Goals Under Review - March 21st
Carolina Hurricanes @ New York Rangers
This is the last hurrah for the Rangers if they want to improve their playoff position. After 7 goals last game, can the Rangers bring that intensity against a better opponent? Carolina has the chance to secure 100 points on the season and all but solidify a spot in the top two of the Metro Division, will they do it on the road against a hot team?
Goal New York by Motte: Great play off the faceoff. I’ll be honest, I’m here for maximum chaos. The race in the west is going to be bonkers for the next three weeks. I want to see some chaos for the east and a Rangers win would add to that. Rangers 1-0
Goal Carolina by Chatfield: A great outlet pass and a great shot. Speed is hard to defend when the defense is coasting backward into the zone
Goal New York by Kakko: This was good aware hockey. Kakko gets behind the defense on a broken-ish play and gets a goal from in close. I love this stuff. One ice awareness was great, good stuff. There are ten minutes left in the game, the Rangers have the lead now lock it down on defense and get the win to close the gap in the standings. Rangers 2-1
Goal Carolina by Noesen: Giving up that goal comes with a giant sigh. The Rangers can’t give up a lack of defensive focus goal especially when the goal they just scored is still being announced in the arena. Any goodwill they had from the goal they just scored is gone and the Canes are feeling like victory is more likely than not. Tied 2-2
Goal Carolina by Teravainen: Scrambling defense gets themselves into a line through the slot and they lost track of Teravainen. Bad goal to give up. Forget about the fact this ends up being the game-winning goal. Forget it was a turnover. This sort of play can be cleaned up for the playoffs but the chance to move higher in the standings slips farther away, possibly out of reach after this loss. Hurricanes 3-2 (Final)
Minnesota Wild @ New Jersey Devils
On a night when New Jersey’s two main division rivals play each other, the Devils get a good team from the west facing their own division battle.
Goal Minnesota by Shaw: What had been a good defensive game to watch is broken by a dow-low goal scored from the short angle through the five-hole. That’s a tough one. The defense can easily stop goals like that but they just didn’t. Those are easier to live with when the team is scoring goals of their own, but goals are at such a premium in this game, this tough one could be the game-winner. Wild 1-0
Goal New Jersey by Meier: The hockey gawds have a sense of justice. Timo Meier scored a goal from a similar position as the Wild just scored. Seven minutes are left in the game and this will probably end with the loser point going to the Wild, because there is no such thing as a loss in regulation for the Stars or Wild. Tied 1-1.
Game Note: The Devils had a Power Play with less than four minutes in the third period and it was abysmal. Poor passing, no urgency and the one shot attempt they had, which was set up by a nice passing play, the shooter designed to stop and sign the puck before he took the shot. Killer instinct and closing is a thing and this is a mark against in that category.
Final OT: Wild 2-1 Killer instinct is a skill that needs to be learned via the pain of losing. Don’t look now but the Wild, as of this final, are first in the Central Division.
Nashville Predators @ Buffalo Sabres
The story is simple. The Predators need the win, can they get it against a young club looking to send a message for next season?
Goal Nashville by Tomasino: What a gift goal by the Sabres. A really simple poke check and Duchene gets the puck with possession and all of a sudden the Preds are on a 2-on-1 rush. That happens, but the shot taken by Tomasino was a change up and looked real slow going into the net. Sure teh story in this game is about the Predators making up for the last game against the Rangers. But these are the kind of goals the Sabres need to not give up. Predators 1-0
Goal Nashville by Duchene: The Sabres defense was disorganized and in scramble mode. File this under goals you don’t want to see your young team giving up. Nashville is erasing the memory of that loss to the Rangers and getting on with the business of winning games against teams lower in the standings. Predators 2-0
Goal Buffalo by Cozens: A rush that leads to an ugly rebound goal, I love it. It doesn’t make up for the poor effort on the two goals surrendered so far. This should be a one-goal lead for the Sabres, instead, they are playing catch up. Predators 2-1
Goal Nashville by Novak: Team defense. Team defense. Team defense. Stretch pass, defense not paying attention and the Preds have a wide open skater entering the zone with the puck and they convert on the shot. Predators 3-1
Goals, plural, Nashville by Evangelista: Ok, we can wrap this one up. Buffalo isn’t going to score 4 goals with less than half the clock remaining. I can’t say I’m surprised by the Sabres being down 4 goals. I’m dissapointed at the goals I’ve seen given up in this game. I hope this is a bad game and not the team shutting down going into the end of their season. Predators 5-1
Final Score: Predators 7-3
Toronto Maple Leafs @ New York Islanders
The Islanders are trying to hang on to their spot in the playoffs while the Leafs are basically in the playoffs. What Leafs team will show up? Can the Islanders up the effort and meet the talent challenge?
Scoreboard Watching: Montreal scored the opening goal against the Lightning. Tampa Bay losing increases the margin of error for Toronto. Mtl 1-0
Scoreboard Watching: Montreal scored again. I want to say something like “what are the Lightning doing?” but they went to three Stanley Cup Finals in a row so I’m not here to question how they play. What they do in the regular season doesn’t matter once they are in the playoffs.
Goal Toronto by Lafferty: This is the kind of goal I would expect to see after a back-and-forth game with good defense and neutral zone play. It’s early in the game but I’m encouraged by the effort I’m seeing from both teams. I expect this to be a good game all the way through. Maple Leafs 1-0
Scoreboard Watching: Tampa Bay scored with half the game left to play. Montreal can surprise and pull out the victory. They are at home, it could happen, but Tampa Bay has a lot of game left to do what they do. I am so damaged for last year’s Stanley Cup Final. Well, not really, GoAvsGo.
