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Posts Tagged defense

Brodeur Out 3-4 Months

Nov 7

Posted by admin in Brodeur, Hockey, NHL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Stanley Cup, Surgery, Uncategorized, devils, ice hockey, injury, new jersey, online sports community | No Comments

Martin Brodeur has been the picture of stability for the Devils franchise since joining the team in the 91-92 season.

In fact, since 1998 Brodeur has played in at least 70 games during the regular season, hardly ever suffering any serious injuries. Well, it seems that, that streak will be coming to an abrupt end with the elbow injury Brodeur sustained in a game against Atlanta.

Brodeur suffered the injury while making a glove save on a wrist shot that was actually headed wide of the net. While making the save Brodeur said he felt a pop as he extended his arm. The pop was actually his bicep ligament tearing away from the muscle near his elbow.

Brodeur cringes in pain.

Brodeur cringes in pain.

And now for the first time in his career and for the first time since Brodeur became the Devils franchise goaltender he will miss significant playing time during the regular season.

The 4 time Vezina trophy winner has been the one contant throughout the years for the New Jersey Devils. The Devils have always been built as a defense first team. However, in the last few years they have lost some marquee players at the position including Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko to retirement and Scott Niedermeyer to free agency. Those key loses were offset by the remarkable play of Brodeur whose skill at the position is perhaps unmatched in history.

In fact, Brodeur was well within reach of surpassing a number of NHL goaltending records this season including Patrick Roy’s career win total of 551 and Terry Sawchuck’s 103 career shutouts. Brodeur is just 7 wins shy of surpassing Roy and 5 shutouts shy of passing Sawchuck.

With Brodeur sidelined to late February, early March it is likely that those records may have to wait until next season to fall.

The more pressing issue for the Devils however, will not be making NHL history, but simply making the NHL playoffs. Without Brodeurs’ prowess between the pipes the Devils face a long, hard fight and now must ask backup Kevin Weekes to fill some pretty large skates.

The Devils currently hold second place (16pts) in the Atlantic Division trailing the red hot New York Rangers by 7 points.  If the Devils have any hope of catching their cross river rivals they must rely on something they haven’t had to rely on in 13 years…offense.

With young players like Zach Parise (9 goals/5 assists ) and veterans like Patrick Elias and Jamie Langenbrunner the Devils could do it. They can also look to the return of the injured Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik to provide an extra offensive boost when they return to the lineup.

Either way, the Devils find themselves in very unfamiliar territory this season. A season the will play mostly without the aide of Martin Brodeur. Where they end up is anyone’s guess at this point.

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Fantasy Football Start em: Quarterback

Oct 10

Posted by admin in Browns, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Quarterbacks, Secondary, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, defense, fantasy football, giants, online sports community, passing game | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Week six is approaching and if your fantasy team isn’t looking good thus far you still have plenty of time to get back into playoff contention. With that said, let’s take a look at some week 6 match ups that should be beneficial to fantasy quarterbacks.

1.  Kyle Orton- Chicago Bears

Wow,what a difference a year makes. The Chicago Bears easily had one of the NFL’s most dismal passing attacks last season but all that has changed with Kyle Orton under center. Orton has tossed multiple TD’s n his last two games and should do the same this week against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are surrendering 222 yards and 1.8 passing touchdowns per game. Now that the Bears are finally beginning to utilize the speedy Devin Hester in their passing attack Orton could end up being one of this weeks best fantasy options.

2. Jason Campbell- Washington Redskins

Campbell is QB on the rise. He has posted back to back wins on the road against division rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. Now he gets to go up against one of the worst teams in the NFl in the St. Louis Rams whose passing defense ranks 28th in the league allowing 245.8 yards and 2 TD’s per game. Campbell finally looks comfortable in coach Jim Zorn’s offense and with a number of nice options including Santana Moss and Chris Cooley  he should have an explosive day against the woeful rams.

3. Kurt Warner- Arizona Cardinals

Warner came off another nice fantasy performance against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday and looks to return with another strong performance agaisnt a banged up Dallas secondary at home this week.  Terrence Newman is out, Roy Williams is most likely out, and the Dallas pass rush has been very inconsistent thus far this year. Thats all good news for Warner who should post his fourth straight multiple touchdown game in what should be a shootout in the desert.

