GnomeGirl » NHL

NHL Team Power Rankings (1/6/10)

Matthew Hogan — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:39:55 +0000

After a long wait, the NHL Power Rankings have returned. Jersey is playing great hockey behind Martin Brodeur, something we're all used, which puts them in the top spot for this week. So without any further ado, here they are. Please comment and let me know where you'd rank 'em.

1. New Jersey Devils (30-10-1) –Marty Brodeur is 16-4 in his last 20 games with three shutouts—so much for age being a factor this season.

2. Chicago Blackhawks (30-10-3) –The Hawks have scored four or more goals in seven straight games, six of which were wins.

3. San Jose Sharks (27-9-7)- Joe Thornton leads the league in points (58), but even that couldn’t help Evgeni Nabakov in goal Monday against the Kings. Nabakov looked awful, surrendering five goals on 16 shots in a 6-2 loss.

4. Washington Capitals (25-11-6) -The Caps haven’t looked great lately, but I’m sure Alex Ovechkin’s new Verizon Wireless commercial will boost team morale.

5. Buffalo Sabres (26-11-4) -The Sabres are on fire and have won four straight games. They have also overcome a 3-0 deficit in consecutive games against Pittsburgh and Atlanta.

6. Calgary Flames (25-12-5) -Hopefully five straight wins will keep Dion Phaneuf, Robyn Regehr, and Jay Bouwmeester’s minds off of not making the Canadian Olympic roster.

7. Vancouver Canucks (26-16-1)- Henrik Sedin has a point in 16 of the last 17 games. Wait no, that’s Daniel Sedin. Never mind, it’s Henrik…I think. Do both of them really need a goatee?

8. Pittsburgh Penguins (27-16-1) -Can’t wrap my mind around how a team with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin could have the league’s worst power play. The Pens have also lost five of six.

9. Colorado Avalanche (24-13-6) -Colorado has the fewest shots on goal per game in the league, but the wheels just aren’t falling off for the young Avs…yet.

10. Phoenix Coyotes (26-14-4)- Shane Doan may have been snubbed off of the Canadian Olympic roster, but that won’t matter if the Coyotes stay on the pace they’ve been on lately.

11. Los Angeles Kings (25-15-3)- Jonathan Quick was just what the doctor ordered for Los Angeles, who has been looking for a solid starting goalie for quite some time. And a congratulations to the young lad for making the U.S. Olympic squad.

12. Boston Bruins (22-13-7) -The Bruins gave the Boston fans a real treat for the Winter Classic. But wasn’t anyone else annoyed with Commissioner Bettman—something you never hear—sporting a pink Lacoste shirt? Pink? Really?

13. Nashville Predators (25-15-3) -The goalie combo of Pekka Rinne and Dan Ellis has the Preds in the top half of the Western Conference.

14. New York Rangers (20-17-5) -Could you believe that Marian Gaborik made the Slovakian Olympic team? Yeah, me too. But seriously, Chris Drury on Team U.S.A.? Drury? Really?

15. Detroit Red Wings (21-15-6)- Don’t worry, they will still find a way to win the Cup.

16. Dallas Stars (18-13-11) -The Stars’ 4-11 record in extra time is really going to come back to haunt them come playoff time.

17. Ottawa Senators (22-17-4)- Is it just me or did Jason Spezza leave with Dany Heatley? Not physically leave, but metaphorically…you know what I mean.

18. Tampa Bay Lightning (16-15-10)- Zenon Konopka is on pace for about 32 fights this season, give or take a few. Give the man some long hair and glasses and he’s a Hanson brother.

19. Montreal Canadiens (21-21-3)- Andrei Markov is doing his best to return the Canadiens back to glory with 12 points in 10 games this season.

20. New York Islanders (17-18-8)- The second most Googled search after his name is “Rick DiPietro injury update”—I’m not lying either. Go ahead, you know you want to check.

21. Philadelphia Flyers (19-19-3)- The Flyers followed up their mediocre Winter Classic showing with an abysmal 7-4 loss at the hands of the Senators. All is not right in the city of brotherly love.

22. Minnesota Wild (20-20-3)- Early rumors have the 2011 Winter Classic in Minnesota, but the Wild better start giving the NHL a reason to put it there.

23. Atlanta Thrashers (18-18-6)- Ilya Kovalchuk has stated that he wants to be a Thrasher for life. I can’t imagine why since Atlanta has not won in nine games.

