Habs working hard to kill off Caps & Max sighting in Birmingham
Last Friday, the top-seeded Washington Capitals were set to finish off the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens. They had taken games three and four in Montreal by a combined score of 11-4 and returned home with a 3 games to 1 series lead. With a win, they could have joined the Philadelphia Flyers as Eastern Conference teams that had punched their ticket to round number two and a week off to prepare for it.
Washington won the President’s Cup…had the league’s best G/G average, (3.82)…and the highest ranked power play, (25.2%). They had survived an early-series scare, losing the first game and then trailing 4-1 in the second period of game two, but now it was time to take care of business…do away with the first-round fodder and move on.
Besides, the NHL world is really just looking forward to that Crosby/Ovechkin rematch in the Eastern Conference Finals…so this first-round is just and exercise in academics, right?
Well if so…it seems Montreal has yet to receive the memo.
Behind Jaroslav Halak’s 53 save performance and Michael Cammalleri’s two goals in game six, the Canadiens will return to D.C. …a place where they have won twice in three games…for the all important, deciding, do-or-die, there is no tomorrow, lose and go home, win and move on, game seven on Wednesday night.
So how are they doing it so far? Well, one major reason is that Halak has held off the mighty Capitals offensive juggernaut when it’s matter most…holding them to but two goals on 92 shots over the last two games. Another has to do with the Hab’s penalty kill unit allowing Washington just a single power play goal, an Ovechkin tally in game four. This even though the Caps have been afforded 28 chances on the man advantage.
That’s a kill ratio of .96.4%…and it’s helped them to get to within a game of killing off the top-seeded Capitals.
The Habs and Caps are the only series in the east still yet to be decided as Monday night the Boston Bruins finished off their 6-3 upset of the Buffalo Bruins with a 4-3 win in Beantown behind a pair of goals by David Krejci.
If Washington pulls this series out with a win Wednesday night, they will take on a much-rested Flyers squad while Boston and Pittsburgh square off. If the Canadiens come out victorious…winning three straight after being down 3 games to 1…then the Penguins become the highest remaining seed and will draw Montreal while the Bruins and Flyers would go at it in round two.
Tomorrow night we’ll be treated to a seventh game in the battle between Detroit and Phoenix. This was brought about by the Coyotes win Sunday afternoon in Motown. If the Yotes pull this out…and that’s whom I am pulling for…then that would mean all four top-ranked teams advanced setting up a Sharks-Coyotes and Canucks-Blackhawks matchup.
If Detroit wins, they will be rewarded by drawing the top-seeded Sharks.
Vancouver will face off against Chicago regardless, who played there way into the elite-eight by way of a 5-3 game-six win last night in Nashville. This, of course, was preceded by Saturday’s dramatic overtime win when Marian Hossa went from sin-bin to hero…scoring 10-seconds after being freed from the box after a boarding call with 63 second left in the third earned him five minutes in the box with the Hawks down 4-3.
Afinogenov Sighting in Birmingham
Where does one go to prepare for the World Championship? Why Birmingham, Alabama of course. At least, that is, if you are Maxim Afinogenov.
Afinogenov scored a career-high 24 goals for the Thrashers last season (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
As Ray Melick of the Birmingham News reports, last Tuesday Max was in town with his girlfriend Elena Dementieva…who was there with her Russian National Team tennis teammates competing in the Fed Cup…and was looking for some ice time. So he shows up at the Pelham Ice Rink for a little adult pick-up game…to the delight of not only those he played against but for the fans that got to spend a little time with him afterwards.
Jeff Cheeseman, the director of hockey at the ice rink, said he was surprised to get a call from Afinogenov’s agent …but he was happy to make sure Max was on the list, even waiving the $10 sign-up fee.
“He was very professional, sharing the puck and everything”, Cheeseman said of the 30-year old native of Moscow who is scheduled to be a UFA this summer. “The I told him we have a little better level of competition on Thursday nights with BASH, (Birmingham Area Select Hockey). These are guys who played college or minor league, a few of the old Birmingham Bulls”.
“As a general rule, we don’t allow drop-ins”, Cheeseman continued. “We made an exception”.
