Wild Blockbuster Deal Rocks Hockey World

Vol. IV, No. 1

Yeah, I'm in shock. Along with a bunch of other hockey nuts in the Garden State.

Zach Parise is New Jersey history. After seven great years (OK, one was a rehab year), he has decided to move west with his bride. Well, actually, she will be moving east from North Dakota.

Apparently, Zach will trade in his #9 for a new #11.  He will get a Minnesota Wild New Jersey. Pun intended.  It's already on sale in the NHL store. They have to make a buck some way, now that the arenas are empty and the Stanley Cup is making its summer rounds. 

I spoke with Scott Oake (google him) and he told me that people on the inside were not surprised. The Minnesota Wild had the bucks to attract the TWO top unrestricted free agents. How could Zach resist a chance to play with Ryan Suter, and to play in his hometown?  The choice boiled down to the Wild and the Devs. Money was not the issue. Location trumped bucks.

His future is assured. Was it ever in doubt? Actually, yes it was. Just one year ago, nobody knew if Parise could come back and regain his form after a bad injury and rehab. But, donning the C, he roared back and set himself up as hockey's biggest plum. The Wild picked him.  He will now wear red and green. That's right - the Wild colors are sort of the reverse of the original Devils hues.

It was a no brainer, and nobody can possibly blame him for it. This is NOT a Scott Gomez going across the river for bigger bucks. This was the right thing for a young man about to be married in front of his folks and the people he grew up with.

Zach, New Jersey's going to miss you. Until Veterans Day, that is. On Sunday November 11, the Minnesota Wild come to town to play at Prudential Center. I don't know about you, but I will be there. I will probably cheer for Zach until he scores his first goal against his former teammates.

Hats off to the Parise family. A tough decision, but in the long run, it is surely right for them. Will Parise, Suter and company make the Wild competitive?  Time will tell.

Hockey Rules!

2012 Draft Over, Summer is Officially Here

Vol III, No. 21

The draft is done. We got Stephane Matteau. That name rings a bell, doesn't it? Scouts say he skates better than his father. It will be great to see him on the ice when the Blueshirts come to town. But that is probably a couple years down the road.

Speaking of what's right up ahead, the new season schedule is out. It's available on the Devils and NHL websites. The season home opener is Saturday October 13 against Boston.

One event is not on the list. Keep June 28-29 open on next year's calendar. Why? Because the 2013 draft will be held at The Rock that weekend. Odds are, next year is when the Devs will forfeit a first round pick, to pay off the Kovalchuk contract penalty.

But the Rock will be rockin', with the entire hockey world on hand. It will be our chance to show 'em that the Devils Army cares for our hometown boys. Especially if the NHL owns the franchise by that time (which could happen).

Hockey Rules!

Devils Bow to Kings and Refs

Vol. III, No. 20

Game 6. The Kings have been crowned. 

Six goals were scored by LA, four on power plays, one on an empty net. The Kings deserve the cup, even though the score was determined by the refs (at least three of the LA goals, all in the first period).

Congrats to the Kings. They were the best team in the playoffs with a nearly flawless road record (lost one game to the Devils, took 10 other contests on the road).  Their 16 - 4 record in the second, the toughest, season has not been equalled in decades.

The Devils played one helluva season and have nothing to be ashamed of. They are Eastern Conference champions.  Their playoff performance was the best against the most dominant Western Conference team in decades.  They played the Kings tough, right up until the end.

New Jersey's playoff performances that astounded the experts. This was a team that just one year ago FAILED TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS.  As turnarounds go, this one was huge.  It was a great run.

It's time for summer. That's what hockey fans know. It ain't summer until somebody dances with the Cup.

Newark, LA and the other 28 teams can rest now, for three months. Exhibition hockey starts in only three months.  There are summer hockey camps to run, and the Cup will visit places all over the world. And then the boys get back on the ice in September.

Hockey Rules.

Referees Deciding the Game?

Vol III, No. 19

The Devils have gotten a spanking in the first two periods of Game 6.  It looks like LA is getting near to capturing Lord Stanley.

The first 10 minutes of the game were as even as the rest of the series. But then the NHL referees busted the game wide open.

Steven Gionta gets boarded - no penalty called.  Immediately afterwards, Steve Bernier gets a major and game misconduct which leads to 3 LA goals.  Had Gionta gotten the call, no Bernier infraction, no power play, no Devil player removed from the game.

Next, Ilya Kovalchuk gets mugged and punched - no call.

Next, a ref gets in Anton Volchenkov's path, takes him out of the play, and the defensive breakdown leads to LA's fourth goal.

Next, Bryce Salvador gets a double minor for a high stick. That's about the only legit call in the game so far.

I'd say the score is NHL Refs 4, NJ Devils 0.

Is this sour grapes?  Yes. But the Devils coaches, normally reserved, were livid. If it were Robbie Ftorek behind the bench, there would be debris on the ice already. But Peter Deboer is cooler than that. Even when it comes to Taylor Stevens behind the Devils bench.

There will be another post after the game is over.

Hockey Rules, subject to interpretation!

It's Back to Tinseltown We Go, We Go

Vol III, No .19

The New Jersey Devils have achieved what the top three Western Conference teams could not. On Saturday night, the Devils beat the LA Kings in Newark.  

It was the Kings first road loss in the playoffs, after a flawless 10 - 0 record. It was the Kings first back-to-back set of losses since April. And it was the second game in a row that LA failed to get that magical #4 win. The Stanley Cup remains in its NHL case, and will travel west along with the two teams, NHL officials and the press entourage.

