In The Crease

Look ma, no hands!

I've been scared of him since I was a kid, especially after he absolutely broke my heart in May of 1999.

My parents surprised me with game six tickets, Colorado vs. Detroit. After blowing a 2-0 series lead, the Red Wings were on the verge of being eliminated from the playoffs following two straight Stanley Cup wins in 1997 and 1998. And sitting in the nosebleeds of Joe Louis Arena, I saw one player -- Peter Forsberg -- take the game and the series into his own hands.

Forsberg's two-goal effort lifted his team to victory then. And last night, he gave the Buffalo Sabres their first taste of post-season defeat.

And the scary part was that Forsberg didn't even need to shoot the puck on net to score. On his first tally, Sabres defenseman Brian Campbell swung at the puck and ended up hitting the puck off Jay McKee's skate and into the net. For his second, Forsberg stationed himself behind the Sabre net and banked the puck off goaltender Ryan Miller.

“I didn’t know, I was just trying to hit something in front of the net, just trying to get it there,” Forsberg told philadelphiaflyers.com. “It was kind of my two luckiest goals ever, but we’ll take them and go from there.”

Lucky? I'm not fooled. Forsberg makes the plays happen through his hard work and superstar talent. Still not convinced? He now has 159 points in 136 playoff games. I've always been scared of him, but I just hope Chris Drury and the Sabres can contain him better in the rest of the series than they did in game two.

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Just like Forsberg: Forsberg isn't the only one using telekinesis to score goals in the playoffs. His old teammate, Alex Tanguay, banked the puck off Willie Mitchell's skate for the OT-winner in game three of the Dallas-Colorado series. Detroit's Robert Lang kept with the trend when his wrister hit both posts before bouncing off Jaroslav Spacek and into the net against the Oilers. Nashville's Paul Kariya added another off San Jose's Kyle McLaren.

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Philly fans have no class:

"Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Denis Gauthier used his stick blade as deftly as a surgeon.

And it hurt Sabres winger J.P. Dumont about as much as the scalpel that sliced him open on an operating table five months ago.

Dumont writhed on his hands and knees for several minutes and needed assistance to leave the ice in the second period." -TBN

But it wasn't the play -- which some perceived as an attempt to injure -- that really bugged me. It was the fans reaction at the Wachovia Center. With Dumont obviously experiencing pain on the ice, the Flyers' PA announcer said, "Ladies and gentlemen, Let’s show our class and cheer the man down on the ice." The fans did just the opposite, booing Dumont as he was helped off the ice by two teammates.

Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret commented, "You get the feeling they'd only cheer if someone was taken away in a hearse."

 

Oh yea, and these are the same fans that tossed hundreds of hats on the ice when Simon Gagne scored into the empty net at the end of the game, thinking that Forsberg had completed the hat trick. Hey fans: 12 is not 21. And an assist isn't a goal.

More NHL TV woes

For out-of-town Sabres fans during game two, the celebration of a then 5-0 rout was put on hold in the second period. Center Ice chose to go with the TSN feed for the Sabres/Flyers series. But with Buffalo out to a big lead, TSN chose to break away from the game and show the Rangers/Devils game instead. It briefly cut back to Buffalo at the end of the period, but then ended up switching to Avalanche/Stars. Finally, with eight minutes left in the third period, the brainiacs at the NHL switched the CI channel to the MSG feed.

Needless to say, I was outraged. As a fan who has waited five years for this, you can imagine what it's like for the game, the enjoyment, to be taken away without recourse. The message boards were up in arms, and I was on hold with DirecTV.

As a Center Ice subscriber, you're completely at the mercy of the NHL. This is the playoffs. You'd think they would be on top of this.

But that was the farthest from the truth. DirecTV had no idea what was going on, couldn't get me a number to call TSN (nor could I find one online), and furthermore, told me that there was really nothing they could do anyway. And finally when the feed switched to MSG, they didn't even know -- I had to tell my representative to spread the word.

I'm not sure exactly how Center Ice works. I do know that [stupid government)] blackout rules apply. And I understand that CI often chooses the "national" broadcast, such as TSN, which often provides great coverage. But TSN doesn't care about Sabres fans, or even Flyers fans for that matter. Why on earth CI wouldn't go with a dedicated, local feed, I have no idea. And why should fans that subscribe to both the sports package and Center Ice not be able to choose whether they watch the TSN feed on CI or the local feed on Comcast or MSG?

But as a fan, I did wakeup to some relief Tuesday morning. Center Ice replied to my distraught email:

"Thank you for your email.

NHL Center Ice took the TSN feed of the Buffalo-Philadelphia game. Unfortunately, when the score of that game got out of hand, TSN decided to switch to Devils-Rangers. We were unaware and unable to switch feeds quickly. In the future, we will be taking feeds from the local RSNs instead of the national networks to avoid this problem.

