Tweet Of The Day

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Derek

Occasionally, I get things right. As bad as I was predicting the West taking Winnipeg to the Conference Final and St. Louis to the Stanley Cup Final, I did sorta nail Evgeny Kuznetsov’s series clincher for the Caps over the Isles.

https://twitter.com/NewYorkPuck/status/592867519691661313

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Isle Be Seeing Ya: Kuznetsov, Capitals eliminate Islanders in seven

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Derek
Evgeny Kuznetsov celebrates his series clinching goal with Brooks Orpik as the Caps eliminated the Islanders 2-1. AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

Evgeny Kuznetsov celebrates his series clinching goal with Brooks Orpik as the Caps eliminated the Islanders 2-1.
AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

There won’t be a Islanders/Rangers series in the second round. Instead, it’ll be the Capitals who eliminated the Islanders in seven games by posting a 2-1 win at Verizon Center. They’ll meet the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals with Game 1 likely Thursday.

It wasn’t Alex Ovechkin or Nicklas Backstrom who did in the Islanders. Evgeny Kuznetsov was the standout scoring the series clincher with 7:18 left in regulation. The talented 22-year old Russian who also dominated the Islanders in Game 5 was the determining factor. His third goal of the series was a superb individual effort. Powering off the wall to escape Frans Nielsen, he moved in front and deked Jaroslav Halak slipping a forehand past the brilliant Islander starter.

There was nothing Halak could do. A question mark entering the series, he was utterly brilliant making 24 saves in a lopsided Game 7 to give his team a chance. That included stopping 20 of 21 shots in the first two periods dominated by Washington. They outshot the Isles 21-7. If not for Halak, it wouldn’t have been close. His best save came on Jay Beagle with the game tied when he robbed him with an amazing split recovering just in time.

Unfortunately, his teammates didn’t do enough to win the game. It’ll be a tough off season. Despite a valiant effort down three starting defensemen including Travis Hamonic, Lubomir Visnovsky and Calvin de Haan, the proud franchise still hasn’t won a playoff series since 1993. Even with injuries to key players, they still took the Caps seven games.

Ultimately, they lost to a better team. Unlike the Isles, the Caps were healthy and benefited from their depth. After falling behind 2-1 in the series, they allowed six goals the final four games. Washington’s defense made a difference with former Pens Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen having a solid first round. Their secondary scorers also stepped up with Kuznetsov and Joel Ward scoring in tonight’s win. Beagle, Jason Chimera, Brooks Laich and Marcus Johansson were factors throughout.

Amazingly, the Islanders held Ovechkin to two goals. It didn’t matter. Even with top tandem Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy doing a stellar job while logging a ton of minutes, it wasn’t enough. Thomas Hickey and Brian Strait did an admirable job. Even Matt Donovan and Scott Mayfield gave a respectable account.

Offense was a problem in a do or die game. For two periods, the Islanders generated little. It was all Capitals with them controlling puck possession and pinning the Islanders deep. They spent extended shifts cycling effectively while pinching their D and making wholesale changes. One such shift allowed coach Barry Trotz to change on the fly and get his top line of Ovechkin, Backstrom and Ward out. Despite heavy pressure, they couldn’t beat Halak.

After outshooting the Isles 11-3 in the first period, the Caps continued to control the action. So bottled up were the Isles that following an icing, coach Jack Capuano used his timeout to rest his skaters. They responded better by clearing the puck and even getting some attack time. But it was temporary.

Eventually, the Caps’ top scoring unit pinned the Isles in again and finally got the game’s first goal with under two minutes left in the second. Forcing a turnover, Ovechkin got the puck out to Orpik for a point shot which Halak stopped. But Ward swatted away at it knocking the puck in for a 1-0 lead with 1:25 remaining in the period.

On the next shift, Mikhail Grabovski got a chance but missed. The Caps took a one-goal lead into the locker room. The Isles struggled mightily getting outshot 10-4. The only thing they did well was defend in front of Halak keeping most of Washington’s chances to the outside. That along with Halak’s play was why they only trailed by one.

If they were going to go down, they at least showed a pulse in the third. Able to forecheck early, Boychuk got a shot on Braden Holtby, who may as well have been on vacation till that point. Even though the Caps netminder only saw four shots due to his D, he at least had to work. He also was shaky.

The Islanders finally got to Holtby when Nielsen beat him five-hole tying the score at 3:13. Taking a Hickey feed, Nielsen carried the puck and skated between Caps defenders and got off a simple wrist shot that eluded Holtby. His first of the playoffs came from Hickey and Ryan Strome, who was pretty quiet after a good start to the series.

One of the issues for the Isles was they didn’t get enough secondary scoring. Something that wasn’t a problem during the season. Rookie Anders Lee struggled and sat out the final two games in favor of fourth liner Colin McDonald. A questionable move by Capuano given the circumstances. He also scratched Brock Nelson for Game 5. That wasn’t the only move that left you scratching your head.

Even though they were finally able to get attack time after Nielsen’s goal, the Isles just couldn’t get enough shots on Holtby, who fought the puck on a Boychuk long try. They totaled only 11 shots the entire game. In a do or die situation, that just won’t get it done. Whether it was the lack of experience or nerves, they weren’t good enough. But somehow, they were still tied.

That changed when Kuznetsov escaped Nielsen’s check along the boards and beat Halak with 7:18 left in regulation. On a strong cycle, the former Caps first round pick wheeled through the slot and had a sweet finish effectively ending the Isles’ season.

They responded to the goal by getting a sustained forecheck from John Tavares’ top line with Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo. But on a night where the Islander captain was held without a shot, Bailey and Boychuk passed up golden opportunities to shoot. By the time Boychuk wound up, his shot was blocked and the Caps escaped.

