Stanley Cup Playoffs: Night Two Recap

Good Friday Afternoon!

     What a gorgeous day we're having! First time this year that I've worn a t-shirt outside, I'm super excited. And what better way to spend it than to recap some hockey games. All teams but 2 (Anaheim vs Preds) have now played their first game of the Playoffs! Lots of exciting highlights last night, and two shutouts to boot! I'm gonna be a little quicker in my rundowns today, I'd love the chance to get outside before the sun goes down. So without further ado, let's get into it!

Flyers @ Capitals GAME 1

• The theme of this game seemed to be hits and blocks... should make it an interesting series, especially if the games stay close. Look forward to seeing some fights if this goes to game 7
• First period was scoreless, both goalies making some critical saves to keep it that way. Most notably, a deflection by Holtby and a glove save by Mason that absolutely robbed Kusnetsov
• Brooks Orpik's second period hit on Chris Vandevelde was a big one. Typical of the physical play he generally demonstrates. If you like watching players get knocked to the ice, check that one out!
• First goal came at 16:12 of the 2nd. Carlson scored on a Power Play advantage with a nice slap shot from the blueline. Mason went for the save, but it was too quick for him to stop. Caps take the lead 1-0
• Second goal also goes to the Caps, at 16:36 of the 3rd. Jay Beagle is set up beautifully by Marcus Johansson. He gets his first of the playoffs with a wrist shot to the top shelf. A lot of power behind that shot, great goal
• As the buzzer ended the game, Hotlby makes a final save on Claude Giroux's shot. Just behind the net, Schenn makes a huge hit on Alzner, which is not appreciated by the Caps. A bit of a line brawl ensues.
• Caps take game one, leading the series 1-0 against the Flyers. Mason made 29 saves on 31 shots, Holtby gets his 3rd career playoff shutout with 19 saves

Islanders @ Panthers GAME 1

• Fun fact, the Islanders are going into this year's playoffs having NOT won a series in 23 years... how's that for some bad playoff luck? Maybe this will be their chance to turn it around
• Thomas Greiss got the call to net for the Islanders, who have struggled to keep goal tenders healthy this season
• Scoring kicked off quickly in this game. Teddy Purcell being the first to light the lamp for Florida. Less than 2mins into the 1st, Purcell is fed the puck by Jiri Hudler. The defence dont see him until its too late, and the puck is tipped in. 1-0 Panthers.
• About 5mins later, the Islanders return fire to tie the game at one a piece. Brock Nelson gets a centred pass and takes off, beating Luongo. 
•  A second Panthers goal comes only 6mins later, Brian Campell has a stunner from the blue line. Greiss loses sight of the puck, which easily makes its way straight to the back of the net. Panthers lead 2-1.
• The Islanders come back to tie it again shortly after with a Power Play goal. Tavares skillfully passes the puck to Brock Nelson, who slides it into the top shelf. Game tied 2-2.
• The tie is broken yet again, less than 2mins into the 2nd period. Smith picks up a rebound just to the side of the net, and Greiss isn't quick enough to catch it. 3-2 Panthers.
• Not to be outdone, John Tavares ties the game AGAIN in the dying seconds of the period. Luongo goes to the left of the net, focused on Okposo, who instead, passes it to an open Tavares on the right of the net. For the third time, the game is tied. 3-3.
• Early in the 3rd, Tavares strips the Panthers of the puck in their own zone, passing to Kyle Okposo who scores. What a takeaway, nice play for the Islanders. They take the lead 4-3.
• Just a few minutes later, they solidify the lead with a goal from Ryan Strome. The play is set up by Alan Quine who has some fancy moves in front of the net. When his shot leaves a rebound, Strome is quick to take advantage. The score is 5-3, with a nice two goal lead for Florida.
• About a minute later, Florida closes the gap with another goal. A stolen pass leads to Smith netting his second goal of the game. 5-4 for the Islanders
• The biggest save of the game comes from Thomas Greiss. With less than a minute left in the game, Jagr tries to slide one passed the goalie, who makes an absolutely jaw dropping save to keep the Islanders in the lead. 
• Islanders take game one, with a score of 5-4

