Saturday Night Hockey: Playoff Edition #3

What? Words? In this space? Noooooo, that can't be...can it?

Yes folks, an actual post in this spot. It's been long overdue. In an ironic twist from the title of this post, here is stuff that is non-playoff related.

World Championship

While my preview will be up sometime next week, I do have to say a few things.

First off, by now it's known that Crosby and Toews won't be joining Team Canada for this year's tournament. This isn't surprising. Crosby hasn't represented Canada in this tournament since 2006 and Toews since 2008. Both are coming back from a concussion this season and do need the rest, but let me ask: What was the biggest knock against Crosby? It was that is didn't seem to be up to game shape. Spending almost a year off the ice can do that. So why wouldn't he want to play this in this year's tournament to help him get back into game shape. The international game is less physical and more wide open so there would be less wear-and-tear in trying to get into shape.

The next point: I don't think this tournament has ever been promoted as much as this year by TSN. While I'm one who always tries to pounce on TSN for their poor coverage when it comes to international hockey (Olympics excluded for obvious reasons), I have no problem stepping back and applauding their effort to promote this year's tournament. Now do me a favour and don't place 90% of the games on TSN2.

One more thing: The results of this tournament (combined with the results from the lower divisions) will be added to the world rankings which sets who gets an automatic spot in Sochi 2014 and who has to qualify. Usually the top 9 ranked teams are guaranteed a spot. Canada is currently 5th, so they are safe unless an epic collapse happens. Can you imagine Canada needing to qualify? The last qualifier takes place in February before the Olympics! Hello Spengler Cup team.

NHL Awards

The NHL Awards are slowly being announced and while there are a few surprises (Lundqvist for Hart? No Eriksson for Byng?) what caught my eye was the Masterton Trophy, specifically the candidates.

Daniel Alfredsson, Joffrey Lupul, and Max Pacioretty. As in a Sen, a Leaf, and a Hab.

Just add a bar and you got yourself a joke.

If I had a ballot I'd pick Pacioretty. Habs bias aside, he did come back from one of the most gruesome on-ice injuries in recent years. Not taking away from Alfie, who recovered from back surgery in the offseason and a concussion earlier in the season. As for Lupul, his career was threatened by a blood infection, but he returned to regularly playing last year. This year he was back to his normal (albeit, career-year) self.

Bye Bye Luongo?

The Canucks, after back-to-back Presidents Trophies and only one year removed from a Stanley Cup Final visit, are expecting Luongo to waive his no-trade clause and submit a list of teams he is willing to go to, with one of them (reportedly) being the Leafs.

First off: BAHAHAHAHAAHHAHA. Oh delusional Toronto media, you guys crack me up sometimes.

Second: Unless Luongo is put under some Clockwork Orange type of brainwashing, there is no way he should go to Toronto. If the Vancouver media is ripping him up as a choker, imagine how the Toronto media will react the moment he lets one by him. And that's just preseason.

The other suspects are Tampa Bay and Florida. This makes sense since Luongo spent part of his career in Florida and his wife is from there. Out of the two, Tampa Bay makes the most sense. Tampa has the offense (Stamkos) and the defense (just ignore Bergeron over there). Their biggest fault last year was the Roloson actually played his age in net, and Sebastien Caron isn't going to carry the team far if depended on next year.

In reality, the Canucks shouldn't trade Luongo.

The equation above is simply this: Major Market x Over-bearing Media + Cup drought + Goalies (used as tandem) = Unnecessary Goalie Trade

The Habs fell into this trap. They had Price and Halak working excellently. Once there was even a mention of a "riff" between the goalies, all hell broke loose in the media and Halak ended up the odd goalie out. Not to say Price has been a good goalie (he was one of the very, very few bright spots for the Habs this season), but I do not buy the notion that they could not co-exist as a tandem. If they could not, then why is Halak thriving in another tandem with Brian Elliott. You know how bad teams want a goalie tandem like that? I don't but I would guess that having two excellent goalies isn't the worst thing in the world. The only problem the Canucks have involves media pressure (and maybe Luongo's contract, but the cap can be worked around). They should remain status quo in net, end of discussion.

(Side note: In hockey, not all Major Markets are Canadian, but all Canadian Markets are considered Major)

Lineup NOTables

Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers

"Line Matchers": Tom Poti (groin) and Tomas Vokoun (groin) are out. Braden Holtby starts.
New York (the good one): Mats Aasen-Zuccerello (wrist), Steve Eminger (ankle) and Michael Sauer (concussion) are out while Brain Boyle (concussion) is questionable. Henrik Lundqvist gets the start.

Los Angeles Kings vs. St. Louis Blues

Los Angeles: Simon Gagne (concussion) and Scott Parse (hip) are out while Kyle Clifford (upper body) is questionable. Jonathan Quick will start tonight.
St. Louis: Jaroslav Halak (foot) is out while Scott Nichol is doubtful. Brian Elliott is in net.

2012 Stanley Cup Review - (3) Florida Panthers vs. (6) New Jersey Devils

Series Summary

Brodeur won his 100th playoff game, Florida won it's first in over a decade, Brodeur gets a record-breaking 24th playoff shutout, what more do you want? From what I know about the series, the first 3 games involved both teams blowing a 3-0 lead. Brodeur then got a shutout in Game 4 to tie the series. Theodore then responses with a shutout of his own, putting Florida up 3-2. Clemmensen then came on in relief in Game 6 and did well, but it wasn't enough as the Devils sent it to Game 7. In Game 7, the Devils pretty much started with a 1 goal lead and built on it. Florida did answer in the third period, forcing overtime...then double overtime. Adam Henrique ended all hope of Panther fans with a shot from the high slot that beat Theodore. Martin Brodeur will now heave his ancient body (in hockey terms) through another playoff series. Also, congrats to Ilya Kovalchuk for finally winning his first playoff series.

Games

New Jersey Devils 3
Florida Panthers 2

New Jersey Devils 2
Florida Panthers 4

Florida Panthers 4
New Jersey Devils 3

Florida Panthers 0
New Jersey Devils 4

New Jersey Devils 0
Florida Panthers 3

Florida Panthers 2
New Jersey Devils 3 (OT)

New Jersey Devils 3 (2OT)
Florida Panthers 2

Three Thoughts On The Series

• Classiest move of the playoffs: The Panthers pouring a beer for a season ticket holder who passed away.
• Then one of their executives goes out and wrongly blames Devils fans for the discontinuation of selling Rats at Panther games.
• This sparks a twitter war between him and a Devils fan. Winner: Devils fan.

Picture Of The Series

Congratulations to Martin Brodeur for winning his 100th playoff game and getting his record breaking 24th playoff shutout during this series.

Play Of The Series

Have to put something in this spot, so here is Travis Zajac's Game 6 overtime winner. Note how much the Panther D-men respect Kovalchuk, they are both focused on him.