Such chances in a tight checking game where the refs didn’t call a single penalty until the final few minutes were rare. If you’re down a goal in Game 7 and only have 11 shots, you better make them count. The Islanders weren’t aggressive enough and learned a valuable lesson. To quote Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”

Perhaps the biggest Capuano second guess was his reluctance to pull Halak. Following a bad John Carlson roughing minor in the offensive zone, it handed the Isles one last chance to score on the power play. They were 0 for the series finishing 0-for-14. With two minutes left and unable to get set up time, Capuano easily could’ve sent Halak to the bench and gone for a 6-on-4. He didn’t and waited too long finally pulling Halak with 1:16 left.

By that point, it was too late. The Caps weren’t allowing anything to get through. They played air tight D smothering the Isles. About the only gripe they had was an uncalled Ovechkin boarding on Hickey with the Great 8 hitting the prone defenseman from behind leaving MSG’s Howie Rose and Butch Goring speechless. But as Capuano pointed out afterwards, their power play didn’t score once. Only one power play goal was scored by the Caps.

On one last attempt, Okposo centered in front but the Caps cleared and that was it. They celebrated with Kuznetsov and Ovechkin raising their arms in salute to their fans while Tavares lied on the ice despondent. That’s the difference between winning and losing. It was a very entertaining and physical series with both teams giving everything. In the end, the Caps were better and now advance to face the Rangers.

There won’t be an epic Battle Of New York. That’ll have to wait another year. So too will the Islanders who now will relocate to Brooklyn. They played their final home game at Nassau Coliseum Saturday defeating the Caps in an emotional Game 6 3-1. At least it was a win. It’s hard to believe that was their final game in their barn after 43 years on Long Island.

A sad way for them to go out. Especially in what was a good season. The Islanders had the great start and led the Metropolitan Division and the East at one point. But the second half told a different tale. Okposo missed significant time due to a torn retina. Luckily, he returned but wasn’t as productive. Tavares carried them into the playoffs tying the Caps with 101 points. But home ice went to Washington and they made it count.

For the Caps, it was an important win. Especially given their track record. They had the reputation of a team that doesn’t close out series. Now, they move on and will be a formidable challenge for the Rangers who at the start will be without top right wing Mats Zuccarello. It should be a good series. It just won’t measure up to Islanders/Rangers.

Johnny Boychuk battles Joel Ward in front of Jaroslav Halak. AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

Johnny Boychuk battles Joel Ward in front of Jaroslav Halak.
AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Joel Ward, Caps (1st of playoffs, assist-so overlooked)

2nd Star-Jaroslav Halak, Isles (24 saves-splendid in defeat)

1st Star-Evgeny Kuznetsov, Caps (series winner with 7:18 left in regulation-3rd goal-future star)

Quotable

”We were hungry, we wanted to get after it, and I think people doubted us a little bit,” Ward said. ”So we wanted to prove something to ourselves and to our fans.”-goalscorer Joel Ward

”It’s just hard to believe it’s really over. It was intense. It was physical. It was draining.”-Islanders captain John Tavares

”That’s the best I’ve seen us play. Start to finish, that’s the game we’ve been trying to groom all year.”-Braden Holtby

”If you’ve never played hockey, you’ll never feel this.”-series hero Evgeny Kuznetsov

”We needed to shoot a little more. Obviously you’re not going to score if you don’t shoot.”-Jaroslav Halak

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Video Of Day: Price robs Turris with amazing stick shaft save

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Derek

Occasionally, you get one of those amazing saves from a great goalie that’s worth replaying. For the Canadiens, Carey Price was front and center making 43 saves to eliminate the Senators posting a 2-0 shutout in Game 6. His best save was the highlight above. With Montreal leading 1-0 in the first period, Price robbed Kyle Turris by just getting the shaft of his goal stick on a one-timer to keep his team ahead.

Price has had an incredible year and most certainly will become the first goalie to sweep the Vezina and Hart since you guessed it. Former Canadien Jose Theodore in ’01-02. Seriously. The Habs advanced to the Eastern Semifinals and await the winner between the Lightning and Red Wings.

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Wild and Crazy NHL Playoff Weekend: Hawks, Flames rally to advance, Wild and Habs into Round 2

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Derek

The first round is almost complete. This weekend, four more series concluded. Two Saturday night in remarkable fashion with the Blackhawks and Flames rallying back to advance. Two more today with the Wild and Canadiens joining the second round party. All that’s left is tomorrow’s slate featuring Game 6 between the Lightning and Red Wings and Game 7 between the Islanders and Capitals.

Saturday night was unbelievable. You had both the Hawks and Flames falling behind in home Game 6’s. In each case, they switched goalies and came back. Chicago dug out of 2-0 and 3-1 first period deficits to eliminate the Predators 4-3. Two early James Neal goals gave Nashville the early lead before Patrick Sharp cut it in half only for Matt Cullen to restore a two-goal lead chasing Scott Darling. Corey Crawford relieved him.

Jonathan Toews scored on a power play and then Patrick Kane tied the game with six seconds remaining off a Brad Richards faceoff win. There was no scoring in the second. The third was all Hawks. They pressed the action and forced Pekka Rinne into some difficult stops. They spent a ton in the Nashville zone. An extended shift finally resulted in Duncan Keith’s game-winner with 3:48 left. The former Norris winner put on a skating exhibition faking shot three times before sneaking one past Seth Jones and Rinne. Chicago will meet Minnesota in Round 2.

The Wild advanced this afternoon by posting a 4-1 home win to oust the Blues. The story is a familiar one for St. Louis who again exits early. After winning Game 4 to even the series, they were outscored 8-2 in the final two games. Goaltending was an issue with rookie Jake Allen faltering. After allowing a bad goal to Zach Parise, he gave up the worst goal of the postseason letting a Justin Fontaine roller to go five-hole. Curiously, Blues coach Ken Hitchcock told NBC’s Brian Engblom that he was sticking with Allen. Twenty-eight seconds later, he flip flopped replacing Allen with vet Brian Elliott. Another Parise goal in the third and a Nino Niederreiter empty netter finished off the Blues who could be making a coaching change. If Hitchcock’s out, will Devils GM Lou Lamoriello come calling?

