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Flyers may be out of rabbits

By now the story has been told so many times that it can’t be milked for any more mileage. Qualifying with an overtime win on the last day of the regular season, coming back from 3-0 (twice) to be the bruins, then coming from 0-2 to even the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately the Flyers their magic wand is out of pixie dust as they must win two games in a row to win the championship. Although the ‘hustle board’ seemed to be very close as Philly had less give-a-ways, more hits, and the shots were about the same for the game, but the BHawks made the most of theirs, particularly in the first period when they outshot the Flyers almost 2 to 1, scoring on three minute intervals at 12, 15, and 18 minutes into the first period to put the game and maybe the series on ice. So now the Flyers must return to the well of fortune one more time and hope that they don’t come up dry as they’re going to need to change the momentum of a Chicago team that realizes how close they are to making history. Part of that task will be to take advantage of the power play opportunities when they have them in the three games they’ve lost in this series they’re 20% (2 of 10) but game 5 was the first time in the series they failed to beat Niemi at least once, which is not a good harbinger going into two must win games. Then again, they’ve been on the canvas before, and have not only gotten up but proceeded to but their opponent down. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks are battling back from a fight of their own, one that has lasted decades, and they’re not about to be caught with their guard down. Does Philly have one last comeback left in them? Let us know here and in any of the quick links:

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The BHawks have no reason to be comfortable

 

For the novice it would appear that the Stanley Cup Finals were over as now the Flyers must win four out of five games, but any true fan who has been watching the playoffs knows that this could be far from over after the comebacks and upsets that we’ve seen throughout the post-season. But even the Philly fans have to wonder if they’ve finally run out of silver bullets? They’ve come back from the dead four times since the last game of the regular season and now feline enthusiast wonder how many lives they have left. The two games thus far have had something for everyone. The end-to-end offense of game one left you wondering who would be left standing tying a record for goals scored to open a cup, and game two was the defensive and goaltending battle that we expected when we the two clubs first lined up. But not for a 28 second defensive lapse late in the second period Leighton would have had a shutout and heading back to the city of brotherly love even 1-1. It appears that was the Flyers wake up call as they quickly acknowledged the urgency of the situation and rekindled the aggressive forechecking that got them to the Finals to begin with and although they carried the pressure for the rest of the game they could only beat Niemi one time which was not enough to warrant a spit decision. Less than 25% if the offense that we saw in game one but exciting in its own right. Justifiably, the pundits have been have been wrong with their concerns of this year’s Cup matchup as although we don’t have an NY, LA, or Canadian club, we do have two great hockey cities, with great traditions, and members of the original six, competing for the championship while putting on a great show. Moreover, the NHL has done just fine for themselves so far even without the aid of the two biggest stars in the game, Crosby and Ovechkin, as the TV ratings for game 1 were the highest for an opener in 11 years and game 2 the highest ever for a second game. All of that said, the series and the pressure shifts back to the Flyers as they must answer the bell for round 3 of find themselves in the abyss of a 0-3 deficit. At that point the BHawks had better watch out because the Flyers will have them right where they want them. Do you think Philly will even the series at home or is Chicago just too strong? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.

 

 

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NHL needs a clean sweep going into Stanley Cup Finals

 

