#also see last season w the bruins

[flyers-deactivated]

one thing the flyers will do is allow other teams to break records against us

[3416]

okay. SO! i’m not a veteran hockey fan i’m a relative rookie (haha) and i would very much appreciate your expertise… i feel like bertuzzi is a good player?? i know he doesn’t have any goals but the way he plays and seemingly gives it his all is crazy impressive and i thought he was really good with mitch and auston? but he’s no longer with them in the starting line and so i’m wondering am i missing something or is this a keefe thing or maybe both… also i don’t like reaves how do you feel about him im so sorry for unloading all of this I JUST LOVE YOUR OPINIONS ON THE LEAFS!!!

JFLKDSJKLF I'M AFRAID I WOULDN'T CALL MYSELF A VETERAN EITHER, LOL, but i do appreciate that people want to hear my opinions, though they're evolving as i learn more and more. but THANK YOU FOR ASKING MY OPINION, I LOVE TALKING, LET'S GO. SORRY FOR THE LONG POST.

bertuzzi basically became a big name at the trade deadline last year as one of the most viable guys being moved around bc teams were trying to bulk up for the playoffs. he was traded to the bruins where it took him a bit of time to warm up tbh.. he played 21 regular season games with them and only scored 4 goals 12 assists, but then scored 5 goals 5 assists in their 7 playoff games before elimination... that made him a really big target during free agency this summer bc he kinda popped off under the most pressure w the playoffs, and the leafs were basically looking to acquire forwards who can do that and bring "grit". now personally..... i don't think watching 1 round of playoff performance is like the wisest decision when he's actually a VERY injury prone player.. like he's good when he's healthy but that's not smth you can predict. but i was also kind of fine with it bc we do need left wingers on this team and it's only a one year deal. at this point i'm feeling very ????? about him because... like the underlying numbers aren't horrible but he's just not finishing. he DOES have 2 goals and 1 assist so far, but plays aren't really like... being completed it feels like when he's out there. keefe's obviously not happy with him after demoting him to 4th line last night and saying he wasn't listening to the way he needed to simplify his game, and idk anything in depth abt the leafs setup or systems or technicalities to their game specifically so. IDK.... i don't know if it's just gonna take him some time to warm up here like it did in boston? or if he's being deliberately ornery/doesn't like it here like boston fans were implying yesterday lol (i doubt it... lol he wants good stats jsut as much as anyone going into ANOTHER contract year lmfao...). there's just no way to know... idk a lot about him personally besides the anti-vax stuff but i've mostly just been... kinda unimpressed with him both on the ice and off it. i don't think he's doomed, i think we just need more time to see.

reaves... i'm gonna be honest and say i have NO clue why he was a target for us or treliving this summer, lol. there is so much discussion about bringing an intangible 'toughness' to this team despite us bringing in some mean players like simmonds and muzzin in the past ... tried it last year at the trade deadline under dubas too with schenn and ror... didn't REALLY work.. and i'm like ? why did we think it was a good idea to overpay and overcommit to a player like reaves who does nothing but offer fights on the ice and good vibes off it. like treliving hadn't been around the leafs long enough to know what they needed in the ~room~, although he did know they lost guys like holl and kerfoot who were universally liked as people so??? maybe that's what he was trying to fill?? i like ryan a lot as a person, but i do think he's actually doomed from a hockey player/stats perspective like.. we will not be getting anything more out of him as a player, and frankly after yesterday where he didn't really fight or get pushy with anyone after the marchand thing... and hasn't since the second game... i'm not sure we'll get the fighting aspect much either.

[laresearchette]

Saturday, May 08, 2021 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: BABY, IT’S COLD INSIDE (W Network)

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT MEMORIES OF A MURDER (TBD - Lifetime Canada) PINK SKIES AHEAD (TBD)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME/CRAVE/NETFLIX CANADA/CBC GEM:

NETFLIX CANADA MINE SUPER ME

2021 WORLD WOMEN’S CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP (TSN) 11:00am: Qualification (TSN/TSN3) 5:00pm: Semifinal (TSN/TSN3) 9:30pm: Semifinal

MLB BASEBALL (SN1) 1:00pm: Nationals vs. Yankees (SN1) 7:00pm: Jays vs. Astros

MLS SOCCER (TSN4/TSN5) 1:00pm: NY Red Bulls vs. Toronto FC (TSN/TSN4) 3:00pm: Whitecaps FC vs. CF Montreal

NHL HOCKEY (SN) 3:00pm: Rangers vs. Bruins (SN/CBC) 7:00pm: Habs vs. Leafs (SNWest/SN360/City) 7:00pm: Sens vs. Jets (SN/CBC) 10:00pm: Canucks vs. Oilers

NBA BASKETBALL (SNNOW+) 7:00pm: Pistons vs. 76ers (TSN4/TSN5) 7:30pm: Grizzlies vs. Raptors (TSN4/TSN5) 11:00pm: Nets vs. Nuggets

GESPE'GEWA'GI: THE LAST LAND (APTN) 7:00pm: Despite conflict with the DFO, Listuguj launches its fall commercial lobster fishery, looking toward a future of increased self-governance and economic success.

THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE WILD WEST (APTN) 7:30pm: The first-ever Calgary Stampede attracts competitors from all over North America; Tom Three Persons soon takes all the glory when he enters the prestigious bronc riding competition.

DEAD OVER HEELS: AN AURORA TEAGARDEN MYSTERY (CTV) 8:00pm: Librarian and real crime buff Aurora Roe Teagarden never liked Detective Sergeant Jack Burns. She also never wanted to see him dead, but when he winds up murdered, she can't help but get involved.

CARNIVAL EATS (Food Network Canada) 8:00pm (SEASON FINALE): Melty, ooey-gooey carnival treats; truffle grilled cheese at the St. Paul Winter Carnival; the mac and cheeseball burger at the Kentucky State Fair; cannoli calzone; apple pie cheesecake.

BEWARE OF MOM (Lifetime Canada) 8:00pm: A woman tries to save her teenage daughter from a wild neighborhood mother who wants to steal her away.

MOM’S DAY AWAY (Super Channel Heart & Home) 8:00pm: A happily married woman (Bonnie Somerville) learns valuable lessons while spending Mother's Day weekend away from her family.

GOING NATIVE (APTN) 8:30pm (SERIES PREMIERE):  Drew Hayden Taylor seeks to learn the Indigenous story of the horse by meeting a daredevil family of Indian relay racers, encountering a Navajo horse whisperer, and by exploring a unique wild horse sanctuary in the foothills of the Rockies.

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE DOWN UNDER (Crave 3) 9:00pm: It’s the time we’ve all been waiting for, as the Queen’s don their best celebrity get-up to compete in the infamous celebrity impression Olympics. It’s Snatch Game, baby!

TENET (Crave) 9:00pm: A secret agent embarks on a dangerous, time-bending mission to prevent the start of World War III.

HOT ONES (Global) 1:00am/1:30am: Thomas Middleditch/Andy Cohen

[andrebearakovsky]

This Week in Caps: Preseason

Welcome to This Week in Caps, a weekly newsletter where I recap everything important that’s been going on in the world of the Washington Capitals this past week.

This week, I’m wrapping up the entire preseason.

Also note that for every game, I will make a note about who wears the alternate captain’s A’s that game if Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Brooks Orpik are not in the lineup.

Preseason Games

09/16/18 @ Boston Bruins, L 1-2 (SO)

It’s the Caps’ first game on the ice as the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, and their play was...a little sloppy. To be fair, most of the Bruins were in China and the Caps only dressed five players who played in the finals, so this was mostly a prospects game and not expected to be great.

The guys did find other ways to contribute — four minutes into the game, defenseman Tyler Lewington dropped the gloves against Zach Senyshyn. A quick bout, nothing noteworthy, though it did occur right in front of the net and caused goalie Pheonix Copley to have to take cover.

The Bruins struck first, late in the first period. Jakub Lauko scored from the slot on the second chance, five-hole on Copley, to give the Bruins the 1-0 lead.

Pheonix Copley exited the game about halfway through the second period after stopping 21 of 22 shots, giving way for Vitek Vanecek to go the rest of the way.

Late in the second, Brett Connolly received a great pass from Christian Djoos in the slot and sniped one top shelf. Tie game, 1-1.

No one scored for the rest of regulation or overtime. Neither team could get it done on the power play; the Bruins went 0/4 and the Caps went 0/3, two of which came on a two-man advantage in overtime; alas, they were unable to convert.

Danton Heinen scored the first goal in the shootout for the Bruins, and that would be the only goal scored. For the Bruins, David Krejci and Jakub Lauko failed to score. For the Capitals, Andre Burakovsky, Christian Djoos, and Jakub Vrana all failed to score. Bruins win the shootout, 1-0, and Bruins win the game, 2-1.

Not the most put together game, by any means. The team had far too many giveaways, and they were outshot 34 to 22. But again, the game was mainly prospects and guys looking to make the team, they haven’t been practicing together very long, and there is still more room to grow. The Caps were better than the B’s physically, Jayson Megna had some good looks shorthanded, and both Copley and Vanecek looked very strong in net, with Copley saving 21/22 and Vanecek saving 12/12.

Today’s alternate captains: Andre Burakovsky, Brett Connolly, Christian Djoos

09/18/18 vs Boston Bruins, L, 2-5

It was the Caps’ first game on home ice since the Stanley Cup win, and they were still trying to work things out and give players a look. There was a small handful of players who were on the ice for the Finals, but for the most part the Caps were playing their prospects and players competing for a spot on the roster.

The Bruins got to work quickly. Less than two minutes into the game, Cameron Hughes scored on a deflection to make it 1-0 Bruins. The Caps responded in kind just a few minutes later, with Riley Barber deflecting an Alexander Alexeyev shot to tie the game at 1. With a minute left in the period, Jakob Lauko was sprung from the penalty box on a breakaway and scored five-hole on Braden Holtby to make it 2-1. And what’s a preseason game without prospects fighting? Connor Hobbs fought Tanner Pond five minutes into the second period.

A little less than halfway through the second, Holtby left the net in favor of Caps’ top prospect Ilya Samsonov, getting his first North American game action. He was greeted rudely: eight seconds later, Zach Senyshyn came in on a breakaway, and while Samsonov saved the first shot, he couldn’t get the rebound. 3-1 Bruins.

More fights! Liam O’Brien proved that some things never change by making his perennial preseason fighting appearance, with this fight’s victim being Mark McNeill, with five minutes left in the second. But the Bruins scored again, yet again in the last minute of the period, with Senyshyn flipping in a puck into a crowded net to make it 4-1.

After getting a power play on a tripping call, Matt Niskanen scored on the power play off a Bruins turnover to make it 4-2 two minutes into the third. But the comeback efforts were fruitless, and Sean Kuraly scored on an empty net to seal the 5-2 win for the Bruins.

The first half of the game was a little shaky, but the offensive effort came around in the third. They had many power play chances but couldn’t manage to convert; their power play was 1/7, while the Bruins were 0/2. They had a good look on the first unit with the regulars (T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, Dmitry Orlov, Niskanen) and Shane Gersich. Niskanen probably got more shots from the Ovi spot than he’s had in any one game in his life. The Caps outshot the Bruins overall, 33-20. The two goalies weren’t tested very much, with Holtby saving 6/8 and Samsonov 9/11.

The Caps had the edge in faceoffs; Nic Dowd won 71% of his draws, and had a strong showing overall. They were good physically, and Oshie was especially physical. The line of Shane Gersich - Travis Boyd - Riley Barber was especially great, and drove most of the even-strength offensive play.

Today’s alternate captains: [Nicklas Backstrom], Matt Niskanen, T.J. Oshie

09/20/18 @ Montreal Canadiens, L 2-5

This game took place in Quebec City, where the Caps (and the NHL) haven’t been for many years. It was also the preseason debut of the top line (Alex Ovechkin - Evgeny Kuznetsov - Tom Wilson), and beginning of the Kuznetsov on the penalty kill experiment. However, the unique locale did not prove friendly for the Caps.

The Canadiens scored early and often. Three minutes into the game, a turnover led to a two-on-one led to a Brendan Gallagher goal. Three minutes later, the Caps were stripped of the puck in the zone, and it was passed to Michael Chaput right in front of the net, and he scored. And with about thirty seconds left in the first, Jacob de la Rose collected the puck after a lazy turnover and made it 3-0 Canadiens. It didn’t get better in the second. Andre Burakovsky had a shorthanded attempt, but the Habs scored in transition on the power play via Artturi Lehkonen to make it 4-0 two and a half minutes into the second.

The Caps, to their credit, did not leave the scoresheet blank. Five minutes into the second, Ovechkin scored from the Ovi spot on the power play, on his first shot of the preseason. Eight minutes later, Connor Hobbs scored on the power play as well, making it 4-2 Habs.

As scheduled, starting goalie Pheonix Copley left between the second and third periods to make way for Vitek Vanecek, who would go the rest of the way.

The Habs scored one more time, halfway through the third — Rinat Valiev from the point to make it 5-2 Habs and seal the game.

The Capitals got very good looks on the power play and the penalty kill: the Caps were 2/4 on the power play, while the Habs were 1/6. It was not Copley’s best game of the preseason, but he still stopped 20/24, while Vanecek, barely tested, saved 3/4.

