Kevin Blackistone FanHouse

Potent Penguins Make Game 7 a Dud

Kevin Blackistone — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:57:00 EST

Filed under: NHL

WASHINGTON -- Just a couple of minutes into the second period of Wednesday night's big hockey game at the raucous arena here nicknamed The Phone Booth, let's just say the line went dead. All of a sudden, you could barely hear a thing, except for that scraping sound that metal blades make sliding across the ice.

At this particular point, they were the skates laced to the feet -- the clay feet, as it turns out -- of Simeon Varlamov, the young goalie for the hometown Capitals. He was skating to the swinging door of his team's bench, head down, and would not come back. A fourth puck had just screamed past him and into the back of the net

More Coverage: Caps Implode, Pens Advance | Fleury Robs Ovechkin
Whitley: Good Luck Selling Hockey to South

The outcome of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals was all but etched in the record books. The visitors from Pittsburgh were leading 4-0. For the Capitals to come back in the remaining 37 minutes would take a monumental reversal of fortune -- not unlike, come to think of it, that which the advancing Penguins put together the last third of the regular season.

For what the Capitals failed to do on their home ice Wednesday night -- eventually losing in embarrassing fashion, 6-2 -- was extinguish as hot a team as there has been in the East post-All-Star Game weekend. With all the outrageous excitement that was going on in this half of the East semifinals, which pitted the last two Hart Trophy winners -- Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alex Ovechkin -- that became an easily forgotten fact.

But the Penguins won 18 of their last 25 regular season contests dating to Valentine's Day.

If the Penguins continue playing like they did against the Capitals, however, they will represent the East for the Stanley Cup, whether the Hurricanes or the top-seeded Bruins emerge victorious from their Game 7 Thursday in Boston.

"We like to think that we can play any way," Penguins wing Bill Guerin, who scored the third goal of the game 28 seconds into the second period, told me afterward.

Latest NHL Images

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates with Kris Letang (58) after scoring on Washington Capitals goalie Simeon Varlamov, obscured behind Milan Jurcina (23), of Slovakia, during the first period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 13, 2009 in Washington. The Penguins won 6-2. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Washington Capitals goalie Simeon Varlamov (40) leaves the game after giving up his fourth goal to the Pittsburgh Penguins, during the second period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 13, 2009, in Washington. He was replaced by Jose Theodore. The Penguins won 6-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

WASHINGTON - MAY 13: The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate their series winning 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center May 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 13: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals and Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins shake hands after Pittsburgh's 6-2 victory in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center May 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marc-Andre Fleury;Alex Ovechkin

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 13: Simeon Varlamov #40 of the Washington Capitals pauses after giving up his fourth goal of the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center May 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. The Penguins defeated the Capitals 6-2 to move into the semifinals. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Simeon Varlamov

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 13: Simeon Varlamov #40 of the Washington Capitals gives up his fourth goal of the game as Ruslan Fedotenko #26 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates the goal during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center May 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Simeon Varlamov;Ruslan Fedotenko

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 13: Maxime Talbot #25 and Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate their 6-2 win over the Washington Capitals in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center May 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Maxime Talbot;Marc-Andre Fleury

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 13: The Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins battle during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center May 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. The Penguins defeated the Capitals 6-2 to move into the semifinals. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 13: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals is surrounded by Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center May 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. The Penguins defeated the Capitals 6-2 to move into the semifinals. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Ovechkin

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 13: Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins makes the stick save on Tomas Fleischmann #14 of the Washington Capitals during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center May 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. The Penguins defeated the Capitals 6-2 to move into the semifinals. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marc-Andre Fleury;Tomas Fleischmann

Getty Images

Against the Capitals, who were the fourth highest scoring team during the regular season, that meant being offensive enough to keep up and defensive enough to not to fall far behind. The Penguins excelled at both.

"That's the style we try to play," said Penguins defenseman Mark Eaton. "We wear teams down and we've done a great job of playing smart hockey, getting pucks behind their line [defense]."

Indeed, the Penguins came into the decisive Game 7 with 67 more shots on goal than the Capitals managed against them. That's roughly two extra games' worth of shots. After the first two games, that the Capitals won, the Capitals basically were dodging bullets for the rest of the series. Wednesday they got a whole fusillade.

The Penguins jumped to a 2-0 lead Wednesday in the first period with 16 shots to the Capitals' five. The Penguins never let the Capitals come up for air and their goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury, only had to sweat once. Ovechkin got a breakaway early in the game and Fleury slammed the door on him. It was the only drama of the entire game.

It was a shame these Eastern Conference semifinals ended as they did. This was the one time it was good that this series was being broadcast on the hardly universal network called Versus. This wasn't the game with which to sell your sport.