In a post season that has had all of the components necessary to go down as one of the all time greats, including game 7’s, road wins, monumental upsets, and great individual performances, the 2010 may be remembered as the one that wasn’t. In addition to neither top seeds making to the Cup Finals (sorry Sharks fans but I’m writing this one off), the two top players on the planet couldn’t get out of the second round, and the President’s Cup winners were on the wrong side of the greatest upset in NHL history. Oh, and just for good measure through in the worst television schedule in Cup history and that does not bode well for the NHL making any sort of substantial rebound. So much for riding the momentum of the Olympic Hockey tournament. Not to be hypocritical, but the first three rounds have been amazing for the true fans, if we only had a TV network to actually broadcast the games at separate times we’d be in business. Anyway, what we need now is for the BHawks and the Flyers to close out their business in 4 games so we can get on with the Finals, were every game of the series is televised so it has an opportunity to build some momentum and a fan base. Unlike the NBA where you can see almost every game of every series, the NHL will show one or two OF one or two, and the casual fan or anyone on the west coast probably has no idea that Sid the Kid isn’t playing anymore. That said, what we should have left, baring another 0-2 or 0-3 aberration are the two hottest teams in the post season coming together for a great Cup Final. The Flyers have managed to change goalies mid stream and actually improve their momentum as Michael Leighton has all of the mo’ that Halak had against the Pens and more en route to 70 straight saves and consecutive shutouts (blowouts). I know what the Habs did to get this far is stuff of legend (only 8-seed ever to beat a 1 and a 2) but I think the dream ends here for them. On the flip side, the BHawks were the favorite of many to come from the pack and squeak one out at the wire, look like they’re peaking at the right time setting a precedent with seven consecutive road wins making every arena fell like Joe Louis. So what the NHL doesn’t need now that we have an intriguing story line after the marquis matchups are not possible, is for the forgone conclusions to drag out, and make a 4-1, 4-2 series last another week just long enough to the ether to wear off. Trust me, there is no Laker/Celtics mega fight at the end of this road and we need to hold all the viewers we can, if so, they will be well rewarded. What is your take on the this year’s playoffs? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.

 

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At the end of the day(season) how important is the regular season anyway?

 

This year’s NHL playoffs had made a mockery of the NHL season. Throughout this year we have ad blogs and discussions on the advantages and disadvantages of the various playoff systems, such as the NBA with seedings based on the regular season then brackets of 4 of 7 series, the NFL with division winners and two wild cards in a single elimination tournament, MLB w/a combination of the two as they have division winners and wildcards in a best of 5/7 format, and the NHL where they combine all three and add the wrinkle of re-seeding at the end of each round(obviously the NCAA BCS system fared the worst). We even fans from across the pond chiming in about how the EPL system is the best with just a regular season winner. Of all of them the NHL system had the most votes for the best all-around playoff system (NCAA Tournament a close second) with the major points being that you reward the best teams for a good regular season by seeding them high, giving them home ice, and benefiting if another team is upset by pairing them with the lowest seed remaining in the tournament. True all of the systems can be critiqued in some way but all thing being equal the NHL seems to make the biggest point for regular season performance (other than the EPL where the reg season winner doesn’t allow anyone to get a second chance). That said this seasons playoffs, however exciting to the occasional NHL fan, have exploited that there may be no rhyme or reason to the whole thing. Hockey is the only of the afore mentioned sports where ‘home ice’ has had no meaning at all. In the NBA teams that historically gone up 3-1, in a given series win 98% of the time, no team has ever lost a series after being up 3-0, and there have only been two 8 seeds that have ever beaten 1 seeds in a series. Conversely, in the NHL 7 of the last 8 ROAD teams have won game 7’s and the top three seeds in one conference, in one year, have all lost, culminating with the number 8 seed Montreal upsetting the defending Stanley Cup Champions Pittsburgh in game 7 on the road to advance to the Conference Finals. I understand it makes for exciting hockey but really what is the point of a brutal 82 game regular season if home ice makes no difference in the playoffs? Perhaps the Western Conference winner can hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup at the end of all of this and bail out the NHL similar to the way the BCS seems to have nine lives, but at the end of the day perhaps one of the two top seeds will be playing in the final and neither of the best players. To put it in perspective it is the equivalent of LeBron James and Cleveland losing in the first round to Chicago and Kobe and the Lakers losing in the conference semis. Not a whole lot left to see, and that’s what has the NHL faithful concerned about as ratings for this year’s playoffs have been dismal despite the exciting games and series (of course most of that has to do with the lack of TV coverage and bad scheduling, but that’s another story). Unfortunately, I don’t have the answer this year as it appears even when you have the most fair system that rewards consistency and excellence during that gauntlet of an 82 game schedule if you don’t bring it when it really counts, the second season, you’ve got no one to blame but yourself while you watch at home.