As for the game…after Afinogenov scored seven goals in about ten minutes for the black team, making the score 7-2, he was “traded” over to white squad. The final score was 16-13 white…Max scoring 17 of the 29 overall goals and all three for team white after the score was 13-13.
After the game, word got around that the NHL star player was in the locker room and Max stuck around making sure everyone who wanted an autograph on a stick, jersey, puck or picture… got one.
He then thanked the players for allowing him to join them as well.
Sounds like a fun night and a good time had by all the lucky fans that happened to be at the rink that evening.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
147 comments Add your comment
glovesave29
April 27th, 2010
11:08 am
FIF – yeah, still not sold on Halak. That being said, last night was one of the most electrifying performances I have seen in the net in years. It is amazing to watch when goalies get in “the zone” like he was last night. He was ahead of the play all night, his reads were spot on and his rebound control was immaculate. If this were a more regular occurance, I’d be first in line to back the Brinks truck up to his home and tell him to take what he likes (it’s not my money, so what the hell, right?). But I have seen him too many nights just not be there mentally. He makes tough saves to cover for mistakes he himself made. He often reaches for the puck instead of letting it find him. I just have that feeling that giving tons of cash to Halak is equivalent to when the Braves traded the future away to Cleveland for Len Barker because he pitched one amazing game in an otherwise mediocre career.
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
11:16 am
A Blackhawks fan jumped on stage at Rippy’s Barbecue on Broadway after the game, tipped the band $100 to let him regale the crowd and then advised all Blackhawks patrons that he was buying and to put their drinks on his tab. Sadly, with the drive ahead of us we had to decline.
I prefer traveling to road games because there is something special about being in the enemy’s camp. I suggest that Rawhide’s blog and the “Fan Club” make trips to six venues next year, one per month, and plan accordingly when the schedule is released. The cities that would rank at the top of the list with reasons…
• New arena in Pittsburgh (AirTran)
• Tampa (golf during the day, watch Thrashers break Niittymaki’s streak if he re-signs, a few renowned nightspots)
• Sunrise, Florida (horse racing at Gulfstream Park during the day, beach time with the Ice Girls, a trip to a naughty place called Scarlett’s and maybe even watch some hockey)
• A tasty trio: Thrashers at Devils, Flyers and Rangers (make it happen schedule maker!)
• Raleigh for a Canes-Thrashers battle followed by an AHL game in Charlotte
AND FINALLY!
• HSBC Arena in Buffalo (Bowling tournament in World Be Free’s old neighborhood followed by watching LAC, Sage and Stendek go over Niagara Falls in a barrel).
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
11:17 am
Joe, thanks for not disppointed me with your ignorance. And remember, it will take alot more than a chump like you to hurt me. Try to remeber that.
GaVaHokie
April 27th, 2010
11:19 am
Goaltending… I say go for Nabokov. If you can’t get him, resign Moose and Pavs.
Coaching… if my playing style is between Chicago hockey or Boston hockey? I’ll take Chicago hockey… John Torchetti.
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
11:20 am
NY Post’s Larry Brooks on MacLean: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/devils/maclean_deserves_to_be_next_coach_gvoRPKjq4EY3kbjjSdgZRN
Rawhide
April 27th, 2010
11:23 am
I just have that feeling that giving tons of cash to Halak is equivalent to when the Braves traded the future away to Cleveland for Len Barker because he pitched one amazing game in an otherwise mediocre career
glovesave29 – Great drop-in referrence to the infamous Len Barker for Brett Butler trade of 1983. That was for the Braves what Zhitnik for Coburn was for the Thrashers. Yikes!
GaVaHokie
April 27th, 2010
11:23 am
I’ll predict that Dan Ellis will be the next Flyer goaltender.
glovesave29
April 27th, 2010
11:26 am
GaVa – Nabokov is everything and more what people here complain about Kovy. He produces, but is a selfish player. No sure I want that here in an already tenuous situation.
Marc Savard has been medically cleared to play. If the next round is Boston vs. Pittsburgh, I will make that must see TV for every game. The playoffs are dramatic enough, but add the Matt Cooke vs. Marc Savard history to the mix – woooo baby!
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
11:26 am
Just wonder where Theodore is going to land.
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
11:33 am
GaVa-also wonder who Philly is going to dump to get Ellis under the salary cap. They have Coburn to resign and a bunch of players with no movement clauses. Wonder if they will just go with the Leighton / Boucher tandem, since both golies played pretty will at times this year?
