The Washington Capitals begin their series against the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow night at Verizon Center (7 p.m., Versus-HD). A look at how the teams compare:
Season Series: Caps, 4-1-1
Playoff history: Lightning, 1-0
Only playoff meeting: Lightning, 4-2, in 2003 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Playoff Stats:
Washington Capitals
Previous Series: Defeated New York Rangers, 4-1, in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Goals Per Game: 2.60 (9th in NHL)
GAA: 1.60 (first)
Power Play: 18.8 percent (11th)
Penalty Kill: 95 percent (3rd)
Tampa Bay Lightning
Previous Series: Defeated Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-3, in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Goals Per Game: 3.14 (T-6th)
GAA: 2.00 (second)
Power Play: 29.6 percent (3rd)
Penalty Kill: 97.1 percent (2nd)
Four keys to the series:
* System vs. System: Both teams employ similar defense-first systems and both teams have the offensive firepower to break open a game. While it took a majority of the season for the Lightning and Caps to perfect everything, they've pretty much played according to plan in the postseason. What will make a difference will be experience and depth, and the Caps have the edge in both categories.
* Crease Battles: Rookie goaltender Michal Neuvirth leads all postseason starters in goals-against average (1.38) and is second in save percentage (.946). The ageless Dwayne Roloson has been pretty spectacular as well, boasting a 1.77 GAA and .949 save percentage. The other side to the coin is how the offensive players will be able to disrupt the sight lines of Neuvirth and Roloson, and whether they'll be able to put pressure on the goaltenders. The Rangers tried to knock Neuvirth around to no avail, and the Penguins couldn't get close enough to Roloson to score goals frequently.
* Uncle Mo: The Lightning are coming off a grueling series in which they erased a 3-1 deficit and had to fight for everything. The Caps, meanwhile, mostly dominated the Rangers and have been off for nearly a week. The good news for the top-seeded team is that motivation will not be a problem against Tampa Bay, a hated division rival. The teams played physical games all season, and there's nothing that indicates that will change in the playoffs.
* Another Shorter Series: The Caps must find a way to win this series in less than seven games after taking only five to eliminate New York. Back in 1998, when they made the Stanley Cup finals, the Caps won their series in six, five, and six games over Boston, Ottawa and Buffalo, respectively. Emulating that pattern of games played is essential this year. Tampa Bay has the firepower to give the Caps fits, but using their depth, talent and superior system (not to mention continuing their regular-season success against Tampa Bay) should be enough to propel the red, white and blue to the conference finals for the first time since that memorable run.
Prediction: Caps in six.
Predictions for other series: No. 3 Boston Bruins over No. 2 Philadelphia Flyers in seven; No. 2 San Jose Sharks over No. 3 Detroit Red Wings in seven; No. 1 Vancouver Canucks over No. 5 Nashville Predators in six.
April 28, 2011
April 23, 2011
Caps Eliminate Rangers in Five Games
The Washington Capitals left no doubt that history would not be repeated. Behind a dominant performance from Alex Ovechkin and Michal Neuvirth, the Caps won game five over the New York Rangers, 3-1, today at Verizon Center and became the first Eastern Conference team to secure a berth in the second round.
Mike Green scored the team's first goal on the power play at 5:59 in the first period off a beautiful feed from Ovechkin. The duo had an advantage down low and Ovechkin passed up a shot, giving Green a fairly wide-open net -- although the puck was helped in by a sliding Rangers defenseman. At 7:04 of the second, Ovechkin added a goal on a breakaway when he beat Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and a defenseman with a forehand-backhand move.
"Today was his best game, easily. And I mean complete," Coach Bruce Boudreau said glowingly about Ovechkin. "The other games he's had flashes of brilliance. Today, I thought he was very visible. He was on the ice doing the right things."
Just for good measure, Alex Semin potted a gorgeous pass from Marcus Johansson at 16:23 to seal the deal. (The Rangers scored a meaningless tally with 32 seconds remaining with Lundqvist on the bench.)
Neuvirth made 26 saves for his fourth win of the postseason. His 1.38 goals-against average in the first round leads the NHL, as does his .946 save percentage. The Caps also killed off 19 of the Rangers' 20 power plays in the series (95 percent).
This was the first time since 1998 (when they made the Stanley Cup finals) that the Caps won a playoff series in five games.
All of these signs point to the fact that the Caps are a much different squad than they were at this time last season. Now they get about a week to rest before starting the second round, and plenty of time to continue their dominant play.
