It's a sad day for yours truly. Not only were my Rangers knocked out of the playoffs with a heartwrenching 2-1 shootout loss to the hated Flyers, but my Blackhawks lost to the Red Wings 3-2 in overtime. That not only meant that the Hawks will finish second in the conference and have to play a much tougher Nashville team instead of the Colorado Avalanche, but it also pushed my Kings down from 5th to 6th. Of the four teams at the top of the West, the ONLY team I really wanted the Kings to avoid playing was Vancouver. We'll get into the whys of that in a second, but just about everything that could go wrong today did.
The meaningful games are almost over; we're waiting on the result of a Buffalo-New Jersey game that's in progress as I type this to decide who gets 2nd in the East. The West, however, has been decided, and finally we can break down all the match-ups heading into the playoff excitement. So in search of anything to distract me from the heartbreak, let's dive right into it and make some predictions!
(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (8) Colorado Avalanche
(Sharks won season series 2-1-1)
First of all, I'm not listing anyone's regular season records, because in my opinion you can throw that out the window once we get to the playoffs. How the teams did against each other back in that regular season is at least a little bit interesting, but I wouldn't read too much into that, either. As we all know, the playoffs are a whole different animal: more tight-checking and physical than regular season hockey could ever approach.
You can't talk about the San Jose Sharks without mentioning their playoff failures, most recently as the first seed against the eighth-seeded Anaheim Ducks. However, no one in San Jose should be too worried about history repeating itself this year. Colorado is almost an exact opposite of the Ducks team that knocked out the Sharks last year: the Ducks were a veteran team who got off to a poor start and then turned it on in a major way down the stretch to get again. They were a better team then their record showed, and they proved it by nearly eliminating the Red Wings in the second round. Colorado, on the other hand, is an incredibly young team who almost backed into the playoffs. They picked up a few big wins over the last week, including over the Sharks themselves, but the teams they beat were largely playing for nothing (or at least close to it). When the chips were down and the Avalanche had to beat the Calgary Flames to hold onto their spot last Friday, they lost. Only by getting some help from other teams did they hold off the Flames for the eighth and final playoff spot.
The Avs getting into the playoffs was clearly a great story. But I don't see how they can hold off a Sharks team that is hungry and out for blood (pardon the pun). There's simply no way this San Jose team will be anything but ready to play in the first round after what happened last year. I don't think the Sharks have what it takes to make it through the rest of the playoffs, but they shouldn't have much trouble here.
Prediciton: Sharks in four.
(2) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Nashville Predators
(Blackhawks won season series 4-2-0)
The Hawks are an interesting team to talk about right now. They followed the exact same pattern as last year: awful in March, really good in April. Of course, that doesn't guarantee they will have a post-season like last year's, and most fans of the Hawks will tell you that simply a trip to the conference finals won't satisfy them this year. It's Cup or bust for these Hawks, but to get there they have to get through a very tough Nashville team. Nashville is a fantastic defensive team, and one of the big problems the Hawks have had all season long is getting through the neutral zone against teams who know how to play that 1-2-2 style well. Those problems are only increased when you consider the fact that the Hawks are missing their best puck-carrying defenseman, Brian Campbell, for what will likely be this entire first-round (and perhaps the second-round as well, should they get that far). There's also the question of how rookie goaltender Antti Niemi will hold up under the playoff pressure, a valid question to be sure.
With all that said, I don't think the Predators have enough firepower to hang in there with the Hawks in a seven-game series. I've told you a lot of reasons why the Hawks might not win, but now let me tell you even more reasons why they will win: Jonathan Toews. Patrick Kane. Marian Hossa. Patrick Sharp. John Madden. Kris Versteeg. And on and on and on. This is by far the deepest group of forwards in the Western conference, and only Washington can perhaps compete with them when it comes to being able to roll four lines and always have someone who can score on the ice. Nashville is a pretty great defensive team and Pekka Rinne has been stellar for them in net, but I don't see how they can shut down all four of the Hawks' lines for an entire series. The Hawks will have some problems, maybe even send the (suddenly very sizable) fanbase into a panic by losing game 1 at home, but in the end they'll pull it out.
Prediction: Blackhawks in six.
(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) Los Angeles Kings
(Vancouver won season series 3-1-0)
Like I already mentioned, of all the four opponents the Kings could have played in the opening round, this is the only one I really wanted them to avoid. With the sole exception of their recent 8-goal pummeling of the 'Nucks in LA, the Kings have almost always played horrible against Vancouver. They're probably the only team who have a line that's better on the cycle than the Kings (though their overall cycle game is still probably stronger), and considering it's largely on the strength of their cycle they got here in the first place, that would in fact be a problem. Vancouver had won a staggering seven games in a row against the Kings before LA finally snapped that streak.
Another problem for the Kings is the play of starting goalie Jonathan Quick, who has gone 0-3-3 in his last six games of the season. The Kings in general have played OK in front of him, sometimes better than others, but Quick has failed to lock it down even when the Kings were heavily outshooting their opponents. Quick's role as franchise goaltender of the future is suddenly in question with the rise of Jonathan Bernier, but unless Quick gets injured or really gets shellacked it will probably be his ball to run with (for this year, at least).
There's really not much else to say here. Vancouver will enter as overwhelming favorites with the best offense in the Western conference. Barring a meltdown from Luongo (who has been known to melt down in the playoffs before) and/or a complete drop-off in play from the Sedins, there's no reason to believe that the Canucks won't be able to handle the Kings with ease. Kings fans can take solace in the fact that their young team will likely be back, and the Vancouver team who will likely eliminate them is perhaps an early favorite to take the Western conference crown.
Prediction: Vancouver in five.
(4) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings
(Detroit won the season series 2-0-2)
It's a shame for the Coyotes that it's come to this. Phoenix has had a fairytale season this year, turning from a team everyone had left for dead due to their off-season, off-ice woes into everyone's favorite underdog story. Their 107-point campaign was a new franchise record, including all those years in Winnipeg. But now their magical regular season, full of shootout wins and gutsy performances from guys having career years, must enter the playoffs and face reality. That reality is a Red Wings team that has lost only 1 game in regulation since the Olympic break, a Red Wings team that is healthy for the first time all year. And they are ready to pounce.
If Phoenix has any shot to win this series, they need to get out to a strong start and win both games in Phoenix. If they can really put some pressure on the Wings and their rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard, perhaps they can pull off the upset. We also don't know how this Detroit team will handle starting on the road in the playoffs for the first time in decades. But unless Phoenix has a lot more miracles left in them- and more late-period and overtime goals since there's no shootout to dominate in the playoffs- they will see their dream season come to a nightmare end. We all know how important special teams becomes in the playoffs, and Phoenix has one of the worst power plays in the NHL
Prediction: Detroit in five games.
Alright folks, that's it for the West. I'll be back later tonight breaking down all the matchups in the East, and don't forget we'll have a podcast talking it all over for you tomorrow night at 9 pm EST.
Showing posts with label canucks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canucks. Show all posts
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Today's Games to Watch 3/27
Alright folks, the Eastern Conference playoff preview is on hold for now, for a couple of reasons. First of all, with the recent struggles of the Boston Bruins & especially the Philadelphia Flyers, the bottom of the East is nowhere near as locked-up as the bottom of the West, so I'm going to give it a few more days just to see if things get sorted out and we have a more clear view of who is finishing in 7th & 8th in the East. The Thrashers and Rangers, teams who we thought might have been out of it, are back in the race moreso due to the aforementioned teams' struggles than anything they've done (though the Rangers tying the game vs. the Devils with just 16 seconds left and then pulling out the extra point, in Jersey on the second night of a back-to-back no less, was admittedly impressive).
The second reason we're putting it on hold is today's schedule is among the most interesting we've seen in a while, so it's as good of a time as any to bring back Today's Games to Watch. As always, here's 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.
Saturday, March 27th
Overall: Definitely one of the most intriguing schedules we've seen in a while, full of teams fighting for their playoff lives as well as teams who are already near-locks for the playoffs going head-to-head.
Marquee Match-Up: Vancouver Canucks (45-25-4, 94 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at San Jose Sharks (45-19-10, 100 points, 1st in Pacific, 1st in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
National TV: CBC (Canada)
Following their six-game winless streak that was the Sharks' longest since November of 2005, San Jose appears to finally have turned things around after winning in Minnesota then coming home and winning that always-tough first game back from a long road trip against the Stars. It's of course worth noting that neither of those teams are playoff teams, but it's also worth noting that sometimes the hardest games to win are the games you're "supposed" to win this time of year. Just ask the Canucks, who dropped a game at home to the Islanders of all teams, how hard it can be to beat a team that's playing loosey-goosey hockey. However, now the Sharks will be faced with a much different test, as they welcome in the Northwest-leading Canucks. The Sharks are used to having everything wrapped up with a pretty bow at this time of year, but they currently sit just 1 point ahead of the Blackhawks (who have a game in hand) for 1st in the conference and 2 points ahead of the Coyotes for the division lead. If they want to hold on to the top seed going into the playoffs, they need all the points they can get. Vancouver, meanwhile, is looking at this as a statement game. Ever since the Sharks and Hawks have displayed their recent struggles, more and more pundits are shifting their Stanley Cup-favorite status in the West to the Canucks. If they can come into San Jose and beat the Sharks, it will be a huge reaffirmation of those words. No matter what happens, two division leaders meeting this close to the playoffs is always a huge deal, and this should be a fantastic game.
Prediction: Canucks 5-3
Runner-Up: Philadelphia Flyers (37-31-6, 80 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 7th in East) at Pittsburgh Penguins (42-25-7, 91 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East)
1:00 pm EST/10:00 am PST
The Flyers are, to put it simply, in a tailspin of epic proportions. Brian Boucher has looked even worse than people probably expected since Michael Leighton went down with an injury, going 1-4-1 and giving up soft goals in every game he's started. Blowing a 3-1 lead going into the 3rd period against the non-playoff Wild on Thursday was the most blatant example of this, as he gave up 2 goals from just not having his pads down in the right position coming across from one post to the other. That's basic, goalie school level stuff folks. As if that wasn't bad enough, Jeff Carter, the team's leading scorer in almost every category, is gone until the 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs. Whether or not he'll even get a chance to come back this year is becoming more and more in question, as the Flyers absolutely need to get things turned around right now if they want to make the post-season. The Thrashers & Rangers, two teams playing pretty well right now, are nipping right at their heels (4 and 5 points back respectively), and the Flyers must be looking over their shoulder at the Rangers with the most nervousness. The Rangers have a road-heavy schedule, but they're also playing 6 of the next 7 games against non-playoff teams. Then, the two teams will meet in a home-and-home set to end their respective seasons, and given the way the Rangers have played the Flyers at times this year, the Flyers do NOT want it to come down to those two games to decide which of these two teams makes the playoffs. So with all that said, they have decided to throw rookie goaltender Johan Backlund to the proverbial wolves today, as he will make his first-ever NHL start in Pittsburgh of all places, a place where the Flyers have struggled to win since the lockout even without a rookie goalie in net. Even worse, they're playing a Penguins team that is just as desperate for points as they are, trying to chase down to the Devils for the Atlantic division lead. Flyers-Penguins games are always chippy, hard-hitting affairs, but this game has twice the intrigue as usual just because we'll get to see if Backlund can be entrusted to carry the ball. Given how bad Boucher has been, the Flyers better pray he can.