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby looked very impressive, and his speed was on display. Brooks Orpik was up to his old habit of bad turnovers, and it would be great if he could clean that up a little bit. The Caps leaked too much early to ever truly be in this game, but they were tight in the third, barely giving up any shots in that period. If the Caps can play a more consistent game, things should be looking up.

Today’s alternate captains: [Alex Ovechkin], [Brooks Orpik], Tom Wilson

09/21/18 @ Carolina Hurricanes, L 1-5

The Caps just did not have a great day against practically the full Carolina Hurricanes lineup.

Valentin Zykov scored on a power play two minutes into the game. Halfway through the period, Jaccob Slavin’s centering pass hit Jordan Staal in front and bounced into the net. One minute later, Nicklas Backstrom slammed home a pretty pass from Aaron Ness to cut the Canes’ lead, making it 2-1. But that wouldn’t last, as a minute later, an ugly turnover lead to a Jordan Martinook shorthanded goal. 3-1 Canes.

The second period was uneventful, as was much of the third. The Caps made a planned goalie switch from Braden Holtby to Ilya Samsonov between the second and third periods. Nothing much happened until three minutes left in the game, when Slavin tucked in a power play goal, and Martin Necas later sealed it with an empty netter. 5-1 Canes.

Really just ugly for the Caps all around. Their passing wasn’t crisp, they didn’t have good communication, and overall they just looked flat. Sergei Shumakov, in his North American debut, had a roller coaster game. He took a penalty less than two minute into the game that led to a Canes goal, and he had some trouble early on, though he looked a little better as the game continued. The only person who really stood out was Liam O’Brien, hitting everything in sight like he always does. Nice to see some things don’t change.

The Caps were outshot 26-18, and they went 0/4 on the power play, while the Hurricanes went 2/5. Holtby saved 15/18 shots, while Samsonov saved 6/7. Faceoffs were about even with slight edge to the Canes, while Lars Eller, in his preseason debut, had a great day at the dot with 80%.

The Caps weren’t great on offense, and they weren’t great on defense either. They were outplayed by the Canes, who just looked like they wanted it more.

Today’s alternate captains: [Nicklas Backstrom], Matt Niskanen, T.J. Oshie

09/25/18 @ St. Louis Blues, W 4-0

Still winless so far, the Caps went to St. Louis to face practically their regular season NHL lineup. And they had by far their best game of the preseason.

In every game thus far the Caps had given up the game’s first goal, and in the last three contests they had let it up early in the first. That was not the case this game. Halfway through the first, Riley Barber drove up the ice, touched the puck back, and it was picked up by Shane Gersich who had come flying into the zone, and he roofed it top shelf. 1-0 Caps to give them their first lead of the preseason.

Halfway through the second period, John Carlson threw a slick pass from behind the net to Nathan Walker on the doorstep, who scored into a wide open net. 2-0 Caps.

By this point, the game had gotten incredibly physical, and it was only going to get worse as the game continued. Four minutes after his goal, Walker got into it with Brayden Schenn, who had cross-checked him, and they were both sent to the box. At the same time, Liam O’Brien got fed up with Patrick Maroon, who had earlier gotten a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Washington goaltender, and O’Brien and Maroon fought a heavyweight battle. Just a minute later, two more Caps were sent to the box (giving them a total of four guys in the sin bin) and the Blues had a five-on-three, but they failed to score. Just seconds before the second ended, more rough stuff, this time between Schenn and Tom Wilson, lead to some four-on-four that would carry over into the third.

The third period opened eventfully. Less than a minute into the period, Madison Bowey redirected Alex Ovechkin’s shot to make it 3-0 Caps, but while the play was happening. Michal Kempny got hit in the head and fell to the ice, staying down for an extended time. He was eventually able to leave under his own power, but he did not return to the game.

About five minutes into the third, Robert Bortuzzo, who had hit Kempny and a number of other Caps during the game, boarded Gersich and finally got sent to the box. Immediately upon getting out of the box, he fought with Wilson, seeking to stick up for his teammates. An empty netter by Chandler Stephenson (who had previously missed on a breakaway) made it 4-0 with about ninety seconds left and ended an eventful preseason matchup.

Neither team was successful on the power play (Caps 0/5, Blues 0/3), the Blues badly beat the Caps in the faceoff dot (winning 62.5%), and the Caps were outshot 42-37, but this was by far their best offensive output and their best game of the preseason. They looked faster, crisper, and just better overall. They were skating better, passing better, and they looked like they were more into it. The game was highly physical, rough, and heated, which is a bit unusual for a preseason game.

Pheonix Copley was absolutely phenomenal in net. He saved all 42 shots he faced, was very solid, and made numerous spectacular saves. He played the whole game, and looked very ready to snatch that backup goaltending role. Gersich was also really noticeable, using his legs and his speed, scoring a goal, and even once attempting a pretty spinorama move.

Today’s alternate captains: [Alex Ovechkin], [Brooks Orpik], John Carlson

09/28/18 vs Carolina Hurricanes, L 4-5 (OT)

The gang was just about back together in this one; all but a few regulars started as the team was getting in their regular season groove. Both teams played NHL lineups, and this was a pretty good preseason tilt that went down to the wire.

Alex Ovechkin got the party started eight minutes into the first, scoring from his office on the power play to make it 1-0 Caps. The Canes responded ninety seconds later, with Teuvo Teravainen cleaning up a rebound by the net to tie the score at 1. With a minute left in the first Sebastian Aho scored on an odd-man break to make it 2-1 Canes. Halfway through the second, Andrei Svechnikov scored with a quick shot on the left circle on the power play. 3-1 Canes.

The lead was cut nine seconds later when Jayson Megna got loose on a breakaway and made it 3-2. With less than three minutes left in the period, Ovechkin tallied his second of the game after he shoveled in a rebound, and the game was tied 3-3.

About five minutes into the third, Valentin Zykov scored on a weird angle on the power play, making it 4-3, but the Caps responded at the thirteen minute mark when Andre Burakovsky scored from the slot. The 4-4 game would require preseason overtime. But the Canes would get the last laugh, with Aho scoring just nineteen seconds into OT, his second of the game, giving the Canes the 5-4 win.

Even though it wasn’t the result they wanted, the Caps looked good in their tune-up game. The regulars looked to be coming together, and the fringe guys trying to make the roster also got a good look. Megna was impressive, and Jonas Siegenthaler looked very impressive on a pairing with John Carlson.

The Caps were outshot 36-29, and Braden Holtby, who played the whole game, saved 31/36. They were badly beaten on faceoffs (the Canes won 57.4%), and did not take full advantage of power play chances; the Caps were 1/6 on power plays, while the Canes were 2/3.

Today’s alternate captains: [Alex Ovechkin], [Nicklas Backstrom], John Carlson

09/30/18 vs St. Louis Blues, W 5-2

It was the final preseason tilt, and the Caps put in what they anticipated to be their opening night lineup, getting ready for their first official game this Wednesday. They faced a less-than-full Blues lineup for their final tune-up.

After a first period of a combined five fruitless power plays, the Blues started the scoring about five minutes into the second when Robert Thomas shoved in the puck at a scrum at the net, making it 1-0 Blues. But the action didn’t really start until about a minute later, when Tom Wilson threw a hard, controversial hit at an unsuspecting Oskar Sundqvist in open ice, leaving the Blues’ forward down and hurt. He had to be helped off the ice, while Wilson was given a match penalty and ejected. He is expected to have a hearing and receive supplemental discipline. Andre Burakovsky would serve Wilson’s penalty, and subsequent roughing would lead to four-on-four before the Blues went to the power play.

Brett Connolly tied the game with two minutes to go in the period, throwing in a wrist shot from the slot just after a power play wound down.

The offense exploded in the third period. Alex Ovechkin scored less than a minute into a period, slamming the puck home with a slapshot after it was turned over directly onto his tape. T.J. Oshie scored a minute later, cashing in off another Blues turnover. 3-1 Caps.

Halfway through the third, Jordan Schmaltz scored on a shorthanded breakaway to make it 3-2, but two minutes later, Nic Dowd scored on a wrist shot from the slot to make it 4-2. Devante Smith-Pelly scored an empty-netter to seal the Caps’ 5-2 win.

On the stats sheet, the Caps had the much better play. They outshot the Blues 26-23, and they dominated on faceoffs — 61.5%, with Nicklas Backstrom and Lars Eller both winning 67%, and Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dowd both winning over 50%. Braden Holtby played the full game and saved 21/23, and neither team had any luck on the power play — Caps were 0/6, while the Blues were 0/4.

The Capitals did not have the most fantastic of preseasons. But they looked good over their last three games with the majority of the regulars in, which is what you want to see. There will be some interesting roster questions to fill with the injuries and likely suspension to come up, but the Caps look ready to take on the regular season.

All regular captains and alternate captains were in the lineup

Preseason Record: 2-3-2

What’s Going on in the World of the Caps

Fourth Line Center Battle With the departure of Jay Beagle, the fourth line center position was up for grabs, and the main battle looked to be between Travis Boyd and Nic Dowd. Both centers looked strong in camp and at the beginning of the preseason, so it was looking to be an interesting fight to see who would come out on top. Unfortunately, an injury to Boyd cut that fight short — he injured his foot blocking a shot in St. Louis, and he’s out week-to-week. So it looks like Dowd has the job for now. And with Boyd out, it’ll give opportunities for more guys to fill some spots on the roster. But we’ll see if that center position is once again up for grabs when Boyd comes back.

Goalie Performance Philipp Grubauer, the best backup goalie in the NHL, departed over the offseason to hopefully start in Colorado, leaving the untested Pheonix Copley as his heir apparent. One of the big questions coming into camp was if Copley would be ready to be a full-time NHL backup, something he hasn’t done before. He made three appearances, looked shaky in one of them, but looked solid the rest of the way. He saved 83 out of a total of 88 shots, including turning in a 42 save shutout in his only full game against the full St. Louis Blues lineup. That boils down to a .943 save percentage. If these numbers hold, then he should be just fine. But he still has to be tested in a proper NHL environment.

Kuznetsov on the Penalty Kill Evgeny Kuznetsov expressed the desire to be used on the penalty kill this season, and we saw him utilized on the PK during his four preseason games. He was used pretty sparingly, and generated a couple of shorthanded chances. We’ll likely end up seeing this in the regular season, but it’s unknown how much or if it will stick long-term.

Kempny’s Concussion Michal Kempny was hit in the head by Blues’ defenseman Robert Bortuzzo during the Caps’ preseason game in St. Louis, and he now has a concussion. He missed the rest of the preseason. He’s not expected to be out very long, but there’s a chance he might miss the first game or two of the season. This will likely give Madison Bowey a chance to get back into the lineup, and it might make way for another defenseman to crack the roster.

Wilson’s Discipline During the Caps’ final preseason game, Tom Wilson made a questionable open-ice hit on Blues’ forward Oskar Sundqvist, which left Sundqvist injured. Wilson is scheduled to have a hearing, and will likely be suspended for an undetermined amount of games to start the season. This means someone else is going to have to step into his role on the top line, and another forward is going to have a chance to both make the roster and play opening night.

Player of the Preseason

Jonas Siegenthaler impressed during the preseason. He didn’t score a lot, but no one player on the Caps scored significantly enough to stand out. In his four preseason games, he averaged 18:55 TOI, he was strong on his skates and good physically. He looked good skating next to Carlson, and he’s made significant improvements to his game that impressed the Caps’ staff. He wasn’t even on my radar to make the roster this season, yet he played well enough to make it to the last round of cuts, if not make it onto the roster for opening night. With the injury to Michal Kempny, his play might have earned him at least a temporary spot on an NHL roster for the very first time.

Social Media Post of the Preseason

siegenthaler34: Got to meet the legend himself tonight! #rooooooney

It was a soccer-filled final weekend of the preseason for the Caps. After the Premier League trophy visited the locker room on Thursday, a number of the Caps (Wilson, Boyd, Burakovsky, Djoos, Vrana, and Siegenthaler) went to the D.C. United game on Saturday and got to meet Wayne Rooney. Cue endless fangirling by Andre Burakovsky.

Upcoming Milestones

Nicklas Backstrom is 1 point away from 800 career NHL points Nicklas Backstrom is 10 assists away from 600 career NHL assists Nicklas Backstrom is 2 power play goals away from being tied for 5th in Caps history in power play goals (67) John Carlson is 3 assists away from being tied for 5th in Caps history in assists among defensemen (259) John Carlson is 3 power play goals away from being tied for 7th in Caps history in power play goals among defensemen (25) Matt Niskanen is 2 points away from 300 career NHL points Dmitry Orlov is 6 assists away from 100 career NHL assists Madison Bowey, Travis Boyd, and Shane Gersich are all searching for their first NHL goals

Next Week’s Upcoming Games

10/03/18 vs Boston Bruins (7:30 PM) 10/04/18 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (7 PM)

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON: KNOBLAUCH - WOLF PACK SEASON REVIEW

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The 2021 season has come to a close, and the trials and tribulations have given Hartford Wolf Pack Head Coach Kris Knoblauch a new perspective as he heads into the off-season to prepare for the 2021-22 season. The Wolf Pack valiantly fought back in this short season to put themselves in a position to compete for a division title. With six weeks to go, they found themselves 18 points behind the first-place Providence Bruins. “We got the lead; it's what you want to do on the road. We capitalized on our chances. They were much than we were in the second half of the game, and we just didn’t have enough push back on them,” Knoblauch said after the 6-2 loss that closed it all out. CALL-UPS Knoblauch lost two-thirds of his topline and power play unit the previous night to recall when Tim Gettinger and Justin Richards went to New York. The Pack also saw defenseman Tarmo Reunanen finish the season on recall in the Big Apple. Recalls are par for the course for AHL teams. It didn't help the Wolf Pack objective of winning the division after working so hard to get themselves into that position. Still, injuries and suspensions in New York made the recalls necessary. It forced the Wolf Pack to use every player they had and only their third goalie, Francois Brassard, as the only scratch for the final game. The Pack gave up 42 shots-on-goal for the first time since March 4th against these same Bruins in the game. Providence was the only team to eclipse the 40-shot hurdle over the last six weeks, and over that same timeframe, the Pack gave up more than 30 shots just twice. “We had the first seven shots of the game and credit their goalie (Dan Vladar). He kept his team in it, and in the second, we let things open up, way too much, and lost control of the game.”

