A lot of action around the National Hockey League took place this week.
This week was encompassed of moments like, but not only, Patrick Roy’s return to Montreal, 2010 and ‘08/’09 Stanley Cup Finals rematches, an eight-goal onslaught by the New York Rangers, a big-time injury to a superstar, Rick Nash’s first return to Nationwide Arena and numerous game with playoff implications.
Who’s Hot?
1. The Boston Bruins
In four victories in four games this past week, the Bruins have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 14-5, including a 2-0 shutout over the Avalanche in the first game of their second back-to-back games this week. With their last win, the Bruins hold the NHL’s highest winning streak at 12 straight games. Milan Lucic has nine goals and 14 assists in his last 23 games played.
2. Thomas Vanek – Forward, Montreal Canadiens
In Montreal’s three games this week, Vanek has picked up his offense for his new club. In the team’s 6-3 victory over the Avalanche, Vanek netted a natural hat trick, only to follow that up with a goal in the next game against Columbus. Vanek totaled four goals on 10 shots in three games this past week.
3. Steven Stamkos – Forward, Tampa Bay Lightning
Amidst a five-game winning streak before falling to Pittsburgh in overtime Saturday, Stamkos and the Lightning picked up their game offensively during four games played this past week. On Monday, Stamkos recorded a power play goal and an assist, helping his team to a 4-3 victory. Then, during Tampa’s 5-3 victory at Toronto on Wednesday, the captain potted a hat trick and a plus-one rating, including one powerplay goal. Stamkos tallied five goals (two PPG’s), two assists and 15 shots in four games.
Who’s Not?
1. Martin St. Louis – Forward, New York Rangers
After being dealt to the New York Rangers from his home of the last 14 years, St. Louis has only been able to muster two points (both assists) in his first eight games with New York. The Rangers won all three of their games this week, but the former Lightning captain only put together two total shots on goal in a combined 60:43 of ice time.
2. Patrick Kane – Forward, Chicago Blackhawks
Kane has been cold because of other reasons that offensive productivity. The Chicago sniper had two assists and no goals in the team’s three games this week, but a certain play in the squad’s game against St. Louis on Wednesday was what caught everyone’s attention. Midway through the second period, St. Louis forward Brendon Morrow bounced right off of Chicago defenseman Sheldon Brookbank on the boards, causing him to fall right onto Kane’s leg. Kane remained on the ice before getting up and taking himself to the bench, in pain. The Blackhawks announced on Friday that Kane was put on injury reserve and will be out of the lineup for the remainder of the regular season.
3. The Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have been in last place in the entire league about all season, but they have had their winning streaks, especially immediately following the trade deadline. As of late, Buffalo has lost eight of its last ten games, including a 1-2 record during this past week. While the NCAA Tournament’s second and third round games are taking place at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, the Sabres have been on their western road-trip, which they will conclude on Thursday. The Sabres have been outscored 26-11 in their last eight games, including being shutout 2-0 twice during that span.
Story of the week
This week’s story is one that touches the heart of all fans within the hockey community. On Tuesday, the San Jose Sharks and the Make-a-Wish Foundation teamed together to make one 17-year-old’s dream come true. The team signed lifetime Sharks fan Sam Tageson to a one-day contract, which enabled him to practice with the team and participate in all team events, including the game that night.
Tageson was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and had always been told he couldn’t play sports, but he loved the game of hockey and has tried to play as much as he can. It really meant the world to him, as he had his own press conference and everything when he signed with the Sharks — the whole nine yards.
In the game that night, Tageson was able to skate through the Shark head and onto the ice for the game, where he was announced in the starting lineup and then watched the entire game from the bench, making his dream come true.
You can see both videos here, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/sharks-make-sam-tageson-s-hockey-wish-come-true-and-it-s-a-tearjerker--video-070219363.html
Game of the week
This week’s game of the week could be Pittsburgh-Philadelphia, Tampa Bay-Pittsburgh, or many others played during the seven-day span. I chose the last game of the week broadcasted by NBC Sports Network on Sunday night between the Minnesota Wild and the Detroit Red Wings in Detroit, Mich.
The Red Wings are currently fighting for a wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, while the Wild have looked to have secured a spot for the time being.
