The Ottawa Senators really should petition to have all of their playoff games at home. Or at least those games played against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then again, maybe it was the reappearance of Senators forward Jason Spezza that fired up the Sens to play a better game. Either way, the Senators put on a show tonight with a double overtime thriller! » Continue reading “Double OT Thriller In Ottawa: Sens Beat Pens 2-1″
Game Two of Round Two is in the bag for the Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburg Penguins, though not in a way that the Senators appreciate. The Penguins on the other hand, well, nothing says success like a hat trick am I right?
On the bright side, Ottawa came close to taking the Penguins to a guaranteed game five, pushing for the goals to end the game only one goal down, 4-3. The Senators even managed to get the last word in!
The first period kicked off with, of course, a goal from » Continue reading “A Hat Trick For Crosby And No Win Yet For Ottawa”
Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr
Game One of the Ottawa Senators versus the Pittsburgh Penguins is in the bag folks! And boy was it a dozy for the Ottawa Senators. Despite power play opportunities galore, the Senators just could not make the magic happen in the 4-1 loss tonight.
In spite of Pittsburgh taking the first goal less than three minutes into the first period (thanks to Paul Martin on the power play), Ottawa still managed to rally and tie up the game just before the five minute mark with a wrister from Colin Greening.
Of course this would never stop the Penguins’s Evengi Malkin from tallying at least one goal as he took back the lead at 12:15 of the first.
A high point for the Senators in the first period definitely had to do with overall play from both teams. The Penguins did not launch an all-out attack force per what is expected. On the other hand, the Senators remained quite stately, keeping their defense up and pushing for the net.
The second period is where it really started to go downhill for Ottawa. Generally decent play, but not hard enough to produce points and not enough to keep the killer Penguin power play out of the net in the last two minutes of play. Chris Kunitz managed to get a wrist shot right past Anderson for the goal. » Continue reading “Senators Drop Game One, Penguins Take Early Series Lead”
Accept my apology with this adorable bunny
Sometimes, real life takes over and there’s no way to avoid it. So, apologies from me for getting this up a day late. Hopefully these ridiculous tweets will make up for it!
» Continue reading “They Said WHAT- Late Edition”
During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Aerys NHL writers have been revealing their picks for the NHL award categories. You can find the previous prognostics over on the side bar.
The James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded each year to the NHL’s top “defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.” The award was first given in 1954 and since then, it has been awarded 58 times to 24 players. It is named for James E. Norris, owner Detroit Red Wings from 1932 to 1952.
Last season Aerys projected Erik Karlsson to win this award and he did! You can read more about that here.
Other notable past winners include Bobby Orr, Ray Bourque, Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Pronger.
This year, perhaps because of the shortened season, the pool of quality candidates is large and hard to separate from one another but the following are my own nominations for this year’s Norris Trophy.
PK Subban – Montreal Canadiens
Subban’s season began a little later than everyone else’s as he was a restricted free agent without a contract. But soon he and the Montreal Canadiens reached an agreement and he was well on his way to leading all NHL defensemen in points with 38 (11 goals, 27 assists) in just 42 games played. In addition, seven of those points came on the powerplay and he was a combined +12 for the year. His success was instrumental in helping Habs go from the bottom to the top of the Northeast division.
Ryan Suter – Minnesota Wild
When Suter hit free agency this past summer, we all knew that a sweepstakes of sorts would take place. The Minnesota Wild were the winners then and continued to be winners as Suter proved himself to be an invaluable asset to their organization. Offensively, he contributed four goals and 28 assists, which when combined adds up to 32 points, the third best in the league among defensemen. In addition to offense, Suter also provided leadership as he wore an “A” on his sweater and mentored his rookie partner, Jonas Brodin into becoming a potential Calder Trophy winner. Suter played in all 48 of the Wild’s games and he averaged 27:13 minutes of ice time per game. However, in nine instances he played over 30 minutes, even three times playing more than 32. Even with playing those kind of minutes, Suter was a +2 for the season.
Kris Letang – Pittsburgh Penguins
Letang brings an interesting argument for his candidacy to the table. Despite playing in only 35 games this season, he collected 38 points (five goals, 33 assists). He was an overall +16 for the year and only amassed eight total penalty minutes. Many have dismissed Letang’s worthiness of this recognition due to argument that his impressive stats are more as a result of his fortune to play on a star-studded team than his actual play. Regardless, it would be silly to not include him as a Norris Trophy finalist.