Mike Green scored the team's first goal on the power play at 5:59 in the first period off a beautiful feed from Ovechkin. The duo had an advantage down low and Ovechkin passed up a shot, giving Green a fairly wide-open net -- although the puck was helped in by a sliding Rangers defenseman. At 7:04 of the second, Ovechkin added a goal on a breakaway when he beat Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and a defenseman with a forehand-backhand move.
"Today was his best game, easily. And I mean complete," Coach Bruce Boudreau said glowingly about Ovechkin. "The other games he's had flashes of brilliance. Today, I thought he was very visible. He was on the ice doing the right things."
Just for good measure, Alex Semin potted a gorgeous pass from Marcus Johansson at 16:23 to seal the deal. (The Rangers scored a meaningless tally with 32 seconds remaining with Lundqvist on the bench.)
Neuvirth made 26 saves for his fourth win of the postseason. His 1.38 goals-against average in the first round leads the NHL, as does his .946 save percentage. The Caps also killed off 19 of the Rangers' 20 power plays in the series (95 percent).
This was the first time since 1998 (when they made the Stanley Cup finals) that the Caps won a playoff series in five games.
All of these signs point to the fact that the Caps are a much different squad than they were at this time last season. Now they get about a week to rest before starting the second round, and plenty of time to continue their dominant play.
April 21, 2011
Boudreau Grows as Caps Inch Closer to Advancing
There has been much talk about the Washington Capitals' growth and evolution thus far during their playoff series with the New York Rangers. Although they still need one more win to advance past the first-round, this team clearly is not the same outfit that lost to the Montreal Canadiens last spring. (Ironically, there is a chance that the Caps might face the Habs in the second round, but that's a discussion for another day.)
Lost in all of the talk about Michal Neuvirth, Jason Arnott, Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin, and others is perhaps the person that's grown the most: Coach Bruce Boudreau. Yes, he's the one who orchestrated the change in playing style during the regular season, but during the first four games of the Rangers series, he's shown some growth as well.
During game four, the old Boudreau might have pulled Neuvirth in favor of Semyon Varlamov, his favorite not-so-secret weapon used to change momentum in years past. But this year, that wasn't an option.
"No. Not at all," Boudreau said today. "I think if I'd have done that, the team might've thought that we were giving up, saving Neuvy for another day. This team, they always believe that they can come back."
The second intermission included some motivational words by Boudreau, but also included advice from Arnott, Ovechkin and other veterans. Some classic Boudreau line tweaking also helped, but the biggest sign was the move he didn't make.
"He's not ordinary," Boudreau said about Neuvirth. "He's a good goalie and he's going to be. As years go on you're going to find out he's a great goalie."
Perhaps that greatness also is growing behind the Caps' bench.
Lost in all of the talk about Michal Neuvirth, Jason Arnott, Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin, and others is perhaps the person that's grown the most: Coach Bruce Boudreau. Yes, he's the one who orchestrated the change in playing style during the regular season, but during the first four games of the Rangers series, he's shown some growth as well.
During game four, the old Boudreau might have pulled Neuvirth in favor of Semyon Varlamov, his favorite not-so-secret weapon used to change momentum in years past. But this year, that wasn't an option.
"No. Not at all," Boudreau said today. "I think if I'd have done that, the team might've thought that we were giving up, saving Neuvy for another day. This team, they always believe that they can come back."
The second intermission included some motivational words by Boudreau, but also included advice from Arnott, Ovechkin and other veterans. Some classic Boudreau line tweaking also helped, but the biggest sign was the move he didn't make.
"He's not ordinary," Boudreau said about Neuvirth. "He's a good goalie and he's going to be. As years go on you're going to find out he's a great goalie."
Perhaps that greatness also is growing behind the Caps' bench.
April 20, 2011
Cardiac Caps Return: Caps 4, Rangers 3 (2OT)
When it's all said and done, Jason Chimera might be the one who changed the Washington Capitals' postseason karma. In double overtime at Madison Square Garden, Chimera followed his own blocked shot, and poked it into the goal as Henrik Lundqvist, Marian Gaborik and Wojtek Wolski couldn't decide who should play the puck. Chimera's tally came at 12:36 of the second overtime after the Caps rallied from a three-goal deficit.
That hole dug by the Caps came in the second period, when the Rangers scored all of their goals, the latter two in a seven-second span. But Coach Bruce Boudreau stuck with Michal Neuvirth in net and the Caps were able to rally in the third behind two goals from Marcus Johansson and one from Alex Semin, whose play improved as the game progressed.
