Around The NHL: Moar Playoffs!!!

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Nah. They had a great regular season, and its too early for him to get canned.

However, if this game plays out they way it looks: Yet another year of regular season dominance and playoff failures for Bruce.

In defense of Boudreau, he's never really had a great defensive core on his Washington/Anaheim teams. Guy's obviously great at getting the best out of his forwards, and generally, his teams have had good offensive weapons throughout the lineup.

But D has always been a problem for Washington/Anaheim the past few years.

 

[Richter Scale]

The model franchise along with the Devils for sure.

Also I want to comment on Jonathan Ericsson. All the hype goes to Kronwall because of his hitting, but I find Ericsson to be Detroit's best defender. Complete 180 from his collapse in last year's playoffs.

In general, this has been true this year. Kronwall has had some pretty awful stretches defensively. Big adjustment for him having to take over for Lidstrom. He's not bad by any means, but he is not heads and shoulders above the rest of Detroit's d-men like a lot of people would assume seeing him as their '1D'.

 

[trilobyte]

Unfortunate self-goal on Howard.

Bummer.
For whatever the reason, the Wings have awful problems with a seemingly comfortable cushion.

 

[Richter Scale]

And Ducks score on the PP... 3-2 Wings up with 3 min left. Oh boy. Going to be a nail biter. Come on Wings, no more last minute break downs...

 

[JohnC]

Ouch town population: Henrik Zetterberg

And the puck over the glass DOG adds another victim to it's **** list

 

[Richter Scale]

In defense of Boudreau, he's never really had a great defensive core on his Washington/Anaheim teams. Guy's obviously great at getting the best out of his forwards, and generally, his teams have had good offensive weapons throughout the lineup.

But D has always been a problem for Washington/Anaheim the past few years.

I know you made this point in your post with the rest of that sentence... but its not exactly like the bolded is hard to do when you're coaching core guys like:

Ovechkin
Backstrom
Semin
Kozlov
Fedorov
Nylander

Getzlaf
Perry
Ryan
Koivu
Selanne

 

[trilobyte]

Talk about drama

 

[Richter Scale]

And look at that Detroit defense smother them in the last few minutes. Truly impressive. Yay Wings! Interested to see how they handle Chicago.

 

[Kakko]

Pathetic final 2 minutes from the ducks

 

[trilobyte]

Makes you wonder if it is the last we see of the GREAT Teemu Selanne

 

[Blueshirt Believer]

Cleary comes in to forecheck, rags the puck for 10 seconds at least while the Red Wings complete a line change. Then, the fresh troops arrive in the offensive zone to join Cleary, and they carry on. The Ducks did not catch on, and none of them pressured Cleary very hard.

Coaching.

yep, with one minute left Wings didn't give the Ducks the Neutral zone at all. They were causing havoc on the ducks breakout.

Thats how you defend a one goal lead. You don't let the other team set up in your zone at all.

 

[aufheben]

Wow Detroit wins in 7. Good for them, I thought that Ducks team would have made it a lot farther.

 

[RangerBlues]

I cant see Selanne retiring. He looks like there is a lot more in the tank.

 

[trilobyte]

Zero goals for Perry.
Who would have thought.

 

[Trou Trou Train]

Wings/Hawks next round.

 

[trilobyte]

yep, with one minute left Wings didn't give the Ducks the Neutral zone at all. They were causing havoc on the ducks breakout.

Thats how you defend a one goal lead. You don't let the other team set up in your zone at all.

This was earlier, and it just seemed to me like an indication of what the Red Wings do. They hold on to the puck unless there is a good reason not to.
We both know that many teams would relinquish the puck in order to complete the line change.

 

[Kershaw]

Nah. They had a great regular season, and its too early for him to get canned.

However, if this game plays out they way it looks: Yet another year of regular season dominance and playoff failures for Bruce.

Ducks were frauds all season long. Terrible team at possessing the puck that somehow capitalized on the few chances they generated. Detroit's been far superior at puck possession (big surprise with Datsyuk and co.), so it seemed logical to pick them as a darkhorse this series and make good dough. I made $45.

 

[Richter Scale]

yep, with one minute left Wings didn't give the Ducks the Neutral zone at all. They were causing havoc on the ducks breakout.

Thats how you defend a one goal lead. You don't let the other team set up in your zone at all.

You do realize that during the last few minutes the Wings were, at best, using a 1-2-2 -- the very same thing I've seen you (I think?) ***** about the Rangers moving to from a 2-1-2 after getting a lead, right?

It could even be argued that the Wings weren't even in a 1-2-2, and were not sending any forecheckers down low below the circles in the offensive zone unless possession was a certainty.

 

[Blueshirt Believer]

Wings/Hawks next round.

Honestly, with Babcock: Thats a tough series to call. The way the Babcock wings usually lose in the playoffs is the other team makes them pay physically.

I'm not sure if Chicago can take it too Detroit like that. I can't predict that one.

 

[Blueshirt Believer]

You do realize that the Wings were, at best, using a 1-2-2 -- the very same thing I've seen you (I think?) ***** about the Rangers moving to from a 2-1-2 after getting a lead, right?

It could even be argued that the Wings weren't even in a 1-2-2, and were not sending any forecheckers down low below the circles in the offensive zone unless possession was a certainty.

I'm not against a 1-2-2 if the team in question has no problem transitioning the puck from the defensive zone.

The Rangers, on the hand, since they have an extremely tough time gaining the puck and transitioning to the offensive zone: They can't be deferring the puck or not committing to a forecheck in a lock system. Its not effective. Since the Rangers don't take away enough of the neutral zone to play a soft forecheck against a quick transitioning team. Either be more aggressive on the forecheck or trap them in the neutral zone. Rangers don't do either.

The wings don't have that problem.

Not to mention, the Rangers will play a 1-2-2 for practically an entire period if they get a one goal lead.

 

[Kakko]

So... I thought Detroit was finally missing the playoffs this year.

Yeah, never making that mistake again

 

[Richter Scale]

Honestly, with Babcock: Thats a tough series to call. The way the Babcock wings usually lose in the playoffs is the other team makes them pay physically.

I'm not sure if Chicago can take it too Detroit like that. I can't predict that one.

I agree with this. I don't think the Wings have quite the depth they have had in past years though. The Hawks have had the Wings' number of late - of course that gets thrown out the window somewhat in playoffs. I'd like to think the Wings could win; but I don't see it happening if the Hawks can keep up the way they've been playing all season. It'll be a lot closer than a lot of people will likely be expecting though.

 

[Kershaw]

Hawks in 6.

Kings in 6.

 

[Richter Scale]

I'm not against a 1-2-2 if the team in question has no problem transitioning the puck from the defensive zone.

The Rangers, on the hand, since they have an extremely tough time gaining the puck and transitioning to the offensive zone: They can't be deferring the puck or not committing to a forecheck in a lock system. Its not effective.

The wings don't have that problem.

Not to mention, the Rangers will play a 1-2-2 for practically an entire period if they get a one goal lead.

Fair enough. I agree in general. I'm not opposed to the Rangers doing it to a degree; but it does seem like they revert to that much too early in a game. And the Wings are generally much more effective at it -- though I'd say that is more attributable to the difference in personnel than anything.

 

[aufheben]

CHI-DET, LA-SJ, 2 great match ups.