Fancy (Almost) Passes + No Power Play Goals = Why the Ducks are in an 0-2 Hole
Last night's Game Two of the Western Conference Finals could have, and should have, been an easy win for the Ducks. The Oilers came in to Game Two not only tired, but fighting a flu bug as well. Raffi Torres and Marc-Andre Bergeron didn't even arrive at the rink because their symptoms were so bad, defenseman Jason Smith was playing against the Ducks 4th line, and Shawn Horcoff, in the words of Head Coach Craig McTavish during the post-game press conference, "was (as white) as this sheet of paper during the third period." On the ice, the Ducks dominated the game territorially, getting the majority of quality scoring chances. They were able to cycle the puck in the offensive zone, got traffic in front of Oilers goalie Dwayne Roloson, and for the most part, kept the puck in the zone during their power play.
So what went wrong?
Simply put, the Ducks got too cute moving the puck around. Head Coach Randy Carlyle said as much during his post-game press conference. Instead of putting the puck on net, the Ducks tried to pass the puck one too many times. Credit the Oilers defense for blocking shots and getting sticks into the shooting lanes to be sure; however, trying to get too creative against a team that plays solid defense (not to mention having Chris Pronger) only works against you in the end. Don't believe me? Watch the highlight that led to Edmonton's second (and eventual) winnng goal. RW Teemu Selanne tried to stick handle and deke around one too many an Oiler, had the puck stripped from him, and the Oilers were able to move the puck in thier zone to set up Fernando Pisani's rocket of a shot from about 30 feet out.
The Oilers have many a skilled player, but simultaneously, their defense, much like the Calgary Flames, are their backbone. They find ways to keep teams to the outside, limiting the amount of quality scoring chances.
This "too cute" mentality also prevented the Ducks from getting the power play working as well. The Oilers are no slouch on the penalty kill either, and will sacrifice the body each and every time a shot is made. It's time to go back to basics on the power play, guys. Shoot the puck from the point, get traffic to the net and hope for a rebound. If it can work against a Hart and Vezina Trophy candidate like Miikka Kiprusoff, surely it can work against Roloson too.
The Ducks need to dig deep and get it together quick, or else they will be the next victim of what happens when your special teams fail. Maybe Carlyle should call upon Colorado and Ottawa to see what he can do...oh, wait, their teams suffered the same kind of fate. I'd forgotten about that.
Tampa Bay Signs Brad Richards to a 5 year, $39 million extension.
It was announced earlier today that C Brad Richards of the Tampa Bay Lightning signed a 5 year, $39 million extension with the team. The completion of this deal ensures that the Lightning's top 3 forwards (Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Richards) will be together for the next 4 years minimum. Lecavalier signed a four year extension last August, while St. Louis signed a 6 year deal days later.
Richards' deal means he will be paid $7.8 million US per year. What it also means is that a guranteed $20 million is tied up among those 3 players alone. While the salary cap ceiling is expected to go up next season upwards of $43-45 million dollars from the current $39 million, that still means that just about half of the Lightning's money is tied up on just the top line.
I can understand the Lightning wanting to keep Richards, one of the best two-way players in the game, away from the free-agent market (he was set to become a restricted free agent, meaning Tampa Bay would have to match any other offer sheet provided by another team if they wanted to keep him). However, goaltending is the situation that seriously needs to be addressed in Tampa Bay. The two headed monster of John Grahme and Sean Burke failed miserably this post-season, and GM Jay Feaster's inability to get a goaltender at the trade deadline a la Kevin Lowe of the Oilers sealed their fate this season.
Signing Richards effectively means Feaster will be looking to trade for a goaltender, perhaps Evegeni Nabokov of the San Jose Sharks or JS Giguere of the Mighty Ducks. With $31 million total against the cap for next year already in place, I find it hard to believe that one of these players, if not more, get traded. If they don't, the Lightning will find themselves in the same position this time next year
Hasek Upset with Murray, Wants to Remain in Senators Uniform
According to a report on Sportsnet.ca, Senators' G Dominik Hasek doesn't want to play for another team next year; in fact, he is ony interested in playing for the Ottawa Senators to "finish what he started this year."