My winner of this year’s James Norris Memorial Trophy is Ryan Suter. Not only does he fit the description of being proficient in all aspects of his position, he has done much of the heavy lifting in helping the Minnesota Wild to the playoffs for the first time in five years. Throughout the season he played a huge amount of minutes against the Western conference’s best players and was able to contribute offensively while still anchoring the team’s defense–everything that you want in your number one defenseman.
Who shall claim you this year?
During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Aerys NHL writers have been revealing their picks for the NHL award categories. You can find the previous prognostics over on the side bar.
The Jack Adams Award is awarded to the NHL coach who, according to Wikipedia, is ”adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success”.
This season was a year of comebacks when it came to coaches. Bruce Boudreau, fired by the Washington Capitals last year and hired by the Anaheim Ducks, has taken them near the top of the Western Conference. Michel Thierren, who was fired by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, was hired by his former team the Montreal Canadiens and took them from the bottom of the Eastern Conference to near the top. So no surprise these two are widely predicted to be finalists for the trophy. Is there a better story than that?
Yes. The Chicago Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks led the league in wins, going for 25 straight games without a regulation loss. They led the Western Conference, won the President’s Trophy, and are the favourite from the West to go to the Stanley Cup Final. So, of course, Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville is the favourite to win the Jack Adams award.
Who can play spoilers to these three? A couple of other coaches.
Dan Bylsma of the Pittsburgh Penguins took his team to the top of the Eastern Conference, even with injuries to star players Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and James Neal.
Speaking of injuries, no team experienced more than the Ottawa Senators. Yet coach Paul MacLean still found ways to help his team win without feeling sorry for themselves. Could they be nominated? Possibly.
However, I think the three finalists will be Michel Thierren, Bruce Boudreau, and Joel Quenneville.
#BostonStrong
Last week’s events in Boston hit hard not just for Boston residents, but everyone who was paying any attention. Hockey players were no different.
» Continue reading “They Said WHAT- #BostonStrong Edition”
Get used to seeing rinks like this one. (Photo: Natalie Litz/ Flickr.)
Yesterday a report was released that the Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs at the Big House will not be the only outdoor game of the 2013-2014 season. Instead, the plan is to start a “stadium series” which will include five more games taking place outdoors during the second half of the season.
Here is the proposed schedule:
• Anaheim Ducks vs. LA Kings at Dodger Stadium, Jan. 25
• New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium, Jan. 26
• New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium, Jan 29
• Pittsburgh Penguins at Chicago Blackhawks, Soldier Field, March 1
• Ottawa Senators at Vancouver Canucks, BC Place, March 2
Rumor is the Devils and Islanders will be the home teams for the games at Yankee Stadium, while no word on who is the home team between the Ducks and Kings. The other two, the home team is obvious due to the location.
The difference between these games and the actual Winter Classic? These games don’t get the 24/7 treatment to our knowledge. (If they do, my reaction changes.)
» Continue reading “Why Have Only One Outdoor Game Per Season When We Can Have Six?”
2012-13 Score Net Cam #NC6
There are times in a game when there’s nothing better than seeing those rare zip-a-dee-doo-dah shots taken by a net cam. They’ll tell us where the puck was, who crashed the net, and provide the “I didn’t do it” and “It wasn’t me” voices on the ice with a “Stop being so silly” slap of photographic evidence. They can also capture some fantastic moments from outstanding goaltenders, utterly lousy goals and garbage goals where the puck seems to dance around in the blue paint, mocking everyone on the ice before sliding past the goal line.
» Continue reading “Hump Day Hockey Cards: Through The Net Cam, and What Score Found There”
Eric Lindros 1990 Toronto Blue Jays IJ #8, 1991 Sports Cards Blue Jays Uniform #5, 1990 Score Traded #100T Rookie Card
We all really, really, really needed to have three Eric Lindros Toronto Blue Jays hockey baseball cards to call our own. I mean, why not? The 1990-91 Score hockey card set had 6 Lindros rookie cards in it and that certainly didn’t seem excessive, did it? No, not at all if you were a fan of the Oshawa Generals.
I always believed that the “3B” on the front of his 1990 Score Traded #100T card stood for the 3 chances Lindros likely had at bat during his batting practice with the Jays and not 3rd base as is the norm on baseball cards, but I digress.
There are some hockey players and athletes who are multi-talented and there are not. I fit into none of those categories however I am here to celebrate those who do. Join me in this little bit of frivolity, won’t you?
» Continue reading “Hump Day Hockey Cards: Let’s Play Ball!”