There was an even better game last night with the Flames rallying back from a 3-0 hole to stun the Canucks 7-4 at The Saddledome. They’ll be talking about it for a few days before they meet the Ducks in the Western Semis. Facing elimination for a second straight game, the Canucks got off to a blazing start. After Brandon McMillan scored his first career postseason goal, Jannik Hansen and Radim Vrbata scored 2:10 apart to chase Flames starter Jonas Hiller. Calgary coach Bob Hartley went to Karri Ramo.

Spark plug Michael Ferland got the comeback started cutting it to 3-1 with 2:58 left in the first. Sean Monahan beat Ryan Miller 1:02 into the second to pull the Flames within one. Calder front runner Johnny Gaudreau tipped in a Jiri Hudler feed tying it. Vancouver’s Luca Sbisa put his team back up. But the Flames were relentless in the third storming past the Canucks. Hudler tied it with a power play goal. With the game up for grabs, Matt Stajan scored with 4:17 left in regulation. Eerily similar to the Hawks, the Flames got the winner late. Hudler and Ferland added empties for the final margin.

The Canadiens finally moved on thanks to Carey Price, who made 43 saves to shutout the Senators 2-0 in Game 6. Price, who’s been the best player was in Vezina and Hart form stopping the Sens in their tracks. After losing two straight, the Habs didn’t want any part of a Game 7. Especially against a rival. Boosted by Craig Anderson, the Sens were thinking 0-3 comeback. But Price and his team defense wouldn’t allow it. All it took was a great Brendan Gallagher redirection at 13:26 of the first for them to prevail. Price did the rest. His best stop came in the first when he got just the shaft of his stick on Kyle Turris’ bid to tie it in the first.

The game wasn’t without controversy. A quick whistle midway through the second prevented a Sens equalizer. Price never had the puck and the rebound was put in. Unfortunately, the refs erred costing Ottawa. It was a horrible call and bad luck for the Sens, who outshot the Habs 16-3 in the second and 14-4 in the third. Montreal sat back and defended. However, they had better chances with Tomas Plekanec pushing a shorthanded chance over the net and P.A. Parenteau fanning on a gimme. Price came up big in the final minute denying Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mike Hoffman. Pacioretty’s empty netter with a tick left wrapped it up.

The Canadiens are still waiting for their second round opponent. It can either be the Red Wings or Lightning. Led by Petr Mrazek, Detroit leads Tampa 3-2 with a chance to close it out Monday. Mrazek has two shutouts and has allowed 10 goals. Steven Stamkos, Ryan Callahan and Nikita Kucherov have been blanked. Stamkos has been very disappointing with just two assists and 17 shots. Tyler Johnson has four of the Bolts’ 10. Mrazek has outplayed Ben Bishop. Pavel Datsyuk has been vintage leading the Red Wings with three goals and four points. Young guns Luke Glendening and Riley Sheahan have been x-factors each with identical lines (2-1-3). Can Detroit pull it off under coaching free agent Mike Babcock? If they do, it just goes to show how important a great coach can be. Will Tampa go quietly after such a great regular season? They’ll face off at 7 PM.

The Islanders and Capitals starts at 7:30 PM at Verizon Center. The Isles are trying to advance to the second round for the first time since 1993. They are hoping to play more hockey at Nassau Coliseum following a emotional Game 6 win staving off elimination. John Tavares scored and set up the winner with Nikolay Kulemin finishing off Nick Leddy’s feed. Alex Ovechkin went for the big hit and it cost his team. Which star player will lead their team to victory? Are the Caps going to fail again in a Game 7? Can the Isles finally conquer their demons and set up a Battle Of New York? Find out tomorrow night!

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Islanders Win At Nassau Coliseum To Force Game 7

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Derek
We Salute You: The Islanders salute Nassau Coliseum following an emotional 3-1 win in Game 6 forcing Game 7 against the Capitals. Will there be more hockey at the Coliseum? AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

We Salute You: The Islanders salute Nassau Coliseum following an emotional 3-1 win in Game 6 forcing Game 7 against the Capitals. Will there be more hockey at the Coliseum?
AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

The chants were “Yes, Yes, Yes!” at Nassau Coliseum. In what possibly was the final home game, the Islanders lived for another day with an eye popping 3-1 win over the Capitals in Game 6 forcing a seventh game.

Nikolay Kulemin’s first career playoff goal with 9:27 left in regulation proved to be the winner. In an emotionally charged game at the only barn they’ve ever known, the Islanders dug deep to get past the Capitals. Game 7 is Monday back at Verizon Center. The winner takes on the Rangers in the second round. The loser makes early summer vacation plans.

The defining moment came on a shift from captain John Tavares. Drawing two defenders, he carried the puck deep and was drilled by Alex Ovechkin against the glass. However, the puck took a funny hop bouncing to Nick Leddy who found Kulemin all alone for the game-winner allowing the Coliseum to erupt.

”Just when I saw everyone going crazy,” Tavares said after lying on the ice in response to Kulemin’s big goal. ”I’m just happy it went in.”

Nikolay Kulemin moves around Braden Holtby to score the game-winner forcing Game 7. AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

Nikolay Kulemin moves around Braden Holtby to score the game-winner forcing Game 7.
AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

He played a little possum drawing the attention of the Caps, who were distracted enough to not pick up the trailer Kulemin. He had plenty of time to beat Braden Holtby.

”People were grabbing each other,” Kulemin said of a wild shift that also featured some pushing shoving at the benches during a line change. ”There was a lot of stuff going on that shift, and I just saw the open space in front of the net and went there.”

”I’ve never seen a play like that, playing 2-on-2-hockey,” Holtby said who basically indirectly pointed the finger at Ovechkin for chasing Tavares and going for the big hit. ”You have to keep your composure a little better, not double-coverage. You don’t plan for that stuff. It’s tough to swallow.”

