Detroit vs San Jose

The aging jalopy from motown may still have it’s motor running, but does it have any gas in the tank?  You almost have to preface every game and series by saying “it depends on the penalty calling”, but I think this is especially true in Detroit’s case.  Chelios and Schneider don’t quite look like they’ve ever reformed themselves according to the ‘new NHL’ and are susceptible to some old school ways that, unless the refs pay them way too much respect (ahem), could lead them to the penaltly box. That other guy, Lidstrom, is finally looking human. And those pesky players Draper and Maltby, too, are old school enough (too used to penalty immunity under the reign of one Scotty Bowman) to be at risk for the sin bin. And don’t even talk to me of Holstrom (who might be out for a while?), although he’s taken less penalties than I would have thought.

Sure, Detroit’s got grit, add Cleary to the above mentioned. They’ve got skill. They’ve got experience. But the parts don’t add up to a whole. And with Hasek–the gut tells me that he’s a wild card I’d rather not have in the playoffs.

The Sharks look solid, match up well in grit and skill, and they’ve got a taste for something that has eluded them for too long. They need to get ‘er done this time ’round.

Sharks in 6

Anaheim vs Vancouver
There is only so much that Luongo can do. Period. The Ducks have the best (offensive) defense tandem in the league, especially for the playoffs.  Luongo will steal one game. I’m hoping the hockey gods will give the Canucks another game through shear passion (cough), for Trevor, just to make it interesting.

Ducks in 6
NewJersey vs Ottawa

Just when we were starting to get a different feeling about this Ottawa team, reason rears it’s ugly head and says that Martin Brodeur is back and, once again, will be the difference here. Too bad Sens. I almost liked you guys this year.

Devils in 6
Buffalo vs NY

Ya the Sabres have all that skill. And a helluva coach. But it’s the playoffs, baby and the ‘anything’ does happen.
The Rangers have a good thing going. They have the right mix of skill, grit and goal tending. And just like Brodeur, Jagr can be the difference by himself in a game or two–and he’ll have to be. Plus Avery has already mustered up a hate-on for a team he hasn’t even seen this year!

Rangers in 7

First round’s done and we seem to have ended up with a respectable 5-3 record; mind you we accurately picked the team and # of games in 4 of the 5 winning scenerios: devils in 6, sabres in 5, canucks in 7 and the wings in 6. We also had the rangers to win.

As usual the refereeing was conspicuous in it’s obtrusiveness. The National Hockey League is drifting further into the realm of being the National Hokey League.  Hate to keep coming back to the same issue (no room, ie., the need for bigger ice), but the whole mess of penalty calls all comes down to this.  Because of the lack of space and the players being bigger, faster and because of the systems incorporated, more infractions are the result. And what does Bettman, et al, want to do to catch all the clutching and grabbing? Why put TWO refs on the ice, of course, when there isn’t enough room in the first place! How many times has the referee got caught up in the flow of the play, especially in the interminable ‘cycling’ that the NHL has become. Here, of course, is where I should trot out the statistical analysis. But I think it is obvious even to the casual hockey viewer. Digging around in the corners is, albeit, part of the game to some extent. But the resemblance to basketball is remarkable–or musical chairs, take your pick. So why not continue with the basketballization of hockey and just call fouls every 30 seconds and give the player a free shot at the net for crying out loud!  They should put chips in the puck and have lazers under the ice (seriously) to exactly determine when a puck fully goes over the goal line and get rid of the extra ref, so he never has to be anywhere near the end of the rink, and go back to the one ref system. And, of course, make the ice bigger. Simple.
And if you like, reassign the goal judges (ahem) to watching for infractions primarily around the goal mouth/front of the net. Why not?

As far as the calling of penalties goes, the one area where the refs should err on the side of, well, erring, is in regard to diving.  Not till refs are willing to call dives more stringently, at the risk of making some ‘miscalls’, will players finally get it that they can’t get away with soccor style drama and risk putting their team down a man, or at least nullify a powerplay. Do it, refs. Have the guts to be wrong on a diving call and players will soon enough realize it’s a risk not worth taking.

Tomorrow round 2 of the playoffs

For two teams that were expected to play a tight, low scoring game, Wednesday night’s Vancouver/Dallas tilt was somewhat surprising–at least for the ‘first’ game, not the ‘last’ game and a third. The Canucks, I think, were fortunate that the result went their way. That they couldn’t nail ‘er down in regulation doesn’t bode well for the Pacific division champs.  The Stars are a relentless, ’systems’, kinda team that really can’t be counted out of any 60 minute duration. They have, the Stars do, this mechanized uniformity almost to their game. The only ‘wild card’ being Turco. And I think Turco could very well be Dallas’ greatest liability. Conversely, the Canucks, with their lack of scoring power distribution through their line up, have this haphazard, try-this-combination, try that approach that may work or it may not, relying usually on Luongo to backstop them onward. What if they could key on Bieksa more as a offensive threat?

