Ah, the NHL Trade Deadline, the time of year Ranger fans hold their breath, hoping for a big upgrade that will send them over the edge.
Please, Mr. Sather, not this year. Save the players. Save the draft pics. History is not on your side
In 2005-06, the Rangers got Sandis Ozolinsh for Ville Nieminen. Technically, Nieminen was moved for a draft pick, and that pick was then traded to Anaheim for Ozolinsh. Sather saw Ozolinsh as a puck-moving defenseman with playoff experience (Finals 3 times, Stanley Cup once). What actually happened was that he was a disaster and cost the Ranger 2 games in the playoffs that year. He was also a drain on the team the next year until they got rid of him.
In 2006-07, they traded Aaron Ward for Paul Mara. Great move. They also traded away Pascal Dupuis, who eventually landed on the Penguins and won the Cup with them.
In 2007-08, needing help on the blueline (once again), they traded a 4th-round pick for Christian Backman. Backman was atrocious offensively as well as defensively, leading many to question why he even started playing hockey in the first place, let alone why someone would draft him or trade for him. The 4th-round pick would have been better being wasted on a player who would never make the NHL.
So far, nothing horrible. However, I see them doing this year what they did last year.
Last year, they traded a 2nd-round pick to Toronto for Nik Antropov, an impending free agent who played decently for them but in reality didn't add much to the team. The team squeaked into the playoffs where he had a goal and 2 assists in 7 games, they got eliminated, and he signed a big deal in Atlanta in the offseason.
They also acquired Derek Morris for fan-favorite Petr Prucha, workhorse Nigel Dawes, and utter disappointment Dmitri Kalinin. Trading Kalinin was great, he was awful and cost more games than he contributed in. However, giving up Prucha and Dawes, both homegrown talent who played hard every game (or for Prucha, every 4th game, when he would dress), was awful to receive a defenseman who was let go after the season.
To be sure, Morris played good and had a great shot from the point, but the Rangers never had intentions of signing him.
Last year, they gave up a 2nd-round pick and two good roster players for rentals that gave them nothing. A 7th place finish in the Eastern Conference, a 3-1 lead on Washington, and losing the last 3 games of the playoffs were the reward.
This year, the Rangers already did a good move. By somehow traded Ales Kotalik and Chris Higgins for Brandon Prust and Olli Jokinen, they freed up cap space and improved on offense and in toughness.
Please, stop there.
If Glen Sather must make a move, and we all know he must, please just make an even swap, like Mara-for-Ward. I'm not reacting to rumors, but a good even swap would be Sheldon Souray for Michal Rozsival. An even trade of money and an upgrade of talent. Of course, it's not this easy and would require a sweetened deal, either a pick or a play. Then don't.
It wouldn't even hurt to be a seller at the deadline.
What's going to happen, the same as last year? Trade picks for a rental like Dennis Seidenberg, who isn't going to put the team over the edge? Not good enough.
I'm not saying the Rangers should miss the playoffs. Hell, I want them to make the playoffs. But they're probably going to fizzle out in the first round if they make it. More realistically, they'll end up in 9th or 10th place, miss the playoffs, and get another mid-level pick.
How many draft picks in the 12-18 range can one team accumulate? Even when they were bad, they weren't that bad that they got Top 5 picks, like Washington and Pittsburgh. They were just bad enough to miss the playoffs and get to draft in the middle of the first round. You can't build a team like that, especially when most of your picks get traded at the deadline.
Today and tomorrow, it would be much better to accumulate draft picks and cap space than mid-level players who won't help this team.
Two friends. Two bitter enemies. Two obsessed fans. One Rivalry.
Showing posts with label NHL Playoffs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NHL Playoffs. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
NYR Top Post-Lockout Moments #15-11
Part 3 of an 8-part series. Up tomorrow: Top Islanders' Moments #15-11.
15) Messier Night / Jagr Scores in OT
MSG - January 12, 2006
Can you imagine how angry the fans would have been after spending $500 on one ticket to Mark Messier Night only to see a loss? Granted, the ceremony itself was great - albeit very long. But during the last retirement ceremony (Mike Richter’s), the Rangers blew a 3-2 lead and lost 4-3 to Minnesota.
Steve Rucchin started the scoring, but then Edmonton scored 3 straight to take a 3-1 lead. The Rangers jumped ahead 4-3 on an early 3rd period goal by Petr Prucha, but Mike Peca’s shorthanded goal was his second of the night scored his 2nd goal of the night and tied it at 4 (his first goal tied it at 1 and it was a power play goal with Martin Straka off the ice for an illegal stick penalty!).
Maybe predictably for a fast-paced, back and forth game, overtime didn’t last very long. Just fourteen seconds in, Jaromir Jagr whipped one past former Ranger Jussi Markkanen, capping off a great night for Rangers fans.
How fitting of an ending for a 75-minute ceremony than an extra session of hockey?
Oh, but my overall favorite moment? Christopher Reeve’s widow (now deceased herself) Dana singing Carole King’s “Now and Forever.”
14) Leetch Announcing Adam Graves’ Night
MSG - January 24, 2008
For how good the game was during Mark Messier Night, Brian Leetch Night’s game was a rolling disaster.
Sure, the Rangers won in dramatic fashion, but it was more a matter of desperation than anything. They needed the points badly (they were merely 2 games over .500 at the time) and they had played a lackluster, downright boring game so far. Michal Rozsival potted one with 11 minutes left in the 3rd period to finally give the Rangers something to cheer about since the ceremony ended.
(Brendan Shanahan wound up scoring the only shootout goal to give the Rangers 2 points, but the game, overall, was still very boring.)
The ceremony, of course, was excellent, and definitely shorter than Messier’s marathon. The highlight was definitely when Leetch took the time out of his own night to announce that Adam Graves Night would be held the following season.
They played great together on the ice, and it was a great touch for Leetch to do this. He was never completely comfortable with the spotlight on him, and even on his special night, he shone the light on someone else. That’s a good teammate.
13) Jagr Scores :29 Into Season
MSG - October 5, 2006
Five months ago, Jaromir Jagr couldn’t even lift his shoulder after hurting it throwing a weak, awkward punch at then-Devil Scott Gomez. He had surgery to repair it, but there were doubts surrounding the team coming into the start of the 2006-07 season. The three main questions concerning the team were about Jagr’s shoulder, how Henrik Lundqvist would be after his problems in the ’06 playoffs after the Olympics (he played awful, if you remember, after coming back from Italy grinding his teeth while he slept and with migraines), and if Brendan Shanahan was a good signing.
Well, 29 seconds into the season, newly-introducted Captain Jagr stormed up the ice, cut across center, and fired one past notorious Ranger-killer Olaf Kolzig on the first shot of the season. The crowd chanted “MVP! MVP!” to Jagr, as he should have been crowned it the season before, but Joe Thornton won it when he overtook him in the points race at the end of the season.
Shanahan wound up scoring 2 goals in his Ranger debut, goals 599 and 600, Lundqvist stood tall, and for a night, all was perfect in Rangerland.
Who knew that the deciding factor of the season wouldn’t be Jagr’s shoulder, Shanahan’s ability, or Lundqvist’s migraines, but a last-minute icing in May in Buffalo.
12) Lundqvist Robs Savard
Boston - October 20, 2007
The Rangers and Boston have played some very close games since the Lockout, but none of them could top the 1-0 shootout won by Boston in October of 2007. Lundqvist had 19 saves, Manny Fernandez had 26, and the game was won in a shootout by Phil Kessel after the first 5 shooters didn’t score.
It almost didn’t get to that shootout, however, if not for an excellent save by Lundqvist on Marc Savard.
If you remember, this was also the game where Marty Straka blocked TWO Zdeno Chara slappers from the point and broke the same finger in two separate spots on both shots. If we had this website during this game, I would have called Straka a Warrior.
On the same power play, a rebound came to Savard and he absolutely rocketed a shot to an open net, except Lundqvist whipped out his left arm and caught the puck. A shocked Savard fell to the ice (partly due to the force he took the shot with) and looked to the heavens.
Between Straka being immortal and Lundqvist making one of the Saves of the Decade, the winner of the game didn’t even matter.
11) Nylander’s Playoff Hat Trick
MSG - April 17, 2007
The last time the Rangers had won a playoff game at MSG, well, I don’t know, but I assume it was in 1997, a full 10 years before they beat the Thrashers 7-0.
The previous year, against New Jersey, they got outscored 7-2 in their two home playoff games, and even though they got a standing ovation after being eliminated, it stung.
This was the complete opposite.
Kari Lehtonen was reinstated as starting goaltender after being replaced by Johan Hedberg for Game 2. The Rangers made quick work of him, though he was never pulled in the game. Michael Nylander scored his first goal 32 seconds into the game and his second 9 minutes later. His 3rd goal was the team’s 7th, completing what he started.
Ryan Callahan also scored twice on this night, 11 minutes apart in the 2nd period, and even Marek Malik scored on a great shot from the left circle. Shanahan scored the other goal for the Rangers, and Jagr had 4 assists.
It was a great night to be a fan from start to finish, and the sweep of Atlanta the next night made for a flawless first round victory.
15) Messier Night / Jagr Scores in OT
MSG - January 12, 2006
Can you imagine how angry the fans would have been after spending $500 on one ticket to Mark Messier Night only to see a loss? Granted, the ceremony itself was great - albeit very long. But during the last retirement ceremony (Mike Richter’s), the Rangers blew a 3-2 lead and lost 4-3 to Minnesota.
