2010 NHL Playoffs Update: Sharks Beat Red Wings In OT

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in game one of the NHL Western Conference series. The Sharks scored 3 goals in a 1:19 time frame to jump out to a 3-0 lead. The Wings fought back and trailed only 3-2 at the end of the second period. The Sharks started the third period with a 5-on-3 advantage, however, and scored in the opening minute of the period. Detroit would decrease the deficit to one once more in the third but the Red Wings could never find the necessary tying goal. 

 

Detroit Red Wings' Tomas Holmstrom and Dan Cleary gave a 2-0 lead in the first. San Jose Sharks' Devin Setoguchi scored with 4 seconds left in the period, but Henrik Zetterberg restored Detroit's two-goal lead early in the second. Red Wings' Jimmy Howard made 29 saves and Evgeni Nabokov stopped 32 shots for the Sharks. The Red Wings would've had a bigger lead in the third period if not for a disallowed goal in the first.

Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg Zetterberg had a goal negated by video review because the puck went in off his left skate in a distinct kicking motion. Zetterberg was also stopped by Nabokov on a penalty shot — awarded in the first when Couture made a rookie mistake of covering the puck in the crease with his glove.

The crowd at Joe Louis Arena stood silently for a couple of minutes, knowing the Red Wings had fallen into a lot of trouble against the top-seeded Sharks. San Jose Sharks was 0 for 6 on the power play in regulation and Detroit didn't score on its two chances with an extra skater over the first three periods. Patrick Marleau scored 7:07 into overtime, lifting the San Jose Sharks to a 4-3 comeback win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night and a 3-0 lead in the second-round series. 

 

San Jose Sharks has been dogged for failing to get to the Western Conference finals since its longest run in 2004, but an impressive rally from a 3-1 deficit with 13 minutes left in regulation could prove to be pivotal for the franchise. 

 

"Our history dictates that we haven't played well in that building, so we'll have to try to change that and overcome that situation, There is a history and we're aware of it, but what happened has absolutely nothing to do with May of 2010." said the San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan.

The Detroit Red Wings haven't become meek after carving a reputation as perhaps the best franchise in any sport the past two decades. They are in the playoffs for the 19th straight time -- the longest streak in any league, which started before San Jose Sbharks had an NHL team. They won their 4^th Stanley Cup title during this dominant stretch two years ago and fell just short of repeating last June.

But if Detroit Red Wings doesn't win Game 3, its season likely will end before the conference finals for the first time in 4 years.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 | posted in 4th stanley cup, NHL, red wings, sharks | 0comments [ More ]

NHL Updates: Toronto Maple Leafs Come Back Against New York Rangers

Just when you think the New York Rangers are out, they pull themselves back in. A dominant performance against the Islanders and a come-from-behind win in New Jersey have pushed the New York Rangers to within three points of the eighth-place Boston Bruins. But don't sleep on the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have won 4 of 5 despite having the worst record in the Eastern Conference. Not that teams ever lose on purpose, but without a first-round pick in the 2010 Entry Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs have no incentive to lay down over their final eight games.

Last Tuesday, New York Rangers came out flat in a 2-0 loss to the 7^th place Philadelphia Flyers. A day later, they repeated that effort in a 5-1 loss to the 9^th place New York Rangers. With one more game remaining, the Toronto Maple Leafs are destined to finish the season with the second-worst record in the NHL. And, unlike the last two years, they are without a first-round - or second-round - draft pick to look forward to.

Toronto Maple Leafs team that embodies the term "playing for pride". They have a better chance of seeing a unicorn than a postseason berth, but it hasn't stopped them from putting forth a strong effort since the Olympic break. In a road game against the Atlanta Thrashers, a team in the thick of the playoff race, the Toronto Maple Leafs fought their way to a 2-1 overtime win Thursday. So don't expect the Toronto Maple Leafs to do the New York Rangers any favors.

"We've been finding ways to win hockey games, We don't care if takes 60 minutes or 65, and that's a good sign. We know we can be better, but with saying that every game is not going to be a perfect one. We'll take the two points." said the Defenseman Dion Phaneuf, who was a Calgary Flame the last time Toronto faced New York.

Desperate for a win, the Rangers certainly came out to play on Wednesday. "A lot of people thought we were dead, But we just come out and play. That's all we can do." Rangers head coach John Tortorella told TSN.

The problem was that the Toronto Maple Leafs' once-thriving offence has dried up recently. Toronto has managed jut two goals in its last three games. And its power play, which went 0-for-4 on Wednesday, last scored on March 28. New York Rangers rookie defenseman Michael Del Zotto has 2 goals and 3 assists in his last three games. Toronto Maple Leafs sniper Phil Kessel has 7 goals in his last 7 games, and goaltender Jonas Gustavsson, who will start Saturday, has won six straight. 