And here's one other strange stat.  In 70 years of Cup competition, any team that has gone up 3 - 0 in the beginning has never been able to win the cup in Game 6.  Series have ended in sweeps, with wins in Game 5, or with deciding Game 7s. But never a Game 6.

History may be made in the next four days. If the Kings win on Monday, they will be the first team in history to do it in a Game 6.  If the Devils win on Monday, it opens up the possibility that New Jersey could come back from a 0 - 3 game deficit and win a Cup.  The last time that was done was 70 years ago, in 1942, when the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings.

The series returns to LA, where the Kings have a 5 - 3 playoff record (with one of those losses at the hands of their Eastern Conference opponent).  The pressure is now on the Kings to pull out a victory before a home crowd, after an unsuccessful attempt on Thursday night.

After all, their road game performance is no longer flawless. The ran into Martin Brodeur and a stingy Devils defense - and could only put one puck into the net.  Sounds like what they've been doing to their opponents, but now, the Kings have suffered the same fate.

Lord Stanley is waiting.  One or two more games is all that is left of the 2011-12 NHL season. It's a great day for hockey!

P.S. Martin Brodeur had a stellar performance, allowing one goal on 26.  In the third period alone, LA out shot the Devils 9 - 3. But Ilya Kovalchuk remains a mystery. He was not a factor in tonight's game, with only one shot and a +/- rating of -1. When the season is done, odds are that there will be news about Kovy. Something's up and it has not yet been made public.

Minor News - Robbery in Toronto

Vol III, No. 18

While most of the hockey world is tuned to Los Angeles and Newark, there are odd things going on, north of the border.

In the first professional hockey game ever played in Toronto, during the month of June, the jinx was in on Thursday night. The Calder Cup finals are being played, and it was Game 3.

The Toronto Marlies are the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate (and feeder club).  This year, made it to the Calder Cup Finals. There's only one small problem. They wuz robbed, in one of the strangest finishes anyone has ever seen.

The Marlies entered Thursday night, after losing two road games in a row to the Norfolk Admirals.  Back on home ice, a sellout Toronto crowd (8084 strong) expected the Marlies to bounce back.  Despite being out shot 30 to 21, the Marlies stayed in the game through three scoreless periods. Then came overtime.

At 9:09 of OT, Admirals D-man Mike Kostka dumped the puck into the Marlies end, as his teammates were clearing the zone. RW Brandon Segal was still in the offensive zone as the puck entered.  It was  an automatic offside and should have been a delayed call. 

The puck hit the back boards, bounced off, hit the side of the goalpost and curled around into the other side of the goal. Marlies goaltender Ben Scrivens looked on in disbelief, as the red light came on and the referee signaled a goal.

But it couldn't be a goal, with delayed offsides. The ref blew the call. It was a sudden death game winner. And Norfolk now are one game away from an AHL championship, with a commanding 3 - 0 series lead, all because of a referee's error.

AHL President David Andrews was forced to issue a statement on the league website.  Here it is.

“We have spoken with Toronto Marlies management and confirmed that a rules interpretation error by the on-ice officials occurred on the Norfolk Admirals’ overtime goal during Game 3 of the Calder Cup Finals...As AHL By-Laws do not allow for any change to the final result of a game based on an incorrect rule interpretation, the result of the game stands.”


You have to wonder what would happen if a bad goal ever decided an OT playoff game in the NHL.  With video review in Toronto (of course), you assume that the refs would be corrected on the ice.  But in the AHL, there is no video review, and so the Admirals stole a game.

If Norfolk goes on to win the Calder Cup, a lot of Toronto fans will remember Thursday night as the   time a ref got away with murder.

Hockey Rules, but sometimes even the refs don't get them right!

Face Washing

Vol. III, No. 17

What's a face wash? This photo defines it.  Patrik Elias is delivering a visor wipe, on Kings Captain Dustin Brown.

Dustin obviously needed a dustin' - and Patty was happy to deliver the cleaning.  The face wash assist goes to Devils D-man Bryce Salvador. 

Face washing is not what happened to Ilya Kovalchuk. He got a stick in his face, UNDER his visor, and it didn't rip his helmet off. Kings D-man Willie Mitchell got his stick up and took the penalty at the end of the third period.

Poor Willie, a former Devils player. His former team didn't score on the PP, but the penalty ate up precious seconds.  LA goaltender Jonathan Quick skated off with only about 45 seconds remaining.

And then Kovy came roaring back from the infraction, scoring an empty-netter to ice the game.  

LA fans had to put away the brooms and their team is headed east again. Will the Devils repeat what happened to Vancouver and Phoenix, and lose THREE home games in a row? Can the Kings preserve their flawless road game 10 - 0 record?

Stay tuned for Hockey Night in Newark, Saturday at the Rock

Hockey Rules!

Suspense, Defense, Whoa Baby!

Vol. III, No. 16

The suspense was intense. The Cup was in the house. The Kings were ready to celebrate. They almost own the Cup.

But nobody almost wins the Cup.  It takes four games. There's only one small problem. Two Devils, Patrik Elias and Adam Henrique, were able to find the back of the Kings net tonight. 

Henrique's game winner added to an impressive playoff run, following his game and series OT winner against the Rangers two weeks ago. #14 should now have a lock on NHL Rookie of the Year honors.

New Jersey added a cushion with a third empty net goal in the last minute by Ilya Kovalchuk, moments after he suffered a nasty high stick under his visor.

In other words, a resilient never-say-die Devils team answered. As always, it boils down to defense.

The Devils only allowed 22 shots on goal. Martin Brodeur stopped 21 of them. He denied all even-handed chances. The only Kings goal was a power play which happened after a questionable call on Devils forward David Clarkson. He received two minutes for boarding. It was a weak call on what was essentially a moderate check against the boards.