Prediction: Penguins 5-2
Under the Radar: Detroit Red Wings (38-23-13, 89 points, 3rd in Central, 8th in West) at Nashville Predators (43-27-5, 91 points, 2nd in Central, 5th in West)
8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST
The Red Wings are the hottest team in hockey right now, having won four in a row and only dropped 2 games (1 in regulation) since the Olympic break. They've put 6 points of separation between themselves and 9th place Calgary, and now they can concentrate on trying to move up the standings in the top 8 before the end of the season. It's hard to believe considering how hot the Predators have been, too, but they now sit just 2 points ahead of their division rivals in Detroit, and that's with a game in hand for the Winged Wheel. So this game is incredibly important for both teams, as Nashville will want to put up a 4 point cushion to try and give themselves some breathing room. Either way, Detroit will still have a game in hand, so this game could very well end up being the deciding factor for which of these two teams finishes ahead of the other.
Prediction: Red Wings 4-3 (SO)
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: New York Islanders (30-34-10, 70 points, 5th in Atlantic, 14th in East) at Columbus Blue Jackets (30-32-12, 72 points, 5th in Central, 14th in West)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
I always get a ton of crap from my Isles-loving friend when I pick the Isles for my Ice Dancing game, but tonight it's not even close. This is one of only two games of the night between non-playoff teams, amazing given how many of those games we've had all week. It's the 14th-place teams of each conference which of course means no rivalry to speak of, and the only thing on the line here is the loser putting themselves in better draft position. I guess what I'm trying to say here is, who really cares? With all that said, admittedly both teams have played well against better competition of late, really taking to that spoiler role. The Isles beat the Flames, who desperately need those 2 points to keep pace with Detroit; in fact, you could probably argue that loss has ended Calgary's season. Columbus, meanwhile, welcomed in a Chicago team that needed 2 points to keep pace with San Jose atop the Western conference, and absolutely pounded them 8-3. Of course, the problem is neither team can spoil the other, so this is gonna be a tough game to get up for.
Prediction: Isles 2-1
The Rest
Flames @ Bruins, 1:00 pm EST: Well, like I just said, the Flames have probably already squandered their only chance to catch the Red Wings for 8th in the West. The question now is, do they come out flying in Boston trying desperately to salvage their season, as we saw the Rangers do this week after their potentially season-ending loss to Boston? Or do they come out flat knowing their season is probably over? Boston of course needs the points to stay ahead of those Rangers & Thrashers. This could be a good game between two desperate teams, or it could be one desperate team absolutely pounding the crap out of a team that's already given up. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Lightning @ Sabres, 7:00 pm EST: The Sabres are on the second-half of a back-to-back coming off a disappointing loss to division rivals Ottawa at home last night. A win here will probably put a kibosh on any hopes the Senators have of challenging Buffalo for the division title, given the games in hand the Sabres still have. Meanwhile, the only chase the Lightning are really in is Stamkos chasing the Rocket. They could be up for it to try and play spoiler, but for some reason the Lightning always seem to play really poorly against Buffalo. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Thrashers @ Hurricanes, 7:00 pm EST: The only other game between non-playoff teams, Atlanta is at least still right there in the race, 2 points back of 8th place Boston and 4 points back of 7th place Philadelphia. Their hosts in Carolina have been one of the best teams in the second-half of the season, and if it wasn't for their awful, awful first-half they'd be comfortably in the playoffs right now. Atlanta needs these 2 points desperately with the Rangers now nipping at their heels just 1 point behind, but everytime you think Carolina is ready to roll over and give up on their slim playoff hopes, they keep winning games. This should be a good one. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Devils @ Canadiens, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC & RDS in Canada, NHL Network US) Martin Brodeur always plays very well in his home province against his childhood favorite team, and tonight should be no exception with the added incentive of staying ahead of Pittsburgh in the Atlantic race. The Habs, meanwhile, are probably the East's hottest team since the Olympic break, reeling off a 6-game winning streak that was interrupted only with a loss to Ottawa and an OT loss to the Sabres, then responding by bouncing right back with a clutch home win against the Panthers on Thursday night. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Panthers @ Senators, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC) Speaking of the Panthers, they will once again be without David Booth after he took yet another hit to the had against the Habs on Thursday. Unlike the blindside hit Mike Richards gave him earlier in the season, however, this one was totally Booth's fault, as he skated into the Montreal zone with his head down (something you're taught not to do as a 6-year-old) and paid the price for it. The Sens finally seem to have come out of their post-Olympic funk, and the only thing that could stop them from pounding on the Booth-less Panthers is this being the second night of a back-to-back. Either way, this game probably won't be very exciting. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Rangers @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC) Alright, New York, here's what everyone has been waiting for. Every since the Rangers lost that disappointing game to Boston on Sunday, everyone pointed to their six-game road trip where 5 of the 6 teams are far out of the playoffs as their chance to make up ground. The Rangers already made up some ground by pounding the hapless Isles into submission with a 5-0 home win then following that up with their gutsy victory in Newark the very next night. Now that they've finally put themselves back into the race, they absolutely need to start these games against non-playoff teams on the right foot. If they lose to the Maple Leafs (who are in the middle of their yearly "well, we're out of it, so I guess we might as well finally play some hockey" March surge), it will get this make-hay run off on absolutely the wrong foot. A win, on the other hand, would be the Rangers' first 3-game win streak in almost three months and really get that snowball of momentum rolling downhill (and right towards the playoffs). The Maple Leafs aren't gonna roll over for them and have beaten better teams in Toronto of late, and as a result this should be a pretty good game. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Avalanche @ Coyotes, 9:00 pm EST: Colorado's position in 7th is very tenuous, as they have been extremely inconsistent since the Olympic break. Now they have to go into Phoenix and beat one of the NHL's best home teams, with Detroit breathing right down on their neck (tied in points but the Avs have a game in hand). The 'Yotes are looking to bounce back from actually, gasp, LOSING a shootout to the Predators, and want to keep pace with the Sharks for an incredibly improbable Pacific division title. With all that said, both these teams aren't all that exciting on most nights, so this game might not be all that exciting, either. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Stars @ Kings, 10:30 pm EST: Speaking of teams that the Red Wings are breathing down on, the Kings are only 1 point up on the Winged Wheel and absolutely do not want to fall back into that 7-8 hole. This is another team that's been very up-and-down since the Olympic break, as they've shown flashes of brilliance but also shown some signs of mental and physical fatigue, especially from starting goaltender Jonathan Quick. Coming back after going 0-1-1 in a brief 2-game trip, the Kings could use a pick-me-up, and beating the non-playoff Stars would be just what the doctor ordered. Dallas, on the other hand, was playing pretty well of late before dropping a 3-0 decision in San Jose, so they'll be trying to bounce back as well. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Alright folks, that'll do it for another edition of Today's Games to Watch in the NHL. We've got two early games that are incredibly important for all four teams, so enjoy some afternoon action then get ready for the main event late tonight between the Sharks and the Canucks.
The second reason we're putting it on hold is today's schedule is among the most interesting we've seen in a while, so it's as good of a time as any to bring back Today's Games to Watch. As always, here's 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.
Saturday, March 27th
Overall: Definitely one of the most intriguing schedules we've seen in a while, full of teams fighting for their playoff lives as well as teams who are already near-locks for the playoffs going head-to-head.
Marquee Match-Up: Vancouver Canucks (45-25-4, 94 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at San Jose Sharks (45-19-10, 100 points, 1st in Pacific, 1st in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
National TV: CBC (Canada)
Following their six-game winless streak that was the Sharks' longest since November of 2005, San Jose appears to finally have turned things around after winning in Minnesota then coming home and winning that always-tough first game back from a long road trip against the Stars. It's of course worth noting that neither of those teams are playoff teams, but it's also worth noting that sometimes the hardest games to win are the games you're "supposed" to win this time of year. Just ask the Canucks, who dropped a game at home to the Islanders of all teams, how hard it can be to beat a team that's playing loosey-goosey hockey. However, now the Sharks will be faced with a much different test, as they welcome in the Northwest-leading Canucks. The Sharks are used to having everything wrapped up with a pretty bow at this time of year, but they currently sit just 1 point ahead of the Blackhawks (who have a game in hand) for 1st in the conference and 2 points ahead of the Coyotes for the division lead. If they want to hold on to the top seed going into the playoffs, they need all the points they can get. Vancouver, meanwhile, is looking at this as a statement game. Ever since the Sharks and Hawks have displayed their recent struggles, more and more pundits are shifting their Stanley Cup-favorite status in the West to the Canucks. If they can come into San Jose and beat the Sharks, it will be a huge reaffirmation of those words. No matter what happens, two division leaders meeting this close to the playoffs is always a huge deal, and this should be a fantastic game.
Prediction: Canucks 5-3
Runner-Up: Philadelphia Flyers (37-31-6, 80 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 7th in East) at Pittsburgh Penguins (42-25-7, 91 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East)
1:00 pm EST/10:00 am PST
The Flyers are, to put it simply, in a tailspin of epic proportions. Brian Boucher has looked even worse than people probably expected since Michael Leighton went down with an injury, going 1-4-1 and giving up soft goals in every game he's started. Blowing a 3-1 lead going into the 3rd period against the non-playoff Wild on Thursday was the most blatant example of this, as he gave up 2 goals from just not having his pads down in the right position coming across from one post to the other. That's basic, goalie school level stuff folks. As if that wasn't bad enough, Jeff Carter, the team's leading scorer in almost every category, is gone until the 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs. Whether or not he'll even get a chance to come back this year is becoming more and more in question, as the Flyers absolutely need to get things turned around right now if they want to make the post-season. The Thrashers & Rangers, two teams playing pretty well right now, are nipping right at their heels (4 and 5 points back respectively), and the Flyers must be looking over their shoulder at the Rangers with the most nervousness. The Rangers have a road-heavy schedule, but they're also playing 6 of the next 7 games against non-playoff teams. Then, the two teams will meet in a home-and-home set to end their respective seasons, and given the way the Rangers have played the Flyers at times this year, the Flyers do NOT want it to come down to those two games to decide which of these two teams makes the playoffs. So with all that said, they have decided to throw rookie goaltender Johan Backlund to the proverbial wolves today, as he will make his first-ever NHL start in Pittsburgh of all places, a place where the Flyers have struggled to win since the lockout even without a rookie goalie in net. Even worse, they're playing a Penguins team that is just as desperate for points as they are, trying to chase down to the Devils for the Atlantic division lead. Flyers-Penguins games are always chippy, hard-hitting affairs, but this game has twice the intrigue as usual just because we'll get to see if Backlund can be entrusted to carry the ball. Given how bad Boucher has been, the Flyers better pray he can.
Prediction: Penguins 5-2
Under the Radar: Detroit Red Wings (38-23-13, 89 points, 3rd in Central, 8th in West) at Nashville Predators (43-27-5, 91 points, 2nd in Central, 5th in West)
8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST
The Red Wings are the hottest team in hockey right now, having won four in a row and only dropped 2 games (1 in regulation) since the Olympic break. They've put 6 points of separation between themselves and 9th place Calgary, and now they can concentrate on trying to move up the standings in the top 8 before the end of the season. It's hard to believe considering how hot the Predators have been, too, but they now sit just 2 points ahead of their division rivals in Detroit, and that's with a game in hand for the Winged Wheel. So this game is incredibly important for both teams, as Nashville will want to put up a 4 point cushion to try and give themselves some breathing room. Either way, Detroit will still have a game in hand, so this game could very well end up being the deciding factor for which of these two teams finishes ahead of the other.
