What Happened to Ryan Miller?

Ryan Miller has shown over the past few years that he is one of the best goaltenders in the world.  He has played extremely well throughout his career in Buffalo, and was the main story of the 2010 Winter Olympics with his stellar performance.  However, this season Miller is in the lower half of NHL goalies in statistics such as Goals Allowed Average and save percentage.  Even though Miller has been hurt for a few games this season, the Sabres have struggled in the 13 games that he has started as well.  Why is this?  Has Miller lost his touch in goal? Absolutely not.  The Sabres front office is to blame for Miller’s struggles this season.

This offseason, Buffalo’s top 2 defenders were free agents.  Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman were consistent defenders who had anchored the defense for years.  However, Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier, known for his conservative free agency moves and his inability and unwillingness to sign big contracts, let both of these players sign elsewhere.  The Buffalo defense was left completely depleted, and was left to be led by a second year player in Tyler Myers.  Regier then signed a mediocre defender in Jordan Leopold to offset the loss of the two defensive anchors in the offseason.  In the early part of the season, Leopold has shown an affinity for turning the puck over in critical situations, and often in the defensive zone, which consistently puts Miller in bad spots and leads to many goals that are given up through no fault of Miller.  He hasn’t lost the touch, but has no one in front of him to help deflect pressure from the opposing offense.

Therefore, defenders, often more so than the goaltenders themselves, are the major factors that determine the performance of goaltenders.  The goaltenders need to be talented, but the talent differential of goaltenders at the NHL level is often very miniscule.  The difference stems more from the quality and chemistry of the defenders in front of the goaltenders.  Defenders who work together, work with the goaltender, and control the puck in the zone make a larger impact than the talent or fundamentals of the goalie himself.

Consider the playoffs last season.  The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup behind rookie goaltender Antti Niemi.  Niemi had shown himself to be vulnerable at times, but played well enough in the playoffs to win the Stanley Cup.  However, Chicago thought so little of his performance that they walked away from his deal after he was awarded arbitration for the staggering salary of $2.75 million (sense the sarcasm).  The Blackhawks organization could not have been as impressed as all the analysts were with Niemi’s performance.  More likely, the Blackhawks realized that, as I have mentioned, the difference between the talent and fundamentals of goaltenders is so miniscule.  The organization realized that quality defenders like Duncan Keith and Brian Campbell were much more important to lock up long term.  Niemi is a good goaltender, but not a top 5 goaltender; Niemi was not why the Blackhawks won the Cup last season.  Defense is the most important factor, and because of this Chicago will not struggle in the transition from Antti Niemi to Marty Turco in net.

Consider the Philadelphia Flyers.  The team went to the Stanley Cup Finals behind journeyman goaltender Michael Leighton and seasoned, seasoned, and extra seasoned veteran goalie Brian Boucher (who hadn’t played meaningful hockey in nearly a decade).  However, the defense carried these goaltenders to impressive performances throughout the playoffs.  Chris Pronger especially had a major impact, as he logged heavy minutes and led the Philadelphia defense the whole season.  Neither Boucher nor Leighton will be known as top goalies, but they led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals, whereas goalies like Martin Brodeur and Ryan Miller were ousted in the first round of the playoffs.  Defense is the key.

Marc-Andre Fleury is another classic example.  He is a goalie that was a bit overhyped after he won the Stanley Cup, but always lacked fundamentals and showed a propensity to flail in net and not stay balanced.  Fleury always had a great defense in front of him, which hid many of his flaws.  However, in the past 2 years he has lost several quality defenders, including Sergei Gonchar this offseason, and Hal Gill the year before.  Now, Pittsburgh is lacking depth at defense, and it has clearly affected Fleury.  Fleury has been the biggest disappointment in goal this season, and has been replaced by backup Brent Johnson.  One has to realize how difficult it is to lose the top spot on the depth chart in the first 7 games after a 3 year history in net with the franchise that includes: an Eastern Conference Championship (2008), a Stanley Cup (2009), and a 4th place finish in the Eastern Conference (2010).  However, the Pittsburgh organization realizes that Fleury lacks mechanics in net, and no longer has such a quality defense behind him to compensate for his mistakes.  In other words, they realize that defense is the key, Fleury isn’t the goalie everyone thought he was, and Johnson has slightly better mechanics right now.