KHORDORENKO IMPROVING

Patrick Khordorenko got some serious ice time, and he showed how much progress he has made a high, hard wrist shot for a goal. He also placed a backhand pass perfectly to Vincent LoVerde on his first and only goal of the season that gave Hartford the lead. “Pat had a very good game, and in fact, his last two games were very good. He also was very strong on the faceoffs, and he has taken a lot on penalty kills, and he did so five-on-five. It’s important for his success, and he helped the team out tremendously.” The center position was a point of emphasis from the beginning, and Richards earned his recall and picked up his first NHL point with an assist. Meanwhile, Khordorenko has good size and made strides in his development this season. “Both players fulfilled expectations and trended in the right direction as the season progressed, as did the team. Though such a short season, you're just getting going, and the season is over. So, that makes it tough as you measure his progress. That’s what we have.”

VACCINATIONS

All the players received their vaccinations in the final two weeks, and they were all gone last Friday. Nobody was staying around with a reduced salary when saving money was the objective. The Canadian players were heading back home to an increased COVID environment and a very different set of requirements upon their return home. “Everybody got their second shot. I think maybe one or two didn’t elect to do so.” Moderna or Pfizer? “It was a mixture of both, and yes, for Canadian guys, it’s going to be very different indeed going back.”

MOST CONSISTENT

Morgan Barron and Tarmo Reunanan were the players who maintained the most consistency throughout the season. Barron played the last four Rangers games while Reunann got into two games this season. Where he will be next season is anyone's guess. “(Barron and Reunanan) got their foot in the door. That’s the upside. Now we'll see over the summer how we progress (roster-wise). Their play makes things difficult in a good way. "The progress they had was good, earned the opportunity, so we'll just have to wait until September.”

HUSKA

After spending so much time on the Rangers taxi squad during the first half of the season, Adam Huska's play down the stretch certainly made an impression on the organization. “Adam was very good for us. He came in and made big saves in many games over the last month for us, and that’s what a team needs. He managed the puck well for us, helping the defense and offense. He has made progress his first two years for the organization.”

DEVELOPMENT OVER GAMES

Knoblauch came away with this season and hoped to see going forward a more equitable schedule in 2021-22. Knoblauch wants to see very few "three-games-in-three-days," so the emphasis can be on development with a mixture of games and practice time. “I think it gave players some more focus, especially with both shorter and more focused practices, and when we finally did get to play as close a normal schedule. "It was difficult all the way around, but I think playing two games a week was about right, just perfect for an American (Hockey) League team. "I don’t see the value of playing three-in-three for either team toward player development. Two could be light, three spaced out a few times might be the perfect recipe. Five or six games every two weeks might be right. "The question is how much development occurs at that point playing three in three? It obviously wasn’t enough games this year.” The ongoing debate over having 68 or 76 games will likely be continued at the AHL Board of Governor's meetings with the East, potentially heading more toward the Pacific Division direction of fewer games and more practice.

SCHEDULING

Losing the Springfield Thunderbirds late in the 2020-21 schedule-making process put a major hit on the conference-leading to an unhealthy, unbalanced three-team division. How the 2021-22 Wolf Pack schedule matrix will look will be interesting at its unveiling in July. Despite the schedule in the COVID environment, the Wolf Pack did maintain a semblance of a solid lineup. They had no infections and had just one game postponed in Bridgeport were down to one goalie because of COVID issues in New York. “We just had that one COVID situation, and thankfully everything with our guys worked out. We were very fortunate considering everything; it worked as best as it could.”

WHO'S COMING BACK?

If Knoblauch and his associate coach, Gord Murphy, are back behind the bench next season, they will have a much different lineup with a little more movement than the usual AHL turnover. That will be most evident on defense with Braden Schneider, Matt Robertson, and potentially Nils Lundkvist starting the season in Hart City. “We will have a lot of the forwards returning. On defense, there will be new faces, a lot younger on the back-end. It’s exciting, and there is a lot more than will be going on with possible trades, the (amateur) draft, and of course the Seattle (expansion) draft.” Jonny Brodzinski and Anthony Greco will be back finishing off their entry-level deals. They will be the anchors next season upfront. For Gettinger and Ty Ronning, who played very well, they have expiring entry-level contracts. The team will have a lot of those over the next several years due to the stockpiling of draft picks and prospects during the Rangers rebuild process. “We have a nice surplus of forwards (coming) back and more expectations and hopefully ready and have the first season under their belt now and ready for a full season. "Tim and Ty both have those expiring deals, but they were among our best forwards throughout the year, and we'll see how it works (out), but I would love to have them back with us next year.”

RONNING

Ronning had a great late second-period power play shot ring off the post in the finale. On the next shift, the P-Bruins got a late shorthanded goal and got the momentum. “That was tough. Ty was in the right position, and a shorthanded goal late was a game-changer for us." Projected over a 76 game schedule, Ronning was on pace to see his output somewhere in the 68-70 point range. That's a big jump for the 23-year-old after being buried in Maine with the Mariners for the first two years of his contract. He started this season on the Wolf Pack taxi squad.

THOMPSON

Paul Thompson now lives in West Springfield, MA. He fills the veteran spot and really embraces working with the younger players as his career starts to wind down. “Paul had an outstanding second half. He got better and better every game. He’s great for our younger players, and now it just depends on the amount of prospects that are coming in and the space we'll have.” The ending of taxi squads and the return of Maine (ECHL) to action will make a big difference in the development part of the hockey equation. “It was so hard for our players on our taxi squad. Not playing games, and we didn’t have a place to send these players to play, so they had to just practice and work on their skills and when we had the chance, such as the last two games, to get them in the lineup. "It was a different situation, and they didn’t play enough games that they would have liked, or we would have liked.”

OTHER FORWARDS

Forward Gabriel Fontaine re-injured the same shoulder as last season. Again, he had to undergo season-ending surgery after playing in only 17 games over the last two years. It's doubtful he will return next season. Fontaine got his vaccinations and headed back to Sherbrooke, Quebec. Defenseman/left winger Mason Geersten suffered a late-season hand injury unrelated to his last scrap with Ian MacKinnon of Providence. Over the last six-to-seven weeks, the team converted Geersten to forward as a pilot project to possibly recall him to New York for fourth-line duty this year. “He really liked and embraced it, and it helped the team out quite a bit. He did a good job upfront with the puck. He provided some intimidation, caused havoc in front of the net, made some plays, and scored several goals. "He had a great opportunity in the first period early against Providence (in the last game) which would have given him a three-game goal-scoring streak. We‘re very happy with the way he played.” This experiment will likely be reprised in Rangers training camp.

MSG CHANGES

The Rangers fired their entire coaching staff, except for goalie coach Benoit Allaire. Despite saying publicly that the team was looking for an experienced NHL coach, Knoblauch could get an interview in New York with new team President and General Manager, Chris Drury, based on his very strong two-week COVID sit-in showing he had for the Rangers. Knoblauch keenly felt the loss of John Davidson, who has since returned to his previous position with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Jeff Gorton. “They both supported me and wanted me to coach this team. I’m grateful for the chance they gave me. This is the tough part of the business, and I’m sure both will be somewhere in this game. That said, I think the team is in good hands with Chris Drury, and we have a good foundation with our prospects.”

NOTES

Ex-Pack Ryan Lindgren’s contract was extended by three years by the Rangers. Brodzinski was “sent back” to Hartford, so Justin Richards could make his NHL debut. Then he, Gettinger, and Tarmo Reunanen were returned to the Wolf Pack for cap space purposes under the CBA. Brodzinski's younger brother, Easton, who suffered a gruesome broken femur in the NCAA semifinal against Boston College in Pittsburgh, will return next year as a fifth-year senior with St. Cloud State. Huska’s hometown team in Slovakia, who he played for the fall, HKM Zloven, won the Slovak Elite League title beating HK SKP Poprad four games to one. HKM had ex-Pack, Allan McPherson on the team for Poprad, was ex-CT Whale, Brandon Mashinter. Ex-Wolf Pack, Andrew Yogan, departs Dornbirner EC (Austria-IceHL) to HC Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia-IceHL) next year. After winning the Swedish SHL title with the Växjö Lakers HC, ex-CT Whale and Ranger defenseman Tim Erixon departs as his two-year deal ends. Among his teammates was fellow Springfield Falcons teammate Illari Melart. Erixon was also an original Springfield Thunderbirds player.

MORE NOTES

Team USA hired former Bridgeport Sound Tiger head coach Jack Capuano to be a head coach for the World Championship held May 21-June 6 in Riga, Latvia. It was announced by Team USA GM Chris Drury. Drury named his nephew Jack to the team coming off his winning the Swedish LeMat Trophy title with the Växjö Lakers HC. In the ECHL, ex-Pack Matt Register is enjoying a strong season playing with the Allen (TX) Americans with 44 assists, the second-most in the league. He is first with 24 power play points. Logan Roe (Kent School) of the Florida Everblades is tops in the ECHL plus/minus with a plus-28. Ex-Pack goalie Charles Williams with the Jacksonville Icemen is one of the Top 10 goalies with a record of 16-10-2. Pack defenseman Hunter Skinner still leads the league in shootout goals with three despite leaving the Utah Grizzlies for Hartford in early February. Mike McKee (Kent School) is second in PIM with 121. Alex Kromm, the son of former Hartford Whalers assistant coach and NHL player Richard Kromm, is second in major penalties with seven. Ex-Sound Tiger Mathieu Gagnon with the Wichita Thunder is third in the ECHL with 113 PIM.

EVEN MORE NOTES

Providence sent forward Alex-Olivier Voyer and goalie Kale Keyser to Jacksonville (ECHL) to finish the season and get some ECHL playoff time. Congrats to Columbus (GA) River Dragons (FPHL) and their head coach, former New Haven Nighthawk, Jerome Bechard, to capture the FPHL title. The FPHL added a new team for 2021-22, the Binghamton Black Bears, two weeks after it was announced the AHL team would be relocated to Utica. It was an unusual final weekend of the AHL regular season the Binghamton Devils were still playing. The other AHL division winners joining Providence, the Atlantic Division champ, are the Hershey Bears, who wins the North Division, the Laval Rocket win the Canadian division, and the brand new Henderson Silver Knights, winners of the Pacific Division.

AHL PACIFIC PLAYOFFS

The AHL Pacific Division will start its truncated “playoffs” on Tuesday with a single-elimination format. The Tucson Road Runners will take on the San Jose Barracuda, and the Ontario Reign challenges the Colorado Eagles, with the winners playing each other on Wednesday. On May 24, the best-of-three series with Pacific division winner Henderson will begin. The #2 and #3 seeds will also start a best-of-three series, and on May 29, the Pacific Division best-of-three final series will start. Only the play-in Pacific Division playoff games will be played at the 2020-21 home of the San Diego Gulls at the Five Points Arena in Irvine, CA, the practice facility of the Anaheim Ducks. All three games of the finals and semifinals will be played at the higher seed's arena. In a published report, 93% (133 of 141 respondents) to a confidential survey conducted by agent Allan Walsh of Octagon Sports stated players do not wish to participate because they were unpaid, a normal occurrence in the postseason of major and minor league sports. Worker’s compensation insurance does not cover them should they be injured. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

[andrebearakovsky]

This Week in Caps: Week 15

Welcome to This Week in Caps, a weekly newsletter where I recap everything important that’s been going on in the world of the Washington Capitals this past week.

This Week’s Games

01/08/2019 vs Philadelphia Flyers, W 5-3

The season is past its halfway time, and it’s the first meeting of the year with the division rival Flyers. Pheonix Copley got the home start, and the Caps broke out their retro thirds. Also, no Nicklas Backstrom in this one, as he was out with illness.

Four minutes into the game, the Caps got the party started. Off a faceoff, Jakub Vrana used his speed and carried the puck all the way down the ice and pass the puck in front of the net for a crashing Tom Wilson, who sent it in for a 1-0 lead. Five minutes later, the Flyers picked off an errant pass and Jakub Voracek scored, tying the game 1-1.

