Vitali Kravtsov signs for one year with Traktor

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Derek

In prospect news, Rangers former 2018 first round pick Vitali Kravtsov has signed with Chelyabinsk Traktor of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for one year. The deal doesn’t include a recall clause.

It’s understandable why Kravtsov opted to play the 2020-21 season in Russia. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hockey won’t be restarting until the winter. With the NHL still in the second round of the playoffs, there won’t be a Stanley Cup winner until late September at the soonest. For a young player like Kravtsov, it makes sense to further develop with a team he’s familiar with at home.

Both Steve Vogel and Russian insider Gillian Kemmerer had more on the 20-year old deciding to return to Traktor. It’s for the best. He probably wasn’t gonna to make the roster.

As much as we want to see him here, the situation is complex. If it were a normal year, the NHL Postseason would have wrapped up a couple of months ago along with the off-season which includes the NHL Draft and free agency. Instead, we have to wait until October 9 for the Rangers to make it official with prize prospect Alexis Lafreniere as the top pick. Don’t forget they have the Carolina first as well.

Considering that Europe can start earlier, it’s good for younger players such as Kravtsov and Lauri Pajunemi. That goes for most European prospects.

Adam Ruska is an 18-year old forward from the Czech Republic who is draft eligible this autumn. He played on the same team as Lafreniere for Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL. Not to be confused with 23-year old Rangers goalie prospect Adam Huska, who will likely share goalie duties in the AHL for Hartford with freshly signed Tyler Wall.

Don’t forget that any player who completes their season overseas can be recalled by the Rangers. Who knows. You might see Kravtsov by next Spring. Let’s hope so.

Posted in NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Trotz Islanders getting it done against the Vigneault Flyers

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Derek

The last time the Islanders were in this position, the year was 1993. I was a junior in high school during that run. That team was still coached by Hall of Fame legend Al Arbour.

They put the underdog approach to good use thanks to headliners Pierre Turgeon, Ray Ferraro, David Volek, Steve Thomas, Pat Flatley, Benoit Hogue, Derek King, Glenn Heavy and Uwe Krupp. There also were two young defensemen in Darius Kasparaitis and Vladimir Malakhov, who made a difference.

Those Islanders were good enough to defeat the Capitals and stun the two-time defending champion Penguins on a Volek goal in overtime of Game Seven at the Igloo. Their luck ran out versus the similar in style counter attacking Canadiens, who were led by Patrick Roy. They were unbeatable in sudden death and broke Long Island hearts in five before doing the same to the hockey world that rooted for the Gretzky Kings. The Marty McSorley illegal stick be damned.

So, here we are some 27 years later in a strange year that’s gone on for too long for all the wrong reasons. The Isles are now an extension of their head coach Barry Trotz. A proud 58-year old established coach who runs the bench the way it should be. He once turned the expansion Predators into a competitive playoff team from scratch. Then eventually got the Alex Ovechkin Caps over the hump to finally bring a Stanley Cup to Washington, DC.

Now he’s in his second year with the Isles. A once proud franchise that set a NHL record by winning 19 consecutive playoff series between 1980 to 1984, they haven’t had much success since that run in ’93 when they lost to Montreal in the Wales Conference Final. After getting swept by Carolina in the second round last year, here they are two wins away from their first trip to the Conference Finals since those classic 90’s. A time when EA Sports came out with NHL ’93 which preceded the legendary game NHL ’94.

Under Trotz, these Isles do it with grit by outworking and outhustling opponents. They grind them down. Just ask the Panthers and Caps. Trotz’ former team was no match for them, falling in five. They at least made it interesting by winning Game Four and taking the Isles to overtime before Mat Barzal scored a beautiful series winner on a breakaway. That ended former assistant Todd Reirden’s two years as Washington coach. Trotz knew it. Just re-watch the handshake.

Now, these scrappy New York Islanders lead the Philadelphia Flyers two games to one thanks to a 3-1 win on Saturday night. They overcame a strong Flyers start by scoring the last three goals in the final two periods.

Game Three was played in the trenches. There were plenty of board battles and defensive minded hockey in a tight game that lacked room. Tyler Pitlick struck first on a good shift from the Philly third line. He used a screen to beat Semyon Varlamov for the only goal of the first period.

After that, it was the resilient Isles who responded by picking up their play. They outshot the Flyers 11-1 after the goal. The momentum swung on two strong shifts late in the first. The relentless pressure forced Carter Hart to make some saves.

Eventually, the harder working Islanders’ tenacious style took over. They consistently hounded the Flyers in a lopsided second. It was total domination. As the Islanders forecheck kept coming, their shot total increased while Philadelphia barely tested Varlamov. He deserves credit for staying focused. He made a couple of key saves when the Flyers tested him.

The unique aspect about the Trotz Islanders is they are a T-E-A-M. He rolls four lines and trusts all three pairs. The additions of Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Andy Greene have made them deeper. They’re hard to play against. Pageau continues to score big goals while winning key draws. Greene has replaced Johnny Boychuk in the lineup and supplied the grit and determination Trotz prefers.

When you look at their roster, no one blows you away. Not even the skilled Barzal, who used his speed to set up Matt Martin for the tying goal during the second. Barzal was on with Martin, which typifies how Trotz coaches. He had his top center with a solid fourth liner who normally plays with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck.

As his team ran out of steam, not once did Alain Vigneault change his lines or alter the strategy. A very successful coach whose resume speaks for itself, the former bench boss of the Canucks and Rangers, who guided them to Stanley Cup Final appearances, emphasizes more of an aggressive offensive system. While he continues to do a good job, there remains some doubt if he’ll make the necessary adjustments to turn the series around. Game Four is tonight.

On both Islander goals in the middle stanza, sloppy Flyers turnovers were the reason for their demise. With time winding down in the period, they somehow allowed Derick Brassard to find Leo Komarov for the game-winner with five and a half seconds left. Brassard outhustled both Matt Niskanen and Travis Sanheim behind the Flyers net.

Trotz reinserted Brassard and was rewarded. A very good player for the Blueshirts who produced in the postseason and earned the nickname Big Game Brass, the center isn’t as consistent now. So, he was a healthy scratch for the first two games of the series with Trotz going with physical specimen Ross Johnston. It’s no surprise Brassard played an inspired game. Players respond to Trotz.

When Anders Lee was able to fool Hart with a backhand for a power play goal early in the third, that was it. The Islander captain delivered the knockout blow.

Even though the Flyers were allowed to attack more with Trotz opting to protect the two goal lead, they never could get the one goal needed to make things interesting. Instead, players complained to the refs about not receiving calls. They didn’t earn it. It wasn’t until Lee was penalized late that Vigneault pulled his goalie for a six-on-four.

The Flyers held a 12-4 edge in shots. But nothing got past Varlamov, whose best stop was a reflex leg save with his left pad to rob Joel Farabee. He got across and read the play perfectly. Kevin Hayes had the rookie set up only to see him denied. He couldn’t quite elevate the puck.