Hold on a second. He wants to finish what he started? You mean he wants to create even more turmoil and controversy around a team that yet again failed to accomplish the goal of even making it to the Stanley Cup Finals? He wants to give Sens' fans a reason to be disgusted with this team even more by hanging around and stirring up trouble? He wants to finish giving Sens' fans a false sense of hope?
Hasek is reportedly also upset with Head Coach Bryan Murray's comments after the Sens' were eliminated in 5 games by the Buffalo Sabres, saying he didn't understand why only 40 hours after their series defeat Murray would make those comments. (To see Murray's take on Hasek, click here).
While Hasek took Murray's comment as a slight on him, it didn't come without merit. Hasek's past history with Buffalo and Detroit speaks volumes about Hasek's motives, which is strictly his ego. The power of persuasion can lead to ill-advised decisions. Ask Lindy Ruff. Ask Ken Holland. Ask Curtis Joseph. Ask John Muckler.
Sens' fans can only hope that Bryan Murray will put his foot down with GM John Muckler and tell him he doesn't want Hasek back next year. As a former GM himself, Murray is no stranger to what one person can do for the morale of a team. As the Head Coach, he should have a say in who he wants back next season. It would be wise for Muckler to listen. And for Hasek to just go away, again.
Memo to the NHL: Force OLN to Release the Exclusivity Rights
A report in the Los Angeles Times last week indicates that 49% of homes in the Los Angeles area do not receive OLN because it is only offered on premium tiers.
49% in the L.A. area. Considering the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, which is only 45 minutes south of L.A. proper, are in the L.A. market, one would think that the number would be a lot less than 49%.
And then fans outside of the hockey world wonder why no one is paying attention to these playoffs. Or why fans inside the hockey world feel Anaheim has no fan base.
Look, I understand that the league and OLN want to make money, and that exclusivity rights have always been a part of the playoffs even when ESPN owned the rights. However, ESPN can be found on basic cable, while OLN for most viewers is somewhere in the 600 range. But the NHL, who so desperately needs to promote this game in order to attract people to the game, should not allow a number like 49% in the L.A. market to even be a thought.
By selling the rights to local broadcasters, such as FSN or even over-the-air networks that usually carry NHL games, the NHL can then draw upon a wider fan-base. People in the LA area should get to know a team like Anaheim, who are built not only to be good this year, but for the next few years at the very least. If this season was supposed to be about the fans, the NHL has done a poor job with that in these playoffs. It only shows me that the bottom line is still, in reality, the bottom line.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Carolina Hurricanes: Game Two
If you are a hockey fan, you are itching for this game to get underway tonight. Look for Carolina to tighten up it's defense just a bit to try and prevent Buffalo from scoring first. (Or at least, within the first 5 minutes of the game). And look for Buffalo to change...well, nothing. What do they need to change? Even if they do insert different players into their lineup, who would know? They win with whomever, whenever, wherever. It's great for hockey. Maybe other teams in the Northeast Division (Ottawa, Boston, Toronto, I'm looking at you) should take note: big names don't always equate to big plays.
And finally...
Congratulations to the sixteen finalists in the NGSII. All very deserving candidates to be sure, and I look forward to the rest of the competition. As for me, even though I didn't make it, I have found a home and a voice here at FOXSports blogs and will continue on. Maybe one day, I can actually get paid for my thoughts. Good Luck to all!
Last night's Game One of the Western Conference Finals at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim showed me the exact reason why hockey fans both in the US and in Canada feel that Anaheim doesn't deserve a team.
While watching the game from the comfort of my bed, I could easily point out about 30-50 empty seats behind the glass, not to mention the empty seats in the upper levels. The crowd seemed less than midly interested with the play on the ice, and completely quieted after Ales Hemsky's check swing goal in the second period.