Wild @ Stars GAME 1

• To Dallas, for game one of this series. The Stars with one of the best offensive lines in the NHL are a finals favourite in many fan made brackets, but they have proven in the past that playoff pressure is real.
• 9mins left in the first, commotion in front of the net on a Stars Power Play. This scene reminded me a bit of a kids hockey game, where everyone crowds in front and frantically tries to put the puck in the net. Alex Goligoski joins in, and manages to break his stick clear in half. Even with all the bodies and sticks, Dubnyk is able to clear the puck keeping the game scoreless
• 6mins left in the first, Sharp has a gorgeous one timer, and even starts to raise his arms in celebration before realizing that the puck had his the cross bar and bounced out... close call for Dallas, but still no score as we head into the second
• Finally, the puck connects. 4mins into the 2nd period, Hemsky has a takeaway, feeding the puck to Radek Faksa who puts it in the top corner of the net passed Dubnyk. 1-0 Stars
• Shortly after, Hemsky attempts to capitalize on a breakaway, but is robbed by Dubnyk's stick. Amazing play, definitely check that one out
• Former Ottawa Senators captain Jason Spezza adds a goal to the highlight reel with 7mins left in the 2nd. He fakes a shot, and as Dubnyk goes for the save, he makes use of the newly open space in the net, a bags his first of the series. 2-0 Stars going into the final period
• Five minutes remaining in the game, the Stars in the dwindling seconds of a PP, Patrick Eaves catches a rebound off Dubnyk and quickly redirects it into the net. 3-0 Stars
• Shortly after, the Wild pull Dubnyk to add the extra offensive player in hopes of not being shutout. However, the Stars have other ideas, as top scorer Jamie Benn sends the puck down the ice for an empty netter
• Kari Lehtonen has the third shutout of the 2016 playoffs making all 22 saves. Stars take game one, and the lead in the series with a score of 4-0

Sharks @ Kings GAME 1

• Battle of California... gotta love when two rivals face off in this race
• Jones gets the call to net for the Sharks, facing off against his former teammates 
• Th first goal is a bit disappointing for Sharks fans, as Muzzin's shot goes wide of the net before being redirected into an empty net by Thomas Hertl's skate. 1-0 Kings
• 13mins left in the 1st, Sharks on a PP, captain Joe Pavelski catches a pass from Brent Burns, and fires the puck passed Jonathan Quick. Tied game end 1-1.
• Two shots back to back saved by Jonathan Quick before time runs out in the 1st, great goal tending for the Kings
• Just about halfway through the second, Brent Burns gets a pass off the face off, winds up and scores on Quick. Sharks take the lead
• A minute or so later, Kings on the power play, Jeff Carter nets a goal off a few Sharks players... seriously, it hits EVERYONE before finding its way to the back of the net. Kings tie the game once again.
• A few short minutes later, Kings defence Drew Doughty takes his role to a whole new level by putting himself in the net between the puck and the line, assisting Jones in a save... a funny play to watch, thats quite the blocking technique
• Near the end of the period, the Kings score a short handed goal with a nice 2 on 1 rush. Trevor Lewis beats Jones, giving the Kings the lead.
• San Jose is back in the game almost immediately, as Hertl redeems himself for his earlier mistake, netting his first of the playoffs. Several shots are fired before his connects with the net. Game is tied once again.
• Less than a minute into the third, Joe Paveski lights the lamp again, this time with a stunning wrap around shot that sneaks by Quick. Sharks take the lead thanks to their captain.
• Dying seconds of the last period, the Kings make a grand attempt to take the game to overtime, but Jones denies them that chance. Close game, but Sharks take it 4-3

     And that about does it, folks! Some great games, and certainly more to come. My dog has brought me her leash, indicating its time for me to sign off. How are your playoff brackets looking? Let me know in the comments below!