24. Florida Panthers (17-19-7) -You just have to feel bad for Tomas Vokoun who faces entirely too many shots per game. Picture Vokoun with the Devils’ defense in front of him…scary, I know.

25. Anaheim Ducks (17-19-7)- How can a team with such a talented roster be doing this poorly? I guess they should ask Philadelphia.

26. Toronto Maple Leafs (15-19-9)- The Leafs’ penalty-kill is more horrifying than Barry Melrose’s mullet, killing off penalties at a mere 70.5 percent.

27. St. Louis Blues (17-18-6)- The Blues are 6-14-3 at home this season. It certainly looks like they have the “blues” in St. Louis. Come on, I couldn’t help myself.

28. Carolina Hurricanes (11-23-7) -The injury bug has hit Carolina hard this year. I guess I would be “injured” too if my team had this kind of record.

29. Columbus Blue Jackets (15-20-9)- Goalie Steve Mason is having the definition of a “sophomore slump” season, as he was pulled for the sixth time this year against Vancouver on Tuesday night.

30. Edmonton Oilers (16-22-5) -1-9-1 in their last 11 games. Well, things could be worse…barely.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Ryan Getzlaf Returns to Ducks’ Lineup as Anaheim Takes Down Detroit

SK — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:55:26 +0000

What a night to be a hockey fan in Anaheim.

It doesn't matter how injured the Ducks are, or how injured the Red Wings are, when Detroit comes to town, you know it's going to be an exciting game.

Having lost five of their previous six games, the Ducks were desperate for a win.

They were also desperate for one of their star players to return to the lineup.

Enter Ryan Getzlaf.

Currently tied for the team lead in points with linemate Corey Perry, it's hard to realize what Getzlaf does for a team until he's out of the lineup for a few games. It's not just Getzlaf's amazing puck handling and play making abilities, it's the little things he does for the team on a nightly basis that often go unnoticed.

The physical presence of Getzlaf alone is enough to cause goalies to question their positioning, the best defenders to become rooted to the ice, and forwards to wonder what happened to the puck that was just on their stick.

Getzlaf is the type of guy who will sit back and wait for the perfect moment to intercept a pass. In the blink of an eye, he's cleared the puck up ice for his winger to put in the back of the net and the defenders are left wondering where they went wrong.

He's going to watch you move through the neutral zone, meet you at the blue line, and make you wish you had chosen another route.

And he's going to do it again and again over the course of 60 minutes.

I don't know if Getzlaf needed to endure an injury to help him find that player within, but the Ducks saw one of his better performances this season Tuesday night.

The best part of a Getzlaf "performance" is the benefit of playing on his wings. Matt Beleskey was given the opportunity to play alongside Getzlaf and Perry for the first time, and was rewarded with his first NHL goal. Likewise, Perry, who had been on a scoreless streak lately, finally saw that come to an end with his 17th goal of the season.

While Getzlaf wasn't able to right all of the wrongs for Anaheim (like the power play), his return to the lineup was something the Ducks needed to overcome a brutal road trip.

But Getzlaf wasn't alone.

The Ducks received fabulous efforts from players like Saku Koivu, who had a short handed goal in the first period and subsequently recorded his 200th career NHL goal. Sheldon Brookbank, who assisted on two of the Ducks four goals and is possibly playing the best hockey of his career. Goaltender Jonas Hiller showed that with solid defensive efforts in front of him, he can win games for his team.

Overall, the Ducks performed to a standard they should hold themselves to on a regular basis. It's a standard the fans expect from them, and I'm sure it's a standard the players hold for themselves.

But like I said before, it was a great night to be a hockey fan, and not just in Anaheim.

During a brief timeout in play, fans were directed to the scoreboard above to see a replay of the overtime game-wining goal for team USA in the IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

The details of the goal are remarkable. If you have yet to see a replay, here it is. Believe me when I say, the goal is fabulous. Watch the video in its entirety, but at the 1:40 mark during the replays, you'll notice John Carlson scores the goal without even looking at the net.

Just from watching the highlights alone, you'll notice the NHL is going to be blessed with some outstanding talent in seasons to come.

There is only one thing left on team USA's to do list—fans are counting on you Bobby Ryan!

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Alex Ovechkin Gets “C,” Washington Capitals Get a “W”

Dave Nichols — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:05:44 +0000

The Washington Capitals entered Tuesday night's game with the Montreal Canadiens on a three game regulation losing streak and in need of a spark.