People, need I remind you that this is a playoff game?? Back in 2003, when the Ducks made the Western Conference Finals, the Pond was one of the loudest buildings left in the playoffs. Last night seemed more like a regular season game versus an Eastern Conference opponent in December. It was embarrasing as a staunch fan and defender of this team. Us real fans don't say "Rock the Pond" for no reason. If you want proof, listen to the season ticket holders in the 400 sections. They know how to get it done.
A message to those "fans": if you don't like hockey, don't understand hockey, or don't even know who is playing for either team, sell your tickets to the real fans. I, as well as some other Duck fans who were not fortunate enough to procure tickets to the home games, would be more than happy to take those corporate gifts off your hands. And your nachos can wait until the intermission.
Mark Crawford to be Named Next Head Coach of the Los Angeles Kings
The latest word out of Los Angeles is that Mark Crawford, most recently fired by the Vancouver Canucks, will be named the Kings head coach at a press conference to be held on Monday. Crawford has previoulsy won one Stanley Cup during his coaching tenure, albeit with an extremely loaded and talented Colorado Avalanche team in 1996.
While Dean Lombardi, the Kings newly hired GM, is a very well respected hockey man around the league (a man who helped build the San Jose Sharks to respectability), I'm not sure that Crawford is a good fit here. Crawford, like Andy Murray before him, isn't known as a "player's coach". He is very demanding, a yeller, and expects all his players to play in his system. Murray was fired because all he was preaching began to fall on deaf ears, as was Crawford in Vancouver.
What the Kings really need at this stage, after having missed the playoffs for the past 3 straight seasons, is a more player-friendly coach. A team that has been plauged by injuries needs a bit of nuturing right now. I'm not sure that Crawford is the nuturing type.
Should I also mention here that Crawford only managed to get a superbly talented team in Vancouver out of the first round of the playoffs only once during his tenure? How well with that sit with Mark Leiweke?
What will be interesting, though, is when the Kings play the Ducks 8 times next season. Crawford against what may have well been his replacement in Vancouver (Randy Carlyle) had Brain Burke not successfully lured him to the Ducks organization. Should make for an interesting matchup.
Stop Asking when Erik Cole will Suit Up for the Hurricanes
Yes, 'Canes fans, I'm talking to you here. I understand as a fan that you are worried about Cole's health, as are many other fans around the NHL. The hit by Brooks Orpik, in my opinion, was a dirty hit. The man suffered what could have been a life-threatening injury. It is great to see him skating again, let alone skating with his team and trying to make a comeback to help his team win, but give the man time, please.
And to the hockey media that is covering this story like Cole is Barry Bonds: stop it! Give the man time to heal. If he doesn't come back this year, and the 'Canes don't win the cup, will you be blaming his not returning for the loss? The fact that the 'Canes are where they are now is a testament to how a team game is supposed to be played. While Cole was enjoying a break-out season, GM Jim Rutherford and Head Coach Peter Laviolette have done a fine job in retooling this team to get to where they are now.
And finally....
Just one question: Should it be considered an automatic win if the Buffalo Sabres score first in a playoff game? Except for Games 3 and 4 of their opening round series against Philadelphia, every time the Sabres score first they win. Their only other loss? When the Ottawa Senators scored first in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals. Carolina might be wise to try and get on the scoreboard first. It might be their only way to make this series actually go to seven games.
Heading into the opening game of the NHL Western Conference Final, the one question all the hockey “experts” were asking was a simple one: Would the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, after melting down the Colorado Avalanche in 4 straight, show any signs of rust after being off for 8 days against the Edmonton Oilers?
The end result of the game, a 3-1 win by the Oilers, would lead one to believe the answer to be yes.
Er, not so fast.
While the Oilers most certainly had momentum heading into Game 1 after crushing the hopes of an upstart San Jose Sharks team, the Ducks didn’t look like a team that had been off for a week. In reality, they looked like a team that, as Scott Niedermayer said during his press conference “[was] a half step off or away from finishing some chances tonight."