It is interesting to note that the top line that includes a clearly struggling Claude Giroux remained intact. The proud Flyers captain isn’t the same player. Yet Vigneault kept him with Sean Couturier and Jakub Voracek. They were ineffective. In the quick turnaround later, he might want to reconsider flipping Giroux with leading scorer Travis Konecny or Farabee, who gets his nose dirty for a first-year player.

The third line of Pitlick, Scott Laughton and James van Riemsdyk remained effective. They were the Flyers’ most consistent due to working below the dots and generating a heavy forecheck. Vigneault should’ve played them more. Instead, he didn’t deviate from the game plan.

That’s the one issue I had with the classy coach here. He didn’t always change it up when it was needed. It cost the Rangers in a couple of series. Has he learned from past mistakes, or is this the same coach whose teams came up short for the Cup? We’ll have a better answer this evening.

While you wonder if Vigneault can get his team to adjust their style to match the Isles’ willingness to get dirty, you know Trotz will continue to emphasize that gritty style that makes his team easy to respect. A hard thing to admit as a rival fan.

The Islanders get contributions from everyone. If the trainer played, he’d contribute. That’s why Trotz is so easy to like. He gets the most out of his players. They might not blow you away, but get it done. Even if it’s ugly, you can’t help but admire their commitment.

By no means is this series over. However, the Flyers better get Game Four. If not, I can’t see them winning three straight against this team. Ditto for the Bruins, who are in all kinds of trouble against a very determined Lightning.

We’ll see where things go.

Posted in Column | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hockey acted accordingly during social justice crisis

Posted on August 28, 2020 by Derek

Let me start off by saying that the point of this blog is to post about the sport of hockey. When we moved on from the Battle of New York to Battle of Hudson, it was originally with the idea of a unique rivalry between the Rangers and Devils. The Big Apple versus The Garden State. The bright lights and big city against the little brother in Newark.

Unfortunately, these are hard times for everyone. Personally, I don’t believe in tying together sports and politics. I’ve always felt that sports should be enjoyed by fans as a nice distraction from our everyday lives. However, we are where we are.

As a society, we can do much better. No matter what side you’re on, or if you’re like me in the middle. I believe that we all are entitled to express our opinions. That’s our freedom of speech as written under the First Amendment. Somehow, that’s been lost on some people. I am not here to take sides. Only to voice my opinion on a polarizing subject.

What took place in Kenosha, Wisconsin the other night shouldn’t have happened. It could’ve and should’ve been avoided. Jacob Blake was the latest black person to be shot by the police. Having read up on it, two mistakes were made. One by each side. Law enforcement have a tough job. I can’t put myself in their shoes. I’ll echo the same for any black male or female. They experience miscarriages of justice and endure a lot.

Here’s where I stand. If the cops arrest you, you comply. Don’t resist. Even if they’re wrong, please cooperate. If more people listened, many of these awful tragedies wouldn’t occur. In the complex circumstances surrounding those who resist, the police should do everything in their power to avoid shooting a victim unless justified. Sometimes, it’s unavoidable. What can’t happen is a victim becoming another statistic. There are too many recent examples. I’ll list three. George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Rayshard Brooks.

Having also researched on Jacob Blake, he did have a criminal record. There was an arrest warrant out. It isn’t known if the four cops involved knew about it. This was over Blake attempting to break up a domestic dispute. Not what he did previously. There’s no justification for seven gunshots being fired into his back. He’s now paralyzed from the waist down. At least he’s still alive.

Did Jacob Blake resist? Yes. Did he reach for a knife while wrestling with the police? Apparently. Nothing good comes out of defying an order from a cop. They have a badge for a reason. Whenever guns are involved, bad things can happen. I don’t believe he needed to be shot that many times. However, we must still wait for all the facts to come out. Something nobody does today.

I’ve repeatedly said that racism shouldn’t exist. We live in a imperfect world. Not all people are good. The biggest issue with social justice is the lack of communication and understanding between both sides. It’s become the ugliness of identity politics that’s continuing to destroy society. There’s too much divide. It shouldn’t be that way.

Place the blame on the people we elect. All they do is fight like children and create more problems. They don’t care. Ditto for the mainstream media, who are vultures that negatively influence viewers. It’s time to tune them out. I don’t watch any news channel. I hardly watch television. I can pick up a game online or listen to the radio. I follow shows on Netflix and catch music videos on YouTube. Plus I write.

As hard as it is these days to enjoy anything due to the ridiculousness of 2020, I still love hockey and baseball. Tennis as well. Even with a global pandemic limiting some of my favorite players from participating, I’m looking forward to the US Open that starts on Monday. Hopefully, it goes well.

I’ve continued to follow the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Even as September approaches with the Conference Finals likely not before Labor Day Weekend, I’m still excited to see what happens. Of course, there’s one team I don’t want to see win. The second one is who Hasan would hate to see succeed.

When the NBA decided to postpone their slate of second round games on Wednesday followed by MLB teams, WNBA and MLS, it was only a matter of time before the NHL followed suit. They were getting a lot of criticism from people. However, the time frame prior to the Lightning playing the Bruins wasn’t ideal. So, they went ahead as did the Avalanche and Stars later that night.

The thing about jumping to conclusions and judging people before getting the chance to know them is that it’s wrong to assume anything. Anyone with common sense knew the NHL would address the important issue on Thursday. The NHLPA led by African American players Ryan Reaves, Matt Dumba and Evander Kane of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, all spoke out about Jacob Blake due to racial injustice. They came to an agreement with the league on postponing games last night and today. A silent protest in support of equality. An appropriate action.

Even if I feel there are better ways to accomplish the goal everyone wants, I understand why they sat out. As did the Mets and Marlins after taking the field only to pay tribute to Jackie Robinson with 42 seconds before placing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt on home plate before leaving. My suggestion is that if the athletes who get paid a lot of money to play a sport want to make a difference, then be active in communities. Play games. Auction off jerseys with proceeds going to charities. Donate to good causes to bring more attention to the issue of social justice. Actions speak louder than words.

My one gripe with some of these players (particularly NBA) is we never hear anything from them when a kid is killed for no reason. I won’t get into specifics except to say there seems to be a double standard. Where is all the crying over Cannon Hinant, Davell Gardner or Brandon Hendricks? Crime is way up in the city and continues to be a huge problem in Chicago. We never hear anything from the social justice warriors who are so outspoken.

I get it. Systematic racism is unacceptable. Stand up for your right is a powerful message delivered by Bob Marley in one of my favorite songs, “Get Up, Stand Up.”

Nobody wants to have the discussion about hardened criminals who commit heinous acts. It’s as if that problem doesn’t exist in America. Who’s going to change it? Not the violent protestors who take things too far by destroying public property. Definitely not any progressives who want to defund the police and put our lives more at risk. I can list more.