They got that and more, as Alexander Semin scored twice, Tomas Fleischmann registered a goal and two helpers, and Michal Neuvirth pushed aside 24 of 26 shots, as the Caps completed a 4-2 victory over the Habs before a sellout crowd at Verizon Center.

The biggest news of the day, however, was the biggest spark that could have been provided. Earlier in the day, and announced just at game time, two-time Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin was named as the 14th captain in Capitals' history, ending a three-game captainless stretch, the result of the trade that sent Chris Clark to Columbus.

Ovechkin was held without a point in his first game as captain, making it two games in a row the prolific scorer has been held off the scoresheet. But it was of no matter, as his countryman, Semin, tallied twice, including the icing on the cake with just over two minutes remaining.

To illustrate the point of leadership, coach Bruce Boudreau had his captain take the ice as time dwindled with the Caps fighting off the extra skater with less than a minute left.

Fleischmann played a complete game in his first start at center in the NHL, scoring the first goal of the game—unassisted—on the power play. He also helped out on both of Semin's goals as well. The flourishing touch? He even won the majority of his faceoffs, something he needed extra practice for with faceoff specialists David Steckel and Boyd Gordon in yesterday's practice.

Perhaps the only blemish on the victory was two third period penalties by veteran alternate captain Mike Knuble. He was whistled twice in the final frame, and the first ended with Benoit Pouliot's fifth goal of the season, which brought Montreal within one.

But the Caps killed the second infraction, then Semin notched the insurance goal at 17:58.

Ovechkin becomes just the sixth Russian born player to captain an NHL team. He is the second youngest captain in Capitals history, and the third youngest captain in the league.

Boudreau heaped praise upon his newly minted leader.

"I talked to him a few days ago about it," Boudreau said. "He said, 'I would accept the responsibility, but only if my teammates want me to. If they're happy with me as a captain, I'd be glad to be captain.' So he was already thinking about the team rather than thinking about himself, which is what captains do."

Ovechkin was circumspect in the locker room following the game. "We have a lot of guys who can speak and talk. But if I have to say something, I say something."

Notes: After the game, the Washington Post reported that David Steckel has signed a contract extension.

In the World Junior Championships in Saskatoon, Team USA defeated Team Canada in the Gold Medal game, winning 6-5 in overtime. Caps' prospect John Carlson had two goals in the game, including the game winner on a 2-on-1 breakaway in overtime.

The Capitals took a season high 43 shots and marked the eighth time this season they've recorded 40 or more. They are 7-0-1 when taking 40 or more shots.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Chicago Blackhawks Prospect Marcus Krüger Ends WJC with Bronze

TAB BAMFORD — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:54:02 +0000

For more Chicago Blackhawks coverage, check out Tab's blog: CommittedIndians.com!

The Blackhawks had one prospect make the final cut for the WJC, and Marcus Krüger ended the tournament with a bronze medal as part of Team Sweden.

Krüger, a 19-year-old center the Blackhawks drafted in the fifth round (149th overall) in the 2009 Draft, finished the tournament with six assists. Sweden defeated Switzerland 11-4 in the bronze medal game before a classic championship game in which the United States defeated Canada 6-5 in overtime.

Krüger has been described as a skilled playmaker with elite hockey sense and a good long passer. He works well in all three zones, and his leadership has been commended. Though he's listed at 6' and 180 pounds and has put on muscle in the last year, Krüger's scouting report says he needs to get a bit stronger to compete at the NHL level.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Ilya Kovalchuk: The Best Way To Help the Chicago Blackhawks Salary Cap?

Michael Wagner — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:53:46 +0000

Yesterday fellow Chicago Blackhawks featured columnist Tab Bamford provided an article suggesting that the Blackhawks might have Atlanta Thrashers star wing Ilya Kovalchuk on their radar as a rental player.

Although columnists such as ESPN's Pierre Lebrun have a said that this has all been pure speculation and that the 'Hawks have not yet contacted the Thrashers about Kovalchuk it is still an interesting proposition.

The Blackhawks seem to have the perfect pieces to accommodate at trade with the Thrashers with quality young NHLers such as Kris Versteeg, Dustin Byfuglien, Cam Barker and Andrew Ladd to offer up for Kovalchuk.

All the players mentioned are either under contract to affordable deals or will still be under team control after the season.

