Fri, 23 May 2008
Unlike the Ducks and the Kings, the hockey season for
participants in the Kings Beginning
Hockey Workshop with Daryl Evans continues. I know that I didn't
report on the "big game" we played on April 24th, but it's been a busy
crazy time in our family! It was a surreal experience that seemed a
total haze for me. My mom had just suffered a heart attack and was
scheduled for a double bypass, so my mind definitely wasn't on the
game. In fact, I'd be hard pressed to give much more of an assessment
of the game other than, "It was fun," and "I was terrible." I didn't
score any goals, but one of my passes was finished off, so I did get an
assist. The Purple Team lost this game, but it was kind of bogus. Our
goalie allowed two goals to the kids on the Yellow Team. Without the
charity goals, we'd have won by a goal. Not a big deal. It was
still a lot of fun. However, the most memorable moment came at the very
end of the game. Yellow sqaud's #16, the goon I mentioned, was in the
corner, checking one of my linemates, Ben Salisbury. Our goalie was
pulled, and I hopped on the ice. The puck was in the corner near the
goon and Ben. I got to skate at least half the length of the ice, turn
at the last moment, and give him a good hip check. I must admit...
knocking him to the ice was the BEST
part of the night for me personally. Of course, in a real, competitive
game, I would've been penalized for boarding, charging, and probably
given a 10-minute misconduct. However, even though I'm not a violent
person, by any means, I must admit... it was so satisfying to check the goon. Okay, enough with the past. Now fast forward to the present. We also had a three-practice extension of the Beginning Hockey Workshop. It was a little smaller than the first session, but it was still well attended. The "Noah's Ark" theme continued. We still had the pairs of Salisburys and Wells. We lost the Dearmans and Manzellas, but we gained another Slee and a pair of Ballards. The practice really did extend our learning and gave us more practice on the ice to improve our skills. My skating has definitely improved immensely. I can skate backwards... not well, but not as poorly as before. I can stop and slow down, and I can turn on a dime... of course, the dime has to have a two-foot diameter, but it's better! I could definitely use a lot more work on skating with the puck because I can't stickhandle very well while moving. Our second big game was this past Tuesday, May 21st. It was a great game. Much better than the last one. On the first shift of the game, I saw one of my linemates breaking out, and I got an outlet pass to him for a goal. Of course, it helps that Wolf has a wicked good wrist shot for the beginning group. I also got a centering pass to little David Wing who finished it off for another goal. The best part of the game was that my little girl, Genevieve, was in attendance, cheering on Team Purple. I really appreciated how she refrained from laughing each time I fell. Now that I'm skating a lot faster and taking more risks in lateral movement, I seem to fall a lot more. I guess since our teammate Fell is gone, someone else has to pick up the slack of eating ice the most. It felt like a much faster game, and that might have been because we were playing on the other rink and had harder ice... Who knows? Maybe it was because we had all improved in our skating. For whatever reason, the game flew by, and I actually felt really good on the ice... well, except when I ran into the huge Asian American guy, Tony Liu. It was a comedic moment... much like when a cartoon character runs into a brick wall. I'll let you think about who was the brick wall. If you guessed me, then you're right on one! I bounced off of him and staggered back, but I stayed on my skates! Cool, huh? In the first week, I definitely would have fallen. I probably would have fallen in the second and third weeks as well. Unlike the run at the goon in the first game, this was totally accidental. I mean, come on, I'm not stupid. Tony's a nice guy, he's a lot bigger than me, and he's no goon. AND did I mention that I'm not a masochist? Two days later, I'm still feeling soreness in my neck and shoulders from the collision. Definitely an accident Just for fun, I have some of my own awards to hand out... mostly to Team Purple players because I got to know them a little better, but we're all winners for taking the risk of learning how to play the game we love...
What if I gave myself an award, you may ask? If I was very generous, I'd say, "Most Likely to be Craig Janney," because I'm not a top tier playmaker, but I'm steady at making the right pass. If I was joking around, I'd say, "Most Likely to be Mistaken for Paul Kariya." Hey, gotta represent my Asian brothers and sisters! I can't wait till June when we come together for four more days. I feel like we're playing more as a team: communicating on the ice, making unselfish plays, and supporting each other. Category: sports -- posted at: 1:07 AM Comments[0] |
Mon, 14 April 2008  Last night marked a departure from the last few Sunday nights. Many of you will be thinking that it had to do with the lack of a Kings' game. That's partially true, but it was actually strange because I didn't have hockey practice. Hockey practice? Yes, I am part of the LA Kings Beginners Hockey Workshop hosted by Daryl Evans.Really learning to play ice hockey is something that I've always wanted to do. The handful of pick-up games in high school (roller and ice) and the two seasons of street hockey just don't count. I've wanted to learn how to actually play the sport I've loved for pretty much my whole life. With all this prior experience, you'd think that I'd do pretty well. All I can say is that I haven't truly embarrassed myself. We've had two practices, and I'm not the worst, but I'm also far from the best. I've definitely improved already. Need proof? In the first practice, I couldn't stop. I was the guy who aimed for the emptiest stretch of boards to run into. However, by the second practice, I could definitely glide to a stop given enough time. Unfortunately, my biggest Achilles Heel was realized in that second practice... I can't skate backwards to save my life. The good news was that, I did improve enough to get across the ice (albeit very very VERY slowly). Some of the other participants actually gave up, turned around, and skated forward during the drill. Having Daryl Evans lead the workshop is a thrill. Although he didn't have the lengthiest Kings' career, he's most notable for scoring the winning goal in the Miracle on Manchester... easily one of the greatest moments in Kings' history. He's an enthusiastic instructor and demonstrates what we need to do clearly. Of course, watching him do it so effortlessly (with unlaced skates no less), is a far cry from actually doing the drills, but it helps to see it done properly. One of the other cool things has been the bonding. I haven't made any lifelong friends or anything, but all the participants are