Anyone who has watched this team at all this year (which, judging by the ratings, was next to no one except the few but proud fans in Orange County), can point to having more than just one day off as the reason why the Ducks looked just a touch slower than they had in their previous series. All year long, having more than one day between games has given fans a reason to hold their breath and worry how they would come out skating. Would they hit? Would they be able to make clean passes? Would they turn it over in the neutral zone one to many times?
The answer is this: the Ducks looked much better than the New Jersey Devils did after their sweep of the NY Rangers in the first round. The Ducks came out in the first period not worried about playing the puck, but about taking the body, shaking off the slumber of the layoff, and getting the first few quality scoring chances of the game. The Devils, on the contrary, lost that first game to the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 6-0.
After Ales Hemsky’s power play goal in the second period that he batted out of the air, the Ducks looked a bit in a daze. They did become a half step slower; they lost their transition game, and weren’t really battling along the boards as they had done in the first period. Was it rust, or was it just a momentum change that the Ducks never recovered from?
Anaheim outshot the Oilers 14-5 in the third period, yet they did not figure out a way to penetrate the trap the Oilers have employed when playing with the lead. It may be wise for Randy Carlyle and his coaching staff to look at video during their series against Calgary to remind his team how that type of style should be played, and how successful the Ducks became.
So while the long layoff may seem like a plausible excuse for the Ducks’ loss, it’s more likely that the second goal deflated both the team and its fans (who, I might add, were a sorry excuse for a playoff crowd last night. And then I wonder why this team gets bashed at every turn.) Rust is not to be used as an excuse for the Ducks.
Momentum, which has been carrying the Oilers since Game 2 vs. San Jose, is the reason.
After any series-ending game during the NHL playoffs, it is easy for many observers, “experts”, and just plain old fans to start pointing fingers at what went wrong for said team.
Example: “The star of this team, Big Joe Thornton, didn’t perform to the level he had performed all during the regular season, especially since his arrival from Boston. He became a shadow of himself during the playoffs, as in years past, hence why this team is headed to the golf course.”
Example: “The goaltending of Marty Turco for much of the series by not stopping shots he could have easily stopped. Too many soft goals are why this team is headed to the golf course.”
Example: “John Muckler, the GM of the Ottawa Senators, didn’t do enough at the trade deadline to really meet this club’s needs, especially without the services of Dominic Hasek, hence why this team is headed to the golf course.”
Is it just me, or is anyone else spotting a trend here?
Pointing the finger at just one or two people when the TEAM lost TOGETHER seems rather inconsistent with what the sport of hockey is all about. And the loss by the San Jose Sharks to the Edmonton Oilers is no exception.
Yes, it is true that Joe Thornton, winner of the Art Ross Trophy, didn’t really perform to the level he had since being acquired in that trade with Boston. It’s true; maybe he didn’t shoot the puck enough and looked for too many cute passes to his line mates.
But what about Jonathan “With my third hat-trick against the Ducks this season I stole the Rocket Richard Trophy right out from underneath Jaromir Jagr” Cheechoo? With 9 points during the post-season, he seemed virtually invisible against Edmonton.
And what happened to San Jose’s defense in this series? Scott Hannan and Kyle McLaren, the only veterans on the defensive squad, were a combined +2 during the entire playoffs. Compare that to Chris Pronger and Jaroslav Spacek, who are a combined +5 during the playoffs while playing against San Jose’s and Detroit’s top lines night in and night out. The young corps withered after taking some punishing hits by Edmonton. Had they faced the same type of team in Nashville, it is possible San Jose wouldn’t have won that series, but speculation at this point means nothing.
Vesa Toskala? Save for his Game 4 brain cramp on that third goal by Sergei Samsonov and his less than stellar play in game 5, he gave San Jose a chance to win. That the team didn’t capitalize can’t be solely blamed on him.
No, what did this team in during the second round is very simple: save for just twice, they failed to convert on the power play 33 times. 2 for 35 will almost surely lose you the series every time.