On the other side, the LA defense could not stop Elias, Henrique and Kovalchuk. The Kings have to start thinking, because the top Devils scorers were able to wake up tonight.  The only other NJ scores of the entire series - two goals total - were put in by Anton Volchenkov and Ryan Carter in the first two games. 

The Devils big lines had been kept off the board for three games. Not tonight. The confidence boost, the attitude change is an intangible. But it's real.  The Devs return to Newark with a sense that the series is up for grabs and that the Kings can be beaten. LA flies to New Jersey, wondering if they can win an 11th straight game on the road.

LA lost in another way tonight. They had a chance to equal the 1988 Gretzky-powered Edmonton Oilers stellar playoff record of 16 - 2. The Kings could not get it done and now posses a record of 15 - 3. It's an impressive stat, but it does not qualify for the record books.

The series starts up again, with Game 5 at the Rock on Saturday night.

One of two things will happen. Either the Devils will find a way to win one at home and end the King's phenomenal road 10 - 0 road game record, or else the Cup will appear at the end of the game amidst a scrum of white road jerseys. Either way, the crowd in NJ will have a great experience.

Hockey Rules!

Destiny

Vol III, No. 15

June 4 was the evening that Los Angeles probably sealed the deal.  They didn't win the Cup, it is still too early for that, but they made a statement with a convincing 4 - 0 shutout. 

For the fourth time this playoff season, the Kings have gone up 3 - 0 against their opponents.  Their record is now 15 - 2. They are one game away from dancing with Lord Stanley.

The first two games of the series both went to overtime, ending by identical 2 - 1 scores. Two overtimes in a row is a first in NHL history. Tonight there was no need for overtime.  The Kings took a 2 - 0 lead in the second period, and added another two goals on consecutive power plays in the third period.

The Devils are frustrated. Two OT losses. A first period in Game 3 with six power plays, and nothing to show for it. They are joining this year's elite club of the top three teams in the Western Conference, Vancouver, St. Louis and Phoenix. Over the past two months, all were steamrollered by the gang from Tinseltown.

Vancouver and Phoenix found a way to win their game fours, before bowing out in the fifth game. Can the Devils bounce back on Wednesday night and avoid the sweep?  No matter what, the Stanley Cup will be in the house.  And if the Devils do manage to win a game, the Cup will return to Newark on Saturday June 9.

Teams have come back from 0 - 3 deficits before, but it is rare. The Devils are in the hole and it sure looks like their hockey season is going to end soon.  If they lose the next game, it will just be a mirror image of their first Stanley Cup final, in which the Detroit Red Wings were eliminated in four games.

Sweeps are part of the game, and the way Los Angeles is playing, nobody would be surprised. But, as they say in Philly (where a bunch of Kings players come from), it ain't over until the fat lady sings.

Hockey Rules!

Ruminations on a Long Long Season

Vol. III, No. 14

Here we are in the merry month of June, and hockey is being played when it is 90F outside (or over 100F last week, in that hockey nirvana known as the desert of Arizona).

Hockey is not unique. When customers pay to see a game, length of season gets to be all about the moolah. I remember a World Series game when it snowed one evening. How in hell you can expect normal baseball, when the orb is freezing and hard to throw or catch?  Baseball is, or should be, a sport of the sun.

40 years ago, when hockey "permanently" infected me, college tournament play occurred in the winter. Tournament play is particularly rooted in hockey as a complement to regular season and league play. Tournament play is essentially what the Stanley Cup playoffs are. 

Canadians preserved this tradition as remnants of the English system of community sporting contests from the time of the middle ages.  In other words, we are witnessing the modern equivalent of jousting, with the nobles looking on at the poor idiots who commit their bodies for some sort of honor and a ladies' handkerchief.  Well, maybe the latter really did lead to some real benefits, but who is to say.  

The "Beanpot" hockey tourney in Boston preserves this tradition, as it is played in February when water naturally occurs outdoors in its solid form.  The ECAC and NCAA tournaments are finished in April...which to me is the natural limit of when hockey should be played (at least at our latitudes). It is consistent with when the last snows of winter can occur - usually done by the end of March, but with an infrequent storm even in mid April.

Alas, the "pro" (as in PROfit) leagues don't see it this way. Exhibition hockey starts in September, with the real season opening in early October.  That is a full month before snow happens (witness, the freak Halloween storm that happened in the Northeast last year). 

So, from September to June, professional athletes earn their keep - those that reach the finals. The others get to retire to the golf courses in April or May.  That is a season of 9 months on average. And at the tail end, as happened this past Wednesday in muggy Newark, you wind up with summer-like conditions which create a horrible playing surface.

Hockey played on mushy, choppy ice...baseball played in the snow...seasons that go on without end...and the league teams continue to gleefully rake in gate receipts, merchandise sales and what not.  I am not immune. Playoff tickets cost an additional 30% of a regular season, give or take. I buy some merchandise too. It feels great to wear a hat or T with the word "Champion" emblazoned upon it.

Merchandise cost is another way that moolah flows. The official Eastern Conference Devils hat cost $45 at the Prudential Center. At Modells, it was $32 on Thursday. By Saturday, the hats were marked down to $15.  A little patience can save a bit of money.

Pretty soon hockey will be done, then I go cold turkey for a couple of weeks, and before long, the new season schedule comes out - the awards weekend happens - the drafts and trades get finished. And the eternal question will be answered. Who will replace Martin Brodeur (because, mark my words, he is hanging up the skates this year). 

It is possible that last night was the last time he will have played before a home crowd - if LA manages to sweep the series. But as they say in Philadelphia - it ain't over until the fat lady sings.