Steve Rucchin started the scoring, but then Edmonton scored 3 straight to take a 3-1 lead. The Rangers jumped ahead 4-3 on an early 3rd period goal by Petr Prucha, but Mike Peca’s shorthanded goal was his second of the night scored his 2nd goal of the night and tied it at 4 (his first goal tied it at 1 and it was a power play goal with Martin Straka off the ice for an illegal stick penalty!).
Maybe predictably for a fast-paced, back and forth game, overtime didn’t last very long. Just fourteen seconds in, Jaromir Jagr whipped one past former Ranger Jussi Markkanen, capping off a great night for Rangers fans.
How fitting of an ending for a 75-minute ceremony than an extra session of hockey?
Oh, but my overall favorite moment? Christopher Reeve’s widow (now deceased herself) Dana singing Carole King’s “Now and Forever.”
14) Leetch Announcing Adam Graves’ Night
MSG - January 24, 2008
For how good the game was during Mark Messier Night, Brian Leetch Night’s game was a rolling disaster.
Sure, the Rangers won in dramatic fashion, but it was more a matter of desperation than anything. They needed the points badly (they were merely 2 games over .500 at the time) and they had played a lackluster, downright boring game so far. Michal Rozsival potted one with 11 minutes left in the 3rd period to finally give the Rangers something to cheer about since the ceremony ended.
(Brendan Shanahan wound up scoring the only shootout goal to give the Rangers 2 points, but the game, overall, was still very boring.)
The ceremony, of course, was excellent, and definitely shorter than Messier’s marathon. The highlight was definitely when Leetch took the time out of his own night to announce that Adam Graves Night would be held the following season.
They played great together on the ice, and it was a great touch for Leetch to do this. He was never completely comfortable with the spotlight on him, and even on his special night, he shone the light on someone else. That’s a good teammate.
13) Jagr Scores :29 Into Season
MSG - October 5, 2006
Five months ago, Jaromir Jagr couldn’t even lift his shoulder after hurting it throwing a weak, awkward punch at then-Devil Scott Gomez. He had surgery to repair it, but there were doubts surrounding the team coming into the start of the 2006-07 season. The three main questions concerning the team were about Jagr’s shoulder, how Henrik Lundqvist would be after his problems in the ’06 playoffs after the Olympics (he played awful, if you remember, after coming back from Italy grinding his teeth while he slept and with migraines), and if Brendan Shanahan was a good signing.
Well, 29 seconds into the season, newly-introducted Captain Jagr stormed up the ice, cut across center, and fired one past notorious Ranger-killer Olaf Kolzig on the first shot of the season. The crowd chanted “MVP! MVP!” to Jagr, as he should have been crowned it the season before, but Joe Thornton won it when he overtook him in the points race at the end of the season.
Shanahan wound up scoring 2 goals in his Ranger debut, goals 599 and 600, Lundqvist stood tall, and for a night, all was perfect in Rangerland.
Who knew that the deciding factor of the season wouldn’t be Jagr’s shoulder, Shanahan’s ability, or Lundqvist’s migraines, but a last-minute icing in May in Buffalo.
12) Lundqvist Robs Savard
Boston - October 20, 2007
The Rangers and Boston have played some very close games since the Lockout, but none of them could top the 1-0 shootout won by Boston in October of 2007. Lundqvist had 19 saves, Manny Fernandez had 26, and the game was won in a shootout by Phil Kessel after the first 5 shooters didn’t score.
It almost didn’t get to that shootout, however, if not for an excellent save by Lundqvist on Marc Savard.
If you remember, this was also the game where Marty Straka blocked TWO Zdeno Chara slappers from the point and broke the same finger in two separate spots on both shots. If we had this website during this game, I would have called Straka a Warrior.
On the same power play, a rebound came to Savard and he absolutely rocketed a shot to an open net, except Lundqvist whipped out his left arm and caught the puck. A shocked Savard fell to the ice (partly due to the force he took the shot with) and looked to the heavens.
Between Straka being immortal and Lundqvist making one of the Saves of the Decade, the winner of the game didn’t even matter.
11) Nylander’s Playoff Hat Trick
MSG - April 17, 2007
The last time the Rangers had won a playoff game at MSG, well, I don’t know, but I assume it was in 1997, a full 10 years before they beat the Thrashers 7-0.
The previous year, against New Jersey, they got outscored 7-2 in their two home playoff games, and even though they got a standing ovation after being eliminated, it stung.
This was the complete opposite.
Kari Lehtonen was reinstated as starting goaltender after being replaced by Johan Hedberg for Game 2. The Rangers made quick work of him, though he was never pulled in the game. Michael Nylander scored his first goal 32 seconds into the game and his second 9 minutes later. His 3rd goal was the team’s 7th, completing what he started.
Ryan Callahan also scored twice on this night, 11 minutes apart in the 2nd period, and even Marek Malik scored on a great shot from the left circle. Shanahan scored the other goal for the Rangers, and Jagr had 4 assists.
It was a great night to be a fan from start to finish, and the sweep of Atlanta the next night made for a flawless first round victory.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tom Renney...
The last two times that the Edmonton Oilers faced the Rangers, the Rangers lost in a shootout. Last time, they fired 42 shots on net and scored on only 2 - on a backup goaltender. Ah, the Tom Renney era...
Well, tomorrow, the Rangers meet Tom Renney again, and while not many current players were there for a lot of his reign (Henrik Lundqvist and Michal Rozsival were the only ones there from his first full season in 2005-06), it should be an emotional night for him. Imagine if the game were at Madison Square Garden?
While I rip on Renney a lot here, I do think he was a very good coach, and I'm sure he will be sometime soon. There are a few coaches who will "always be a Ranger," no matter where they wind up coaching or working. Mike Keenan, though he only had 1 season, is one of them. Renney is another.
No coach could have done what he did after the lockout. He took a team destined to fail -at least according to the experts - and brought them into the playoffs, one point away from winning the division. He got 123 points out of Jaromir Jagr - a man who would have refused to return to the NHL if he wasn't playing for Renney in New York, he once said. He turned a team of veterans - Rucchin, Jagr, Straka, Rucinsky, Kasparaitis, Nylander - and young no-names - Jay Ward, Ortmeyer, Dom Moore, Hollweg, Orr, Prucha, Betts - into a contender.
I still say that if not for the Olympics, the Rangers could have gone far that year. Jagr and Lundqvist came back injured - Jagr with hip and groin problems, Hank with headaches from grinding his teeth. And then there was Sandis Ozolinsh, who seemed like a good trade at first until he came apart in the Devils' series and cost the team 2 games.
Still, Renney was a huge part of the rebuilding process. While they rebuilt, he brought them into the playoffs. He just wasn't a good fit for the team last year and going forward. His style had stopped working, and he continued to play people based on their paychecks rather than skill (see: Wade Redden on the power play while Petr Prucha sat in street clothes).
For all the good he did, he will be remembered for 2 things: being fired when the team couldn't score and for Game 5 in Buffalo, where Fedor Tyutin and rookie Dan Girardi were on the ice with 30 seconds left with a 1-0 lead. When they iced the puck, Tyutin and Girardi had to stay on, they couldn't clear the puck, and Chris Drury scored.
Besides that being the one game that still upsets my stomach (and the only time I ever lost sleep over a sports event), you know that if they won that game and went up 3-2 in the series, they would not have lost Game 6 at MSG. I'm not saying they would have won the Stanley Cup - hell, they might not even have beaten Ottawa in the Conference Finals - but they would have beaten Buffalo. And maybe Chris Drury never would've been signed the following summer, and maybe everything would've been different.
But this is how it's played out, and I wish Tom Renney the best in Edmonton - no matter how often I make fun of his healthy scratches or his power play.
Well, tomorrow, the Rangers meet Tom Renney again, and while not many current players were there for a lot of his reign (Henrik Lundqvist and Michal Rozsival were the only ones there from his first full season in 2005-06), it should be an emotional night for him. Imagine if the game were at Madison Square Garden?
While I rip on Renney a lot here, I do think he was a very good coach, and I'm sure he will be sometime soon. There are a few coaches who will "always be a Ranger," no matter where they wind up coaching or working. Mike Keenan, though he only had 1 season, is one of them. Renney is another.No coach could have done what he did after the lockout. He took a team destined to fail -at least according to the experts - and brought them into the playoffs, one point away from winning the division. He got 123 points out of Jaromir Jagr - a man who would have refused to return to the NHL if he wasn't playing for Renney in New York, he once said. He turned a team of veterans - Rucchin, Jagr, Straka, Rucinsky, Kasparaitis, Nylander - and young no-names - Jay Ward, Ortmeyer, Dom Moore, Hollweg, Orr, Prucha, Betts - into a contender.
I still say that if not for the Olympics, the Rangers could have gone far that year. Jagr and Lundqvist came back injured - Jagr with hip and groin problems, Hank with headaches from grinding his teeth. And then there was Sandis Ozolinsh, who seemed like a good trade at first until he came apart in the Devils' series and cost the team 2 games.
Still, Renney was a huge part of the rebuilding process. While they rebuilt, he brought them into the playoffs. He just wasn't a good fit for the team last year and going forward. His style had stopped working, and he continued to play people based on their paychecks rather than skill (see: Wade Redden on the power play while Petr Prucha sat in street clothes).
For all the good he did, he will be remembered for 2 things: being fired when the team couldn't score and for Game 5 in Buffalo, where Fedor Tyutin and rookie Dan Girardi were on the ice with 30 seconds left with a 1-0 lead. When they iced the puck, Tyutin and Girardi had to stay on, they couldn't clear the puck, and Chris Drury scored.
