Playoff hockey is approaching and the entire league is on its heels.
In a final push to the playoffs for some teams, this past week meant various things to each team. Some teams were looking to rest up and prepare for the playoffs, some teams were looking to improve playoff position and/or secure a playoff spot and some were simply trying to finish their season on a high note. Regardless, the week was filled with action from game one until the end.
This week, I present you with the playoff preview edition of “The Inside Edge.” Here you will see a condensed version of past blog posts, with an addition of a playoff preview at the end.
Who’s Hot?
Ryan Johansen – Forward, Columbus Blue Jackets
With only one slot for this week’s hottest player, I had to choose the 21 year-old who is taking Columbus by storm, as the Blue Jackets approach their second playoff appearance in team history.
In a pair of back-to-back games this week, the Vancouver native tallied two goals and four assists, for six points. Johansen carried the Blue Jackets by recording his fourth and fifth game-winning goals on the season, in victories over Phoenix and Florida. His game-winner against the Coyotes came on a breakaway in overtime, after a terrific pass across center ice by James Wisniewski.
Johansen is 12th in the entire NHL in goals this season, with 33, and ranks second on the team with seven power-play goals, including one in the regular season finale in Florida.
Who’s Not?
The St. Louis Blues
At the beginning of this month, the Blues were poised to enter the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Central Division champions and the top seed in the Western Conference. Six consecutive losses to end the regular season has changed that.
After the regular season finale 3-0 defeat to the hands of the Red Wings, the Blues enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Central Division and will now face the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs.
St. Louis dropped all four games this week and were shut-out twice during that span. The Blues were only able to muster three total goals in the four games played. They ended the season with two consecutive games of not scoring a goal and are have yet to score in the past 143:59 minutes of play.
Story of the week
This week’s story is a cool one, rather than something that “took the league by storm,” per se.
On March 10th, the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Dallas Stars was postponed because of the collapse of Rich Peverly, which shocked both teams.
They replayed the game on Thursday, but Columbus started the game with a 1-0 lead, because that was the score at the time of postponement.
The story behind this that is noteworthy is the fact that Nathan Horton was injured and didn’t play in this game, yet he scored a goal. That has never happened in the history of the NHL.
He scored the opening goal in the original game, before it was called off, and the goal was counted during Thursday’s game as an empty net goal at 0:00 of the first period.
The Blue Jackets went on to win the game 3-1 and clinched their playoff spot with their two points gathered in Dallas.
Game of the week
The game of the week came on Thursday, in one of the greatest rivalries in hockey, between the Flyers and Penguins. The game meant the world to the Flyers, as a win would secure them a third-place finish in the Metropolitan Division.
The game opened with an odd-man rush goal by Jussi Jokinen exactly two minutes into the game. Later in the opening frame, Jakub Voracek scored on the power-play to even the game at one goal apiece.
In the second, the Penguins were denied by brilliant saves from Steve Mason, along with two different post-hits on the power-play. The Flyers scored the only goal of the period, as Voracek tallied his second of the night, giving Philly a 2-1 lead at the 14:38 mark of the second period.
The first 14 minutes of the third period saw no goals by either team, with the help of stellar goaltending at both ends. At the 14:53 mark of the third period, a turnover by the Penguins at their own blue line led to a goal by James Neal, which tied the game at two. Less than four minutes later, Voracek picked up his third point of the night with an assist on a snipe by Claude Giroux, which found the back of the net. The game was then led by Philly, 3-2, before the Penguins, with their goalie pulled, tied the game with 36.8 seconds left in regulation.
Although goaltending was stellar all game long, Penguins’ goalie Marc-Andre Fleury allowed a backhand shot by Mark Streit to find the back of the net in overtime, which gave the Flyers a 4-3 victory.
