Are the Islanders this year's L.A. Kings?
Speaking of surprises, the one that probably nobody predicted is that the New York Islanders would make a series of it with the Pittsburgh Penguins. And yet...
After pounding the Islanders 5-0 in Game 1, and Crosby set to finally return in Game 2, it looked like the Penguins would probably make quick work of the Islanders. The early-going in Game 2 certainly helped that narrative, as Crosby grabbed two goals in the first period to give the Pens a 3-1 lead going into the second. Then, as if by magic (or dogged determinism combined with a peppering of shots on Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury), the Iles grabbed two unanswered goals in the second. Then another in the third. And with that, they won 4-3. Stunning.
It didn't get much easier for the Penguins in Game 3. They led 3-2 after the first, and added an extra in the second, but gave up two in the third. The whole thing went to overtime, ending with the Pens' Kunitz snapping one past Evgeni Nabokov just after the 8-minute mark.
The Penguins have been doing some things right, including scoring on the power play. However, they've been unable to hold a lead, no doubt refreshing the memory of last year's first round slugfest against Philadelphia. That series was a bit more out of control, but there again, the Penguins' downfall was due in part to being unable to keep the pucks from going in, no matter how many they scored. They lost that series 4-3. So, is the problem with goaltending? Or is there something else at play? Two years doesn't make a trend, but it's noticeable.
Or maybe the Penguins are really only half the problem. It's easy to point to Fleury or the Pens' defensive squad and blame them for not fulfilling what most believed would be an easy rout of the Iles. But credit where it's due: The Islanders are playing better hockey than they have all season. Are they capable of an L.A. Kings-like romp through the rest of the playoffs?
If you said no, check Tuesday night's score. The two were tied going into the third, and Pittsburgh managed to score quickly to take a 4-3 lead. Then, a few minutes later, things started to fall apart. Mark Streit notched one at 4:30 for New York. Then, almost seven minutes later, John Tavares put another one in. And, with just under two minutes to go, Casey Cizikas (who?) made it 6-4. Then it was all over. The series is tied 2-2.
Can the Islanders win? It seems so, which would be especially embarrassing for the Penguins, considering the latest Sports Illustrated cover.
Goodbye, Vancouver
Somewhat amazingly, Vancouver's loss on Tuesday night, and quick exit from the playoffs, brings to mind something Don Cherry said recently.
Just about every conversation about Vancouver going into these playoffs (including here) was that the biggest question mark for the Canucks would be in net. Would it be Luongo or Schneider? After the first three games, after both had a shot at backstopping the Canucks, and neither had managed to pull out a win, that was again a go-to question. But Cherry pointed to another, bigger, problem.
"Remember the playoffs when they were with Boston? I think they had 8 goals in 7 games. it wasn't Roberto, it was your scorers," Cherry said. "His losses this year, in 8 games – his losses – they've scored 10 goals, and they're not scoring... Vancouver: It's not your goaltenders, it's the guys that lead your league in scoring and aren't scoring."
That finally changed Tuesday night in San Jose. Mid-way through the third, the Canucks were down 2-1 with about 10 minutes gone in the frame. Then they finally started scoring. First, on the power play, was Alex Burrows, and then, only a couple minutes later, Alex Edler let go a bomb from the blue line that soared past Antti Niemi's right ear and into the mesh. Not only did it put the 'Nucks ahead, it marked the first time they'd been able to score three goals against the Sharks all season.
It would have all been great news, if Vancouver had managed to stay out of the penalty box. Three of the four goals the Sharks scored against Vancouver Tuesday came with the man advantage, including both the equalizer and the eventual overtime winner, which came with a bit of controversy.
Thirteen minutes into the extra frame, Daniel Sedin pushed Shark Tommy Wingels into the boards at the far end of the ice from behind. He was called for boarding. Here's the hit:
The question is: was it a boarding penalty? Arguably, it looks very much shoulder-to-shoulder, but once again, it falls into an ambiguous zone where, as much as it might have been a clean hit, it borders on the kind of thing the league is looking to eliminate. And so, here we are.
This early exit for the Canucks was (again) a big surprise. Is it already time for a complete rebuild in Vancouver?
Was giving up Tuukka Rask the dumbest things the Leafs did?
First off: I've probably missed some pretty goals so far in the playoffs, but I'd wager James van Riemsdyk's sleek little back-hand past Tuukka Rask Saturday night in Boston was one of the best.
Arguably, he was a bit fortunate at the very end to get the bounce off Rask's skate, but all the same, that takes nothing away from those hands.
