He fought, and lost to, Daniel Carcillo. He worked his way onto a line with Malkin in the second round. He had over a 0.25 shooting percentage in the Conference Finals and Finals. He scored 4 goals and 2 assists against Chris Osgood to capture the cup, and he finished with a +/- of plus 8. His name is Maxime Talbot, and he was hands down the unsung hero for the Penguins.
Not counting his 31 hits while only averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time per game, Talbot was the energy player the Penguins needed to get over the hump, no discredit to the leadership they added via Fedotenko, Guerin and Kunitz.
He was drafted in the 8th round, 234th overall, of the 2002 NHL entry draft and since then, the 25 year old has grown comfortable in his role of a grinding two way forward. Facing the top lines of Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina and, regularly, Detroit, his +8 at the end of the playoffs is a major sign that he is a playoff performer.
And while the Red Wings were doing everything they could to hold off Sidney Crosby, Talbot was off having a fantastic series, considering his role, with a 0.286 shooting percentage, including 4 goals in the series, 2 of which were involved in Game 7, the only two of the game. Yes, Maxime Talbot had scored the Cup winning goal for the Penguins.
In the last 4 games of the Detroit/Pittsburgh series, Talbot had a point per game. Maybe I should put this into perspective for you on why he is absolutely an unsung hero.
Regular Season: 75GP 12G 10A 22P -9
Playoffs: 24GP 8G 5A 13P +8
He is 100% a playoff performer, and is the Penguins unsung hero.
Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise on their success.
Micheal A. Aldred
michealaldred@hotmatil.com
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Unsung Hero
Friday, June 5, 2009
Ruffling Feathers
The Pittsburgh Penguins are determined to make sure history does not repeat itself.
Despite being down 2-0 to the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings, the same result after two games in the Stanley Cup Final last season, the plucky Pens have fought back to tie the series at two and are showing their true colours once again in these playoffs. While there were some eerie similarities between this year’s finals and last, Sidney Crosby and company have changed all that after an impressive game four win.
Older, wiser, more mature. All words and phrases used to describe the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins. If there was ever a time to prove it, it was in a Stanley Cup Finals rematch with the reigning champion Red Wings. After the first weekend, however, the Penguins found themselves in a familiar situation, down 2-0 and nothing going their way.
Young, inexperienced, nervous. These were the new buzz words surrounding the Penguins. Wait, new? No, these too were carryovers from last season. It felt like everything had changed and yet nothing truly had. You could see the frustration in the faces of Crosby, Staal, coach Dan Bylsma and many others in the Penguins organization.
Going back to Steel Town, it was fair to say that every fan of the flightless birds felt that sinking feeling in the pit of their stomach. This feels too familiar... Then the Pens won game three. Nobody really felt better. After all, it was 2-1 Wings after three games last year too. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that game four was going to be big.
They started well, seeing Evgeni Malkin pot his 14th goal of this post-season, but fell behind with two Red Wings’ goals less than three minutes apart spanning the end of the first and the beginning of the second periods. But something finally changed, the Penguins wouldn’t quit and they would finally show the Red Wings just what they are capable of. In a flurry, Malkin, Crosby and their partners in crime went to work. Jordan Staal barrels in on Osgood fighting off a defender and slides home the tying goal. Malkin and Crosby get the 2-on-1 and Crosby makes good on a nice second effort pass from Evgeni. Then to top it all off, Kennedy slams home the biscuit on one of the nicest passing plays of the postseason.
The Red Wings are in trouble, and they are well aware of it, even if they won’t say so. The series has dramatically shifted in Pittsburgh’s favour and they show no sign of slowing down. Detroit hasn’t been able to see almost any contribution from their big guns and Pavel Datsyuk hasn’t played a game in the series. Even if they get him back, the damage may be done.
Led by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins are demonstrating the hunger and drive they showed in their run not only through the playoffs, but fighting back from near the bottom of the Eastern Conference barrel in the regular season just to make the postseason. They still have to win at least one game in Detroit to win the Cup, but their confidence is seemingly limitless.
The Cup will be in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, but will it stay there or be on the move back to Detroit?
mitch.hart@gmail.com
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Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The Penguins Strike Back
In a playoff season that has delivered several great games, we were treated to another last night. Sidney Crosby finally gets on the board, helping set up the game winner, and the Penguins narrow Detroit's lead to 2-1.
The Penguins put forth their best effort of the series, despite being outshot 29-21. The most telling: the Penguins outshot the Wings 10-3 in the third period...probably one of the few third periods that Detroit has been dominated in.