The worst part is when you have so-called leaders encouraging irrational behavior. I’m proud of Staten Island for having organized protests that didn’t cross the line. They were peaceful and unified with police.

Is there a place for social justice in sports? As long as they are directly involved, yes. I wish there were more black hockey players. However, the cost of the sport remains challenging for the poor community. The league needs to continue expanding programs such as Hockey In Harlem so more minorities can play at a young age. Diversity is always talked about.

If Hockey Is For Everyone, then do something about it. There’s a unique opportunity here for the sport to increase its growth and popularity. They can attract new fans with the unconventional postseason being played in the summer and fall. With the Stanley Cup awarded in late September or early October along with the NHL Draft featuring Alexis Lafreniere in a strong class, the NHL has a chance to gain from all of this.

With strong leadership at the top, I remain optimistic about the future of the sport. Enjoy the rest of the playoffs.

Derek can be followed on Twitter.

Posted in Column | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Islanders Summer?

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Derek

As exciting as the Rangers winning the NHL Draft Lottery is with top rated prospect Alexis Lafreniere on tap this October 9, Blueshirt fans now have another concern. One which we don’t want to think about.

Picture the bitter blood rival New York Islanders celebrating a Stanley Cup victory in the Edmonton bubble. It’s something I’d rather not see. Right now, the way they are playing, it’s possible that the Islanders could be playing in the Conference Finals for a chance at the Stanley Cup Final.

On a hot 90 degree late August day in the NYC area, it’s the last thing any Rangers fan wants to see. The reality is the Barry Trotz Isles are on a roll. They have continued to execute their disciplined system and tenacious checking to perfection. Having ousted the Panthers in four and taking care of a listless Capitals in five which lead to Todd Reirden losing his job, here they are fresh off a convincing 4-0 shutout of the ‘top seeded’ Flyers in Game One last night.

They’re four lines deep, six defensemen who all are getting the job done, and starting goalie Semyon Varlamov became the first Islander in franchise history to pitch back-to-back shutouts. Even if it spanned the conclusion of the Stanley Cup first round and beginning of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the fact is Varlamov is making their fans forget about current Vegas number one goalie Robin Lehner. He is making all the key saves with the Flyers second period exemplifying the steady play from the Russian veteran.

When one looks at this Isles run from the outside, it’s easy to see why they’re having success. They don’t rely on one line or only star center Mat Barzal. They’re a T-E-A-M in every sense that’s been well constructed by GM Lou Lamoriello and coached by the detail oriented Trotz. Everyone laughed after they lost John Tavares and replaced him with Matt Martin, who was reacquired from the Leafs to reform the effective fourth line that features Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck.

It’s the Islanders fans who are getting the last laugh. Go ahead and mock their arena or whatever lame jokes you have. The bottom line is they’re well run by a Hall of Fame executive and boast the best coach in the game who guided the Caps to the Cup in 2018. They couldn’t wait to get rid of him. No wonder Washington is a shadow of itself with consecutive first round eliminations despite featuring Alex Ovechkin.

Meanwhile, Lamoriello quietly made two smart deals to improve the Isles at the trade deadline by acquiring the pesky Jean-Gabriel Pageau from Ottawa and picking up former Devils captain Andy Greene for a bargain. He knew Pageau could help the team by bolstering the middle. A perfect fit for the Trotz system, the tenacious Pageau continues to score clutch goals like the one he finished early in the third period with the Islanders nursing a one goal lead. Who scored that goal? The defensive minded Greene in the first on a well executed play off a Flyers turnover.

Sometimes, it’s the role players who step to the forefront in the NHL Playoffs. It can’t always be the stars. Hockey is different from the NBA in that way. It’s more about the team. The Islanders are similar to how Lamoriello built the Devils. The only difference is there are no superstars or future Hall of Famers. That makes it more impressive.

They know they can rely on anyone in that lineup to deliver a big hit, key block, good pass or clutch goal. It was Ross Johnston and Leo Komarov who took the Flyers off the puck behind Carter Hart’s net. Then Komarov made a good centering feed for a open Pageau, who did what he usually does in these big games. Finished off his fifth of the postseason. At least we as heartbroken Ranger fans can take solace knowing Pageau isn’t just a Ranger killer. He’s the epitome of a good player, who does it through hard work. The center wins face-offs and board battles while knowing where to go for the dirty goals.

That was a great move by Lou. He knew Greene obviously from the Devils. Greene is the kind of savvy vet who sacrifices the body for the cause. It’s usually a diving block or big clear that he’s known for. His last goal in the postseason came in 2010. It was a nice reward for a dedicated player.

When Barzal isn’t faking out Braden Holtby to end his time in DC, he’s setting up goals like the one Anders Lee scored to put the Isles up 3-0 on Monday night. He’s quietly having a good playoffs. But he knows he doesn’t have to carry the load.

Perhaps the Isles best line is centered by the consistent Brock Nelson, who can play in any situation while delivering strong play that leads to offense. Anthony Beauvillier continues to score with his six goals pacing the team. Nelson, Beauvillier and Josh Bailey are a very effective second line that plays both sides of the puck and forces turnovers like the baker’s dozen the Flyers had in an uninspired performance.

How else would you explain that dismal first that saw them dominated in every facet? The Isles outshot the Flyers 15-4. Only the brilliance of Hart kept the Flyers in it with his unreal glove save on Nelson one for the highlight reel. The young netminder is the backbone of Alain Vigneault’s team which suddenly isn’t scoring goals. Top scorers Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny remain with donuts next to their name. Only Konecny, Kevin Hayes and Joel Farabee played well. They’ll need to be much better for tonight’s Game Two tomorrow night.

Why did Vigneault pull Hart with under eight minutes left? I get they trailed by three, but that was one of the worst decisions ever. Especially for a good coach who’s had success. Devon Toews banked in a clear almost right away to put a stamp on it.

So, can these Islanders win this thing? Why not. We’ve seen stranger things happen already. They’re fully committed under Trotz, who knows what it takes. He can put Johnston in for Derick Brassard and it pays off in a hard check that leads to a big insurance goal from Pageau 2:54 into the third.

They got 15 saves from a busier Varlamov in the second when the Flyers remembered that there was a game. He didn’t have to be great, but made some big stops when called upon. He finished with 29 altogether to earn the game’s First Star.

A reminder that it’s only 1-0 Isles. Don’t push the panic button yet. However, it sure looks like the Islanders match-up. They improved to 4-0 on the season against the Flyers. They have a mental edge. Similar to what the Stars are doing to the Avalanche, who have injury issues as well after falling behind 2-0 in their second round series.

As excited as I am to see the Rangers select Lafreniere out of Rimouski Oceanic on October 9, I’m concerned about the Islanders. If you’re not, you better be.

Posted in Column, NHL Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Feisty Habs not ready to bid adieu, Canucks put Blues on brink

Posted on August 20, 2020 by Derek

The first round of these Stanley Cup Playoffs have been fascinating to follow. Even for heavy favorites such as the Golden Knights, Lightning ang Bruins, who all advanced in five games, they were tested.