Want proof? Ask the Colorado Avalanche how important a team’s power play is to them. After going 5 for 28 against the Dallas Stars, they were 0 for 24 against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. And they hadn’t scored a power play goal since game 3 of that opening round series. Failure to convert on your power play is a surefire way to lose confidence.
As such, those same Mighty Ducks were only 2 for 19 against the Avalanche, and just 6 for 44 against the Calgary Flames. Noticeable differences between the Ducks and the Sharks on the power play are this: while the Ducks haven’t scored much, they are able to keep themselves in the offensive zone during most of the 2 minutes. The Sharks had a hard time both gaining entry into the zone (3 offside calls on the power play last night alone), and keeping the puck moving. Wearing out penalty killers will eventually help your teams cause. What helped the Ducks, however, was the penalty killing unit has killed off 36 straight penalties, and haven‘t allowed a power play goal since game 4 of the opening round vs. Calgary.
The Sharks mere 80.7 penalty killing percentage didn‘t help their cause to advance either. Not blocking many shots and ready to sacrifice everything to win is just another of the many reasons why San Jose headed home today.
Coach Ron Wilson, at some point during this series, stopped making adjustments on the fly, and the opportunistic Oilers took advantage of that, using their speed and confidence to take over after that triple overtime game 3 of this series.
In all, there is to be a lot of blame floating around the Sharks dressing room today. Pointing fingers at the big man or the goaltender is too easy. Blame the power play units. Blame the defensive corps. Blame the penalty killing units. Blame the coaching staff.
But it is no matter. In today’s world of sports, pointing fingers and finding scapegoats are the easiest way out for all involved, as it then absolves them of all criticism when they pick the wrong team to win a series.
Toskala has been a rock? By definition, that would mean he doesn't move, as most rocks need something (wind, a person, any animal) to move them. And seeing as how Toskala came all the way out of his net to play the puck right into Sergei Samsonov's jersey, I would hardly call him a rock.
That said, I think Wilson is making the right decision. Yes, the Oilers are in San Jose's head. I don't think there really is much doubt to that. But starting a goal tender who has seen only 11 minutes or so of action in the last month an a half may not be the wisest of moves.
While it did work for Anaheim and Carolina this postseason, it should be noted that Bryzgalov of the Ducks started Game one of the Flames/Ducks series because of Giguere's mystery (read: groin/hip) injury. And he also started a game the week before in Calgary during the Ducks last road trip after playing Vancouver the night before. It should also be noted that Cam Ward was a replacement mid game, after the game was, essentially, out of reach. No pressure.
Nabokov has suffered though injury and lack of confidence throughout the entire season, and didn't look all that great in game 4 of this series. Granted, after sitting on the bench for 50 minutes, not to mention the downtime during warmups, he was a bit cold, sure. However, he's played just a handful of times since the Olympics. How good can he possibly be at this point?
The argument here, to be certain, is that Nabokov has playoff experience and helped San Jose to the WCF just 2 years ago, only to be stymied by the Flames defense and physicality. But Darryl Sutter's comment of "You go with who brung you" (i might be paraphrasing here, forgive me) rings much truer here.
Wilson is right in sticking with Toskala. I wouldn't, however, be so bold as to call him a rock.
With the NHL playoffs nearing the halfway point, it's time to examine the teams that have currently made the Conference Finals and the two teams still battling it out for that last and final spot in the final (er. frozen) four.
Anaheim, Buffalo, Carolina, Edmonton and San Jose.
(I am envisioning many right now staring at the screen with eyebrows raised, head cocked to one side not unlike dogs when you make funny noises at them, mouth open and muttering to themselves "who?")
Allow me to repeat that: Anaheim, Buffalo, Carolina, Edmonton and San Jose.
Yes, folks, this is the NEW NHL.
Perennial contenders such as Detroit, Dallas, Colorado, New Jersey, Ottawa have all been tossed aside during the first half of the playoffs like the parsley you always have to remove off your meat or vegetables at a restuarant.