 

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Deuces are still wild as most of the NHL playoffs do not play true to form

After the first two nights of the NHL playoffs it looked as if we were in for a very wild ride as both top seeds gave up home ice and the dogs were having their way winning 5 of the first 7 games, the team that looked like they were most fragile ice were the Sharks whom are the only of the top four seeds to have already handled their biznis’, as they won 3 straight games and have moved on. The Caps do lead 3-2 but will have try and close out on the road, however it’s the 2 seeds that have been the unlucky number as the Devils were ousted expeditiously by 7^th seeded Flyers 4-1, and the Hawks find themselves up 3-2 but going on the road to try and close out those pesky Predators. The consensus “sleeper” picks in this year’s playoffs were the afore mentioned Blackhawks and the Sabres but someone forgot to wake both of them up as Buffalo is in dire straights down 2-3 and on their way to Beantown. So even though we’ve had great stories thus far there is much drama left to unfold before the first round concludes. So is this parity or severe case of looking too far ahead? Well, it might be a tad too early to make that call but in a year that saw 7 of the 8 playoff teams in the West have over 100 points perhaps it should have been expected, and we’re getting what we paid for. But the East was set, Caps n’ Pens on one end, Devils n’ Sabres on the other and let’s get it on, but so far only the 4^th seeded Penguins have booked their flights for next week and the other three would be wise to make sure they focus on their own house cleaning before they think of doing the same or they’ll be joining the 2^nd seeded Devils with a lot of explaining to do. Is someone else ripe for the upset? Let us know here and in the NHL chat rooms and blogs.

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Six months of work doesn’t generate a positive ROI for any of the top seeds

 

How good has the last week been? Seriously, even the most avid hockey fan could not have imagined how good these games have been with 9 of the first 12 being decided by one goal (open net goals prevented it from being 11/12), and three OT’s. Also as poignant as closeness of the games is how the dogs were going and getting wins on the road. Is this due to parity or does home ice simply not mean as much in the NHL as is does in any other sport? Seriously, could you imagine is both the Cavaliers and Lakers lost game 1 in the NBA what the top stories on espn would be and how much trouble they would be in? Both tops seeds in the NHL did just that and are in the process of righting the ship but no one seems to be concerned. Am I missing something here? Granted you don’t have such a thing as “home town calls’ or parquet floors with strange bounces but why are NHL teams not afraid to go on the road and should they be? There’s nothing like the marathon that is the MLB schedule but 82 games is certainly more than a 10k, and to give away the spoils of six months of consistent play in 60 minutes to a club that, based on record, you should dispose of in 5 games is inexcusable. I suppose we could pile on the top-seeds for letting this happen particularly in the case of San Jose, whom has dealt with these issues in the past, but if every home team split the first pair at home then it’s more than a trend it’s become the status quo. Once can also argue that the lack of killer instinct isn’t there for Buffalo, Jersey, and Vancouver, favs that were supposed to win there series and had an opportunity to really put their foot on the throats of their opponents by going up 2-0, forcing them to win 4 of 5 but all failed to do so. Now once we see the flipside we’ll have some of our answers if the dogs reciprocate the hospitality and allow the higher seeds to take a game in their house, if they don’t then the favorites will have plenty to contemplate over the summer why they weren’t still playing in May. If they don’t then plenty can make the argument for getting healthy even if it means dropping some games (and perhaps a seed or two) at the end of the season but going into the playoffs solid and knowing there’s much work to be done. Then again, we may already have our answer, particularly if the Sharks leave the party early again this year. So is this simply playoff hockey or a lick of intensity from clubs that have delivering all year? Let us know your thoughts here and in any of the quick links. 

 

 

It took more than 82 games but we’re ready to drop the puck

 

The last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference wasn’t decided until a shot at the 5-hole was saved in a shootout well after 60 minutes, of the 82^nd game of the NHL season had been played. Concluding one of the most exciting weeks of hockey ever played that didn’t have consequences for any of the top ten teams in the league. But now the playoff picture has been framed, the matchups set, and here are the Smacchat first round predictions.

 

(2) New Jersey vs. (7) Philadelphia - Although they may feel as if they have just won a playoff series the reality is that come Wednesday the Flyers must travel to hostile territory to take on a well rested New Jersey Devils team that is still bitter over last year’s first round exit despite winning 51 games during the regular season. As great as the run was, Philly’s season ends six.

