Pittsburgh:
As much as I hate to say it, the Penguins are the best team in the Eastern Conference and might be the best team in the entire National Hockey League at the moment. Were it not for a miraculous Scott Hartnell winner with less than a second to play on Sunday for Philadelphoa, and the Penguins' winning record would stretch almost into oblivion.
If Evgeni Malkin doesn't win the MVP trophy this year - sorry, Steven Stamkos; sorry, Henrik Lundqvist - there's something badly wrong. He's been 'The Guy' in Pittsburgh during Crosby's forced layoff with concussion-related problems, and at a time when the franchise could have regressed without their star player, Malkin put it on his shoulders and is taking it to dizzying new heights. They are peaking at the right time, with playoffs around the corner. I pity whichever team draws them in the first round - in any round, really.
How about their goal-happy 8-4 win on Tuesday vs. Winnipeg? James Neal led the way with a massive 4-point night (3G, 1 A) and was ably supported by the two Pittsburgh superstars, Malkin (2G, 3A) and Crosby (4A). This team is a massive matchup nightmare for opposing coaches.
Boston vs. Toronto
Well, so much for a new coach bringing a new attitude in Toronto. Maple Leafs GM yanks Ron Wilson for Randy Carlyle (formerly of the Anaheim Ducks) but things continue to be nightmarish. I've rarely seen a more inept performance by a professional hockey team than I witnessed in the 8-0 drubbing at the hands of Boston on Monday.
There was a time in that game when the Bruins had more goals than the Leafs had shots on goal! That should be unheard of! James Reimer, solid over the weekend, was just brutal. That kid seems to be about as consistent as Chicago's Corey Crawford is. Gustavsson wasn't much better in relief, either. Oh, and if having 8 scored on you by division rivals wasn't bad enough, Mike Komisarek decided - foolishly, if you ask me - to bait and then fight Milan Lucic. Not Komisarek's smartest moment, that's for sure.
The Bruins swept the season series with their northern rivals, outscoring the Maple Leafs 36-10. All but one game - a 5-4 Boston decision in Toronto - saw the Bruins win by more than two goals. Talk about season-long domination. I really hope that Phil Kessel is happy with his riches because Boston, in getting Tyler Seguin, have definitely gotten the better out of that trade.
One night after the drubbing at the hands of the Bruins, who seem to be recovering at least some of the mojo that's deserted them in recent weeks, the Leafs lost 5-2 to the New York Islanders. If ever there's a sign that it's time to rip the place down and start all over again, the Monday-Tuesday of hell that Toronto went through might just be it!
Madison Square Garden Brawl
Now, I'm all for fighting in hockey. I believe it's the guard against thugs taking giant runs at guys like Stamkos and Crosby and Nugent-Hopkins and the other skilled players in the League. As a player, if you have the threat of someone like Brandon Prust or Shawn Thornton or Zenon Konopka feeding you punches, you're less likely - not completely unlikely, as we've seen with Matt Cooke - to do something barbaric. Take fighting away, and it's open season.
That said, the opening to the Rangers vs. Devils game on Monday night at The World's Most Famous Arena was nothing short of insane. Both coaches are equally to blame. New Jersey's Peter Deboer ices his goon squad, so Rangers coach John Tortorella does the same thing, and then shouts down his colleague from across the Hudson when the brawl ensues. The best course of action for Tortorella was to go with his top line of Gaborik, Richards and Hagelin and there wouldn't have been the three separate fights breaking out at 0:03 of the game. Then, Torts could've claimed the upper ground in a righteous fashion. Now, he looks a little like a hypocrite.
Staged fights from the opening face-off should incur stiff penalties. That's the bottom line.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Hockey Rewind: March 12-18
A look back at the week that was in the NHL...
Stamkos:
Just a freak of nature, Steven Stamkos. Another 50-goal season and he's barely old enough to shave. The kid is 22 and he's scoring with insane ease. It seems simple enough going into a game against Tampa Bay: you just slow down Stamkos and you can win. It's easier said than done. Stamkos scored goals 49 and 50 on the season during the Lightning's 6-1 rout of Boston on Tuesday - they scored three goals in the first 5:00 against the Bruins, chasing back-up netminder Marty Turco and then Tim Thomas - and is in a neck-and-neck race with Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin for scoring lead. Tampa Bay are on the outer as far as a playoff appearance goes, but their disastrous early start had this season looking much, much worse than it has turned out to be. I shudder to imagine what Tampa's record would look like without Stamkos a part of their team.
Bryzgalov:
Remember the HBO 24/7 Road To The Winter Classic when Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov became something of an Internet sensation with verbal essays on the galaxy, tigers, vodka, defencemen and Siberian huskies looking like gorgeous women? Remember how he seemed to implode on the ice as his new found fame changed everything? Yeah, that was December January. This is March, and, finally, Bryzgalov is looking just like the sort of guy Flyers management envisioned him being when they threw truckloads of cash at the Russian during the summer. Gone are the TV hi jinks, and in it's place are shut-outs; many of them in March. As goalies like Tim Thomas seem to be slipping backwards around playoff time, Bryzgalov is on the way back up.
