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.
Stanley Cup Final Game One: Working Overtime
7,676 days. That's how long it had been since the Colorado Avalanche last played in the Stanley Cup Final. That's how long Avalanche fans had been waiting to see their beloved team play for the hardest prize to win in pro sports: the Stanley Cup. In this go-around, the Avalanche had to go toe-to-toe with the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. For the Avs, they're looking to win their third Stanley Cup overall. For the Lightning, they're looking to win their third straight Stanley Cup--something no team has done in four decades.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
2022 Stanley Cup Final Preview
Well, hockey fans, we finally made it. It's been a gritty, rough, and spectacular season of hockey, but after six months of regular season action, and three thrilling playoff rounds, we are down to the final two teams left standing in the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup Final is the ultimate ending to a thrilling sport; the culmination of a season of blood, sweat, and tears. Each of the teams involved enter the Summer Classic needing only four wins to capture the ultimate prize, the greatest in all of professional sports: the Stanley Cup. It's hard to win the Stanley Cup, and it's every bit as hard to get to the Final, but these two teams managed to battle their way to this pivotal point. They are as follows:
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Out of Gas and Out of Tricks
It is amazing how far the New York Rangers have come in just a short time. The 2020 bubble was very disappointing for the Rangers; they were part of the expanded playoffs that year, but not only were they defeated in the Qualifying Round, they were the only team to be swept in the best-of-five series. However, there was a silver lining. Losing the Qualifying Round allowed them to join the other seven eliminated teams in the lottery for the #1 pick, which the Rangers ended up winning to draft Alexis Lafreniere.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Oilers Swept in Chaotic West Final. Top Story - June 2022.
The Battle of Alberta series didn't just determine who would represent the Pacific Division in the Conference Finals, it was a battle to see who would be the last Canadian team standing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That honor ended up going to the Edmonton Oilers, after a five game series win, and it was their first Final Four appearance since 2006--the year that the Oilers made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final and fell just one win short. The Oilers faced off against the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final, and it was a marquee matchup: Connor McDavid vs Nathan MacKinnon. I was one of many fans who was salivating over this battle between two of the biggest stars in the NHL.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Another Elite Eight Loss for Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes' 2022 Stanley Cup Playoff run was an interesting one, to say the least. After managing to finish first in the Metropolitan Division, the Hurricanes ended up in a dogfight against a Boston Bruins team that was sputtering. Seven games, but the Hurricanes won because of home-ice--the home team won all seven games. The Canes went on to face the New York Rangers in what went on to be a hotly contested series, and just like their first series against the Bruins, the home team kept winning games.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
2022 Conference Finals Preview
The Final Four is all set. The Conference Finals are here. This round is very vital, it will determine which two teams will face each other for the Stanley Cup! We were treated to a very captivating second round that saw so many amazing moments, plays, and goals, but after the dust has settled, it has come down to the final four teams remaining. Since the 2013-14 season, the Conference Finals have been contested between each of the four winners of the division brackets, with the East series pitting the Atlantic vs the Metropolitan, while the West series pits the Central vs the Pacific. The series are as follows:
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Blues Lose Series and a Lot of Respect in the Process
A heated and immensely controversial Central Division Final series between the Colorado Avalanche and the St. Louis Blues saw the latter ousted in six games. The Blues entered the playoffs as a much stronger team than they were in the previous season, and it showed. The shortened 2020-21 season saw the Blues in the localized West Division, and in spite of the fact that half of the West Division consisted of poor teams, the Blues struggled to get into the playoffs, and when they did get the division's last spot, they took their struggles with them.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Flames Extinguished in Battle of Alberta. Top Story - May 2022.
We were really excited for this, weren't we? For the first time in 31 years, we had the Battle of Alberta in the Stanley Cup Playoffs; an occurrence that--many say--was set to happen in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused that season to be paused. We all salivated over this, and yes, I was part of the "we all." I was six years old when the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers last met in the playoffs, and I wasn't even thinking about hockey at that time, so this was really my first time experiencing this. I was looking for a seven-game, knock 'em out, street fight between these two longtime provincial foes. Instead, we got a short series that went the way of the Edmonton Oilers.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Panthers Swept Out of Elite Eight by Back-to-Back Champs
The Presidents' Trophy claims another victim, as the Florida Panthers became the first casualty of this year's Division Finals. This was an absolute dream season for the Panthers. 58 wins, 122 points, and their first Presidents' Trophy in franchise history. They were definitely expected to go very far, but they had to do something they hadn't done since 1996: win a playoff series. It was tough, but the Panthers did it, winning a six-game opening round over the Washington Capitals, with Carter Verhaeghe's OT winner (his second of the series) ending the 26-year itch.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Stars Ousted in Seven Despite Oettinger's Efforts
The last piece of the second-round puzzle was filled late on Sunday, May 15, as the Dallas Stars faced off against the Calgary Flames in Game Seven of their Pacific Division Semifinal series. This was a series that didn't see a lot of scoring, and it was the most tame of the eight series that were played, but even this one had its moments. Each of the first two games were shutouts; a 1-0 win from Calgary in Game One, and a 2-0 win from Dallas in Game Two. The scoring didn't really pick up from there, but in spite of this, the teams made it to seven games, and the finale ended up going to overtime.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: End of an Era?. Top Story - May 2022.
Nothing lasts forever. Those three words pertain to literally everything, even sports. In this case, it's about the Pittsburgh Penguins. 16 straight playoff appearances; the longest active streak in pro sports. In those 16 years, the Penguins have reached the Final Four five times, which resulted in four appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, winning three of those four. Among the three Cups includes winning back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017, becoming the first team to achieve that feat in nearly 20 years. Since then, however, the Penguins haven't fared well in the playoffs, winning just one series since then.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
2022 Division Finals Preview
What an amazing opening round of playoff action! Despite the fact that it only saw eight of the 51 games played go to overtime (which is quite low for the first round), it saw five of the eight series go the maximum seven games, with the home team winning four of the five Game Sevens played. After all of the dust has settled, and after all of the mayhem, we finally have our Elite Eight for the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The four Division Final series are all solidified, and they are as follows:
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