The game stayed tied from then until about halfway through the second period, when the Caps got their scoring legs going. T.J. Oshie redirected a Lars Eller point shot for the 2-1 lead. Two minutes later, Vrana ripped off the puck from a Flyer in the Caps zone and turned on the jets, taking it in alone on a breakaway and scoring over the goalie’s shoulder to make it 3-1. Four minutes later, Vrana scored again, this time on the power play. He meant to pass the puck through the crease, but instead it hit the goalie’s pads and banked in, and the Caps were up 4-1.

Things started to get weird and wacky in the third. It started off with a fight, just two minutes in. Nic Dowd got hit hard by Radko Gudas, and Devante Smith-Pelly did not take kindly to the roughhousing of his linemate. He asked Gudas to tussel, Gudas complied, and the two of them had a heavyweight bought. Both were sent off for fighting, though Smith-Pelly got the extra roughing minor that had to be served by Andre Burakovsky. Things got really wacky in the last five minutes of the game. The Flyers pulled their goalie with three and a half minutes left, and Wayne Simmonds scored in front on a goal that slipped between Copley’s legs to make it 4-2. Chaos ensued when both sides could not stop committing penalties and the Caps could not score on the empty net; they kept trying to pass it to Vrana for the hat trick, but he just couldn’t bury it. Wilson looked to have an empty-netter, but it was called back on an offsides challenge. Eventually, the Flyers got one more goal on their ledger — during four-on-four play with just seven seconds left in the game, Claude Giroux ripped a one-timer to make it 4-3. But Oshie scored an empty-netter off the ensuing faceoff to send the Caps home with a 5-3 win.

The Caps were outshot 40-25 and got wrecked on faceoffs, only winning 29.7%. They were 1/4 on power play chances, while the Flyers went 0/5 on theirs. Copley saved 37/40 shots.

Jakub Vrana had possibly the best game of his life, tallying three points and almost getting the hat trick. The lack of power play effectiveness and the small amount of shots is a little concerning, and the last five minutes of the game felt a little Yakety Sax, but it was an entertaining game nonetheless.

01/10/2019 @ Boston Bruins, W 4-2

No team has had another team’s number over the past couple years like the Caps have had the Bruins’ — coming into the game, the Caps had won thirteen straight against Boston, and they hoped to keep the streak alive in this one.

Despite taking a penalty less than two minutes into the game, the Caps were the ones to score first. Six minutes in, T.J. Oshie sprung Jakub Vrana on a breakaway, and he scored to make it 1-0 Caps. But the Bruins kept it tight all throughout the first and most of the second, until they finally broke through. At the fourteen minute mark of the second, Ryan Donato ripped home a wrist shot from the circle to tie the game, 1-1. But the Caps would respond less than a minute later; Tom Wilson passed it to Alex Ovechkin from behind the net, and Ovechkin sent it home lightning-quick to restore the Caps’ lead and make it 2-1.

The Bruins kept coming, and four minutes into the third period, the Caps gave them the opportunity to get back into it score-wise. The Caps took a too many men penalty, and David Krejci scored on a slapshot on the ensuing power play to tie the game, 2-2. But again, the Caps responded within a minute. Nicklas Backstrom drove into the zone and fired home a wrist shot to give the Caps a 3-2 lead. The game was played tight the rest of the way, and Ovechkin eventually scored an empty-netter to secure the Caps’ 4-2 win.

The Caps were outshot 41-22 and were badly beaten on faceoffs, only winning 34.4%. They went 0/2 on power play chances, and the Bruins went 1/5 on theirs. Holtby saved 39/41 shots.

The Caps’ dominance of the Bruins continues, winning their 14th in a row. The game was a little chippy, as Lars Eller did try to fight Brad Marchand in retaliation to Marchand’s punching him on opening night, but Marchand wouldn’t take the fight. The Caps also had the territorial disadvantage, and that hopefully changes in the coming games.

01/12/2018 vs Columbus Blue Jackets, L 1-2 (OT)

It was a snowy night in DC, and time for another divisional matchup against the Blue Jackets. Get ready, because this was a frustrating and weird one.

The Blue Jackets got on the board first and early; just a minute into the game, Cam Atkinson scored on a breakaway and gave the Jackets a 1-0 lead. Later in the period, it was revealed that Alex Ovechkin was not on the bench and ended up missing about half of the period, though he did return for the second and had no problems for the rest of the game.

But just after one injury scare, there was a second, this one more serious. With about eleven minutes left in the second period, Atkinson high-sticked Braden Holtby through his mask in the eye, and Holtby looked to be in discomfort. He would have to leave the game, being replaced by Pheonix Copley; he did not return for the rest of the game.

The game passed by with some frustrating and chippy play; nothing much of note happened for a majority of the game. Each team got a penalty in the first period, and each team got a penalty in the second (which included about a minute of four-on-four), and nothing came of any of the power plays. In fact, it wasn’t until very late in the game that the Caps seemed to have any life at all. With the goalie pulled, they got to work, and with just over a minute left in the game, Evgeny Kuznetsov let loose a booming slapshot to tie the game 1-1.

This matchup would require overtime. Things were relatively even for most of the overtime session, until Nicklas Backstrom committed a slashing penalty to give the Jackets a power play. Artemi Panarin scored just twelve seconds later to give the Jackets a 2-1 overtime win.

The Caps outshot the Blue Jackets 33-22 and had the faceoff advantage at 52.6%. The Caps went 0/2 on the power play, and the Jackets went 1/3 on theirs. Holtby made 10/11 saves, and Copley made 10/11 saves in relief.

This game was a little bit of a mess, and the Caps never seemed 100% together; getting out with a point felt like more than they deserved. But the biggest concern is Holtby’s health; it’s not looking to be a huge injury, but we’ll know more in the coming days.

Current record: 27-12-5

What’s Going on in the World of the Caps

Injuries!

One of the defining features of the game against the Blue Jackets was the multitude of injuries. They weren’t serious, but definitely noteworthy. During the first period, Alex Ovechkin left the game due to apparent injury; it was originally reported as an equipment issue, but it was later cleared up that Ovechkin had a cut on his hand that needed to be sutured. But he returned for the second period and there is no lasting injury. On the other hand, Braden Holtby was high-sticked in the eye by Cam Atkinson about halfway through the second period, and he had to be replaced by Pheonix Copley, and he did not return to the game. Holtby did practice the next morning and said that his vision had greatly improved. The Caps do not believe they will need to call up another goalie. And in completely unrelated news, another minor bit of progress: Christian Djoos skated at practice on Sunday morning; a good sign, but there is still no timetable for his return.

Commercials Galore

This week was, apparently, the week for Caps commercials to come out. First, Alex Ovechkin starred in three commercials for Papa John’s Russia (pizza is here!). Then, Braden Holtby starred in a new Koons commercial where he stares at national monuments (he has actually done commercials for Koons before, seen in the link). And finally, Andre Burakovsky and Devante Smith-Pelly were the latest to be sucked into Paisanos, and they were the stars of the newest Paisano’s commercial. (Ovi, Holtby, Burky & DSP)

Connolly Tattoo

After getting enough retweets on Twitter, a Caps fan is getting a tattoo of Brett Connolly eating pizza and getting a tattoo. Connolly is aware of this, and Devante Smith-Pelly contributed to one of the retweets. In fact, DSP wants this to happen so badly that he said he’d be willing to be there and even pay for it to see it through. Connolly’s wife Katrina even commented on the situation, calling it a #ProudWife moment. (1, 2)

Other Miscellaneous Happenings

Copley does jumping jacks with kids from Hendley Elementary School

Oshie, Burakovsky, and Wilson bowl with fans (1, 2)

Time to cry over Jay Beagle again

Capitals invite youth hockey team to game for standing up to racism

Ovi checks Chara into the Caps bench

Ovi parties, makes DJ’s night

Orlov screams at BFF Bobrovsky

Vrana flosses

Pregame shenanigans

Upcoming Events

On January 14 against the St. Louis Blues, there will be a winter glove giveaway

On January 18, the Caps Better Halves Baskets go on sale

Player of the Week

Jakub Vrana had another very strong week, and his game against the Flyers was one of the best of his career. Over the three games this week, he tallied 4 points (2 G, 2 A), with three of them coming in the aforementioned game, and his speed was on constant display and made him a consistent scoring threat.

Social Media Post of the Week

Gina posted a really long and heartfelt message for John’s birthday, along with about a dozen photos, but I’m not going to copy and paste that here nor attach all the photos; you can follow the link and read it if you like. I’m just going to thank her for this incredibly embarrassing photo of John. (x)

Stars of the Night Season Leaderboard

Over the course of the season, I will be keeping track of the Caps stars of the night, translating them into points, and organizing them into a leaderboard.

1st star = 5 pts, 2nd star = 3 pts, 3rd star = 1 pt

1. Holtby — 42 2. Ovechkin — 39 3. Kuznetsov — 20 4. Backstrom — 19 5. Carlson — 17 6. Wilson — 13 T-7. Burakovsky — 11 T-7. Copley — 11 T-7. Kempny — 11 10. Vrana — 8 11. Oshie — 7 T-12. Connolly — 6 T-12. Orlov — 6 14. Lewington — 5 T-15. Niskanen — 3 T-15. Smith-Pelly — 3 T-17. Boyd — 2 T-17. Eller — 2 19. Stephenson — 1

Achieved and Upcoming Milestones

T.J. Oshie scored his 200th career NHL goal on 01/08/19 vs the Philadelphia Flyers

Nicklas Backstrom is 1 power play goal away from taking sole possession of 5th in Caps history in power play goals

John Carlson is 2 power play goals away from being tied for 7th in Caps history in power play goals among defensemen (25)

Brooks Orpik is 1 game away from 1000 career games played

Jonas Siegenthaler is searching for his first NHL goal

Next Week’s Upcoming Games

01/14/18 vs St. Louis Blues (7 PM) 01/15/18 @ Nashville Predators (8 PM) 01/18/18 vs New York Islanders (7:30 PM) 01/20/18 @ Chicago Blackhawks (12:30 PM)

[junker-town]

March Madness hit women’s basketball early with 7 huge upsets

Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images

When SEVEN top-25 teams fall to unranked foes in 12 hours, you know it’s a good slate of basketball.

A little bit of pre-March madness took hold just about everywhere this past Sunday, when seven women’s basketball teams ranked in the AP Top 25 dropped games to unranked opponents. The Pac-12 was hit the hardest with three of its six top-25 teams taking an L — but the SEC, ACC and Big East also saw improbable losses to some of their most dominant teams, meaning that for the zillionth time this year, the poll will likely be in mild chaos. Either way, these match-ups (and how teams pick up the pieces) are certainly something to keep in mind as bracket-crafting season draws closer.

7) No. 12 DePaul at Villanova, 58-76

Two days after they took down Marquette, the No. 2 team in the Big East, the Villanova Wildcats handed DePaul their second conference loss of the season in a game where the Blue Demons never really seemed to have a shot. Though the Wildcats shot 50 percent from the floor and held a normally sharp-shooting DePaul team to 8 percent from three, the real poetry of the game was on the sideline: the unlikely victory came in Villanova head coach Harry Perretta’s last regular-season home game after 42 seasons with the squad. To up the emotional ante, Villanova junior Cameron Onken earned the second triple-double in program history with 12 points, 10 assists and 18 rebounds in what will be one of her final games with the team (she was accepted to dental school) — hopefully, tissues were on hand.

Thank you for 42 years, @VUCoachPerretta!✌️ pic.twitter.com/LZ7MhSJ1mQ

— Villanova WBB (@novawbb) February 24, 2020

6) No. 11 Arizona at Colorado, 38-50

Without leading scorer Aari McDonald, who is currently day-to-day with a leg injury, Arizona looked lost — particularly in the last six minutes of the game, when Colorado went on a 15-0 run to reclaim the lead and ultimately the upset. The Wildcats’ first loss of the season to an unranked team came via the 16-11 Buffaloes, who more than anything else just dramatically out-rebounded Arizona, 48-27.

Left it all on the floor and it showed. @CUBuffsWBB pulled off a hard fought senior day victory, 50-38, upsetting No. 11 Arizona in Boulder. pic.twitter.com/59fDKRJfK6

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) February 23, 2020

5) No. 21 Arizona State at Utah, 71-75

Arizona State had a reasonable lead going into the half, but then Utah pulled out a vintage Golden State Warriors-esque third quarter with six threes (from five different Utes!) and essentially sealed the game.

LIGHT THE U ‼️ Utah, 75. #21 Arizona State, 71. Relive today's big senior day W here. ️ #GoUtes // #Elevate pic.twitter.com/R8buJu8F9N

— Utah Women's Basketball (@UTAHWBB) February 23, 2020

4) No. 22 Arkansas at Florida, 80-83

The Gators led for the entire game, despite Arkansas cutting the lead to one point with one minute left. Florida kept fighting and walked away with an anything-but-fluky win, their second victory of the season versus a ranked opponent.

You'll want to see these... pic.twitter.com/vjuCxzUmwa

— Gators Women’s Basketball (@GatorsWBK) February 24, 2020

3) No. 8 UCLA at Washington, 68-74

The Huskies didn’t let their losing record keep them from successfully challenging the skidding Bruins for the entire game — 41 points from the bench, led by Rita Pleskevich going 6-for-6 with 15 points, cemented the Washington W.

2) No. 17 Florida State at Georgia Tech, 62-65

In her first year as the head coach, Nell Fortner has led the Yellow Jackets to more top-25 victories than they had earned in their previous five seasons combined thanks to this W over Florida State. The game was tight all the way through, but FSU’s struggles from the free throw line (they shot 58.3 percent) helped ultimately seal it for Georgia Tech.