2012 Stanley Cup Review - (1) New York Rangers vs. (8) Ottawa Senators

Series Summary

I smell a new rivalry!  While the Rangers won Game 1 as expected, the drama ramped-up in Game 2. Matt Carkner defended his teammates from Brian Boyle by pummeling him and the Sens rallied around that. If your a pacifist, then the Sens rallied around what might have been a regular save by Anderson, I dunno, anything that wasn't the ass-whooping Boyle got. That game also featured Carl Hagelin elbowing Daniel Alfredsson in the head, causing a concussion. The Rangers came back in Game 3 with a shutout, then the Sens answered back with another overtime win, with a beauty snipe by Turris. The intensity was lifted again as Chris Neil nailed Boyle with a borderline hit (or if your a Ranger's head coach: A hit that followed the "Raffi Torres blueprint"). Either way, the Sens shutout the Rangers to take their first series lead and putting the heat on the Rangers. The Rangers (along with Alfie and Hagelin) came back in Game 6 to win, but it wasn't a normal win. The game ended with a controversial goal by Neil who pushed Lundqvist out of the way then "kicked" the puck into the net. The Rangers still won 3-2, but it still wasn't enough to satisfy Lundqvist, as he was the most irate anyone has seen him. Game 7 was tight for the first 2 periods, as the Rangers took a 2-1 lead. For most of the third, the Rangers went into shell mode and protected the lead when the Sens brought the heat. In the end, the Rangers held on to end what end up being a damn good series.

Games

Ottawa Senators 2
New York Rangers 4

Ottawa Senators 3 (OT)
New York Rangers 2

New York Rangers 1
Ottawa Senators 0

New York Rangers 2
Ottawa Senators 3 (OT)

Ottawa Senators 2
New York Rangers 0

New York Rangers 3
Ottawa Senators 2

Ottawa Senators 1
New York Rangers 2

Three Thoughts On The Series

• If you watched the suspension videos of Haglin and Carkner, you can tell Haglin was a makeup call for Weber. The Carkner suspension was reasonable (even though Boyle should have been the one suspended for turtling).
• To show it's not all Boyle-bashing around here, he was huge early in the series, scoring in the first 3 games.
• The reason for Ottawa's success during the season and playoffs: MacLean's Moustache.

Picture Of The Series

From the company that brought you Angry Birds comes: Angry Swedes

Play Of The Series

Remember last year when Marchand was punching Daniel Sedin in the head and people wondered why no one was coming to the defense of Sedin? Well Brian Boyle tried to do the same thing to Erik Karlsson. Enter Matt Carkner:

Thank you Matt Carkner. You should have been awarded a medal, not get suspended. And Boyle, unless you went to the Darius Kasparaitis school of fighting, be a man and defend your actions. You deserved that beating, the least you could do was defend yourself.

2012 Playoffs Round Deux: Eastern Edition

Note: The last two reviews will be up sometime this weekend. So again, don't expect anything of note for SNH.

Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers

This might be a tougher series than originally thought. With Hunters "line matching" and the Rangers being wore down by the Sens, the Caps might bw able to pull this out. New York's defensive ways are bound to catch up with them and vezina-nominated (who are we kidding, he'll win it) Lundqvist might not bail them out as much. On the other hand, how hot will Holtby stay? This series is almost a toss up, but I'm going to pick the upset. Washington in 7.

New Jersey Devils vs. Philadelphia Flyers

I can't pick the fake artist to move on. Just like my Boston/Washington pick, my hate runs deep. New Jersey in 6.

2012 Playoffs Round Deux: Western Edition

Note: The last two reviews will be up sometime this weekend. So again, don't expect anything of note for SNH.

Los Angeles Kings vs. St. Louis Blues

This series won't end for a month. It's vezina-nominated Quick vs. statically mind-blowing Elliott. What might be the difference is defensive support. While the Blues are quick to close lanes and block shots, the Kings rely too heavily on Quick. This series has all the potential to go the distance (and by that, I mean every game goes for at least 5 OT's). St. Louis in 6.

Nashville Predators vs. Phoenix Coyotes

A.K.A. The Blackberry Series. Yes, 2 of the 3 teams Balsillie try to buy years ago are now facing each other in the second round. Again, it's a vezina-nominated goalie (Rinne) vs. one with a career year ("Flopper" Smith). What might be a difference in this series is experience. The Coyote franchise has never played in the second round, while Nashville broke through that barrier last year and are now hungry for more. Unlike the aforementioned series, this one might end earlier. Nashville in 5.

2012 NHL Playoff Predictions - Round Two

Eastern Conference - Semi-Finals

(1) New York Rangers vs. (7) Washington Capitals

MDK: Washington Capitals
BEK: Washington Capitals

(5) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (6) New Jersey Devils

MDK: Philadelphia Flyers
BEK: New Jersey Devils

Western Conference - Semi-Finals

(2) St. Louis Blues vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings

MDK: Los Angeles Kings
BEK: St. Louis Blues

(3) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (4) Nashville Predators

MDK: Nashville Predators
BEK: Nashville Predators

After Round 1

MDK: 3-5
BEK: 5-3

2012 Stanley Cup Review - (2) Boston Bruins vs. (7) Washington Capitals

Series Summary

The story early on in this series was goaltending, especially for Washington. Everyone knew what to expect form Thomas, nobody knew what Braden Holtby would do. He kept Washington in the first two games as they went 1-1 in two overtime games. Game 3 was a different story for both goalies, as their performance slipped and goals were scored. Also in that game: Backstrom getting an undeserved match penalty for a crosscheck that, if it happened anytime before the end of the game, would be two minutes and no one would be talking about it. Holtby went back to carrying the Caps in Game 4 to tie the series back up. Game 4 also brought back the return of the clock malfunction, as the timekeeper took 5.3 seconds to start a clock that needed an extra 0.9 seconds added on. Washington finally took a series lead in Game 5 with some late-game heroics by Benoit Pouliot, who bravely took a slashing penalty that allowed Washington to get a powerplay goal to win the game. Game 6 was all Tyler Seguin* in the later parts of the game, setting up Andrew Ference in that third before winning it in overtime. Game 7 was gut-wrenching. Washington scores, Boston ties it up, and them overtime. Glorious, glorious overtime...which ended in three minutes with Joel Ward scoring and sending Boston to the golf course early and making Washington GM McPhee look like a genius for signing him in the offseason. So now the Caps have to wait for tonight's results to see who their Round 2 opponent will be.

*The Leafs could use a guy like him.

Games

Washington Capitals 0
Boston Bruins 1 (OT)

Washington Capitals 2 (2OT)
Boston Bruins 1

Boston Bruins 4
Washington Capitals 3

Boston Bruins 1
Washington Capitals 2

Washington Capitals 4
Boston Bruins 3

Boston Bruins 4 (OT)
Washington Capitals 3

Washington Capitals 2 (OT)
Boston Bruins 1

Three Thoughts On The Series

• I'm surprised that Marchand reacted to the spear by Chimera. I was always under the impression that Marchand had no balls.
• Speaking of Marchand: If he was a representation of Nova Scotia, then that (re: my) province would be full of world class Olympic divers.
• The best comment about the Ovi-Chara duel (and I wish I remembered who said it): "It's like a Russian fly vs. a Slovak windshield."

Picture Of The Series

Again, how amazing was Holtby in this series? He deserves this spot.

Play Of The Series

Since we don't want to overload on the goalie-ness (yes yes I know not a word) of this series, here is Tyler Seguin's Game 6 goal in overtime. You know, the Leafs could use a guy like him.

Hey, a Boston/Washington post and no mentioned of Thomas/Obama. It's an election miracle.