Islanders vs. Capitals:
The old adage that hockey is a sixty-minute game has never been more true - at least this week - than it was in the Washington vs. NY Islanders game. Out of the box, the Isles went on a tear. John Tavares thought he had a had-trick, and instead had a 3-point game (2G, 1 A) and his team was up 3-0 at 9:05 of the second period. From there, the Islanders, aside from a third-period tally, basically went to sleep. Alex Ovechkin led a remarkable Washington comeback, scoring two goals, and the Caps left Long Island with a 5-4 shoot-out win thanks to a Matt Hendricks winner. Remarkable collapse; remarkable comeback. Hard to know what's the bigger story.
Boston:
The week started badly for the Bruins, giving up a 6-1 decision to Tampa Bay and, continuing a bad Florida trend, let the Florida Panthers put 6 pucks into the net, losing that one 6-2, yanking recently-signed back-up Marty Turco for starter Tim Thomas, who didn't do much better and was replaced by Turco. Unfortunately for Bruins fans, Turco looked a lot like he did last year in Chicago. There's a reason he was playing in Europe, everyone. Oh, and does anyone else think that Tim Thomas looks barely a shadow of his 2011 Stanley Cup/Conn Smythe-winning self?
Then the defending Stanley Cup champions recorded a gusty win against Philadelphia and completely demolished Toronto, to sweep that season's series, outscoring the hapless Maple Leafs 36-10 in the process. I'm sure that every Bruins fan is wishing their team had a few more games to come against the Leafs. Maybe that's just what Tim Thomas needs to get back into some good form.
Crosby:
Yes, for a second time, Sidney Crosby is back on the ice for the Penguins, and even this Rangers fan is glad of the extra eyeballs that his return in time for the playoffs is sure to bring to the National Hockey League. I am not Crosby's biggest fan, not by a long-shot, but you need to have your most marketable and recognisable player doing what he does best, so from a league-wide standpoint, this is good. It's great for Pittsburgh, who're are stalking the Rangers in the East and are probably - as much as it pains me to say - the best team in the East. They might even be the best team in the entire NHL.
Stamkos:
Just a freak of nature, Steven Stamkos. Another 50-goal season and he's barely old enough to shave. The kid is 22 and he's scoring with insane ease. It seems simple enough going into a game against Tampa Bay: you just slow down Stamkos and you can win. It's easier said than done. Stamkos scored goals 49 and 50 on the season during the Lightning's 6-1 rout of Boston on Tuesday - they scored three goals in the first 5:00 against the Bruins, chasing back-up netminder Marty Turco and then Tim Thomas - and is in a neck-and-neck race with Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin for scoring lead. Tampa Bay are on the outer as far as a playoff appearance goes, but their disastrous early start had this season looking much, much worse than it has turned out to be. I shudder to imagine what Tampa's record would look like without Stamkos a part of their team.
Bryzgalov:
Remember the HBO 24/7 Road To The Winter Classic when Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov became something of an Internet sensation with verbal essays on the galaxy, tigers, vodka, defencemen and Siberian huskies looking like gorgeous women? Remember how he seemed to implode on the ice as his new found fame changed everything? Yeah, that was December January. This is March, and, finally, Bryzgalov is looking just like the sort of guy Flyers management envisioned him being when they threw truckloads of cash at the Russian during the summer. Gone are the TV hi jinks, and in it's place are shut-outs; many of them in March. As goalies like Tim Thomas seem to be slipping backwards around playoff time, Bryzgalov is on the way back up.
Islanders vs. Capitals:
The old adage that hockey is a sixty-minute game has never been more true - at least this week - than it was in the Washington vs. NY Islanders game. Out of the box, the Isles went on a tear. John Tavares thought he had a had-trick, and instead had a 3-point game (2G, 1 A) and his team was up 3-0 at 9:05 of the second period. From there, the Islanders, aside from a third-period tally, basically went to sleep. Alex Ovechkin led a remarkable Washington comeback, scoring two goals, and the Caps left Long Island with a 5-4 shoot-out win thanks to a Matt Hendricks winner. Remarkable collapse; remarkable comeback. Hard to know what's the bigger story.
Boston:
The week started badly for the Bruins, giving up a 6-1 decision to Tampa Bay and, continuing a bad Florida trend, let the Florida Panthers put 6 pucks into the net, losing that one 6-2, yanking recently-signed back-up Marty Turco for starter Tim Thomas, who didn't do much better and was replaced by Turco. Unfortunately for Bruins fans, Turco looked a lot like he did last year in Chicago. There's a reason he was playing in Europe, everyone. Oh, and does anyone else think that Tim Thomas looks barely a shadow of his 2011 Stanley Cup/Conn Smythe-winning self?