friendly and excited. We're all in it to learn, and it's a blast to have fun with a bunch of people. On the first night, Andrew Mason, one of the main organizers, announced that there was a hidden blogger amongst our ranks. One of the more amusing things about this was the fact that several of the participants thought it would be me because I "seemed pretty smart... the type to blog." Well, I'm more of a podcaster than a blogger, but I took it as a compliment. Hopefully I actually am smart, and don't just seem it. On other news and notes, the SoCal HockeyCast podcast is in production again. It feels odd to have missed an entire season of podcasting, but my commute to work took out all my editing time. Armed with a new job (much closer to home) and two daughters who are ready to podcast, we're going to begin modestly in the next week or two. Other than some playoff news, thoughts on the Kings, and other general SoCal Hockey thoughts, Genevieve and I will also talk about our respective learning curves for hockey... did I forget to mention that she's learning hockey as well? I'll save that for another time. Category: sports -- posted at: 11:34 PM Comments[0] |
Sat, 20 May 2006  The Ducks didn't come out flat. Not really. They didn't blow away the Oilers either. Where Calgary and Colorado appeared hapless and helpless at times, allowing the Ducks to dictate the pace of the game, the Oilers came out and matched Anaheim with equal speed, intensity, and goaltending... actually, Dwayne Roloson may have even out-played Ilya Bryzgalov (and when has that been the case this playoff year?). Roloson made 30 saves to Bryzgalov's 23, and the Oilers won 3-1. Anaheim really didn't do anything wrong, but they just weren't as perfect as they had been against the Avs and Flames. Although they out-shot the Oilers, the majority of their shots were from far range and came through without any traffic in front of the net. Bryzgalov wasn't to blame in anyway. He kept the Ducks in the game. The two goals that he allowed were ones that were nearly unstoppable. It was the offense that could have done better. Except for a goal by Andy McDonald to tie the game at one apiece, the Ducks didn't cash in on any other offense. The Ducks have what it takes to match the Oilers... it's just a matter of execution. They hope to tie the series at one game apiece on Sunday night. Category: sports -- posted at: 12:43 PM Comments[1] |
Thu, 18 May 2006  The wait for the Ducks is finally over! The Edmonton Oilers prevailed in their second round series against the San Jose Sharks. Using a blend of speed, quality goaltending, solid defense, key contributions from veteran and younger players, and heavy hitting, the Oilers beat the Sharks 6-0 to wrap up the series four games to two. Edmonton dropped the first two games in San Jose before winning the next four straight. If Edmonton's secret to success sounds familiar to Ducks' fans, that's because these are the same qualities that have helped propel Anaheim into the Western Conference Finals. The Ducks will have been off for over a week, but they have vowed that they won't be rusty. Although Randy Carlyle has been putting the team through intense workouts, playing in "game" mode is always different. This will be an interesting series because it pits two of the hottest teams against each other, and both have peaked well, upsetting teams in the playoffs with better records. The Ducks maintain home ice advantage over the Oilers who finished 8th in the Western Conference. Both teams match-up well in terms of speed, but the Ducks have had more depth in their line-up and the hotter goalie. Ilya Bryzgalov hopes to continue his spectacular play... and he'll need to for the Ducks to outlast Edmonton. Anaheim will also need the same balanced scoring they received from their top three lines. One of the best match-ups will be on the blueline. It'll be interesting to see who can control the game more effectively, Chris Pronger or Scott Niedermayer. One thing is for sure, the wait is over and the Ducks are ready and raring to go. Game 1 will be in Anaheim on Friday. Category: sports -- posted at: 10:35 AM Comments[0] |
Fri, 12 May 2006  The Mighty Ducks hockey machine completed their convincing display of teamwork with a sweep of the Avalanche 4-1. It was an interesting game because the Avs looked like they were doing almost everything right. They came out with passion, determination, and, most importantly, desperation... and they scored the first goal of the game within the first three minutes of the opening period, but the Ducks were patient, got amazing goaltending, and made the most of every opportunity they had when the Colorado defense made mistakes (and if you're name's Patrice Brisebois, then that seemed constant the whole night long). The line of Joffrey Lupul (1 assist), Dustin Penner (1 goal and 1 assist), and Todd Marchant (2 goals and 1 assist) continued their dominance of the Avalanche, and Teemu Selanne even chipped in the game-winning goal. The "LuMP" line ended up with a combined nine goals and ten assists in the four-game sweep... more than double the goal output the entire Colorado team was able to muster. The Avalanche strategy was simple: put bodies in front of the net, get lots of shots on goal, and work for quality rebounds. They did all of that, out-shooting the Ducks 41-33, but Ilya Bryzgalov was brilliant. He made great saves and led the Ducks to the victory. His 0.87 GAA and .967 SP are the tops in the playoffs for goalies who have played more than one full game. Those scintillating numbers are remarkable considering the fact that he was supposed to be the bench warmer to Giguere. Without Bryzgalov's steady and often amazing play, the Ducks would not have gotten this far. In a neat twist of fate or irony, the Ducks, who had the longest of the first round series, had the shortest series of the second round. They get to wait and rest up before the Western Conference Finals against either San Jose or Edmonton. Finally! A well-deserved break. Category: sports -- posted at: 11:43 AM Comments[0] |