Only the high powered Avalanche weren’t as they dismantled the Coyotes the final two games thanks to an onslaught from Nathan MacKinnon, Nazem Kadri, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen. After losing Game Three 4-2 thanks to Darcy Kuemper, they destroyed Arizona by taking the last two games by identical 7-1 scores.

Scary stuff. Colorado could very well be awaiting the winner between the Blues and Canucks. In the best series of this round, the road team has won every single game. Even if neither is technically home due to the bubble in Edmonton, they each get the last change when classified as the home team. It hasn’t mattered.

In a compelling series that has featured consecutive overtime games which a star center won for each side, the hockey has been excellent. Perhaps the biggest surprise was St. Louis coach Craig Berube gambling by going to Jake Allen over Jordan Binnington for Games 3-5. Following Bo Horvat’s overtime winner in Game Two, it was Allen who made the key saves in Game Three. Brayden Schenn won it in sudden death on a breakaway going top shelf on Jacob Markstrom.

The Blues followed up that big win by taking Game Four in regulation. Ryan O’Reilly dominated with two goals and an assist in the 3-1 win to even the series. Alex Pietrangelo had a power play goal and helper while pest David Perron notched two assists. Allen made 22 saves.

In another entertaining fifth game, it was Allen against Markstrom. This one saw more goals scored. The Canucks used a three goal barrage during the second period to overcome a 3-1 deficit and pull out a hard fought 4-3 win over the Blues last night.

JT Miller continued his playoff renaissance by tallying his fifth of the postseason to get the comeback started with over eight minutes left. With Vancouver coach Travis Green tweaking his lines due to an ineffective Brock Boeser, Jake Virtanen benefited when his sharp angle shot surprised an unsuspecting Allen, who was caught napping. His goal tied the game with 3:52 remaining after some nifty skating from Elias Pettersson with Miller setting up the goal.

That bad goal allowed the Canucks to gain momentum. With under two minutes left in the period, Tyler Motte took advantage of a St. Louis defensive mistake to cruise into the slot and blow his second of the game by Allen for the game-winner. He started the scoring with a shorthanded goal. A player you don’t expect to come through did in a big way to give the Canucks a 3-2 series lead.

The Blues went from up two goals including another from clutch performer Ryan O’Reilly, Brayden Schenn and Zach Sanford to a disappointing result. They didn’t push until there were five minutes left in the third. By that point, Jacob Markstrom wouldn’t allow it. He made a few huge saves and had a close call at the buzzer.

The Blues thought they’d forced overtime with David Perron indicating a loose puck went in before time expired. However, conclusive replays showed the refs got it right. The puck bounced off a Canucks skate and the time showed zero before it potentially crossed the goal line. I say that because Markstrom might’ve saved it anyway. It was on the line, but hard to tell if it fully crossed. It didn’t matter. The game was over.

What a crazy ending to a great game. This series has been the best of the First round. I felt it would go seven and it just might. I took the Blues due to their experience and heavy forecheck. They’ll have to keep the trend going as a road team to force Game Seven. Look for Binnington to return to net for that crucial elimination game.

In the East, two series remain. While the Bruins used a last second Patrice Bergeron power play goal in the second to eliminate the Hurricanes for a second consecutive year, the Lightning rallied from a two-goal deficit with under 10 minutes left in regulation to beat the Blue Jackets 5-4 in overtime. Goals from Kevin Shattenkirk and Anthony Cirelli forced sudden death. On both key plays, Brayden Point set them up along with Nikita Kucherov.

The definition of a clutch performer, Point has been the Bolts’ best player. Without captain Steven Stamkos, he’s assumed the role of number one center while continuing to produce in key moments. Having already scored in that quintuple overtime marathon to set the tone in Game One, it was his pass in traffic that banked in off the skate of Cirelli to force OT with 1:38 left in regulation.

Columbus paid the price for opting to sit back and protect a two-goal lead. They also got caught with the second defense pair out on those two goals against with an unfavorable match-up. Tampa coach Jon Cooper took advantage of the last change to outsmart John Tortorella. In sudden death, a turnover behind the Columbus net lead directly to Kucherov feeding a wide open Point in front for the series clincher. A perfect deke and backhand past Joonas Korpisalo coming at 5:12 of overtime.

The play was made possible due to a hard reverse pass from David Savard that partner Vladislav Gavrikov couldn’t handle. They were victimized quite a bit in this series. Gavrikov is a young player who should improve while Savard is a veteran who is what he is.

Tampa deserves a lot of credit for showing plenty of character to rally back and finish off Columbus. They didn’t want to play a Game Six. But Tortorella gets blame for sitting back. He didn’t want to take to reporters following the loss. Sometimes, he can be so stubborn. Just childish not to give the media anything. You lost.

In another potential elimination game, the Canadiens weren’t ready to go home just yet. They showed a lot of heart to win a wild Game Five 5-3 over the Flyers in Toronto. This one is still being discussed due to two incidents. The first one saw Jesperi Kotkaniemi hit Travis Sanheim from behind and be assessed a five minute boarding major and game misconduct. At first live, it looked like the right call. However, replays showed that the hit wasn’t as bad as it seemed. It didn’t merit five minutes. It should’ve been four.

Instead, with the Flyers trailing 1-0 on a shorthanded goal from Joel Armia in a strong first period by the Habs, they took full advantage of the gift by scoring twice on the major. Jake Voracek scored both. First, he had a one-timer deflect off Ben Chiarot at 2:35 off a good feed from Claude Giroux. Then, after Nick Suzuki failed to clear the zone, Voracek threw a puck that went off Chiarot and past Carey Price at 6:37.

Those two goals incensed Habs fans. Many criticized the call with ref Chris Lee coming under fire. I don’t know why he’s given these games. He’s always been inconsistent. You could insert other colorful names here. I won’t.

To their credit, Montreal responded. In what had been a low scoring series with goals tough to come by due to goalies Carey Price and Carter Hart, this was the antithesis. After Price had given up two straight, Hart let in a soft one from Armia, whose shot from a bad angle snuck in with Suzuki in front to tie the score. It was Armia’s second of the game. He plays hard and was everywhere.

Just 1:18 later, a brilliant play between Suzuki and Gallagher turned into a great goal. Suzuki made an elevated pass down low for a wide open Gallagher, who batted it out of midair to beat Hart on the power play. Philippe Myers was off for a hi-sticking double minor. Despite everything, Montreal took a 3-2 lead to the locker room after two.

The third was even more intense. The Flyers came out hard. They applied heavy pressure on the Canadiens, who looked a bit sluggish. That resulted in penalty trouble and more work for Price. His best save came on Kevin Hayes when he got the glove up on a breakaway to deny him. Hayes would get another chance at it when he got behind the Habs defense. Jeff Petry was able to trip him up from behind without it being a penalty shot. It was close.

