Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Night 2 Recap

Another night of playoff hockey is behind us, and what a night it was. 3 of last nights 4 games required overtime, and 1 game made it all the way to period number 5. It's a trend I sure hope continues. The more hockey, the better. With 3 early games, I did a lot of bouncing between them, so my thoughts on the actual gameplay may not be as extensive. Still, I'm sure i'll come up with something to talk about. Let's start in the Big Apple...

(1) New York Rangers vs. Ottawa Senators (8)

NYR 4 - 2 OTT

NYR 1 - 0 OTT

Madison Square Garden was rocking. The Rangers are not unfamiliar with playoff hockey, failing to qualify only once since the lockout. They only squeaked in last year though, and fell to the Capitals in 5 games in round 1. This year is different, and it felt that way last night. The opportunity for the Rangers to win the Cup has never been better. Pittsburgh has been a favorite pick of late, but I feel as if the Rangers aren't given the credit they deserve. They've got offensive firepower, they've got sound defense, and they've got the best goaltender in the league. People keep waiting for them to falter, but it just hasn't happened. They remain the team to beat in the East.

Interestingly, this game was placed on the NHL Network. I guess that's the Rangers penalty for playing against a Canadian opponent. Perhaps it was for the best however, as this was the only game of the night not to go to overtime. Also, despite the result reading 4-2, it really was 4-0. All the big names for New York showed up, with Callahan, Gaborik and Richards scoring. Craig Anderson, despite allowing four goals, played admirably. He'll need to be even better going forward. The Sens would also be wise to shore up their defensive zone play. If they don't come out strong in game 2, the Rangers are likely to run away with this series.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Night 1 Recap

Night 1 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs is now behind us and it sure didn't disappoint. Armed with an abundance of Genny Cream Ale and a 3-lb bag of peanuts, I hunkered down for 6 straight hours of top notch hockey. Let's begin in the Steel City...

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers (5)

PIT 3 - 4 PHI

PIT 0 - 1 PHI

I pegged this to be the marquee matchup of round 1 and it definitely delivered last night. Pittsburgh came out flying, putting Philadelphia back on their heels. They were also the more physical of the the two teams, finishing all their checks with an authority unmatched by the Flyers. With the Penguins dominating the play, it wasn't long before NHL poster child Sidney Crosby would score the first goal of the night. He fought hard to get to the puck and was able to flip a backhand beauty over the left shoulder of Bryzgalov. Shortly afterwards Philadelphia yielded a 2-on-1, and the Penguins lead was now 2-0. The Flyers managed to settle in from that point forward, but couldn't make it out of the first period without allowing another goal. With Pittsburgh up 3-0 heading into the first intermission, I almost began to have reservations in picking the Flyers to advance to the second round.

More immediately, I wondered whether or not Bryzgalov would remain in net in period 2. I can't particularly fault him for any of the 3 goals. Too often his defense left him hung out to dry. Still, allowing 3 goals on 13 shots never looks good, and maybe a goaltending change would provide the spark needed to spur a comeback. Bryzgalov would remain in the game however, and played shutout hockey from that point forward. It would be playoff performer Danny Briere that provided them with the necessary spark, thanks in part to some laxidasical officiating by the linesmen. Yes, he was offsides. If I were a devote Penguin fan, or were it to happen against the Sabres, surely my hair would ignite in rage. The fact remains though that after that goal the Penguins still held a 3-1 lead going into the third period. Offsides or not, the Penguins can't point to that as an excuse.

2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1: Western Conference

(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings

The Vancouver Canucks have quietly put together a remarkable season, winning the Presidents Trophy for the second consecutive year. For as a good a team as they are, I hear far more bad press than I do good. They've developed a less than glamorous reparation around the league. During last years Stanley Cup Finals there were those who asked how any true hockey fan could validate pulling for the Canucks. Perhaps all those people who claimed Rome's hit on Horton was the dirtiest hit they had ever seen missed out on Chara's handy work earlier that season. Mind you, it was a dirty hit on Horton, i'm not saying otherwise. Beyond that one particular occurrence, opposing teams and opposing fans alike have found plenty more reasons to hate the Canucks. The media is also quick to point out a decrease in production from several star players, as well as add fuel to the fire that is Vancouver's alleged goaltending controversy. Never have I seen a goalie more scrutinized than Luongo has been. Yes, he's prone to inconsistencies from time to time, but he's still a very good goaltender. Of course, if he does falter, the Canucks are fortunate to have Cory Schneider on the bench.

Los Angeles's goaltending situation is much more set in stone. Jonathan Quick had a career year, and led the NHL with 10 shutouts. The Kings have needed him to be spectacular thanks in part to their lackluster offense. The Kings 194 goals for is the lowest among all playoff teams, and higher than only Minnesota. To further show how good Quick has been, the Kings have allowed the 2nd fewest goals of NHL teams, behind only St. Louis. The Canucks however finished tied for 4th in scoring. Even with Jonathan Quick playing well, Vancouver will find ways to score. That means the LA Kings are also going to have to find ways to score. On paper, they have the talent to do so, but have struggled to do so all year long. Quick might be able to steal a game or two, but it won't be enough to pull off the upset.

Outcome: Canucks in 6

Sabres 2011-2012 Season Recap: Regular Season (1)

Adding an extra bit of intrigue to the start of the season was a trip to Europe. The Sabres, along with the L.A. Kings, N.Y. Rangers, and Anaheim Ducks, partook in the NHL Premiere series. The Sabres played two games, one designated as home, and another designated as away, in Finland and Germany. The Sabres looked sharp in both, winning 4-1 and 4-2. In addition to the teams on ice performance, it also provided an opportunity for them to bond off ice. If there were any questions coming into the season, it was that of team chemistry, considering the many new faces that were along for the ride.

Despite dropping their true home opener, thanks to giving up two SHG’s, the Sabres looked good for the first several weeks of the season. Miller, despite an off game here and there, was performing well, and Enroth was equal to the task. Vanek was off to the chases, looking at a career year. Some had even gotten around to nicknaming him, Luke Adam, and Jason Pominville as the Subway line, as the Sabres were near guaranteed to score 3 goals a night. If the Sabres got 3 goals, you could turn your ticket into a free six-inch sub the next day. There were still kinks to be worked out, but sitting at 10-5 they looked poised to have a solid year.

2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1: Eastern Conference

(1) New York Rangers vs. (8) Ottawa Senators

In the closing weeks of the regular season, this matchup wasn't even on my radar. I'm not positive why, as I always thought it possible for the Sabres to catch the Senators, who would have been bumped than to 8th. Of course, that was a long shot. Even then, were it not the Sabres playing the NYR in round 1 it had to be the Capitals, right? Wrong. The Senators managed to lose their final 3 games, and secured only 8 points over their past 10. The Capitals meanwhile earned 14 points over that same stretch, moving up into seventh. The Rangers, while picking up 12 points in their final 10, are also entering the postseason on consecutive loses.

The Senators won the season series, 3-1, so they'll have plenty of confidence that they can beat the Rangers. They have several seasoned veterans who are accustomed to post season hockey. Alfie himself has played in 107 playoff games, amassing 88 points. Additionally, they have a wealth of young talent, including potential Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. The Rangers have the firepower to match however, and play a sound defensive system backstopped by Vezina favorite King Henrik. Craig Anderson is good, and prone to flashes of brilliance, but doesn't provide the consistency that Lundqvist does. It won't be a walk in the park for the Rangers, but they're sure to advance.

Outcome: Rangers in 6

Sabres 2011-2012 Season Recap: Preseason Expectations

Another Sabres season has come to an end. Much like the previous 41, it resulted in the team failing to win the Stanley Cup. Furthermore, the Sabres missed the playoffs for only the 12th time in franchise history. It’s also the 3rd time the Sabres have missed the playoffs since the lockout in 2004-2005. Including the 3 seasons prior to the lockout, they’ve missed the post season in six of the last ten. Let’s take a look back on why they’ve found themselves in this position, starting back in spring 2011.

There was overwhelming hype entering this season that stemmed from new ownership and the unprecedented run the Sabres made to close the 2010-2011 season before falling just short of upsetting the Flyers in round 1. The expectation for this season grew ever further thanks to a monster offseason. Prior to free agency, Darcy successfully turned Paul Bryon and Chis Butler into Robyn Regehr and Ales Kotalik. Regehr was the big catch, while Kotalik, a former Sabres, was placed on waivers prior to the regular season. Then, Darcy traded a 4th round pick to the New York Islanders in exchange for Christian Ehrhoff, who he then singed to a 10 year, 40 million dollar deal. While some are quick to gripe about the dollar amount, he has a very manageable cap hit of 4 million.