4.  Brett Favre- New York Jets

After posting a career high 6 TD’s against the Cardinals in his last game Favre and the Jets hope to continue the trend in this weeks game against the Bengals. If you look at the numbers it doesn’t look like a good match up for Favre with Cincy’s D ranking 6th in the league in passing defense. That is a more then deceptive number becuase everyone just dominates Cincy’s D on the ground instead of through the air. The Jets have yet to establish their ground game this year and Favre has had an extra week to heal and work on his timing with his receivers, that should bode well for a strong fanatsy day.

5- Eli Manning- New York Giants

Make no mistake about it the Giants are the nest all around team in the NFL right now. Thanks in large part to their consistent ground game Eli has had ample time to pick opposing secondary’s apart this season and has the Giants passing attacked ranked 6th in the NFL. The Giants face off against the dissapointing Cleveland Browns who have a weak secondary and have yet to play well on either side of the ball. Consider also that Plaxico is back from his one game suspension and that the Giants have one of the deepest receiving corps in the league with the likes of Steve Smith, Amani Toomer, Sinorice Moss, Mario Manningham and last weeks fantasy darling Dominick Hixon and the Browns secondary shouldn’t stand a chance.

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Wildcat Formation Leading Dolphins to Victory

Oct 10

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, Wildcat, dolphins, formations, gimmick play, online sports community, playbook, ronnie brown | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Usually reserved for games played on Fridays or Saturdays the wildcat formation has found a home on Sundays.

The wildcat formation a formation popular among high school football coaches and some college coaches (or at least a variation thereof) has found its way to the Miami Dolphins playbook.

Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown taking a direct snap in the Wildcat formation

Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown taking a direct snap in the Wildcat formation

For those of us who enjoy watching football, but dont get too deep into the technical side of the sport here’s a very brief explanation of the Wildcat formation. The Wildcat is a variant of the single-wing formation which was founded by legendary coach Pop Warner in 1907. Basically, in the wildcat formation you have a running back that lines up in a simliar position to a quarterback in shotgun formation. This back will take a direct snap from the center while another back is sent in motion from a slot position just prior to the snap. Furthermore, it calls for an unbalanced, reshuffled line, often with two natural tackles playing on the weak side

The quarterback doesn’t even need to be on the field or can line up as a wideout in this formation. The formation is primiarly a run offense, but can be used to draw defenders in while a TE or WR sneaks out where he can receive a pass from the back.

Now the defense is left with a number of possible options: A. the back can take the direct snap and run the ball, B. the back can take the direct snap and hand off to the other back that is set in motion, or C. the back can take the direct snap roll out and look for a passing option downfield.

So, this leads us to Week 3 in the NFL the Miami Dolphins square off against the New England Patriots.  The Dolphins lined up in the wildcat formation a number of times and guess what….it resulted in five touchdowns all accounted for by Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown, 4 TD’s on the ground and one through the air, when Brown connected with TE Anthony Fasano for a 19 yard TD strike. For once Bill Bellicheck and his famed genius was nowhere to be found. His defense looked lost every single time the Dolphins lined up in the wildcat and it resulted in 38-13 blowout. In total the wildcat formation was employed six times during the Dolphins, Patriots game…I’d day the results speak for themselves.

Ronnie Brown is the key to the wildcat formation success in Miami.

Ronnie Brown is the key to the wildcat formation success in Miami.

The Dolphins would employ the wildcat again in their week 5 match-up against the San Diego Chargers. And while the wildcat would have a limited success this time around (47 net yards gained), it still resulted in a key touchdown that would give the Dolphins the lead and an eventual victory.

The Dolphins head coach Tony Sporano who is in his first year with the team, has stated that the Dolphins are just scratching the surface of how the wildcat can be employed this season. So far, the wildcat has helped lead a team that was 1-15 last year to a 2-2 record this season, with wins over some of the AFC’s best teams.

Now the question becomes will the wildcat catch on elsewhere in the NFL? The Patriots used the formation in their game against the 49ers, and the Dolphins have no plans to stop using the formation, at least until it stops working. Like the spread offense that is sweeping college football and lighting up scoreboards, the wildcat may soon have NFL defensive coordinators scratching their heads and NFL offensive coordinators salivating at the mouth.

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No.1 USC Falls at Oregon State

Sep 26

Posted by admin in BCS, College Sports, College football, Conference, Football, OSU, Pac-10, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, USC, Uncategorized, college, college stars, online sports community | No Comments

Perhaps in the future USC will learn to never schedule a game at Oregon State. That’s because for the second time since 2006 USC’s undefeated record and their national title hopes have been dealt a serious blow by the Oregon State Beavers.