Pittsburgh needed someone to step up, and Maxime Talbot finally answered the call, scoring twice. Kristopher Letang's powerplay goal late in the first period was crucial. With Detroit leading 2-1, the Penguins probably couldn't afford to go into the intermission thinking about being down again.
The Wings did look off-kilter all night, but that's how they looked in game three vs Chicago until they forced overtime, and we all know how that series ended. The thing for me is that despite looking sloppy, the Wings were never out of this game until the empty netter sealed it. I doubt they'll get worse. So if sloppy play is up to Pittsburgh's best effort so far, it's still Detroit's series to lose.
For game four, the Penguins will need a stronger defensive effort. Detroit adjusts well to the opponents arena, and they will come out hard. It's also possible that Pavel Datsyuk will be back in the lineup, considering the Wings could use a bit of a boost. If this series draws even, it's anybody's series. If Detroit goes up 3-1...again...well, I don't think that Pittsburgh will get another triple overtime win in game five.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Detroit Takes Game One...Again
Game one is officially in the books, and the Detroit Red Wings have a 1-0 lead thanks to a strong team effort and a couple lucky bounces. The series quickly turns to game two tomorrow night. Will the quick turnaround favour the younger Penguins or will Detroit maintain home ice advantage?
Game Notes
Evgeni Malkin had a strong first period and scattered chances throughout but he was very soft on the puck, having it knocked off his stick several times and was seldom a factor in the third.
Detroit dominated the faceoff circle (39-16) and Pittsburgh will have to improve drastically if they are going to have any chance.
The referees did a fantastic job of managing the game. They maintained control without killing the flow of the game with endless penalties.
The best line of the night was Detroit’s fourth line, specifically Ville Leino and Justin Abdelkader, despite the low minutes played.
Even though he was shaky in the first period, Chris Osgood shook it off and turned in another solid performance, lowering his playoff GAA to 2.00 with a .928 save percentage.
Marian Hossa and Darren Helm used their speed to give the Penguins plenty of trouble. The Penguins attack is definitely missing Hossa.
Both teams combined for only three shots on three power plays. Whichever team that can correct their power play first will win this series.
Even though Pittsburgh outshot Detroit 32-30, Detroit put more shots at goal by a 62-53 margin.
The Wings are now 10-0 in the playoffs when leading after two periods.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Mike's Take: NHL Combine
Featured on this week's edition of Mike's Take, the NHL Combine has begun for the top 100 prospects of the upcoming Entry Draft, and there's a few interesting tales to be told thus far. This is a detailed assessment of the tests and some of the results of the future NHLers who took part in the gauntlet.
Hello everyone, and welcome to a new edition of Mike's Take. This year's NHL Combine features the likes of OHL superstar John Tavares, and his counterpart, Victor Hedman, who looks to improve his ranking after the weekend's gauntlet. For those who are unsure what the combine is, it's essentially a legal way to drive these draft eligible players into a series of physical and stressful situations while interviewing them to get a good sense of their body capabilities and personality while under pressure.
The Tests:
- Psychological Evaluation
"It included a long series of questions about the prospect's personality (including mental toughness and coachability), and went on to a more grueling mental efficiency test, which measured spatial awareness, decision speed, decision accuracy, concentration, and rates of mental fatigue. The potential draftees took the supervised test in a quiet room set up exclusively for that purpose. An abbreviated version of the mental efficiency portion of the test was then given a second time to each prospect immediately after he completed his fitness testing. The scores under the two conditions were then compared to determine the how much the individual player's reactions decline under stress and fatigue" - Hockey's Future.
- Medical Evaluation
"The medical portion of the testing, which took about a half an hour, included the filling out of a medical form, questions and examination by doctors, photographs of the player, an eye test, and two hand/eye coordination tasks" - Hockey's Future.
- Fitness Testing
The fitness test is the most grueling segment of the entire combine. Each player goes through 18 tests in total, and one test that is considerably stressful on the players is called the "Windgate". What happens is the player has his feet taped to the pedals on a stationary bike. He is then told, in a loud/screaming sort of way, to pedal as fast as he can for 30 seconds. The computer then accurately reads and processes the information on the measurement of explosive speed and fatigue effects of the athlete. Many GMs gather around to watch the screen and record the stats.
Jordan Schroeder, ranked #5 for the draft, vomited right after performing this test. "Everyone will say the bikes are definitely the hardest. You're a little dizzy afterwards", said Schroeder. "A little bit came up - I have to admit, a little bit came up."