Wed, 10 May 2006  The Avalanche came to play in game three... at least partially... and they made their match against the Mighty Ducks a little closer. Unfortunately for them, the result was still the same... a loss. On the strength of four goals by Joffrey Lupul, the Mighty Ducks won 4-3 in overtime at Colorado. This puts the Avalanche on the brink of elimination with little hopes of coming back and making it to the Western Conference Finals. By throwing lots of bodies in front of the net, the Avalanche were able to prove that Ilya Bryzgalov is human, but their inconsistent team defense allowed the Ducks to come back and continue to dominate the offensive end. Anaheim outshot Colorado 39-29 for the game. Although this was a better showing for the Avs, the Ducks continued to play a tight game with much more consistent passion. Especially in overtime, when the Ducks outshot the Avalanche 12-5, it seemed that the Colorado players were unable match Anaheim's intensity. If Lupul was the hero, then his sidekick (a very BIG sidekick) was Dustin Penner who had three assists. Penner has been huge this series (offensively, defensively, and physically). At 6'4" and 245 pounds, Penner is one of the bigger forwards on the Ducks' squad. He has played a superb series, making some big hits and playing sound defense to help stop Colorado's big line. His four assists and +5 rating in three games displays his ability to contribute at both ends of the ice. Bryzgalov's streak was ended at three shutouts in a row and almost 250 minutes without allowing a goal (second all-time). Perhaps the more important streak is "31." That's the amount of penalties that the Ducks squad have killed off in this series. The outlook is bleak for the Avalanche, especially if their power play continues to flounder under Anaheim's intense pressure, but the series isn't over until Anaheim wins four. However, the Ducks haven't taken any of the games lightly. Game four continues on Thursday night in Denver with the Ducks hungry to make the Conference Finals for the first time since their run in 2003. Category: sports -- posted at: 8:23 PM Comments[0] |
Sun, 7 May 2006  Ilya Bryzgalov was "McCool" as ice as he recorded his third straight shutout to help lead the Ducks to a 3-0 victory over the visiting Colorado Avalanche. With the win, Bryzgalov tied Frank McCool for the record of three consecutive shutouts by a rookie set in 1945. He's now had 229 minutes and 42 seconds without allowing a goal, fourth best ever, and longest among rookie goalies. Although Bryzgalov was great in goal, he rarely had to make spectacular saves... that's how good the rest of the team was in front of him. After the game, he acknowledged that it was a team effort. The Ducks allowed only 22 shots on goal (10 in the first two periods). They allowed very few second chances to the Colorado forwards and out-worked and out-skated the Avalanche yet again. However, that said, Bryzgalov did make some key saves to preserve the shutout. None more so than the point blank save on Alex Tanguay that the Duck goalie reached back to nab with a quick glove hand. Ryan Getzlaf's power play goal was the game-winner, and Ruslan Salei and Joffrey Lupul added two more in the second period. Two of the best forwards for the Ducks were Dustin Penner and Todd Marchant. Penner made some big hits, skated well, and gathered an assist with a great no-look pass to Lupul while digging the puck out along the boards. Marchant helped contain the Avalanche's big line while collecting two assists. Avalanche goalie Jose Theodore played a very good game. However, he faced 35 Duck shots for the game. His own team managed a mere 22 shots on goal in the loss. None of the three goals allowed can be pinned on Theodore's play, and many of the Avalanche players expressed the fact that they need to step-up their game to compete with the Ducks. The key for the Ducks will be to continue their intense play in game three at Colorado on Tuesday night. Although the Ducks made few (if any) errors in game two, and they'll be hard-pressed to repeat such a perfect performance, Anaheim has proven that they can beat anyone if they skate well, hit hard, and take advantage of the opposing team's breakdowns. Category: sports -- posted at: 10:17 PM Comments[0] |
Sat, 6 May 2006  Although the Mighty Ducks had the better regular season record, garnering home ice with it, there were many factors that actually put Anaheim at the disadvantage against the Avalanche...
Teemu Selanne welcomed his former team to Anaheim by registering a goal and two assists in a big second period, but the Ducks only needed Sammi Pahlsson's opening goal at 2:48 of the second period. Francois Beauchemin (two assists) and Chris Kunitz (one goal, one assist) also enjoyed multiple-point games, and Anaheim got contributions by Joffrey Lupul and Travis Moen. The rookie Beachemin also played a solid defensive game and logged the most minutes of any player on either team. His value to the Ducks seems to increase with each game. Both Jose Theodore and Ilya Bryzgalov recorded 29 saves... however, the Colorado goalie faced 34 shots. This marks the third straight win for rookie goalie Ilya Bryzgalov and second consecutive shutout for him in these playoffs. The record of three straight shutouts by a rookie goalie is held by Frank McCool of the Toronto Maple Leafs from back in 1945. The Ducks out-worked and out-played the Avalanche in all aspects of the game. It seemed like a repeat of the final game against the Flames. However, the Ducks need to be careful. The Avalanche have something that Calgary didn't... an abundance of offensive talent. Sakic, Tanguay, Hejduk, Konowalchuk, Brunette, and Blake can all contribute offensively, and when he's on his "A" game, Theodore is tough to beat. That said, Colorado should be wary of the Ducks who have been flying high with balanced offense, sound team defense, and stellar goaltending. Game two continues at the Pond on Sunday afternoon 12 PM PST. Quack! Category: sports -- posted at: 2:30 PM Comments[0] |
Thu, 4 May 2006  A picture is worth a thousand words. The image of Ilya Bryzgalov making a save on Jarome Iginla tells it all. The Ducks pulled off a monumental upset by going up to Calgary and embarrassing the Flames 3-0 in front of a sold-out home crowd. In the wild Western Conference, the upset probably doesn't come as a surprise, but it's a win for a team that many counted out of the playoffs in January. Instead, riding on the shoulders of their "back-up" goalie, the Ducks are moving onto the second round and facing off against the Colorado Avalanche. Miikka Kiprusoff, a front-runner for the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goalie, was very good, stopping 29 of 31 shots. However, the rest of the Flames came out flat, lacked determination, and left him to defend for himself. On the opposite side, the Ducks came out flying, setting the tone for the entire game and limiting the Flames to only 22 shots on goal. The Flames only managed three shots on goal in the second period and never mounted a serious attack. The Ducks played a controlled, disciplined game, only giving the potent Flame power play four man-advantages for the entire night. As with many of the games in this series, the Ducks got scoring from several sources. All-star Teemu Selanne had a goal, defensive blueliner Ruslan Salei added the second, and new addition Jeff Friesen put in an empty-netter. The series ended on a very low note for the entire Flames squad, but perhaps the player who felt the worst was Kiprusoff who couldn't pull off a miracle without any help. The Calgary defense, a strong point through the season, looked rattled and out of position. Turnovers and lack of coverage led to the first two goals. Dion Phaneuf was on the ice for all three goals by the Ducks. His defensive partner, Roman Hamrlik was on the ice for two of the goals, and made a bad clearing pass that led to the second goal. The Ducks' second round match-up against the surging Colorado Avalanche will begin on Friday night in Anaheim... a switch for the Ducks who are now the "favored" team as decided by regular season records. (Thanks to Alexia for pointing out my error)! Category: sports -- posted at: 1:26 PM Comments[2] |