 

(1) Washington vs. (8) Montreal – I don’t want to belabor the obvious but the line of Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Green is more intimidating than a firm that specializes in litigation. With an unprecedented +85 in goal difference and the East best record, don’t look for any miracles here, the Caps move on.

 

(3) Buffalo vs. (6) Boston – The rumors of the Bruins death two weeks ago were greatly exaggerated and now they come into face the number 3 seed as only a slight underdog at 49%. Ryan Miller will try to stifle the Bruins and bring back some of the Olympic mojo but we’re calling for an upset as the dog backed into a corner comes out and barks and the Burins steal this in game 7.

 

(4) Pittsburgh vs. (5) Ottawa – For a 4-5 matchup the Senators don’t seem to be getting a lotta’ love from hockey pundits as the defending champions are almost a 2-1 favorite. Perhaps for good reason as they were exactly in the same position coming from a 4^th seed to win the Stanley Cup. We can’t see that far on the horizon but we can see past the Senators. Pittsburgh in 6.

 

(1) San Jose vs. (8) Colorado – This could be the most entertaining series as the youth of Colorado takes on one of the most consistent teams (in the regular season) over the last five years. The question is are we going to see the Sharks teams that doesn’t fulfill expectations? Although the Avalanche just young and naive enough to think they can put their hand in the Shark tank and pull out a victory on the road, we think in the end they’re going to lose a limb, and the series. Sharks in 5.

 

(2) Chicago vs. (7) Nashville – Why is everyone questioning the Blackhawks goal tending? If it is so unpredictable then how did they end up with the second highest goal differential (+62)? The Hawks will be fine, and despite how great it will be for the fans in Tennessee to realize they have a playoff team that plays a sport where nothing made of rawhide exist, Chi-town wins this in 6.

 

(3) Vancouver vs. (6) LA Kings – All of the remaining Olympic good will goes out the window as the Kings travel a few hours to visit our neighbors to the north. On paper this looks like it should be a close series but the 4-3-3 Kings have not been nearly consistent enough down the stretch to roll into this with enough momentum to pull the upset. Also the Canucks are 3-1 against the Kings this season including 3 straight.

 

(4) Phoenix vs. (5) Detroit – if there has ever been a louder call for a first round upset that had nothing to do with the NCAA tourney this is it. I’m not sure what Detroit did to garner so much respect but they’re not only a consensus pick but a betting line pick as well. They’re 1-1 with them this year but the Wings are the hottest team in hockey right now as winners of 13 out of 16 and we think they’ll get to 17 when this one is over.

 

As we kick off the 2010 playoff season who do you think will be left standing? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.

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The weather clears up in the West but continued Cloudiness in the East

 

Two overtime shootouts early in the week cemented the Kings in playoff picture and gave the Avalanche the last ticket to the post season as they get just under the bar as the 8^th seed. For all the uncertainty that was synonymous with West this year it comes as a bit of a surprise that with 3 games left it’s the East that still has some issues to be settled. It’s not enough to just avoid regulation and get in the playoffs because that will only extend the season roughly a week, just long enough for the Ovechkin and the Caps to skate around ya for four games and send you home. So the Bruins have more on their mind than just holding off the Rangers who are just a point behind, mainly the fact that they have the toughest schedule of the 4 teams battling and waiting for the music to stop. The Bruins have dates with two teams in the top 3 in the Caps and Sabres, with Carolina attempting to play spoiler. The Rangers and Flyers don’t like each other by definition, but will play a home-n-home twin bill to end the season so you gotta figure they’ll split those. Lastly, the Canadians seem to be in the best position as they face two teams under .500 in the Canes’ and Leafs. So the Bruins have a seat in the lifeboat right now but it is definitely subject to change. The interesting thing is that all of the fanfare may all be much ado about nothing as I can’t think of any time when there has been a more “fiercesome foursome” at the top of the conference than this season’s Caps, Devils, Sabres, and Pens, so it could be winning a ticket nowhere. In any case there’s plenty left to be decided before the skies clear in the East. Who do you think will fill the final 3 spots and who will be left out? Do any of the bottom seeds have a shot of scoring a first round upset? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.

