Beast of the east humbled by Habs
So…is the Presidents’ Trophy becoming a curse? Well, if you ask the Washington Capitals and last year’s San Jose Sharks, they just might be open to the possibility that it just might be so.
Last year, the Sharks finished the regular season with an NHL-high 117 points, one more than the Boston Bruins…but fell to the Anaheim Ducks who squeezed into the playoffs with 91 points. This year it was the Montreal Canadiens entering into the post season with a mere 88 points…just five more than the Thrashers’ 83…and they then proceeded to knock off the mighty Washington Capitals, who finished with 121 points.
In fact, of the five Presidents’ Trophy winners since the lockout, three have failed to advance to the second round. In 2006 the Edmonton Oilers knocked out the top-seeded Red Wings and rode that waive right into the Stanley Cup Finals. Going back to 2000, it was the St. Louis Blues that ended their fine season on a down note, losing to the San Jose Sharks in seven games.
Bucking the trend of late, however, were the Red Wings of 2008 who skated away with the Stanley Cup after finishing the regular season with a league-high 115 points. They also pulled off that trick in 2002.
Speaking of ’02…that spring the Canadiens performed a similar feat by bumping the top-seeded Boston Bruins in the first round.
Bruins and Flyers - Who wins?
- #6 Boston (64%, 69 Votes)
- #7 Philly (36%, 38 Votes)
Total Voters: 107
Loading ...But back to Montreal’s latest stunner…this one was nothing short of amazing as they fell behind Washington 3 games to 1 and have been facing elimination since last Friday night. However since that time, have outscored the Capitals 8-3 over the course of games five through seven despite the fact that they were outshot…now get this…134-65.
The star on the Canadiens’ show was the man between the pipes, Jaroslav Halak who saved all but three of the 134 shots he faced over the last three games, (.978 SV%), including 41 of the 42 shots Washington took on him Wednesday night.
Another 41 shots were blocked in front of him.
Not to be overlooked here is the fact that Montreal’s penalty kill unit faced down the best power play in the NHL this year, holding them to just one, single, solitary goal on 31 power play opportunities. I guess it’s only fitting then that they closed out the deciding game seven while fending off a Caps’ man advantage.
Penguins and Canadiens - Who wins?
- #4 Pittsburgh (66%, 75 Votes)
- #8 Montreal (34%, 38 Votes)
Total Voters: 113
Loading ...With the 8-1 upset by the Habs, and the fact that all three division winners in the Eastern Conference went down in the opening round, this leaves #4 Pittsburgh as the highest remaining team in the east. Thus, they will take on the Canadiens while the #7 Flyers take on the #6 Bruins.
Of course, given that the Flyers have not seen action since disposing of the Devils in five games last week, the question that will be asked by some is “will they be rusty coming into the second round having spent so much time off?” Personally, I think that after playing 87 games with only the Olympic break in February to rest up, Philly probably looked forward to the time off. They should benefit from having been given time for some of the bumps and bruises to heal and it should make for a great matchup with Boston.
The Flyers got great goaltending from Brian Boucher, whose 1.59 GAA was tops in the first round, helping to keep the Flyers GA/G average down to just 1.80 per game. Philadelphia was led by Mike Richards’ 8 overall points as well as Claude Giroux’s 4 goals and 2 assists for 6 points. Chris Pronger and Danny Brier each had 5 points.
Boston’s Tuukka Rask had a nifty 2.18 GAA and .927 SV% against Buffalo, even though the Sabres were able to get off an average of 32.3 shots per game. The Bruins offense saw four players tallying five overall points…Mark Recchi, David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron and Miro Satan. Two others…Dennis Wideman and Matt Hunwick…had four points.
