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.
No comments:
Post a Comment