Although the first period was OK and the second was downright ugly, the bounces in the third period and overtimes went the Caps' way. They were able to redeem themselves in a game that looked like past gloom and doom was coming back to haunt them.
But, thanks to Chimera and some good luck, the Caps now need one more win to advance to the second round of the playoffs for just the second time under Boudreau. Their first crack at it comes Saturday at Verizon Center (3 p.m., NBC) and they must not let anything go to waste. Because after tonight, they don't want to tempt fate yet again.
That hole dug by the Caps came in the second period, when the Rangers scored all of their goals, the latter two in a seven-second span. But Coach Bruce Boudreau stuck with Michal Neuvirth in net and the Caps were able to rally in the third behind two goals from Marcus Johansson and one from Alex Semin, whose play improved as the game progressed.
Although the first period was OK and the second was downright ugly, the bounces in the third period and overtimes went the Caps' way. They were able to redeem themselves in a game that looked like past gloom and doom was coming back to haunt them.
But, thanks to Chimera and some good luck, the Caps now need one more win to advance to the second round of the playoffs for just the second time under Boudreau. Their first crack at it comes Saturday at Verizon Center (3 p.m., NBC) and they must not let anything go to waste. Because after tonight, they don't want to tempt fate yet again.
April 18, 2011
Caps Need to Return to Game Plan
Yesterday's 3-2 loss by the Washington Capitals to the New York Rangers in game three of their playoff series was a step back by the Caps. Although not perfect in the first two games (both victories), the Caps were able to stay out of the penalty box, crash the net, play sound defensively and stick to the game plan.
But yesterday, the Caps took eight penalties, allowed 35 shots and didn't shut down the Rangers like they had over the previous two games (for the most part). The Rangers clearly came out with a vengeance yesterday fighting for their playoff lives and it showed. They were the aggressors during the afternoon affair and clearly took the Caps out of their game plan.
Heading into Wednesday's game four, the Caps must show the same desperation the Rangers displayed yesterday. To do that, the red, white and blue need to crash the net, control play, stay out of the penalty box and stick to the style that allowed them to seize the top seed in the East.
Regressing to the uber-offensive style of last season won't work. There were too many times yesterday where they took stupid penalties because they had been beaten on a play. They allowed the Rangers to dictate play and were, quite frankly, lucky to only lose by a goal.
Their history in recently playoff series in game four isn't so great. To reverse that trend, they'll need to get back to what got them here.
But yesterday, the Caps took eight penalties, allowed 35 shots and didn't shut down the Rangers like they had over the previous two games (for the most part). The Rangers clearly came out with a vengeance yesterday fighting for their playoff lives and it showed. They were the aggressors during the afternoon affair and clearly took the Caps out of their game plan.
Heading into Wednesday's game four, the Caps must show the same desperation the Rangers displayed yesterday. To do that, the red, white and blue need to crash the net, control play, stay out of the penalty box and stick to the style that allowed them to seize the top seed in the East.
Regressing to the uber-offensive style of last season won't work. There were too many times yesterday where they took stupid penalties because they had been beaten on a play. They allowed the Rangers to dictate play and were, quite frankly, lucky to only lose by a goal.
Their history in recently playoff series in game four isn't so great. To reverse that trend, they'll need to get back to what got them here.
Stanley Cup Highlight Video
We interrupt the uber-analysis of the Washington Capitals to present a little fun: a clip with some past Stanley Cup highlights:
Also, be sure to enter for your chance to win a trip to the Stanley Cup finals.
Note: I was contacted directly by Versus, who asked for my participation in posting the video.
Also, be sure to enter for your chance to win a trip to the Stanley Cup finals.
Note: I was contacted directly by Versus, who asked for my participation in posting the video.
April 13, 2011
Semin Strikes for OT Victory: Caps 2, Rangers 1
As the 2011 playoffs began tonight, the Washington Capitals sought redemption for what haunted them last spring against the Montreal Canadiens. And tonight, in game one against the New York Rangers at Verizon Center, the tide shifted quickly for a 2-1 overtime win for the home team.
Alex Semin, who did not score against the Habs last spring, notched the game winner on a one-timer past New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist at 18:24 of the extra session. Semin found a seam in the offensive zone and had just enough time to uncork the winning shot. It was part of a solid game for Semin, who has found chemistry with Jason Arnott and seems to be playing with a newfound determination.
The Caps also did something they couldn't do against the Habs: block more shots than their opponent. Tonight, they held a 32-28 advantage in that department and thoroughly stuck to what helped them succeed in the second half of the season.