Prediction: Red Wings 4-3 (SO)
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: New York Islanders (30-34-10, 70 points, 5th in Atlantic, 14th in East) at Columbus Blue Jackets (30-32-12, 72 points, 5th in Central, 14th in West)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
I always get a ton of crap from my Isles-loving friend when I pick the Isles for my Ice Dancing game, but tonight it's not even close. This is one of only two games of the night between non-playoff teams, amazing given how many of those games we've had all week. It's the 14th-place teams of each conference which of course means no rivalry to speak of, and the only thing on the line here is the loser putting themselves in better draft position. I guess what I'm trying to say here is, who really cares? With all that said, admittedly both teams have played well against better competition of late, really taking to that spoiler role. The Isles beat the Flames, who desperately need those 2 points to keep pace with Detroit; in fact, you could probably argue that loss has ended Calgary's season. Columbus, meanwhile, welcomed in a Chicago team that needed 2 points to keep pace with San Jose atop the Western conference, and absolutely pounded them 8-3. Of course, the problem is neither team can spoil the other, so this is gonna be a tough game to get up for.
Prediction: Isles 2-1
The Rest
Flames @ Bruins, 1:00 pm EST: Well, like I just said, the Flames have probably already squandered their only chance to catch the Red Wings for 8th in the West. The question now is, do they come out flying in Boston trying desperately to salvage their season, as we saw the Rangers do this week after their potentially season-ending loss to Boston? Or do they come out flat knowing their season is probably over? Boston of course needs the points to stay ahead of those Rangers & Thrashers. This could be a good game between two desperate teams, or it could be one desperate team absolutely pounding the crap out of a team that's already given up. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Lightning @ Sabres, 7:00 pm EST: The Sabres are on the second-half of a back-to-back coming off a disappointing loss to division rivals Ottawa at home last night. A win here will probably put a kibosh on any hopes the Senators have of challenging Buffalo for the division title, given the games in hand the Sabres still have. Meanwhile, the only chase the Lightning are really in is Stamkos chasing the Rocket. They could be up for it to try and play spoiler, but for some reason the Lightning always seem to play really poorly against Buffalo. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Thrashers @ Hurricanes, 7:00 pm EST: The only other game between non-playoff teams, Atlanta is at least still right there in the race, 2 points back of 8th place Boston and 4 points back of 7th place Philadelphia. Their hosts in Carolina have been one of the best teams in the second-half of the season, and if it wasn't for their awful, awful first-half they'd be comfortably in the playoffs right now. Atlanta needs these 2 points desperately with the Rangers now nipping at their heels just 1 point behind, but everytime you think Carolina is ready to roll over and give up on their slim playoff hopes, they keep winning games. This should be a good one. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Devils @ Canadiens, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC & RDS in Canada, NHL Network US) Martin Brodeur always plays very well in his home province against his childhood favorite team, and tonight should be no exception with the added incentive of staying ahead of Pittsburgh in the Atlantic race. The Habs, meanwhile, are probably the East's hottest team since the Olympic break, reeling off a 6-game winning streak that was interrupted only with a loss to Ottawa and an OT loss to the Sabres, then responding by bouncing right back with a clutch home win against the Panthers on Thursday night. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Panthers @ Senators, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC) Speaking of the Panthers, they will once again be without David Booth after he took yet another hit to the had against the Habs on Thursday. Unlike the blindside hit Mike Richards gave him earlier in the season, however, this one was totally Booth's fault, as he skated into the Montreal zone with his head down (something you're taught not to do as a 6-year-old) and paid the price for it. The Sens finally seem to have come out of their post-Olympic funk, and the only thing that could stop them from pounding on the Booth-less Panthers is this being the second night of a back-to-back. Either way, this game probably won't be very exciting. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Rangers @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC) Alright, New York, here's what everyone has been waiting for. Every since the Rangers lost that disappointing game to Boston on Sunday, everyone pointed to their six-game road trip where 5 of the 6 teams are far out of the playoffs as their chance to make up ground. The Rangers already made up some ground by pounding the hapless Isles into submission with a 5-0 home win then following that up with their gutsy victory in Newark the very next night. Now that they've finally put themselves back into the race, they absolutely need to start these games against non-playoff teams on the right foot. If they lose to the Maple Leafs (who are in the middle of their yearly "well, we're out of it, so I guess we might as well finally play some hockey" March surge), it will get this make-hay run off on absolutely the wrong foot. A win, on the other hand, would be the Rangers' first 3-game win streak in almost three months and really get that snowball of momentum rolling downhill (and right towards the playoffs). The Maple Leafs aren't gonna roll over for them and have beaten better teams in Toronto of late, and as a result this should be a pretty good game. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Avalanche @ Coyotes, 9:00 pm EST: Colorado's position in 7th is very tenuous, as they have been extremely inconsistent since the Olympic break. Now they have to go into Phoenix and beat one of the NHL's best home teams, with Detroit breathing right down on their neck (tied in points but the Avs have a game in hand). The 'Yotes are looking to bounce back from actually, gasp, LOSING a shootout to the Predators, and want to keep pace with the Sharks for an incredibly improbable Pacific division title. With all that said, both these teams aren't all that exciting on most nights, so this game might not be all that exciting, either. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Stars @ Kings, 10:30 pm EST: Speaking of teams that the Red Wings are breathing down on, the Kings are only 1 point up on the Winged Wheel and absolutely do not want to fall back into that 7-8 hole. This is another team that's been very up-and-down since the Olympic break, as they've shown flashes of brilliance but also shown some signs of mental and physical fatigue, especially from starting goaltender Jonathan Quick. Coming back after going 0-1-1 in a brief 2-game trip, the Kings could use a pick-me-up, and beating the non-playoff Stars would be just what the doctor ordered. Dallas, on the other hand, was playing pretty well of late before dropping a 3-0 decision in San Jose, so they'll be trying to bounce back as well. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Alright folks, that'll do it for another edition of Today's Games to Watch in the NHL. We've got two early games that are incredibly important for all four teams, so enjoy some afternoon action then get ready for the main event late tonight between the Sharks and the Canucks.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Today's Games to Watch 3/18
Welcome back, after a night off, to Today's Games to Watch here on Center Ice Addict. First of all, an explanation: last night's schedule consisted of three games at completely different times, so there really was not much of a point of me telling you which ones to watch since theoretically you could have watched them all. With that said, it was definitely an interesting night. The Devils completed a 6-0 sweep of the Penguins, the Flames went into Colorado and took a big 2 points away to stay right in the hunt in the West for the final playoff spot, and the Blackhawks' injury woes on their blueline continued as Brent Seabrook took a high (and dirty) hit and will probably be out at least a week.
Tonight, we get back into the swing of things with an 11-game schedule. So let's get right to it. As always, here's the awards we'll be giving 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.
Thursday, March 18th
Overall: An 11-game schedule provides some real excitement, especially in the West where 4 of the top 6 teams will match-up with each other in what could be some playoff previews. If you're on the East coast, staying up late for some real top-notch hockey could be worth it tonight.
Marquee Match-Up: San Jose Sharks (43-16-10, 96 points, 1st in Pacific, 1st in West) at Vancouver Canucks (43-24-3, 89 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
The Sharks are in the spin cycle right now: they've lost 2 in a row and if it hadn't been for a third-period explosion at home against the Predators, it would be 3. Theoretically they hit rock-bottom on Tuesday in Dallas, losing 8-2 and surpassing their previous worst efforts against Chicago & LA (7 goals allowed in each, twice against the Kings). Suddenly, teams they had thought were long forgotten in their rear-view mirror are right there staring at them: the Coyotes are only 5 points back for the division lead, and the Canucks are only 7 points back for 1st in the West. Granted, the Sharks do have a game in hand on both of those teams, but a game in hand is fairly worthless when you're playing as bad as San Jose is right now. So this game becomes far more important than it might have been months ago, when the Canucks were still double-digits behind San Jose: this is a 4-point game, as a win by the Sharks makes that gap 9, but a win by the Canucks shrinks that gap down to just 5 points. Will San Jose be this year's version of the Calgary Flames, a team that jumped out to a gigantic, double-digit gap in their division and then played so badly down the stretch they squandered it and were passed just before the playoffs? Obviously it goes without saying it would be an unmitigated disaster for this Sharks team that is built to win now.
Prediction: Canucks 3-2
Runner-Up: Chicago Blackhawks (44-19-6, 94 points, 1st in Central, 2nd in West) at Los Angeles Kings (40-23-5, 85 points, 3rd in Pacific, 6th in West)
10:30 pm EST/7:30 pm PST
This game is a battle between two teams who have hit a bit of a skid: the Kings are a middling 3-3-1 since the Olympic break, while the Blackhawks are bruised, battered, and dropping games left-and-right (sometimes in devastating fashion, like over the weekend to the Flyers & Capitals). Is there reason to worry? Not really. The Kings have, for the most part, played very well even in their defeats, most of which have been by 1 goal. Playing down the stretch has been a learning process for this young team, and despite falling to 6th they're only 1 point behind Colorado with two games in hand on them, and 6 points behind Phoenix, also with 2 games in hand. So they can make up that ground fairly easily, and they'll get a hell of a chance to do it tonight playing a Chicago team that took yet another big hit to their blueline last night in Anaheim. The Hawks, meanwhile, find themselves in the unfamiliar position of not having a hell of a lot to play for in March; they've got the Central all but wrapped up, as even with their recent struggles they still lead 2nd place Nashville by 11 points (with a game in hand). It's nothing we haven't seen year after year from Detroit when they've had these gigantic leads in the Central with only 13 or so games remaining. It's hard to get up for these games, especially when your primary concern is just getting healthy again in time for the playoffs. And I've been pleasantly surprised to see MOST of Chicago's fanbase recognize that. Look for them to drop another game here, but it's no time to panic.
Prediction: Kings 3-2 (OT)
Under the Radar: Pittsburgh Penguins (41-24-5, 87 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East) at Boston Bruins (31-26-12, 74 points, 4th in Northeast, 8th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
National TV: NHL Network (US only)
This game is really only "under the radar" if you haven't been paying attention and missed last week's Matt Cooke hit, so I guess today this award functions more like a third runner-up. There was just nothing else on the list that really striked me as a must-see game, but this one certainly is. You have the aforementioned Cooke-on-Savard hit, although those expecting retaliation should remember that teams tend not to come out and retaliate when you expect them to, especially when Colin Campbell will be in attendance and both teams are in desperate need of two points. The Penguins are coming off yet another loss to their Atlantic division rivals last night, and now must pick up points to keep pace with them, as the Devils have one more win and a game in hand on them. The Bruins are looking to continue to separate themselves from 9th place New York; they've still got a game in hand on them, and with a win here and some help from St. Louis they could open up a huge 5-point lead that would really start to put the nail in the coffin of the Blueshirts' playoff hopes.
Prediction: Penguins 4-1
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: Phoenix Coyotes (43-22-5, 91 points, 2nd in Pacific, 4th in West) at Florida Panthers (28-30-10, 66 points, 4th in Southeast, 13th in East)
7:30 PM EST/4:30 pm PST
The Coyotes have hit upon a winning formula in their 6-game winning streak: score a few early goals and then just hold on tight. It doesn't exactly make for much in the way of excitement, and there's few things less exciting than a Florida Panthers game in March anyway. With a ton of teams battling for playoff position on at the same time, there's really no good reason to watch this game.