Alan R.
April 27th, 2010
11:34 am
Red Light – I never expect anyone to attribute anything to a source in a blog. “Word is” or “It has been said” is a key indicator that someone is just trying to create the news.
It’s funny, in a way. I see it almost as the mass media trying to discredit blogs and bloggers from the inside with these sort of antics.
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
11:38 am
Red Light – oooo yeah, I love the idea of going to Pittsburgh for a game in their new arena. Went to Mellon once (2005) to see the Thrashers lose 7 – 5 and the people could not have been nicer. But then again, I wasn’t wearing any team colors and I was with a cute Pens fan.
Anyway, would be nice to show them how loud a couple hundred strong Thrashers fans can be in THEIR building for once!!
glovesave29
April 27th, 2010
11:42 am
Alan – I feel the same way. The media uses the blogs to distribute rumors just as much as we the fans do.
I also laugh when the media disparages blogs and sports talk radio as irrelivant. At least we are an open forum for discussion. I’ve always found it funny when arrogant know it all’s like Mike Lupica whine about them…as if we are all to just sit back and act as if everything that flows from his head is the equivalent of it having come from the burning bush.
Rawhide
April 27th, 2010
11:44 am
watching WBF and Joe Friday take turns b!tch-slappin’ each other…passing popcorn over to FormerIsleFan
Dwayne
April 27th, 2010
11:48 am
Imagine another professional athlete playing/hanging with the locals? That’s why hockey players are the best.
Ben Roethlisberger has made himself very accessible, he played and HUNG out woth a local!!!!
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
11:48 am
Alan R. The Globe and Mail isn’t a blog, it is supposedly a news source in Canada.
Globe On Hockey
The Globe and Mail’s team of hockey reporters and columnists brings the latest news and analysis from across the National Hockey League.
No one found this slightly humorous?
• HSBC Arena in Buffalo (Bowling tournament in World Be Free’s old neighborhood followed by watching LAC, Sage and Stendek go over Niagara Falls in a barrel).
Joe Friday
April 27th, 2010
11:54 am
“watching WBF and Joe Friday take turns b!tch-slappin’ each other”
Rawhide, why don’t you let WBF do a blog, do the vote over and I’ll make sure to rally enough folks to vote for him so he can win. He’s had in panties in a bunch ever since then, obviously it means a lot to him, poor guy.
“Dan Ellis’ career numbers are nearly better than Moose’s career year.”
lol, ever heard the phrase “damning with faint praise”?
“Tampa (golf during the day, watch Thrashers break Niittymaki’s streak if he re-signs, a few renowned nightspots)”
The Mons? Count me in, especially if WBF and Smoothie go, I need to buy these guys a drink or eight!
Speaking of get togethers, you still thinking of this weekend at TJs, Rawhide? I’m out of town all weekend with the kiddies, but that’s my last trip till end of playoffs.
Joe Friday
April 27th, 2010
11:56 am
“No one found this slightly humorous?”
Absotutely. But then I’d try to one up you with one of my favorite “what’s the best thing to come out of Buffablow” jokes, but I’m afraid that might make send Lloyd over the edge . . .
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
11:59 am
JF – whatever man, you’re just being obstinate for the sake of being obstinate. I’ll buy you the beers at the Pony here in ATL if it gets you to stop being such a hard-ass. I think the majority of bloggers here are trying to be open-minded w/r/t a team that is hardly the destination of choice for UFA’s. Beyond Nabakov, who do you see coming here and why do you think they’re so much better than Dan Ellis?
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
12:02 pm
As for Buffablow, I’m pretty sure WBF can take a joke about his hometown as he’s usually the one making them. It’s the folks from Detroit who seem to be extra-sensitive around here!
Alan R.
April 27th, 2010
12:15 pm
Red Light – You might have missed this part of the story. It was at the very top.
An interesting item in John Shannon’s blog on Sportsnet.ca the other day stated as many as six NHL teams needed advances on television and/or revenue-sharing money to pay the bills.
Alan R.