The most intense segment of the combine is always the last test for the athletes, and it's known as the VO2 Max test. "VO2 max, or maximal oxygen uptake, is one factor that can determine an athlete's capacity to perform sustained exercise and is linked to aerobic endurance. VO2 max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense or maximal exercise. It is measured as milliliters of oxygen used in one minute per kilogram of body weight" - Sports Medicine. This is all performed on the bike.
While it is a draining exercise, all of the performers quickly regained their composure afterward. John Tavares, who did not do any upper-body tests due to a speculated shoulder injury, did very well on the cycling tests. Brayden Schenn is also believed to have an upper body injury.
Evander Kane, currently ranked #3 for the forwards, matched the day's high with 17 bench presses and 47 push-ups - which was far and away the highest total of the day.
Ryan Bourque, son of NHL hall of famer Ray Bourque, performed excellently on the agility tests in which the athletes jumped around a hexagonal mat.
Ryan Ellis showed up but then was granted permission to leave the testing due to unknown circumstances.
Victor Hedman showed up, and boy is he big. He measured in at 6'7", while Jared Cowen came in at 6'5", both are huge bodied individuals. Hedman was asked, "if you weren't a hockey player, what would you be?" He quickly responded "a pilot", much to the surprise of man around him.
"It's the last week to make an impression", said Hedman. "I'm looking forward to it...I've tried these tests before and I'm never going to quit." Something everyone wants to hear from a future prospect.
Brian Burke was met at the Combine and was asked of his desire to move up in the draft. "I got nowhere with it so far," said Burke. "I didn't think I would so early. There's no progress to report, but I'm not discouraged yet. So far I got nothing to report and no reason to feel positive or encouraged in any way, but that's how it is. The two times I've done this was on the floor. I'm not surprised there's no progress yet. We've got a month. If we have to stay and pick at seven we're content to do that. We're going to try to move up but we're not going to overpay to do it. We think we can get a good player at seven. We're going to try to hit it out of the park like we always do. The fact that we've put a few top prospects in the system doesn't change the desperation that I think you have to have when you go to the draft. Your mentality has to be we have to be successful here. The fact that we added Bozak, Christian … doesn't change that. It doesn't change that hunger you have to have gong into the draft. We have to get better today."
For more information of the process, read Central Scouting's NHL Combine Protocol.
Micheal A. Aldred
michealaldred@hotmail.com
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Here We Go Again
At the end of the Stanley Cup finals last year, Pittsburgh fans were quick to say that they'd be back and their team would win it all. I was quick to say that the Penguins would have a hard road back, and that it was unlikely that they'd do it.
Well, the Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings are both back, ready to pick up where they left off last June. Pittsburgh went through the Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes to reach the Finals again. Detroit defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks.
This year, the Penguins have the one thing everyone felt they lacked last year: experience. They've been here before. Been so close, and had to live through the sting of watching the Wings hoist the Cup in Mellon Arena. That feeling will be an undercurrent through this sequel.
Since being pushed to a seventh game against the Capitals, Pittsburgh has been on a tear. In the five games they've played since (including game seven), they've outscored their opponent 26-11. The closest was game one against the Hurricanes, when they were still a bit spent from an epic series, but still managed to win 3-2.
Detroit, similarly, received a boost from defeating a highly skilled Ducks team that very nearly won. In the Conference finals, despite injuries to Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom, the Wings cruised to the Finals against a Chicago team that will be a force of the future.
Now the two teams clash again. With the shorter layoff, Pittsburgh might have the upper hand if Detroit's injury problems are serious. Still, you cannot discount the amazing depth of the Wings. And Marian Hossa now gets to experience this matchup from the other side. Both teams had some serious competition, but both made the Finals fairly easily.
So who wins? Which team has all the right pieces, and has enough left in them? Detroit has home ice advantage, and is 8-1 at Joe Louis, but only 4-3 on the road. Pittsburgh is 6-2 at home, and 6-3 on the road. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are running away with playoff scoring, but both teams have six players in double digits. Chris Osgood has better numbers in goal, but Marc-Andre Fleury has played just as well over the past five games. Detroit's power play is converting at 25.7% to Pittsburgh's 19.3%, but Pittsburgh's penalty kill is better at 83.6% to 73.7%.
Regardless of my prediction, fans are going to be treated to another great round of hockey. This year has been phenomenal in that regard. But inevitably, there has to be one champion. I've held this belief since before the season started, so I'm going to see it through.