Prediction: Coyotes 3-1
The Rest
Capitals @ Hurricanes, 7:00 pm EST: Carolina's miracle run back towards playoff contention has hit a bit of a snag of late, as they've dropped two in a row at the worst possible time. Their gap for 8th is back to double-digits, and their season is back to being on life support. A win at home over the Southeast division-leading Capitals is absolutely essential to keep their hopes alive, and you can say a lot of things about how they played against Boston in that loss but you can't say the effort wasn't there. Expect the effort to be there again tonight, and it should make for a pretty entertaining hockey game. The Ovechkin-less Capitals continue to show they're no longer a one-man team. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Blues @ Rangers, 7:00 pm EST: Now, while Carolina came out with a lot of effort in their loss to Boston, the Rangers, a team who is FAR closer to it than the Canes, inexplicably came out flat against the Habs on Tuesday. King Henrik played great, but he couldn't do it single-handidly, and the fact that they had just 10 shots through two periods is honestly astounding. They need to bounce back quickly at home against a middling Blues squad who is also desperate for points to keep their own, far more slim playoff hopes alive. If they find the effort they had against the Flyers on Sunday again tonight, this one could be worth tuning in for, but if they play like they did on Tuesday, take a pass on the Rangers' latest "must-win game". Prediction: Might Be Worth Your Time
Senators @ Thrashers, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV on RDS, Canada & French only) The Sens continue to struggle, their latest loss in a 3-game losing streak coming on Tuesday to their southern Ontario rivals. It's not a good thing when the Toronto Marlies featuring special guest starts Phil Kessel & Dion Phaneuf are largely outplaying you en route to a 4-1 victory. They're heading into Atlanta to play another team that's been bad of late, and sometimes two bad teams produce a great game as both teams look at it as a perfect opportunity to turn things around. Other times, however, they both just kind of flail at each other. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Sabres @ Lightning, 7:30 pm EST: Tampa Bay has been playing better, which you wouldn't know since they've dropped 2 in a row at home, but they could have easily won those games against two very good teams in Pittsburgh and Phoenix. Unfortunately for the Lightning and their increasingly slim playoff hopes, tonight they invite another very good team, the Northeast-leading Buffalo Sabres, into the Forum. A win here would be a great way to turn things around, but a loss will shovel the last little bits of dirt onto their playoff hopes. Either way, with the desperation Tampa's been playing with of late, this should be a good game. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Devils @ Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm EST: The young and hungry Leafs are actually playing some pretty fun hockey of late, as they are in that part of the schedule where they have no pressure and are playing like it. They've played the Devils very well this season, winning 2 out of 3 and it easily could have been 3 had their goalie not collapsed in the 3rd period just before the Olympic break. The Devils are coming off a huge win over Atlantic rivals Pittsburgh last night, and this has all the makings of a classic letdown game. I'm gonna go with a middling answer for the verdict, as this game's worthiness honestly depends on whether or not the Devils decide to show up and if they have enough left in the tank after yet another hard-fought win over the Pens 24 hours ago. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Wild @ Predators, 8:00 pm EST: Two teams that are riding 3-game winning streaks meet up in Nashville. The Predators are slowly inching away from playoff bubble status, now 3 points up on 8th place Detroit & 4 points on 9th place Calgary. The Wild are still 6 points back of Detroit, and need to keep piling up those wins if they're going to get back in it. Neither of these teams are what you would call exciting, but this has the potential to be a better-than-average game just because of how hot both teams are right now. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Flyers @ Stars, 8:30 pm EST: Philadelphia begins life without Michael Leighton in Dallas tonight, as the Stars are coming off that epic 8-2 win over San Jose. Not much else to say about this one: the Stars need to keep picking up wins to keep their very faint playoff hopes alive, while the Flyers will be looking to get a good first start out of Brian Boucher to try and inspire some confidence in him from his teammates while Leighton is out with his high ankle sprain (a very tricky injury, especially for goaltenders). Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Alright folks, that'll do it for another look at the night's NHL action. Enjoy the games.
Tonight, we get back into the swing of things with an 11-game schedule. So let's get right to it. As always, here's the awards we'll be giving 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.
Thursday, March 18th
Overall: An 11-game schedule provides some real excitement, especially in the West where 4 of the top 6 teams will match-up with each other in what could be some playoff previews. If you're on the East coast, staying up late for some real top-notch hockey could be worth it tonight.
Marquee Match-Up: San Jose Sharks (43-16-10, 96 points, 1st in Pacific, 1st in West) at Vancouver Canucks (43-24-3, 89 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
The Sharks are in the spin cycle right now: they've lost 2 in a row and if it hadn't been for a third-period explosion at home against the Predators, it would be 3. Theoretically they hit rock-bottom on Tuesday in Dallas, losing 8-2 and surpassing their previous worst efforts against Chicago & LA (7 goals allowed in each, twice against the Kings). Suddenly, teams they had thought were long forgotten in their rear-view mirror are right there staring at them: the Coyotes are only 5 points back for the division lead, and the Canucks are only 7 points back for 1st in the West. Granted, the Sharks do have a game in hand on both of those teams, but a game in hand is fairly worthless when you're playing as bad as San Jose is right now. So this game becomes far more important than it might have been months ago, when the Canucks were still double-digits behind San Jose: this is a 4-point game, as a win by the Sharks makes that gap 9, but a win by the Canucks shrinks that gap down to just 5 points. Will San Jose be this year's version of the Calgary Flames, a team that jumped out to a gigantic, double-digit gap in their division and then played so badly down the stretch they squandered it and were passed just before the playoffs? Obviously it goes without saying it would be an unmitigated disaster for this Sharks team that is built to win now.
Prediction: Canucks 3-2
Runner-Up: Chicago Blackhawks (44-19-6, 94 points, 1st in Central, 2nd in West) at Los Angeles Kings (40-23-5, 85 points, 3rd in Pacific, 6th in West)
10:30 pm EST/7:30 pm PST
This game is a battle between two teams who have hit a bit of a skid: the Kings are a middling 3-3-1 since the Olympic break, while the Blackhawks are bruised, battered, and dropping games left-and-right (sometimes in devastating fashion, like over the weekend to the Flyers & Capitals). Is there reason to worry? Not really. The Kings have, for the most part, played very well even in their defeats, most of which have been by 1 goal. Playing down the stretch has been a learning process for this young team, and despite falling to 6th they're only 1 point behind Colorado with two games in hand on them, and 6 points behind Phoenix, also with 2 games in hand. So they can make up that ground fairly easily, and they'll get a hell of a chance to do it tonight playing a Chicago team that took yet another big hit to their blueline last night in Anaheim. The Hawks, meanwhile, find themselves in the unfamiliar position of not having a hell of a lot to play for in March; they've got the Central all but wrapped up, as even with their recent struggles they still lead 2nd place Nashville by 11 points (with a game in hand). It's nothing we haven't seen year after year from Detroit when they've had these gigantic leads in the Central with only 13 or so games remaining. It's hard to get up for these games, especially when your primary concern is just getting healthy again in time for the playoffs. And I've been pleasantly surprised to see MOST of Chicago's fanbase recognize that. Look for them to drop another game here, but it's no time to panic.
Prediction: Kings 3-2 (OT)
Under the Radar: Pittsburgh Penguins (41-24-5, 87 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East) at Boston Bruins (31-26-12, 74 points, 4th in Northeast, 8th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
National TV: NHL Network (US only)
This game is really only "under the radar" if you haven't been paying attention and missed last week's Matt Cooke hit, so I guess today this award functions more like a third runner-up. There was just nothing else on the list that really striked me as a must-see game, but this one certainly is. You have the aforementioned Cooke-on-Savard hit, although those expecting retaliation should remember that teams tend not to come out and retaliate when you expect them to, especially when Colin Campbell will be in attendance and both teams are in desperate need of two points. The Penguins are coming off yet another loss to their Atlantic division rivals last night, and now must pick up points to keep pace with them, as the Devils have one more win and a game in hand on them. The Bruins are looking to continue to separate themselves from 9th place New York; they've still got a game in hand on them, and with a win here and some help from St. Louis they could open up a huge 5-point lead that would really start to put the nail in the coffin of the Blueshirts' playoff hopes.
Prediction: Penguins 4-1
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: Phoenix Coyotes (43-22-5, 91 points, 2nd in Pacific, 4th in West) at Florida Panthers (28-30-10, 66 points, 4th in Southeast, 13th in East)
7:30 PM EST/4:30 pm PST
The Coyotes have hit upon a winning formula in their 6-game winning streak: score a few early goals and then just hold on tight. It doesn't exactly make for much in the way of excitement, and there's few things less exciting than a Florida Panthers game in March anyway. With a ton of teams battling for playoff position on at the same time, there's really no good reason to watch this game.
Prediction: Coyotes 3-1
The Rest
Capitals @ Hurricanes, 7:00 pm EST: Carolina's miracle run back towards playoff contention has hit a bit of a snag of late, as they've dropped two in a row at the worst possible time. Their gap for 8th is back to double-digits, and their season is back to being on life support. A win at home over the Southeast division-leading Capitals is absolutely essential to keep their hopes alive, and you can say a lot of things about how they played against Boston in that loss but you can't say the effort wasn't there. Expect the effort to be there again tonight, and it should make for a pretty entertaining hockey game. The Ovechkin-less Capitals continue to show they're no longer a one-man team. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Blues @ Rangers, 7:00 pm EST: Now, while Carolina came out with a lot of effort in their loss to Boston, the Rangers, a team who is FAR closer to it than the Canes, inexplicably came out flat against the Habs on Tuesday. King Henrik played great, but he couldn't do it single-handidly, and the fact that they had just 10 shots through two periods is honestly astounding. They need to bounce back quickly at home against a middling Blues squad who is also desperate for points to keep their own, far more slim playoff hopes alive. If they find the effort they had against the Flyers on Sunday again tonight, this one could be worth tuning in for, but if they play like they did on Tuesday, take a pass on the Rangers' latest "must-win game". Prediction: Might Be Worth Your Time
Senators @ Thrashers, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV on RDS, Canada & French only) The Sens continue to struggle, their latest loss in a 3-game losing streak coming on Tuesday to their southern Ontario rivals. It's not a good thing when the Toronto Marlies featuring special guest starts Phil Kessel & Dion Phaneuf are largely outplaying you en route to a 4-1 victory. They're heading into Atlanta to play another team that's been bad of late, and sometimes two bad teams produce a great game as both teams look at it as a perfect opportunity to turn things around. Other times, however, they both just kind of flail at each other. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Sabres @ Lightning, 7:30 pm EST: Tampa Bay has been playing better, which you wouldn't know since they've dropped 2 in a row at home, but they could have easily won those games against two very good teams in Pittsburgh and Phoenix. Unfortunately for the Lightning and their increasingly slim playoff hopes, tonight they invite another very good team, the Northeast-leading Buffalo Sabres, into the Forum. A win here would be a great way to turn things around, but a loss will shovel the last little bits of dirt onto their playoff hopes. Either way, with the desperation Tampa's been playing with of late, this should be a good game. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Devils @ Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm EST: The young and hungry Leafs are actually playing some pretty fun hockey of late, as they are in that part of the schedule where they have no pressure and are playing like it. They've played the Devils very well this season, winning 2 out of 3 and it easily could have been 3 had their goalie not collapsed in the 3rd period just before the Olympic break. The Devils are coming off a huge win over Atlantic rivals Pittsburgh last night, and this has all the makings of a classic letdown game. I'm gonna go with a middling answer for the verdict, as this game's worthiness honestly depends on whether or not the Devils decide to show up and if they have enough left in the tank after yet another hard-fought win over the Pens 24 hours ago. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Wild @ Predators, 8:00 pm EST: Two teams that are riding 3-game winning streaks meet up in Nashville. The Predators are slowly inching away from playoff bubble status, now 3 points up on 8th place Detroit & 4 points on 9th place Calgary. The Wild are still 6 points back of Detroit, and need to keep piling up those wins if they're going to get back in it. Neither of these teams are what you would call exciting, but this has the potential to be a better-than-average game just because of how hot both teams are right now. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Flyers @ Stars, 8:30 pm EST: Philadelphia begins life without Michael Leighton in Dallas tonight, as the Stars are coming off that epic 8-2 win over San Jose. Not much else to say about this one: the Stars need to keep picking up wins to keep their very faint playoff hopes alive, while the Flyers will be looking to get a good first start out of Brian Boucher to try and inspire some confidence in him from his teammates while Leighton is out with his high ankle sprain (a very tricky injury, especially for goaltenders). Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Alright folks, that'll do it for another look at the night's NHL action. Enjoy the games.
