Goal Line Report
Entries with the tag: Chicago+Blackhawks
A Common Theme This Season: Goaltending Controversies
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/28/12 at 12:59 PM ET
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This is something that seems to come up every season in the National Hockey League.
This season, however, it is something that is running rampant among NHL clubs, particularly the Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks.
Philadelphia Flyers
When is there ever not a goaltending controversy with the Philadelphia Flyers?
This has been the norm for the past decade or so and as such, is running its natural course this season. This year, it is between Ilya Brzygalov and Sergei Bobrovsky.
The Flyers signed Bryzgalov to a 9-year pact over the off-season and thus far, the team has yet to see any real reward. In 33 games, the 31-year-old goaltender is 18-10-4 with a 2.99 goals against average (GAA), a .895 save percentage and 1 shutout, which are numbers that are far below what Bryzgalov posted with the Phoenix Coyotes.
The team’s back-up, Bobrovsky, has performed slightly better and has been more consistent thus far. “Bob” is 11-4-1 with a 2.42 GAA and a .919 save percentage in 18 games.
It seems like Bobrovsky should be the main man instead of Brzygalov, right?
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Corey+Crawford, Ilya+Bryzgalov, James+Reimer, Jonas+Gustavsson, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ray+Emery, Sergei+Bobrovsky, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
War On Ice: New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/31/11 at 12:00 PM ET
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When it comes to the greatest rivalries in the National Hockey League, many fans will point out the obvious ones whether is the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens, and so on and so forth.
One rivalry that deserves attention is one that will get just that on Monday afternoon at the 2012 Winter Classic, the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers.
When the NHL decided that the 2012 Winter Classic would be between the New York Rangers and the host Philadelphia Flyers, I do not think they thought that at this point in this season, it would end being such a big tilt.
The New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers have one of the greatest rivalries in the league. However, over their 44-year history of playing against each other, it has turned into more than a rivalry.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Brandon+Prust, Chicago+Blackhawks, Detroit+Red+Wings, Henrik+Lundqvist, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Toronto+Maple+Leafs, Wayne+Simmonds, Zac+Rinaldo,
Is the Central Division the Best in the NHL?
by Patrick Hoffman on 08/27/11 at 07:27 PM ET
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Over at TrueHockey.com today, I explored that topic:
When looking at the Central division, it’s possible all five teams could clinch playoff spots in the extremely competitive Western Conference.
Detroit Red Wings
Even without the likes of Brian Rafalski, Chris Osgood, Kris Draper and Mike Modano, the Detroit Red Wings could very well be the class of the Central Division once again this season.
The Red Wings still have guys like Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen, Tomas Holmstrom, Niklas Kronwall and goaltender Jimmy Howard. These players all had solid seasons last year and got the Wings to within one game of the Western Conference Finals.
This team will be the team to beat not only in the division, but possibly the entire conference.
Click here for more on the rest of the division.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Columbus+Blue+Jackets, Detroit+Red+Wings, Nashville+Predators, St.+Louis+Blues,
More on Corey Crawford with Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago
by Patrick Hoffman on 08/23/11 at 12:14 PM ET
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As I linked to earlier this morning, I wrote a piece on how Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks and James Reimer of the Toronto Maple Leafs will be under a lot of pressure to have great seasons this year for their respective hockey clubs.
Although he submitted his answers to my questions just after I posted the story on TheGoodPoint.com, Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to share his thoughts on Crawford.
PH: In your opinion, why did Corey Crawford have so much success last season?
JR: He’d been preparing for this opportunity for a long time..he was probably in the minors a year too long so he was ready. He and the goalie coach for the Hawks have been together for many years so the transition to the NHL was easier because of that. He’s pretty laid back and that served him well.
PH: With his performance last season both in the regular season and in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, what do you think Crawford was able to prove to both the Blackhawks’ organization and the NHL?