Besides that being the one game that still upsets my stomach (and the only time I ever lost sleep over a sports event), you know that if they won that game and went up 3-2 in the series, they would not have lost Game 6 at MSG. I'm not saying they would have won the Stanley Cup - hell, they might not even have beaten Ottawa in the Conference Finals - but they would have beaten Buffalo. And maybe Chris Drury never would've been signed the following summer, and maybe everything would've been different.
But this is how it's played out, and I wish Tom Renney the best in Edmonton - no matter how often I make fun of his healthy scratches or his power play.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Zherdev Gone...
After Nik Zherdev was awarded a $3.9M, one-year contract by an arbitrator, Glen Sather had this to say.
"[He] will score as many goals in 2009-10 in a Rangers uniform as he did in April of 2009 in a Rangers uniform. None."
Okay, that is a fake quote. I admit it. But, true, no?
Imagine Zherdev's last goal as a Ranger wasn't in a late-March shootout loss to an atrocious Atlanta team. Imagine he scored in the stretch-drive to the playoffs. Imagine he at least registered an assist in 7 playoff games. What if he scored when Game 7 was tied 1-1? What if he popped one in with 6 minutes left in the 3rd period in that game, changing the outcome, and the Rangers went on the play the Bruins in Round 2?
I assume if any of those happened, Sather would've atleast given his award a 2nd thought. We can assume that once the award went above, say, $3.5M, Zherdev was history.
All those sites saying "sign & trade" since even before the arbitration hearing? Maybe it was a thought, but it was never feasible. Why would a team, any team, do that, when they can have him for just money a day or two later? Maybe so a different team won't sign him. But I can only see that if this is a Joe Sakic, a Jay Bouwmeester, even a Ryan Callahan. But is any team really that desperate for a sometimes-there-sometimes-not winger who scored 58 points last season?
In all honesty, all Zherdev is is a highly-touted winger from Russia who plays great 20 games out of the year. He has never scored more than 61 points in a season, and 58 represents his second best season ever.
For the record, I completely loved the deal when he came from Columbus. Fedor Tyutin was serviceable but never would live up to his potential. Christian Backman was a bum who I would've been happy if he was given away to a team. So you were saying we got rid of those 2 and got Dan Fritsche and Zherdev? Great.
However, he lost me down the stretch. No points in 7 playoff games, and he wants a raise? Get real. Maybe in non-Salary Cap world, but when better talent is available for cheaper or equal value, Zherdev is entirely expendable. Why waste almost $4M on him when you need someone to pass the puck to Marian Gaborik?
Sather is completely correct in walking away from this contract. Any other GM might be nuts to sign him for so much when he has shown so little. I mean, if Sather thought it was too high... after all, this is the man who thought a 31-year old Wade Redden was worthy of not only $6.5M/year, but a 6-year contract.
Update: 4:52 P.M.: Just my two cents on where I think Zherdev will land, if he does play in the NHL. I'd expect him to go to one of the 4 crappy Southern teams on a one-year deal: Atlanta, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, or Florida.
"[He] will score as many goals in 2009-10 in a Rangers uniform as he did in April of 2009 in a Rangers uniform. None."
Okay, that is a fake quote. I admit it. But, true, no?
Imagine Zherdev's last goal as a Ranger wasn't in a late-March shootout loss to an atrocious Atlanta team. Imagine he scored in the stretch-drive to the playoffs. Imagine he at least registered an assist in 7 playoff games. What if he scored when Game 7 was tied 1-1? What if he popped one in with 6 minutes left in the 3rd period in that game, changing the outcome, and the Rangers went on the play the Bruins in Round 2?
I assume if any of those happened, Sather would've atleast given his award a 2nd thought. We can assume that once the award went above, say, $3.5M, Zherdev was history.
All those sites saying "sign & trade" since even before the arbitration hearing? Maybe it was a thought, but it was never feasible. Why would a team, any team, do that, when they can have him for just money a day or two later? Maybe so a different team won't sign him. But I can only see that if this is a Joe Sakic, a Jay Bouwmeester, even a Ryan Callahan. But is any team really that desperate for a sometimes-there-sometimes-not winger who scored 58 points last season?
In all honesty, all Zherdev is is a highly-touted winger from Russia who plays great 20 games out of the year. He has never scored more than 61 points in a season, and 58 represents his second best season ever.
For the record, I completely loved the deal when he came from Columbus. Fedor Tyutin was serviceable but never would live up to his potential. Christian Backman was a bum who I would've been happy if he was given away to a team. So you were saying we got rid of those 2 and got Dan Fritsche and Zherdev? Great.
However, he lost me down the stretch. No points in 7 playoff games, and he wants a raise? Get real. Maybe in non-Salary Cap world, but when better talent is available for cheaper or equal value, Zherdev is entirely expendable. Why waste almost $4M on him when you need someone to pass the puck to Marian Gaborik?
Sather is completely correct in walking away from this contract. Any other GM might be nuts to sign him for so much when he has shown so little. I mean, if Sather thought it was too high... after all, this is the man who thought a 31-year old Wade Redden was worthy of not only $6.5M/year, but a 6-year contract.
Update: 4:52 P.M.: Just my two cents on where I think Zherdev will land, if he does play in the NHL. I'd expect him to go to one of the 4 crappy Southern teams on a one-year deal: Atlanta, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, or Florida.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Penguins Win the Cup...
Very happy for Petr Sykora and I loved seeing him lift the Stanley Cup, although I'm pretty sure he cursed very loudly on TV last night. (Thought he said "F***in' right!" as he lifted it.)
People are villifying Marian Hossa, but for no reason. He did the noble thing, it just didn't work out for him. He could've taken somewhere around $80M from Edmonton to play there for a few years, but he took a cut to play in Detroit. Granted, $7.4M is still a nice chunk of coin, but at least he wants a Cup. What's next for him, back to the Penguins? Head over to San Jose? Stick with Detroit? I doubt that one, because they have a bunch of players to re-sign as well.
Besides Petr Sykora, the one guy on the Penguins I really love is Max Talbot. Not only does he rock awesome facial hair (he used to have a huge mustache), but he is the nicest guy. Of all the NHL players I've met/seen, him and Martin Biron are the most genuine and the nicest. He signs everything, he gives pucks to all the kids in the crowd. Good guy, always smiling. And now, he goes down in history as scoring 2 goals in a Game 7, much like his teammate Ruslan Fedotenko did in 2004 in a 2-1 win after trailing in the series 3-2. (One difference, Tampa Bay was at home, not in Calgary for that Game 7.)
No, I'm not ashamed to have rooted for the Penguins to win last night. I was much happier seeing them win than I would've been had the same team as last year won.
Saw this phrase written somewhere, and I found a picture of the two of them together, so, here it is.
People are villifying Marian Hossa, but for no reason. He did the noble thing, it just didn't work out for him. He could've taken somewhere around $80M from Edmonton to play there for a few years, but he took a cut to play in Detroit. Granted, $7.4M is still a nice chunk of coin, but at least he wants a Cup. What's next for him, back to the Penguins? Head over to San Jose? Stick with Detroit? I doubt that one, because they have a bunch of players to re-sign as well.
Besides Petr Sykora, the one guy on the Penguins I really love is Max Talbot. Not only does he rock awesome facial hair (he used to have a huge mustache), but he is the nicest guy. Of all the NHL players I've met/seen, him and Martin Biron are the most genuine and the nicest. He signs everything, he gives pucks to all the kids in the crowd. Good guy, always smiling. And now, he goes down in history as scoring 2 goals in a Game 7, much like his teammate Ruslan Fedotenko did in 2004 in a 2-1 win after trailing in the series 3-2. (One difference, Tampa Bay was at home, not in Calgary for that Game 7.)
No, I'm not ashamed to have rooted for the Penguins to win last night. I was much happier seeing them win than I would've been had the same team as last year won.
Saw this phrase written somewhere, and I found a picture of the two of them together, so, here it is.
Two Girls, One Cup
Friday, June 12, 2009
Playoff Bet Update, Finals...
An update on the playoff bet: If the Penguins win tomorrow, I will have ended with 12 points, ahead of Bryan's 10. If Detroit wins, I will end with 10, and he with 8. (We both thought Pittsburgh would do it in 6 games.)
Regardless, I am crowned Playoff Prediction Champion. A glamorous title, indeed. However, unlike Miss California, I will not be fired and I will not tell you my views on gay marriage. I will tell you, however, that I thought a movie on gay marriage, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, was awful and predictable, and I wish it wasn't made.
Anyway, as per terms of the bet, Bryan owes $100. Originally, I wanted the money to be given to the Garden of Dreams, since this is a hockey site, after all.
I have since changed my mind. Let James Dolan donate to the Garden of Dreams.
Bryan, please make your echeck payable to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, a group out in Utah that houses 2,000 homeless dogs, cats, horses, pigs, burrows, rabbits, etc. They also work with animal shelters all across the country and they helped rescue stray dogs on the streets of New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav.
In the spirit of gamesmanship, I will be matching your gift with a donation to the Freeport Animal Shelter (in particular, my favorite dog there, Cinderella), in Freeport, Long Island, which just received 17 dogs from Hurricane Gustav that were going to be euthanised in shelters down south to make room for new lost dogs this hurricane season.
Ah, now only if Wade Redden could give away 90% of the $6.5M my season tickets go towards. I wouldn't feel so angry about him eating up that much Cap room if he gave the animals all of his money.
Enjoy your Game 7 tomorrow. For a while there, we had a string of Game 7's. There were 4 of 5 since 2001 until the past 2 years. Always exciting knowing the Stanley Cup will be awarded but not knowing to whom. (Am I grammatically correct there?)
