Coyotes Howl

The Phoenix Coyotes ownership situation may be as muddled as it can get in pro sports but the one ice product certainly isn't. The Phoenix franchise won a playoff series for the first time in 25 years, when they were the original Winnipeg Jets. They defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in six games, five of which went to overtime, in a very competitive series. When it came to do it though, Mike Smith put up a wall in the Phoenix net and was unbelievable making 39 saves, many of the spectacular type, in the clinching game. Cory Crawford put up, well, a valiant effort at least, but the fact is he didn't get the job done. He let in several soft goals, including in OT, and this was a big difference, or at least the easiest one to spot, in the series. With the games being so close obviously those goals were the difference and while it's hard and not necessarily fair to heap it all on one player, such is the life of an NHL goalie.

Elsewhere the New York Rangers stayed alive thanks to a big game from Brad Richards, lousy penalty killing for the Senators and some stellar goaltending and a hissy fit, from king Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist is buddies with John McEnroe and sure looked like his pal last night after he thought Chris Neil kicked one in. In fairness Neil definitely did swipe at it but it was hard to say for sure that he actually got a piece of it. Lundqvust was still fuming after the game and basically instantiated that the league wanted Ottawa to move on. I think he needs to take a hard look at where the league offices are and how much revenue the teams he leads makes, that should quell any conspiracy theories very, very quickly. Game 7 goes Thursday at MSG and will be a hard fought game for sure. The Sens haven't had much, by which I mean any, success in game 7's so you know they are lamenting letting last night get away. The Rangers will be tough to beat at home and once again it will probably come down to the men between the pipes.

The Florida Panthers look to win a series for the first time since the 90's as they play the Devils in game six tonight. This was supposed to be one of the more predictable series with many thinking the Devils would have been done with them by now but the Panthers have shown great resilience and have given the Devils all they can handle. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, and not just for my hockey pool as it's in worse shape then the Leafs roster. 

Stoll the Show ... NHL Wrap

So Jarret Stoll scores the OT winner and the LA Kings crown the Vancouver Canucks in 5. Have to say, I didn't see that coming. This leads to a long off season of questions in Van city including what to do with their goaltending situation as they clearly have 2 number ones and neither will want to play second fiddle. Also what to do with their coach Alain Vinegault who is rumored to be taking the Montreal job. Cory Schneider showed he is a very capable goalie and Roberto Luongo was no slouch when he was in and certainly wasn't the reason they lost those games. Vancouver's problem was once again the man in the other net. Much like Tim Thomas in the Stanley Cup Final last year, Jonathan Quick stood on his head and lead his team to victory. He was one of the sole reasons all season for their success and has continued his stellar play so far this postseason. The Kings don't score much but they also don't need to thanks to him.

Else where the battle of Pennsylvania lived up to much of the hype and truly was a battle at times with the Flyers prevailing in six games. The ridiculous amount of goals being scored teetered off the last few games but when all was said and done Mark-Andre Fleury wasn't good enough and the Flyers showed they are a well rounded team, if they can get their goalie to concentrate, and were the better team. This puts three Stanley cup threats out in the first round with the Wings having already been bounced by Nashville. As for the Pens, they are a team with all the pieces and for some reason just couldn't seem to get the job done, especially in their own end, and now have the summer to assess what needs to be changed. hard to imagine there will be a huge shake up but time will tell.

Elsewhere the defending champs got an OT goal from Tyler Seguin to fend off elimination against Washington and head home for game seven. The champs have out played the Caps at times but Braydon Holtby again played stellar and kept his team in it. OV finally stepped up and tied the game late but in the end porous defense let the down. The momentum should be in the Bruins favor heading into game seven but with solid goaltending and the guys Washington have who are capable of finishing with just one chance, you never know.

Tonight the Sens have a chance to close out the Rangers at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa and the Coyotes look to wrap up their series against the Blackhawks. Not one sweep in the first round and already some big names out. It seems as many thought this year is as wide open as any.

NHL Rink Wrap Up

Time to take a look at another big Saturday in the NHL. The biggest news probably came off the ice as the league suspended Coyotes forward Raffi Torres 25 games for his head shot on Chicago's Marian Hossa. Torres' hit met the criteria, late, high, targeting the head, leaving his feet, Hossa was injured on the play, and he is a repeat offender multiple times over. However, still not sure how Shannahan arrived at 25 games. I'm glad he's sending a message and hopefully players take note, but this number seems somewhat arbitrary and no doubt confusing to others in the league. There have been other incidents that haven't gone punished or where not punished to severely so has the pendulum swung the other way now? Hard to say but the bar has been set, we'll see where it goes from here.

On the ice the Blackhawks, without a concussed Hossa, won in over time to keep the series, in which every game has been decided in OT, going. This was a series many predicted would be close going in and well, it doesn't get much closer.