Therefore, while Miller might still have the best lateral movement in the league, might have the best instincts, and all else equal, might be the best goalie in hockey, he (and every other goalie) needs defense in front of him.  The Buffalo front office left Miller out to dry this offseason by losing the starting defensive line to free agency, and, quite simply, it is the reason that Miller is struggling in net right now.

Rick Reilly, Have a Clue about Boise

Rick Reilly is a columnist for ESPN.com, and he makes periodic appearances on ESPN.  He thrives upon composing humorous and entertainment based sports stories that don’t always hit the main issues themselves.  I have been a strong critic of Reilly’s style for a very long time.  He is a national pundit in every sense of the word; he focuses far too much on general stereotypes and often says things without processing them and the consequences of his statements.

For example, in one ESPN feature, Reilly inadvertently disrespected every US soccer player by speculating about how good the national team would be if players such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Ryan Miller, and other star athletes played soccer instead of their own sports.  He sent the message that our current players weren’t the best the country could produce, and I took major offense to that belief and subsequent statement on national television.

In another feature, Reilly degraded the entire Philadelphia fanbase by arguing that Donovan McNabb was mistreated in Philly.  He stated that the fans should be apologizing to McNabb, and that nothing makes them happy. Of course, as with most pundits, one of his major points was that the fans threw snowballs at Santa Claus.  Hey Rick, that happened in the 1960s, get over it.  The fact that he simply stated that Philadelphia fans are not classy was unfounded and unprofessional.

So what must he have done this time to perturb me enough to write a blog entry?  This entry is a response to Rick Reilly’s article on ESPN.com, “Broncos Can’t Buck this Trend” (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=5725597).  I recommend reading it, but if you would rather not, here is a general summary.  Reilly believes that Boise State should be ranked above Auburn and Oregon, and should claim the top spot in the BCS rankings.  He feels that the Broncos are consistently disrespected, and argues that the resume of the Broncos trumps that of any other college football team.  If he wants to make that argument, that is fine, but my problem is with the lack of logic and intelligence with which he did so.

First, Reilly argues that Boise should be ranked above Auburn, and gives the stat that Auburn has 13 less wins in the last 5 seasons than Boise.  I have 3 problems with this statement.  First, and most obvious, the rankings are not based upon past years, the rankings are solely based upon what has happened this year.  Second, Auburn plays in the SEC, and doesn’t play Louisiana Tech and Idaho on a yearly basis.  Instead, the Tigers play LSU, Alabama, Florida, and Arkansas on a yearly basis.  Just a hunch, but I feel that playing Idaho and Louisiana Tech each year might lend itself to a few more wins per season than a team playing in the SEC.  So explain the thought process behind that stat, Rick.  Finally, the personnel is completely different at Auburn from even 2 years ago.  Head coach Gene Chizik was hired in 2009 after Tommy Tuberville was fired, and Heisman contender Cam Newton is a first year starter at Auburn.  But clearly, Rick Reilly thought all that through when he decided that the basis for his Boise State over Auburn argument was a difference of 13 wins in the last 5 years.

Second, Reilly defends the Broncos by arguing that they beat Oregon 19-8 last season at home, and that the Ducks undeservingly sit ahead of Boise.  Hey Rick, who was the starting quarterback for Oregon last year?  That’s right, it was Jeremiah Masoli, now the quarterback of Ole Miss.  Rick, meet Darren Thomas, the 2010 starter for the Ducks, who is tearing up the Pac 10 and everyone else right now.  When you make an argument about a head to head matchup, and the starting quarterback isn’t the same for the losing team in a previous season, that is stupid and inane, and has no bearing on anything whatsoever.

Third, Rick Reilly argues that Boise State plays and beats whoever is throw at them.  He states that Boise State beat San Jose State 48-0, and Wisconsin, who beat Ohio State and Iowa, only beat San Jose State by 13.  Compelling argument Rick, but I have a question, where are Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Iowa ranked in the BCS?  10, 11, and 18, respectively.  How about Boise? Number 3.  What exactly are you arguing, Rick?  That Boise should be ranked higher than Wisconsin? Done.  Higher than Ohio State? They already are.  Higher than Iowa?  They have been all year.  How your stat makes an argument that Boise State should be ranked above Auburn and Oregon is beyond me.

Fourth, Reilly argues that since Boise crushed Wyoming 51-6, who almost beat Air Force, who almost beat Oklahoma, Boise could absolutely beat Oklahoma.  Again, my question to Rick is, where is Oklahoma ranked?  That’s right, 9th, 6 spots behind Boise.  Is it me, Rick, or are your arguments becoming less and less relevant as your article continues?

