Sports Then and Now

Could this be the year the Chicago Blackhawks bring home the Stanley Cup?

The Western Conference has been the NHL’s elite conference the last couple of years, dominating the inter-conference games. The cup win by Pittsburgh and the recent development of talented teams in Washington and Philadelphia seems to suggest that perhaps that dominance is finished. Once again however the NHL’s best teams seem clustered in the west with only one or two eastern teams even capable of competing with them.

Here’s a look at how the western conference teams are shaping up going in to the playoffs.

FAVORITES:

1/Chicago Blackhawks- Chicago were pre-season cup favorites. They’ve got a depth of young talent most teams can only dream of. Their defense was led by young Olympians Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook who distinguished themselves against the best in the world. Twenty one year old Jonathon Toews was chosen the best forward and first all-star team center at the Olympics. Team-mate Patrick Kane starred on the US silver medal team. Throw in sniper Patrick Sharp, veteran Slovakian talent Marian Hossa, youngsters Bolland, Versteeg and Brouwer, power-play quarterback Brian Campbell, the resurgent Andrew Ladd, thumper Dustin Byfuglien and it’s hard to imagine this team losing to anyone.

They maintain an incredible defense giving up a mere 24.7 shots per game, two and a half shots stingier than the New Jersey Devils, who are renowned for their tight defensive game, and best in the league.   Read the rest of this entry →

Courtesy of Sabres Hockey Central

The Sabres played three games this past week, all of which were decided by one goal. Although Buffalo did not lose, they did not play very well, explained Head Coach Lindy Ruff.

The Sabres began the week by hosting Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Halfway through the game, the Sabres found themselves trailing 3-0. The team was not playing well at all, but they began to get some quality scoring chances. Former Sabre Jay Mckee fell on the puck in his own crease, allowing Buffalo a opportunity with a penalty shot.

Ryan Miller makes a save in the first period.

Drew Stafford would get Buffalo on the board, but still trailing by two. Only a couple minutes later, Stafford would score again, and just like that Buffalo was back in the game. In the third period, Paul Gaustad tied the game up, and Buffalo was in business. In overtime, Jason Pominville would get the game winning goal, and the Sabres completed the comeback.

On Saturday, the Sabres took on an Atlanta team that they have not defeated in six tries. Buffalo got off to a similar start as the game against Pittsburgh. They fell behind by three, and needed a superb effort to get back into the game.

All of the Thrashers goals came in the second period, and Buffalo was down quick. Down but not out. Jochen Hecht got the Sabres on the board at the end of the second, but still trailed by two. Hecht would contribute again in the third, along with Tim Connolly, and Buffalo overcame another three goal deficit.

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Marco Sturm etched his name in Boston Sports lore with his Winter Classic clincher.

The Winter Classic lived up to all the hype and then some. It truly was a spectacle and made hockey relevant in this country again. It was a needed shot in the arm for a sport that has been taking up the rear behind baseball, football, and basketball for years.

Personally, I was very excited just to WATCH this game. I watched the Winter Classics in Chicago and snowy Buffalo, but now it was in my backyard at Fenway Park.

I was down at Mohegan Sun and MGM at Foxwoods for New Years. My whole departure was planned around this game.

One of the cashiers at the MGM said to me after seeing my Bruins cap, “I hope you make it home before the game.”

Me too, but those one armed bandits put their magical spell even over the most die hard Bruins fan.

My girlfriend said, “It’s 11:30am.” I told her to give my version of the two hour warning, but I didn’t listen.

I was going to miss some of the game!

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Wobbly ankled youth's like Todd played hockey on frozen ponds long before indoor rinks were the norm.

The following is a repost of a story, I wrote in April of 2009. In honor of today’s game from Fenway Park between the Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers, I decided to brush it off and resurrect it from the portals. I hope you enjoy. Happy New Year and Go Bruins! Todd

My daughter, Erika, and I recently spent a couple hours of Daddy/Daughter time at the Worcester Sharks hockey playoff game against the Providence Bruins. We took our seats behind the Sharks bench and waited for the singing of the National Anthem.

Before the first note of “O Say Can you see” Erika asked me if I ever played hockey. I laughed. Then I cried a bit and told her the story of my brief life on skates. Read the rest of this entry →

Nicklas Lidstrom was the best defenseman of the decade and helped the Red Wings to a pair of Stanley Cup titles.

The first ten years of the 21st century have flashed by. Great NHL careers like those of Joe Sakic, Jaromir Jagr, Steve Yzerman, Peter Forsberg and Mario Lemieux have come to an end and others like those of Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeny Malkin have just gotten started.

Who has had the best decade though? Taking a look from Jan 1, 2000 until December 31, 2009 I’ve come up with this list. These are my best ten players of the 2000’s in the NHL.

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10. Patrik Elias LW- New Jersey Devils- Regular season (GP-652 G-267 A-359) Playoffs (GP-114 G-38 A-64) 1 First All-star team.

Elias started the decade helping Brodeur and company dump the Dallas Stars in the Stanley cup finals in 2000.  He was in the finals again the next year barely losing to the power house Colorado Avalanche four games to three. New Jersey won the cup again in 2003 defeating the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Elias provided offense on a team that played a tight defensive system to win their cups. He played through a decade of injury and sickness on a trap team and still managed to be the decades 9th leading scorer in the regular season. When you throw in his playoff numbers he’s the seventh leading scorer of the decade and he’s tied with Vincent Lecavalier for the sixth most total goals in the decade. This skilled playoff performer was the tenth best player of the 2000’s. Read the rest of this entry →

The Sabres began this past week with an overtime win against Toronto. The Maple Leafs continue to struggle against the Buffalo Sabres, losing the last nine matchups. Toronto did have a 2-1 lead in the 3rd, but the Sabres tied it up and eventually won the game in overtime.

Buffalo was without Thomas Vanek and Patrick Kaleta, who were both recovering from injuries. About midway through the third period, Jochen Hecht tipped in a rebound pass Jonas Gustavsson to tie the game at two.

Toronto played very well, and deserved the win, but they were unable to stop the Sabres. Derek Roy took a pass from Hecht, and backhanded it into the net for the overtime win.

On Wednesday, the Sabres ran into the Washington Capitals and found out how good they really are. The Sabres have held the Capitals to just two goals in as many games prior to Wednesday. Buffalo stayed with Washington for most of the game, but then collapsed midway through the third.
In the third, Washington would take advantage of a 5 on 3 power play, scoring twice. Backstrom scored his second of the night, followed by an Ovechkin goal to break the game wide open. The Sabres stayed in the game up until the two man advantage for Washington. The Capitals have led in 35 of 37 games this season.

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