Regardless, I am crowned Playoff Prediction Champion. A glamorous title, indeed. However, unlike Miss California, I will not be fired and I will not tell you my views on gay marriage. I will tell you, however, that I thought a movie on gay marriage, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, was awful and predictable, and I wish it wasn't made.
Anyway, as per terms of the bet, Bryan owes $100. Originally, I wanted the money to be given to the Garden of Dreams, since this is a hockey site, after all.
I have since changed my mind. Let James Dolan donate to the Garden of Dreams.
Bryan, please make your echeck payable to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, a group out in Utah that houses 2,000 homeless dogs, cats, horses, pigs, burrows, rabbits, etc. They also work with animal shelters all across the country and they helped rescue stray dogs on the streets of New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav.
In the spirit of gamesmanship, I will be matching your gift with a donation to the Freeport Animal Shelter (in particular, my favorite dog there, Cinderella), in Freeport, Long Island, which just received 17 dogs from Hurricane Gustav that were going to be euthanised in shelters down south to make room for new lost dogs this hurricane season.
Ah, now only if Wade Redden could give away 90% of the $6.5M my season tickets go towards. I wouldn't feel so angry about him eating up that much Cap room if he gave the animals all of his money.
Enjoy your Game 7 tomorrow. For a while there, we had a string of Game 7's. There were 4 of 5 since 2001 until the past 2 years. Always exciting knowing the Stanley Cup will be awarded but not knowing to whom. (Am I grammatically correct there?)
Friday, June 5, 2009
Worst Stat Ever Stated?...
Up until last night, the stupidest stat I had ever heard was a few years ago while watching my 4th repeat of ESPNews, a TV show I used to watch religiously until I got tired of seeing Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals highlights.
The stat: Someone had hit a home run, and it was his birthday. They then mentioned that he was the 4th player to ever hit a home run on his birthday when his age matched his jersey number. So, for example, he wore number 33, and he turned 33 that day and hit a homer, joining this exclusive club.
Yesterday was the stupidest hockey stat I might have ever heard.
The stat: Jordan Staal's shorthanded goal was the first for a Penguin in the Cup Finals since 1992! The first since Bob Errey scored in Game 2 against Chicago!
My Lord! Stop the presses!
Let's figure this out. They Penguins played 2 more games in the Finals that year, as they swept Chicago in four games. They then played 6 last year and 3 games this year in the Finals without scoring shorthanded.
It was the Penguins first goal in 11 Finals games that came shorthanded. Wow. What an accomplishment. It's not like the Penguins had played in the Finals 6 times since then '92. They had made it two times, and one time they didn't score a shorthanded goal.
Maybe it wasn't even the stat that was completely stupid, it was the way they had said it. They said it like it was some sort of amazing feat, similar to the Chicago Cubs making the World Series (or in hockey terms, the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the Cup or the Florida Panthers making the playoffs).
They were so astonished by this incredible 11-game shorthanded goal drought that they said it twice. They said it once, confusing me. Then, Christine Simpson did a between-period interview with Jordan Staal and said it to him, and then they flashed the stat on the screen.
Sleep easy Penguin fans. Your team has finally scored a shorthanded goal in the Finals after 11 tries. Now that the monkey is off your back, perhaps the team can get back to actually playing and forget about that. I heard that was hovering over them like a black cloud on a sunny day.
(For the record, the entire 2005-06 Rangers team only had 4 shorthanded goals in 82 games, less than 1 in 20. Imagine how crazy the Versus broadcast would've gone had they seen Jason Ward put one away while a man down!)
The stat: Someone had hit a home run, and it was his birthday. They then mentioned that he was the 4th player to ever hit a home run on his birthday when his age matched his jersey number. So, for example, he wore number 33, and he turned 33 that day and hit a homer, joining this exclusive club.
Yesterday was the stupidest hockey stat I might have ever heard.
The stat: Jordan Staal's shorthanded goal was the first for a Penguin in the Cup Finals since 1992! The first since Bob Errey scored in Game 2 against Chicago!
My Lord! Stop the presses!
Let's figure this out. They Penguins played 2 more games in the Finals that year, as they swept Chicago in four games. They then played 6 last year and 3 games this year in the Finals without scoring shorthanded.
It was the Penguins first goal in 11 Finals games that came shorthanded. Wow. What an accomplishment. It's not like the Penguins had played in the Finals 6 times since then '92. They had made it two times, and one time they didn't score a shorthanded goal.
Maybe it wasn't even the stat that was completely stupid, it was the way they had said it. They said it like it was some sort of amazing feat, similar to the Chicago Cubs making the World Series (or in hockey terms, the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the Cup or the Florida Panthers making the playoffs).
They were so astonished by this incredible 11-game shorthanded goal drought that they said it twice. They said it once, confusing me. Then, Christine Simpson did a between-period interview with Jordan Staal and said it to him, and then they flashed the stat on the screen.
Sleep easy Penguin fans. Your team has finally scored a shorthanded goal in the Finals after 11 tries. Now that the monkey is off your back, perhaps the team can get back to actually playing and forget about that. I heard that was hovering over them like a black cloud on a sunny day.
(For the record, the entire 2005-06 Rangers team only had 4 shorthanded goals in 82 games, less than 1 in 20. Imagine how crazy the Versus broadcast would've gone had they seen Jason Ward put one away while a man down!)
Friday, May 29, 2009
Playoff Bet Update, Third Round...
The $100 playoff bet that Bryan and I made is in full swing going into the Finals. I am ahead 10-8 with one round left.
To recap, you get a point for successfully picking the team who wins the series; another point if you guess it in the correct number of games; and another point if it is an upset win.
Since neither Pittsburgh or Detroit were underdogs, no "upset points" were given out. And since both me and Bryan had the same picks (Penguins and Blackhawks, both in 6), we received the same amount of points, obviously (one point).
He had 7 in round 1, 0 in round 2, and 1 in round 3. I had 6-3-1.
So, my pick for the Finals is Penguins in 6. In fact, in every single round this year, I have had "Penguins in 6" as my choice. I actually only picked Detroit to win once, in the 2nd round against Anaheim, although I knew they were going to beat Columbus in Round 1, but I wanted to get upset points if they lost.
Regardless, this should be a good series. Better than the 3rd round, no doubt, and even better than last year. Last year, the Penguins were good but definitely beatable - the Rangers could have beaten them, and since Montreal was out, there was no other strong team in the East.
That said, Game 5 of last year's series, the triple overtime game where Petr Sykora scored the game-winner, was one of the best, if not the best non-Rangers game I have ever seen.
I'm looking forward to this series. TiVo has been put on notice.
To recap, you get a point for successfully picking the team who wins the series; another point if you guess it in the correct number of games; and another point if it is an upset win.
Since neither Pittsburgh or Detroit were underdogs, no "upset points" were given out. And since both me and Bryan had the same picks (Penguins and Blackhawks, both in 6), we received the same amount of points, obviously (one point).
He had 7 in round 1, 0 in round 2, and 1 in round 3. I had 6-3-1.
So, my pick for the Finals is Penguins in 6. In fact, in every single round this year, I have had "Penguins in 6" as my choice. I actually only picked Detroit to win once, in the 2nd round against Anaheim, although I knew they were going to beat Columbus in Round 1, but I wanted to get upset points if they lost.
Regardless, this should be a good series. Better than the 3rd round, no doubt, and even better than last year. Last year, the Penguins were good but definitely beatable - the Rangers could have beaten them, and since Montreal was out, there was no other strong team in the East.
That said, Game 5 of last year's series, the triple overtime game where Petr Sykora scored the game-winner, was one of the best, if not the best non-Rangers game I have ever seen.
I'm looking forward to this series. TiVo has been put on notice.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
A Few Notes...
1) Tom Renney will be the assistant coach in Edmonton next season under Pat Quinn. Renney in Edmonton? Know what this means? Three more years of Jason Strudwick in an Oiler jersey.
2) Sergei Fedorov will be going to the KHL in Russia to play with his brother, Fedor, on the Metallurg Magnitogorsk. This puts to rest the commonly held theory that no one wanted to ever be on the same team as FedFed, as at least one person in the world does.
3) Years ago, people criticized Ronald Reagan for calling the Soviet Union "an Evil Empire," yet no one criticized them for actually being an evil empire. Yesterday, the NHL fined Joel Quenneville $10,000 for criticizing the officials. Quenneville questioned a penalty when the game was 2-0 which he said was the worst call in the history of the game. They fined him for saying something was wrong instead of investigating what went wrong and why the phantom call was made. Detroit scored on the ensuing power play and the game quickly got out of hand.
4) Can you imagine if both matchups end by tomorrow and we have 9 days off until the Stanley Cup Finals start? What a stark difference to the NBA, which plays Round 2 games in the West when Round 1 games in the East aren't even finished yet.
Nine days? Nine days? Nine days?! That's ridiculous! What "fringe fan" who has been interested in fast-paced Penguin/Hurricane games is going to even remember to watch again on a Saturday afternoon 9 days after the Conference Finals end!?
Of all the questionable decisions the NHL has made, this is up there as one of the worst. For Gary Bettman's sake, he better hope Carolina and Chicago get the comeback trains rolling.
Horrible. I know they want NBC to have the games on weekends, but still, there has to be someone over in the NHL offices who has a clue about how to run a league. Are the ratings on NBC on Sunday afternoon really that much higher than the Versus ratings on a Wednesday night? I would venture "not much" because the real fans watch no matter what channel it's on.