All things related to this game can be found here, courtesy of the NHL: http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2013021213
League Leaders
Goals
51 – Alex Ovechkin (WAS)
43 – Corey Perry (ANA)
41 – Joe Pavelski (SJS)
Points
104 – Sidney Crosby (PIT)
87 – Ryan Getzlaf (ANA)
86 – Claude Giroux (PHI)
Goals Against Average
1.96 – Brian Elliot (STL)
1.97 – Cory Schneider (NJD)
2.04 – Tuukka Rask (BOS)
Save Percentage
.930 – Tuukka Rask (BOS)
.927 – Semyon Varlamov (COL)
.927 – Carey Price (MTL)
Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference
1. Boston Bruins
4. Detroit Red Wings
- DET won season series 3-1
I’m sure the Bruins did not want to the Red Wings as their first round matchup, if they had the choice. The Red Wings have been lightning hot as of late, especially with their young studs stepping up, especially winger Gustav Nyquist. The game-changer in this series will be goaltending, as both Jimmy Howard and Tuukka Rask are capable of standing on their heads to win games in the playoffs.
Prediction: Boston in six.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
3. Montreal Canadiens
- TBL won season series 3-1
This series is interesting, because it really does have no history between the clubs, but history will definitely be made this year. Both teams have had rollercoaster seasons filled with injuries, but they are at the top of their games heading into the playoffs. The performances of the star players in Steven Stamkos and Max Pacioretty may be a series-changer. The home-ice advantage was gained by the Lightning on the last game of the season and it may be key in advancing to the second round.
Prediction: Tampa in six.
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
- PIT won season series 5-0
Although Pittsburgh was victorious in all five meetings between the two clubs, three of the five games were won by a one-goal margin. The Blue Jackets enter the playoffs without a single playoff victory, but youth will propel them to whatever they want to achieve. The players to watch out for will be the young stars on Columbus (Johansen, Jenner), along with the Pittsburgh goal-scorers (Crosby, Malkin). Sergei Bobrovsky vs. Marc-Andre Fleury will be the matchup that decides the winner.
Prediction: Columbus in seven.
2. New York Rangers
3. Philadelphia Flyers
- Season series tied 2-2
This series will be won on home ice. In the four meetings between the divisional rivals this season, the home team has won every time. Both teams have veterans with playoff experience, but the lack of experience in net for Philly will be detrimental. The Flyers have been known for having goalie problems in the playoffs in the year’s past and this will be no different. Look for Marty St. Louis to prove his worth on the Rangers during the series.
Prediction: Rangers in six.
Western Conference
1. Colorado Avalanche
4. Minnesota Wild
- COL won season series 4-1
Colorado was a young team that had many question marks to start the season, but the play of rookie forward Nathan MacKinnon has become huge for the Avalanche’s offense. I think that Minnesota is becoming a solid team, but they are still a year or two away from a playoff run. Watch for the MacKinnon-Landeskog connection to bury the Wild with a plethora of goals this series.
Prediction: Colorado in five.
2. St. Louis Blues
3. Chicago Blackhawks
- STL won season series 3-2
Three weeks ago I would tell you St. Louis would have swept through its first round series, but with the last month, the Blues are looking like they might become victory to another early-exit in the playoffs. Chicago should have star forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathon Toews back for the playoffs, and if they do, the Blues might only host three home games before exiting the post-season.
Prediction: Chicago in six.
1. Anaheim Ducks
4. Dallas Stars
- DAL won season series 2-1
Dallas is a great story this season, with the new additions and the new man at the helm, in Lindy Ruff, but Anaheim is just a better team. Teemu Selanne is on his way out soon, if not after this season, and there’s no doubt that he wants to win another Stanley Cup before calling it quits. Special teams may play a huge role in this series, especially when the Ducks have the man-advantage.
Prediction: Anaheim in five.
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Los Angeles Kings
LA won season series 3-2
The Kings won the cup as an eight seed just two seasons ago, but this year’s team has become very inconsistent at times. The Sharks have proven to be an offensive juggernaut, with the likes of Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton, and they will be tough to stop in a seven-game series. I think the only way that LA wins this series is if Jonathan Quick steals the show like he has in the past.
Prediction: San Jose in six.
@Alex_Busch91
ab109410@ohiou.edu