This time it was Jacquizz Rodgers who led the way in the unlikely victory rushing for 186 yards and 2 TD’s en route to Oregon States stunning 27-21 victory over No.1 USC.  It was the first time since 1990 when Michigan State defeated Michigan that a team with a losing record defeated the number one team in the country.

In 2006 it was the number 3 ranked Trojans that lost their shot at a national title when they lost at Reser Stadium 33-31.

For USC the damage done by losing at Oregon State may be irreperable. USC was expected to cruise through its conference schedule with its only true test being the Ohio State game last week. Now for the second straight season the national championship landscape is wide open with any of the top 10 teams capable of moving in postion for a serious run at the BCS Championship game.

The biggest play of the game came late in 4th quarter with USC backed up inside their own 20. USC QB Mark Sanchez’s pass was intercepted by safety Greg Laybourn on the 30 with less then  3 minutes ti play. Laybourn ran the ball back to the USC 2 yard line and set up what would eventually become the game winning touchdown.

At that point the Trojans were trailing by 13 (27-21) and it looked the game was lost. However, the Trojans received a glimmer of hope when their special teams came up with a huge return that put them into Oregon State territory with 2:30 remaining in the game.

Sanchez eventually hit Patrick Turner with a 14-yard scoring pass with 1:19 left, but the clock was the Trojans biggest enemy and it would eventually win the battle. The Trojans attempted an onside kick, but were unable to recover and OSU killed the clock with kneel downs.

The game really came down to one team that was able to make plays, while the other team left too many plays on the field. Rodgers’ just could not be stopped or perhaps found by the USC defense and his 186 rushing yars were the most by a Trojans opponent since Vince Young ran for 200 in the famous BCS national championship game of 2006.

But, it was the mistakes made by USC and a stingy OSU rush defense that helped secure the stunning upset. Joe McNight was held to just 10 yards rushing by the Beaver defense and lost a fumble as well. Along with McNight’s fumble Sanchez’s interception played a key role in turning the tide in OSU’s favor.

For OSU it was the Rodgers’ brothers night that led to the win, with Rodgers older brother James securing six catches for 36 yards and two touchdowns. Lyle Moevao OSU’s QB completed 18 of 26 passes for 167 yards and 2 TD’s.

Sanchez completed 18 of 29 passes for 227 yards and three scores, with the one crucial interception.

The impact if this game will be felt around college football where all of the top teams will be looking to move up in the standings. How far USC will fall remains to be seen, but Penn State is one team that may really benefit from this loss having destroyed OSU earlier in the season at Happy Valley.

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The Jets Are Not Getting Their Money’s Worth

Sep 24

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Favre, Football, Free Agents, New York, New York football, Offseason, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, defense, jets, offense, online sports community | No Comments

by Matt Valentine

The NY Jets were the most active team during the off season this year revamping their offensive and defensive units with what many thought would be some key signings. Then just when you thought they couldn’t do much more they added future Hall of Fame QB Brett Fave and instantly turned themselves into a playoff contender. At least, that’s the way most people thought it was going to happen, but after the first three weeks of the season that scenario is looking less and less likely.

The Jets opened the season promisingly enough holding off former Jets QB Chad Pennington and the Miami Dolphins in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to capture a 20-14 victory. Since that game however, the Jets have looked anemic on both sides of the ball in loses to New England in week 2 and San Diego on Monday night.

The loss on Monday night seemed to magnify some of the Jets most glaring weaknesses. For one they had an extremely hard time moving the ball in the first half and though the Jets defense did score the games first points on a pick six by linebacker David Barrett, the offense turned the ball over 3 times in the half, twice on Favre interceptions and once on a Thomas Jones fumble.

Another obvious weakness was the Jets inability to convert on third downs. The Jets were just 1-8 on third downs, while Phillip Rivers and the Chargers were 9-13.

Though Favre’s final stat line looks decent enough ( 30-42, 271, 3TD, 2INT)  it is pretty deceptive. First, Favre should have finished the game with at least 4 INT, he threw the ball directly into the hands of Charges defensive backs Antonio Cromartie, and Clinton Hart ,but neither were able to haul in the pick. Second, Favre racked up most of his passing yards and touchdowns late in the second half when the Chargers had a large lead and went into prevent mode allowing Favre and the Jets to catch passes underneath and drain the game clock.

