Monday, May 12, 2008
Thoughts and observations from the third round
Just a few short days ago I eagerly awaited the semi-finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs thinking we’d be in for fireworks between the Flyers and the Penguins and hoping that the Stars magical run could continue. That was before the four overtime period marathon which clearly sucked the life out of the Stars, at least at this point. Coupled with the Wings phenomenal efforts to date that makes tonight’s game three a must win for the Stars otherwise a terrific ride that has seen them knock off the defending Cup champs and the prohibitive favourite will go for naught. Unfortunately that’s the way the puck bounces sometimes. Thanks to the inspiration of Captain Brendan Morrow the Stars have crashed and banged their way to the semi-finals behind the great goaltending of Marty Turco. Despite a less than stellar record on home ice the Stars will need to go to that well one more time. Detroit actually out hit Dallas 39-26 in game two, this against a Stars team that have averaged close to 40 hits in most of their games. And the game two victory came with Dan Cleary back in the Wing lineup along with Darren McCarty as the surprising news of Johan Franzen’s concussion symptoms made the news pre game. Most of the talk post game centered on the Ott-Riberio-Osgood fines which emanated from two separate incidents toward the end of the contest. Ott drilled Kris Draper and tried to fight him but Draper was unwilling as most Wings other than McCarty are. It’s a lesson in discipline and with the rules the way they are today also a further reminder that as long as you are willing to initiate physically on the fore check and go to the dirty zones you can survive and thrive in today’s NHL without worrying about dropping the gloves. Do I like it – no I don’t. It’s spawned a new breed of player, the Ruutu’s of the world who are shameless. I’d say gutless but frankly I don’t think that’s the case. I think they have some guts. I’ve seem them fight a bit when pressed but overall their antics are a disgrace to the NHL and when Jarrko was called for his dive last night after his exchange with Martin Biron of the Flyers I thought, right on, call that on him every time and maybe he’ll stop getting away with this blatant style of BS crap that makes me want to puke. I digress.
The Wings right now look like a team possessed. As much as I eagerly awaited the semi-final I now find myself saying the same thing about a potential Penguin-Wing final although Detroit’s experience looks like it could be a factor personified. We’ll see. As for Ribero and Osgood, again the right call was made with the fines. Osgood through the first shot with that butt end. Granted it did not hit but if somebody throws a butt end they should expect to get hit and that was a love tap Ribeiro gave Osgood yet he still went down like he was shot from the grassy knoll. That was a joke so it was good to see no suspensions come out of that.
Back to the Penguins and the Flyers and you shut down Malkin, along comes Sid the Kid. Playing his best hockey of the post season Crosby was a dynamo last night and easily could have had two more goals and two or three more assists on top of his one and one. Unfortunately for the Penguin fans this series is looking eerily similar to Detroit-Colorado where bodies are dropping for the Flyers much like the Aves and they are trying to make a game out of it. Braydon Coburn has played a ton of hockey this year for Philadelphia. Losing him two minutes into the contest with a puck in the face was disastrous. With Coburn’s absence and Timonen’s blot clot the Flyers were grossly short staffed on defense. Hatcher played more than 28 minutes, Randy Jones more than 26. That’s a ton of ice. What’s also fun to watch on the Penguins is they have somebody physical on every line. Ryan Malone, Pascal Dupuis, Tyler Kennedy and the entire fourth line featuring Big George all can bang and they bring it. If you don’t think the fact that George Laracque is a factor on this team or in this series you are crazy. I can count the times on one hand I’ve seen Derian Hatcher take a backward step from any kind of shot, punch, stick or otherwise and when hit by Laracque early last night, even though he drew the penalty, he wanted no part of him nor does anybody. It’s a quick trip to the hospital, do not pass go and I love the fact that Therrien has his on the ice to finish almost every game that they are going to win. Wayne Gretzky said it best, ‘intimidation is still part of our game today,’ amen and thank God Wayne, that’s all I have to say.