2) Sergei Fedorov will be going to the KHL in Russia to play with his brother, Fedor, on the Metallurg Magnitogorsk. This puts to rest the commonly held theory that no one wanted to ever be on the same team as FedFed, as at least one person in the world does.
3) Years ago, people criticized Ronald Reagan for calling the Soviet Union "an Evil Empire," yet no one criticized them for actually being an evil empire. Yesterday, the NHL fined Joel Quenneville $10,000 for criticizing the officials. Quenneville questioned a penalty when the game was 2-0 which he said was the worst call in the history of the game. They fined him for saying something was wrong instead of investigating what went wrong and why the phantom call was made. Detroit scored on the ensuing power play and the game quickly got out of hand.
4) Can you imagine if both matchups end by tomorrow and we have 9 days off until the Stanley Cup Finals start? What a stark difference to the NBA, which plays Round 2 games in the West when Round 1 games in the East aren't even finished yet.
Nine days? Nine days? Nine days?! That's ridiculous! What "fringe fan" who has been interested in fast-paced Penguin/Hurricane games is going to even remember to watch again on a Saturday afternoon 9 days after the Conference Finals end!?
Of all the questionable decisions the NHL has made, this is up there as one of the worst. For Gary Bettman's sake, he better hope Carolina and Chicago get the comeback trains rolling.
Horrible. I know they want NBC to have the games on weekends, but still, there has to be someone over in the NHL offices who has a clue about how to run a league. Are the ratings on NBC on Sunday afternoon really that much higher than the Versus ratings on a Wednesday night? I would venture "not much" because the real fans watch no matter what channel it's on.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Boring...
Once again, the Conference Finals roll around and I tune out. Last year, Pittsburgh/Philadelphia and Dallas/Detroit did not hold my interest (until Dallas started a comeback that eventually failed). This year, neither series are keeping me that into it either as a repeat of the 2008 Finals seems inevitable.
The Penguins/Hurricanes series is definitely the better of the two, but the teams don't interest me much so I am not watching much, regardless of the score or how well Sidney Crosby performs.
Detroit/Chicago? If this were 1999 and Hugh Grant were here, he would say, "Fuhhgedaboudid." Borrrrring. This series was so hyped up going into it - Central Division rivalry; Old Guard vs. New Blood; Chelios returning to Chicago. And yet, they even make playoff overtime boring! This afternoon's game on NBC was such a blowout that even Mike Emerick wasn't excited, and his "interesting facts" seemed dull and forced.
Add to the fact that I don't particularly want any of these 4 teams to win the Cup. Detroit and Carolina have won recently, and I always like seeing new teams win. I can't reasonably make myself root for Pittsburgh or Crosby. And Chicago? I guess it would be nice if they won for the 7,600 fans who were going to games in 2003 to see a winner finally, but those other 13,000 fans who sell the place out sure seemed to have hopped on board at the right time (much like fans in Boston and Washington, as well).
Of course, I will be intently watching the next round, but once again, I am disappointed in the Conference Finals.
And I guess I will be rooting for the Penguins, solely so Gary Bettman gets his wish and the officials can go back to calling every game fairly, even those with the Penguins playing.
The Penguins/Hurricanes series is definitely the better of the two, but the teams don't interest me much so I am not watching much, regardless of the score or how well Sidney Crosby performs.
Detroit/Chicago? If this were 1999 and Hugh Grant were here, he would say, "Fuhhgedaboudid." Borrrrring. This series was so hyped up going into it - Central Division rivalry; Old Guard vs. New Blood; Chelios returning to Chicago. And yet, they even make playoff overtime boring! This afternoon's game on NBC was such a blowout that even Mike Emerick wasn't excited, and his "interesting facts" seemed dull and forced.
Add to the fact that I don't particularly want any of these 4 teams to win the Cup. Detroit and Carolina have won recently, and I always like seeing new teams win. I can't reasonably make myself root for Pittsburgh or Crosby. And Chicago? I guess it would be nice if they won for the 7,600 fans who were going to games in 2003 to see a winner finally, but those other 13,000 fans who sell the place out sure seemed to have hopped on board at the right time (much like fans in Boston and Washington, as well).
Of course, I will be intently watching the next round, but once again, I am disappointed in the Conference Finals.
And I guess I will be rooting for the Penguins, solely so Gary Bettman gets his wish and the officials can go back to calling every game fairly, even those with the Penguins playing.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Bryan's Conference Finals Picks
So I went 0-for-4 in the second round. I suck. But hey, at least I had Pittsburgh-Washington and Boston-Carolina going seven. As they say, though, you don't get points for coming close.
Time's running out. I need to pull off some big wins in this round or else I'm screwed. With that in mind, here are my picks for the conference finals.
Eastern Conference
(4) Pittsburgh vs. (6) Carolina - Pittsburgh in 6
The more I think about these teams, the more similar they become. So far, Pittsburgh has defeated a physical Flyers team and an offense-heavy Capitals team. They've shown they can play in any number of ways. Carolina, on the other hand, has defeated the defense-first Devils and the all-around brilliant Bruins. They, too, have had to adapt their style to win. This should be a great series featuring two well-rounded teams, not to mention two goaltenders who have been stellar so far. Both teams have plenty of recent playoff experience. Now, having said all of that, even though I like Ward better than Fleury, I'm going with Pittsburgh. Sidney Crosby played at a ridiculously high level during the Capitals series and should be able to keep up his momentum against the Hurricanes. The Penguins have more talent and should be able to win this highly competitive series... but the Hurricanes have pulled wins out of nowhere a couple of times in these playoffs. I won't be surprised if they win. In the end, you know Gary Bettman and NBC will ensure that the Penguins advance.
Western Conference
(2) Detroit vs. (4) Chicago - Chicago in 6
Yes, I know the Red Wings are the defending Stanley Cup Champions. But did you see Chicago against the Canucks? They made Roberto Luongo look mortal; hell, they made him look awful. Experience might win a lot of battles, but don't underestimate youthful exuberance, particularly when it comes to the fans. There were empty seats at the Joe Louis Arena at Game 7 against Anaheim, partially because of the economy, partially because Red Wings fans are trained to expect a Stanley Cup every year. The United Center, on the other hand, has been absolutely boisterous. The playoffs are new to Blackhawks fans, and they're having the time of their lives during this playoff run. Let's not forget the obvious - these Blackhawks can score, Chris Osgood hasn't been great this year, and Nikolai Khabibulin is capable of stealing a game if he has to. Detroit will definitely play well in this series, but it just seems like a series Chicago is capable of winning.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Playoff Bet Update; Boston Commentary...
Well, first, an update on the playoff prediction bet between Bryan and myself.
He scored 0 points this round, much like I did last year in the 2nd round. He incorrectly chose Boston vs. Washington and Anaheim vs. Vancouver in the Conference Finals. Disappointing.
I scored 3 points, 2 for guessing Pittsburgh over Washington (1 point for the win, 1 because it was an upset), and 1 for Detroit over Anaheim.
My picks for next round? Pittsburgh in 6. Chicago in 6.
* * *
Two stats I heard that I thought were interesting...
- Carolina's last 4 playoff rounds went 7 games (Buffalo, Edmonton in '06; Devils, Bruins in '09). Cam Ward, for the record, is obviously 4-0 in those games.
- This was the 1st time since 2001 that 3 out of the 4 second round series went to 7 games, and it tied the 1986 record of 27 games in that round.
* * *
The Bruins had a dream season, and I would like to offer congratualtions to the 12,000 faithful fans who went to the games when they were on the playoff-bubble to past few years. To everyone else, well, you seemed to hop on the bandwagon at the right moment. Nice timing!
He scored 0 points this round, much like I did last year in the 2nd round. He incorrectly chose Boston vs. Washington and Anaheim vs. Vancouver in the Conference Finals. Disappointing.
I scored 3 points, 2 for guessing Pittsburgh over Washington (1 point for the win, 1 because it was an upset), and 1 for Detroit over Anaheim.
My picks for next round? Pittsburgh in 6. Chicago in 6.
* * *
Two stats I heard that I thought were interesting...
- Carolina's last 4 playoff rounds went 7 games (Buffalo, Edmonton in '06; Devils, Bruins in '09). Cam Ward, for the record, is obviously 4-0 in those games.
- This was the 1st time since 2001 that 3 out of the 4 second round series went to 7 games, and it tied the 1986 record of 27 games in that round.
* * *
The Bruins had a dream season, and I would like to offer congratualtions to the 12,000 faithful fans who went to the games when they were on the playoff-bubble to past few years. To everyone else, well, you seemed to hop on the bandwagon at the right moment. Nice timing!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Blackhawks Win
The Chicago Blackhawks just defeated the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 7-5 to win their series and advance to the Western Conference championship.
Read that again.
Some people might have forgotten how truly awful the Blackhawks were in recent years. In 2005-06, the first year after the lockout, the Blackhawks had just 65 points. The next year, they improved to 71 points. Last year, they made a significant leap to 88 points with the addition of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, missing the playoffs by just three points. They finally hit the big-time this year, appearing in the Winter Classic, breaking the 100-point mark, and now they're four wins away from the Stanley Cup Final.
It was just two years ago, during that 71-point season, that the Blackhawks averaged 12,727 fans per home game. That's barely half of the United Center's capacity. This year? The Blackhawks led the league with 22,247 fans per game, including the Winter Classic. That's right - they nearly doubled their attendance in two years. With the playoffs, they've sold a million tickets this year. Every game at the United Center was sellout.