Tue, 2 May 2006  Except for the 5-2 drubbing the Ducks took in Game 3, all the matches in this first round have been decided by one goal... so it wasn't much of a surprise that the Ducks won by a score of 2-1. Ilya Bryzgalov was the hero of the day, out-dueling Miikka Kiprusoff for the win. As I stated in the last podcast (out now, if you haven't downloaded it), if the Ducks played gritty, they win the game... they played a great game with grit and speed, and they've now evened the series at three games apiece. His efforts weren't without help. The entired Ducks team played a stellar game, skating with speed and determination. Although Jarome Iginla tried to set the tone with a fight at the beginning of the game against Francois Beauchemin and charging and roughing penalties at the end, it was all Ducks in between that. They out-shot the Flames 30-22 and limited them to a mere six shots on goal in the second period... ironically, the Ducks only had three shots in that period, but scored on one of them. It was a team effort through and through. After Stephane Yelle opened the scoring for Calgary, Teemu Selanne scored the game-tying goal... twice. The first one was waved off by referee Koharski because of a perceived goalie interference. Replays showed that the contact with Kiprusoff didn't happen until after the puck went in and out of the net. The second time Selanne scored was off of a great pass by Andy McDonald, and this one counted. The game-winning goal was a beautiful one by Scott Niedermayer. Fighting his way to a rebound in front of the net, Niedermayer didn't shoot from four feet away. Instead, sensing that Kiprusoff was ready for the shot, he quickly skated around and behind the net, sending a shot/pass to the front. A sliding Rhett Warrener banked it into his own goal, and the Ducks were up 2-1 with a less than six minutes to play. Bryzgalov shut the door, and the Ducks ended up with a win. It looks like Randy Carlyle made the right choice for starting goalie! Bryzgalov now has a 1.08 goals against average and .958 save percentage... second only to Martin Brodeur. The Ducks go up to Calgary to play the crucial seventh game of the series on Wednesday night. This is the final match that needs to be played out in the first round. If the current trend in the Western Conference continues, then the Ducks should beat the Flames. The other three series in the West have ended in upset with the Oilers, Avalanche, and Sharks beating their opponents with better records. Category: sports -- posted at: 10:22 PM Comments[0] |
Sun, 30 April 2006  The pattern of going back and forth with losses and wins continued on Saturday night as the Ducks lost to the Flames 3-2. Stymied by Miikka Kiprusoff in the first two periods, Anaheim spotted Calgary a 3-0 lead before finally responding. Unfortunately, it was a case of too little too late as their rally fell short. Anaheim's two third period goals came from Andy McDonald and Rob Niedermayer, but it wasn't enough to overcome two goals by Jarome Iginla and another from Tony Amonte. Kiprusoff was very good, stopping 26-of-28 shots. Jean-Sebastien Giguere was very ordinary, stopping only 5-of-8 before getting pulled early in the second period. Ilya Bryzgalov played very well, stopping all 19 shots he faced. His stats have been superb, raising a small dilemma for Randy Carlyle and his goalie choice for the sixth (and possibly final) game. Giguere has had very mediocre statistics while Bryzgalov has been more than solid. The Ducks will try to stave off elimination on Monday night. Category: sports -- posted at: 5:19 PM Comments[2] |
Fri, 28 April 2006  The Mighty Ducks produced another mighty big win to even the series at two games apiece. In a critical game against their first round opponent, the Calgary Flames, the Ducks grinded out a 3-2 win in overtime. Sean O'Donnell was the unlikely offensive hero, blasting a huge slapshot past a screened Miikka Kiprusoff. With two goals this season (and only 23 in almost 800 career games), O'Donnell is definitely much better known for his defensive, gritty play. However, the playoffs always produce unlikely heroes. Up 2-0 on goals by Teemu Selanne and Ryan Getzlaf, the Ducks were put on their heels by two quick goals by Jarome Iginla in the third period. With the game tied after regulation, the stage was set for "Odie," as his teammates call him. Kiprusoff (27 saves) and Jean-Sebastien Giguere (25 saves) were both solid in this game, but neither were as spectacular as some of the previous contests. Perhaps the best news for the Ducks was the much-improved penalty killing job they did, blanking the Flames on all six attempts. Another continued surprise was the play of rookie phenom Dion Phaneuf who registered another -2 for the game. He and his defensive partner, Roman Hamrlik are a combined -12 in the first four games of this series. The critical game 5 continues on Saturday night. Category: sports -- posted at: 1:07 PM Comments[1] |
Wed, 26 April 2006  After losing the first game, the Ducks said all the right things... that it was only one game... that they didn't expect to sweep the Flames up in Calgary. They also did the right things... they came back and played a gritty, inspired second game to tie the series... they had tight defense... they scored timely goals. Conventional wisdom would think that Anaheim would come back with a similar effort on Tuesday night at home. Unfortunately, they didn't. Instead, they played even for about half the game, then disappeared for the rest, losing 5-2. The loss puts them down 1-2 in the series against Calgary. The Flames scored three power play goals for the game, giving them five goals with the man-advantage in the last two games. On paper, the Ducks outshot the Flames for the game, but once again Miikka Kiprusoff displayed why he's one of the best, if not the best, goalie in the league. The Calgary defense also cleared away all rebounds and rarely let the Ducks have a second chance at any loose puck. Francois Beauchemin, the rookie defenseman acquired in the Fedorov trade, scored two power play goals for the Ducks, but the rest of the team was unable to solve the puzzle of Kiprusoff. Jean-Sebastien Giguere faced 24 shots and only saved 19 of those. After the game, he said that he needed to play better. That may be true, but the same could be said for the whole Ducks team. Five different players scored for the Flames, and none of them were named Iginla. Some of Calgary's scoring highlights included Chuck Kobasew notching the game-winner, Robyn Regehr getting a goal and an assist, playoff veteran Darren McCarty scoring his second goal of the series, and Florida cast-off Kristian Huselius getting a goal and two assists. The two teams continue their hard fought series on Thursday in Anaheim. Category: sports -- posted at: 11:27 AM Comments[0] |
