April 15, Rob Ray

Hey guys,

Thank God It Is Friday!!

Check out this hilarious video of Rob Ray of the Buffalo Sabres beating the tar out of a foolish Nordiques fan. I don’t remember Ray as he was before my time, but he sure seems like a tough dude. Not a guy I would mess with.

April 12, The 2011 NHL Playoff Predictions

Western Conference

First Round

1. Vancouver Canucks VS 8. Chicago Blackhawks

Prediction: Canucks in 5. The Canucks are just the better all around team. They are more well rounded, and also have arguably the best goalie in the league in Roberto Luongo. The Blackhawks just can’t match up in any facet of the game. Canucks will go on to the next round.

The Sedins sure are a scary sight for opposing goalies. IMAGE // niteshonsports.org

2. San Jose Sharks VS 7. Los Angeles Kings

Prediction: San Jose in 6. The Sharks, who have been choke artists in the playoffs in recent history, will get the job done in this first round match up. Losing Kopitar for the season was a major blow to the Kings chances this season. Maybe next year.

3. Detroit Red Wings VS 6. Phoenix Coyotes

Prediction: Red Wings in 4. The Wings are, and have been the class of the NHL for quite some time now. Despite their shaky situation in net, with Jimmy Howard battling through late season injuries, the Wings have too much goal scoring power to be denied.

4. Anaheim Ducks VS 5. Nashville Predators

Predictions: Ducks in 6. Ok, so I picked all favorites in the first round. Well that is for a good reason. The Ducks are one of the hottest teams in the NHL, with one of the hottest players in Corey Perry. Pekka Rinne is one of the most underrated goalies in the league, and he will keep Nashville in it, but ultimately the Ducks will prevail.

Second Round

1. Vancouver Canucks VS 4. Anaheim Ducks

Prediction: Canucks in 7. This potential match up has the making of a classic. The two teams feature upper echelon goalies, and goal scorers. On any given night these offenses are capable of scoring six goals, while their goalies are capable of blanking opponents just as easily. In the end, I see the Canucks surviving this battle.

2. San Jose Sharks VS 3. Detroit Red Wings

 Prediction: Red Wings in 4. I don’t buy into San Jose’s method. I think this season will be another disappointing one for the Sharks, making a playoff exit in their San Jose way, by means of a sweep.

Western Conference Finals

1. Vancouver Canucks VS 3. Detroit Red Wings

Predictions: Canucks in 6. When you think of offensive scoring power, you think of the Sedins, Kessler, Zetterberg, and Datsyuk. I don’t think this series will disappoint those who love to see goals. In the end, it will come down to one goalie stepping up, and that goalie is Luongo. The Canucks will be making a much awaited return to the Stanley Cup.

Eastern Conference

First Round

1. Washington Capitals VS 8. New York Rangers

Prediction: Rangers in 6. The Rangers are not a team anyone wanted to see make the playoffs. To be fair, I don’t think anyone wanted to face the Hurricanes either. The Capitals have finished the regular season atop the East, but not in the most convincing of ways. The Flyers really free fell from the ranks to give up the one seed. The Capitals have the clearcut super star on the ice in Alex Ovechkin, but his presence has not meant much for them historically in the playoffs. That coupled with the fact that I couldn’t tell you who their number one starter is in net leads me to believe that there will be more heartache in Washington this season. Lundqvist will stand tall in this series.

2. Philadelphia Flyers VS 7. Buffalo Sabres

Martin St. Louis had a renaissance in Tampa Bay this season. In my eyes, it was him and not Stamkos that was Tampa's MVP this season. IMAGE // Hockeyjunkies.blogspot.com

 

 

Prediction: Flyers in 7. The Flyers have been in free fall mode over the last two weeks of the season. Will they be able to get it together? I think so, but I’m really not sure. It would be easy for me to pick Buffalo simply because they have a reliable goalie in Ryan Miller, and the Flyers have a goalie-by-committee system going. I don’t have a lot of faith in Philadelphia, but if Chris Pronger returns to the team like I expect him to, they should be able to advance to the second round.

3. Boston Bruins VS 6. Montreal Canadiens

Prediction: Canadiens in 6. The Montreal Canadiens feature one of the fastest teams in the league, and in this Original Six match up, I see the Canadiens taking care of the rival Boston Bruins. Both teams boast strong goaltending, but I think the Canadiens will be stronger. Call it a hunch. This pick is one that I don’t carry great confidence in.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins VS 5. Tampa Bay Lightning

Prediction: Tampa Bay in 5. No Sidney Crosby and no Geno Malkin makes this pick a bit easier. Despite the fact that the Penguins have impressively managed to win without these two stars, I don’t think they can sustain their winning in a seven game series with one of the most impressive scoring teams in the league. The Lighting move on.

Second Round

2. Philadelphia Flyers VS 8. New York Rangers

Prediction: Rangers in 5. The difference in this series stands out to me. Goaltending. Henrik Lundqvist will simply be too much for the Flyers when it’s all said and done. I don’t know how much I like the Flyers to even make it this far, so for me this is a pretty easy decision.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning VS 6. Montreal Canadiens

Prediction: Lightning in 5. I like the Lightning this season. They combine strong offensive output and speed with leadership. This is a team that has no shortage of seasoned guys who have been there and done that. The high flying play of their offense combined with the strong goaltending of Dwayne Roloson. I expect to see Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Eastern Conference Finals

5. Tampa Bay Lightning VS 8. New York Rangers

Prediction: Lightning in 7. As much as it hurts to say, I think the Lightning have what it takes to represent the East in the Stanley Cup. The Rangers just don’t have enough to answers to what Tampa will be throwing at them. John Tortorella led the Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 03-04, and this season he could very well watch his former team make their way back for the first time since he was there.