The Caps still came hard and nearly forced overtime with four minutes left. On a strong shift from their second line, Troy Brouwer forced Jaroslav Halak into a difficult save. The rebound caromed back out to Jay Beagle, who sent the loose puck over Halak but off the crossbar. At first, it looked like it would go in but Halak and the Isles caught a break.

Despite Caps pressure, the Isles were able to protect the lead. A smart play by Johnny Boychuk allowed Cal Clutterbuck to score into a vacated net with 58 seconds left sealing it.

”We want to keep this thing going. We want to be able to play in front of them even more,” Brian Strait said after playing a solid defensive game. ”To not keep it going, it doesn’t matter. It’s a failure.”

Strait had made it a point that they had to win this game. There was no way the Islanders could lose at home. Not in such a chaotic environment. The capacity crowd continued serenading the Caps with the all too familiar “Can You Hear Us.” A chant that originated from MSG in a first round series the Rangers played against the Caps due to former coach Bruce Boudreau. This time, it’s been in response to Ovechkin’s commentary that Verizon Center is louder. Not from our vantage point.

Tavares got the Isles off to a good start beating Holtby at 6:56 with a quick snap shot from Ryan Strome and Leddy. On the play, he took a Strome feed and skated around a couple of Caps before firing a low shot past Holtby for his second.

Washington drew even very late. Taking advantage of a Tavares slashing minor in the final half minute, John Carlson took an Ovechkin feed and blasted one past Halak at 19:55.  It was the only goal Halak allowed in a very strong outing. He made some big saves stopping 38 of 39 shots in improving to 6-1 in elimination games. Most of that dates back to his success with the Canadiens in 2010 when he carried them to the Conference Final.

Despite 27 combined shots including 17 from the Long Island hosts, there was no scoring in an intense second.

”To me, at the end of the day, their desperation level was higher than ours,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. ”Now we’re both desperate.”

The difference in the third was minimal. Both teams had chances. The Caps best one came when Mike Green had Halak down but missed high from the slot. If that goes in, who knows what happens.

Islanders coach Jack Capuano got inspired play from his hard hat fourth line of Clutterbuck, Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas. As usual, they were very physical injecting energy with thunderous hits from Martin and Clutterbuck, who combined for 18 of the Isles’ 46. They also forechecked well including the opening shift of the third. A wise choice by Capuano.

In a game that featured only four power plays with the Caps holding a 3-1 edge including their only goal coming from Carlson, the refs let them decide it. They let stuff go including during the chaotic shift that resulted in Kulemin’s game decider.

It was a smart play by Tavares drawing attention. Rather than take the man in front, Ovechkin saw an opportunity for a big check. That was a big mistake because Leddy recovered a loose puck and set up Kulemin at 10:33. Tavares got an assist on it giving him six points in the series.

”If we would’ve made the right read, we probably wouldn’t have been in that situation, a one-on-one with the goalie,” Trotz said.

Following Clutterbuck’s empty netter, chaos ensued at the buzzer when Carlson fired a one-timer on Halak. Kyle Okposo immediately responded as did fellow teammates turning it into a fracas. The teams combined for 26 penalty minutes with Clutterbuck getting a misconduct.

Unfortunately, it was an ugly conclusion to a great game. That included a few idiotic fans who tossed beer on Carlson. Considering that this came after a Caps fan complained about having their car vandalized earlier in the series, it doesn’t reflect well on the Islander fans. Of course, it’s always a few dopes who spoil it. The win should’ve been celebrated without such lunacy. If they do advance to play the Rangers, such shenanigans cannot be tolerated. Security must do a better job.

A nice shot of Nassau Coliseum during the national anthem prior to Game 6. AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

A nice shot of Nassau Coliseum during the national anthem prior to Game 6.
AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-John Tavares, NYI (goal-2nd, assist, 5 SOG, +3 in 22 shifts-16:35)

2nd Star-Jaroslav Halak, NYI (38 saves incl. 13/13 in 3rd)

1st Star-Nikolay Kulemin, NYI (game-winner with 9:27 left in 3rd, 4 SOG, 3 hits, +1 in 23 shifts-13:52)

Notes: Brock Nelson returned to the lineup taking 19 shifts (14:04). … Capuano inserted Colin McDonald in place of rookie Anders Lee, who hasn’t been effective. McDonald had five hits in 19 shifts (9:54). … The Isles were able to win despite playing minus half their top six defensemen. With Travis Hamonic and Lubomir Visnovsky already sidelined, they skated without Calvin de Haan, who sustained an injury in Game 5. Leddy and Boychuk each got over 27 minutes followed by Thomas Hickey (22:33) and Strait (19:22). Matt Donovan and Scott Mayfield each saw over 10 minutes. … Faceoffs were 40-33 in favor of the Caps led by Beagle, who dominated going 15-and-4. Mikhail Grabovski was the Isles’ best winning 9-of-13.

Islander fans celebrate a goal by waving their playoff towels during Game 6. AP Photo by Kathy Kmonicek/Getty Images

Islander fans celebrate a goal by waving their playoff towels during Game 6.
AP Photo by Kathy Kmonicek/Getty Images

Key Stats

Power Play (Overall) Capitals 2-13  Islanders 0-13

Hits Capitals 32 (Ovechkin 5) Islanders 46 (Martin 11)

Blocked Shots Capitals 18 (Alzner, Carlson, Green-3 each) Islanders 14 (Boychuk 6)

Takeaways Capitals 14 (Brouwer 4) Islanders 23 (Boychuk 4)

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My Overtime Experience

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Derek
Happy Hags: Overtime hero Carl Hagelin celebrates his series clinching goal that eliminated the Penguins in Game 5. The Rangers now await the winner between the Capitals and Islanders. AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

Happy Hags: Overtime hero Carl Hagelin celebrates his series clinching goal that eliminated the Penguins in Game 5. The Rangers now await the winner between the Capitals and Islanders.
AP Photo by Julie Jacobson/Getty Images

A day later, I’m still feeling the after effects of a thrilling Rangers 2-1 overtime win over the Penguins in Game 5 to eliminate them. Carl Hagelin scored at 10:52 of sudden death sending the Blueshirts into the second round where they’ll await the winner between the Capitals and Islanders who are facing off now for Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum.