Elsewhere the Washington Capitals continue to get stellar goaltending from Braydon Holtby and are now only one game away from the second round and bouncing the defending champion Bruins. If there is any team that won't panic in this situation however, it is the defending champs who were behind the 8 ball several times in last years run and we all know how that ended. However, they never ran up against a goalie on this kind of hot streak, and with the finishers Washington has, one chance is all they need to send the Bruins packing.

St. Louis won its series over San Jose in five games leaving many questions to be answered for the Sharks who join the Red Wings as the first teams to hit the links. A team with a lot of talent but seemingly in need of a shakeup. The Blues under coach Ken Hitchcock continue to be one of the better stories of the year and won a playoff series for the first time in 10 years. This is a great sign for the franchise with lots of young talent and bodes well going forward as they will be a tough out for anyone.

In Florida the Panthers took care of the Devils and are now one game away from winning their series. In what was thought to be the most predictable of any in the east it has been anything but as New Jersey has been inconsistent and the Panthers opportunistic putting themselves on the verge of advancing.

On Broadway Craig Anderson stole the show and Jason Spezza snapped his long playoff goalless drought with a pair as Ottawa is now one win away from upsetting the top seeded Rangers. The young Sens have defied all expectations all year and look to do so again.

A big Sunday coming up, check in later for a wrap up.

Upset in the Making

The NHL playoffs could see two cup favorites bounced in the first round tonight if the Vancouver Canucks and Pittsburgh Penguins can't find a way to win. Making the Penguins task more difficult are the suspensions to James Neal, Aaron Asham and Craig Adams as a result of the shenanigans that erupted in game three. It devolved into mayhem and the Pens paid the price on the scoreboard and with the league and now face an almost insurmountable task down 3-0.

The same can be said for the Canucks whose problems have been trying to solve Jonathan Quick. Corey Schneider will get the start tonight and will have to be very sharp as the Kings aren't giving up many at the other end. Vancouver will also welcome back Daniel Sedin which should give the listless powerplay a boost.

Elsewhere Ottawa hosts the Rangers looking to even the series and avoid setting a dubious NHL record with and eighth straight playoff home loss. Their Captain Daniel Alfredsson is still questionable out with a concussion, a theme in these playoffs.

The NHL needs to seriously start coming down on repeat offenders like Raffi Torres who cheapshotted Marian Hossa in last nights Hawks/Coyotes game. He's not someone who seems to understand that you can't do those sorts of things and seems to have little regard for the safety of others. The NHL screwed up the Shea Weber decision, let's hope they get this one right.

NHL Playoff Report

With some favorites struggling, multiple overtime games and several series now tied up, the NHL playoffs have been anything but dull thus far. The Sens pulled out a big win in the big apple tonight and are now tied heading home. The win was costly though as Daniel Alfredsson was hit with a high elbow from Karl Haglin who received a five minute major on the play. My guess he hears more from the league as Alfie looked to be injured and it was a cheap shot in a game that could easily have gotten out of hand. In St. Louis they lost Jaroslav Halak but when you have an all star coming off the bench in Brian Elliott, things are ok and they went on to shut out the Sharks and even the series. Washington continues to get outstanding goaltending from Braydon Holtby and won in double OT to even their series with the Bruins.

Both Pittsburgh and Vancouver could not hit the road fast enough after loosing their first two at home. Not sure if either team will bounce back. They have the talent but are up against very talented, if under-appreciated teams. Time will tell.

NHL Roundup

So home ice means, well, not much if opening night of the NHL playoffs means anything. The Pittsburgh Penguins coughed up a three goal lead to the Flyers and looked nervous and unsure of themselves after building what should have been a comfortable lead. Vancouver was dumped 4-2 by the LA Kings. The Predators were the lone team to defend home ice escaping with a 3-2 win over the Red Wings. The wings also lost Darren Helm for the year after he was cut by Alexander Raduolv's skate. But it was what happened at the end of the game that had people talking. Preds Captain Shea Weber slammed Henrik Zetterberg's head into the glass cracking his helmet in a move more reminiscent of the WWE than NHL. He was fined $2500 but seriously, that's a joke. I like Shea Weber a lot but he should have been suspended at least one game if not two for such a stupid play. Byron Bitz will also hear from Breadan Shannahan after a hit from behind on Kyle Clifford for which he receive 5 and a game.

In tonight's action the Sens open up against the Rangers, the Blues host the Sharks, The Caps face the Bruins and the Blackhwaks are in Phoenix. The Sens have played very well in New York City winning 11 of 14 at MSG but will be in tough against the East's top team, though this is a better match up for them than the Bruins. The Caps have had success against the Bruins but with a young goaltender in nets, Boston will be a favorite. The Sharks underperformed this year and will be dangerous even for a solid St. Louis teams. The Hawks have more playoff experience but Mike Smith may be able to steal some games for Phoenix.