Then the defending Stanley Cup champions recorded a gusty win against Philadelphia and completely demolished Toronto, to sweep that season's series, outscoring the hapless Maple Leafs 36-10 in the process. I'm sure that every Bruins fan is wishing their team had a few more games to come against the Leafs. Maybe that's just what Tim Thomas needs to get back into some good form.
Crosby:
Yes, for a second time, Sidney Crosby is back on the ice for the Penguins, and even this Rangers fan is glad of the extra eyeballs that his return in time for the playoffs is sure to bring to the National Hockey League. I am not Crosby's biggest fan, not by a long-shot, but you need to have your most marketable and recognisable player doing what he does best, so from a league-wide standpoint, this is good. It's great for Pittsburgh, who're are stalking the Rangers in the East and are probably - as much as it pains me to say - the best team in the East. They might even be the best team in the entire NHL.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Hockey Rewind: March 5 -12
A look back at the week that was in the National Hockey League...
St Louis:
If there's a Stanley Cup contender that's going under the radar, it's the St Louis Blues. While the Western Conference has been enamoured with the Sedins in Vancouver, Detroit's home win streak and the train wreck currently taking place in Columbus. Quietly, the Blues have become the class of the Central Division, thanks to their mid season coaching hire, Ken Hitchcock. Honestly, firing Davis Payne, a situation that may have looked a little shaky at first, has become a master-stroke. General Managers like George McPhee in Washington and
The Blues have all the pieces in place and they're going to go deep into the playoffs. They might be the best team in the entire National Hockey League at the moment. Their defence is good, they have young guys doing great things on the offensive side, and their goalie play is outstanding. Outstanding! I don't care who they have in net, Brian Elliott (20-8-2, GAA 1.63, SV% .937) or Jaroslav Halak (23-10-5, GAA 1.86, SV% .926). Both guys are standing on their head. There isn't much drop-off on any given night.
If you haven't seen the Blues play yet this season, make it a priority. Try checking out their 5-1 demolition of Chicago on Tuesday. Or Thursday's 3-1 come-from-behind win over Anaheim.
Kronwall:
I may be in the minority here, but I loved Niklas Kronwall's MONSTER hit on Philadelphia's Jacob Voracek on Tuesday night and I am especially glad that the czar of NHL discipline Brendan Shanahan didn't fine or suspened the lumbering Swede. We've all seen the replays; I watched them again just before I started writing. It was a clean hit and a good hockey play. You take that out of the game, and hockey just isn't hockey anymore. Those monster hits are a part of the game - as much a part of the game as fighting. Look at it from this angle. Kronwall is famous for blowing guys up like that, so why is Voracek not got his head up, maybe expecting something like that?
One thing I want to say, poor showing by the refs. It usually isn't my style to dump on officials, but man, when a guy goes down like Voracek went down, and when all and sundry can see that he's in a major world of hurt, BLOW THE WHISTLE and stop play. Don't let it continue for another few seconds. Get the game on hold and allow medical people to get onto the ice. That was a bad error in judgement. Let's hope the on-ice officials learn from that.
Phoenix:
Talk about a tale of two months! Couldn't lose if they'd tried in February going 11-0-1, and can't buy a win through early doors in March, starting out 0-4-0, which slides them out of the Pacific Division lead - hang on, the Phoenix Coyotes are in the Pacific Division; what? - and to the wrong side of the cut-off for the very-nearly-here Stanley Cup playoffs!
Pittsburgh:
The Penguins look to get Sidney Crosby back this coming week and are six points behind the New York Rangers in both the Atlantic Division and the overall Eastern Conference standings, riding a 9-game winning streak after thumping Boston on Sunday afternoon. Not exactly breaking news, I know, but regardless, the Penguins are a very good team and other teams should be very worried about them currently. And that's without arguably the league's best player. Put Sid the Kid back in that team and the rest of the universe - including this Rangers fan who wants to be #1 seed in the East - should be very worried.
St Louis:
If there's a Stanley Cup contender that's going under the radar, it's the St Louis Blues. While the Western Conference has been enamoured with the Sedins in Vancouver, Detroit's home win streak and the train wreck currently taking place in Columbus. Quietly, the Blues have become the class of the Central Division, thanks to their mid season coaching hire, Ken Hitchcock. Honestly, firing Davis Payne, a situation that may have looked a little shaky at first, has become a master-stroke. General Managers like George McPhee in Washington and
The Blues have all the pieces in place and they're going to go deep into the playoffs. They might be the best team in the entire National Hockey League at the moment. Their defence is good, they have young guys doing great things on the offensive side, and their goalie play is outstanding. Outstanding! I don't care who they have in net, Brian Elliott (20-8-2, GAA 1.63, SV% .937) or Jaroslav Halak (23-10-5, GAA 1.86, SV% .926). Both guys are standing on their head. There isn't much drop-off on any given night.
If you haven't seen the Blues play yet this season, make it a priority. Try checking out their 5-1 demolition of Chicago on Tuesday. Or Thursday's 3-1 come-from-behind win over Anaheim.