Rather than do a recap, I’m just going to talk about my fun overtime experience. As anyone knows, playoff overtime can be mentally and physically draining not just on players but fans as well. We live and die with our teams. Anything can happen once it’s next goal wins. That’s exactly what my mindset was when the Pens and Rangers headed to OT for a second straight game.

I was pretty nervous. Why? Because as I told my brother Justin, “‘I want no part of a Game 6 against this team.'” As stingy as the Rangers were with Henrik Lundqvist allowing only eight goals in the tightly contested five-game series, it felt like the Pens had the momentum. They played their best hockey last night. Even if their lone goal came of the fluky variety with video review confirming Nick Spaling’s goal from Steve Downie and Sidney Crosby at 17:23 of the second that tied it.

The Pens played loose in the third. As that was happening, Justin and I were headed to celebrate a friend’s birthday at sports bar on the other side of the Island right by the Ferry. As we’re driving, we got the radio on. I’m listening pretty closely to Kenny Albert and Dave Maloney while Justin is calling friends and sending texts. Just from the tone, I could tell that Pittsburgh was dominating. At one point, shots were 12-2 with the Pens getting all sorts of chances only to be denied by Lundqvist, who was excellent saving 37 in another 2-1 victory. That was the magic line with the Rangers winning all four by that identical score.

The third included two goalposts. One hit by Crosby, who heard the boos and the all too predictable chant from angry fans after he drew a penalty on Dan Girardi. We didn’t see it. Of course, our fans felt he dove. You know what. I’m a little sick of a few of them. Crosby doesn’t gripe to officials much and outside of that elbow to Lundqvist which he embellished, he didn’t do anything illegal other than playing hard nosed. He finished with four points to lead his team in a low scoring series. The teams totaled 19 goals with the Rangers holding an 11-8 edge. That’s how closely fought it was.

Following Crosby’s goalpost, the Pens were all over the Rangers. You could sense it just from listening to Maloney. They had the momentum and attacked. Exactly what you’d expect from a desperate team trying to send the series back to Pittsburgh. The only reason there won’t be a Game 6 tomorrow is due to Lundqvist, who saved his best for last. He’s great when it comes to closing out teams at MSG. Last year, it was the Flyers in Round 1 by that same 2-1 score. In Round 3, it was the Canadiens with Lundqvist shutting them out 1-0. You could also point to his success in 2012 against the Senators and Capitals in deciding Game 7’s. How many goalies could come back from a serious injury and not miss a beat? That’s Hank.

Back to my story. As we got closer to our destination, J.T. Miller hit a goalpost too. The Rangers started to play better towards the tail end of regulation. The trouble was they couldn’t beat Marc-Andre Fleury who was outstanding again making 34 saves. For a goalie who takes it on the chin, he had a very good season leading the league with 10 shutouts. He was the biggest reason the Pens were here. Fleury’s play is why this series was so close. He kept last night 1-0 by making big saves including two on Derick Brassard and a third. He stoned Dan Boyle, who blew a golden opportunity with Fleury down fanning on a shot and slamming his stick against the boards.

That’s how tight it was. It was also the one game Evgeni Malkin was dangerous getting six shots. He played on the wing with Brandon Sutter centering the second line. Pittsburgh coach Mike Johnston loaded up his top two lines and double shifted Crosby and Malkin. When the game reached OT, it felt like they were always out there.

At that point, we had made it to Pier 67 beating our friends. The game was on and we stood and watched. Justin asked me what I thought and I told him, “‘I got a bad feeling. I think Crosby gets the winner.'” His response was, “‘I hope not.'”

A few minutes in, my prediction almost came true. Following a tough Lundqvist save on a Patric Hornqvist shot, Crosby was in front and redirected a shot pass right into a sprawling Lundqvist’s pads which came together. Pretty nerve racking. Fortunately, the refs blew the play dead. The puck was still loose. So, it was a break. Phew.

Every shift was so intense. At any moment, someone could play the hero for either side. I stood there talking to Justin. My legs felt like jello. As it went on, the Rangers had a couple of close calls with a low shot giving Fleury trouble causing a rebound. The reaction at the bar was the nervous “Ohhhhh.” It wasn’t too crowded. This wasn’t a big place. So, you had maybe 20 people with most rooting for the Rangers. The lone exception was this Pens fan who stood out with a classic road Penguins throwback Lemieux jersey. Which Justin praised him on. You always have that one fan from the other side at these places. It makes it more interesting. What if his team had won?

There was also a nervy moment when Sutter came in on a rush and dropped the puck for Blake Comeau in the slot. A perfect chance to win it. But his shot never made it. It was blocked into the corner. I don’t remember who but if I had to guess, probably Dan Girardi who had a excellent series. Danny G is a warrior. He’s the heart of this team. That’s why I can’t stand the fans who still don’t like him. Whether it be his contract or the Kings series, they need to shut up and appreciate how valuable he is. Signed by Slats as an undrafted free agent. I tweeted the other day that that was one of his best moves. A turning point for this franchise. Look how competitive they’ve been since.

Following a stoppage for the 10-minute break so they could clean the ice, Ryan McDonagh got a puck in deep which was kept alive by Dominic Moore. Talk about underrated. The fourth line center cycled it behind the Pens’ net before getting checked. Hagelin then retrieved the puck and skated to the right circle where he took a good wrist shot that beat Fleury with Moore distracting him in front.

Game over! The bar went wild. We’re all high fiving and a “Let’s Go Rangers, Let’s Go Rangers” chant breaks out following the “GOAAAAALLLL, GOAAAAAALLLL” song. Justin gives me a hug and says, “‘I can’t believe they won like that.'”