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!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Today's Games to Watch 3/10
Welcome back to another night of action in the National Hockey League. Before we get into tonight's games, however, let's talk About Last Night....
Canucks 6-Avalanche 4
(My Prediction: Canucks 5-3)
My marquee match-up looked at first like it was going to be a dud of a game last night, as Colorado jumped out to a very early 3-0 lead. But just like they've done all season long, Vancouver battled back for their NHL-leading 10th win when trailing after two periods, and are now sitting 2nd in offense in the NHL. Plenty of people expected the Canucks to be a good team this year, but it was their defense & goaltending that was supposed to carry them. If you had the Canucks in 2nd in offense, well, congratulations Nostradamus, because you're the only one. A big part of that has been their deft off-season signing of Mikael Samuelsson from the Red Wings, who had a hat trick in this game. A great win for Vancouver to keep the young Avalanche at bay in the battle for the Northwest crown, and the Canucks' record in their epic 14-game road trip is now 8-5-0 with only one more game (@ Phoenix) to go before it's finally over.
Flames 4-Red Wings 2
(My Prediction: Flames 5-4 in a shootout)
The Red Wings at times last night looked surprisingly flat at home battling a team that was just one point below them for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West, allowing the Flames to leapfrog over them. Everytime the Red Wings finally look like the Wings again this season (see: beating the Hawks in Chicago on Sunday), they seem to stumble like they did tonight. Not a good sign for a team that's life-and-death to make the playoffs for the first time in two decades.
Canadiens 5-Lightning 3
(My Prediction: Habs 3-1)
Unlike the Red Wings, the Habs got things done against a team just below them in the playoff race on home ice, and they're looking more and more like a playoff team with each game.
Flyers 3-Islanders 2
(My Prediction: Flyers 5-1)
I'll give the Isles some props here: they made this far closer than I ever thought it would be, and even had a 2-1 lead for a while as they were trying to snap the Flyers' epic 15-game winning streak against them. But it just wasn't to be, as the Flyers rallied in the third to pick up yet another win over their divisional rivals.
With last night out of the way, let's get into tonight. Just to recap on what these picks all mean:
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.
Wednesday March 10th
Overall: Even though there's four fewer games than last night, tonight's line-up is overall much more strong when it comes to the match-ups. So let's get right into it.
Marquee Match-Up: Los Angeles Kings (39-22-4, 82 points, 3rd in Pacific, 5th in West) at Chicago Blackhawks (43-17-5, 91 points, 1st in Central, 2nd in West)
8:30 pm EST/5:30 pm PST
Playing the Kings tonight should provide a little bit of deja vu for the Hawks, as the Kings are pretty much exactly where Chicago was last year. They're a team with a great young nucleus built the right way through the draft who went out and made some big off-season acquisitions to help them take the next step. And like Chicago, instead of battling it out for 8th or 7th, they've skipped right ahead to fighting for home ice advantage in the first round. The Hawks finished 4th in the West last year, and the Kings are in a great position to do the same thing this year, just 1 point behind the Coyotes with a game in hand. If you're going to miss the playoffs for almost a decade, might as well charge into the playoffs in style. The Hawks, of course, have taken another big step forward this year, with the Central division all but wrapped up. They're trying to chase down San Jose for 1st overall in the West, but they're also coming off a shaky game against their Central rivals on Sunday afternoon. Expect a big bounce-back game for the Hawks, and expect a young Kings team who wants to have a much better effort than they did the last time they were in Chicago (when they were largely beaten up by the Hawks). Add those two things together and you have the potential for one hell of a hockey game.
Prediction: Hawks 5-4 in OT
Runner-Up: New York Rangers (29-28-9, 67 points, 4th in Atlantic, 9th in East) at New Jersey Devils (38-23-3, 79 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
It's always a big deal when these two cross-river rivals meet up, especially in Newark when the crowd has a tendency to be split almost evenly. Despite being in completely different places in the standings, both these teams have been struggling. Kovalchuk has been just OK since the Devils picked him up from the Thrashers, and they've quietly watched the Penguins pass them up for 1st in the Atlantic by 5 points (though the Devils do have 2 games in hand). The Rangers, meanwhile, have struggled coming out of the Olympic break and now sit 3 points behind 8th place Boston, with the Bruins still having a game in hand to boot. If the Rangers can start putting some wins together, however, the Bruins are significantly weaker with the loss of Marc Savard, so all is not lost in Ranger-land just yet. Tonight would be a great place to start against their most hated rivals, and it's very rare for these two teams to come together and not produce a very entertaining game. However, I just couldn't bump it above the Hawks-Kings game just because both these teams have struggled of late. Definitely a game you want to check out too, though.
Prediction: Rangers 3-2
Under the Radar: Vancouver Canucks (41-23-2, 84 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at Phoenix Coyotes (39-22-5, 83 points, 2nd in Pacific, 4th in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
National TV: TSN (Canada)
As I mentioned before, tonight is Vancouver's final game in their NHL-record-setting 14-game road trip, and you have to wonder just what they have left in the tank coming into Phoenix tonight. I'm bumping this game slightly above the two others (both of which have the potential to be great games, as well) for the Under the Radar award just because I think it will be very interesting to see how the Canucks come out against the 'Yotes. Will they be looking to finish their road trip on a high note, or will exhaustion finally set in? Let's not take anything away from the Coyotes, either. Phoenix is a huge surprise in a year full of them in the NHL, and they've got a lot to play for tonight with the battle for 4th place and home-ice in the first round against the Kings really heating up as of late.
Prediction: Coyotes 3-1
No Ice Dancing award tonight, as there's really no stinkers on tonight's five-game schedule. So with that said, let's talk about....
The Rest
Stars @ Sabres, 7:00 pm EST: This is a hard game to judge the entertainment value of: the Stars tend to play an up-tempo brand of hockey and should have a lot to play for with their playoff hopes still very much alive (5 points separate them from 8th place Calgary, and they're playing their game in hand tonight). On the other hand, the Sabres tend to play a very stifling brand of hockey and the Stars have been the model of inconsistency this year (they STILL haven't won more than 2 games in a row this year, which for a real playoff-contending team is just mind-boggling). You can probably guess what verdict that adds up to. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Hurricanes @ Capitals, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV on the NHL Network, US only) I almost went with this game for my Under the Radar pick, but the Caps' are just too far ahead of the Canes right now for me to assume this will be competitive. Still, you've got a lot of intrigue here: the Caps' bouncing back off a rare home-ice loss to the Stars (albeit in a shootout), the Canes looking to continue their improbable march back towards playoff contention (9 points out still, but who really thought they'd even be in single digits a few months back?), and Joe Corvo & Scott Walker playing against their former team. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Tonight's shaping up to be a great night of hockey, so enjoy it folks, and I'll be back with you again tomorrow.
Canucks 6-Avalanche 4
(My Prediction: Canucks 5-3)
My marquee match-up looked at first like it was going to be a dud of a game last night, as Colorado jumped out to a very early 3-0 lead. But just like they've done all season long, Vancouver battled back for their NHL-leading 10th win when trailing after two periods, and are now sitting 2nd in offense in the NHL. Plenty of people expected the Canucks to be a good team this year, but it was their defense & goaltending that was supposed to carry them. If you had the Canucks in 2nd in offense, well, congratulations Nostradamus, because you're the only one. A big part of that has been their deft off-season signing of Mikael Samuelsson from the Red Wings, who had a hat trick in this game. A great win for Vancouver to keep the young Avalanche at bay in the battle for the Northwest crown, and the Canucks' record in their epic 14-game road trip is now 8-5-0 with only one more game (@ Phoenix) to go before it's finally over.
Flames 4-Red Wings 2
(My Prediction: Flames 5-4 in a shootout)
The Red Wings at times last night looked surprisingly flat at home battling a team that was just one point below them for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West, allowing the Flames to leapfrog over them. Everytime the Red Wings finally look like the Wings again this season (see: beating the Hawks in Chicago on Sunday), they seem to stumble like they did tonight. Not a good sign for a team that's life-and-death to make the playoffs for the first time in two decades.
Canadiens 5-Lightning 3
(My Prediction: Habs 3-1)
Unlike the Red Wings, the Habs got things done against a team just below them in the playoff race on home ice, and they're looking more and more like a playoff team with each game.
Flyers 3-Islanders 2
(My Prediction: Flyers 5-1)
I'll give the Isles some props here: they made this far closer than I ever thought it would be, and even had a 2-1 lead for a while as they were trying to snap the Flyers' epic 15-game winning streak against them. But it just wasn't to be, as the Flyers rallied in the third to pick up yet another win over their divisional rivals.
With last night out of the way, let's get into tonight. Just to recap on what these picks all mean:
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.
Wednesday March 10th
Overall: Even though there's four fewer games than last night, tonight's line-up is overall much more strong when it comes to the match-ups. So let's get right into it.
Marquee Match-Up: Los Angeles Kings (39-22-4, 82 points, 3rd in Pacific, 5th in West) at Chicago Blackhawks (43-17-5, 91 points, 1st in Central, 2nd in West)
8:30 pm EST/5:30 pm PST
Playing the Kings tonight should provide a little bit of deja vu for the Hawks, as the Kings are pretty much exactly where Chicago was last year. They're a team with a great young nucleus built the right way through the draft who went out and made some big off-season acquisitions to help them take the next step. And like Chicago, instead of battling it out for 8th or 7th, they've skipped right ahead to fighting for home ice advantage in the first round. The Hawks finished 4th in the West last year, and the Kings are in a great position to do the same thing this year, just 1 point behind the Coyotes with a game in hand. If you're going to miss the playoffs for almost a decade, might as well charge into the playoffs in style. The Hawks, of course, have taken another big step forward this year, with the Central division all but wrapped up. They're trying to chase down San Jose for 1st overall in the West, but they're also coming off a shaky game against their Central rivals on Sunday afternoon. Expect a big bounce-back game for the Hawks, and expect a young Kings team who wants to have a much better effort than they did the last time they were in Chicago (when they were largely beaten up by the Hawks). Add those two things together and you have the potential for one hell of a hockey game.
Prediction: Hawks 5-4 in OT
Runner-Up: New York Rangers (29-28-9, 67 points, 4th in Atlantic, 9th in East) at New Jersey Devils (38-23-3, 79 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
It's always a big deal when these two cross-river rivals meet up, especially in Newark when the crowd has a tendency to be split almost evenly. Despite being in completely different places in the standings, both these teams have been struggling. Kovalchuk has been just OK since the Devils picked him up from the Thrashers, and they've quietly watched the Penguins pass them up for 1st in the Atlantic by 5 points (though the Devils do have 2 games in hand). The Rangers, meanwhile, have struggled coming out of the Olympic break and now sit 3 points behind 8th place Boston, with the Bruins still having a game in hand to boot. If the Rangers can start putting some wins together, however, the Bruins are significantly weaker with the loss of Marc Savard, so all is not lost in Ranger-land just yet. Tonight would be a great place to start against their most hated rivals, and it's very rare for these two teams to come together and not produce a very entertaining game. However, I just couldn't bump it above the Hawks-Kings game just because both these teams have struggled of late. Definitely a game you want to check out too, though.