-Jess

Canadians In The 2015-2016 Stanley Cup Playoff Race

Hey everyone!

   Well, its that time of the season again. Towels are waving, beards are growing, and the final push has begun. Thats right- its Playoff time! I have to admit (as a Canadian) I am slightly disappointed that we don't have any teams in the Playoffs. This is the first time since 1970, that's huge. Now, fellow Canadians, lets not panic. This is no cause for alarm, hockey is still our sport! Here are some helpful stats to boost your mood in this time of mourning...

In the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

• Of the approximate 368 roster players, there are about 199 Canadian Players in this year's bracket (thats 54%!)
• Of these players: 9 are Captains, 17 wear A's, and 16 are Goalies
• The Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, St Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks all have 16 Canadian players on their rosters (the highest number on a playoff team)
• The Detroit Red Wings are the team with the fewest number of Canadian players (7)
• Brian Elliot (a Canadian goalie for the St Louis Blues) got his first playoff shutout last night, winning 1-0 against the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime
• Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals is the top ranked goalie going into the playoffs. With a record of 48-9-7, he finished the season by tying Martin Brodeur's previous record for wins in a regular season (ps. Brodeur is also Canadian)
• Other Canadians rounding out the top 10 goalies from the regular season: #3 Jones (Sharks), #6 Fleury (Penguins), #7 Luongo (Panthers), #8 Crawford (Blackhawks), #10 Dubnyk (Wild)
• Jamie Benn (Stars), Sidney Crosby (Penguins) and Joe Thornton (Sharks) were ranked #2, 3, and 4 respectively for scoring at the end of the regular season
• Brent Burns (Sharks) and Kris Letang (Penguins) were ranked #2 and 3 for points for a defensemen in the regular season

Some Canadians To Watch...

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1. Braden Holtby- His record says it all, this is his year! A Saskatchewan native, Holtby carries a save% of .922, played 66/82 games, and has a GAA of 2.20... And just to make things fun, he also had 6 penalty minutes this season. Holtby is a staple in my last two years of Fantasy hockey. He very rarely disappoints, and his saves are beautiful. Its easy to see why he's the Vezina Trophy front runner this year!
   
   
   
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2. Kris Letang- I am a huge fan of offensive defence players... not sure why, I just love watching the style of play. As an Ottawa fan, Karlsson is easily my favourite. However, this guy is a close second. Letang hails from Montreal and has a history of bad luck. From broken bones, to strokes, this guy rarely stays healthy for a whole season... but when he does? WOW. His numbers are great, his speed is impressive, and his style of play is very physical. Earlier this season, he got a penalty for trying to play with an OPPOSING team player's stick... How can you not love that??
   
   
   
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3. Matt Martin- If you miss the glory days of the enforcers, this could be the player for you! Matt Martin is a Windsor Ontario native who may have a relatively unknown name in the NHL. After all, he finished the season with only 19 points to his name. That being said, he led the regular season for hits (365- averaging about 5/game), and has a respectable 119 PIM (9th overall). If you're looking to catch a fight, tune into an Islanders game and keep your eyes peeled for #17

     So yes, while it may be true that there are no Canadian TEAMS... there are still lots of Canadians! Don't let the lack of a team stop you from catching a post-season game this year. We have lots to cheer for! I haven't decided which team I'm rooting for yet... I think I'm leaning towards the Capitals, I would love to see Holtby win a cup and possibly get the nod to start for Canada at the World Cup in September. Who are you guys cheering for? Comment below!

I'll be back tomorrow to discuss night #2 of the playoffs!

- Jess

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Night One Recap

Hello Fellow Fans!

    Well, we are officially one night into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I have to admit, I'm not as invested as I might typically be since I am undecided who to cheer for, but it was still a great night for hockey! Lots of exciting things to talk about, so lets get into it!

