Playoffs Round One

Last year in the playoffs, the TSN panel were counting the number of Too many men calls, it seemed to be a problem at the time were coaches we're matching lines and in the thick of it, threw an extra attacker in. As this still is a problem, the focus has shifted towards the fighting, rough stuff and suspensions. At the begging of the season when Brendan Shannahan was appointed chief of discipline, it became apparent that things would be different. The NHL was having problems with hits to to head and unnecessary contact. In the pre season there were 11 suspensions handed out. It was a firm reminder that hits to the head would not be tolerated, Brandon Shanahan also put out short videos explaining the reasons for the suspension. They were meant to be tools for the teams to understand what is good and what is bad. During the playoffs this year the story has been the amount of fighting during the game and after the whistle. As it is apparent mostly in the Pittsburgh/Philly series, it has been happening in every series. just tonight Hossa sustained an injury that happened when Raffi Torres delivered a hit on Hossa. From what I remember it has been the most violent opening round I've seen. Not very often do you see a head to head fight, scrums after every whistle and at least one suspension handed out each night. Despite the amount of suspensions throughout the season and this far in the playoffs, it doesn't seem the be getting better, and why is that? You would think that guys would start getting tired of being fined, missing games and being riddled by the media. Well the thing is, is that the players are playing in a game that is so high speed and with such a high intensity that they are being forced to go into those rough areas, it is especially bad in the playoffs because every game matters and every little shift matters and they are being forced to work even harder. The guys are not thinking about how they might get suspended, they all want the cup and they are going to do whatever it takes to win it "because it's the cup"- NHL

I'm back!!!!!

The last time I made a post to this blog, it was the pre-season and I made my power rankings. Looking at it now, boy was I wrong, but that is alright. I'm back to making posts to the blog now and will try and update on a regular basis now. There are a few things that I will get to talk about now that we are in the playoffs and man it is quite a crazy first round. I don't think I have ever seen this many fights or rough up line brawls in the first round of the playoffs before but it is turning out to be very entertaining. The Pittsburgh, Philladelphia series was supposed to be the most entertains of the first round matchups and it has turned out to be just that. The favourite going in was Pittsburgh, but I had my eyes on the Flyers. In the very early minutes of the first game it seemed as though Pittsburgh was the clear cut better team and it showed by the early 3-0 lead. It took a while for Philadelphia to get adjusted to the Penguin croud and get their legs back. It didn't take long for Philly to come back tie it up and take the first game in OT. For the second game it almost seemed as if Dan Bylsma gave the Penguins a good speech before going out on the ice because they came out with a 3-0 lead in the first once again. Once the broad street was thrown back in the mix, the game quickly got tied up and then Philly took it out of control. In game 3 Pittsburgh's frustration clearly shown by the stupid penalties they got and the many fights and cheep shots that ensued. It has shown to be very entertaining thus far but the other series' have not disappointed. Nashville is pushing Detroit, New York and Ottawa are battling it out hard and T.J Oshie's assist to Backes was by far the best play of the playoffs so far. Before the playoffs I made the prediction of both Semi final matchups which are Philadelphia and New York on one side while Detroit and St.Louis on the other side. I will say St.Louis and New York in Finals. New York to win thier first since 1996.

2011 season Power Rankings- Max

Eastern conference
1wsh
2pit
3Bos
4Tbl
5Phi
6NYR
7Buf
8Tor
9Mtl
10Car
11NJD
12Fla
13Wpg
14Ott
15Nyi

Western conference
1 Van
2 Sjs
3 Det
4 Ana
5 Lak
6 Nas
7 Chi
8 Clg
9Phx
10 minn
11 Stl
12 Dal
13Col
14 Edm
15 Clb

President trophy prediction 
Wsh

Rocket Richard trophy prediction
Alex Ovechkin

Top four teams 
Wsh-TBL
Sjs-Van

Stanley cup final
SJS-WSH 

WINNER
WSH

Jersey Collection day seven- All Star game West 2009

 One thing I like to do is collect a jersey from any NHL Or CHL or any hockey league city i go to.  This time when I was going to Montreal with my grade 8 class I needed something from Montreal. But I didnt want to get a Canadiens jersey because i hate them. But I need one for my collection so I will only get a Habs jersey if it is given to me ( read more about that tomorrow). Anyways so my alternative to a habs jersey was an All Star jersey from Montreal. And so another memory was kept through this jersey.  I had a fun trip with all my friends and we had a great time. We went to the Sugar Shack, we went through Old Montreal took some tours and we also went down St. Catherine street where I looked forever to find this jersey. I looked forever to find a jersey and I finally found it and it was exacty what I wanted a West Jersey. If I say so myself it is a pretty spiffy jersey. In case your asking the stars on the side of the jersey with the years are all the year Montreal has held the All star game.

Jersey Collection day six -Sharks

If you dont know me, I go to a boarding school and it is awesome. At my boarding school i live in a house with about 17 other guys and throughout the year you really get to know some of the other guys in your house. It is pretty cool to see all walks of life in this house. I have had people from all over the world live in my house and it is cool to listen to what they have to say even when there is barely any english to it. One of my buddies in my house was from Toronto and he played AA for the sharks. And what would you know it they would have the same jerseys as the San Jose Sharks he had given me one of his many jerseys that he had worn over the years for the sharks because he had known that I was a jersey collector. I thought it was pretty cool, I always wanted to own a Sharks jersey and this guy had just given me one. This isnt really a story but just a comment on the freindships that we build with the other guys in my house and it is a pretty neat experience for everyone to live on their own......with 17 other guys 

Jersey Collection day five- Avalanche

This Jersey is important to me not because of the jersey itself but of the story i have of when I got it. I ordered the jersey online and I received it a couple weeks later. I got the jersey in the mail the night of my first game that I played for my highschool team. This jersey is really important to me because it reminds me about how lucky I am for going to the school I go to, and getting the opportunities and meeting the people i wouldnt get anywhere else. I didnt really beleive that I would make my high school team but I tried hard and got on to the team. It made me so happy to play with my teamates and head to practice everyday with them. I love hockey so much and it is one of the most important things in life for me and it was awesome that I got that opportunity to continue playing hockey through my first two years of high school and my hard work paid off at the end of my grade ten year when my teamates voted me Most Improved Player. Like I said this jersey has nothing to do with Lakefield hockey and for anyone else its just an Avs jersey but to me it marked the begining of a whole lot of fun

Jersey Collection day four - Leafs

 



"The Passion that unites us all" "The price of success is hard work" are two quotes that the Toronto maple Leafs use as slogans for the team. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been my favourite hockey team since I was born. I have always loved hockey from a young age, hell apperently my first word was "hockey".  I started playing at the age of 3 and have always loved the leafs. Over the past few years I have watched every single leafs game. And while I watch the games I have to be wearing this jersey, so as you can beleive there have been lots of happiness and dissapointment in this jersey. This jersey has also been one of my favourite jerseys to wear out on the outdoor rink. As a defenseman I really look up to Phaneuf, the captain of the Leafs and I think he is a great role model for hard working young defenseman. It is such a beautiful jersey too, nice classic look to it, with the laces stripes and 36 point leaf.