Prediction: Rangers 3-2
Under the Radar: Vancouver Canucks (41-23-2, 84 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at Phoenix Coyotes (39-22-5, 83 points, 2nd in Pacific, 4th in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
National TV: TSN (Canada)
As I mentioned before, tonight is Vancouver's final game in their NHL-record-setting 14-game road trip, and you have to wonder just what they have left in the tank coming into Phoenix tonight. I'm bumping this game slightly above the two others (both of which have the potential to be great games, as well) for the Under the Radar award just because I think it will be very interesting to see how the Canucks come out against the 'Yotes. Will they be looking to finish their road trip on a high note, or will exhaustion finally set in? Let's not take anything away from the Coyotes, either. Phoenix is a huge surprise in a year full of them in the NHL, and they've got a lot to play for tonight with the battle for 4th place and home-ice in the first round against the Kings really heating up as of late.
Prediction: Coyotes 3-1
No Ice Dancing award tonight, as there's really no stinkers on tonight's five-game schedule. So with that said, let's talk about....
The Rest
Stars @ Sabres, 7:00 pm EST: This is a hard game to judge the entertainment value of: the Stars tend to play an up-tempo brand of hockey and should have a lot to play for with their playoff hopes still very much alive (5 points separate them from 8th place Calgary, and they're playing their game in hand tonight). On the other hand, the Sabres tend to play a very stifling brand of hockey and the Stars have been the model of inconsistency this year (they STILL haven't won more than 2 games in a row this year, which for a real playoff-contending team is just mind-boggling). You can probably guess what verdict that adds up to. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Hurricanes @ Capitals, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV on the NHL Network, US only) I almost went with this game for my Under the Radar pick, but the Caps' are just too far ahead of the Canes right now for me to assume this will be competitive. Still, you've got a lot of intrigue here: the Caps' bouncing back off a rare home-ice loss to the Stars (albeit in a shootout), the Canes looking to continue their improbable march back towards playoff contention (9 points out still, but who really thought they'd even be in single digits a few months back?), and Joe Corvo & Scott Walker playing against their former team. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Tonight's shaping up to be a great night of hockey, so enjoy it folks, and I'll be back with you again tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Today's Games to Watch 3/9
Now that the NFL season is over and the NHL is able to really load up their Sundays from here on out, you'll probably have to get used to Monday nights like last night, which featured just two games (and only one of them was even remotely competitive). The NHL returns to a far more active schedule tonight, however, with a 9-game lineup, giving me plenty of games to shift through and tell you just which games are worth your time. So let's get to it.
In case you missed the inaugural edition, to recap I'm going to look at the schedule of the day and pick out four games. Those four games will be:
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.
I've also decided to try my hand at predictions as well. Nostradamus I'm not, so you're forewarned not to take any of these to your local bookie or anything.
Tuesday March 9th
Overall: Though there are nine games on tap for tonight, it's not a particuarly strong nine games. It took some real digging to come through with my Marquee games, and to be honest they were kind of a toss-up.
Marquee Match-Up: Vancouver Canucks (40-23-2, 82 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at Colorado Avalanche (37-22-6, 80 points, 2nd in Northwest, 6th in West)
9:00 pm EST/6:00 pm PST
On a night that's not exactly strong with the marquee name value or rivalries, I'm leaning towards this battle for the Northwest division as my pick of the night. This is the game I'm most interested in watching, and I have no real strong feelings towards either team. But this is the only division in the Western Conference that is still really up for grabs, and just looking at both these teams and where they are in the standings should tell you just how important winning that division will be. Despite just two points difference, the Canucks sit in 3rd (with home ice) due to having the division lead, while the Avalanche sit in 6th, behind the Coyotes & Kings in the Western standings and just 7 points shy of 9th place Calgary (and more on them in a second). Furthermore, this could very easily be a first-round preview. Add it all up and you've got the recipe for a very important game tonight.
Prediction: Canucks 5-3
Runner-Up: Calgary Flames (32-24-9, 73 points, 3rd in Northwest, 9th in West) at Detroit Red Wings (31-22-12, 74 points, 3rd in Central, 8th in West)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
Tonight's race for the Marquee really only came down to these two games, but I had a little bit of a hard time deciding just which one to rank above the other. In the end, I went with the divisional showdown, but that's not to take anything away from this battle. Calgary is exactly one point behind Detroit for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West, and neither team has games in hand on the other. This is one of those almighty four-point games, as Detroit has a chance to increase the gap with Calgary to 3, while Calgary has a chance to unseat Detroit and take that 8th playoff spot. Of course, no one would have predicted before the season began that the Flames & Red Wings would be battling it out for 8th in the Western Conference, which only makes this battle even more intriguing. After tonight's game, the two teams will meet one final time in Calgary next Monday, so you know the Flames would love to steal one on the road with a home date against the Wings still to come.
Prediction: Flames 5-4 in a Shootout
Under the Radar: Tampa Bay Lightning (27-26-11, 65 points, 3rd in Southeast, 11th in East) at Montreal Canadiens (32-29-6, 70 points, 3rd in Northeast, 7th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
National TV: RDS (Canada, French only)
There were a few games I considered for this one, but I'm giving the nod to the Lightning at the Habs, for a couple of reasons. First of all, there's the obvious playoff race. The Lightning are fading fast, now 5 points back of the Habs and 4 points back of the 8th place Bruins. A win here in regulation would be a big deal for the Lightning, especially considering they will still have 3 games in hand on the Habs at the end of the night. Secondly, the Lightning's two French-Canadian superstars, Vinny Lecavalier & Martin St. Louis both have a tendency to turn it way up whenever the Bolts play in Montreal. Add it all up and you have a game that will probably fly under the radar a bit (especially in the States) but could turn out to be a very good game.
Prediction: Habs 3-1
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: New York Islanders (26-31-8, 60 points, 5th in Atlantic, 14th in East) at Philadelphia Flyers (34-26-4, 72 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 6th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
National TV: Versus (US)
Ah yes, for the first time and I'm sure not the last, my worst game of the night also happens to be the only game picked up on national TV here in the good 'ol US of A! But Versus only has themselves to blame for this one: inexplicably this will be the second time the Flyers-Isles have aired on Versus this season, despite the fact that the Flyers are carrying an unbelievable FIFTEEN GAME winning streak over the Islanders into tonight's contest! The last time the Islanders were in Philly they looked lifeless, and that was at a time they were playing MUCH better hockey overall than they are right now. The Isles have faded from their surprising form earlier in the season, as many young teams tend to do, and are currently all but out of the playoff race. This should be yet another one-sided romp for the Flyers in this incredibly one-sided "rivalry", and you should almost definitely take a pass on watching it.
Prediction: Flyers 5-1
The Rest
Bruins @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: Whoa, didn't these guys just play each other? Well, that game went to a shootout, so who knows, this one could provide some excitement too. But expecting the Leafs to get up for a game these days has proven to be a bit of a crapshoot: the same week they were taking the Bruins to a shootout in Beantown, they were also losing at home, 5-1, to the Carolina Hurricanes. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Predators @ Thrashers, 7:00 pm EST: Talk about two teams that desperately need points: the Thrashers are coming off their collapse against Vancouver and have seen their playoff cushion evaporate to just 2 points over 9th place Calgary, while the Thrashers decided the best way to celebrate being in the top 8 in the East was by losing two in a row, which now sees them in 10th and 3 points out again. Funny thing about desperation: it tends to bring out a hell of a hockey game. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Panthers @ Wild, 8:00 pm EST: I literally have absolutely nothing to say about this game. I can tell you they're both hockey teams and they're both allegedly still in their playoff races. Yeah, that's about it. Okay, I know that's weak, but YOU try finding something to write about a game between the FLORIDA FRIGGIN' PANTHERS and the MINNESOTA FRIGGIN' WILD. Thought so. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Senators @ Oilers, 9:00 pm EST: Now are you starting to see why I said tonight's lineup was kind of weak? Boy, between that last game, this one, and one more still to come, there was more competition for the Ice Dancing "award" than anything else tonight. The Sens are very good, the Oilers are very bad, nothing to see here, move along please. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Blue Jackets @ Ducks, 10:00 pm EST: Ever watch Robot Chicken? Okay, ever see that skit they did parodying those Fox specials with "World's Most One-Sided Fist Fights"? Several of the "fights" from that skit, including a man reaching down into a stroller and repeatedly punching a baby, were more competitive than last night's Kings-Jackets game. After 40 minutes, the Kings had more goals (six) than the Jackets had SHOTS ON GOAL (five). When have you EVER heard of that happening? I guess my point is, tonight's game can go one of two ways: either the Jackets will come out pissed off and take it out on the Ducks, or they'll come out and get slaughtered again by an Anaheim team that really, really needs the 2 points to keep their playoff hopes alive. If it's the former, it might be a fun game to watch. But if it's the latter, well, it'll be fun if you're a Ducks fan, suicidally depressing if you're a Jackets fan, and utterly uninteresting for everyone else. Hey, at least the Jackets won't be able to use the usual built-in "we just played a game last night, we're tired" excuse if they lose tonight. Using that excuse actually requires PLAYING IN THE GAME THE NIGHT BEFORE. Which, you know, they didn't. Okay, I'm done. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
And that's it for tonight, ladies and gents. I'll be back, perhaps with some early rumblings from the first two days of the GM meetings. Enjoy the hockey.
In case you missed the inaugural edition, to recap I'm going to look at the schedule of the day and pick out four games. Those four games will be:
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.
I've also decided to try my hand at predictions as well. Nostradamus I'm not, so you're forewarned not to take any of these to your local bookie or anything.
Tuesday March 9th
Overall: Though there are nine games on tap for tonight, it's not a particuarly strong nine games. It took some real digging to come through with my Marquee games, and to be honest they were kind of a toss-up.
Marquee Match-Up: Vancouver Canucks (40-23-2, 82 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at Colorado Avalanche (37-22-6, 80 points, 2nd in Northwest, 6th in West)
9:00 pm EST/6:00 pm PST
On a night that's not exactly strong with the marquee name value or rivalries, I'm leaning towards this battle for the Northwest division as my pick of the night. This is the game I'm most interested in watching, and I have no real strong feelings towards either team. But this is the only division in the Western Conference that is still really up for grabs, and just looking at both these teams and where they are in the standings should tell you just how important winning that division will be. Despite just two points difference, the Canucks sit in 3rd (with home ice) due to having the division lead, while the Avalanche sit in 6th, behind the Coyotes & Kings in the Western standings and just 7 points shy of 9th place Calgary (and more on them in a second). Furthermore, this could very easily be a first-round preview. Add it all up and you've got the recipe for a very important game tonight.
Prediction: Canucks 5-3
Runner-Up: Calgary Flames (32-24-9, 73 points, 3rd in Northwest, 9th in West) at Detroit Red Wings (31-22-12, 74 points, 3rd in Central, 8th in West)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
Tonight's race for the Marquee really only came down to these two games, but I had a little bit of a hard time deciding just which one to rank above the other. In the end, I went with the divisional showdown, but that's not to take anything away from this battle. Calgary is exactly one point behind Detroit for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West, and neither team has games in hand on the other. This is one of those almighty four-point games, as Detroit has a chance to increase the gap with Calgary to 3, while Calgary has a chance to unseat Detroit and take that 8th playoff spot. Of course, no one would have predicted before the season began that the Flames & Red Wings would be battling it out for 8th in the Western Conference, which only makes this battle even more intriguing. After tonight's game, the two teams will meet one final time in Calgary next Monday, so you know the Flames would love to steal one on the road with a home date against the Wings still to come.
