Eight(h) is Enough
Congratulations to the second biggest underdog to enter the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs for, what has been thus far, the most amazing Cinderella run since 1993.
For the Montreal Canadiens, the number eight seed was simply enough. Enough to ignite a spark under a team compiled of averaged sized players surrounded in turmoil from every angle except financially.
And to think, luck was on their side in order to squeak into the playoff picture.
Categories: Around the League, Atlantic, By Teams, Eastern Conference, Montreal Canadiens, NHLHS Features, Northeast, Pittsburgh Penguins, Playoff Coverage, Southeast, Washington Capitals Tags: Andrei Markov, Hal Gill, Jaroslav Halak, Marc Andre Fleury, Michael Cammalleri, Ottawa Senators, P.K. Subban, Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby, Washington Capitals
Bottoms Up…
The NHL’s slogan for this years 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs is known as “History Will Be Made”. NHLHS writer Anthony Curatolo takes a look at how that slogan ties into the semi-finals of this seasons playoffs.
Last night fans of the National Hockey League witnessed steps taken for not just one, but two teams who have the option to carry out this years slogan known as “History Will Be Made”.
We start with the Montreal Canadiens. If the display of heart and the play of Jaroslav Halak against the leagues best offensive weapon wasn’t enough, then round two has blown the doors off.
Categories: Around the League, Atlantic, By Teams, Eastern Conference, Montreal Canadiens, NHLHS Features, Northeast, Philadelphia Flyers Tags: Andrei Kostitsyn, Andrei Markov, Brian Boucher, Hal Gill, Jaroslav Halak, Jeff Carter, Josh Gorges, Matt Carle, Michael Cammalleri, Michael Leighton, P.K. Subban, Simon Gagne
Taking a Split Back Home
NHLHS writer Christopher Nardi recaps games one and two from the Pittsburgh – Montreal second round series.
With two games down in round two of the Capitals, err… Habs – Penguins series (yes, I’m still surprised, who isn’t?), we’re going back to Montreal with the series all tied up at one.
Both teams lost key players in game one and this series is getting more and more virulent and, in my humble opinion, dirty. A few nasty hits seem to have ended the seasons of key players from both teams: Andrei Markov for Montreal and Jordan Staal in Pittsburgh.
Categories: Around the League, Atlantic, By Teams, Montreal Canadiens, NHLHS Features, Northeast, Pittsburgh Penguins, Playoff Coverage Tags: Andrei Kostitsyn, Andrei Markov, Brian Gionta, Jaroslav Halak, Jordan Staal, Marc Andre Fleury, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Maxim Lapierre, Michael Cammellari, P.K. Subban
Pens Top Habs in Game One; Lose Key Player Jordan Staal
A dark side of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is injuries and the ensuing aftermath. Teams often mortgage their future at the deadline to acquire a key player for the present only to lose him to sudden injuries. Players, fans, and coaches rally around star players and familiar faces to create a sense of confidence throughout the organization.
Unfortunately for the surging Penguins, they will fall to the aforementioned dark side with a season ending injury to Selke nominee and one of the best two-way forwards in the NHL, Jordan Staal.
Categories: NHLHS Features Tags: Alex Goligoski, Andrei Markov, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Mark Letestu, Matt Cooke, P.K. Subban
Hal-ak to Move it Move it
NHLHS Canadiens Correspondent Christopher Nardi gives his game six recap and a look at what is in store tonight for the final game in round one of the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Game six of the Washington Capitals – Jaroslav Halak series was quite the show. The Halaks, down in the series 3-2 against the offensive powerhouse that is Washington, needed to capitalize on the fact that they had home ice advantage to bring out their biggest effort of the game. Let me tell you, they had quite the home ice advantage, considering that the fans were the loudest I’ve ever heard them in, well, forever!
Categories: 30 Team Series, Around the League, By Teams, Eastern Conference, Montreal Canadiens, NHLHS Features, Northeast, Southeast, Washington Capitals Tags: Andrei Markov, Glen Metropolit, Jaroslav Halak, Josh Gorges, Maxim Lapierre, Michael Cammalleri, Patrick Roy, Semyon Varlamov
Dark Horse Theory: Eastern Conference
NHLHS writer Anthony Curatolo presents his “Dark Horse Theory” series that will take a look at the underdogs heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs within the NHL.
Every year it becomes a major topic of discussion around the NHL as we approach the second season.
Though the previous two playoff years saw the obvious favorites play for bragging rights in being crowned league champion, every year one or two special teams make an unpredicted run at their crack as an underdog to upset the favorites.
This season in the NHL there have been plenty of surprise/feel good stories.
Of those stories that remain in production currently, three Western Conference clubs as well as one Eastern Conference team have been deemed “underdogs”; especially when you consider how the “experts” determined how they would place prior to the start of this season.
Categories: 30 Team Series, Around the League, By Teams, Montreal Canadiens, NHLHS Features, Northeast Tags: Andrei Kostitsyn, Andrei Markov, Benoit Pouliot, Brian Gionta, Detroit Red Wings, Jaroslav Halak, Los Angeles Kings, Michael Cammalleri, Nashville Predators, Phoenix Coyotes, Roman Hamrlik, Scott Gomez, Tomas Plekanec
Looking Back at the Canadiens’ Draft: 2000-2009
Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Washington are all Stanley Cup favorites this year. What do these teams have in common? How did they build their successful teams? Through the draft, specifically through obtaining high draft picks for multiple years. Teams like New Jersey, San Jose, and Detroit, prove that a team can win consistently and still build a solid team from within. But the common thread within all these teams is that they have all drafted well.
Categories: Around the League, NHLHS Features Tags: Alex Tanguay, Alexander Perezhogin, Andrei Kostitsyn, Andrei Markov, Carey Price, Christopher Higgins, Danius Zubrus, David Fischer, Garth Murray, Jan Bulis, Jaroslav Halak, Jose Theodore, Kyle Chipchura, Louis LeBlanc, Marcel Hossa, Marian Hossa, Matt D'Agostini, Max Pacioretty, Maxim Lapierre, Mike Komisarek, Montreal Canadiens, Richard Zednik, Ron Hainsey, Ryan McDonagh, Ryan O'Byrne, Saku Koivu, Scott Gomez, Sergei Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanec, Trevor Linden, Vincent Damphousse
NHL Players in the Olympics
The title says it all. This article will be no more than a comprehensive list of NHL (and some other players owned by NHL teams) players set to participate in the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Categories: Olympic Coverage Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Sulzer, Andrei Kostitsyn, Andrei Markov, Andrej Meszaros, Andrej Sekera, Andres Ambuhl, Antero Niittymaki, Anton Volchenkov, Antti Miettinen, Bobby Ryan, Brenden Morrow, Brent Seabrook, Brian Rafalski, Brooks Orpik, Chris Drury, Chris Pronger, Christian Ehrhoff, Corey Perry, Dan Boyle, Daniel Alfredsson, Daniel Sedin, Dany Heatley, David Backes, David Krejci, Denis Grebeshkov, Dennis Seidenberg, Douglas Murray, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Dustin Brown, Eric Johnson, Eric Staal, Evgeni Malkin, Evgeni Nabokov, Fedor Tyutin, Filip Kuba, Fredrik Modin, Henrik Lundqvist, Henrik Sedin, Henrik Tallinder, Henrik Zetterberg, Ilya Bryzgalov, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jack Johnson, Jamie Langenbrunner, Jan Hejda, Jarkko Ruutu, Jarome Iginla, Jaroslav Halak, Jere Lehtinen, Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Johnny Oduya, Jon Quick, Jonas Gustavsson, Jonas Hiller, Jonathan Toews, Joni Pitkanen, Karlis Skrastins, Kaspars Daugavins, Kimmo Timonen, Loui Eriksson, Lubomir Visnovsky, Luca Sbisa, Marc Andre Fleury, Marcel Goc, Marco Sturm, Marek Zidlicky, Marian Gaborik, Marian Hossa, Mark Streit, Martin Brodeur, Martin Erat, Martin Havlat, Martins Karsums, Mattias Ohlund, Maxim Afinogenov, Michal Handzus, Miikka Kiprusoff, Mike Komisarek, Mike Richards, Mikhail Grabovski, Mikko Koivu, Milan Jurcina, Milan Michalek, Miroslav Satan, Nicklas Backstrom, Nicklas Lidstrom, Niklas Backstrom, Niklas Hagman, Niklas Kronwall, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, Olli Jokinen, Ondrej Pavelec, Oskars Bartulis, Patric Hornqvist, Patrice Bergeron, Patrick Kane, Patrick Marleau, Patrik Elias, Paul Martin, Paul Stastny, Pavel Datsyuk, Pavel Kubina, Pavol Demitra, Peter Budaj, Phil Kessel, Rick Nash, Roberto Luongo, Roman Polak, Ruslan Salei, Ryan Callahan, Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, Ryan Malone, Ryan Miller, Ryan Suter, Saku Koivu, Sami Lepisto, Sami Salo, Samuel Pahlsson, Scott Niedermayer, Semyon Varlamov, Sergei Gonchar, Sergei Kostitsyn, Shea Weber, Sidney Crosby, Teemu Selanne, Thomas Greiss, Tim Thomas, Tobias Enstrom, Tomas Fleischmann, Tomas Holmstrom, Tomas Kaberle, Tomas Kopecky, Tomas Plekanec, Tomas Vokoun, Toni Lydman, Tuomo Ruutu, Valtteri Filppula, Yannick Weber, Zach Parise, Zbynek Michalek, Zdeno Chara