Thanks,

NHL Center Ice"

So rest assured -- this will not happen again during the playoffs. In an NHL season plagued by broadcast problems, there is some relief in sight.

Five years in the making

I forgot.

Sure, it's only been two years since the last round of NHL playoffs. But those were just the NHL playoffs. Now, it's Buffalo. In the playoffs. For the first time in five years. And needless to say, I forgot what that was like.

I'm that kind of fan that takes the game a little too seriously. An hour before the puck dropped between Phildelphia and Buffalo yesterday, I felt like I was going to throw up. And I wasn't even playing. But it's the butterflies, the nervous energy, the anticipation that makes this time of year the absolute best time of year -- at least when your favorite team makes it to the second season. And for the first time in five years, I'm feeling the high highs, the low lows and everything in between. And I'm loving every minute of it.

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Briere is just getting started: If Sabres fans were looking for an easy return to the playoffs, it was no where to be found on Saturday night. Robert Esche stood on his head, and Philly rallied late to tie the game and send it to overtime.

But what started as one overtime turned into a second, with the HSBC faithful growing more nervous.

With Esche's play, it seemed the Sabres were doomed to have a "great game," yet run into a hot goalie and lose. Still, looking down the bench, there was always Chris Drury -- the perennial clutch performer -- or Jochen Hecht, who seemed to have "OT winner" written all over him.

One guy who wouldn't have stood out was Daniel Briere. Yes, if he was healthy all season he would have had a terrific shot at 100 points. But last night's Briere looked nervous, out of kilter -- even though he had fired 13 shots at the Flyer netminer. Midway through the second overtime, Hecht slid the puck cross-crease to Briere on the doorstep. His 14th shot of the night found the twine and sent the sellout crowd into jubilation.

Esche played out of his mind -- probably the best possible -- and couldn't win the game for his team. Briere had an off night and managed to score the game-winner. Just imagine what could happen if he plays to his potential.

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The play that may end up winning the series: It's no secret that the Sabres team is young and inexperienced. It needed reassurance.

And the worst thing possible happened on the opening shift. Peter Forsberg (!) skated right over goaltender Ryan Miller, unscathed and staring at an empty night. While Miller wasn't there to make the first save of the game, defenseman Henrik Tallinder was. Tallinder reached his stick across to knock Forsberg's attempt out of harm's way.

It seemed innocent enough. Buffalo moved on, and scored five minutes later. But what if Forsberg, who had just returned from injury, had scored and ignited his team? The outcome probably would have been different. Instead, Tallinder kept the game scoreless, allowing his team to establish the pace of the game, get Miller a few saves and establish the lethal forecheck that caused the Flyer defense trouble all night long.

Just something to think about in a five period game and a possible seven-game series. (And oh yea, I think there should be some kind of siren to alert the fans every time Forsberg is on the ice.)

Playoff predictions: Round 1

The second season is upon us, and per tradition, predictions must be made. Below I examined each series. Make sure to post your feedback to let me know if I still have some assemblance of hockey wisdom left.

Eastern Conference

(1) OTTAWA Senators vs. (8) TAMPA BAY Lightning
Series Breakdown
Ottawa (113 pts, 52-21-9), Tampa Bay (92 pts, 43-33-6)
Season series: Ottawa (4-0-0)
Can the Lightning find playoff form again? If you hadn't watched the regular season, it would seem that Tampa Bay would be a no-brainer to win this series. But inconsistant goaltending and scoring has plagued the Lightning all year, as opposed to the Senators who went all season without many bumps (save a late-season slide). Both teams have a significant question in goal, with Dominik Hasek likely out for at least part of the series and John Grahame's up-and-down play. Still, the Senators just have too much firepower combined with some of the toughest defenders in the league (Zdeno Chara for Norris) to not come out on top in the first round.
Pick: Ottawa in 5

(2) CAROLINA Hurricanes vs. (7) MONTREAL Canadiens
Series Breakdown
Carolina (112 pts, 52-22-8), Montreal (93 pts, 42-31-9)
Season series: Carolina (5-0-0)
For me, this is probably one of the most difficult series to predict in the league. Carolina, who had been dominant all year, looked wobbly and inconsistant to finish the season, especially with Martin Gerber in net. Can the 'Canes overcome Erik Cole's injury, and can Erik Staal be the force he was all season long? And what about Montreal -- Cristobal Huet stole the job from once-beloved Jose Theodore, and ended the season with the best save-percentage in the league (.929). While the series is pretty much a tossup, I'll give Gerber and his Olympic experience the slight edge.
Pick: Carolina in 7