Hockey Rules!

The Rock in June

Vol. III, No. 13

It's the 2nd day in June and ice hockey is being played in Newark NJ.

One day after a Radiohead concert gig, the ice is getting a workout as the Kings and Devils duke it out in the Stanley Cup finals. 

When the Pru Center booked Radiohead, could anyone have predicted that the ice would still be in? But the hockey gods and a surprising Devils team confounded Prudential planners.

The Devs refused to take out the golf clubs. They refused to take off the sweaty pads. They insisted in trashing their eastern conference opponents and wound up in the Stanley Cup finals for the fifth time on team history (1995, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2012). What a run. 

And now they are confronting the LA Kings buzz saw, the same machine which has taken apart the best of the west, with a 9-0 road record including their SC final win in Newark two nights ago.

At the moment LA has the lead in game 2, a precious 1-0 score. Jonathan Quick has faced 12 shots and is a stone wall. The Kings are looking tough. It's no surprise. LA, the lowest seed in the Western Conference, has won the first two road games in every playoff round leading up to the final.

Two hours later, the results are in. For a second time in a row, the game went into overtime. For a second time in a row, the Kings found a way to end the contest with a sudden-death goal.

At 13:42 of OT, Jeff Carter found the back of the net. LA's acquisition of Carter in February is looking like a great trade. And, it was the second goal of the night scored by a player named Carter. The Devils tied the game in the third period on a goal by Ryan Carter, no relation.

The Devils are trailing the Kings by a deficit of 0-2. The odds are against them. Only two teams in history have come back from 0-2 home game losses against a visiting opponent. 

If the Devils can figure out a way to solve Quick and to deal with the Kings forecheck, they can put more shots on goal. Two OT losses reflect an even matchup. New Jersey can make this a series.  

But if LA continues to dominate in goaltending and on the forecheck, it looks like the Kings juggernaut will roll its way right to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. I can't remember the last time a team had a 14 - 2 record in the playoffs.  It might be a record in the making.

Hockey Rules!

New Jersey in the Sandwich. Jersey RULES!

Vol III, No. 12

10 pm EDT.  Game six is up and down. Just like a bunch of the last games in this historic Battle of the Hudson. The even steven series continues.

Will NY stave off elimination and repeat their game six performance of 1994? Will the #6 seed be able to regain the lead? Or will this game wind up with multiple OTs?

The suspense is horrible and wonderful at the same time. People say that it is only a game. And yet, there is something more going on.  It's about identity. It's about insecurity. It's about the history of a peninsula sandwiched between two larger states. It's about New Jersey.

Until 1981, the Garden State had no professional sports franchise of its own. Garden Staters rooted for either Philly, New York or the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. With a population of 8,000,000 it was perhaps the only large state in the nation without its own unique sports identity.

For decades, New York, the Empire State, has had three, count them, three hockey teams plus the Giants, Yankees and Knicks. Pennsylvania has had two hockey teams, two baseball teams, two football teams and one basketball team. In between, New Jersey was starved.

And then along came John McMullen from Montclair, NJ - the town where my family has lived for over 40 years, the town where I skated in high school. McMullen brought a team from Colorado and Kansas City the meadowlands. He imported the first Russian hockey players. His staff found a young, promising goalie. Within 15 years, the New Jersey Devils ascended to the top of hockey, winning the Stanley Cup in 1995.

Today, New York sports fans have a cornucopia of championships from the Yankees and Giants (who play in New Jersey but retain their original NY identity). Pennsylvania fans have gotten used to championships from Penn State, the Penguins and Steelers (and more lately, the Phillies).  New Jersey has had the Devils.

If the Rangers win tonight's game and go on to win one more in two days, New York fans will be delighted to add another championship to one of many.

If the Devils win, New Jersey will have one more victory to add to four previous eastern conference wins. Four. It's a small number. That's the difference.  Many versus four.

New Jersey has only one sports team. The Giants count, but they get to have parades in Manhattan.  The New Jersey Devils are pure Garden State. North of Trenton, there are a whole bunch of New Jerseyites who remain starved for success, and identity. The Big Apple and Ben Franklin's city cast long shadows.

At 10:40pm, game six is headed for overtime. Is this deja vu all over again?  Somebody will win tonight and hockey will continue - either on Sunday night at MSG or next Wednesday at The Rock.

Hockey Rules!

PS The world knows by now. 10:48pm. Adam Henrique scored the game winner at 1:03 of OT. Lundquist let it squeak under him. Henrique has probably sealed rookie of the year honors. THE DEVILS ARE 2012 EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS. They return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the fifth time since 1995. It is a good day for the Garden State.

The Fog of War

Vol III, No. 10

Sportswriters and bloggers normally write opinions either before a game, or explanations after a contest has been settled.  After all, it's impossible to capture the intensity of the moment in words which take time to write, read and interpret.

Tonight, the Battle of the Hudson is being fought.  The score is tied in the third period. The team from the east bank of the Hudson river has a big edge in shots on goal after 43 minutes of play. But the team from the west bank of the Passaic had the edge in goals until the third period. The score is now even. Why?  It's a tale of two netminders. An old man, versus "The King".

King (but not LA) Henrik Lundquist is having, shall we say, not the best of nights. He has faced 15 shots and three have gotten behind him. That's a GAA of 3.00 and a save% of 0.800.

In contrast, Martin Brodeur is facing a bigger onslaught - 24 shots on goal. He too has let three get by, including an early third period wrist shot by Marian Gaborik. It was one of those things, a weak goal that surprised even Gaborik.

