players injured, and who happen to have a back-up (generous term) goalie as a starter.   By the way – home ice against a seven seed as a six seed in round two, really? Maybe we should temper back the “PETER CHIARELLI IS A MAD GENIUS” stuff for a bit.  The man is doing a great job, but good god those are some sold-your-soul breaks.

Now their fans are ready to say “Boy, we made the conference finals before we draft Hall or Seguin, wait until next year!”, and are setting the bar dangerously high.  The reality is, when they finish in Buffalo’s spot next year (3rd or 4th, thanks to Tuuka Rask and the depth guy they add when they trade Thomas – PS make it a defenseman), your team could very well be in Buffalo’s spot THIS YEAR.  You know the NHL playoffs.  Any team can beat any team, and it’s half luck of the draw.  And this year, you drew very well in the luck category. 

Settle down, Bruins fans.  Settle.  Down.

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Happy Monday!  Some exciting news in the works over at Bourne’s Blog.  Stay tuned, I’ll let ya know when I know. 

Follow me on Twitter.

Shark Psychology, Shane Doan’s Injury, and the Shake Weight

 

 (My lastest piece for The Hockey News is here, on fans implying the league is against their team.  Though I admit, there could be refs like Tim Donaghy trying to influence things for their own gain, THERE IS NO grandiose puppet-master pulling pro-Penguin strings.  Exhale.  Exhale.)  Follow me on Twitter here.

 

Today’s blog has the potential to be a bit weird.  Or at least angry.  I’m one of those people that allergy season treats about as well as Clark Gillies treated Ed Hospodar’s face (two-word hint: reconstructive surgery).

I spend about a month every year feeling like when you have a cold, and whichever side you lay on, your bottom nostril is plugged – only last night, I was priveleged to have both sides shut down.  So I sat on the couch at 3:45, started eating watermelon and started writing this, strictly because that seemed like a better option than the only other thing I could think of, sticking my head a blender and hitting “liquify”.

Before I launch into hockey playoffs – have you seen the actual commercial for the “shake weight”?  The first few times I saw the ads, I mumbled “wtf”, and chuckled like every other male on the planet.  For those of you who don’t care to follow that link, just know that the product SNL parodied is actually real.  Here’s the good stuff:

Ahhh, priceless.  SNL was gold last week.  If you’re a fan and missed it, you gotta check out Andy Samberg in the Hip Hop Kids skit.   “What’re the odds?!”    “…That a bear would be in a bear cave?  Like 100%!”

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Okay, on to hockey:

Daniel Carcillo reacts to scoring goals like Keanu Reeves reacts to going on totally excellent adventures.

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 The Sharks knotted their series up at two, after Joe “I’m getting a bit of a reputation for doing this” Pavelski buried one top corner on Craig “really, Brodeur’s year was better than mine?” Anderson.  And for the Sharks, thank god he did.

But if I’m in that San Jose room, I’m still a little rattled at going to overtime again.

For an underdog to pull out a playoff upset, they need to get some bounces, and they need to get some calls.  Unlike the top dog, they know that every game is going to take maximum effort for them to have any hope of winning.

Even with that formula, in a best-of-seven series the underdog can’t get the breaks every night.  Usually along the way, like in the case of Washington/Montreal, the better team will just have one of those nights where they play to their potential, and win 5-1.  Or like how the Pens looked like defending Cup champs just a few nights after losing game one.  And I suspect one of these nights we’ll see the same thing in the Nashville/Chicago series, where they’ll play the type of game where the better roster gets some luck, brings their work ethic, and wins in convincing fashion.  Not saying Chicago will win the series (wait, yes I am), but they’ll have a night where they flex their muscles.

For San Jose, holy shit fellas, strike a pose. 

There hasn’t been a single game out of the four where a Heatley/Marleau/Thornton/Pavelski/Boyle-laden team can put together a convincing win?  I don’t care how good their goalie is, pick some corners, move the puck, what the f**k!