JR: He proved his mental toughness. That laid back attitude can serve you well but in pressure situations things change and he proved he could handle the workload from a physical and mental standpoint.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Corey+Crawford, ESPN+Chicago, Jesse+Rogers,
The Pressure is on For Reimer and Crawford
by Patrick Hoffman on 08/23/11 at 09:35 AM ET
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Over at TheGoodPoint.com, I wrote a piece on how there will be a lot of pressure on goaltenders James Reimer (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Corey Crawford (Chicago Blackhawks) to have solid follow-up seasons this year for their respective hockey clubs:
Ever since Toronto Maple Leafs’ former netminder Ed Belfour left Toronto, the franchise has struggled to find themselves a true No. 1 goaltender and get into the postseason.
One problem was solved when goaltender James Reimer, 23, burst onto the scene and had an above average rookie season for the Leafs. In 37 games, Reimer went 20-10-5 with a 2.60 goals against average, a .921 save percentage, and three shutouts, bringing back days of Felix Potvin to the Leafs’ faithful.
Click here for more.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Corey+Crawford, James+Reimer, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Old Time Hockey, Eh?
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/10/11 at 03:00 PM ET
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The game between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night is the perfect example of why hockey can be so great.
It had big hits, plenty of fights, highlight-reel goals and it was one of the best rivalry games of the season between two Original Six franchises. It was old time hockey at its absolute best.
With that in mind, the National Hockey League needs to find a way to take advantage of the Original Six Franchises and give them more games to play against each other. Just look at the rivalries that are available to showcase:
- Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens
- Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers
- Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
- Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks
- Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
- Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Chicago+Blackhawks, Detroit+Red+Wings, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Original+Six, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Callahan and Dubinsky: True Blue Rangers
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/02/10 at 12:14 PM ET
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In what was a nail biter at Madison Square Garden last night, the New York Rangers defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 3-2.
When talking about this game, besides goaltender Henrik Lundqvist of course, there are two key players to talk about: Ryan Callahan dna Brandon Dubinsky.
In last night’s tilt, Callahan picked up two assists and also blocked a few shots, threw several hits, killed penalties, played on the power play and more. He did everything for the Blueshirts.
He reminds me a bit of Adam Graves because like Graves did when he was a Blueshirt, Callahan never takes a shift off. He hustles, he goes to the net, he deflects shots, he pokes at rebounds, blocks shots, kills penalties, and more. He wears that Ranger jersey with pride and I hope that others will follow him.
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Tags: Brandon+Dubinsky, Chicago+Blackhawks, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ryan+Callahan,
Blueshirts Take on Defending Champs
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/01/10 at 01:52 PM ET
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The New York Rangers need to start establishing some consistency on home ice.
A win tonight against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks would do do the trick as the Blueshirts look to win their second straight game after shutting out the Toronto Maple Leafs at the ACC on Saturday night.
To do, the team will once again need to block a lot of shots, take away the shooting lanes, pick up the man in front and cover the points because if they don’t, the Blackhawks’ offensive and defensive guns will surely make them pay.
The team will also need to get more scoring from guys other than Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan and Artem Anisimov. As I’ve mentioned many times before, this has been the club’s top line and while it’s great to have them contributing a lot, the team needs more production from its other lines.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, New+York+Rangers,
Rangers’ Shut Out Leafs
by Patrick Hoffman on 10/30/10 at 08:56 PM ET
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As I mentioned in my previous blog, the New York Rangers needed to go out and play a perfect road game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Mission accomplished as the Blueshirts shutout the Leafs 2-0 thanks to terrific performances from the likes of Henrik Lundqvist (36 saves), Ryan Callahan (penalty shot goal), and Brian Boyle (1 goal). and Bradon Prust.
What else is left to say about Lundqvist? He played great last night in a losing effort and tonight, he absolutely shut the door on the Leafs, especially in the second and third periods when the Leafs had sustained pressure in the Blueshirts’ zone. Yes, he allowed four goals last night but ever since making the start in Boston a week ago, Henrik has been on top of his game.
