Stanley Cup Playoffs - April 18th

Goals Under Review: New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils

The New Kids on the Block vs a team that feels like they were good at the wrong time. The Devils were bad for a long time and not their top draft picks are at the point of making this team a regular in the playoff standings. The question is the same that has been asked for the last half of the season. How for real is this team? They had several opportunities to take control of the division and failed to do it. Now, we are in the playoffs and the Devils have a chance to tell the hockey world they are for real and a team that can win a playoff round and possibly more.

The Rangers have been good for a few years now. The problem is, the top teams in the Eastern Conference have been just a little bit better. An incredibly frustrating situation to be in, but that is the world they live in. Can they make another deep run in the playoffs or will they let the young team give them an early exit?

My prediction: Devils in 7. I think the Devils are too new to the scene to be scared off by the Rangers. I think they know what they could have accomplished in the regular season and want to show they are the real deal not that the playoffs are here.

Welp, I am not feeling good about my prediction after that game. The Ranger punched the Devils in the mouth and gave them a rude re-introduction to the playoffs. I should have known the Rangers were going to come out well in this game. New Jersey is not a bad team and they may comeback in game two and get the win. Home ice would be lost but they will have a win to build upon and take that back to New York for game three.

Goals Under Review: Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs

This matchup was inevitable for the last 8 weeks and the questions from this series are just as inevitable. Do the Lightning have another run in their legs? Will the Maple Leafs win a round in the playoffs? Nothing complicated here, one team fighting injury and mileage while the other team is fighting demons and recent history.

My Prediction: Maple Leafs in 5. Yes, read that again. I think the roster construction of the Leafs is one designed for the playoffs. I think they have another form of history to battle in the second round, but the demons they face in the first round will be exercised.

You might look at the header and see that this is a “Goals Under Review” but there are no goals being reviewed. Part of that is the personal timing of the week. Part of that is the number of goals and most of it is that the goals are less important than the message the Maple Leafs sent with their performance.

How does this happen again and what is the answer? There is a post-Stanley Cup video for the Avalanche I watch 4-6 times a week and it’s a recap of the Avalanche march to victory. I love it, I cry almost every time I watch it and it starts with a portion of a locker room speech from Jared Bednar.

If you don’t want to watch the video (Bednar’s part is at the 1:00 mark) the tldr is that Bednar has a media day and he tells his players that he was asked: “how to get past the second round?” He goes on to say there is no magic wand because it isn’t that simple. There is resilience that you need to bring to the rink. I did not get to watch much of this game, but what I saw on the bench after Tampa Goals was the look of “not again”. I saw the replay of the major penalty and that isn’t something you can do when the team is losing. Regardless of how the game is being officiated, adapt, be resilient in the face of challenge, and answer with goals, not forlorn faces.

There are a lot of questions that need to be answered in game two. Unfortunately for the Leafs, recent history tells us that they will not be able to answer the bell. Could the same post-season questions be asked of the Leafs and will the answer be big names within the organization moving on to new teams?

Honestly, it’s too early for that, though, it’s not too early to say that this is the most “must win” game two the Maple Leafs have played in this most recent run of playoff appearances.

Goals Under Review: Winnipeg Jets vs Vegas Golden Knights

I’m not sure what to make of this matchup. The Jets looked like they didn’t care during the last third of the season. The defense was terrible and the general play looked uninspired. I had written them off as a playoff team. The Jets got hot to end the season and they got in as the second wild card. Who shows up for this series? That is my question.

The Golden Knights win the Western Conference. They are a deep team that doesn’t win with flash they just win. I want to know what team shows up for this series, but I want to know if this team is a deep-run version or vulnerable long series and out in one of the first two rounds version of the Golden Knights. Can the “good enough” goaltending carry this team to the Finals?

My Prediction: Golden Knights in 7. I think the Jets are hot at the right time and I think Hellebuyck can steal some games. I still think Vegas has the depth to win but they will have to play seven games to get that win.

Game Journal: Seattle Kraken vs Colorado Avalanche

This is a matchup that doesn’t work well for the Avalanche. The Kraken looked good against the Avs all season long. They are a deep team that closes space and makes it difficult for a team like the Avalanche to play the style of game they want to play. For the Kraken, How long can they sustain their style of play and convert that style into winning games? Can they do it 4 times in seven games? The Kraken are going to have to win by swinging a small blade and making many cuts while trying to avoid the giant hammer the Avalanche have on their side. Ironic I’m using a slow weapon to describe the Avs, but you get the point. If the Kraken can play their game and avoid the train that can be the Avalanche, the Kraken could win this series.