2012 Stanley Cup Review - (3) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (6) Chicago Blackhawks

Series Summary

If there is one thing this series was about, it is overtime. If there are two things this series was about, it was suspensions. The first two games were close to being the same. Chicago opens the scoring, Phoenix takes the lead, then Chicago scores a last-second goal to send to to overtime. The only difference was the result. Well, that and Mike Smith flopping around like a fish out of water in Game 2, leading to Andrew Shaw being suspended for 3 games. Game 3 opened up the floodgates for criticism against violence in hockey. Torres collided (it was a collision, not a hit) with Hossa, which ended in Hossa getting stretchered away. It was also the game were the late game heroics stopped, and this time Chicago blew the lead. Mikkel Boedker won it on a goal that resembled Patrick Kane's Cup Winner. Game 4 wasn't as bad, the obligatory fight (Paul "What Tie Down?"Bissonnette vs. Brandon Bollig), the return of late-game tying goals, and Mikkel Boedker scored again in overtime (deja vu eh?). Game 5 was desperation time for Chicago and they came through, winning in OT on a snipe by Toews. Game 6 was desperation time for Chicago and they...uh...were stopped by a wall named Smith. With the Blackhawks controlling most of the first two periods, Smith stood tall and stopped everything that came at him. Once Chicago got into penalty trouble in the third period that was it. Phoenix moves on to the second round for the first time in franchise history (really? not even as the Jets eh?) while Chicago "enjoys" in earlier-than-expected offseason.

Games

Chicago Blackhawks 2
Phoenix Coyotes 3 (OT)

Chicago Blackhawks 4 (OT)
Phoenix Coyotes 3

Phoenix Coyotes 3 (OT)
Chicago Blackhawks 2

Phoenix Coyotes 3 (OT)
Chicago Blackhawks 2

Chicago Blackhawks 2 (OT)
Phoenix Coyotes 1

Phoenix Coyotes 4
Chicago Blackhawks 0

Three Thoughts On The Series

• I think this was the series I watched the most, and a lot of that has to do with timing of the games.
• Probably the only guy that won't be suspended for a bad hit is Jimmy Hayes. It was clearly boarding, but it didn't look as bad as other boarding calls this year.
• Damn Phoenix, not allowing Game 6 to go to overtime. Although have to give Smith a ton of credit for keeping the Coyotes in that game until they started scoring.

Picture Of The Series

Speaking of Smith, he stopped a shot by Andrew Shaw in game 6, here is his immediate reaction:

Play Of The Series

There was good goals, and great saves, but all that matters to anyone in this series is that Torres got a "deserved" suspensions. I'm not disagreeing that the hit wasn't high or late, but whether the head is the "principle point of contact" is somewhat debatable. Even in the suspension video, there isn't any close-up to prove that point. 25 games was a bit too much. Anyway, here's the hit:

BONUS VIDEO: NMA (the Taiwanese animation news company) on hockey violence. Complete with Raffi Torres Rocket Skates:





2012 Stanley Cup Review - (1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings

Series Summary

For the first two games, the Canucks were missing defense like Henrik was missing Daniel. Then in the third game, they came out to play, leave one wondering where that team was for the first two games. For once, Luongo wasn't at complete fault (although Canuck fans disagree). Credit to the Kings though for taking advantage of the Canucks mistakes and finally giving Quick the goal support he needs. Omce Schneider came in for Game 3, the Canucks finally stepped it up and played like...well...the Canucks. Having that momentum and Daniel Sedin back in the lineup was a major boost for the Canucks, leading to a Game 4 win for them. The 4 days between Games 4 and 5 might have killed some of that momentum though (and give Kopitar the chance to play for Slovenia, just saying). The Canucks did hang on to the lead for a while in Game 5 until a goal-mouth scramble tied it up, then Jarrett Stoll's overtime goal sealed the Canucks playoff fate. The series might have been different if both Sedins were in the lineup to start the series. A lot of credit has to go to Schneider for keeping the Canucks in the last 3 games, but remember that the defense failed Luongo. The Kings now face St. Louis in Round 2. In other news, Game 1 is expected to end sometime around late May.

Games

Los Angeles Kings 4
Vancouver Canucks 2

Los Angeles Kings 4
Vancouver Canucks 2

Vancouver Canucks 0
Los Angeles Kings 1

Vancouver Canucks 3
Los Angeles Kings 1

Los Angeles Kings 2
Vancouver Canucks 1

Three Thoughts On The Series

• Quick to teammates during first two games: "Where the hell was that during the season?"
• Seriously Canuck fans, it was defense - not Luongo - that did you guys in the first two games.
• Ryan "Tumbleweed" Kesler

Picture Of The Series

Whoever runs the Kings official Twitter feed is awesome:

Play Of The Series

Miss the first two games of this series? Here is the recap of both games in one play:

2012 Stanley Cup Review - (4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Philadelphia Flyers

Series Summary

Goals, fights, suspensions. "Come on down, bring the kids, we have fun for the whole family" or better yet (especially for Game 3) "The fans are standing up to them! The security guards are standing up to them! The peanut vendors are standing up to them! And by golly, if I could get down there, I'd be standing up to them!". Slapshot aside, how bad do these teams hate each other? I get the in-state rivalry, but this series took it to a whole new level. What’s amazing was how bad the goaltending was in this series. Bryz must have thought he was back in Phoenix and Fleury couldn’t keep the puck out of his net, especially with his team giving him the goal support. Blowing leads in the first two game is going to catch up to the Pens and it did. The story of the series was Game 3. Crosby’s antics, Asham trying to get Schenn to taste his stick, and Neal hitting everything in sight were the main points of that game. The Pens did come back in a big way, putting up a 10-spot against Philly in Game 4 (a game in which the ref let NOTHING slide) and winning probably the closest (and definitely the lowest scoring) game in the series in Game 5. Philly finally put the nail in the Pittsburgh playoff coffin in Game 6. Now the Flyers will continue on while I demand and be disappointed in my yearly ritual of wanting Crosby in the World Championship for Canada.

Games

Philadelphia Flyers 4 (OT)
Pittsburgh Penguins 3

Philadelphia Flyers 8
Pittsburgh Penguins 5

Pittsburgh Penguins 4
Philadelphia Flyers 8

Pittsburgh Penguins 10
Philadelphia Flyers 3

Philadelphia Flyers 2
Pittsburgh Penguins 3

Pittsburgh Penguins 1
Philadelphia Flyers 5

Three Thoughts On The Series

• Remember kids "There is no fighting in the playoffs".
• Probably the only thing I'll give the Flyers credit for this series: Being able to turn Hartnell into Hulk Hogan.
• Bryzgalov and Fleury kept my hope alive that I can make the NHL as a goalie.

Picture Of The Series

This is what we call a "save". It was very rare to see one of these in this series.

Play Of The Series

Instead of just one play, here is a compilation of all the fights in Game 3.

2012 Stanley Cup Review - (2) St. Louis Blues vs. (7) San Jose Sharks

Series Summary

DE-FENSE, GOAL-TEND-ING, DE-FENSE, GOAL-TEND-ING. If that isn't the Blues new chant then there is an injustice in this world. After letting Game 1 slip away from them, the Blues run the table and win the series 4-1. It was costly for them, as they lose Halak in Game 2, but Elliott was healthy enough to fill in and not miss a beat. As for San Jose, they just couldn't crack St. Louis. At times it looked like Niemi was fighting the puck, Marleau was his usual "gutless" self in the playoffs, and Brent Burns was too busy elbowing Scott Nichol's head. St. Louis now moves on while San Jose contemplates a re-build.

Games

San Jose Sharks 3 (OT)
St. Louis Blues 2

San Jose Sharks 0
St. Louis Blues 3

St. Louis Blues 4
San Jose Sharks 3

St. Louis Blues 2
San Jose Sharks 1

San Jose Sharks 1
St. Louis Blues 3

Three Thoughts On The Series

• Jaroslav Halak was injured...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
• Should San Jose start a fire sale after failing it get past the first round? No. Will they? Probably. 
• Doug Wilson wasn't kidding when he said he traded for Havlat because of his playoff performances. He was 2-1-3 in 5 games with an overtime goal.