The Flyers did all their damage on the power play. It only took them 14 seconds to tie it back up. This time, Sean Couturier and Voracek worked a perfect timing play to a open Joel Farabee in the slot. He was able to redirect the Voracek pass over Price for his third of the postseason with 9:23 left. A well executed play.

But before the Flyers could settle in, Suzuki absolutely killed them. On a quick feed from Jonathan Drouin, Suzuki faked and then tucked in a forehand into an open net for a 4-3 lead 22 seconds later. It was a remarkable play for a very talented rookie, who has star written all over him. He was the key part of the trade that sent former captain Max Pacioretty to Vegas that also brought back Tomas Tatar. Suzuki is the kind of center the Canadiens haven’t had since Saku Koivu. He’s probably got a higher ceiling. That’s saying something.

This game had it all. It had a potential Suzuki goal earlier in the second that went through Hart that would’ve ended his night if not for a successful challenge by Alain Vigneault for offside. Had that counted, it would’ve been 4-2 with Hart replaced by vet Brian Elliott. Instead, he got a reprieve and stayed in the game which Farabee later tied.

https://twitter.com/CanadiensMTL/status/1296440583712538628?s=19

It also had controversy. Matt Niskanen somehow got away with a dangerous crosscheck on Gallagher. It was right to the noggin. Montreal was up in arms over the missed call which could’ve been a major. The NHL is reviewing the play in question. Vigneault called it a “hockey play” that was unfortunate due to Gallagher being smaller. That hasn’t sat well with furious Habs fans.

The ironic part is Gallagher was chirping the Flyers bench at the end. Especially Voracek. Of course, once Phillip Danault sealed it with an empty net goal, all hell broke loose. The Flyers acted like babies once it was 5-3 with 18 seconds left. Sean Couturier cross-checked Artturi Lehkonen. Shea Weber didn’t take kindly and got into it with Voracek. Each were given a misconduct.

It was the usual comedy you get with the Flyers when they lose. At the buzzer, the well traveled Nate Thompson searched for a dance partner, but no one obliged. The refs finally did their job and the two teams separated.

The teams combined for 67 penalty minutes. It sets up a huge Game Six tomorrow. That is one I’m looking forward to. Will the Flyers have Niskanen available? We shall see.

Tonight, there are a pair of games. The Islanders look to eliminate the Capitals for a second straight game. Washington rallied from two down to win Game Four 3-2. Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored with the Caps captain getting two including the winner. The former champs finally showed up. It says here the Isles need to get this done later.

The Stars can finish off Calgary in the late game. They’ve taken the last two and are getting key contributions from John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen. The Flames have missed Matthew Tkachuk. Anton Khudobin outdueled Cam Talbot the other day. It’ll be interesting to see if the Flames have anything left.

Posted in NHL Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Corey Crawford stands on head for Blackhawks

Posted on August 17, 2020 by Derek

Yesterday, there were five games in the latest installment of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The bubble in Edmonton and Toronto was quite busy. You had a lot of hockey to pick and choose from.

Three of the five games went to overtime. That included the Islanders and Capitals with Mat Barzal beating Braden Holtby on a breakaway with a nifty backhand deke into a open net to give the Isles a 3-0 stranglehold on the lifeless Caps. They continue to dominate the Caps at five-on-five.

Then, you had the Stars coming from behind to beat the Flames 5-4 in sudden death to even their series. After a Jason Dickinson goal was wiped out by incidental contact, Joe Pavelski came to the rescue by putting home a rebound with a dozen seconds left for a hat trick. Calgary was that close to going up 3-1. Instead, a John Klingberg shot banked off Alex Radulov for the OT winner to tie the series at two.

In the third game, the Flyers used an early Jake Voracek odd tip in goal over Carey Price to defeat the Canadiens 1-0 in Game Three. In a strange game of few shots and fewer chances, the lone goal came off a face-off with Claude Giroux shooting a innocent shot off Voracek’s stick for a weird deflection that sailed over Price and in. That was enough for Carter Hart to pitch a shutout thanks to his best friend the goalpost. Montreal hit the post four times including Nate Thompson late. Philly leads the series two games to one.

The fourth game was the best one. The Blackhawks avoided a sweep against the Golden Knights thanks to a stupendous performance from Corey Crawford. The two time Stanley Cup champion was unbelievable against Vegas last night. He was in a zone stopping nearly everything sent his way in a 3-1 Chicago victory in Game Four. How under siege was he? Try following goals from Drake Caggliua and Matthew Highmore, Crawford had the lead cut to one by impressive Vegas top defenseman Shea Theodore.

Afterwards, it was a shooting gallery. The Golden Knights had 20 shots in the first period and another 16 in the second. The Hawks couldn’t get out of their zone. But Crawford wouldn’t allow them to lose. He made 48 saves in a jaw dropping performance. In fact, Vegas out-attempted Chicago 96-45. The Hawks couldn’t mount anything against former goalie Robin Lehner. He could’ve been at the beach in a lounge chair catching waves. As Crawford continued to stand on his head, his best two saves came when he somehow masked away a pointblank Golden Knights chance and then made a great glove save on a shot labeled for the top part of the net. The way he grabbed the puck out of midair was amazing.

Crawford wouldn’t let them lose. He improved to 15-6 in elimination games. That’s no small feat. For a good goalie who’s been written off by most due to concussion history and injuries that affected his play, don’t forget he’s a winner. He proved it to the Golden Knights, who threw the kitchen sink at him yesterday. Alex DeBrincat finally scored his first postseason goal into a open net to seal the 3-1 win. Crawford deserved Lobster and steak with his choice of wine. Game Four is tomorrow.

In the fifth and final game of the night, the Blues are still alive thanks to Brayden Schenn, who scored on a clean breakaway to beat Jacob Markstrom and the Canucks in an exciting 3-2 overtime win. It was a great game. After a scoreless first period, the teams combined for four goals in a topsy turvy second. JT Miller scored on a beautiful wrist shot top shelf in transition to put the Canucks ahead. Then, the Blues responded with goals from Justin Faulk and David Perron to take the lead. But before they could get comfortable, Elias Pettersson picked a tight spot on St. Louis starter Jake Allen by going high stick side off the inside of the crossbar and in to tie the game at two. It was a great shot by a skilled player.

The third was good with each team looking for the go-ahead tally. It never came as both goalies played well. In particular, Markstrom was outstanding. In a losing effort, he finished with 46 saves. The overtime was just as exciting with each team exchanging chances. Allen came up big by making a huge glove save to deny Miller. Finally, Ryan O’Reilly made a great play. With pressure on him in his zone, he made a good backhand outlet for an open Schenn at the Canucks blueline. Schenn took off and picked high glove on Markstrom to give the defending champs a huge victory. They had to have it. They trail the series 2-1.