Scoreboard Watching: Montreal scores again with a few minutes left in the second period. Does Tampa Bay close that gap before the first five minutes of the third period have ticked away? This TOR @ NYI on screen while scoreboard watching TB @ MTL is kind of tense. I feel like I’m training myself for the playoffs.
Goal Islanders by Parise: Great play by the Islanders. The defense was in place, they contested the shot but the Islanders finished the play for a goal. It was an excellent down-low goal, just the kind this game deserves. Tied 1-1
Game Note: The Islanders are unremarkable on offense. I watch this and wonder where any sort of sustained offense is going to come from. How is this going to be successful in the playoffs when you need to be teams like Boston or Tampa Bay that play 200-foot hockey? I say that and the Islanders currently have more shots than the Leafs, but there is nothing scary looking about the Islanders when they are on offense.
Goal Islanders by Fasching: The puck was on Toronto’s stick, the islanders were not pressuring the play then an absent moment give the puck to the Islanders which turns into a goal. Just a terrible goal to give up. Thankfully the Canadiens are going the Leafs a solid and keeping their lead against the Lightning. When are the Maple Leafs’ stars going to get on the scoresheet? Islanders 2-1
Goal Islanders by Clutterbuck: An excellent forecheck leads to a goal. The way the Islanders are playing should not be a surprise. Toronto should be skilled enough to get out of the zone. This game is now on the star players for the Leafs to get through this Islander defense and score some goals, or pack it up and go to the next game. I’m not about to sit on one game of being out-efforted, but the Leafs don’t have the luxury of past performance to stand on when they show up and paly like this. Islanders 3-1
Scoreboard Watching: Tampa Bay has closed the gap to one. They have five minutes left and they have the goalie pull in their favor. Tampa Bay finds a way while the Leafs are not finding ways.
Scoreboard Watching: Montreal holds off the Lightning to make Toronto’s evening less dramatic. Canadiens 3-2
Goal Toronto by Marner: Ask and you shall receive PLUS the goal was scored in the first five minutes of the period. Marner scores from Matthews and now the Leafs have a chance to set the concrete of their second-place divisional standing. Islanders 3-2
Goal Islanders by Clutterbuck: That was Islander hockey. A stop on the zone entry, breakaway rush and score. The shot was really nice in the far top corner as well. Goals like that can end a game, are we going to see that here from a Toronto team whose star players are having an off night? Islanders 4-2
Goal Islanders by Clutterbuck: The Islanders score a grindy goal down low with Matthews and Marner on the ice. I’m not saying the goal in their fault but they are there to be getting plus ratings and not minus ratings. Toronto got bailed out by the Lightning tonight. I will stop short of saying they didn’t show up tonight, but they are having a bad game, that is for certain. The Islanders brought the effort. An effort that was matched in the first period but has not made it to the third period. Islanders 5-2
Goal Islanders by Dobson: ENG because pulling the goalie with six minutes left is….a decision. Islanders 6-2
Goal Islanders by Lee: This was a really nice-looking tip-in. Toronto better hope this was a one-game deal and not a sign of the team not showing up for the moment. Islanders 7-2 (Final)
Seattle Kraken @ Dallas Stars
NHL Schedule makers are terrible: Seattle plays Dallas yet again edition. A Seattle win almost writes their first franchise playoff appearance in ink. The Dallas loss puts Minnesota and Colorado in the division driver’s seat.
Goal Seattle by Tanev: Throw the puck at the net, get to the spot and good things will happen. This is exactly what Seattle needs to do in this game. Get ahead and don’t let Dallas find the lead at home. Kraken 1-0
Goal Dallas by Heiskanen PPG: That’s a tough goal to give up. A huge bounce off the boards off the back of the goalie and in. Seattle needs to keep the push going and keep the leading mindset going after giving up a tough goal. Tied 1-1
Goal Seattle by Sprong: Woah boy, I bet Oettinger wants that one back. The shot was nice, it went in but there was nothing fancy and there was no screen on the play. Spring just beat the goalie. I like the effort I’ve seen from the Kraken in this game. Kraken 2-1
Goal Seattle by McCann: Great counterattack for the goal. This is the kind of goal the Stars score, but now they get to have it scored against them, on home ice. The Kraken took this two-goal lead into the third period. Can they use the Stars being forced to play for offense as a catalyst to get to open ice and make this a three-goal lead before Dallas thinks they have a chance for the comeback? Kraken 3-1
Goal Dallas by Johnston: I feel like I’ve been writing Johnston’s name a lot in the last couple of weeks. Seattle gave up the goal they couldn’t give up. Dallas got a rebound to the open player that wasn’t being covered but should have been. Now Dallas will do that thing where they find a way to get at least the tie. The Kraken still have the lead but they need to get back on the pond and get some offensive zone time and stop settling for one-time shots. Kraken 3-2
Goal Seattle by Tanev: Great play by Tanev. This is what happens when the Kraken put together some zone time. The defense will make a mistake and lose track of a player. Tanev drifted into the slot, a little farther away from the net. His teammate found him from behind the net, made the pass and the shot hit the net. A huge goal from a stretch of good pressure from the Kraken. A nice reward for the work put in against a team that makes a living off comebacks and tight games. Kraken 4-2
Goal Dallas by Pavelski Extra Skater: Dallas doing Dallas things and OF COURSE is was Pavelski to get the goal. The play was really nice. it was fast, crisp, and a beautiful tip-in. Dallas is going to tie this game. This is what they do. Kraken 4-3
Goal Dallas by Benn Extra Skater: They did, Dallas scored with LESS THAN TWO SECONDS ON THE CLOCK. I hate the loser point. Dallas is never out of a game, I hate it. Now they can lose in the first 90 seconds of overtime, the Stars got their loser point. Tied 4-4
Goal Seattle by Larsson: OT Goal. Kraken 5-4. I was right about the outcome, not the time in which it would happen.
