Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: playoffs
First Round a Success
by Alanah McGinley on 04/21/08 at 12:54 PM ET
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From Paul Kukla at Hockey.com,
My life may be a bit different than yours since I do hockey for a living. 24/7, that’s me and although you may not have the schedule I do, you probably have been following the conference quarter-finals and have been impressed by the pace and action of the games.
We have hard hard hits, battles along the boards, grit and determination is the norm and most games have kept us tuned-in until the final horn. The officiating on a whole has been great, letting the boys play is much better than calling every little infraction. As long as the pattern continues, we cannot ask for anything more from the on-ice officials.
more… from the boss
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Officiating, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: officiating, playoffs,
Today in Playoffs History—April 20
by Alanah McGinley on 04/20/08 at 08:08 PM ET
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Flashbacks to: 1950, 1967, 1993, 1997
April 20, 1950 • New York center Don Raleigh set a Stanley Cup record with his second overtime goal in as many games as the Rangers downed the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in Game Five of the 1950 Final.
The win proved to be the Rangers’ last of the series as Detroit went on to win the final two games and the Stanley Cup.
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+history, playoffs,
Avalanche Finish Off the Wild
by Alanah McGinley on 04/20/08 at 02:09 AM ET
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From Jerseys & Hockey Love, Tapeleg puts his feelings into poetry:
Theo steals,
Gaborik reels,
Wild kneel,
Tapeleg squeals
(but in a manly way)
And from Jim Souhan at the Star-Tribune:
“When I look at the effort that our guys put on, you can’t ask for much more,’’ Lemaire said. “Except goals.’‘
Unfortunately for the Wild, the NHL czars insist on keeping score that way. With goals.
Note: Cartoon is from the Win, Lose and Drew archives at the Rocky Mountain News. Click here to enlarge.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: jose+theodore, marian+gaborik, playoffs,
Today in Playoffs History—April 19
by Alanah McGinley on 04/19/08 at 01:19 PM ET
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April 19, 1947 • After assisting on defenseman Vic Lynn’s goal at 5:39 of the second period to tie the game at one goal apiece, Toronto Maple Leafs center Ted “Teeder” Kennedy scored the Cup-winner at 14:39 of the third period to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 in Game Six. The series-ending victory earned Toronto its third Stanley Cup title in six seasons.
Note: Find out more about Vic Lynn at Legends of Hockey, and more about the 1946-47 NHL season on the Wikipedia
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*information courtesy of NHL media
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+history, playoffs,
Today in Playoffs History—April 18
by Alanah McGinley on 04/18/08 at 02:52 PM ET
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Flashbacks To: 1942, 1959, 1963, 1987, 1994
April 18, 1942 • The Toronto Maple Leafs completed the greatest comeback in Stanley Cup history with their fourth straight victory after losing the first three games of the Final to the Detroit Red Wings.
Leafs goaltender Turk Broda provided the heroics, allowing the Red Wings only seven goals in the last four games, including this 3-1 series-ending victory.
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+history, playoffs,
Off-Ice Playoffs Feuding
by Alanah McGinley on 04/17/08 at 08:12 PM ET
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From NBC10.com,
In the column, tiled “Beaten To the Punch,” Wise called the club “an instant repudiation of what (Commissioner) Gary Bettman wanted the league to become” and “a reminder of the NHL’s pugilistic past that just won’t go away.”
“They flat-out market and sell violence here, sanctioned, unbridled assaults disguised as sport,” Wise wrote. He also said, “Many of the women and children in the crowd looked as if they could be security for Megadeth.”
The Flyers planned to distribute 20,000 copies of the article at Thursday night’s game, but the Post sent a cease-and-desist order. So, what did the Flyers do? They put the article up on the big screen over the ice surface, Clark reported.
One Flyers public relations official also wore a long-haired wig and a black shirt with the heavy metal band’s name emblazoned across his back Thursday night.