What's my point? It's simple. As bad as things are for the Islanders, they were probably just as bad for the Blackhawks just a few years ago. They weren't drawing. Their games weren't on TV. Even the patience of the diehards was being tested. Now, the Blackhawks are a model franchise in the NHL. Sure, some of that had to do with owner Rocky Wirtz making a lot of things right with the Chicago fanbase. But here, we have proof that it is possible to turn things around - and rather quickly at that.
In talking to people down the stretch, I'd expressed hope that the 2009-10 Islanders could resemble the 2007-08 Blackhawks. A team that is bursting with young talent and is starting to hang with the big boys. A team that might not be playoff-ready, but shows you they're worth watching. Most importantly, a team that gets the fans excited enough to come to games and lend their support. Only time will tell if the Islanders can reach these levels. As we can see, though, stranger things have happened.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
A Vacation...
As the Rangers disappear, so do I.
Been watching a little of the NHL Playoffs (mainly Anaheim/Detroit). I'm rooting for Vancouver, even though I wouldn't be angry if Boston won.
Read about Markus Naslund retiring also. Some outlets (New York Times, for one) claim that if he didn't retire, he would've been bought out. The outcome of a buyout or a retirement would've been the same - him not on the ice - but now he saves the Rangers cap space (if my calculations are correct, about $1.3M per year is saved in cap space). Class act from a good guy. He could've done the scumbag think and taken the buyout like most people in NY would have done (Stephon Marbury, Alex Rodriguez, etc.), but he chose to go out on his own terms. It's just sad that the news of an upcoming (and unconfirmed) buyout had to leak.
Naslund had the will, but he didn't have the legs anymore. He tried every game, but his skills declined severely, from a career-high 104 in 2002-03, to 84, 79, 60, 55, and now 46. He did have a decent showing in 7 postseason games this year, going 1-2-3.
* * *
So what can the Rangers, saddled with 4 cumbersome contracts, do next season?
Of the pending UFAs, Blair Betts and Colton Orr should be invited back. Betts is the best penalty killer in the league and is good on faceoffs (49.3% this year, not great, but serviceable). Orr is needed so goons like Donald Brashear don't take liberties with Betts or Sean Avery. Nik Antropov should be back, I think. I know other fans don't agree, but I think he plays with a passion in NY and likes being a Ranger.
On D, Derek Morris and Paul Mara are UFAs. I like both of them, but there won't be room unless Wade Redden or Michal Rozsival get traded. Redden is nearly immovable, but Rozsival might be moved if the Rangers lose picks in the process.
Of the restricted free agents, a lot of people are torn on Nik Zherdev. I think he has all the talent in the world, but can he mine it? I wouldn't mind him coming back on a one-year deal, maybe to play with Artem Anisimov and Antropov, but if they let him go, fine. A friend of mine said it would be good if another team offers him a contract and the Rangers take the draft pick compensation.
Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky will obviously be re-signed. Corey Potter probably will, the be a 6th defenseman this year, or just to serve as a backup incase injuries occur.
Now, Fred Sjostrom and Lauri Korpikoski.
I vote in favor of Sjostrom. He is one of the fastest on the team, and he gives it his all every single shift, much like Petr Prucha did. Plus, him and Betts are a great tandem on the PK, and Sjostrom is so versatile, he can play 2nd line or 4th line.
Korpikoski? Dump him! I know the Rangers didn't have dynamic offensive skills this year, but he didn't help. I know he is a first-round pick a few years ago (in 2004), but who cares. Let him go. Either trade his rights on Draft Day for a pick or prospect, package him with someone, or let him walk.
That's all for tonight. I have in-depth thoughts on this, but they're still muddled right now.
For now, let's just enjoy the playoffs.
Been watching a little of the NHL Playoffs (mainly Anaheim/Detroit). I'm rooting for Vancouver, even though I wouldn't be angry if Boston won.
Read about Markus Naslund retiring also. Some outlets (New York Times, for one) claim that if he didn't retire, he would've been bought out. The outcome of a buyout or a retirement would've been the same - him not on the ice - but now he saves the Rangers cap space (if my calculations are correct, about $1.3M per year is saved in cap space). Class act from a good guy. He could've done the scumbag think and taken the buyout like most people in NY would have done (Stephon Marbury, Alex Rodriguez, etc.), but he chose to go out on his own terms. It's just sad that the news of an upcoming (and unconfirmed) buyout had to leak.
Naslund had the will, but he didn't have the legs anymore. He tried every game, but his skills declined severely, from a career-high 104 in 2002-03, to 84, 79, 60, 55, and now 46. He did have a decent showing in 7 postseason games this year, going 1-2-3.
* * *
So what can the Rangers, saddled with 4 cumbersome contracts, do next season?
Of the pending UFAs, Blair Betts and Colton Orr should be invited back. Betts is the best penalty killer in the league and is good on faceoffs (49.3% this year, not great, but serviceable). Orr is needed so goons like Donald Brashear don't take liberties with Betts or Sean Avery. Nik Antropov should be back, I think. I know other fans don't agree, but I think he plays with a passion in NY and likes being a Ranger.
On D, Derek Morris and Paul Mara are UFAs. I like both of them, but there won't be room unless Wade Redden or Michal Rozsival get traded. Redden is nearly immovable, but Rozsival might be moved if the Rangers lose picks in the process.
Of the restricted free agents, a lot of people are torn on Nik Zherdev. I think he has all the talent in the world, but can he mine it? I wouldn't mind him coming back on a one-year deal, maybe to play with Artem Anisimov and Antropov, but if they let him go, fine. A friend of mine said it would be good if another team offers him a contract and the Rangers take the draft pick compensation.
Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky will obviously be re-signed. Corey Potter probably will, the be a 6th defenseman this year, or just to serve as a backup incase injuries occur.
Now, Fred Sjostrom and Lauri Korpikoski.
I vote in favor of Sjostrom. He is one of the fastest on the team, and he gives it his all every single shift, much like Petr Prucha did. Plus, him and Betts are a great tandem on the PK, and Sjostrom is so versatile, he can play 2nd line or 4th line.
Korpikoski? Dump him! I know the Rangers didn't have dynamic offensive skills this year, but he didn't help. I know he is a first-round pick a few years ago (in 2004), but who cares. Let him go. Either trade his rights on Draft Day for a pick or prospect, package him with someone, or let him walk.
That's all for tonight. I have in-depth thoughts on this, but they're still muddled right now.
For now, let's just enjoy the playoffs.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Bryan's Playoff Predictions - Conference Semifinals
You may recall that, prior to the first round of the playoffs, Zach and I made our predictions for the conference quarterfinals. How did we do? Let's find out. Our scoring system is as follows: one point for the correct team, one point for the correct number of games, and one point for correctly picking an upset. And, once again, the loser of the playoff prediction game will donate $100 to charity.
- Zach: Boston over Montreal in 5 (1), Rangers over Washington in 7 (0), New Jersey over Carolina in 6 (0), Pittsburgh over Philadelphia in 6 (2), San Jose over Anaheim in 4 (0), Columbus over Detroit in 6 (0), Vancouver over St. Louis in 4 (2), Chicago over Calgary in 5 (1). Total: 6 points.
- Bryan: Boston over Montreal in 6 (1), Rangers over Washington in 7 (0), Carolina over New Jersey in 6 (2), Philadelphia over Pittsburgh in 7 (0), San Jose over Anaheim in 4 (0), Detroit over Columbus in 6 (1), Vancouver over St. Louis in 7 (1), Chicago over Calgary in 6 (2). Total: 7 points.
OK, so we didn't have great showings in Round One. In my defense, I actually picked Washington over the Rangers in 7 in our sidebar poll before the playoffs began, but talked myself into the Rangers when it came time for actual predictions. Whoops.
Anyway, without further adieu, here are my picks for the second round. We'll be employing the same scoring system as the first round.
Eastern Conference
(1) Boston vs. (6) Carolina - Boston in 7
This series will not be the walkover the Bruins-Canadiens series was. The main difference is that Carolina has a hot goalie in Cam Ward who has already won a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe Trophy. They also have Eric Staal, who is becoming more and more clutch by the day. Lastly, Carolina has momentum on their side, while the Bruins have been resting for a week. However, Boston has a more talented team than Carolina and it will show as this series unfolds. Carolina will win at least one of the first two games, probably the first one, and should be 2-2 after four games. Which is wonderful, except that it takes four wins to take the series, and with two of the final three in Boston, the Bruins should prevail.
(2) Washington vs. (4) Pittsburgh - Washington in 7
I'm going with Washington for three main reasons. First, against the Rangers, they proved they can play a physical series and win. Second, they made Henrik Lundqvist look mortal. Third, and most importantly, they have a red-hot young goalie named Simeon Varlamov. Is it foolish to put so much stock into a 21-year-old goalie? Not at all. He's not going to be overwhelmed by the pressure of the playoffs, nobody knows anything about him, he's got tons of momentum, and he's playing ridiculously well. Sure, it's not hard to hold the offensively inept Rangers to under two goals a game, but he also made the big saves when the Capitals needed him to. Having said all that, it won't be easy against a Penguins team that played a similarly physical series against Philadelphia. The real winners in this series, though, are the NHL and Versus - especially if this series goes seven games.
Western Conference
(2) Detroit vs. (8) Anaheim - Anaheim in 6
Yes, I am aware that I picked Anaheim to get swept in the first round. Why, then, would Anaheim beat the Detroit Red Wings in the second round? Well, it's more of a hunch than anything else. But again, goaltending is key. Strange as it is to say, I trust Jonas Hiller more than I trust Chris Osgood. Besides, the Red Wings haven't played since last Thursday. Since then, the Ducks beat San Jose twice and forced overtime in a third game. Even though Detroit swept Columbus in convincing fashion, it's hard to make the argument that Detroit is playing better than Anaheim right now. At worst, they're even. But if you consider that Anaheim is riding high after beating the Sharks in a series that just ended on Monday, things look a little bit different. Hence, I'm taking the Ducks in an upset.