 

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Leaders of the pack set the bar high going into the final third of the season

 

It seems like this year more resembles a Michael Phelps race than the normal NHL season with all of its ebbs and flows, as the leaders in five of the six divisions have lead practically wire to wire dominating in the process. Starting with the Caps who at one point in the season were 2-2-2 with the jury still out on which way they would go. Then they went on an 11-4 tear to take the outright lead in the Southeast and never looked back. Then, after hitting a pothole by losing 3 straight, they rolled off another 11-4 stretch, and just to make sure no one got any crazy ideas of catching them down the stretch with 26 games to go, they on another 11 game winning streak. With the bitter taste of the semi-finals lost to Pittsburgh, the eventual hoisters of Lord Stanley’s Cup, a series in which they held a 2-game lead, the Caps are focused and determined to get back to where they were before and take it one step further. On the left coast it’s business as usual as well as the Sharks, who always treat the teams they play in the regular season as their personal practice squad, once again are among the leagues best sitting at 81points just 1 behind the afore mentioned Caps. Unlike the Caps the Sharks haven’t lead from start to finish despite another great start of the season and huge home ice advantage at the ‘Shark Tank’. This year they don’t have the best home record and actually let LA have a penthouse view for 2 games before closing the drapes and extending to an 8 point lead. Although they haven’t looked as dominant as they have in previous years and have shared the spotlight, this may be their best chance ever to make it to the finals, as shakeup has made them a lot less dependant on home ice as in the previous seasons the crucial home loss in the series has proved to be too much to overcome. Almost equally as impressive as Washington’s bee line back to the complete some unfinished business has been Chi-town’s determination to meet them there. Opening up the largest point lead of any division leader (14), the Blackhawks have followed the formula of being dominant at home while playing .500 hockey on the road. Actually they’ve gone .761 at home and .533 on the road, and have proven that they can match up with anyone. The key to the ‘Hawks success this season has been consistency as they have not lost 3 consecutive games all season, which is a great harbinger for them going into the playoffs as they know if they can get the first two in a series where they have home ice they’ll be really tough to beat. Who looks the best to you going into the final third of the season? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.

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Is the NHL’s “Winder Showcase” going to be the Ambassador it’s supposed to be?

As the NHL prepares for it’s annual marketing windfall, by definition its ‘showcase’ game, and I will preface this by stating as a true sports fan I appreciate each one for its individually, uniqueness of the athletes that play them, and do not want to see them transform to become universal. That  said as a fan of the NHL there are a couple of changes I wish Gary Bettman would make. Firstly, I complement him because as far as venues go, I can’t think of any sports facility in the country that is more storied than Fenway Park in Boston. It’s in the same class as Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, Soldier Field, among others, and no other place to hold a sports inaugural game. However, he should take notice to what the NBA, NFL, and MLB have done for years. If the NBA has a day where they are have a marquis such as Christmas Day where their sport will carry the day, you can bet their best players and teams will be on the court. On Christmas day EVERY top NBA player was in action, LeBron, Kobe, Shaq, Carmello, KG, all names that even a Hockey fan would know. And look at the teams that were on the schedule Lakers, Celtics, Cavs, Magic, Nuggets, their most storied programs. Outside of the Stanley Cup this is the NHL’s chance to take advantage of the center stage and promote their sport and increase their fan base. It also should have its most marketable players on the ice. Now Boston and Philly are two of the most notable franchises in the NHL but they don’t have the superstar power that would carry the day if the games do not. Grant it you’ve got a 2^nd and 3^rd place team playing in the showcase, and you can’t tell at the beginning of the season which teams will be at the top of the divisions, but Wednesday the 29^th of December, was by far the best in recent memory for intriguing match ups: San Jose/Washington (1 vs. 1), NJ/Pittsburgh (1 vs. 2 same divison), Boston/Atlanta (2 vs. 2), and Colorado/Ottawa (1 vs. 3), so why not push one or two of those games back to New Year’s Day and have two venues and give viewers something else to watch other than college football? Put your best product on Center Stage for the nation to see, and they’ll be back for more. Additionally, you’re increasing the odds of showing them a good game as the weather forecast for the Boston area on New Year’s Day is not good for Hockey as it is supposed to rain and will slow the game down. A second game could actually increase the hype by adding a second venue such as Veteran’s Stadium in Philly, or the afore mentioned Wrigley, and give fans either a long day of Hockey, or the option of catching 1 of 2 as the NFL does on Thanksgiving day. As it stands now, I’ll still be watching and hoping for a good game to possibly bring some fans that we normally wouldn’t see and get them to come back. Would you change anything about the “Winter Showcase”? if so, what? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.  