Last Sunday: upset No. 4 NC State Today: upset No. 17 FSU @GTWBB is on pic.twitter.com/xvzjxZNgXQ

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) February 23, 2020

1) Alabama at No. 9 Mississippi State, 64-66

The wildest of the day’s upsets came down to a heartbreaking and extraordinary (depending on who you were talking to) buzzer beater on the Bulldogs’ home turf. Not content to ride a 64-64 game into overtime, the Crimson Tide tipped the ball in with 0.8 seconds left on the game clock — capping off a game in which they shot 64 percent (!) from the three point line.

Chills. #RollTide #GritAndGratitude pic.twitter.com/KnAkJ0YYaG

— Alabama Women’s Basketball (@AlabamaWBB) February 24, 2020

Games to watch this week

No. 3 Oregon at No. 4 Stanford (February 24, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Oregon has been steamrolling people the way we expected they would — can Stanford, the reigning conference champs, force the issue in this Pac-12 tournament preview?

No. 22 Arkansas at No. 9 Mississippi State (February 27, 9 p.m. ET, SECN)

Both teams need to bounce back with a big win before the SEC Tournament, so this one could get pretty scrappy.

No. 16 Texas A&M at No. 1 South Carolina (March 1, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

It should be a garbage-time game for Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks since they’ve already secured the SEC regular-season title, but Dawn Staley doesn’t really do garbage-time games — especially when the national spotlight is on as it will be for this one. Look out for some of the craftiest guards in the league — Chennedy Carter and Ty Harris — going head to head.

[auburnfamilynews]

#12 Auburn @ UAB

Tuesday: 13 – 5 W

Over the past two seasons, for whatever reason, UAB has been a touch of a thorn in Auburn’s side. Last year, the Tigers needed the late game heroics of a Brett Wright home run to over-power the Blazers 11-8. This year’s edition of the game in Birmingham had the same outcome but a different hero to put the Tigers ahead for good. To start the game, Auburn called on Garrett Wade who has been fantastic so far in his midweek starts, but Tuesday night was a rough start for the freshman. UAB was able to touch up Wade for 4 runs on 3 hits with 4 walks and just 2 strikeouts in only 1.2 innings of work. Meanwhile, the UAB starter Tyler Gates had a fantastic start, going 2 innings, only giving up 2 hits to the Tigers. It would take Auburn till the 5th inning to start up the offense and they did it in a big way. Auburn would take advantage of timely base hits and some UAB miscues to tie the game at 4 before loading the bases and having Conor Davis come to the plate…

NO. DOUBTER. @ConorDavis13 clears the bases and breaks a 4-4 tie with the first grand slam of the season! T5 | AU 8, UAB 4 pic.twitter.com/efyOUQSVM2

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) March 20, 2019

That swing would put the Tigers up 8-4 and up for good in the game. It also helped that Baily Horn came in and looked really sharp in his first appearance since the Sunday game of the UCF series.

Strong effort in relief out of @bailey__horn: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K M7 | AU 12, UAB 4 pic.twitter.com/CjhtLTfKZo

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) March 20, 2019

What started off as a shaky start for Auburn, turned into a solid victory for the Tigers. That’s what good teams do, when they don’t have their best, they find a way to win. This Auburn team is on the verge of being something really good. We will find out just how good over these next 2 weekends.

Around the League

#2 Mississippi State

vs Little Rock, TUE 15-4 W

@ Samford, WED 6-4 W

One solid victory that Auburn fans know how hard it is to get all too well and then a fluff win for the Bulldogs this week. State found themselves down 4-2 to the Samford version of the Bulldogs in the Top of the 7th and that’s when the offense took life, scoring 4 in the inning and then holding Samford at bay for the rest of the game.

#5 Vanderbilt

@ Belmont, TUE 3-0 W

The across the street rivals played this one at the beautiful First Tennessee Park on the Germantown side of downtown Nashville and it was a little bit closer than I expected but I thought the Bruins would have put a run across. The Dore’s pitching staff paced them through this game, only giving up 4 hits while Scott Stephens would provide all the offense Vandy would need on the evening.

Good. Barrel. @Stephen_Scott7 | #VandyBoys pic.twitter.com/UMVQCE505d

— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) March 19, 2019

#8 Georgia

vs Georgia State, TUE 11-1 W

Not too much to see here. Georgia is riding high after a sweep of Carolina and Georgia State isn’t very good to be quite honest. We will find out about Georgia quickly though (and LSU too for that matter) this weekend in Athens.

#9 Arkansas

@ #11 Texas, TUE 11-4 W, WED 7-6 L

The lone SEC loss of the midweek and it nothing to be ashamed of, though it now makes the Horns 4-1 vs the SEC in Austin this year. Arkansas will head from the State Capital to beautiful downtown Tuscaloosa to take on the Tide in what will be one to keep an eye on the scores from. Arkansas is a solid ballclub and looks bound for another run at Omaha. Can Bama do it again and steal a win or two?

#10 LSU

vs Nicholls, WED 5-4 W/10

WOOOOHHH Buddy…was that close. The Tigers found themselves down 4-3 in the bottom of the 9th, down to their last strike, when this happened…

PROFESSIONAL HITTER CHRIS REID! The senior comes up CLUTCH to tie the game with a RBI double! #GeauxTigers : https://t.co/17aZkannkz pic.twitter.com/EFqDA0tCIy

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) March 21, 2019

Nicholls would get out of the inning but couldn’t scratch in the 10th and any of us that know Alex Box Stadium know what happened next…

TIGERS WIN! TIGERS WIN! @Daniel2cabrera doubles off the right field wall, and LSU defeats Nicholls, 5-4! #GeauxTigers pic.twitter.com/N892C2bKMt

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) March 21, 2019

LSU has be a bit funky since returning from Austin a few weeks back, yeah they got the sweep of Kentucky but I am interested to see what LSU team we get at Georgia this weekend.

#14 Florida

vs Jacksonville, TUE 13-8 W

Good win for the Gators over a Jacksonville team that always seems like they are right there, but just can’t push past that wall. Florida jumped out to a 6-0 lead after 3 innings and any time the Dolphins would chip away, UF would do things like this…

Déjá Vu for Austin Langworthy! He puts a charge in this one and gets a little help for his third homer of the year. #Gators WATCH NOW: https://t.co/n9V5E1I2ee pic.twitter.com/ALOtWK3zwR

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) March 19, 2019

#18 Texas A&M

vs Rice, TUE 8-3 W

The Owls really haven’t been the same ball club we all knew in the 90s and early 2000s so this win, while still good, has lost a touch of the luster it once carried. That said, Rice had its chances to make this a much more interesting game, however the Aggie defense was up to the task.

Rice loads the bases with one out, but a strikeout and groundout quells the uprising. M5 | 4-1 A&M Watch: https://t.co/aQRFjPtB5V#GigEm pic.twitter.com/YXk6NCa5AI

— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) March 20, 2019

#21 Ole Miss

vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff, TUE 12-2 W, WED 25-0 W/7

Good Lord Ole Miss!! Did ya not think a 10 run victory on Tuesday was enough? Pine Bluff isn’t a fantastic team as you can tell but these aren’t two resume builder wins by any stretch of the imagination. It was however a combined no-hitter for the Rebs on Wednesday night and those are always fun!

Tennessee

@ East Tennessee St, TUE 5-1 W

Good for the Vols to get back on the winning side of things after a rough weekend on the Plains. Now it’s back to the friendly confines of Lindsey Nelson Stadium where they are 13-1 this season as they host the South Carolina Gamecocks.

South Carolina

@ Furman, TUE 12-7 W

Like I said above, this was a much needed confidence win for the Gamecocks. Georgia absolutely roasted the Carolina offense last weekend, as we mentioned Tuesday, so to put up double digit runs is something they needed to do. Now, all they have to do is take on a Tennessee pitching staff that really limited Auburn for most of te weekend and held the Tigers to their lowest run output in a 3 game series so far this season.

Alabama

vs Maine, TUE 16-0 W

This wasn’t much of a game but it is a win for the Tide. Alabama now sits at 18-4 on the year which is exactly where they want to be to have a shot at making the NCAA tournament.

Kentucky

vs Xavier, TUE 16-3 W

Solid win for the Cats over a normally good Xavier team. Though I will say that maaaaybe you don’t do your ‘Shock and Awe” home run celebration at night…it’s hard to make sure everyone touches the bases…

The new ‘Shock and Awe’ home run show at Kentucky Proud Park got us feeling some kind of way... ! #WeAreUK #DingerSZN pic.twitter.com/91FEmSmBgo

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) March 20, 2019

Missouri

vs Murray State, TUE 2-1 W, WED 13-1 W

Just keep winning Mizzou….just keep winning.

On Deck (with SEC Schedule)

#14 Florida @ #5 Vanderbilt (THU-SAT)

#12 Auburn @ #2 Mississippi State

#10 LSU @ #8 Georgia

#9 Arkansas @ Alabama

#18 Texas A&M @ Kentucky

#21 Ole Miss @ Missouri

South Carolina @ Tennessee

While there aren’t as many matchups of Top 25 teams in this schedule, there are still some monsters out there. That LSU and Georgia one tops my list of non-Auburn involved series and Vandy and the Gators will be fun, as well as Tennessee and Carolina from a ‘who will lose that series and be behind the 8-ball early’ point of view. However, the series of the weekend will be in Starkvegas where the 14 win in a row Tigers, come callin’ against what might be the scariest team in the country right now, the Mississippi State Bulldogs. It starts on the offense in my opinion for the Diamond Dogs, where Jake Mangum is the bell cow. Mangum is pacing the team with a .396 average with 10 doubles and 1 home run to his credit. Justin Foscue, Elijah MacNamee and Tanner Allen are also names to watch out for as well as they have a combined 12 bombs between them. If there is a starting staff that can match what Auburn has had so far this season, it would also be State. Ethan Small has been a wizard on the mound so far this season, only out done by Tanner so far. Small enters this weekend with a 2-0 record and a sparkling 1.50 ERA in 30 innings of work and has only given up 16 hits to 5 walks and 51 strikeouts. His understudy, JT Ginn, isn’t far off the pace either. Ginn will start Saturday and brings in his 5-0 record with a 2.59 ERA in 31.1 innings. JT has given up 23 hits on just 3 walks on the season. This will be the toughest series Auburn has had so far this season and may be the toughest of the year. The goal this weekend is to get a game, that’s true of any road series in the SEC, just don’t get swept. Auburn, however is good enough to take the series. I personally don’t think either team would sweep this one but you never know which way the ball will go or who will make the better pitch. I will be live from Starkville with updates all weekend long so be sure to follow our twitter account for pictures and updates from Dudy Noble.

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2019/3/21/18274778/mid-week-round-up-uab

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON: FOR PACK, SOMETHING IS A BRUIN THIS WEEKEND IN HARTFORD AND PROVIDENCE

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack sit atop the entire AHL with an impressive 10-1-0-4 (24 points) and have been getting a heavy dose of the Providence Bruins lately. The first place in the Atlantic Division team also played them last Sunday and will now have a home-and-home series starting in Providence Friday night and then will meet back at the XL Center on Saturday Night as part of “Hockey Fights Cancer” Night in the Connecticut capitol. “Three times in one week is a little different," Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch said with a chuckle. "It's just a quirk in the league schedule.” With the Pack sitting not only in first place but also top the entire AHL has them far ahead of all expectations after six weeks. “At times, our wins have exceeded our weak play. We have only one regulation time loss. We have been in every game, but a lot of one-goal games so far, and they could have gone either way, and we have been on the fortunate side of those games." The late game tenacity in forcing these overtimes and shootout games says a lot about the compete level so far of the 2019-20 edition of the Wolf Pack. “The pressure has been on (us) whether it’s a late game penalty kill in Providence where we got the late goal and stayed composed and you have to have your goalies make saves and we have gotten that.” Its impossible to overstate how important goaltenders Igor Shesterkin and Adam Huska have been to the Wolf Pack. “Our goaltending has definitely exceeded our expectations. Its been outstanding some nights, above average on others. I can’t think of one night our goaltending hasn’t been exceptional. You rarely see a team that has success that doesn’t have good goaltending. That’s the biggest reason we have been doing well.” Not ever aspect of the Pack's play has been stellar. The power play has had its shortcomings. The team is 27th with a meager 9.8% success rate. The penalty killing unit though remains a very big bright spot with the veteran tandem of Steven Fogarty and Boo Nieves as their first defensive forward pairing followed by Tim Gettinger, a second year pro, and rookie, Nick Jones, the Pack are eighth overall in the AHL at stopping the opposition and impressive 88.2% of the time. “Tim and Nick have been doing well because of their work ethic. They don’t force plays, but make the play that is available to them, and as a coach, those are things you want to see. When players perform this way, they’re going to see more ice time from the coach.” After just six weeks of his first full pro experience, Jones is seeing the fruits of some very hard work. “Since game one, we (he and Gettinger) have been together. We have 15 games together and we're starting to read each other and since we play together five-on-five as well we're reading off each other well and getting to know where each other is.” The mixture so far is paying off for the Wolf Pack as they hope to add more W's in the win column this weekend. NOTES: Don’t change what’s been working. Igor Shesterkin will start in goal tomorrow night with Adam Huska going on Saturday night An injury list update. Matt Beleskey was back skating today, but won’t play this weekend. His return is more likely to be next weekend. Gabriel Fontaine will be out for at least two weeks. He is currently in New York getting some more tests done on what is described as an upper body injury. Defenseman Yegor Rykov suffered a high ankle sprain in the Traverse City in September. He is now back skating, but is wearing a non-contact jersey. He is at least two weeks away from gaining medical clearance to play. The other hockey tenant in the XL Center is the UCONN Huskies. They have a critically important Hockey East home-and-home weekend with UMASS-Lowell. That pair of back-to-back games begins on Friday night at the XL Center. The Huskies (2-5-1 overall, 1-3-0 HEA) come off of last weekend's miserable performance where they were outscored 11-1 by Boston College. They looked dreadful in both games and they are winless at home this season with an 0-4-0 record. UMASS-Lowell is ranked 12th nationally. The red-hot Riverhawks are 7-2-3 overall, (4-0-2 HEA) and are the top team in Hockey East. They lead the series with UCONN, 6-4-1, and have won four straight against the Huskies. Standing in UCONN's way is another of the New York Rangers deep goalie prospect pool, senior Tyler Wall. He has been lights-out early in the college hockey season. He's played 11 of the team's 12 games and sports a .949 save percentage and a GAA equally as impressive at 1.59. Wall has just two regulation losses. He dropped a 3-2 defeat to Colgate in OT, and a 2-1 loss to the defending national champion, the University Minnesota-Duluth. He also has two overtime ties to go with his seven wins. UCONN has its next seven games at home as part of a ten game stretch. UCONN sophomore goalie Tomas Vomacka has been one busy goalie. He stopped 41 shots last week, his second 40-plus save performance already this season. The two teams play Saturday night in Lowell at the Tsongas Center. Ex-Pack defenseman Vince Pedrie is hanging up his skates away permanently after playing just five games with the Tucson Roadrunners over the first six weeks of the regular season. He played 106 games in Hartford, but was a routine scratch during the Keith McCambridge tenure. In his Twitter post he said he will try to get into hockey coaching at some level. Read the full article