The Bruins will regain the services of Marc Savard for their series with the Flyers (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
As for the team Montreal will face, Pittsburgh’s offense was on full display as they gave the boot to Ottawa in six games. Sidney Crosby’s 5 goals and 9 assists for 11 overall points led the Penguins’ charge. He was also a +7 in the series. Evgeni Malkin scored 4 goals, 4 assists and was a +2. Sergei Gonchar had 6 assists and was a +7.
As for predictions…well, I’m already on record as going with Detroit and Chicago out west. As for the east, well I’m gonna pick the Bruins in seven fun-packed, thrilling games. I’d like to jump on the Habs band wagon, but I think Pittsburgh will be playing just a little better team hockey than did the Caps in these past three games. Montreal makes it interesting though…but fall in six games to the Pens.
And as I said in the previous blog, take these picks to your local, friendly bookie at your own risk as I went 4-4 with my first-round picks. Meanwhile, “lola” accurately predicted 7 out of 8 based solely on whether or not she liked the team’s jersey or not.
But if I am correct, that would leave the Blackhawks and Red Wings battling it out for the Western Conference Finals and Boston dealing with Pittsburgh in the ECCS.
Either way, the Capitals are simply left to admire their President’s Trophy.
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148 comments Add your comment
Red Light
April 30th, 2010
11:28 am
DWTOO: Not so on Mellanby!
rob
April 30th, 2010
11:32 am
glovesave,
excellent perspective. it will be interesting if the Pens dismantle him. the Habs fans will probably tear him apart after singing his praises if it happens. even if he somehow holds it together against the Pens, can’t see him staying this hot the whole run, like you said, way too much pressure every night stopping that many shots in the post season playing for the Habs.
World Be Free
April 30th, 2010
12:24 pm
Red Light-one of the things I noted for Dudley’s task list was to review the scouts. Your list show a bunch of ex-NHLer’s, not all former Canucks on the Vancouver staff. Waddell’s been the chef in a bad restaurant the past 10 years-can’t we blame of the bad personnel moves on the scouts, the guys recommending which groceries to buy?
Hartley must have done something to make him undesirable to other organizations as a coach. We all know Teddy Nolan scortched some earth behind him when he left Buffalo. What did Hartley do?
Mike Palmateer-now there’s a name from the past; did the Leafs ever make playoffs while Palmy was playing in Tronna?
Alan R.
April 30th, 2010
12:52 pm
The Devils are going to lose money, because they didn’t go deeper into the playoffs.
Canadians, rise up! Let’s move the Devils to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia! After all, they’re losing money!
Red Light
April 30th, 2010
1:19 pm
Palmateer saw action in the playoffs five times and started 13 games in 1978, when the Leafs eventually lost to the Isles in seven games.
Scouting staff is a huge problem, and I couldn’t find one bad word uttered by Hartley, so I’m wondering if someone bad-mouthed him, which is a bit more likely. Food for thought?
Smoothie
April 30th, 2010
1:27 pm
Playoff ratings are up per Kevin Allen’ tweet:
http://twitter.com/kausatoday
Pretty sad when ratings are up 35% and there’s still only 600k people tuning in to watch games. But hey, it’s a heckuva lot better than only 440k people. Don’t know if the bump is due to the exposure (not likely) gained for the league during the Olympics or because of guys like Sid the Kid and OV. Twill be interesting to see if ratings taper off now that WSH is out. I reckon the ratings will be strong as long as PITT, DET and CHI are in the playoffs.
World Be Free
April 30th, 2010
1:31 pm
Red Light-I was away at college in the late 70’s, so I missed the Palmateer days in the playoffs. Those years are a little fuzzy.