 

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Oh Canada, and not in a good way

 

What has happened to the powerhouse that was Canadian hockey? As a hockey fan I have seen some strange things over the years, and I’m still homeless for betting the “house and the farm” that the ‘Great One’ would never leave Edmonton for Los Angeles, but I gotta admit, once again as a hockey fan, even though I’m living on a park bench in Santa Monica, the hockey is better out here than it is north of the border. Despite my failure in my previous gambling endeavors I was ready to double down on the fact that I would never see all of the Canadian clubs in the bottom of their respective divisions in my lifetime. Calgary being the exception of course, but if Vancouver loses one more game I may be 6-feet under my park bench in So Cal. Starting with the Great Northeast spots 3,4, and 5 belong to Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto respectively. In the Northwest spots 3 and 5 are proudly occupied by Vancouver and Edmonton. Only the Wild with their 35 points (3 behind Vancouver) are keeping me above ground right now. However that may soon change as they are 8-2 in their last 10. So, how did we get here? That’s a questions I’ve been asking myself repeatedly over the last month. You can’t blame in on the doctor because look what the Devils are doing with their ‘make shift’ shifts. Can’t blame it on the home ice advantage not meaning anything any more, Ottawa and Vancouver are among the best in the NHL. What I do think is happening is a collapse fundamental consistency that was a trademark of Canadian hockey. I realize it’s a continental game, and just because you club resides in one country doesn’t mean all of the players do, but what made the Canadian Clubs such a force just 2 decades ago is no longer the envy of the south. Also, where’s the aggressive management that simply would do whatever it took to put a winner on the ice, of has all of that intestinal fortitude been purchased by the Yankees as well? If so, is there a cap on that? In short, they have let the rest of North America catch up. It’s a third period collapse of the worst kind and I for one, can not imagine an NHL playoff without a Canadian representative, but then again, it’s my unwillingness to recognize the obvious that made me homeless in the first place. What are your thoughts on the Canadian Clubs in the NHL this year? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.

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Dude! There’s some good hockey being played out West

This may be breaking news to the majority of the hockey world particularly those above longitude 124, and those that reside along the East Coast but the best hockey in the NHL is being played in places that had the Thanksgiving holiday outside. The West coast suddenly has become a hotbed of high scoring, good defense, and consistency. Three things that have not been synonymous with cities like San Jose, LA, and Phoenix unless you’re talking about the Cardinals, Trojans, or Lakers. However the Sharks have consistently had the best home ice record for three years running, and are off to a similar start this year even though they’ve dropped more than they did in over half the season last year, including one to the LA Kings, who have brought back the 80’s as they sit just one win out of the top spot for the first time since the ‘Great One’ graced So Cal and ‘oldies music’ was called “neu wave”. Oh, and that bankrupt Coyotes team has more points (37) than their high powered football counterparts that are the NFC defending champions average per game, and are only 7 points out of first. Strangely, if Phoenix played in Northeastern division they would be in first place and making sure they didn’t have any MMA on the schedule come playoff time. By the way the 4^th and 5^th place teams are only the quarterfinalist from 08’ (Stars), and Stanley Cup Champions from 07 (Ducks), so rest assured this division is tough top to bottom with no days off. Moreover their playing and exciting brand of hockey that is putting cheeks in the seats, as the Sharks and Kings are two of the top three scoring teams in the league at 108 and 100 points respectively, exactly what slumping attendance from last year needed. Just the same the 07’ victory by the Ducks has long since been written off as an aberration and it will be up to the top teams in the Pac to go deep into the 2010 playoffs to prove this isn’t the Pac-5 of the NHL. Are the teams in the Pacific division for real? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.