The Penguins' blowout was hardly emblematic of what took place in the previous six games. Five games were decided by one goal, three of them required overtime and each winner had to come from behind at some point until Wednesday night.

It wasn't just the height of competitiveness that made this series so compelling, it was its star power, of course. But Wednesday night, only Pittsburgh's young superstar Crosby, one season removed from winning the league's MVP Hart Trophy, shone through. He tallied two goals and an assist. Last season's Hart winner, the Capitals' young superstar Ovechkin, registered a point with just less than two minutes left in the second period. The game was well out of hand then, however. The Penguins had a five spot on the scoreboard at that point.

"It was definitely anticlimactic," a dejected Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau summed up for everyone in the end. "It certainly wasn't the way I would have envisioned it, scripted it, whether we won or loss. I never would have thought that we would have ended up in a game like it was tonight [Wednesday]."

For much of this season, the Penguins hadn't played anywhere near as well as they played Wednesday. Before the All-Star break, they'd played so poorly they implemented a coaching change. But they really didn't start playing so stout until after Sergei Gonchar, once a stalwart with the Capitals, returned from injury on Valentine's Day and Guerin was had on the trade deadline and coach Dan Bylsma was handed the clipboard. Since all that, the Penguins have been a totally different team.

"We really changed our style from a trapping system to an aggressive system," said Kris Letang, who chipped in goal No. 4 that chased Varlamov. "Guys adapted pretty quickly."

They won nine of 10 between middle February and early March and never looked back at a first half that had them looking like anything but a playoff team. Now the Penguins look like Cup engravers.

Potent Penguins Make Game 7 a Dud originally appeared on Kevin Blackistone FanHouse on Wed, 13 May 2009 23:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Obstacles No Match for Blazing Pens

Kevin Blackistone — Sun, 10 May 2009 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: NHL, FanHouse Exclusive

WASHINGTON -- When Capitals owner Ted Leonsis learned that Game 5 of his team's second-round Stanley Cup playoff series against Pittsburgh would have to be played 24 hours after Game 4 in Pittsburgh because of a Yanni concert scheduled at the Penguins' arena, he complained that the back-to-back games were bad for the league, bad for the teams and bad for the fans.

Personally, I was more concerned to learn that there were enough fans of the Greek crooner to fill a major sports arena. But I digress. Leonsis was right. Yanni shouldn't have been allowed to have any influence on one of our major sport's postseasons, any more than he does on music in this country.

Penguins 4, Capitals 3: Recap | Box Score | Saturday's Scores

But the only impact Yanni had on this series was upon the schedule. He didn't have anything to do with the Penguins cranking up 42 shots on goal Saturday night to the Capitals' 31. He didn't have anything to do with the Penguins sticking four of their shots into the net for an overtime win and a 3-2 series lead to put them at the threshold of advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Most important, Yanni didn't have anything to do with what has become the most critical development in this series: the cooling off of the Capitals' once red-hot 21-year-old rookie netminder Simeon Varlamov.

We made a big deal of Varlamov in the Capitals' come-from-behind vanquishing of the Rangers in the opening round of these playoffs, and rightfully so. Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau pulled veteran goalie Jose Theodore after a horrific Game 1 and inserted the then 20-year-old Varlamov. Varlamov seemed immediately to jump on the track to stardom in the NHL playoffs of former rookie playoff sensation goalies like Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy and Cam Ward. He posted shutouts, made highlight-reel saves, and was more the reason that the Capitals escaped the Rangers and advanced to meet the Penguins.

Varlamov started this second series just as stout and led his teammates to a two-wins-to-none lead on the Penguins. He stopped 67 shots in the first two games.

But Friday night in Pittsburgh, he was broken down.

"He struggled," Boudreau told The Washington Post. "He hasn't had a bad game. Arguably there were four soft goals out of the five. But he'll bounce back."

Saturday night back on home ice, Varlamov didn't appear fully recovered. Unless he makes a fast return to his playoff debut, the Capitals will be done.

Saturday night was loss No. 3 in a row for the Capitals. The Penguins have all the momentum headed home.

The Capitals have all the frustration. It's been borne out everywhere, particularly in the Capitals' front office and among their fans, who since Game 4 have been echoing the biggest excuse in losing: refereeing. The fans jeered the refs Saturday and littered the Verizon Center ice with giveaway pompoms and plastic beer bottles after the Penguins slipped out with the victory.

The refs in the end weren't the problem anymore than was Yanni. The Capitals' defense, which wasn't a strong suit until the Rangers series, was their nemesis, and their young goalie couldn't cover up for it.

Varlamov appeared to be wearing down as the game went on, just as he appears to be wearing down as the series moves on. The first period was scoreless. The rest were not.