Ryan Callahan has also been terrific for the Blueshirts. With his penalty shot goal tonight, Cally now has 4 goals and 7 assists for 11 points in 10 games. Not only is he contributing offensively, but he also throws a lot of hits, blocks a lot of shots and creates plenty of scoring opportunities.
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Tags: Brian+Boyle, Chicago+Blackhawks, Henrik+Lundqvist, New+York+Rangers, Ryan+Callahan, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Looking for Fans Reactions To a Few Questions I have
by Patrick Hoffman on 07/23/10 at 07:00 AM ET
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Good morning folks. The dog days of summer really are here and as such, I want to help keep hockey on your minds.
As such, I would like to get your thoughts on the following questions:
- Will Kovalchuk still end up being a New Jersey Devil? Why or why not?
- Was the NHL right to reject the Kovalchuk contract? Why or why not?
- Does this whole Kovalchuk saga prove that the league could be headed for a lockout in the next few seasons? Why or why not?
- How will the Chicago Blackhawks be next season after losing several key players due to salary cap problems? Why?
- Where will UFA goaltender Marty Turco end up signing? Why? How about UFA netminder Jose Theodore?
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Illya+Kovalchuk, Jose+Theodore, Marty+Turco, Michael+Leighton, New+Jersey+Devils, NHL, Philadelphia+Flyers, Steve+Yzerman, Tampa+Bay+Lightning,
Second Period Thoughts
by Patrick Hoffman on 06/04/10 at 09:01 PM ET
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After two periods, it’s still 3-1 Flyers as they try to knot the series up at 2-2.
Here are some thoughts I had on the second period:
- Leighton is 5-0 at home in these playoffs. He’s one period away from making that 6-0 thanks to his terrific play between the pipes tonight.
- Speaking of home ice, the Flyers haven’t lost at the Wachovia Center since Game 3 in the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Boston Bruins.
- From @DanTencer: “Who are the guys in white jerseys and what have they done with the Hawks?”
- Understatement from Mike Emrick: “Dustin Byfuglien has not been the same presence he was in games 1 and 2”. I’m sure the team and its fans think the same thing.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, NHL, Philadelphia+Flyers, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs,
First Period Thoughts
by Patrick Hoffman on 06/04/10 at 08:00 PM ET
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With the way the first period went, Paul may certainly be right with his 5-3 prediction.
Game 4 has certainly been a great one so far. Here are some of my thoughts after a first period which has the Flyers up 3-1 over the Blackhawks:
- How about that terrific Leighton blocker save on Toews in front of the net and then again on the wraparound? Leighton showed exceptional poise and did a great job in smothering the rebound.
- Got to admit - I was impressed with Richards’s goal. He made a great play to help turn the puck over and then slide a great low backhander through the wickets of Niemi. That’s the kind of leadership and offensive skill that Richards has shown throughout these playoffs.
- Ladd returns to the Hawks’ lineup and takes a penalty on his first shift. Talk about getting off on the wrong foot.
- Kopecky has to be feeling badly about that interference penalty, eh?
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, NHL, Philadelphia+Flyers, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs,
Questions Before Tonight’s Game 4
by Patrick Hoffman on 06/04/10 at 09:30 AM ET
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Good morning folks. I hope that everyone has been enjoying the Cup Finals this year because I certainly have been.
We have seen it all in this series: hard hits, big saves, timely scoring, big defensive plays, shutdown hockey, offensive hockey, goaltending dual, etc. It’s all been there so let’s hope it stays for the remainder of the series.
With that in mind, I wanted your thoughts on tonight’s Game 4:
- Who will score the first goal in tonight’s game? Why do you think that is?
- When will big “Buff” return to form?
- Who do you think has been the better coach in this series? Why?