If you want any of us to believe in your squad (and you want to believe in yourselves), we gotta see some something bodybuilder-like, and soon.  Oil yourself up, get a fake tan, and flex those offensive muscles tomorrow.

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When Valterri Filpula banked the puck off the back of Bryzgalov, it landed on the goal line in the only conceivable way for it to not continue moving across the line, and I immediately thought the Coyotes were just destined to win.  Turns out, Jimmy Howard and Henrik Zetterberg had something to say about that.

(Phoenix takes the best overhead pics.  Love this one from game three.)

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 (DoanFace photoshop gallery)

As a hockey fan, it’s frustrating having Doan miss time in this series.  One, because no one in the entire NHL deserves playoff hockey more than him (and I mean that – he’s like Steve Nash.  98% of the league would have bailed on this organization for a better title shot by now), but also because I want what everyone else wants – a clear winner.  A way to say “this is the better team” definitively.  But Shane Doan is such a crucial piece of the Coyotes puzzle, the Red Wings getting wins with him not in the lineup feels like we all go cheated. (Rumour is he’ll play in game five, so yay to that!)

Kudos to the Red Wings though, they took care of business on home ice with the other team’s captain out, just like they’re supposed to.  And all the while, Zetterberg keeps performing like a first ballot Hall-of-Famer.

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So, this was brought to my attention yesterday: The Ref Cam.  It’s in a USHL game, Chicago vs. Green Bay.  We need more of this.

Can you imagine how much refs would resist a product that proves the offside they just whistled down was actually the wrong call, but the guy just made a panic decision?  Horrible feeling.  Thanks for the video, Jeff:

 

(What a toolbox reaction from the goalie)

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Before I shut’er down for the day, I need to say a major thank you to reader Steve Croteau.  Steve noticed that a couple times I’ve bitched about not actually having a computer, which means I wreck my fiancee’s all day, with a combination of food, grease and questionable downloads.

So, since his family was moving on to a new one, he sent me their old Dell, which works wonderfully (and only weighs slightly more than Todd Bertuzzi).  Now Bri and I can be on Facebook/Twitter at the same time and never talk, awesome.  Ooo, and I can live blog more now, cause she’ll have stuff to do.  So goooo Steve!  Thanks again, man.

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If you didn’t get enough randomness (or shake weightery) today, here’s an entertaining display from a couple of college baseball teams during a rain delay.  It’s worth a couple chuckles.

Boyle “Scores”, Ovy’s Awake, and Red Wings/Coyotes Talk

 

Hockey!

Don’t you hate that I don’t often blog on the weekends?  So much happened.  Let discuss….

Dan Boyle shoots the puck into the net in overtime, only… it was his own.

Dan Boyle shot the puck into the net in overtime, only, it was his own.  Not sure if you heard about that.

This is one of those f**k-ups that’s so exceptionally f**ked-up that it doesn’t even affect you as a player, if that makes any sense.  If you’re playing a game, and your best isn’t as good as your opponents best, it can get to you.  You start to doubt yourself, you start trying other things, and you get worse.  But this play was so ridiculous I wouldn’t even be that rattled. 

For the record, I don’t think O’Reilly tipped it.  It’s just one of those plays where you go, crap, no way that just happened.  I’m gonna go change, go home, and prepare for the next game.

What it does mean, for a Sharks team who needs extra hurdles like Ben Roethlisberger needs another accuser, is that they’re down 2-1 to a team they’re better than.  It also means they gave life and hope to a young squad who needed exactly that.  San Jose played great last night – absolutely dominated and looked they were on the powerplay most of the night.  Only Craig Anderson was so phenomenal they should have credited him with the game winner.

Even if San Jose does win this series, it’s going to be longer and more stressful than they’d hoped.  Which is too bad, cause it’d be fun to see them advance (in full health) to a round where they got to play another top seeded team.  Maybe they just need to get away from pesky underdogs to show their true colours. (teal!)