My Prediction: Avalanche in 6. I think the Kraken have a style that matches up well against the Avs, but the top-end talent for Colorado will win the day.

First Period

The Avalanche have a lot of control early in the game but a bad turnover in the Avs zone and the Kraken score a goal. Georgiev made a valiant effort to save the first shot but the rebound went into the net. Not the way you want to start the game but the Avs have shown some strong play early and let’s be honest, there have been tons of games over the last 4 years where the Avs start great but give up the first goal.

Another turnover in the Avs zone and this is not how you want to see the puck being handled early in the game. At the 12:50 mark, the Avs are getting some better chances and real shots on goal. We get to a TV timeout and this is regular season Avs. They are in control of the game but they are giving up the most dangerous shot attempts. This is going to be a different run in the playoffs. I don’t have the same good vibes starting this year’s playoffs and the regular season vibes to start game one are not what we saw at all last year. It was all business last year.

The Kraken draw a penalty on a 2-on-1 rush and this looks like this is going to be a tough one. The Kraken are getting sticks in all the passing lanes and not missing the breakup. They are closing down space quickly and they are blocking shots when they aren’t closing down the space between themselves and the shot taker. The Avs are skating like they have multiple goals in them but it will take that first breakthrough to break the seal.

Killing off this Penalty will be of great importance because the Kraken are not generating offense on their own. They are getting bounces or using turnovers. The Avs killed off the penalty and now they need to score a goal before the period is over. The crowd is up after the kill and a goal will get the crowd on their feet and energize the arena.

Manson gets called for another penalty. I know he has been out of game speed games for a little while, but you don’t have to drape your arm over the forward’s shoulder. The Kraken can’t beat you at 5-v-5 hockey, stay out of the damn box. The Avs have played a good kill up to the 30 seconds left and there is some chippy starting to form on the ice. The Avs finish the Kill and we’re in the final minute of the period. This has been a good warm-up for a team new to the playoffs and a team with “new” players back in the lineup.

Second period

The Avs look great in the first minute of the second period but the Kraken are the first team to score. On the replay, it really looked like Geogiev should have made the save. Forget the goal was scored on the short side, it was a weird move leading with his shoulder to try and make the save. Not confidence-inducing is how I would classify this game. If this turns into the Avs chasing the tie all game long, this will not end well. The Avs need the lead before the second period is over or the Kraken will get ideas.

Halfway through the period and everything feels just a little off for the Avs. Are all the “new” players making that much of a difference? The Avs aren’t able to get anything going for more than 8 seconds and the Kraken are disrupting so much of what the Avs are trying to do. This is a Seattle-style game and they have the lead. One of the Avs stars is going to have to do something to get this team going.

Makar tried his best on the Power Play to make something happen. Everything for the Avs is just a little bit off. I’m mentally prepared to be down a game in the series after this one. It feels like an Avs win here would be a stolen victory from the will of the Hockey Gawds. Even if the Avs remain down a goal to start the third period, they are keeping sustained pressure and the Kraken feel like they are holding on. They are doing a good job of hanging on but how long can you play this defensive style of hockey and not make a mistake or leave one guy open for a half-second too long?

The period ends and the score is 2-1 Kraken. The Avs pushed the entire second half of the period. I feel good about that part and I trust the Mack, Rants, or Makar to break through. I’ll be honest, game one against the Predators last year was a lot more fun.

Third Period

A gut punch of a goal four minutes into the period. It should have been played better but a weird bounce and the puck is on the stick of a Kraken player in front of the net and they score. The Avs have the speed of playing going but they can’t get a good shot. I’m not writing the game off, there are 15 minutes left to play, but my optimism for a win is low.

Conclusion

I ended up listening to the game in bed and well, my pessimism was rewarded with a little extra sleep. That’s my greatest lesson as an adult, get your sleep. Congrats to Seattle for getting their first playoff win. They won by playing their game and the question becomes, can they repeat that performance? Do the Avs get back in synch and complete some of those passes? Do they find a way to get the puck into space and convert on the rush? Seattle doesn’t look dangerous. The Avs can win the series. If the Avs don’t create opportunities for the Kraken, this is an entirely different game. Write it off, they team is back together and they had some rust that needed knocking off. I would prefer we not go through this in game one of the playoffs, but hey, could be the Maple Leafs, amirite?