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.
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
What Went Wrong: Kings Blanked by Oilers in Game Seven
What a series that was! There was no Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, or Jari Kurri, but we were treated to a captivating series between the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Kings actually took Game One on the Road, but the next two games would see the Oilers deliver an onslaught of goals to their opponents. Los Angeles blanked the Oilers in Game Four, and picked up an overtime win in Game Five, but their trip back home saw them come up short in their attempt to clinch the series.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: 18 Years
I thought they had it. I'm totally serious right now. I thought they had this. The Toronto Maple Leafs not only had home-ice advantage in their series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, they had momentum. This was not the same Leafs team who fizzled against the Montréal Canadiens in the previous season. This team looked strong, confident, and most important of all, they looked consistent. We saw the first six games of this series. Even though the teams split those games, the Leafs played very well. They made Andrei Vasilevskiy, a perennial Vezina candidate, look very human in those six games.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Bruins Lose Seven-Game Thriller to Hurricanes
A triumvirate of Saturday Game Sevens began with the Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Boston Bruins, and this was a series that was dominated by home ice entering this pivotal game. The Hurricanes won Games One, Two, and Five, while the Bruins won Games Three, Four, and Six. For me, this brought back memories of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, which saw the home team win the first six games, but the Bruins won Game Seven in Vancouver. That would not be the case, however, as the Bruins lost this Game Seven by a score of 3-2, and their season came to an abrupt end.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Ovechkin's Last Chance?
We have an elimination in the Eastern Conference half of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it was the Washington Capitals who received the proverbial axe. The Caps were part of a top-heavy East that saw all eight of its playoff teams boast at least 100 points in the standings, which also resulted in the eight teams being sealed months before it was official. The Caps' 100 points was only good enough to nab the 2nd Wild Card spot, which set up a meeting between their former Southeast Division foes, the Florida Panthers, who won the Presidents' Trophy this season.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Kaprizov Can't Do It Alone
The Minnesota Wild became the next team to get the boot from the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, though it didn't look like it was going to be the case. After being shut out on home ice in Game One of their series against the St. Louis Blues, the Wild bounced back with dominant victories in Games Two and Three; the latter taking place in St. Louis. After that, however, things went south big time. Three straight losses--all against Jordan Binnington, who hadn't won a playoff start since June 12, 2019, the very night that the Blues won the Stanley Cup.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Predators Swept Out of Playoffs in Dominant Fashion
Since 1980, the postseason chase to the Stanley Cup has consisted of 16 teams, meaning that in order for a team to win the coveted trophy, 15 teams have to be eliminated. Out of those 15 teams, someone has to have the indignity of being the very first team to fall, a terrible cross to bear. In this go-around, that terrible burden ended up going to the Nashville Predators, who were swept out of the opening round by the Colorado Avalanche.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Top 3 Reasons to Love the Stanley Cup Playoffs
We all really enjoy and drink in the phenomenal late spring/early summer festival known as the Stanley Cup Playoffs, don't we? There are many reasons why we should. The National Hockey League's perennial tournament is the best period of sports on the calendar; it's high-paced, it's chaotic, and most of all, it's nail biting. It's an amazing journey all the way--from the first puck drop of the opening games, to the final moment where the Stanley Cup is awarded.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
2022 Division Semifinals Preview
It's here! The greatest quest in all of professional sports has arrived: the Stanley Cup Playoffs! Be prepared for high levels of excitement, clutch moment, and most of all, high blood pressure! In all seriousness, the Stanley Cup Playoffs never fail to incite all sorts of emotion, and it's a guarantee that this year will be no different.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Dallas Stars Complete Sweet 16 in Dramatic Fashion
Five games took place on the evening of Wednesday, April 27, 2022, but to hockey fans all over the continent, only two took place. One of them featured the Vegas Golden Knights and the Chicago Blackhawks, and the other featured the Arizona Coyotes and the Dallas Stars. One playoff spot remained, and the scenario was a simple one: if Dallas earned so much as a point, they were in the playoffs. It seemed like Dallas would get two points; they had a 3-0 lead over the lowly Coyotes, while Vegas was in a back and forth game against Chicago. Dallas could also get in with a Vegas loss, but Vegas was in a 3-3 tie, and somehow, so was Dallas.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Kings Clinch 1st Playoff Spot in Four Seasons
The evening of Tuesday, April 26, 2022 saw 26 teams playing, but the Los Angeles Kings were one of the six who took that evening off. Despite this, the Kings were one point away from locking in a playoff spot, and that opportunity was connected to the game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars. The game went to overtime tied at 2, and then went to a seven-round shootout, which Dallas finally won with Miro Heiskanen's goal, followed by a stop by Jake Oettinger. The Vegas loss not only placed the Nashville Predators in the playoffs, but it gave a spot to the Kings as well.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