Read Mike Wise’s original article [link may require free reg.] that appeared in yesterday’s Washington Post.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: hockey+fans, megadeth, playoffs,
Only as Good as Your Last Game
by Alanah McGinley on 04/17/08 at 03:33 PM ET
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From Paul Kukla at Hockey.com,
In the playoffs the team that won the latest game seems to have all the momentum to keep on rolling, right to a series win. But hold on, put on the brakes, there are more games to be played and fortunes can turn around quickly. All it takes is a loss and panic becomes the key word.
Early Tuesday evening, the Calgary Flames could do no wrong. The were coming off a stunning comeback and life was good. Bam, Thornton scores and we now hear the Flames are in a nasty mood, bickering within the locker room has begun. Now what?
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: playoffs,
Wings Make Goalie Change
by Alanah McGinley on 04/17/08 at 02:32 PM ET
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From the AP via the Mercury News,
Dominik Hasek is out, and Chris Osgood is in.
Hasek said Thursday that Red Wings coach Mike Babcock told him Osgood will start Game 5 against the Nashville Predators, who won two straight at home to even the first-round series 2-all.
From Red Wings Corner:
Asked whether Osgood will be the Red Wings’ netminder for the remainder of the playoffs, coach Mike Babcock laughed and said, “Just win baby.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: chris+osgood, dominik+hasek, playoffs,
Today in Playoffs History—April 17
by Alanah McGinley on 04/17/08 at 02:22 PM ET
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April 17, 1977 • Don Kozak of the Los Angeles Kings scored the fastest goal from the start of an NHL playoff game, tallying just six seconds into his club’s 7-4 win over the Boston Bruins in Game Four of their Quarter-final series.
April 17, 1997 • New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur became just the second goaltender in NHL playoff history to score a goal, coming in a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game One of their Eastern Conference Quarter-final. Philadelphia’s Ron Hextall was the first goaltender to score a goal in the playoffs, on April 11, 1989 versus the Washington Capitals.
______________________
*information courtesy of NHL media
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+history, playoffs,
Forget Home Ice Advantage
by Alanah McGinley on 04/17/08 at 01:48 PM ET
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From Tom Cowlishaw at the Dallas News,
Repeat after me. In the National Hockey League, there is no home-ice advantage.
I think we all know the Stars’ sad numbers since moving from their cozier digs at Reunion Arena. They have won one home game in their last seven playoff tries against Colorado, Vancouver and now Anaheim.
I find this trivia question rather amazing.When’s the last time the Stars won a playoff series on their home ice?
Think about it for a second. That’s long enough.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: playoffs,
Today in Playoffs History—April 16
by Alanah McGinley on 04/16/08 at 02:42 PM ET
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Flashbacks To: 1939, 1949, 1953, 1954, 1961, 2001
April 16, 1939 • Goaltender Frank Brimsek, alias “Mr. Zero”, allowed only one goal, his sixth in five Stanley Cup final games against Toronto, to lead the Boston Bruins past the Maple Leafs 3-1 to win the 1939 championship.
April 16, 1949 • The Toronto Maple Leafs swept the Detroit Red Wings to become the first NHL team to win three consecutive Stanley Cup titles (1947-49). The 3-1 series-ending victory also marked the Leafs’ ninth straight win in Final action.
Filed in: | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+history, playoffs,
Storylines of the Playoffs
by Alanah McGinley on 04/15/08 at 03:06 PM ET
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From Paul Kukla’s NHL.com blog,
In less than a week, we have witnessed some great playoff hockey. Let’s look at some of the story lines that are being created early in the second season:
Pittsburgh seems to have it all right now, and the play of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has been a bit of a surprise. Fleury is playing at a very high level and he is giving his team the type of goaltending it needs to go on a very long playoff run.
The Ottawa Senators need a miracle to survive now - winning four games in a row is the only option and it can be done. But will they do it?
continued with a glance at each series
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: playoffs,
Today in Playoffs History—April 15
by Alanah McGinley on 04/15/08 at 03:02 PM ET
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April 15, 1937 • In Game Five of the 1937 Stanley Cup series, referee Mickey Ion awarded Rangers right winger Alex Shibicky the first penalty shot in Final history. Red Wings rookie goaltender Earl Robertson stopped Shibicky’s shot and posted his second straight shutout, 3-0 against New York, as Detroit became the first American team to repeat as Cup champions.