Every series was knotted up at 1-1.

Which is pretty cool, if you’re into watching exciting hockey.  As I mentioned before, any desperate, defensive NHL squad could beat the best teams one time out of seven (even Edmonton!).  I was appalled by the amount of people that were jumping on underdog bandwagons, like we were gonna see the eight lower seeds advance.

The Sens aren’t gonna beat the Penguins.  The Habs aren’t gonna beat the Capitals.  And the Islanders aren’t playing hockey in late April.  Some things you just know to be true.

The most realistic upset scenario is Philadelphia giving the boots to New Jersey, provided Boucher avoids getting the yips for the remainder of the series (Example of the goalie yips: Detroit’s first goal of playoffs, where Bryzgalov caught a case of the yips instead of the puck on Holmstrom’s shot.  A random body twitch that prevents you from doing something easy. A bit of a Philadelphia-goaltending-epidemic).  All year I thought NJ was higher up the standings than the quality of their team, and Philly was sitting lower than their potential.  It’s a pretty even match-up, so I like the Flyers odds, being up 2-1 and all (plus, Carcillo’s goal is proof that good things happen to good people.  What a guy).

Random sidenote – I could totally see Buffalo in the Eastern conference finals.  They’re one of those teams that doesn’t get much TV love, and not a team I ever chose to watch with other options on.  After seeing them play a few times, I’m muchos impressed.  Moreso than I am with Jersey/Philly/Boston, who are the teams they’d have to beat to get there.

Alex Ovechkin had four points in game two.

His no shots in game one prompted “what’s wrong with Ovechkin” talk from folks all over. 

I feel like the hockey community is dying to chuck this guy under the next passing bus some reason, like he’s ever done anything wrong aside from some excessive celebrating (which I love).   It’s like we can’t wait to give Crosby the reins as the games best player.  I dunno if anyone else feels that, it’s just sort of a vibe I get.

Hate to break it to y’all, but barring injury, the games best goal scorer is gonna be co-holder of those reins for a long, long time.  He’ll streak and slump like everyone else.

Coyotes/Red Wings became the most exciting series in playoffs.

Most exciting by an absolute landslide (shout out to LA/Van, Boston/Buffalo).

Ilya Bryzgalov (by the way, I call my fiancee “Breeze” or “Breezer”, which has evolved to Ilya Breezegalov) was an absolute stud in the third period of the last game, and Jimmy Howard wasn’t.

I really felt like this would be one of those series that no one would ever score in.  Two well coached teams doing the right thing, y’know?

But it’s been thrilling.  Scads of goals, lead changes, and a fast, young Coyote team that’s giving the supposed Cup contending Wings all they can handle.  Can Detroit beat Phoenix three of the next four games and pull it out?  I dunno, man.  I just don’t know.

I was at the first two games here in Phoenix, and feel the need to say props to the Coyotes fans.  It’s been a lot of fun. 

Until you see some of these guy’s play in person, it’s tough to know why some guys score while others don’t.  Pretty easy to see once you see Datsyuk’s wizardry in person.

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Sorry about the late post – I was putting the finishing touches on a column that should be up today or tomorrow on USA Today’s website - I’ll put the link up when it posts.

In the meantime, I’m on the computer all day, so if you’d like to discuss any other playoff topics, fire away.  I’ll be here to respond.

Monday, wweeeee!

Round One, Night One. Summary: I Sucked At My Job.

Y’know what’s horrible?  How all the channels dedicated to one sport – the NHL Network, NBA, Golf, whatever – have those three minute infomercials instead of real ones.  Commercials suck enough to begin with, but at least play to my A.D.D. and dudeness by running some 30 second ads in which no image is on the screen for longer than two seconds, and most of the images are girls in bikinis with beer.

And each one is worse than the last.  As a commentor recently wrote: “Theahs no messin’ up yoah doah!”

Brutal.

Moving on.