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Philadelphia+Flyers, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs,
Goals Galore - Something Ranger fans are not used to
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/30/10 at 12:33 PM ET
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If you’re a New York Rangers fan and you watched Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals last night between the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers, then you certainly enjoyed seeing something you did not see a lot of this season: goals!
Eleven goals were scored last night in front opf a raucous Chicago crowd and while it was run and gun and somewhat ugly hockey, it was extremely entertaining. That word certainly does not describe the Blueshirts.
If you’re GM Glen Sather (sorry), you have to look at the offensive depth these two clubs have and wonder if there is any way to make that happen in NY. Both of these clubs can throw out four lines every night and know that each line has a good chance to put the puck in the net.
Right now at least, the Rangers do not have that.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers,
Justin Bourne Gives his Thoughts on the Western Conference Finals
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/18/10 at 01:00 PM ET
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As I am sure many of you knowledgeable hockey blog fans are aware, Justin Bourne, who we have interviewed here on Kukla’s Korner, runs the great http://www.jtbourne.com and his now contributing his musings on Puck Daddy.
Justin was kind enough to take time out of his busy blog schedule to give us his thoughts on the Western Conference Finals:
PH: So, the top two teams in the Western Conference will are battling it out to see who goes to the Cup final. Was this pretty much expected?
JT: No, before the playoffs I don’t think it would’ve been safe to say that the Sharks would find the will to get past a top team in a seven game series. Roster-wise it would have been easy to say, but most people are aware of their post-season crumblings, so them getting by Detroit was a heckuva feat. I’m glad they did - the West final is intensely interesting right now.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Justin+Bourne, San+Jose+Sharks, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs,
Not His Fault
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/10/09 at 09:45 AM ET
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New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist did everything he could last night to give his team a chance to steal two points against the high-flying Chicago Blackhawks. Unfortunately for Henrik, no one else jumped on board as the Blueshirts lost 2-1 in overtime.
In regulation time, Lundqvist was magnificent in making 39 saves and was almost able to keep out Jonathan Toews’ equalizer with less than six minutes to go in the third period. However, when you give up that many shots and that many quality chances, pucks are bound to go in the net and that’s exactly what happened to the Blueshirts last night.
In watching head coach John Tortorella’s post-game press conference, it was easy to see how upset he was. He knew that his team did not deserve to get a point and that the only players that came to play were Lundqvist and the team’s fourth line.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, New+York+Rangers,
Deal on the Horizon for Keith?
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/08/09 at 08:53 PM ET
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From Jesse Rogers at ESPNChicago.com:
While no negotiations have taken place, Keith’s agent, Ross Gurney, is expected in town soon which means those talks could heat up. Keith will get a considerable raise from the $1.5 million he is making now.
Too bad for Duncan he wasn’t born a month earlier; if so, he’d be an unrestricted free-agent at the end of this year instead of next. He’ll be 27 on July 16, 2010 which is the age NHL players become unrestricted but he would need to be 27 by July 1.
This gives him a little leverage, I suppose. If he doesn’t like any long term deals the Hawks have to offer (and doesn’t sign a restricted deal with another team) he could play next year under a “qualifying offer” and then become unrestricted.
Click here for more.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Duncan+Keith,
Back in the Saddle
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/18/09 at 03:25 PM ET
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Good afternoon folks. I apologize for not having posted this week as I was busy packing up my things and getting ready to move into my new condo next weekend. Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about Kukla’s Korner.
As you’re all aware of, the NHL Conference Finals are officially under way. Yesterday’s Game 1 between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks showed that the Blackhawks still have a lot to learn about what it means to be a successful playoff team. Sure, they were able to stay in the majority of the game but there are so many things they can learn just from watching the Wings and how they compete with consistency on a nightly basis.