[islesblogger]

Playoff Prep

The Islanders have 15 regular season games remaining before the playoffs. The Metro, and the Eastern conference are too tight to really narrow down an opponent at this point. So let’s look at how the team might best improve themselves for the road ahead.

Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'NLUJZThQRw9eDUNkSSrwwg',sig:'o8tr7VuQlcYcAHwtm_VuurPfiqp2JAdg8823J0kjlAY=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1085109714',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })});

The Power Play

This has been the achilles heel of the team all year. They are currently operating at 15.63%. That’s more than 4% below the NHL average. There is too much talent on this team to have such an anemic power play.

Power Play Problems

Nick Leddy might be the worst power play point in the league. He seems to be on the first power play unit solely for zone entries. I’m not really sure why you need your top two centers and a speedy one dimensional defenseman on your first power play unit for zone entries. The Islanders have two other defensmen who can handle zone entries. Either Ryan Pulock or Devon Toews should be able to handle that responsibility. Plus, they both have much better shots, and distribute the puck with much less hesitation.

Creativity is seriously lacking. The Islanders have one of the more dynamic puck moving and playmaking centers in Mat Barzal. Once possession has been established in the offensive zone his ability to orbit the zone is neutralized. Nothing is gained by circling the perimeter. Passing the puck accomplishes the same thing much faster. There needs to be more movement north and south between the three middle options. This would create more and clearer passing lanes through the “Royal Road“. It also offers more options to more skilled passers. This is another reason for removing Leddy from the first unit. They could have three primary shooting targets (Pulock, Nelson and Lee) with two distribution hubs (Toews and Barzal) if they’d just give up their tired love affair with Nick Leddy.

The second unit could use a boost. If you remove Toews and Pulock from the second power play unit it will need some “umph”. They will probably still employ the 1-3-1 style as they have in the past. The two units could have very similar features, regardless of players’ position.

Barzal and Filppula would be my two low distribution points. Pulock and Eberle would share the RH shot on the LW spots for each unit. Lee and Ladd would be the net front guys, with Nelson and DalColle on the RW. The high D would be Toews on the first unit, and… Thomas Hickey on the second.

If this strategy was deployed each piece would be interchangeable between the units. That could serve as a positive in a long series should injuries arise, or just to reward a hot hand. Sometimes just putting a different body out there confuses a defender who may rely on tendencies.

Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'MT7e4dcQTmRCdt8dAkrYOA',sig:'BpxbdXIoe1H5cVtvWj7EoOVbiQBxtTXMLpfU53Po1QQ=',w:'594px',h:'431px',items:'1097133046',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })});

The Roster

Tweaks

The season can really be broken down into three slices for a playoff team. The first twenty games or so a coach will try to find the best 23 to ride for the meat of the season. The next forty he lets those players do their best to show they deserve their playing time. The last 20 he either has to ride those 23, or use whatever he’s learned in those 60 games to put together his best nightly lineup for the playoff push. I think that’s where we are now.

Michael Dal Colle has earned some trust, and may offer some offensive upside over Matt Martin. Physical play does not diminish at crunch time, but the ability to find time and space is more sorely needed. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Martin be a healthy scratch in more than 5 of the last 15.

Tom Kuhnhackl over Cal Clutterbuck. There is no denying that Cal is a big part of the success of the “best fourth line in hovkey”. There’s also no denying that he is a step slower the past few years, and it is hurting what could be one of the more productive middle six lines in the league. Any roster change has to be done in respect to special teams. With that in mind we have seen Cizikas paired with Kuhnhackl a little more often as Clutterbuck has been scratched. I think this is a way for Trotz to give himself more roster flexibility going forward.

They have to create a real offensively threatening first line. All year we have seen Mat Barzal switch linemates. There have been the “Killer B’s” (Beauvillier and Bailey) and last year’s highly successful (Beauvillier and Eberle) and currently (Beauvillier and Dal Colle). He’s even played with Ladd and Komarov some. All the while Nelson has been pulling the heavy weight as the number one center.

It’s time to try a true number one line. One that can play solid 200 foot hockey, with a puck mover and distributor, and three forwards who can shoot the puck. There has been a reluctance to deploy Lee, Nelson and Barzal on one line because the Islanders have been short a showcase center since that other guy left. Just like Leddy is not a first power play quarterback, Mat Barzal is not a top line center in the NHL just yet. But he could be the right wing for the most dynamic line going into the 2018-19 playoff season. It’s about time we see if that can build some chemistry.

 LWCRWL127Lee29Nelson13BarzalL218Beauvillier12Bailey07Eberle L316Ladd53Cizikas14KuhnhacklL428DalColle51Filppula47Komarov FR15Clutterbuck 17Martin32Johnston LDRDD103Pelech06PulockD204Hickey55BoychukD325Toews24MayfieldDR02Leddy21Sbisa##SeidenbergGOAL01Greiss40Lehner

The Pros

Roster flexibility is always a good thing. The two big surprises are obviously swapping Bailey and Barzal positionally, and making Leddy and Hickey interchangeable.

Let’s face it, Bailey takes the important draws, and plays the defensive role when with Barzal anyway. A RW can be rather effective as the puck mover and distributor. If you don’t believe that, please stop asking for the Islanders to promote Josh Ho-Sang. He’s never going to be a center.

I doubt we’ll see a full time move from Leddy to Hickey. More subtly I think the change will be moving Hickey in for Pelech. The roles should change on special teams. Hickey can handle Pelech’s PK minutes, and add to the second PP unit. Hopefully the addition of Toews and Pulock to the first unit will make folks forget about Leddy. Leddy adds little to the PK, so if you then move Pelech back in, you improve all three phases of the game.

The long term gain there is that you might be able to get a late first rounder for Leddy in June. The Islanders now have Toews, Pelech, Hickey, Aho, Wotherspoon and Vande Sompel to play the left side. That $5.5M might come in handy if they are going to sign all of their UFAs and shop for somebody like Duchene in July.

The Cons

Mat Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier, Michael Dal Colle, Adam Pelech and Devon Toews have zero NHL playoff experience and Ryan Pulock was mostly a healthy scratch in 2015-16. There will be some learning to do. But what better time to give these kids some experience. This is a season that nobody expected anybody to be adding to their playoff resumes.

Upsetting the apple cart. This roster, flawed as it may be, has been good enough to earn first place in the Metro division. Though I understand that, every “playoff” team in the east is playing better in the second half. The Islanders have hit a bit of a lull over the past few weeks. One way out of the lull is by getting back on the horse and playing through it. Another way is to get on a fresh horse. The benefit of the fresh horse is that it will give you a good look into what you have for next year. It may also surprise your opponents. It’s a gamble.

What’s In Store

The Islanders have 15 games left. Only four of them are against teams that are out of playoff hopes. Six if you include the Flyers who are hanging by the thinnest of threads. Let’s say there are nine games left that will test their ability to compete against playoff competition.

Their main focus will be to win the Metro Division. That accomplishment comes with home team advantage in the first two rounds. Something they haven’t enjoyed in two decades. To accomplish this they will either need to win out, or they will need some help. They only have one gaim remaining with their closest rivals, the Washington Capitals. That is the last game of the season, and could very likely be the first game of the playoffs.

They do have some matchups with possible first round opponents:

(03/11/19) (03/26/19) Columbus. After shoving all their chips into the center of the table the Blue Jackets have been somewhat disappointing. If they lose the second game of thier back to back to Pittsburgh they would really need Montreal to help them out if they want back into the race.

(03/14/19) (03/21/19) Montreal. These two games might mean more to Columbus and Montreal respectively than they do the Islanders. But they will both be stern playoff tests as they are both battling for their playoff lives.

(04/01/19) Toronto. If Toronto has fallen to the Wild Card spot by this time, this game will be way more important to them, than to the Islanders. They should be preparing for a tough first round with the Bruins.

(04/06/19) Washington. There are a few ways this could happen. The idea that either Pittsburgh or Carolina would pass both teams to win the Metro is highly unlikely (but I’m knocking on my wooden desk, just in case), but it is possible.

Our most likely first round opponent is the team currently in that position. The Carolina Hurricanes. They would earn that honor by being the top wild card team. If Washington wins the Metro, they could also finish third and be our first round opponent. Pittsburgh could also do either. We have no games remaining with either team.

What To Look Forward To

Hopefully over the next 15 games Barry Trotz and his staff will explore some of these ideas. They may not all work. Maybe none of them will. Some of them may even cause damage to the team’s confidence. But they will keep me from screaming at the TV… especially when I see Nick Leddy continually fumble the puck on the point during an important power play.

Playoff Prep was originally published on islesblogger.com

[hail-to-the-goalies]

How does a team clinch a playoff spot? Does that mean even if they lose their remaining games they'll still make it?

okay, let me explain it on the example of Leafs or/and Capitals, I’m gonna try to make it as simple as possible, for those who don’t know the NHL well yet.

this is the Atlantic Division only; table of it

first three (3) teams of each division (amount of the teams in the divison doesn’t matter– it’s always three) automatically clinch a playoff spot. so let’s edit it.

as you can see, the Leafs are 4th, 3 points behind Bruins. a couple years ago it would end like this, no chance for the Leafs to get to the playoffs, of course if we’re talking about the season ending this soon.

however, we have Wild Card these years and this is where it gets more difficult. it really used to be simplier without it.

here’s Eastern Conference, all these teams except of the Islanders are in playoff position now. they’re also the only eastern teams to be so.

the Wild Card is basically (or almost literally) combination of two (2) best teams of the specific conference that have not enough points to be in top three in their own divisions. 

you can see all these teams are mixed, from two different divisions.

kinda tricky thing about this is that there could be 3 teams of Atlantic Division in the playoffs + 5 teams of Metropolitan Division (3 top of the division + 2 Wild Card teams), it literally happened last season, same with the Western Conference where there were only 3 Pacific Division teams in the playoffs. so yes, the Islanders and Bolts are direct, really serious enemies of the Leafs in the run for playoffs though they’re not playing in the same division.

but what if the Leafs end up having the same number of points at the end of the regular season, as the Islanders have? well, then that’s quite easy. or not. I’m gonna explain this on the Caps, which have the same amount of points as the Blue Jackets but are still listed as first in the division.

NHL deals with this following ways. 

(let’s say we’re/you’re rooting for the Capitals)

1. the first and most important thing you must look at, is the number of games played. 71 - 71. same. this doesn’t solve the problem, so here comes the next thing you look at. 

(if the Jackets played one less game, they would be listed first automatically)

2. you would think the second criterion is number of wins, right? well, not exactly… the W column stands for all wins overall- including shootouts, but that’s not the column we’re thinking about now. we’re looking at this one. ROW.

it literally says Regulation plus Overtime Wins. like I said, W is wins overall, but ROW is only number of games won in regulation time and overtime. as you can see, the Capitals have won 46 games overall this season so far, but 45 of them were won in regulation or overtime. that means they have only 1 game in shootouts this season. so shootouts are really not that important to the NHL. 

and as you can see, this number is the same with the two teams. again.