Today, four games are on the slate including a back-to-back with the Blues looking to even their series versus the Canucks. Does Allen start again or will Craig Berube go back to Jordan Binnington? Columbus battles Tampa Bay this afternoon. They’ll need another big game from Joonas Korpisalo to even that series. Boston looks to go up 3-1 on Carolina, who are without Andrei Svechnikov following Zdeno Chara’s dirty slew foot that caused a knee injury. Rod Brind’Amour doesn’t expect to have the young star back. James Reimer is expected to start versus Jaro Halak. It’s been a very good series. The Coyotes look to draw even with the Avalanche. Darcy Kuemper has quite busy in their 4-2 win the other day. Will he need another clutch performance against the ultra talented Avalanche featuring Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Nazem Kadri, Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog? Probably.

I’ll have more later on Hard Hits Live. Tune in at 10 PM for a two-hour show mostly on the first round series. Link below.

https://www.blogtalkradio.com/hardhits21/2020/08/18/hard-hits-live-yankeesdead-sox-playoff-hockey-bruinscanes-bluescanucks

Posted in NHL Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Video Of Day: Barzal with a beauty in overtime gives Isles 3-0 lead on Caps

Posted on August 16, 2020 by Derek

Today’s Video Of Day comes courtesy of Mat Barzal in a game that was just completed in Toronto.

With the Caps needing a win in Game Three to get back in their first round series versus the Barry Trotz Islanders, they only could muster one goal and not enough shots on opposing goalie Semyon Varlamov. Ironically, he started his career in Washington and is now a win away from eliminating the Caps.

That’s because Barzal’s overtime heroics finished off the Capitals in a 2-1 Islanders win to take a commanding 3-0 series lead in the first round.

The clutch OT winner which was a beauty that Picasso or Renoir could be proud of came following Varlamov’s two biggest saves of the game. He denied Jakub Vrana twice on a breakaway including a rebound opportunity.

What followed was a good Islanders transition. Barzal received a nice pass from Jordan Eberle, stayed onside and then turned on the jets to go by Brenden Dillon and toast John Carlson before faking and deking Braden Holtby to tuck in a backhand for a great goal that ended it.

It was that simple. Barzal might not be the greatest two-way player despite Trotz coaching him. But he’s still a game breaker and easily the most talented Islander. In terms of skill level, the third-year center is helping his case for a contract extension after his rookie deal expires. He’s been good in the three games.

Brock Nelson has probably been the most consistent Islander this season. He scores and sets up key goals while playing a responsible two-way game as a number two center. Adding the gritty and hard working J.G. Pageau was a stroke of genius by GM Lou Lamoriello. A hard nosed player who uses his speed and determination to outwork opponents. Pageau seems to always be involved whether it’s winning key draws or scoring timely goals.

It’s not surprising that the Isles are on the verge of eliminating the Caps, who have been without Nicklas Backstrom since a Anders Lee hit early in Game One. That loss sure didn’t help a team that looks lost under second-year coach Todd Reirden, who makes no in game adjustments and questionable lineup decisions. His job could be on the line if they get swept.

The Islanders have been quicker to the puck, gotten more shots through and done much better at five-on-five. The Capitals rely heavily on the power play. Alex Ovechkin has two goals which both came in a Game Two loss. He was held without a shot for just the fourth time in his postseason career.

That speaks to the fine attention to detail Trotz has his Isles playing in a very stingy system that emphasizes tight checking and blocked shots. These were areas the Caps succeeded at when they won the Stanley Cup in 2018 under Trotz. That work ethic is gone and so too seems to be their window.

Holtby did the best he could making a lot of big saves to give the Caps a chance. But it wasn’t enough. Holtby could be playing his final game as a Cap this week. He’s a unrestricted free agent this October. Given that he’s regressed in terms of consistency after being an elite goalie who won a Vezina and Cup, he’ll likely leave and get a short term deal from a team like the Sabres or Red Wings, who can use a veteran netminder.

Washington will move on with Ilya Samsonov, who’s injured and unavailable for the series. He had a good rookie year and is clearly the future of the Caps in net.

As for the Isles, they’ll continue to outwork and out-grind the Capitals and advance to the second round. Don’t forget they qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs by taking the Play In series over the one dimensional Panthers in four. At least Florida got a game.

It looks like the Caps will suffer the same fate as the Pens last year. Barzal all but guaranteed it.

Posted in Video Of Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tuukka Rask opts out of playoffs

Posted on August 15, 2020 by Derek

In a surprising announcement that was revealed on social media this morning, the Boston Bruins announced that Tuukka Rask has opted out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Rask decided that his family was more important than participating in the unique postseason that’s being played in a bubble.

This is a choice for every athlete involved in sports. We’ve seen it more with baseball, football and even basketball. That it’s a star player who’s up for the Vezina on a very good team is newsworthy. It’s definitely a big deal. Will any other players follow suit like Rask?

His decision comes two days after some interesting commentary. Following the 3-2 loss to the Hurricanes in Game Two, he spoke about the lack of playoff atmosphere and how it felt like exhibition. Rask also pointed out that there are other things to be enjoyed. That probably was a sign that he wasn’t all there when it came to the playoffs. He has a young family with two girls and a baby. Maybe that’s what he was referring to.

It isn’t shocking that he decided to put his family first before the playoffs. Especially given the very candid statements the other day. If a player isn’t fully committed, then it’s probably for the best that Rask opted out. From a mental aspect, you want your players not to waver. However, sports aren’t life. That much is certain these days due to the pandemic.

To their credit, the Bruins are extremely supportive of Rask’s tough decision. GM Don Sweeney understood what his number one goalie was going through.

With Rask out, it now is veteran Jaro Halak’s time to shine in net. One of the best backups in the NHL who has playoff experience including taking the Canadiens to a Conference Final, the 35-year old will assume the role as starter for Boston. It’ll be interesting to see if the former Islander, who’s done a good job since moving to Beantown, will be up to the challenge.

They’re playing Game Three now against the Canes. It’s all tied up with each of the first two games decided by a goal. We’ll see what happens.

Posted in NHL Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Horvat leads Canucks past Blues

Posted on August 15, 2020 by Derek

Captain Canuck: Bo Horvat celebrates his overtime winner to put the Canucks up 2-0 on the defending champion Blues. AP photo via Getty Images

With one great Quinn Hughes outlet and one splendid Bo Horvat breakaway goal past Jordan Binnington, the Canucks took a 2-0 series lead over the Blues last night at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

That was enough to withstand a charge from the resilient Blues. The defending champs are on the ropes. Despite a valiant effort in the third period to rally back from a two-goal deficit, they now most win four of the next five to take the best-of-seven first round series.

An Elias Pettersson power play goal on a great mid-air deflection put Vancouver up 3-1 at 5:36 of the third period. They started off well by getting the first two goals from Horvat (shorthanded on a rush) and key secondary scorer Tanner Pearson.