Prediction: Detroit in seven
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Rematch - Every Which Way But One
We've reached the final four and many people have already been dreaming of a Penguins/Red Wings final in a re-match of last year's finish, but people need to accommodate their dreams to the fact that A. Cam Ward and Erik Staal are pure clutch players, and B. Khabibulin and his speedy comeback kids won't go down without a fight. But other than seeing the Canes battle it out with the Blackhawks, every other possible finish is a Stanley Cup Finals rematch from the last 20 years.
Detroit Vs. Pittsburgh
In a rematch from the 2007-08 Finals, this series features a few other mini-stories within. The first, and obvious, is Hossa now playing for the Red Wings instead of the Penguins. The second story to the rematch is having both teams being 1 more year older. That influences a lot considering most of the players on the Penguins are under the age of 30 and those on the Red Wings are not. The Pens have gone the distance and it is said in order to win the Stanley Cup you must first understand what it is to lose it. The Pens have done that, and this year they are now ready to take it by the horns and drive it home for the win. Needless to say, it will not be a quick series, nor will it be painless.
Carolina Vs. Detroit
Interestingly enough, the last three times the Hurricanes have made it to the playoffs, they've made it to the Conference Finals (2002, 2006, 2009) and both times, aside from this year, they've made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. If they meet the Red Wings in the Finals, the Hurricanes will faceoff against a familiar foe. In 2002, the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in a 5 games against the Hurricanes. 2002 was a strange post-season for Carolina as both goaltender's were known to start strong and end weak. Artus Irbe was replaced by Weekes and Weekes was soon replaced by Irbe on almost a weekly basis, but the tactic worked as they stormed into the Stanley Cup Finals but could not maintain the fiery hot Red Wings as they lost the series 4-1. Now, with stronger goaltending and a crop of talented youth and great veteran leadership it is difficult to imagine this series ending in 5 games or less.
Chicago Vs. Detroit
This one is not a Stanley Cup Finals rematch, but the series itself should be discussed on a few interesting notes. The first is a series that features a former Blackhawk legend now apart of the Red Wings crop - Chris Chelios. The last time the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup was against, you guessed it, the Detroit Red Wings in 1961, and is the longest Stanley Cup drought than any other team in the NHL. In 1995, the two clubs faced off in the Conference Finals only to have Detroit go on to lose in the Finals against the New Jersey Devils. The third odd fact about this series is what has happened this season. The Winter Classic was hosted by Chicago at Wrigley Field against the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings won the game 6-4. Who would have guessed on New Year's day those two teams would meet in the Conference Finals? Let's not forget that Scotty Bowman left the Red Wings organization to work with his son in Chicago. This will be the 15th time these two teams have met in the post-season, the Blackhawks winning 8 of the previous 14 series.
Chicago Vs. Pittsburgh
In 1992, the Blackhawks stormed through the gate with 11 straight playoff victories coming into the Stanley Cup Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Blackhawks were winning 4-1 in Game 1 before the Penguins came back to win it with 13 seconds left with a goal by none other than Super Mario. The Pens would then post 1-0, and 6-5 wins before sweeping the Blackhawks and tie the 11 straight playoff victory records they broke on Chicago. Mario Lemieux became the 2nd player in league history to win the Conn Smythe two years in a row and the Penguins captured their 2nd Stanley Cup in as many years. Should the Penguins meet the Blackhawks in the Finals once again this season, it will be a battle of youth as both teams are certainly coming into their own on top of the league. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews vs. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Oh, to dream.
There's only 2 tickets to paradise.
Micheal A. Aldred
michealaldred@hotmail.com
Friday, May 15, 2009
Conference Final Predictions
What an ending to the second round. Three game sevens, one amazing overtime, and Chicago getting some needed rest while Anaheim and Detroit finish a war.
So now the Conference Finals are set, and both matchups look like they will continue the stretch of intense action. On the line: a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Will the upstart Chicago Blackhawks make it all the way and win their first Cup since 1961? Will Carolina make it back to the Finals for the first time since winning in 2006 (the last two times they qualified for the playoffs, they’ve made it to the Finals)? Are we destined for a Detroit-Pittsburgh rematch?
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes
The Penguins are coming off a highly charged series against the Washington Capitals. Sidney Crosby proved why he’s arguably the best player on the planet right now. Carolina had staked itself to a 3-1 series lead against the Boston Bruins, only to be forced to overtime in game seven when unlikely hero Scott Walker put the series away. Now Eric and Jordan Staal get to face each other.