3. third and usually the final criterion is the number of points the Caps have earned in games against the Blue Jackets. so basically, it’s a thing about who has been better in the mini Caps-Jackets series of 4 games this season so far.  

the first game of this season the Capitals played against the Blue Jackets ended with regulation win of the Capitals, 3-2, so the score is ‘2 points - 0 points’ 

the second game they played ended with regulation win of the Capitals, 5-0. ‘4 points - 0 points’

that’s all they have played against each other this season. they’re playing 2 more games against each other until the end of the regular season– since they’re in the same division the number of games playing against each other is 4 per regular season.

so what’s the score in the mini series? 4-0 for the Capitals.

so this is finally the reason why they’re listed first in the battle of division title against the Blue Jackets.

4. but since we’ve come this far, let’s talk about the last criterion anyway. this one is simple. NHL literally describes it as ‘The greater differential between goals for and against for the entire regular season.’

now you have to look at these three columns.

the first one, GF, stands for Goals For so the number of all goals they have scored in this season. it includes shootouts goals, where one win in the shootouts = plus one goal. this column is tied, again.

the second one, GA, stands for Goals Against so the number of all pucks they have officialy let get past their goalie’s goaline. you can see that the Capitals have been less time got scored at than the Jackets. 

the third one, DIFF, goal differential is always and simply this: GF - GA = DIFF.

so 228 minus 159 is 69, that’s the Capitals’ DIFF; while 228 minus 164 is 64, that’s the Blue Jackets’ DIFF. 

(DIFF can be totally below 0, Avalanche’s -96 is the worst DIFF in the NHL currently, while Capitals’ +69 is the best.)

the Capitals have this number higher than the Jackets, so even if they have lost one of the games against the Jackets in regulation (let’s ignore the GF/GA change), and the score in the mini series would be ‘4 points - 4 points’, the Capitals would still be listed first in the division, because of the DIFF.

oohhhh and one thing. what about the x next to the names of the teams?

the x next to a team means the team will 100% get to the playoffs, even if they/it lose every single remaining regular season game, even if their divisional opponents win every single remaining regular season game.

the y next to a team will soon appear to a team that will 100% end the regular season with the Divisional Title– will 100% end first in its division.

the z next to a team will soon appear to a team that will 100% end the regular season with 1st place in its conference.

the p next to a team will soon appear to a team that will 100% end the regular season with 1st place in the entire league. there’s an actual trophy for it, called Presidents’ Trophy. the latest winner of it, for the 2015-16 season were the Capitals.

okay, I really enjoyed writing this, more than I expected and I hope the anon, and so you others, find this at least a bit helpful.

[andrewuttaro]

New Look Sabres: GM 41 - FLA - Nope!

I had a wicked narrative setup for this one. Linus Ullmark gets the start, he shuts down the Florida Panthers after a weak stretch for the team and Carter Hutton and begins his coup to take over the starting role ahead of schedule! It’s not that Ullmark didn’t have a great game, it’s an open question which goalie gets the nod for Boston on Saturday (more on that later), but this game was much more a matter of the losers of three straight Buffalo Sabres squeezing out a W by the skin on their teeth. The last two or three minutes of this game could be described from a Sabres perspective as nope nope nope nope! I got to see this one in the flesh and as refreshing as it is to hear the building really into every zone clearance and icing these days it is quite something to hear it pissed as well. This game had some refereeing turns that could’ve decided the game but luckily Jeff Skinner had a night and yea, secondary scoring did kind of show up and what do you know, there’s your first win in eight games against the Panthers.  The road there was hard with the monster-sized pothole in the middle of that road being Roberto Luongo.

The Sabres remembered the sting of the two losses against this Florida team and the game began with some aggression. The home team would only just outshoot the Panthers in the first period but for the first time I can think of since maybe the Thanksgiving Eve game against Philadelphia, Buffalo’s best period was the first one. It was one of those net-crashing plays Buffalo has come to really profit from when Jeff Skinner got the puck and skated further into the crowd of red striped jerseys and got the shot away just as he lost his footing. It was a goal and Rick Jeanneret predicted it would be on the highlight reels across North America so keep an eye on that one. Tage Thompson’s line got a turnover in the neutral zone a few minutes later and streamed right back into the O-Zone. Thompson took the puck through the right circle and shot it around the defender Yandle and the screened goalie. The Sabres were up 2-0 before even the halfway point of this first period.  The Panthers response opportunities came but Ullmark stood tall and Luongo looked very human as that was the way the first frame ended.

Jack Eichel was out in this game. He’ll be out again Saturday to be re-evaluated next week according to Phil Housley. It’s unfair to Evan Rodrigues but the media including the team media itself kind of made E-Rod out to be the replacement centering Skinner and Reinhart on that first line. E-Rod did fine with his chance but the second period altogether showed just what Jack Eichel means to this team. The Sabres got pretty sloppy in the middle period, just holding off the Panthers for most of the period. Then Rasmus Dahlin got knocked down way back in the Panthers D-zone before Frank Vatrano and Jayce Hawryluk got in on Ullmark with only Marco Scandella in the way. You can imagine how that two-on-one turned out and the visitors got on the board. The indignation in the building was loud because of that Dahlin knock down. The period just did not go Buffalo’s way as Thompson got penalized for a very soft call for tripping and Okposo goal got called back because he was pushed into Luongo as he was already falling. I don’t care to litigate all the crowd-upsetting calls because calls or not this second period was not Buffalo’s period. But hey, the Sabres are normally fantastic in the third, right? Oh… uh about that… well it wasn’t a disaster, as the third period got under way and quickly the Sabres got something out of it.

A Lawrence Pilut shot from way out at the blue line was redirected in front my Sam Reinhart into the net: 3-1 and the two goal lead is back. This period, not unlike the first, was remarkably even in opportunities. The Panthers took a page from the Sabres book here and crashed the net with the man advantage and Mike Hoffman got the goal over a sprawling Ullmark at 12:15 into the final frame. I think this was the goal that really ended my Ullmark Coup narrative because at this point that lack of a save set Florida up for a comeback in the last eight minutes. Florida poured it on for a hot minute before Jeff Skinner went in unassisted and shot a goal that bounced through Luongo and embarrassed him so hard he laid back on the ice like we Sabres are his torturers! I’ll admit that was a little satisfying knowing what he’s done to this team over the years. I’ll tell you that was supposed to be the insurance goal to bag this game but nope nope nope nope, the Sabres had to fight off a Florida team that was not ready to go out into the cold January air just yet in a frantic final few minutes. Luongo got pulled; empty net and Buffalo missed every potential shot on that empty net. Meanwhile Aleksander Barkov reminded us how he is a rising star in this league and quickly becoming a Sabre-Killer of Luongo proportions as he cleaned up a Yandle rebound reaching all the way around the glove of Ullmark to put the visitors within one. Nope, nope, nope! I grabbed my head in agony in the last minute and a half of this game but luckily for my wife I would not go home grumpy about this one. It ended 4-3 Buffalo. It was barely a win but a win the Sabres really needed at the moment and against a team like Florida who’s really shown you what for in the prior meetings.

As sweet as a Sabres win against the Panthers feels right now, it only stops the bleeding right now, and only just. Both the Bruins and the Islanders played last night as well and got their two points each as well, even Montreal got a win to keep the wildcard race in the east same as it was the night before. The Sabres enter Boston Saturday night without their Boston-born and performing Captain needing a W there as well to make headway against the tightening middle pack of the East standings. It’s the last matchup between the Atlantic Division teams and it would be pretty fun for the season series to end 2-2 considering how both teams have fared this season; also its Boston so come on, kick their asses! After that there are six games before the bye-week including a three-game trip through Western Canada. Then it’s the stretch run for the last two months of the season.

I talked a fair amount about what this season has been and what it means in my Midseason Thoughts post. That’s the last one before this blog post and if you just can’t get enough of New Look Sabres I recommend that as well. If you just can’t get enough of New Look Sabres I would also appreciate it if you dropped a like, comment and shared this around where you can. The Buffalo Sabres are undefeated in 2019, what a year!

Thanks for reading.

P.S. The World Juniors Tournament is proving fun for Buffalo rooting interests as the Finnish team offed eternal-favorites Canada with the help of Sabres goalie prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (UPL for short) and Oskari Laaskonen.  Matej Pekar and Mattias Samuelsson aren’t doing too bad either for the Czechs and Americans respectively.

[moorettiffany]

Liverpool's Champions League fixture dates confirmed - Liverpool FC

Liverpools next game in the champions league - Liverpool F.C. in international football - Wikipedia

Most successful clubs? Cristiano Ronaldo is up to second in the all-time list, behind only Iker Casillas. Watch all of the Liverpool star's goals in the competition. Liverpool dominate the all-star selection for the first set of round of 16 second legs. Watch some of tne best moments from the Player of the Match in Liverpool's win against Jext and hear his post-match thoughts.

See how the Egyptian supplied the finishing touch to an excellent move from the English champions in their win against Leipzig. Where to watch, predicted line-ups, team news for the round of 16 see this here leg. The Liverpool defender on what makes the Champions League chhampions to him. A first-leg win in Budapest has put Liverpool in pole position to reach a third quarter-final in gaame seasons.

Watch the best moments from a fine display by Liverpool's Mohamed Salah against Leipzig and hear reaction from the Player of the Match. The two German coaches compare cgampions ahead of the liverpools next game in the champions league leg of their liverpools next game in the champions league of 16 tie. Pedigree, UEFA rankings and seasons in ten words — meet the last Where to watch, predicted line-ups, team news for the round of 16 first leg.

Two of Germany's top coaches caught up for a chat ahead of the Champions League clash between Liverpool and Leipzig. We open the semi-final record book for the lowdown on the greatest last-four feats. We open the final record book for the lowdown on all the milestones. Which side have the most players? Which league has the most nominees?

GET MORE FROM LFC.

After he became the leading scorer in the competition in Liverpool's history, watch all of the Egyptian's 22 goals for the club now. See who is confirmed in the round of 16 and how teams can join them on Wednesday.

Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice. Pep Guardiola has been denied his greatest accolade thanks to Mohamed Salah and Liverpool Mohamed Salah It's three years to over here day that Liverpool beat Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League last eight, and we witnessed right here of the most ecstatic let-offs in recent history.

Liverpool could be preparing for mass transfer exodus, with Takumi Minamino top of list Takumi Minamino Wake up with Liverpool. Mohamed Salah Pep Guardiola has been denied his greatest accolade thanks to Mohamed Salah and Liverpool It's three years to the day that Liverpool beat Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League last eight, and we witnessed one of the most ecstatic let-offs in recent history. And this growing set-piece problem is not going away any time soon.

Top Stories. Liverpool's wage bill needs serious trimming this summer Naby Keita After his 42nd minute substitution for 'tactical reasons' against Real Madrid, Naby Keita's Liverpool future is shrouded in more uncertainty than ever. Turkish SL. Uru PD. Afr Cup. Algarve Cup.

Argentina Supercopa. Belgian Super Cup. Bundesliga Playoffs. C Nations. C U17 Champ. C U20 Champ. C W Champ. Copa Lib. Copa Maradona. Copa Rey. Copa Sud. DFB Pokal. Dutch Shield.

England Shield. Liverpools next game in the champions league Cup. Euro Qual. FA Cup. France Trophee. German DFL-Supercup. Gold Cup. Int'l Champ Cup. Italy Supercoppa. Lg Cup. Recopa Sudamericana. SheBelieves Cup. Spain Supercopa. U17 WC. U20 WC. UAE Super Cup. UEFA Nations. World Cup. Anaheim Ducks. Arizona Coyotes. Boston Bruins. Buffalo Sabres. Calgary Flames. Carolina Hurricanes. Chicago Blackhawks. Colorado Avalanche. Liverpools next game in the champions league Blue Jackets.

Dallas Stars. Detroit Red Wings. Edmonton Oilers. Florida Panthers. A second-place finish in the —09 Premier League entitled Liverpool to compete in the —10 UEFA Champions Leaguebut their campaign was short-lived; they finished third in their group, and were eliminated from the competition. They won two games and drew four to finish top of their group with ten points and progress to the round of Before the tie was played, however, Hodgson was replaced by former manager Kenny Dalglish, who initially served as a caretaker manager.

Liverpool qualified for the knockout phase of the —13 Europa League after winning their group at the group stagebut were eliminated from the competition at the round of 32 by Zenit Saint Petersburg on the away goals rule after a 0—2 loss away and a 3—1 win at home. A second-placed finish in the —14 Premier Leagueensured Liverpool qualified for the group stage of liverpools next game in the champions league —15 Champions League. Finishing sixth in the —15 Premier League qualified Liverpool directly to the group stage of the —16 Europa Leaguewhere they faced SionBordeaux and for the first time, Russian side Rubin Kazan.

Goals from Philippe CoutinhoMamadou Sakho and a last minute winner from Dejan Lovrenhowever, saw Liverpool complete the comeback and qualify for their first European semi-final since Jakob-ParkBaselon 18 May, losing 3—1. A 4th-place finish in the —17 Premier League qualified Liverpool for the —18 UEFA Champions League and a return to Europe's premier club tournament for only the second time in 8 years during the s.

The win was a record liverpools next game in the champions league win for Liverpool in European competitions and also the biggest away win by an English team in the history of the European Cup. Liverpool then defeated domestic rivals Manchester City 3—0 and 2—1, and in the semi-finals, defeated Roma 5—2 at Anfield, before like this 4—2 loss led to a 7—6 aggregate win, taking them to the finalagainst holders Real Madrid.