April 27th, 2010
12:19 pm
Smoothie – We’re all sensitive about Detroit because many of us still have family there who are very much affected by the economic turmoil the place is in. It’s heart-wrenching for us as Detroiters to even know what’s going on in our home town, which is made that much worse by people making the “one house on a city block” or “looks worse than Fallujah” jokes.
Yeah, I know they’re “just jokes,” but it doesn’t make the pain any better.
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
12:19 pm
Amazing how poorly Washington played last night. Their problems aren’t going to go away because they chose the wrong guy for captain in Ovechkin. He showed last night that he’s a regular season captain. He does not know how to lead a team in the playoffs, when the game is on the line. Washington still has a ton of firepower, but they had better get going quickly. Montreal is tiny in stature, yet they are outworking and out hitting Washington at every turn. Semin’s value is declining quickly. Eric Belanger is getting quality time in the Washington lineup-still say he’d be a nice upgrade from Slater.
Red Light-don’t tell me you ever “attended” one of those bowl-a-thons!? Bowling is Buffalo cause it can be done indoors with a steady supply of beer. Love the anti-Regier stuff, time for Darcy and Lindy to take their show on the road-permanently!
Bill-remember, we are on a hockey blog, so you’ll forgive us if we act like hockey players from time to time.
Joe-I’ll let you have the last word today because I hate deny a baby his bowl of ice cream. I really enjoy battling with people on this blog, as I have in the past. Today is no different. I hope the Thrashers sign Nabakov and he wets the bed, just for you.
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
12:30 pm
Indeed, it is terrible what has happened in DET and I’m sorry for the hard-working people in the auto industry, but that’s what happens when you let labor union leaders run amok. Anyway, I used to live in North Carolina and the destruction brought upon the textile industry by NAFTA and “free” trade really rankles me to this day. But I’m certainly not going to defend the Tarheel State blindly due to the fact I still have family and friends there. I will extol the good things about living there while realistically acknowledging their short-comings. I just get tired of the double-allegiance bull-crap of some of our fans. But that’s because I would like to see more die-hard hockey fans of the Thrashers. But such is life! You can’t always get what you want. So you move out of Detroit and start fresh.
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
12:35 pm
Alan R. I did read it and the only thing John Shannon mentioned was this: “Up to six teams throughout the US are struggling big time. The league has advanced some TV dollars and a percentage of revenue sharing that teams would normally get in September.”
The rest of it was penned by DAVID SHOALTS of the Globe and Mail.
Rightshot
April 27th, 2010
12:38 pm
Buffalo for a game! Hey I’m interested. AND since Toronto is right there, if the schedule works out right…
The Hockey Hall of Fame is there too. I’m just saying.
Alan R.
April 27th, 2010
12:43 pm
Right, Red Light, but David took his cue from the blog. The blog was the meat of Shoalts’ “article,” and he further went on to guess – with no positive information whatsoever – the six teams that took the early money.
Any good journalist would have done research. Not Shoalts. He’s taken his (mis)cue from a blog before. And in turn, it only makes blogs look worse.
R. Stroz
April 27th, 2010
12:44 pm
I wonder if Barker can still lift his leg high enough to look under it.
After the first time I saw the Barker pitch, expletives flew out of my mouth.
FormerIslesFan
April 27th, 2010
12:44 pm
*munch munch* RH, can you pass the salt??
GaVaHokie
April 27th, 2010
12:48 pm
That new poll on Coaching Candidates on the Thrasher AJC front page is terrible… I hope it’s not an indication of the true candidates.
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
12:50 pm
Rightshot-then head down the Seneca Street (or Chippawa) to a bar ot two. Tronna for the Hall of Fame
HookyBob
April 27th, 2010
12:54 pm
Well, it looks as if our discussion of what goalie to go after has about run its’ course.
Moving out from the goalie position,..I some news that Ottawa may not be able to afford resigning Anton Volchenkov. Any interest here? I see him as a good replacement if Kubina leaves. What other D-men are worth taking a look at?
Rawhide
April 27th, 2010
12:54 pm
picking popcorn from teeth…
FIF – yeah, here’s some salt….oh, and Trixie just brought us some Coca-Cola. What do you think of the Rawhide’s Rowdies Souvenir Cups she had made up?