Mon, 24 April 2006  Each game of the playoffs will be a battle. This much appears true. There have been surprises though. Last night's surprise was that the Calgary Flames' Miikka Kiprusoff is human. That's the only way to describe a night where he allowed four goals on 20 shots in a 4-3 loss to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. With the win, the Ducks tied the series 1-1. Scott Niedermayer elevated his game and contributed offensively as well as defensively. In the first game, he was solid in his own end, but failed to make much of an impression on the scoreboard. In game two, he controlled much of the play when he was on the ice and was particularly brilliant on a shorthanded goal scored in the first period. After an amazing defensive play where he stole the puck, he raced in alone to score on Kiprusoff. The Ducks also got goals from Chris Kunitz, Joffrey Lupul, and Samuel Pahlsson. They opened the game with inspired play and jumped out to a 3-0 lead. The Flames battled back but were unable to tie the game. Pahlsson's goal became the eventual game-winner when Dion Phaneuf scored a power play goal with less than five minutes to play. Jarome Iginla and Kristian Huselius also scored for the Flames who seemed to wake-up in the second half of the game. Perhaps the bigger story in Calgary is the play of Roman Hamrlik and Dion Phaneuf who were a combined -7 on the night. For the series, they are a combined -9. Phaneuf looked tentative for the second straight night, but veteran Hamrlik didn't look any better. This was no more apparent than the power play where the Flames did score two goals, but ended up 2-for-13 on the night. However, the Ducks were worse at 0-for-6 with the man-advantage. The Ducks hope to continue their improved work ethic at the Pond on Tuesday night for game three. It's now a best-of-five series. Category: sports -- posted at: 12:04 PM Comments[0] |
Sat, 22 April 2006  This wasn't how the Ducks imagined their first game of the playoffs: Jean-Sebastien Giguere a late scratch, their top line neutralized, the star rookies playing like... rookies. Game one went to overtime where Darren McCarty (of three Stanley Cup Rings fame) scored the game-winner 9:45 into the sudden death period. Ilya Bryzgalov, getting a surprise start after Giguere opted out with a "lower body injury," played very well (as he has all year), stopping 28 of 30 shots. However, the real goalie issue for the ducks was Miikka Kiprusoff who made 33 saves on 34 shots. Kiprusoff was brilliant, and this was no more evident than in the second period when the Flames were outshot 15 to 7. Jeff Friesen, a deadline acquisition bomb thus far, scored the lone goal for the Ducks. The Flames answered with goals by Tony Amonte and McCarty. Star rookie, Dion Phaneuf hardly shined in this opener, but neither did any of the other stars like Selanne, Iginla, and Niedermayer. The tight, defensive game still had plenty of offensive rushes, but Scott Nidermayer was unable to take charge as he has so many times in this season. Game two of the series will be played in Calgary on Sunday. Category: sports -- posted at: 11:50 AM Comments[0] |
Tue, 18 April 2006  It may have seemed like a meaningless game, but the Kings 3-0 shutout against the Sharks had plenty of importance when analyzed closely. Many puzzles were solved in the final games of the season including the following: Question: How do you get Jeremy Roenick to produce? Answer: Break his ankle and put him on the ice when you're out of the playoffs. His three points in two wins were what the Kings needed consistently throughout the season. Question: What can be done to make the special teams click? Answer: Miss the playoffs. Their dreadful power play and even worse penalty killing were amazing in the final two games. They killed off all ten disadvantages they had, scored two power play goals, and even netted a shorthanded goal. In the game against Calgary, they even killed off a two-man advantage and looked good doing it. Question: Who's the number one goal? Answer: Okay... this one wasn't answered. Jason LaBarbera was excellent at the beginning of the season, winning his first five starts with a 1.40 GAA and .947 save percentage. He ended the season with two wins, a 0.50 GAA, one shutout, and a .986 save percentage. Unfortunately, the rest of the season was pretty bad for him. Meanwhile, Mathieu Garon ran hot and cold throughout the season, starting slowly, but winning 31 games and getting honored with the December Defensive Player of the Month Award. However, he ended up with a mediocre 3.22 GAA and very average .894 save percentage. Do the Kings chalk this up to inexperience? Or do you they go out and find a true #1 goalie who's established? Tough call. Look at Christobal Huet right now. Question: How do you get the Kings to play with passion? Answer: Send Sean Avery home. Yes, he has skill. Yes, he plays with passion. Yes, he can be a good team player. However, his selfish, me-first, attention-gathering choices and attitude distracted the team... oh, and I guess the idea of playing for Luc Robitaille helped too! Question: What will happen to Dave Taylor? Answer: Sorry... this one is hard to answer too. However, the final two games and many of the games before show that he did assemble a team that can compete. Teams don't make it to first in a division by mid-year through flukes. They get there through talent and hard work. The fact that the Kings collapsed might have to do with chemistry or coaching or any of a dozen other factors. The final two games weren't meaningless when you think about how damaging it would have been to lose six straight games to end the season instead of winning two straight. It's not Taylor's fault the Kings collapsed at the end of the season for two years. At the same time, it's not 100% Andy Murray's fault either. In the end, it's a combination of the players, the injuries, and the motivational techniques used by Murray. Most of Dave Taylor's transactions weren't that bad. No homeruns, but nothing that shows he's incompetent... no Mel Bridgeman-esque things going on. There was no way that Taylor could have predicted that Anson Carter and Mark Parrish would be duds at the trade deadline. I could go on, but that'll be saved for another time. Question: What's a good way to honor Luc Robitaille if you're out of the playoffs? Answer: Win two games to end the season and play with the intensity that he brought to the game. Note: Our next Podcast focuses on the end of the season, so we're delaying it a little more. Thanks for you patience! Category: sports -- posted at: 11:27 AM Comments[0] |