If you didn’t think it could get worse, it did.  He then stated, with regards to Boise State beating Oklahoma, “Oh wait, it already did [happen].”  Rick, that was January 1st, 2007.  Jared Zabransky and Ian Johnson are not playing for the Broncos anymore, and Paul Thompson and Adrian Peterson are not playing for the Sooners anymore.  A comparison to a game 4 years ago is completely ridiculous, and is embarrassing to you as a journalist, Rick.

Finally, Reilly argues that Boise would “carve up” the ACC because the Broncos “whipped” Virginia Tech on the road (I have a hard time calling a 33-30 game a “whipping,” and it technically was not a home game for Tech, either).  But Rick, tell me, what team in the ACC is ranked higher than Boise State, thus in your mind disrespecting the Broncos?  None.  Get your facts and logic straight, and then come back to me.

Pardon the point-by-point analysis, but I found nearly everything included in this article to be completely ridiculous and unprofessional in nature.  There was no logic involved, it was simply a biased opinion based upon readily available and popular facts that were thrown together in a way that made no sense whatsoever and negated every one of the points he tried to make.

The fact is that Boise is lucky to be ranked #3.  Missouri is undefeated with more quality wins than Boise State, and Alabama I have ranked ahead of Boise because of 3 quality wins that trump Boise’s top win over Virginia Tech.  So please, Rick Reilly, and all other national pundits who want to make an argument about Boise State, you can make the argument, but before doing so, please, have a clue.

Podcast: 10/20 Sports Podcast

Title: 10/20 Sports Podcast

In this Bob Long’s Sports Podcast, Chris and I discuss many issues in sports, including the new BCS rankings, the NHL power rankings, and the issues of headshots and other illegal hits in the NFL.

Link: http://bobsportsblog.podomatic.com/entry/2010-10-20T14_57_18-07_00

Big Sports Day Roundup

Today was a big day in a lot of sports.  From soccer, to tennis, to hockey, to baseball, these sports had many notable and rare occurrences on this day.

Early this morning, the United States World Cup soccer team played against Algeria with a chance to advance to the round of 16.  In order to advance, the US either needed to win (which guaranteed qualification) or tie (with either an English loss to Slovenia or a tie by England in which the team scored less than 2 goals above that which the US scored today).  However, with an England win, the US team would need to win to assure its spot in the next round.

The English won, 1-0, and the US was tied after 90 minutes with Algeria.  The game remained tied shortly into stoppage time.  At that point, Algeria had a good opportunity to put the game away with a scoring chance of their own, but US goalkeeper Tim Howard stopped the threat and quickly started a counter attack by feeding the ball to Landon Donovan.  Donovan carried the ball down the field, passed to Jozy Altidore, who crossed to Clint Dempsey in front with the Algerian goaltender charging.  The ball went off Dempsey’s foot and off the goaltender, rebounding to about 8 yards from the goal line.  Donovan charged from the 18 to lace the ball on the ground into the back left corner of the net, and proceeded to slide headfirst into the left corner flag, at which point his teammates piled upon him.  After a few more stops in extra time, the final whistle sounded, and the United States had assured itself a spot in the round of 16.

For a nation that had such high hopes for its team, and a nation that hasn’t had much success in the World Cup in recent years, the 2nd half of the game could not have caused more anxiety from its fans.  The team had many chances that could not be converted, and the team saw its World Cup lives flash before its eyes.  However, in a moment, Landon Donovan became a legend, the United States moved on, and soccer became the primary focus in American sports for the month of June.  All because of a goal in stoppage time; that is the beauty of soccer.  USA will play Ghana in the next round of the World Cup.

In tennis, the match of the day at Wimbledon was John Isner vs. Nicolas Mahut.  The match went 10 hours, and here is the kicker: It isn’t over.  The match went 5 sets and is still tied at 59-59.  The match was called as a result of darkness, and will be resumed tomorrow morning on ESPN.

Finally, New York Mets knuckleball starter R.A. Dickey pitched 8 scoreless innings en route to his 6th consecutive win.  He is now 6-0 this season, and is the first pitcher in Mets history (which included names such as Gooden and Seaver, among others) to record a win in each of his first 6 decisions.   In another NL East story, Jimmy Rollins hit a walk-off 2 run home run for the Phillies in only his second game back from the Disabled List.

In hockey, Henrik Sedin won the Hart Trophy (hockey’s MVP), Ryan Miller won the Vezina Trophy (best goaltender), Tyler Myers won the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year), Duncan Keith won the Norris Trophy (best defensemen), Pavel Datsyuk won the Frank J. Selke Trophy (best defensive forward), and Martin St. Louis won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (best behaved player).

2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs: What We Learned

Yesterday, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in 6 games.  This year’s playoffs showcased many upsets, previously unheralded players, and many unexpected twists.  Here are a few things we learned from this year’s playoffs:

We learned that this league is based upon parity.  In the Eastern Conference, the two lowest seeds (7 and 8), advanced to the Eastern Conference Final, and the Flyers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.  Upsets were as prevalent as wins by the higher seeded team, and the regular season and seeding meant absolutely nothing in this year’s playoffs.

We learned that a big name, quality goaltender isn’t necessary.  Arguably the two best goalies in the world right now, Ryan Miller and Martin Brodeur, were eliminated in the first round by lower seeded teams.

However, we learned (and already knew) that consistent goaltending is the key.  Other than Evgeni Nabokov of San Jose, the three goaltenders participating in the Conference Finals (Antti Niemi, Chicago; Michael Leighton, Philadelphia; and Jaroslav Halak, Montreal) were either relatively or completely inexperienced at the playoff level.  However, even though these goaltenders are unheralded and haven’t performed consistently over the course of their careers (albeit many of them have been short to this point), they played very well in this postseason, and were keys to their teams’ successes.

We learned that the physical, tough-nosed style hasn’t completely been replaced by the quicker, more athletic style of play.  After the lockout in the middle of the decade, many rules were changed to benefit the smaller, quicker, more athletic teams.  However, teams such as Philadelphia and Montreal advanced far in the playoffs by beating quicker, more athletic teams by playing a tough, physical, and sometimes ugly style of hockey (Philly fans refer to the style as the “Broad Street Bully” style, hailing from the Flyer teams of the 1970s).  That style isn’t dead yet, but instead is still alive and kicking (no pun intended).

We learned that it doesn’t matter how one scores the final goal of the Stanley Cup Finals, it is still a thrill.  No red lights or horns need to go off, no music needs to start playing, no one else even needs to know that the puck went in the net.  When Patrick Kane shot the puck that was lodged in the side of the net, he knew it crossed the line.  He began skating down the other end of the ice, and his teammates, not quite knowing what happened, blindly followed in celebration.  The play was reviewed, and the goal stood.  The Blackhawks were Stanley Cup Champions.

Finally, we learned that redemption does happen, and that it is sweet for those who achieve it.  Marian Hossa lost the Stanley Cup Finals with Pittsburgh in 2008 and then turned down a large contract the next season with Pittsburgh for a 1 year deal with Detroit in an effort to win the Stanley Cup.  He then lost in the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, to who else but Pittsburgh.  This season, he signed with Chicago, and looked to erase the “Hossa Curse.”  When the Blackhawks made the Stanley Cup Finals, some questioned whether Hossa would lose in three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals.  However, Hossa finally achieved the ultimate goal, and proved that good things come to those who wait.

NHL Quarterfinals

The NHL Conference Semifinals begin tonight with the Sharks vs. Red Wings series.  Here are my predictions for the series:

EAST:

4] Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 8] Montreal Canadiens

After Montreal’s improbable series win over President’s Cup winning and top seeded Washington, many people may expect goaltender Jaroslav Halak to carry the Habs through the remainder of the playoffs.  However, I believe that the Penguins ability to get pucks in front of net in traffic will be the difference between being able to score goals and being shut down by Halak as the Caps were.  The Caps refused to score the ugly goal; the goal where the puck was thrown on net and was jammed away at in front of net.  Those types of goals are what beat hot goaltenders like Halak, and that is what Pittsburgh is unafraid to do and what Washington was unable to do.

MY PREDICTION:  Penguins win in 5 games

6] Boston Bruins vs. 7] Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers are led by Brian Boucher, long time veteran who hasn’t started in 10 years, and the Bruins are led by Tuuka Rask, a rookie who hasn’t even started the entire season.  However, the poise that Rask showed against the Buffalo Sabres and the best goalie in the world in Ryan Miller proves to me that this kid can take the pressure.  Rask may even have been a better goaltender in the second half of the season than Miller has been.  I think Boston’s physicality and Tuuka Rask’s dominance in net will fuel Boston to the Conference Finals.

MY PREDICTION:  Bruins win in 6 games.

WEST:

1] San Jose Sharks vs. 4] Detroit Red Wings

Both teams had difficult first round series, as both teams faced a lot of pressure with the expectation to beat young, inexperienced teams.  The difference for me between the pressure these teams faced is the amount of pressure that San Jose has gotten off its shoulders after its first round victory over Colorado.  The Sharks distanced themselves from years of consistent choking in the postseason with that series win, and I think that this pressure release will allow the team to play the explosive hockey that put the team at the top of the Western Conference in the regular season.

MY PREDICTION: Sharks win in 6 games.

2] Chicago Blackhawks vs. 3] Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver seems to have it all.  Great goaltending by Roberto Luongo, and great goal scoring by the Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel.  What is not to like?  The Blackhawks also have great goal scoring with players such as Patrick Kane and Jonathon Teows, but the Blackhawk goaltender, Antti Niemi, is not on the level that Roberto Luongo is at this point.  This series will be a great series, and may well come down to a decisive 7th game.

MY PREDICTION: Canucks win in 7 games.

NHL First Round Playoff Predictions

The first round of the NHL playoffs begins Wednesday with 4 games.  82 regular season games has dwindled the field to 16 teams, and here are my predictions for the first round:

IN THE EAST:

1] Washington Capitals beat 8] Montreal Canadiens in 4 games

The Capitals have been the best team in the league all season, and have disposed of Eastern Conference opponents consistently.  This series will be no different, as the Capitals simply have too much firepower with Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Alexander Semin for the Canadiens to compete.

2] New Jersey Devils beat 7] Philadelphia Flyers in 7 games

This matchup of Atlantic Division rivals will be a very entertaining series.  Although New Jersey is set in its goaltending with perennial All-Star Martin Brodeur, and Philadelphia is on its 5th goalie this season with Brian Boucher, this series is more balanced than one would be led to believe.  The Flyers have fared very well against New Jersey this season and have a winning record against the Devils.  Key factors in the series are Ilya Kovalchuk for the Devils and Brian Boucher for the Flyers.  The Devils picked up Kovalchuk at the trade deadline to improve the team’s lacking offense.  If Kovalchuk can have success offensively against the Flyers, Philadelphia doesn’t have enough offensive firepower to win a high scoring series with Brodeur in the New Jersey net.  However, if Boucher can hold the Devils in check on offense, the Flyers may be able to steal a few games in the series and potentially move to the next round.  This series is one of the series to watch closely in the first round.

3] Buffalo Sabres beat 6] Boston Bruins in 5 games

In a matchup of Northeast Division rivals, these teams will not play passively.  Both teams have much disdain for one another, and this series will be a classic physical battle.  An interesting fact is that the goaltenders in this series (Ryan Miller for Buffalo and Tim Thomas for Boston), were the starting and backup goalies for the USA Olympic Hockey Team, respectively.  This series will be determined by which goalie will be better in net.  Miller has been the best goalie in the league this season, but the Sabres have lacked offensive firepower at times.  Expect a low scoring series with quality defense and goaltending. 

5] Ottawa Senators beat 4] Pittsburgh Penguins in 7 games

The Penguins seem to have become America’s team since the team won the Stanley Cup.  However, the Senators may be the most underrated team in hockey.  The Sens made a run from the 8 spot to the 5 spot towards the end of the season, and looks to ride its late season momentum into the playoffs.  Alexei Kovalev and team captain Daniel Alfredsson lead a high powered Senators offense, and Chris Phillips heads the Senator defense.  Goalie Ryan Elliot had an efficient GAA (2.57) and will look to hold the Penguins offense in check.  For the Penguins, Marc-Andre Fleury will be the key.  He hasn’t always been the most consistent goaltender, but is very good when playing well.  If Fleury is inconsistent throughout the series, the advantage will be with Ottawa.  This series will be very entertaining and will be a tight series that could be won by either team.  My pick is Ottawa in 7. 

IN THE WEST:

1] San Jose Sharks beat 8] Colorado Avalanche in 7 games

This series could be very competitive even though it is 1 vs. 8.  The Sharks have been impressive this season, as they are most seasons, but the team has often struggled in recent playoffs.  The Avalanche only finished 18 points behind 1st place San Jose this season, and were inconsistent in their play.  However, in a seven game series, Colorado has the ability to hang with San Jose and potentially win the series.

2] Chicago Blackhawks beat 7] Nashville Predators in 5 games

Chicago, although a young team, has the most talent in the West.  Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Jonathon Teows, and Patrick Sharp highlight an explosive offense for the ‘Hawks.  Chicago should have no problem with Nashville in this opening round series.

3] Vancouver Canucks beat 6] Los Angeles Kings in 5 games

The Canucks have the severe advantage over the Kings at the goaltender spot.  Roberto Luongo is a top goalie in the league for the Canucks, but Jonathon Quick is a young, inexperienced goaltender for the Kings.  Luongo won a gold medal for Canada in the Olympics, and is very solid in net.  The Kings will have trouble scoring consistently against Luongo and the Canucks.  The Canucks, however, do not have offensive struggles.  Daniel and Henrik Sedin are a dynamic duo which is very dangerous.  In addition, key USA Olympian Ryan Kesler is a key which holds the Canucks together.  Vancouver will take care of the young LA Kings without much trouble.

5] Detroit Red Wings beat 4] Phoenix Coyotes in 6 games

Phoenix has been that “under-the-radar” team that no one has paid attention to this season.  Before anyone knew it, the Coyotes were fighting for the top spot in the West more than halfway through the season.  The Coyotes finished in the 4th spot in the West, but only 6 points between conference leading and Pacific Division rival San Jose.  However, the Red Wings’ experience and success down the stretch this season will power Detroit through to the next round.  Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holstrom highlight Detroit’s offense, and veteran Chris Osgood anchors the net for the Red Wings.  It will be an interesting series, but Detroit should win.

Stay tuned after the first round concludes for my second round picks.

NHL Playoff Matchups

Sunday was the final day of the regular season, and heading into Sunday 15 teams were assured of playoffs spots.  Still to be decided was whether the Flyers or Rangers would earn a spot in the East.  The teams were tied in points going into the final game of the season, and as was appropriate, the teams played one another in the final regular season game.  The game was a hard fought, low scoring game which required a 5 minute overtime period and then a shootout to decide the winner.  Claude Giroux scored in the shootout to give the Flyers the advantage, and the Rangers were forced to make their next shot to extend the shootout.  Flyers goalie Brian Boucher made the stop on Olli Jokinen’s final attempt to seal the victory and the playoff appearance for the Flyers, who earned the 7 seed in the East.

Here are the playoff matchups, some of which will begin Wednesday:

EAST

1] Washington Capitals vs. 8]  Montreal Canadiens

2] New Jersey Devils vs. 7] Philadelphia Flyers

3] Buffalo Sabres vs. 6] Boston Bruins

4] Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 5] Ottawa Senators

WEST

1] San Jose Sharks vs.  8] Colorado Avalanche

2] Chicago Blackhawks vs. 7] Nashville Predators

3] Vancouver Canucks vs. 6] Los Angeles Kings

4] Phoenix Coyotes vs. 5] Detroit Red Wings

Some things to look out for as the playoffs begin:

In the East:

The Flyers have had much success against 2nd seeded New Jersey this season.

The Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins will face off in a battle of hated rivals, and the teams have already exchanged some “bad blood” this season.

Ryan Miller will be on the national stage again for the first time since the Olympic Gold Medal Game.  How will he handle the increased attention?

The Capitals will need to prove if they are really that much better than everyone else, as was indicated by their extremely wide points gap in the East.

Will the Penguins and Crosby be able to advance far enough to face Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals in what has become the most hyped player rivalry in hockey?

In the West:

All 8 teams are within 18 points of one another.  Which team will be able to cause an upset in the first round?

Will young teams like Chicago have the advantage with its speed and youth, or will experienced teams like Detroit who made a late run have the advantage with its wealth of experience?

__________________________________________________________________

Stay tuned for my predictions, which will be released very soon.

USA Men’s Hockey Earns Silver

Today, the Men’s Hockey Olympic Gold Medal Game was played between the United States and rival Canada.  The US was the #1 seed entering the game, and the Canadians were the #6 seed.  The two teams had played earlier in the tournament during pool play, and the United States defeated the Canadians 5-3, in what would be Martin Brodeur’s final game in net for the Canadians.  After this game Brodeur was replaced by Roberto Luongo, and from this point onward the Canadians played their best hockey.

Canada’s road to the Finals included a 2nd place finish in Group A behind the United States, and wins over Germany, Russia, and Slovakia in the elimination round of the tournament.  The United States earned a bye in the first elimination round by going 3-0 in pool play and winning Group A outright.  The US then defeated Switzerland is a close-fought, 2-0 game, and then beat Finland is a 6-1 rout to advance to the Gold Medal Game.

The US team was led all tournament by goalie Ryan Miller, who was the best goalie in the Olympics.  In addition, Patrick Kane and Zack Parise were forces on the offensive side of the puck, while Ryan Suter and Brian Rafalski were great on defense all tournament.  The Canadians were led by the offensive firepower of players such as Sidney Crosby, Rick Nash, Jarome Iginla, and Jonathon Toews.  On defense the Canadians were led by Shea Weber and Dan Boyle, and the net was tended by Roberto Luongo.  A matchup of these stars, on this stage, with this rivalry was bound to be exciting.

The 1st period was a very back-and-forth affair, with attacks, counter-attacks, and subsequent counters to counter-attacks dominating the period.  Both teams had many opportunities to score and put continued pressure on one another.  In the latter stages of the 1st period, the United States won a faceoff in its own zone, but then turned the puck over due to both poor puckhandling by the United States defensemen and pressure on the puck by Mike Richards.  Richards then spun and shot the puck, at which point it bounced off Miller and right to Jonathan Teows with an open side pocket of the net, and he buried it.  Miller had no chance to make the save, as he was left out to dry by his defense.  The 1st period ended with the Canadians retaining a 1-0 lead. 

Early in the 2nd, Canada put another dagger into the hearts of Americans with a goal by Corey Perry after an unfriendly bounce off the stick of a US defender put Perry into perfect position to put the puck past Miller, who had no chance to stop it.  Then, at the 12:44 mark in the 2nd period, US forward Ryan Kesler tipped the puck in the air past Canadian goalie Roberto Luongo on a drive from Patrick Kane to cut the deficit to 2-1.  The score remained the same into the 3rd period.

The 3rd period was an extremely intense, hard-nosed, and frantic period of hockey as the United States used every possible avenue to tie the game.  The United States was kept scoreless in the 3rd by Roberto Luongo until do-everything-man for the US team Zack Parise scored on a losse puck in front of net with just under 25 seconds remaining in the game.  At this point the Canadian crowd let out a collective groan, as their pride and joy team would need to go to overtime to win a Gold Medal.

At the 7:40 mark of the extra period, the Canadian fans finally had reason to celebrate.  On a play in which the Americans had an opportunity to clear the puck, the Canadians were able to retrieve the puck and center it to Sidney Crosby, who beat Ryan Miller for the game winning goal, and the US was defeated 3-2 and lost the opportunity to win the Gold Medal.  This goal was maybe the first true goal that Ryan Miller let up that he should have saved.  However, it is impossible to put blame on Miller, for he played magnificantly the whole tournament, and was the biggest reason that the US even earned a medal.

There are many good things to take away from this Olympic tournament for American fans.  The team exceeded most expectations, as most fans did not even expect the team to earn a medal.  Most didn’t expect the team to earn a first-round bye.  Most didn’t expect the team to beat Canada in pool play and win Group A.  But the US team did all these things.  How did it do it?  There were 3 key elements that led to the success of the US team.  First, the goaltending of Ryan Miller was the catalyst that gave the players the motivation and confidence to play an aggressive, offensive style, as opposed to a defensive, protective style that would result from a less talented and not as sure-handed of a goaltender.  Miller was the best goalie in the Olympics, with a save percentage of .946 and a goal allowed average of 1.35.  Confidence in a goaltender allows a team to take more chances on offense without worrying as much about the consequences of counter attacks by the opposition, creating a more dynamic style of hockey and creating more scoring opportunities.  Second, the ability of players such as Zack Parise, Patrick Kane, and Brian Rafalski, among others, to win loose pucks and always work harder than other teams allowed the US to maximize its scoring opportunities and constantly keep pressure on the opposition.  Finally, the ability to win faceoffs gave the US the possessions and opportunites necessary to beat some teams that may have been more talented.  Ryan Kesler and Joe Pavelski were 2nd and 3rd in faceoff win percentage with 68.63% and 68.12%, respectively. 

Fans should be very optomistic about the future of USA hockey.  The team is very young, led by players such as Parise, Kane, and Miller.  In addition, these players have gained much needed and helpful experience for future Olympic games.  Finally, this young, inexperienced team won a Silver Medal!  As much as people were disappointed after the loss (believe me I was one of these people), it is important to realize that the effort of the players was unbelievable, and the country should appreciate what the players have done, exceeding expectations and adding a silver medal to the country’s medal count.  The entire Olympic Hockey Tournament was extremely exciting, and the future of USA hockey looks much brighter now than it did just 2 weeks ago.

USA Men’s Hockey Semifinal

Yesterday, the United States Men’s Hockey team played Finland for an opportunity to advance to the Gold Medal Game, which will be played Sunday at 3PM ET.  The Finnish were seeded 4th and had a 3-1 record in the tournament, with the only loss coming to 2nd seeded Sweden during pool play.  In the first game of the elimination round after receiving a first round bye, Finland defeated the Czech Republic.

The talk leading up to this game was about the matchup between goalies Miikka Kiprusoff of Finland (and the Calgary Flames) and Ryan Miller of the US team (and the Buffalo Sabres).  These 2 goalies had the best stats of any goalies in the Olympics to that point, and ESPN reporter Pedro Gomez said on air during SPORTSCENTER that Miikka Kiprusoff had actually been better in net than Ryan Miller had.  Miller and the US team were determined to refute that claim.

The United States came ready to play, and Kiprusoff and the Finns did not.  The US scored its first goal at the 2:04 mark of the 1st period.  Phil Kessel hustled to try to reach a puck that was slowly moving towards Kiprusoff in open ice without any Finnish defenders nearby.  In an effort to keep the puck from Kessel, Kiprusoff came out of net and brushed the puck towards the blue line boards, at which point the puck was intercepted by Ryan Malone and was shot into the vacated net.  It was upon this early momentum swing that the game turned.  Subsequent goals by Zack Parise (6:22), Erik Johnson (8:36), Patrick Kane (10:08 [at which point Kiprusoff was pulled], 12:36), and Paul Stastny (12:51) put the game out of reach before the clock hit 7 minutes remaining in the 1st period, and saddled the Finns with a 6-0 deficit. 

At this point the US decided to pack it in, play defense, and not tire themselves too much for the Gold Medal Game on Sunday.  The team played solid defense, smart dump-and-chase offense, and relied upon Ryan Miller to make 18 saves and retain the 6-0 lead.  Just over halfway through the 3rd period, Miller was pulled in favor of Tim Thomas, who is the starting goaltender for the Boston Bruins and backup in this tournament for Miller. 

This was a classy and smart decision by head coach Ron Wilson.  It was classy because it allowed the overshadowed goaltender Tim Thomas to experience some Olympic action before the tournament ended.  It also allowed Miller to receive a well-deserved ovation from the limited amount of US fans who were able to get tickets for the game, and allowed these fans to make themselves heard throughout the arena.  Finally, the move was smart because it allowed Miller to stay fresh and not be worked in net more than he had to be before the Gold Medal Game.  With the game in hand and 1 day’s rest before the rematch against Canada (which we learned later in the evening after Canada beat Slovakia), it was important to keep the players as fresh as possible.  The only downside of the decision was the loss of the shutout, as Thomas allowed 1 goal while in net.  However, for USA fans, this 1 goal means nothing in the grand scheme of things, because a shutout against Finland is not what the USA team or its fans have been working and hoping for.

What the team has been working for is a Gold Medal, and with a win over Canada Sunday, the team will accomplish its goal.  It would be a statement for the entire country, reminiscent of the “Miracle on Ice” of 1980 without the social impact.

There are a few important keys to victory in the Gold Medal Game for the United States.  The first key is obviously the play of Ryan Miller.  If he is able to play like he has been, dominating in net and standing on his head, and the defense is able to protect him from constant pressure by the Canadians and traffic in front of the net, the US will have a chance.  Another key is the hustle factor.  The Canadians are more talented, and I believe most American fans and players would admit that.  However, I haven’t seen any team in the Olympic tournament who had played harder or better together than the United States, and the ability to fight for loose pucks that lead to scoring opportunities has allowed the US team to advance as far as it has.  The uncertainly surrounding the Canadian goaltending position and the pressure of playing on home ice has made the Canadians a bit tight in the opening minutes of games thus far, and early hustle and scoring opportunities could lead the US to an early lead and to a subsequent victory.  If the US can utilize these keys to the game, it will be a big step towards an ascent to the top of the podium for the United States Men’s Hockey team.