Soooo, I was at the Coyotes/Red Wings game, and had an absolute blast.

I was upper (upper) deck, but I continue to maintain that Jobing.com is one of the nicest arena’s in the league (not that anyone disagrees with me on that).   You can see the action from anywhere. 

Totally random thought to start the blog – I was struck by how nice the Wings uni’s are.  Turns out I’ve never seen them in person before, which is kinda sad, and that the simple red and white rocks the party that rocks the party.  Original six jersey’s rule, dude.  Toronto, Chi-town, Boston?  C’mon.  Those three are badass too. 

Like you, when Bryzgalov looked he had just put his head on a bat, spun, did a whippit, then tried to catch Holmstrom’s shot and missed – I couldn’t help but think the ‘Yotes were in deep, deep doodoo.  I mean, if your team leans on your Vezina-contending goalie to win, and said goalie lets in what might be – and I mean this – the worst goal scored in the NHL this year, you’re in a bit of a pickle.

But let’s give the Coyotes the credit they’re more than due – as they have all year, they absolutely wouldn’t roll over and die.  They recouped from being down badly in shots (I think it was 25-8 or something at one point), slowly took over the game, and actually might have ended up ahead in scoring chances.

Their d-corps has scored a lot of goals all year, and yesterday was no different.  Every time I go to their games, I always leave thinking Keith Yandle is better than I did the time before.  He would’ve been my first star, for sure. (He reminds me of Alex Goligoski – I just wrote a piece on Alex for the next THN magazine, so peel your eyes, or whatever the expression is).

The crowd was absolutely amazing, and the game was great.  Fans were walking out of the building howling, happy and high-fiving.  After what they’ve endured here, the fans who’ve stayed true deserved last night.  It was pretty special.

And we learned one thing about my prognosticating – if I picked your team, you should be more mad at me than if I didn’t picked ‘em.  0-4 to start.  eeeeeyikes.

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A thought about the Pens highlights – the Sens won, but scored a bunch of goals they certainly can’t count on getting most nights.  There was the one crazy bounce, then a couple goals from Chris Neil and Jarrrkkko Ruuuttttuu.  I’d put your life savings on the next game for Pittsburgh. 

Ooo, another thought: how about Craig Adams not scoring over the entire 82 game season, then fires a backhand harder than You Reading This can take a snapshot?  How can you score so little with a shot like that?  Dude must have zero offensive sense.

{UPDATE: not only do Sens fans exist, they’re F****D.  Your 2010 Sens Cup song, to the tune of HORRIBLE Black Eyed Peas music.  I literally recommend that you do not click that link.  It’s one of those things I had to pass on though, like I listened to it, so I’m putting it out there in case you hate yourself too.}

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Why, Sharks?  Why do you keep doing this?  I really wanted to go to bat for you this year. 

Anyone actually watch the game and want to let me know what happened?  Did it feel like San Jose couldn’t skate with the kids, or was it something you’re not worried about seeing again? 

The Sharks need to bury about seven next game or the stick-squeezing pressure is gonna start coming down on Jumbo Joe sooner than it would anyone else in the league.

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We walked into my buddy’s bar to pick up some people for the Coyotes game (we had about a dozen people last night), saw the Flyers were up 1-0, and I almost immediately regretted picking the Devils.  Yes, after one goal.

I picked with my head (Devils sported the leagues lowest goals allowed total, and defense matters in playoffs) instead of my heart (I think Philly is gonna win).  What I forgot, when using my head, is that everybody plays defense in the playoffs, so that stat isn’t that important.

There’d be nothing worse than flip-flopping, having the Devils pull it out, and being wrong twice in one series.  So I’ll rode the horse I rode in on.  But this one is a coin flip for me.

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Now, excuse me while I go have a bowl of Aprin O’s and use Pepto Bismal for milk.

Heckling Tiger, Huet vs. Niemi, The Frozen Four

G’mornin!