Both regulation goals were scored in the third period. The Rangers opened the scoring at 1:56 when Matt Gilroy flicked the puck over Neuvirth's shoulder with lots of traffic in front. Alex Ovechkin scored the Caps' only goal at 13:44, when he poked it past Lundqvist as part of a scrum. The Caps' captain continued jabbing at the puck, after Lundqvist thought he had saved it, and managed to get it to cross the line. The play went to review and was ruled good, even though the net was dislodged and the whistle blew (but after the puck crossed the line, according to the officials).
The goaltending and defense in this game were stupendous throughout. Michal Neuvirth made 25 saves for the Caps and was solid, if not spectacular, all night. Jose Theodore was pulled each of the last two playoff seasons after starting (and losing) the first game, and it seems that Neuvirth did more than enough to reverse that trend.
Lundqvist was equal to the task on the other end, making 33 saves and getting plenty of help from his two best friends, the crossbar and post. If not for that metal intervention, the Caps could have captured the game in regulation.
Many critics said that Lundqvist could steal the series for the Rangers, whose blocked shots and defense would frustrate the Caps. Well, these aren't the same Caps that failed in previous postseasons. And, if tonight's game is any indication, the playoff tide may be turning in the nation's capital.
Alex Semin, who did not score against the Habs last spring, notched the game winner on a one-timer past New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist at 18:24 of the extra session. Semin found a seam in the offensive zone and had just enough time to uncork the winning shot. It was part of a solid game for Semin, who has found chemistry with Jason Arnott and seems to be playing with a newfound determination.
The Caps also did something they couldn't do against the Habs: block more shots than their opponent. Tonight, they held a 32-28 advantage in that department and thoroughly stuck to what helped them succeed in the second half of the season.
Both regulation goals were scored in the third period. The Rangers opened the scoring at 1:56 when Matt Gilroy flicked the puck over Neuvirth's shoulder with lots of traffic in front. Alex Ovechkin scored the Caps' only goal at 13:44, when he poked it past Lundqvist as part of a scrum. The Caps' captain continued jabbing at the puck, after Lundqvist thought he had saved it, and managed to get it to cross the line. The play went to review and was ruled good, even though the net was dislodged and the whistle blew (but after the puck crossed the line, according to the officials).
The goaltending and defense in this game were stupendous throughout. Michal Neuvirth made 25 saves for the Caps and was solid, if not spectacular, all night. Jose Theodore was pulled each of the last two playoff seasons after starting (and losing) the first game, and it seems that Neuvirth did more than enough to reverse that trend.
Lundqvist was equal to the task on the other end, making 33 saves and getting plenty of help from his two best friends, the crossbar and post. If not for that metal intervention, the Caps could have captured the game in regulation.
Many critics said that Lundqvist could steal the series for the Rangers, whose blocked shots and defense would frustrate the Caps. Well, these aren't the same Caps that failed in previous postseasons. And, if tonight's game is any indication, the playoff tide may be turning in the nation's capital.
April 12, 2011
Capitals-Rangers Preview
The Washington Capitals begin the 2011 postseason tomorrow night against the New York Rangers at Verizon Center. A look at how the teams compare:
Season Series: Rangers, 3-1 (Caps 1-2-1)
Playoff history: Caps, 3-2
Last playoff meeting: Caps, 4-3, in 2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Washington Capitals
Record: 48-23-11 (107 points)
Last 10 Games: 7-2-1
Goals Per Game: 2.67 (19th in NHL)
GAA: 2.33 (fourth)
Power Play: 17.5 (16th)
Penalty Kill: 85.6 (T-2nd)
New York Rangers
Record: 44-33-5 (93 points)
Last 10 Games: 6-3-1
Goals Per Game: 2.73 (16th)
GAA: 2.38 (fifth)
Power Play: 16.9 percent (18th)
Penalty Kill: 83.7 percent (10th)
Four keys to the series:
* Seize momentum: When the teams met during the regular season, the Rangers got ahead early and cruised to victories of 7-0 on Dec. 12 and 6-0 on Feb. 25. The other two games, a 5-3 Caps win on Nov. 9 and a 2-1 shootout loss on Jan. 24, were a lot closer and the Caps must find a way to take an early lead against the Blueshirts. Their inability to do so doomed them to two-straight home losses when the teams met two postseasons ago. This time around, anything less than a 2-0 series lead going to Madison Square Garden should be cause for concern.