Over the past five games, the Devils and Rangers have evenly split 14 periods in shots on goal. The Devils have outshot New York by a mere 4 shots over 15 periods of play. But that includes a lopsided game #3 with a 14 shot edge - a game which New Jersey lost to the Blueshirts in front of a home crowd.

It was enough to make Zach Parise so frustrated that he refused to speak to the press, the first time all season long that the captain could not collect himself for the obligatory post-game interviews.

This is even steven hockey at its best. Goalies are making the difference. Lundquist kept the Rangers in game #3 and Brodeur is keeping his team in the fight at tonight's game in New York. So what else is new?

No matter who wins tonight, the series returns to Newark on Friday.  The Prince of Wales Trophy will be in the building with a 50/50 chance of being awarded that evening to whoever wins tonight's contest. The hockey cognoscenti continue to favor top seed New York over the #6 seed Devils.

Meanwhile, #8 seed Western Conference champion Los Angeles, with a 12 - 2 record this playoff season, is patiently waiting for the first game of the Stanley Cup finals to begin next Wednesday - either on the east bank of the Hudson river, or the west bank of the Passaic River.

Hockey Rules!

P.S. Post game wrap-up. Devils came out on top. Ryan Carter scored number 4 late in the fourth period. Lundquist just could not keep the Devils out, with only 12 saves on the night. New Jersey capped it off with an empty net goal by Zach Parise at 19:40. 

The Devils now lead the series three games to two. It was a story of netminding. Brodeur produced a consistent performance, not perfect, but good enough. Not bad for an old guy who is supposed to be over the hill. Tonight, "Marty's Better".

LA Royalty

Vol III,  No. 9

With a dramatic early morning OT win over the Phoenix Coyotes, the Los Angeles Kings playoff record over the last three rounds is 12 - 2. They are the 2012 Western Conference Champions.  LA now now owns the Clarence Campbell Cup. 

Going into tonight's game, Kings netminder Jonathan Quick had an astounding 1.46 GAA and a save% of 0.948.  Tonight's stats of 3 goals allowed on 41 shots will water down Quick's numbers a little bit, but not by much.

For the Stanley Cup finals, Los Angeles will travel east after several days' rest. They will play next Wednesday night in either Madison Square Garden, or at "The Rock" in Newark NJ.

Can any team in hockey beat the Kings' hot hand?  In two weeks, the hockey world will know. 

Meanwhile, the Battle of the Hudson is now at high pitch with rivals New York and New Jersey knotted at 2 - 2.  Even their coaches are yelling at each other. Game 5 returns to the Garden in about 18 hours.

Hockey Rules!

Deranged Hits - Devils Even the ECF Series

Vol III, No. 8

Brandon Prust suspended for an elbow in Game 3.  Mike Rupp with 14 penalty minutes in Game 4. The Rangers itching for a fight and taking penalties like crazy in the third period.

Who do the Rangers think they are, the Philadelphia Flyers?

Rupp only hit three Devils as he circled the net, including a shove into his former teammate, Marty Brodeur, right in the crease. Rupp seemed to be acting on orders from John Torterella. Or was it merely a case of frustration?  If you looked at Torts giving instructions on the bench, and who he sent onto the ice, there was a method to the madness.

Meanwhile, at least one team came out to play hockey. Tonight, Zach Parise ended his scoring drought with an assist and two goals. Captain Zach spearheaded a convincing 4 - 1 victory over the Rangers. The Devils controlled three periods of play; the best team came out on top.

The series is now tied at two games apiece in the Eastern Conference Finals. Parise's last goal, an empty netter at 18:31, was created with an assist by #30, Martin Brodeur.

The Blueshirt netminder, Henrik Lundquist, faced 29 shots and let three get past - a save% of 0.897. Marty? His save% was 0.966 and his playoff record is now better than at any time since 2000. The "old man" continues to show his ability to compete at the pinnacle of league play.  

Playoff records are now:

LA Kings 11 - 2

NJ Devils 10 - 6

NY Rangers 10 - 8

Phx Coyotes 9 - 6

One team needs five more games to own the cup. Two need six more games. One needs seven, and has their backs against the wall. The Coyotes had a strong showing on Sunday.  Can they continue to avoid the knockout punch? Tuesday will be the most important game of their entire season and they will play in front of their home crowd.

Hockey Rules!

Hot Goaltending

Vol III, No. 7

Henrik Lundquist has pitched two no hitters in three games.  

During today's matinee game against conference rival New Jersey, he fended off flurries of attacks in the first two periods to keep his team in the game. The Rangers were being outshot 2 or 3 to one by an aggressive Devils team, with a ferocious forecheck that worked so well in the first two playoff rounds.

The peak of Henrik's performance was stoning Ilya Kovalchuk on two breakaways. #17 did not have his best game, taking an early penalty. It was obvious that his composure had been affected, and that's exactly what the Rangers need to do to the opposition's biggest scoring threat.

After two periods of no puck in net, the Devils power play deteriorated. One of the last of five power play opportunities, New Jersey only managed to generate one or two shots on goal.  Over the entire game, Zach Parise was held to only three shots. 

At the start of the third, the Devils look flat footed. Bryce Salvador took a hooking penalty at 2:11 and the Rangers converted with a PPG at 3:19.  

Over the entire game, New Jersey outshot the Rangers 36 - 22. But confronted with Lundquist's hot hand and other shot blocking Rangers, a puck could not find its way into the Ranger net.

Score two for Lundquist and blockey hockey, plus an empty netter in the final two minutes. The Rangers are on top of the Eastern Conference final, two games to one.

Of the four remaining teams, here are the respective records:

LA Kings 11 - 1

NY Rangers 10 - 7

NJ Devils 9 - 6

Phx Coyotes 8 - 6

The eastern conference is still up for grabs, but it is looking more and more like Los Angeles year, even thought they finished 8th in the west. Go figure.

Other hockey news.  Now that Evgeny (Gino) Malkin is not playing for the out-to-pasture Pittsburgh Pengs, he is in Helsinki for the World Championships. Today, his hat trick propelled Russia to a semi-final win over host Finland. The Russians face Slovakia in a final game on Sunday.  Way to go Gino!

19-40

Vol III, No. 6

The Battle of the Hudson is on.  Newark and Manhattan are tied at one game apiece in the Eastern Conference finals.

Two nights ago, the Madison Square Garden crowd chanted "Marty, Marty". Buried in those two words was an attitude that Martin Brodeur was washed up, and could not beat King Henrik. 

After all, on paper Lundquist has the upper hand, 0.937 vs 0.921 Sv%. Which means that over 100 goals, or about 25 games, Brodeur would let in 1.6 more goals.  Big difference, eh?

Well, on Monday night, Lundquist pitched a no hitter, and the Rangers defeated the Devils 3-0 (although one of those goals was scored on an empty net).  So, goalie to goalie, Henrik was +2.

Two nights later, the tables turned. MB30 did not need a shutout (he already has one this playoff season, and of course is the all time leader in playoff shutouts, with 24 under his belt, compared to Patrick Roy with a paltry 23, and King Henrik with only five).  But the Devils prevailed 3-2; the series is now tied after two games in New York. 

The Rangers have now played 16 post-season games, with a W-L record of 9-7. In comparison, the Devils are 9-5, having played two fewer games (or three, if you count the Rangers' triple OT marathon against the Washington Capitals). The Eastern conference is showing its parity and competitiveness, in comparison to the Western Conference. Los Angele's record right now is 10-1, and if playoff games take a toll on bodies, then the Kings have an edge over everyone at this point.

So what's the deal with 1940?  As every Ranger fan knows, that's the year that the Blueshirts defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, only to wait another 54 years for another Cup, by beating the New Jersey Devils and the Vancouver Canucks.  

To Devils fans, the numbers 19-40 have a different meaning. 19 is the age when Marty Brodeur first played and won a playoff game in Madison Square Garden.

And, tonight, 40 is the age at which Marty has again won a playoff game on Ranger home ice. 

No other goaltender in history has had this remarkable span of playoff success. Patrick Roy won more games, but only played NHL hockey from the age of 20 to 38.  His success came from being part of two dominant teams of the era, the Montreal Canadiens (1985-1995) and the Colorado Avalanche (nee Quebec Nordiques, 1996-2003).

Of course, Marty still has 12 years to go, if he wants to catch the gray panther of hockey, Gordy Howe.  Coming back out of retirement, Howe played with his sons on the Hartford Whalers (now the Carolina Hurricanes) until the ripe age of 52.  In his last year with the Whale, #9 scored 15 goals.  He referred to himself as "poetry in slow motion". 

It is inconceivable that any modern player will be able to reach Howe's longevity and number of games. The game is faster and harder now, and with modern shot-blocking, bodies get hurt more and faster.  Don't get me started on shot blocking - that's a subject for another post.

Two days from now, there will be chants of "Marty, Marty" at the Prudential Rock in Newark. The meaning will be different, coming from fans who have seen #30 play for over two decades.

Here's a guy who can still come up with playoff shutouts and wins.  His team is in the thick of it, again, thanks to a goaltender that New York fans thought was washed up.  All they have to do is look at the record, and at tonight's outcome. MB30 is alive and well.  19-40!

Hockey Rules!

Braden Who?

Vol. III, No. 6

While the last two teams in the West are waiting for the next round, the Eastern Conference is sizzling.

A number 6 seed from the banks of the Passaic River has made it to the conference finals. A number 7 seed has taken the top seed to a 3 - 3 deadlock.  The Washington Capitals forced a game seven tonight, with a convincing performance which dominated the NY Rangers for most of three periods.

As a number 6 seed, the New Jersey Devils should come as no surprise. They finished the regular season with 102 points, fourth in the east. But the Capitals? Washington squeaked into the playoffs with 92 points - lowest in the entire league (along with the Ottawa Senators).

So how did the Caps beat the Stanley Cup champions (number 2 seed) Boston Bruins? And why are they tied with the Rangers? What explains their 7-6 playoff record against the best of the best? The answer is one man and two words. He is Braden Holtby, a rookie 22-year old goaltender phenom.

Holtby has been in the minor leagues since 2005. He was picked 93rd in the 2008 draft fourth round. Since that time, Holtby has played a total of 21 NHL games over two seasons. For most of this year, he backstopped the AHL Hershey Bears with a GAA of 2.61 and a 0.906 save percentage. These are respectable, but not outstanding, stats.

Caps coach Dale Hunter called Holtby up from the minors in early April, when starting goalie Tomas Vokoun aggravated a groin injury. Holtby was number two, behind Michal Neuvirth.  The local press thought that Neuwirth would get the nod for the playoffs. But Hunter saw things differently.

Turns out that Holtby has always had potential. The Caps saw this in his first 14 game season, when he produced a 1.79 GAA. That's more than respectable.

And what has this 22 year old produced in this year's playoffs? Against the top offenses in the league, he has a 0.933 save% and 1.94 GAA. That does not include tonight's performance - one goal allowed on 31 shots. His record after losses is an outstanding 9-0.

Holtby is hot and so are the Caps. Over the last two games, they have won five periods out of six.  Game seven is on Saturday night.  The Broadway Blueshirts have good reason to be nervous. Will the Rangers join the Bruins playing golf in May? In three days, the Eastern Conference finals will be set.  The Devils are waiting.

Hockey Rules!

Nine Years and Counting Down

Vol III, No. 5 (I think)

The number six seed in the NHL Eastern Conference has plowed through two teams seeded #3 and #5.  The final game tonight in Philadelphia capped an impressive performance with four straight wins. 

With a record of 8 - 4, the New Jersey Devils are back in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2003 - the year of their last Stanley Cup. Only one year ago, this was a team that failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.  The team that showed up for the first part of 2010-2011 was not the same team that has now risen to the top of the Eastern Conference.

And what explains this phenomenal turnaround? It is simple. Devils management (aka Lou Lamoriello) continues to make the right decisions in player acquisition and coaching staff.  Peter DeBoer and Larry Robinson arguably are the best tandem in the NHL. DeBoer is already being considered as Coach of the Year.

Player acquisition?  Consider Johan Hedberg, Ilya Kovalchuk and Marek Zidlicky. Hedberg allowed Martin Brodeur to enter the playoff season rested and in top form.  Zidlicky has added to an already solid defense.  Combine that defense and #30, and the result is a third period save percentage of 0.952 - a stat that is about as good as it gets.  Teams just can't score against NJ in the third period.

And then there is #17, "Kovy". He entered the league and put up stellar figures. But his team (the Atlanta Thrashers, now Winnepeg Jets) was never able to do much in the second season.  Over time, his performance declined.  His defensive abilities were always in doubt.  Even so, the Devs picked him up with a league-shattering contract negotiation that took an entire summer. Even into this year, there were doubters. Was this just another Eric Lindros debacle?

So take a look at the last six months.  Kovy has been the consumate team player.  And although he did not get the game winner tonight (credit another Ilya with that - the Philly goaltender, Ilya Bryzgalov allowed David Clarkson to get the easiest goal of Clarkson's career), Kovy was the difference. He got the game sealer, with a bomb from the blue line that was aimed with pinpoint accuracy. It was a great shot - one of the best that I've seen in a long time. 

So the storyline is this. The Devils are back in the conference finals. Kovy has never been there before. It's why he moved to NJ.  Bring on the winner of that other contest.  It will either be Kovy vs. Ovy, or else a Battle of the Hudson.  Hockey season in New Jersey is not yet over.

DEVILS RULE!

The World's Sport

Vol. III, No. 4

On the Cinqo de Mayo, and as usual, the hockey "world" is focused on The Cup. In today's semi-final Eastern Conference match up, the Washington Capitals fought back from an overtime loss two nights ago, to defeat the New York Rangers and even their series at 2 -2.

But there is a little problem with the use of that term, world. The hockey world is no longer confined to North America.  Hockey has been played in Europe for a long time.  In fact, ice skating is said to have originated in Finland, when the Lapps laced bones on their footware in order to trek across the frozen lakes, thousands of years ago.  And then came the Dutch with silver skates.

So what is this "world"? The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) is now running its annual World Championship in Finland. Canada, the US and many other countries are competing in games which tune up players for the Olympics.

Three years from now, the entire hockey world will truly converge in the Russian Crimea. NHL participation, as ever, is up in the air. Ask Gary Bettman and the NHLPA. The players want it, but the league gives up a lot to accomodate a two week break.

The IIHF and NHL have a working relationship, but have very different roots.  IIHF and the Olympics still retain some amateurism flavors. Game rules also vary, for example on shootouts, IIHF players can repeat in shootout attempts after the first three tries.  This can result in best player vs. best player - a real showcase of talent.

Today, at the IIHF, USA beat Canada 5-4 in OT. The last time USA beat Canada was 2001. The Americans had only beaten the Canadians three times in world play until today.

Is this an answer to last year's loss at the Olympics? If so, it was achieved by a mix of NHLers out of the Stanley Cup playoffs and younger players who are making their marks in the NHL. 

Besides the teams, IIHF competition is different.  The games are more wide open because the rink size is larger.  International rinks are 100 feet wide (30 meters).  North American rinks are 85 feet wide.  In addition, the blue lines are spaced evenly in international play, so that the offensive, neutral and defensive zones are all the same length.  In the NHL, the neutral zone is narrow and allows more obstruction. 

Which style of hockey is better? I prefer a finesse game of skating, stick handling and play making. Decades ago, when the average NHL player was under 6 feet tall, these skills were predominant.  The Montreal Canadians built their dynasty on speed and scoring. Today, the average NHLer is over 6'1" and weighs 204 pounds.  Even with the rule changes of 2005, NHL games are fought on the boards and in the neutral zone. Big bodies get in the way of the puck.

The larger international rink re-creates open play. Injuries are less frequent. It is said that European players cannot play in the NHL until they become acclimated to the rough grinding style experienced on the smaller rink surfaces. North American players can adjust to the IIHF play more easily, since it reflects their typical experience growing up, playing in schools and junior hockey.  Players probably prefer the larger, open, ice.

So why does the "world" not settle on a single rink size surface?  Here in North America, the answer (at the NHL level) is money. A bigger rink reduces the number of seats, and therefore, revenue per game. At lower levels, the cost to expand indoor rink sizes is prohibitive. And, so the world preserves two different styles of hockey.

Take a look at the IIHF championships. There's an app from IIHF for smart phones, 2012 IIHF by Skoda. What's Skoda? A car manufacturer from the Czech Republic, you know, the country that has given us the likes of Hasek, Jagr, Chara, Palffy, Elias, Holik, Stastny and Sykora. The last four are well known to Devils fans - and two are still playing.