For those of you who prefer my writing in “column form” (y’know, with a coherent thought process, and usually some point to make beyond the “I THINK GUY FIERI BLEACHES HIS HAIR!” blog format), you can check out my latest for USA Today, on Why the Coyotes are nervously watching the Red Wings progress. 

Cool.

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Today is the Masters Par Three tournament warm-up thingy, which you’d have to be a pathetic, desperate fan of the Masters to watch, so I’ll probably set my DVR and go by some extra bags of Orville Redenbacher’s salt and pepper popcorn.  Which, by the way, is to popcorn what the Masters is to golf. 

Deadspin makes it’s case for someone to heckle Tiger at the Masters like he rightfully deserves.  At first, I was all nose-in-the-air, gasp, not at the Masters-ey about it.  But man, when you write a convincing article, you write a convincing article.  Check out the link… and as always with Deadspin, if my blog is rated R, theirs is…. whatever’s worse than that. (Read: he doesn’t put asterisks in the word f**k…. how uncouth).

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Duke beat Butler to win the National Championship.  In other news you don’t care about, my cats breath still smells like cat food.

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Looks like Chicago’s going with Niemi for the stretch run here, hey?  He’ll make his fifth straight start tonight versus Dallas.

I understand that he had back to back shutouts in that stretch, so it’s impossible to not let him run with the ball for a bit.  But I’d be starting Huet.  Here’s my logic:

At this point, it’s hard to make the argument that Niemi is that much better than Huet (or vice versa).  Niemi may be better in future years, but as of the 2009-2010 playoffs, he’s not.

You’ve committed to Huet with a big contract.  He’s earning the big dough, so there’s obviously a reason for that.  At some point in his 277 NHL games (or 16 playoff ones) with Montreal, LA, Chicago (and I think briefly Washington), he’s shown flashes of multi-million dollar brilliance.

The experience I just referenced helps.  He’s 34 years old.  Annnntttttiiii (sp?) Niemi is 26 – prior to this season, he had 3 NHL games under his belt, which brings his total to 38, career.

I’m all for playing whoevers best on any given day, but if you’re having trouble deciding, give the reigns to the guy you put all your chips on before the roulette ball started spinning.

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I slid a “Go RIT!” in at the end of yesterday’s blog, but it was kind of a joke.  I’m glad to see other lesser-known programs going deep, for sure, but at heart, I’m a WCHA loyalist.

See, when you’re record is like, 14-28 every year, you tend to explain to people that it’s because the league you play in is the best in college hockey (yes, CCHA and Hockey East-ers, you have some argument).  The fact is, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association has won 36 of the last 58 National Championships, and there are six college conferences.  My second year in college, of the (something like) 58 Div. 1 college programs, the frozen four was ALL WCHA teams.

These are the things I cite to defend myself, and thusly, let me slowly, in all caps, type out my hope and pick for the National Title this year:

WISCONSIN BADGERS

My playoff record against those Badgers is 3-3 — had Pavelski and Robbie Earl not single-handedly earned NHL contracts in the third period of game one my sophomore year, it would be a lot better.  But then…. I guess those guys were on their team, so it is kinda fair…. crap.

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Time to wake up the houseguests!  Enjoy what NHL.com is calling “Super Tuesday” (is that even a thing?)  Who’s Detroit playing?  Can I bet my kid’s yet unearned college fund on them winning tonight?

The Front Nine (Sports Thoughts)

 

Before we begin, a video: The very second Tracy Porter makes the interception and runs it back for a touchdown, everyone knows the game is over.  Take a couple second gander at how this bar in New Orleans felt about that:

Um, they were excited.