Favre has struggled to learn the offense and it has showed on the field. He has yet to establish timing with his receivers which has resulted in a number of miscues that have cost the Jets in the first three weeks. Add to that that the Jets supposedly revamped line has not afforded him with the time or protection to make plays down field and you have the makings of a 1-2 record.

The O-line has also not given Thomas Jones the type of running room you would like for the money. If they could give him more space to operate then maybe he could take the pressure off Favre and allow him to settle in, instead of basically placing the entire outcome of the game in his hands.

The Jets defense has struggled as well. The one thing that did become clear Monday night was that without Kris Jenkins manning the middle the Jets could be run on and run on often. Calvin Pace the Jets other defensive off-season acquisition has yet to make himself heard and he better start soon if he wants to earn the paycheck the Jets are handing him each week.

Then for the second week in a row there was questionable play calling by head coach Eric Mangini. With the Jets trailing by just 3 points (14-17) Mangini decided to go for an onside kick in the second quarter. The kick was recovered by the Chargers, who scored on the ensuing drive and all momentum was lost for the Jets.

The one bright spot for the Jets was their special teams. Leon Washington had two nice returns one 94- yarder and one to mid-field which eastablished excellent field position for the Jets.

If the Jets want to go anywhere this year they’re going to need the guys they brought in, in the off-season to play up to their contracts or this 1-2 record may not just be growing pains, but a sign of things to come.

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Giants Beat Skins in NFL Season Opener

Sep 5

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, New York, New York Giants, Pro Sports, Season Opener, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, online sports community | No Comments

Before the game began fans of both teams had questions on their minds about this coming season.

Would Eli play like he did during his magical playoff run which led to a Super Bowl MVP? Would the Giants defense be able to apply the same pressure without Osi Umenyiora, and Michael Strahan? Would the Redskins look as dismal as they did in their final two postseason games?

Actually the answer to all these questions seems to have been a resounding yes.

After Michael Strahan came out to fire up the crowd with the Lombardi Trophy in hand the Giants took the opening kick off and drove 84 yards in 11 plays with Eli running a boot leg in the endzone to secure a 7-0 first quarter lead. During the drive Eli and his favorite target Plaxico Buress, who was awarded with a contract extension hours before the game began, connected on some big third down conversions to keep the drive alive.

Manning scores first touchdown of the NFL year.

Manning scores first touchdown of the NFL year.

Then the Giants defense on their first play from scrimmage, were able to answer the questions about their ability to apply the same type of pressure on QB’s that helped lead them to a Super Bowl Championship. Justin Tuck and Fred Robbins both broke through the Skins line and sacked QB Jason Campbell. It was a foreshadowing of things to come for both the Giants defense and the Redskins offense.

The Redskins looked befuddled under new head coach Jim Zorn’s West Coast scheme. Jason Campbell in particular looked like he had little idea of how to run this offense, on many occasions electing to check down for three or four yard gains in 3rd and long or fourth and long situations.

Washington’s defense didn’t look too much better allowing the Giants to drive down field on three consecutive drives, but holding firm in the red/green zone, relenting field goals instead of touchdowns. Perhaps the closeness of the game was more a result of conservative play calling from the Giants rather then stellar defense from the Redskins.

The Giants have to be happy about their performance on both sides of the ball. Brandon Jacobs was an absolute beast last night, literally plowing over Redskins on his way to 116 yards on 21 carries. Just ask Redskins safety Dawan Landry about what its like to try and tackle Jacobs. Manning completed 19 of 35 passes for 216 yards and 1 interception. He looked very good on third down conversions, but did throw some of those trademark ill advised passes that could have reversed the course of the game had Washington been able to make a play on them. Plaxico Burress who is finally healthy after fighting through knee and ankle injuries last season had a dominant 10 catch 133 yard performance and at times made the Skins secondary look like high schoolers. Despite the win though the Giants left a number of points on the board and allowed Washington to hand in the game much longer then they shouuld have. They also did not score a point in the second half, but then again they didn’t really need to.

The Giants defense was outstanding. New York limited the new-look Redskins to 11 first downs and 209 total yards and gave indications that these Giants are back for another run despite the preseason predictions that there chances of repeating are slim.

With one in hand now each team will go back to the drawing board and try to improve on this weeks performance. The Redskins will have to make a lot of adjustments if they are to be contenders in the ultra competitive NFC East. The Giants on the other hand have to be happy about picking up right where they left off, now they just have to focus on finishing drives instead of setteling for field goals and all should be well in New York.

