Preds team game prevails; Ducks lost game in 1st period

Saturday in Anaheim, the Ducks failed to score on power play opportunities in the first period, failed to jump on the Nashville Predators who entered the game without top line center and leading scorer Ryan Johansen, and second line center Mike Fisher. The Predators’ team game is strong, with no passengers, just drivers. It took…

Mark Methot serves up revenge for filet o’ finger

In late March, Sidney Crosby’s slash to the glove of Senators’ defenseman Mark Methot yielded a bloody, painful mess. In effect filleting the top of his finger, the video went viral, serving up a money shot of Methot taking off his glove to reveal a most unfortunate injury. The slash yielded no penalty (should have…

Touchy, touchy: Boucher says 1-3-1 aggressive enough

Ottawa Senators coach Guy Boucher was blunt with the media Tuesday, telling the Ottawa Citizen that his club, which went over 19 minutes without a shot in Game 2 Monday night, possesses an aggressive forecheck indeed. Boucher employs a 1-3-1 style, neutral zone coverage which calls for one forward to penetrate the offensive zone while…

Hockeytalk’s Josh Brewster on NHL Network, May 11, 2017

Talking Ducks/Preds Western Conference Final https://www.nhl.com/video/embed/nhl-tonight-josh-brewster/t-277350912/c-51924603?q=Josh+Brewster?autostart=false

List of 2016-17 NHL Award Finalists

2017 NHL Awards Finalists (in alphabetical order) Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (perseverance and dedication to hockey) Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators Andrew Cogliano, Anaheim Ducks Derek Ryan, Carolina Hurricanes Calder Memorial Trophy (top rookie) Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward) Patrice…

GM of the Year candidates announced

MAY 16, 2017 — HT’s pick is Peter Chiarelli.  It’s not hard to select Connor McDavid first overall, but pulling in Milan Lucic and Cam Talbot, plus the trade of Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson, sparked the NHL’s most dramatic improvement (33 points from the prior campaign). That the Oilers very nearly made the conference…

Double the effort equals extra goal, win for Predators

Nashville leads Western Conference Final 2-1 The Nashville Predators followed a simple rule Tuesday night in Nashville. They needed an extra goal, and a doubling of shot opportunities paved the way to their getting it. “We have to win 2-1 games, one-goal games, etc.” this is the common refrain in the modern NHL, especially at…

Phaneuf Ottawa’s wrecking machine

Reminiscent of Scott Stevens’ best days with the New Jersey Devils, Ottawa defenseman Dion Phaneuf has delivered in the toughness department during this post-season. Monday night in Pittsburgh, his first-period open-ice, and totally clean hit on Penguins forward Bryan Rust sent a clear message: Do. Not. Mess. With. The. Senators. During a big shift in…

Welcome back Kase

After the Predators jumped to a 2-0 first period lead in Game 2, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle took immediate action, swapping out veteran Corey Perry in favor of Czech rookie RW Ondrej Kase on the top line with Ryan Getzlaf and Nick Ritchie. The effect was profound as the Ducks came back to win, 5-3…

Long, slow & painful, Capitals punishment begins

  Alexander Ovechkin’s public evisceration began immediately after the Washington Capitals’ exit from the postseason. A number of media types chimed in as the Capitals began picking up the pieces of a second consecutive President’s Trophy, each time leading to a premature playoff exit at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins. With three prior exits…