Not sure why Hartley hasn’t got another chance, while Claude Julien, Ron Wilson, Hitchock, Andy and Terry Murray have had several changes in the same time period.
glovesave29
April 30th, 2010
1:36 pm
WBF – I am sure that you recall that in those days EVERYONE made the playoffs – 16 of the 21 teams. It was also easier for upsets as it wasn’t seeded 1-8. The broke it down by division – for instance Patrick Division 1 played 4, and 3 played 2. I recall a HORRIBLE Colorado (Rockies, not Avs) team making it in with 59 points.
rob
April 30th, 2010
1:42 pm
While I hope Hartley gets a chance somewhere, I don’t think coming back here should be considered an option. There was a reason the split was made, and whatever that reason was, it doesn’t need a second go around. If Dudley wants Torchetti, I am OK with that (as if that matters in the equation LOL). I think as things sit with this team being fairly young, a younger coach may be better suited to it. Why you say? Because an older coach will be set in his ways, and the new generation that is coming up doesn’t seem to work that way or respond well to it, and that is just reality unfortunately right now. Any of you in management probably understand this very well. Just a thought, might be nothing to it, but it passed through my head and wouldn’t leave until I threw it out there.
Russ
April 30th, 2010
1:57 pm
I think Waddell should be coach, or the ASG members could set-up a rotation to each coach a few games. That would be a good way for them to get to learn about the game of hockey.
World Be Free
April 30th, 2010
2:18 pm
Glovesave-If I am not mistken, the coach of that horrible Colorado team was Don Cherry. Cherry’s always taking credit for introducing Gary Glitter’s Rock and Roll Part 2 to Rockies’ games.
Adam
April 30th, 2010
2:26 pm
Red Light – While Bob did do a lot of work with Kovy he did very “little” with many of the other younger players. He is known as a hard nosed coach and was not very well liked in the Av’s locker room either, the players there pretty much ran him out. For a guy that coached his way up from juniors you’d think he’d have been better with the younger players. I think that has to be the biggest reason he hasn’t got another job in the big leagues.
If teams could spend to the moon like pre-lockout he’d be behind a bench somewhere by now. It’s a different game now and I believe his perception by other GM’s has kept his phone quiet.
If you took the best parts of JA & BH you’d have a very good coach and can you imagine the quotes.
glovesave29
April 30th, 2010
3:24 pm
WBF – according to hockeydb.com, the coach was Pat Kelly. Cherry got them a few years later and built them to a 51 point powerhouse.The 1977-78 Rocks did have Wilf Paiement (prior to his days of wearing 99 in Toronto and causing an uproar), John Van Boxmeer and Barry Beck. The team had a
-174 goal differential and MAKES THE PLAYOFFS!
Red Light
April 30th, 2010
3:31 pm
Well, Slater was a young guy and had this to say about Hartley…”Bob Hartley taught me the game. I came in pretty raw, and Bob was tough on me. It’s never easy on a player to be the rookie, but I look back and can say that it was good for me. I think he taught me to play the game the right way.”
I recall that Roy was pissed at Hartley for pulling him in a game at Anaheim. Not sure much else was a problem other than Roy and their slow start in 2002-03.
Alan R.
April 30th, 2010
3:35 pm
Red Light, the fact remains, the locker room turned against him. Yeah, most of those guys are gone now. That doesn’t mean we should do a U-turn and go back down that path. We’ve been there before. I see no reason to do it again.
World Be Free
April 30th, 2010
3:49 pm
Thanks Glovesave
Red Light
April 30th, 2010
4:05 pm
Not advocating him coming back, just asking why you thought he hasn’t gotten another job. How do you know the locker room turned against him here? Here-say or fact?
glovesave29
April 30th, 2010
4:28 pm
Jiri Hudler is going to come back to the Wings next season after the Moscow Dynamo folded last week…
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=320005
Alan R.
April 30th, 2010
4:55 pm
How do you know the locker room turned against him here? Here-say or fact?
How else would you call it? The Thrashers ended 2006-2007 on a very shaky note, got swept out of their only playoff appearance, only to start 2007-2008 by going 0-6-0.
When Hartley was fired, the team won against the team that swept them out of the playoffs the prior year.
Circumstantial? Sure, it might seem that way. Look deeper.