Tonight, the Eastern Conference finals hits the ice as the Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Carolina Hurricanes. Many pundits and fans see this as going six games in favor of the Penguins but let’s not forget that the Hurricanes have not lost a playoff series since 2002 in the Cup finals to the Red Wings. Sure, they’ve only made the postseason twice since 2002 but nevertheless, they’ve been pretty successful so far - wouldn’t you say?
I want to hear your predictions folks:
- Who’s going to win the East? Why?
- Who’s going to win the West, Why?
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Tags: Carolina+Hurricanes, Chicago+Blackhawks, Detroit+Red+Wings, Pittsburg+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs,
Thoughts on Canucks’ Game Three Victory
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/05/09 at 10:20 PM ET
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In another short blog I penned for MaxHockey.com, I mentioned how a Versus analyst called the Vancouver Canucks’ play methodic and how the term suited them for tonight’s 3-1 victory, giving the boys from British Columbia a 2-1 series lead heading into Game Four.
Also, click here to check out Stan Fischler’s thoughts on the same game.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, MaxHockey.com, Stan+Fischler, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs, Vancouver+Canucks,
Thoughts on the Second Round
by Patrick Hoffman on 05/04/09 at 02:57 PM ET
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You can find my thoughts on the second round over at MaxHockey.com. Click below to find out my opinions on each series:
Eastern Conference
- Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes
- Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference
- Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks
- Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Also feel free to check out Zach Weinstock’s excellent NHL Playoff page.
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Tags: Boston+Bruins, Carolina+Hurricanes, Chicago+Blackhawks, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Stanley+Cup+Playoffs, Vancouver+Canucks, Washington+Capitals,
Blackhawks Learning As They Go
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/28/09 at 02:55 PM ET
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From the Canadian Press:
Jonathan Toews, the 20-year-old captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, got his first taste of the playoffs and like so many of his young teammates, he found out just how different it is from the regular season. And how difficult.
“You learn that anything is possible and you can come back from big deficits. Also, if you take a shift off, it can go the other way, too,” Toews said after the Blackhawks finished off the Calgary Flames in six games with a 4-1 win at Calgary on Monday night.
Click here for more.
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Jonathan+Toews,
The Flames are Flawed
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/28/09 at 12:50 PM ET
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From Jim Kelley of Sportsnet.ca:
My job is to inform in the best way I know how and when I mentioned at the start of the season and again at the trade deadline that there were flaws in the Calgary Flames as a team and in the way it was constructed that was true. That they looked very much like yet another edition of the one-and-out Flames was an opinion to be sure, but it was an opinion rooted in observation of fact.
It’s also true that several of the Flames’ flaws were not just exposed but exploited by the Chicago Blackhawks in the now ended season for the Flames. Chicago was the better team, they were a faster team and a better balanced team and, yes, they were healthier and they had the better goaltending but this won’t be a column about the Hawks or about what I’ve seen all season in the Flames.
Click here to read more.
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Tags: Calgary+Flames, Chicago+Blackhawks,
This Week’s Questions
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/03/09 at 11:40 AM ET
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Much like I did last Friday, I am going to list a few questions related to what’s going on in the hockey world.
Please feel free to post your thoughts on the following questions in the comment section of the blog:
- Will the St. Louis Blues make the playoffs? Why or why not?
- What is happening to the New Jersey Devils? Why are they struggling so much?
- Is this the last hurrah in Minnesota for Wild head coach Jacques Lemaire? If so, where do you think he will end up coaching next? Why?
- Have the Montreal Canadiens finally righted the ship after a dismal February and early March? What have they done differently?
- Does anyone really believe that Philadelphia Flyers’ netminder Martin Biron can lead his club to the Stanley Cup?
- Are the Chicago Blackhawks good enough to make a deep run in the playoffs?
- Do the Detroit Red Wings have good enough goaltending to get them back to the Stanley Cup Finals?
Let’s hear your thoughts!