Kronwall:
I may be in the minority here, but I loved Niklas Kronwall's MONSTER hit on Philadelphia's Jacob Voracek on Tuesday night and I am especially glad that the czar of NHL discipline Brendan Shanahan didn't fine or suspened the lumbering Swede. We've all seen the replays; I watched them again just before I started writing. It was a clean hit and a good hockey play. You take that out of the game, and hockey just isn't hockey anymore. Those monster hits are a part of the game - as much a part of the game as fighting. Look at it from this angle. Kronwall is famous for blowing guys up like that, so why is Voracek not got his head up, maybe expecting something like that?
One thing I want to say, poor showing by the refs. It usually isn't my style to dump on officials, but man, when a guy goes down like Voracek went down, and when all and sundry can see that he's in a major world of hurt, BLOW THE WHISTLE and stop play. Don't let it continue for another few seconds. Get the game on hold and allow medical people to get onto the ice. That was a bad error in judgement. Let's hope the on-ice officials learn from that.
Phoenix:
Talk about a tale of two months! Couldn't lose if they'd tried in February going 11-0-1, and can't buy a win through early doors in March, starting out 0-4-0, which slides them out of the Pacific Division lead - hang on, the Phoenix Coyotes are in the Pacific Division; what? - and to the wrong side of the cut-off for the very-nearly-here Stanley Cup playoffs!
Pittsburgh:
The Penguins look to get Sidney Crosby back this coming week and are six points behind the New York Rangers in both the Atlantic Division and the overall Eastern Conference standings, riding a 9-game winning streak after thumping Boston on Sunday afternoon. Not exactly breaking news, I know, but regardless, the Penguins are a very good team and other teams should be very worried about them currently. And that's without arguably the league's best player. Put Sid the Kid back in that team and the rest of the universe - including this Rangers fan who wants to be #1 seed in the East - should be very worried.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Game-by-Game: The Sydney Swans in 2012 (Part Two)
Part Two of my early look at the Swans schedule for the 2012 AFL Premiership Season, and some quick thoughts on each game, from a long way out!
Round Thirteen vs. Geelong: Another Friday night game. Last year it was Carlton in the rain on the night of the royal wedding, a combination that kept the crowd disappointingly low. It was one of the worst nights I’ve sat through, with pouring rain whipped up by the wind. Hopefully there’ll be a good crowd and a nice night for the visit to Sydney of the reigning premiers. On the field, this will be a tough test.
Round Fourteen vs. Greater Western Sydney: The rematch at ANZ Stadium and, and another chance for the AFL to hype it’s newest rivalry. By this stage we should know what fancy name the league will have coined for the Swans vs. Giants – think Derby, Showdown, Q Clash – battle for Sydney hearts and minds, and it could also be the middle of a long and largely winless season for the Kevin Sheedy-led Giants.
Round Fifteen vs. Brisbane: The rivalry that the league tried to hoist on these two teams isn’t really much, but there’ve been some great clashes recently. Last year, the Swans had a giant lead at the half up in Brisbane and coasted home to an easy win. This time around, the Lions figure to have Jonathan Brown back. A healthy Jono Brown is a serious nightmare for fullbacks everywhere.
Round Sixteen vs. West Coast: The Eagles were the surprise packet of the 2011 season, after finishing 2010 in dismal fashion. This was one of the great rivalries of the latter half of the noughties, featuring two very similar teams who just didn’t know how to give up. The trip to Perth is a tough challenge in of itself, quite aside from the team we face over there. The Eagles should be just as good this year, if not better.
Round Seventeen vs. St Kilda: The Swans get Nick Riewoldt and St Kilda twice – this time on a Sunday afternoon in the early timeslot – in Season 2012 and the return clash at the SCG comes in the midst of what can only be described as a horror run to the end of the season. It only gets tougher from here. You’d think by now that the Swans will have a pretty good idea of whether they’ll be playing September football or whether this scribe will be able to focus on American football.
Round Eighteen vs. Gold Coast: The Swans visit the brightly-coloured Metricon Stadium for a second time. The Suns will be much better in 2012 than they were last year, but given the stretch that they’ll be in, recording a good win here will be a must. In two or three more seasons, the Suns will be dangerous.
Round Nineteen vs. Carlton: And so begins the run to September. Chris Judd and the lethal Carlton midfield come to town. The Blues ran the Swans off their feet last year on that wet Friday night game, but, then again, Sydney weren’t the only team to suffer that fate against one of the premiere midfields in the competition. The question for the Blues is can they step up and consistently beat the Geelong’s and Collingwood’s and Hawthorn's of the world.
Round Twenty vs. Collingwood: The now-traditional ANZ Stadium game and the one that most Swans fans want to win more than any other. Last year was an epic and inspirational effort that resulted in a narrow loss, but Sydney definitely made the Pies work hard and long to extend their impressive run of victories at ANZ Stadium. The Olympic Stadium has been a graveyard for the Swans against the Pies. A win against Collingwood on this Saturday night, hopefully in front of a giant crowd, would just about make my season.
Round Twenty-One vs. Western Bulldogs: Another stern test against a team that should be somewhat improved on last year. As always, playing in Melbourne seems to be a problem, but it shouldn’t be. The Swans can’t really call themselves contenders if they’re not able to win down south. And they’ll likely need a win in this one, given the stretch of games that they’re in the midst of – perhaps the toughest finish to the season that there is in the league this year.
Round Twenty-Two vs. Hawthorn: The Hawks come to Sydney for a twilight contest at the SCG in what will be the final home game for the season in the penultimate round of the regular season. As has been said by all and sundry, any team that features the likes of Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli and Chance Bateman, amongst others, is always going to be dangerous, and always in contention for a flag. This should be – another – stern test for the Swans.
Round Twenty-Three vs. Geelong: What a horrible way to end the season. The Swans save the worst for last, making the toughest road trip in football, south of Melbourne, down to Geelong, to what has been a graveyard for every team in the AFL over the last two years. Alone in the last twenty-four months in scoring a win at Simonds Stadium last season, an incredible and inspirational effort after the death of Jarrad McVeigh’s daughter. It was a perfect team effort that day, and they’ll need something similar to triumph again, you would think. Of course, the Cats will remember their loss, and will likely be smarting.
Round Thirteen vs. Geelong: Another Friday night game. Last year it was Carlton in the rain on the night of the royal wedding, a combination that kept the crowd disappointingly low. It was one of the worst nights I’ve sat through, with pouring rain whipped up by the wind. Hopefully there’ll be a good crowd and a nice night for the visit to Sydney of the reigning premiers. On the field, this will be a tough test.
Round Fourteen vs. Greater Western Sydney: The rematch at ANZ Stadium and, and another chance for the AFL to hype it’s newest rivalry. By this stage we should know what fancy name the league will have coined for the Swans vs. Giants – think Derby, Showdown, Q Clash – battle for Sydney hearts and minds, and it could also be the middle of a long and largely winless season for the Kevin Sheedy-led Giants.
Round Fifteen vs. Brisbane: The rivalry that the league tried to hoist on these two teams isn’t really much, but there’ve been some great clashes recently. Last year, the Swans had a giant lead at the half up in Brisbane and coasted home to an easy win. This time around, the Lions figure to have Jonathan Brown back. A healthy Jono Brown is a serious nightmare for fullbacks everywhere.
Round Sixteen vs. West Coast: The Eagles were the surprise packet of the 2011 season, after finishing 2010 in dismal fashion. This was one of the great rivalries of the latter half of the noughties, featuring two very similar teams who just didn’t know how to give up. The trip to Perth is a tough challenge in of itself, quite aside from the team we face over there. The Eagles should be just as good this year, if not better.
Round Seventeen vs. St Kilda: The Swans get Nick Riewoldt and St Kilda twice – this time on a Sunday afternoon in the early timeslot – in Season 2012 and the return clash at the SCG comes in the midst of what can only be described as a horror run to the end of the season. It only gets tougher from here. You’d think by now that the Swans will have a pretty good idea of whether they’ll be playing September football or whether this scribe will be able to focus on American football.
Round Eighteen vs. Gold Coast: The Swans visit the brightly-coloured Metricon Stadium for a second time. The Suns will be much better in 2012 than they were last year, but given the stretch that they’ll be in, recording a good win here will be a must. In two or three more seasons, the Suns will be dangerous.
Round Nineteen vs. Carlton: And so begins the run to September. Chris Judd and the lethal Carlton midfield come to town. The Blues ran the Swans off their feet last year on that wet Friday night game, but, then again, Sydney weren’t the only team to suffer that fate against one of the premiere midfields in the competition. The question for the Blues is can they step up and consistently beat the Geelong’s and Collingwood’s and Hawthorn's of the world.
Round Twenty vs. Collingwood: The now-traditional ANZ Stadium game and the one that most Swans fans want to win more than any other. Last year was an epic and inspirational effort that resulted in a narrow loss, but Sydney definitely made the Pies work hard and long to extend their impressive run of victories at ANZ Stadium. The Olympic Stadium has been a graveyard for the Swans against the Pies. A win against Collingwood on this Saturday night, hopefully in front of a giant crowd, would just about make my season.
Round Twenty-One vs. Western Bulldogs: Another stern test against a team that should be somewhat improved on last year. As always, playing in Melbourne seems to be a problem, but it shouldn’t be. The Swans can’t really call themselves contenders if they’re not able to win down south. And they’ll likely need a win in this one, given the stretch of games that they’re in the midst of – perhaps the toughest finish to the season that there is in the league this year.
Round Twenty-Two vs. Hawthorn: The Hawks come to Sydney for a twilight contest at the SCG in what will be the final home game for the season in the penultimate round of the regular season. As has been said by all and sundry, any team that features the likes of Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli and Chance Bateman, amongst others, is always going to be dangerous, and always in contention for a flag. This should be – another – stern test for the Swans.
Round Twenty-Three vs. Geelong: What a horrible way to end the season. The Swans save the worst for last, making the toughest road trip in football, south of Melbourne, down to Geelong, to what has been a graveyard for every team in the AFL over the last two years. Alone in the last twenty-four months in scoring a win at Simonds Stadium last season, an incredible and inspirational effort after the death of Jarrad McVeigh’s daughter. It was a perfect team effort that day, and they’ll need something similar to triumph again, you would think. Of course, the Cats will remember their loss, and will likely be smarting.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Game-by-Game: The Sydney Swans in 2012 (Part One)
An early look at the Swans schedule for the 2012 AFL Premiership Season, and some quick thoughts on each game, from a long way out!
Round One vs. Greater Western Sydney: This ANZ Stadium contest comes nearly a week before the rest of the AFL resumes competitive premiership football and will be a nice slice of history to be involved in. If the GWS Giants are anything like Gold Coast last year, this should be an easy win for the Swans…and a long season for Sydney’s new team, but watch out for them in a few years!
Round Two vs. Fremantle: The clash at the SCG last year featured some of the worst umpiring I’ve ever seen – when fans from both teams are complaining, you know it’s pretty bad – so one can only hope that the umps have taken a good, hard look at themselves. This will be the Swans’ home opener, after being designated the ‘away’ team in Round One vs. GWS at ANZ Stadium, and the first time in quite a while that the debut home game comes at the Sydney Cricket Ground rather than out west.
Round Three vs. Port Adelaide: The trip to AAMI Stadium in Adelaide has always been a difficult one for the Swans, even when the Crows/Power are a bad team. Take last year’s nonsensical flub of a game there a week after nearly beating Collingwood in Sydney. The Power weren’t much better than the Crows last year. For some reason, getting a win here is as difficult for the Swans as it is for the rest of the league to get a win in Geelong. Hopefully the team can put that hoodoo to rest this year.
Round Four vs. North Melbourne: The Swans’ first ever 3.15pm Saturday afternoon game against a team that figures to be better this year than they were last year, with a good young roster led by the incredibly ageless Brent ‘Boomer’ Harvey, but still beatable for the Swans. It caps off a reasonable start to the season, and is the gateway to some of the tougher opponents over the next 4-6 weeks.
Round Five vs. Hawthorn: Sydney makes the trek to the deep south, to Aurora Stadium in Launceston to take on a Hawks outfit who will likely be smarting after their last-quarter meltdown in the prelim final vs. Collingwood last year. Will the Hawks be motivated? Yes. Will the Hawks be dangerous? A healthy Buddy, Roughie, Chance Bateman and Cyril Rioli say that they will, and should be amongst the league’s best again, if not outright premiership favourites by the time they face Sydney in Tasmania.
Round Six vs. Adelaide: First Saturday night home game of the season against the Crows, and, as I wrote before, better to be playing South Australian teams away from the AAMI Stadium graveyard. There’s nothing like a crisp Saturday evening at a full SCG and the Crows always run us close.
Round Seven vs. Richmond: The Swans have their first Saturday twilight game, and their first trip to the Home of Football, the MCG. Sydney’s had it’s fair share of – well-documented by the Melbourne media – trouble winning in Melbourne, and particularly at the MCG. It’s a problem that stretches back to the 2006 season. Obviously that makes it hard to win finals games. The Swans have only this lone visit to the great arena to work on that problem. How good will Richmond be? Jury’s out, for mine.
Round Eight vs. Melbourne: A Saturday twilight game at the SCG against a team that is now debt free, thanks to the inspirational leadership of the great Jim Stynes, and can boast one of the best lists of any team in football. Make no mistake, the Demons are on a definite upward trajectory and may trouble the scorers this year as making a finals appearance goes. I think I’m going to enjoy twilight football.
Round Nine vs. St Kilda: The year’s first visit to Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, and a game against old Swans faces Adam Schneider and Sean Dempster. The Saints have gone through a whole lot of upheaval in the off-season, losing their head coach, ex-Swans assistant Ross Lyon, to Fremantle, though it certainly hasn’t been as rocky an off-season as last year’s, marred by the long-running and sad saga of the so-called St Kilda Schoolgirl. A season of change for the Saints.
Round Ten vs. Western Bulldogs: No longer the team that our old captain/spearhead Barry Hall plays for, and thankfully a home game rather than a trip down to Manuka Oval in Canberra, where the Swans record hasn’t been particularly great. This will be our first taste of a late 3.15pm start for Channel Seven, so that the game will back onto their Sunday night news bulletin; apparently that’s the secret to holding an audience: football then news.
Round Eleven vs. Essendon: The last Etihad Stadium meeting between these two teams was an absolute epic, one of the best games of the season, and one that the Swans had plenty of opportunities to win, but ended up coming away with a disappointing and frustrating loss. Still, it was epic end-to-end footy and we can only hope for something similar this time around. Come to think of it, the ANZ Stadium meeting early last year was epic, too.
Round Two vs. Fremantle: The clash at the SCG last year featured some of the worst umpiring I’ve ever seen – when fans from both teams are complaining, you know it’s pretty bad – so one can only hope that the umps have taken a good, hard look at themselves. This will be the Swans’ home opener, after being designated the ‘away’ team in Round One vs. GWS at ANZ Stadium, and the first time in quite a while that the debut home game comes at the Sydney Cricket Ground rather than out west.
Round Three vs. Port Adelaide: The trip to AAMI Stadium in Adelaide has always been a difficult one for the Swans, even when the Crows/Power are a bad team. Take last year’s nonsensical flub of a game there a week after nearly beating Collingwood in Sydney. The Power weren’t much better than the Crows last year. For some reason, getting a win here is as difficult for the Swans as it is for the rest of the league to get a win in Geelong. Hopefully the team can put that hoodoo to rest this year.
Round Four vs. North Melbourne: The Swans’ first ever 3.15pm Saturday afternoon game against a team that figures to be better this year than they were last year, with a good young roster led by the incredibly ageless Brent ‘Boomer’ Harvey, but still beatable for the Swans. It caps off a reasonable start to the season, and is the gateway to some of the tougher opponents over the next 4-6 weeks.
Round Five vs. Hawthorn: Sydney makes the trek to the deep south, to Aurora Stadium in Launceston to take on a Hawks outfit who will likely be smarting after their last-quarter meltdown in the prelim final vs. Collingwood last year. Will the Hawks be motivated? Yes. Will the Hawks be dangerous? A healthy Buddy, Roughie, Chance Bateman and Cyril Rioli say that they will, and should be amongst the league’s best again, if not outright premiership favourites by the time they face Sydney in Tasmania.
Round Six vs. Adelaide: First Saturday night home game of the season against the Crows, and, as I wrote before, better to be playing South Australian teams away from the AAMI Stadium graveyard. There’s nothing like a crisp Saturday evening at a full SCG and the Crows always run us close.
Round Seven vs. Richmond: The Swans have their first Saturday twilight game, and their first trip to the Home of Football, the MCG. Sydney’s had it’s fair share of – well-documented by the Melbourne media – trouble winning in Melbourne, and particularly at the MCG. It’s a problem that stretches back to the 2006 season. Obviously that makes it hard to win finals games. The Swans have only this lone visit to the great arena to work on that problem. How good will Richmond be? Jury’s out, for mine.
Round Eight vs. Melbourne: A Saturday twilight game at the SCG against a team that is now debt free, thanks to the inspirational leadership of the great Jim Stynes, and can boast one of the best lists of any team in football. Make no mistake, the Demons are on a definite upward trajectory and may trouble the scorers this year as making a finals appearance goes. I think I’m going to enjoy twilight football.
Round Nine vs. St Kilda: The year’s first visit to Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, and a game against old Swans faces Adam Schneider and Sean Dempster. The Saints have gone through a whole lot of upheaval in the off-season, losing their head coach, ex-Swans assistant Ross Lyon, to Fremantle, though it certainly hasn’t been as rocky an off-season as last year’s, marred by the long-running and sad saga of the so-called St Kilda Schoolgirl. A season of change for the Saints.
Round Ten vs. Western Bulldogs: No longer the team that our old captain/spearhead Barry Hall plays for, and thankfully a home game rather than a trip down to Manuka Oval in Canberra, where the Swans record hasn’t been particularly great. This will be our first taste of a late 3.15pm start for Channel Seven, so that the game will back onto their Sunday night news bulletin; apparently that’s the secret to holding an audience: football then news.
Round Eleven vs. Essendon: The last Etihad Stadium meeting between these two teams was an absolute epic, one of the best games of the season, and one that the Swans had plenty of opportunities to win, but ended up coming away with a disappointing and frustrating loss. Still, it was epic end-to-end footy and we can only hope for something similar this time around. Come to think of it, the ANZ Stadium meeting early last year was epic, too.
NHL Rewind: February 27 - March 4
A look back on the week that was in the National Hockey League...
Nash
As a fan of the Rangers, I'm actually glad that the team didn't end up having to break the bank and dismantle the roster to get Rick Nash to Broadway. Sure, it would've been nice to have that guy - as good a player as there is in the entire NHL - wearing a Blueshirt, but not at the expense of what Columbus were asking. The Blue Jackets wanted Brandon Dubinsky plus Derek Stepan or Carl Hagelin and Ryan McDonagh or Michael Del Zotto, as well as highly-prized forward prospect Chris Krieder (currently at Boston College) and, stunningly, a first round pick. That's insane! Honestly, who does GM Scott Howson think he is trying to deal? Wayne Gretzky? Better to sacrifice Nash for team continuity and for keeping the core of the roster together.
Rangers vs. Devils
Teriffic game between old rivals at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. That was about as good as hockey gets. There were big hits, great defensive plays and a few scraps. Unfortunately, David Clarkson showed his lack of class, leaving his feet to hit Brandon Dubinsky. Dubi did the right thing and, despite being well out of his league, dropped the gloves. You'd want to think that Clarkson will be fined or suspended for that blatantly illegal hit. The game doesn't need that.
Devils vs. Bruins
Probably the best game I watched this week. It ended 4-3 in OT, and the game winner was David Krejci's third of the contest. Nothing like a hat-trick to win in the extra period. The Devils looked good. The Bruins looked good. Both goalies were on song making great saves, there was brilliant end-to-end skating, a great (and long) fight between heavyweights Shawn Thornton and Eric Boulton, a little nastiness, and some extra hockey after regulation. Basically, the game featured everything that makes hockey great. And the Bruins fans went home happy, after tossing their hats on the ice.
The Devils resurgence this season has been incredible. They are going to be a team to be reckoned with come the playoffs. Amazing that earlier in the season - late last year - experts all over were questioning whether Martin Brodeur was still an elite goalie. Pretty sure he is, based on recent evidence. On another note entirely, I have a feeling that the Atlantic Division will contribute 50% of the Eastern Conference playoff teams. The Rangers, Flyers, Penguins and Devils all seem to be locks now.
Washington
Maybe it wasn't Bruce Boudreau? I mean, the Washington Capitals have been just as bad and then some since the very popular coach was releived in favour of franchise legend Dale Hunter. Alex Semin is under performing as usual - a more on-off player in the league, there isn't - they can't sort out their goaltending, secondary scoring is nonexistent and, apparently, Alex Ovechkin is more interested in being a rock star. They were thumped by New Jersey on Friday and the only other reasonable team they've played in the last week, Ottawa, beat them 5-2.
Something needs to change, clearly. It could be a long off-season clean-out inside the Beltway.
Washington
Maybe it wasn't Bruce Boudreau? I mean, the Washington Capitals have been just as bad and then some since the very popular coach was releived in favour of franchise legend Dale Hunter. Alex Semin is under performing as usual - a more on-off player in the league, there isn't - they can't sort out their goaltending, secondary scoring is nonexistent and, apparently, Alex Ovechkin is more interested in being a rock star. They were thumped by New Jersey on Friday and the only other reasonable team they've played in the last week, Ottawa, beat them 5-2.
Something needs to change, clearly. It could be a long off-season clean-out inside the Beltway.
Wilson out in Toronto
Well, I had a feeling that Ron Wilson wouldn't be in Toronto when the 2012-13 season started, but I expected that Leafs General Manager Brian Burke would relieve the most recent Team USA Olympic coach after the season was done. Instead, Burke pulled the trigger on Wilson on a Friday night at about 8.00pm. That's a strange move, given the timing, especially given that Toronto were in Montreal for a game vs. the lowly Canadiens on Saturday night.
At the exact moment that word of Wilson's dismissal leaked out via TSN's Darren Dreger, Toronto were theoretically still there or thereabouts in terms of a playoff berth. They sat in 11th in the East, just 5 points away from Winnipeg, who're 8th and currently holding down the last entry spot. A far cry from seeming like certainties to break their long playoff drought, as they looked in December and January. It was the 1-9-1 skid that started on February 7 that finally sealed Wilson's fate. You wonder if he'll ever coach in the NHL again.
It's been a giant fall. As bad as the Maple Leafs have been of late, they still are somewhat in contention - the entire conference is, aside from Montreal and the Islanders, for mine - and with enough hockey still to be played if they're good enough. It's admittedly unlikely, but still possible, with a few wins and a few other results falling the right way. Perhaps that's what Burke wanted; fire the coach to shake things up when the Leafs need badly to be shaken up and play solid hockey down the stretch.
Brian Burke quickly hired Randy Carlyle, ousted from Anaheim earlier in the season. You get the feeling - at least, I do - that this might be Brian Burke's last chance to succeed in Toronto. As for Carlyle, he's gone from having a good, under performing roster in Anaheim to having a not-as-good and under performing roster in Toronto. And a very rabid fan base.
It's been a giant fall. As bad as the Maple Leafs have been of late, they still are somewhat in contention - the entire conference is, aside from Montreal and the Islanders, for mine - and with enough hockey still to be played if they're good enough. It's admittedly unlikely, but still possible, with a few wins and a few other results falling the right way. Perhaps that's what Burke wanted; fire the coach to shake things up when the Leafs need badly to be shaken up and play solid hockey down the stretch.
Brian Burke quickly hired Randy Carlyle, ousted from Anaheim earlier in the season. You get the feeling - at least, I do - that this might be Brian Burke's last chance to succeed in Toronto. As for Carlyle, he's gone from having a good, under performing roster in Anaheim to having a not-as-good and under performing roster in Toronto. And a very rabid fan base.
Devin Setoguchi
The Minnesota Wild needed Devin Setoguchi to score to keep their chances of picking up the extra point in Montreal alive. This is what happened:
Oh man. That is nightmarish stuff!
And that ends the week! Thanks for reading!!
And that ends the week! Thanks for reading!!
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