Ottawa vs Buffalo

The debate hasn't really existed as far as people coming out and saying that you should or shouldn't go about it one way, but the pros and cons of this decision have been talked about quite often. I'm talking about putting a forward on the point for the power play. Daniel Alfredson has been a forward, and a great one at that, throughout his whole career. However, Saturday night Ottawa hung him out to dry. Buffalo recognized his lack of experience playing "D" and attacked him, turning a harmless 1-2 shorthanded rush into a series ending goal.

Granted the reason for the goal was 3-fold. A) Alfredson not knowing how to handle a 1-1, from the defensive aspect. B) Emery playing too deep in his crease and giving the forward the room to get all the way across the crease. C) The other defensemen not helping in time, which also allowed the Buffalo forward to get to his forehand and beat Emery.

You could argue either way for putting Alfredson at the point in that situation. On one hand you need to win, being down 3-1 in the series, so you want a playmaker running the powerplay, fine. However, being down 3-1, you can not afford to lose. When you have so many quality defensmen, which Ottawa does, why would you take that risk. Obviously hine sight is 20-20, and the Sens would have been better served having a defensemen to stop any sort of counter attack, but this is not what lost the series for them. Emery played a subpar series in net, the forwards were unable to establish any sort of constant pressure. I know that Ottawa outshot Buffalo in most games, but as I've heard many times, shots on goal is the most overrated statistic in hockey. Ottawa was unable to create traffic in front of Miller, with the Sabres collapsing having 4 players in front of the net for most of the series, and doing a good job of not allowing Senators players to collect rebounds.

The mark o####ood team is how you fare in one goal games, I'm sure the Senators won their fair share of them during the season, however every game in the series was a 1-goal contest, and the Sabres looked like the team who kicked it up a notch, rather than playing conservative and not to lose, like the Senators. Point being, a Stanley Cup Contender should not go 1-4 in One goal games at any point in the season, and obviously not in the playoffs.

The style Ottawa played also wasn't very smart. I feel like a guy such as Patrick Eaves, who has a big body, and good offensive skills, should have been playing a key role. While you can't deny the offensive skills of Alfredson, Heatley, Havlat and others. You need to win one on one battles every where on the ice, not just in open ice. I feel like Eaves could have been used a lot more in the corners and he has the ability to set up these guys around the net. Unlike a guy like Chris Neal, who would be out there to "irritate" the other team, he would be able to go in the corners, but lacks the ability to create scoring chances from those situations.

Basically every aspect of Ottawa failed, and that's what needed to happen if they were to lose. I honestly feel that they were good enough to win, as long as they were clicking on one or two cylinders.

Sabres quest for Lord Stanley

The Sabre's will get solid goaltending, but after watching the Hurricanes regain their early season form in the first two rounds, and dismantle the Devils who pride themselves on playing great defensive hockey, I'm picking the Carolina(ford) (Whaler)'Canes to beat Buffalo. Miller is going to see shots from everywhere on the ice, just ask Marty Brodeur. While shots from the corner seem harmless, they can create crazy bounces, or good rebound opportunities, as a rebound off a shot from the corner ussually comes back in front of the net. The 'Canes seemed to follow the rule there is no such thing as a bad shot, and when given odd man rushes their skilled forwards will finish most of the time. This is a bad combination. However, I feel that the line with Drury and Grier will be able to generate scoring chances, and if the other lines follow suit Buffalo could make it interesting. I don't know how successful guys like Briere and Affinegenov will be. While I think they are great players, they will have to play out their element (more physical) then they are used to in order to get quality chances.

Refs

A new aspect has crept into this years playoffs. Due to the new rules, teams are getting a large number of powerplays. We saw the Devils fail to convert on four first period power plays and end up losing 4-1 yesterday. Special teams will play a huge role in this series, and I think Carolina has the advantage on the power play. 

On the side, I feel like the refs have done a good job enforcing the new rules all year, even in the playoffs. I do miss the "Old Time Hockey" playoffs, I feel like the Stanley Cup should be decided with as much 5-5 hockey as possible. However, teams were aware that they would need a solid powerplay to succeed this season, so if you didn't build a team that can score on the power play (not to beat a dead horse but see the ::cough:: ::cough:: Boston Bruins) you won't be an elite team.