* Storm the Crease: This isn't anything new for the Caps, but it might be more attainable this year. In the playoffs, and especially against the Rangers' world class goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist, ugliness wins. It's no coincidence that Brooks Laich, John Erskine, Matt Hendricks and Mike Knuble were the Caps' goal scorers against New York this season. Alex Ovechkin is playing much better now and has notched 1.43 points per game (including a record 0.71 goals per game) during his postseason career. Aggressive Ovie must be prevalent in this series for the Caps to advance.
* Special Teams: The Caps' penalty kill was stellar all season and they must continue that against the Rangers 18th-ranked power play. But the Caps' struggling power play must find a way to score somewhat regularly against New York's pretty good penalty kill. Despite a great PK, repeating last postseason's three-percent-effective power play will be a huge obstacle to overcome.
* Avoid Game Seven: Under Bruce Boudreau, the Caps have played in four playoff series (13-15) and ventured into a game seven every time. They've overcome a 3-1 deficit (against the Rangers in 2009) and blown a 3-1 lead (against the Montreal Canadiens last year). They've also blown a 2-0 lead (against the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009) and lost in game seven after tying a 2008 series against the Philadelphia Flyers after being down, 3-1. But they've never won a series in less than seven games, something the man known as Gabby has stressed times after time. This has got to be the year that the Caps accomplish that all-important goal.
Prediction: Caps in six.
Season Series: Rangers, 3-1 (Caps 1-2-1)
Playoff history: Caps, 3-2
Last playoff meeting: Caps, 4-3, in 2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Washington Capitals
Record: 48-23-11 (107 points)
Last 10 Games: 7-2-1
Goals Per Game: 2.67 (19th in NHL)
GAA: 2.33 (fourth)
Power Play: 17.5 (16th)
Penalty Kill: 85.6 (T-2nd)
New York Rangers
Record: 44-33-5 (93 points)
Last 10 Games: 6-3-1
Goals Per Game: 2.73 (16th)
GAA: 2.38 (fifth)
Power Play: 16.9 percent (18th)
Penalty Kill: 83.7 percent (10th)
Four keys to the series:
* Seize momentum: When the teams met during the regular season, the Rangers got ahead early and cruised to victories of 7-0 on Dec. 12 and 6-0 on Feb. 25. The other two games, a 5-3 Caps win on Nov. 9 and a 2-1 shootout loss on Jan. 24, were a lot closer and the Caps must find a way to take an early lead against the Blueshirts. Their inability to do so doomed them to two-straight home losses when the teams met two postseasons ago. This time around, anything less than a 2-0 series lead going to Madison Square Garden should be cause for concern.
* Storm the Crease: This isn't anything new for the Caps, but it might be more attainable this year. In the playoffs, and especially against the Rangers' world class goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist, ugliness wins. It's no coincidence that Brooks Laich, John Erskine, Matt Hendricks and Mike Knuble were the Caps' goal scorers against New York this season. Alex Ovechkin is playing much better now and has notched 1.43 points per game (including a record 0.71 goals per game) during his postseason career. Aggressive Ovie must be prevalent in this series for the Caps to advance.
* Special Teams: The Caps' penalty kill was stellar all season and they must continue that against the Rangers 18th-ranked power play. But the Caps' struggling power play must find a way to score somewhat regularly against New York's pretty good penalty kill. Despite a great PK, repeating last postseason's three-percent-effective power play will be a huge obstacle to overcome.
* Avoid Game Seven: Under Bruce Boudreau, the Caps have played in four playoff series (13-15) and ventured into a game seven every time. They've overcome a 3-1 deficit (against the Rangers in 2009) and blown a 3-1 lead (against the Montreal Canadiens last year). They've also blown a 2-0 lead (against the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009) and lost in game seven after tying a 2008 series against the Philadelphia Flyers after being down, 3-1. But they've never won a series in less than seven games, something the man known as Gabby has stressed times after time. This has got to be the year that the Caps accomplish that all-important goal.
Prediction: Caps in six.
2011 Quarterfinals Predictions
It's time for Mr. Cleo to rear his ugly head yet again.
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Washington Capitals over No. 8 New York Rangers in six: A full preview of this series will appear separately.
No. 7 Buffalo Sabres over No. 2 Philadelphia Flyers in seven: On paper, this should be no contest. The Flyers have a great record, awesome offense and stellar defense. But, down the stretch, the Sabres were the hotter team and have a better goalie as Ryan Miller has started to regain his form. The Flyers' Sergei Bobrovsky has taken lots of heat this season and he certainly could perform well against a team that is offensively challenged. But something tells me that the Sabres will do to the Flyers what the Montreal Canadiens did to the Caps last spring.