The Wings took an early 2-0 lead in the first period, off of two goals by Gustaf Nyquist, including a beauty of a breakaway forehand-backhand deke on Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard for the second tally of the night.
Once the second period started, the momentum and puck control started to tilt towards the Wild’s side of the ice. Minnesota scored on a laser of a slap shot from forward Jason Pominville from the left point on the power play, which was the only goal of the period.
The second period started with contained pressure by the Wild, in which they potted two goals in the first six minutes and 18 seconds, scored by Charlie Coyle and Zach Parise, to take the lead. The Wild scored their third goal off of hard work and pressure to keep the puck in the offensive zone. The Wings turned over the puck several times before the blue line, and superb passing between the Wild defense and offense assisted the puck to find Parise’s stick and then the back of the net.
The game was not over, yet. A great passing play by Detroit forward Brendan Smith on a 3-on-2 rush forced the puck over to teammate Tomas Tatar, who made a quick stop at the faceoff dot and fired the puck over the right shoulder of Wild goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, tying the game at three goals apiece with 8:17 left in regulation.
The game needed extra time to decide the winner. In dramatic fashion, the Wild won the tilt on a tipped puck during a very unthreatening rush. Matt Moulson recorded the game-winning goal on a tip that found its way through the five-hole of Howard.
Play of the week
Carolina goalie Cam Ward gets this week’s play of the week, for something that may be considered the save of the year. In the Hurricanes’ game against Winnipeg Saturday, Jets’ forward Michael Frolik threw a shot on net from the right boards looking for a rebound, which he got. The rebound went across the crease, landing on Bryan Little’s stick, with an empty net left for a goal. As Little shot the puck quickly on net, Ward slid from the left post across to the right, in a diving motion, with his stick across the goal-mouth. His stick knocked the puck out of the air like a bunting baseball bat, kepping the puck out of the net.
You can see the play here, courtesy of NHL.com: http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hdpid=49&id=583961&lang=en&navid=nhl:topheads
League Leaders
Goals
46 – Alex Ovechkin (WAS)
36 – Corey Perry (ANA)
36 – Phil Kessel (TOR)
Points
94 – Sidney Crosby (PIT)
76 – Ryan Getzlaf (ANA)
76 – Phil Kessel (TOR)
Goals Against Average
1.97 – Brian Elliot (STL)
2.01 – Jonathan Quick (LAK)
2.07 – Tuukka Rask (BOS)
Save Percentage
.929 – Tuukka Rask (BOS)
.929 – Ben Scrivens (EDM)
.927 – Ben Bishop (TBL)
Playoff Standings
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
1. X - Boston Bruins — 49-17-5 (103 points)
3. Tampa Bay Lightning — 39-24-8 (86 points)
4. Montreal Canadiens — 39-26-7 (85 points)
Metropolitan Division
2. Pittsburgh Penguins — 46-20-5 (97 points)
5. Philadelphia Flyers — 38-25-7 (83 points)
6. New York Rangers — 39-29-4 (82 points)
Wild Card
7. Detroit Red Wings — 33-24-14 (80 points)
8. Toronto Maple Leafs — 36-29-8 (80 points)
In the Hunt
Washington Capitals — 34-27-11 (79 points)
Columbus Blue Jackets — 36-28-6 (78 points)
New Jersey Devils — 31-28-13 (75 points)
Western Conference
Central Division
1. X - St. Louis Blues — 48-16-7 (103 points)
4. Chicago Blackhawks — 41-16-15 (97 points)
5. Colorado Avalanche — 44-21-6 (94 points)
Pacific Division
2. San Jose Sharks — 46-18-8 (100 points)
3. Anaheim Ducks — 46-18-7 (99 points)
6. Los Angeles Kings — 40-25-6 (86 points)
Wild Card
7. Minnesota Wild — 37-24-11 (85 points)
8. Phoenix Coyotes — 34-26-11 (79 points)
In the Hunt
Dallas Stars — 33-26-11 (77 points)
Vancouver Canucks — 33-30-10 (76 points)
Winnipeg Jets — 32-31-9 (73 points)
X – Clinched Playoff Spot
@Alex_Busch91
ab109410@ohiou.edu