Brendan
April 30th, 2010
6:35 pm
Glovesave29, thanks for the Hudler story. That’s good news for the Winged Wheel.
kracker
April 30th, 2010
7:26 pm
Alan….When there’s turmoil in the locker room the players can’t be fired so it’s the coach that goes. However, I’m thinking that a ‘cancer in the locker room’ player(s) can be as much or more the reason for friction between players and coaches. Furthermore, any players that play poorly to get a coach fired I’d just as soon they left with the departing coach.
Having said that, I’m not particularly defending Hartley nor damning any players of those years. Hartley was obviously done in by getting swept by the Rangers and the poor start the following season. Did the players turn on him, did they deliberately play poorly or were they just unmotivated because they blamed Hartley? I don’t know those answers.
We do know one thing: Hartley had just had his contract extended for three more years so for these frugal owners to fire him at that point says DW (and perhaps BL?) for sure thought something was badly amiss. Was it largely the frustration of the 10 game losing streak or was there also a foul stench billowing out of the locker room? Who knows….
kracker
April 30th, 2010
8:18 pm
Hate to be cynical but there’s no way the NHL would allow their other star not to advance. Habs scored first, then it’s been a lot of PP time for the Pens. Habs too injury depleted to even come close to duplicating the Caps series, anyway. Plus the Pens will be on their game. 1-3 Pens in the 2nd. They scored 3 for 3 on their PP opportunities.
Habs probably get swept.
kracker
April 30th, 2010
8:55 pm
2-4 Pens after two. One each team ES goals in the 2nd period.
Brendan
April 30th, 2010
10:04 pm
Kracker, completely agree. The NHL needs the “showcase event” known as the Stanley Cup Finals to feature the Winged Wheel vs. Crosby and the Pens. That’s the biggest ratings potential that I see.
Well, hold up. If Chicago wins the West, the storyline would be “1961 and counting …” vs. the defending Champions. That’s compelling. It would also be a repeat of the 1992 Finals, when Lemieux repeated.
From the TV ratings perspecting, Vancouver vs. San Jose is a nosedive on the East Coast, not to mention keeping us all up too late. The money matchup in the West is Chicago vs. Detroit, same as last year. Now, refs cannot be asked to fix games, clearly. That kind of conspiracy cannot be contained. Someone would squeal. In the East, clearly Pittsburgh needs to advance, to have some the league’s marquee players in the show. And I’d say that it doesn’t much matter, TV-ratings wise, who wins the Boston-Philly series. I cannot say if Philly-Pittsburgh would outdrawn Boston-Pittsburgh. Now, I hear ya whoever said, “Boston vs. Montreal” would put two traditional, “Original Six” teams in the CF, guaranteeing that one of them would be in the SCF. But, again, the league would probably rather see Crosby advance. Though, I’d be riveted by tradition that Boston vs. Montreal would bring. And what a year for Boston, that would be. First, they eliminate a hated rival in Buffalo. Then they get past Philly, another hated rival, only to draw perhaps their biggest rival, in Montreal, hypothetically. And what a roller coaster ride from being the #1 seed in the East last season? But, first things first. Boston has to eliminate Philly. And the odds of them drawing Montreal are very slim.
Red Light
April 30th, 2010
10:04 pm
Yes, and please lets remember all of the great decisions Waddell has made during his tenure.
kracker
April 30th, 2010
10:43 pm
Definitely, Brendan, the best SC match up for ratings would be Pens-Wings. And yes, Pens-Hawks would have some appeal…I think with some non-hockey-fans, just having a big city name like Chicago would be attractive to some of them.
Bruins-Flyers could be really interesting if the Flyers aren’t too injury depleted. Similar to the Habs with their injury situation. Which got worse tonight with Cooke taking out Markov…though it looked like a clean hit this time. Markov tumbled into the boards hard and injured his leg, foot, ankle, whatever it was.
glovesave29
April 30th, 2010
11:00 pm
Personally, I’d like to see the Hawks take it all for two reasons…they built their team the right way, and that it would really tick off the Leaf Nation as they would now have the longest SC drought.
kracker
April 30th, 2010
11:19 pm
Very good reason, gs29! lol
World Be Free
May 1st, 2010
7:45 am
Boston is pretty good right now and they will get better at the draft when they pick up 1 of the 2 best players available. Thank you Tronna!