Prediction: Flames 5-4 in a Shootout
Under the Radar: Tampa Bay Lightning (27-26-11, 65 points, 3rd in Southeast, 11th in East) at Montreal Canadiens (32-29-6, 70 points, 3rd in Northeast, 7th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
National TV: RDS (Canada, French only)
There were a few games I considered for this one, but I'm giving the nod to the Lightning at the Habs, for a couple of reasons. First of all, there's the obvious playoff race. The Lightning are fading fast, now 5 points back of the Habs and 4 points back of the 8th place Bruins. A win here in regulation would be a big deal for the Lightning, especially considering they will still have 3 games in hand on the Habs at the end of the night. Secondly, the Lightning's two French-Canadian superstars, Vinny Lecavalier & Martin St. Louis both have a tendency to turn it way up whenever the Bolts play in Montreal. Add it all up and you have a game that will probably fly under the radar a bit (especially in the States) but could turn out to be a very good game.
Prediction: Habs 3-1
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: New York Islanders (26-31-8, 60 points, 5th in Atlantic, 14th in East) at Philadelphia Flyers (34-26-4, 72 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 6th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
National TV: Versus (US)
Ah yes, for the first time and I'm sure not the last, my worst game of the night also happens to be the only game picked up on national TV here in the good 'ol US of A! But Versus only has themselves to blame for this one: inexplicably this will be the second time the Flyers-Isles have aired on Versus this season, despite the fact that the Flyers are carrying an unbelievable FIFTEEN GAME winning streak over the Islanders into tonight's contest! The last time the Islanders were in Philly they looked lifeless, and that was at a time they were playing MUCH better hockey overall than they are right now. The Isles have faded from their surprising form earlier in the season, as many young teams tend to do, and are currently all but out of the playoff race. This should be yet another one-sided romp for the Flyers in this incredibly one-sided "rivalry", and you should almost definitely take a pass on watching it.
Prediction: Flyers 5-1
The Rest
Bruins @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: Whoa, didn't these guys just play each other? Well, that game went to a shootout, so who knows, this one could provide some excitement too. But expecting the Leafs to get up for a game these days has proven to be a bit of a crapshoot: the same week they were taking the Bruins to a shootout in Beantown, they were also losing at home, 5-1, to the Carolina Hurricanes. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Predators @ Thrashers, 7:00 pm EST: Talk about two teams that desperately need points: the Thrashers are coming off their collapse against Vancouver and have seen their playoff cushion evaporate to just 2 points over 9th place Calgary, while the Thrashers decided the best way to celebrate being in the top 8 in the East was by losing two in a row, which now sees them in 10th and 3 points out again. Funny thing about desperation: it tends to bring out a hell of a hockey game. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Panthers @ Wild, 8:00 pm EST: I literally have absolutely nothing to say about this game. I can tell you they're both hockey teams and they're both allegedly still in their playoff races. Yeah, that's about it. Okay, I know that's weak, but YOU try finding something to write about a game between the FLORIDA FRIGGIN' PANTHERS and the MINNESOTA FRIGGIN' WILD. Thought so. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Senators @ Oilers, 9:00 pm EST: Now are you starting to see why I said tonight's lineup was kind of weak? Boy, between that last game, this one, and one more still to come, there was more competition for the Ice Dancing "award" than anything else tonight. The Sens are very good, the Oilers are very bad, nothing to see here, move along please. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Blue Jackets @ Ducks, 10:00 pm EST: Ever watch Robot Chicken? Okay, ever see that skit they did parodying those Fox specials with "World's Most One-Sided Fist Fights"? Several of the "fights" from that skit, including a man reaching down into a stroller and repeatedly punching a baby, were more competitive than last night's Kings-Jackets game. After 40 minutes, the Kings had more goals (six) than the Jackets had SHOTS ON GOAL (five). When have you EVER heard of that happening? I guess my point is, tonight's game can go one of two ways: either the Jackets will come out pissed off and take it out on the Ducks, or they'll come out and get slaughtered again by an Anaheim team that really, really needs the 2 points to keep their playoff hopes alive. If it's the former, it might be a fun game to watch. But if it's the latter, well, it'll be fun if you're a Ducks fan, suicidally depressing if you're a Jackets fan, and utterly uninteresting for everyone else. Hey, at least the Jackets won't be able to use the usual built-in "we just played a game last night, we're tired" excuse if they lose tonight. Using that excuse actually requires PLAYING IN THE GAME THE NIGHT BEFORE. Which, you know, they didn't. Okay, I'm done. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
And that's it for tonight, ladies and gents. I'll be back, perhaps with some early rumblings from the first two days of the GM meetings. Enjoy the hockey.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
The Moment of Truth; Today's Games to Watch 3/7
As I type this, we're just two hours away from the return of NBC's Game of the Week. The Western Conference-leading Chicago Blackhawks will host their Original Six rivals, the Detroit Red Wings, in a Central division showdown. But although much will be made of the various stories on the ice, perhaps the biggest story is an off-ice one. A very important question will be answered: can the NHL carry over some momentum from last Sunday's gold medal match between the US and Canada? Today's game will perhaps be the biggest test: it features stars from both the US & Canadian teams, as well as Canada's gold-medal winning head coach, exactly one week to the day on the same network that hosted the record-setting game.
Last Sunday's game drew nearly 28 million viewers on the Peacock, beating out television heavyweights in sports (last year's World Series, featuring the defending champion Phillies against baseball's highest-drawing team, the New York Yankees, peaked at 22.8 million viewers for Game 4; it also beat out the Daytona 500, the NBA Finals, and more) and entertainment (the Grammys drew almost 2 million viewers less as well). During last week's game, which was up 61% from 2002's US-Canada gold medal showdown, NBC smartly bombarded viewers with a well-done ad for today's game. The advertisement pointed out that Chicago's two big stars, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, were playing on opposite sides of the gold medal showdown, but would be back under the Blackhawks banner together next Sunday.
Furthermore, there are few rivalries in the NHL with as much built-in drama and history as the Hawks and the Wings, so all in all it was an excellent choice to try and bring some of those viewers back for more hockey. The problem is, this week's ratings on VS and in local markets have not exactly shown any kind of momentum shift from the gold medal contest. Versus opened strong with 400,000 viewers for the Avs and the Wings on Monday night, but the rest of the week's ratings were closer to their around 250,000 season average. Local ratings here in NYC were not particularly strong either, with the Rangers-Pens doing a below-average .93 rating.
Of course, there are arguments to be made that those ratings have mitigating factors. The Versus network remains off the air on nearly 1/3 of American homes thanks to the ongoing conflict with DirecTV, and the Rangers aren't exactly having the type of banner season that will draw in fans en masse. Today's game, on the other hand, will have no such built-in excuses. Everyone gets NBC, and the Blackhawks are one of the NHL's best teams while the Red Wings are still holding onto the final playoff position. So now the question is, will all the Olympic momentum help NBC improve upon this year's highest number (a 1.1 for the last game before the Olympic break, a marquee showdown between the Pens and Caps)? My prediction is no, we will see it right around that 1.0-1.1 level, but I certainly hope I'm wrong. Anything at a 1.5 or higher would blow away NBC's usual non-Winter Classic regular season numbers, and would be considered a home run for the NHL. Let's hope it happens.
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So with the business side of hockey out of the way, let's get down to what we all really care about: the hockey. I'm going to debut what I hope will become a regular weekly feature as we hit the stretch-run: a look at Today's Games to Watch. Basically, I'm going to look at the schedule day-by-day, and make 4 picks per day (unless, of course, there aren't enough games to do that!). Hopefully this can become a daily feature, and if you're like me and you've got Center Ice you'll have a better idea which games are worth your time and which ones to avoid. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll be sure to mention which games you can see on national TV.
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.
With all that out of the way, let's get to it!
Sunday, March 7th
Marquee Match-Up: Detroit Red Wings (30-22-12, 72 points, 3rd in Central, 8th in West) at Chicago Blackhawks (43-16-5, 91 points, 1st in Central, 2nd in West)
12:30 pm EST/9:30 am PST
National TV: NBC (US)
The easiest pick of them all, for all the reasons I already talked about and more. The last time these two teams met on the Peacock, it was one of the most exciting games of the regular season, ending in a shootout victory for the Red Wings. Since that time, however, the Blackhawks have just continued to make their Central division lead more and more insurmountable, while the Wings are in the most unusual (for them) position of trying to just hold on to a playoff spot. As a Hawks fan, I can't tell you how much fun it is to see the Hawks & Wings' longtime positions in the standings flip-flopped, and there's nothing we'd love more than to beat up on the Wings at home to really drive that point home. The Hawks have played well against the Wings this season, but the Wings are finally healthy for the first time all year. In short, this will be a showdown.
Runner-Up: Buffalo Sabres (34-20-9, 77 points, 1st in Northeast, 3rd in East) at New York Rangers (29-28-8, 66 points, 4th in Atlantic, 10th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
To be honest, there's slim pickings for the rest of today's schedule, as it's a lot of high-ranked teams playing low-ranked teams. So with that in mind, I'm at least going with one of those match-ups featuring upstate New York's team against Manhattan. While this isn't really a big deal to us Ranger fans, Sabre fans tend to resent the coverage the Rangers get (their network is named MSG, despite being a good 6 hours from there, and tends to focus too much on the Metro-area teams for their liking). Plus, both these teams are desperate for points for entirely different reasons. The Sabres are trying to hold on to a slim 1-point lead in the Northeast standings over the surging Ottawa Senators, while the Rangers have less games remaining than most of the teams around them and need every single point they can get if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. This will be a battle, folks, worthy of marquee status on a weak day for marquee match-ups.
Under the Radar: Vancouver Canucks (39-23-2, 80 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at Nashville Predators (35-24-5, 75 points, 2nd in Central, 7th in West)
3:00 pm EST/12:00 pm PST
Few people are going to see the Nashville Predators as a team that jumps off the page at them, but the Preds have a talented team this year, especially on the back-end, and can be fun to watch at times (they can also be very boring to watch at times, which is why recommending you watch a Preds game is a bit of a crapshoot, but like I said, it's a weak day). The Canucks have those cycle-loving Swedish twins, the Sedins, and Luongo looking to bounce back from giving up 5 goals in the first 20 minutes in Chicago. Of course, this is also game 12 of the Canucks' NHL-record 14-game road trip (and for those of you wondering why they still can't play at GM-slash-Canada Hockey Place, it's called the Paralympics, people), so one has to wonder how much the Canucks have left to give. Sure, the Olympics broke up that road trip, but you try living out of a suitcase for two weeks at a time and see how YOU like it, okay?! Either way, this is an interesting game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: New Jersey Devils (38-22-3, 79 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East) at Edmonton Oilers (20-38-6, 5th in Northwest, 15th in West)
8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST
Ugh ugh ugh. Welcome to the downside of increased intra-conference play, kids: it's a "battle" of one of the NHL's best vs. one of the NHL's worst and there's absolutely no rivalry here to make it even the least bit interesting. I'm sure Kevin Smith (of "Mallrats" fame....and yes, that's my favorite movie of his, so he'll always be "of Mallrats fame" to me, goddamnit) is just tickled pink at seeing his two favorite teams go at it, but for the rest of us? Yeah, don't bother. The Habs and the Ducks drop the puck at the same time, and that at least has two teams desperate for points to keep their (slim?) playoff hopes alive in their respective conferences. If you still are in the mood for hockey at 8 pm on a Sunday, just watch that instead.