Detroit: 1st round exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers. Dallas: Practically swept aside at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche in round 1. Colorado, New Jersey, Ottawa: victims of TEAM play in round 2.
And yet many beat writers and columnists that have been assigned to cover various different playoff series (those columnists and other writers who are not necessarily in the NHL know) seem to think that the remaining teams are all Cinderella stories in the making, that these teams have suddenly come from nowhere and are taking down the giants as if they were merely orange and white roadblocks on the freeway that you can get out of the car and move yourself.
While I realize that many in the United States don't even realize that hockey even exists in some of those cities, I find it very ignorant of many of these columnists in the media to all of a sudden grace the public's presence and alert them that there are many Cinderella stories in the making, giving the reader a false sense of reality that is the new NHL, and making those of us who follow hockey on a regular basis here in the US, as well as our neighbors to the north, irritated and bitter.
For example, the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Ottawa Senators on Sunday in overtime with a short-handed goal to take the series 4 and 1. Many of the so-called experts picked Ottawa to win their series, claiming their talent would wear out the non-playoff battled young Sabres. Granted, many of these "experts" believed it would be a 6 or 7 game series, not the 5 that it actually was. (Editor's note: This series could easily have been a sweep for the Sabres, if not for the little amount of heart and desparation the Sens showed in game 4.) Little known to most of the general public, those which follow hockey only during playoff season, was not aware of the fact that these same Sabres only finished 4th in the Eastern Conference because of the way the NHL seeds the division, with the top 3 spots going to the respective division leaders. Truth of the matter is, Buffalo finished a mere 3 points behind Ottawa, those 3 points because of OT losses. That was it. 3 points. Not exactly a Cinderella story there, I would think. Many in hockey circles, and the die-hard fans in Buffalo, were aware of just how many weapons the Sabres have: speed, skill, size, toughness, and a team mentality which states we win and die as a team. So in reality, this should really not come as a shock.
Similar story down south in Carolina. After finishing the season 2nd in the conference, and 1 point behind Ottawa for the division lead, Carolina was favored to win their first round series vs. the Montreal Canadiens. After losing the first 2 games, the first by a 5 goal differential, many "experts" were pinning Carolina as an overachieving team in the regular season without the depth or necessary experience for a long playoff run. HUH? Picking up Doug Weight and Mark Recchi has proved invaluable in the leadership department, Rod Brind'amour is the heart and soul of the team, and Eric Staal is emerging as a force to be reckoned with for years to come. Carolina did come back to take that series with a "4 game sweep" of the Canadiens, only to learn they would be playing the New Jersey Devils in round 2. And once again, as is the norm during playoff time, the big name (not to mention 3 Stanley Cups in the past 11 years) began leading the way as the eventual winners of the series. True, the Devils had won 11 regular season games in a row and dispatched the NY Rangers in a sweep. Yes, 15 games is momentum. But the Devils sweeping the Rangers didn't really come as a shock to many with Jaromir Jagr hurt in that first game on a freak play coupled with a defensive corps that struggled with injuries and inexperience. So what real test were they given in the first round? The answer is slim to none. So Carolina putting the Devils on the ropes after 3 games really came as no shock.
Also with regard to Carolina is the fact that just 4 years ago, Carolina made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, where the Red Winged Machine overpowered them in 5 games. But that was when Carolina finished 7th in the conference that year. That is a classic case of Cinderella.
Speaking of the true definition of Cinderella, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim followed suit during the 2002-2003 season. After starting the first part of the season wallowing in mediocrity, the team put together quite a few winning streaks, and rode a hot goaltender in JS Giguere all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to lose in Game 7 to the, ahem, Devils. This version of the Ducks have been compared to that team time and time again during these playoffs, what with beating the reigning Western Conference Champion Calgary Flames in 7 games (a series they were not favored in) to melting down the Colorado Avalanche in 4 games. Ilja Bryzgalov replaced Giguere in net, only to have 3 back to back to back shutouts and set a new rookie record for time between allowing goals (not unlike Giguere during the '03 playoffs). Although favored to beat the Avs, nobody could have predicted a 4 game sweep.