Conn Smythe winner Ryan O’Reilly cut it in half with 64 seconds left in the second when he cut around a Canucks penalty killer and fired a perfect wrist shot far side inside the goalpost to beat Jacob Markstrom. It directly followed a sequence that saw Sammy Blais get away with a hit from behind that drew the attention of Jay Beagle. He got the extra two for roughing. O’Reilly gave his team a spark.

In the third, the Pettersson goal loomed large. Especially without veteran defenseman Tyler Myers. He didn’t return to the game after leaving due to an unspecified injury. That left the Canucks with five defensemen. Coach Travis Green shortened his bench in crunch time following Blais scoring unassisted on a nifty backhand on Markstrom to pull St. Louis within one.

The Canucks opted to sit back and protect the precarious one goal lead. Despite Green opting not to use rookie Hughes defensively while leaning on vets Alex Edler, Chris Tanev, Game One hero Troy Stecher and Oscar Fantenberg, it almost worked. Beagle and Brandon Sutter were used plenty too up front.

However, you got the sneaky sense that the battle tested Blues would find a way to tie it. Even with every Vancouver clear and key Markstrom save, they never panicked. Sure enough, they literally took it down to the last shot. With time winding down, Alex Pietrangelo wound up and fired a wrist shot that changed direction thanks to a brilliant tip from the gritty David Perron.

What looked like the tying goal with just over six seconds remaining turned into the four officials conferencing before indicating that they felt Perron touched the puck with a high stick. I never felt so. The replays indicated that it was not above crossbar height. They reviewed it and it didn’t take long to overturn the no goal call. This was a great decision by everyone involved. That’s how it should work.

It wasn’t until TSN’s Gord Miller noticed that the Perron redirection went off Jaden Schwartz that the goal was changed before sudden death. How about that. That’s how unique a tying goal it was. The relentless Blues doing all they could to force overtime. Would they complete the comeback?

My initial thought was yes. That it would be hard for the Canucks to overcome blowing that lead. They sat back a bit too much. As a Rangers Twitter friend noted, “Prevent defense prevents you from winning.” This certainly applies to hockey as much as football.

I did have one more observation entering the overtime. If the Blues win, it’ll be with will. If the Canucks win, it’ll be with skill. That’s the difference in styles. St. Louis loves to forecheck and drive the net in search of tips, rebounds and screen the goalie. Vancouver can hurt you in transition with their game breakers. Sure enough, that’s how it played out.

I didn’t believe the extra session would last long. I guess it was good foresight. It was the Canucks who surprisingly were ready for OT. On the opening shift, they established their cycle and set up a dangerous shot from Tanev that Marco Scandella got a piece of. Had he not, Tanev might’ve had another quick OT winner as he did to eliminate the Wild. He’s not a offensive guy, but seems to know where to go.

The Blues only got one shot on Markstrom, who has outplayed Binnington. They were applying a heavy forecheck that had Vancouver pinned in for a while. Was this it? Instead, Hughes persisted by making two subtle defensive plays behind his net to escape trouble. Then, the puck possession wizard made a brilliant bank outlet pass for Horvat, who got behind the Blues defense.

Horvat has been clutch for these Canucks. Having already beaten Binnington once with a beautiful move that undressed two Blues for a shorthanded goal, this time he cruised in and didn’t feel the back pressure. The Vancouver captain wisely decided to go with a quick wrist shot that beat Binnington to win the game 4-3 at 5:55 of overtime.

It was a goal scorer’s goal by a leader, who is the heart and soul of these Canucks. Maybe he isn’t quite Pettersson, Brock Boeser or a more mature JT Miller, whose game has taken a quantum leap in Vancouver. However, Horvat is the driving force that plays in every big game situation for Green. He can win key face-offs, play penalty kill or power play while being fully trusted at five-on-five. A complete player whose star is shining.

When they decided to trade Cory Schneider to the Devils for that 2013 first pick, it was a gamble. However, it was obvious that Schneider had to go. The Devils coveted him as the heir apparent to hockey legend Martin Brodeur. It looked like a good deal for the Devils. But close friend Brian Sanborn was proven right when he said he felt the Devils made a mistake. He thought the ninth overall pick was worth more than Schneider, who’s had a run of bad luck in Newark.

Sometimes, these trades take a while to figure out. With Schneider nearing the conclusion of his time in New Jersey, who could decide to grab hot Russian goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov if he’s available this October, Horvat continues to blossom into one of the better captains in the league at the center position. A complete player even if he doesn’t blow you away.

The Canucks get high marks for sticking with the plan after Roberto Luongo was traded back to Florida where he’s now retired and The Sedins retired. They rebuilt their team by remaining patient with Markstrom, who they received from the Panthers. Once a second round draft pick at number 31 by Florida in 2008, the 30-year old Swede now looks like a good number one goalie. A injury limited him during what looked like a breakout year. He sure looks locked in after stopping 34 of 37 shots.

They have Thatcher Demko too as the backup with prospect Michael DiPietro in the system. With Hughes patrolling the blueline for the rest of the decade and a nucleus of Pettersson, Boeser, Horvat and Miller, there’s a lot to like about this group of Canucks. Eventually, Tyler Madden and Vasili Podkolzin will be a part of it.

It isn’t a surprise that Vancouver is causing St. Louis problems. They have a good balance of skill, skating and grit that can compete in this unique bubble postseason. If they do pull off the upset, they’re a live dog. Especially if Markstrom continues to do the job in net.

I nearly took them in seven this round, but felt the Blues’ experience would prevail. It still could. But they need better from Binnington along with Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko, who doesn’t look fully healed from shoulder surgery. There’s enough grit with Perron, who combines skill with determination. Plus guys like Blais, Oskar Sundqvist, Zach Sanford and Ivan Barbashev. Don’t count them out.

Right now, the Canucks are creating a good storyline. They’re an up and coming team for sure. On the flip side, you have the Hurricanes all even with the Bruins in an intriguing series of skill, heavy forecheck and grit. Game Three hits at noon today in Toronto. There’s the Blue Jackets all even thanks to Joonas Korpisalo taking on the Lightning, who have all the pressure on them tonight.

You have the pesky Canadiens blowing out the heavily favored Flyers 5-0 by drawing inspiration after losing coach Claude Julien for the series due to chest pains. Hopefully, he will make a full recovery. They sure were ready with Tomas Tatar tallying twice and suddenly reemerging kid Jesperi Kotkaniemi scoring while Carey Price did his thing to record a seventh career postseason shutout. Alain Vigneault was none too pleased about Montreal assistant Kirk Muller leaving his first unit on late during a power play. It all makes for a juicy Game Three.

The Islanders controlling the regressing Capitals, who without Nicklas Backstrom, and apparently coach-less with Todd Reirden over matched by former coach Stanley Cup hero Barry Trotz, look like a shell of themselves. Alex Ovechkin cannot do it by himself.

Plus the Flames and Stars in a battle with Cam Talbot stopping all 35 his way for his third career playoff shutout in a 2-0 win in Game Three. Calgary leads the series 2-1.