Picture Of The Series

Last year I did the same thing to mock Philly's goalie carousel. For St. Louis this year, this is done with praise. They combine to shutout the Sharks in Game 2 and and Elliott finished off the series with a winning streak.

Play Of The Series

T.J. Oshie does all the work...and Backes gets the glory here:

2012 Stanley Cup Review - (4) Nashville Predators vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings

Series Summary

This was essentially the ideal series. A few goals, great goaltending, and some bad blood between the teams. The first game was highlighted by the Weber/Zetterberg incident (see below). After just a fine, Weber squared off against Bertuzzi, and all was right again in this series. With a 1-1 series tie in Nashville, they head to Detroit, where the Red Wings were impressive at home over the season. Then again, it was during the season. While the games were close, Rinne was able to help the Preds kept the lead and frustrate the Red Wings. It would have been awesome if it went to seven games, but the series did highlight that Nashville was in a clear win-now mode while Detroit was starting to show a bit of age. Now that Nashville has beaten the "benchmark" team of the West, they should be considered the team to beat for the rest of the playoffs.

Games

Detroit Red Wings 2
Nashville Predators 3

Detroit Red Wings 3
Nashville Predators 2

Nashville Predators 3
Detroit Red Wings 2

Nashville Predators 3
Detroit Red Wings 1

Detroit Red Wings 1
Nashville Predators 2

Three Thoughts On The Series

• Todd Bertuzzi: Ping Pong narc
• Come on Nick, you can play for a few more years.
• Nashville is definitely for real this year.

Picture Of The Series

3 guys and the goalie playing defense on the puck carrier, I can't see anything wrong with that. Oh, and by the way, Klein (#8) scored on the play.

Play Of The Series

If Nashville was eliminated, it's nice to know Weber has a fall-back option: Wrestling. Need proof? Here:

Showing Some International Love: Division I Group A Review

The final review of the World Championship's lower divisions. Here is Division I Group A (Preview here). And yes, the new system is still screwing with me, didn't realize that the top two teams get the promotion.

Division I - Group A (Host: Slovenia)

Standing
1 (Promoted) - Slovenia     5W - 0L - 15PTS - +8GD
2 (Promoted) - Austria       3W - 1OTL - 1L - 13PTS - +8GD
3 - Hungary                      2W - 3L - 6PTS - -3GD
4 - Japan                         1W - 1OTW - 1OTL - 2L - 6PTS - -1GD
5 - Great Britain               1W - 1OTW - 3L - 5PTS - -8GD
6 (Relegated) - Ukraine      0W - 1OTW - 1OTL - 3L - 3PTS - -4GD

Slovenia was definitely a blue collar team in this tournament, fighting  for every victory. There biggest win was 4-1 against Hungary. I'm still convinced that Kopitar took that 4-day break in the Canucks-Kings series to fly to Slovenia and help them beat Austria 3-2. They usually have the skill to survive the Top Division for a year or two, so next year will be an interesting one for them.

So if Slovenia had close games, Austria is bipolar. Either they lost by one or blew out their opponent. The only exception was a 5-4 win against Ukraine. Now for them to try to stay in the Top Division for more than a year.

Hungary, Hungary, Hungary...what do I need to say? The tournament seemed to be more about grooming their young goalie than actually competing for a promotion. They had three serviceable goalies in Szuper, Hetenyi, Budai, and they go to the guy who's last international experience was in 2010 at the U20 level. If you want to season him, play him against the weaker teams, not for the whole tournament. The only lost I question was the 5-4 one against Great Britain, but by that time both Austria and Slovenia clinched a promotion spot. Better luck next year Hungary.

Japan = Team of the Tournament. After a year off due to the tsunami/nuclear mess last year, they proved me wrong and not only stay afloat, but beat Austria in a shootout. They started the tournament shaky but that win against Austria gave them a boost as they ended the tournament with a win against Great Britain and a shootout loss against Ukraine.

Great Britain should be thankful they are still alive in Group A. They couldn't decide if they wanted to lose a close game, or lose in a blowout. The two victories they had were an overtime win and a regulation one were they relied on a penalty shot in the third to put them ahead. In hindsight, having your head coach miss half of the tournament to club obligations might have changed a few things, but they need to pick it up for next year.

I've felt sorry for a few teams during my reviews of the lower divisions. Ukraine tops that list. Every game minus the one against Hungary was decided by one goal. ONE GOAL! This is indicative of how close this tournament was from top to bottom. Now granted, the promotion spots were sealed before the last day of games, but with the way the 4 other teams were playing, spots 3-6 were wide open. It's a shame Ukraine had to take the fall. Just 5 years after last playing in the Top Division, they sink down 2 levels.

Showing Some International Love: Division I Group B Review

The midway point of reviews for the World Championship. Here is Division I Group B (Preview here).

Division I - Group B (Host: Poland)

Standing
1 (Promoted) - South Korea    4W - 1OTW - 0L - 14PTS - +14GD
2 - Poland                             4W - 1L - 12PTS - +24GD
3 - Netherlands                      3W - 1OTL - 1L - 10PTS - +8GD
4 - Romania                           2W - 3L - 6PTS - -15GD
5 - Lithuania                          1W - 4L - 3PTS - -18GD
6 (Relegated) - Australia         0W - 5L - 0PTS - -13GD

South Korea dominated opponents early on in the tournament. There biggest scare was Netherlands, as they blew a two-goal lead against them and had to pull out an overtime victory. Against Poland, Romania came back from 2-1, took the lead with about 8 minutes left and hung on. It will be interesting to see how South Korea fares in Division I Group A next year.

Where South Korea was dominant, Poland was DOMINANT. They did get a little complacent against Australia, which might have lead to them slipping up against South Korea in their next game.

Not too much to say about the Netherlands. Have to give them credit for coming back and almost beating South Korea. Other than that there wasn't much outside of winning by 3+ or losing to Poland 5-1.

Romania, home of Opera Kenny. Their wins were pretty close, having to come back against Lithuania (6-5) and holding off Australia (5-3).

No Dainius Zubrus = horrible Lithuania team. Besides their lost again Romania (see above), the only other game that was close was their 3-2 win over Australia.

Have to feel bad for Australia. After starting the tournament with two bad losses, they came back and played tough in their last three games. Their effort wasn't enough, as they go winless and get relegated to Division II Group A for next year. The way this team is though, I expect them to bounce back for 2014.

Showing Some International Love: Division III Review

Divisions I (both groups) and III ended earlier today. I'm going to work my way up, so let's start with Division III (Preview here).

Division III (Host: Turkey)

Standing
1 (Promoted) - Turkey      5W - 0L - 15PTS - +26GD
2 - North Korea               4W - 1L - 12PTS - +19GD
3 - Luxembourg               3W - 2L - 9PTS - +5GD
4 - Ireland                       2W - 3L - 6PTS - -6GD
5 - Greece                      1W - 4L - 3PTS - -13GD
6 - Mongolia                    0W - 4L - 0PTS - -31GD

No surprise to see Turkey on top. The only two games that was close for them was against North Korea (4-2) and Ireland (5-3). Now to see if they can keep up with the competition in Division II Group B.

North Korea just got a huge jump in the world rankings. They did everything a 2 team should do: win against the lower teams and keep it close against the top team. Next year should be interesting since it will tell if North Korea is stepping in the right direction or if this year was an anomaly.

No surprises from Luxembourg. Expected them to finish third and they did. Probably the only thing I wonder about is why they couldn't keep the game against Turkey closer (8-1 lost).