The Penguins will need a lot more secondary scoring, especially from Kunitz, Satan and Staal. Crosby and Malkin can only do so much of the heavy lifting. Carolina needs bigger contributions from Brind’Amour and Cole. Sergei Samsonov showed up against his former team, but he needs to not disappear again.
Prediciton: Penguins in six.
Detroit Red Wings vs Chicago Blackhawks
The last time the Hawks were in the conference finals was 1994-95 where they lost to Detroit. This is the third straight trip for the Red Wings. Chicago comes in on a tear, winning the last three against the Vancouver Canucks to close them out in six games, while Detroit needed a weak goal given up by Jonas Hiller late in game seven to finish off the Anaheim Ducks.
Chicago needs to establish leads early in games, and not have to comeback against Detroit, as the Wings are one of the best at maintaining a lead. Nikolai Khabibulin is going to have to be stellar for the Hawks to have a chance. Detroit needs to stay out of penalty trouble as the Hawks have the best powerplay in the playoffs and the Wing’s biggest weakness has been on the penalty kill.
Prediction: Red Wings in six.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Can Anything Top Penguins-Capitals?
It was the series everyone wanted...and it turned out to be more than everyone expected.
The seven game epic clash between Sidney Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins and Alexander Ovechkin's Washington Capitals did not disappoint. Five one goal games. Three overtime games. Crosby and Ovechkin each scored eight goals.
In the end, the Capitals just ran out. Ovechkin averaged 23 minutes a game in the series (21 minutes for the 14 games Washington played in the playoffs). Simeon Varlamov, who was incredible during this run, didn't have anything left. The Penguins moved on because of their experience, talent, and the sheer will of Crosby.
But now the question becomes 'What can top this?' Is there a matchup for the Finals that can reach this high? The answer: A Detroit-Pittsburgh rematch.
Sure, the Chicago Blackhawks are an exciting young team, but it's that inexperience factor that makes them a longshot. An original six final between Detroit and Boston would be cool, but I don't think it would capture the viewers. Anaheim and Pittsburgh might be interesting, but again that might not be a ratings draw (the 2007 Final between Anaheim and Ottawa had dismal U.S. ratings).
But Detroit and Pittsburgh have history. The Penguins would want revenge on losing last year. Detroit would be out to prove that beyond a doubt, they're one of the best teams ever. Marc-Andre Fleury would love to have another go, considering the Cup winning goal last year.
Game six last year had a 4.4 share in the ratings, so you can be sure NBC and the NHL would both love this matchup as well.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Pens-Caps Liveblog on TheScore
Ryan MacIntyre and myself will be liveblogging the game for your pleasure tonight and TheScore is waiting for us as they quote us as the "Blogging Heavyweights". Click Here to read the brief article.
It's Game 7 of the series everyone has been following, fans and followers alike. This is an exciting time for hockey fans. Crosby and Ovechkin go to Seventh Heaven. What is interesting is that every series Ovechkin has played in his career has gone the distance.
We'll be taking you to the distance tonight, On The Score. I'll be covering the play by play and Ryan MacIntyre will be keeping you entertained with the color commentary and game facts.
Hope to see you all there to celebrate the best game in the best series of these playoffs.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The Beasts of the East
After what some consider an upset for the Penguins to take out the Flyers in six games, and an 80 second burst of pure skill and a hint of luck for the Hurricanes, the East is settled to 4 teams: Boston, Pittsburgh, Washington and Carolina. It's a dream come true for the people who live and breath the Crosby/Ovechkin rivalry, while the other series has certain people thinking hard about what could very well happen.
Boston Vs. Carolina
There's no denying the Hurricanes are essentially the dark horse of the East. Going into the post-season, not too many people were really talking about them and, in a way, that's underestimating them. The Devils were one of the favorites to get to the Conference Finals, but after seeing what damage the Hurricanes can do, regardless of the series going to 7 games, one must not count them out against the Bruins.
The Bruins are a team that have many young players with a ton of talent and grit to push them through; however, the Hurricanes are a team that completely works as a single unit. There is no major powerhouse player on the team, other than Eric Staal, and they feed off each other in pursuit of the win. The Bruins have tremendous goaltending, a firm defensive stance and explosive speed. It will depend on how well all of their lines perform in the series to see if they can get past the Hurricanes in less than 6 games, for there is no denying that Carolina is a far more superior team compared to the Montreal Canadiens.
