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…

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…

Welcome back, tough guy

Chris Neil welcomed back by Sens mates He only played 2:26 in Game 5, and was given a misconduct penalty, but 37-year-old Chris Neil was welcomed with open arms by his Senators teammates in their overtime victory. He looks forward to another opportunity tonight in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden. Rangers tough guy Tanner…

Send in the ghosts

The Anaheim Ducks failed so miserably to close out their series against the Edmonton Oilers that no one on the roster evaded responsibility for the 7-1 loss Sunday in Game 6. “I’m not going to sit here and say that our goaltending was where it needed to be but our other side of our game…

GR8? Another President’s Trophy for Capitals, another potential exit looms

  After winning the President’s Trophy for the third time and second season in a row, the heat is on like never before in Washington. Alexander Ovechkin finds his club down 3-1 in its series against the Pittsburgh Penguins after a 3-2 loss to Wednesday on the road. After three straight losses to the New…