An Inevitable Dream: Stanley Cup Finals 2010 Preview

Two of the NHL’s biggest American markets square off in this year’s Stanley Cup Finals, much to the liking of Commissioner Gary Bettman. Not to mention that this one should be a dandy as well. To some, this is a true David v. Goliath tilt, yet others feel as though this match-up is much closer than people think.


In one corner, the Chicago Blackhawks boast a tenacious defense, a no-name goaltender and major scoring depth. Their opponent, the Philadelphia Flyers tend to boast a tenacious defense, a no-name goaltender and major scoring depth. WOW! Sound familiar, folks? That’s right, these two squads are in fact mirror images of one another. This is what makes this series most interesting even to a neutral, casual fan.


Offense


Chicago’s depth is unprecedented with Captain Jonathan Toews and line-mate Patrick Kane leading the way. Yet, also the addition of Dustin Byfuglien to that top line has now formed the most dangerous line in the game. Byfuglien’s sudden emergence has only made Toews’ job as captain easier. “Big Buff,” as he is referred to, gets his 6’3 247 pound frame in front of the net and dominates, San Jose clearly could not stop him. Chicago has scoring depth even beyond its top line though also. Names like Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg, Dave Bolland and of course Marian Hossa must be on Philadelphia’s list also as they all have high ceilings offensively.


For the Philadelphia Flyers, Captain Mike Richards must continue to lead by example as he has all throughout the playoffs thus far. Now with a full line-up, the Flyers appear to be hitting from all cylinders at the most opportune time. Newly returned Jeff Carter has to help Richards by getting open in the slot on the top line which is easier said than done against Chicago’s solid defensive corps. The Flyers must find leaks in the Blackhawks’ defensive system early and often, and with their scoring depth as well, it is possible. The reemergence of Danny Briere brings Philadelphia’s offense full circle and if certain guys (i.e. Scott Hartnell, James vanRiemsdyk, etc.) get going, it could change the series instantly.


Defense

The Blackhawks’ blue-line is nasty, there is simply no other way to put it into words. Led by fierce defender Duncan Keith, they boast a deep corps that dish out the hits. Keith, who had seven teeth knocked out in Game 4 against San Jose, is a warrior on the backline for Chicago. Brent Seabrook and young Niklas Hjalmarsson also help supply grit and discipline for Coach Joel Quenneville. The ‘Hawks also have former prized free-agent Brian Campbell, who often goes unnoticed.


The Flyers’ Chris Pronger has been a mountain of a man in terms of his play and all-around leadership. Wherever the witty Pronger goes, success seems to follow, such is also the case now in Philadelphia with the Flyers just four wins away from Lord Stanley’s Cup. Fellow veteran Kimmo Timonen has also been a force for Philadelphia offensively and defensively, he remains a quarterback on the power play, now along with Pronger. It has been clear during the post-season that Coach Peter Laviolette is heavily relying on the Flyers’ top four defenseman of Timonen, Pronger, Matt Carle and Braydon Coburn, yet Pronger mostly.


Goaltending


Annti Niemi’s emergence in net for the Blackhawks has been a godsend for them. Even though Cristobal Huet manned the net in the beginning of the year, Niemi’s time had come, as he has been the primary starter since after The Olympic Break. The important thing for him is getting off on the right foot and securing a few solid games in the early part of the series. In both rounds one and two Chicago lost Game 1 by scores of 4-1 and 5-1 to Nashville and Vancouver respectively. Niemi has made some spectacular saves in the post-season on surefire goal-scorers, yet the 26-year-old Fin is quite vulnerable at times as seen in the 2nd round against Vancouver.


Where to begin with the Philadelphia Flyers goaltending? Brian Boucher appeared to be “the guy” in net for the Flyers until an injury in Game 5 of the 2nd Round pretty much ended his run. Fortuitously, Michael Leighton had just been activated prior to Game 5 against Boston, and thus the story begins. Ever since then, Leighton has been a remarkable 6-1 with a 1.45 GAA. Mr. Waiver-Wire’s season looked to have been over on March 16th against Nashville due to an ankle injury. Remember that it was Ray Emery, returning to the NHL after an excursion to Russia’s KHL, who started the year as the Flyers’ starting goalie. Too much for ya? Well, that has just been the Flyers’ year in net, now after all that, Michael Leighton holds the reigns and looks to deliver a Stanley Cup.



Sub-Stories


O Canada - Between the two squads in the Finals there are five players that won Gold with Team Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics. There is a sense of camaraderie and alliance between the two teams, or at least the five players, all who play an intricate role for their respective team now in The Stanley Cup Finals.


No-Name-Nets - Annti Niemi and Michael Leighton. Long gone are the days of Glenn Hall and Bernie Parent, two men who were not just #1 on their uniforms. No one ever expected to see these two goalies in The Stanley Cup Finals, but now the stage is theirs. One of their names will be etched on Lord Stanley’s Cup forever after the conclusion of this series.

Dustin Byfuglien vs. Chris Pronger - Flyers’ Coach Peter Laviolette will hope to get his top defensemen out their against Chicago’s top line every chance he gets in this series. Though the major focus is the big roadblock of Byfuglien in front, and the tasty proposition of combating him with big Chris Pronger, the Flyers cannot lose sight of the goal. They need to hold Byfuglien afloat, not giving him a chance to get comfortable, yet also, perhaps more importantly, they must contain his line-mates Kane and Toews first. The focus must be collectively on all three players, they can all do major damage, the Flyers’ have to be looking to ultimately take this line out of their comfort zone quickly. Could the Cup possibly go through this match-up?

O Captain, My Captain - This has been a story of the two captains thus far, Jonathan Toews of Chicago and Mike Richards of Philadelphia. These two Team Canada teammates square off for the richest prize in the game. The winner of the series also could take home The Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP. These two young captains show a changing of the guard of captains with new, emerging captains taking the place of long-time veteran captains. These two teams both found their respective leaders at young ages and surrounded them with some veteran leadership along the way, they now play for The Stanley Cup. Want a blueprint on how it‘s done?

Third Time’s a Charm? - Marian Hossa has persevered through the last few seasons, somehow! In 2008, he was traded from Atlanta to Pittsburgh mid-season only to lose The Stanley Cup in 6 games to Detroit. So, why not swap teams right? Wrong. “The Marian Hossa Curse,” if you will followed him to Detroit, as now it was Pittsburgh, his old team that defeated Detroit in 7 games in 2009. But now it is 2010 and his Chicago Blackhawks are in the Stanley Cup Finals. Is there a “Marian Hossa Curse?” Only time will tell.




Prediction


The Flyers embrace the underdog role and have fought through constant adversity for two months of these playoffs. They have a big-game player in Chris Pronger who seems to have success follow him. Chicago rolled through the top-seeded Sharks en route to the Finals and look to use the home-ice advantage to their favor for a change in these playoffs (Only 5-3 at home.) Though Chicago did face tougher opponents on their way to the Finals, both teams start at 0-0 now with the first to four wins parading Lord Stanley around their city.


Chicago seemingly escaped Nashville in Round 1 to get here then struggled a bit with Vancouver before rolling over San Jose. Philadelphia, on the other hand, breezed by divisional rival New Jersey then came back from a 3-0 series then of course Game 7 deficit to a feisty Boston squad before knocking out Montreal to get to The Stanley Cup Finals. As far as I am concerned, it will take a (Matt) Stairs-ian effort if you will. In other words, a player unexpectedly coming up huge in a clutch situation. For Chicago it may be newly re-inserted Tomas Kopecky, or possibly John Madden. If a Flyer were to do so it could very well be Arron Asham, or even James vanRiemsdyk who become heroic for the rest of their days.


When all is said and done, only one team will “walk together forever.” The Philadelphia Flyers, if they can thwart Chicago’s speed and harness their aggression by staying out of the penalty box, can win this series. Chicago, on the other hand is the odds-on favorite to end their drought of 49 years. Whatever team is able to steal a game early due to a heroic effort from their net minder will emerge victorious. That being said, Michael Leighton carries the torch of Flyer net-minding right now with a heavy heart since the Brian Boucher injury, for he is receiving a once in a lifetime opportunity and has made the most of it.

The Philadelphia Flyers in 6 games in front of the home crowd on a beautiful Wednesday evening. Where will you be?

Ya Gotta Little Captain In You!

Since the Boston Bruins took a 3-0 series lead on them back on May 5th, the Philadelphia Flyers are 8-1. In other words that was the day that this team, the same inconsistent team that was on the ice for six months in the regular season, decided that the most important thing in their minds was going to be their playoff run in hopes of hoisting a shiny silver bowl in mid-June.

They say that The Stanley Cup Playoffs is a “marathon that requires a sprint,” and well, if that is the case, then Mike Richards might as well be running way ahead of the rest, baton in hand. He has been the Flyers’ best player, and could possibly win The Conn Smythe Trophy if he can squeeze out just four more victories from his resilient team.

Richards, even at the young age of 25, understands the magnitude of the situation and his position on the hockey club. He has taken charge of The Orange and Black in this playoff run with an unprecedented 21 points in 17 games. Yet, most importantly, his impact is contagious as his presence is noticed far beyond the night’s score-sheet. Night in and night out, Richards has willed his team to victory, even when it seemed impossible.

It is easy to notice that then-GM Bobby Clarke drafted Richards with the intention of eventually anointing him captain, in a way he is a Clarke continuum. Not to say Clarke molded Richards, but after all, his style of play is quite reminiscent of number 16’s. In the new wave of young captains (i.e. Richards, Jonathan Toews, Sidney Crosby, etc.) Richards remains the quintessential team leader for The Broad St. Bullies.

It is safe to say that Mike Richards will be the captain of The Philadelphia Flyers for quite some time. A captain takes the biggest of stages and uses them as his own personal platform, if Richards continues to do that the Flyers will greet Broad St. with Lord Stanley.

A Tale of Two Series

There has been a lead and body, so now, appropriately, comes the conclusion, for one team. This series has been a constant shift in momentum and may very well have a storybook-like ending. The series or series’ that we have witnessed has been much like a Three Act Play, each set with a different tone. Ok, well maybe a little too scholastic, but there are not enough words or even time in a day to describe what has transpired over the past two weeks in this series.

Games 1-3 were series one, Boston won all three and looked to make quick work of Peter Laviolette’s injury-riddled squad. Boston played just a step above Philadelphia and it showed as their lead was consistently mounting, hence, the Flyers looked down and out.

Little did the Bruins know, Philadelphia had other plans, next came series two and the return of Simon Gagne in Game 4. Behind Gagne’s inspiring play since plus an entirely renewed sense of collective confidence, the Flyers find themselves in a decisive Game 7 on Friday night in Boston.

So now left at three victories a piece for a whole 48 hours, there are two teams going in different directions. The Flyers believe they can do this, for them the comeback is nearly complete. With just one more 100% effort for 60 minutes, they will do the unthinkable and send this wonderful city into a frenzy. To steal a line from Deb LaCava, “A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.” How true that statement is, enough said! On the other hand, the Bruins have looked like a disheveled bunch over their past three games. No matter who the goalie is for the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston players just can not find ways to light the lamp. If they are unable to figure out fill-in Michael Leighton on Friday evening, the Flyers be playing the Montreal Canadiens to determine who will play for Lord Stanley’s Cup.

After Brian Boucher’s injury in Game 5, many counted the Flyers out once again. With Michael Leighton just coming off of an injury, he couldn’t possibly carry this resilient team to three straight victories, could he? Well while that notion is not quite fulfilled yet, it is right on the doorstep. For with one dominant “Leights Out” (no pun intended) showing, this series will be over. The Flyers have so many forms of beating an opponent right now at a time in which they appear to be hitting from all cylinders. Thanks to the leadership efforts of Chris Pronger and Captain Mike Richards, along with the reemergence of Daniel Briere, this team is gelling at exactly the right time.

Tuukka Rask is the only hope that Boston has right now, in order for them to advance, he MUST steal Game 7, it has to be the best game of his season. With the offense floundering, Rask is the key now more than ever, he and Boston’s high-quality penalty kill. One thing is for sure, the Bruins’ main objective will be to hold Philly’s offense at bay as Boston cannot figure out the puzzle in front of them that is Michael Leighton. They most certainly do not want to get into a high-scoring game because Philly has far too many weapons in its arsenal, rather they must play the style that got them to the dance, their laid-back, defensive-minded brand of hockey.

Major League Baseball’s motto for the playoffs is “You Can’t Script October.” Well, maybe you can’t, but if what is occurring right now in Philadelphia could only be captured via script, it could make for the most dramatic piece of all-time. The switching of coaches mid-season, injuries in the playoffs, Ian Laperriere’s sacrifice, Gagne’s will, Leighton’s emergence, etc. This is impossible to capture, with so many emotions bottled up, this now needs closure. With victory in Game 7, the incredible comeback of the Philadelphia Flyers will be complete. The backs of the Bruins are to the wall, they will be playing with far more pressure being at home too.

The pick: Flyers 3 Bruins 1.

As Told By Our “Experts” In Bristol

The media coverage of Monday night’s sporting events by ESPN reminded me of something you would see on MSNBC or FOXNews. Their bias was obvious, their portrayal of the two cities: Boston and Philadelphia, was clearly lopsided, and quite frankly, unfair.

“The Worldwide Leader in Sports” was more so being a follower in this instance. They were playing into the footsteps of other sports networks in their coverage of the games and it exploited Philadelphians, portraying them in a most negative light.

As the entire world knows by now, some punk 17-year-old, Steve Consalvi (from Berks County nonetheless) ran onto the field in Monday’s game at Citizens Bank Park and was brought down via taser gun. Classic, right? Well, not so much, whether it’s throwing snowballs at Santa Claus, (which still has not been forgotten 40 years later) or throwing D-cell batteries at J.D. Drew, Philadelphia fans always seem to be victimized by, well, pretty much all of society, thanks to a select few. Though I, personally do not condone what these people did, they are miniscule on the scale of passion that the “true” fans bring all across this great city, and that is a fact. Never anywhere else will you see last place teams consistently sell-out games all season long (Eagles in late-’90s, Flyers in ‘06-07.)

In watching ESPN, I was quite disappointed, not to mention with both the Flyers and Phillies losing, it was already a not-so-good night to begin with for many across the Delaware Valley. I get the ESPNBoston, ESPNDallas, ESPNNewYork, ESPNChicago, ESPNLosAngeles thing, but why go so over the top on this matter?

It was a great night for Boston sports with the Celtics, Bruins and Red Sox all winning, and I can respect that, but not the way it was portrayed by ESPN. They praised their victories so much that they forgot to even mention just about anything else. There was a real visual bias in that entire segment in my mind.

Philadelphia was portrayed as losers, cry babies, cheaters, and degenerates, which is stereotypical to a tee. When Philadelphia teams made the highlight reel, it was for just two reasons. One being the obvious, the tased fan, or should I say, fool that ran onto the field, to be honest the kid got what he deserved. He’s lucky the mayor’s name is Nutter and not Rizzo. The 2nd reason was for Philadelphia’s top goon, Daniel Carcillo, who did indeed act on an early Boston penalty call, then later, in a scrum, claimed to have gotten bit by Marc Savard. ESPN clearly goofed here as far as I am concerned. Reminiscent of coverage in the ’08 Election, but we won’t go there.

Anyway, Philadelphia is a wonderful city, and by no means should play second fiddle to cocky Bostonians in anything. Who knows many may feel as though I am being biased in my writing this piece, but to be honest, I am not. I am just simply stating and reacting upon what I saw. Just sayin’.

Eastern Conference Playoff Picks

4. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 8 Montreal Canadiens

Pittsburgh possesses the rights to the best player in the game today. Sidney Crosby, when the games matter most, is better than all others, including Alexander Ovechkin. Surrounded by other talent such as, but not limited to, Evgeni Malkin, veteran Bill Guerin and all-around defenseman Sergei Gonchar, Crosby steers the direction of the Pens, who are on a quest for a 3rd straight Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Yet, if there has ever been a time when the Pens are most vulnerable, it is indeed now. The reason is mainly due to Marc Andre Fleury, who has not been the same goaltender since the Olympics.

Montreal comes in riding a major wave of confidence led by Jaroslav Halak. It appears that former #1 pick Carey Price has been smitten from “Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge“ (The Blue-White-Red) territory. In three! elimination games in Round 1, Halak stood on his head, stopping 130 of the 133 shots that he faced. General Manager Bob Gainey really changed the make-up of this team and it now appears to be paying off big-time. In losing Saku Koivu and Alexei Kovalev, they gained Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez and Michael Cammalleri. Also, expect highly-touted rookie P.K. Subban to play a very intricate role in this series for Montreal. Halak MUST steal one of the first two in “The Steel City” to give Montreal a chance.

This series will come down to special teams in the end. Montreal’s P.K. (no, not Subban this time) was able to thwart the Washington “Ovechkins” top power play attack with a 97% kill rate. In the process, they left Washington with just one goal in 33 opportunities, a staggering 3%. Pittsburgh, though, boasts a fantastic power play with Malkin, Crosby and Sergei Gonchar leading the way.

Fleury needs to be very good in this series, significantly better than he was against Ottawa. He has been both their biggest x-factor and question mark at the same time as of late. As good as he was in the past two playoff runs, this season, he may be holding the defending champs back. Regardless, the Cup still runs through Pittsburgh, carried as a burden by superstar Sidney Crosby.

The intangibles and post-season discipline are there for Pittsburgh, which could carry them to a 3rd consecutive Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Pittsburgh will not roll over Montreal, they may even struggle at times in this series, but this will not stop them from advancing, ultimately, Montreal does not have enough firepower to stop Crosby, Malkin and co. Pens in 6.

6. Boston Bruins vs. 7. Philadelphia Flyers

Brian Boucher was the star performer of the 1st Round, continuously halting New Jersey power plays and keeping them afloat. Now Boucher and coach Peter Laviolette, both New Englanders, are in for a homecoming of sorts in Round 2. The Boston Bruins, the most unlikely of opponents, will welcome Philly into Bah-ston on Saturday afternoon for a Winter Classic rematch.

The return of Marc Savard will give the Bruins a boost ahead of the injury-riddled Flyers in the early going as they will play off of his emotion. The leading goal-scorer of the league’s 30th ranked offensive team, will help drastically against high-scoring Philadelphia. Though they do not have a powerful offense by any means, they do have depth, with eight double digit scorers. In addition to Savard, the emergence of net-minder Tuukka Rask in place of last year’s Vezina Trophy Winner Tim Thomas has helped fuel Boston all season long. Rask, a relative unknown, has been a rock in Boston’s net and now the rookie carries his squad into Round 2.

Without Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne and Ian Lapperriere, the Flyers will struggle in various departments, or at least be looking for upgrades and fill-ins. Players like Danny Briere, Claude Giroux, James Van Riemsdyk and Darrell Powe will be expected to step up immensely. In the penalty-killing, face-off and two-way portions of the game, the Flyers will need to step up as a team in the absences of three of their top players. Yet, with Kimmo Timonen and Chris Pronger healthy, the Flyers will surely be a force on the back line. Pronger is indeed Philadelphia’s Kepha (rock) and has been since his signing, playing in all 88 games to date. Though, when the games are most important, Pronger really shines, these are the types of games in which he logs minutes into the 30s on a consistent basis.

Special teams and goaltending will be crucial here. Boston was perfect on the penalty kill in Round 1 against Buffalo, and Tuukka Rask was a major reason for that. Brian Boucher dominated New Jersey in Round 1 as well, and was able to disrupt their momentum constantly both at even strength and on the man advantage. Quarterbacked primarily by Timonen, yet, led by Pronger and Richards, Philadelphia’s Power Play is one of the best in the game. Boston though will present a challenge with its 3rd ranked PK and can take advantage of Philly‘s injuries.

In the end, a physical series will have been played with a tug-of-war-like momentum shift constantly. The team that ends it strongly will ultimately be the victor. Philadelphia is geared for a long, hard, physically enduring series, even with its injuries. Boston also is very physical and will test Philadelphia mentally in this series, it should be a dandy. The winner must beat their opponent into submission, look out folks, this one could get nasty. Flyers in 7.