Continuing where we left off, let's dive into the East...then I'll make my final predictions for who wins each conference and ultimately, the Stanley Cup.
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (8) Montreal Canadians
(Season series was split, both teams went 2-1-1)
As insane as this is for me to even type, a friend of mine who is a huge Habs fan claimed to have actually been rooting for this match-up. This isn't something he just threw out there after it was already official, either; he actually made this statement before the Rangers-Flyers game that ultimately sealed the Habs' fate. A fate that will more than likely see them get swept right out of the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Now, of course, I suppose it is possible that the Presidents' Trophy winners get upset two years in a row. But likely? Not very. The Capitals score goals in bunches and have showed over the past few weeks that they are at least trying to play better defensively heading into the playoffs. Watch a Capitals game recently and you'll see players occasionally doing crazy things like- GASP- back-checking! Now, no one is going to confuse this team with, say, the New Jersey Devils. But this is still the overwhelming favorite in the East who rolled through the regular season, and even a minor defensive adjustment should be enough to take them far through the playoffs. Barring a complete and total breakdown from both of their goaltenders, the Caps will take this one easily. And to be quite frank, I'm not even sure both their goalies' breaking down would be enough for the Habs to win this series, either. Short of a meteor striking the location of a Capitals practice, I'm not sure anything would be.
Prediciton: Caps in four.
(2) New Jersey Devils vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers
(Flyers won season series 5-1-0)
As any New York Rangers fan could tell you, there's nothing we enjoy more than watching the Devils lose. Last year was a particularly fun time, as the Devils won the Atlantic and promptly flamed out in the first-round for the second year in a row, in spectacular fashion. And there's nothing I'd love to do more than tell you it's going to happen again this year. But I can't. And the reason why is called Ilya Kovalchuck.
Now, I know what some are going to point to: one point in four games when his previous team was getting swept out of their only playoff appearance (by the Rangers, ironically enough). But being on a bad team that only got into the playoffs on the utter weakness of their division isn't enough to make Kovalchuck a Thornton-level playoff choker. You can't form a pattern from such a small sample size. And on this Devil team, Kovalchuck doesn't have to do it all. He just has to be good, as good as he's been for them while they quietly wrestled away the Atlantic crown from the Penguins and then held off the Sabres for second in the conference on their final day. And I think he will be.
The Flyers, of course, squandered a huge lead for a playoff spot and needed to beat out those same Rangers in a shootout on the very last day of the season just to get in. So they're not exactly coming in on a hot streak. And really, when it comes right down to it, Cam Ward and Henrik Lundqvist out-dueling Martin Brodeur over the past two years is one thing. But Brian Boucher? Think about this for a second: are the Flyers' group of forwards or defensemen really so much better than New Jersey's that you think they'll make up for the fact that their goalie is BRIAN BOUCHER and Jersey's goalie is MARTIN BRODEUR?! The answer you're looking for is a resounding "no."
Prediction: Devils in five.
(3) Buffalo Sabres vs. (6) Boston Bruins
(Bruins won season series 4-2-0)
Some people are already pointing at this clash of Northeast division rivals as perhaps the East's only potential for an upset this year, and I must vehemently disagree (on a couple of fronts, actually, but we'll get to that in a second). I know everyone had gotten all caught up in the story of these plucky Bruins battling their way into the playoffs, setting a new record for most short-handed goals on someone else's single power play in the process (nevermind the fact that it came against an eliminated Carolina team that actually appeared to somehow be skating around in their sleep at the time), but let's get real here. This is still the team who finished the NHL regular season dead last, 30th out of 30 in the NHL in scoring. I don't care how great they are defensively, this team simply does not score. Now we're taking that team and expecting them to score enough goals against Ryan Miller to win a 7-game series? Yeah. Not bloody likely.
Now, with all that said, if Tuuka Rask keeps standing on his head like he has all season long for them I suppose anything is possible. And of all the first-round match-ups, this one definitely has the most potential to go into multiple-OTs. It reminds me a little bit of that Vancouver-Dallas series from a few seasons ago: neither team could score to begin with and both goalies (Marty Turco and Roberto Luongo) were feeling it, so we had seemingly another seven games played in extra periods. But when two elite goalies playing at the top of their game play each other in a seven-game series, what usually happens is they simply negate each other and the better, more talented team wins out in the end. It happened then with Vancouver beating Dallas, and it will probably happen again this year with Buffalo beating Boston.
Prediction: Buffalo in five.
(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Ottawa Senators
(Season series was split, both teams went 2-2-0)
Ah yes, now it's time to pay off that bit of foreshadowing from earlier: I said I disagreed with the majority opinion of Boston-over-Buffalo being the East's only potential upset, right? Well, here's the other reason why: I think if there's going to be an upset at all in the remarkably top-heavy East this year, it's going to come in this series. And make no mistake about it, this battle of the defending Stanley Cup champions against a team that has been the definition of inconsistency all season long is FAR from your typical 4-5 matchup. Whereas usually the two teams are very close and the series can be reasonably called a toss-up, this year Pittsburgh will enter as the overwhelming favorites in the eyes of many. However, peel back a few layers here and you'll begin to realize that all is not well in the NHL's favorite city. Sidney Crosby's reinvention as a goal-scoring machine this season has been a feel-good story, and that feel-good story has allowed them to cover up some huge holes that suggest the Pens are not in for anywhere near that deep of a run this season. In no particular order, those holes are:
-Malkin's drop-off from his Art Ross season to an injury-plagued and utterly disappointing campaign.
-Marc-Andre Fleury's less-than-stellar play in goal; he's been pulled in seemingly every-other Pens game I've seen this year en route to a paltry .905 save % and 2.65 GAA.
-The Pens as a whole being unable to win big games against good teams all season. Against the top two teams in the conference, the Caps & Devils, the Pens failed to win even a single game in ten tries, and it was their epic run of futility against the Devils in particular that ultimately cost them the Atlantic.
-Their power play hovered around ten percent without Sergei Gonchar in the lineup for most of the season. No, that's not a typo- TEN PERCENT. Gonchar is back again right now from yet another injury, but who knows how long that will last?
Add all that up together and you've got a team that is on very shaky ground, in my opinion. They just looked tired for a lot of this year, and you know what? Who can really blame them? They've gone to back-to-back Stanley Cup finals, and that has to take its toll at some point. That's why I just don't see how they could possibly have another long playoff run in them.
With all that said, I can certainly understand why most everyone will pick them over Ottawa. But I'm willing to stand out on this limb all by myself. I think it all comes down to Brian Elliot first-and-foremost. All season long, for the most part, the Senators have gone as he has gone. When he's played well (and at times he's played VERY well this year), the team rattles off franchise-record win streaks. When he's played not-so-well, they lose 6 games in a row. They play a very tight-checking game in front of him and the roster has largely "bought in" to coach Cory Clouston, even (surprisingly) guys like Jason Spezza. Losing Alex Kovalev to an ACL tear hurt, sure, but there were many a night this year where they might as well not have had Alex Kovalev in the line-up anyway and they still found a way to win plenty of games. I believe that, no matter what, this series will be a lot closer than most people are expecting. But in the end, I really think the Senators can get it done, and send the NHL's poster boys home very early. Don't cry, Mr. Bettman....at least you'll still have the Caps.
Prediction: Senators in seven.
Alright, with all that said and done, I'm gonna make my final predictions for the rest of the playoffs. As a reminder, before the season started I went with Pittsburgh over Washington and Chicago over Vancouver for my conference finals, and ultimately Chicago over Pittsburgh for the Stanley Cup. Obviously I'm changing that prediction now if I'm telling you the Penguins are going home in the first-round, so without further ado....
Eastern Conference: Washington over New Jersey
Western Conference: Chicago over Detroit
Stanley Cup: Chicago over Washington
I'm sticking with my pick in the West and ultimately for the Stanley Cup, but I'm changing up some of the finalists in the process. Some of that's just due to logistics; if the first-round go as I predicted it, Chicago would face Vancouver in the conference semis. But in the East, I think it's clearly become Washington's to lose.
Alright folks, that'll do it for now. As a reminder, tomorrow night at 9 pm EST we'll have a special playoff preview edition of CIA Radio, so if you've got any comments of your own the link will be here (and on Facebook & Twitter) for you to call in and share your thoughts with us. I'll be live with my two co-hosts as we break down all these playoff matchups all over again. Until then, enjoy these two days off, because on Wednesday it's time to start playing for Lord Stanley's hardware!
Showing posts with label senators. Show all posts
Showing posts with label senators. Show all posts
Monday, April 12, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Today's Games to Watch 4/6
Welcome back to Center Ice Addict, as we really get ready to get rolling on towards the playoffs! Tonight, we've got a huge 11-game schedule to preview, so let's not waste anytime and get right into it. As always, these are the awards we'll be handing out:
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Once those four picks are done with, I'll go through The Rest and tell you which of those games just might be worth your time as well. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll make sure to note which (if any) of these games are available on national TV in the US & Canada.
Tuesday, April 6th
Overall: 11 games, headlined by the ever-popular battle of this sport's two biggest stars. But don't look past the rest of this schedule: there's some other big games mixed in with the usual clunkers.
Marquee Match-Up: Washington Capitals (52-15-12, 116 points, 1st in Southeast, 1st in East) at Pittsburgh Penguins (45-26-7, 97 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
National TV: Versus (US) & TSN (Canada)
Like I need to explain why this is the marquee game? It's Ovechkin vs. Crosby, people. It's the Pens and the Caps, by far the NHL's most exciting rivalry. The only thing you might argue that could take away from it is the fact that the Caps really don't need anymore points, having wrapped up the Eastern Conference lead AND the President's Trophy already, while the Pens are in the middle of a dogfight for top spot in the Atlantic with the suddenly hot New Jersey Devils. But if there's any game that Ovie & the Caps can still get up for, it has to be the Penguins, and putting a kibosh on the Pens' division winning hopes has to have them salivating. Of course there's still the Rocket Richard trophy sidestory, too, as Crosby is trying to hold onto a slim one-goal lead over the two-time defending champion Alex the Great. How many more storylines do you need, folks? Watch. This. Game.
Prediction: Pens 5-4 (OT)
Runner-Up: San Jose Sharks (48-20-11, 107 points, 1st in Pacific, 1st in West) at Calgary Flames (40-30-9, 89 points, 3rd in Northwest, 9th in West)
9:30 pm EST/6:30 pm PST
National TV: TSN (Canada)
This is a big game for both of these teams, as the Sharks can clinch the Pacific division title with a win here, while the Flames MUST win this game to keep their already-slim playoff hopes alive. A loss by Calgary tonight in regulation and a win for Colorado in their game against Vancouver would offically eliminated Calgary from the playoff race. This is a game that, to be quite frank, they have to have. Unfortunately for Calgary, the team they're playing isn't exactly taking those 2 points lightly. Besides the Pacific clinching possibilities, the Sharks clearly want to finish first in the conference for the second year in a row, and they have just a 2-point lead over the Chicago Blackhawks (with the Hawks having a game in hand). This game will be a big test for both teams, and if Calgary can find a way to battle back into 8th place, it could very well be a playoff preview, as well.
Prediction: Flames 3-2
Under the Radar: Los Angeles Kings (44-27-7, 95 points, 3rd in Pacific, 7th in West) at Anaheim Ducks (38-31-9, 85 points, 4th in Pacific, 11th in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
At first glance you might not expect much of this game, but there's a few things to keep in mind, other than the obvious SoCal/Freeway Face-Off rivalry between these two teams. First of all, the Kings were NOT at all happy with how they played at home against the Ducks on Saturday, ultimately losing 2-1 in overtime. They want to come out with a much better effort against their crosstown rivals to wrap up the season series tonight. Second of all, the Kings have the chance to officially eliminate the Ducks and end their admittedly beyond-slim playoff chances. Don't underestimate what that might mean to this team, especially those of them who have been around for a while and remember how the Ducks dominated the hockey scene in the wake of their 2007 Cup win (and all those years when, at the same time, the Kings were out of the playoffs). The Kings are still looking to move up in the Western conference standings despite having already clinched a playoff spot, as they're just 3 points back of 5th place Nashville with 2 games in hand. This should be a typically nasty game between these two rivals.
Prediction: Kings 4-2
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: Ottawa Senators (43-31-5, 91 points, 2nd in Northeast, 5th in East) at Florida Panthers (31-35-12, 74 points, 4th in Southeast, 13th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
Of the few games involving playoff teams vs. non-playoff teams, this game strikes me as by far the most skippable. It certainly doesn't help that it starts at the same time as the Caps and the Pens, while the Sens are probably the team playing for the least. While they aren't officially eliminated from the Northeast crown, it's really almost impossible for them to catch Buffalo at this point. At the same time, they're probably not going up or down in the standings, either; they're not catching 4th place Pittsburgh and 6th place Montreal isn't catching them. They know where they're going to finish. Of all the non-playoff teams, Florida has come out with the least passion on most nights, so add it all up and you've got the potential for two teams coming out flat. Or, on the other hand, maybe the Sens just feel like pounding the Panthers into submission like the Rangers did in the 3rd period last Saturday. Either way, not an entertaining game.
Prediction: Sens 2-1
The Rest
Rangers @ Sabres, 7:00 pm EST: The Rangers are of course still desperate for every point they can get as they try to chase down the Flyers and Bruins for one of the last two play9off spots, and they've gone 5-0-1 in their last 6 games. They'll try to keep that momentum going against a Buffalo team that's lost their last 2 in a row, and yet can still clinch the Northeast division with a win tonight. These two teams always have a tendency to play each other tough, and tonight should be no exception. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Canadiens @ Islanders, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: RDS, French only) The Habs can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a loss by either the Rangers or Flyers tonight. That should give them all the motivation they need to pound the Islanders, who were officially eliminated from the playoffs earlier in the week. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Flyers @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: Obviously this is a huge game in that race for 8th in the East, and it's funny how things work out sometimes with the Leafs having a huge say in which one of these two teams will finish above the other (they head into MSG tomorrow night to take on the Rangers). A loss here for the Flyers would be devastating to their playoff chances, especially if the Rangers can get at least a point out of Buffalo. The Leafs continue to play fantastic hockey; now let's see how they do against a team far more desperate than they are.. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Devils @ Thrashers, 7:00 pm EST: The Devils are playing good hockey right now, bouncing back from giving up another last-minute goal against the Blackhawks in losing in a shootout on Friday by pounding the Hurricanes 3-0 in Carolina the very next night. They're neck-and-neck with the Penguins for the all-important Atlantic division crown, and a win here over the Thrashers would go a long way towards cementing that, since they have the tiebreaker. The Thrashers, meanwhile, are fading back a bit and watching the Rangers overtake them in the race for 8th. A loss here would all but end their playoff chances, so if they can come out playing desperate they might have a shot. Of course, it might be worth watching this game just to see Ilya Kovalchuck (who's suddenly playing really, really well for the first time in Jersey) back in Atlanta....in another uniform, for the first time ever. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Hurricanes @ Lightning, 7:30 pm EST: Our only game of the night between two teams already eliminated from the playoffs, this game could be a fun one just because they'll both be playing super-loose and wiling to trade chances up-and-down the ice. However, the downside is of course that this game means virtually nothing. So your choice on whether or not that's worth watching, I guess. Probably not when it's up against the Caps and Pens head-to-head, but hey, that's your call. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Blackhawks @ Stars, 8:30 pm EST: Chicago needs these two points to catch the Sharks, and they've been playing much better hockey on their 3-game win streak. Dallas is officially eliminated and looked like a team that knew that in their last outing. Yeah, this one might not be pretty. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Avalanche @ Canucks, 10:00 pm EST: (National TV: Versus) The Avalanche are suddenly back in control of their own destiny, bouncing back from their loss to Calgary last Friday with a huge overtime win over the Sharks on Sunday, while those same Flames were losing to the Blackhawks for the eighth-straight game. A win by the Avs would give them a chance to clinch tonight should Calgary lose to the Sharks, and even if Calgary manages to pull that game out, a win here from Colorado would definitely put them in a great position to get the playoff spot locked-down by virtue of their tie-breaker (and having an additional game left doesn't hurt, either). The Canucks aren't playing for much and are playing like it, so if the Avs are going to take advantage, this is the time to do it. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
As always folks, enjoy the hockey as we gear up for the post-season! This is the time of year we all wait for!
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Once those four picks are done with, I'll go through The Rest and tell you which of those games just might be worth your time as well. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll make sure to note which (if any) of these games are available on national TV in the US & Canada.
Tuesday, April 6th
Overall: 11 games, headlined by the ever-popular battle of this sport's two biggest stars. But don't look past the rest of this schedule: there's some other big games mixed in with the usual clunkers.
Marquee Match-Up: Washington Capitals (52-15-12, 116 points, 1st in Southeast, 1st in East) at Pittsburgh Penguins (45-26-7, 97 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
National TV: Versus (US) & TSN (Canada)
Like I need to explain why this is the marquee game? It's Ovechkin vs. Crosby, people. It's the Pens and the Caps, by far the NHL's most exciting rivalry. The only thing you might argue that could take away from it is the fact that the Caps really don't need anymore points, having wrapped up the Eastern Conference lead AND the President's Trophy already, while the Pens are in the middle of a dogfight for top spot in the Atlantic with the suddenly hot New Jersey Devils. But if there's any game that Ovie & the Caps can still get up for, it has to be the Penguins, and putting a kibosh on the Pens' division winning hopes has to have them salivating. Of course there's still the Rocket Richard trophy sidestory, too, as Crosby is trying to hold onto a slim one-goal lead over the two-time defending champion Alex the Great. How many more storylines do you need, folks? Watch. This. Game.
Prediction: Pens 5-4 (OT)
Runner-Up: San Jose Sharks (48-20-11, 107 points, 1st in Pacific, 1st in West) at Calgary Flames (40-30-9, 89 points, 3rd in Northwest, 9th in West)
9:30 pm EST/6:30 pm PST
National TV: TSN (Canada)
This is a big game for both of these teams, as the Sharks can clinch the Pacific division title with a win here, while the Flames MUST win this game to keep their already-slim playoff hopes alive. A loss by Calgary tonight in regulation and a win for Colorado in their game against Vancouver would offically eliminated Calgary from the playoff race. This is a game that, to be quite frank, they have to have. Unfortunately for Calgary, the team they're playing isn't exactly taking those 2 points lightly. Besides the Pacific clinching possibilities, the Sharks clearly want to finish first in the conference for the second year in a row, and they have just a 2-point lead over the Chicago Blackhawks (with the Hawks having a game in hand). This game will be a big test for both teams, and if Calgary can find a way to battle back into 8th place, it could very well be a playoff preview, as well.
Prediction: Flames 3-2
Under the Radar: Los Angeles Kings (44-27-7, 95 points, 3rd in Pacific, 7th in West) at Anaheim Ducks (38-31-9, 85 points, 4th in Pacific, 11th in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
At first glance you might not expect much of this game, but there's a few things to keep in mind, other than the obvious SoCal/Freeway Face-Off rivalry between these two teams. First of all, the Kings were NOT at all happy with how they played at home against the Ducks on Saturday, ultimately losing 2-1 in overtime. They want to come out with a much better effort against their crosstown rivals to wrap up the season series tonight. Second of all, the Kings have the chance to officially eliminate the Ducks and end their admittedly beyond-slim playoff chances. Don't underestimate what that might mean to this team, especially those of them who have been around for a while and remember how the Ducks dominated the hockey scene in the wake of their 2007 Cup win (and all those years when, at the same time, the Kings were out of the playoffs). The Kings are still looking to move up in the Western conference standings despite having already clinched a playoff spot, as they're just 3 points back of 5th place Nashville with 2 games in hand. This should be a typically nasty game between these two rivals.
Prediction: Kings 4-2
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: Ottawa Senators (43-31-5, 91 points, 2nd in Northeast, 5th in East) at Florida Panthers (31-35-12, 74 points, 4th in Southeast, 13th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
Of the few games involving playoff teams vs. non-playoff teams, this game strikes me as by far the most skippable. It certainly doesn't help that it starts at the same time as the Caps and the Pens, while the Sens are probably the team playing for the least. While they aren't officially eliminated from the Northeast crown, it's really almost impossible for them to catch Buffalo at this point. At the same time, they're probably not going up or down in the standings, either; they're not catching 4th place Pittsburgh and 6th place Montreal isn't catching them. They know where they're going to finish. Of all the non-playoff teams, Florida has come out with the least passion on most nights, so add it all up and you've got the potential for two teams coming out flat. Or, on the other hand, maybe the Sens just feel like pounding the Panthers into submission like the Rangers did in the 3rd period last Saturday. Either way, not an entertaining game.
Prediction: Sens 2-1
The Rest
Rangers @ Sabres, 7:00 pm EST: The Rangers are of course still desperate for every point they can get as they try to chase down the Flyers and Bruins for one of the last two play9off spots, and they've gone 5-0-1 in their last 6 games. They'll try to keep that momentum going against a Buffalo team that's lost their last 2 in a row, and yet can still clinch the Northeast division with a win tonight. These two teams always have a tendency to play each other tough, and tonight should be no exception. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Canadiens @ Islanders, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: RDS, French only) The Habs can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a loss by either the Rangers or Flyers tonight. That should give them all the motivation they need to pound the Islanders, who were officially eliminated from the playoffs earlier in the week. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Flyers @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: Obviously this is a huge game in that race for 8th in the East, and it's funny how things work out sometimes with the Leafs having a huge say in which one of these two teams will finish above the other (they head into MSG tomorrow night to take on the Rangers). A loss here for the Flyers would be devastating to their playoff chances, especially if the Rangers can get at least a point out of Buffalo. The Leafs continue to play fantastic hockey; now let's see how they do against a team far more desperate than they are.. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Devils @ Thrashers, 7:00 pm EST: The Devils are playing good hockey right now, bouncing back from giving up another last-minute goal against the Blackhawks in losing in a shootout on Friday by pounding the Hurricanes 3-0 in Carolina the very next night. They're neck-and-neck with the Penguins for the all-important Atlantic division crown, and a win here over the Thrashers would go a long way towards cementing that, since they have the tiebreaker. The Thrashers, meanwhile, are fading back a bit and watching the Rangers overtake them in the race for 8th. A loss here would all but end their playoff chances, so if they can come out playing desperate they might have a shot. Of course, it might be worth watching this game just to see Ilya Kovalchuck (who's suddenly playing really, really well for the first time in Jersey) back in Atlanta....in another uniform, for the first time ever. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Hurricanes @ Lightning, 7:30 pm EST: Our only game of the night between two teams already eliminated from the playoffs, this game could be a fun one just because they'll both be playing super-loose and wiling to trade chances up-and-down the ice. However, the downside is of course that this game means virtually nothing. So your choice on whether or not that's worth watching, I guess. Probably not when it's up against the Caps and Pens head-to-head, but hey, that's your call. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Blackhawks @ Stars, 8:30 pm EST: Chicago needs these two points to catch the Sharks, and they've been playing much better hockey on their 3-game win streak. Dallas is officially eliminated and looked like a team that knew that in their last outing. Yeah, this one might not be pretty. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Avalanche @ Canucks, 10:00 pm EST: (National TV: Versus) The Avalanche are suddenly back in control of their own destiny, bouncing back from their loss to Calgary last Friday with a huge overtime win over the Sharks on Sunday, while those same Flames were losing to the Blackhawks for the eighth-straight game. A win by the Avs would give them a chance to clinch tonight should Calgary lose to the Sharks, and even if Calgary manages to pull that game out, a win here from Colorado would definitely put them in a great position to get the playoff spot locked-down by virtue of their tie-breaker (and having an additional game left doesn't hurt, either). The Canucks aren't playing for much and are playing like it, so if the Avs are going to take advantage, this is the time to do it. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
As always folks, enjoy the hockey as we gear up for the post-season! This is the time of year we all wait for!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Versus returns to DirecTV; Today's Games to Watch 3/16
Alright folks, I know I missed a couple of days, and no it wasn't just out of the shame of being there in-person for my Blackhawks' 2.1 second collapse against the Flyers on Saturday. The Hawks weren't the only things collapsing on Saturday; the sky itself apparently decided to join them, as this entire region was just flooded nonstop with rain on Saturday & into early Sunday. So I ended up staying overnight in one of my least favorite places, putting the kibosh on any hopes of getting a blog up before the first NHL game at 12:30. As far as yesterday goes, did you really need me to tell you which of the THREE games to watch? Probably not. But we've got a full slate of 11 games to get into today, so here I am.
But before we get back into the swing of things, I wanted to talk a little bit about the return to DirecTV of the NHL's oft-maligned cable partner, Versus. As a DTV customer this kind of hits home, and obviously I'm thrilled the NHL playoffs will be on the satcaster. Before we put the kibosh on this story for good, let's take a look at a few of the details that came out in the network's return.
There should no longer be any debate on what the REAL cause for this outage was, thanks to some very telling quotes from both sides. From the beginning of this whole mess (way back in LATE AUGUST), we heard two different sides to this story. There was the Comcast/Versus side, which said that DirecTV wanted to put them on a lower programming tier (a sports-specific tier, apparently), and they would not accept losing a very large percentage of their viewership just when they were adding a ton of new properties. Meanwhile, the DirecTV side never said anything about a tier, they just said Comcast wanted more money and they were refusing to pay it.
Well, read the quotes from yesterday closely enough, and one thing stands out: Versus is not only back on DirecTV, but they're back on *the same tier they were on back before all this started*. The quotes go on to specifically state they will stay there from here on out. This not only means that Comcast's quotes were, at the very least, quite a bit less dishonest than DirecTV's, but it also means that there should be no question who blinked first and who, in the end, "won" this whole mess. Comcast said they were open to negotiations on money (and I imagine they did have to take a bit of a hit from what they were originally asking), but being placed on a lower tier was a non-starter and no deal would be done with that included. Not that I should have to reiterate it for you again, but that's exactly what happened.
DirecTV was facing mounting pressure from three different sides to get the network back; namely, the NHL fans we all know about have been increasingly pressuring the satcaster to get the network back on the air in time for the stretch run and the playoffs. It's worth noting that Versus has probably their strongest schedule I've ever seen from them for the rest of the regular season, including both of the remaining meetings in the NHL's most high-profile rivalry, the Capitals and the Penguins. A shocking amount of fans had already switched to their rival Dish Network in the past six months, thanks in part to a clever ad campaign that specifically pointed out Dish had Versus and DTV didn't, and you have to believe that number only would have jumped tenfold once the playoffs started and people were theoretically missing games not just twice a week, but every single night! It's also worth noting that several articles I've seen have mentioned that the pressure on DirecTV from hockey fans went up significantly after the Olympics, saying that hockey's "increased visibility" from the Games greatly helped Versus & the NHL put more pressure on the satcaster.
Besides that increased pressure from hockey fans, DirecTV was also under pressure from fans of mixed marital-arts, as the juggernaut UFC promotion has its first-ever event on Versus scheduled for this weekend. Finally, cycling fans have apparently been making some noise to DirecTV as well, as Lance Armstrong will be back in the Tour de France this year, which airs exclusively on, you guessed it, Versus. So facing all of this mounting pressure from all sides, DirecTV finally gave in and dropped their ridiculous demand, and what do you know, a deal got done almost immediately.
Hopefully they learned something from this whole sideshow mess: if you're going to promote your satellite service as having "the most sports coverage", you can't just ignore several sports because you don't think they're important. Yes, Versus is nowhere near as important as ESPN, everyone is aware of this. But when one of your sources of subscriptions is having one of the best all-around NHL Center Ice packages out there, you can't simultaneously thumb your noses at hockey fans and tell them their sport doesn't count. They lost a ton of this money through this whole process from irate hockey fans calling up, complaining, and getting 25, 50, and yes, even 100% refunds off their Center Ice packages, and they lost even more money from fans who finally just gave up on the service altogether. This all could have ended when the regular season started in October if they had just dropped their silly demand and put Versus back on the air, and hopefully the people in charge can look in the mirror and realize they just wasted seven months and a lot of profits and, in the end, had to give up on their demand altogether anyway. They lost, Versus won, end of story.
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Okay, with that bit of business out of the way, let's get back to the hockey. As always, here's the awards I'll be giving out to tonight's games:
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Once those four picks are done with, I'll go through The Rest and tell you which of those games just might be worth your time as well. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll make sure to note which (if any) of these games are available on national TV in the US & Canada.
Tuesday, March 16th
Overall: An 11-game schedule provides some excitement, but there's really no genuine best-on-best match-ups to really get our hearts pumping.
Marquee Match-Up: Montreal Canadiens (35-29-6, 76 points, 3rd in Northeast, 7th in East) at New York Rangers (31-29-9, 71 points, 4th in Atlantic, 9th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
National TV: Versus (US) & RDS (Canada, french only)
Two original six teams step into the spotlight on Versus (hey, a tie-in to the rest of the blog, yay!), as the Habs make a rare national TV appearance in the US as they visit the suddenly revitalized Rangers. The Rangers are sitting 1 point back of the struggling Bruins (who are in Carolina tonight), but the Bruins will still have a game in hand after tonight's games, making a win here for the Blueshirts even more important. Meanwhile, the Habs have been playing great hockey as of late, and they'll be riding a 5-game winning streak into the Garden. They couldn't have picked a better time to get hot, as they've still played more games than anyone else in the East (including the Rangers), so even though they're coming closer to locking up a playoff spot with each win of this streak, nothing's guaranteed just yet. If both these teams play as well as they've been playing of late, this should be nothing short of a great match-up, well worthy of marquee status. And hey, DirecTV customers, you can actually watch it! How about that?
Prediction: Rangers 4-3 (SO)
Runner-Up: Toronto Maple Leafs (23-34-12, 58 points, 5th in Northeast, 15th in East) at Ottawa Senators (37-27-5, 79 points, 2nd in Northeast, 5th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
Though it's hard to pick the Maple Leafs for runners-up in anything other than "biggest failures" (and actually, that might offend Oilers fans since they, unlike Toronto, at least still have their 1st round pick), on a relatively weak night in marquee-quality match-ups, I have to give the nod to the Battle of Ontario. Here's something that might surprise you: that same Senators team that went on their club-record-setting 11-game win streak just a few short months ago has the exact same record as their southern Ontario counterparts in their last 10 games: 4-5-1. For the Leafs, that's a reflection of stronger play of late as some of the kids have stepped into the line-up and looked promising. For the Sens, on the other hand, that's a reflection of how they've suddenly run out of goals, and they've gone from having a slight lead over Buffalo in the Northeast to starting to fade fast in that particular race. You have to believe the Leafs would love nothing more than to beat their Ontario rivals and help continue that slide out of contention for home-ice advantage, in their own barn no less. This game could provide some excitement as a result.
Prediction: Sens 4-2
Under the Radar: Philadelphia Flyers (36-28-4, 76 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 6th in East) at Nashville Predators (38-26-5, 81 points, 2nd in Central, 7th in West)
8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST
This may be hard to believe when we're talking about an 11-game schedule for a league where MORE THAN HALF of the teams make the playoffs, but this is the only game of the night where both teams are in playoff position going into the game. So even though a game that reads "Flyers @ Predators" probably doesn't jump off the page at you, in actuality this is probably the night's best match-up, at least as far as the quality of the two teams goes. Both teams are also playing relatively well of late: the Flyers are 7-3-0 in their last 10 and the Preds are 6-4-0, with both teams coming off huge late victories over good opponents (the Flyers with the aforementioned 2.1 second shocker over the Hawks, while the Preds scored with about a minute-and-a-half to play to continue their mastery over the Kings). This should be a good, tight-checking, low-scoring battle between two teams who know how to play defense. As Mike Babcock said last night after the Wings-Flames game, even though people like to say "such and such game had a playoff feel", it's still not the playoffs. But this is probably as close as you're going to get tonight.
Prediction: Preds 3-2 (SO)
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: Edmonton Oilers (21-41-7, 49 points, 5th in Northwest, 15th in West) at Minnesota Wild (33-29-6, 72 points, 4th in Northwest, 11th in West)
8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST
I'm sure there will be some smart-aleck who will read this and think to themselves "But John, at least this is a divisional rivalry! What about, say, the Avs and the Blues?". And to you, imaginary person, I say, hogwash! How much of a divisional rivalry can it really be when one team is 20 GAMES BELOW .500 and it's a battle of 4th and 5th in the division? Please. At least the Avs and the Blues are both above .500. Hell, one of those teams is even in the playoffs! Don't get me wrong, I'm not gonna tell you to watch that game either, but as far as games on tonight's schedule that are completely useless, I still give the edge to this one. Then again, given how the past few games I've given this award to have turned out (Sharks-Panthers was a 3-2 overtime thriller win for Florida, the Wild upset the Sabres 3-2 as well), I'm sure this game will turn out to be exciting, just so I can be wrong again.
Prediction: Wild 4-1
The Rest
Bruins @ Hurricanes, 7:00 pm EST: The Bruins are bad, but it's not for a lack of effort. They play hard and they usually play physical, but they just don't have the goal-scoring on most nights to get things done, especially now with Marc Savard out. It's hard to believe considering they're still holding onto a playoff spot in the East by the skin of their teeth, but the Bruins are 30th in goals for per game. Yes, out of 30. Meanwhile, Carolina's still got their sights set on a miracle comeback, 8 points back of the Bruins going into tonight, so obviously a win here would be huge. 4 point game, might just make it exciting. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Sabres @ Thrashers, 7:00 pm EST: The Thrashers' playoff hopes are fading fast with each heartbreaking loss, and they suffered yet another one to the Coyotes in a shootout. How many home games can Atlanta squander before they're officially out of it? Tonight they've got Eastern heavyweights Buffalo in, and this will either be a slaughter for the Sabres, or a very competitive, up-tempo game. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Coyotes @ Lightning, 7:30 pm EST: I heard one of Tampa's beat writers say he thinks the Lightning played their two best games of the season over the weekend; unfortunately for Tampa, that was still only good enough for a 1-1-0 record, thanks to a heartbreaking late goal given up against the Penguins. They won't have much time to dwell on that as they'll welcome the streaking Coyotes into the Forum. I'm expecting a physical, competitive game, as it's do-or-die time for Tampa. Of all the "rest" games, this is easily your best bet. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Capitals @ Panthers, 7:30 pm EST: Fortunately for the Panthers, Ovechkin got suspended two games for his hit on Brian Campbell. Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Capitals have a great record without Ovie in the line-up this season, as this isn't 2007 anymore and they're much more than a one man show. The last time these two teams played in Florida, it was a super-exciting, high-scoring comeback win for the Caps; then again, the last time the Caps played in Florida, the Panthers were still a playoff contender. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Avalanche @ Blues, 8:00 pm EST: Hey, so, remember when I said that this game wasn't quite bad enough to win tonight's Ice Dancing award? That should in no way be construed as telling you to watch it. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Sharks @ Stars, 8:30 pm EST: Remember when Dallas was sitting in 10th for the longest time and kept flirting with the idea of being an actual, honest-to-goodness playoff contender? Well, they're sitting in 12th now, 9 points back of 8th place Detroit. So much for that. Oh yeah, this game will probably suck, too. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Islanders @ Canucks, 10:00 pm EST: I've been getting a lot of crap from a very good friend of mine who happens to be an Isles fan about how often I tell people not to watch Islanders games. To be fair to the Isles, they've won 2 in a row and they've been better of late. But beating a Devils team that's actually not playing Marty and beating the Toronto Maple Leafs are two totally different things from beating one of the NHL's best in the Vancouver Canucks. With all that said, since it's the only late game tonight anyway, I'm gonna give the Isles the benefit of the doubt and say this MIGHT actually be competitive, if only because the Canucks are due for a let-down game. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Alright folks, that's it from me. As always, enjoy the hockey!
But before we get back into the swing of things, I wanted to talk a little bit about the return to DirecTV of the NHL's oft-maligned cable partner, Versus. As a DTV customer this kind of hits home, and obviously I'm thrilled the NHL playoffs will be on the satcaster. Before we put the kibosh on this story for good, let's take a look at a few of the details that came out in the network's return.
There should no longer be any debate on what the REAL cause for this outage was, thanks to some very telling quotes from both sides. From the beginning of this whole mess (way back in LATE AUGUST), we heard two different sides to this story. There was the Comcast/Versus side, which said that DirecTV wanted to put them on a lower programming tier (a sports-specific tier, apparently), and they would not accept losing a very large percentage of their viewership just when they were adding a ton of new properties. Meanwhile, the DirecTV side never said anything about a tier, they just said Comcast wanted more money and they were refusing to pay it.
Well, read the quotes from yesterday closely enough, and one thing stands out: Versus is not only back on DirecTV, but they're back on *the same tier they were on back before all this started*. The quotes go on to specifically state they will stay there from here on out. This not only means that Comcast's quotes were, at the very least, quite a bit less dishonest than DirecTV's, but it also means that there should be no question who blinked first and who, in the end, "won" this whole mess. Comcast said they were open to negotiations on money (and I imagine they did have to take a bit of a hit from what they were originally asking), but being placed on a lower tier was a non-starter and no deal would be done with that included. Not that I should have to reiterate it for you again, but that's exactly what happened.
DirecTV was facing mounting pressure from three different sides to get the network back; namely, the NHL fans we all know about have been increasingly pressuring the satcaster to get the network back on the air in time for the stretch run and the playoffs. It's worth noting that Versus has probably their strongest schedule I've ever seen from them for the rest of the regular season, including both of the remaining meetings in the NHL's most high-profile rivalry, the Capitals and the Penguins. A shocking amount of fans had already switched to their rival Dish Network in the past six months, thanks in part to a clever ad campaign that specifically pointed out Dish had Versus and DTV didn't, and you have to believe that number only would have jumped tenfold once the playoffs started and people were theoretically missing games not just twice a week, but every single night! It's also worth noting that several articles I've seen have mentioned that the pressure on DirecTV from hockey fans went up significantly after the Olympics, saying that hockey's "increased visibility" from the Games greatly helped Versus & the NHL put more pressure on the satcaster.
Besides that increased pressure from hockey fans, DirecTV was also under pressure from fans of mixed marital-arts, as the juggernaut UFC promotion has its first-ever event on Versus scheduled for this weekend. Finally, cycling fans have apparently been making some noise to DirecTV as well, as Lance Armstrong will be back in the Tour de France this year, which airs exclusively on, you guessed it, Versus. So facing all of this mounting pressure from all sides, DirecTV finally gave in and dropped their ridiculous demand, and what do you know, a deal got done almost immediately.
Hopefully they learned something from this whole sideshow mess: if you're going to promote your satellite service as having "the most sports coverage", you can't just ignore several sports because you don't think they're important. Yes, Versus is nowhere near as important as ESPN, everyone is aware of this. But when one of your sources of subscriptions is having one of the best all-around NHL Center Ice packages out there, you can't simultaneously thumb your noses at hockey fans and tell them their sport doesn't count. They lost a ton of this money through this whole process from irate hockey fans calling up, complaining, and getting 25, 50, and yes, even 100% refunds off their Center Ice packages, and they lost even more money from fans who finally just gave up on the service altogether. This all could have ended when the regular season started in October if they had just dropped their silly demand and put Versus back on the air, and hopefully the people in charge can look in the mirror and realize they just wasted seven months and a lot of profits and, in the end, had to give up on their demand altogether anyway. They lost, Versus won, end of story.
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Okay, with that bit of business out of the way, let's get back to the hockey. As always, here's the awards I'll be giving out to tonight's games:
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Once those four picks are done with, I'll go through The Rest and tell you which of those games just might be worth your time as well. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll make sure to note which (if any) of these games are available on national TV in the US & Canada.
Tuesday, March 16th
Overall: An 11-game schedule provides some excitement, but there's really no genuine best-on-best match-ups to really get our hearts pumping.
Marquee Match-Up: Montreal Canadiens (35-29-6, 76 points, 3rd in Northeast, 7th in East) at New York Rangers (31-29-9, 71 points, 4th in Atlantic, 9th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
National TV: Versus (US) & RDS (Canada, french only)
Two original six teams step into the spotlight on Versus (hey, a tie-in to the rest of the blog, yay!), as the Habs make a rare national TV appearance in the US as they visit the suddenly revitalized Rangers. The Rangers are sitting 1 point back of the struggling Bruins (who are in Carolina tonight), but the Bruins will still have a game in hand after tonight's games, making a win here for the Blueshirts even more important. Meanwhile, the Habs have been playing great hockey as of late, and they'll be riding a 5-game winning streak into the Garden. They couldn't have picked a better time to get hot, as they've still played more games than anyone else in the East (including the Rangers), so even though they're coming closer to locking up a playoff spot with each win of this streak, nothing's guaranteed just yet. If both these teams play as well as they've been playing of late, this should be nothing short of a great match-up, well worthy of marquee status. And hey, DirecTV customers, you can actually watch it! How about that?
Prediction: Rangers 4-3 (SO)
Runner-Up: Toronto Maple Leafs (23-34-12, 58 points, 5th in Northeast, 15th in East) at Ottawa Senators (37-27-5, 79 points, 2nd in Northeast, 5th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
Though it's hard to pick the Maple Leafs for runners-up in anything other than "biggest failures" (and actually, that might offend Oilers fans since they, unlike Toronto, at least still have their 1st round pick), on a relatively weak night in marquee-quality match-ups, I have to give the nod to the Battle of Ontario. Here's something that might surprise you: that same Senators team that went on their club-record-setting 11-game win streak just a few short months ago has the exact same record as their southern Ontario counterparts in their last 10 games: 4-5-1. For the Leafs, that's a reflection of stronger play of late as some of the kids have stepped into the line-up and looked promising. For the Sens, on the other hand, that's a reflection of how they've suddenly run out of goals, and they've gone from having a slight lead over Buffalo in the Northeast to starting to fade fast in that particular race. You have to believe the Leafs would love nothing more than to beat their Ontario rivals and help continue that slide out of contention for home-ice advantage, in their own barn no less. This game could provide some excitement as a result.
Prediction: Sens 4-2
Under the Radar: Philadelphia Flyers (36-28-4, 76 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 6th in East) at Nashville Predators (38-26-5, 81 points, 2nd in Central, 7th in West)
8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST
This may be hard to believe when we're talking about an 11-game schedule for a league where MORE THAN HALF of the teams make the playoffs, but this is the only game of the night where both teams are in playoff position going into the game. So even though a game that reads "Flyers @ Predators" probably doesn't jump off the page at you, in actuality this is probably the night's best match-up, at least as far as the quality of the two teams goes. Both teams are also playing relatively well of late: the Flyers are 7-3-0 in their last 10 and the Preds are 6-4-0, with both teams coming off huge late victories over good opponents (the Flyers with the aforementioned 2.1 second shocker over the Hawks, while the Preds scored with about a minute-and-a-half to play to continue their mastery over the Kings). This should be a good, tight-checking, low-scoring battle between two teams who know how to play defense. As Mike Babcock said last night after the Wings-Flames game, even though people like to say "such and such game had a playoff feel", it's still not the playoffs. But this is probably as close as you're going to get tonight.
Prediction: Preds 3-2 (SO)
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: Edmonton Oilers (21-41-7, 49 points, 5th in Northwest, 15th in West) at Minnesota Wild (33-29-6, 72 points, 4th in Northwest, 11th in West)
8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST
I'm sure there will be some smart-aleck who will read this and think to themselves "But John, at least this is a divisional rivalry! What about, say, the Avs and the Blues?". And to you, imaginary person, I say, hogwash! How much of a divisional rivalry can it really be when one team is 20 GAMES BELOW .500 and it's a battle of 4th and 5th in the division? Please. At least the Avs and the Blues are both above .500. Hell, one of those teams is even in the playoffs! Don't get me wrong, I'm not gonna tell you to watch that game either, but as far as games on tonight's schedule that are completely useless, I still give the edge to this one. Then again, given how the past few games I've given this award to have turned out (Sharks-Panthers was a 3-2 overtime thriller win for Florida, the Wild upset the Sabres 3-2 as well), I'm sure this game will turn out to be exciting, just so I can be wrong again.
Prediction: Wild 4-1
The Rest
Bruins @ Hurricanes, 7:00 pm EST: The Bruins are bad, but it's not for a lack of effort. They play hard and they usually play physical, but they just don't have the goal-scoring on most nights to get things done, especially now with Marc Savard out. It's hard to believe considering they're still holding onto a playoff spot in the East by the skin of their teeth, but the Bruins are 30th in goals for per game. Yes, out of 30. Meanwhile, Carolina's still got their sights set on a miracle comeback, 8 points back of the Bruins going into tonight, so obviously a win here would be huge. 4 point game, might just make it exciting. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Sabres @ Thrashers, 7:00 pm EST: The Thrashers' playoff hopes are fading fast with each heartbreaking loss, and they suffered yet another one to the Coyotes in a shootout. How many home games can Atlanta squander before they're officially out of it? Tonight they've got Eastern heavyweights Buffalo in, and this will either be a slaughter for the Sabres, or a very competitive, up-tempo game. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Coyotes @ Lightning, 7:30 pm EST: I heard one of Tampa's beat writers say he thinks the Lightning played their two best games of the season over the weekend; unfortunately for Tampa, that was still only good enough for a 1-1-0 record, thanks to a heartbreaking late goal given up against the Penguins. They won't have much time to dwell on that as they'll welcome the streaking Coyotes into the Forum. I'm expecting a physical, competitive game, as it's do-or-die time for Tampa. Of all the "rest" games, this is easily your best bet. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Capitals @ Panthers, 7:30 pm EST: Fortunately for the Panthers, Ovechkin got suspended two games for his hit on Brian Campbell. Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Capitals have a great record without Ovie in the line-up this season, as this isn't 2007 anymore and they're much more than a one man show. The last time these two teams played in Florida, it was a super-exciting, high-scoring comeback win for the Caps; then again, the last time the Caps played in Florida, the Panthers were still a playoff contender. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Avalanche @ Blues, 8:00 pm EST: Hey, so, remember when I said that this game wasn't quite bad enough to win tonight's Ice Dancing award? That should in no way be construed as telling you to watch it. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Sharks @ Stars, 8:30 pm EST: Remember when Dallas was sitting in 10th for the longest time and kept flirting with the idea of being an actual, honest-to-goodness playoff contender? Well, they're sitting in 12th now, 9 points back of 8th place Detroit. So much for that. Oh yeah, this game will probably suck, too. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Islanders @ Canucks, 10:00 pm EST: I've been getting a lot of crap from a very good friend of mine who happens to be an Isles fan about how often I tell people not to watch Islanders games. To be fair to the Isles, they've won 2 in a row and they've been better of late. But beating a Devils team that's actually not playing Marty and beating the Toronto Maple Leafs are two totally different things from beating one of the NHL's best in the Vancouver Canucks. With all that said, since it's the only late game tonight anyway, I'm gonna give the Isles the benefit of the doubt and say this MIGHT actually be competitive, if only because the Canucks are due for a let-down game. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Alright folks, that's it from me. As always, enjoy the hockey!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Today's Games to Watch 3/13
Yes, it's another supremely early edition of Today's Games to Watch, as yours truly will be making his way to the City of Brotherly Love to watch his Blackhawks takes on the Flyers, live and in-person. But don't worry, I always think of you guys, so before bed to make it up in time for a (relatively long) drive to Philly, let's talk...
About Last Night...
Devils 3-Penguins 1
(My Prediction: Devils 4-2)
Oh yeah, another really close one! Not that picking the Devils to beat the Penguins this season is really a tough pick....that's their fifth straight win over their Atlantic Division rivals, and they will play one more game next week, still in New Jersey. With the victory the Devils move within 2 points of the Penguins, still with 2 games in hand, so I'd be sweating a little bit if I was a Penguins fan. Especially now that Ilya Kovalchuk finally exploded for 3 points against the Pens- if that's a sign of things to come down the stretch for Kovy, the Devils should be looking at not just back-to-back Atlantic titles, but possibly doing some actual damage in the playoffs for the first time since the lockout (they've only been past the first-round once, and never past the second).
Predators 1-Ducks 0
(My Prediction: Ducks 4-1)
Well folks, that's officially the last time I'll make the mistake of expecting the Anaheim Ducks to show up for a hockey game. Just like they've been doing in EVERY GAME since the Olympic break ended, the Ducks showed up for about 10 minutes in the 3rd period, and it was too little, too late against a very, very good defensive-minded Nashville team. This is a Preds team that's very proud of their defense, and you could tell they came out looking to make a statement after being embarrassed giving up 6 goals to San Jose in the 3rd period the night before. The Ducks would have required someone in the rafters with an automatic rifle pointed at the Preds' defensemen in order to get anywhere near a rebound, and as a result their season is pretty much over.
Kings 2-Stars 1 (SO)
(My Prediction: Kings 4-1)
How's this for a random stat: AHL standout Jonathan Bernier (he of the 2.09 GAA and .939 save %) was 0-5 in shootouts this season. In his very first NHL start, he not only won a shootout, but was perfect in stopping all six Dallas shooters he faced before Jarrett Stoll finally finished for another LA win. And stop and look at who showed up in this game for the Kings: Bernier, AHL call-up replacing the Kings' record-setting starting netminder who went home in preparation for his wife giving birth. Stoll, second-line center who's played as low as third-line for this incredibly balanced team, wins it in the shootout. Freddy Modin, who scored his third goal in four games as King (after scoring just 2 in 24 games as a Blue Jacket). That goal was assisted by captain Dustin Brown and reinvigorated sniper Alexander Frolov. Guess who I didn't mention, at all? You guessed it, the ENTIRE TOP LINE, the reunited Smyth-Kopitar-Williams line who looked like they were still getting used to getting back to playing together again. How many NHL teams can win, consistently mind you (Williams & Smyth were injured throughout the season and Kopitar went through a LONG scoring drought), when their top line isn't producing? That's why this Kings team is so good and so exciting to watch: they are deep at almost every position, and poised to be a powerhouse for years to come. But I digress.
Wild 3-Sabres 2
(My Prediction: Sabres 3-0)
Hey, I'm happy to be wrong about a team I thought was left for dead, so good on the Wild to bounce back from their embarassment in Motown and pick up a huge win, on the road, over an Eastern Conference power. The more teams who manage to stay in it, even by the slimmest of margins, the more exciting that makes the stretch run. So I'm happy for the Wild and their fans.
Okay folks, you know the drill by now: here's the awards we'll be handing out for tonight's night (err...and day) of hockey action.
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Saturday March 13th
Overall: Not much compared to a normal Saturday, just 9 games and not a ton of big-time match-ups either, but that's what you have to expect now that the NHL actually has games on Sunday, too.
Marquee Match-Up: Boston Bruins (30-24-12, 72 points, 4th in Northeast, 8th in East) at Montreal Canadiens (34-29-6, 74 points, 3rd in Northeast, 7th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
National TV: CBC (Canada) & NHL Network (US)
This has all the makings of marquee: first of all, it's the Bruins and the Habs, hockey's oldest and arguably greatest rivalry. Second of all, it's Hockey Night in Canada. Finally, it's a battle of two teams sitting in 7th and 8th and seperated by just two points. While the teams sitting below them will just be praying that this one doesn't go past regulation, you have to expect both these rivals to come out looking to put a wrench in each other's playoff hopes. Both teams are aware of how many games they've played- namely, the fact that the Bruins have THREE games in hand on the Habs. This is a huge chance for the Bruins to really make the Habs sweat and sit them right off on the edge of that playoff bubble, or it's a chance for the Habs to keep moving up in the standings. Either way, something big will happen in the East playoff race, you can be sure of that.
Prediction: Habs 3-1
Runner-Up: Chicago Blackhawks (44-17-5, 93 points, 1st in Central, 2nd in West) at Philadelphia Flyers (35-27-4, 74 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 6th in East)
1:00 pm EST/11:00 am PST
I'm not picking this one just because I'm going to it: this is a game between two teams who many, many people had picked to meet in the Stanley Cup Finals before this season started. Of course, the Flyers haven't quite played up to those lofty standards for the better part of the season, but they've still shown flashes of it at times. Meanwhile, both these teams have the common fear of their goaltending not quite being good enough to make it to a Cup final. Chicago will be looking to pick up points here on the first night of a back-to-back, with a much harder game coming tomorrow at 12:30 in Washington (probably the greatest pick for an NBC game of the week I've seen all year, but that's for tomorrow's blog). Philly, meanwhile, needs to bounce back from getting embarrass at home by the Bruins 5-1, and for the most part they've been a very resilient team this season. Look for this one to get physical and go down to the wire.
Prediction: Blackhawks 5-4 (SO)
Under the Radar: Ottawa Senators (37-26-5, 79 points, 2nd in Northeast, 5th in East) at Vancouver Canucks (41-23-3, 85 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
National TV: CBC (Canada)
A meeting between the suddenly goal-starved Senators and the high-powered Canucks probably has the look and feel of a blowout at first glance, and it probably will be, but you should still watch this game. Why? Because it's the Canucks' triumphant return to Vancouver after putting up a very, very good 8-5-1 record throughout their 14-game road trip, the longest road trip in NHL history. This is a city that was already energized from the Olympics, and now they're welcoming back their Canucks as Northwest division-conquering heroes. The crowd reactions alone should be able to bring chills up and down your spine. The game, quite frankly, is secondary at best.
Prediction: Canucks 5-1
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: Florida Panthers (27-29-10, 64 points, 4th in Southeast, 13th in East) at San Jose Sharks (43-14-9, 95 points, 1st in Pacific, 1st in West)
4:00 pm EST/1:00 pm PST
Woof. There's quite a few clunkers on today's schedule, but this is by FAR the clunkiest of them all. What else can you say about the Panthers that hasn't been said already? They're the only team in the NHL whose ownership actually came out and told their fanbase that they're giving up on the season (seriously, and not even the Oilers did that). If you asked your buddy to name all 30 NHL teams, this is the team they're most likely to forget, even above such luminaries as the Ohio Something-Jackets, the Other New York Team, and That Team That Traded Kovalchuk to New Jersey. So yeah, those guys are IN SAN JOSE to face the Western Conference's best team. If you needed me to tell you this game will probably be worthless, I'm not sure how you found your way to a computer to read this blog to begin with.
Prediction: Sharks 5-0
The Rest
Sabres @ Red Wings, 7:00 pm EST: While it's nice that the Red Wings are healthy again, they haven't exactly been the model of consistency of late: they've only won 2 in a row once since the Olympics, as they've gone win-loss-win-loss otherwise. If they really want to not just catch the Flames & Predators, but perhaps put them in the rear-view mirror permanently and take hold of a playoff spot for themselves like everyone expects them to, they have to start beating the good teams consistently. Beating the Minnesota Wilds of the world is fine, but now if they can come out at home and beat a very good Buffalo team, it will send a message that they are finally back. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Coyotes @ Hurricanes, 7:00 pm EST: The downsides to this game are that it's intra-conference and Phoenix can play a pretty boring style at times. But the upside is that both of these teams will be pretty desperate for points for entirely different reasons: the 'Yotes are expecting to win against the 14th-place Canes as they try to keep pace with Los Angeles in the (increasingly insane) race for 4th in the Western Conference. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are coming off another huge win over the defending Cup champion Penguins and are looking to continue their magical run back towards the playoffs. If the Canes are gonna have a shot in hell, they can't afford to drop points on home ice. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Devils @ Islanders, 7:00 pm EST: Yeah, okay, I have nothing funny or witty to say about this game. You got me. It's the Devils and the Isles, it's a really good team against a really bad team, film at 11, just don't watch the game. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Oilers @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV on CBC, Canada only) Normally a nice pointless battle between two teams that are out of it is automatic don't-watch material, but this game actually might be kind of interesting. I know, I'm going against pretty much everything I've ever said on this blog, but hear me out: since the trade-deadline moved out a few older bodies, both the Oilers & the Leafs have been playing pretty good hockey. It's normal this time of year for teams that are out of it to start playing better: they have nothing to play for, and with the trade deadline over they don't have to worry about who's getting moved and can just focus on showing up to the rink. So this game could either be a boring one between two teams that don't matter and play like it, or an exciting clash between two young teams who are loose as all hell. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Blues @ Blue Jackets, 7:00 pm EST: It's very bad when hockey games remind me of 2000 WCW wrestling angles, but the first thing I think of when I see this game is the "feud" between Booker T and the former Ahmed Johnson (now "Big T") with the winner getting the RIGHTS TO THE LETTER T~! Yes, this actually happened, and poor Booker T lost and was called just plain 'ol "Booker" for months as a result before it was mercifully forgotten. So here's my pitch: the winner of this game gets the RIGHT TO USE THE WORD BLUE for the rest of the season! Imagine, the Columbus Jackets entering battle without their prized color in their name! Are YOU ready for a world where the Jackets can no longer properly express the majesty and reverence of Columbus hockey, circa....uh....2000? Or, on the flipside, having no other word in their name to fall back on, the world is suddenly treated to the St. Louis Oranges, completely with half-peeled fruit for a logo. Okay, really dumb idea that I spent way too much time talking about, but it hopefully distracted you from the fact that I, like every single other person on the planet earth, have nothing to say about this game. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time...unless they take my idea, then MUST-SEE TV~!!!
And that's it folks. I'll be back as always, unless of course you hear about an unfortunate Blackhawks fan strangled with their own jersey and left for dead in the middle of Philly, in which case it was a pleasure to serve you all! See you around!
About Last Night...
Devils 3-Penguins 1
(My Prediction: Devils 4-2)
Oh yeah, another really close one! Not that picking the Devils to beat the Penguins this season is really a tough pick....that's their fifth straight win over their Atlantic Division rivals, and they will play one more game next week, still in New Jersey. With the victory the Devils move within 2 points of the Penguins, still with 2 games in hand, so I'd be sweating a little bit if I was a Penguins fan. Especially now that Ilya Kovalchuk finally exploded for 3 points against the Pens- if that's a sign of things to come down the stretch for Kovy, the Devils should be looking at not just back-to-back Atlantic titles, but possibly doing some actual damage in the playoffs for the first time since the lockout (they've only been past the first-round once, and never past the second).
Predators 1-Ducks 0
(My Prediction: Ducks 4-1)
Well folks, that's officially the last time I'll make the mistake of expecting the Anaheim Ducks to show up for a hockey game. Just like they've been doing in EVERY GAME since the Olympic break ended, the Ducks showed up for about 10 minutes in the 3rd period, and it was too little, too late against a very, very good defensive-minded Nashville team. This is a Preds team that's very proud of their defense, and you could tell they came out looking to make a statement after being embarrassed giving up 6 goals to San Jose in the 3rd period the night before. The Ducks would have required someone in the rafters with an automatic rifle pointed at the Preds' defensemen in order to get anywhere near a rebound, and as a result their season is pretty much over.
Kings 2-Stars 1 (SO)
(My Prediction: Kings 4-1)
How's this for a random stat: AHL standout Jonathan Bernier (he of the 2.09 GAA and .939 save %) was 0-5 in shootouts this season. In his very first NHL start, he not only won a shootout, but was perfect in stopping all six Dallas shooters he faced before Jarrett Stoll finally finished for another LA win. And stop and look at who showed up in this game for the Kings: Bernier, AHL call-up replacing the Kings' record-setting starting netminder who went home in preparation for his wife giving birth. Stoll, second-line center who's played as low as third-line for this incredibly balanced team, wins it in the shootout. Freddy Modin, who scored his third goal in four games as King (after scoring just 2 in 24 games as a Blue Jacket). That goal was assisted by captain Dustin Brown and reinvigorated sniper Alexander Frolov. Guess who I didn't mention, at all? You guessed it, the ENTIRE TOP LINE, the reunited Smyth-Kopitar-Williams line who looked like they were still getting used to getting back to playing together again. How many NHL teams can win, consistently mind you (Williams & Smyth were injured throughout the season and Kopitar went through a LONG scoring drought), when their top line isn't producing? That's why this Kings team is so good and so exciting to watch: they are deep at almost every position, and poised to be a powerhouse for years to come. But I digress.
Wild 3-Sabres 2
(My Prediction: Sabres 3-0)
Hey, I'm happy to be wrong about a team I thought was left for dead, so good on the Wild to bounce back from their embarassment in Motown and pick up a huge win, on the road, over an Eastern Conference power. The more teams who manage to stay in it, even by the slimmest of margins, the more exciting that makes the stretch run. So I'm happy for the Wild and their fans.
Okay folks, you know the drill by now: here's the awards we'll be handing out for tonight's night (err...and day) of hockey action.
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Saturday March 13th
Overall: Not much compared to a normal Saturday, just 9 games and not a ton of big-time match-ups either, but that's what you have to expect now that the NHL actually has games on Sunday, too.
Marquee Match-Up: Boston Bruins (30-24-12, 72 points, 4th in Northeast, 8th in East) at Montreal Canadiens (34-29-6, 74 points, 3rd in Northeast, 7th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
National TV: CBC (Canada) & NHL Network (US)
This has all the makings of marquee: first of all, it's the Bruins and the Habs, hockey's oldest and arguably greatest rivalry. Second of all, it's Hockey Night in Canada. Finally, it's a battle of two teams sitting in 7th and 8th and seperated by just two points. While the teams sitting below them will just be praying that this one doesn't go past regulation, you have to expect both these rivals to come out looking to put a wrench in each other's playoff hopes. Both teams are aware of how many games they've played- namely, the fact that the Bruins have THREE games in hand on the Habs. This is a huge chance for the Bruins to really make the Habs sweat and sit them right off on the edge of that playoff bubble, or it's a chance for the Habs to keep moving up in the standings. Either way, something big will happen in the East playoff race, you can be sure of that.
Prediction: Habs 3-1
Runner-Up: Chicago Blackhawks (44-17-5, 93 points, 1st in Central, 2nd in West) at Philadelphia Flyers (35-27-4, 74 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 6th in East)
1:00 pm EST/11:00 am PST
I'm not picking this one just because I'm going to it: this is a game between two teams who many, many people had picked to meet in the Stanley Cup Finals before this season started. Of course, the Flyers haven't quite played up to those lofty standards for the better part of the season, but they've still shown flashes of it at times. Meanwhile, both these teams have the common fear of their goaltending not quite being good enough to make it to a Cup final. Chicago will be looking to pick up points here on the first night of a back-to-back, with a much harder game coming tomorrow at 12:30 in Washington (probably the greatest pick for an NBC game of the week I've seen all year, but that's for tomorrow's blog). Philly, meanwhile, needs to bounce back from getting embarrass at home by the Bruins 5-1, and for the most part they've been a very resilient team this season. Look for this one to get physical and go down to the wire.
Prediction: Blackhawks 5-4 (SO)
Under the Radar: Ottawa Senators (37-26-5, 79 points, 2nd in Northeast, 5th in East) at Vancouver Canucks (41-23-3, 85 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
National TV: CBC (Canada)
A meeting between the suddenly goal-starved Senators and the high-powered Canucks probably has the look and feel of a blowout at first glance, and it probably will be, but you should still watch this game. Why? Because it's the Canucks' triumphant return to Vancouver after putting up a very, very good 8-5-1 record throughout their 14-game road trip, the longest road trip in NHL history. This is a city that was already energized from the Olympics, and now they're welcoming back their Canucks as Northwest division-conquering heroes. The crowd reactions alone should be able to bring chills up and down your spine. The game, quite frankly, is secondary at best.
Prediction: Canucks 5-1
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: Florida Panthers (27-29-10, 64 points, 4th in Southeast, 13th in East) at San Jose Sharks (43-14-9, 95 points, 1st in Pacific, 1st in West)
4:00 pm EST/1:00 pm PST
Woof. There's quite a few clunkers on today's schedule, but this is by FAR the clunkiest of them all. What else can you say about the Panthers that hasn't been said already? They're the only team in the NHL whose ownership actually came out and told their fanbase that they're giving up on the season (seriously, and not even the Oilers did that). If you asked your buddy to name all 30 NHL teams, this is the team they're most likely to forget, even above such luminaries as the Ohio Something-Jackets, the Other New York Team, and That Team That Traded Kovalchuk to New Jersey. So yeah, those guys are IN SAN JOSE to face the Western Conference's best team. If you needed me to tell you this game will probably be worthless, I'm not sure how you found your way to a computer to read this blog to begin with.
Prediction: Sharks 5-0
The Rest
Sabres @ Red Wings, 7:00 pm EST: While it's nice that the Red Wings are healthy again, they haven't exactly been the model of consistency of late: they've only won 2 in a row once since the Olympics, as they've gone win-loss-win-loss otherwise. If they really want to not just catch the Flames & Predators, but perhaps put them in the rear-view mirror permanently and take hold of a playoff spot for themselves like everyone expects them to, they have to start beating the good teams consistently. Beating the Minnesota Wilds of the world is fine, but now if they can come out at home and beat a very good Buffalo team, it will send a message that they are finally back. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Coyotes @ Hurricanes, 7:00 pm EST: The downsides to this game are that it's intra-conference and Phoenix can play a pretty boring style at times. But the upside is that both of these teams will be pretty desperate for points for entirely different reasons: the 'Yotes are expecting to win against the 14th-place Canes as they try to keep pace with Los Angeles in the (increasingly insane) race for 4th in the Western Conference. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are coming off another huge win over the defending Cup champion Penguins and are looking to continue their magical run back towards the playoffs. If the Canes are gonna have a shot in hell, they can't afford to drop points on home ice. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Devils @ Islanders, 7:00 pm EST: Yeah, okay, I have nothing funny or witty to say about this game. You got me. It's the Devils and the Isles, it's a really good team against a really bad team, film at 11, just don't watch the game. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Oilers @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV on CBC, Canada only) Normally a nice pointless battle between two teams that are out of it is automatic don't-watch material, but this game actually might be kind of interesting. I know, I'm going against pretty much everything I've ever said on this blog, but hear me out: since the trade-deadline moved out a few older bodies, both the Oilers & the Leafs have been playing pretty good hockey. It's normal this time of year for teams that are out of it to start playing better: they have nothing to play for, and with the trade deadline over they don't have to worry about who's getting moved and can just focus on showing up to the rink. So this game could either be a boring one between two teams that don't matter and play like it, or an exciting clash between two young teams who are loose as all hell. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Blues @ Blue Jackets, 7:00 pm EST: It's very bad when hockey games remind me of 2000 WCW wrestling angles, but the first thing I think of when I see this game is the "feud" between Booker T and the former Ahmed Johnson (now "Big T") with the winner getting the RIGHTS TO THE LETTER T~! Yes, this actually happened, and poor Booker T lost and was called just plain 'ol "Booker" for months as a result before it was mercifully forgotten. So here's my pitch: the winner of this game gets the RIGHT TO USE THE WORD BLUE for the rest of the season! Imagine, the Columbus Jackets entering battle without their prized color in their name! Are YOU ready for a world where the Jackets can no longer properly express the majesty and reverence of Columbus hockey, circa....uh....2000? Or, on the flipside, having no other word in their name to fall back on, the world is suddenly treated to the St. Louis Oranges, completely with half-peeled fruit for a logo. Okay, really dumb idea that I spent way too much time talking about, but it hopefully distracted you from the fact that I, like every single other person on the planet earth, have nothing to say about this game. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time...unless they take my idea, then MUST-SEE TV~!!!
And that's it folks. I'll be back as always, unless of course you hear about an unfortunate Blackhawks fan strangled with their own jersey and left for dead in the middle of Philly, in which case it was a pleasure to serve you all! See you around!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Today's Games to Watch 3/11
About Last Night...
Blackhawks 3-Kings 2 (OT)
(My Prediction: Hawks 5-Kings 4 (OT))
This marquee showdown between two Western Conference powers largely lived up to the hype, as the Hawks squeaked out a close overtime victory over Los Angeles in Chicago. Kopitar lead the way for the Kings with a goal and an assist while the Hawks' Patrick Sharp had 2 goals, one of which was the OT game-winner. The Hawks looked much better defensively in front of their goaltender than they did on Sunday against the Red Wings, and with Niemi still looking a little shaky in net, that's probably the way they're going to have to play from here on out. The Kings, meanwhile, had a good effort to earn a point in a tough building to play in, and remained right in the mix for the 4th spot in the West, now 2 points out but still with a game in hand on Phoenix.
Devils 6-Rangers 3
(My Prediction: Rangers 3-2)
If it isn't one thing with these New York Rangers, it's another: the anemic offense suddenly woke up, as the Prospal-Jokinen-Gaborik line looked dangerous just about everytime they were on the ice, while Erik Christensen continued his strong play since being a waiver-wire pick-up from Anaheim with a fantastic goal. However, it was the defense and goaltending that let them down last night, as Lundqvist just wasn't tracking the puck well in giving up 5 goals on 17 shots and the defense did him no help in front of him, clearly missing their coverage on many of the Devils' 6 goals. The Rangers remain 3 points back of 8th place Boston, and they've now spotted the Bruins 2 games in hand, as their playoff hopes are suddenly fading faster than ever. The Devils, meanwhile, did get the win at home, but Kovalchuck was held pointless and he still has yet to look integrated into the New Jersey line-up. He'll have to get going in a hurry down the stretch if the Devils want to have a shot at catching Pittsburgh and regaining the Atlantic division lead.
Coyotes 4-Canucks 3 (SO)
(My Prediction: Coyotes 3-1)
Another big win for Phoenix at home to continue to lead the Kings in the battle for 4th, as Phoenix managed to squeak out the shootout victory. Given the fact that this was Vancouver's final game of their epic 14-game road trip (they finished with an 8-5-1 record which has to be considered a monumental success), they had backup Andrew Raycroft in net, and it was the second night of a back-to-back for the Canucks, getting a point has to be considered a victory for them as well. The Canucks continue to get offense from up-and-down their line-up, and are looking more and more like they will be able to lock-up the Northwest division despite the strong play of the upstart Avalanche. Now that this road trip is over, the Canucks will finally return home on Saturday where they have one of the best records in the NHL (23-7-1), and their reward for making it through is a very home-heavy schedule down the stretch. It's looking like a great time to be a Canucks fan right now.
With last night in the books, let's get into tonight's 10-game schedule. As always, the awards I'm giving out are:
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Once those four picks are done with, I'll go through The Rest and tell you which of those games just might be worth your time as well. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll make sure to note which (if any) of these games are available on national TV in the US & Canada.
Thursday March 11th
Overall: Yet another example of quantity not always beating out quality, tonight's schedule has double the games of last night, but as far as marquee-quality games, there's really no contest. It's a pretty weak schedule overall (honestly, the competition for the Ice Dancing award was stronger than anything else), but hey, we gotta talk about it, so let's get into it.
Marquee Match-Up: Pittsburgh Penguins (40-22-4, 84 points, 1st in Atlantic, 2nd in East) at Carolina Hurricanes (27-31-8, 62 points, 5th in Southeast, 13th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
I know, looking at the records of these two teams doesn't exactly scream "marquee", but like I said, it's a pretty weak night for the NHL overall. The Marquee award goes to this game for a couple of reasons: first of all, it's a battle of two of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference. The Pens are 6-1-3 in their last 10 while the Canes have put up an even better mark at 8-1-1 as their improbable march towards playoff contention continues. Secondly, it's a re-match from last year's Eastern Conference Finals, where the Pens man-handled the Canes en route to a 4-game sweep (and of course, eventually the Stanley Cup). Nothing gets a rivalry going like a playoff series, and the Canes are of course going to be out for a little bit of payback in front of their home fans. Also of note is both these teams should be relatively desperate for points: the Canes are of course trying to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, while the Pens have a 3-point lead over the Devils in the Atlantic (with the Devils still holding a game in hand), and will in fact head into New Jersey tomorrow night for an Atlantic showdown. Given the fact that the Devils will spend today resting while the Pens are in action, getting points tonight should be considered a matter of great urgency for the Pens, as losses tonight & tomorrow will allow the Devils to retake the Atlantic lead.
Prediction: Pens 5-2
Runner-Up: Ottawa Senators (37-25-5, 79 points, 2nd in Northeast, 5th in East) at Calgary Flames (33-24-9, 75 points, 3rd in Northwest, 8th in West)
9:30 pm EST/6:30 pm PST
Eastern vs. Western Canada match-ups tend to be exciting games, and tonight's game between the Sens & Flames should (hopefully) be no exception. Going into this year, the Flames were a team expected to be challenging for the Northwest crown, but instead they're hanging on to a playoff spot by the skin of their teeth. A big reason for that? Their awful home record (16-15-3), something they will have to turn around in a hurry down the stretch if they expect to hold off the Red Wings and whoever else emerges from the 10th-13th logjam as a playoff contender. Meanwhile, the Sens have been average on the road (16-14-1), again something they will look to turn around down the stretch if they plan on catching the Buffalo Sabres for the Northeast crown. A bad home team vs. an average away team, something has to give here.
Prediction: Sens 3-2
Under the Radar: Minnesota Wild (31-28-6, 68 points, 4th in Northwest, 12th in West) at Detroit Red Wings (31-23-12, 74 points, 3rd in Central, 9th in West)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
National TV: NHL Network (US Only)
This is a classic example of an under the radar game, as you just don't get anymore under that there radar than the Minnesota Wild. There was a poll last year the NHL conducted to find out which team has the least interest outside of their home market, and Minnesota shockingly "won" that poll. Yes, Virgina, that means there's more displaced Florida Panther fans out there than Minnesota Wild fan, that surprised the hell out of me, too. But then when I got to thinking about it, I'm exactly the type of person they were asking about on that poll (i.e. has the Center Ice package and watches a ton of hockey), and how many times have I watched a Minnesota Wild game this season? A couple times when they played the Kings or Hawks, and that's about it. So I guess I see their point. Anyway, with that bit of backstory out of the way, tonight's game involving the Wild might just be one to watch. I mentioned already of the 10th-13th logjam in the West, and the Wild are right there in it, 7 points back of 8th place Calgary with a game in hand. They've got a game in hand on 9th place Detroit as well, and if they can pull out a big win in regulation tonight in the Joe Louis Arena, that will put them just 4 points back of the Wings, still with that game in hand. A loss tonight, however, would all but erase the Wild's playoff hopes. This is the very definition of a four-point game.
Prediction: Red Wings 5-Wild 2
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: Tampa Bay Lightning (27-27-11, 65 points, 3rd in Southeast, 11th in East) at Toronto Maple Leafs (21-33-12, 54 points, 5th in Northeast, 15th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
Like I said before, the competition for this "award" was pretty brutal, with a lot of teams in playoff position vs. teams that couldn't be farther out of it. But this game is the first I can recall seeing of the hockey fan's greatest enemy down the stretch: the utterly and completely meaningless game. You'll see it plenty from now until the end of the season, battles between two teams with absolutely nothing to play for, and for the love of God don't you dare watch them, lest you be bored completely out of your skull. One could argue, I guess, that the Lightning are still technically "in" the playoff race in the East, which speaks to just how mediocre the Eastern Conference is this season when a team that's been as bad as Tampa Bay has been of late can still be in a playoff race. But, realistically, the Lightning don't have much of a shot. A win over the Maple Leafs would still put them 3 points back, and while that may not sound like a lot does anyone really think they can get it done down the stretch against teams that AREN'T from Toronto with the way they've been playing? The Lightning's playoff hopes realistically ended when they lost to the Habs on Tuesday, and until they're actually beating teams above them in the standings I'm officially considering them out of it. The Maple Leafs, of course, are really, really bad. To top it off, the Lightning always seem to play really well against Toronto, as in, major ass-kicking well. So yeah, don't watch this game.
Prediction: Lightning 5-Maple Leafs 1
The Rest
Oilers @ Habs, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV on RDS, French only) Should I really even bother putting any Oilers games in this listing from now until the end of the season? If you don't see the Oilers' name in the listing and immediately know what the verdict's going to be, well, congratulations, you're the immediate relative of one of the players on the roster. I say "immediate" because there's no way that, say, Mike Comrie's second- or third-cousin could want to watch this game. Welcome to the club. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Blues @ Islanders, 7:00 pm EST: Tonight's Ice Dancing competition was almost certainly stiffer than the actual Olympic event was this year, as you can see here. The Blues are okay, the Islanders are pretty bad. FEEL THE EXCITEMENT~! Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Bruins @ Flyers, 7:00 pm EST: See kids, a game doesn't have to feature non-playoff teams to be completely uninteresting! Yeah, okay, this is a Winter Classic re-match. Put their "thrilling" 2-1 game into the Garden instead of outside and I guarantee you not a single person would remember it today. Oh yeah, and thanks Matt Cooke for taking the only exciting offensive player out of the Boston line-up. They were boring as hell WITH Marc Savard. And now they don't have him. Woof. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Thrashers @ Blue Jackets, 7:00 pm EST: Okay, seriously, was tonight's NHL schedule some kind of giant prank on me? The THRASHERS at the BLUE JACKETS?! Really? Like you have to ask what this game gets. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Panthers @ Avalanche, 9:00 pm EST: You know, on just about any other night, a re-match of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final (that was swept by the Avs, by the way) would probably be an Ice Dancing contender, but not tonight. Compared to those last games I just listed, this game looks positively interesting. Of course, that's kind of like saying a knife wound sounds like a good time when compared to being infected with flesh-eating bacteria. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Predators @ Sharks, 10:30 pm EST: Oh my god! Is it a mirage? Can it be real? A game....involving two GOOD teams....that might actually be a little bit exciting?! The last time the Preds were in San Jose, it took a very late third-period goal to put the Sharks on top. And while the Preds can be a little boring and trap-happy at times, they also have a lot of young talent that's fun to watch (especially on the back-end). On another night, that might not be enough to be worth your time, but just compared to the rest of tonight's craptastic schedule, this game should be like a long gulp of fresh water from a spring in the middle of a desert. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Yeah, okay, not exactly the greatest night of hockey I've ever seen. Might be a good night to go and visit your grandmother or something. But hey, if you get home in time, Preds-Sharks might be decent. Other than that, you're on your own folks. Good night, and good luck.