(3) NEW JERSEY Devils vs. (6) NEW YORK Rangers
Series Breakdown
New Jersey (101 pts, 46-27-9), New York (100 pts, 44-26-12)
Tied (4-3-1)
Watching the NHL season wind down last Tuesday night, it finally sunk in just how hot New Jersey is going into the playoffs. Yes, they won eleven straight to finish the regular season. But in span of less than 10 minutes, I watched an "offensively-challenged" team roar back from a 3-1 deficit against Montreal to win 4-3 in regulation and win the Atlantic Division (They were trailing the Flyers by 19 pts for first place on Jan. 6.). If Martin Brodeur and the Devil defense can contain the Jaromir Jagr line, I think it will be lights out in the big city.
Pick: Devils in 6

(4) BUFFALO Sabres vs. (5) PHILADELPHIA Flyers
Series Breakdown
Buffalo (110 pts, 52-24-6), Philadelphia (101 pts, 45-26-11)
Season series: Buffalo (3-1-0)
I really will try to put my bias aside for this prediction. Two things that scare me about the Flyers: Ken Hitchcock and Peter Forsberg. Ken Hitchcock builds his team systems for the playoffs, with toughness and a suffocating defense. Peter Forsberg? Let's just say living Detroit has taught me to fear him, regardless of injury. When he is healthy, he IS the best player in the world and can control a game on his own. But there is magic in Buffalo this season. While his team as a whole is relatively inexperineced, Lindy Ruff knows what it takes to go all the way and has the core group (including a healthy Jochen Hecht) ready to go. Ryan Miller will be up to the challenge, as will the Sabres power play. And as much as I'm scared about Forsberg, his old teammate -- Chris Drury -- is a clutch playoff performer and the right guy to lead Buffalo into the second round.
Pick: Buffalo in 6

(1) DETROIT Red Wings vs. (8) EDMONTON Oilers
Series Breakdown
Detroit (124 pts, 58-16-8), Edmonton (95 pts, 41-28-13)
Season series: Detroit (2-0-2)
While Edmonton is used to playing spoiler come playoff time in recent years, it will be difficult against these Red Wings. Coach Mike Babcock has his youngsters and veterans (even a resurgent Steve Yzerman) focused and hungry. But like most series, this one will ultimately come down to goaltending. Does Manny Legace have what it takes to win his first playoff series? Or will Dwayne Roloson prove that he is a true number-one netminder? Detroit’s power play should give it the edge it needs to win the series.
Pick: Detroit in 6

(2) DALLAS Stars vs. (7) COLORADO Avalanche
Series Breakdown
Dallas (112 pts, 53-23-6), Colorado (95 pts, 43-30-9)
Season series: Dallas (3-1-0)
Dallas is one of the best teams top-to-bottom in the entire league, with an all-star netminder to boot. Colorado, on the other hand, used to be that team. It doesn’t have the deadly one-two punch it used to with Peter Forsberg, and Jose Theodore is a big question mark in goal for a team that struggled to make the playoffs. Mike Modano’s team will prove too much for a once-great team in another down year.
Pick: Dallas in 5

(3) CALGARY Flames vs. (6) ANAHEIM Mighty Ducks
Series Breakdown
Calgary (103 pts, 46-25-11), Anaheim (98 pts, 43-27-12)
Season series: Tied (2-2-0)
It’s no secret: Calgary has struggled to score goals all season without Marty Gelinas and Craig Conroy, especially on the road. But anyone picking against Miika Kiprusoff and the Flames defense would have to be insane. Just reading the names – Roman Hamrlik, Jordon Leopold, Rhett Warrener, Robyn Regehr, Andrew Ference and Dion Phaneuf – gives me a headache. Still, Teemu Selanne has had as a magical season, as has Scott Niedermayer. I just can’t see the Flames going out this early in the game.
Pick: Calgary in 6

(4) NASHVILLE Predators vs. (5) SAN JOSE Sharks
Series Breakdown
Nashville (106 pts, 49-25-8), San Jose (99 pts, 44-27-11)
Series: Nashville (2-0-2)
I would love to say Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo would rip apart a Tomas Vokoun-less Predator team. But San Jose, while on fire going into the playoffs, has had trouble with inconsistency and often plays from behind, which is much harder to do in the playoffs -- especially against Nashville. If the Predators can shut down the top-scoring tandem, they still have to contend with Patrick Marleau and company, along with a rising star on defense, Matt Carle. Nashville is hard working and has a great team system, but can Chris Mason step in and deliver a series victory? It’s close.
Pick: San Jose in 7

The playoffs are back (and so is this blog)

After being MIA for the entire regular season/school year, I am returning to the blog world to cover the playoffs. Needless to say, I am psyched that after five years there is playoff hockey back in Buffalo. Look for a playoff preview later today and much more to come in the weeks ahead.