It was pretty cool the way it happened. So much more fun at the bar than at home like we were for Purple Hayes. The best way I can describe it is it’s both jubilation and relief. You’re glad they won because if it goes back to Pittsburgh for Game 6, anything’s possible. We knew that from last year. I was glad to hear Marc Staal echo my sentiment about not wanting to get on a plane and go back to Pittsburgh.

Now, they get to rest. Something that should be beneficial for Mats Zuccarello, who took a McDonagh shot to the side of his helmet. He didn’t return with the Rangers taking every precaution. There’s no doubt they’re a different team without him. But still, Alain Vigneault elevated Martin St. Louis to the top line and double shifted Jesper Fast. Both played well. Especially St. Louis, who didn’t have a goal in the series. He had his best game with six shots. It’s worth pointing out that it was his play in Game 4 that allowed Hayes to win it. Hopefully, that’s a good sign moving forward.

Kevin Klein didn’t play in the first round. Now, he’ll have a couple of more days to get ready for Round 2. If he is ready, a big thank you to Matt Hunwick, who was steady in his place. The vet deserves a ton of credit. As Vigneault likes to say, they aren’t here without good depth.

I’m just glad they got it done. For once, the Rangers closed a team out without stressing everyone out. They didn’t need seven games like last year’s first round before finishing the Flyers. It’s better for everyone.

Oh. And our friends including the birthday gal finally showed up at 11:30 and we had a great time. Time well spent. All worth it.

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Video Of Day: McDonagh Mic’d Up For Hagelin’s Series Clincher

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Derek

How cool is it for a hockey play when one of their teammates scores in overtime to wrap up a series? Here’s how it looked through the eyes of Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh when Carl Hagelin scored at 10:52 of overtime beating Marc-Andre Fleury with a wrist shot short side to eliminate the Penguins 2-1 at a rocking MSG.

That level of excitement is what makes the NHL Playoffs so great for players, coaches and fans. There’s nothing quite like playoff overtime. Where anything can happen. The Rangers hadn’t won two consecutive OT games in the postseason since 1971. The magic score was 2-1 in Games 4 and 5 with Kevin Hayes and Hagelin playing the heroes.

My favorite part of this video is seeing McDonagh shake hands with the Pens including Fleury and Sidney Crosby and hearing the Pens captain say, “Great series. Good luck.”

When it’s over, the camera takes us inside the Rangers locker room where Hagelin is presented the Broadway Hat for his heroics. At the tail end as he fills the fourth piece out of 16 to the Stanley Cup, we overhear a teammate call him, “Carlos.” So, now fans are referring to him as Carlos.

Pretty cool for the most under appreciated Ranger. With two goals in the first round, that gives Hagelin 12 since the 2013 playoffs. The most for any Blueshirt. He went ahead of Derick Brassard and Derek Stepan, who each are tied with 11.

”The guy is at his best in games like that,” teammate J.T. Miller said. Who could disagree? At age 26, the hard working Swede has been a constant during their success. Not bad for a guy taken 168th overall in the sixth round in 2007. Four years at Michigan and some fine tuning in Hartford prepared him well.

”It’s unbelievable,” Hagelin said. ”One of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced on the ice. An unbelievable feeling.”

Well deserved Hags.

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Kuznetsov, Capitals put Islanders on brink

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Derek
Evgeny Kuznetsov had the breakout performance with two goals and an assist highlighting the Caps' 5-1 win over the Isles in Game 5. AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

Evgeny Kuznetsov had the breakout performance with two goals and an assist highlighting the Caps’ 5-1 win over the Isles in Game 5.
AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

The Islanders season is on the line. They were put on the brink by the Capitals in a 5-1 loss in Game 5 at Verizon Center. It wasn’t star tandem Alex Ovechkin or Nicklas Backstrom that did them in. Instead, rookie Evgeny Kuznetsov was the breakout star scoring his first two career playoff goals and adding a assist for a three-point night.

”Everybody wants to score the goal,” Kuznetsov said. ”But if you do the right things, stay in the plan, all the goals, passes and Cups come. One guy never (wins) the Cup. Only (teams) win the Cup.”

It was the 22-year old Russian forward who delivered a big performance to give the Caps a 3-2 series lead. For the Islanders, that could mean playing for the final time at Nassau Coliseum. Until Backstrom won Game 4 in overtime to square the series, that possibility didn’t exist.

”We know what it means to our fans. … It just can’t be the last game for them,” Thomas Hickey said. ”So we’re going to come with our heads on and be ready to play, and make sure that it’s not the last game there. We’ve got to find a way.”

They’ll have to play much better to force a deciding Game 7. Oddly enough, it started well with Josh Bailey getting the game’s first goal when he took a John Tavares feed and beat Braden Holtby at 5:48. Nick Leddy added a secondary helper.

Bailey’s goal followed rookie Anders Lee fighting Tom Wilson as retribution for his hit that injured Lubomir Visnovsky. Lee did alright getting a couple of early shots in. But Wilson earned the decision with some hey makers.

A few minutes later, Kuznetsov showed some skill batting a Marcus Johansson rebound out of mid-air for his first to even the score. The game remained tied nearly halfway through the second. It was the play of Jaroslav Halak that kept the Isles tied. Facing a Caps’ onslaught, he made some big stops robbing John Carlson and denying Kuznetsov.

The turning point came on the next shift. Halak made another strong save on Troy Brouwer but before he could fully cover the puck, Brouwer freed it loose and went around the net and centered for Karl Alzner, who one-timed the puck into an open side for the go-ahead tally at 10:31.

Despite being outplayed severely and outshot 18-8, the Isles still trailed by one after two. Even with Halak tripping up Alex Ovechkin to hand the Caps a full two-minute power play to start the third, the Islanders killed it off. However, they were unable to grab momentum. Instead, a Halak turnover resulted in Brooks Laich rebounding home a Jay Beagle shot from Jason Chimera at 2:42 making it 3-1.

”Huge,” Washington coach Barry Trotz said. ”That got the ball rolling, in terms of momentum and stuff.”

It only got worse. Following a clean takeout by Joel Ward on Casey Cizikas, Matt Niskanen sent Kuznetsov in on a breakaway and he deked Halak tucking a backhand in for his second of the game. Chimera would add further insult taking a Johansson feed and beating Halak through the wickets to chase him.

”For whatever reason tonight, the brain wasn’t working. We just turned pucks over and gave it right to them, and they came back the other way,” explained Isles’ coach Jack Capuano said after replacing Halak with Michal Neuvirth. ”I wanted to let him know that it has nothing to do with him.”

At that point, the Isles lost their cool. Matt Martin was given a misconduct for complaining to the officials. Following that, Cal Clutterbuck slashed Laich and was assessed a misconduct ending his night.

At the end of the day, it didn’t matter. The Isles will have to play desperate hockey to avoid elimination. They don’t want it to end in their historic barn. Feed off the energy of what will be a wild atmosphere and they can force a seventh game. Anything can happen if they get there. We’ll see what they’re made of.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Jason Chimera, WSH (goal, assist, 4 SOG, 3 hits, +3 in 26 shifts-15:52)

2nd Star-Karl Alzner, WSH (game-winner, assist, +3 in 26 shifts-16:50)

1st Star-Evgeny Kuznetsov, WSH (2 goals, assist, 7 SOG, +3 in 23 shifts-16:28)

Notes: Hits were 49-49. Johnny Boychuk led all skaters with 10. Brooks Orpik had six. The Isles got destroyed on faceoffs with the Caps going 31-for-49 led by Backstrom (11-and-3). Tavares was ineffective losing 11-of-15. … Halak finished with 30 saves and backup Neuvirth turned aside all six in relief. Holtby made 22. … The Isles continued to struggle on the power play going 0-for-2. They’re 0-for-12 in the series. The Caps went 0-for-3. They’re 1-for-10 overall.

Reinhart Struggles, Grabovski Returns: Making his playoff debut, former number one pick Griffin Reinhart had a tough night finishing minus-two in 20 shifts (12:42). He dressed in place of Visnovsky. … Mikhail Grabovski returned to the lineup. Dressing in place of Brock Nelson, he took 21 shifts (15:38) with three shots, two hits and went 5-and-6 on draws.

Key Stats

SOG Isles 23 Caps 41

Shot Attempts Isles 60  Caps 67

Blocked Shots Isles 16 (Leddy 3) Caps 18 (Carlson 5)

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Purple Hayes Delivers The OT Winner

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Derek
Purple Hayes: Rookie Kevin Hayes celebrates his first career playoff goal. He scored the OT winner at 3:14 to send the Rangers to a 2-1 Game 4 win over the Penguins. AP Photo by Gene J. Puskar/Getty Images

Purple Hayes: Rookie Kevin Hayes celebrates his first career playoff goal. He scored the OT winner at 3:14 to send the Rangers to a 2-1 Game 4 win over the Penguins.
AP Photo by Gene J. Puskar/Getty Images

Kevin Hayes needed a goal. At least that was the sentiment expressed by MSG’s Steve Valiquette. One I agreed with. Hayes’ first career playoff goal couldn’t have come at a better time. His goal at 3:14 of overtime lifted the Rangers to a 2-1 Game 4 win over the Penguins allowing them to sweep the two at Consol Energy Center.

”It will be a memorable one, for sure,” the OT hero said in the winning locker room to MSG’s John Giannone while wearing the Broadway Hat.

”I thought two of our guys worked hard and got the puck to the net and it just kind of ended up on my stick,” he added.

They now lead the first round series 3-1. Indeed, the Rangers will have a chance to wrap it up Friday at home for a Game 5. If they can, it would be that short series they’re looking for. Especially with what potentially lies ahead. That said, they must realize the Pens will come with everything. They’re facing elimination and in the identical position the Rangers were in last year. They’ll need their best effort to eliminate Pittsburgh.

Tonight wasn’t good enough. But they got away with it. Dominated by a determined Pens in as lopsided a first period as they’ve played all season, the Rangers quickly fell behind. Off some strong play from Sidney Crosby, he helped Paul Martin get a loose puck to the point where Ben Lovejoy fired a wrist shot that Patric Hornqvist deflected past Henrik Lundqvist at 2:22 to give the Pens a 1-0 lead.

Even with Steve Downie handing them a power play 17 seconds later, the Rangers power kill struck. They couldn’t get anything against an aggressive Penguin penalty kill. Astonishingly, the Rangers went through a long stretch where they didn’t register a shot on Marc-Andre Fleury. In fact, it took them over 10 minutes before Marc Staal got a shot. Sadly, it was one of two the entire period.

That wasn’t the only problem. The Pens were much hungrier to the puck and generated some tough shots on Lundqvist. Fortunately, he was up to the task turning aside seven of eight shots.

Uncharacteristically, Derek Stepan took a bad penalty tripping up Pittsburgh defenseman Ian Cole to rev a pumped up Pens crowd even further. Despite good set up time, the home team was unable to get any shots through. That included a nice set up for Evgeni Malkin, whose one-timer was high and wide. That’s the kind of series it’s been for Malkin who again was held off the score sheet.

Blake Comeau handed the Blueshirts another power kill which was so hideous, it made one wonder which team had the power play. The Pens have done the job on the penalty kill. Despite being shorthanded 17 times, they’ve killed off 15. The only Ranger chance came off a broken play with Rick Nash unable to control a loose puck sending it wide.

As usual, Max Lapierre was at his best drawing a phantom rough on Dominic Moore. On this one, Moore hit him in the chest and Lapierre dropped his stick like he was shot and fell to the ice while covering up his face. That it duped refs Francois St. Laurent and Kevin Pollock was sad. Be that as it may, the Rangers calmly killed it off to limp to the locker room only down one.

When the period concluded, coach Alain Vigneault was incensed. He was still on the refs for the call. You knew he was hot already due to his team’s lethargic play. Something Marc Staal referenced. In the post game, Staal indicated that Vigneault channeled his inner Tort letting them have at intermission.

At the start of the second, they immediately responded by getting the puck into the Pittsburgh zone. Martin St. Louis drew a boarding minor on Cole for the Rangers’ third power play. At least they were able to get some attack time. It wasn’t enough and they were way too predictable.

Following a Pens kill, Moore got nabbed for his second penalty. This one was legit as he tripped up David Perron. But as has become common in the series, Pittsburgh wasn’t able to take advantage. With an 0-for-3 showing, their power play is 2-for-10. Both power play goals came in their Game 2 win. They went 0-for-5 at home.

Once they settled in, the Rangers began making crisper decisions to come out of their own end and through the neutral zone. Starting to use their speed, they began attacking the Pens. Able to finally sustain a consistent cycle, they forced Fleury into some tough saves. That included a steal in the neutral zone leading to a St. Louis chance but his wrist shot from the right circle was gloved by Fleury. For the fourth consecutive game, he gave his team a chance finishing with 32 saves.

After being badly outplayed and outshot, the Rangers took control outshooting the Pens 13-8 in the middle stanza. Based on how well Fleury was seeing the puck, they had to get a dirty goal. It finally happened thanks to a great Ryan McDonagh pinch. Joining the rush, he dropped the puck for Nash, who wisely sent a low tricky show on Fleury that the Pens goalie couldn’t handle. With the puck on the goal line, Derick Brassard was able to stuff it in for his series leading third goal to even it with 2:45 left.

The third was easily the best of the series. Both teams skated hard, attacked and played tight defensively. Of course, the goalies did their job as well. Fleury’s best save came on Nash, who let go of a good shot in the slot that Fleury kicked out with under three minutes left in regulation. After denying Malkin on the backhand earlier, Lundqvist had an anxious moment. After Hornqvist sent a puck in, he came way out and made a diving save. With Lundqvist down, Dan Girardi rescued him clearing it out of trouble with over 30 seconds left.

”If you look at the way the whole series has gone, it’s just a fine line,” Penguins coach Mike Johnston said.

OT Hero: Kevin Hayes celebrates his OT winner with Carl Hagelin and Keith Yandle. AP Photo by Gene J. Puskar/Getty Images

OT Hero: Kevin Hayes celebrates his OT winner with Carl Hagelin and Keith Yandle.
AP Photo by Gene J. Puskar/Getty Images

Ironically, I made my OT wish. It was for a Hayes winner. He obliged. Having missed a great chance in regulation, the 22-year old rookie was able to score his first career playoff goal in dramatic fashion. Off a cycle, Carl Hagelin sent the puck back to Matt Hunwick, who kept it in and sent it down to St. Louis behind the net. He then turned and beat Ben Lovejoy centering in front for Hayes. With the puck loose, Hagelin nearly put it in. But it was Hayes who finally stuffed it home for the dramatic winner.

”This was his best game of the series,” Vigneault said. ”We need him to play the way he’s played for us throughout the year. Obviously, this is playoff hockey on a bigger stage, but he’s learning how to deal with it.”

”There’s not a lot of room on the ice and both teams are battling extremely hard,” Vigneault added. ”We were able to tie it up in the second and get it done in overtime.”

Now they’ll attempt to wrap it up tomorrow. It will have to be their best effort to oust the Pens.

Marc-Andre Fleury can only watch along with fallen teammates as Kevin Hayes scores the OT winner. AP Photo by Gene J. Puskar/Getty Images

Marc-Andre Fleury can only watch along with fallen teammates as Kevin Hayes scores the OT winner.
AP Photo by Gene J. Puskar/Getty Images

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Patric Hornqvist, PIT (goal-2nd of series, 3 SOG, 5 attempts, 3 hits in 26 shifts-19:28)

2nd Star-Derick Brassard, NYR (series leading 3rd goal, 3 SOG, 5 attempts, 5 hits, +1 in 24 shifts-18:04-always steps up in playoffs)

1st Star-Kevin Hayes, NYR (1st career playoff goal-scored at 3:14 of OT, 3 SOG, 3 hits, +1 in 23 shifts-15:39)

Quotable

”We need to make sure that we’re desperate. Really the only thing you can do is go out there, be desperate and get it back here.”-Pens captain Sidney Crosby on facing elimination

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Sabres sign Eichel’s college teammate Evan Rodrigues

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Derek

In lieu of the Sabres finishing second in Saturday’s NHL Draft Lottery, the club signed Evan Rodrigues earlier today to a two-year entry level contract. A teammate of expected second overall pick Jack Eichel, Rodrigues tallied 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points in his senior year for Boston University.

“Evan is a very talented young player who has displayed exceptional growth during his four years at BU,” Buffalo GM Tim Murray said of Rodrigues who totaled 121 points (42-79-121) over a four-year collegiate career. “We look forward to adding another talented piece to our group.”

In his freshman year, the 18-year old Eichel didn’t disappoint leading the nation with 71 points (26-45-71) and a plus-51 rating to become only the second freshman in the 35-year history to win the Hobey Baker Award. He led the Terriers to the Frozen Four Championship where they lost a heart breaker to Providence 4-3.

Expected to be selected number two overall by the Sabres following the Oilers’ selection of prize prospect Connor McDavid, Eichel still hasn’t made a decision on his future. Will he spur the Sabres and return to school for one more year or be swayed by Rodrigues’ addition and turn pro?

Buffalo fans are hoping Eichel comes. With Sam Reinhart likely ready following another junior season at Kootenay that included helping Canada win the gold medal at the U20 World Junior Championship, the Sabres could be vastly improved.

Might they be in on college free agent goalie Matt O’Connor? Eichel’s BU teammate who went 25-4-4 with a 2.18 goals-against-average and .927 save percentage. With several teams interested including the Rangers, we’ll have to wait and see.

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