Rangers @ Penguins GAME 1

• We go to Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center for Game One of this series. For the 3rd year in a row, these teams face each other. With goal tenders Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray both unable to make the start (concussion related), 3rd string goal tender Jeff Zatkoff got the last minute call to make his post season debut. A fairly back and fourth game to start, things took a turn for New York late in the first. With about 48seconds remaining, Marc Staal raised his stick during play and accidentally hit goalie Henrik Lundqvist in the eye. Almost immediately after, Patric Hornqvist's shot slipped through Lunqvist's legs, making the score 1-0 at first intermission. He sat out the rest of the game (note: his status for game 2 is unknown) Losing Henrik would be a huge blow for NY, thats for sure. Back to the game! Early on in the second, Kunitz lined up a shot, but it hit the crossbar and bounced out. With about 3mins left, Victor Stalberg attempted to tie it up for NY but Zatkoff was able to grab a hold of the puck to keep the lead. Just over a minute left in the 2nd, Hornqvist clears the puck, sending it up the ice to Crosby who takes off for an unbeatable breakaway goal. Penguins up 2-0 at second intermission. Two minutes into the 3rd, former Ranger Carl Hagelin took a double minor for high sticking, leading to a PPG for Derek Stepan. With the power play continuing, the penguins wrangled the puck down the ice for a 2 on 1, giving Tom Kuhnhackl his first playoff goal (and short handed at that!) Only 3mins later, on a PP of their own, Pittsburgh rallied to bring the score to 4-1 (goal: Hornqvist). A short 2mins later, Derek Stepan takes a pass from Mats Zuccarello and beats Zatkoff with a beautiful goal making it 4-2.  2:55 remaining, NY made the call to pull their goalie. Five seconds later, Hornqvist connects with the empty net, giving him the hat trick and securing the Penguins win. Penguins lead the Rangers 1-0

Red Wings @ Lightning GAME 1

• Off to Tampa Bay for Game One against the Red Wings, another familiar first round matchup. Detroit has now made the playoffs for 25 years in a row which is the longest active streak in the NHL, and they are tied for 3rd longest streak in NHL history. Tampa in a bit of a different position, clearly missing their star player and captain, Steven Stamkos. This game was quick to get into the action, Tampa's Nikita Kucherov beating Jimmy Howard with a stunning goal that just slips over his glove. 1-0 Tampa at first intermission. Just over two minutes into the second period, Detroit gains control of the puck after a face off to the left of Ben Bishop. A few nice passes later, Mike Green manages a nice shot that tricks the goalie, tying up the game. Just two minutes later, Justin Abdelkader beats Bishop again. Looks as if Bishop lost sight of the puck, unfortunate for the Vezina Trophy candidate. But he makes up for it when the Wings go on a power play and are held at bay with their one goal lead. Shortly after, the Kucherov/Johnson/Killorn line comes through again, tying the game going into the 3rd.  About 13mins into the final period, Jonathan Drouin (who has just recently returned from an interesting media mess in the AHL/suspension) scores a beautiful goal, which is challenged and deemed to be offside. The score stands at 2-2. It doesnt take long for Killorn to remedy that withdrawn goal, his tip-in gives the Lightning the lead and him the game winning goal halfway through the third period. Lightning lead the Red Wings 1-0.