These two players, Turco and Bieksa, embody, I believe, contrasting tendencies, one too risky (the former) and one not risky enough. And their respective teams could benefit if each became more like the other.  I think Turco is fantastic and Dallas wouldn’t dream of getting rid of him should he yet again fail to bring them to the promised land. But i think he is so intent on demonstating his puck handling skills, which are a great plus, otherwise, to his team’s ability to get out of their zone and in preventing dump ins, that he’s not entirely focused on being the goalie; the closer; the wall of denial–the way,say, a Luongo is. I think it is a mindset that eventually comes back to haunt Turco.

Now with Bieksa– and I know he’s a rookie–the guy looks so self conscious out there, and not in a nervous way, but in a with-a-chip-on-his-shoulder kinda way; if he could just relax and at the same time focus on taking the puck up the ice with a little more authority, this is a dimension that the Canucks’ attack is sorrily missing. And at times he sure has shown flashes of it.  You just feel like he could be Bobby Orr!

If I were Dave Tippett I’d put Turco in his cage; write it in his contract that he can’t pass the puck more that three times a game. And if I were Alain Vignault, I’d plan around Bieksa taking off a lot more often and letting the Ohlunds, Mitchells, etc., be the stay-at-home.  It would help both teams.

Western Conference

Detroit vs Calgary

If Calgary can rattle Dominik Hasek, they may have a chance. A suspect road record is really Calgary’s achille’s heel.  Only because of Kiprusoff will they hang in there for 6 games.  Detroit’s got the wiley vets and the super skills upfront–not to mention a very good and experienced playoff coach.  Detroit in 6.

Anaheim vs Minnesota

The most highly tauted team all year, the one everyone expected to be still in it in June, is nevertheless a team not looking so indomitable, as perhaps earlier in the season. And is Pronger really up to the intensity and minutes asked of him?  Goal tending, for sure, will be a key and the Duck’s tandem is pretty solid. But my money is on Minny to pull off the upset. They play a superlative team game and are now more rounded offensively than in previous years.  And the kicker: the phenomenal Jacques Lemaire behind the bench. Minny in 6.

Vancouver vs Dallas

Very evenly matched up, these two teams will be going the distance in this one.  If Luongo remains ‘Luongod’ and the ‘Nucks can get some scoring outside of the Sedins, they’ll prevail.  For Dallas: Turco will need to be on his game, Modano, too, of course, but they’ll also need Morrow and Lehtinen to get going.  Haven’t felt the Stars to have that Knock out instinct so much this year. Vancover in 7.

Nashville vs San Jose

My gut wants me to go with the Sharks. But with the line up Nashville has–they can keep coming at you with 3 good lines, at least.
All the Preds need to do is neutralize Thorton and that’ll be it. But the Preds are hurting a tad, so with Erat and Sullivan not quite up to speed this series will go seven.  Nashville in 7

Eastern Conference

Buffalo vs New York Islanders

Over in 5. Buffalo just tuning up.  One game to the Isles coz, hey, it’s the playoffs.

New Jersay vs Tampa Bay

Don’t expect the coaching change in Jersey to be too much of an issue. After all, they’ve been through it before-twice! And Lamorello is a decent strategist.  Brodeur is going to be showing, perhaps for the last year, that he can carry the team onwards himself.  They’ll miss Stevens, but have plenty of cohesion.  Tampa isn’t a well rounded offensively and sure can be porous. Devils in 6

Atlanta vs New York

My how the blue shirts have pulled things together!  For real?  I think so.  The all-Czeck team has had a little character mixed in with it and the addition of Shanny definitely bodes well for playoff success. Atlanta’s got some impressive offensive talent of their own, but im not sure their team play makes them all that capable of battoning down the hatches.  Rangers in 7

Ottawa vs Pittsburgh

Talk about close. Maybe not that close, but it will be if the playoff jinx aren’t over for the Sens.  Which Emery are we going to see between the pipes? How unfettered will Spezza, Heatley and Alfredson be? The young dynamos in Pittsburgh are going to fly, at least for this round, and the addition of Roberts has had a good stabilizing effect. If the Pens can stop the puck they could very well surprise. Hell, you have to pick one bizarre upset.

So will it be the Penquins and the Predators?
Just in time for both franchises to move outta town. Sorry to be cynical.