Lee
May 1st, 2010
2:06 pm
Why do I like ice hockey? Well, it’s fast, exciting, fun to watch/play, competitive, crazy, not boring, enjoyable, athletic, energizing, violent, extreme, exhausting, exhilerating, intense, invigorating, suspensful, etc.
Why do I like the Thrashers? I have no clue.
Brendan
May 1st, 2010
3:40 pm
This has been an awesome overtime. The Bruins took a 3-2 lead into the 3rd period, and extended it to 4-2, but the Flyers would not be denied. The Flyers stormed back with two goals to force overtime. Both goalies have been great in overtime.
Savard just won it for Boston!!!
HookyBob
May 1st, 2010
3:41 pm
The link below notes that there have been 272,000 hits on Kane’s KO of Cooke.
http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/postedsports/archive/2010/05/01/431771.aspx
I’m still thinking Kane is captain material. I’ll delay that if we,…..well, somehow, land Ignila.
“KO Kane” has a nice ring doesn’t it.
Don’t know what you think of Cooke, but I don’t believe he should be allowed on the ice any longer. I’m tired of hits from behind or the side (after the puck is gone), “legal” or not. This is where one notes there difference between legal and moral.
Gotta go,…overtime is heating up.
Savard scores, yes, yes, yes.
Brendan
May 1st, 2010
3:52 pm
I thought Tuukka Rask was responsible for not controlling the rebound on the Briere goal that tied it for the Flyers. For Savard, it’s his first game in two months.
I am loving this Flyers-Bruins series. It’s one of those, “Well, someone has to win” type of series, that I love so much. Truthfully, I never could have imagined that, as weak as the Flyers, Bruins and Habs were down the stretch, eeking their way into the playoffs, that these teams would make up 75% of the Eastern Conference’s 2nd round playoff field.
I hope everyone who is a hockey fan saw this overtime game between the Flyers and Bruins, this afternoon. Truly, I do. It was an enjoyable game, especially if you’re a “neutral” fan like I am. I don’t care who wins. Well, okay. I picked Boston, ‘cuz I have to pick someone in this series, but I’m not really rooting one way or the other.
Rawhide, I just saw the polling results. And I am stunned that this blog thinks the Flyers’ chances of advancing over Boston are only two percentage-points higher Montreal’s chances vs. Pittsburgh. That’s right. 66% of you think Pittsburgh will beat Montreal. But only 64% of you think Boston will defeat Philadelphia. Answering truthfully, I thought this blog would vote, by an 80-20 split, Pittsburgh over Montreal. I guess that means that Jaroslav Halak has made converts out of many of you. Could this mean Carey Price really will be gone next year, from the Habs? Shrugs. I don’t know. We’ll see. A 64-36 split, in favor of Boston over Philly doesn’t surprise me, by this blog. My guess would have been 60-40, in favor Boston. So, this voting feels about right.
Brendan
May 1st, 2010
4:09 pm
Glovesave29, right you are, bro! A Blackhawk Cup win puts Toronto, “officially on the clock,” at 1967. Chicago fans will quickly point out that in 1971, 1973, and 1992 the Blackhawks at least got a “sniff” at a Cup, whereas Toronto hasn’t. In a sense, they certainly can claim to have been “closer to winning the Cup” than Toronto has, since 1967.