In off ice issues the Calgary Flames and Brent Sutter reach an, amicable, parting, which was likely as warm as a Calgary winter, and now have to move on. The question is will Jerome Iginla be a part of that? Time will tell.

NHL Playoff Preview

It's the most wonderful time of the year. The time when the real season begins. 82 games now mean nothing. Win or go home. etc, etc, etc... The puck drops on the NHL postseason tonight and it begins with a doozie. The Pens and Flyers take part in the battle of Pennsylvania and it promises to be epic. It's actually to bad one of these teams has to be eliminated in the first round as they could both make a serious run. Else where in the East Boston should be able to handle the Capitals who have third stringer Braden Holtby minding the twine. The Devils playoff experience should give them a big edge against the Panthers as Martin Brodeur looks to prove he's still got a run at the cup left in him. The Rangers are in tougher than many many thing against the upstart Sens and while my heart would love to see our boys pull of the upset, my mind can't see Henrik Lundquvist blowing this one.

In the Wild West the Red Wings Predators series is a toss up but I think Pekka Rinee showed last year against Vancouver how good he can be and I think gives the Preds an edge. The Sharks barely made the playoffs, though played well the last week of the season, but I don't think they can swim with the Blues and their stifling D. The Blackhawks come in under the radar and could knock off the Coyotes but I think Phoenix is underrated and I believe Mike Smith has a tremendous series. In Vancouver the Canucks got as close as you can without winning last year and look to make amends. Even with Daniel Sedin out right now, I think their depth will push them past the Kings.

In the end, I think if the Penguins can stay healthy no team is deeper or more skilled and they will again hoist Lord Stanley's mug.

Let's get it going!

Guillen's Gaff

Ozzie Guillen is no stranger to controversial comments. He is no stranger to saying what he feels and being honest, sometimes more than he should be. However the recent comments in which he expressed admiration for Fidel Castro take this oft troubled manager into an entirely new stratosphere of controversy. The large Cuban-American population in the Miami area has expressed outrage and has called for his job. The team suspended him five games and we will see if that is enough to appease the fan base. His apology did seem genuinely contrite and he seemed like someone who made a mistake and owned up to it. He did bring up the fact that he was speaking English and thinking in Spanish, though I'm not sure what this has to do with his response, but he doesn't seem to have any strong belief in what he said and realizes now how hurtful such comments can be. The Geo-political world is a dangerous one to comment on and Ozzie claims he will no longer be doing so. This is probably for the best as he is likely to be reprimanded as it is. I have no problem with freedom of speech but I also understand why the Marlins would discipline him for his actions. There is a line that cannot be crossed and se we will see how forgiving the people of south Florida are.

Turmoil in TO

So another season has come and gone and again the Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves on the outside of the playoffs looking in. Brian Burke may be many things, argumentative, belligerent, standoffish and those are his positive qualities, but at least he is honest and believes in what he says. He took responsibility for the failure of his team and did right by the organization by doing so. However, one interesting point came up when he talked about the fact that he and former coach Ron Wilson differed on the types of players need to win. When asked if he compromised to accommodate Wilson he said outright, no. But if he didn't, then where are these players? Wouldn't there be there now? New coach Randy Carlisle likes a tough physical team as does Burke and wants to dictate the game so it's safe to say changes will have to be made to accommodate this change in style and work ethic, something said to be lacking with this group. Burke also talked about the fact that he wants to improve his team through trades and acquiring pieces rather than free agency. He got outright angry when asked about the Pittsburgh method of building a contender which is to draft well and develop this young talent. He said and I quote "Pittsburgh method my ass! Pittsburgh won a lottery and got the best player in the world. Is that available to me?" Well, yes that certainly is the case and Sidney Crosby no doubt makes Pittsburgh one of the leagues top teams but he is forgetting they also drafted Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury and Jordan Stall among others? This is the core of the team, not one player. Where are the Leafs picks? Where are their up and coming stars, players with the ability to lead them to the top? They have a few pieces in Phil Kessel and Jake Gardiner but really, there is so much work to be done it's going to be years not a quick fix. There is no doubt Burke will go after big names in trades but does he have the assets to get them? And what will be done about the goaltending? He gave James Reimer a vote of confidence but said little about Jonas Gustavsson leaving speculation his time in TO is over. What Burke does it will be a challenge to make the playoffs in the east as he is not the only one to be retooling and many teams who also found themselves on the outside seem to be much closer than the Leafs.

