THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW IF ROUND 1 FAILS
1. RANGERS: The gifted kids and a rejuvenated Igor Shesterkin should tee off Pittsburgh tonight and in Game 7 to take over the series.
2. PENGUINS: The minute Sid Crosby got injured in game five, the Pens turned into hockey players. They can no longer win with a Louis Domingue or Tristan Jarry.
3. PANTHERS: It’s okay to play with playoff fire — like falling 3-0 too often — as long as you have a fire extinguisher. The Cats should prevail tonight. Too much talent for Ovie & Company.
4. FLAMES: I assume Darrell Sutter has the blueprint to finish the series tonight. He also has Jacob Markstrom. Jake is the difference maker.
5. OILER: Credit goes to McDavid, Inc. for resisting the Kings’ foray into hometown and prevailing in the end. Connor’s crew will complete it in Edmonton.
6. LEAVES: Auston Matthews and his cronies — John Tavares in particular — still have a chance to avoid another playoff debacle. The local ice cream will suffice them.
7. LIGHTNING: The defending champions take pride in their bravery in Game Six. I can’t see any more gas in her tank. They’ve pleased their home fans and that’s the way it should be Adieu to her drive for three on Saturday night.
8. BLUE: In the preseason, The Hockey News Annual ranked St.Louis third in the Central Division and Minnesota fifth. This was a solid series win for Craig Berube’s boys. maintained shape this time.
9. Brown: In this intense battle of the back-ups, I like the younger Jeremy Swayman versus vet Antti Raanta, who makes the difference in the Beantowners’ favour.
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THE CROSBY-TROUBA AFFAIR AND HOW IT AFFECTS A SERIES
When Penguins captain Sid Crosby was bludgeoned out of game five of the New York-Pittsburgh series, opinions on the collision were divided.
Defendant Jacob Trouba was found not very guilty. Just a little.
In Rangerville, the judiciary ruled that it was a perfectly normal — not clean, mind you — outcome of a tense series in which the theme is “All is fair in love, in war, and in the playoffs.”
In Pittsburgh, Trouba’s torpedoing of the Penguins’ captain was considered as bad as old coward Frank Howard’s shooting of Jesse James in the back. Trouba finished the game, but the badly wounded Sid didn’t.
Furthermore, Rangers recovered from a 0-2 deficit and won the game away. It says here that Troubas Whacko-in-the-head-oh Pitt ended plans to take over the series.
Guess what? There’s not much Pitt can do about it, really. Contemporary ice hockey is faster, more artistic and more exciting than ever. This series is Exhibit A.
It’s mean too, just like in the earlier days of the sport.
“It’s a tough game,” Gordie Howe liked to say. He said it many times after Toronto’s Ted Kennedy allegedly punched him during the 1950 Leafs Detroit Final. It nearly killed the budding star.
If Gordie had seen the trouba hit Crosby, he would have nodded his head and then commented, “That’s hockey.”
As sure as Shootin’ Gordie would have been in Sid’s skates, Trouba would eventually see stars! Maybe for a month.
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THE NEXT ISLAND TRAINER – WHO? (Part One)
Lou Lamoriello has gotten as much, if not more, out of Barry Defiance as Islanders coach than he could have wished for; except for this past crooked, tortuous Islanders season. As a personality they just don’t come any better than Barry. He’s a good guy; and a wise hockey man. Those are the facts. The outpouring of affection — not to mention anger at being shot — for the man was evident minutes after Boss Lou’s shocking announcement.
Sure, Lou could have gone with the breeze and kept defiance for the remainder of Barry’s pact year. But that wasn’t Lou. It wasn’t Lou during his New Jersey tenure – worth three cups – and it wasn’t supposed to be on the island either. In Devils-Land he fired Robbie Ftorek and Claude Julien at the end of the stretch because he sensed something was wrong in the state of New Jersey.
I’m sure Lou sensed something was wrong after the Islanders were beaten in their first two games of the season, if not their seventh game against Tampa Bay in the playoffs last spring. Sure, the Isles lost by just one goal, but I’ve never seen a side play as incoherently as the Isles did in what was the most important game of the season – if not the decade – for them.
Lou knows the Devils have a gifted corps of talented youngsters while the Rangers have already established themselves as a force. It is
Lou’s job is to keep up with the competition, and that means bringing in a trainer with the three Vs – Vim, Vigor, and Vitality – with a large dose of intelligence.
That’s exactly what he did in 1993, when he duped everyone and hired Jacques Lemaire to orchestrate the Devils Symphony, and it turned out to be one of the smartest moves of all time. Now we’ll see if Lamoriello can pull off a decent facsimile. History tells us; Don’t underestimate this man!
As for the next coach; look at the “names”. Mike Babcock, who knows Lou well from her days in Toronto, and John (Torts) Tortorella must be candidates. Torts and Lou speak the same language; New Englandese. (MORE ABOUT ISLANDS BELOW)
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PRAISE ARIZONA:
The Coyotes may be done for the season, but Commissioner Bettman still has Arizona hockey on his mind. With the Yotes moving to a new, compact arena in Arizona state next fall, some critics are wondering why the league isn’t finding another market
“Arizona is a great market,” Bettman explains. “The Coyotes have a large following. Greater Phoenix also has great grassroots hockey. Ask Austen Matthews (born in Arizona). Turns out Glendale wasn’t an ideal place.”
