NHL concludes great first round with two game 7’s

This year’s NHL playoffs will already go down as one of the best in history as it has had a little something for everyone, the mammoth upset as eighth seed Anaheim disposed of the trophy winners in six games, the heavyweights as Detroit and Boston looked headed for a clash after sweeping their first round opponents, the interstate battle between the Flyers and Pens, and on top of that we get two game 7’s with the Caps/Rangers and Devils/Canes. That will be a pretty touch act to follow in the second round but before we even get there much business still on the table and much discussion. Starting with the collapse of the Sharks, we gotta’ admit we called it back in December if you’ve been reading that long and then started second guessing ourselves when the youngsters came around and started playing like vets, the off-season acquisitions came to form, and San Jose built that war chest of a home record. Then the moons aligned and they reverted to the disappointments of yester year, making us look like prophets in the meantime. Those two series left to be decided are stories in themselves. The Devils/Canes, where each team has proven its mettle on the other’s home ice has everyone guessing (and watching) how that will play out, and will the Devils point the finger at Ovechkin if they don’t, and can the Capitals come all the way back from the brink and take 4 of 5 from the Rangers who will look at game 5 film over and over and point the finger at themselves if they don’t. Either way this is already a best seller and the last chapter has yet to be written. Enjoy. Talk about each series in the NHL Chat rooms and team pages.

Will the real Alex Ovechkin please stand up?

Good, bad or meaningless, Alex Ovechkin has not yet taken over a game in this Eastern Conference Quarterfinal against the Rangers with his incredible ability to break a team's heart by potting a key goal or goals. That's the good news for the Caps as they host the Rangers in game 7 at the Verizon Center, an Alex sighting would most welcome, and needed. "The playoffs are a different game and you don't have a lot of room out there," Caps defenseman Mike Green, said, "so if Alex does that, it will be incredible." Ovechkin, who in the regular season scored 10 game-winning goals and had 13 multi-goal games, has scored one goal in each of the last three games, but none have proven to be incredibly crucial for the Capitals. While his most incredible goal came in Game 5, you could argue that the one that had the most impact was the goal he scored in Game 4. He finally beat Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist 2:13 into the third period, but the Caps still lost, 2-1. On the flip side the Rangers, despite pushing the two-seed to the limit, must feel like they have let a golden opportunity slip away from them by letting the Caps leave the Gaden’ with their playoff lives, but have an opportunity at redemption as they hit the ice in an arena where they have obviously been victorious but they may want to check the Big O at the door.

Shark tank cracking under the pressure, again

The San Jose Sharks started the year devouring everything in their path particularly at home where at home point they had tied for the best home ice record in NHL history. About the same time we wrote and questioned if this would be the year that the Sharks finally lived up to their potential (please see Dec 4 entry), unfortunately this season has taken a drastic turn in a similar direction as some previous years as the Sharks find themselves in a 0-2 whole and must travel to Anaheim. Granted the Ducks were not your typical eight seed with there display of veteran talent and a recent Stanley Cup to their name, but where has the balance that they have shown all year. In both games thus far the Ducks scored first then were able to sit on the lead. Obviously, the Sharks lack of offensive potency didn’t pose much of a challenge as they were shut out but against a veteran team playing from behind is a recipe for disaster and if they fail to respond in a similar fashion to the Capitals performance in the Garden the tsunami of criticism and disappointment that will hit the Shark tank may not be forgotten for years to come.

Last of the NHL spots filled now it’s time to drop the puck on the second season

Caps first upset victim

The first round played true to form with the exception of Capitals who forgot to bring their defense to the rink as they gave up four goals to the Rangers, giving up home ice in the process, and now must go to “Da Garden” and get a win in front of a rowdy crown in a city that will not be watching the other team that shares the venue as their season is over. Now the Caps find themselves in a ‘must win’ situation early in the series, let alone the playoffs.

The book on the NHL Eastern conference was closed Thursday night as the last of the eight playoffs spots was spoken for. Friday the West followed suit with St. Louis and Anaheim both winning to add playoff berths to their big late-season surges. So now that the match-ups are set, what club is poised for the upset? View the playoff seedings here.
In the first round the best series could be a 4/5 matchup where seven games may not be enough to decide it as three of the four regular season meetings between Philly and Carolina this year have gone into overtime with the Flyers taking three of four. The other 4/5 may not be as fun to watch as Chi Town have “blown out” the Flames in all four meetings this year. The worst draw could be (3) seed Devils who must deal with the (6) seeded penguins whom they have already played six times this year, alternating victories each time for a 3-3 split. The Bruins (1), deservingly so, have the best matchup as they have already taken 5 of 6 from their first round foes the Canadians. Are the Sharks due to fall short again this year? At one point the most dominating team in the NHL cooled off near the end of the year and takes on a Blues club that they have split four meetings with this year. Hardly the dominant record you expect to see in a 1/8 series. So let’s drop the puck and get ready for one of the most competitive post seasons in years. What team do you think will come out of each division? Let us know here and in the NHL chat rooms and team pages.





NHL Playoff Pairings
*******WEST********************
(1)Sharks vs. (8)Ducks
(2)Red Wings vs. (7) Blue Jackets
(3)Canucks vs. (6) Blues
(4)Blackhawks vs. (5)Flames

*******EAST********************
(1)Bruins vs. (8)Canadians
(2)Capitals vs. (7)Rangers
(3)Devils vs. (6)Hurricanes
(4)Penguins vs. (5)Flyers