Blackhawks @ Blues GAME 1

• The Blues host the Blackhawks for game one of this series. St Louis is coming off yet another great season, but can this team pull through their playoff struggles? 3 years straight now, they've been eliminated in round one. A surprising stat to say the least when you look at the fire power and speed this team has behind it. The Blackhawks are no stranger to playoff hockey, having won the cup just last year and looking to make it two years in a row. One thing is being made clear, if you want a physical game, this is your series. Hits and blocks seemed to dominate, and that seems to be St Louis' strategy against the less aggressive Hawks. Still scoreless in the second, Toews and Kane get a 2 on 1 breakaway but are beat by Elliot who deflects the puck. Five minutes later, another breakaway by Toews, and yet another magnificent save by Elliot. Not to be outdone, Crawford holds his own in a flurry of shots by St Louis' top line. Perhaps a saving grace, Toews blocks a shot off his skate, keeping the game scoreless. Shot after shot in the third, the goalies face off against each other, no one ready to let the first goal of the game pass that line. I have to say, Elliot saving multiple breakaway shots was quite the feat and left me impressed. This is a goalie who had 3 shut outs in March, as the season was winding down. Could he help lift the Blues passed the first round this year? Only time will tell. Back to the game, Crawford makes one last save as the buzzer sounds and we go into overtime. The teams, very clearly evenly matched, fought it out for another 10mins of play, until David Backes bounces a shot off Van Reimsdyk's skate and passed Corey Crawford. A bit of a disappointing shot to end such a high action game. But so be it! The Blues walk away with a win, and Elliot gets his first playoff shut out. Blues lead the Hawks 1-0.

     

     Seems like the home ice advantage may be coming into play this year, with all three hosting teams coming away with wins on night one. What will the rest of the series hold? What are your predictions? Comment below!

Until tomorrow!

- Jess

Puck Drop

Welcome lifelong hockey fans and confused rookies alike!

    The end of a season may seem like a strange time to start a blog, but I have to say, I think its perfect. The NHL is about to kick into playoffs, looming international competitions are forming rosters, expansions are being planned, big contracts are coming to an end, coaches are getting canned... its a great time to be a hockey lover!

    Let's get the puck rolling by getting to know each other! My name is Jess and I'm 27 years old. I live in your typical "HockeyTown, Ontario, Canada". In my city jerseys are the attire of choice, there's a waiting list for OHL tickets, and rivalries run high. That being said- I didn't grow up watching hockey, nor did I ever play. I'm an only child, and I CANNOT skate to save my life. So how did this all come about? I actually found my love through work of all things.

     You see, I've worked in sports bars for most of my young adult life. I love it. The money is great, you get a solid workout (because who has time for the gym?), and the people keep things fun and interesting. Life was good. However, one thing I learned very quickly? You can only get so far in this job with a limited understanding of sports. I can't tell you how many saturday nights I worked, puzzled as people asked me for game times and personal predictions. I had no idea what a playoff bracket looked like, which teams were rivals, who that new amazing rookie was... And it was affecting my ability to do my job. So one day I made a decision- I would learn.

     Five years ago, I dove head first into the world of hockey. I spent my days watching news tickers on TSN, following stats, learning the rules, and watching any and every game possible. Sabres vs Blue Jackets? Heck yes! Within a few months, something clicked... and now? I can't get enough! I partake in fantasy leagues, I attend a handful of live games every season, and my boyfriend comes to me for hockey updates. I never thought I'd love it so much, but here I sit, a full fledged Hockey Addict.

    One more thing you should know, I bleed red/black/gold. 

That's right, I'm an Ottawa fan (Go Sens Go!) 

     Make fun if you must, but I wear my jersey with pride. The story of how I became a member of the Sens Army is a funny one, but we'll get to that another day. Now, if you're a Leafs fan, you are probably about to hi the "back button" in your browser... BUT WAIT! I love my Sens, but more importantly, I love hockey. I'm not just a one team girl. I can find the silver lining in any team, even the Maple Leafs (although you may have to deal with some good natured chirps) This blog is about ALL things hockey, not just my boys in red. So if you're a fan of any team from Anaheim to Winnipeg, don't worry, you're welcome here!

     I think that about covers it! With playoffs starting tonight, and so many teams already making changes for next year, this should be a fun post-season! Looking forward to watching the highlight reels with all of you :) Check back tomorrow for a recap on tonight's games! Let the race to the Stanley Cup finals begin!

-Jess