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Detroit+Red+Wings, Jacques+Lemaire, Martin+Biron, Minnesota+Wild, Montreal+Canadiens, New+Jersey+Devils, Philadelphia+Flyers, St.+Louis+Blues,
Look at the Bright Side
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/19/09 at 02:35 PM ET
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Yes, yesterday afternoon’s 3-0 loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins certainly stings but look on the bright side: the New York Rangers picked up points in four of their five road games, including wins against the Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders and the talented Chicago Blackhawks.
The trip saw Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist return to form, especially his statistics: 23 wins, a 2.54 goals against average, a .913 save percentage and two shutouts. These numbers certainly show why he is attending this year’s NHL All-Star game in Montreal.
The team’s recent road trip also saw Chris Drury come alive as well as the continued strong play of Ryan Callahan and Nigle Dawes. Hopefully, these three will continue to play well because they are the only ones that are performing consistently on an offensive level in the past couple of weeks.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Buffalo+Sabres, Chicago+Blackhawks, Chris+Drury, Henrik+Lundqvist, Madison+square+Garden, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, NHL+All-Star+Game, Nigel+Dawes, Ottawa+Senators, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Ryan+Callahan,
The Captain Gets It Done In Chicago
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/16/09 at 11:30 PM ET
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Every New York Ranger fan knew that tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks was going to be a test for their Blueshirts and the team passed it with flying colors thanks to their captain, Chris Drury, who scored to give the Rangers a 3-2 overtime victory at the sold out United Center.
Many Ranger fans, myself included, were wondering what was wrong with Drury not too long ago. He wasn’t scoring, he wasn’t as sharp defensively and he looked lost. However, in the past two weeks or so, Drury has come alive and in his last six games, has five goals and an assist for six points.
Tonight, both of his goals came on the power play and he scored the way the team should be on their power play all season long: by not being afraid to shoot the puck and go to the net.
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Tags: Atlantic+Division, Chicago+Blackhawks, Chris+Drury, Henrik+Lundqvist, New+York+Rangers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tom+Renney,
Rangers in Chi-Town
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/16/09 at 10:45 AM ET
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Tonight will be an important test for the New York Rangers as they take on the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. The Blackhawks are currently fourth in the Western Conference and sport an impressive home record of 16-4-3.
Back on October 10, the Blueshirts defeated the Blackhawks in their home opener at Madison Square Garden but this is a much different Hawks team than the one that was on the ice three months ago. They have a new coach in Joel Quenneville, are getting scoring across the board from the likes of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Martin Havlat, playing solid defensively and are getting excellent goaltending from both Nikolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet.
“Outside of the skill they were able to exhibit back then, I think they will be pretty different (tonight),” Rangers’ head coach Tom Renney told the team’s web site. “I think there is a level of commitment and discipline to their game now.”
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Tags: Aaron+Voros, Chicago+Blackhawks, Cristobal+Huet, Dan+Fritsche, Joel+Quenneville, Jonathan+Toews, Martin+Havlat, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Nikolai+Khabibulin, Patrick+Kane, Patrick+Sharp, Tom+Renney,
We’ll Take It
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/14/09 at 03:45 PM ET
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It certainly wasn’t one of their best games of the season, especially against one of the worst teams in the National Hockey League, but the New York Rangers were able to come away with a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders thanks to the play of Henrik Lundqvist and a rather successful power play.
Lundqvist appears to be returning to form as he posted his third solid performance in a week by making 33 saves en route to his 22nd victory of the season. He was especially good in the first two periods, stopping 24 of 25 shots and enabling his club to hold onto a 2-1 lead going into the third period, a lead that they would not relinquish.
“We knew we would create some chances against them, and it finally paid off in the second period, and then we locked it down the rest of the way,” Lundqvist told the team’s web site. “It was a great effort, and we are definitely on the right track here.”
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Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Chris+Drury, Henrik+Lundqvist, National+Hockey+League, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Nigel+Dawes, Tom+Renney,