The Rest
Bruins @ Pens, 3:00 pm EST: I really can't think of a single relevant thing to write about this game. Sidney Crosby of Team Canada vs. the USA's backup goalie, Tim Thomas? Unless Tuuka Rask starts? Yeah, that's all I got. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Flames @ Wild, 3:00 pm EST: A Northwest showdown with two teams currently sitting in 9th and 12th, respectively, but separated by just 4 points in the standings. Yes, the West race for 8th is incredibly tight. This is the definition of a four-point game. I can't go for a full-on recommendation though, just because the Flames tend to play that boring Sutter style of hockey. Should be chippy as all hell, though. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Hurricanes @ Thrashers, 5:00 pm EST: Carolina's stunning 7-game winning streak has them 9 points out of a playoff spot after they started the season buried deep beneath the earth with the Maple Leafs (who are all but mathematically eliminated already). To keep this Cinderella run alive, they need to beat their Southeast rivals, with the Kovalchuck-less Thrashers somehow only 2 points back of the Habs for 8th, with 3 games in hand. If the Canes lose this game, you can probably throw the last few clumps of dirt on their season. But if they win, they keep the dream alive. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Maple Leafs @ Flyers, 7:00 pm EST: Speaking of the Leafs, they're in Philadelphia. Yeah. Raise your hand if you care? Really, Toronto? You care? How incredibly shocking. For those of us who DON'T continue to unequivocally support losers, yeah, take a pass on this one. Go read a book instead. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Canadiens @ Ducks, 8:00 pm EST (National TV on the NHL Network, Canada only): As I mentioned already before, these are two teams that really, really need points to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Ducks made some moves at the deadline that didn't help them out one bit in Phoenix, where they got shutout 4-0 in a listless affair. You'd think a team that's fighting for their playoff lives would, you know, at least SHOW UP against a division rival, but apparently you'd be wrong. They've played very well at home this year, however, and the Habs are coming off an energetic game against the Kings last night, so I'm predicting a blowout for the Ducks. If it's not, this could be a fun game, and you have the intrigue of Saku Koivu playing against the team he was Captain of for the first time. Still can't go a full-monty on the recommendation, just because of the blowout possibility, but jesus christ if you really want to watch hockey at 8 pm, this is damn sure a better bet than that Devils-Flames game. It will be on the NHL Network in Canada; of note, the NHL Network in the US will air Canadian junior hockey, WHL to be exact, featuring the Calgary Hitmen and the Saskatoon Blades. Personally I'll be checking that out instead, just for the "it's never on TV in the States" curiosity factor. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Hope you guys enjoyed that. I'll try to work more of the kinks out day-by-day, but hopefully this will provide you with a little bit of perspective on what to watch and what not to watch in the NHL. Thanks for reading, feel free to provide feedback! I'm all ears.
Last Sunday's game drew nearly 28 million viewers on the Peacock, beating out television heavyweights in sports (last year's World Series, featuring the defending champion Phillies against baseball's highest-drawing team, the New York Yankees, peaked at 22.8 million viewers for Game 4; it also beat out the Daytona 500, the NBA Finals, and more) and entertainment (the Grammys drew almost 2 million viewers less as well). During last week's game, which was up 61% from 2002's US-Canada gold medal showdown, NBC smartly bombarded viewers with a well-done ad for today's game. The advertisement pointed out that Chicago's two big stars, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, were playing on opposite sides of the gold medal showdown, but would be back under the Blackhawks banner together next Sunday.
Furthermore, there are few rivalries in the NHL with as much built-in drama and history as the Hawks and the Wings, so all in all it was an excellent choice to try and bring some of those viewers back for more hockey. The problem is, this week's ratings on VS and in local markets have not exactly shown any kind of momentum shift from the gold medal contest. Versus opened strong with 400,000 viewers for the Avs and the Wings on Monday night, but the rest of the week's ratings were closer to their around 250,000 season average. Local ratings here in NYC were not particularly strong either, with the Rangers-Pens doing a below-average .93 rating.
Of course, there are arguments to be made that those ratings have mitigating factors. The Versus network remains off the air on nearly 1/3 of American homes thanks to the ongoing conflict with DirecTV, and the Rangers aren't exactly having the type of banner season that will draw in fans en masse. Today's game, on the other hand, will have no such built-in excuses. Everyone gets NBC, and the Blackhawks are one of the NHL's best teams while the Red Wings are still holding onto the final playoff position. So now the question is, will all the Olympic momentum help NBC improve upon this year's highest number (a 1.1 for the last game before the Olympic break, a marquee showdown between the Pens and Caps)? My prediction is no, we will see it right around that 1.0-1.1 level, but I certainly hope I'm wrong. Anything at a 1.5 or higher would blow away NBC's usual non-Winter Classic regular season numbers, and would be considered a home run for the NHL. Let's hope it happens.
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So with the business side of hockey out of the way, let's get down to what we all really care about: the hockey. I'm going to debut what I hope will become a regular weekly feature as we hit the stretch-run: a look at Today's Games to Watch. Basically, I'm going to look at the schedule day-by-day, and make 4 picks per day (unless, of course, there aren't enough games to do that!). Hopefully this can become a daily feature, and if you're like me and you've got Center Ice you'll have a better idea which games are worth your time and which ones to avoid. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll be sure to mention which games you can see on national TV.
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.
With all that out of the way, let's get to it!
Sunday, March 7th
Marquee Match-Up: Detroit Red Wings (30-22-12, 72 points, 3rd in Central, 8th in West) at Chicago Blackhawks (43-16-5, 91 points, 1st in Central, 2nd in West)
12:30 pm EST/9:30 am PST
National TV: NBC (US)
The easiest pick of them all, for all the reasons I already talked about and more. The last time these two teams met on the Peacock, it was one of the most exciting games of the regular season, ending in a shootout victory for the Red Wings. Since that time, however, the Blackhawks have just continued to make their Central division lead more and more insurmountable, while the Wings are in the most unusual (for them) position of trying to just hold on to a playoff spot. As a Hawks fan, I can't tell you how much fun it is to see the Hawks & Wings' longtime positions in the standings flip-flopped, and there's nothing we'd love more than to beat up on the Wings at home to really drive that point home. The Hawks have played well against the Wings this season, but the Wings are finally healthy for the first time all year. In short, this will be a showdown.
Runner-Up: Buffalo Sabres (34-20-9, 77 points, 1st in Northeast, 3rd in East) at New York Rangers (29-28-8, 66 points, 4th in Atlantic, 10th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
To be honest, there's slim pickings for the rest of today's schedule, as it's a lot of high-ranked teams playing low-ranked teams. So with that in mind, I'm at least going with one of those match-ups featuring upstate New York's team against Manhattan. While this isn't really a big deal to us Ranger fans, Sabre fans tend to resent the coverage the Rangers get (their network is named MSG, despite being a good 6 hours from there, and tends to focus too much on the Metro-area teams for their liking). Plus, both these teams are desperate for points for entirely different reasons. The Sabres are trying to hold on to a slim 1-point lead in the Northeast standings over the surging Ottawa Senators, while the Rangers have less games remaining than most of the teams around them and need every single point they can get if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. This will be a battle, folks, worthy of marquee status on a weak day for marquee match-ups.
Under the Radar: Vancouver Canucks (39-23-2, 80 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at Nashville Predators (35-24-5, 75 points, 2nd in Central, 7th in West)
3:00 pm EST/12:00 pm PST
Few people are going to see the Nashville Predators as a team that jumps off the page at them, but the Preds have a talented team this year, especially on the back-end, and can be fun to watch at times (they can also be very boring to watch at times, which is why recommending you watch a Preds game is a bit of a crapshoot, but like I said, it's a weak day). The Canucks have those cycle-loving Swedish twins, the Sedins, and Luongo looking to bounce back from giving up 5 goals in the first 20 minutes in Chicago. Of course, this is also game 12 of the Canucks' NHL-record 14-game road trip (and for those of you wondering why they still can't play at GM-slash-Canada Hockey Place, it's called the Paralympics, people), so one has to wonder how much the Canucks have left to give. Sure, the Olympics broke up that road trip, but you try living out of a suitcase for two weeks at a time and see how YOU like it, okay?! Either way, this is an interesting game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: New Jersey Devils (38-22-3, 79 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East) at Edmonton Oilers (20-38-6, 5th in Northwest, 15th in West)
8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST
Ugh ugh ugh. Welcome to the downside of increased intra-conference play, kids: it's a "battle" of one of the NHL's best vs. one of the NHL's worst and there's absolutely no rivalry here to make it even the least bit interesting. I'm sure Kevin Smith (of "Mallrats" fame....and yes, that's my favorite movie of his, so he'll always be "of Mallrats fame" to me, goddamnit) is just tickled pink at seeing his two favorite teams go at it, but for the rest of us? Yeah, don't bother. The Habs and the Ducks drop the puck at the same time, and that at least has two teams desperate for points to keep their (slim?) playoff hopes alive in their respective conferences. If you still are in the mood for hockey at 8 pm on a Sunday, just watch that instead.
The Rest
Bruins @ Pens, 3:00 pm EST: I really can't think of a single relevant thing to write about this game. Sidney Crosby of Team Canada vs. the USA's backup goalie, Tim Thomas? Unless Tuuka Rask starts? Yeah, that's all I got. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Flames @ Wild, 3:00 pm EST: A Northwest showdown with two teams currently sitting in 9th and 12th, respectively, but separated by just 4 points in the standings. Yes, the West race for 8th is incredibly tight. This is the definition of a four-point game. I can't go for a full-on recommendation though, just because the Flames tend to play that boring Sutter style of hockey. Should be chippy as all hell, though. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Hurricanes @ Thrashers, 5:00 pm EST: Carolina's stunning 7-game winning streak has them 9 points out of a playoff spot after they started the season buried deep beneath the earth with the Maple Leafs (who are all but mathematically eliminated already). To keep this Cinderella run alive, they need to beat their Southeast rivals, with the Kovalchuck-less Thrashers somehow only 2 points back of the Habs for 8th, with 3 games in hand. If the Canes lose this game, you can probably throw the last few clumps of dirt on their season. But if they win, they keep the dream alive. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Maple Leafs @ Flyers, 7:00 pm EST: Speaking of the Leafs, they're in Philadelphia. Yeah. Raise your hand if you care? Really, Toronto? You care? How incredibly shocking. For those of us who DON'T continue to unequivocally support losers, yeah, take a pass on this one. Go read a book instead. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Canadiens @ Ducks, 8:00 pm EST (National TV on the NHL Network, Canada only): As I mentioned already before, these are two teams that really, really need points to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Ducks made some moves at the deadline that didn't help them out one bit in Phoenix, where they got shutout 4-0 in a listless affair. You'd think a team that's fighting for their playoff lives would, you know, at least SHOW UP against a division rival, but apparently you'd be wrong. They've played very well at home this year, however, and the Habs are coming off an energetic game against the Kings last night, so I'm predicting a blowout for the Ducks. If it's not, this could be a fun game, and you have the intrigue of Saku Koivu playing against the team he was Captain of for the first time. Still can't go a full-monty on the recommendation, just because of the blowout possibility, but jesus christ if you really want to watch hockey at 8 pm, this is damn sure a better bet than that Devils-Flames game. It will be on the NHL Network in Canada; of note, the NHL Network in the US will air Canadian junior hockey, WHL to be exact, featuring the Calgary Hitmen and the Saskatoon Blades. Personally I'll be checking that out instead, just for the "it's never on TV in the States" curiosity factor. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Hope you guys enjoyed that. I'll try to work more of the kinks out day-by-day, but hopefully this will provide you with a little bit of perspective on what to watch and what not to watch in the NHL. Thanks for reading, feel free to provide feedback! I'm all ears.
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