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Melrose to Coach Tampa Bay Lightning

Jun 25

Posted by admin in 2008 NHL Draft, Analyst, Barry Melrose, ESPN, Eastern Conference, Fantasy Sports, Florida, Hired, NHL, New Coach, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Uncategorized, Western conference, online sports community | No Comments

Hockey fans in Florida can rejoice on two fronts. First, Barry Melrose the esteemed ESPN NHL analyst and former coach of the Los Angeles Kings will be taking the place of John Tortorella to try his magic on Vincent Lecavalier and the rest of the Tampa Bay Lighting. Second, Melrose brings with him one of the most hallowed traditions in hockey…the mullet!

(Barry Melrose…notice the classic Mullet.)

Melrose has been working as an ESPN analyst and commentator for the last 12 years. His dashing suits, and slicked back mullet made him an in-house and fan favorite, and the one man who can make me blush.

Melroses’ last coaching gig with the L.A. Kings lasted just 2 1/2 years in which he posted a regular season record of 82-103-31. He did lead the Kings to the franchises first Stanley Cup Finals in 1993 where they lost a 5 game series to the Montreal Canadiens.

Though he has not coached in 13 seasons Melrose has always remained close to the game and kept a watchful eye over the players, and changes that game has undergone in the past years. He should be well prepared to tackle the dynamics of the “new” NHL and should spark life into a franchise that turned in an extremely disappointing season last year.

The Tampa Bay Lightning finished dead last in the 30 team league and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002, despite having talented superstars Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. The Lightning have not won a playoff series since their Stanley Cup championship in 2004.

Melroses biggest priority will be to improve the teams defensive play, “I believe in effort. I believe in energy. I believe in speed. I believe in aggression. I believe in letting guys be creative, using their imagination,” he said. “I give them a lot of freedom. All I ask in return is that they compete defensively.”

Melrose is no stranger to the Lightning squad and estimated that he watched about 90% of their games on television last season. He believes he knows why the team failed telling reporters that,

“I think what happened here is just a group that lost their passion in the second part of the season. That’s why you win,” Melrose said. “You out-work other teams, you out-want other teams. When you lose that fire and lose that passion, it’s very hard to compete in the NHL.”

Melrose received a vote of confidence from his former player and current Phoenix Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky who said, “He treats his role players with a great deal of respect. He treats those guys just as good as he treats his top players, I think that’s a fine line and important because guys who don’t play as much … they need to have that reassurance that they’re part of the team also.” Gretzky also called Melrose a tremendous coach, and a true “players coach”.

The Lightning are in the midst of a change in ownership, a deal which should be finalized in June. The Lightning are being sold to a group headed by Oren Koules, Hollywood producer and friend of Barry Melrose and Canadian developer and former NHL player Len Barrie. The pair plan to sign Lecavalier to a contract extension and be an aggressive player in the free agent market.

The Lightning should be a team to watch out for with the talent of Lecavalier, St.Louis and the newly acquired number one overall pick in 2008 NHL draft, Steve Stamkos. Just look up the name on YouTube and you’ll see the type of talent we’re dealing with.

Congrats Barry, just be careful when you go to The Rock in Newark,NJ…I don’t think you’ll want to be seen walking around that building.

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Giants’ Great Strahan Retires

Jun 10

Posted by admin in AFC, Defensive End, Football, Hall of Fame, Hall of Famer, NFC, NFL, NY Giants, National Football LEague, Pro Sports, Retire, Sack, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Super Bowl, Uncategorized, defense, eteamz, stats | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

15 years into a sure-fire Hall of Fame NFL career with the New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan has decided to hang up his cleats and retire from the NFL.

Strahan arrived at his decision early Monday morning, telling the Giants’ front office, but not the coaches or his teammates. Strahan had been mulling retirement since last season when he missed all of Giants training camp trying to decide if he would return for his 15th NFL season.

The decision to return is surely one Strahan does not regret, he recorded 9 sacks and 46 tackles missing only one start. He was also a crucial leader on the Giants’ Super Bowl championship team. It was Strahan’s first Lombardi Trophy.

(Strahan celebrating the Giants Super Bowl victory.)