April 15, 1952 • In his fourth shutout in eight postseason games, Detroit Red Wings goalie Terry Sawchuk blanked the Montreal Canadiens 3-0 to complete a four-game sweep of the 1952 Final. The Wings, who had also swept the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Semifinal, distinguished themselves as the first NHL team to win every playoff game in one year.
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*information courtesy of NHL media
*photo found at the Hockey Hall of Fame
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+history, playoffs,
Just Your Team or the NHL in General?
by Alanah McGinley on 04/14/08 at 01:37 PM ET
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From Paul Kukla at Hockey.com:
One quick question for you- Are you following all the games during the playoffs or are you just concerned about the results of your team?
The reason I ask is when the NHL came back after the lockout year, it seemed to me the majority of fans were just interested in their team. The league and the other teams really were not of interest; it was all about the team.
Now that we are three years into the redefined NHL, I am beginning to see more and more fans not only following their team, but also the NHL in general. Am I right?
and more, including a sample from the panicky emails showing up this week
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: hockey+fans, playoffs,
Today in Playoffs History—April 14
by Alanah McGinley on 04/14/08 at 01:25 PM ET
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Flashbacks To: 1928, 1931, 1942, 1948, 1953, 1955, 1960
April 14, 1928 • In only their second season as an NHL franchise, the New York Rangers captured the 1928 Stanley Cup with a 2-1 triumph over the Montreal Maroons in the final game of the best-of-five title series.
The Rangers became only the second American team in history to win the Stanley Cup, joining the 1917 champion Seattle Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association.
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+history, playoffs,
Today in Playoffs History—April 12
by Alanah McGinley on 04/12/08 at 02:20 PM ET
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Flashbacks: 1938, 1941, 1945, 1960, 1979, 2007
April 12, 1938 • The Chicago Black Hawks captured the 1938 Stanley Cup title with a 4-1 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Four of the best-of-five Final.
Eight American-born players—Carl Dahlstrom, Roger Jenkins, Virgil Johnson, Mike Karakas, Alex Levinsky, Doc Romnes, Louis Trudel and Carl Voss—skated for Chicago in the Final.
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+history, playoffs,
Today in Playoffs History—April 11
by Alanah McGinley on 04/11/08 at 11:48 AM ET
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April 11, 1936 • Detroit coach Jack Adams steered the Red Wings to their first Stanley Cup championship with a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 4 of the best-of-five Stanley Cup Final. The Red Wings, who had entered the NHL in 1926-27, became the last of the League’s “Original Six” teams to win the Cup.
April 11, 1965 • Detroit Red Wings center Norm Ullman set NHL individual and team playoff records by scoring two goals just five seconds apart in Game Five of their Semi-final series against Chicago. Ullman scored at 17:35 and 17:40 of the second period in a 4-2 Detroit victory. The goals were scored in almost identical fashion—snapshots from about 50 feet out, using Chicago defensemen as screens to beat Glenn Hall. Chicago won the best-of-seven series 4-3.
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+history, playoffs,
Deep Into The Playoffs
by Paul on 04/11/08 at 11:17 AM ET
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from Alan Ryder of the Globe and Mail,
One of the silver bullets of sports analytics is the successful forecasting of playoff outcomes. The answer, in hockey, is quite simple. Regression analysis over the recent history of the NHL has indicated that the best predictor of success in the playoffs is simply regular (full) season success.
Below is a chart showing the winning percentage of playoff teams, grouped by their exit round, since the big-bang expansion of the late 1960s. It shows that the average winning percentage is dramatically higher for teams that persist deeper into the playoffs.
Filed in: NHL Teams | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: playoffs,
No “Pity Party” for Kolzig
by Alanah McGinley on 04/10/08 at 04:21 PM ET
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From the AP via Sports Illustrated,
“I’ve had a good run here,’’ Kolzig said Thursday. “And I hope it continues in the next two months.’‘
In other words, until the playoffs are over. After that, Kolzig will become a free agent, presenting an understandably murky future for a 38-year-old goalie who lost his starting job just as the Capitals were becoming good again.
“The worst thing I can do is have a pity party,’’ Kolzig said. “I’m not really going to talk about the situation until the end of the year, but it is what it is and I’ve come to grips with it.’‘
Kolzig has been supplanted by Cristobal Huet, acquired from Montreal at the trade deadline.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals, NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: cristobal+huet, goalies, olie+kolzig, playoffs,
Volchenkov Expects to Play Game #2
by Alanah McGinley on 04/10/08 at 04:04 PM ET
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From Ian Mendes at Sportsnet.ca,
Anton Volchenkov told reporters on Thursday that he expects to play in Game 2 on Friday night in Pittsburgh, after leaving Game 1 with a head injury.
The defenseman said he did not suffer a concussion when he blocked a Evgeni Malkin shot with his forehead in the second period Wednesday night. He required 15 stitches to close the gash and says that if he is able to put on a helmet, he will suit up for Game 2. He did not participate in a full team practice in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators, NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: anton+volchenkov, injuries, playoffs,
Today in Playoffs History—April 10
by Alanah McGinley on 04/10/08 at 03:25 PM ET
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April 10, 1934 • The Chicago Black Hawks earned their first Stanley Cup title with a 1-0 overtime victory versus the Detroit Red Wings in Game 4 of the best-of-five championship. Harold “Mush” March potted the series-winner at 10:05 of the second overtime period.
The joy of Chicago’s inaugural Stanley Cup win was overshadowed less than two months later by the death of their star goaltender Chuck Gardiner. The 29-year old “Wee Scot” (Gardiner was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland) died from a brain hemorrhage on June 13, 1934.
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Playoff Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+history, playoffs,
Will the Cup Go East or West?
by Alanah McGinley on 04/10/08 at 02:49 PM ET
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Two articles at ESPN today.
First, David Amber for the East:
The Stanley Cup resides in Southern California until June. After that, chances are it will head to the Eastern Conference. Yes, the West had the best team during the regular season in Detroit and it has a number of solid Stanley Cup contenders. But here are five good reasons to believe the Cup will runneth over to the East this spring.
Next up, E.J. Hradek for the West:
If you believe defense wins championships, then you have to figure the eventual Stanley Cup winner will come from the Western Conference. After all, the league’s three best defensive teams all reside in the West, and that very stingy Western trio includes the defending Stanley Cup-champion Ducks.
Filed in: | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: playoffs, stanley+cup,
Pat Sajak Serious About the Caps
by Alanah McGinley on 04/10/08 at 01:52 PM ET
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From Dan Steinberg at the DC Sports Blog (Washington Post),
The Stanley Cup playoffs require a wide-ranging level of civic commitment. For Mike Green, that commitment was on display this morning, in the form of an early-morning mohawk. Dozens of fans will be receiving similar ‘hawks tomorrow. For Pat Sajak, that commitment might involve a red-eye flight back East from a “Wheel of Fortune” taping next Friday, to make sure he can get to Verizon Center in time for Game 5.
“If the Caps don’t sweep,” Sajak noted. “I’m pretty well at their mercy.”
Yeah, that’s right, Sajak has become a hard-core Caps fan, a front-row season ticket holder for the past two seasons who attends 30 games a year and was “Rocking the Red” throughout last week’s spasm of Caps passion.
Unfortunately, there’s a good reason Sajak isn’t going to be able to pull off his own mohawk to support his favorite team. 
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: hockey+fans, pat+sajak, playoffs,
Rookies to Watch
by Alanah McGinley on 04/09/08 at 04:34 PM ET
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From Edward Fraser at The Hockey News,
Storylines surrounding the NHL’s second season focus on players who’ve had long, illustrious careers, but have been unable to reach the NHL’s tallest hill (see Teemu Selanne in ‘07 and Jeremy Roenick this year); not about players trying to claim the grail their first time around.
Heck, most of the Calder candidates (Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Peter Mueller, Tobias Enstrom, Sam Gagner) didn’t even make the round of 16.
With that said, there are still several youngsters who will play key roles during this season’s run to the Cup. Here are five fab freshmen to keep your peepers peeled for:
Filed in: NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: playoffs, rookies,
KK Challenge - 2008 Playoff Edition
by Paul on 04/08/08 at 05:07 PM ET
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April 8th 11:59pm ET: Contest Closed. Good luck!
________________________________
Here is your chance to win a Rbk EDGE Authentic Jersey of your choice!
First off, you need to be a KK member (registration is free) and tell us the following:
How many total goals will be scored in the 2008 NHL Playoffs. Then, and for tie-breaking purposes only, give us the number of shutouts that will be registered during the 2008 NHL Playoffs.
Simple as that and your entry must be submitted in the comments of this post (no emails accepted). If a tie still remains from the winning entries, a random drawing will be held to select the winner.
Additional prizes will be awarded too, by doing a few random drawings of all entries.. Those prizes will be announced soon.
All entries must be timestamped no later than 11:59pm ET on April 8, 2008.
Good luck!
Update April 4th: Another Prize!
A one-year subscription to the digital edition of The Hockey News! Winner will be decided by a random draw chosen from all the entries. (*Meanwhile, check out a trial version THN digital edition)
note: This post on occasion will be moved to the top of page until April 8th. Original post was April 2nd at 2:37pm.
Update April 8th: Comments Problem
For some reason, comments aren’t showing up from the most recent handful of people who have entered the contest. We are working to fix this now. Meanwhile, please note that we are keeping track of those missing entries. They will be added to the comments below as soon as we figure out the technical glitch. (Update again: Problem fixed!)
Update April 8th 11:59pm ET: Contest Closed. Good Luck, Everyone!
Filed in: KK Website Business, KK Challenge | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: contests, kk+challenge, playoffs,
Special Playoff Edition of “NHL Hour” Today
by Alanah McGinley on 04/08/08 at 01:01 PM ET
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NEW YORK (April 7, 2008) – To preview the start of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, a special edition of NHL Hour hosted by National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman will broadcast live Tuesday, April 8 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET on XM Satellite Radio channel NHL Home Ice, (XM channel 204) and NHL.com.
To submit questions to NHL Hour call 1-877-NHL-ON-XM (1-877-645-6696) or email homeice@xmradio.ca. NHL Hour will not broadcast this week during its usual time slot of Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
NHL Hour is a production of NHL Radio.
Update 4:30pm ET: I forgot to include the online link earlier—when it starts, you can listen live here.
Filed in: NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: gary+bettman, media, nhl+hour, playoffs,
Playoff Story Lines
by Alanah McGinley on 04/08/08 at 12:32 PM ET
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From Scott Burnside at ESPN,
Sixteen teams, eight series, one dream … and a thousand story lines. Welcome to the most compelling postseason tournament in sports. Here’s a look at 10 story lines to follow once the pucks drop Wednesday. [...]
The M.A.S.H. factor
Sometimes, it can be a galvanizing force; other times, it can be a crippling blow. But rest assured, injuries will at some point play a significant role in shaping the story lines that will unfold in the coming weeks.
Filed in: NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: playoffs,
Iron Mike Head Games
by Alanah McGinley on 04/08/08 at 10:52 AM ET
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From Eric Francis at the Calgary Sun, Jeremy Roenick tells a story about Mike Keenan:
“In the 1992 Stanley Cup, I got slashed by Kevin Stevens, and Mike threw a cast on my hand and put me in front of the media to get a point across to the league and the officials that I was getting cheap-shotted,” chuckled Roenick during a conference call yesterday setting up his Sharks’ series with Keenan’s Calgary Flames.
“He made me a guinea pig—it was kind of embarrassing—but what Mike says, you do. Mike is a genius when it comes to head games and getting into the referees’ or players’ heads. He’s crazy—very slippery, very sly. He can manipulate a lot of people with what comes out of his mouth. That’s just a talent.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: jeremy+roenick, mike+keenan, playoffs,
Playoff News & Views
by Alanah McGinley on 04/08/08 at 10:25 AM ET
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NHL.com has their 2008 Playoffs preview section up.
Each quarter final matchup is broken down and additional features and updates will be added throughout the playoffs.
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Media | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: media, nhl.com, playoffs,
Old Rivalries and New
by Alanah McGinley on 04/07/08 at 04:29 PM ET
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Lew Serviss at the NYT Slapshot blog has prepared a breakdown of the first round:
Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins
After the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock, the Pilgrims and the Indians rode into town to watch the Bruins face the Canadiens. Well, it sure seems like this rivalry goes back that far. The Habs and B’s will go at it for the 25th time in the playoffs. This time, it hardly looks like a fair fight.
more… with a brief analysis of every team, including injury reports etc.
Filed in: NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: playoffs,
Koivu Uncertain to Return to Start Playoffs
by Alanah McGinley on 04/05/08 at 03:31 PM ET
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From the CP via the Globe & Mail,
Saku Koivu is optimistic his fractured left foot will heal enough to let him start the playoffs but the Montreal Canadiens captain said Saturday nothing is certain.
“What’s going to happen in the future, for the first game, we’ll see next week,” Koivu said. “Every day it feels better, but there’s not much we can tell.
“We’ll know a lot more in the next couple of days.”
continued… with more on other injured Habs
Filed in: NHL Teams, Montreal Canadiens | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: injuries, playoffs, saku+koivu,
Conference Call Transcript: Jacques Lemaire
by Alanah McGinley on 04/02/08 at 02:50 PM ET
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Today, the Minnesota Wild’s head coach Jacques Lemaire was made available by way of a NHL teleconference. With 95 points the Wild sit in first place in the Northwest Division, two points ahead of Colorado and three ahead of the Calgary Flames, who they host tomorrow night. A victory would guarantee a division championship and home ice in at least in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Here’s the transcript of Lemaire’s Q&A session.
Q. Jacques, one of the things I noticed about your team is how good your record is in special teams play and how important that’s been during the regular season. I’d like you to comment on the power play. You’re eighth best in the league, penalty killing second best in the league. How much has that influenced your success this season and how important will it be in the playoffs versus the regular season?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: coaching, conference+call, interview, jacques+lemaire, playoffs,
Crushed Hopes
by Alanah McGinley on 03/27/08 at 03:23 PM ET
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From Adam Proteau at The Hockey News,
Hollywood movies and human nature have conditioned most of us to hope, if not outright expect, our stories to have happy endings.
However, as a few NHL franchises just learned, reality doesn’t grant nearly that many wishes. More often than not, it specializes in the cruelest of lessons, crushed hopes and dashed dreams.
That was the unfortunate result for the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Florida Panthers, which all saw their Stanley Cup aspirations coldly cast into the proverbial latrine after losing must-win games this week. And soon, playoff bubble teams such as the Buffalo Sabres, Nashville Predators – or perhaps the fast-sliding Vancouver Canucks – will set up shop with them on lottery lane.
Filed in: NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: playoffs,
On the Bubble
by Alanah McGinley on 03/25/08 at 08:42 PM ET
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From the New York Times, a few words from the representative bloggers of all the NHL teams still fighting for their playoff lives:
Included in the west is my own overly-optimistic blurb on the Canucks. But I think my favorite of the bunch would have to be from the Edmonton Oilers blogger… gotta love that hockey hate…
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Media, Hockey Bloggers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: eastern+conference, hockey+bloggers, playoffs, western+conference,
Against All Odds
by Alanah McGinley on 03/24/08 at 02:20 PM ET
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From Pierre LeBrun at Sportsnet.ca,
Not since the spring of 1986 has every single NHL team in Canada made the playoffs in the same season. That’s right—22 freakin’ years.
The Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs, apparently putting rocket fuel in their cereal these days, seem determined to help end the streak.