No. 3 Boston Bruins over No. 6 Montreal Canadiens in five: The Bruins are one of the hottest teams in hockey and certainly are facing a familiar foe. Boston's been downright scary this season and seem to have all cylinders running. That's not to say they'll win the Stanley Cup, but they certainly have enough to breeze by their old rivals.
No. 5 Tampa Bay Lightning over No. 4 Pittsburgh Penguins in seven: Tampa's been one of the league's best stories this season. Steve Yzerman, in his first year as GM, has made all the right moves to lead the Lightning to a 23-point improvement over last year's non-playoff squad. But the second-best Southeast Division team gets a huge test from the Penguins, who despite playing without Sidney Crosby and Evgeny Malkin for half the season, won 49 games and came within a lost tiebreaker of winning the Atlantic Division. Tampa wins this series because Dwayne Roloson plays the series of his life, the Lightning's offense does the rest and a team finally finds a way to slow down the powerful Pens. But it won't be easy or quick.
Western Conference
No. 1 Vancouver Canucks over No. 8 Chicago Blackhawks in five: In case we Easterners haven't noticed, the Canucks had a dominant season. Not only did they win the President's Trophy (by 10 points over the Caps), but they boast the only 100-point getter in the league (Daniel Sedin), the most goals scored per game (3.15), the fewest allowed per game (2.20), the best power play (24.3 percent) and the second-best penalty kill (85.6 percent, tied with the Caps). Yes, they have to face playoff their playoff nemesis, the Hawks, but this is not going to be close. The only thing that prevents a sweep is one Chicago home win to salvage their pride. Otherwise, the Sedins, Roberto Luongo and company will enjoy a nice rest before starting the second round.
No. 2 San Jose Sharks over No. 7 L.A. Kings in seven: The Sharks, amidst another stellar offensive campaign, started to play defense (2.54 goals-against average, 10th in the league) and probably had one of the best all-around seasons in recent memory. The Kings are the young upstarts that are clearly on the upswing of their ascent (albeit in a very tough division). But these two California teams already hate each other and will settle in for a long series. But, in the end, the better team advances.
No. 3 Detroit Red Wings over No. 6 Phoenix Coyotes in five: Unlike last season's version of this series, the 2011 face-off won't be close. The Red Wings have gotten better and are looking mighty these days. They might not be Cup-worthy, but they're certainly a veteran bunch that can overcome age, injuries and just about anything else thrown their way. The Coyotes are very much in a state of uncertainty, given the franchise's rumored moves and other turbulence, but that didn't stop Phoenix from returning to the playoffs. And just like last year, it's one and done for the desert dogs.
No. 4 Anaheim Ducks over No. 5 Nashville Predators in seven: The Ducks surged to home-ice advantage behind a monster second half and two scary goal-scorers. Corey Perry was the only NHLer to register 50 goals this season with Bobby Ryan (34) and the ageless Teemu Selanne (31) providing plenty of firepower too. Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller (2.56 GAA, .924 save percentage) made the all-star game but only played 57 games due to injuries. The Preds are no push-overs, and certainly boast the better goaltender in Pekka Rinne (2.12 GAA, .930 save percentage). This is a classic case of offense vs. defense and Mr. Cleo says the Ducks get the scoring to advance.
Note: Before the season started, Mr. Cleo predicted that the San Jose Sharks would win the Stanley Cup over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not sure how this one's going to pan out, though. Overall, Mr. Cleo picked six of the eight playoff teams in each conference (Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues out; Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks and Phoenix in).
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Washington Capitals over No. 8 New York Rangers in six: A full preview of this series will appear separately.
No. 7 Buffalo Sabres over No. 2 Philadelphia Flyers in seven: On paper, this should be no contest. The Flyers have a great record, awesome offense and stellar defense. But, down the stretch, the Sabres were the hotter team and have a better goalie as Ryan Miller has started to regain his form. The Flyers' Sergei Bobrovsky has taken lots of heat this season and he certainly could perform well against a team that is offensively challenged. But something tells me that the Sabres will do to the Flyers what the Montreal Canadiens did to the Caps last spring.
No. 3 Boston Bruins over No. 6 Montreal Canadiens in five: The Bruins are one of the hottest teams in hockey and certainly are facing a familiar foe. Boston's been downright scary this season and seem to have all cylinders running. That's not to say they'll win the Stanley Cup, but they certainly have enough to breeze by their old rivals.
No. 5 Tampa Bay Lightning over No. 4 Pittsburgh Penguins in seven: Tampa's been one of the league's best stories this season. Steve Yzerman, in his first year as GM, has made all the right moves to lead the Lightning to a 23-point improvement over last year's non-playoff squad. But the second-best Southeast Division team gets a huge test from the Penguins, who despite playing without Sidney Crosby and Evgeny Malkin for half the season, won 49 games and came within a lost tiebreaker of winning the Atlantic Division. Tampa wins this series because Dwayne Roloson plays the series of his life, the Lightning's offense does the rest and a team finally finds a way to slow down the powerful Pens. But it won't be easy or quick.
Western Conference
No. 1 Vancouver Canucks over No. 8 Chicago Blackhawks in five: In case we Easterners haven't noticed, the Canucks had a dominant season. Not only did they win the President's Trophy (by 10 points over the Caps), but they boast the only 100-point getter in the league (Daniel Sedin), the most goals scored per game (3.15), the fewest allowed per game (2.20), the best power play (24.3 percent) and the second-best penalty kill (85.6 percent, tied with the Caps). Yes, they have to face playoff their playoff nemesis, the Hawks, but this is not going to be close. The only thing that prevents a sweep is one Chicago home win to salvage their pride. Otherwise, the Sedins, Roberto Luongo and company will enjoy a nice rest before starting the second round.
No. 2 San Jose Sharks over No. 7 L.A. Kings in seven: The Sharks, amidst another stellar offensive campaign, started to play defense (2.54 goals-against average, 10th in the league) and probably had one of the best all-around seasons in recent memory. The Kings are the young upstarts that are clearly on the upswing of their ascent (albeit in a very tough division). But these two California teams already hate each other and will settle in for a long series. But, in the end, the better team advances.
No. 3 Detroit Red Wings over No. 6 Phoenix Coyotes in five: Unlike last season's version of this series, the 2011 face-off won't be close. The Red Wings have gotten better and are looking mighty these days. They might not be Cup-worthy, but they're certainly a veteran bunch that can overcome age, injuries and just about anything else thrown their way. The Coyotes are very much in a state of uncertainty, given the franchise's rumored moves and other turbulence, but that didn't stop Phoenix from returning to the playoffs. And just like last year, it's one and done for the desert dogs.
No. 4 Anaheim Ducks over No. 5 Nashville Predators in seven: The Ducks surged to home-ice advantage behind a monster second half and two scary goal-scorers. Corey Perry was the only NHLer to register 50 goals this season with Bobby Ryan (34) and the ageless Teemu Selanne (31) providing plenty of firepower too. Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller (2.56 GAA, .924 save percentage) made the all-star game but only played 57 games due to injuries. The Preds are no push-overs, and certainly boast the better goaltender in Pekka Rinne (2.12 GAA, .930 save percentage). This is a classic case of offense vs. defense and Mr. Cleo says the Ducks get the scoring to advance.
Note: Before the season started, Mr. Cleo predicted that the San Jose Sharks would win the Stanley Cup over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not sure how this one's going to pan out, though. Overall, Mr. Cleo picked six of the eight playoff teams in each conference (Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues out; Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks and Phoenix in).
April 10, 2011
Weekly Snapshot, April 10
A weekly peek at the state of the Washington Capitals.
The Synopsis: So after a mid-season identity crisis, plenty of calls for major change and lots of uncertainty, the Caps repeated as Southeast Division champions (their fourth straight crown) and Eastern Conference champs. They'll take on their old friends, the New York Rangers, in the first round.
Even though there were doubts about his job security as recent as December, Bruce Boudreau has won approximately 68 percent of his games, the best of any coach in NHL history with at least 250 games of experience. He also led the Caps to a 2.33 goals-against average (fourth in the league) and 197 goals against -- second fewest in franchise history for a full season.(They allowed 120 during the shortened 1994-95 season.)
The Caps' 85.6-percent success rate on the penalty kill was second in the league. Their PK was so good that it was only the fourth time in franchise history they've bettered 85 percent as well as ranked that high in the league. It's also 6.8 percent better than last season.
So they go into the playoffs in better shape than any time in recent memory and with a universal goal to eradicate what happened last season against the Montreal Canadiens. It should be a fun ride.
Record/Standings Position: 48-23-11 (107 points), 1st Southeast Division/1st Eastern Conference/2nd NHL
Final Regular Season Games:
* Won, 3-2 (SO), at Toronto Maple Leafs
* Won, 5-2, vs. Florida Panthers
* Lost, 1-0, at Panthers
This Week's Games: Playoffs vs. New York Rangers (schedule TBA)
Injuries: Mike Green (day-to-day), Tom Poti (day-to-day), and Dennis Wideman (week-to-week). Total Man Games Lost: 254.