Now it is true the 'Hawks likely have the pieces to make a trade for Kovalchuk btu would they really risk the current team chemistry they possess for a one year rental player?

Well, it depends on what the Blackhawks really want to do with the players they need to move to get under the cap.

Do they want to put all their chips to the center of the table this season, go get Kovalchuk and hope that with his addition they would be propelled far about teams like the Penguins or Shark.

Or do they trade players like Versteeg or Barker or whoever you like for prospects and picks and rebuild the minor league system.

Recently it was reported Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal that the Colorado Avalanche will make a big push during the offseason to try and acquire Kris Versteeg, possibly offering up top defensive prospect Kevin Shattenkirk.

But which route will the Blackhawks likely take?

Well I'm not sure that it is clear right now but for a team now know for making big splashes I wouldn't be surprised to see the 'Hawks make a big play for Kovalchuk at the trade deadline.

As a Blackhawks team with the likes of Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Jonathan Toews and Ilya Kovalchuk might be unstoppable offensively and could make them strong Stanley Cup favorites.

Even though 'Hawks might like to add a super star talent like Ilya Kovalchuk to their lineup it seems like the Thrashers will do most everything possible to retain their star winger.

So by default the Blackhawks might need to move player just for high level prospect or picks, which when you think about it might be the best way to go.

Although the Blackhawks are known as a great young team they are also a team that lacks a lot of high quality depth amongst their prospects.

According to Hockey's Future the Blackhawks prospects are rated 24th out of 30 organizations and with another high finish in the NHL standings likely they will again not have picks in the 2010 NHL Draft to restock their minor league system.

Making a Versteeg for Shattenkirk trade might not help the NHL squad right now but it at least provides the 'Hawks a top prospect to their system.

I would love to add Kovalchuk to the Blackhawks lineup and match him up with former teammate Marian Hossa but realistically I think the Thrashers will continue to try to get him resigned and wait until the NHL draft to trade him.

So as much as I and many 'Hawks fans would like to add Kovalchuk to the roster, the Blackhawks might have to resign themselves to making trades for prospects after the season.

Which actually might not be such a bad thing especially if the Blackhawks are able to add players at the talent level of Shattenkirk.

It will be interesting to see what the 'Hawks will do with their cap situation and you can bet that rumors will continue to surface as we inch closer to the NHL trade deadline and eventually the 2010 NHL draft.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Jerry D’Amigo: Maple Leafs Prospect Rips It Up At WJC Helping USA To Gold

Louis Pisano — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:30:31 +0000

Jerry D’Amigo has been under the radar as a prospect for the Toronto Maple Leafs with all the talk about Tyler Bozak, Christian Hanson, Viktor Stalberg, and Nazem Kadri, but that is all going to change.

D’Amigo scored two goals against Sweden to put the USA into the Gold Medal game against Canada. He had a goal and an assist against Canada helping lead the USA to a Gold Medal win.

In both of those games he showed that under big time pressure he can produce.

He finished the World Junior under 20 Tournament with six goals, six assists for 12 points, and second in scoring for the Gold Medal winning USA.

He was selected by his coaches as one of the top three players on Team USA at the WJC along with Tyler Johnson and Derek Stepan.

After spending three years with the U.S. National Under-18 Team he is now playing for R.P.I (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) in the NCAA.

D’Amigo was drafted in the sixth round, 158th overall in the 2009 NHL entry draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He stands 5’11” and weighs in at 196 lbs, but plays the physical game of a bigger bodied player. Still, he can dangle and stick handle with finesse and obviously bulge the twine when given the chance.

With all the speculation as to who is going to be playing with Leafs sniper Phil Kessel in the future, a name that should be in that mix now is that of Jerry D’Amigo.

The stock of the Toronto Maple Leafs is on the rise with young players in the fold like Nazem Kadri, Ben Winnet, Jimmy Hayes, Chris DiDomenico, and Jerry D’Amigo.

The battle to make the playoffs this year will still be a stiff one, but the future of this team finally has some bright spots.

Not too far down the road Leafs Nation will be happy as they will become a perennial playoff team when, hopefully, all these young guns mature into NHL studs.

In case you didn’t know, Gabe Morency (formally of The Score ) has launched his new website. Mark “The Hard Hitter” Ritter, my B/R counterpart, and I will be throwing down our Podcast “Get The Puck Out ” every Saturday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

Next show will be January 9th.

We’ll be giving you our opinion and taking your calls on the hottest topics in the hockey world.