Masters Preview

The Masters tees off at Augusta tomorrow so let's take a swing at this. Tiger Woods seems to have his game back on form and is always a threat, even when dealing with you know what, so it's hard to count him out. Phil Mickelson was talking about how the rain has softened the course up so we'll see if lefty can take advantage. There is no shortage of up and comers like Rory McIlroy, Camillo Vegas, Penn Badegely, Ricky Fowler and Bubba Watson (so he's not so young) but this shapes up to be an interesting event nonetheless. Much has been made of the absence of Ernie Els and it's unfortunate he's not around, I personally think he could have been invited but the rules are what they are. There is no doubt that a Tiger win would make headlines and I will admit to being a Tiger fan and think he's good as good a shot as anyone to win this thing, so time will tell. Mother nature as always will play a factor, (I know real original) but how the course holds up and how players adapt really is a key to winning a major. Whatever the result a green jacket awaits and an invitation to golf royalty as well as an interview in Butler cabin will always be there for the winner. Four!

MLB Preview

With the MLB kicking off it's regular season today, (OK I know they already played two in Japan, but Oakland and Seattle, really?) we'll take a look at the season ahead.

In the AL the Detroit Tigers made a big off season splash adding Price Fielder to their lineup and look like a strong contender, and should at the very least win the Central. In the AL East the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and Blue Jays all have a shot at the division although the Jays need pitching help, though that can be said for most of these teams. The Sox new Manager Bobby Valentine should have an interesting first season in beantown. The west is shaping up to be a two horse race between the Angels and new slugger Albert Pujols and the Texas Rangers who are looking to get to a third straight World Series. Both teams are legitimate contenders and it will be a fun race to watch.

In the NL the Miami Marlins and new manager Ozzie Guillen made some bold off season moves including bringing in Jose Reyes and Makr Burhle and well, I just like Ozzie so we'll be following him regardless. The rest of the NL East starts and end with the Phillies. I know Atlanta is also a sold team but the Phillies, provided Chase Utley and Ryan Howard can get back healthy should once again be considered a legitimate World Series contender. The NL Central will have it's final season with six teams as the Astros will be moving to the AL next year. The defending division camps in Milwaukee lost some offense when Prince Fielder left but still have a decent team and may challenge the Reds, and new 200 million dollar man Joey Votto, and the Cards for the division. In the west San Fran has the pitching and will be a difficult challenge for anyone with their staff. The Dodgers look to at least fill the seats and have more interest with new owners including Magic Johnson. And don't count out Arizona who have a team without many superstars but are solid all around.

So, 162 to go, let's see where we end up in October. Play Ball!

Chalk Talk

The NCAA Men's basketball championship game goes tonight in the Bayou of New Orleans, and the favorite Kentucky Wildcats will take on the Kansas Jayhawks. The final should be entertaining, though won't have the blood rivalry the Louisville vs. Kentucky game had on Saturday. Bill Self and Kansas beat John Callapari and Memphis a few years ago in the final so this is a chance for coach Cal to even the score. The Wildcats were supposed to get here and were picked by many to win so this should come as no surprise. Kansas on the other hand was a #2 seed so it shouldn't come as a huge shock but they have prove a lot of critics wrong in getting to the big game. The tournament as a whole didn't have many of the upsets of years past with the exceptions of Duke and Missouri going out in the first round, many of the big name teams made it to the Elite eight including three number one seeds. UNC, Ohio State and Syracuse all went deep and all the teams in the final four had won championships in recent memory. This goes to show that the pedigree of the big schools was dominant and continues to show that even though there can be great Cinderella stories, more often than not the chalk will rise to the top. As for the game, I think this is coach Cal's time and that Kentucky will come away with a win in what should prove to be a very competitive game.

Pennsylvania Punch Up

The Pens and Flyers once again staged the battle of Pennsylvania this afternoon, and yet again the Flyers skated away victorious. However, as is often the case when these to bitter rivals get together, it was not without incident. The Flyers won their fifth straight in Pittsburgh which has to be of some concern for Pens coach Dan Bylsma as this is very likely a first round match up. With the Flyers already leading late Braden Schenn cross checked Sidney Crosby from behind. It was shortly after this Bylsma sent his fourth liners out for a face off and Daniel Briere was leveled, with a clean check, and a brawl erupted. Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette and Pens assistant Tony Granato even stared a rather heated war of words. Honestly though, what did Scheen think was going to happen when he gave Crosby the cheapshot? These are two teams who already hate each other, he did need to insight further animosity heading into the playoffs. As Nick Kypreos said on Sportsnet the end of the game was all about Bylsma sending a message both to his own team and the other about how they need to go about winning hockey games, even if it's not on the scoreboard. You stand up for your superstars and to their credit Philly did the same when called upon. All I can say is the playoffs are still over a week away and there's a good chance we ain't seen nothin' yet...