Second, let's take nothing away from Rask, who has so far been stellar in this series, backstopping the Bruins to a commanding 5-2 win on Monday night to ruin Toronto's playoff homecoming and take a 2-1 series lead. As the Hockey News points out, of all the trades Brian Burke made when he was the Leafs' general manager, it might turn out that letting go of Rask was the worst.
"People never tire of giving the Leafs and former GM Brian Burke grief over the Phil Kessel trade that delivered Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton to the Bruins. But in the short-term, the organization's decision to go with Pogge over Rask might even be a worse one. To this point it certainly has and in this series, it has, since Seguin has yet to register a point and Hamilton has been a healthy scratch in two of the three games."
Was giving up Rask the worst trade the Leafs made recently?
Also, while this series has proved generally a good one to watch, the off-ice relationship has been marred by a couple of stupid fans on either side.
First, was a video of a Leafs fan on the ground, apparently unconscious in Boston that emerged online after Game 2 (which the Leafs won). According to the fan on the ground, Kyle Hay, he was sucker-punched in the back of the head as he walked the concourse after the game. According to Puck Daddy, it left him with "three stitches in the back of his head, a swollen cheek and a concussion." Nice.
Then, there's this guy: A Toronto fan who decided to play on the post-marathon bombing "Boston Strong" slogan and came up with the terrific idea to make a sign that said "Toronto Stronger," complete with a blue and white ribbon. Buzzfeed called him "the most classless fan in sports." Yep.
The Bruins and Leafs play again Wednesday night in Toronto.
The Canadiens and Senators hate each other
One of the problems the Senators had for years after the team set up shop in Ottawa in the early 1990s was in building enduring rivalries with its neighbouring teams, the Leafs and the Canadiens.
Its rivalry with the Leafs took about a decade to really hit a stride, when the two teams met in the playoffs in 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02, and then again in 2003-04. Now, there's real animosity between the two – so much so that the Senators recently tried to limit how many tickets Leafs fans could buy for games in Ottawa.
As for Montreal? It's just not been the same. That's changed now.
Following the Eric Gryba hit on Lars Eller in Game 1, there was some back-and-forth jawing between Senators' coach Paul MacLean (who said the Gryba hit was partly the fault of the Habs' Raphael Diaz's bad pass) and Canadiens' enforcer Brandon Prust (who responded by calling MacLean a fat walrus). In other words, the rivalry was heating up well in advance of Sunday's game, which probably now solidified a new Canadian hockey rivalry.
Watch:
That brawl happened with over half of the third period still left to play, so by the end of the night, the benches for both teams were basically empty. Senators' captain (and forward) Daniel Alfredsson finished the night on defence.
In light of that, Tuesday night's meeting was surprisingly calm, with both teams keeping emotions in check in favour of having it out on the goal sheet. Montreal looked very strong in the first two periods, keeping the Senators to few shots, finally figuring out Craig Anderson and taking a two goal advantage. The Senators came out completely flat and their top line was almost invisible. Then, with 8 minutes left in the third, Mika Zibanejad grabbed Ottawa's first of the game. Off his skate.
I'm biased in this (I'm rooting for the Habs) but it looked like a kicking motion to me.
However, the goal stood as called, and proved a crucial turning point for the Sens. A few minutes later, Cory Conacher grabbed the equalizer in a goal crease melee from which Habs goalie Carey Price emerged apparently injured – too injured to start in overtime. Two minutes into the extra frame, Kyle Turris netted the winner on a weird, harmless looking, shot from point that sailed over Hab's backup Peter Budaj's right shoulder. The Senators are now up 3-1, going back to Montreal, where the Habs will have to quickly learn how to hold a lead – possibly in front of their backup.
Eugene Melnyk is a nice guy
Keila Penner is an Ottawa Senators fan, but she lives in Lachine, Quebec, not far outside of Montreal. Already you see the issue. So did her school, which held a Canadiens jersey day, and then sent her home when she wore her Sens shirt.
Soon enough, the media got wind of the story and Penner was the subject of a few local news stories.
And soon after that, Melnyk heard about it and decided to order a limo for the family and drive them down to Ottawa for Tuesday night's game and set them up in the owner's box. The team also gave her a new jersey, signed by the entire team. It was a classy move from the Sens. The owners get a bad rep most of the time, especially recently, but it's worth noting when one deserves some kudos.
One more note on Melnyk: Remember his efforts to determine, via forensic scientists, that Matt Cooke intentionally injured Sens' star defenceman Erik Karlsson? He's still working on it. I, for one, still can't wait to hear the results.