This series will depend on the level of intensity from both sides and how they use their forechecking. Needless to say, a simple shot on net is not going to fool Tim Thomas - the Hurricanes will have to focus legitimate chances on goal to get a win, and it won't be easy. The Bruins, on the other hand, must keep Cam Ward deep in his net, refuse to allow him to challenge the shooters and maintain pressure on Eric Staal and Erik Cole. If they can shut down the top duo and keep the pressure on by constantly sending the puck into the offensive zone, they will be able to take this series in as many as 5 games, but don't be surprised if the Hurricanes steal one or two. This is a team that thrives on unity and a bit of luck.
Pittsburgh Vs. Washington
Despite Washington finishing 2nd in the Standings, a lot of people believe the Penguins are far and away the better team. The whole debate on who the better player is between Crosby and Ovechkin will be put on the line in this one, but people are overlooking one simple fact: it isn't about who is better, it's about who can elevate their game and lead their team to a berth in the Conference Finals.
There's no doubt both sides have a ton of firepower, but will they have the necessary defensive skills to hold each other off? Let's face it, these are "defense-first"-minded teams we're talking about here. In the regular season, the Penguins were a collective +23, and only a +5 on the road. The Capitals were a collective +18 and only a +2 on the road. To put that into perspective, the Bruins were a +60, while the Jackets were a +18. Needless to say, this will be an explosively offensive series that will likely be home-and-home wins.
This series will be dependent on superb goaltending. The defense have a knack for making unnecessary mistakes or showing signs of sheer laziness on the back-check. In order for either of these teams to get the big W they will need to be supported significantly between the pipes and that will surely mean more of Varlamov's outstanding performance thus far and absolutely no sign of Theodore on the ice. If the Caps for some reason decide to go with the veteran, it will be a costly mistake.
Unless one of Fleury and Varlamov completely shine and shut the door throughout, neither team will go away quietly. Expect a long one for this one and plenty of frustration.
Get ready for the Beasts of the East!
Micheal A. Aldred
michealaldred@hotmail.com
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Game 6: Flyers/Pens Pre-Game
At 3:00 PM EST, the Pittsburgh Penguins will get a second chance to finish off the Philadelphia Flyers, but this time they'll have to do it on the road. They were leading the series 3-1 when the Flyers stormed Igloo and flat out dominated Pittsburgh in every aspect of the game to inch the series closer. Today, if the Penguins fail to get this win, it could very well be the end of the series.
Philadelphia is not and easy team to beat, and they are damn good at making cheese steak sandwiches and low fat cream cheese. Coming into the playoffs, everyone knew this was going to be the series to watch in the East, and it has certainly lived up to expectation. But the odds of anyone guessing the Pens would have taken 3 of the first four games are low, and the Flyers are proving a point to the hockey world and their fan base - they will not go down without a fight.
And that's certainly what has transpired. Facing elimination, key players have shown exactly what they are capable of. While guys like Carter and Richards have not been explosive, they are a still a threat on the ice, but the veteran players such as Asham, Knuble and Gagne are certainly pulling their own weight and more to get their team back into it. Well, so far so good. The Flyers are down by one and are heading home. If the crowd can give some much needed support, Philly could easily push this series to seven games.
There is a factor though.
In Game 5, in which Philly brought the series to 3-2, Sidney Crosby was still the best player on the ice for both sides despite not producing a single point. He was hammered hard at the end boards early in the game and it sparked him to kick his game into another gear. If he comes out flying today, the same way he played in Game 5, the Flyers could have a problem on their hands, for no other player in the league has scored more points against Philadelphia in the last 3 years. They will have to put every man on the ice on his back to keep him at bay or there will be a price to pay.
That said, shut down the Kid and you got yourself a Game 7.
Join me for the liveblog of today's game on The Score. Also, be sure to check out The Score on Twitter to see what games are getting liveblog coverage every day.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Devils & Penguins: Liveblog Tonight
If you were tuning in here a couple of weeks ago, I would have been talking about how the New Jersey Devils were destined to take over the top seed in the East and possibly represent the conference in the Stanley Cup Finals.
It has been a bit of a rough go since then however.
The Devils have now lost five games in a row and over this period, they've only scored one powerplay goal while giving up seven. The worst part of it all has been that the majority of the recent losses have been against potential first round opponents.
Tonight, they will be facing another one of these teams in the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens have continued to roll, winning 5 of their last 6 games, and have let the rest of the conference know that they are to be taken seriously.
Yours truly will be play-by-play liveblogging this one for your viewing enjoyment at theScore.com. Feel free to come and join me and to chip in your two cents.
Click here for a direct link.
Ryan D. MacIntyre
thejackass@hockeyjackass.com
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