The Live Podcast will be broadcast in studio from down town Toronto featuring some betting analysis, fantasy advice, trivia, team/player updates, and more puck talk than you can imagine.

Be sure to call in and let your opinion be known. Don’t miss it, puckheads!
You can catch Morency and “Get The Puck Out” at www.morencysports.com

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Canada-USA: No “Six-Pack” for Canada, Downed 6-5 by Team USA in OT

Mark Ritter — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:16:31 +0000

Written By: Mark “The Hard Hitter” Ritter

For many Canadians, tonight’s game against the United States at the World Junior Tournament was more than just a game. Hockey has long been Canada’s game and, as such, Canada has dominated the World Junior Championship for the past five years.

On the other hand, the Americans have been hard at work developing players and changing up their preparation for the tournament in an effort to compete/beat Canada.

Hockey has grown to its full potential in Canada. With that in mind, given Canada’s utter dominance of the WJC (Canada had lost only one game in the past six years heading into tonight’s action) there were some analysts suggesting an American win would be good for the exposure of the tournament in the United States.

Tonight’s festivities began with the noticeably pro-Canadian crowd passing around the familiar massive Canadian flag around the arena—a tradition that is bound to be met with some apprehension when the World Juniors switches venues to Buffalo next year.

Throughout the tournament there has been a big push for the Canadian crowd to adopt the “Eh! O' Canada Go!” chant. To their credit, Tuesday night’s crowd resisted using the God-awful chant, opting to chant the familiar “Go Canada Go!” instead.

The Americans came out with an abundance of energy, using their speed and agility to get behind the slower Canadian defense. Fortunately, Canada did not succumb to the Americans' quick start.

In fact, Canada opened the scoring in the first period when Jordan Caron fed Luke Adam with a great pass, ultimately leading to Adam putting a backhand shot past American goaltender Michael Lee, who looked weak on the play. 1-0 Canada!

Canada continued to apply pressure after they scored, but were caught trying to make cute passes a few times. Team USA used their speed to intercept Canada’s labored passes.

Team USA held it together, weathered the storm from Canada, and with Canada’s defense seemingly asleep at the wheel, scored the tying goal when Chris Krieder shot a bullet past Canadian goaltender Jake Allen.

Just 36 seconds later, the Americans got their first lead of the game when Jordan Schroeder shot high on Allen, beating the young netminder.

To their credit, the Canadians responded right away when Nemisz slid the puck along the ice, beating Lee and marking the second time Lee looked bad on a goal.

Canada would end the period on the penalty kill when defenseman Alex Pietrangelo inexplicably nailed American forward Jeremy Morin from behind, leading to a two-minute penalty and a 10-minute misconduct to boot.

The Canadians were outshot by the Americans by an embarrassing 13-5 mark and, by all accounts, outside of a few bad breaks, the Americans outplayed the Canadians.

Early in the second period, with Canada on the penalty kill, American defenseman John Carlson scored a power play marker at 18:22, putting the Americans up for the second time in the game.

Once again, Canada responded quickly when Tyler Hall scored for Canada at 16:04 in the third. That was all she wrote for American goaltender Michael Lee, as he was pulled in favor of Jack Campbell. No question about it, Lee looked shaky all night, giving up three weak goals.

At the other end of the ice, Canadian goaltender Jake Allen has made a few good saves, but he has looked tentative at times and seems to be fighting the puck. Still, Canada elects to stick with him (which would be a mistake).

Canada and the US exchanged power play opportunities, with both teams coming up short. Campbell, who barely had time to break a sweat at this point, stood on his head for the Americans, thwarting several Canadian shooters.

Alex Pietrangelo finally came back into the game at 11:03 of the second. From that point on, Canada seemed to play with renewed confidence. Clearly, Pietrangelo’s presence was a huge boost for the Canadians after losing him for a full 10 minutes.

Nazim Kadri continually hit the offensive zone with vigor. He was not afraid to take the shot when it presented itself, establishing himself as a major scoring threat. Jordan Eberle was also a consistent threat around the net, leading many to speculate that he may once again be Canada’s hero.

The biggest hit of the period belonged to Canadian defenseman Ryan Ellis who lamb-basted American forward Ryan Bourque along the boards, a hit that resonated throughout the arena, albeit partially drowned out by the cheers from the crowd.

Unlike the first period, Canada dominated the late going, pumping the American goaltender with shots and hitting Team USA’s forwards at will. In the end, the two teams left the ice knotted in a 3-3 tie, which set the stage for yet another memorable third period.

Canada outshot the Americans 14-8 and had a much better period, taking the game to the Americans and dominating the offensive zone.

So, with hearts pumping at both ends of the ice, Canada and USA faced off for the coveted gold medal.

Canada started the third period with an early power play. Campbell continued to stand on his head in net and the American defensemen did a great job of blocking shots, ultimately shutting Canada’s power play down.

Shortly after killing off the penalty, the Americans had a two-on-one. Jerry D’amigo took a pass, which he deposited into the back of the net behind Canadian goaltender Jake Allen. 4-3 USA...

The Americans would add another goal, this time scored by Derek Stepan, when Allen misplayed the puck (à la Marc-Andre Fleury) and with that, it was now 5-3 USA...

The goal led to the game's second goaltending change as Canada put Martin Jones in net to replace the shaky Allen.

With 4:01 left in the third period Kyle Palmieri took a goaltender interference penalty, which ultimately led to Canada scoring its fourth goal, putting them within one.

It was the prelude to one of the biggest comebacks in Canadian history when, with the Canadians swarming the Americans' net and with one minute to go, Jordan Eberle scored to tie the game at five goals apiece. What an incredible comeback!

If he wasn’t a legend already, Jordan Eberle is one now. First, his huge tying goal against Russia in last years semifinal, his efforts on New Year's Eve, and now another huge goal against the United States to give Canada another shot at the gold.

The Americans started the overtime period off with a great scoring chance from Ryan Bourque (son of former Boston Bruin legend, Ray Bourque). Fortunately for Canada, Jones was up for the challenge, stopping Bourque and corralling the rebound.

Canada responded with some good pressure in the Americans' zone, but the Americans would prove to be too much on this night, when coming off a great save by Campbell at the other end, the Americans broke out into a two-on-one, leading to the winning goal by John Carlson, which beat Jones on the short side.

And, with that, Canada’s drive for six gold medals was over. For the second time in their history, Team USA are gold medal winners!

Jordan Eberle took player of the game honors for Team Canada and will likely receive plenty of consideration for tournament MVP. Derek Stepan took player of the game honors for Team USA.

Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Alex Pietrangelo were picked by the Canadian coaching staff as their three stars. The top three players for Team USA were, Tyler Johnson, Derek Stepan, and Jerry D’amigo—a Toronto Maple Leaf draft pick.

Benjamin Conz of Switzerland took top goalie honors, Canada’s Alex Pietrangelo took top defenseman honors, and Jordan Eberle took top forward honors.

Anything can happen on any given Sunday, or in this case, Tuesday night. Team USA was full value for their win. They played as well as the Canadians throughout the tournament and, on this night, were the better team.

Kudo’s go out to Team USA. Their speed was incredible and, given their penchant for blocking shots, they paid the price for victory, which is admirable. Canada last allowed more than four goals in the gold medal game in 2002, a game they lost to the Russians, once again proving goaltending is the key to victory, something Canada lacked on this occasion.

For the record, despite giving up two late, third period goals, American goalie Jack Campbell stopped 32 of 34 shots en route to the gold medal win...any questions?

In the end, this was an epic battle. What we witnessed was a great battle with both teams giving 100 percent. It was a classic—a game that both Canadians and Americans, albeit for different reasons, will not likely soon forget.

Of note, the Americans also won the under-17 tournament against Canada yesterday, serving notice that Team USA is for real, establishing themselves as a country that should be able to compete for gold for the foreseeable future.

Until next time,

Peace!

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Montreal Canadiens-Washington Capitals: Habs Outplayed or was it Just My Seat?

Rocket All Habs — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:49:00 +0000

Montreal 2 Washington 4 (Verizon Center)

This should come as no surprise, but I don't stand behind the bench of the Montreal Canadiens to watch games. Head coach Jacques Martin does. Consequently, it's normal for us to have a slightly different perspective about what happens on the ice.

As an example, let's look at the first period of tonight's game.

There was no score after the first period. Shots were 11-to-3 in favor of the Capitals. Washington outhit Montreal 14-to-5. The Canadiens were out-muscled and spent most of the period in their own zone. The only reason that the game was still tied at zero was the superb play of Carey Price.

Now, let's hear from Coach Martin about his thoughts.

"After a pretty even first period, I thought we lost momentum," Martin said. "They took the game away in the second period. They were more on the puck, were more aggressive, won more battles."