Blackhawks 3-Kings 2 (OT)
(My Prediction: Hawks 5-Kings 4 (OT))
This marquee showdown between two Western Conference powers largely lived up to the hype, as the Hawks squeaked out a close overtime victory over Los Angeles in Chicago. Kopitar lead the way for the Kings with a goal and an assist while the Hawks' Patrick Sharp had 2 goals, one of which was the OT game-winner. The Hawks looked much better defensively in front of their goaltender than they did on Sunday against the Red Wings, and with Niemi still looking a little shaky in net, that's probably the way they're going to have to play from here on out. The Kings, meanwhile, had a good effort to earn a point in a tough building to play in, and remained right in the mix for the 4th spot in the West, now 2 points out but still with a game in hand on Phoenix.
Devils 6-Rangers 3
(My Prediction: Rangers 3-2)
If it isn't one thing with these New York Rangers, it's another: the anemic offense suddenly woke up, as the Prospal-Jokinen-Gaborik line looked dangerous just about everytime they were on the ice, while Erik Christensen continued his strong play since being a waiver-wire pick-up from Anaheim with a fantastic goal. However, it was the defense and goaltending that let them down last night, as Lundqvist just wasn't tracking the puck well in giving up 5 goals on 17 shots and the defense did him no help in front of him, clearly missing their coverage on many of the Devils' 6 goals. The Rangers remain 3 points back of 8th place Boston, and they've now spotted the Bruins 2 games in hand, as their playoff hopes are suddenly fading faster than ever. The Devils, meanwhile, did get the win at home, but Kovalchuck was held pointless and he still has yet to look integrated into the New Jersey line-up. He'll have to get going in a hurry down the stretch if the Devils want to have a shot at catching Pittsburgh and regaining the Atlantic division lead.
Coyotes 4-Canucks 3 (SO)
(My Prediction: Coyotes 3-1)
Another big win for Phoenix at home to continue to lead the Kings in the battle for 4th, as Phoenix managed to squeak out the shootout victory. Given the fact that this was Vancouver's final game of their epic 14-game road trip (they finished with an 8-5-1 record which has to be considered a monumental success), they had backup Andrew Raycroft in net, and it was the second night of a back-to-back for the Canucks, getting a point has to be considered a victory for them as well. The Canucks continue to get offense from up-and-down their line-up, and are looking more and more like they will be able to lock-up the Northwest division despite the strong play of the upstart Avalanche. Now that this road trip is over, the Canucks will finally return home on Saturday where they have one of the best records in the NHL (23-7-1), and their reward for making it through is a very home-heavy schedule down the stretch. It's looking like a great time to be a Canucks fan right now.
With last night in the books, let's get into tonight's 10-game schedule. As always, the awards I'm giving out are:
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Once those four picks are done with, I'll go through The Rest and tell you which of those games just might be worth your time as well. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll make sure to note which (if any) of these games are available on national TV in the US & Canada.
Thursday March 11th
Overall: Yet another example of quantity not always beating out quality, tonight's schedule has double the games of last night, but as far as marquee-quality games, there's really no contest. It's a pretty weak schedule overall (honestly, the competition for the Ice Dancing award was stronger than anything else), but hey, we gotta talk about it, so let's get into it.
Marquee Match-Up: Pittsburgh Penguins (40-22-4, 84 points, 1st in Atlantic, 2nd in East) at Carolina Hurricanes (27-31-8, 62 points, 5th in Southeast, 13th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
I know, looking at the records of these two teams doesn't exactly scream "marquee", but like I said, it's a pretty weak night for the NHL overall. The Marquee award goes to this game for a couple of reasons: first of all, it's a battle of two of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference. The Pens are 6-1-3 in their last 10 while the Canes have put up an even better mark at 8-1-1 as their improbable march towards playoff contention continues. Secondly, it's a re-match from last year's Eastern Conference Finals, where the Pens man-handled the Canes en route to a 4-game sweep (and of course, eventually the Stanley Cup). Nothing gets a rivalry going like a playoff series, and the Canes are of course going to be out for a little bit of payback in front of their home fans. Also of note is both these teams should be relatively desperate for points: the Canes are of course trying to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, while the Pens have a 3-point lead over the Devils in the Atlantic (with the Devils still holding a game in hand), and will in fact head into New Jersey tomorrow night for an Atlantic showdown. Given the fact that the Devils will spend today resting while the Pens are in action, getting points tonight should be considered a matter of great urgency for the Pens, as losses tonight & tomorrow will allow the Devils to retake the Atlantic lead.
Prediction: Pens 5-2
Runner-Up: Ottawa Senators (37-25-5, 79 points, 2nd in Northeast, 5th in East) at Calgary Flames (33-24-9, 75 points, 3rd in Northwest, 8th in West)
9:30 pm EST/6:30 pm PST
Eastern vs. Western Canada match-ups tend to be exciting games, and tonight's game between the Sens & Flames should (hopefully) be no exception. Going into this year, the Flames were a team expected to be challenging for the Northwest crown, but instead they're hanging on to a playoff spot by the skin of their teeth. A big reason for that? Their awful home record (16-15-3), something they will have to turn around in a hurry down the stretch if they expect to hold off the Red Wings and whoever else emerges from the 10th-13th logjam as a playoff contender. Meanwhile, the Sens have been average on the road (16-14-1), again something they will look to turn around down the stretch if they plan on catching the Buffalo Sabres for the Northeast crown. A bad home team vs. an average away team, something has to give here.
Prediction: Sens 3-2
Under the Radar: Minnesota Wild (31-28-6, 68 points, 4th in Northwest, 12th in West) at Detroit Red Wings (31-23-12, 74 points, 3rd in Central, 9th in West)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
National TV: NHL Network (US Only)
This is a classic example of an under the radar game, as you just don't get anymore under that there radar than the Minnesota Wild. There was a poll last year the NHL conducted to find out which team has the least interest outside of their home market, and Minnesota shockingly "won" that poll. Yes, Virgina, that means there's more displaced Florida Panther fans out there than Minnesota Wild fan, that surprised the hell out of me, too. But then when I got to thinking about it, I'm exactly the type of person they were asking about on that poll (i.e. has the Center Ice package and watches a ton of hockey), and how many times have I watched a Minnesota Wild game this season? A couple times when they played the Kings or Hawks, and that's about it. So I guess I see their point. Anyway, with that bit of backstory out of the way, tonight's game involving the Wild might just be one to watch. I mentioned already of the 10th-13th logjam in the West, and the Wild are right there in it, 7 points back of 8th place Calgary with a game in hand. They've got a game in hand on 9th place Detroit as well, and if they can pull out a big win in regulation tonight in the Joe Louis Arena, that will put them just 4 points back of the Wings, still with that game in hand. A loss tonight, however, would all but erase the Wild's playoff hopes. This is the very definition of a four-point game.
Prediction: Red Wings 5-Wild 2
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: Tampa Bay Lightning (27-27-11, 65 points, 3rd in Southeast, 11th in East) at Toronto Maple Leafs (21-33-12, 54 points, 5th in Northeast, 15th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
Like I said before, the competition for this "award" was pretty brutal, with a lot of teams in playoff position vs. teams that couldn't be farther out of it. But this game is the first I can recall seeing of the hockey fan's greatest enemy down the stretch: the utterly and completely meaningless game. You'll see it plenty from now until the end of the season, battles between two teams with absolutely nothing to play for, and for the love of God don't you dare watch them, lest you be bored completely out of your skull. One could argue, I guess, that the Lightning are still technically "in" the playoff race in the East, which speaks to just how mediocre the Eastern Conference is this season when a team that's been as bad as Tampa Bay has been of late can still be in a playoff race. But, realistically, the Lightning don't have much of a shot. A win over the Maple Leafs would still put them 3 points back, and while that may not sound like a lot does anyone really think they can get it done down the stretch against teams that AREN'T from Toronto with the way they've been playing? The Lightning's playoff hopes realistically ended when they lost to the Habs on Tuesday, and until they're actually beating teams above them in the standings I'm officially considering them out of it. The Maple Leafs, of course, are really, really bad. To top it off, the Lightning always seem to play really well against Toronto, as in, major ass-kicking well. So yeah, don't watch this game.
Prediction: Lightning 5-Maple Leafs 1
The Rest
Oilers @ Habs, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV on RDS, French only) Should I really even bother putting any Oilers games in this listing from now until the end of the season? If you don't see the Oilers' name in the listing and immediately know what the verdict's going to be, well, congratulations, you're the immediate relative of one of the players on the roster. I say "immediate" because there's no way that, say, Mike Comrie's second- or third-cousin could want to watch this game. Welcome to the club. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Blues @ Islanders, 7:00 pm EST: Tonight's Ice Dancing competition was almost certainly stiffer than the actual Olympic event was this year, as you can see here. The Blues are okay, the Islanders are pretty bad. FEEL THE EXCITEMENT~! Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Bruins @ Flyers, 7:00 pm EST: See kids, a game doesn't have to feature non-playoff teams to be completely uninteresting! Yeah, okay, this is a Winter Classic re-match. Put their "thrilling" 2-1 game into the Garden instead of outside and I guarantee you not a single person would remember it today. Oh yeah, and thanks Matt Cooke for taking the only exciting offensive player out of the Boston line-up. They were boring as hell WITH Marc Savard. And now they don't have him. Woof. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Thrashers @ Blue Jackets, 7:00 pm EST: Okay, seriously, was tonight's NHL schedule some kind of giant prank on me? The THRASHERS at the BLUE JACKETS?! Really? Like you have to ask what this game gets. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Panthers @ Avalanche, 9:00 pm EST: You know, on just about any other night, a re-match of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final (that was swept by the Avs, by the way) would probably be an Ice Dancing contender, but not tonight. Compared to those last games I just listed, this game looks positively interesting. Of course, that's kind of like saying a knife wound sounds like a good time when compared to being infected with flesh-eating bacteria. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Predators @ Sharks, 10:30 pm EST: Oh my god! Is it a mirage? Can it be real? A game....involving two GOOD teams....that might actually be a little bit exciting?! The last time the Preds were in San Jose, it took a very late third-period goal to put the Sharks on top. And while the Preds can be a little boring and trap-happy at times, they also have a lot of young talent that's fun to watch (especially on the back-end). On another night, that might not be enough to be worth your time, but just compared to the rest of tonight's craptastic schedule, this game should be like a long gulp of fresh water from a spring in the middle of a desert. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Yeah, okay, not exactly the greatest night of hockey I've ever seen. Might be a good night to go and visit your grandmother or something. But hey, if you get home in time, Preds-Sharks might be decent. Other than that, you're on your own folks. Good night, and good luck.
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