The Blackhawks lost Conference Finals in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1995, and 2009. The Blackhawks also won 14 division titles since 1967. Toronto? Can you believe this?? Guess many many division championships the Leafs have won, since they last won the Cup in 1967? Give up? The answer is: one (1). It was in 2000, with 100-points. The Leafs lost Conference Finals in 1993, 1994, 1999, and 2002. The Leafs highest point total since 1967 was 103-point, back in 2004. The most points the Blackhawks have had, since 1967, was 107-points, which they achieved TWICE, in 1971 and 1972, when the season was only 78 games long. The Blackhawks have 106-point seasons, twice, in 1991 and 1993.
Okay, thank you for indulging me on that bit of Blackhawks and Maple Leafs history. Carry on.
glovesave29
May 1st, 2010
5:37 pm
Ha, ha ha ha – I hope this happens! The Devils will implode and he and Lamariello would kill each other!
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=320148
Lee
May 1st, 2010
5:51 pm
Nice game for Savard. That was one of the most exciting playoff games so far!
kracker
May 1st, 2010
8:43 pm
Niemi is a rebound machine! 1-0 Nucks…Hawks going on PP
kracker
May 1st, 2010
9:04 pm
That was one hell of a long rebound off Niemi! 2-0 Nucks
Brendan
May 1st, 2010
9:09 pm
Well Glovesave29, if anyone could successfully teach Kovalchuk to play defense, maybe it’s “Iron” Mike Keenan? Who knows? Maybe that’s the answer? But, probably, it isn’t. Still, somehow … some way … someone … keeps giving Mike Keenan a job. It’s amazing, really.
Brendan
May 1st, 2010
10:31 pm
Well, this game wasn’t half as good of the Flyer-Bruin game. It’s 5-1, Vancouver over Chicago. This is why they play seven games. Chicago will win a game in Vancouver, in this series. This is a tremendous start for Vancouver. Game Two is really a chance to put a stranglehold on this series. Go Blackhawks!!!
World Be Free
May 2nd, 2010
9:34 am
You have to look at Alain Vinneault, the guy in Vancouver that never seems to get enough credit for how well the Canucks play. He got screwed in Montreal, cast aside as a scapegoat for Habs failures. The Canucks are making him look like a pretty good coach right now.
On the other bench, you have Joel Quenneville, who was supposed to be a major upgrade from Dennis Savard. The Hawks have a ton of talent, which in my view, covers for the fact that Quenneville is an average coach, just like he was an average player. Good for Vancouver.
Craig Ramsay’s stock is going if Boston continues to play well. McGuire talked about Rammer yesterday during the 3rd period and overtime on the NBC broadcast.
Jameson
May 2nd, 2010
12:45 pm
In researching Wilf Paiement wearing 99, as I’d never heard of it before, I discovered that Dudley also wore 99 in the 1980-81 season.
kracker
May 2nd, 2010
4:58 pm
I no longer think the Habs probably get swept
Red Light
May 2nd, 2010
5:55 pm
R Stroz sighting at the Hawks game. Megaphone and all! Another couple million dollars for the ASG folks, which simply means Rutherford Seydel no longer has to take MARTA to the games.
kracker
May 2nd, 2010
6:08 pm
Oh, the Hawks played today? Did they win?
lola
May 2nd, 2010
8:06 pm
Mr. Kracker: Yes, they did and yes, they won — I had an R Stroz sighting as well!
Brendan
May 2nd, 2010
8:06 pm
I’m astounded by the disciplined special teams play of the Montreal Canadiens. Where was ANY of this “heart” during the regular season? Did Montreal just want to rid itself so badly of Bob Gainey that they play uninspired hockey all year? But now, they’re suddenly “into” achievement? Pittsburgh was shut down today.
But, this is also why we play seven games. I had Penguins in five. There’s no margin for further error now. A creeping thought did occur to me today. It’s possible for an ALL “original six” Conference Finals. Montreal vs. Boston and Detroit vs. Chicago. It’d make for great storylines.
Lee
May 3rd, 2010
3:42 pm
Kracker – Yep, and the next series is against the Magic, which will be tough.