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
12:55 pm
Next Thrashers’ coach? Hope it’s none of these guys rumored to be in line for Jacques LeMaire’s job- Mario Tremblay, Ken Hitchcock, John MacLean, Guy Boucher, Larry Robinson and Scott Stevens
GaVaHokie
April 27th, 2010
12:56 pm
Love the caption for the Paul McLean photo… McLean on the (right)?! That’s Mike Babcock.
http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/sports/thrashers/hockey-coaches/
LAC
April 27th, 2010
12:57 pm
Hey red light… Please stop in NC on your trip and stop your pickup truck on the tracks of my railroad there, I would like advanced notice so I can drive my SD-40-2 up your A$$… Fair enough ?
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
1:02 pm
I knew I could finally get a reaction from you LAC. Just kidding. No malice here. Take a deep breath!
I actually would like for you to play GM so that we could see an alternate view of the current situation.
Give me two goalies, five new forwards, one defenseman and a coach. I’m about to post mine.
Rawhide
April 27th, 2010
1:11 pm
Ya know…with all this chatter about possible solutions in the Thrashers goal, I’m a little shock and surprised that no one…and I mean ONE ONE…has suggested this obvious possibility!
And you all call yourselves hockey experts…I mean, really.
glovesave29
April 27th, 2010
1:22 pm
Rumor has Volchenkov going to Washington. Let’s hope not.
Hey RH, Viv the Sieve is wearing illegal pads there…too wide (before some of you get bent out of shape by saying I cannot tell width from a photo – it’s the model they are, I can tell by the knee rolls) Just what we need, a Marty McSorely moment – handed the Habs that Cup (well along with Roy) in 1993.
glovesave29
April 27th, 2010
1:28 pm
TSN.ca is having their “play of the year” voting on their website. Ondrej is up for it…lets flood it with votes and @&$%^!* off our Canadian friends….
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/special/?id=20223
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
1:30 pm
This wouldn’t break the bank and I believe there is drastic improvement with a few additions at center!
Tomas Plekanec + Antropov + Bergfors
Andrew Cogliano + Kane + Spencer Machacek
Peverley + Reasoner + Little
Thorburn + Mike Grier + Slater
Hainsey + Oduya
Bogosian + Valabik
Shaone Morrisonn + Enstrom
7th: Schubert
Pavelec + Martin Biron
BUY OR SELL?
Dwayne
April 27th, 2010
1:33 pm
Rawhide…Did a witch Dr. shrink Viv’s head? Beetlejuice maybe??
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
1:34 pm
Glovesave-Caps will have to dump Semin’s salary or 2 good players to get Volchenkov under the cap. I hear he’s looking for 5 years, $5M annually. Isn’t that what you are hearing Hooky Bob?
Dwayne
April 27th, 2010
1:36 pm
Red Light, I say buy ….I like that 3rd line. Can’t say I care for Doris tho. Could we get Mandy back to take his place??
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
1:44 pm
Regardless of what happens, UFA this summer will be quite interesting due to the number of teams pressed up against the cap. Should be a lot of wheelin’ and dealin’ at the draft I reckon.
Red Light – Biron would be my 2nd choice behind Ellis. Grier would make a nice 4th line addition and Morrisonn seems solid, but why is Enstrom on the 3rd pairing? Or are you thinking the 3 pairs would get fairly even ice time while Boris, Zach, Ron and Johnny get the bulk of the PK mins with Tobias and Zach getting considerable PP time?
Plekanec would be quite a get, but I don’t see Montreal letting him go. I think they’d rather stock the parent club with Bulldogs from the farm in order to keep Tomas and the 3 Smurfs intact. At least Cammalleri is earning his big FA paycheck as opposed to Gomez. Although Gomez has been better of late.
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
1:55 pm
D-man pairings are just pairings, not order, but the lines are.
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
1:56 pm
Dwayne: Valabik is under contract, that’s why he’s on the list.
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
2:07 pm
Plekanec will resign with Montreal, as noted by smoothie. Both sides want to egt a contract done. Grier has also stated he wants to re-up in Buffalo. Smooth-the cap ceiling is going to force some good teams to shed a player or 2 for salary reasons only, both contract and UFA players. Got no choice.
Great start to the non-goalie UFA conversations.
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
2:17 pm
Countdown to 100th commencing….three, two, 100!
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
2:17 pm
Premature jocularity…100th?