Stanley Cup Finals

1. Vancouver Canucks VS 5. Tampa Bay Lightning

Prediction: Canucks in 6. For all the reasons I mentioned earlier, the Canucks will be the Stanley Cup Champions, redeeming their 1994 loss in seven games to the New York Rangers.

Conn Smythe Winner: Daniel Sedin

Check out some highlights of the last time these two teams were in the Stanley Cup:

April 9, A Day of Sports

[UPDATE 7:43 PM] — So the Rangers did all they can at this point to make the playoffs, but their fate is still out of their hands. Luckily, the Lightning are out to an early 3-0 lead, and things are looking up for the Blue Shirts. It’s frustrating that the Rangers have now played do-or-die games in the last two seasons on the 82nd game, but on the bright side at least they have been keeping it exciting, and thankfully they had a winning effort on the final game this time.

Rangers fans enjoy the highlights, and lets hope the Lightning finish the job.

Nice job Drury. Keep it up.

Lets go Lightning!

Hey guys,

I don’t have a lot of time to write today, so I’ll keep it short and sweet.

There are a whole lot of sporting events to choose from today if you are a New York sports fan.

12:30 – Devils vs Rangers – Rangers need to win, and Carolina can’t win for the Blue Shirts to make the playoffs. Score so far is 1-1.

1:00 – Yankees vs Red Sox – I would like to see the Yanks take care of business today, light up Buchholz, and send the Sox into a new losing streak.

7:00 – Lightning vs Hurricanes – This game could be big for the Rangers if they can manage a win today. I will have a lot of respect for Tampa if they play their “A Squad.”

All Day – The Masters – Tiger is very much so in the hunt. This could be an exciting weekend of golf.

I’ll try to find time for tomorrow to be a bit more comprehensive of a post. In the meantime, enjoy this video of Chris Drury, Danny Briere, and the Buffalo Sabres stepping on the hearts of Rangers fans everywhere in game 5 of 2007. Drury continues to crush the hopes of Rangers fans even now that he is on the team.

He did score the Rangers first goal today, but we’ll see if he can finally put together a clutch effort.

Eastern Conference Playoff Race

Hey guys,

Take a look at the race for the final two spots in the Eastern Conference, as well as the fight for seeds 6-8. Rangers play the Thrashers tonight, and the Canadiens play the Senators. I’ll be sure to update sometime tonight or tomorrow morning.

Eastern Conference Standings through April 6

April 3, Eastern Conference Hockey

[UPDATE] 7:44 PM — The Rangers were able to hold of the Flyers today, and took the win in a shootout. Erik Christensen and Wojtek Wolski scored in the shootout, while Lundqist made his two stops to secure the win.

The Sabres also just finished playing, and they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in Overtime by the score of 2-1. The Rangers and Sabres both gained one point on the Hurricanes this afternoon.

Heres an updated look at the playoff picture in the East:

Standings through April 3

 

Hey guys,

As many of you hockey fans already know, the Eastern Conference is very tight at the bottom, and it is basically a three team race for two spots. Carolina defeated the Islanders last night, and the Sabres lost to the Capitals in overtime, so both teams got at least one point, with the Canes getting two. So here is what the race for the playoffs looks like:

Standings Going Into April 3

I’ll make an update once the games go final. The Rangers are just going underway now against the Flyers on NBC.

March 21, Marc Staal’s Presence is Felt

Hey guys,

It seems like it has become a weekly Sunday tradition to watch the Rangers on the national television game of the week on NBC. The Rangers are in the midst of a serious playoff push, so naturally they are an attractive option to play on the game of the week. It is also easy to play an Original Six team since they have so much history, and thus such loyal fan-bases.

Yesterday was a continuation of the Rangers’ strong playoff push, distinguishing themselves from Buffalo and Carolina. The Rangers defeated the Penguins by the score of 5-2, sweeping Pittsburgh in their new home arena, the Consol Energy Center, three game to none.

Marc Staal puts the Devils in their place. IMAGE // SNY

As well as the Rangers played yesterday, and as dominant of a victory as it turned out to be, I feel the game could have been a shutout. Not to be pessimistic about such a great win, but the element of the game that was glaring in my eyes was the absence of Marc Staal, and the manner in which the Penguins scored their two goals. On the Penguins first goal of the game, Girardi was on the ice with Steve Eminger, and their lack of feel for one another allowed Jordan Staal to waltz into the left side of the Rangers zone uncontested, and allowed the Penguins first goal. The second goal was more of a team effort to work against them. The puck was changing hand multiple times in the neutral zone before Chris Kunitz possessed the puck, and fired a fairly wide open shot to beat Lundqvist. Like I said, it was more of a team failure to allow the Penguins second goal, but If Staal was on the ice, things could have been different.

 

Thankfully, the Rangers were able to secure the win, but Staal’s contribution to the team can not be understated. Without Staal, I don’t see the Rangers getting far in the playoffs, with him, there is no limit to what this team can do. Not to say he is the only important player on this team. It would hurt the Rangers chances if they lost Dubinsky, Prospal, or Gaborik, but I feel that Staal, Callahan, and Lundqvist are the players this team can absolutely not afford to lose.

Enjoy the highlights of yesterdays big win!