Czechs and Devils?  Europeans playing in North America? Canadians playing in the Elite European leagues?  That's what makes hockey the most international sport of all.  In fifty years, soccer may capture North America, but until that happens, ice hockey is truly the world's sport.  

Hockey rules!

Russians, Work and Hockey


Vol III, No. 3

Today, May Day, was International Workers Day, commemorating the Haymarket Massacre/Riot which occurred in Chicago in 1886.

The date became formally recognized at the Second Internationale meeting in Paris in 1891. Despite its American roots, the workers movement quickly became associated with Russia and Communism.

So what's the connection with hockey?

Just one year later, in 1892, Lord Stanley of Preston, Canada's Governor-General, donated the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup as an award for Canada's top-ranking amateur ice hockey club. The cup was awarded for the first time to the Montreal HC in 1893. It  took another 33 years for the National Hockey League to recognize the the cup as its championship trophy.

I doubt that Lord Stanley could ever have envisioned multi-millionaire players skating around in the months of May or June. After all, indoor refrigerated ice rinks were not introduce until the early 1900s.

But here we are, 100 years later, with professional hockey teams spread across the world.  Many players who are not competing in the NHL playoffs are off in Europe for the IIHF world hockey championship.  They can't get enough of a good thing.

There's another connection. Successful hockey is all about work ethic. That is true of other sports too. And when you look at the typical hockey player, whether they come from Canada or the Czech Republic, most come from blue collar backgrounds.  The kid whose dad works in a mill or a mine, is the kid who is out on the ice at the age of five. 

In the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Eastern Conference continues to show the incredible parity among all of its teams.  In the first round, three of the four quarterfinal series went seven games.  In the semis, both contests are tied at 1-1. The Washington Capitals are giving the top seed Rangers a hard time, even with their top gun only on the ice for 14 minutes. And the Devils just spanked the Flyers in Philly, with their top guy out of the lineup.  Ovy and Kovy, where are you?

The other story line today are two misbehaving Nashville Predators. Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn have been scratched for Game 3 because (rumor has it) they were out roaming the bars of Scottdale late Saturday night after curfew. What were these guys thinking?  The chance to compete for the Stanley Cup, and they thumb their nose at the team (and their teammates)!  Hats off to Nashville management for doing the right thing, even if it costs them a game or playoff. 

Now, come to think of it, today was about four Russian hockey players. Ovy, Kovy, Rad and Kosty.  International workers, all of them. Workers of the hockey word, unite!  Observe your curfews. Try to stay healthy.

Spociba!

Goaltending On Fire

Vol III., No. 2 - Friday April 20.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have their backs to the wall, on the verge of elimination. They are battling to preserve their hockey season. Philadelphia is only two goals away from moving on.  It's the third period of Game#5 and the Pens have a slight edge, leading 3 - 2.

Trouble is, their defense is letting Philly back in the game. The Pens stopper is Marc-Andre Fleury. He was not exactly stellar in the first games of the series.  The Pens allowed 23 goals and Fleury's goals against average was 6.34 - a stat that does not belong in the NHL.

Pittsburgh are still alive because of a lopsided victory two nights ago, scoring 10 goals in one game against two Flyer goaltenders. Goaltending for both teams has not been strong in this series.

So, can the Pens stop their attackers tonight?

After two periods, only two goals had been allowed. Then came Period Three and a Philadelphia power play.  In two minutes, Fleury stopped seven shots. Danny Briere will remember being denied for a long time. Marc-Andre Fleury is on fire. 14 third period saves. Nothing has gotten past him.

There is one minute left to play. Bryzgalov is on the Flyers bench and Philly has an extra skater.  Can the Penguins survive another one minute of "one man down"?  Will Fleury keep the stone wall up?  Let's count those 60 seconds, and the answer is...

Yes! 24 saves on 26 shots.  This is not the same man from the first three games. After allowing 17 goals in three losses, Marc-Andre Fleury turned it around this evening. The Penguins are alive and the series returns to Philadelphia for a Game 6. The fat lady has not yet sung. Except for Detroit.

The Wings were in Nashville, down three games to one. Seems like the Predators had the force in this series. They won the fifth game; it is the second playoff series win in franchise history. Meanwhile Detroit gets to go back to Hockeytown and play golf. The first quarterfinal series is decided, and the Preds advance to the semi-finals. 

And how did the Predators do it? Pekka Rina, goaltender.  He stopped 102 shots in the series. GAA of 1.81 and save percentage of 0.944 - goaltending that gets teams through the playoffs. The fat lady is in the Grand Ole Opry and she is belting it out in Nashville tonight.

Happy New Year

Vol. III, No. 1

It has been over a year since the last post to this blog. Blame long term writer's cramp or the stars.

The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs are one year back.  The Boston Bruins, after a 39 year drought, captured Lord Stanley. The Beantown hockey team has reigned for a year. But playoff hockey is back again. The second season is again in full swing. The Bruins are now defending the Cup.

It's only the quarterfinals, with 16 teams competing for Lord Stanley's cup. Surprises always pop out.

The war in Pennsylvania (Penguins vs. Flyers) has the Philadelphia underdog up by 3-1, even though they were spanked by Pittsburgh 10-3 on Tuesday night. Wells Fargo Center emptied out after the second period. Philly fans gave up on a team that gave up 6 unanswered goals.

A bit further east, Newark's goaltender was pulled for the first time in six years on Monday night. Two nights later, he blanked every shot and contributed an assist.  It was his 24th career playoff shutout, a new NHL record. The series is now tied 2-2, thanks to Martin Brodeur, #30.

Or maybe thanks to Peter DeBoer, the coach who pulled Marty on Monday night.  Go Peter.  Go Marty. Go Devils.