Well, I guess the game really looks different from behind the bench.

Granted, the Capitals won more puck battles and were more aggressive but that didn't start in the second period. How is it that the Capitals can dominate in shots on goal, hits, and time in the offensive zone and Martin calls it "a pretty even first period?"

They say that before a problem can be fixed, it has to be acknowledged. Is it possible that there have been no solutions for the issues that plague the Canadiens because Martin doesn't see anything wrong? It was game number 44 tonight. Many of the same challenges that we identified at the beginning of the season, still exist.

The Canadiens continue to play a passive system that easily yields the puck, the neutral zone and the blue-line to the opposition. Habs defensemen back in on their goaltender. Hal Gill followed the system so effectively that he was at the crease to deflect in the second Capitals goal and Gill screened Price for the third goal against.

The initial excitement about Benoit Pouliot is being tempered. Pouliot scored his third goal in a Canadiens jersey but he was also on the ice for three of four Washington goals.

The Canadiens top forward pairing of Tomas Plekanec and Mike Cammalleri continues to look lost with the absence of Andrei Kostitsyn. Plekanec and Cammalleri were also punished physically by the Capitals.

The Habs also miss Ryan O'Byrne in the lineup especially for his physical play. Andrei Markov, Roman Hamrlik, Jaroslav Spacek, Hal Gill, and Josh Gorges, combined, registered a single hit. That's unacceptable for a defense corps that spends too much time chasing puck carriers.

Without the Kostitsyn brothers in the lineup, a spot is open for Georges Laraque. He was on the ice for four shifts totaling 2:42 in ice-time. Laraque had no shots, no hits, and no fights. Which begs the question: what is the point of Laraque continuing to occupy a roster spot?

The officiating crew that included Tim Peel was visible in this game (which is never a good thing), mostly for their non-calls. Mike Knuble slashing Markov's stick and breaking it was probably the most blatant non-penalty call. A moment later, Tomas Fleischmann scored to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead, and they never looked back.

The shots on goal were 43-to-26 for the Capitals which flatter the Canadiens. Washington dominated in every facet of the game except goaltending. Price's solid play was the only reason that the result remained respectable.

When taking more than 40 shots, the Capitals are 7-0-1. Perhaps ensuring that the shot total remained under 40 should have been part of the game plan. Of course, that probably looks much different from behind the bench too.

The Canadiens return home to play the Panthers on Thursday night. Given that Florida sits in 13th place, expect to see Jaroslav Halak in goal.

Rocket's three stars:

1. Alexander Semin
2. Carey Price
3. Tomas Fleischmann

Material from wire services was used in this report.

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John Tortorella and Mike D’Antoni: Learning the Joys of Defense

Steven Ovadia — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:52:51 +0000

It's really not easy being a big name coach.

When you're a big name, you assume you're being hired for your coaching philosophy, so the tendency is to go straight into your signature coaching style, without really thinking about what's best for the team.

The New York Knicks and the New York Rangers have both fallen victim to this Big Name Coach trap and both teams, and their coaches, seem to be figuring ways out.

Starting with the Rangers, coach John Tortorella was brought in to be the antidote to previous coach, Tom Renney. Renney was all about defense while Tortorella was all about offense.

Knowing he was brought in for his offensive style, that's all Tortorella worked on for much of the season, even as the losses piled up for the Rangers. And why wouldn't he keep pushing for offense over defense? He was thinking he was brought in to coach an offensive system, somehow forgetting he was also brought in to win.

The Knicks were in a similar predicament. Coach Mike D'Antoni was brought in for his uptempo, explosive coaching system. And he stuck to that system, even as the losses piled up. Until, one day, he realized he was also being paid to win, and shifted to a defensive system that wasn't as exciting as the one he ran in Phoenix, but worked for the players on his roster.

D'Antoni let himself forget he was Mike D'Antoni and coached to win, rather than to expand his offensive legacy.

A few weeks ago, I suggested Tortorella learn from D'Antoni , putting aside his reputation as a high-risk, offense-driven coach, and figuring out a system that would work for the players he has.

Tortorella has started to embrace defense, and he's seeing results. The Rangers are 6-2-2 in their last 10. The second half of December, the Rangers only gave up more than a goal in just three of their last seven games. Sadly, for the Rangers, one of those games included a brutal 6-0 loss to the Flyers.