(3) Vancouver vs. (4) Chicago - Vancouver in 7
For the third time in the four second-round series, I'll fall back on the old playoff adage - when in doubt, look at the goaltending matchups. Nikolai Khabibulin has won a Stanley Cup and has played well so far for the Blackhawks. But Roberto Luongo is one of the game's truly elite talents and should be able to play his best hockey in the playoffs, having missed a portion of the regular season. Besides, even though Luongo has played well in the playoffs in his young playoff career, he hasn't had that huge run that makes the great goalies even greater. The Blackhawks are no joke, though, and they'll make Luongo's job all the more difficult. I'd say the Blackhawks are significantly better on offense, but the goalies make all the difference in the playoffs. That's why the Canucks will be slightly better than a fine Chicago team.
How Good Are Predictions, Part II...
Each year, I write down a bunch of predictions from "industry experts," just to see how close they are. I also write down mine to compare. Last September, I posted the results on this page. I figured that we have some off-days now between playoff rounds, and since both local teams (and even the Devils) are out, why not do this post now as opposed to September.
Last year, for the record, ESPN, Newsday's Steve Zipay, and I all had 24 points. The big winner was Dwayne Kessel, aka "Eklund," from some Internet site that spouts "rumors," with 27 points.
This year, the combatants are once again Eklund, and myself. Joining the mix are Newsday's Mark Herrman, Sports Illustrated, and our Islanders' writer Bryan. Representing a once-anonymous ESPN will be E.J. Hradek.
(Scoring: 1 point for having a team correctly missing or making the playoffs; 2 points for predicting their exact position in the Conference.)
6th Place
I am sadly bringing up the rear on this campaign. A few gambles that I took (Tampa Bay winning the Southeast, Devils missing the playoffs, Colorado winning the Northwest, Edmonton and Phoenix making the playoffs) didn't exactly pan out. In fact, of 30 positions in the NHL, the only one I hit on the nose was Minnesota at 9th in the West. Sad, sad, sad predicting. I even had the Islanders coming in 14th in the East, ahead of Atlanta. I actually only predicted 1 division winner (Detroit, 1st in the West). It also appears my Dallas versus either Montreal or the Rangers in the Finals won't happen. In fact, I even said that Sean Avery would be sipping from the Stanley Cup this June.
19 points
5th Place
I shouldn't feel so bad, though. E.J. Hradek, who works for ESPN and hosts NHL Live on XM and the NHL Network, only beat me by 3 points. He only predicted 2 division winners (Red Wings and Capitals). The also picked the Devils to miss the playoffs, as well as Boston, both of whom won their division. He predicted Edmonton to win the Northwest. I still think my Colorado prediction was better! His bold prediction of Detroit over Pittsburgh in the Finals still can happen, though.
23 points
4th Place
Newcomer Mark Herrman, subbing for Zipay this year, ended in 4th. He nailed the Rangers in 7th, but that's about it. He picked 3 division winners, all in the wrong order (Washington, Detroit, San Jose). Dallas winning the Pacific instead of San Jose was his downfall. His Detroit prediction for the Cup Finals looks good, but Montreal will not be joining them. Better luck next year.
23 points
3rd Place
The bronze medal goes to an anonymous person at Sports Illustrated, who nailed 3 spots dead-on (Atlanta, 13th; Islanders, 15th; Nashville, 10th). They predicted 2 divison winners (Washington, Detroit), but 2 of their choices for the division didn't make the tournament (Minnesota, Dallas). SI did correctly choose 7 of 8 Eastern conference playoff teams, a feat only duplicated by Bryan. Their folly: Ottawa at 8th, Carolina at 9th.
26 points
2nd Place
Our own Bryan had a very strong showing, hitting 5 spots correctly (Capitals, 2nd; Philadelphia, 5th; Atlanta, 13th; his beloved Islanders, 15th; Edmonton, 11th in West). He had 4 division winners. His two misses: Penguins to win the Atlantic and Calgary to win the Northwest. His only East playoff team to miss was Tampa Bay, whom he predicted to come in 7th. They ended 14th, and his 14th team, Carolina, came in 6th. Not bad for a rookie, although his Finals prediction of San Jose hoisting the Cup at Madison Square Garden will not happen. Hey, much like his Islanders, there's always next year.
27 points!
1st Place
It pains me, but that Eklund guy from that website again won our competition. His Eastern conference wasn't that great: his only 2-point play was Washington in 2nd, and he picked the Devils and Carolina to miss the playoffs while putting Ottawa and Buffalo in. But he made up for it in the West, correctly guessing the final positions of San Jose, Detroit, Chicago, Calgary, and Nashville. He did pick Edmonton to win their division instead of Vancouver, but he was one of only two (with Hradek) to pick Vancouver in the playoffs. He also was the only person to think San Jose would win the West, as the other 5 of us picked Detroit 1st in the conference. However, his long-term thinking is off: Both the Habs and Sharks lost in the 1st round and will not meet up in June.
28 points
Last year, for the record, ESPN, Newsday's Steve Zipay, and I all had 24 points. The big winner was Dwayne Kessel, aka "Eklund," from some Internet site that spouts "rumors," with 27 points.
This year, the combatants are once again Eklund, and myself. Joining the mix are Newsday's Mark Herrman, Sports Illustrated, and our Islanders' writer Bryan. Representing a once-anonymous ESPN will be E.J. Hradek.
(Scoring: 1 point for having a team correctly missing or making the playoffs; 2 points for predicting their exact position in the Conference.)
6th Place
I am sadly bringing up the rear on this campaign. A few gambles that I took (Tampa Bay winning the Southeast, Devils missing the playoffs, Colorado winning the Northwest, Edmonton and Phoenix making the playoffs) didn't exactly pan out. In fact, of 30 positions in the NHL, the only one I hit on the nose was Minnesota at 9th in the West. Sad, sad, sad predicting. I even had the Islanders coming in 14th in the East, ahead of Atlanta. I actually only predicted 1 division winner (Detroit, 1st in the West). It also appears my Dallas versus either Montreal or the Rangers in the Finals won't happen. In fact, I even said that Sean Avery would be sipping from the Stanley Cup this June.
19 points
5th Place
I shouldn't feel so bad, though. E.J. Hradek, who works for ESPN and hosts NHL Live on XM and the NHL Network, only beat me by 3 points. He only predicted 2 division winners (Red Wings and Capitals). The also picked the Devils to miss the playoffs, as well as Boston, both of whom won their division. He predicted Edmonton to win the Northwest. I still think my Colorado prediction was better! His bold prediction of Detroit over Pittsburgh in the Finals still can happen, though.
23 points
4th Place
Newcomer Mark Herrman, subbing for Zipay this year, ended in 4th. He nailed the Rangers in 7th, but that's about it. He picked 3 division winners, all in the wrong order (Washington, Detroit, San Jose). Dallas winning the Pacific instead of San Jose was his downfall. His Detroit prediction for the Cup Finals looks good, but Montreal will not be joining them. Better luck next year.
23 points
3rd Place
The bronze medal goes to an anonymous person at Sports Illustrated, who nailed 3 spots dead-on (Atlanta, 13th; Islanders, 15th; Nashville, 10th). They predicted 2 divison winners (Washington, Detroit), but 2 of their choices for the division didn't make the tournament (Minnesota, Dallas). SI did correctly choose 7 of 8 Eastern conference playoff teams, a feat only duplicated by Bryan. Their folly: Ottawa at 8th, Carolina at 9th.
26 points
2nd Place
Our own Bryan had a very strong showing, hitting 5 spots correctly (Capitals, 2nd; Philadelphia, 5th; Atlanta, 13th; his beloved Islanders, 15th; Edmonton, 11th in West). He had 4 division winners. His two misses: Penguins to win the Atlantic and Calgary to win the Northwest. His only East playoff team to miss was Tampa Bay, whom he predicted to come in 7th. They ended 14th, and his 14th team, Carolina, came in 6th. Not bad for a rookie, although his Finals prediction of San Jose hoisting the Cup at Madison Square Garden will not happen. Hey, much like his Islanders, there's always next year.
27 points!
1st Place
It pains me, but that Eklund guy from that website again won our competition. His Eastern conference wasn't that great: his only 2-point play was Washington in 2nd, and he picked the Devils and Carolina to miss the playoffs while putting Ottawa and Buffalo in. But he made up for it in the West, correctly guessing the final positions of San Jose, Detroit, Chicago, Calgary, and Nashville. He did pick Edmonton to win their division instead of Vancouver, but he was one of only two (with Hradek) to pick Vancouver in the playoffs. He also was the only person to think San Jose would win the West, as the other 5 of us picked Detroit 1st in the conference. However, his long-term thinking is off: Both the Habs and Sharks lost in the 1st round and will not meet up in June.
28 points
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Rangers Eliminated in 7
At 2:59 AM this morning, Zach sent me a text stating how he was going to write a retrospective about the Rangers' season after tonight's game. He sent me the title and everything. Clearly, he wasn't too optimistic about heading to the second round.
And with good reason.