The Coyotes’ vision is to play in a new arena designed for Tempe, but – so far – without official city approval; and that can take time. But Yotes owner Alex Meruelo remains confident it will happen.
That’s Bettman.
“We are confident that Alex is on the right track and that he has the skills and resources to do so. The team will be fine.”
One reason for this is the Oak View Group, one of the most influential arena management outfits on the continent. Oak View and the Coyotes have agreed to a new deal, with Oak View overseeing the sale at Arizona State’s new arena. This should strongly influence the Tempe politicians to approve the planned NHL arena.
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I JUST SAY YES’
* At his recent press conference in Florida, Commissioner Bettman was asked if there had been any contact with Joel Quenneville. The answer: It’s up to Q to initiate a chat.
* Should Florida be eliminated in the first round, coach Andy Brunette’s spot as head coach cannot be guaranteed.
* Can you believe that from a Pittsburgh media colleague?
* Then again with the puck, hoo-hah!
* Most revised cliche of the playoffs: “We have to play them To the right Path.”
* Translated, this means we won. play that not correct away and you lose. Easy!
* Shame Nashville couldn’t challenge the Avalanche with Juuse Saros in goal. Guaranteed it would not have been a Colorado sweep.
* Nathan MacKinnon says Cale Makar is the best player in the league. I’ll take Sidney Crosby.
* Darnell Nurse needs an eye doctor. He mistook Phil Danault’s head for a soccer ball.
* If I were Vlad Tarasenko, I would urge a swap – to the Blues. (Just kidding!)
*My vote for the top two left wings of the second line goes to LA’s Adrian Kempe and Panthers’ Carter Verhaeghe.
* I do not get it. Adam Fox won the Norris last year with a non-playoff team. He’s even better this year and Rangers are doing preseason and Foxy isn’t even a Norris finalist. I still do not understand!
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WHO SAID THAT?
“Shoot the puck, Barry, shoot the puck!” (Answer below.)
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MORE ABOUT A BUS FOR THE ISLANDERS
Speculations about the next Islanders coach include almost every name in the book except Don Cherry. Those who have covered Lou Lamoriello the longest, including myself, know one thing; You never know what he will do. Also, there will be no media leaks; it will just happen.
Such was the case with Jacques Lemaire, Larry Robinson and Pat Burns, each delivering a Stanley Cup to New Jersey. So expect the least expected. But expect the best mentor available.(
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WHAT NEXT FOR DESPITE?
The real question revolves around Barry’s future. The past non-playoff season – including his mother’s death – was the most unnerving of his career. I assume that should be Barry
If you want another shot behind the bench, it’s in Winnipeg, Barry’s hometown. He lives in Manitoba, loves western Canada and would be most comfortable with the Jets.
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DOES THIS CHILD LIKE THEMSELVES OR WHAT?
Shane Walsh, the guaranteed first draft pick overall in 2022, makes this scouting report of himself: “I think I’m the best draft.”
(He’s going to join the Canadiens and then we’ll see how good he really is.)_
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LAME LINE OF THE WEEK AWARD:
Toronto defenseman Jake Muzzin just doesn’t get it. After his Leafs were trashed by Tampa Bay early in the series, he told reporters, “We just weren’t ready!” Someone better let this guy know when the game starts. How on earth can you Not Are you ready for a playoff game?
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THE ART OF GOAL SHOOTING BY THE CHAMPION
Andy Moog, a three-time Stanley Cup winner in 18 NHL years, has been a goaltender coach since 1976. One of his clients is the Portland Winterhawks, who are currently in the WHL playoffs.
The Hawks’ goalie tandem – Taylor Gauthier and Dante Gianuzzi – learned well from Moog, so I decided to ask Andy a few questions about goalie science: Topics and Moog’s answers follow:
THE THREE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF NETMINDING: “A. basics; B. serenity; C. Compete.”
DIRECTOR: “My father was the biggest influence on my career.”
WINTERHAWKS STUDENT: “You both possess the three basic requirements. Dante (6-1, 183) requires more patience because he is smaller. Taylor (6-2, 208) may be more conservative in its depth because it is taller.”
BUTTERFLY CONTROVERSY: “All goalies prepare standing. Defense selection starts with the feet. “Butterly” is a defensive technique, not a style. Some goalies (Jon Quick) use the wide stance. Others (Marc-Andre Fleury) take a narrow stance.”
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HOPE FOR THE DEVILS:
1. Defensively, the team has a solid crop of good prospects.
2. Tom Fitzgerald will trade his number 1 for a top goalie.
3. Rapidly Developing Adolescents (Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, etc. Al.) will further intensify the offensive.
4. Lindy Ruff made her compete hard to the end; win three of the last five games.
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ANSWER TO WHO SAID IT? Rangers “Color” commentator Bill Chadwick often criticized defenseman Barry Beck for not using his big shot more often.