However, the similarity between those two teams end there. While both versions of this team have defensive prowess, the newer, younger version of the Ducks play with grit, heart, speed and skill. Any one of the 4 lines can score at any given time on any given night. While Giguere had to stand on his head during the '03 run (which rightfully awarded him the Conn Smythe Trophy), Bryzgalov has enjoyed a collapsing defensive around his net, teammates willing to block shots, and the benefit of a team that scores goals. What many in the media don't realize is that while starting off poorly this year, and GM Brian Burke dumping salary, is that since January, the team went 25-11-5. That would be second best in the Western Conference behind the Detroit Red Wings. And where are THEY now? Oh, right, on a golf course someplace. Those in the hockey world are not terribly shocked at the Ducks run, so why is the media?
San Jose's story is similar to that of the Ducks, with one major acception: Joe Thornton. Like Anaheim, this team was mired in mediocrity at the beginning of the season, losing 8 straight in November (not dissimilar to the Ducks), until the Trade of the Year (I still question what was going on inside the heads of Boston management on that one). Since that time, the Sharks have been on a tear, but that may have caught up to them in their series against the Edmonton Oilers. San Jose's propensity for sitting on a lead has cost them dearly in this series, not to mention the high level of physical play exhibited by both teams in this series, and the failure of the 3rd and 4th lines to score consistantly. Though favored to win against a depleted and less physical Nashville Predators, it appears as though the Sharks have met their match with the gritty Oilers. Should they survive this series, they still might be favored over the non-recognized Ducks, but may still be considered that Cinderella story by national media because of they way they (might) overtake Edmonton.
Which finally brings me to the Oilers. Yes, the 8th seed in the Western Conference. Yes, a team that was fighting for the last 2 months of the season just to make the playoffs. (Editors note: Other than Detroit and Dallas, and the lowly sisters of the Central Division, who wasn't fighting for a playoff spot the last 2 months of the season?). Yes, a team with a 3 headed goalie situation until the acquisition of Dwayne Roloson. HOWEVER, this team during the entire year showed what it was made of: heart, determination, and grit (is anyone else seeing a trend among the remaining playoff teams?). Kevin Lowe moved and shuffled puzzle pieces all year long to get to where the Oilers are at now, and that is, as of today, one win away from making the Western Conference Finals, something they haven't done in what, 14, 15 years? So they beat the heavily favored Red Wings in 6 games. To me, and many a hockey observer, it seemed obvious the Oilers would win that series, and not because of Manny Legace that so many tend to point to. Uh-uh. The reason I picked the Oilers is because of Detroits inflated record after beating up on the Central Division, the toughness that is the Northwest Division, and tenacity. So while the 8th seed gives the illusion of a Cinderella story, in reality, its just a matter of those overtime and shootout games (re: Dallas' inflated record- 12 shootout wins=12 extra points, giving them a huge lead in the Pacific Division. Without that, they would have been fighting for a playoff spot too).
So the bottom line is this. Of the 5 teams remaining in the NHL playoff picture, not one of them should be viewed as a Cinderella story. Should one want a Cinderella story, go check out the Detroit Pistons vs. the Cavs in the NBA. Or better yet, just go watch the Disney movie. Just try not to think of the Ducks in the process.
A woman with a love and passion for all things hockey, baseball and writing. Ergo, here I am. I will primarily be focusing on hockey and baseball, but if another sport so warrants my attention, I will put my thoughts and opinions here, in this space. Well, it would actually be in the space to the left, but you know what I mean.
Allow me to apologize up front if some of my blogs are long...I'm working on that. For the record, should you see any slanted articles towards the following teams: New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Orange County of Southern California of the United States of America, or the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, that would be cause those are the teams I'm truly a fan of. But I will try to be as fair and unbiased as possible.Than ks in advance for reading!