Watching the Rangers recently, you see a lot more action in the neutral zone and more of the third forward staying behind for defensive purposes. It's not Tortorella-style hockey, and it's not always exciting, but it seems to be working for the Rangers.

Coaches, like Tortorella and D'Antoni, can become prisoners of their previous successes. They become defined by systems that worked for them in contexts different from their current ones.

Coaching in New York City is no easy task. You're under a tremendous amount of scrutiny and fans and media are both ready to catalog every misstep. Coaches, like D'Antoni and Tortorella, often feel pressure to prove they're right, so when their initial coaching style didn't work out, rather than moving into something that suited the team, they kept sticking with their style. Something as simple as coaching defensively came to look like a sign of weakness to the two coaches.

Luckily for the Knicks and Rangers, both men are learning to put aside their reputations and to focus on doing what it takes to give mediocre teams a chance to be relatively competitive.

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Toronto Maple Leafs: Second Half Surge?

Louis Pisano — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:11:44 +0000

Tonight marks the beginning of the second half of the season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and if they are going to get going, now’s the time!

The Leafs host the pesky Florida Panthers tonight at the ACC; the teams are meeting for the second time this season.

The first battle between these teams was a high-scoring affair in which Toronto fell behind early—no surprise—but came back and won 6-4 during a sweep of both Florida teams.

Both starting goalies will be the same for this game as in the first meeting, with Jonas Gustavsson going for the Leafs and Tomas Vokoun between the pipes for the Panthers.

Both these teams need to win!

But the Leafs should be playing with much more urgency than Florida if they expect to even get a sniff of a playoff spot, as Ottawa and Montreal are both 6-4 in their last ten, and are showing signs of bearing down for a run.

Toronto has tightened up on the back end as of late, and has been keeping the puck out of their net with more consistency. If they hope to make a playoff push, this will have to continue.

The Leafs haven’t given up more than three goals in their last seven games, but only have a record of 2-3-2 to show for their efforts. They scored just nine goals during those seven games.

Toronto must stay focused defensively while continuing to put the puck in the net as they have shown they can.

From where do the Leafs get a spark?

John Mitchell returns to the lineup tonight, after being out six weeks with a knee injury; he will hopefully contribute immediately.

Jonas Gustavsson will have to show he is the goalie of the future now. He needs to try and take this team on his rookie shoulders, at least between the pipes, as Vesa Toskala has been terrible this year aside from a few games.

Jason Blake can’t just lead the team in shots on net in the second half; he’ll have to either score or put the puck on the stick of someone who can.

Niklas Hagman and Matt Stajan should start shooting the puck more, as they lead the team in shot percentage with 15.4 and 14.1, respectively.

Phil Kessel's production has slowed lately, as seemingly the whole team has had a problem bulging the twine.

Teams seem to be keying on Kessel, though, and collapsing on him when he has the puck in the offensive end.

With this being the case, someone else will have to step up their game. Kessel may have to start looking for teammates to pass to, in order to take some pressure off himself.

The loss of Mikhail Grabovski, who sits tied for fifth with Blake in team scoring, definitely hurts.

This loss may give some opportunity to a guy like Viktor Stalberg, who has shown signs of what the Leafs expected of him earlier this season, scoring while in his second stint up with the big club.

Tomas Kaberle and Alexei Ponikarovsky will have to keep doing what they have been doing, though Ponikarovsky could use a little more production.

After a horrid start to the season that all of Leafs Nation has tried to forget—though after browsing the standings, it's difficult to overlook—the Leafs will really have to get a move on.

All in all, the Leafs need more production out of the guys that are expected to bring scoring, and they need a second-half surprise player or two if they are going to make a true run at the postseason.

Tonight is the beginning of the second half, and the Leafs need to win!

Go Leafs Go!

In case you didn’t know, Gabe Morency (formerly of The Score ) has launched his new website. Mark “The Hard Hitter” Ritter, my B/R counterpart, and I will be throwing down our podcast “Get The Puck Out ” every Saturday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

The next show will be January 9; we’ll be giving you our opinions, and taking your calls on the hottest topics in the hockey world.

The live podcast will be broadcast in-studio from downtown Toronto, featuring some betting analysis, fantasy advice, trivia, team/player updates, and more puck talk than you can imagine.

Be sure to call in and let your opinion be known. Don’t miss it, puckheads!

You can catch Morency and “Get The Puck Out” at www.morencysports.com

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