Hockey

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Your savory breakfast links: Taking a look back at the season that was for Caps' forwards... [WaPo (Part I, Part II)] ...of which there may be too many next year, as roster decisions abound. [Caps Outsider] There are ways to fix that, of course, one of which is to send a player or two (or five) packing in exchange for some fresh blood. So which players have top value? [Angus Certified] The Caps' blue line put up offense at a rate unmatched since the 1995-96 version roamed the rink, and like most other things that improved this year, the credit goes back to the coach. [Dump 'n Chase] Rating the O-ffense. [DSP] A whole lotta stupid in the sports world this week - particularly here in DC - gives us all a break from a whole lotta Caps-centric stupid last week. Stupidity? In SPORTS?? Unpossible. [WashTimes] Brooks Laich: A fan of both local baseball teams. How wishy-washy diplomatic. And fraudulent, since we all know he prefers the Blue Jays. [RMNB] Finally, happy 22nd birthday to Cody Eakin.

Tommy Hughes (OHL Images) In the end the Saskatoon Blades that their critics said weren't deserving of hosting the 2013 Memorial Cup gave fuel to those same critics by bowing out of the Memorial Cup after a 6-1 loss to Tommy Hughes and the London Knights in the tiebreaker game. Pick a word or cliche and it will fit as the curse of back to back games kept it's streak intact with the Blades becoming the 3rd team to play a back to back and lose it. The Blades bow out of the Memorial Cup with a 1-3 as London advances to Friday's semifinal against the Portland Winterhawks. This game was over in the first 3 minutes when Ranger prospect Josh Nicholls (2013 UFA) was forced to pull down London's Bo Hovrat who was on his way with a shorthanded breakaway. A penalty shot was called for and Horvat cashed it in for a 1-0 London lead. It might have been the only goal of the period but Saskatoon really looked like they were not into the game and they just didn't challenge London's defense. If there was any indication that was true then look no further than a 4 minute power play the Blades had early in the 2nd period as they failed to generate any real scoring chances which might have turned the game around. It also didn't help that the other Ranger's prospect on the Blades Shane McColgan (2011 5th) was sitting in the penalty box for most of the first 2 minutes of the power play. But that was how the game went for Saskatoon as every time a door of opportunity would open for the Blades, it was their own play that let them down. London would score 2 more goals in the 2nd period to make it 3-0 after 40 minutes and the Blades waved the white flag by giving up 3 goals in a span of 1:06 to start the 3rd period. It was over and that was it for Saskatoon who ended their run at the Cup with a whimper. Ranger prospect defenseman Tommy Hughes (2013 UFA) was scoreless but a +1 and no penalties. Saskatoon just didn't play with any emotion or drive as to be fair they had held their own against all 3 CHL league champions during the round robin portion of the Cup. Their coach Lorne Molleken admitted as much in the post game and it showed. London yes they scored 6 goals against Saskatoon but now it is their turn for the 2nd time to play in a back to back against a Portland Winterhawk team that had a day off. Portland will bring more speed and skill than Saskatoon did but Portland needs to take a lesson from the Blades and "turn the other cheek" against the Knights who baited Saskatoon into taking dumb penalties. The Winterhawks can make the London tactic backfire by playing with discipline. Let London be the ones who wind up in the penalty box by not falling for the London tactics of trying to "poke the bear." That game will be Friday night starting at 7 PM EDT. And the curtain drops Josh Nicholls and Shane McColgan saw their WHL careers come to an end with the loss to London. Nicholls was a respectable 4-2-6 in the 4 games he played in. Nicholls will now move on to begin his Ranger career at the rookie/prospect camp in early July. For his WHL career the 6'2 200lb winger was 138-175-313 in 332 games with the Blades. Barring injuries, Nicholls should start the season with the CT Whale but he is going to need to add some much need muscle to his upper body if he is going to last. Nicholls is the "late bloomer" who had a 47 goal season this year and wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty in the corners. Some improved foot speed would also be nice but the Rangers have done well helping their prospects improve their skating. Shane McColgan technically can return to the WHL for an "overage" year but first the question everyone keeps asking me is will the Rangers sign McColgan before the June 1st deadline? I really at this point have to say that I don't see it happening because (a) they already have 4 guys who are 5'9 playing for the CT Whale/Hartford Wolfpack (man I am glad they brought this name back) and (b) at last count t

Well, if you didn't know, the Colorado Avalanche have a new head coach. You might have heard of him... Patrick Roy. Patrick's passion for the game of hockey both as a player and as a coach defines who he is as a person," Kroenke said. "He is a winner and is coming back to Denver, where he created numerous special moments on and off the ice while helping lead us to two Stanley Cup championships." Roy won three Vézina Trophies (1989, 1990, 1992) and was selected to the NHL All-Star team six times. There are questions about the Memorial Cup. The decades-old debate about the format of the Memorial Cup is not going to be settled this spring. Or, at least, the Saskatoon Blades are not going to be the team that settles it once and for all. The entire concept of the four-team tournament that features three league champions and a host club, regardless of the host’s record or quality, has been questioned for years. The idea, of course, is that having a home team adds intrigue and helps sell tickets, and last year in Shawinigan you had the perfect example of how it can work when the host Cataractes won the Memorial Cup final in overtime. Paul MacLean made some waves, but the National Post has some other awesome - if a bit cringe-worthy - interviews. Ottawa Senators coach Paul MacLean surprised reporters on Wednesday night with an out-of-character post-game news conference. With the Senators now trailing the Pittsburgh Penguins after a 7-3 blowout at home, MacLean did not have much to say. In fact, he spoke for barely 15 seconds and walked out of the room. “I think everything’s right here. It’s 7-3. See you in Pittsburgh,” he said while holding up the score sheet. “We’re going to Pittsburgh and we’re coming to play. Have a good night.” It was a little strange, but at least these reporters were left relatively unscathed. Here are five news conferences that did not end so well.

*The Rangers hold off the sweep, and Bruins fans everywhere get a little nervous about 3-0 series leads. A glorious amount of hockey last night! *So we really are saying goodbye to little Danny Briere. I, for one, will miss his fist pump. (BSH) *Eric Wellwood is starting his long road back after his horrifying injury. (Philly.com) *There are few things better in this world than a big, fluffy, ginger hockey beard. (Puck Daddy) *It's official: Patrick Roy is the new head coach of the Avalanche. (SB Nation) *Meltzer takes a look at the Flyers' history of second round draft picks. (Hockeybuzz) *The Avs fans study NHL defensemen drafted in the top ten in the last decade. (Mile High Hockey) *The Blue Jackets have yet to make any progress in contract talks with Bob. (Dispatch) *Daniel Alfredsson dropped some hard reality on his team via the media. (Puck Daddy) *Both the Dallas Stars and the Carolina Hurricanes will unveil new jerseys June 4. (Icethetics) *DGB with the ten greatest moments from this, the least-loved round of the NHL playoffs. (Grantland)

Is it possible? Um. Probably not. But ya boys can sure make things interesting if they can somehow win Saturday evening in Boston. Like Derick Brassard said, “We’re looking forward to going to Boston. The pressure is on them. Toronto came back from 3-1 and it’s possible. We just want to bring it to a seventh game and anything can happen.” Thoughts: 1) The events of the day were pretty bizarre, from the morning news that Brad Richards was being scratched to the obvious fallout that includes the almost virtual certainty that he will be bought out this summer, to the newly built fourth line … which, other than Kris Newbury’s needless and costly penalty, was pretty decent. 2) I don’t really have much to add about Richards. Kinda said it all yesterday. Kinda been saying it all season. Kinda started saying it on July 2, 2011. Just never though it could possibly happen this quickly, or that the Rangers would have this gift of an opportunity, thanks to Mr. Jacobs’ lockout, to get out from under that contract. Imagine seven more years?. Ooof. And I thought it was OK and kinda cool the way Tortorella got a lot off his chest about his relationship with Richards afterward. Wasn’t anything we didn’t know, but he probably needed to say it. And as I’ve said about Richards all season long, the guy cares. 3) Chris Kreider. That goal, and actually the way he played the entire game, after playing well between being promoted and taking that stick to the eye – the gash in his left eyebrow was pretty nasty, BTW – sure opened up the old can of worms about him playing here. I know he’s been bad both here and, reportedly, in Hartford this season. And whether he’s ready or not is debatable. But the kid is sure going to be a good hockey player, and the Rangers sure don’t have enough guys who have all the tools he has. He created some chances all night, and the goal was a beauty. Can’t wait to see him with a training camp under his belt. (Check out the photo gallery of his OT goal in the post below). 4) Rick Nash. Fought the puck a little bit, but made some plays, too. Robbed by Tuukka Rask a couple of times (needs to shoot more softly, like Hagelin). Great pass on the GWG. 5) Also great pass up ice to start the play by Ryan McDonagh, who had an enormous game again. That penalty he took? Pansification. But you have to like where he was when he committed it. Whatever you guys think of John Tortorella and his system, he wants his defensemen engaged in the offense, joining the play. McDonagh is their smartest defenseman, their best-skating D-man, and I don’t think his puck skills have scratched the surface yet. Would like to see more of him up ice. 6) So the Rangers’ PK gave up, for all intents and purposes (or as Jeremy Roenick might say, all intensive purposes) three goals. Yikes. But their vaunted power play, minus Richards, got a fairly enormous goal. Brian Boyle, playoff specialist. 7) Speaking of which, Taylor Pyatt became a player this postseason. If only he could skate better. Imagine if the Rangers were built properly at the top of the lineup so those guys could be the fourth line that Boston has. 8) Carl Hagelin stinks on those 2 mph backhanders. What a gift. Give the Rangers credit. They were being spanked when that puck crawled over the goal line as Tuukka Rask was sitting on his wallet. They got a break and used it. Good for them. 9) Brassard and Stepan, the No. 1 and 2 centers by default, were sure good in this game. Or most of it. Brassard provided another comic moment when he dropped the gloves with Brad Marchand, then had to go get them and put them back on as Marchand skated away. 10) Stepan made a No. 1 center play on Brian Boyle’s PPG, and picked big Z’s pocket on the wrap-around goal. Chara doesn’t look right to me. Then again, 7-footers on skates don’t look right. That was a t

The post-game Rangers’ room was a mixture of relief - they weren’t swept - and quiet confidence after scoring a power play goal and rallying from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to send this Eastern Conference series back to Boston for Saturday’s Game 5. “I think the atmosphere of the game was totally different because we had nothing to lose,” Derick Brassard said. “We just played tonight and all four lines and all the defensemen played solid. Hank (Henrik Lundqvist) was Hank again and gave us the chance to win. We just need to play that way all of the time.” Chris Kreider scored the winner at 7:03 of overtime, deflecting in Rick Nash’s pass. Kreider, elevated to the second line to start the game and then to spend ice time with Nash and Derek Stepan, wore the Lundqvist, err, Broadway Hat, all smiles. “How’s your face,” I asked him, no serious marks visible after he was whacked by Tyler Seguin’s stick blade in Game 3. “Fine,” Kreider replied, still all smiles. “How’s yours?” Here’s Tom Gulitti’s game story from The Record. And here’s my column on the coaching decisions John Tortorella made today. ====================================================== Follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AGrossRecord Follow the Record Sports Staff at twitter.com/TheRecordSports

The Rangers will try to keep their season alive not with Brad Richards and Arron Asham in the lineup, but with Micheal Haley and Kris Newbury. Not with an injured Anton Stralman on defense, but aging veteran Roman Hamrlik, who has not played since April 1. Hamrlik for Stralman aside - Hamrlik, to me, is a better choice than Matt Gilroy here with Marc Staal unavailable - I don’t see how this is a better lineup even given Richards’ struggles. But maybe it’s not about the best lineup. Maybe it’s about a wake-up jolt to a Rangers’ team in danger of being on summer vacation in a few hours. One other notable lineup change: rookie Chris Kreider has been elevated to C Derick Brassard’s second line with Rick Nash on the right. “After the Game 3, everyone was down, everyone was pretty disappointed about the loss,” Brassard said. “We set our mind to make it 2-1 instead of 3-0. I know it looks hard to come back from 3-0. I think it’s possible. You take one game at a time. For us it’s do or die, an elimination game. Maybe, sometimes, when you’re thinking too much and gripping your stick and your back is against wall, sometimes you let yourself loose and maybe it’s a good thing for the team.” Here’s some history: The Rangers have trailed a best-of-seven series 3-0 10 times in franchise history. Six times, the Rangers have been swept. Three times, the Rangers have lost the series in five games. The other time, in the first round of the 1939 playoffs against the Bruins, the Rangers forced Game 7 before losing in triple overtime. The Rangers were last swept in the first round of the 2006 playoffs by the Devils. The last time they faced a 3-0 deficit was to the Penguins in 2008. The Rangers won Game 4 at home but lost the series in five. “The mindset of anything coming to end is nowhere on anyone’s radar,” D John Moore said. “All we need to do is win one game and get it back to Boston.” Keys to Game 4: 1. The small picture: The Rangers must do something only three teams in NHL history have accomplished by rallying from a 3-0 series deficit. So, while it’s totally clichéd, they really must only think of tonight’s game, even just starting with the first period, the first shift. Rallying from a 3-0 series deficit is a monumental task. Winning one game shouldn’t be. 2. Puck possession: Everything the Rangers want to accomplish stems from holding on to the puck and forcing the Bruins to play defense. It starts with winning faceoffs – the Rangers went just 21 of 55 (38 percent) in Game 3 – and continues by getting pucks in deep and then playing in the Bruins’ zone by establishing a forecheck. 3. The power play: Boy, this has become repetitive. The Rangers are now 2 for 38 on the power play in the postseason, without a goal in their last 21 attempts and 0 for 10 against the Bruins. The first trick is to keep the puck in the Bruins’ zone while on the man advantage. Then, don’t worry about being cute. Just shoot away and try to pound in a rebound. Ugly goals are just as good-looking as pretty ones “I think it’s got something to do with the whole game,” RW Mats Zuccarello said when asked whether going and failing on the power play saps momentum from the Rangers. “We don’t get into the flow, we don’t get into the rhythm and it’s just the power play and some of our five on five too. But we’ve got to win one game. Now is not the time to think in negative thoughts and see what’s wrong.” As for the lack of a consistent or effective forecheck in the series, D Ryan McDonagh said, ““You’ve got to give them some credit. They’ve got some big defensemen and they’re able to get back there and retrieve the puck. I thought at times we had the puck on our stick and maybe just got a little bit impatient. You see them, they’re pretty good at waiting for help, wai

Spring rings eternal, as well as some traditions of the season. If it's Spring, you can count on gardens blooming, graduations, and the Sharks playing for their lives in a playoff elimination game. After dropping Game 5 in dismal fashion on Thursday night, San Jose limps home with its season on the line, down 3-games-to-2 in their best of 7 game series with the Los Angeles Kings. San Jose failed to score at Staples Center for the second time in the series en route to a 3-0 loss to Los Angeles, and now find themselves in the precarious position of having to win the next two games or say goodbye to the season.

This feels like a metaphor for the game. Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports People have said that the postseason is an entirely different animal than the regular season. Whatever happens in the prior 82 games (or 48 for this season) is thrown out the window. The slate is cleared. And sometimes, the wimpy teams that you’ve toyed with previously suddenly turn into monsters that you can’t dominate. This is exactly what’s happening to the Chicago Blackhawks in their series with the Detroit Red Wings. For some reason, they’re being intimidated by a sudden emergence of strength, and they’ve found themselves on the verge of being eliminated for the third year in a row. They had such promise, such strength in the regular season, that they were sure to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. The team you see playing now seems defeated, demoralized, mentally shaken by defeat. They’re regressing back to the terrible game that’s been so prevalent the past two years. In place of the team that set franchise and league records is one that consists of a virtually nonexistent power play, weak shooting, ignoring shots, bad cycling, bad passing, sloppy play, mistakes, giveaways, and terrible faceoffs. Thursday’s 2-0 loss seems as rock bottom as it gets for them. They’re also becoming undisciplined, as evidenced by Jonathan Toews taking three penalties in a row. This is what the Red Wings want: hot-headed, desperate guys who will make countless mistakes and become broken. The Blackhawks won’t make it past the end of May if they lose their heads and their focus. I will say this: if the Blackhawks continue to play with too much emotion and not enough thought, they don’t deserve to win the game or the series. If they straighten up and figure out how to actually play, they’ll have a chance. It’s all up to them to turn things in their favor.