With just under two weeks left in the regular season, the two Canadian clubs, written off by the hockey world long ago, are waging quite the campaign to get into the playoff dance against all odds.
Update 3:17pm ET: Eric Duhatschek at the Globe & Mail adds some more thoughts on the Oilers “Cinderella Story” as they race to make the playoffs.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: playoffs,
Sharks Making Their Mark
by Alanah McGinley on 03/17/08 at 07:29 PM ET
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From the AP via the Santa Barbara News-Press,
After the longest winning streak in franchise history, Roenick’s only remaining question is whether the Sharks can ride this wave all the way into June.
San Jose’s club-record 11-game roll ended Sunday night, but the 2-1 shootout loss to Edmonton still produced the Sharks’ 23rd point in 12 games. Led by a rejuvenated captain, a new defenseman and a tireless goalie, San Jose has replied to the doubters who saw the preseason Stanley Cup favorites’ first 60 games as a disappointment - particularly the five before their winning run.
‘‘We had that five-game losing streak, and when you’re in a playoff race and you get scared of actually missing the playoffs, it gets your attention,’’ said Roenick, recalling a miserable trip from New Jersey to Philadelphia right before the streak began.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: jeremy+roenick, playoffs,
Revisiting the Point Scheme
by Alanah McGinley on 03/15/08 at 11:54 AM ET
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From Jeff Z. Klein at Slap Shot (NYT),
Why does the NHL persist with its broken standings system, whose guaranteed-point scheme encourages teams to play for regulation ties and has triggered an epidemic of third-period sleepwalks? Well, for one thing, it keeps the standings close and the playoff races tight. … Or does it?
Starting today we present the standings as they appear under the NHL’s current system (designated as N below) and as they would appear under the European system (E, or 3 for a regulation win, 2 for an OT or shootout win, 1 for an OT/SO loss, and 0 for a regulation loss) and under the Slovak Extraliga system (S, or 3 for a regulation win, 2 for an OT/SO win, 0 for any kind of loss).
Filed in: NHL Talk, Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: nhl+standings, playoffs,
Barely Making it is the Key to Success
by Alanah McGinley on 03/06/08 at 02:45 PM ET
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From at the NY Post,
In three of the last four NHL postseasons, a sixth seed (Flames, 2004), a seventh seed (Ducks, 2003), and an eighth seed (Oilers, 2006) became conference champions, so Jagr gets it: It’s all about getting in, the more barely the better.
“That means you’ve been playing playoff games already, good preparation,” he said, then smiled. “But you have to make it.”
That’s why the Rangers New York Rangers pay Jagr the big bucks, for impeccable analysis like that.
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: jaromir+jagr, playoffs,
Winning Back Texas Fans
by Alanah McGinley on 02/20/08 at 03:33 PM ET
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From Richie Whitt at the Dallas Observer,
Admittedly stripped to a die-hard, bare-bones fan base after years of late-season flirtation begetting only playoff headaches, the Stars are at it again. Quietly, efficiently producing successful hockey that begs to be noticed. But for the most part playing to a city that doesn’t give a damn. [...]
“We’re down to the core,” says Stars president Jeff Cogen, charged with regenerating a hockey buzz in our disappointed, disjointed sports town. “It’s not ‘Woe is me.’ It’s just that, compared to who we once were we’ve fallen off quite a bit. We admit that, and we’re reacting to it to get those fans back.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Dallas Stars | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: attendance, hockey+fans, playoffs,
Shooting For The Playoffs
by Paul on 11/21/07 at 09:00 AM ET
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from Tim Sassone of the Daily Herald,
There’s no reason why the Hawks can’t make the playoffs with a tweak here and there, or even be a team that finishes in the top four or five. There’s only one dominant team in the Western Conference—the Detroit Red Wings—and the Hawks have beaten them four times already.
The Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks are strong, but after that the Hawks can be as good as anyone in the West, provided Martin Havlat returns to health, Tallon adds a veteran defenseman and a forward, and goalies Nikolai Khabibulin and Patrick Lalime play better.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: chicago+blackhawks, playoffs,
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