hockey
We talk pucks and objects of that kind. We yell, complain, and analyze in the language of hockey fandom. Gretzky can do no wrong.
Finally, Good Things Come to the Canadian Capital
You know, every sport has that one playoff clinch that you see and it hits some fans in the feels. Not just fans of the team involve, but fans of the central sport. When a team makes good, and especially when it's a team that's had a lot of hardship, bad luck, and black clouds hovering over them, it's among the best stories of that season. Regarding this NHL season, we expected the Buffalo Sabres to be said team, but they blew it. Again. 14 years without a postseason.
By Clyde E. Dawkins10 months ago in Unbalanced
A Moral Defeat?
Two days had passed since the Colorado Avalanche won big in Columbus, and we locked up a playoff spot for the eighth straight year. This past Saturday, the Avs were off to St. Louis for the last regular season meeting with the Blues. A week prior to this, the Avs were defeated by the Blues at Ball Arena, and this was our chance to get 'em back for that.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
Stanley Cup Playoff Push 2025: Doomsday
Eleven days. That's how much time remains in the NHL's regular season. Eleven short days. A lot happened in the past week, as the calendar turned to the month of April. While March is that final full month of the season, April is the end--the very last chance for a lot of teams. The final numbers get thinned out in April, as the Stanley Cup Playoffs draw closer and closer to occurring. As I said: Eleven days remain. That's two Wednesday doubleheaders on TNT. That's two more loaded Tuesdays and Thursdays. That's one more big Saturday, and also, one more Sunday featuring matinee doubleheaders on TNT.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
Kings Look to Finally Topple Oilers, and Go From There
On an evening that saw both franchises from the Sunshine State join the playoff party, one team from the Golden State looked to become part of the NHL's Sweet 16 as well. On the penultimate Saturday of the regular season, the Los Angeles Kings entered that day standing at three points away from their fourth straight playoff appearance. That combination could come in the form of a win and a Calgary Flames loss, or only one point and Calgary losing in regulation. The Kings were in what many see as a playoff preview--a home game against the Edmonton Oilers. A 3-0 blanking of the Oilers reduced that magic number from three points to just one.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
Defending Champs Looking Mighty Sus Right Now
A Saturday that featured 13 games on the docket also saw three teams with a chance to get into the playoffs. One said team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, punched their ticket when the Rangers were shutout by the Devils. That game also helped one scenario belonging to Tampa's in-state rivals, the Florida Panthers. Even so, the Panthers had the "win and in" scenario, but the Rangers' loss allowed the Panthers the privilege of getting in by simply reaching overtime. However, the Panthers were blanked by the Ottawa Senators. They still had one way in, but they would need help. That help came in the form of the Toronto Maple Leafs blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
Have the Rumors of Tampa Bay's Demise Been Greatly Exaggerated?
The penultimate Saturday of the NHL regular season began with three teams with a chance to join the NHL's Sweet 16. In the West, the Jets, Golden Knights, Stars, and Avalanche are in. In the East, the Capitals, Hurricanes, and Maple Leafs are in. Three others could increase that total from seven to ten, and one of those three was the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts needed just one point, but they had two ways to get in before they took the ice. One of them involved the first game of the 13-game Saturday: the Rangers and Devils facing off.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
Eight is a Magic Number for the Avalanche
As the song says, "I had a feeling that tonight was gonna be a good night." The reason why I was elated over the Colorado Avalanche's comeback win in Chicago wasn't just because it meant we could clinch the next day, it was because we made our scenario easier. The Avs entered this day, April 3, 2025, with a win and in scenario. Otherwise, we would have to look to the Anaheim Ducks' game against the Calgary Flames. The Avs were in Ohio facing the Columbus Blue Jackets, who were also playing for their playoff hopes, but they were decreasing. Not as bad as other teams, but Columbus was running out of time.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
On the Horizon
We are now in the month of April. Well... the Colorado Avalanche are. The second day of April marked the beginning of the last scraps of the regular season for the Avs. The month of March was very good to us, but on a down note, we ended March losing two straight. Granted one of them was post-regulation, but still, it's two straight losses. The Avs had seven games left, and five of them were on the road. The first of those games was a visit to Chicago, our last in the regular season.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
Ninth Time the Charm for Leafs?
Just a few moments after the Carolina Hurricanes locked in a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs did just that as well. Similar to the Canes, the Leafs had a simple scenario: just get one point. The Leafs were in a vital game against the Florida Panthers; vital because of where both teams are in the Atlantic Division. The Panthers scored first, but John Tavares tied it up, and Mitch Marner gave Toronto the lead in the 3rd. Seriously, they better pay Marner. Matthew Knies made it 3-1, and it looked good until Florida cut Toronto's lead in half. Even so, one point would put them in, but the Leafs wanted two on the spot, and while it wasn't easy, the Leafs got the job done in regulation.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
Hurricanes Return to Playoffs with a Vengeance
The second day of April 2025 saw two teams with a chance to join this year's Stanley Cup Playoff party. Four teams already locked in spots, with the most recent team being the Vegas Golden Knights. The Carolina Hurricanes were one of the two teams; they had been making some amazing moves during the year, but they still remained a strong force this season. The Canes had a number of chances earlier in the year, but were unable to punch a ticket in.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
WrestleMania and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are Heading to Vegas
It really seems like yesterday that the Vegas Golden Knights debuted in the NHL, but it was actually eight years ago that Sin City received this franchise. This was quite a wild night in the NHL. Five teams--five teams---had a chance to clinch spots in this year's playoffs. Had all of them clinched, the playoff field would have been half full: eight teams in, eight spots remaining. However, the Montreal Canadiens winning against the Florida Panthers ended up killing four of the five teams' clinching scenarios, but there was still Vegas.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
So Many Shenanigans
The Colorado Avalanche, even with the loss to the red hot St. Louis Blues, were still having an amazing March. No matter what happens, the Avs will end the month of March in a prime position to reach the playoffs for the eighth straight season. The Avs were looking to end the month on that winning note, and in the last game of this homestand and of the month of March, we played host to the Calgary Flames. The Flames needed something badly. They were in the West's WC2 position weeks ago, but their woes, mixed with the Blues being a buzzsaw, have put them way behind.
By Clyde E. Dawkins11 months ago in Unbalanced
