The Dallas Stars named long-time NHL forward Joe Nieuwendyk as general manager on Sunday.
The 42-year-old Ontario native takes over for the two-man team of Brett Hull and Les Jackson, who shared GM duties since their hiring on November 13, 2007. Nieuwendyk will be formally introduced at a Monday press conference.
"We are very excited to secure Joe Nieuwendyk as the general manager," said team owner Tom Hicks. "These moves are all about helping this club take the proverbial 'next step.' Joe is a leader and has been a winner in everything he has done. He is ready for this opportunity and has a bright future. We want that future to be with the Dallas Stars."
Nieuwendyk, who played in Dallas from December, 1995 until March, 2002, racked up 564 goals and 1,126 points over 1,257 games with five teams over 20 seasons. The former second round pick of the Calgary Flames played collegiately at Cornell before making the leap to the pros with the Flames at the end of the 1986-87 season.
He won three Stanley Cups as a player, in 1989 with Calgary, 1999 as a member of the Stars and in 2003 with New Jersey. Upon retirement in the fall of 2006, Nieuwendyk served as special assistant to Florida Panthers general manager Jacques Martin. He also served in that capacity for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.
"I am very excited about returning to the Dallas Stars as general manager," said Nieuwendyk. "I am ready for this opportunity. I have great memories from my playing days with the Stars and look forward to helping this team win."
The franchise is looking to recover from several missteps taken last season. After a trip to the Western Conference finals in which it fell to eventual Cup champion Detroit in 2008, Dallas tumbled to a 36-35-11 mark in 2008-09, and failed to secure a playoff berth for the first time since 2002.
In addition, the club had to deal with a major distraction in renowned pest Sean Avery, signed last off-season on Hull's suggestion to a five-year contract. After several on-ice incidents early in the season, Avery was eventually released by the club after an off-ice incident in December regarding derogatory comments about an ex-girlfriend and Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf.
Hull and Jackson will remain with the Stars, but in different capacities. Hull will now serve as executive vice president and alternate governor, and Jackson returns to his previous post as director of scouting and player development.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Gagne has surgery
Philadelphia Flyers forward Simon Gagne had successful surgery on Thursday to repair damage in his right hip.
Dr. Thomas Byrd performed the surgery in Nashville, to remove a bone spur and
adhesions which had built up in the area.
The 29-year-old posted 34 goals and 79 points in 79 regular-season games for
the Flyers in 2008-09, adding three goals and one assist in six playoff
contests.
Gagne will begin rehab tomorrow and is expected to be fully recovered in four-
to-six weeks.
Dr. Thomas Byrd performed the surgery in Nashville, to remove a bone spur and
adhesions which had built up in the area.
The 29-year-old posted 34 goals and 79 points in 79 regular-season games for
the Flyers in 2008-09, adding three goals and one assist in six playoff
contests.
Gagne will begin rehab tomorrow and is expected to be fully recovered in four-
to-six weeks.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Quinn named Oilers head coach
The Edmonton Oilers named former NHL defenseman and long-time bench boss Pat Quinn to the club's head coaching post on Tuesday, adding former Rangers head man Tom Renney as an associate coach.
The 66-year-old Quinn becomes the eighth man so named in franchise history. He takes the helm from Craig MacTavish, who was fired in mid-April after the Oilers finished the 2008-09 campaign with a mark of 38-35-9, which was good for just 11th in the Western Conference. It marked the third straight season that the team missed the playoffs.
"I'm certainly aware of the history of the Oilers. I'm fully aware of the passion that the fans have for the team, and of the work ethic within the organization," Quinn said at a press conference. "I think we have a real terrific opportunity to create a team that can win. I want to do everything possible to make you proud that you welcomed me to the organization."
Quinn had most recently led the Toronto Maple Leafs as head coach from 1998-2006 and as general manager from 1999-2003. Edmonton is his fifth stop behind the bench since taking his first head coaching position with the Philadelphia Flyers late in the 1978-79 season.
With the Flyers (1979-82), Kings (1984-87), Canucks (1990-95) and Maple Leafs, Quinn has racked up a 657-481-26 record with 154 ties over 1,318 regular- season games. In 183 playoff contests, he holds a 94-89 mark, including two unsuccessful trips to the Stanley Cup Finals, one with Philly in 1980 and the other with Vancouver in 1994. He was also the head coach for Team Canada's gold-medal winning effort in the 2002 Olympics.
The native of Hamilton, Ontario is also a two-time Jack Adams Award winner as the NHL's best coach, earning the honor in both 1980 and 1992. He played 606 games over nine seasons as a defenseman in the NHL.
Renney, 54, led the New York Rangers from the end of the 2003-04 campaign until February 23 of this past season. Over 428 games with Vancouver and New York, the British Columbia native was 203-170-46 with nine ties.
"I'm very excited that he accepted the job as head coach," said Oilers owner Darryl Katz of Quinn. "The luxury we now have is of two men who have extensive experience behind the bench."
Kelly Buchberger, a former Oiler, was also added to Quinn's staff as an assistant.
The 66-year-old Quinn becomes the eighth man so named in franchise history. He takes the helm from Craig MacTavish, who was fired in mid-April after the Oilers finished the 2008-09 campaign with a mark of 38-35-9, which was good for just 11th in the Western Conference. It marked the third straight season that the team missed the playoffs.
"I'm certainly aware of the history of the Oilers. I'm fully aware of the passion that the fans have for the team, and of the work ethic within the organization," Quinn said at a press conference. "I think we have a real terrific opportunity to create a team that can win. I want to do everything possible to make you proud that you welcomed me to the organization."
Quinn had most recently led the Toronto Maple Leafs as head coach from 1998-2006 and as general manager from 1999-2003. Edmonton is his fifth stop behind the bench since taking his first head coaching position with the Philadelphia Flyers late in the 1978-79 season.
With the Flyers (1979-82), Kings (1984-87), Canucks (1990-95) and Maple Leafs, Quinn has racked up a 657-481-26 record with 154 ties over 1,318 regular- season games. In 183 playoff contests, he holds a 94-89 mark, including two unsuccessful trips to the Stanley Cup Finals, one with Philly in 1980 and the other with Vancouver in 1994. He was also the head coach for Team Canada's gold-medal winning effort in the 2002 Olympics.
The native of Hamilton, Ontario is also a two-time Jack Adams Award winner as the NHL's best coach, earning the honor in both 1980 and 1992. He played 606 games over nine seasons as a defenseman in the NHL.
Renney, 54, led the New York Rangers from the end of the 2003-04 campaign until February 23 of this past season. Over 428 games with Vancouver and New York, the British Columbia native was 203-170-46 with nine ties.
"I'm very excited that he accepted the job as head coach," said Oilers owner Darryl Katz of Quinn. "The luxury we now have is of two men who have extensive experience behind the bench."
Kelly Buchberger, a former Oiler, was also added to Quinn's staff as an assistant.
In other news...
According to various blogs located in Canada, Pat Quinn is the hot choice to become the next head coach of the Edmonton Oilers.
A 2 p.m. (et) press conference at Rexall Place will reveal the facts.
A 2 p.m. (et) press conference at Rexall Place will reveal the facts.
Zezel reportedly fighting for life in Toronto hospital
Thanks to my own inside source, a website for a Toronto AM news station is reporting that former NHLer and Philadelphia Flyer Peter Zezel is close to death in a hospital due to a rare blood disease.
Update...According to CTV.ca, Zezel slipped into a coma during surgery to remove his spleen to alleviate the effects of the blood disease. In a chilling parallel with former teammate Pelle Lindbergh's death, Zezel is expected to be taken off life support by the end of the day.
Update...According to CTV.ca, Zezel slipped into a coma during surgery to remove his spleen to alleviate the effects of the blood disease. In a chilling parallel with former teammate Pelle Lindbergh's death, Zezel is expected to be taken off life support by the end of the day.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Weekend Roundup...
On Friday alone in a span of 25 minutes, the Wild named a new general manager and Mike Keenan probably still has no clue why he was fired by the Calgary Flames.
The media throng asked about 10 different versions of the same question: Does this mean the Wild will leave behind their traditionally trap-based defensive system? To his credit, Fletcher came up with about eight separate ways to dodge the question before getting super-annoyed with it.
By the way, my money is on "No," Gaborik or no Gaborik.
Keenan, as usual, was given the keys to the kingdom and both of the large protruding ears of GM Darryl Sutter and still managed to spin his wheels over two unsuccessful playoff seasons.
From what was said on TSN and what I read in various reports online, Keenan basically hasn't changed his coaching style and philosophy in 20 years. He's mellowed considerably to match the fact that he no longer is in charge of young players.
That hasn't prevented him from constantly pushing and prodding beyond all normal tolerance to get the players he needs and to get people out of the way who question his methods. I think this goes to show just how special and talented his Flyers and Rangers teams were. Those are the only two stops where you can say he left a favorable mark and attained success.
Then, on Saturday, in a game which I was glad I did not have the opportunity to watch, the Penguins put a stranglehold on a trip to the Stanley Cup finals, blitzing the Canes for three late goals in a 6-2 decision. Yech.
Good for the Penguins, I guess. Bad for Carolina, which is putting up less of a fight in this series than any given cross-section of the French during any major wars of the past 100 years.
Let's hope the Blackhawks don't fold like a cheap card table despite missing two big pieces of their rebuilding puzzle.
The media throng asked about 10 different versions of the same question: Does this mean the Wild will leave behind their traditionally trap-based defensive system? To his credit, Fletcher came up with about eight separate ways to dodge the question before getting super-annoyed with it.
By the way, my money is on "No," Gaborik or no Gaborik.
Keenan, as usual, was given the keys to the kingdom and both of the large protruding ears of GM Darryl Sutter and still managed to spin his wheels over two unsuccessful playoff seasons.
From what was said on TSN and what I read in various reports online, Keenan basically hasn't changed his coaching style and philosophy in 20 years. He's mellowed considerably to match the fact that he no longer is in charge of young players.
That hasn't prevented him from constantly pushing and prodding beyond all normal tolerance to get the players he needs and to get people out of the way who question his methods. I think this goes to show just how special and talented his Flyers and Rangers teams were. Those are the only two stops where you can say he left a favorable mark and attained success.
Then, on Saturday, in a game which I was glad I did not have the opportunity to watch, the Penguins put a stranglehold on a trip to the Stanley Cup finals, blitzing the Canes for three late goals in a 6-2 decision. Yech.
Good for the Penguins, I guess. Bad for Carolina, which is putting up less of a fight in this series than any given cross-section of the French during any major wars of the past 100 years.
Let's hope the Blackhawks don't fold like a cheap card table despite missing two big pieces of their rebuilding puzzle.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Strange Saga of Betty and the (ex)Jets
I admit, I have no friggin clue what is really going on between the NHL and the Phoenix Coyotes, other than the franchise is $30 million in the hole and something needs to be done about it.
I do know that I either a) don't trust anything Gary Bettman says, or b) have to constantly shift my logic to that of the legal profession to accept that everything going on right now really is above board.
Which it hardly seems like, because everything has now been dragged out into the papers and into the courts with the Coyotes' former owner, the league, and the possibility of new ownership all coming together in one nexus of insanity.
I guess, since Bettman and his cronies are trained lawyers, he can reasonably say that this is a good thing for the league because the whole mess will eventually be settled through legal maneuvering -- something in which the Commish made his bones before getting hooked on with sports.
But...
To the rest of the universe, and that includes the fans of the Coyotes and other students of the game, it's yet another useless legal opera. We have it all, from the denials, to the leaked information, to the league's plausible deniability, to the slick sound bites from all corners, to the impending shocking revelation to come.
Up next is the romantic part of the score, the inevitable push of "will-they, won't- they" between former Phoenix owner Jerry Moyes, Bettman, Jerry Reinsdorf and the inescapable Jim Balsillie.
As I always have been, I am in favor of a scenario which places the Coyotes in a different market, one with a hockey background, with ownership and financial footing waaay more secure than things are now.
Whether the 'Yotes end up in Kansas City, Hamilton, Winnipeg, or wherever, I also don't feel sorry for Wayne Gretzky, his friend and ex-GM Mike Barnett, and the slew of ex-teammates and ex-Soviets who he brought into the fold to try and turn things around over the past five years.
To them I say: you have all failed, and that's part of life. Fifty percent of all businesses fail, and even The Great One cannot be immune. It's also a part of business that any potential owner sweeps out the old and brings in his new staff to get a handle on things.
It is about time that this whole mess gets solved, and the franchise is relocated in time for next season. To keep the team in limbo underneath an excess of suits, countersuits, backroom dealing and legal politics is a shame. It's even more of a PR blow to the league than it was when the Nordiques and Jets failed to stay in Canada in the mid 90's and fled for greener pastures because of quarrels over tickets and new arenas with luxury suites.
And the biggest shame of all is that the man ultimately in charge thinks this is an A-OK manner in which to resolve the whole issue.
I predict that nobody will be happy with what goes down, but that is the essence of compromise.
As for the cities up for grabs in the Coyote sweepstakes, here's a little give-and-take on each:
Winnipeg: Already had the Jets from 1979-95, couldn't hack it when the league's salaries exploded and the Canadian dollar lagged far behind the American. Having the bandbox that was the Winnipeg Arena didn't help either. Winnipeg does now have a better rink, the MTS Center, but as it was built for high minor-league hockey without the possibility of wooing an NHL team, it still is not up to current standards.
Aside from that, the people might give multiple extremities to meet the ticket demand and price to get a pro team back. Realignment can be easy here with minimal movement of teams.
Kansas City: OK, so the Scouts failed miserably, but that was 33 years ago and KC is not so much a cowtown with former AHL glory anymore. It has the new Sprint Center which was used to lure the Penguins out of Pittsburgh, and will split the difference on the I-70 corridor between St. Louis and Denver. Plus, if White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf gets any piece of a potential move, KC is close to Chicago but not in Canada.
Realignment might be a bit of a problem here, but if the league is intent on returning to a four-division set-up, not so much. KC goes in the Central.
Hamilton: Well, the NHL tried smaller markets in Canada to little avail, but the advantage of Canada's steeltown is it's just 90 minutes from Toronto and 60 from Buffalo, in a corridor with about 1 million fanatical hockey fans. Unlike the Devils moving into NY-NJ back in 1982, I don't think a Hamilton team will suffer from a slow siphoning off of Leaf and Sabres fans because the city clearly has its own identity and history as opposed to the North Jersey suburbs 25 years ago.
As Balsillie said, there needs to be massive upgrades to Copps Coliseum in order for it to conform to current NHL guidelines. Realignment is a problem because there will be six teams in the Northeast which creates an imbalance.
If anything, we should just pray for a swift and just end to the mess, with the team ending up somewhere it can't fall pray fairly quickly to tight-fisted finances, bad parking-lot leases, and hour-long commutes across flat expanses of nothing. Unless they really ARE intent on coming back to Manitoba.
I do know that I either a) don't trust anything Gary Bettman says, or b) have to constantly shift my logic to that of the legal profession to accept that everything going on right now really is above board.
Which it hardly seems like, because everything has now been dragged out into the papers and into the courts with the Coyotes' former owner, the league, and the possibility of new ownership all coming together in one nexus of insanity.
I guess, since Bettman and his cronies are trained lawyers, he can reasonably say that this is a good thing for the league because the whole mess will eventually be settled through legal maneuvering -- something in which the Commish made his bones before getting hooked on with sports.
But...
To the rest of the universe, and that includes the fans of the Coyotes and other students of the game, it's yet another useless legal opera. We have it all, from the denials, to the leaked information, to the league's plausible deniability, to the slick sound bites from all corners, to the impending shocking revelation to come.
Up next is the romantic part of the score, the inevitable push of "will-they, won't- they" between former Phoenix owner Jerry Moyes, Bettman, Jerry Reinsdorf and the inescapable Jim Balsillie.
As I always have been, I am in favor of a scenario which places the Coyotes in a different market, one with a hockey background, with ownership and financial footing waaay more secure than things are now.
Whether the 'Yotes end up in Kansas City, Hamilton, Winnipeg, or wherever, I also don't feel sorry for Wayne Gretzky, his friend and ex-GM Mike Barnett, and the slew of ex-teammates and ex-Soviets who he brought into the fold to try and turn things around over the past five years.
To them I say: you have all failed, and that's part of life. Fifty percent of all businesses fail, and even The Great One cannot be immune. It's also a part of business that any potential owner sweeps out the old and brings in his new staff to get a handle on things.
It is about time that this whole mess gets solved, and the franchise is relocated in time for next season. To keep the team in limbo underneath an excess of suits, countersuits, backroom dealing and legal politics is a shame. It's even more of a PR blow to the league than it was when the Nordiques and Jets failed to stay in Canada in the mid 90's and fled for greener pastures because of quarrels over tickets and new arenas with luxury suites.
And the biggest shame of all is that the man ultimately in charge thinks this is an A-OK manner in which to resolve the whole issue.
I predict that nobody will be happy with what goes down, but that is the essence of compromise.
As for the cities up for grabs in the Coyote sweepstakes, here's a little give-and-take on each:
Winnipeg: Already had the Jets from 1979-95, couldn't hack it when the league's salaries exploded and the Canadian dollar lagged far behind the American. Having the bandbox that was the Winnipeg Arena didn't help either. Winnipeg does now have a better rink, the MTS Center, but as it was built for high minor-league hockey without the possibility of wooing an NHL team, it still is not up to current standards.
Aside from that, the people might give multiple extremities to meet the ticket demand and price to get a pro team back. Realignment can be easy here with minimal movement of teams.
Kansas City: OK, so the Scouts failed miserably, but that was 33 years ago and KC is not so much a cowtown with former AHL glory anymore. It has the new Sprint Center which was used to lure the Penguins out of Pittsburgh, and will split the difference on the I-70 corridor between St. Louis and Denver. Plus, if White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf gets any piece of a potential move, KC is close to Chicago but not in Canada.
Realignment might be a bit of a problem here, but if the league is intent on returning to a four-division set-up, not so much. KC goes in the Central.
Hamilton: Well, the NHL tried smaller markets in Canada to little avail, but the advantage of Canada's steeltown is it's just 90 minutes from Toronto and 60 from Buffalo, in a corridor with about 1 million fanatical hockey fans. Unlike the Devils moving into NY-NJ back in 1982, I don't think a Hamilton team will suffer from a slow siphoning off of Leaf and Sabres fans because the city clearly has its own identity and history as opposed to the North Jersey suburbs 25 years ago.