After leading the series 3-1, the Rangers are going home early. In front of what has to be one of the loudest crowds I've ever heard, the Capitals emerged in the third period and defeated the Rangers by a score of 2-1. The Rangers were in control for much of the first two periods, but the Capitals were too much in the end. Sergei Fedorov scored with just under five minutes left and the Caps didn't let up; instead of sitting on their lead like so many teams do, Washington put so much pressure on the Rangers that they weren't even able to pull Henrik Lundqvist for an extra skater.
Zach will be by later on with more thoughts. Certainly, he'll point out that Wade Redden just sort of stood there as Fedorov shot the game-winning goal into the net. But let the record show that this was a team effort. Every player did his part to lose this series. From poor games by Lundqvist in Games 5 and 6 to the completely invisible play of team "leaders" Chris Drury and Scott Gomez, everyone is to blame. And that includes John Tortorella, who was so quick to bash Sean Avery for inappropriate behavior prior to becoming Rangers coach, but at least Avery wasn't squirting water at fans behind the bench during the middle of a playoff game.
Clearly, there will be changes. There has to be. But with the Rangers right up against the cap, it's hard to see the Rangers fielding a better team next season.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Wow
Zach titled his last post, "Saw That Coming". This one should be titled, "Should Have Seen That Coming".
On Friday night, my wife and I had the family over for a barbecue. My father-in-law is a Rangers fan, and a cynical one at that. As the Rangers faltered in Game 5, he remarked to me that he thought they were going to end up losing the series. I told him, flat out, there was no way the Rangers were going to lose this series. However, we did agree that the Rangers' entire team is Henrik Lundqvist. I went as far as to joke that Lundqvist should win the Hart Trophy every year.
Now? Turns out he may be right. As I type this, the Rangers just scored a goal to make the game 5-2 in favor of Washington. For the second straight game, Henrik Lundqvist is watching the third period from the bench in a Rangers hat. Lundqvist wasn't very sharp today, nor was he on Friday; it's no surprise that the Rangers lost these two games.
Suddenly, the Rangers are in deep doo-doo. They'll be traveling to a hot crowd in Washington to play Game 7 on the road. The Capitals were 29-9-3 at home this season. Lundqvist is a mess. The usual suspects still aren't showing up. The one saving grace is that the Rangers will get their coach back on Tuesday - but they had John Tortorella behind the bench in Game 5 and still got blown out.
Long story short? The Rangers have their work cut out for them. If they don't advance to the second round - a scenario that's looking very likely - there will be plenty of blame to be passed around. And there's not a single person in the entire organization who should be absolved.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Saw That Coming...
People were getting mad at me for telling them the Rangers would be crushed today, and lo and behold, they were. I hope I'm right in saying that they would also win at MSG on Sunday. And I'm glad that if Henrik Lundqvist was going to have a night off, this was it, in a game the Rangers could afford to lose so long as they remember to show up for Game 6.
What I didn't see coming was 30 year old players not playing the body. When Alex Ovechkin blew by Dan Girardi and Marc Staal to score, I understood it. They are young, they might not know how to play defense. But Chris Drury is 32, Derek Morris is 30. Do they not know to play the puck, do not play the player!
I expect it when Michael Rozsival or Wade Redden make that mistake; they're awful at their jobs. But Morris and Drury? C'mon!
What I didn't see coming was 30 year old players not playing the body. When Alex Ovechkin blew by Dan Girardi and Marc Staal to score, I understood it. They are young, they might not know how to play defense. But Chris Drury is 32, Derek Morris is 30. Do they not know to play the puck, do not play the player!
I expect it when Michael Rozsival or Wade Redden make that mistake; they're awful at their jobs. But Morris and Drury? C'mon!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Rangers Up 3-1, So Let's Talk About Penalties...
You've watched the game, you TiVo-ed Rangers in 60, and you already read all about the game on the Internet.
Let me just say a few things, then...
- - Sean Avery took 2 penalties in the last half of the third period, the first being on a race for the puck by the Capitals' goal line. I think this was a marginal penalty, at best. It didn't look like he actually meant to hit Milan Jurcina. Granted, I might be completely wrong, because lately it seems like Avery "accidentally" hits people a lot. But it truly appears to me that he was turning his body quickly, didn't see Jurcina bending over, and clocked him on accident in the head.
The second penalty, though, when he hit a Capital in the face/neck with his stick, was stupid. Yes, Brian Pothier sold the move like he got shot by a bazooka, but Avery never should have done it. I will stand by Avery and how he plays, but this was a stupid, selfish move. He normally puts his teammates first on the ice, and everything he does is to get under someone's skin or help his linemates, but this was stupid. Instead of hitting Alex Semin or Alex Ovechkin, he has been concentrating on bums like Tom Poti and Pothier.
Shouldn't the first penalty, the punch on Jurcina, maybe been a 4-minute minor since it drew blood? Or is that only for high-sticking calls?
- - Quick sidenote: I remember a Ranger game in Boston that I was at in 2006-07 when both teams had a #68 and a #81, and I thought that was really cool. (For the record, Jurcina, Jaromir Jagr, Marcel Hossa, and Phil Kessel.)
- - Paul Mara also took 2 stupid penalties. The first was an interference call where he laid someone out away from the play. A dumb penalty, probably, but you could see the point in it. He knocked someone hard who could have gotten to the puck when it wrapped around the boards.
The second one, where he pushed someone who was chasing the puck into a corner, was ridiculous. It, like Avery's stick-to-the-head, served no purpose and just put the Rangers into a 2-minute hole where Ovechkin, Semin, or Mike Green could've dented the Rangers.
- - Mike Green took a "good" penalty before. He was exhausted from playing a full power play, and when he let Fred Sjostrom blaze by him, he hooked him and took him down before Sjostrom could get the puck.
While he never should have let him blow by him like that, he took a good penalty because it saved a breakaway and it didn't lead to a penalty shot. Avery's hit on Pothier and Mara's useless shove were bad penalties. If a penalty stops a scoring chance, or teaches someone a lesson not to mess with your teammates, that's fine, and a solid 2-minute penalty kill can help your team. But useless penalties demoralize you and invigorate the other team.
- - By the way, there was a part in the 3rd period when the Capitals were on the power play that made me laugh. Every player on the ice, Capitals, Rangers, were completely beat. The Capitals keep their players (Ovechkin, Semin, Green, Nik Backstrom) on so long that by the 1:50 mark of the power play they are phoning it in; and the Rangers had their PK unit out for so long because the couldn't clear.
The end result: a listless power play that couldn't even pass the puck, and a PK unit that couldn't even stop a weak pass.
* * *
All in all, a huge game, like I said earlier, and a gigantic win. It leaves a barrier now where they can win in Washington Friday, but they don't have to.
They now know that even if they lose Game 5, they can close it out on home ice Sunday.
Let me just say a few things, then...
- - Sean Avery took 2 penalties in the last half of the third period, the first being on a race for the puck by the Capitals' goal line. I think this was a marginal penalty, at best. It didn't look like he actually meant to hit Milan Jurcina. Granted, I might be completely wrong, because lately it seems like Avery "accidentally" hits people a lot. But it truly appears to me that he was turning his body quickly, didn't see Jurcina bending over, and clocked him on accident in the head.
The second penalty, though, when he hit a Capital in the face/neck with his stick, was stupid. Yes, Brian Pothier sold the move like he got shot by a bazooka, but Avery never should have done it. I will stand by Avery and how he plays, but this was a stupid, selfish move. He normally puts his teammates first on the ice, and everything he does is to get under someone's skin or help his linemates, but this was stupid. Instead of hitting Alex Semin or Alex Ovechkin, he has been concentrating on bums like Tom Poti and Pothier.
Shouldn't the first penalty, the punch on Jurcina, maybe been a 4-minute minor since it drew blood? Or is that only for high-sticking calls?
- - Quick sidenote: I remember a Ranger game in Boston that I was at in 2006-07 when both teams had a #68 and a #81, and I thought that was really cool. (For the record, Jurcina, Jaromir Jagr, Marcel Hossa, and Phil Kessel.)
- - Paul Mara also took 2 stupid penalties. The first was an interference call where he laid someone out away from the play. A dumb penalty, probably, but you could see the point in it. He knocked someone hard who could have gotten to the puck when it wrapped around the boards.
The second one, where he pushed someone who was chasing the puck into a corner, was ridiculous. It, like Avery's stick-to-the-head, served no purpose and just put the Rangers into a 2-minute hole where Ovechkin, Semin, or Mike Green could've dented the Rangers.
- - Mike Green took a "good" penalty before. He was exhausted from playing a full power play, and when he let Fred Sjostrom blaze by him, he hooked him and took him down before Sjostrom could get the puck.
While he never should have let him blow by him like that, he took a good penalty because it saved a breakaway and it didn't lead to a penalty shot. Avery's hit on Pothier and Mara's useless shove were bad penalties. If a penalty stops a scoring chance, or teaches someone a lesson not to mess with your teammates, that's fine, and a solid 2-minute penalty kill can help your team. But useless penalties demoralize you and invigorate the other team.
- - By the way, there was a part in the 3rd period when the Capitals were on the power play that made me laugh. Every player on the ice, Capitals, Rangers, were completely beat. The Capitals keep their players (Ovechkin, Semin, Green, Nik Backstrom) on so long that by the 1:50 mark of the power play they are phoning it in; and the Rangers had their PK unit out for so long because the couldn't clear.
The end result: a listless power play that couldn't even pass the puck, and a PK unit that couldn't even stop a weak pass.
* * *
All in all, a huge game, like I said earlier, and a gigantic win. It leaves a barrier now where they can win in Washington Friday, but they don't have to.
They now know that even if they lose Game 5, they can close it out on home ice Sunday.
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