Recent Transactions: None.
The Synopsis: So after a mid-season identity crisis, plenty of calls for major change and lots of uncertainty, the Caps repeated as Southeast Division champions (their fourth straight crown) and Eastern Conference champs. They'll take on their old friends, the New York Rangers, in the first round.
Even though there were doubts about his job security as recent as December, Bruce Boudreau has won approximately 68 percent of his games, the best of any coach in NHL history with at least 250 games of experience. He also led the Caps to a 2.33 goals-against average (fourth in the league) and 197 goals against -- second fewest in franchise history for a full season.(They allowed 120 during the shortened 1994-95 season.)
The Caps' 85.6-percent success rate on the penalty kill was second in the league. Their PK was so good that it was only the fourth time in franchise history they've bettered 85 percent as well as ranked that high in the league. It's also 6.8 percent better than last season.
So they go into the playoffs in better shape than any time in recent memory and with a universal goal to eradicate what happened last season against the Montreal Canadiens. It should be a fun ride.
Record/Standings Position: 48-23-11 (107 points), 1st Southeast Division/1st Eastern Conference/2nd NHL
Final Regular Season Games:
* Won, 3-2 (SO), at Toronto Maple Leafs
* Won, 5-2, vs. Florida Panthers
* Lost, 1-0, at Panthers
This Week's Games: Playoffs vs. New York Rangers (schedule TBA)
Injuries: Mike Green (day-to-day), Tom Poti (day-to-day), and Dennis Wideman (week-to-week). Total Man Games Lost: 254.
Recent Transactions: None.
April 3, 2011
Weekly Snapshot, April 3
A weekly peek at the state of the Washington Capitals.
The Synopsis: With just three games left in the regular season, health on the blueline is a big concern. Mike Green, Dennis Wideman, John Erksine, Tom Poti, and Tyler Sloan are all hurt -- and it seems only Erskine will be back this week. Green hopefully will be back for the playoffs -- and we're still waiting to hear about Sloan. Wideman and Poti are gone for a while.
It's imperative, even while missing key players, for the Caps to maintain their defensive prowess over the final week of the regular season and continue their hot streak since the trading deadline. That could lead to first or second place in the conference and a real shot at a long playoff run.
Record/Standings Position: 46-22-11 (103 points), 1st Southeast Division/T-1st Eastern Conference/T-2nd NHL
Last Week's Games:
* Lost, 3-2 (SO), vs. Carolina Hurricanes
* Won, 4-3 (OT), vs Columbus Blue Jackets
* Won, 5-4 (OT), vs. Buffalo Sabres
This Week's Games:
* Tuesday at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m., CSN-HD)
* Wednesday vs. Florida Panthers (7 p.m., CSN-Plus-HD)
* Saturday at Florida Panthers (7 p.m., CSN-HD)
Injuries: Mike Green (day-to-day), Tom Poti (day-to-day), Dennis Wideman (week-to-week), John Erskine (day-to-day), Tyler Sloan (day-to-day). Total Man Games Lost: 240.
Recent Transactions: Recalled Sean Collins from Hershey (yesterday).
The Synopsis: With just three games left in the regular season, health on the blueline is a big concern. Mike Green, Dennis Wideman, John Erksine, Tom Poti, and Tyler Sloan are all hurt -- and it seems only Erskine will be back this week. Green hopefully will be back for the playoffs -- and we're still waiting to hear about Sloan. Wideman and Poti are gone for a while.
It's imperative, even while missing key players, for the Caps to maintain their defensive prowess over the final week of the regular season and continue their hot streak since the trading deadline. That could lead to first or second place in the conference and a real shot at a long playoff run.
Record/Standings Position: 46-22-11 (103 points), 1st Southeast Division/T-1st Eastern Conference/T-2nd NHL
Last Week's Games:
* Lost, 3-2 (SO), vs. Carolina Hurricanes
* Won, 4-3 (OT), vs Columbus Blue Jackets
* Won, 5-4 (OT), vs. Buffalo Sabres
This Week's Games:
* Tuesday at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m., CSN-HD)
* Wednesday vs. Florida Panthers (7 p.m., CSN-Plus-HD)
* Saturday at Florida Panthers (7 p.m., CSN-HD)
Injuries: Mike Green (day-to-day), Tom Poti (day-to-day), Dennis Wideman (week-to-week), John Erskine (day-to-day), Tyler Sloan (day-to-day). Total Man Games Lost: 240.
Recent Transactions: Recalled Sean Collins from Hershey (yesterday).
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