Mon, 17 April 2006  The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim recovered a little bit of their momentum by closing out the regular season with a hard fought 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames... their first round opponents in the playoffs. This was the Duck's first win after a three-game losing streak. Anaheim's effective blend of youth and experience provided the scoring once again, and Jean-Sebastien Giguere was solid in net, stopping 29-of-32 shots. The Ducks got multi-point games from Chris Kunitz (1 goal and 2 assists), Ryan Getzlaf (3 assists), and Andy McDonald (1 goal and 1 assist). Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne also scored goals for the Ducks. Selanne's goal was his 40th of the season. Quite a rebound from his not-so-sweet 16 he scored last NHL season in Colorado. The penalty-filled game was a pre-cursor to the opening round of the playoffs that will begin in Calgary. In all, there were a combined 22 man-advantages in the game. The Flames, so hot in the stretch run, have now lost two straight games. Although both games were meaningless in the standings, they probably didn't want to enter the "real season" with a losing streak. Category: sports -- posted at: 9:15 PM Comments[0] |
Sun, 16 April 2006  This isn't necessarily the way the Kings wanted Luc Robitaille's Los Angeles career to end - out of the playoffs and playing only for pride - but the 2-1 win over the Flames wasn't without some positives. The Kings continued to dominate the shootout, Jason LaBarbera proved that he can make some big saves, Los Angeles didn't fold after San Jose tied the score, and the Kings played some inspired hocky. Now 6 and 1 in the sudden death shootout, Los Angeles scored the only goal of the shootout when Pavol Demitra used a slick shoulder fake to backhand the puck over Miikka Kiprusoff's outstretched leg. The Flames, having already wrapped up a playoff position, were no push-overs. They came at the Kings with intensity and several rushes. LaBarbera was up to the task and made 42 saves on 43 shots... including all three in the shootout to preserve the victory. The Kings only goal in regulation was by Pavol Demitra, taking advantage of a great pass from Jeremy Roenick as Demitra jumped out of the penalty box. Although Luc didn't score, the crowd was left with a wonderful memory of the game and his words at the end as he addressed the crowd. Category: sports -- posted at: 4:59 PM Comments[0] |
Fri, 14 April 2006  Two lackluster efforts amounted to an ending of the Kings' playoff hopes. The Ducks' poor effort in a 2-1 loss against the Oilers mathematically eliminated Los Angeles from the playoffs for the third straight season. Even if the Ducks had managed a win, the Kings also played poorly in a 3-0 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes. The penalty-filled game, featured three instances of 5-on-3 power plays in the first period alone. Special teams was at the heart of the Kings' problems once again. Two power play goals and a shorthanded goal by the Coyotes in the second period were too much for the Kings to overcome. Saturday's game against the Flames will be the final home game for Luc Robitaille who will be honored prior to the dropping of the puck. Hopefully the Kings can dig deep and play for pride, Luc, and their jobs. The Ducks, already assured of a playoff spot, have now dropped two straight games. Their recent losses to the Flames and Oilers have revealed a few glaring weaknesses. Chief among them is their inconsistent effort... a problem they had during the first half of the season. They have shown time and time again that they can match up with any team when they are skating and working hard. However, they exhibited little of that against Calgary and Edmonton. With the loss, they drop to sixth in the Western Conference. They hope to rebound on Saturday against the extremely hot San Jose Sharks. Category: sports -- posted at: 9:27 PM Comments[0] |
Thu, 13 April 2006 The Vancouver Canucks lost to the San Jose Sharks last night in overtime 5-4. What does this mean? Mathematically, it means there's the slightest glimmer of hope that the Kings could make it into the playoffs. Of course, world peace may be more attainable. The Oilers and Canucks are what stand in the way of the Kings making the playoffs. The San Jose win also clinched a playoff spot for the Sharks... a feat that would have seemed nothing short of a miracle back in January. They join the Stars and Ducks as Pacific Division representatives in the playoffs. San Jose and Anaheim have had similar up and down seasons that looked bleak in the first half of the year. However, since January, the Sharks and Ducks have turned their seasons around. The Ducks face off against the Oilers and the Kings take on the Coyotes tonight. If the Oilers manage to even tie the Ducks, the Kings' season is over. Their game agains the Coyotes will be nothing more than bragging rights of who's the best of the worst. As is common, the Kings will be without at least one key player... Aaron Miller underwent successful hip surgery and will likely miss the match. Meanwhile, the Ducks, who have clinched a playoff spot, hope to rebound after a disappointing shutout loss to the Calgary Flames. Category: sports -- posted at: 11:00 AM Comments[0] |
Wed, 12 April 2006  What can you say when the highest-scoring left wing in NHL history decides it's time to hang-up the skates? Luc Robitaille announced yesterday that he will retire after the end of this season. Although fans and friends knew this day would come, the announcement leaves a huge void in the world of active NHL players. Although he wasn't as effective on the ice this year, the 40-year-old veteran still had a bigger heart than most of the other players in the league. Robitaille was always a class act and never gave up. A ninth-round draft pick of the Kings in 1984, he overcame language barriers and criticism of his skating to become the Rookie of the Year, a Stanley Cup Winner, and the record holder for most goals in a Kings' uniform. Those are just some of the awards and decorations that he gathered throughout his career. It doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the number of first and second-team all-star selections he received. However, his career can't be summed up merely by his awards and statistics. Robitaille donated his time, energy, and money to promote hockey in Southern California and help families in need. His work with charities includes the Ronald McDonald House, Music Cares, the Starlight Foundation, benefit hockey games for AIDS and Cancer research, and Shelter for Serenity (a foundation that he and his wife, Stacia, created to help Hurricane Katrina victims rebuild their lives). Although Luc played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Rangers, and the Detroit Red Wings, his heart was, and always will be, in Los Angeles. He even brought the Stanley Cup to Los Angeles after winning it with the Wings in 2002. A classy move by such a classy guy. His nickname was "Lucky," and that's exactly how Kings' fans felt with him playing in Los Angeles. Thanks for the memories, Luc! One of my favorite interviews with him is a Celeb Q&A by ChannelOne.com.
Category: sports -- posted at: 11:12 AM Comments[0] |
Wed, 12 April 2006  The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL... but so have the Calgary Flames. This round of the battle went to the Flames, 3-0. Calgary's win can be summed up in two words, "Miikka Kiprusoff." In a few more weeks, his play may be summed up as "Vezina Trophy." Kiprusoff blanked the Ducks even though the Flames were outshot 32-25. He made several spectacular saves, including a fast a furious flurry during the second period when the Ducks had 13 shots on goal. Category: sports -- posted at: 10:56 AM Comments[0] |
Tue, 11 April 2006  We're back from Spring Break!
With the majority of my workshops, conferences, and vacation behind me,
it's time to make this blog regular for the playoffs and rev up the
Podcast! Category: sports -- posted at: 11:53 AM Comments[0] |
Wed, 29 March 2006  The Ducks seemed untouchable. Peaking at the right time of the season, Anaheim had won six straight games. Coming from behind wasn't a big deal. That is, until last night. Facing a resilient Colorado team that wanted revenge for a recent 5-4 loss to the Ducks, Anaheim succumbed to the timely scoring of Andrew Brunette. The 4-3 loss is the first loss for the Ducks since January 15th. It's only their second loss in the last 11 games. Looking like they were going to come back again, the Ducks tied the game twice on third period goals by Teemu Selanne and Ryan Getzlaf. However, Brunette came right back each time to score timely goals and bury the Ducks. Jean-Sebastien Giguere finished the night with 35 saves on 39 shots. Anaheim also got a goal from Sean O'Donnell. The Ducks remain tied with Calgary for fifth place in the Western Conference. They hope to rebound tonight against the Stars... in Dallas. The Kings take on the Flames tonight in Calgary. Category: sports -- posted at: 4:18 PM Comments[2] |
Tue, 28 March 2006  Alex Burrows scored a hat trick to lead the Canucks in a romp over the Kings. Who? Exactly. He just doubled his goal output for the 2005-2006 season. The Kings hope to rebound against Calgary on Wednesday night. Category: sports -- posted at: 3:55 PM Comments[0] |
Sun, 26 March 2006  The John Torchetti Era has begun! In their first game under their new interim head coach, the Kings impressed the guy behind the bench and all the fans in the stands. Playing with much more energy and desperation than LA Fans have seen in the past 20 games or so, the Kings dominated the majority of the game, out-shooting the Predators 48-19 and winning 6-4. They also won 37-of-65 face-offs. Thomas Vokoun, pulled in the Predator's previous game against the Ducks, looked average as the Kings peppered him with 37 shots in the final two periods. This isn't to say that the Kings played perfectly. The game was also highlighted by four total breakdowns of defensive coverage that led to all four goals by Nashville. Mathieu Garon was far from spectacular, saving 15-of-19 shots, but he made some big ones in the third period as the Predators began to play harder with five minutes to go. Alexander Frolov was the hero of the game, coming back after missing the last ten games, and showed his appreciation of good health by netting two goals and an assist. He scored the game-tying goal on a quick wrist-shot from the top of the right circle. With three bodies screening him, Vokoun didn't see the shot that Frolov put perfectly over his right shoulder. The game-winning goal came on an unbelievable toe-drag move that faked out the Predator's defenseman. After momentarily losing the puck, Frolov got enough control of it to poke it past Vokoun for his second goal in a little over a minute. Eric Belanger, Mark Parrish, and Dustin Brown added goals on the power play and Sean Avery rounded out the scoring with an unassisted goal in the third period. Avery's goal marked the end of a flurry of three goals in less than two minutes for the Kings. Lubomir Visnovsky enjoyed a good night as well, getting three assists, and Craig Conroy showed his appreciation of having one of his linemates back by getting two assists and a +2 rating. Although the Kings remain out of the playoff picture at the moment, they pull within one point of both Vancouver and Edmonton for seventh in the Western Conference. They also gain a point on San Jose. Category: sports -- posted at: 10:54 AM Comments[0] |
Sat, 25 March 2006 
Quick quiz here: Which
NHL team has five straight wins, is 9-2-1 since the Olympic Break, and recently beat Dallas and Nashville in this streak.
Think that team is Detroit or Ottawa? Well, both of them
have done really well since the break (the Red Wings are also 9-2-1 and
the Senators are 11-1-1), but the team we're talking about is the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Their
6-3 win against the Predators almost looked too easy as they dominated
the second period and received some timely saves by Jean-Sebastien Giguere.They spotted Nashville a goal in the first period, then roared to life at the end of the first period and through the second, scoring five straight goals. The Ducks got scoring from many places, and several of players had multi-point nights, including: Teemu Selanne who registered two goals and two assists, Corey Perry and Chris Kunitz who each had a goal and an assist, Andy McDonald who had two goals and an assist, and Ryan Getzlaf who had four assists. As with many of their recent games, the kids energized the team, Teemu was dependable at both ends of the ice, and Giguere made the big saves at the right times. He made 36 saves on 39 shots and was especially strong in the first and third periods where the Predators out-shot the Ducks 32-17. The win puts Anaheim in fifth place in the Western Conference. They're not in the clear yet, but they're definitely peaking at the right moment. They look to continue their streak on the road tonight against Phoenix (winners of three straight and four of the last five games). Meanwhile, the Kings hope to impress new coach John Torchetti in their game tonight against the Predators. They will get back Alexander Frolov and definitely have a lot to prove because they want to erase the memory of losing 11 straight games at the end of the 2003-2004. Category: sports -- posted at: 11:16 AM Comments[0] |
Thu, 23 March 2006  With so much parity in the league, you should never underestimate any team in the NHL, especially one that's hungry for a playoff spot. The Avalanche did just that against the Mighty Ducks. Up 3-0 and 4-1, Colorado stopped playing hard, and the Ducks came back with the next four goals to beat them 5-4. As bad as the Ducks looked in the first period, going down 3-1, they looked unstoppable in the third, outshooting Colorado 10-5 and tying it up on a goal by Andy McDonald. They peppered Petr Budaj with 41 shots and made him look like a rookie. Jonathon Hedstrom and Ilya Bryzgalov were the big heroes tonight. Hedstrom scored on a penalty shot in overtime to win the game, but Bryzgalov came in to relieve Giguere and provided strong goaltending, making 18 saves on 19 shots. Ryan Getzlaf and Scott Niedermayer (2 goals) also scored for the Ducks who won their fourth straight game. The win gives the Ducks 82 points, good for sixth in the conference, one point behind Colorado. The Kings drop to a tie with Edmonton for eight place in the conference. San Jose remains one point behind them. The Sharks, like the Ducks, have been hitting a hot streak at the right moment. Meanwhile, the Kings, Oilers, and Canucks are all playing inconsistently down the stretch. Category: sports -- posted at: 11:14 AM Comments[0] |
Wed, 22 March 2006 
When is a winning record not good enough? Injuries, struggles, ineffective penalty killing, and a powerless power play all played a part in the dismissal of Andy Murray and John Van Boxmeer. After seven years as the Kings' head coach, Andy Murray leaves at a critical time. General Manager Dave Taylor made the bold move with about a month left in the regular season. The struggling Kings (37-28-5) have been streaky all season, but their current losing binge has them on the verge of missing the playoffs. During their current losing streak, the Kings have lacked effort and the hunger befitting a team thick in the playoff race. Unable to just sit and watch this happen, Taylor announced his decision with just twelve games... plenty of time to secure a playoff spot or play themselves out of one. Murray was the winningest coach in Kings' history. He is also the only Canadian coach to win two World Championship titles. He was well-known for his work ethic and preparation. In the past few years, he has been highly praised for holding together a team riddled with injuries. However, in the end, it all boiled down to the fact that he could not get the most out of his team when they were healthy, and the players were not responding to his coaching style anymore. Mark Hardy and Ray Bennett retained their assistant coaching duties, and the Kings hired John Torchetti as their interim coach. Torchetti was the former interim head coach from the Florida Panthers. A former minor league player, Torchetti has also been an assistant coach with the Panthers and Lightning and head coach of several minor league teams (including the Fort Wayne Komets and three versions of the San Antonio squads - the Iguanas, Dragons, and the Rampage). While coach of the San Antonio Iguanas of the CHL, Torchetti led his team to the finals two years in a row (losing both times). He has been replaced mid-year twice in his career and been a mid-year replacement on five other occasions. If nothing else, he's stepping into a familiar situation. Will he be able to motivate the Kings and get the goalies to play consistently? Time, and the next twelve games, will tell. Category: sports -- posted at: 10:18 AM Comments[2] |
Tue, 21 March 2006  The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are streaking at just the right moment. With their third win in a row, Anaheim moves past Los Angeles for second in the Pacific Division and sixth overall in the Western Conference. In last night's game against the Dallas Stars, the Ducks could only muster 18 shots on goal, but the two goals they got past Marty Turco were enough to pull-out a victory. The winning goal was scored with only 3:15 left in the game as a result of a superb individual effort and quick shot by Sammy Pahlsson. Earlier in the period, Andy McDonald scored his 25th of the year to tie the game at one apiece. Jean-Sebastien Giguere, playing with more confidence because he wasn't dealt at the trade deadline, made 24 saves on 25 shots and looked strong in net. This was especially true in the scoreless first period where Dallas outshot Anaheim eight to three. Coupled with the Kings 5-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche (their fourth loss in the last five games), Anaheim moved in front of Los Angeles at a critical time of the season. Currently, a mere six points separate fifth through tenth place in the Western Conference. The Kings' lackluster effort came on a night they were honoring Adam Deadmarsh, a player whose career was synonymous with a blue-collar work ethic. Unfortunately, the Kings were unable to channel any of his old energy as they failed to score on six power plays and allowed Colorado to get quality chances left and right. With a win, the Kings could have moved past the Avalanche in the Western Conference, but they now find themselves in eighth place, looking further upward as they desperately try to salvage their up-and-down season. |