Latest NHL Images

Chicago Blackhawks' Brent Seabrook, right, celebrates their teams 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks with goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, of Russia, following Game 5 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series at GM Place in Vancouver, Saturday, May 9, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo pauses for a moment during the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 5 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series at GM Place in Vancouver, Saturday, May 9, 2009. The Blackhawks won the game 4-2. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)

The Chicago Blackhawks celebrate their 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks following Game 5 of the western conference semifinal at GM Place in Vancouver, Saturday, May 9, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)

VANCOUVER, CANADA - MAY 9: Duncan Keith #2 celebrates a goal with Martin Havlat #24 (C) and Andrew Ladd #16 of the Chicago Blackhawks against the Vancouver Canucks during Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 09, 2009 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Nick Didlick/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Ladd;Martin Havlat;Duncan Keith

Getty Images

Chicago Blackhawks Andrew Ladd, Nikolai Khabibulin, Brent Seabrook and Dave Bolland wait for workers to remove debris from the ice, thrown by fans after a goal on the Vancouver Canucks in the third period of Game 5 of the NHL Western Conference semifinal hockey playoffs in Vancouver, B.C., May 9, 2009. REUTERS/Andy Clark (CANADA SPORT ICE HOCKEY)

Reuters

Vancouver Canucks' Ryan Johnson, right, hangs his head as the Chicago Blackhawks celebrate Dave Bolland's game winning goal during the third period of Game 5 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series at GM Place in Vancouver, Saturday, May 9, 2009. The Blackhawks won the game 4-2. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

From left, Chicago Blackhawks' Dave Bolland celebrates his goal with Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane during the third period of Game 5 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series at GM Place in Vancouver, Saturday, May 9, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

VANCOUVER, CANADA - MAY 9: Willie Mitchell #8 (L) and Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver Canucks watch a puck shot by of the Chicago Blackhawks during Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 09, 2009 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Nick Didlick/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Roberto Luongo;Willie Mitchell

Getty Images

VANCOUVER, CANADA - MAY 9: Andrew Ladd #16 of the Chicago Blackhawks tries to control the puck in front of Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver Canucks during Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 09, 2009 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Nick Didlick/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Roberto Luongo;Andrew Ladd

Getty Images

VANCOUVER, CANADA - MAY 9: Nikolai Khabibulin #39 of the Chicago Blackhawks is congratulated by Duncan Keith #2 after they beat the of the Vancouver Canucks during Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 09, 2009 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Nick Didlick/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Duncan Keith;Nikolai Khabibulin

Getty Images

Varlamov failed to control the puck several times, which appears to be the weakest part of his emerging game. After his teammates battled back to take a 2-1 lead into the third period, he missed what should've been an easy stop to make against Ruslan Fedotenko. Friday night, he let one go right through his glove.

It was apparent after Fedotenko's goal that the Capitals no longer had the most-important weapon in the playoffs, which is not, by the way, an explosive high-scoring player like Alex Ovechkin, who evened the score twice Saturday and assisted another time.

The most important weapon in playoff hockey is, instead, a hot goalie.

Varlamov is no longer. He has been cooled off by the Penguins. To be sure, those were secondary lines that scored against him Saturday night. Sidney Crosby didn't score or register an assist. The Penguins aren't supposed to beat the second seed with their biggest gun held in check.

"We just wanted to keep shooting the puck," Penguins forward Jordan Staal, who notched the game's first goal in the second period, told me afterward. "Putting it to the net gave us more rebound opportunities. That's always the biggest thing for any goalie [to deal with]."

Varlamov wasn't helped much by Capitals defensemen, either, who never handled the pressure applied by Pittsburgh centers and forwards, the ones not on Crosby's line. Varlamov's attackers haven't been able to consistently pressure Pittsburgh's defense, either.

"Our forwards have to come back hard in order for our defense to be able to step up," Crosby said. "It's a group effort out there and they [the Capitals] have a lot of speed. It's not easy to do that [get back] a lot of times, but between the defense stepping up and doing a good job, keeping the gap, and our forwards coming back hard, we have been able to do that."

It will be up to Varlamov's teammates to change that. Varlamov's coach, who so boldly changed goalies after one game against the Rangers, can't go back to his season-long No. 1 goalie now. The curtain has dropped on that show.

Yanni, by the way, opens in Pittsburgh on Tuesday in The Igloo, a day after that Game 6 where the whole cooling off of Varlamov began.

Obstacles No Match for Blazing Pens originally appeared on Kevin Blackistone FanHouse on Sun, 10 May 2009 02:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The Great, Largely Unseen, Postseason

Kevin Blackistone — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:45:00 EST

Filed under: NHL

Eleven of its playoff games have been decided in the final minute, or in overtime. That includes seven overtime contests and four last-minute scores in regulation to decide games.

Two series required ultimate seventh games. And the second round of its playoffs just commenced.

How can any league lose with a postseason like this one? Easy. See the one I'm talking about, the NHL.

There is no shame for the NHL's postseason games, whose second round started with a crescendo last weekend as the two brightest stars in the league, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, led their teams, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, to meet each other. Their second meeting Monday night produced something witnessed in an NHL playoff game only three times before -- each player recorded a hat trick.

Unfortunately, it was closer to being the proverbial tree falling in the woods with nobody around. The game was on Versus, formerly OLN, a network that goes to only two-thirds of all cable subscribers in the country.

Latest NHL Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 04: Shaone Morrisonn #26 and Simeon Varlamov #40 of the Washington Capitals drops Jordan Staal #11 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 4, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Len Redkoles/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaone Morrisonn;Jordan Staal;Simeon Varlamov

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 04: Simeon Varlamov #40 of the Washington Capitals stops a shot on goal by a member the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 4, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Len Redkoles/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Simeon Varlamov

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 04: Alexander Semin #28 of the Washington Capitals attempts a wrap around shot on goal against Kris Letang #58 and Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 4, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Len Redkoles/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alexander Semin;Kris Letang;Marc-Andre Fleury

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 04: Brooks Laich #21 of the Washington Capitals sets up a scoring attempt against Hall Gill #2 and Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 4, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Len Redkoles/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brooks Laich;Hall Gill;Marc-Andre Fleury

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 04: Simeon Varlamov #40 and Mike Green #52 of the Washington Capitals watches Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins first goal of the game during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 4, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Len Redkoles/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Simeon Varlamov;Mike Green;Sidney Crosby

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 04: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates the puck past Hall Gill #2 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 4, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Len Redkoles/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Ovechkin;Hall Gill

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 04: Head Coach Jim Zorn of the Washington Redskins with his family celebrates Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals hat trick against the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 4, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Len Redkoles/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jim Zorn

Getty Images

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) scores his third goal of the game Washington Capitals goalie Simeon Varlamov (40) during the third period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, Monday, May 4, 2009 in Washington. Also in in the play are Capitals' Tom Poti (3) and David Steckel (39) and Penguins Evgeni Malkin (71) from Russia. The Capitals won 4-3. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

WASHINGTON -MAY 4: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals awaits a pass during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 4, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Ovechkin

NHLI via Getty Images

WASHINGTON -MAY 4: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates the puck up the ice during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 4, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Ovechkin

NHLI via Getty Images

This is the deal NHL commissioner Gary Bettman cut at the end of his league's season-killing lockout in 2005. It was supposed to be a quid pro quo thing where Versus could use the NHL to entice baseball and football to move a few games its way. Didn't happen. Nonetheless, the NHL extended its deal with Versus. Now it is paying for it.

If you were on the road for business on Monday and wanted to watch the game in your hotel room, chances were greatest that your hotel television wouldn't carry Versus. The nearest sports bar would, maybe.

Imagine the NFL playoffs not being available almost everywhere. Or the baseball playoffs. Or the NBA postseason. Can't because they aren't. The NFL has several networks on which to show its games, and so do baseball and the NBA. The NHL is on NBC come the weekend. Even the Stanley Cup Finals this season aren't scheduled to be on a major network until after Versus airs Games 1 and 2.

The choir around most every pro hockey rink in the country the past few days sang the song about the Ovechkin-Crosby matchup, which pits the last two league MVPs, as being just what hockey needs. But what hockey still needs is a broader TV deal so everyone can be enchanted by Ovie, Sid and an NHL postseason that is, dare it be said in the wake of the NBA's epic Celtics-Bulls' battle, more thrilling this year than pro basketball's.

Kevin B. Blackistone is a panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn and the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. A former award-winning sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News, he currently lives in Silver Spring, Md.

The Great, Largely Unseen, Postseason originally appeared on Kevin Blackistone FanHouse on Tue, 05 May 2009 18:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Caps Trade Offense for Grit, Victory

Kevin Blackistone — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:49:00 EST

Filed under: NHL

WASHINGTON - It became custom sometime ago that the hero in a victorious Capitals locker room received a shower of shaving cream from his happy teammates.

I didn't see late Tuesday night how much of the foamy white stuff the Capitals' game-seven winning shot maker Sergei Fedorov was left to clean from his face, but I did watch as the Capitals' 21-year-old rookie netminder Simeon Varlamov continued to clean cream from the corner of his eyes after telling reporters how he held the Rangers to one goal, while his teammates scored two, and helped propel his club to its first playoff series' victory in 11 seasons. (In Game 6 over last weekend, the rookie shutout the Rangers.)

It must be pointed out that the Rangers this season were not the most prolific offense in the league. In fact, they often appeared offense-challenged. They got to the playoffs and pushed this opening round series with the Capitals to seven games with defense and door-slamming goaltending.

The Capitals were the exact opposite. They were as prolific an offense as the league witnessed this year, and it was a good thing for them that they were. Their defense and goaltending was spotty at best -- until now. The Rangers over the last week or so forced the Capitals to play defense and the Capitals, to what must be the fear of the rest of the league, excelled at doing so. For over the last few games, a desperate Capitals' team emerged as a club that can score goals in bunches (four in Game 6), and stop you from even getting quality shots. The Rangers were credited with one shot on goal in Tuesday night's third period that started tied at a goal apiece.

"Don't tell any of our forwards," joked Capitals' center Brooks Laich after Tuesday's 2-1 win in the Verizon Center, "but defense wins championships. We got the job done tonight."

They did so with their all-world scorer and defending league MVP Alex Ovechkin getting off just five shot attempts all night and having four of them blocked. He didn't even register an assist, yet his team advanced.

The old Capitals couldn't win without a solid contribution from their superstar. The Capitals that escaped the Rangers to live to see another series can.

"It's the one thing we haven't done well all year," Capitals' general manager George McPhee admitted looking quite relieved leaning against a hallway wall after the drama was over. "We kind of got into playing pond hockey, winning shootouts.

"That game," he said of the Game 7, "will really help us in the next series."

It should be encouraging to the Capitals that they beat the Rangers at the Rangers' game of physical play and mucking up the opponents' work without their hired enforcer Donald Brashear. Brashear was suspended for Game 7 and five more to come after he cheapshotted the Rangers' Blair Betts in Game 6, busting Betts' orbital bone and rendering him unable to play.

Instead, the Capitals relied on each other. Milan Jurcina dished out a game-high seven hits and blocked two shots. Shaone Morrisonn added six hits and a blocked shot. As a team, the Capitals registered 46 hits to the Rangers' 30. By the third period, the Rangers looked lucky to get the puck out of their zone and even luckier to get it under some semblance of control after.

Had they been so fortunate, it looked unlikely they'd be able to accomplish much anyway because a poised just-turned 21-yard-old goaltender stood in the way.

This is the way stars are born in the net. Varlamov was given the start in Game 2 after veteran goalie Jose Theodore looked like Jose and the Pussycats in Game 1. Varlamov responded by allowing one shot to get by. Unfortunately, his teammates were as mesmerized by his play as those of us watching from the stands or the couch and they managed not to score at all.

That started a six-game series for Varlamov that ended with seven goals surrendered and 139 shots saved. Twice, he shut out the Rangers, including the first time in Madison Square Garden.

The smart money at the start of the series was on Ovechkin, who should win his second Hart Trophy in a row, to be the standout performer. He wasn't. It was the youngest Capitals' Russian, almost three years Ovechkin's junior.

"He seems so calm back there," Laich said of Varlamov. "You might get one [shot] by him, but you're not going to get another one."

Latest NHL Images

New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, left, and Mike Mottau look on from the bench as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Devils 4-3 in an NHL first-round hockey playoff game Tuesday, April 28, 2009, in Newark, N.J. The Hurricanes won the series 4-3 to advance to the next round. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur reacts after Carolina Hurricanes' Jussi Jokinen scored to tie an NHL first-round hockey playoff game Tuesday, April 28, 2009, in Newark, N.J. The Hurricanes beat the Devils 4-3 to advance to the next round. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 28: Head coach Brent Sutter of the New Jersey Devils speaks to the media after losing to the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 28, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andy Marlin/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brent Sutter

NHLI via Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 28: Eric Staal #12 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates his game-winning goal at 19:28 in the third period against the New Jersey Devils during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 28, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. Hurricanes defeat the Devils 4-3 (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Eric Staal

Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 28: Cam Ward #30 of the Carolina Hurricanes is congratulated by Martin Brodeur #30 of the New Jersey Devils in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 28, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. Hurricanes defeat the Devils 4-3 (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Cam Ward;Martin Brodeur

Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 28: Cam Ward #30 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammates Eric Staal #12, Erik Cole #28 and Joe Corvo #77 after defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-3 in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 28, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. Hurricanes defeat the Devils 4-3 (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Eric Staal;Cam Ward;Erik Cole;Joe Corvo

Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 28: Eric Staal #12 of the Carolina Hurricanes is congratulated by Martin Brodeur #30 of the New Jersey Devils in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 28, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. Hurricanes defeat the Devils 4-3 (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Eric Staal;Martin Brodeur

Getty Images

Fans clap as New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur leaves the ice after his team's loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 of the NHL Eastern Conference quarterfinals hockey playoffs in Newark, New Jersey April 28, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES SPORT ICE HOCKEY)

Reuters

New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, left, shakes hands with Carolina Hurricanes' Eric Staal after the Hurricanes beat the Devils 4-3 in an NHL first-round hockey playoff game Tuesday, April 28, 2009, in Newark, N.J. Staal scored the game winner as the Hurricanes won the series 4-3 to advance to the next round. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

"For a 21 year old kid to play the way he has is amazing," Capitals' defensemen Brian Pothier remarked. "He made a breakaway save in the first shift."

Capitals' coach Bruce Boudreau, who made the bold move to the rookie after Theodore coughed up four goals in the opener at home and suffered through a shaky season, isn't about to do anything different. He said Tuesday he hasn't even spoken to his lights-out young goalie.

"I don't want to screw him up," Boudreau said. "With the way they were coming for the first two periods, for him to have the poise that he did was tremendous."

Then he didn't get out of the way of the streams of shaving cream, either. Varlamov stood as proof this is a Capitals' team that can now survive the close shaves.

Kevin B. Blackistone is a panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, and a former award-winning sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News. He lives in Silver Spring, Md.

Caps Trade Offense for Grit, Victory originally appeared on Kevin Blackistone FanHouse on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

In Rowdy Series, Pressure Still on Caps

Kevin Blackistone — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: NHL

After a fake news report, a six-game suspension, an allegation of biting, and a coach being banished to a suite for turning a water bottle into a projectile against opposing fans, it is hard to imagine there being anything more unexpected in a mere first-round hockey playoff series. But there is something more unanticipated in this set of great interest now between the Rangers and Capitals. It is that the series wound up where it is scheduled to be Tuesday night -- at a deciding Game 7.

Capitals vs. Rangers, 7:30 PM ET | Series tied, 3-3
Brashear Suspended | Roundtable

This was not supposed to happen between the second seed in the East, the Capitals, who sport the league's best player, Alex Ovechkin, and a Rangers team that barely qualified for the postseason. This was supposed to be the Capitals' series to dominate, or cough up. Nothing has changed.

It doesn't matter that the Rangers snatched the first two games in the nation's capital. It doesn't matter that they jumped to a three-wins-to-one lead. It doesn't matter that they've lost the last two and, apparently, a lot of their composure and whatever good sense they had along the way.

The pressure still isn't on the Rangers to hold on to the advantage they built in this series in the first four games. The pressure is squarely on the Capitals to finish the near-miraculous recovery from what appeared to be first-round death.

If there is any team that is in danger of blowing this series it is the team that came into it so heavily favored.

NHL.com reported Monday that Rangers' coach John Tortorella asked reporters at the Rangers' Greenburgh, N.Y., practice facility how many of them thought his seventh-seeded club would survive to a seventh game, and few hands went up. He then asked how many thought his team had a chance of winning Tuesday night's tilt after blowing the 3-1 advantage on the short end of consecutive blowouts, and no hands went up.

"There you go," NHL.com quoted Tortorella. "There is no pressure on us. We're going to go there and try to relax and compete in a Game 7 because everybody thinks we're done."

That wasn't just coach speak from a coach who, by the way, shouldn't even be making the trip to Washington for Tuesday's contest. Excuse my digression, but how can a league with a constant image problem when it comes to gratuitous violence allow Tortorella to continue to coach in this series after firing a water bottle at Capitals fans -- no matter how boisterous and maybe profane -- and striking a female ticket-buyer in the head? That's the same sort of incident that sparked the NBA's infamous brawl between visiting Pacers and fans in Detroit. The NBA's instigator just happened to be a fan, as one might expect. The Pistons banned the main instigator from attending Pistons games forever. That's how seriously the NBA took such shenanigans.

Maybe had Tortorella's foolish act broken the orbital bone of the fan he struck, Claudette Chandonia, the league would have done the right thing and booted him for six games like it did Capitals' goon Donald Brashear on Monday for cheapshotting Rangers' penalty-killer Blair Betts and breaking his orbital bone. Betts is out. That suspension was warranted. Tortorella's slap on the wrist was not. Coaches and players cannot be allowed to attack fans no matter how outlandish they become. Leave it to ushers, security and franchises to deal with over-the-top fanatics.

But I digress.

Alex Ovechkin Photos

MONTREAL - JANUARY 24: Eastern Conference All-Star Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals competes in the 'Scotiabank NHL Fan Fav Breakaway Challenge' during the Honda NHL Superskills competition as part of the 2009 NHL All-Star weekend on January 24, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

Dave Sandford, Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MARCH 27: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates his first period goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 27, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Bruce Bennett, Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MARCH 27: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals checks Matt Smaby #32 of the Tampa Bay Lightning into the boards during a NHL hockey game on March 27, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/NHLI via Getty Images)

Mitchell Layton, NHLI / Getty Images

RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 21:Alexander Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates hard for position during a NHL game against the Carolina Hurricanes on March 21, 2009 at RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)

Gregg Forwerck, NHLI / Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - MARCH 12: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates in towards the crease against Danny Briere #48 and Martin Biron #43 of the Philadelphia Flyers on March 12, 2009 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

Len Redkoles, NHLI / Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - MARCH 12: A young male fan holds up a sign for Alex Ovechkin during the pregame warm ups at a NHL game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals on March 12, 2009 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

Len Redkoles, NHLI / Getty Images

BOSTON - FEBRUARY 28: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals during warm-up against the Boston Bruins at the TD Banknorth Garden on February 28, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Steve Babineau, NHLI / Getty Images

SUNRISE, FL - FEBRUARY 15: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals sits on the bench during a break in the action against the Florida Panthers at the Bank Atlantic Center on February 15, 2009 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

Eliot J. Schechter, NHLI / Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 03: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on February 3, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. The Capitals defeated the Devils 5-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

MONTREAL - JANUARY 24: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates during the Honda NHL Superskills competition as part of the 2009 NHL All-Star weekend on January 24, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Mike Stobe, Getty Images

Despite that Tortorella's team looks to be on the verge of regurgitating victory, it is the Capitals who have a lot more to cough up in this series. They have a 50-win season that netted 108 points. They have a second MVP candidacy from Ovechkin, who won the league's best-player award last season. They have Mike Green up for the Norris Trophy. They have an offense that was the third-most prolific in the league. They have a home record that appeared as stout as any until the Rangers deflated it.

In short, the Capitals have the best team they've had in over a generation, better even than the 1998 Capitals, the only team in franchise history to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

That team got swept on hockey's brightest stage by the Red Wings. The Capitals of '85-'86, which won 50 games and garnered 107 points, lost in the division finals to the Rangers in six games.

That's been the history of the Capitals. They've almost always come up shorter than expected. They did so last postseason when the Flyers knocked them out in a seventh game at home in the first round. Tuesday night is like 2008 all over again, when the Capitals battled back from a 3-1 deficit to the Flyers only to get eliminated on home ice by an overtime power play goal.

And now they'll have to do so without their designated tough guy, Brashear, against a team that held their offense in check early on by being physically pesky.

"He obviously has a presence on the ice and makes guys look behind them when he's on the ice," the Associated Press on Monday quoted Capitals defensemen Green. "We're all going to have to step up our game and be a little bit more physical, because we're going to be missing that key component with him out."

That is as undeniable a truth as it is no excuse.

Kevin B. Blackistone is a panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, and a former award-winning sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News. He currently lives in Silver Spring, Md.

In Rowdy Series, Pressure Still on Caps originally appeared on Kevin Blackistone FanHouse on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

No Star Shines Like Alexander the Great

Kevin Blackistone — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:11:00 EST

Filed under: NHL

Alexander Ovechkin is on the verge of accomplishing something in hockey that hasn't been witnessed in over a decade: winning consecutive Hart Trophies as the NHL's MVP. (Maybe that's what got under Sidney Crosby's sweater.)

Another mere Hart, however, would be selling Alexander the Great short.

It is unfortunate that a pound-for-pound award for the most-dominant athlete in all of team sports does not exist, for if it did the athlete most-deserving of the honor would be the Capitals' prodigious left wing, OV, as he's often referred to here in D.C.

The key words here are "team sports." I'm not considering Tiger Woods because, not only is golf less an athletic endeavor than a human game board, it is an individual sport, save for the occasional Cup play. For much the same reason, I'm not thinking of Michael Phelps either. He's clearly an athlete but swimming is mostly an individual sport and we really only pay attention to it every four years at the Olympics, or when Phelps sends us smoke signals.

I'm talking about football, baseball, basketball, and what Ovechkin plays right now - hockey - with few peers, Crosby included.

Nothing against Sid the Kid, but it was jingoism mostly that made him the soup du jour over Ovechkin during their debut campaigns in 2005-2006. Crosby isn't American, but North American, a Canadian. In these parts that trumps being Russian, which is what Ovechkin is.

Crosby, who at 21 is two years Ovechkin's junior, is going to go down as a great one too. He led Pittsburgh to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. He's already got a Hart and a Lester B. Pearson Award (given to the league's most outstanding player as judged by the player's association). But he will be in the championship series this season, and will not have won a Hart for two seasons after Ovechkin picks up this year's. This is not unlike watching Rafael Nadal surpass Roger Federer - two more dominant athletes who don't qualify for the pound-for-pound crown because they play an individual sport - except that Nadal is younger than Federer.

Ovechkin is just going to go down as greater than Crosby when all is said and done, and Ovechkin is saying so and doing so again this season. He is second in the league in points to Crosby's teammate Evgeni Malkin, but he is leading the league in goals and blowing it away in excitement. His pass of the puck the other day to himself off the boards, and pirouette, before breaking away and scoring, while sliding on his side, is already YouTube legend. It ranked in the top 20 searches on Google.

There is nobody in baseball right now who measures up to what Ovechkin is doing on the ice, including reigning MVPs Dustin Pedroia in the American League and Albert Pujols in the National League. There is no one doing the same in the NFL, what with Tom Brady injured last season, although if Larry Fitzgerald did every game during the regular season what he did in the playoffs he would make you at least think about touting him so highly.

Only basketball boasts of any athletes as dominant as Ovechkin is in hockey to demand comparison. They are LeBron, Kobe and Dwyane Wade.

There is no real apples-to-apples comparison, but there is at least an apples-to-pears comparison. Look at how much of their respective teams' production each player is responsible for, if you divide total team points by each players' points scored (goals in Ovechkin's case) and assists (given that assists lead to team points).

Kobe accounts for 29.9 percent of the Lakers' points. LeBron makes for 35.5 percent of the Cavaliers' tally. Wade comprises 37.1 percent of the points scored by the Heat. Ovechkin encompasses 38.3 percent of the Caps' scoring.

Granted, the NHL allows for, and generally allots, two assists per every goal, unlike basketball, but star basketball players log far more minutes on the hardwood every outing than star hockey players, even the best of whom play much less than half of the game. Kobe, LeBron and Wade average playing between 36 and 38 minutes each game. Ovechkin is on the ice a little over 22 minutes each match. So his production is even greater given the less time he has to make his impact.

Ovechkin isn't just doing what he's doing in mere statistical analysis. As suggested by his outrageously fabulous goal a few days ago, he's also doing what he's doing in spectacular and stunning fashion, not unlike Kobe, LeBron and Wade have done this season and before.

Indeed, Ovechkin also has more crunch-time goals - those scored in the third period - than anyone else in the NHL. He was tied with San Jose's Patrick Marleau for the league lead in game-winning goals coming into this week too.

That's dominant.

"If you look at what he's done in the third period and the winning goals and at crunch time, that's when you need your guys the most," Caps' coach Bruce Boudreau told The Washington Post earlier this week. "He's there all the time."

The league hasn't seen a left wing as good since Bobby Hull almost half a century ago now.

Ovechkin isn't like a lot of dominant scorers in the NHL traditionally have been, either. He isn't in need of a sidekick goon to keep opposing goons at bay. He's 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and not only takes care of himself but dishes out hits as well. He's closer to being LeBron than Kobe or Wade. He's second on the Caps in penalty minutes and has decked a couple guys this season, one questionably though apologetically.

The only accolade Ovechkin needs to solidify the pound-for-pound title he is deserving of is a championship ring like Kobe and Wade have. That he could seize this June.

Kevin B. Blackistone is a panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, and a frequent sports opinionist on other outlets. A former award-winning sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News, he currently lives in Silver Spring, Md.

Latest NHL Photos

San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov (2) of Kazakhstan, stops the puck against Dallas Stars Brian Sutherby (20) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco (35) watches as the puck hit the net to score on a shot by San Jose Sharks Devin Setoguchi during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. The Sharks won 1-0. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

San Jose Sharks Jeremy Roenick (27) and Dallas Stars Steve Ott (29) crash the boards during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. The Sharks won 1-0. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

DALLAS - FEBRUARY 23: Evgeni Nabokov #20 of the San Jose Sharks to makes a stop on a shot during action against the Dallas Stars on February 23, 2009 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Evgeni Nabokov

NHLI via Getty Images

DALLAS - FEBRUARY 23: Marty Turco #35 of the Dallas Stars makes a save on a shot by Milan Michalek #9 of the San Jose Sharks on February 23, 2009 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marty Turco;Milan Michalek

NHLI via Getty Images

San Jose Sharks Mike Grier (25) skates with the puck past Dallas Stars Stephane Robidas (3) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

San Jose Sharks Jeremy Roenick (27) knocks the puck away from Dallas Stars Joel Lundqvist (39) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Stars Toby Peterson (17) and San Jose Sharks Douglas Murray (33) skate for the puck during the first period of the NHL hockey game in Dallas, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Florida Panthers defenseman Nick Boynton (44) collides with Chicago Blackhawks left wing Ben Eager (55) in the third period during an NHL hockey game in Sunrise, Fla., Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009. The Blackhawks won 4-0.

Lynne Sladky, AP

Toronto Maple Leafs' John Mitchell (R) battles New York Rangers' Scott Gomez for a loose puck in the overtime period of the Maple Leafs' 3-2 win in their NHL hockey game in New York, February 22, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

No Star Shines Like Alexander the Great originally appeared on Kevin Blackistone FanHouse on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments