In this episode we wrap-up the first round with complete analysis of each series and discuss what the Sharks, Flames & Devils will do in the future now that their seasons are over. We also talk about the start of the second round by breaking down each matchup and we’re joined by Steve Harris of the Boston Herald to discuss the Bruins amazing season and postseason success. All that plus the Coyotes financial troubles, awards finalists being named and a whole lot more.
To hear this week’s Bonus Segment just scroll down!
MP3 File
Here’s a look at some video of the things we talk about in this episode:
Mike Brown’s hit on Jiri Hudler – was it dirty or clean? Take a look for yourself:
Hurricanes/Bruins Game One:
Blackhawks/Canucks Game One:
In response to the Bonus Segment content, does San Jose even RAISE a President’s Banner?Good point about it being a possible motivational tool, but do you dare put the team’s fans through a CEREMONY? A celebration that says “Hey, remember, we WERE good last year!” I think if San Jose manangement feels there should be a banner in place, put it up when no one’s there. Use it as motivation, sure, but don’t call attention to it. I think it would be different if a team that hasn’t had recent success had blown up for the NHL lead. If St Louis or Toronto had done it, celebrate. But I think Sharks fans were EXPECTING a lot more.
You know, like some EFFORT in games 1 & 2…
“King of the Hill” Jonas Hiller.
The team that worked the hardest one tonight, no doubt.
Oops, I meant won…
Has anyone else listened to the Sharks broadcast team? I think that those guys are terrible. Or is it just me?
Mark- Did you think Ozzie’s OT goal was something he should of stopped. I say yes, my buddy says no. As far as the game goes, while I LOATHE these teams, I thought it was a pretty good game. I thought Osgood and Hiller made some disgusting saves. Ryan Getzlaf is playing out of his mind.
But, tonight, the word “stud” is spelled W-A-R-D…
“What do you know, Detroit gets the benefit of this call too.” WOW. I can’t believe the objectivity in that! Sheesh. We now know that Brown was not suspended, but what the hell did Detroit get the benefit of, a guy getting a misconduct? The ref has no idea if a guy is going to be able to return from a head injury. There was blood. This wasn’t RJ Umberger being hit by Stuart, then getting to his knees and picking up his helmet and being a little woozy. A guy gets four minutes for an accidental high stick when blood is drawn. The hit may not have been that late or that dirty when you have a chance to look at replays, which officials don’t do. Here’s my view: Brown hits a guy who is basically skating away from the Ducks offensive zone. Hudler is not going to be in the play. Brown, instead of hustling back, chooses instead to go east to west and hit a guy. I have no idea if there would have been a 2 minute call had Hudler just got up. I’ve seen strange officiating in this series, where slewfooting goes uncalled and a slight bump gets called for interference. So who knows. But the ref has to say, ok here’s a hit that could have been avoided, a guy is seemingly injured and in the dressing room, I gotta make a decision here. So, taking him out of the game doesn’t hurt the Ducks offense or defense, and it possibly prevents “revenge.” I think all the right calls were made.
Kris – I doubt there will be any celebration. But yes, I believe there will be a “regular season league champions” banner in the arena.
Kris: I feel that Ozzie should have stopped Marchant’s OT goal, just my opinion. He had some very nice saves in this game and to go out on that is disappointing.
Overall, I think Detroit outplayed them in all OT periods and the Ducks were marginally better in the first three periods. As I said, best team won last night.
Hiller is in a zone but is vulnerable in ways and the Wings are figuring it out—they simply did not shoot enough in this game, too many pretty passes around the face-off dots.
As far as the objectivity of the refs…the Wings never get it and never will. Networks love the underdog.
I missed Ward’s shutout yesterday (16 saves in the 3rd?!), but Varlamov’s game – especicially the save on Crosby – was also great playoff goaltending. These guys are all getting it done – even Osgood.
Doug,
I thought you were just babling the same homer Ducks non sense when talking about this hit until the, “What do you know, Detroit gets the benefit of this call too.†the guy on Blue line talk radio said you guys and the espn podcast (???) were idiots, but I disagreed until the last couple of weeks. That hit was dirt, and if it was coming from any other team you would agree. His shoulder made the orginal contact but then he follows through with his elbow…Dirty…
As far as the two many men, you guys made a bonus segment to try and prove your point and failed again…Swearing and two many men? Wow…I’ve been playing hockey for 20 years and since I was a squirt (the start of changes on the fly) I’ve always been told if you lead the guy on the change DO NOT TOUCH THE PUCK UNTIL HE IS OFF THE ICE…That is common hockey knowledge…Which you two apparently lack.
I think there needs to be some kind of a “count” for the “late hits” To me that was a clean hit, it was less then a second after the pass was gone. I think it was a solid hit. If you want to call it roughing maybe, interference probably, but 5 minutes and a game misconduct. Forget about it (as we say in NJ)
About the comment do the sharks raise a banner, I know the NJ Devils will, and a few years from now few will remember how they exited out so quickly if they win another cup before Brodeur retires, if not they will remember this as one of the worst exists.
Hey, “Brown’s Hit…” – if you are going to personally bash the hosts of the page you are commenting on, how about you man up and leave your name and where you’re from? Calling two hockey hosts “idiots” – and by agreeing with someone else saying it, you said it yourself- when they have clearly proved time and time again to possess a better than fundamental knowledge of the game deserves to come from someone who has the character to sign his name.
“Idiots?” Really? Look, it’s called a difference of opinion, pal. And it needs not to revert to a host on another radio show or Podcast referring to people who KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT “idiots.” Doug and Eddie provided a sound arguement for their reasoning. As did Mark- notice how I know his name- when he provided a dissenting opinion.
I agree with Doug and feel Detroit gets away with everything. Holmstrom should probably spend EVERY shift in the penalty box for goalie interference. I’m sure Mark disagrees. Strongly. Passionately, even, as we love this game.
But I’m never going to call him an “idiot.” And, if I did, at least he would know who it came from…
Looks like we have an internet tough man on the board.
Brown’s hit if you play and watch hockey then you know that this call often gets ignored when the player involved is not going to have an effect on the outcome of the game.
I would say that once out of every 50 line changes I see someone touch the puck before his man is off the ice.
For those that didn’t watch the game last night here is a recap from a Pens fan perspective. “Crosby’s got the puck, Crosby dishes it in to Crosby, Crosby wraps around the net, center’s the puck for Crosby, Crosby shoots, Crosby scores off the rebound!!!!!”
Come-on, other players on the Pens need to be contributing. I also think that with the injury last year and Crosby having horrible line mates at the start of this year people forget that he scored 120 points his Sophomore season.
“Brown’s Hit” was a good one. Poor little Hudler got caught admiring his own pass and forgot the golden rule. The hit might have been a little late but at least Brown stopped moving his feet once Hudler dished the puck. No way Brown deserved to get 5 and ejected, no way. I’m by no means a Duck fan and would even say that the Ducks get away with a lot as well, especially Pronger and Niedermayer, BUT so do the Wings as a whole.
Steve Harris on the Bruins/Canes: “The real test is going to come in the next round against Pitt or Washington.”
It looked as if the Bruins thought the same thing if game 2 was anything to go by. I still think Boston is going to win this series but only as long as they don’t expect an easy journey. Ward is quite capable of stealing this series, especially if the team in front of him can match Boston’s offense and play sound two-way hockey. Who knows, Carolina just might take the series. I didn’t think they’d beat NJ either.
Timely article…a guy I hate, unless he’s on my team.
Pronger denies being dirty; calls Holmstrom courageous
BY HELENE ST. JAMES
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
This should delight Red Wings fans: Anaheim defenseman Chris Pronger was voted the NHL’s dirtiest player in a poll by his colleagues.
Pronger tied Dallas’ Steve Ott with 13% of votes in an anonymous survey of 324 NHL players. Players were not allowed to vote for a teammate.
Told of the survey results this morning, Pronger laughed and said he disagreed.
“That’s their prerogative,†he said, adding that it didn’t surprise him he won. “There’s always a lot of whining out on the ice,†he said.
Pronger said it was possibly based more on his past than his present (he has only six penalty minutes in the 2009 playoffs, for example – none of them against Detroit).
I asked him who his candidate would be, and Pronger replied, “wow. I don’t know. I don’t really worry about that stuff. It’s out of my control. I don’t vote. That’s not really a trophy, so I don’t vote.â€
While talking to Pronger about the Wings’ power play, I asked him if Tomas Holmstrom was the toughest he’d faced in front of the net because of Holmstrom’s ability to position himself legally.
“Legally? Oh, now we’re going to talk legally? Don’t start with me on legally. You just called me the dirtiest player in the league and now we’re going to talk legally? Legally?
“I wouldn’t say legally. That’s probably not a good analogy. But, statistics don’t lie – they’ve had the top power play now for as long as you can remember, and he’s obviously a big part of that, with him occupying the goaltender’s attention, sometimes occupying the defenseman, and he’s got a great stick – he knocks down a lot of pucks, tips a lot of pucks, and is able to knock lose pucks to teammates as well for goals.
“Guys that do that job, it’s not an easy job. It takes a lot of courage.â€
I guess Pronger will never be up for the Lady Byng Award.
Mathew- I think your point is illustrated brilliantly in the fact that Crosby and Ovechkin’s performances basically were a “wash.” It was the ONE Capital player that also contributed that swung the game in Wash’s favor. Where was Malkin? I don’t remember hearing his name at ALL! He’s in the conversation for best all around player in the NHL, but he’s pulling a Thorton in these games so far. I really thought Crosby’s “supporting cast” would be the difference in this series- Malk, Fleury and Stall. But, so far? Tom Poti is a bigger factor in the series than the leading point producer in the regula season. Not gonna get it done….
Gee, Thomas Holmstrom commits yet ANOTHER cheap @$$ blow to a player and gets away with it!! The more things change…
Oh, and Hazy, stop saying Wisnewski (sp?) got hit in the face with the puck after two replays clearly show he was hit near the shoulder or the clavicle. Pay attention to a moniter, bub…
What’s this?? The Detroit Red Wings are behind in a series against.. the Ducks?? Oh well, Hiller happens.
Hope Wish is ok. Looked almost like the same thing that happened to Pronger a long way back, what with the delayed reaction and all.
And this Brown guy is earning some attention. I liked it when he chipped it around Lebda and instead of avoiding Lebda’s hip check he simply checks Lebda first, sending him flying into the boards. Good stuff that. While the Ducks did work harder they still got a little help from the refs, especially the call on Stuart. But I’m sure Babcock will set the table for game 4, so don’t worry too much Wings fans.
Chicago? They were too busy trying to be “tough” and hence were not nearly busy enough. Is their youth finally starting to show? I remember seeing Eager get two good hits in… and then earning a big fat minus while looking for a third. Ugly that.
Last night was simply sad. The Wings never had a chance having to compete against not only Anaheim, but the officials…that was a travesty.
The most glaring example was not counting the last goal because the ref “lost sight” of the puck, when 1 million other people saw it as clear as the nose on his face. It’s one thing to take a beating, but the Wings never had a chance with the officiating.
I’m sure Anaheim knows they were given a gift, they didn’t beat the Wings last night, they had a lot of help.
Lastly, the running and contact with goalies, has to end. Ozzie, Hiller and Luongo were all run last night and it’s time for it to end, I can see a broken neck coming. As the son of a goalie, you simply do not expect to be touched and never brace for it, so when you are hit, it’s just awful and will end badly.
I think “goalie interference” are the buzz words of this season’s playoffs. Maybe we need to make the blue a “no fly” zone again? But ANYTHING that might lead to LESS offense is going to be a tough sell.
I thought the officiating was terrible on both ends. Holmstrom’s elbow HAS to be seen and called. With the emphasis placed on the goalie zone these last few weeks, how is not one referee’s attention glued to that spot? And, of course, the “intended whistle” and waves off goal. I think the refs blow the whistle way to early in those situations anyway; if you’re not sure of control, let it go. But I understand the “lost sight” thing, too…
Yes, the officials are all over the map in these playoffs. Very frustrating. That last minute no-goal was painful, especially when the puck still crossed the line before the whistle in the replay), but that’s hockey I guess. I just hope Detroit can show up for the first period next game and play a full 60 minutes. Then they might earn some luck like that. At least Osgood is putting in complete games. He and Hiller were great.
The reason Holmstrom did what he did was due to the constant abuse he endures against the Ducks, with no calls from the officials. Additionally, it was part retribution for the hit on Hudler. Anyone that plays hockey knows that although it’s debatable as to a clean hit or not, he should of let up on an unsuspecting player.
So, we’re right back to the before game 1 when Babcock said, “I hope the refs call penalties, on both teams”. Well, they let too much go, on both teams, as always, and here we are—guys headhunting and looking to hurt each other, with a little hockey being played along the way.
No matter how you slice it, that ref was out of position last night and missed the Wing goal in the end. What is more maddening is that Toronto let it stand. No one gives the Wings the benefit of the doubt in any situation, and never will. That’s the difficult path champions take.
I can only hope they steal one tomorrow so this has a chance of going longer.
Just wondering, is Doug going to change his Stanley Cup prediction once again? 🙂
I hate the dirty Ducks with a passion, but if they knock out the #1, #2 and #3 regular season teams, then nobody can say they didn’t deserve it.
This rookie Caps goalie is phenomenal. Without him the Pens would be up 3 – 0 right now. The question is if he can keep it up. If the Pens can break him, at least based on the first three games, the Pens will win the series.
The Wings showed up for 59 minutes… whew!
And, Mathew, you are right about Varlamov… Hiller got pulled tonight, so maybe the Cap’s goalie is next…?
The NHL needs to have a talk with Ovechkin. I like players that play on the edge but he did a few things last night that were just awful. First off in the first three games he had some blatent charges that were not called. Not a big deal but when you let things like that go players tend to push their limits.
Last night AO had a serious knee on knee hit with Gonch and then at the end of the game he intentionally fired the puck at a player. The NHL cannot let stuff like that just go… At the very least they need to pull him aside and warn him.
I think the CBC guy said it best last night. Ovechkin will either have a short career because he injures himself, or a short career because in the act of trying to win, he injures everyone else–including his own teammates (mentally).
I would hate playing with this guy. He says he will do anything to win, but he really means “I will do everything I can to win, I don’t care much about anyone else on my team contributing, I’ll do it myself” He is the Allen Iverson of the NHL, another one of those, we don’t need.
There is no half speed with this guy on the ice and in his life, it’s all 100mph and those people eventually flame out.
No way is he suspended for this, if it was blatant or not, they let a lot go with this guy. Doesn’t make it right, it’s just the way it is.
I have to ask you Nate, if you were skating toward your defensive zone and backhanded the puck out of trouble, would you think that an opposing player is going to skate across the ice to hit you when you’re obviously not going to even be in the play? Would you keep your vision fixated on Brown while blindly getting rid of the puck and possibly giving it right back to the Ducks? Admiring the pass, that’s such a pansy excuse.