 

The Toronto Maple Leafs were in a hurried state to make their charter flight to Pittsburgh for their late Sunday afternoon tilt against the Penguins, but there was time to first celebrate their come-from-behind 3-2 overtime win over the New York Rangers moments before at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday.

The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a two-goal deficit in the first period to continue to successfully play their spoiler role against teams like the New York Rangers, who still have a shot at cracking the top eight playoff positions in the NHL Eastern Conference.

Thursday, April 8, 2010 | posted in NHL, NY Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs | 0comments [ More ]

NHL Highlights: Minnesota Wild V.S Los Angeles King

A very high tempo to start off the NHL game with lots of end-to-end skating with very little whistles. It was the special teams that were the stars of the show for Minnesota as their power-play and penalty kill came up strong to defeat the falling Los Angeles Kings 3-2 last Monday night in St. Paul. Minnesota Wild came out with one goal in mind, play physical. Derek Boogaard and the big bodies were active early in the game trying to send a message early. Along with that high-tempo and physical start comes a lot of sloppy play. Lots of transition hockey with no real room opening up in the neutral zone and no real good offensive chances for either team. Later in the first the Los Angeles Kings started controlling the puck in Minnesota's defensive zone. A pressing forecheck and great puck movement kept the Wild on their heels for a few shifts before Minnesota got some chances of their own.

A big reason for the offensive success is the return of captain Mikko Koivu from a hand injury that kept him out for the last two games. It was up-and-down hockey for for the first period and the game remained scoreless after the opening period. The second period started off just like the first period but an early penalty by Los Angeles's Ryan Smyth sent Minnesota on the power-play. The Wild took advantage as Owen Nolan buried a rebound off Jonathan Quick and Minnesota took a 1-0 lead early in the second. The Wild power-play was near absent in the first part of the season but now its the ninth best the NHL with a 19% success rate. However, the Kings came out storming after the goal by Nolan as desperation mode seem to kick in for Los Angeles and for good reason. The Kings have been falling lately and what seemed to be a locked in team for the playoffs now are a team fighting to stay in.

They came into the game just 2-7-1 in their last 10 and have dropped from 5th spot to seventh spot in the Western Conference standings. After a couple of offsetting penalties Brent Burns makes a beautiful move in a four-on-four situation drove to net and beat Quick upstairs to increase the lead for Minnesota to 2-0. However with another penalty to Nolan Los Angeles had a 5-on-3 for about one minute but the Wild and their penalty kill got the job down keeping the Kings off the score sheet. Minnesota wild had most of the momentum in the second period until a shot from Scott Parse at the blue line was deflected in past goaltender Niklas Backstrom and the Kings cut the lead in half to 2-1. It was a chippy end to the second period but it was a good ending for Minnesota earning two goals and most important a 2-1 lead heading into the 3rd.

It didn't last 90 seconds as Scott Parse for the second time tonight blasted a one timer past Backstrom to tie the game 2-2. It could have gotten worse, as the Wild was tagged twice on the same shift to give the Kings another 5-on-3 advantage this time for a full two minutes. Los Angeles perppered Niklas Backstrom with shot after shot, and the player of the game Greg Zannon, who is already in the top five in shot blocks in the league made a few key blocks on the powerplay to keep the Kings scoreless on the man advantage. Minnesota Wild got a powerplay of thier own and for the second time of the game the Wild take advantage this time from a Martin Havlat slapshot from the left point that beat Quick upstairs to put Minnesota ahead 3-2.

Los Angeles Kings wont go away quietly as they continue to pressure the Minnesota Wild and claw back into the game. The Los Angeles Kings had yet another opportunity on the power play late in the game but the penalty killers stood tall for Minnesota Wild conserving the one-goal lead with three minutes left to play. Los Angeles pulled their goalie with a minute to play and nearly tied it with a one-timer from Drew Doughty that changed direction but was fought off by Backstrom.

With that save Minnesota Wild defeated the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in a hard fought game for both teams.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 | posted in LA Kings, Minnesota Wild, NHL | 0comments [ More ]

National Hockey League (NHL) Betting Tips

Though the NHL (National Hockey League) is becoming increasingly popular, lots of sports bettors are not aware that they can place bets on the NHL online. Just like you would in Vegas sports books, these online sports betting sites and other online casino providers allow you to place bets on individual NHL games or even special future bets, such as who will win the upcoming Stanley Cup.


One sport that is frequently overlooked when it comes to sports betting is Hockey. As as man's game, Hockey is regarded by some as one of the most tough sports to play. Wherever you might be at a certain time and place, you will find that people from all walks of life have an opinion about a sporting event in terms of the outcome of any given contest. To be sure, everyone has their own opinion about NHL betting tips and they have no shyness in rationalizing their plays.

Thursday, January 28, 2010 | posted in NHL, Sports Betting | 0comments [ More ]