PACIFIC

	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA	PP%	PK%	HOME	AWAY	L10
San Jose	32	19	7	6	44	108	87	22.0	87.0	8-2-4	11-5-2	5-3-2
Los Angeles	32	19	10	3	41	100	97	20.2	77.3	8-4-2	11-6-1	6-3-1
Phoenix	30	18	11	1	37	75	68	17.9	83.7	11-5-0	7-6-1	7-2-1
Dallas	30	13	8	9	35	88	89	19.7	80.2	7-3-5	6-5-4	4-3-3
Anaheim	30	11	13	6	28	86	99	23.4	77.8	9-8-2	2-5-4	4-3-3

 

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Sharks doing their annual early season dominance, Pens keep winning but for how long? 

This is our third NHL season doing the blog and every year at this time we’ve opened the season and commented on how unbeatable the Sharks look and every season they have made us look bad by folding in the second half. In fact last year San Jose was busy setting records for home ice dominance and the daily poll was asking when/if they would lose. Where here we are again and although they have tasted defeat on the road they’re doing it again at home (5-0-1) with the best record in the NHL again at 12-4-2, but we’re not falling for it again. So this year we’re asking what will be the Sharks undoing? Lack of clutch goalkeeping, defense, inconsistency at the center position? After a 5-0 shutout of the Pens it seems like the pundits are ready to hoist the cup for them before the season is 20% done, but we know better. Or do we? I’ll tell ya the front line players Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau look awesome with 22 points each in only 18 games, by far the most formidable tandem in the league so far, and we’re waiting for someone to step up and keep us from jumping on the bandwagon again this year, the only question is will there be any takers?

 

On the other side of the Mason-Dixon are the Pittsburgh Penguins who seem to keep winning even though Crosby is in the midst of his worst scoring slump as a professional, and the injuries are piling up as fast as the wins. Going into this week the Pens list of injuries reads like an all-star team: Max Talbot, Sergei Gonchar, Evgeni Malkin, Tyler Kennedy, and now Kris Letang? If they can manage to stay above the cut line by the time they get healthy they’ll be shooting par for the course. Then again, we know everyone remembers how far they went when they snuck into the final 8 when they were on the outside looking in with just under two weeks to go in the season. Don’t count them out, and don’t count the Sharks in. Now that we’ve had a chance so see a few rotations, who do you think will be around in the end? Let us know here and in any of the quick links:
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Time to put the New Year's resolutions to practice as the year kicks off 

The new year’s promises have been made as the season gets under way and in the West it’s the cellar dwellers from last year that have gotten out of the blocks the quickest, attempting to put all of the resolutions to practice, while in the East it’s business as usual. Phoenix, is splitting time between bankruptcy court appearances and the ‘thin’ ice to take the lead in the Pacific, with fellow non-playoff participant LA right behind them. Columbus and St. Louis have both gotten out to a 2-0 start in the Central with the Blues splitting the net 9 times in two games. On the other side, the last teams standing were are the first ones rising as the Flyers are off to a 3-0 start and putting up 13 goals in three games and the Pens are right behind them at 2-0. Montreal is out to an early lead in the Midwest and the Caps seem to have an offensive juggernaut scoring 15 goals in 3 games but their defense hasn’t caught up yet, yielding 11 at the same time. It’s still the first round so we’ll see how things look when everyone comes back from the European showcase games and gets back to business. Who has gotten off to the start they needed to set the tone for the year? Who do you think will be the last unbeaten team in the NHL this year? Let us know here and in the NHL team rooms and chat rooms.Use the quick links to get all of the up to date information:

Canada Announces its 2010 Olympic Hockey Team, US makes it official on Jan 1, 2010
Forwards
• Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
• Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins (alternate captain)
• Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks
• Dany Heatley, San Jose Sharks
• Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames (alternate captain)
• Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks
• Brenden Morrow, Dallas Stars
• Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets
• Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks
• Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers
• Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes
• Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks
• Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks

Defensemen
• Dan Boyle, San Jose Sharks
• Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
• Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks
• Scott Niedermayer, Ducks (captain)
• Chris Pronger, Flyers (alternate captain)
• Brent Seabrook, Chicago Blackhawks
• Shea Weber, Nashville Predators

Goaltenders
• Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
• Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks

 

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Oh Canada, and not in a good way 

What has happened to the powerhouse that was Canadian hockey? As a hockey fan I have seen some strange things over the years, and I’m still homeless for betting the “house and the farm” that the ‘Great One’ would never leave Edmonton for Los Angeles, but I gotta admit, once again as a hockey fan, even though I’m living on a park bench in Santa Monica, the hockey is better out here than it is north of the border. Despite my failure in my previous gambling endeavors I was ready to double down on the fact that I would never see all of the Canadian clubs in the bottom of their respective divisions in my lifetime. Ok, with the caveat that Calgary is out of the equation, but if Vancouver loses one more game I may be 6-feet under my park bench in So Cal. Starting with the Great Northeast spots 3,4, and 5 belong to Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto respectively. In the Northwest spots 3 and 5 are proudly occupied by Vancouver and Edmonton. Only the Wild with their 35 points (3 behind Vancouver) are keeping me above ground right now. However that may soon change as they are 8-2 in their last 10. So, how did we get here? That’s a questions I’ve been asking myself repeatedly over the last month. You can’t blame in on the doctor because look what the Devils are doing with their ‘make shift’ shifts. Can’t blame it on the home ice advantage not meaning anything any more, Ottawa and Vancouver are among the best in the NHL. What I do think is happening is a collapse fundamental consistency that was a trademark of Canadian hockey. I realize it’s a continental game, and just because you club resides in one country doesn’t mean all of the players do, but what made the Canadian Clubs such a force just 2 decades ago is no longer the envy of the south. Also, where’s the aggressive management that simply would do whatever it took to put a winner on the ice, of has all of that intestinal fortitude been purchased by the Yankees as well? If so, is there a cap on that? In short, they have let the rest of North America catch up. It’s a third period collapse of the worst kind and I for one, can not imagine an NHL playoff without a Canadian representative, but then again, it’s my unwillingness to recognize the obvious that made me homeless in the first place. What are your thoughts on the Canadian Clubs in the NHL this year? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.

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Dude! There’s some good hockey being played out West

This may be breaking news to the majority of the hockey world particularly those above longitude 124, and those that reside along the East Coast but the best hockey in the NHL is being played in places that had the Thanksgiving holiday outside. The West coast suddenly has become a hotbed of high scoring, good defense, and consistency. Three things that have not been synonymous with cities like San Jose, LA, and Phoenix unless you’re talking about the Cardinals, Trojans, or Lakers. However the Sharks have consistently had the best home ice record for three years running, and are off to a similar start this year even though they’ve dropped more than they did in over half the season last year, including one to the LA Kings, who have brought back the 80’s as they sit just one win out of the top spot for the first time since the ‘Great One’ graced So Cal and ‘oldies music’ was called “neu wave”. Oh, and that bankrupt Coyotes team has more points (37) than their high powered football counterparts that are the NFC defending champions average per game, and are only 7 points out of first. Strangely, if Phoenix played in Northeastern division they would be in first place and making sure they didn’t have any MMA on the schedule come playoff time. By the way the 4th and 5th place teams are only the quarterfinalist from 08’ (Stars), and Stanley Cup Champions from 07 (Ducks), so rest assured this division is tough top to bottom with no days off. Moreover their playing and exciting brand of hockey that is putting cheeks in the seats, as the Sharks and Kings are two of the top three scoring teams in the league at 108 and 100 points respectively, exactly what slumping attendance from last year needed. Just the same the 07’ victory by the Ducks has long since been written off as an aberration and it will be up to the top teams in the Pac to go deep into the 2010 playoffs to prove this isn’t the Pac-5 of the NHL. Are the teams in the Pacific division for real? Let us know here and in any of the quick links.