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Alrighty – my TBAF (To Blog About Files) are stuffed full.  It’s time to play 18 holes – nine today, nine tomorrow.  Let’s tee off:

#1) 

Charging is defined as taking more than three strides (or maybe it’s two, whatever) before hitting a guy.  The problem with that definition is, IT’S HOCKEY.  You’re taking strides to get everywhere.  When a hit becomes available, you’ve been taking strides, so the question becomes… How long do you have to coast to nullify a charge?  If you’re hustling on the backcheck, and some guy starts to cut to the middle, how are you supposed to skate to legally be able to separate the man from the puck?  I think we need to make charging more about intent than about a physical description of the play.

#2) 

For the first time this season, I checked out some ECHL stats yesterday, and was pleasantly surprised.  Turns out my boy Ryan Kinasewich is leading the league in points, which is awesome.  It’s the guys sixth ECHL year, and he’s got a million ECHL points, but I guess AHL teams are like… Nope, he just scores too consistently, it’s really annoying.  He wasn’t drafted.  He doesn’t fit our mold of ”big and young.”  I just checked – he’s played 264 ECHL games over six seasons, with 362 points (156 goals, 32 so far this year).  He’s still only 26.

#3)

I haven’t gotten around to doing the research yet, but I think it’s a fair question to discuss:  I haven’t seen Ilya Kovalchuk play much (like the rest of you), but everyone loves to spout that he’s a defensive liability.  I’ve looked for it in the past few games, and haven’t seen it. 

He’s a career -84 or so, but has played on mostly bad Atlanta teams, playing the other teams top line or top shutdown line.  From personal experience, I can tell you the team and line you’re on makes all the difference in that category, and it’s only fair to judge a player’s +/- against those teammates.  What was Atlanta’s even strength goal differential while he was there, -400?  No way someone that big and talented can be as bad as I keep hearing on D.  I’m just not buying it.

#4)

No league does a championship trophy like the NHL.  Are you shitting me, Stanley Cup?  How perfect are you?  All tall like that, with a nice weighty feel (I’m told).  It’s a substantial prize worth hoisting over your head.  And with all the mystique around touching it, and the keeper of the cup in white gloves, it just makes a guy think: the NFL should be ashamed of itself.  This is America.  Bigger is better, right EntireCountry?  That’s your damn sport.  Now go build a better goddamn trophy and do the name Lombardi some justice!

#5)

Brooks Orpik (Pittsburgh) and Andrew Macdonald (New York Islanders) look so much alike it’s bizarre.  I will continue hammering this point home until I get an amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fine, maybe these pics don’t do it perfect justice, but just wait til A-Mac lets it get stubbly.  It’s boggling.  The only reason I’m not making “twin” claims is that A-Mac doesn’t do that prolonged, distant stare that Orpik favors.  Thankfully.

 #6)

For forwards, playing well without getting points sucks.  Your point total from a given game rarely tell the story of how you played, so it sucks when you make all the right decisions and don’t get rewarded.  Stastny finally got a couple points last night, but he’s been playing better than his production.

 #7)

A few nights back, I was watching a Red Wings game in which Bertuzzi snapped his head back to fake getting high-sticked (a move I didn’t think people actually did without some level of contact).  He successfully drew the penalty (even “checked” for blood!), putting the Wings dangerous powerplay unit on the ice.  A day later, I saw Alexander Semin to something similar. 

So my question is:  if we suspend players when they do something we don’t want in the game (cheap hits), why shouldn’t we suspend players for that play, in obvious circumstances?  They’re cheating, and we want that out of the game, right?  I’m not talking embellishments.  I mean, “dude, that stick never got above your logo”.  I’m talking about sitting beside Bertuzzi and watching the play with him and going, “Look – you intentionally tried to fuck over the refs and the legitimacy of the game there.  We don’t need 10 year olds in the NHL.  Go sit in the corner for a few nights and think about what you’ve done.”

#8)

Bob Gainey stepped down.  As DownGoesBrown tweeted “Gainey “voluntarily” stepped down the way I “voluntarily” leave the bar after the bouncer tells me he’s kicking me out”.  Thought that was the best analogy EVER.

#9)

I want a golfer to write a tell-all book. And nothing to do with Tiger.  I just imagine it’s such an interesting lifestyle.  Do some guys fly private planes, and some fly coach?  There must be such a discrepancy between the quality of life for the top and bottom golfers.  Who “makes it rain”, who’s a cheap prick (Ben Crane right?  Has to be Ben Crane), who are the A-holes (Phil?  Really?  FIGJAM!), who’s a drunk (Anthony Kim, eh?), all that stuff.  I need to know!

*****

So there you have it!  The front nine ended on a golf topic.  Chime in on what you know about, want to know about, or just type some words into the comment box.  We’re a big happy sports (okay, largely hockey) discussion site.  Dive in.

The Conn Smythe, a Plug and a Kobe

 

Heyyy, the Pengy’s finally won one!

The saddest part of watching them win was admitting that they just aren’t the better team.  I so badly wanted them to be.  Sigh…  But, at least there’s hope. 

I was so convinced Crosby was the Penguins Conn Smythe guy after the conference finals it was silly.  I figured, even if Malkin steps it up in a big way in the finals it wasn’t going to equal Crosby’s contributions to how far they’ve advanced.  Now, it’s looking a little dicier.

What about the Wings?  Zetterberg or Franzen?  Or… Osgood?  Back to back Zetterberg’s right?  The last time I can remember an offensive player playing defense that exceptionally was Fedorov in his heyday, also for the Red Wings.

[polldaddy poll=1675957]

On the vacation front, there’s good news in regards to our Hockey Greats Fantasy Camp this year.  Aside from having guys like Dale Hawerchuk, Bryan Trottier, Clark Gillies, Billy Smith, Cliff Ronning, Dave Semenko and many others locked up, we reached a long term agreement with the beautiful lakeside resort “The Cove” on the Westside of Kelowna BC.  The camp wouldn’t be the same without that setting, so I want to give a major thank you to them for partnering with us. 

With agreements and sponsorships, we’ve been able to cut entry down to $3000 (with sponsorship packages ranging from $150 to $20,000).  We provide the ice time, cover transportation in Kelowna, provide lots of free gear, your resort suite, a round of golf, breakfasts and appy’s, an afternoon on a houseboat and other extras. 

We’re working on bringing Trevor Linden into the fold, and next year we have Kelly Hrudey committed to hosting.  Signing up this year also affords you a discount on next years entry.  Contact me if you’re interested in being involved August 5th to the 8th in Kelowna BC at jtbourne@gmail.com – there’s actvities, accomodations and entertainment in a relaxed environment for every guest.

Sorry about the shameless plug – I just really love the event we’re running out here.

I need to mention something else before I call today over (PS, plugging that made me feel like Vince at ShamWow. “ShamWow, it’ll have ya sayin’ wow every time”).  I’m watching the Spike Lee documentary “Kobe Doin’ Work”. 

What is this guy’s deal?

It’s so awkward watching him justify every play and decision throughout the whole documentary.  It just seems so forced.  I’m not sure why I still get the vibe that the guy is insecure.  What does he want, more money, fame?  I’ve tried so hard to like the guy.  He’s A-Rod awkward.  God, what a chotch.

And lastly, my latest The Hockey News entry on slumping will be up in the next day or two.  I’ll post the link when it’s up!  Go Pens!

A Picture, a Link, and a Thought

 

The title says it all.  Enjoy one of each.

The picture:  mreow.

The link:  NHL Tries To Woo Fans By Increasing Scoring With Bigger Nets, 3-Point Line

The thought:  The finals continue today, and the Pens have a chance to get right back up on that horse.

Getting scored on first is deflating, but to have it be a bank-off-the-back-wall goal is like having holes in your parachute.  To top it off, King James and the Cavs lost to Dwight Shoulders and the Magic.  The only thing to do now is stare at kitten pictures, laugh at that link, and settle in with Mr. Redenbacher Salt ‘n Pepper popcorn for Game Two!  Enjoy folks.