Last point today, how much more can be written about the video review of Finland’s goal against the States in the World Championships. The IIHF reported immediately after the game that the man in question was dismissed and will not work again this series. Where did he go, right to the next figure skating event? What an absolute farce, a disgrace, a black mark for the sport, just a total sham. The tree huggers all bemoan anytime somebody throws a punch in hockey. You know, watching those three blind mice try and corral that situation at the end of that game was the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen in the sport of hockey since the grossly inadequate zebras’ who worked the Piestany punch up at the World Juniors between Canada and Russia on New Years Day, 1987. Those clowns left the ice during a brawl and had the arena lights turned off. Yep, it’s just great hockey overseas and even better officiating. Let’s face it folks, like the NFL and the CFL this is the same sport, played by different rules, different sized surfaces and officiated wildly different than what either side of the ocean thinks is right. I like my eggs over easy, my pints cold and a server who lets me know its last call. I also like my hockey rough, accountable and if necessary, violent as need be. That eliminates me from next season’s hockey pool in Europe. Let’s hope some level of competence referee’s the medal rounds.
Liam Maguire
The Wings right now look like a team possessed. As much as I eagerly awaited the semi-final I now find myself saying the same thing about a potential Penguin-Wing final although Detroit’s experience looks like it could be a factor personified. We’ll see. As for Ribero and Osgood, again the right call was made with the fines. Osgood through the first shot with that butt end. Granted it did not hit but if somebody throws a butt end they should expect to get hit and that was a love tap Ribeiro gave Osgood yet he still went down like he was shot from the grassy knoll. That was a joke so it was good to see no suspensions come out of that.
Back to the Penguins and the Flyers and you shut down Malkin, along comes Sid the Kid. Playing his best hockey of the post season Crosby was a dynamo last night and easily could have had two more goals and two or three more assists on top of his one and one. Unfortunately for the Penguin fans this series is looking eerily similar to Detroit-Colorado where bodies are dropping for the Flyers much like the Aves and they are trying to make a game out of it. Braydon Coburn has played a ton of hockey this year for Philadelphia. Losing him two minutes into the contest with a puck in the face was disastrous. With Coburn’s absence and Timonen’s blot clot the Flyers were grossly short staffed on defense. Hatcher played more than 28 minutes, Randy Jones more than 26. That’s a ton of ice. What’s also fun to watch on the Penguins is they have somebody physical on every line. Ryan Malone, Pascal Dupuis, Tyler Kennedy and the entire fourth line featuring Big George all can bang and they bring it. If you don’t think the fact that George Laracque is a factor on this team or in this series you are crazy. I can count the times on one hand I’ve seen Derian Hatcher take a backward step from any kind of shot, punch, stick or otherwise and when hit by Laracque early last night, even though he drew the penalty, he wanted no part of him nor does anybody. It’s a quick trip to the hospital, do not pass go and I love the fact that Therrien has his on the ice to finish almost every game that they are going to win. Wayne Gretzky said it best, ‘intimidation is still part of our game today,’ amen and thank God Wayne, that’s all I have to say.
Last point today, how much more can be written about the video review of Finland’s goal against the States in the World Championships. The IIHF reported immediately after the game that the man in question was dismissed and will not work again this series. Where did he go, right to the next figure skating event? What an absolute farce, a disgrace, a black mark for the sport, just a total sham. The tree huggers all bemoan anytime somebody throws a punch in hockey. You know, watching those three blind mice try and corral that situation at the end of that game was the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen in the sport of hockey since the grossly inadequate zebras’ who worked the Piestany punch up at the World Juniors between Canada and Russia on New Years Day, 1987. Those clowns left the ice during a brawl and had the arena lights turned off. Yep, it’s just great hockey overseas and even better officiating. Let’s face it folks, like the NFL and the CFL this is the same sport, played by different rules, different sized surfaces and officiated wildly different than what either side of the ocean thinks is right. I like my eggs over easy, my pints cold and a server who lets me know its last call. I also like my hockey rough, accountable and if necessary, violent as need be. That eliminates me from next season’s hockey pool in Europe. Let’s hope some level of competence referee’s the medal rounds.
Liam Maguire
# posted by Liam Maguire @ 10:31 AM 