He was the NFL’s active leader in career sacks with 141 1/2 and holds the same record for the Giants, surpassing another Giant great and Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor (131 1/2 sacks).Strahan also owns the NFL record for sacks in a single season when he racked up 22 1/2 sacks in 2001. The last one coming on a strange play when Brett Favre fell, seemingly without reason, and Strahan was given credit for the sack.

Strahan walked away from a gauranteed 4 million dollar contract year, and his agent, Tony Agnone has told reporters that the Giants offered Strahan more money to play another season, but that was never a factor in his decision. He also said that he believes the key issue was that Strahan wanted to go out on top.

Some of Strahan’s teammates were stunned and dissapointed to learn that their leader and friend would be leaving the team. Osi Umenyiora the Giants other Pro bowl defensive end said, “It’s a very, very sad day for me personally,I loved him like a brother. You put in 15 strong years in the NFL, man that is something in this day and age is impossible to do.”

Amani Toomer who has been Strahans’ teammate for 12 years told reporters, “I am very happy for him, I think he is going to find a way on his feet. I just wish him the best.”

Strahan will most likely look towards a career in television as he has been a regular commentator on shows like Best Damn Sports Show Period, and others. He has always been a fan favorite and as a Giants fan myself I wish him the best of luck in the future and my graditude for having had the chance to watch him play. I look forward to seeing that gap-toothed grin somewhere on my television.

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2008 NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions

Apr 10

Posted by admin in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

It is the time of the year for every NHL fan to flash that empty toothed grin because for all of us it is the best time of the year…the playoffs. Every player will be pushing towards hockey’s ultimate prize… Lord Stanley’s Cup. This year features some storied rivalries and some tight match ups. Let’s examine the opening round of the 2008 Eastern Conference playoffs.

Eastern Conference-

In the East the Devils and Rangers will square off and add another chapter to their cross river rivalry. Look for the talented Rangers offense to outscore the sometimes stagnant offense of the Devils in a tight series that should go 6 or 7 games. The Devils only saving grace will be the play of goaltender Martin Brodeur, if he can be a stone wall between the pipes the Devils have an excellent chance to move on to the conference semifinals. If Brodeur is anything less than stellar look for the Rangers and their goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who has played outstanding hockey against the Devils this season to take the series in 6.

(Rangers Jagr slips a shot past the Devils Martin Brodeur)

Another long and storied rival rooted in the NHL’s past takes place between the Montreal Canadians and the Boston Bruins. These two teams have a long history of heated playoff series. However, Montreal’s potent offense and talented, hard hitting blue-liners should give the Habs the edge. Once again, the play of Bruin’s goalie Tim Thomas, who was incredibly hot in net leading the Bruins to the playoffs, could be the difference maker. Consider also, that Montreal’s Carey Price is an inexperienced playoff goaltender, making his first ever post-season appearance this year. The emotion of this rivalry should keep the games close but I’m taking the Canadians in 5.

Montreals Carey Price celebrates a win with his teamates.

(Canadians goalie Carey Price celebrates a win with his teammates.)

Another interesting series to watch is between the second seeded Pittsburgh Penguins and seventh seeded Ottawa Senators. Both of these teams have incredible offensive talent, with top lines that should rival or be considered the best in the NHL. Pittsburgh has a great mix of young explosive talent, and grizzled veterans in the form Sydney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marion Hossa, and veterans Petr Sykora, Gary Roberts and Sergei Gonchar. Ottawa can counter with some extremely talented players of their own in Daniel Alfredson, Dany Heatley, and Jason Spezza. However, the Penguins look to be a team primed to make a deep run in the playoffs, and Ottawa has under preformed all year… I don’t see that changing anytime soon and I’m taking the Penguins in 5.

(Penguins Sydney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin celebrate a goal.)

Perhaps the toughest series to call is between third seeded Washington and sixth seeded Philadelphia. The Capitals have what some say is the most talented player in the NHL in Alexander Ovechkin, who tallied a league leading 65 goals this year. The Flyer’s have their share of talented players as well and the talent level between the two teams forwards is not as decisive as some may think. Philly has the edge with its tough and experienced defense but Martin Biron (Philly’s goalie) has never been a number one goalie in the playoffs and Cristobel Huet, (the Capitals backstop) gained some valuable playoff experience with Montreal last year. This series though, will hinge on the play of Alexander Ovechkin if he takes his game to the next level there is no slowing him down and given that its his first crack at the playoffs, I think he will. I’m taking Washington in 7.

(Capitals Alexander Ovechkin celebrates one of his 65 goals.)

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