It was their fourth title, placing them behind only Barcelona and Milan, who have won the competition five times each. After defeating Mexican club Monterrey 2—1 in the semi-final, the club defeated Brazilian club Flamengo 1—0 in the finalwith Roberto Firmino scoring the winning goal in both games.

This means that the team will compete in the premier European competition for the fourth consecutive year. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Football club in European competitions. Main article: List of Liverpool F. Liverpool in Europe. Carlton Books, Limited. ISBN The Northern Echo. Retrieved 26 May Retrieved 25 December BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 January Retrieved 2 September Archived from the original on 8 July Liverpool F.

Archived from the original on 29 August Retrieved 22 December The Guardian. Retrieved 6 June The Independent.

The Times. Archived liverpools next game in the champions league the original on 24 July Retrieved 11 August Retrieved 4 June Retrieved 3 June Archived from the original on 30 January Retrieved 25 Liverpools next game in the champions league My website 26 January Archived from the original on 11 November Retrieved 28 May No doubt".

Retrieved 29 December Retrieved 27 May This Is Anfield. Retrieved 6 August Retrieved 1 September Archived from the original on 3 May

[junker-town]

2017 NHL mock draft: The trade deadline shakes things up in our 2nd simulation

New needs and no consensus make this draft interesting.

It’s nice to have a NHL entry draft with no clear “best prospect.”

The 2017 NHL draft doesn’t have a Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, or Aaron Ekblad. It doesn’t even have a consensus best 30 players. The top of the draft is as arguable as the late first-round picks following it.

So no wonder our second mock NHL draft looks different from the first. This time, we didn’t use lottery simulators. We just went down the list, but kept the trade deadline movements in mind. Needs have changed!

1. Colorado Avalanche - Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle (Sweden)

I’m starting to come around to Mile High Hockey’s argument that the Avalanche can’t afford to pass up the best defenseman in the draft. The consensus Best Three™ in the 2017 draft are Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, and Liljegren. Two centers and a defenseman. When Tyson Jost joins Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado next season, they’ll be set down the middle for years.

Might as well stock the defense with a prime puck-mover like Liljegren.

2. Arizona Coyotes - Nolan Patrick, C, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

Photo by Mathieu Belanger/Getty Images

Coyotes fans would hate being left with Patrick or Hischier. Not that they’re not good, but the Coyotes need young defensemen as much as the Avalanche.

In this scenario, though, I tend to think GM John Chayka takes Nolan Patrick. Arizona is blessed with forward talent, but few of them have the skill and size Patrick brings.

3. Vegas Golden Knights - Nico Hischier, C, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

Best player available. Hischier is skilled, flashy and as good at setting up teammates as he is putting the biscuit in the basket. Vegas would be thrilled to take him.

4. New Jersey Devils - Casey Mittelstadt, C, Eden Prairie High School (Minnesota)

It sure seems like the Devils might stick with Pavel Zacha on the wing. In that case, expect them to go for a center here if Liljegren isn’t available (he won’t be).

Scouts rave about Mittelstadt’s compete level all over the ice, something that the Devils will no doubt covet. He’s also supremely gifted offensively, making him a talent the Devils can’t pass up. He’ll play for the University of Minnesota next season.

5. Vancouver Canucks - Gabriel Vilardi, C, Windsor (OHL)

Vilardi has all the tools to become a No. 1 center someday: size (6’3), skill (scouts love his effortlessness while making plays), and finishing ability (about to eclipse 30 goals with Windsor this year). By drafting Olli Juolevi and trading for Jonathan Dahlen, the Canucks have added high-end talent on the wings and blue line in the last year.

Taking Vilardi fifth overall would help round out their system.

6. Dallas Stars - Eeli Tolvanen, LW/RW, Sioux City (USHL)

If there’s one thing the Stars are guilty of in recent drafts, it’s not taking forwards with high-end skills. Size and hockey I.Q. are great, but you also need players with game-breaking abilities.

Tolvanen fits that mold. A pure scorer, the USHL star can score at will in so many ways: off the rush with his heavy shot, off a deke, with a slap-shot ... you name it. He’ll play with Boston College next season and could reach the NHL sooner than a lot of the players in this draft.

7. Detroit Red Wings - Cale Makar, D, Brooks (AJHL)

We still like the idea of Makar joining the Red Wings. The crafty right-handed defenseman is rising quickly up draft boards after a 24-goal, 75-point season with the Bandits. Detroit can start their rebuild with the draft’s best power play quarterback.

Makar will head to UMass-Amherst next season.

8. Buffalo Sabres - Owen Tippett, RW, Mississauga (OHL)

With Liljegren and Makar off the board and no defensemen worth reaching for at this spot, Buffalo is left in “best player available” mode.

That’s Tippett, the best scoring winger in the draft not named Eeli Tolvanen. A pure sniper, Tippett is fifth in the OHL with 44 goals this year. With Sam Reinhart, Alexander Nylander, Cliff Pu, and Tippett in the system, the Sabres’ wings will be the envy of the Eastern Conference.

9. Winnipeg Jets - Nick Suzuki, C, Owen Sound (OHL)

Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images

Suzuki is a rare gem: an uber-talented penalty killer who can score in bunches. His defensive prowess was well-known before this season, but he erupted into one of the OHL’s best scoring threats with 45 goals and 96 points in 65 games. Winnipeg’s leaky penalty kill would love to have Suzuki join them.

10. Florida Panthers - Klim Kostin, W, Balashikha (KHL)

Two things are going against Kostin right now. First, a shoulder injury ended his season early. Second, he reminds people of Stars winger Valeri Nichushkin: a big, Russian winger with obvious skill but a tendency to pass instead of shoot. And since Nichushkin bolted for Russia last offseason, you’d imagine that might affect his draft status.

But Florida might go against the grain here and take him anyway. With Jaromir Jagr and Jussi Jokinen on the decline, the Panthers could use a bullishly skilled winger in their prospect pool, even if Kostin stays in the KHL to develop for a few years.

11. Philadelphia Flyers - Cody Glass, C/RW, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

Another late-bloomer like Makar who rocketed up draft rankings this year. Glass is a talented, all-around forward: capable of dishing the puck, finishing plays and responsible up and down the ice. Philadelphia could use him in a number of ways.

12. Carolina Hurricanes - Elias Pettersson, C, Timra IK (Sweden)

At this point of the draft, it’s hard to nail down which player teams would covet more. But Carolina’s so stacked defensively that we know they’ll aim for a forward in the first round.

Pettersson might be the pick. He’s a pure playmaker, with arguably the best vision in the draft. You could see him becoming a true power play threat for the Hurricanes down the road, making him worth a pick here even though he’ll have a longer development than most.

13. Los Angeles Kings - Michael Rasmussen, C, Tri-City (WHL)

Size and skill are a rare combo for centers these days, but Rasmussen fits that mold. His 6’5 frame makes him seem Kings-worthy already, and his poise around the net makes him a valuable offensive presence on the power play.

14. Tampa Bay Lightning - Juuso Valimaki, D, Tri-City (WHL)

Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images

Valimaki is a well-rounded two-way defenseman with leadership qualities already apparent at such a young age. Valimaki’s 55 points lead all teenage WHL defensemen this year, indicating he could make a rapid ascent to the NHL.

15. New York Islanders - Callan Foote, D, Kelowna (WHL)

The Isles drafted five forwards in the first round over the last three drafts. All of them (Josh Ho-Sang, Anthony Beauvillier, Mathew Barzal, Michael Dal Colle, and Kieffer Bellows) are already close to NHL-ready.

So New York should spring for a defenseman this year. Foote, son of Adam Foote, will round out their defensive core nicely. At 6’3, Foote is imposing in his own end with a safe, but smart, game.

16. Toronto Maple Leafs - Nicolas Hague, D, Mississauga (OHL)

And so the run on defensemen begins!

With Nikita Zaitsev and Morgan Rielly in the fold, the Maple Leafs aren’t short of puck-movers on the blue line. They are missing a big body, though. Hague is huge, but mobile: a 6’6 defenseman who captains Mississauga’s power play and isn’t afraid to mix things up in his own end. He could be a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. Or he could be a master of everything. Toronto will gladly take that risk.

17. St. Louis Blues - Ryan Poehling, C/LW, St. Cloud State (NCAA)

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

With a year of college hockey under his belt, Poehling could reach the NHL quicker than most of his draft peers. That makes him appealing to a lot of teams, particularly contenders.

So will his two-way ability. Poehling is blessed with the skills of a top center and the smarts of a third-line, shut-down winger. Sounds like a Blue, doesn’t he?

18. Nashville Predators - Martin Necas, C, HC Kometa Brno (Czech Republic)

David Poile will do cartwheels if Necas falls this far.

The only knock on the 5’11 center is that he holds onto the puck too long. But that pass-first mentality is born out of strong vision and speed to burn. The Predators lack a true, high-skill center behind Ryan Johansen. Necas can slot into that role.

19. Boston Bruins - Lias Andersson, C, HV71 (Sweden)

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Andersson’s draft stock fell after a quiet World Juniors. The 5’11 center drew attention with a 24-goal season as a 16-year old, but his offensive upside is now in question after a nine-goal season in the Swedish pro league.

His competitiveness isn’t, though. Players with energy, work ethic, and hockey I.Q. are valuable, and the Bruins would make a good fit while Andersson develops his game. And if he re-finds that scoring touch, all the better.

20. Edmonton Oilers - Miro Heiskanen, D, Helsinki HIFK (Finland)

The only knock on Heiskanen? He’s small. That didn’t stop Torey Krug from thriving. It didn’t stop the Stars from drafting Julius Honka. It won’t stop teams from drafting Makar. And it won’t keep the Oilers from jumping at Heiskanen if he falls this far.

Heiskanen disappointed at the World Juniors, but what Finland player didn’t? The Finnish defenseman makes up for his size with an active stick in his own end and can make plays offensively.

21. Calgary Flames - Kristian Vesalainen, LW, Frolunda (SHL)

Calgary should be pleased if Vesalainen is available here. It’s hard to figure why he’s falling in scouts’ eyes. He was such an important player in Finland’s gold medal run in the 2016 World Juniors. Vesalainen has struggled immensely this season, bouncing around Finnish junior and pro hockey with just six goals.

But the talent (skill and a good shot) is there.

22. Anaheim Ducks - Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Spokane (WHL)

The Ducks play a heavy style of hockey, so maybe this is just wishful thinking on our part. Yamamoto is 5’7 but oozes skill. Teams passed on Johnny Gaudreau and Alex DeBrincat because of their size. They all regret it. Anaheim would do well to take Yamamoto here.

23. Ottawa Senators - Maxime Comtois, LW, Victoriaville (QMJHL)

Comtois isn’t the most skilled winger in the draft. He doesn’t have the best shot. But he does have elite speed and a high-energy style that puts opponents back on their heels. He could end up as a top-line winger. He could end up as a bottom-six penalty killer. Whatever role he slides into, Comtois will play it well and make a noticeable impression.

24. Montreal Canadiens - Nikita Popugaev, W, Prince George (WHL)

Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images

Just look at the kinds of players Montreal targeted at the trade deadline. Big. Strong. Hard to play against.

Popugaev, a 6’5 winger, is all of those things with skill mixed in. He’s struggled since a trade to the Cougars, a more well-rounded team that spreads the offensive love around.

25. New York Rangers - Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D, Charlottetown (QMJHL)

Joseph is garnering first-round consideration because he’s developed confidence with the puck all over the ice. Once he trusted himself to become more involved offensively, his skill and smarts have impressed scouts. The defense-starved Rangers could take a flier on him here.

26. San Jose Sharks - Conor Timmins, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

Another defenseman playing his way into first-round status. Timmins boasts one of the hardest shots in the draft and leads the OHL in even-strength points. San Jose’s younger forwards are coming along nicely this season, so the Sharks could shore up their blue line with a prospect like Timmins.

27. Arizona Coyotes (from Wild) - Urho Vaakanainen, D, JYP (Finland)

Vaakanainen has the tools to become a strong puck-moving defenseman. Right now, he feels like a “safe” player destined to at least become a quality top-six talent. Arizona might bet on the former.

28. Chicago Blackhawks - Shane Bowers, C, Waterloo (USHL)

Bowers seems like a Jonathan Toews clone: great two-way play with a great shot and great hockey senses. The only question is how high his ceiling is. That question didn’t exist with Toews, and it doesn’t exist with the other centers taken ahead of Bowers.

29. Columbus Blue Jackets - Lukas Elvenes, RW, Rogle (Sweden)

A smart, crafty winger, but one-dimensional right now. Columbus’ Stanley Cup window is just opening, so they have time to let a player like Elvenes work on developing his all-around game. The tools are there, though.

30. Pittsburgh Penguins - Matthew Strome, LW, Hamilton (OHL)

Here’s a risk: a player with the Strome family pedigree and a physical brand of play, but poor foot-speed keeping his ceiling low.

31. St. Louis Blues (from Capitals) - Kole Lind, RW, Kelowna (WHL)

If St. Louis goes all-around with their first pick, they can afford to go all-skill with Lind at 31. Lind might be one of the better goal-scorers in the first round as far as instinct goes. It’s just a matter of whether he can get stronger.