Kind of disappointed in Ireland. They got the expected wins (Greece and Mongolia) and kept it close against Turkey. What was shocking is that they got beaten easily by the other two teams. They should have been better in this tournament.

I don't know what to say about Greece. They were a typical 5 team. Beat the one team lower, maybe have a close game against a higher ranked team, and be blown out once.

The only upside I can think of for Mongolia: they got progressively better as the tournament wore on. I use "progressively" loosely since they went from losing by 10, to 4, then by 3 in their last game. Hopefully in a few years they can keep the score closer.

Saturday Night Hockey: Playoff Edition #2

Wait, it's Saturday? Seriously, I forgot it was Saturday, who has exams on a Saturday (this guy appearently). No actual post here, but I have a few reviews lined up for later, so stay tuned.

Lineup NOTables

Kind of cool that the first three games are tiebreakers and the last two games are potential series enders.

Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins

Washington: Tom Poti (groin) and Tomas Vokoun (groin) are out. Braden Holtby starts today.
Boston: Marc Savard (concussion), Nathan Horton (concussion), Adam McQuaid (eye), and Tuukka Rask (lower body) are out. Tim "Thank God I'm Out Of Washington" Thomas is in net.

New Jersey Devils vs. Florida Panthers

New Jersey: Jacob Josefsen (wrist) and Henrik Tallinder (leg) are out. Martin Brodeur will start.
Florida: Jack Skille (shoulder), Matt Bradley (upper body), and Keaton Ellerby (lower body) are out while Jason Garrison (lower body) is questionable (when asked, Mr. Hat declined to comment). Jose Theodore is expected to start.

Ottawa Senators vs. New York Rangers

Ottawa: Daniel Alfredsson (concussion), Peter Regin (shoulder) and Jesse Winchester (upper body) are out. Craig Anderson will be the starter tonight.
New York: Mats Aasen-Zuccerello (wrist), Steve Eminger (ankle) and Michael Sauer (concussion) are out. Carl Hagelin is suspended. Henrik Lundqvist will be in net.

San Jose Sharks vs. St. Louis Blues

San Jose: No injuries to report. Antti Niemi gets the start.
St. Louis: Jaroslav Halak (foot, also:NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!) is out. Brian Elliott will start.

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Phoenix Coyotes

Chicago: Marian Hossa (Torres'd), Dan Carcillo (knee), and Steve Montador (concussion) are out. Andrew Shaw is suspended. Corey Crawford starts tonight.
Phoenix: Martin Hanzal and Lauri Korpikoski  Raffi Torres is suspended. Mike "Flopper" Smith is in net.

Showing Some International Love: Division II Group A Review

A change of pace from the ranting mood I was in earlier this week. The lower divisions in the World Championship schedule are wrapping up. Here is the end of Division II (Preview here).

Division III (Host: Iceland)

Standing
1 (Promotion) - Estonia              5W - 0L - 15PTS - +28GD
2 - Spain                                   4W - 1L - 12PTS - +12GD
3 - Croatia                                 3W - 2L - 9PTS - +14GD
4 - Iceland                                 2W - 3L - 6PTS - -7GD
5 - Serbia                                  1W - 4L - 3PTS - +7GD
6 (Relegation) - New Zealand      0W - 5L - 0PTS - -54GD

Estonia and Spain seemed like teams that wanted a challenge. The only time these two teams didn't win by more than three was when they face the two teams with a negative goal differential (Iceland and New Zealand). Croatia acted like a more dominate team, beating teams by atleast 3 goals. Their only losses were both 3-2. How Iceland ended up fourth is a mystery, it was like Bryzgalov was in net for them. If Bryzgalov was Iceland, then Fleury was New Zealand. The only upside for them was that in two of their losses, they kept their opponents to single digits. I definitely thought New Zealand could hold their own, now they have a whole year to figure it out in time for Division III.

Serbia deserve their own paragraph. They played the top teams tight, even having a 2-1 lead over both Estonia and Spain before losing. I mentioned this before: it is rare to see a bottom 2 team with a plus goal differential. Now, the 17-0 New Zealand win really skews the number, but make no mistake, this team came to play and (pains me to admit it) should have had a top three finish.

The 4 Suspendmen

The horrible wrestling reference in the title aside, I have a bit of an issue with the suspensions that came down yesterday. Before I get into them though, the obligatory disclaimer: I realize that Shanahan has a tough job and in the big picture I think he has done a good job, this is me nitpicking the suspensions one-by-one.

Smith Got Shaw'd

I can't believe this is a suspension. Shaw was trying to go around Smith and accidentally clipped Smith. If it had to be penalized then two minutes. That's it. Instead, Smith goes down flopping like a fish out of water, stays down when the trainers came out, DID NOT go to the quiet room, and stayed in the game. The goalie-contact debate is a two-way street for me: I'll admit I'm a goalie sympathizer so I should be celebrating the suspension, but I also believe that if a goalie is clearly out of the net to play the puck then they should be treated like a third defensemen. My solution would be to put a "second crease" in, so whenever goalies are handling the puck out it then they are fair game. Back to the suspension though, it was excessive and unnecessary especially since Phoenix played around with Smith status until game-time.

One more thought: NHL GM's did want harsher punishment for players who even touch a goalie after the Lucic-Miller incident, so I get how that factors in, but it was still a bad ruling.

Backstorm Crosscheck

It was ruled a match penalty, so the one-game is automatic and needs no explanation. This one is on the refs, since the match penalty for something that happens every time there is a scrum is (again) excessive.

James Neal Will Run Wild On You!

First off, I laugh at everyone how says the Couturier hit was blindside. Unless your legality blind then how do you not see a guy come at you when your body is square to him? And what was Couturier doing admiring the puck anyway? And (the biggest question I have) why was Couturier back on the bench 1 minute after going to the dressing room. Can we officially call the quiet room a myth now?

As for Giroux, it's hard to say that wasn't a charge, but Giroux ducked it...then he goes down like he's still trying to learn how to skate.

Another thing I laugh at: Crosby is still getting that diving/whining reputation. Here is a fun fact: Crosby played junior in the QMJHL. Couturier played junior in the QMJHL, Giroux (you guessed it) played junior in the QMJHL. Maybe I've been spoiled with growing up watching the WHL, but the QMJHL is a diving league. Crosby reputation, because he is the star of the league, is going to be mentioned time and time again. Why Giroux (becoming a star of his own) gets off for ducking a hit then falls down I don't get. Why Couturier isn't getting ripped to shreds for faking an injury I don't get. Congrats Flyers, you just made the Broad Street Bullies roll in there graves (even though they aren't dead yet).

I realize the suspension was based on intent. Since Neal has prior discipline history it's understandable. Intent is a funny thing though. Unless the defendant (Neal in this case) admits intent, it's hard to prove.

Side note: Can't believe this is the only video with both incidents.

I'm Asham-ed of Schenn

The suspension is understandable, the length is questionable. Asham really could have handled it differently. I will give Shanahan credit for pointing out in the suspension video that no contract was made with the head...until the back of the head punch. Still, no discipline history, no head contact, four games is a bit much. Should have left it as a match penalty (automatic one game) and leave it at that.

As for the headline I used: Brayden's antics during the series is ruining the good name the Toronto media has made for the Schenn's.

How To Be A Moron: Ken Campbell Edition

I'm frustrated.

Between the Flyers cheap shot/fake injury/"don't hit me I'll be hurt" act, Matt Carkner being suspended for something that should be the norm (more on that during the series preview), Andrew Shaw's potential suspension when Mike Smith sold that hit HARD.

And then this...

I rarely read The Hockey News because it just seems full of Campbell and Proteau articles crying about how fighting is a detriment to hockey. But Campbell's most recent article just did me in. Here's what he had to say (highlights are his words):

This has so far been a great playoff for the people over at NHL.com, the league’s sanctioned website, who specialize in highlighting violence with a “Must See” headline. Same for the guys over at hockeyfights.com, who at this time of the year are usually reduced to watching classic videos of the Broad Street Bullies to keep their salivary glands active.


For those interested in watching a game that isn’t being run amok by silliness and being dragged into the gutter? Not so much.

Woohoo!!! FIGHT-FIGHT-FIGHT!!!

This is usually the time of year when fighting takes a nosedive, but with 11 fights so far in 19 games, they’re actually up from the regular season. Three suspensions have been levied with more on the way and the face of the league is resorting to childlike tactics and completely losing his composure.

Funny, only one of the three suspensions involved fighting, and I use that term loosely since Boyle was turtling. Also funny, he mentioned Crosby acting like a child. Guess why? Give up? It's because the Flyers are running around like pest and are getting away with it. If you want to know how to deal with it see Carkner.

Next time you see a pass coming to a forward standing in front of the net, chances are that guy is going to get crosschecked in the back before the puck ever gets to him and it will happen within 10 feet of a referee who’s standing behind the net and presumably watching where the puck is going.


Oh yeah, thus far the playoffs have produced a total of 71 minutes and 33 seconds of overtime and not a single minor penalty has been called.

Has the reffing been poor during the playoffs? Probably, in some series more than others. If you actually watched hockey though, you would realized that once overtime hits, the whistles are put down. The refs have a hard job and get bashed constantly (I just took a shot at them for crying out loud), the last thing they need is to be a scapegoat for why a team lost in overtime.

Congratulations, old-time hockey lovers. Almost seven years after the NHL hijacked your game with an unprecedented display of forward thinking and common sense, you’ve officially been given it back. And the ultimate irony in all of this is during the lockout, Brendan Shanahan was at the forefront of a movement to provide the game with a style that has resulted in more excitement than we’ve seen in almost a generation. And now he’s part of the machinery that’s intent on dragging it back into the dark ages.

Let me respond to a baseless statement with a baseless statement: You know where that forward thinking has got us? concussions, and plenty of them.

The rodeo is back in town. Stars are being blatantly targeted for cheap shots. The league that publicly expresses its disdain for blows to the head is quickly declaring open season on the cranium. Games are being remembered more for ridiculous histrionics and bad blood than for anything that is accomplished while the clock is actually running. Teams such as the Pittsburgh Penguins have become obsessed with delivering a message, the content of which is they’re intent on playing like a bunch of morons and embarrassing themselves in the process.

Wait? Stars getting targeted for cheap shots? And you wonder why Crosby is acting like a child, and good on Pittsburgh for trying to send a message. If the Flyers are going to be delivering the cheap shots then someone is going to have to put then in their place.

Earlier this season, Arron Asham of the Penguins made the league look like the WWE with his ridiculous gestures after a fight with Jay Beagle. In Game 3 of the Penguins series against the Philadelphia Flyers, he assaulted Brayden Schenn with his stick. This is a guy who needs to have the privilege of playing in the best league in the world taken away from him for a long, long time.

I feel the same way about Campbell and writing about hockey right now. I'll admit that I can't defend what Asham did to Schenn, he should have handled it differently.

And this one is not on the players. The constant mantra has been that the guys who strap on the pads are to blame because of their lack of respect for one another. That may be true, but those same players have been conditioned to react this way and they’re tacitly encouraged to play that way by a body of authority that in best case scenarios allows it to go unpunished and in worst case scenarios actually encourages it.

So much for the Department of Player Safety eh?

Which brings us to the oldest point in the hockey world. Players at every level of the game will push the boundaries as far as they’re extended. We learned after the lockout that if players are made accountable for their style of play and know they’ll be penalized, they’ll change their behavior. More than anything, players simply want to know what they can and can’t do and have historically almost always adjusted their behavior accordingly. So when they see muggings in the offensive zone are back in vogue, what do you think they’re going to do? When they see Shea Weber drill Henrik Zetterberg’s face into the glass and receive a fine equivalent to about 90 minutes (or 0.0003 percent) of his regular season pay, how do you expect them to react?

First off, I think Pittsburgh forced tranquilizers down Matt Cooke's throat. As for Weber/Zetterberg, Bertuzzi fought Weber (who, unlike a certain Ranger knew that he was going to have to be accountable for his actions). After that, everything is back to normal. If fighting was banned, then ya how would players react? more cheap shots? You tell me.

The biggest problem is all of this garbage has overshadowed the fact there has actually been some good, entertaining hockey played so far in the playoffs. The Detroit-Nashville series has been terrific. The Kings and Canucks have played three outstanding games and it would be difficult to find hockey as intense and hard fought as the Phoenix-Chicago series.

I think I speak for everyone when I say: When has Luongo been outstanding? Ok, the first two games of that series was the Canucks as a whole being awful.

But it’s the Monday after the first weekend of the playoffs and what is everyone talking about? The garbage that is dragging the game into the mud. I believe deep down the NHL wants it this way. No sense trying to attract a new constituency of fans when the old one is so loyal.


Those who run the league at its highest levels have so little faith in the beauty, intensity and emotion when the game is played at its highest level that they feel compelled to allow this nonsense to continue relatively unabated.

For his next article, Campbell will explain how taking fighting out of the UFC will help grow it's popularity.

And that’s sad. Very sad.

Yes, your article is very sad.

I think Cherry said it best: Go cover tennis.

Saturday Night Hockey: Playoff Edition #1

Lineup NOTables
Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins

Washington: Tom Poti (groin), John Erskine (lower body), and Tomas Vokoun (groin) are out while Michal Neuvirth (lower body) is questionable. Braden Holtby will start this afternoon.
Boston: Marc Savard (concussion), Nathan Horton (concussion), Adam McQuaid (head) and Tuukka Rask (knee) are out while David Krejci (pane of glass survivor) is probable. Tim Thomas is in net.

Ottawa Senators vs. New York Rangers

Ottawa: Only Peter Regin (shoulder) is out. Craig Anderson starts.
New York: Mats Zuccarello (wrist), Michael Sauer (concussion), and Steve Eminger (ankle) are out. Henrik Lundqvist will mesmerize the net with his looks tonight.

San Jose Sharks vs. St. Louis Blues

San Jose: Colin White (upper body) is considered questionable. Antti Niemi is in net.
St. Louis: Carlo Colaiacovo (illness...wait what? you sure he didn't break something?) and Brian Elliott (lower body) are questionable. Jaroslav Halak is going to post a shutout.

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Phoenix Coyotes

Chicago: Daniel Carcillo (knee) and Steve Montador (concussion) are out. Corey Crawford starts tonight.
Phoenix: Only Radim Vrbata (upper body) is considered probable. Mike Smith will get the start.

Showing Some International Love: Division III Preview

The last of the Divisional previews (the main tournament will come later on). It starts the same day as the Division I games, but less quality hockey. Mongolia's roster isn't up yet, but I think they pulled out of the tournament (I'll add them anyway). I admit I can't wait for next year's tournament, since the United Arab Emirates are supposed to officially join the World Championship.

Division III (Host: Turkey)

World Ranking
37. Turkey
41. Ireland
43. Luxembourg
44. Greece
45. North Korea
46. Mongolia

Prediction
1 (Promotion) - Ireland
2 - Turkey
3 - Luxembourg
4 - North Korea
5 - Greece
6 - Mongolia

Ireland can pull off an upset. They are the only team with over 20 skaters and on of two teams with more than 2 goalies. What scares me about this pick is that their team is either old or young, there is very little in the way of middle, in-the-now players.

Turkey does have a league and are developing. They can (and probably will) get the promotion. In essence they are a lower-level Austria: Too good for the lower division, too bad for the higher division.

Luxembourg does have a league, but the size of the country is what hurts their development. It might be the sad truth for a country that has been with the IIHF for 100 years.

For North Korea it's politics. Once their players are free to travel and play with teams outside the country, then they can see some advancement in their program.

Greece is just exiting the "ex-pat" stage and developing on their own. This will definitely take a while before they show some improvement. They also need younger players. A lot of their roster was born before 1980.

Mongolia is around where Greece is, but more disadvantaged. Where Greece is starting to built rinks, Mongolia is still far behind in that area. If Mongolia was able to participate in the IIHF Asia Challenge (where non-World Championship Asian countries compete), it could help them develop a bit more.

Showing Some International Love: Division I Group B Preview

Here is part two of the Division I coverage. I forgot to mention that the games for both groups start Sunday. This time we travel to the mystical land of the Oliwa's.

Division I - Group B (Host: Poland)

World Ranking
23. Poland
24. Lithuania
25. Netherlands
28. Romania
31. South Korea
34. Australia

Prediction
1 (Promoted) - Poland
2 - Netherlands
3 - Lithuania
4 - Romania
5 - Australia
6 (Relegated) - South Korea

Poland's roster isn't released yet but this group looks like a cakewalk. Like I said about Ukraine earlier, Poland is one of those teams I feel bad for since they were alway close to qualifying or qualified for the main tournament.

Netherlands look good on paper. Most of the team look like they are entering (or are) in their prime years, plus they have a few players from the NCAA. This team should be able to do some damage in a couple years...but then again we say the same thing about Edmonton and look what's going on with them.

Lithuania is third from two reasons: 1. No Zubrus and 2. Youth. This team has a few players that seem too young to be playing on the senior team. It looks like they are digging into their U20 team, which might not be a good idea right now. I will give those young players credit though, they do play on some pretty notable teams.

Romania is like Britain, they aren't moving up or down. There isn't much more to say about them.

Australia will be interesting. They do have quite a few players who play outside the AIHL (Australian Ice Hockey League) which should help. Like the Netherlands, this team has potential to do some damage in the years to come.

I don't know what's more amazing about South Korea: There players are all born between 1984-1988 or over half the team has the last name Kim? Only two players don't play for either of the Korean teams in the ALIH (Asian League Ice Hockey) and one of those players is considered a free agent. I don't think it's bad to have a team full of guys from one or two teams, but having a diverse roster is a sign of how well your country has developed players.

Showing Some International Love: Division I Group A Preview

Usually since both groups start at the same time I'd put them in the same post. Well if Division II can be split up why can't Division I? Before I start, I got to say this new relegation system is dumb. The last place team now gets demoted to Group B? It just sounds wrong. Doesn't it make more sense to be bumped down to Division II? Being relegated to Division I Group B sounds like a sideways move. Anyway let's begin in the land of the Kopitar's.

Division I - Group A (Host: Slovenia)

World Ranking
15. Austria
18. Slovenia
19. Ukraine
20. Hungary
21. Great Britain
22. Japan

Prediction
1 (Promoted) - Austria
2 (Promoted) - Slovenia
3 - Hungary
4 - Great Britain
5 - Ukraine
6 (Relegated) - Japan

If this isn't a battle to get back into the World Championship's main tournament then I don't know what is. Slovenia is missing there top guy to the playoffs (Kopitar) and Austria's top guy is injured (Vanek). At the time of writing this Slovenia has yet to release their roster, so I can't gauge how they'll fare against Austria. At the other end, seeing Grabner with Austria is hard to ignore the type of impact he'll have. In the end Austria probably squeaks out the win and gets the promotion.

Hungary is almost guaranteed the third spot unless they build a time machine back to 2008. More likely Zoltan Hetenyi will again start over Levente Szuper, but having those two as your goalies is pretty good in this level. What surprises me about this roster is that they have a guy from the AHL (Daniel Koger). As usual they are the only dark horse pick, just don't bet on them when they face Austria and Slovenia.

Great Britain is...well...Great Britain: A middle-of-the-pack team that won't finish higher than 3rd and no lower than 5th. Legendary British player (and Oiler draftee) Tony Hand is behind the bench for the first time as an international coach. There shouldn't be much expectation for this team: just avoid relegation is good enough.

I must have missed something about Ukraine. As with almost every former USSR-turned-independent country, 90% of their players are from one or two teams. There are only two names I recognize (Sergi Varlamov and Alexei Mikhnov), other than that they look like a shell of the teams that would regularly participate in the main tournament. They aren't bad enough to be relegated, but they aren't good enough to get out of Division I.

Someone has to move down and it's more likely Japan will be that team. After withdrawing last year because of the earthquake/tsunami disaster last year, Japan is back and will be trying to avoid relegation. The lost year does hurt the team's development on the international stage. Funny tidbit: They have 3 Japanese Collegiate players on the team, yet there GM isn't named Burke.

The Playoffs Are Here - Part Dos

Ottawa Senators vs. New York Rangers

Good night everybody. New York in 5 (Saviour Karlsson comes alive in Game 4 to help Ottawa avoid the sweep)

San Jose Sharks vs. St. Louis Blues

This one pains me. On one hand I've been wanting the Sharks to finally reach the finals for the past couple years. On the other hand, Halak. It sounds like Elliott would be the start for St. Louis, but he's currently day-to-day, and anyone who's a Habs fan knows what Halak is capable of. I just can't bring myself to cheer against him. St. Louis in 6 (Elliott loses those two games).

Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins

I just can't bring myself to pick Boston. Washington in 7 (gotta make it look realistic-ish)

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Phoenix Coyotes

This is going to be a hot series (and by that I mean who is going to party with hotter women: Bissonnette or Kane?). On the hockey side I'm going against the grain again and say Phoenix with the "upset". Phoenix in 7.

The Playoffs Are Here - Part Uno

Yes, it's Playoff time, were the weather outside is nice but I'd still rather be stuck in front of a TV watching hockey (no, your the one with problems). Anyway, here is the first part of my predictions.

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

BLOOD BATH!!! What a way to kick off the playoffs with these two teams. This one is for the huMANGous big univers (ok, I couldn't resist). Let's just hope it goes the distance. Pittsburgh in 7.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Nashville Predators

I thought a few months ago that Nashville would make a deep playoff run, and I stand by that despite it not looking good with having Detroit as a first round opponent. Even though they are an older team, Detriot is still elite and will cause problems for Nashville. This one might come down to the wire. Nashville in 7.

Los Angeles Kings vs. Vancouver Canucks

It's a battle of no offense/all goaltending vs. all offense/no goaltending. While the Kings defensive system along with Jonathan Quick can help prolong the series in their favour, I have a hard time seeing Vancouver falling in the first round. Vancouver in 6.

New Jersey Devils vs. Florida Panthers

While this series doesn't start under Friday, I'm not putting this in three parts. Before the analysis, I have to ask: on a scale of 1 to pissed, how do you think Jay Boumeester feels? Florida finally makes the playoffs and he has yet to play a single post-season game in Calgary. New Jersey is definitely the favourite and the easy pick, but I'm going to go the opposite way and say the Florida pulls of an upset. Florida in 6.

2012 NHL Playoff Predictions - Round One

Pictured: The Playoffs.

Eastern Conference - Quarter Finals

(1) New York Rangers vs. (8) Ottawa Senators

BEK: New York Rangers
MDK: New York Rangers

(2) Boston Bruins vs. (7) Washington Capitals

BEK: Washington Capitals
MDK: Boston Bruins

(3) Florida Panthers (wait what?) vs. (6) New Jersey Devils

BEK: Florida Panthers
MDK: Florida Panthers

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Philadelphia Flyers

BEK: Pittsburgh Penguins
MDK: Pittsburgh Penguins


Western Conference - Quarter Finals

(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings

BEK: Vancouver Canucks
MDK: Vancouver Canucks

(2) St. Louis Blues vs. (7) San Jose Sharks

BEK: St. Louis Blues
MDK: San Jose Sharks

(3) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (6) Chicago Blackhawks

BEK: Phoenix Coyotes
MDK: Phoenix Coyotes

(4) Nashville Predators vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings

BEK: Nashville Predators
MDK: Nashville Predators

End Of Season Stuff

Meant to recap more, but the playoffs start soon. Predictions later.

Final Division Standings

Because it's the season's end, we are going to double down on the thoughts

Twelve Thoughts

• The only surprise out of the Atlantic Division: Pittsburgh couldn't overtake New York for first.
• As usual, the Islander's are obligated to be the 5th place team.
• The two teams out of place in the Northeast: Montreal and Ottawa.
• And for the necessary: HAHA no playoffs for Leafs.
• Florida wins the division after essentially a one year re-build. How furious are Leaf fans at this notion?
• It's a shame that Tampa Bay didn't make the playoffs after the year Stamkos had.
• What's weirder: Florida in first or Detroit in 3rd?
• Congrats to St. Louis for doing the unthinkable at the beginning of the season and winning the Central Division.
• Only Vancouver made the playoffs in the Northwest. Does anyone remember when this division was good?
• Just like the Islanders, the Oilers are obligated to finish 5th.
• Coyotes in first: Tippett's system or NHL conspiracy?
• If this was Selanne's last season then first off NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! And second it's a shame he couldn't have one last run at the Cup.

Draft Lottery

For the third year in a row the Edmonton Oilers are picking first overall. This is the second time in three years they are picking first because of the draft lottery (New Jersey won last year but couldn't pick higher than 4th). There is no doubt that in 5 years Edmonton will be one of the most entertaining teams in the NHL. For now though, it's embarrassing.

On the other side is Columbus. It's hard not to feel sorry for them. Their top defenseman was suspended for about a tenth of the season, they had to deal with Carter's attitude, rumours around Nash being traded, and horrible goaltending. Now, after almost a 50% chance of picking first, they get kicked even more when they're down. Here's hoping that pick works out for them, it would be a shame if they go the way of Atlanta (ok, maybe a bit hyperbolic).

Links

The one thing good I'll ever say about Bettman: The man knows how to negotiate (Macleans)

It involves Slapshot (so it's definitely hockey related) but this speaks true of almost every sports movie ever. (Deadspin)

Congrats to Boston College for winning the NCAA hockey title (ESPN)

Teams that have better goaltending than the Leafs: Thailand U18 (IIHF)

Showing Some International Love: Division II Group A Preview

The games start tomorrow, so let's get ready for it.

Division II - Group A (Host: Iceland)

World Ranking
26. Estonia
27. Croatia
29. Spain
30. Serbia
36. Iceland
38. New Zealand

Predictions
1 (Promoted) - Croatia
2 - Estonia
3 - Iceland
4 - Serbia
5 - New Zealand
6 (Relegated) - Spain

I'm going with Croatia finishing first (no your bias), but Estonia will put up a fight. The host Iceland will play strong in front of there home crowd. Serbia will stay put in fourth. I just can't bring myself to put New Zealand last, so I'm guessing Spain is sacrificed to Division III.

Showing Some International Love: World Championship Division II Group B Recap

Note: Soooooo yeah...things happened and I wasn't able to get a post done Sunday, now I'm backloaded on material. Expect quite a few posts (by my standards) within the next 2 days.

I really don't know why the two groups in Division II start a week apart but in Division everything is in sync. Anyway here's a recap of Group B.

Division II - Group B (Host: Bulgaria)

Standings
1 (Promotion) - Belgium             5W - 0L - 15PTS - +38GD
2 - China                                   3W - 2L - 9PTS - +7GD
3 - Bulgaria                               2W - 1OTW - 2L - 8PTS - -7GD
4 - Mexico                                 2W - 1OTL - 2L - 7PTS - -7GD
5 - Israel                                    1W - 1OTW - 1OTL - 2L - 6PTS - -3GD
6 (Relegation) - South Africa       0W - 5L - 0PTS - -28PTS

Belgium didn't have much of a challenge in earning a promotion. China started strong then slipped up in their last two games. Bulgaria and Mexico were models of inconsistency (and in a short tournament that's kind of impressive). The team of the tournament has to be Israel. All of there games were relatively close (final score was no more than a 4-goal difference) and it's surprising that a team low in the standings would finish with a near-zero goal differential. There isn' much to say about South Africa other than enjoy Division III next year.

Saturday Night Hockey

The last post of the regular season...or is it?

Ok, technically the season ends today and I forgot to write something even though I had it almost all planned. So expect something tomorrow. For now, the usual content:

Lineup NOTables:

Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils

Ottawa: Only Peter Regin (shoulder) is out. Craig Anderson starts this afternoon.
New Jersey: Jacob Josefson (wrist) and Henrik Tallinder (blood clot) are out. Johan Hedberg might start.

Anaheim Ducks vs. Calgary Flames

Teemu-Teemu-Teemu: Nate Guenin (fracture above left eye) and Dan "Mo' Money Mo' Problems" Ellis (hernia) are out. Jonas Hiller starts.
Calgary: Mikael Backlund (arm) and TJ Brodie (upper body) are out while David Moss and Derek Smith (upper body) are questionable. Miikka Kiprusoff will start.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens

No Lottery Pick For You: Joffrey Lupul (shoulder), Nikolai Kulemin (finger), Carl Gunnarsson (shoulder), and James Reimer (upper body) are out while Mikail Grabovski (leg) and Jonas Gustavsson (lower body) are questionable. Ben Scrivens might start.
The Third Overall Pick Is...: Carey Price (concussion), Brian Gionta (bicep), Scott Gomez (concussion), Travis Moen (upper body), Mathieu Darche (upper body), Rapheal Diaz (lower body), Yannick Weber (lower body) is questionable. Peter Budaj starts tonight.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Winnipeg Jets

Stamkos Gets 60: Adam Hall (upper body), Ryan Shannon (shoulder), Nate Thompson (upper body), Dana Tyrell (knee), Marc-Andre Bergeron (back), Mattias Ohlund (knees...yes, thats plural), and Mathieu Garon (lower body) are out. Sebastien Caron is expected to start.
The Thrashers Missed the Playoffs Again: Eric Fehr (upper body), Tanner Glass (foot), and Kyle Wellwood (foot) are out. Ondrej Palevec is in net.

Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks

Edmonton: Talyor Hall (shoulder), Ladislav Smid (neck), Theo Peckham (concussion), and Corey Potter (concussion) are out. Devan Dubnyk might start.
Vancouver: Daniel Sedin (concussion), Zack Kassian (upper body), Steven Pinizzotto (shoulder), Aaron Vopatti (shoulder), and Keith Ballard (knee).. Cory Schnieder will start.