NHL PLayoffs

Well Ottawa stays alive last night with a 2-1win  in Buffalo, if there is a team that can come back from down 3-0 it's the Sens. However, I don't think that the Sabres, Ryan Miller in particular will let that happen. Miller has played phenomenal, as the Sens have outshot the Sabres by large margins in almost every game. Each game has been a 1 goal contest, I could see Ottawa winning at home but Buffalo taking the series in game 6.

Anaheim beats the defending (1 year removed) Western Conference Champ the Calgary Flames, and then sweeps the Avalanche to advance to the conference finals. I didn't see many of these games, or any of them. But what  a job Brian Burke has done turning that team around. He deserves a ton of credit.

The ducks will face either San Jose or Edmonton. The sharks lead 2-1 but I  have money on Edmonton, if Dwayne Rolloson can regain the form he showed in the Detroit series, and he is capapable (see 2003 playoffs when he was with the Wild). The Oilers will take this series in 7. Which would set up a 6 seed playing an 8 seed in the conference finals, weird.

In the East the Devils look done, a Carolina vs. Buffalo Congerence title would be a great matchup. Both teams have solid goaltending, quick forwards, and tough defensemen. Maxim Affinigenov, of the Sabres, I think is one of the most highly under rated forwards in the NHL, the guy has phenomenal hands, is a big strong kid, and has amazing vision. The playoffs isn't the style of hockey where his full skill level will show, tight games with no room for error, but just watching him skate you can tell that this guy is for real, and that he has an uncanny ability to make something happen everytime he is on the ice.

Yanks and Sox

The sox took 2 out of 3 this week in the Bronx, like any Redsox fan I'm excited. It was announced today that Matsui is expected to miss 3 months with a wrist problem, that is too bad I think Matsui goes out and busts his #### everyday (which is how he got hurt), I hate the Yankees but don't wanna see people hurt for signifigant periods of time. Schilling looked good except for the 3 pitches that ended up over the wall, Randy Johnson looked awful again. The sox got offense from the bottom of the order (Gonzalez, Lowell, Harris) and the slumping Loretta appears to be getting back on track. Wakefield was good, and so was Beckett. The Sox bullpen porved superior over their Yankee counterparts.

I would like to discuss Jonathan Pappelbon. It was very eerie watching him pitch against Mariano Riveria this week. I see some very similar charachteristics in these two closers. They are both able to come out and just blow a pitch by you, then when your sitting on the fast ball they mix in a different pitch that batters end up chasing (Pappelbon with the splitter, Riveria with the cutter). It will be interesting to see Pappelbon develop because he is capapble of being a starter, he did it last year. But if he continues to dominate in the closer role, 13 of 14 in save opps, ERA under 1, I don't see why you would move him. Regardless, he will be fun to watch, and you almost the "wow this games over" feeling when he comes in, the same feeling you used to get at Yankee Stadium when "Enter Sandman" came over the PA System.

NBA Playoffs

I don't care, wish I did but I don't. I'm rooting for the Clippers just because they seem to be the feel good story, sucking forever and now they don't suck as much. The East is boring, Pistons will win easy, they don't need and injury to Dwayne Wade to win this year. In the west, I'm gonna go with the Spurs. Dallas has gotten better defensivley but not enough, clippers and Suns are built for regular season, not a long playoff run. One will advance by default since they are playing each other but expect the Spurs to have an easier time in the conference finals then against Dallas.

Other thoughts

I have two, and both concern Barry Bonds. First, Yes he took steroids but you don't have to write a book about it, wheres Giambi's book, he's won an MVP and comback player of the year (for coming off steroids), and he has admitted to juicing. And what about Rafael Palmerio, joind the 3,000 hit and 500 HR club, and also a member of I shot roids in my #### club). Write a book about these guys. While it's painfully obvious Bond's used steroids, he hasn't failed a test or admitted it yet. I'm sure the government will reveal it to us soon enough though. My point of all this being that I hope Barry hits a foul ball into the press box and knocks out those 2 guys cold talk about irony. Second, why does it matter if he passes Babe Ruth. Babe Ruth is IN SECOND PLACE. Yes it something BONDS should be proud of (if he can be morally), but there is no reason to celebrate the fact that someone is within 40 homeruns of being the All-Time leader, that's like letting the All-Star game end in a tie....oh wait.