NHL Headlines 4/2/08

These playoff races are starting to come into focus a little better aren't they? Teams are slowly starting to be eliminated from contention. Once the pairings have been established, I'll be doing a breakdown of both conferences as far as the match-ups go and who should come out of each conference to battle for the Stanley Cup.

Here's the day's headlines.

Canadiens Lock Up Northeast Title

This one annoyed me last night. I left Carey Price on my bench assuming that the Senators would have actually showed up to play in this game. Now, I'm only a little annoyed as I control all the goaltending categories in my championship match-up with Gopher, but who doesn't like to pad the lead?

Anyway, congrats to the Canadiens who are now tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the top spot in the Eastern Conference at 100 points. The Penguins play Game 81 tonight against the Flyers in what should no doubt be a barnburner.

The Habs and Pens battle will have to be settled on the last day of the regular season as the both teams have two games remaining. The Penguins will clinch with a win tonight and a Habs loss in their next game on Thursday against Buffalo.

The Habs clinch if they win their final two games and Pittsburgh wins none or 1.

Should the teams remain tied in points or end up tied in points, the Penguins win due to having more total wins than the Habs.

Preds Rally Back From 3-0 Down To Win 4-3

What a blow this would have been to their playoff chances had they not stormed back to win this game. A loss in regulation would have left them one point behind the Vancouver Canucks with both teams having two games remaining. Instead, now they control their own destiny. If they win out they're in the playoffs. Sounds simple enough right?

They play the Blues again on Thursday and finish up the season against the Blackhawks.



The road for the Canucks is slightly tougher in my humble opinion as they play the Oilers and Flames to finish the season. To say these are must-win games for both squads is an understatement.

I was following along online for the Preds game last night and couldn't help but think to myself, "How can they possibly not show up when their playoff lives are on the line?"

No sooner did I that thought go through my mind did the comeback begin. Freaky right? I'm gonna start using that more often for my own benefit by hoping for a million bucks. I'll let you know how it goes.

Avs Secure Playoff Berth, Put Canucks On Life-Support

I wish I would have been home last night to watch this game. This must have been fantastic to watch. Both teams fighting to get into the playoffs. One team locks up a spot with a win, the other stays one point ahead of the 9th place squad.

This time of year is better than Christmas for me. Not in the spiritual sense, but the joy I get out of playoff atmosphere hockey is better than the gift giving. Not to mention it's a lot cheaper and there's no snow on the ground in June unless you're my parents who will have it until next August.



Peter Forsberg finally played long enough to score his first goal since returning to the NHL. I know I rip on him a lot and it's not because I don't like the guy. I do think he's an amazing player, but he's so injury prone it's not even funny and why anyone would gamble one million bucks on him knowing he's one rut in the ice from being done for the year is beyond me.

Zubov Out For Regular Season, Playoff Status Unknown

I like the Stars right now as a Stanley Cup contender even with the recent lack of winning shall we say? Getting Sergei Zubov back ASAP will dramatically improve their chances. When he's healthy, if you don't have him on your fantasy team you know you're scared out of your mind of playing against him.

There's not many defensemen who can be as lethal as a forward and he's one of them. Before the injury he had 35 points in 42 games. That's pretty impressive for a d-man. He's also a solid guy in the defensive zone who plays smart and doesn't take many penalties. He only had 12 minutes in penalties in those 42 games. I wish Sergei Gonchar stayed out of the box as much as Zubov does. I'd be swearing a lot less than I do.

I think the Stars can still make a run without Zubov who's been out since Jan. 17 battling a groin and foot problem, but his leadership and overall ability could take this team all the way if he's healthy.

Sundin Done For Rest Of Season

As a hockey fan, I hope this isn't the last we've seen of Mats Sundin in Toronto. I'm still in shock they were trying to trade him at the deadline. Of course I understand the logic behind it, but he's done everything for the organization except deliver the Stanley Cup.

Where's the loyalty in this sport anymore? The last guys I remember giving everything they had to an organization like Mats has were Mario and Ray Bourque.

Bourque eventually went to management and tearfully requested a trade to a contender, since the Bruins weren't going anywhere soon, so that he could have another run at the Stanley Cup.



That clip is probably my all-time greatest Stanley Cup ceremony aside from seeing the Pens hoist it in the early 90's. Messier and the Rangers was another classic, but I lived in New England for Ray's entire career and I knew a cousin of his personally so this one takes the cake.

How big of an impact did Bourque have on Boston? If the Bruins and Avalanche were to have met in the finals, I really think the fans would have given up their own quest to see the local boys win the Cup and would have rooted on Bourque. The guy was and is always going to be one of the legendary sports heroes of Beantown.

How great would it have been to see th Avs clinch the Cup in Boston and see and hear the crowd reaction as the teary-eyed Bourque hoisted it up? I'm getting chills even thinking about it.

What Bourque was to Boston, Mats is to Toronto and it will be a sad day in hockey when he isn't wearing the blue and white.

NHL Headlines 3/27/08

I'm only going to throw a few headlines at you today as I'm still exhausted from working last night. I'd actually still be asleep right now if it weren't for the construction on the apartment next door to us. This has been going on for about three weeks now and I've about had it.

Anyway, time to talk pucks.

Crosby To Return Tonight Against Islanders

Boy am I glad to hear this. Granted I was aware of it yesterday as I'm sure most of you already were as well. He says he feels good and wants to get back out on the ice, so if he thinks he's good to go I have no reason to doubt him.

As expected he'll be on a line with Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis who has missed the last two games to be with his wife in Atlanta who gave birth to a baby girl.

This is a redemption game for the Penguins after they pretty much tanked the last meeting with the Islanders on Monday night. No one showed up to play and Ty Conklin's slump continued.

Heading into tonight, the Penguins have a four point lead on the Devils in the Atlantic Division and trail the Montreal Canadiens by one point for the overall lead in the Eastern Conference.

Tortorella To Coach Team USA At IIHF Tournament

I know the list of American coaches is pretty short. Just read the article and you'll see my point, but it seems like Tortorella is getting this job by default. To quote Homer Simpson "The two sweetest words in the English language, de fault, de fault"

Anyway, I guess I'm OK with having him as the American coach. Afterall, he did coach the Lightning to a Stanley Cup victory a couple years ago. His recent success or lack there of worries me and I question how good of a coach he'll be with what will undoubtedly be a young team.

Anyone remember his rant on John Grahame during the playoffs a couple years ago? He totally threw him under the bus and honestly, I don't blame Grahame at all for the Bolts losing in the first round.

I was unable to find a clip of this outburst in which he breaks out the "25 percent rule" in reference to Grahame's save percentage during the series, but here's a gem interview he gave after Game 5 against the Devils last season. WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE IS USED.



Gagne To Sit Out Rest Of Season

Aswith any athlete this is subject to change, but he isn't ruling out playing in the Stanley Cup Finals should the Flyers make it that far. Sorry Simon, I know the bells in your head continue to ring and has given you some false hope, but your team isn't going that far this season.

I applaud the Flyers on making a franchise turnaround in one year from the worst team in the league to a team battling for one of the last spots in the playoffs. I really do, but injuries have killed this team and that's what is going to keep them from making a deep run in the playoffs.

I don't know if anyone knows the single season record for most concussions suffered, but if Lindros doesn't own it Gagne must with his three this year. The difference between Gagne and Lindros is that Gagne is sitting out the time he needs to recover. Lindros on he other hand rushed back from one of his 30 something (I know that's an exaggeration, but doesn't it seem like that many?) concussions and almost had his life cut short by Scott Stevens in the playoffs.



The sad/funny thing is that I called that hit during the pre-game broadcast when it was announced that he was suiting up.

Morrison Done For Season

As if the Canucks needed any more bad news about their playoff chances, now Brendan Morrison is out for the season with a torn ACL.

Morrison has only played 38 games this season so on paper this doesn't really seem like a big loss. The biggest problem here is that he is one of the veteran leaders on this club and you don't want to lose guys like that at this time of year.

The Canucks are currently the 8-seed in the Western Conference with a two-point lead on Nashville and are three points up on the surging Oilers.

If they do manage to hold on to the final spot, I don't see them getting by the Red Wings in the first round. Roberto Luongo may be able to push the series to six games, but even as good as he is that would be no small feat.

Western Conference First Round Nightmare Scenarios

There is no way I cannot do the Western Conference scenarios after the way the Eastern Conference Nightmares were received. We got a big boost in traffic from Deadspin.com and Greg Wyshynski, of FanHouse and The Fourth Period with his latest article It's Those 190-Foot Goals That Always Getcha

Check it out and scroll down to the end of the article for the link he graciously put to yesterday's Eastern Conference scenarios.

That's enough sentimental stuff. You're hear because you want to see what Gopher and I were able to come up with for the Western Conference. So here you go.

Detroit Red Wings

Let's get sentimental here for a moment shall we? Who didn't stay up late to watch these two teams go at it in the playoffs?

I don't care who you are, Colorado has to be scaring the top teams in the West right now with their deadline acquisitions. They practically re-assembled the cup team of 2000-01.

Here's the reason why Detroit would be a little upset about facing Colorado. These teams absolutely hate each other. Hate may not even be the right word. It's much deeper than hatred. I wouldn't be surprised if Lidstrom had to choke back some bile when talking about the Avs.

Anyone remember this classic bout? Expect more of this if these two see each other in the opening round.



I'm not saying Detroit would lose to Colorado, none of these nightmare scenarios are meant as predictions of winners unless otherwise stated. This pick is more selfish than anything as I would tape every game and watch them during those lonely summer nights without hockey.

San Jose Sharks

The first team that came to mind was the Vancouver Canucks.

Vancouver hasn't exactly lived up to the expectations I thought they would achieve at the beginning of the season, but that still doesn't mean that they don't have one of the best defensive teams in the league.

The problem with Vancouver is that they have no offense to speak of outside of the top line of Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin and whoever they decide to put alongside those two.

However, even without the offense and a solid defensive scheme we cannot forget who is backstopping this team. Roberto Luongo.

I would not want to face Luongo in the regular season let alone the playoffs. He may very well be the best goaltender in the league. Here's a fun montage of some of the things Luongo is capable of done to a song from one of my favorite bands, Breaking Benjamin.



Note the final save shown against San Jose. Was it lucky? Of course, but it's things like that that could give the Sharks fits.

Minnesota Wild

How about a classic offense against defense series with the Calgary Flames. Now before you start jumping on me for saying the Flames are all about offense, they do have a much scarier offense than the Wild.

I look at the Wild and I see a team that reminds me a lot of the Devils. They play the same trap system, but the only difference is that Niklas Backstrom is not Martin Brodeur and there in lies the weakness.

On paper there is no question that Miikka Kiprusoff is the all around better goaltender even if he hasn't had the best of seasons.

Calgary isn't just going to have to bank on Kipper in net. They also have one of the most dynamic players in the league in Jarome Iginla. These two guys are capable of taking over a series in an instant. Let's not forget that they lost in the Stanley Cup Finals in Game 7 against Tampa Bay.

Here's some highlights of that great series in 2004.



(Side note: For those of you who remember Game 6 of that series in Calgary you'll remember it went to overtime and there was some controversy. Martin Gelinas appeared to be the first player in NHL history to score the series deciding goal in every round when he appeared to get the puck behind the Bulin Wall. The "goal" went upstairs for review and came back down as inconclusive which was a total crock. Congrats Flames fans, I award the Stanley Cup to you. I still believe the NHL went into a lockout because the Bolts won the Cup and that it had nothing to do with money whatsoever. That's my opinion and this is my blog so deal with it.)

Anaheim Ducks

I've been saving my personal pick at this very moment that is subject to change in the upcoming playoff previews for both conferences. The team the Ducks do not want to see in the first round is the Dallas Stars.

Anaheim earned their second win of the season against Dallas tonight in a hard fought 2-1 game. This was the seventh meeting of the season between the two clubs and Dallas still holds the 5-2 advantage.

This could quite possibly be the best series of the entire first round if we are lucky enough to witness this.

Who wouldn't get excited about J.S. Gigeure going up against Marty Turco? You'd have to be legally dead to not get pumped up to see two of the top goalies in the league go at it for potentially seven games. Think back to last year and how much fun the Canucks/Stars series was that went the distance.

Here's some Marty Turco heroics.



There is no more physical team top to bottom than the Ducks. That's what got them the Cup last year, but the Stars have had the Ducks number this year and could easily represent the Western Conference in the Cup finals this year.

Of course this will come down to whether or not Turco can shake the playoff demons that have haunted him over the years. By no means am I blaming last year on him, he played great. He just came out on the short end of things.

So there you have it. The nightmares for the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference. Time to sit back and wait to see how many of these nightmares become a reality as we go down the stretch to the playoffs.