These playoffs are unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Where only West favorites Vegas and the Avalanche look like good bets to go far. Each leading their series 2-0. Anything can happen.

Posted in Column, NHL Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lightning overcome playoff record 85 saves from Korpisalo in five overtime epic over Blue Jackets

Posted on August 12, 2020 by Derek

Sudden death hero Brayden Point is mobbed by Lightning teammates after his winner in five overtimes gave them a unreal 3-2 win over the Blue Jackets, who got a NHL record 85 saves from Joonas Korpisalo. AP Photo credit Tampa Bay Lightning via Getty Images

If you thought these NHL Playoffs were very different, you were right. Between playoff bubble in both Toronto and Edmonton, Zoom interviews by the media and no fans, it’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Such is quarantine life in the pandemic.

Following the unique Play In phase that included an extra eight teams that were sent packing, they held the second part of the Draft Lottery that was won by the Rangers for the first time. After getting swept by the Hurricanes, they got rewarded with expected top pick Alexis Lafreniere.

While some sour pusses claim it’s unfair, that was the eerie process the NHL came up with. Enough conspiracy theories. If I wanted to watch that, I’d put on Conspiracy Theory featuring Julia Roberts and Mel Gibson. Or perhaps view another video on YouTube about JFK.

The real Stanley Cup Tournament started on Tuesday night with three games. Two were played in Edmonton while only one got completed in Toronto due to unique circumstances. Playoff hockey can be suspenseful, unpredictable and exhilarating. Such was the case in a afternoon game played between the Blue Jackets and Lightning at Scotiabank Arena.

A game that began shortly after 3 PM turned into a lengthy marathon that lasted over six hours. It was unbelievable. Despite holding a superior edge in skill and skating, the Lightning had to work extra hard to finally get a hard fought Game One from the gritty Blue Jackets. They needed five overtimes in one of the NHL’s longest games to edge Columbus 3-2 last night.

If you saw it even if only the crazy five overtimes, then you know how unreal this game was. How special was it? Blue Jackets starting goalie Joonas Korpisalo set a playoff record by making 85 saves. He was a human shield repelling shot after shot to give his outplayed team every chance to steal the game. They couldn’t do it.

Even more insane, the Lightning out-attempted the Blue Jackets 188-111. They outshot the Jackets 88-63. That included 78-58 at five-on-five where Tampa scored all three of their goals on Korpisalo. Ironically, it was a bit of puck luck that even forced the wild sudden death that took so long, they pushed Game One of Hurricanes and Bruins to a special 11 AM start earlier today. Astonishingly, that went two overtimes before Patrice Bergeron won it, forcing the Islanders and Capitals to wait an extra hour.

Trailing 2-1, a wild scrum in front of a sprawled Korpisalo resulted in pesky forward Yanni Gourde getting a big break when following his stuff try being denied by a diving Korpisalo, the Columbus netminder accidentally put the loose puck in his own net with a few Bolts searching for the rebound. Had the goalie had better luck, he and the Jackets likely win the game and create some doubt in the higher seed, who were shockingly swept by them last year.

Instead, they kept going and going. Like the old Energizer Bunny commercials, there was no rest for the weary. Especially if you were Seth Jones or Victor Hedman. Each top defenseman logged an absurd amount of ice time. Jones led all skaters with 65:06 in 76 shifts. The Columbus iron horse totaled six shots, 13 attempts, three hits, four giveaways, six takeaways and six blocked shots. As a team, the John Tortorella Blue Jackets blocked 62 shots including a game high 11 from David Savard.

Jones, who’s one of the game’s best defensemen, never slowed down. There was a good defensive play and end to end rush that nearly resulted in the winner. D partner Zach Werenski wound up with 61:45 over 75 shifts. The top Columbus pair is leaned on heavily by Tortorella, who knows a thing or two about relying on his top players.

On the flip side, you had Hedman, who played despite being questionable. Boy, did he play. Tampa coach Jon Cooper didn’t hesitate to use his best player, who didn’t show any effects of an injury. He paced the Lightning with 57:38 in 66 shifts. That included nine shots and a ridiculous 23 attempts. Fourteen that never reached the Columbus net, speaking to the dedication the gritty Blue Jackets have under Tortorella.

Hedman picked up an assist as did counterpart Jones. They were both everywhere. Whether it was leading the rush or making key defensive plays like the great recovery a hustling Hedman made to deny a breakaway, they each did it all. There was one questionable non-call when Hedman rushed back to deny Cam Atkinson’s shorthanded bid in the fifth overtime. It looked like a shove from behind with Atkinson sent flying into the net of Andrei Vasilevskiy. But no call was made. If it was legal as NBC Sports Network analyst Keith Jones claimed, then why did they make a tacky hi-sticking call on Nick Foligno earlier in sudden death.

Of course, Tortorella had nothing to say about the no call. That’s who he is. Considering that his team was outshot and out-chanced by a relentless group of Lightning, who didn’t seem to miss Steven Stamkos, you know the veteran coach will have his team focused on playing more in the Tampa end in tomorrow’s Game Two. The question is how much did such a stinging loss take out of them. They don’t have the talent of the Bolts and have to outwork opponents. Something they did to Toronto. The difference is these Lightning have the grit and determination to match the Blue Jackets.

It took a bounce for OT hero Brayden Point to get to a blocked Nikita Kucherov shot and fire a quick wrist shot past Korpisalo high and inside the goalpost at 10:27 of the fifth overtime. In sudden death terms, that translates to 90:27. That’s after 60 minutes of regulation.

This was like the five overtime win by the Penguins over the Capitals which Petr Nedved won with a great wrist shot in ’96. It was also like Keith Primeau pulling up and snapping a perfect laser in a fifth OT to stun the Pens as a Flyer in 2000. Both their goals turned those series. Will Point’s second goal of last night have a similar impact?

It was Game One. But the way the Jackets play due to less skill, it could have a lasting effect. The Bolts were very impressive at not only possessing the puck and firing rubber from everywhere. They also defended extremely well and didn’t give the countering Jackets any room or space. Even though he had a goal and assist in regulation, Pierre-Luc Dubois was smothered in the overtimes. A credit to how well Tampa defended. They broke up a lot of passes and took the action to Columbus.

What will the second game bring? I don’t know. But I do feel that was a huge win for the Lightning. Had they lost, they might’ve started to wonder if the Blue Jackets have their number. In the end, their effort was rewarded. It had to feel good. As for Columbus, it’s the reverse effect. Can they rebound as they did in Game Five following the Game Four collapse against the Leafs?

We’ll see. What we did get was a historic night of playoff hockey. At least it ended at a normal time thanks to the earlier start.

Korpisalo was heroic in defeat stopping everything. He sure did all he could. His 85 save effort even in a excruciating loss won’t be forgotten. Epic stuff from him and unbelievable effort from both teams.

Posted in Battle News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment