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I'm Back on Track
Wednesday April 23 9:45 PM
Sorry i haven't updated this for awhile. Too much compelling playoff hockey to ignore. I actually just finished updating for the first time since the playoffs started...hit a button that I thought was "submit" but might have been "delete" and now what I've just written has gone the way of the Washington Capitals. As I was saying earlier (believe me I was) the Caps are better than the Flyers. Washington got knocked out, in part, by Paul Devorski and Don Koharski. Or perhaps the ghost of Denis Morel. I'm now totally confused by the NHL zebras and how they're working (or being told to work) this spring. Call everything in the first period. A little less int he second. Nothing in the third. Start calling penalties again in overtime. This might work well if you're climbing down a flight of stairs. Or holding a snake draft. But I thought we had buried the days of officiating by score or time with the ouster of Andy Van Hellemond as Director of Officiating. This could be problematic for the skillfull Habs.
Round Two picks (62.5% in 1st Round)
Montreal over Philadelphia in 6
Pittsburgh over Rangers in 7 No team can match Penguins combination of speed, skill & size down the middle. Marian Hossa is coming on and will be a big factor in this series. Marc Andre Fleury has finally quieted down in goal instead of playing like Tim Thomas. I know Jagr is on fire and Shanahan, Drury and Gomez are clutch. And Lundquist is as good as any goalie in the league but I picked the Penguins to win the Cup and I ain't singing a different tune now. Not yet anyway.
Detroit over Colorado in 7 i know a lot of people are picking Colorado and yes it's true that Jose Theodore is playing as if he walked out of a 2004 hilight reel but he eventually ran out of miracles in '04 vs Carolina. And he's facing a lot more talent in Detroit than Minnesota. Even if he outperforms Osgood/Hasek it won't be enough. Detroit is due.
San Jose over Dallas in 7 So is San Jose. That's why the Sharks and Red Wings are on a collision course. (I know Mikka Kiprisoff is considered one of the best goalies in hockey but I haven't seen it lately. And if you and I can see that Jarome Iginla (and Mats Sundin) can use some help up front why can't a seasoned NHL GM see the same thing?)
The Flyers are playing better hockey now than when the Habs faced them during the season. But their weaknesses remain the same. A defense (Jason Smith, Jaroslav Modry, Derien Hatcher-who has rebounded nicely from a broken leg) that is just too slow for Montreal's forwards. And while the Flyers still love to hit, "Vicious" is how Pierre McGuire describes that aspect of their play, they'll take penalties. If the Habs power play picks up where it left off in game 7 versus Boston they'll be fine. If not, they'll be in more trouble than they were against the Bruins. With Saku Koivu back i think the power play is as well. I just don't know how the officials are going to react. And will they protect Carey Price?
I don't have much to add to the Price saga other than to repeat out loud why so many non believers waited so long before realizing that this (old) kid is special. Best obseravtion about Price came from Hamilton Spectator writer Steve Milton who pulled himself off the NHL playoffs last spring to follow the Bulldogs run to the Calder Cup. There's "almost a spiritual calmness" about Price is what Steve told us on the air last month. And that was before fans started calling him "Jesus" (Price, not Steve).
The Canadiens themselves have to stay out of the penalty box. The only team with a better power play than Philly is (was) Montreal. Briere & Prospal are on fire. But Mike Knuble is a big loss. And they're shooting on a goaltender who's better than Cristobal Huet.
Habs Three Stars in this series: Koivu, Price & Markov (clearly hampered in Boston series..he wasn't shooting the puck..nor did he lean on anybody)
Flyers Three Stars: Mike Richards, Kimmo Timonen & Biron (Bell Centre games only)
I think I'm done. You should have seen the first draft.
So did Billy Joel walk on stage with a Habs jersey or did he wait for the encore?
Make sure you catch The United Steelworkers of Montreal, with Elliott Brood at Le Divan Orange on Friday night.
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