As Balsillie said, there needs to be massive upgrades to Copps Coliseum in order for it to conform to current NHL guidelines. Realignment is a problem because there will be six teams in the Northeast which creates an imbalance.
If anything, we should just pray for a swift and just end to the mess, with the team ending up somewhere it can't fall pray fairly quickly to tight-fisted finances, bad parking-lot leases, and hour-long commutes across flat expanses of nothing. Unless they really ARE intent on coming back to Manitoba.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Hard luck Chicago; Detroit wins in OT, goes up 2-0
Mikael Samuelsson's goal 5:14 into overtime sent the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 2 of their Western Conference final series from Joe Louis Arena.
Samuelsson started a rush off a giveaway by Hawks defenseman Brian Campbell, pushing the puck ahead through the neutral zone to Jiri Hudler. It quickly became a 3-on-1 as Valtteri Filppula joined on the right wing. Hudler dished to Filppula, who turned and fed back to Samuelsson for a bullet one-timer inside the left post.
Dan Cleary and Brian Rafalski also tallied for the Red Wings, who assumed a two-games-to-none series advantage.
Chris Osgood made 36 saves for his 10th win of this postseason.
Jonathan Toews posted both goals for the Blackhawks, who look for their first win in the series in Game 3 on Friday at United Center.
Nikolai Khabibulin was solid in the loss, stopping 35-of-38 shots.
The Hawks failed to convert a brief 5-on-3 advantage just after the midway point of the first period, but cashed in on the one-man power play with 7:11 to go.
Martin Havlat held the puck in the right circle, then found Toews along the goal line to the right of the Wings net. Toews attempted a cross-crease pass to Patrick Sharp, but the puck hit Osgood's pads and bounced in.
Detroit knotted the contest with 3:17 remaining in the first stanza. Pavel Datsyuk won a left-circle draw back to Nicklas Lidstrom, who dished back to Rafalski for a floating point shot which dodged a pair of Detroit players on its way past Khabibulin.
Play was spirited throughout the second period and Detroit outshot Chicago by a slim 9-6 margin and picked up the only goal in the middle 20 minutes. Cleary converted a breakaway, his third goal of the series and fourth in three games, with under six minutes remaining.
Both sides continued to trade close calls throughout the third period, before Toews forged a 2-2 deadlock, as he deftly redirected a low left-point shot from Kris Versteeg coming with 7:40 to play in regulation.
Game Notes
The game-winner was Samuelsson's first career playoff overtime tally...The Red Wings have allowed a power-play goal in 11 consecutive postseason games, a franchise record and longest streak since the Pittsburgh Penguins equalled the mark in 1989...Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook briefly left the game in the second period after being hit directly in the chest with a shot...Sharp also left the game but returned after hitting his upper back and head on the ice...Osgood improved to 10-3 in the 2009 playoffs, while Khabibulin slipped to 8-6.
Samuelsson started a rush off a giveaway by Hawks defenseman Brian Campbell, pushing the puck ahead through the neutral zone to Jiri Hudler. It quickly became a 3-on-1 as Valtteri Filppula joined on the right wing. Hudler dished to Filppula, who turned and fed back to Samuelsson for a bullet one-timer inside the left post.
Dan Cleary and Brian Rafalski also tallied for the Red Wings, who assumed a two-games-to-none series advantage.
Chris Osgood made 36 saves for his 10th win of this postseason.
Jonathan Toews posted both goals for the Blackhawks, who look for their first win in the series in Game 3 on Friday at United Center.
Nikolai Khabibulin was solid in the loss, stopping 35-of-38 shots.
The Hawks failed to convert a brief 5-on-3 advantage just after the midway point of the first period, but cashed in on the one-man power play with 7:11 to go.
Martin Havlat held the puck in the right circle, then found Toews along the goal line to the right of the Wings net. Toews attempted a cross-crease pass to Patrick Sharp, but the puck hit Osgood's pads and bounced in.
Detroit knotted the contest with 3:17 remaining in the first stanza. Pavel Datsyuk won a left-circle draw back to Nicklas Lidstrom, who dished back to Rafalski for a floating point shot which dodged a pair of Detroit players on its way past Khabibulin.
Play was spirited throughout the second period and Detroit outshot Chicago by a slim 9-6 margin and picked up the only goal in the middle 20 minutes. Cleary converted a breakaway, his third goal of the series and fourth in three games, with under six minutes remaining.
Both sides continued to trade close calls throughout the third period, before Toews forged a 2-2 deadlock, as he deftly redirected a low left-point shot from Kris Versteeg coming with 7:40 to play in regulation.
Game Notes
The game-winner was Samuelsson's first career playoff overtime tally...The Red Wings have allowed a power-play goal in 11 consecutive postseason games, a franchise record and longest streak since the Pittsburgh Penguins equalled the mark in 1989...Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook briefly left the game in the second period after being hit directly in the chest with a shot...Sharp also left the game but returned after hitting his upper back and head on the ice...Osgood improved to 10-3 in the 2009 playoffs, while Khabibulin slipped to 8-6.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Crosby shines, Caps choke in Game 7
Sidney Crosby rose to the occasion in his first career playoff Game 7, recording two goals and one assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals with a convincing 6-2 decision over the Washington Capitals at Verizon Center.
Crosby finished the series with eight goals and 13 points, and currently leads all players remaining with 12 total playoff goals.
"He can elevate his game on a big stage like this," Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said of Crosby. "He works tirelessly on his game. He really enjoys competition and laying it on the line. You play the game to lay it on the line and he's prepared for it, he's got a steely resolve when the time comes around."
Craig Adams, Bill Guerin, Kris Letang and Jordan Staal also lit the lamp for the Penguins, who took the semifinal series four games to three and will be among the final four teams to compete for the Stanley Cup for the second time in as many seasons.
The club will rest until opening the Eastern Conference finals this weekend against either the Bruins or Hurricanes, whose own Game 7 takes place in Boston on Thursday.
Marc-Andre Fleury was rarely tested for his eighth win of this postseason, needing to make just 19 saves.
Alex Ovechkin and Brooks Laich scored for the Capitals, who have dropped two of their last three series-deciding games on home ice and were denied the franchise's third trip to the conference finals.
"There was a lot of uncharacteristic play by our guys throughout the game," lamented Capitals captain Chris Clark. "Especially playing so hard and so close for the entire series. Nobody expected this. It's one step closer to where we want to be but it's obviously disappointing."
The setback continued Washington's franchise-long playoff hex against Pittsburgh, as the Caps have lost seven of eight playoff series against the Pens and have also failed to claim victory in three Game 7s.
Rookie netminder Simeon Varlamov had his worst game as a professional in defeat, victimized for four goals on 18 shots in just over 22 minutes of play. Jose Theodore completed the contest by allowing a pair of scores on 12 shots.
Fleury flashed the glove to stop Ovechkin on a breakaway a little more than three minutes in, which proved to be an omen of things to come for the Capitals.
Pittsburgh was awarded the first power play of the game and cashed in with 7:24 left in the first period. Crosby got a good carom off a double-deflection from a point shot by Sergei Gonchar, and was alone at the right post to tap the puck home.
Only eight seconds later, Adams doubled the Pens' advantage with a shot through Varlamov's pads. The two goals were the fastest scored by one team in any Game 7 in NHL history.
"We spent an awful lot emotionally after winning Game 6," said Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau. "The shots early on were close. But...we took two penalties, and when you don't give your best guys a chance, and people are standing around, it'll cost you. It was a good first period until that point."
Varlamov was sharp from there, making 14 saves in the first period, but saw a quick exit early in the second period as the Penguins doubled their advantage.
Guerin ripped a one-timer from Crosby 28 seconds in, then Letang crushed a shot from the bottom of the right circle at 2:12 which signaled the rookie's departure for Theodore.
The lead eventually grew to 5-0 with 8:23 left in the second as Staal tapped in a centering feed by Miroslav Satan.
Ovechkin picked up his eighth goal of the series with 1:51 left in the period, as Fleury played a clearing attempt right to him for an easy wraparound goal.
Crosby drew a double minor for high-sticking when he was hit in the face by Laich early in the third period, and scored on a breakaway for a 6-1 game at 2:02.
Laich did poke a loose puck past Fleury at the right post at 6:36, but the visitors expertly checked away the remainder of the game and rolled into the next round.
"We wanted to make sure we were pressuring the puck in all situations, and we did that," Bylsma admitted. "We were lucky to get that early lead, and from there able to dictate play for the rest of the contest."
Game Notes
Ovechkin finished with 11 goals and 21 points in 14 playoff games...Pittsburgh improved to 6-4 all time in Game 7s, while Washington fell to 2-6...Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Satan each posted two assists...Five of the first six games in the series were decided by one goal, with three ending in overtime...The Capitals have not reached the conference finals since 1998 and have only done so one other time in franchise history (1990), and the Penguins have reached the final four six times (1991-92, 1996, 2001, 2008-09)...Gonchar returned to the lineup for the first time since a leg injury sidelined him during in Game 4...All three playoff series in which Ovechkin participated ended in a Game 7...The four-goal margin was the largest for a winning team on the road in a Game 7 since Edmonton topped Colorado in a 1998 Western quarterfinal...The Penguins did not commit a penalty the entire game.
Crosby finished the series with eight goals and 13 points, and currently leads all players remaining with 12 total playoff goals.
"He can elevate his game on a big stage like this," Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said of Crosby. "He works tirelessly on his game. He really enjoys competition and laying it on the line. You play the game to lay it on the line and he's prepared for it, he's got a steely resolve when the time comes around."
Craig Adams, Bill Guerin, Kris Letang and Jordan Staal also lit the lamp for the Penguins, who took the semifinal series four games to three and will be among the final four teams to compete for the Stanley Cup for the second time in as many seasons.
The club will rest until opening the Eastern Conference finals this weekend against either the Bruins or Hurricanes, whose own Game 7 takes place in Boston on Thursday.
Marc-Andre Fleury was rarely tested for his eighth win of this postseason, needing to make just 19 saves.
Alex Ovechkin and Brooks Laich scored for the Capitals, who have dropped two of their last three series-deciding games on home ice and were denied the franchise's third trip to the conference finals.
"There was a lot of uncharacteristic play by our guys throughout the game," lamented Capitals captain Chris Clark. "Especially playing so hard and so close for the entire series. Nobody expected this. It's one step closer to where we want to be but it's obviously disappointing."
The setback continued Washington's franchise-long playoff hex against Pittsburgh, as the Caps have lost seven of eight playoff series against the Pens and have also failed to claim victory in three Game 7s.
Rookie netminder Simeon Varlamov had his worst game as a professional in defeat, victimized for four goals on 18 shots in just over 22 minutes of play. Jose Theodore completed the contest by allowing a pair of scores on 12 shots.
Fleury flashed the glove to stop Ovechkin on a breakaway a little more than three minutes in, which proved to be an omen of things to come for the Capitals.
Pittsburgh was awarded the first power play of the game and cashed in with 7:24 left in the first period. Crosby got a good carom off a double-deflection from a point shot by Sergei Gonchar, and was alone at the right post to tap the puck home.
Only eight seconds later, Adams doubled the Pens' advantage with a shot through Varlamov's pads. The two goals were the fastest scored by one team in any Game 7 in NHL history.
"We spent an awful lot emotionally after winning Game 6," said Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau. "The shots early on were close. But...we took two penalties, and when you don't give your best guys a chance, and people are standing around, it'll cost you. It was a good first period until that point."
Varlamov was sharp from there, making 14 saves in the first period, but saw a quick exit early in the second period as the Penguins doubled their advantage.
Guerin ripped a one-timer from Crosby 28 seconds in, then Letang crushed a shot from the bottom of the right circle at 2:12 which signaled the rookie's departure for Theodore.
The lead eventually grew to 5-0 with 8:23 left in the second as Staal tapped in a centering feed by Miroslav Satan.
Ovechkin picked up his eighth goal of the series with 1:51 left in the period, as Fleury played a clearing attempt right to him for an easy wraparound goal.
Crosby drew a double minor for high-sticking when he was hit in the face by Laich early in the third period, and scored on a breakaway for a 6-1 game at 2:02.
Laich did poke a loose puck past Fleury at the right post at 6:36, but the visitors expertly checked away the remainder of the game and rolled into the next round.
"We wanted to make sure we were pressuring the puck in all situations, and we did that," Bylsma admitted. "We were lucky to get that early lead, and from there able to dictate play for the rest of the contest."
Game Notes
Ovechkin finished with 11 goals and 21 points in 14 playoff games...Pittsburgh improved to 6-4 all time in Game 7s, while Washington fell to 2-6...Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Satan each posted two assists...Five of the first six games in the series were decided by one goal, with three ending in overtime...The Capitals have not reached the conference finals since 1998 and have only done so one other time in franchise history (1990), and the Penguins have reached the final four six times (1991-92, 1996, 2001, 2008-09)...Gonchar returned to the lineup for the first time since a leg injury sidelined him during in Game 4...All three playoff series in which Ovechkin participated ended in a Game 7...The four-goal margin was the largest for a winning team on the road in a Game 7 since Edmonton topped Colorado in a 1998 Western quarterfinal...The Penguins did not commit a penalty the entire game.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Kane's trifecta lifts Hawks over Canucks, closes out series
by Jeff Kruczynski
The Sports Network
Patrick Kane recorded his first career playoff hat trick and added an assist, as the Chicago Blackhawks closed out this bruising Western Conference semifinal series with a wild 7-5 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 6 at United Center.
Jonathan Toews registered two goals and a helper for the Blackhawks, who wrapped up another chapter in their remarkable season of resurgence.
"Tonight was a great night," Kane said. "It's a great feeling. It was an awesome game. We've got an awesome group of guys here and we bounced back. We're so happy to (advance). From where we were at the beginning of last year, we've made so much progress."
After failing to win a series during just two playoff appearances since the 1996-97 campaign, Chicago now moves on to the conference finals for the first time since 1995, and will face either Detroit or Anaheim, the last two clubs to skate off with the Stanley Cup. The Red Wings lead their best-of- seven set, 3-2, and can eliminate the Ducks Tuesday in Anaheim.
Kris Versteeg and Adam Burish also scored for Chicago, while Nikolai Khabibulin made 33 saves for the win.
Daniel Sedin scored twice for the Canucks, who never seemed to recover following a heartbreaking overtime loss in Game 4. Vancouver was aiming to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, but the resilient Blackhawks tied the game with less than three minutes remaining in the third period and scored early in the extra session.
Mats Sundin had a goal and an assist, with Mason Raymond and Shane O'Brien also tallying for Vancouver. Roberto Luongo allowed all seven goals on 30 shots in defeat.
"I didn't help my team tonight," Luongo said. "I didn't make the saves. We had our chances early and I didn't help enough."
After erasing a two-goal deficit in the second period, Sundin put Vancouver ahead 4-3 at 3:43 of the third period, letting a shot go from the slot that found room in the far side of the net.
Burish drew the home team even 1:58 later, collecting a loose puck in the slot and firing a shot through traffic that beat Luongo on the glove side.
The Canucks went back in front on Sedin's power-play marker, but the lead lasted only 45 seconds as Kane scored on a wrap-around with exactly seven minutes left.
O'Brien committed an ill-timed hooking infraction 26 seconds later and Chicago wasted little time on the power play. Toews held the puck along the goal line at the right side of the net and had his intended cross-crease pass to teammate Patrick Sharp deflect off the left skate of Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler and behind a stunned Luongo with 6:11 remaining.
Kane completed the trifecta and added some insurance, coming down the left wing, cutting to the middle and unleashing a wicked backhander off the post and past Luongo with 3:43 to play.
"It's just been a great season and it's not over yet," said Sharp. "At the start of the year, no one thought we would ever be a final four team."
For the fifth time in the series, Vancouver notched the first goal of the game, capitalizing on a misplay by the Blackhawks. Sundin led an odd-man rush, then handed off to Raymond and he fired a wrister from the right circle through the legs of Khabibulin with 8:47 remaining in the opening frame.
Chicago had an answer two minutes later. Kane came down the right wing and Mattias Ohlund tried to stand him up at the blueline. Kane, though, skated around the Swedish defenseman, drifted to the faceoff circle and fired a shot that beat Luongo on the short side.
"We gave (Chicago) a lot of chances and just didn't play defense the way we wanted," Ohlund said. "We didn't create enough the last three games and pushed too hard for offense tonight. They're a great team, but we were not at our best."
Luongo made some big stops early in the first period. He got a right pad on Dave Bolland's wrap-around bid, then denied Martin Havlat on the breakaway, getting his glove on a backhander.
The Blackhawks built a two-goal lead in the second period, but it withered away.
Canucks forward Rick Rypien took a careless interference penalty early in the middle stanza and Versteeg ripped a rising shot over Luongo's left shoulder for a power-play goal at the 3:54 mark.
Chicago struck again with the man advantage after Willie Mitchell was sent off for hooking. The Blackhawks rotated the puck to the right side of the net. Luongo turned away Toews' initial shot, but the Chicago captain picked up his own rebound and stuffed it behind the Vancouver netminder with 9:43 remaining.
Facing a must-win situation, the Canucks mounted a comeback.
Sedin beat Khabibulin with a shot labeled for the right corner of the net less than a minute later, and O'Brien provided the equalizer, launching a quick wrister from atop the left circle with 5:11 to go in the second.
Game Notes
Havlat and Brian Campbell both recorded two assists for Chicago...Ohlund and Kevin Bieksa each finished with two helpers for the Canucks...The Blackhawks finished 3-for-4 on the power play, while Vancouver was 1-for-5...The last Blackhawk player to post a playoff hat trick was defenseman Gary Suter on April 24, 1994 against Toronto...The seven goals are the most Chicago has scored in a series-clinching win since 1990, when the Blackhawks defeated the St. Louis Blues, 8-2, in Game 7 of the Norris Division finals.
The Sports Network
Patrick Kane recorded his first career playoff hat trick and added an assist, as the Chicago Blackhawks closed out this bruising Western Conference semifinal series with a wild 7-5 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 6 at United Center.
Jonathan Toews registered two goals and a helper for the Blackhawks, who wrapped up another chapter in their remarkable season of resurgence.
"Tonight was a great night," Kane said. "It's a great feeling. It was an awesome game. We've got an awesome group of guys here and we bounced back. We're so happy to (advance). From where we were at the beginning of last year, we've made so much progress."
After failing to win a series during just two playoff appearances since the 1996-97 campaign, Chicago now moves on to the conference finals for the first time since 1995, and will face either Detroit or Anaheim, the last two clubs to skate off with the Stanley Cup. The Red Wings lead their best-of- seven set, 3-2, and can eliminate the Ducks Tuesday in Anaheim.
Kris Versteeg and Adam Burish also scored for Chicago, while Nikolai Khabibulin made 33 saves for the win.
Daniel Sedin scored twice for the Canucks, who never seemed to recover following a heartbreaking overtime loss in Game 4. Vancouver was aiming to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, but the resilient Blackhawks tied the game with less than three minutes remaining in the third period and scored early in the extra session.
Mats Sundin had a goal and an assist, with Mason Raymond and Shane O'Brien also tallying for Vancouver. Roberto Luongo allowed all seven goals on 30 shots in defeat.
"I didn't help my team tonight," Luongo said. "I didn't make the saves. We had our chances early and I didn't help enough."
After erasing a two-goal deficit in the second period, Sundin put Vancouver ahead 4-3 at 3:43 of the third period, letting a shot go from the slot that found room in the far side of the net.
Burish drew the home team even 1:58 later, collecting a loose puck in the slot and firing a shot through traffic that beat Luongo on the glove side.
The Canucks went back in front on Sedin's power-play marker, but the lead lasted only 45 seconds as Kane scored on a wrap-around with exactly seven minutes left.
O'Brien committed an ill-timed hooking infraction 26 seconds later and Chicago wasted little time on the power play. Toews held the puck along the goal line at the right side of the net and had his intended cross-crease pass to teammate Patrick Sharp deflect off the left skate of Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler and behind a stunned Luongo with 6:11 remaining.
Kane completed the trifecta and added some insurance, coming down the left wing, cutting to the middle and unleashing a wicked backhander off the post and past Luongo with 3:43 to play.
"It's just been a great season and it's not over yet," said Sharp. "At the start of the year, no one thought we would ever be a final four team."
For the fifth time in the series, Vancouver notched the first goal of the game, capitalizing on a misplay by the Blackhawks. Sundin led an odd-man rush, then handed off to Raymond and he fired a wrister from the right circle through the legs of Khabibulin with 8:47 remaining in the opening frame.
Chicago had an answer two minutes later. Kane came down the right wing and Mattias Ohlund tried to stand him up at the blueline. Kane, though, skated around the Swedish defenseman, drifted to the faceoff circle and fired a shot that beat Luongo on the short side.
"We gave (Chicago) a lot of chances and just didn't play defense the way we wanted," Ohlund said. "We didn't create enough the last three games and pushed too hard for offense tonight. They're a great team, but we were not at our best."
Luongo made some big stops early in the first period. He got a right pad on Dave Bolland's wrap-around bid, then denied Martin Havlat on the breakaway, getting his glove on a backhander.
The Blackhawks built a two-goal lead in the second period, but it withered away.
Canucks forward Rick Rypien took a careless interference penalty early in the middle stanza and Versteeg ripped a rising shot over Luongo's left shoulder for a power-play goal at the 3:54 mark.
Chicago struck again with the man advantage after Willie Mitchell was sent off for hooking. The Blackhawks rotated the puck to the right side of the net. Luongo turned away Toews' initial shot, but the Chicago captain picked up his own rebound and stuffed it behind the Vancouver netminder with 9:43 remaining.
Facing a must-win situation, the Canucks mounted a comeback.
Sedin beat Khabibulin with a shot labeled for the right corner of the net less than a minute later, and O'Brien provided the equalizer, launching a quick wrister from atop the left circle with 5:11 to go in the second.
Game Notes
Havlat and Brian Campbell both recorded two assists for Chicago...Ohlund and Kevin Bieksa each finished with two helpers for the Canucks...The Blackhawks finished 3-for-4 on the power play, while Vancouver was 1-for-5...The last Blackhawk player to post a playoff hat trick was defenseman Gary Suter on April 24, 1994 against Toronto...The seven goals are the most Chicago has scored in a series-clinching win since 1990, when the Blackhawks defeated the St. Louis Blues, 8-2, in Game 7 of the Norris Division finals.
Steckel's OT goal sends Caps over Pens, sets up Game 7
David Steckel's goal 6:22 into overtime lifted the Washington Capitals over the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-4, in Game 6 of a stellar Eastern Conference semifinal series from Mellon Arena.
From below the right circle, Brooks Laich lofted a shot towards the net which clipped the edge of Steckel's stick and dipped past Marc-Andre Fleury for the game-winner.
"It's been a long time since we won an overtime game in Pittsburgh. We've been hearing about it for the last two days, so it's a nice feeling," admitted Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau. "The message (after the third period) was 'it's our turn,' who is going to get that break to give us the advantage? Who's gonna get the bouncing puck, the deflection off the stick?"
Viktor Kozlov tallied twice for the Capitals, whose win forced a deciding Game 7 at Verizon Center in America's capital on Wednesday.
Alexander Semin added a goal and one assist while Tomas Fleischmann also lit the lamp for the Caps, who face an ultimate game in a best-of-seven series for the third time in franchise history against the Penguins. Pittsburgh won both previous Game 7s, in 1992 and 1995.
Alex Ovechkin contributed three assists and Simeon Varlamov recorded the win with 38 saves, his first career postseason victory beyond regulation.
Sidney Crosby posted a goal and a helper for the Penguins, who have not seen a Game 7 since the 2001 Eastern semis against the Buffalo Sabres. Bill Guerin, Mark Eaton and Kris Letang also scored, while Evgeni Malkin recorded three assists in the loss.
"Playoff hockey is about giving people the opportunity to become heroes," said Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma about the shifting nature of the series. "If you play a certain way over 60 minutes, have 45 shots, you give yourself an opportunity to win. We'll try to pepper their goaltender the same way in the next game and see how it all shakes out."
Marc-Andre Fleury suffered his first career overtime playoff defeat, allowing five goals on just 24 shots.
"This is great for the game, with the best players shining on the brightest stage," Boudreau said. "I just wish this was for the Cup."
The home team looked poised to put the game away early, and Guerin provided a finished off a 2-on-1 with Crosby by burying a wrister from the right circle 5:55 into the contest.
Washington survived a two-man disadvantage just after the midway point of the first period, but failed to generate offense on its lone power play. Varlamov made 17 saves alone over the first 20 minutes as the Pens outshot the Caps 18-5.
Kozlov finally got the visitors on track, tying the game at the 6:27 mark of the second period, beating Fleury with a quick wrister under the crossbar.
Semin was dragged down on a breakaway with 5 1/2 minutes left in the period, and on the delayed call, Fleischmann tapped in a loose puck from the crease for a 2-1 Caps edge at 14:42.
"I would have liked that period to keep going, and skip the intermission," Bylsma admitted. "We were missing opportunities thereafter. You've got to give them credit, they used their defensemen well to choke off the passing lanes and second chances."
Momentum took another swing back towards the Penguins as Brian Pothier was sent off for interference later in the second, and Eaton evened the game on a power-play score with 34 seconds to play, finding a loose puck in the slot and firing a shot home.
Just nine seconds after Steckel went to the box for slashing, Letang fired in his second career playoff goal from the left faceoff dot 4:40 into the third period for a 3-2 Pittsburgh lead.
However, the Capitals immediately went to the advantage and Semin's shot from the left circle changed direction off the inside of Laich's right leg for a 3-3 deadlock at 5:38.
Only 29 seconds later, Kozlov followed up an errant shot and beat Fleury from along the goal line and Washington assumed a one-goal edge.
The Pens were unbowed and Crosby knocked down Brooks Orpik's point shot in the low slot, followed his own rebound, and tucked in the game-tying goal with 4:18 left in regulation.
Laich was called for slashing with 2:02 left in the third, and Varlamov held firm against a furious Penguins series inside their attacking zone to send the game into the extra session.
"He has one hand on the stick and drops it with two minutes left in regulation," said Boudreau about Chris Kunitz, who was fouled on the play. "They had scored on the previous power play, so I was concerned about the momentum shift. It was a real gut-check for all the guys out there."
Game Notes
It was Washington's first playoff OT win after losing seven straight, dating back to a 4-3 decision on April 18, 2001 against Pittsburgh in Game 4 of an Eastern quarterfinal...The Capitals are just 2-5 in Game 7s, while the Penguins are 5-4...Varlamov improved to 1-2 in overtime games, while Fleury fell to 5-1...Caps defenseman Shaone Morrisonn collected a secondary assist on Kozlov's score, his first career playoff point...Pens defenseman Sergei Gonchar missed the game and continues to be day-to-day with a leg injury caused by a knee-to-knee hit with Ovechkin during Game 5.
From below the right circle, Brooks Laich lofted a shot towards the net which clipped the edge of Steckel's stick and dipped past Marc-Andre Fleury for the game-winner.
"It's been a long time since we won an overtime game in Pittsburgh. We've been hearing about it for the last two days, so it's a nice feeling," admitted Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau. "The message (after the third period) was 'it's our turn,' who is going to get that break to give us the advantage? Who's gonna get the bouncing puck, the deflection off the stick?"
Viktor Kozlov tallied twice for the Capitals, whose win forced a deciding Game 7 at Verizon Center in America's capital on Wednesday.
Alexander Semin added a goal and one assist while Tomas Fleischmann also lit the lamp for the Caps, who face an ultimate game in a best-of-seven series for the third time in franchise history against the Penguins. Pittsburgh won both previous Game 7s, in 1992 and 1995.
Alex Ovechkin contributed three assists and Simeon Varlamov recorded the win with 38 saves, his first career postseason victory beyond regulation.
Sidney Crosby posted a goal and a helper for the Penguins, who have not seen a Game 7 since the 2001 Eastern semis against the Buffalo Sabres. Bill Guerin, Mark Eaton and Kris Letang also scored, while Evgeni Malkin recorded three assists in the loss.
"Playoff hockey is about giving people the opportunity to become heroes," said Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma about the shifting nature of the series. "If you play a certain way over 60 minutes, have 45 shots, you give yourself an opportunity to win. We'll try to pepper their goaltender the same way in the next game and see how it all shakes out."
Marc-Andre Fleury suffered his first career overtime playoff defeat, allowing five goals on just 24 shots.
"This is great for the game, with the best players shining on the brightest stage," Boudreau said. "I just wish this was for the Cup."
The home team looked poised to put the game away early, and Guerin provided a finished off a 2-on-1 with Crosby by burying a wrister from the right circle 5:55 into the contest.
Washington survived a two-man disadvantage just after the midway point of the first period, but failed to generate offense on its lone power play. Varlamov made 17 saves alone over the first 20 minutes as the Pens outshot the Caps 18-5.
Kozlov finally got the visitors on track, tying the game at the 6:27 mark of the second period, beating Fleury with a quick wrister under the crossbar.
Semin was dragged down on a breakaway with 5 1/2 minutes left in the period, and on the delayed call, Fleischmann tapped in a loose puck from the crease for a 2-1 Caps edge at 14:42.
"I would have liked that period to keep going, and skip the intermission," Bylsma admitted. "We were missing opportunities thereafter. You've got to give them credit, they used their defensemen well to choke off the passing lanes and second chances."
Momentum took another swing back towards the Penguins as Brian Pothier was sent off for interference later in the second, and Eaton evened the game on a power-play score with 34 seconds to play, finding a loose puck in the slot and firing a shot home.
Just nine seconds after Steckel went to the box for slashing, Letang fired in his second career playoff goal from the left faceoff dot 4:40 into the third period for a 3-2 Pittsburgh lead.
However, the Capitals immediately went to the advantage and Semin's shot from the left circle changed direction off the inside of Laich's right leg for a 3-3 deadlock at 5:38.
Only 29 seconds later, Kozlov followed up an errant shot and beat Fleury from along the goal line and Washington assumed a one-goal edge.
The Pens were unbowed and Crosby knocked down Brooks Orpik's point shot in the low slot, followed his own rebound, and tucked in the game-tying goal with 4:18 left in regulation.
Laich was called for slashing with 2:02 left in the third, and Varlamov held firm against a furious Penguins series inside their attacking zone to send the game into the extra session.
"He has one hand on the stick and drops it with two minutes left in regulation," said Boudreau about Chris Kunitz, who was fouled on the play. "They had scored on the previous power play, so I was concerned about the momentum shift. It was a real gut-check for all the guys out there."
Game Notes
It was Washington's first playoff OT win after losing seven straight, dating back to a 4-3 decision on April 18, 2001 against Pittsburgh in Game 4 of an Eastern quarterfinal...The Capitals are just 2-5 in Game 7s, while the Penguins are 5-4...Varlamov improved to 1-2 in overtime games, while Fleury fell to 5-1...Caps defenseman Shaone Morrisonn collected a secondary assist on Kozlov's score, his first career playoff point...Pens defenseman Sergei Gonchar missed the game and continues to be day-to-day with a leg injury caused by a knee-to-knee hit with Ovechkin during Game 5.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Former Flyer Tocchet named head coach in Tampa
The Tampa Bay Lightning elevated Rick Tocchet to head coach on a full-time basis Monday by agreeing on a multi-year contract.
Tocchet, who had been hired as an assistant last offseason, took over in Tampa on an interim basis just 16 games into the 2008-09 season after the abrupt firing of Barry Melrose. He becomes the seventh head coach in the franchise's 17-year history.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
The 45-year-old Ontario native began his coaching career in 2002-03 with the Colorado Avalanche as an assistant under Tony Granato. He spent 1 1/2 seasons with the Avs before joining Wayne Gretzky's staff in Phoenix as an assistant in 2005.
However, his tenure there was abbreviated as he spent two years away from the game for his involvement in a massive betting ring based in southern New Jersey before re-entering the league with Tampa Bay.
The Lightning endured a complete franchise turnover and totally revamped their lineup after finishing 2007-08 with the worst record in the league. They selected Steven Stamkos with the first overall pick of the draft, signed franchise centerpiece Vincent Lecavalier to an 11-year contract and brought in a slew of offensive talent from elsewhere.
All that change went for naught, as the Bolts would up with the league's second worst record at 24-40-18 and lost their final nine games. Under Tocchet's guidance, Tampa Bay was 19-33-14.
Tocchet competed in 1,144 career games for six teams over 18 NHL seasons and is one of only three players in the history of the league to record 400 goals and at least 2,500 penalty minutes. Overall, he posted 440 goals, 952 points and 2,972 penalty minutes while also appearing in 145 playoff games and netting 52 goals with 112 points and 471 penalty minutes.
Tocchet, who had been hired as an assistant last offseason, took over in Tampa on an interim basis just 16 games into the 2008-09 season after the abrupt firing of Barry Melrose. He becomes the seventh head coach in the franchise's 17-year history.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
The 45-year-old Ontario native began his coaching career in 2002-03 with the Colorado Avalanche as an assistant under Tony Granato. He spent 1 1/2 seasons with the Avs before joining Wayne Gretzky's staff in Phoenix as an assistant in 2005.
However, his tenure there was abbreviated as he spent two years away from the game for his involvement in a massive betting ring based in southern New Jersey before re-entering the league with Tampa Bay.
The Lightning endured a complete franchise turnover and totally revamped their lineup after finishing 2007-08 with the worst record in the league. They selected Steven Stamkos with the first overall pick of the draft, signed franchise centerpiece Vincent Lecavalier to an 11-year contract and brought in a slew of offensive talent from elsewhere.
All that change went for naught, as the Bolts would up with the league's second worst record at 24-40-18 and lost their final nine games. Under Tocchet's guidance, Tampa Bay was 19-33-14.
Tocchet competed in 1,144 career games for six teams over 18 NHL seasons and is one of only three players in the history of the league to record 400 goals and at least 2,500 penalty minutes. Overall, he posted 440 goals, 952 points and 2,972 penalty minutes while also appearing in 145 playoff games and netting 52 goals with 112 points and 471 penalty minutes.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Flyers taking a serious look at Emery
The Ottawa Sun today reports that the Flyers have made overtures toward former Ottawa Senators goalie Ray Emery, who played last season in Russia after his unceremonious and acrimonious departure from the NHL in 2008.
With Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki both free agents now, the club would be wise to investigate how to revamp their situation in the crease.
Despite all the BS about Emery's discipline problems two years ago, this makes sense from several standpoints:
1) As he did not play in the NHL last season, he does not have a contract, which means that...
2) The Flyers can sign him to any amount of money, for as many years as they wish, because...
3) They will be rid of some salary because of the cap's shrinkage for next season and with both current netminders slated to be unrestricted, they're going to look for someone to fill at least one spot on the cheap.
4) That means some other goaltenders, who can be gotten in either body-for-body trades or body-for-pick deals, won't get much notice from the club.
It's always been standard operating procedure that fleecing another team equals fair value for the club, but now with Comcast holding the reins, the ledger's gotta be clean and that means Holmgren will be looking at the scrap heap.
Unless Biron really loves it here and is willing to take a pay cut or a new deal with a lot more on the back end, he's gone. I expect the Flyers will begin negotiations by lowballing him, which might grease the skids for his exit.
I also don't think anyone in the front office is dumb enough to try and give Niittymaki a shot to be the starter - not when they apparently think the team is "close" to Cup contention. He may still wind up the number two choice, and a relatively solid one at that.
I like Emery. I like his fire, I like his competitiveness and his drive and his technical but passionate style of goaltending. Plus, he's got Stanley Cup experience
I don't know what really precipitated his fall from grace performance-wise, but the way he structured his exit from Ottawa two seasons ago tells me things were really screwed within the organization and he felt he had to go the dirty path to escape it.
The Flyers may be wise to sign him to either a one-or-two year deal if they are concerned that his passion will get the best of him. Otherwise, I don't see the club making a serious run at anyone else, save Jean-Sebastien Giguere or Carey Price.
With Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki both free agents now, the club would be wise to investigate how to revamp their situation in the crease.
Despite all the BS about Emery's discipline problems two years ago, this makes sense from several standpoints:
1) As he did not play in the NHL last season, he does not have a contract, which means that...
2) The Flyers can sign him to any amount of money, for as many years as they wish, because...
3) They will be rid of some salary because of the cap's shrinkage for next season and with both current netminders slated to be unrestricted, they're going to look for someone to fill at least one spot on the cheap.
4) That means some other goaltenders, who can be gotten in either body-for-body trades or body-for-pick deals, won't get much notice from the club.
It's always been standard operating procedure that fleecing another team equals fair value for the club, but now with Comcast holding the reins, the ledger's gotta be clean and that means Holmgren will be looking at the scrap heap.
Unless Biron really loves it here and is willing to take a pay cut or a new deal with a lot more on the back end, he's gone. I expect the Flyers will begin negotiations by lowballing him, which might grease the skids for his exit.
I also don't think anyone in the front office is dumb enough to try and give Niittymaki a shot to be the starter - not when they apparently think the team is "close" to Cup contention. He may still wind up the number two choice, and a relatively solid one at that.
I like Emery. I like his fire, I like his competitiveness and his drive and his technical but passionate style of goaltending. Plus, he's got Stanley Cup experience
I don't know what really precipitated his fall from grace performance-wise, but the way he structured his exit from Ottawa two seasons ago tells me things were really screwed within the organization and he felt he had to go the dirty path to escape it.
The Flyers may be wise to sign him to either a one-or-two year deal if they are concerned that his passion will get the best of him. Otherwise, I don't see the club making a serious run at anyone else, save Jean-Sebastien Giguere or Carey Price.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Conference Semifinal Predictions
Eastern Conference
(6) Carolina vs (1) Boston
Losing Game 2 at home in a shutout shifts some momentum away from the Bruins. I think that overall, Cam Ward has outperformed Tim Thomas in the first two games because he's had more work. From the start, I never underestimated the Canes, who have a little more than half of their roster still on the team from the 2006 Cup win.
Still, the Bruins are the most complete and balanced team of all remaining in the East, and Carolina is going to have to work that much harder if it comes down to another Game 7 on the road - one which the Bruins will win because they don't have the dinosaurs the Devils did.
Bruins in seven.
(4) Pittsburgh vs (2) Washington
This is a nightmare scenario for the league as only one team can make the next round and there's no guarantee the winner makes it to the Cup. Despite the Capitals taking a 2-0 series lead, I imagine that the officiating will be biased for the Pens in Games 3 and 4, and also Game 6. That means it's another gruelling Game 7 for the Capitals, who have done a good job learning what it takes to push on through.
The main factor in this series will not be how the superstars fare, but how the main supporting cast does. How will Evgeni Malkin and Bill Guerin stack up against Sergei Fedorov and Michael Nylander? So far, the Caps have the edge but that will change with home ice.
Washington in seven.
Western Conference
(6) Anaheim vs (1) Detroit
Don't let the Ducks fool you. They will give the speedy Red Wings all they can handle for as long as they can keep throwing their weight around. The fact that Anaheim played close in Game 1 then stole Game 2 probably won't be a factor as to how the next batch of games play out; the Wings can turn on the juice whenevere they want, and the Ducks are enough of an inconsistent club that once their guard is down, Detroit will motor all over them.
Chris Osgood is also just enough of a tested goaltender to outplay Jonas Hiller.
Detroit in six.
(4) Chicago vs (3) Vancouver
Personally, I hope this series never ends. I want it to be best of 37. Both teams fit together like opposite sides of a dovetail joint. Both have youth and speed and grit and goaltenders who can steal games.
Ultimately, Chicago might steal this thing because they have more players who can do more things on the front two lines.
Chicago in six.
(6) Carolina vs (1) Boston
Losing Game 2 at home in a shutout shifts some momentum away from the Bruins. I think that overall, Cam Ward has outperformed Tim Thomas in the first two games because he's had more work. From the start, I never underestimated the Canes, who have a little more than half of their roster still on the team from the 2006 Cup win.
Still, the Bruins are the most complete and balanced team of all remaining in the East, and Carolina is going to have to work that much harder if it comes down to another Game 7 on the road - one which the Bruins will win because they don't have the dinosaurs the Devils did.
Bruins in seven.
(4) Pittsburgh vs (2) Washington
This is a nightmare scenario for the league as only one team can make the next round and there's no guarantee the winner makes it to the Cup. Despite the Capitals taking a 2-0 series lead, I imagine that the officiating will be biased for the Pens in Games 3 and 4, and also Game 6. That means it's another gruelling Game 7 for the Capitals, who have done a good job learning what it takes to push on through.
The main factor in this series will not be how the superstars fare, but how the main supporting cast does. How will Evgeni Malkin and Bill Guerin stack up against Sergei Fedorov and Michael Nylander? So far, the Caps have the edge but that will change with home ice.
Washington in seven.
Western Conference
(6) Anaheim vs (1) Detroit
Don't let the Ducks fool you. They will give the speedy Red Wings all they can handle for as long as they can keep throwing their weight around. The fact that Anaheim played close in Game 1 then stole Game 2 probably won't be a factor as to how the next batch of games play out; the Wings can turn on the juice whenevere they want, and the Ducks are enough of an inconsistent club that once their guard is down, Detroit will motor all over them.
Chris Osgood is also just enough of a tested goaltender to outplay Jonas Hiller.
Detroit in six.
(4) Chicago vs (3) Vancouver
Personally, I hope this series never ends. I want it to be best of 37. Both teams fit together like opposite sides of a dovetail joint. Both have youth and speed and grit and goaltenders who can steal games.
Ultimately, Chicago might steal this thing because they have more players who can do more things on the front two lines.
Chicago in six.
The Song Remains The Same
A 44-win season - two more than last year. Tied for second place with 99
points - two places higher and four more points than a year ago.
No season-wrecking 10-game losing streak in February. A higher seed in the
playoffs than the previous season.
But then, yet another inexplicable collapse in front of the home crowd in an
elimination game unfolded, one week ago.
And something even more alarming, passed along by the internets Sunday
morning: General manager Paul Holmgren says head coach John Stevens will
return next season.
And then...Flyers chairman Ed Snider says the Flyers "absolutely do not" need
to make major off-season changes.
Once again, in black and white. The organization is not very concerned with
winning the Stanley Cup.
They're satisfied that interest is high and the horrid season of 2006-07 is
far in the rear view mirror. Speaking of rears, plenty of them make contact
with the ample seats and entertainment pavilions at Wachovia Center game after
game, now sated that the club is back on the winning side of the ledger.
They're also content to believe that the good soldiers, the John Stevenses and
Craig Berubes of the hockey world, will lead the club to greatness just for
having passed through the ranks on the way to The Show.
If winning the whole thing is the true goal, endorsements of the head
coach and his staff by a general manager whose season might best be termed
as "embattled," could never be issued less than 24 hours after yet another
collapse in a do-or-die playoff game on home ice.
Ed Snider, once the firebrand and primary mover behind the success of the
franchise, could never dream of making such a defensive comment in public when
all logic dictates otherwise.
It takes a lot of guts to stay the course after such a dramatic exit in what
can be viewed as a failure of a season. After all, it's a pattern the club has
seen before.
Mike Keenan led the 1985 team to the Finals, only to lose in the first round
to the fourth-place Rangers the next season due to Pelle Lindbergh's death and
John Vanbiesbrouck. The next season, it took until the third period of Game 7
against Edmonton to subdue their charge.
Terry Murray was at the helm for the 1995 conference finals run, then presided
as the Florida Panthers trapped their way to victory in the second round in
1996. One year later, he oversaw the run to the Cup before that exploded in a
four-game sweep.
Common factors here? Overachieving in Year One, followed by underachieving in
Year Two, then taking those lessons and going for glory in Year Three.
What else links those two eras? Ultimately, not capturing the supposed prize.
Naturally, over the course of the past week, the slow leak of injury news
emerged.
Mike Richards had two torn labrums, one in each shoulder, requiring surgery
and rehab. Kimmo Timonen played with a concussion. Jeff Carter somehow managed
to dodge the knife.
And there you have the primary silent message to the masses: we do not use
injuries as excuses for poor play, but how can you judge the team as truly
underperforming when key players were so banged up?
Nice little heart-tugging paradox isn't it? That particular brand of hockey
"logic" fits right in with the usual front-office protocol when the result
doesn't come near expectations.
And so it goes, year after year. The corporate slogan for each season may
change, but the song remains the same.
points - two places higher and four more points than a year ago.
No season-wrecking 10-game losing streak in February. A higher seed in the
playoffs than the previous season.
But then, yet another inexplicable collapse in front of the home crowd in an
elimination game unfolded, one week ago.
And something even more alarming, passed along by the internets Sunday
morning: General manager Paul Holmgren says head coach John Stevens will
return next season.
And then...Flyers chairman Ed Snider says the Flyers "absolutely do not" need
to make major off-season changes.
Once again, in black and white. The organization is not very concerned with
winning the Stanley Cup.
They're satisfied that interest is high and the horrid season of 2006-07 is
far in the rear view mirror. Speaking of rears, plenty of them make contact
with the ample seats and entertainment pavilions at Wachovia Center game after
game, now sated that the club is back on the winning side of the ledger.
They're also content to believe that the good soldiers, the John Stevenses and
Craig Berubes of the hockey world, will lead the club to greatness just for
having passed through the ranks on the way to The Show.
If winning the whole thing is the true goal, endorsements of the head
coach and his staff by a general manager whose season might best be termed
as "embattled," could never be issued less than 24 hours after yet another
collapse in a do-or-die playoff game on home ice.
Ed Snider, once the firebrand and primary mover behind the success of the
franchise, could never dream of making such a defensive comment in public when
all logic dictates otherwise.
It takes a lot of guts to stay the course after such a dramatic exit in what
can be viewed as a failure of a season. After all, it's a pattern the club has
seen before.
Mike Keenan led the 1985 team to the Finals, only to lose in the first round
to the fourth-place Rangers the next season due to Pelle Lindbergh's death and
John Vanbiesbrouck. The next season, it took until the third period of Game 7
against Edmonton to subdue their charge.
Terry Murray was at the helm for the 1995 conference finals run, then presided
as the Florida Panthers trapped their way to victory in the second round in
1996. One year later, he oversaw the run to the Cup before that exploded in a
four-game sweep.
Common factors here? Overachieving in Year One, followed by underachieving in
Year Two, then taking those lessons and going for glory in Year Three.
What else links those two eras? Ultimately, not capturing the supposed prize.
Naturally, over the course of the past week, the slow leak of injury news
emerged.
Mike Richards had two torn labrums, one in each shoulder, requiring surgery
and rehab. Kimmo Timonen played with a concussion. Jeff Carter somehow managed
to dodge the knife.
And there you have the primary silent message to the masses: we do not use
injuries as excuses for poor play, but how can you judge the team as truly
underperforming when key players were so banged up?
Nice little heart-tugging paradox isn't it? That particular brand of hockey
"logic" fits right in with the usual front-office protocol when the result
doesn't come near expectations.
And so it goes, year after year. The corporate slogan for each season may
change, but the song remains the same.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Why I Waited This Long to Recap the Flyers' Season
A) It's still a shock to me how the Flyers continue to come up lame in elimination games, particularly at home.
B) Per organization policy, it takes at least 72 hours before we start hearing all the secret, debilitating injuries which kept the best players from performing.
C) There are other better series happening.
D) It's still a shock to me how quickly Holmgren and Snider publicly came out in defense of the team.
E) It's May. I wanna be outside looking at the girls and enjoying my neighborhood, instead of being locked inside constantly updating the blog.
B) Per organization policy, it takes at least 72 hours before we start hearing all the secret, debilitating injuries which kept the best players from performing.
C) There are other better series happening.
D) It's still a shock to me how quickly Holmgren and Snider publicly came out in defense of the team.
E) It's May. I wanna be outside looking at the girls and enjoying my neighborhood, instead of being locked inside constantly updating the blog.
Capitals take Game 1 from Penguins
Courtesy of the Sports Network
Tomas Fleischmann scored the game-winner in the early stages of the third period, as the Washington Capitals edged the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-2, in Game 1 of this star-studded Eastern Conference semifinal from a roaring Verizon Center.
It's a match-up boasting two of the most recognizable names in the NHL -- Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alex Ovechkin, the last two players to capture the Hart Trophy as league MVP.
Ovechkin and Crosby's teammate, Evgeni Malkin, who led the league with 78 assists and 113 points during the regular season, are two of the three finalists for the prestigious award this year, with the indelible Ovechkin vying to become the first player to claim the honor in back-to-back seasons since Dominik Hasek accomplished the feat over a decade ago.
Ovechkin and David Steckel also lit the lamp for the second-seeded Capitals, who battled back from a three-games-to-one hole in the first round to vanquish the Rangers, the franchise's first playoff series triumph in 11 years. Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom both recorded two assists.
Unheralded rookie Simeon Varlamov continued his outstanding work between the pipes for the Southeast Division champs. Varlamov, who supplanted Jose Theodore after a less-than-stellar effort in Game 1 against New York, earned the victory with 34 saves, none bigger than a fabulous stop on Crosby late in the second period and with the score tied.
"No disrespect to the Rangers, but (the Penguins) come at you. We have to be ready," said Washington head coach Bruce Boudreau. "There's no chance if we had got down 2-0 at home, we would have been able to do the same thing and duplicate it. So we knew how important this (game) was."
Crosby and Mark Eaton found the net for the fourth-seeded Penguins, who needed six games to eliminate Philadelphia in the opening round. Marc-Andre Fleury allowed three goals on 26 shots in defeat.
Game 2 of this best-of-seven set is scheduled for Monday in the nation's capital.
With the score deadlocked at two through 40 minutes of play, Fleischmann struck early in the third period to restore the lead for the home team. Semin slowed up just inside the blueline and faked a shot before sending a cross-ice pass to Backstrom. Meanwhile, Fleischmann was all alone at the right side of the net. He settled down a feed from the young Swede and lifted a shot over Fleury's shoulder at the 1:46 mark.
Pittsburgh failed to cash in on a pair of power plays in the final frame and pulled Fleury with a little over a minute to play, but the equalizer never materialized.
Crosby staked the visitors to an early 1-0 lead. The Pittsburgh captain took a feed from Bill Guerin, came down the right wing, cut to the middle and fired a shot from the high slot past Varlamov's glove 4:09 into the contest.
Washington, though, overcame its slow start and held a one-goal lead after the opening frame. Steckel drove the net and slipped the rebound of a Matt Bradley shot through the pads of Fleury with 6:10 remaining.
The Capitals then used perfect execution on an extended two-man advantage to pull ahead, as Ovechkin one-timed a pass from Semin past Fleury with 2:57 left in the first period.
Pittsburgh tied the game at two when Eaton's slap shot from the left point caught Varlamov's glove and trickled in with 7:06 remaining in the middle stanza. The Russian netminder had a clear view of the puck, but simply misplayed the shot.
However, Varlamov atoned for the gaffe with a couple phenomenal saves to keep the game tied. He slid across to deny Petr Sykora with the left pad on an odd- man rush, then reached back with the paddle on the goal line to rob Crosby, who had raised his arms in apparent triumph but was denied.
"We had chances to get some more goals," said Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma. "(Varlamov) obviously made the huge save there with the open net."
Game Notes
Pittsburgh finished 0-for-5 on the power play, while Washington was 1- for-2...This series marks the eighth time the Capitals and Penguins have clashed in the postseason, with Pittsburgh having won six of the previous meetings. They last met in the opening round of the 2001 playoffs and the Pens skated away with a six-game series victory. Washington's only playoff triumph over the Pens came in six games during the 1994 conference quarterfinals.
Tomas Fleischmann scored the game-winner in the early stages of the third period, as the Washington Capitals edged the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-2, in Game 1 of this star-studded Eastern Conference semifinal from a roaring Verizon Center.
It's a match-up boasting two of the most recognizable names in the NHL -- Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alex Ovechkin, the last two players to capture the Hart Trophy as league MVP.
Ovechkin and Crosby's teammate, Evgeni Malkin, who led the league with 78 assists and 113 points during the regular season, are two of the three finalists for the prestigious award this year, with the indelible Ovechkin vying to become the first player to claim the honor in back-to-back seasons since Dominik Hasek accomplished the feat over a decade ago.
Ovechkin and David Steckel also lit the lamp for the second-seeded Capitals, who battled back from a three-games-to-one hole in the first round to vanquish the Rangers, the franchise's first playoff series triumph in 11 years. Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom both recorded two assists.
Unheralded rookie Simeon Varlamov continued his outstanding work between the pipes for the Southeast Division champs. Varlamov, who supplanted Jose Theodore after a less-than-stellar effort in Game 1 against New York, earned the victory with 34 saves, none bigger than a fabulous stop on Crosby late in the second period and with the score tied.
"No disrespect to the Rangers, but (the Penguins) come at you. We have to be ready," said Washington head coach Bruce Boudreau. "There's no chance if we had got down 2-0 at home, we would have been able to do the same thing and duplicate it. So we knew how important this (game) was."
Crosby and Mark Eaton found the net for the fourth-seeded Penguins, who needed six games to eliminate Philadelphia in the opening round. Marc-Andre Fleury allowed three goals on 26 shots in defeat.
Game 2 of this best-of-seven set is scheduled for Monday in the nation's capital.
With the score deadlocked at two through 40 minutes of play, Fleischmann struck early in the third period to restore the lead for the home team. Semin slowed up just inside the blueline and faked a shot before sending a cross-ice pass to Backstrom. Meanwhile, Fleischmann was all alone at the right side of the net. He settled down a feed from the young Swede and lifted a shot over Fleury's shoulder at the 1:46 mark.
Pittsburgh failed to cash in on a pair of power plays in the final frame and pulled Fleury with a little over a minute to play, but the equalizer never materialized.
Crosby staked the visitors to an early 1-0 lead. The Pittsburgh captain took a feed from Bill Guerin, came down the right wing, cut to the middle and fired a shot from the high slot past Varlamov's glove 4:09 into the contest.
Washington, though, overcame its slow start and held a one-goal lead after the opening frame. Steckel drove the net and slipped the rebound of a Matt Bradley shot through the pads of Fleury with 6:10 remaining.
The Capitals then used perfect execution on an extended two-man advantage to pull ahead, as Ovechkin one-timed a pass from Semin past Fleury with 2:57 left in the first period.
Pittsburgh tied the game at two when Eaton's slap shot from the left point caught Varlamov's glove and trickled in with 7:06 remaining in the middle stanza. The Russian netminder had a clear view of the puck, but simply misplayed the shot.
However, Varlamov atoned for the gaffe with a couple phenomenal saves to keep the game tied. He slid across to deny Petr Sykora with the left pad on an odd- man rush, then reached back with the paddle on the goal line to rob Crosby, who had raised his arms in apparent triumph but was denied.
"We had chances to get some more goals," said Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma. "(Varlamov) obviously made the huge save there with the open net."
Game Notes
Pittsburgh finished 0-for-5 on the power play, while Washington was 1- for-2...This series marks the eighth time the Capitals and Penguins have clashed in the postseason, with Pittsburgh having won six of the previous meetings. They last met in the opening round of the 2001 playoffs and the Pens skated away with a six-game series victory. Washington's only playoff triumph over the Pens came in six games during the 1994 conference quarterfinals.
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